Jones on Article XX: Of the Authority of the Church

” Wherefore, if when as yet no books were published, the church did enact or teach nought concerning our salvation, than that afterward was written by the same ; neither then, the books being set forth, any assent of the Church may either prescribe or teach anything as though it were necessary unto

salvation for the gospel hath not its being out of the church,

but the church out of the gospel.” — Translation of Curio’s Defence.

“They say the holy church must be heard and obeyed. True it is ; but our faith is not grounded upon those that be of the church, though they be the true ministers of God’s word ; but upon the word itself as it appeareth. Matt. xvi. There- fore, when the authority or testimony of the church is alleged, man that loveth his salvation must search where and what the

church is, what times and when the writers were most sincere.” — Decl. of Ten Commandments.

” But as touching the church of Christ, which governeth the soul of man, only the law of God must be obeyed; the cere- monies ordained for a good order to be observed in the church should not be neglected, as the assemblance of people in the Sabbath day, and other feasts, wherein the word of God is preached and the sacraments rightly ministered.” — Decl. of Christ and his Office.

” The testimony of the church is but as a public office of a record ; as the exchequer, the court of roll, (&c.) in which office men may search and have of the keepers of such offices, the true copies of such lands, or other moveables as be due to them by the law. And yet may neither the registers, recorders, (&c.) put to, or take away any thing from, the first original writings ; no, nor the judge himself. But all things ought to be judged by those writings. So likewise we believe the holy Canon of the Bible, because that the primitive church of the apostles and eldest writers, and next to their time, approved them in their register , that is, in their writings, which partly saw them and partly heard them of the apostles.” — Confutation of Unwritten Verities.

“They and every one of such ceremonies, as be neither sacraments, nor commandments of faith and charity, may be altered and changed, and others set in their places, or else utterly taken away, by the authority of princes and other their rulers and subjects in the church. Yea, also, the traditions made by the apostles in full council at Jerusalem may be, and already are taken away ; as to abstain from things offered unto images, from blood and strangled, are no where kept.” — Ibid.

” Their last and most strong bulwark, where the keys were given to the true ministers, is this text, ’ Whosesoever sins ye

forgive they are forgiven unto them, and whosesoever sins ye

retain they are retained.’ Christ speaketh here after the

manner of our speech, which diligently must be noted, unless we will deprive God of his glory. When we see a man restored

to his health we used to say, Doctor Turner made this man

whole and yet it is not the Doctor, but rather emplastures

and medicines that he ministered unto him, yea, rather God, if we will speak truly So doth the Scripture speak. Some- time it attributeth our health to the ministers of the word, as in this aforesaid place, sometime and most commonly to God

himself and sometime to the word of God, as it is written,

’ Now are ye clean for the word’s sake which I have spoken unto you.’ ‘He sent his word and healeth them, and de- livered them from their destructions.’ By a metaphor Christ

calleth the preaching of his word a key. For as a key hath two properties, one to shut, another to open, so hath the word of God. These keys are given to so many as being truly called unto the offices of ministration preach the word of God. They loosen, that is to say, they preach to the faithful remission of sins by Christ. They also bind, that is, they declare to the unfaithful damnation.” — Castle of Comfort.

” Whereas ye say that it is the church which hath this authority to restrain the things that arc free by the gospel ; I answer the church of Christ is his spouse, and the fold of those

sheep that hearken to his voice He himself, also, sending

out his apostles, biddeth them teach all that he hath com- manded them, and not to bind that he hath made free, neither

to make free that he hath bound That church, therefore,

which taketh upon her any such authority, as is not given her by Christ, is not his lawful spouse.” — Defence of Barnes.

” Concerning rites and ceremonies by political constitutions authorized amongst us, I am and have been persuaded, that

such as are now set down by public authority in this Church of England, are no way either ungodly or unlawful, but may with good conscience, for order and obedience sake, be used of a good Christian.” — The Archbishop’s Will.

See also Articles VI. and XIX.