NOWEL, PRIEST AND DOCTOR.

B. 1507. D. 1602.

of holy

Master. Dost thou then affirm that all things necessary to sufficiency godliness and salvation are contained in the written Word Scripture. of GOD?

Scholar. Yea; for it were a point of intolerable ungodliness and madness to think, either that God hath left an imperfect doctrine, or that man were 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,

Ma. If this be true that thou sayest, to what purpose then are so many things so oft in councils, ecclesiastical assemblies, decreed, and by learned men taught in preaching, or left in writing?

Councils,

Scho. All these things serve either to expounding of dark The use of places in the Word of GOD, and to take away controversies &c. that arise among men, or to the orderly stablishing of the outward governance of the Church, and not to make new articles of religion.-Catechism. Norton's Translation, 1571.

WHITGIFT, ARCHBISHOP.

B. 1530. D. 1604.

of holy

It is most true that nothing ought to be tolerated in the sufficiency Church, as necessary unto salvation, or as an article of faith, scripture. except it be expressly contained in the Word of God, or may manifestly thereof be gathered; and therefore we utterly condemn and reject transubstantiation, the sacrifice of the mass, the authority of the bishop of Rome, worshipping of images, &c.

And in this case an argument taken "ab authoritate Scripturæ negativè," is most strong: as for example, it is not to be found in Scripture, that the Bishop of Rome ought to be the head of the Church, and therefore it is not necessary to salvation, to believe that he ought to be the

D

head of the Church, &c.

the Sabbath.

order, discipline, or kind of government may be in the Church, except the same be expressed in the Word of GOD, is a great absurdity, and breedeth many inconveChange of niences. The Scripture hath not appointed what day in the week should be most meet for the Sabbath-day, whether Saturday, which is the Jew's Sabbath, or the day now observed, which was appointed by the Church. . . Now if godly Councils or ancient Fathers were any thing at all regarded of these men (as they be not, such is their arrogancy), this controversy might soon be decided.-Answer to the Admonition, pp. 45, 46. 4to. Edit. 1573.

Councils and Fathers.

The via media re

ed.

BANCROFT, ARCHBISHOP.

B. 1544. D. 1610.

The mean betwixt both the extremities of trying nothing, commend and curious trying of all things, I hold to be best. And this it is then, when you have attained the true grounds of Christian religion, and are constantly built by a lively faith upon that notable foundation, whereof the Apostle speaketh (1 Cor. iii.), which is JESUS CHRIST, being incorporated into His mystical body (in your baptism) by the HOLY GHOST, and afterwards nourished with the heavenly food exhibited unto you in the LORD's Supper; you then content yourselves and seek no farther; according to the saying of Tertullian: "Nobis curiositate opus non est post CHRISTUM JESUM; nec inquisitione post Evangelium ;" "We need not to be curious after we have apprehended CHRist Jesus; nor inquisitive after we have received the Gospel." And again, “ Cum credimus nihil desideramus ultra quærere ;” "When once we believe, we do not desire to seek any farther."

Read the Scriptures, but with sobriety. If any man, presuming upon his knowledge, seek farther than is meet for him, besides that he knoweth nothing as he ought to know, he shall cast himself into a labyrinth, and never find Private men that he seeketh for. God hath bound himself by His promise unto His Church, of purpose, that men, by her good

are to submit their

to the deter

the Catholic

direction, might in this point be relieved; to whose godly judgment determination in matters of question, her dutiful children mination of ought to submit themselves without any curious or wilful Church. contradiction. I could bring many authorities to this effect. "Those things (saith Athanasius) which have been proved and decreed by so many and so worthy Bishops, supervacaneum est denuo in judicium revocare; it is in vain to call again into question."

When certain men in the Council of Chalcedon began to dispute of some points determined before by the Council of Nice, the Fathers there assembled said all with one voice: “Si quis retractat, anathema sit; si quis super ista inquirit, anathema sit; maledictus qui addit; maledictus qui aufert; maledictus qui innovat:" "If any retract, accursed be he; if any inquire of these things, accursed be he; accursed be he that addeth; accursed be he that diminisheth; accursed be he that innovateth."

The Emperors Valentinian and Martian thought it very unmeet that those things which had been once judged of, and well decided by the decrees of godly synods, should again be debated and disputed upon; and both they and divers others made very godly laws for the better containing of busy heads within the compass of this Christian modesty. And surely it is a very true doctrine, that when councils and synods, being lawfully assembled and directed with GOD'S SPIRIT, do resolve upon matters in question, that private men should content themselves therewith.-Sermon on 1 John iv. 1, preached at Paul's Cross. 12mo. Edit. 1558, pp. 41-43.

BILSON, BISHOP.

D. 1616.

The Church is the body of CHRIST, and in that respect, of Synods. as in our bodies, so in His, not only the members have a common care for the whole, but the principal parts must direct and guide the rest; namely, the eyes to see, the ears to hear, and the mouth to speak for the whole body. Such, therefore, as CHRIST hath placed to be the watchmen and

leaders, the light and salt of His Church, must not only warn and guide, but also lighten and season in their measure the whole body; for what commission they have from CHRIST, severed and single in their proper charges, the same they must needs retain assembled and joined throughout their circuits. Yea, the LORD so much tendereth the fatherly care and brotherly concord of the pastors of his Church, that He hath promised to be "present in the midst" of their assemblies, and with His SPIRIT to direct them, so they come together, not to accomplish their own lusts and desires, but to sanctify His name by detecting error, resisting wolves, maintaining truth, curing the sores and maladies that fester and poison the members of His body. . . . This course the Apostles taught the Church of CHRIST to follow by their example, when about the question that troubled the Church of Antioch, the Apostles and Elders came together to examine the matter, and to verify their Master's words to be true; not only the Apostles, but the whole assembly wrote thus in their letters: — "It seemeth good to the HOLY GHOST AND to us." For it be sure what the Apostle said," the HOLY GHOST made you overseers to feed the Church;" and if our SAVIOUR could not be deceived when He said, "He that heareth you heareth Me," &c. this must be verified as well of pastors assembled as singled; yea, pastors gathered together in CHRIST's name, are rather assured of His direction and assistance, than when they be severed, unless there be any that thinketh that GOD inspireth one particular person with righteousness, and forsaketh a number of priests assembled in synod, which the Council of Africa reputeth to be very absurd, and repugnant to CHRIST's promise, so long as they meet together in His name, and not to deface His truth, or oppress their brethren. This hath in all ages, as well before as since the great Council of Nice, been approved and practised as the lawfullest and surest means to discern truth from falsehood, to decide doubts and strifes, and redress wrongs in causes ecclesiastical; yea, when there was no believing magistrates to assist the Church, this was the only way to cleanse the House of GOD, as much as might be, from the loathsome

vessels of dishonour; and after Christian princes began to profess and protest the truth, they never had, nor can have, any better or surer direction amongst men, than by the synods of wise and godly pastors." The perpetual Government of Christ's Church." 4to. Edit. 1610, pp. 372-374.

Catholic.

Catholic should have four conditions by Vincentius's What is rule. . . . . There can nothing be Catholic, unless it be confirmed two ways: first, by the authority of God's law, and next by the tradition of the Catholic Church; not that the canon of Scripture is not perfect and sufficient enough for all points of faith, but because men draw and stretch the Scriptures to their fancies, therefore it is very needful that the line of prophetical and apostolical interpretation should be directed by the rule of the ecclesiastical and catholic sense. Now in the Catholic Church herself we must take heed we hold that which hath been believed at all times, in all places, of all persons, for that is truly and properly Catholic.-The true difference between Christian Subjection and unchristian Rebellion. Part IV. pp. 546— 547. Edit. 1585.

FIELD, PRIEST.

B. 1561. D. 1616.

made unto

how it is

from error,

different

obedience

The right understanding of the promises made, and due of promises condition of the parties to whom they are made, will lead the Church, us to a right understanding of the Church's infallibility secured and assurance of truth. For, seeing, though they be made and the to all the faithful generally, and to the particular churches degrees of as well as the whole, yet they are understood to be per- we owe to it. formed proportionably, according to the measure and degree of each part, but to the whole Church wholly and entirely; the Church being particular, not only in respect of place, but also of time, the whole is not necessary to be performed to the Church of one time (unless we speak of the primitive, wherein the whole was originally), but to the Church that comprehendeth the whole number of believers that are and have been: in which sense that promise is to