Welchman on Article XX: Of the Authority of the Church

The Church, &c.) By the Church is here meant, They who are vested with Ecclesiastical Authority. Now since it is Their Business to take Care that in the Church all Things be done decently and in Order (1 Cor. xiv. 40.) and that the true Faith be preserved; they must necessarily have a Power to decree Rites and Ceremonies, without which nothing can be decently and orderly done in publick Affemblies; and they must also have Authority in Controversies of Faith, in order to prevent the Peace of the Church from being dis- turbed by contentious Disputations, and the Minds of the Faithful from being corrupted by the Sophistry of Hereticks,

See £/th. ix. 27, 28, The Jews ordained, and took upon them, and upon their Seed, and upon all such as joined them-

selves unto them, so as it should not fail that they would keep these twa Days, according to their Writing, and accord- ing to their appointed Time every Var; and that these Days should be remembered, and kept throughout every Generation, every Famutly, every Province, and every City: and that these Days of Purim should not fail from among the Jews, nor the Memorial of them perish from their Seed. And John x. 22,

23. And it was at Jerusalem, the Feast of the Dedication, and it was inter: And Fesus walked in the Temple in Solo- mon’s Porch,

1 Irenæis,

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50 Notts on the XXXIX Articles

P. 465 66. Jrenæus, speaking of the Churches which differed as to — 1 their Observation of Fasting-days, and the Feast of Easter, 6. 4. says thus. Notwithstanding these Things, they all pre- served Peace with one another, and the Difference with © respect to Fasting-days was a Means of confirming their „Unity and Agreement in Faith. And they who did not * observe those Days, kept Peace with those who came to them from the Churches in which they were observed, © though that Observance was very contrary to the Inch- nations of those who did not observe 4 And yet no one was ever debarred from holding Communion with „any of those Churches upon that Account.“ Sce also * of the Authority of the Church. Hookers Eccl. Pol. B. III. and VIII. Potter of Church Government, Ch. V. Sect. 2, 7. Field of the Church, B. IV. Ch. 18. Authority in Controversies] See 1 Tim. i. 3. That thou mightest charge some that they teach no other Doctrine. And Tit. iii. 10. A Man that is a Heretick, after the first and second Aumonition, reject. It is net lawful for the Church, &c.] If this were lawful, the Word of God would soon be made a fest of, and that very Authority of the Church would be destroyed, if it de- pended upon fo unstable a Foundation. See Matth. xxviit. 20. Teaching them ts observe all Things whatsoever I have commanded you. Epist. ad See also Ignatius. Avoid those corrupt Trees, which Tall. bring forth deadly Fruit; of which if a Man taste, he dieth tc thereby. For these are not planted by the Father,” —And Epis. 63. St. Cyprian. We mult by no Means depart from the Pre- cepts of the Gospel. The Disciple also must observe and do the fame “Things which their Master taught and did. The blessed Apostle more fully and strenuously urges Cal. i. 6,73 this in another Place, saying: I marvel that ye are + * te soon removed from Him that called you into the Grace of .& Christ unto another Gospel : Which is not another, but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the Gospel of Christ. But though We, or an E op Heaven, preach any other Gospel unto you, than That which we have e preached unto you, let him be accursed. For we are not to follow the Custom of Men, but the Truth of God.” Neither may it fo expound, &c.] See Rom. iii. 4. Let God be true and every Man a Lyar : as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy Sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

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The Church a I itness and Keeper, &c.] See Rom. iii. 2. Unto Them were committed the Oracles of God. S Against the fame] See As iv. 19. Peter and John an- sweered, and said unto them, Whether it be right in the Siot of Goa, to hearken unto you more than unto Gad, judge Ye. Besides the same] See Gal. iii. 15. Brethren, I speak after the Manner of Men; Though it be but a Man’s Cove- nant, yet if it be confirmed, ns Man disannulleth, or addeth thereto, And Gal. i. 9. As we said Lefore, so say J now again, If any Man preach any other Gospel unto you, than That ye have received, let lim be accursed. See also Art. VI.