The History of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland

We affirm therefore, That such as allege the Scriptures to have no authority, but that which is received from the Church, to be blasphemous against God, and injurious to the true Church, which always heareth and obeyeth the voice of her own Spouse and Pastor,¹ but taketh not upon her to be Mistress over the same. XX. Of the General Councils, of their Power, Authority, and Cause of their Convention. AS we not rashly condemn that which godly men assembled together in General Councils, lawfully gathered, have approved unto us:² So without just examination dare we not receive whatsoever is obtruded unto men,³ under the name of General Councils, for plain it is, that as they were men, so have some of them manifestly erred, and that in matters of great weight and importance. So far then as the Council proveth the Determination and Commandment, that it giveth by the plain Word of God, so far do we reverence and embrace the same. But if men under the name of a Council pretend to forge unto us new Articles of our Faith, or to make Constitutions repugning to the Word of God,⁴ then utterly we may refuse the same, as the Doctrine of Devils, which draweth our souls from the voice of our only God, to follow the Doctrines and Constitutions of men. The cause then why General Councils convened,⁵ was neither to make any perpetual Law (which God before had not made) neither yet to forge new Articles of our belief, neither to give the Word of God authority, much less to make that to be his Word, or yet the true interpretation of the same, which was not before by his holy Will expressed in his Word. But the cause of Councils (we mean of such as merited the name of Councils) was partly for Confutation of Heresies, and for giving public Confession of their Faith to the posterities following, which both they did by the authority of Gods written Word, and not by any opinion or prerogative that they could not err, by reason of their general assembly. And this we judge to have been the chief cause of General Councils. The other was for good policy and Order to be constituted and observed in the Church, in which (as in the house of God) it becometh all things to be done decently, and in order: not that we think that one Policy, and one Order in Ceremonies can be appointed for all ages, times, and places;