The iudgement of a most reuerend and learned man from beyond the seas concerning a threefold order of bishops, with a declaration of certaine other waightie points, concerning the discipline and gouernement of the Church.

The third question.

Whether the king or the bishops are to call the assembly of the Church, and as concernyng what matters they may make lawes.

To the third question.

Wee haue aunswered the first part

of this question already. To the second we answere. First it is not lawful, no not for the angels themselues, to make any lawes for the consciēce, but the church is to be vpholden by those which the Lord hath enacted, seeyng we are now to looke for no newe reuelation, the whole counsell of God touchyng our saluation, being fully & perfectly made manifest. Our iudgement also is, that the discipline or good order is to bee sought for out of the word of God, and to be kept inuiolable, as the second part of christian doctrine. Yet there remay∣neth two things, wherof there may, yea and there ought to be lawes set downe in the Church. For first of all, where as euery thyng is not expressely and in so many wordes set downe in the wri∣tings of the Prophetes and Apostles: therefore in controuersies both concer∣ning doctrine and the substaunce of Church discipline, the Councell ought to comprehend the decidyng of them in vnfallible and plaine heads, as by cer∣tayne rules, like as it was done profita∣bly in those right approoued Councels

both Oecumenie & perticulars, against the blasphemy of the heretikes, and the malipertnesse of the disordered. And where as there come many questions in the seignories, especially when there is dealing about mariages, though there cannot be certaine rules set downe tou∣ching them out of the worde of God: yet so neere as may be, rules drawn out of the comparing of the scriptures, are to be set downe, after which they may be decided: yet is neither any thing takē from the word of God, by the puttyng to of this, so it be rightly done. But this is rather an interpretation of the worde of God, & a declaring how one folow∣eth vpon another. Agayne, where the substance both of doctrine and ecclesia∣sticall discipline abideth whole and vn∣changeable: yet must the outward cir∣cumstances of the order needs be chan∣ged, for the same reason of the person & places, abideth not alwayes. For we see the Apostles loue feastes taken away, & the decrees touching bloud, and that which was strangled. The gouernors of the church are to prouide also, that all

may haue intelligence, at what tyme & place it is expedient for any thing to be done in the Church: yet so as the do∣ctrine it selfe, vnder which we also com∣prehend the ordaining of the sacramēts, abide whole as God hath set it downe. Further, that in setting down the lawes of this order, there be set down nothing foolish or vnprofitable, much lesse any of the old customes retained, which ei∣ther is already stained with superstition, or which may easily make a way to su∣perstition. Lastly, that in all these, there be a great regard of simplicitie, and that the church be not loaded with a multi∣tude of rules.

And for the auoyding of the diuer∣sitie of rites, it is necessary that these Ca∣nons, as in olde tyme they called them, be set downe in their generall counsels, that any thing in the same land may be chaunged according to the tyme. But whatsoeuer shall be set downe in those counsels, is to be established by the au∣thoritie of the kings Christian maiestie, as next after God, the keper and defen∣der of the churches.