A Golden Chain

Ecclesiastical writings are all other ordinary writings of the Church consenting with Scriptures. These may be called the word or trueth of God, so far forth as their matter or substance is consenting with the written word of god: but they cannot be called the scripture of God because the style and phrase of them was set down according to the pleasure of man, and therefore they are in such sort the word of God, as that also they are the word of men. And their authority in defining of trueth and falsehood in matters of religion is not sovereign, but subordinate to the former: and it doth not stand in the authority and pleasures of men &councils, but in the consent which they have with the scriptures.

Ecclesiasticall writings are all other ordinarie writings of the Church consenting with Scriptures. These may be called the word or trueth of God, so far forth as their matter or substance is consenting with the written word of god: but they cannot be called the scripture of God because the style and phrase of them was set downe according to the pleasure of man, and therefore they are in such sort the word of God, as that also they are the word of men. And their authoritie in defining of trueth and falshood in matters of religion is not soueraigne, but subordinate to the former: and it doth not stand in the authoritie and pleasures of men &councels, but in the consent which they haue with the scriptures.

Ecclesiastical writings are either general, particular, or proper. General, are the Creeds and confessions of the Church dispersed over the whole world, and among the rest the Creed of the Apostles, made either by the Apostles themselves, or by their hearers and disciples, apostolical men delivered to the Church, and conveyed from hand to hand to our times. Particular writings are the confessions of particular Churches. Proper writings are the books and confessions of private men. Now between these we must make difference. For the General Creed of the Apostles, (other universal Creeds in this case not excepted) though it be of less authority then scripture; yet hath it more authority then the particular & private writings of Churches and men. For it hath been received and approved by universal consent of the Catholic Church in all ages, and so were never these: in it the meaning and doctrine can not be changed by the authority of the whole Catholic Church: and if either the order of the doctrine or the words whereby it is expressed, should upon some occasion be changed, a particular Church of any country can not do it, without Catholic consent of the whole Church: yet particular writings and confessions made by some special Churches may be altered in the words & in the points of doctrine by the same Churches without offence to the Catholic Church. Lastly it is received as a rule of faith among all Churches to try doctrines & interpretations of scriptures by, not because it is a rule of it self, for that the scripture is alone; but because it borroweth his authority from scripture with which it agreeth. And this honour no other writings of men can have.