The judgement of a most reverend and learned man from beyond the seas concerning…The iudgement of a most reuerend and learned man from beyond the seas concerning…

To the third question.

We have answered the first part ⟨image 19⟩of this question already. To the second we answer. First it is not lawful, no not for the angels themselves, to make any laws for the conscience, but the church is to be upholden by those which the Lord hath enacted, seeing we are now to look for no new revelation, the whole counsel of God touching our salvation, being fully & perfectly made manifest. Our judgement also is, that the discipline or good order is to be sought for out of the word of God, and to be kept inviolable, as the second part of christian doctrine. Yet there remaineth two things, whereof there may, yea and there ought to be laws set down in the Church. For first of all, where as every thing is not expressly and in so many words set down in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles: therefore in controversies both concerning doctrine and the substance of Church discipline, the Council ought to comprehend the deciding of them in unfallible and plain heads, as by certain rules, like as it was done profitably in those right approved Councils ⟨image 19⟩both Oecumenie & particulars, against the blasphemy of the heretics, and the malapertness of the disordered. And where as there come many questions in the seignories, especially when there is dealing about marriages, though there cannot be certain rules set down touching them out of the word of God: yet so near as may be, rules drawn out of the comparing of the scriptures, are to be set down, after which they may be decided: yet is neither any thing taken from the word of God, by the putting to of this, so it be rightly done. But this is rather an interpretation of the word of God, & a declaring how one followeth upon another. Again, where the substance both of doctrine and ecclesiastical discipline abideth whole and unchangeable: yet must the outward circumstances of the order needs be changed, for the same reason of the person & places, abideth not always. For we see the Apostles love feasts taken away, & the decrees touching blood, and that which was strangled. The governors of the church are to provide also, that all