Institutes of the Christian Religion Abridged by Edmond Bunnie, Book · Book 4 · Chapter 8
Cap. 8. Of the power of the Churche, as touching the articles of Fayth, and with how vnbrideled licentiouſnes it hath in the Papaſie beene wreſted to corrupt all purenes of doctrine.
FIrſt he ſheweth what bonds & ends they are, which the Church ought to appoint it ſelfe in ſuche matters, from the 1. to the 9. Moreouer he blameth the Churche of Rome, that it dare tranſgreſſe them, from the 10. to the 16.
1 The third place is of the power of the Church, but the ſame partly is contayned in eueryevery Biſhop, partly in Coū cels, and it partly conſiſteth either in doctrine or in iuriſdiction, or in making lawes, the place alſo of doctrine hath two partes, authoritie to deliuer rules and to expounde them: but whatſoeuer is taught concerning the power of the Church,2. Cor. 10.…. muſt be applied not to deſtruction, but to edification: the onelyonly way wherof is, to preſerue to Chriſt his authoritie which can no otherwiſe be, vnleſſe that be left vntounto him which he receiued of his Father, that is, that hée be the only ſchoolemaſter of the church,Mat. 17.5. for it is written not of any other but of him onelyonly, Heare him.
2 Whatſoeuer authoritie or dignitie the ſcripture giueth to the Miniſters of the Churche, all the ſame is giuen not properly to the men them ſelues, but to the Miniſterie ouer which they are appointed, that ſame firſt is ſhewed in in the Prieſtes, all the Miniſters had authoritie to teache, in the name of the Lorde.
3 Moreouer in the Prophets.
4 Laſt of all, in the Apoſtles.
Mat. 28.9. Iob. 7.16.5 Chriſt taught alwayes his church, yet by diuers orders, for diuerſitie of tyme: firſt by Reuelations, but the ſame not doubtful. They that wil come to the knowledge of God, muſt be directed by the eternall wiſedome of the Father.
Mal. 2.7.6 Moreouer, by the lawe & the Prophets.
Heb. 1.5.7 Laſt of all by him ſelfe manifeſted in the fleſhe.
Mat. 28.20. Mat. 24.8.8 No man ought to teache any other thing in the Church, than that which is contained in the lawe & the Prophetes, and Apoſtolicall writings.
9 Neither is it lawful for their Apoſtles nor their ſucceſſors,1. Pet. 4.21. 2. Cor. 10.4. no not for the whole Church to paſſe theſe boundes.
10 Biſhops and Prelates hauehave exerciſed very great tyranny, for they both permit thēſelues power to make newe lawes, and acknowledge no man for a Chriſtiā, that doth not certainly cōſent to their doctrines, as well affirmatiue as Negatiue.
11 That which they alledge for them ſelues,Mat. 27.20. Ioh. 14.16. that the Church ſhall neuer bee forſaken of her ſpouſe, but that it ſhall be guided by his Spirit into all trueth; he ſheweth in what ſenſe it muſt be vnderſtood: the ſame vndoubtedly contendeth vntounto daily increaſe more then to glory in perfection, for no man hath attained the marke.
12 When they except that whatſoeuer particular thing is attributed to eueryevery one of the holy ones, the ſame doth throughly & fully belong to the Church it ſelfe: and that which they drawe out to this, and are diligēt to proue by two places of ſcripture, he ſheweth in what ſenſe as well the foundation of their argument,Ephe. 5.25. 1. Tim. 3.15. as the places of ſcripture muſt be vnderſtood, that is they declare what Chriſt daily worketh, for he daily purgeth, ſanctifieth, aboliſheth, and wypeth all them that are his from all ſpots: the beginning of that ſanctifiyng is héere ſéene, but the ende and full accompliſhment ſhalbe, when the holieſt of holie ones ſhall truely and fully fill it with his holineſſe, as elſewhere he teacheth that Chriſte gaue Apoſtles, Paſtors, and Teachers, that we ſhould no more be carried about with eueryevery worde of doctrine, or be mocked of men, but that being enlightened with the true knowledge of the ſonne of God,…ph…. 4.1…. we ſhould altogether méete in the vnitie of Fayth.
13 In what ſenſe the aduerſaries deny that the Church may erre, and what is to be determined thereof, that foraſmuch as it is guided by the Spirite of God, it may goe ſafely without the worde, that whatſoeuer it ſpeaketh or thinketh it is trueth: but we ſay that the ſpouſe and ſcholler of Chriſte muſt be ſubiect to her huſband and ſchoolemaſter, that ſhée continually hangeth on his mouth, and they that doe ſo, ſhal be ſure to hauehave the Spirite to guide them into the right way, and to ſtay them in their Fayth, for there is nothing to bée looked for of his Spirite,Iob. 16.12. but that hée ſhould enlightē our minds to perceaue the trueth of his doctrine, but they hauehave not the Spirite, that pretend that they hauehave of their owne.
14. 15 Theſe two beginnings doth nothing helpe them which they take,Ioh 16.12. When the Diſciples were wel inſtructed of the holy Ghoſt, they left all in writing neceſſary to ſaluation, how ſo euer their rudenes was before. that the Church may adde ſome things to the Apoſtles writings: and whatſoeuer the Church teacheth and decreeth, is without controuerſie.
16 Examples which they vſe for confirmation of the firſt, one for baptiſme of Infantes, an other that the Nycen Councell pronounced, that the Sonne is conſubſtantial with the Father, doth helpe them nothing in this matter.