Veneer on Article XXI: Of the Authority of General Councils

[…]

The Exposition.

HERE were indeed many Provincial Councils, but no General Council before Constantine^ by whole Autho- rity the first, that is, the Nicene

,._., was affembled, as the rest were by

the Authority of the following Emperors. And S. Paul tells us, Ro?n. xiii. i. that every Soul mtift he fubie^ to the higher Powers. From whence it follows, that the Bishops are not to leave their own Country, and go into the Ter- 2 ’ ritories

Ccun

Thirty-’^ me Articles. 445

ritories of other Princes, without their Prince’s Art. xxl Leave. And if they cannot do this, they cannot ^>OPV/ without the Will of Princes affemble at General Councils ^.

And though a General Council be lawfully affembledi yet, inafmuch as the Bishops, of whom it confifts, are as much Men, when in Council, as they are when out of it, and liable to the Weakncftes and Imperfedions of Human Nature, ‘tis no wonder that what is Human Ihould err, as in Fad: it hath f.

There F OK E, whatever a General Council may ordain or decree, is of no Vv eight, if it be not agreeable to Scripture. And thus much S. Ignatius advised long before any Councils of this^kind were held. ” Stop your Ears, faith

he, if any Man speak to you without the

Lord Jesus Christ §.

For farther Satlsfa^non^ fee Article VT.

f See B/lfo?2 of Chriflian Subjecftion, Part II. p. 3^9. Pri- deffiix Fafc. Com. c. 4. q. 4. yer^el’s ApoL Defen. Part IV. C. 22. Div. 3, 4. Field ot the Church, Book V. c. ri.

§ Epiji. ad Trail,

u

Article

loii

^« Exposition 071 the

Notes

• See Amlrer0s\ Sermon of calling Aflemblies. Jercefs ApoL Defen. Part VI. c. I2. Div. 2. O’c Hooker’s Eccl. Pol. Book VIIT. Field of the Church, Book V. c. j-2.