Wilson on Article XX: Of the Authority of the Church

a We do not read that Moses ordained, by order of law, any days of public fast throughout the whole year, more than that one day. The Jews notwithstanding had more times of common fasting ; which the prophet Zachary (viii. 19,) reciteth to be the fast of the fourth, the fast of the fifth, the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth month. But for that it appeareth not in the Levitical law when they were instituted; it is to be judged, that those other times of fasting, more than the fast of the seventh month, were ordained among the Jews by the appointment of their governors ; rather of devotion, than by an express commandment given from God. Horn, xvi. 1.

h We know well enough, that the same word which was opened by Christ, and spread abroad by the Apostles, is sufficient both to our salvation, and also to upold and maintain all truth, and to confound all manner of heresy. By that word only do we con- demn all sorts of old heretics. As for the Arians, the Euty- chians, the Marcionites, the Ebionites, the Valentinians, the Carpocratians, the Tatians, the Novatians, and shortly all them

a Let all things be done decently

and in order unto edifying. For

God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. 1 Cor. xiv. 40, 26, 33. For this cause I left thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting. Tit. i. 5. The rest will I set in order when I come. 1 Cor. xi. 34.

b Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves. Heb. xiii. 17. There rose up cer- tain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses. And the apostles and elders came together for to consider

of this matter. Then pleased it

the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch

with Paul and Barnabas. And

they wrote letters by them after this manner : The apostles, and elders, and brethren, send greeting unto the brethren which are of the

Gentiles in Antioch, and Syria, and Cilicia. Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, say- ing, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law ; to whom we gave no such commandment : it seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto

you. For it seemed to the Holy

Ghost and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these ne- cessary things : That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things stran- gled, and from fornication : from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well. Acts xv. 5, 6, 22—25, 28, 29. And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem. And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily. Acts xvi. 4, 5. s 2

Faith: cand yet it is not lawful for the Church to ordain any thing that is contrary to God’s words written, neither may it so expound one place of Scripture, that it be repugnant to an- other. Wherefore, d although the Church be a

which have a wicked opinion, either of God the Father, or of Christ, or of the Holy Ghost, or of any other point of Christian religion, for so much as they be confuted by the Gospel of Christ, we plainly pronounce them for detestable and damned persons, and defy them even unto the devil. Neither do we leave them so, but we also severely and straitly hold them in by lawful and politic punishments if they fortune to break out any where, and bewray themselves. Jewell.

0 They be the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles, where- upon is built the Church of God : they be the very sure and infallible rule, whereby may be tried whether the Church do swerve or err, and whereunto all ecclesiastical doctrine ought to be called to account : and that against these Scriptures neither law nor ordinance nor any custom ought to be heard : no, though Paul himself, or an angel from heaven, should come and teach the contrary. Jewell. See Art. VI.

d Our Saviour taketh not and needeth not any testimony of man ; and that which is once confirmed by the certainty of his eternal word, hath no more need of the confirmation of man’s doctrine and writings, than the bright sun at noon-tide hath need of the light of a little candle to put away darkness, and in- crease his light. Horn. xiv. 1 .

■ In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the com- mandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the traditions of men as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tra- dition. For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death. But ye say, if a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free. And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or mo- ther; making the word of God of

none effect through your traditions, which ye have delivered: and many such like things ye do. Mark vii. 7 — 13. Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Gal. v. I.

d If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God. 1 Pet. iv. 11. To the law and to the testimony : if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. Is. viii. 20. Let us pro- phesy (expound) according to the proportion (analogy) of faith. Rom. xii. 6. It is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. Matt. xiii. 11. Ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye

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

c But here they will allege for themselves, that there are divers necessary points not expressed in holy Scripture, which were left to the revelation of the Holy Ghost ; who being given to the Church, according to Christ’s promise, hath taught many things from time to time, which the Apostles could not then bear. (John xvi. 12.) To this we may easily answer by the plain words of Christ, teaching us, that the proper office of the Holy Ghost is, not to institute and bring in new ordinances, contrary to his doctrine before taught; but to expound and declare those things which he had before taught ; so that they might be well and truly taught. ” When the Holy Ghost,” saith he, ” shall come, he shall lead you into all truth.” (John xv. 13.) What truth doth he mean? Any other than he him- self had before expressed in his word? No. For he saith, ” He shall take of mine, and shew it unto you.” (John xvi. 14.) Again, he shall bring you in remembrance of all things that I have told you. It is not then the duty and part of any Christian, under pretence of the Holy Ghost, to bring in his own dreams and fantasies into the Church ; but he must diligently provide that his doctrine and decrees be agreeable to Christ’s holy tes- tament : otherwise, in making the Holy Ghost the author thereof, he doth blaspheme and belie the Holy Ghost to his own condemnation. Horn, xxviii. 2.

It were a point of intolerable ungodliness and madness to think either that God had left an imperfect doctrine, or that men were

know all things. I have not writ- ten unto you because ye knew not the truth, but because ye know it,

and that no lie is of the truth.

The anointing which ye have re- ceived of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you. 1 John ii. 20, 21, 27. Prove all things, hold fast that which is good. 1 Thess. v. 21. Hold fast the form of sound words which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 2 Tim. i. 13. The things which thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. 2 Tim. ii. 2. The church of the living God, the ground and pillar of the truth. 1 Tim. iii. 15. The manifestation

of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit ; to another prophecy. 1 Cor. xii. 7, 8,

e Though we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you than that we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you, than that ye have re- ceived, let him be accursed. Gal. i. 8, 9. Beware of false prophets. Matt. vii. 15. Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace ; not with meats, which have not

thing to be believed for necessity of salva- tion.

able to make that perfect which God left imperfect. Therefore the Lord hath most straitly forbidden men, that they neither add any thing to, nor take any thing from, his word, nor turn any way from it, either to the right hand or to the left.

Q. If this be true that thou sayest, to what purpose then are so many things so oft in councils, ecclesiastical assemblies, and by learned men, taught in preaching, or left in writing ? A. All these things serve either to expounding of dark places of the word of God, and to take away controversies that arise among men, or to the orderly stablishing of the outward governance of the Church, and not to make new articles of religion. For all things necessary to salvation, that is to say, how godliness, holiness, and religion are to be purely and uncorruptedly yielded to God ; what obedience is to be given to God, by which alone the order of a godly life is to be framed ; what affiance we ought to put in God ; how God is to be called upon, and all good things to be imputed to him ; what form is to be kept in cele- brating the divine mysteries : all things, I say, are to be learned of the word of God, without the knowledge whereof all these things are either utterly unknown, or most absurdly done ; so that it were far better they were not done at all. Nowell, p. 3.

profited them that have been occu- old wives” fables. 1 Tim. iv. 7. I

pied therein. Heb. xiii. 9. O Ti- beseech you, brethren, mark them

mothy, keep that which is com- which cause divisions and offences,

mitted to thy trust, avoiding pro- contrary to the doctrine ye have

fane and vain babblings, and oppo- learned j and avoid them. Rom.

sitions of science falsely so called, xvi. 17. 1 Tim. vi. 20. Refuse profane and