Abridgment of Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 4 · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX. Of Councels and their authoritie.
What counſels be lawfull.1 FVrthermore Councels ſhall be lawfull then, if Chriſt ſit as chiefe in the ſame, & do gouerne the whole aſſembly with his word and Spirit.
2 For this is Chriſts ſaying, where two or three ſhall be gathered together in my name, I am there in the midſt of them*.Mat. 18.20. Which promiſe doth no leſſe belong to euerie particular aſſemblie, then to a generall Councell. And thoſe only are gathered together in the name of Chriſt, which adde nothing to his word, neither take anie thing therfro.
3 Obiect. The truth remaineth not in the church, vnleſſe it continue among the Paſtours. Neither doth the Church conſiſt, vnleſſe it appeare in generall Councells.
Paſtors are blind.An. That is not alwayes true. For there was a Church in Iſaias his time at Ieruſalem, which God had not as yet forſaken, and he calleth the Paſtors thereof blind watch men,Iſa. 56.10. ignorant, dumbe doggs*. In an other place he teacheth that they hauehave a ſhadowiſh pretence and cloake of prieſthood*. Frō the prophet to the prieſt eueryevery one followeth lying*.Oſc. 9 8. Ier. 9.13.
4 Obiect. Peraduenture that was of force among the Iewes: but our age is free from ſo great an euill.
An Would God it were: but the holie Ghoſt hath pronounced that it ſhall be otherwiſe. As ſaith he there were in the old people falſe Prophetes: ſo likewiſe there ſhall be among you falſe teachers, ſlily bringing in ſects of perdition*.2 Pet. 2.2. Mat. 24.11. 2 Theſſ. 2.4
5 And yet I would not ouerthrow the authoritie of Paſtors: onelyonly I warne men to make choiſe of them, leſt we admit wolues in ſteede of true ſheepheardes.
6 Out of this we may eaſily aunſwer to that other thing touching generall Councells.Generall counſells. The Iewes had the true Church in the time of the Prophetes. But if there had bene gathered at that time a generall counſell of the prieſts, what manner face of the Church ſhould hauehave appeared? The ſpirit of Sathan bare rule in the mouth of foure hundred Prophets,1 Kin. 22.5.22. which Achab called together*. Micha is condemned for an hereticke, he is ſmitten,Ier. 20.2. he is caſt in priſon. So was Ieremie handled.
7 In that Councell which the prieſts & Phariſees gathered at Ieruſalē what was wanting as touching the outward face? And yet Chriſt is condemned there, and his doctrine is driuen from amongſt them*.Ioh. 10.47. And yet there was at that time a Church at Ieruſalem. Therfore it doth not neceſſarily conſiſt in the aſſemblie of Paſtours, whome the Scripture doth pronounce to be ſometimes euill.
8 Obiect. What? ſhall the Councels hauehave none authoritie in defining?
An. Yes verily. For all Councels are not to be condemned here, neither are the actes of all Councels to be cancelled. But ſo often as the decree of anie Councell is brought forth, I would hauehave it diligently weighed, at what time it was holden,Things to be conſidered in Counſels. for what cauſe, to what ende, what maner of men were preſent: and then that it be examined according to the rule of the Scripture. So it ſhould come to paſſe that Councels ſhold hauehave that maieſtie which they ought to hauehave. So we do willingly embrace thoſe old Synodes, as the Nicene, that of Conſtantinople of Epheſus, and the firſt Chalcedon Synode.
The ſynode of Conſtant. touching breaking of images.9 By the later Councels, which are often contrary one to another, we may ſee, how much the church hath oftentimes degenerate from the purity of that golden age. It is now about nine hundred yeares ago ſince the Synode of Conſtantinople being gathered vnderunder Leo the Emperour, did adiudg images placed in Churches to be broken. The Nicene coū cell decreed that they ſhould be reſtored.
The contrarietie of councels. The Nycene Synode.10 All thoſe auncient and purer Councels had their imperfections. There appeareth a notable example hereof in the Nicene Synode. For there, hauing as it were forgotten all grauitie, modeſtie, & all curteſie, omitting to contend with Arrius, they began one to wound another with inward diſſentions, obiecting of crimes, and infamous libels.
11 Obiect. Synodes may indeede erre in thoſe things which are not neceſſarie to ſaluation.
An. Then they did not alwayes follow the Spirit as their guide. But we may eaſily iudge by generall Councels, how great authority prouincial councels hauehave to make articles of faith.
12 Obiect. Though they be in mind blockiſh and in will moſt wicked, yet the word of God remaineth which commaundeth vsus to obey thoſe which hauehave the ouerſight of vsus*.
We muſt obey thoſe which hauehave the ouerſight of vsus.An. What if I deny that they be ſuch as hauehave the ouerſight of vsus, which are ſuch? But what manner perſons doth Ioſue deſcribe? Let not ſaith he, the booke of the Law depart out of thy mouth: but thou ſhalt meditate in it day & night. Thou ſhalt not turn aſide either to the right hand or to the left*.Iohn. 1.7.8. Therfore thoſe ſhall be our ſpirituall gouernours,Who are true Oureſeers. which turne not aſide from the Law of the Lord, either to the right hand or to the left. Otherwiſe we muſt not heare thē, as being falſe prophets & falſe Apoſtles*.Ier. 23.16. Gal. 1.8. Mat. 7.15. &. 15 10.
13 Becauſe we hauehave proued that the Church hath no power giuen to erect any newe doctrine: let vsus now ſpeake of the power which they geue her in interpreting the Scripture. We graunt indeed and that willingly,Interpretation of the Scripture. Vſe of Synodes that if anie diſputation fall out about anie opinion, there is no better or ſurer remedie, then if a Synode of true Biſhops come together, where the article or point in controuerſie may be diſcuſſed. For the determination ſhall hauehave much more weight: they ſhall more commodiouſly deliberate being together:1 Cor. 14.29. and alſo Paule deſcribeth* this way in iudging doctrines. So when Arrius aroſe the Nycene Synode was called: the Synode of Cō ſtantinople againſt Eunomius & Macedonius: that of Epheſus againſt Neſtorius.A Caueat. Alſo we muſt note this, that it is no perpetuall thing, that that is a true interpretation of the Scripture, which hath bene ſet downe by the conſent of a Councell. For in the ſecond Synode of Epheſus, the hereſie of Eutiches had the vpper hand, and the holie man Flauian was baniſhed.
14 Chriſt commaundeth all to drinke of the cuppe which he giueth in the Supper*.The hereſie of Eutiches. Mat. 26.26. Contradictions of Synods. The Councell of Conſtance commanded that it ſhould not be giuen to the common people, but it would that the prieſt alone ſhould drink. Paul calleth forbidding of mariage, hypocriſie of deuils*.1 Tim. 4.1. Heb 13.4. And the Spirit pronounceth in an other place that mariage is holie & honorable among all men*. Wheras they did afterward forbid prieſtes to marie, they deſire to hauehave that counted a true interpretation of the ſcripture. Therfore whatſoeuer interpretations or decrees of Councels ſhall be contrarie to the truth of the Goſpell, they muſt in no caſe be receaued.