The Bee Hive of the Romish Church, Part 1 · Chapter 5
The v. Chapter. VVherein is taught, that the canons and decrees of Popes, can not binde the Romish Churche, but that she is s…ill aboue all decrees, and maye breake and adnihilate the same,The Romish church & the Pope aboue a…canons and decrees. Cap. 4. Cap. violatores. 25. quaest. 1. ca. nemini. 17. quaest. 4. ca. de libel…is. dist. 20. cap. nul. fas est. dist 19. This is set foorth with plaine wordes in the chapter Ideo perm…t tente ff. his i…a. 25. quaes. 1. Read like wise cap. preceptis. dis 12. & ca. Si quis. 17. quaest 4. so as shee shall thinke good.
THis same must be vnderstoode of all the former decrees, and canons of all the Popes deceased. For although it be cleare, that they are inspirattons of the holy ghost, against which it is not lawful for any man to speake: so as whosoeuer doeth despise them, is voide of the Catholike and Apostolike beliefe: yet that notwithstanding, they cannot therefore by any meanes close or shut vp ye authoritie of the Church. And wherfore? For that there is one common rule of the holy Church set foorth, for an vndoubted article of our fayth, which is, That the Romish church is she, which doth giuegive to all Popes decrees, their full power and might: prouided alwayes, that she her selfe, is not in any wise subiect to ye same, by reason that she hath a ful power always to make such decrees and ordinances, when soeuer it shall please her, as hauing power, and being heade ouer all Churches, from which poynt no man maye dissent. So, after this manner, doeth shee giuegive and graunt to the decrees,Popes against their owne decrees. full power and authoritie, with this exception, That she her selfe will in no wise, incline or yeelde to the same: but that she may do any thing agaynst the same, whensoeuer it shall please her. Euen like as Christ did teach the people, as hauing might, authoritie, and power of himselfe, and not like vntounto the Theologians, or Phariseis, whiche durst neither put to nor diminishe or take from the same. And euen after this maner it followeth with the Popes. They giuegive the decrees their authoritie, and yet notwithstanding this may they do (as masters and Doctours of the lawe) euen when they list, agaynst their owne lawes and decrees▪ and therefore the decrees and Canons doe not conclude anie thing at all, without this exception, That the Churche of Rome may alway vnderstande, interprete, and expound the same, as she shal think good. And herevpon it commes to passe, that in all decrees, one of these tales is ioyned, to wit, Reseruing alway the right and title of the Church of Rome: or, So farre forth as the Church of Rome doeth thereof allowe ▪ And so hath the high and renowmed Iurist or Lawyer Philippus Decius written:Philip. Decius in ca. 1. no▪ 49. de constit. namely, That all decrees and Canons are (by Gods appointment) subiect vntounto the Pope of Rome. It is verie true, that the holy Fathers and Popes, Gelasius, Felix, Cap. confidimus. 25. quaest. 1. ca. constit. dist. 10 ca. contra statut. ca. sunt quidā 25. quaes. 1. ca. ideo permittente 25. quaest. 1. ca. Iusticiae. 25. quaest. 1.Sosimus, Vrbanus, and Leo 4. hauehave concluded, That all the decrees and ordinaunces of the Pope, beeing contrarie to the olde and former decrees and Canons, shoulde bee voyde and of none effecte. And whereas Gregorie hath likewise ordeyned, That whensoeuer any Pope wil hauehave his Decrees obserued, then must he è contrà, obserue the decrees of the Popes his predecessours. But vponupon that ye glose saith, Hoc non credo: VponUpon the before written chapter, const. dist. 10.which is, I doe not beleeue that. And is not that answere grounded vponupon good reason? So that wee may boldely conclude, That the holie Church will not be bounde nor pend in by any Decrees. Shee is like vntounto a Catte, shee can not bee forced or compelled. For else might these Heretikes, and Huguenotes choke the holie Church with her owne decrees. For they woulde bring foorth this Canon, Vt quid Canon: De consecr. dist. 2.prima quidem Canon: Non hoc corpus: and such other like. Thereby to teache, that there is but one ghostly or spiritual food set forth in the Sacrament, which is receyued onelie by fayth,The sacrament a spirituall food. and not eaten nor swallowed vp with the teeth. Further, they would come out with the decree in the chapter, Legin…us: ff. Quid enim, dist. 93. thereby to prooue, That all Bishops hauehave like authoritie,Bishops like in authoritie. in what place soeuer they bee, whether at Rome, or at Canterburie: and by that meanes shoulde all the authoritie of the Pope become creeple and lame: whiche were a pitifull case.By this the lay people ought to receiue in both kinds. They woulde goe about to teache out of the Chapter Vbinam. distinct. 96. that they ought likewise to come into the Councelles, and to hauehave their voyces in the Consistorie:Cap. cōperimus de const. dis. 2. Fra Petrus ca. lacrimae. ca. sacrifici… ca. dici ca. magna pi… tas. ca. facilius. ca. conuertimin. & mo other de penis tent. dist. 2. euen as well as the annoynted Priestes: whiche might bring in a great cōfusion & disorder. They would mainteine by ye decree of pope Gelasius, That the cup in the Sacrament, ought likewise to be ministred to the Lay people, according to the institution & ordinance of Christ: for ye Gela. doth esteme thē for terrible blasphemers of God, & robbers of ye church, which in that case do not folow the speciall commaundement of Christ. They woulde with the decree in the chapter Placuit de consecra. dist. 4. bring freewill to the gallowes.Ca. Si quis docuerit. ca. Si quis discernit. dist. 28. & ca. Si quis nuptias. dist. 1… ▪ ca. Nicaena. ca. Si quis vituperat. dist. 31. ca. deliciae. ca. quisquis ca. quod dicte dist. 41 cap. Si quis carnem. & cap. Si quis presb. dist. 30. ca cleric. cap. pastor. ca. viduas. 1. qu. 2. ca. gloria episcopi. ca. concesso 12. quaest. 2. & cap. duo sunt genera ca. cleric. 13. quaest. 1. They woulde rid Auricular confession out of the way, and vtterly confounde the defending of Priestes to marrie, and quite abolish the forbearing of flesh: yea, they would throw downe fastens euen, and Iacke a Lent, and breake both their neckes.
Besides all this, they woulde plucke downe all Bishops and Prelates, all Abba…s, Monkes, and Chanons, from their riches, welthinesse, and merie dayes. And would make of them poore beggers with Pokes: because it is ordeyned by speciall woordes in the Decrees, That spirituall persons shall not enjoy any landes or possessions. And euen so woulde they dispossesse the holy father the Pope, of all his patrimoniall goodes and heretage, whereof Saint Peter (by his testament) hath put him in plentifull and peaceable possession: and would leaue him nothing but this bare deuise or prouerbe: Aurum & argentum non est mecum, That is to say, I hauehave neither golde nor siluer by mee. And so, where he is nowe a riche God, they woulde in steade thereof, make of him a poore deuill: and then they would driue all Priests and Parsonnes, Monkes, Friers, and Nonnes, into their Churches and Cloysters, euen as men woulde driue a heard of swine into their Styes▪ and that by force of the decree: Cap. Clerici. causa. 14. quaest. 4. and cap. peruenit. dist. 86. and more such like, which are written in the 86. distinction.
And nowe note another thing, which is worst of all: they would mainteyne, that all Priestes, Monkes, and Chanons, with all the hellish, shorne, and greasie swarme, are ex…able and shameles heretikes: yea, accursed and false theeues▪ and that al Cardinals, Bishops, and Popes, hauehave effectually and Ipso facto, forfeyted all their offices, authorities, benefices, & prebendes, according to the decree: Si quis: dist. 69. cap. Null…. cap. Baptisando. 1. cap. Quicquid cap. Placuit. and an innumerable companie and, too long to rehearse. So that herewithall shoulde our deare mother the holie Church of Rome be cleane rooted out, and spoyled of all her goodly treasures, riches, possessions, and gouernments: and in the ende should vtterly loose her credite & countenance: and being forced to play the bankrupt, should be driuē into an hospital, there to ende her sorowfull and miserable dayes.
Therefore let eueryevery man, which will pretende to be a good and faythfull member of the holy Church, looke well about him, that he in no maner of wise, for any thing that may be, do extoll the decrees so high, that the holy Church of Rome should be subiect vntounto them: but let our holy mother alwayes remaine vnhindered, at libertie and free, that shee may freely, as touching all Decrees, Canons, writings, and ordinances, dispense, ordeine, iudge, dispose, order and reserue: and in summe, bind the diuel vponupon a cushen: for she neither may nor will be constreyned in any matter: considering that shee is like vntounto these olde Foxes, which can not bee taken in anie trappe: She can leape ouer all gates, and hedges, ouer all ditches & quagmires, ouer al parkes & pales, and she hath no other order nor rule, but what she thinkes good, euen her owne deuotion, her good intent, &c. And to conclude, that which shee perceyueth to tende most vntounto her pleasure and profite.