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versies of faith: And yet it is not lawful for the Church to ordain any thing that is contrary to God's Word written, neither may it so expound one place of Scripture, that it be repugnant to another. "Wherefore although the Church be a witness and a keeper of holy Writ, yet as it ought not to decree any thing against the same, so besides the same ought it not to enforce any thing to be believed for necessity of salvation.

and Cilicia. Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, &c. it seemed good unto us, being assembled, with one accord to send chosen men unto you, with our beloved Barnabas and Paul.-Ver. 28, 29. For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from fornication; from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.

c 1 Pet. iv. 11. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God.-Rom. xii. 6. Let us prophesy * according to the portion of faith.

d Gal.i. 8. Though we or an angel from heaven preach any other Gospel unto you than that we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.-Deut. xii. 32. What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto nor diminish from it.

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The meaning of the word Church having been settled in the preceding Article, the next thing to be determined is what authority belongs to every particular Church? And this enquiry naturally divides itself into two parts, viz. external forms, and matters of faith; both of which are treated of in this Article.

By the Church we are here to understand those that are vested with ecclesiastical authority, who are emphatically called the Church, as being its governors and representatives. And by rites and ceremonies we must understand nothing else but the particular circumstances and customs to be observed in the worship of God, not as any cause or part thereof. The Church has power over such rites and ceremonies, (see texts, ref. a,) for otherwise St. Paul would not have counselled the Church of Corinth to do what was impossible or unlawful for them to do.

The determination of all controversies depends upon the exposition of Scripture; for in all controversies both parties appeal to Scripture; and the only question to be decided is, whether the Scripture is for the one or the other. And as we allow the Church the power of expounding Scripture, we must grant that it has authority in controversies of faith.

The latter part of this Article seems directed against the Roman Catholics, many of whose peculiar tenets were founded on single

texts of Scripture, perverted from their proper meaning, and which would not stand the test of being compared with other passages of Scripture.

a

ARTICLE XXI.

Of the Authority of General Councils. GENERAL Councils may not be gathered together without the commandment and will of princes; and when they be gathered together (forasmuch as they be an assembly of men, whereof all be not governed with the Spirit and Word of God) they may err, and sometimes have erred, even in things pertaining unto God.

Wherefore things ordained by them as necessary to salvation, have neither strength

a Rom. xiii. 1. Let every soul be subject to the higher powers. See 2 Chron. xxix. 4. and xxiv. 9.

b Acts v. 40, 41. And when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his

name.

e Is. viii. 20. See Art. VI. note b; and Art. XX. note d.

nor authority, unless it may be declared that they be taken out of holy Scripture.

In the last Article the power of an individual Church was considered: this relates to the authority of General Councils, which are the aggregate of all particular Churches, that is, of persons lawfully appointed to represent them.

What is generally considered the first Council, was held at Jerusalem, in consequence of a dispute which had arisen at Antioch concerning the necessity of circumcising Gentile converts: when Paul and Barnabas, and certain others of them, going up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question, the apostles and elders came together to consider of this matter. After a consultation they decided that the Gentiles should not be circumcised; and sent their decree, which they declared to be made under the direction of the Holy Ghost, to all the Churches, and commanded that it should be the rule of their conduct. But it is to be particularly noticed, that this Council differed from all subsequent ones in this circumstance, that its members were under the especial guidance of the Holy Spirit, and may be called by way of distinction, the Apostolical Council. After this it does not appear that there was any public meeting of Christians for the purpose

of discussing any contested point, till the middle of the second century. From that time Councils became frequent, but as they consisted only of those who belonged to particular districts or countries, they were called Provincial or National Councils. The first General Council was that of Nice, convened by the Emperor Constantine, A. D. 325; the second of Constantinople, in 381, by Theodosius the Great; the third of Ephesus, by Theodosius, jun. A. D. 431; the fourth at Chalcedon, by the Emperor Marcian, A. D. 451. The Popes of Rome at length assumed the right of summoning General Councils, and the first which met by their authority was the first Lateran Council, in the year 1132.

Authors are not agreed about the number of General Councils: Papists usually reckon eighteen, Protestant writers not so many. The last General Council was that held at Trent, for the purpose of checking the progress of the Reformation. It first met by the command of Pope Paul III. A. D. 1545, and it ended under Pius IV. A. D. 1563, having been suspended from the year 1552 to 1562.

Our Article states two things respecting these Councils, viz. first, that they should not be gathered unless by princes; secondly, that they are fallible and have erred, &c. The first of these things is evident, not only from the whole tenor of Scripture, which advises subordination to the higher powers, but also

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