The Nestorians and their Rituals/Volume 2/Chapter 24
CHAPTER XXIV.
OF THE AUTHORITY OF THE CHURCH.
"The Church hath power to decree Rites or Ceremonies, and authority in Controversies of Faith: and yet it is not lawful for the Church to ordain any thing that is contrary to God's Word written, neither may it so expound one place of Scripture that it be repugnant to another. Wherefore, although the Church be a witness and a keeper of holy Writ, yet, as it ought not to decree any thing against the same, so besides the same ought it not to enforce any thing to be believed for necessity of salvation."—Article XX.
§ 1. "O thou Church full of discretion, possessor of treasures and varied wisdom, worship and confess Christ the King, thy Saviour, Who has raised up thy children, and has made them spiritual treasures in the creation, and has committed into their hands the keys of the heavenly treasure, and has given them authority that whatsoever they shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven." From the service in the Khudhra for the first Sunday of the "Sanctification of the Church."
§ 2. "If any one shall introduce into the Church spurious books written by wicked persons, under cover of their being Holy Scriptures, to the corruption of the laity and clergy, let him be excommunicated." From Canon LII. of the Apostolical Canons contained in the Sinhadòs.
§ 3. "Twice a year a synod of Bishops shall be convened, and they shall prove [or examine] one another in the doctrines of piety, and shall loose [or decide] the controversies which shall arise in the Church." From Canon XXXVI. as above.
REMARKS.
The alterations and additions which from time to time have been made in the Nestorian ritual and ceremonial prove that they agree with the doctrine taught in the first clause of this article. That they hold the Church to be the authoritative keeper of holy Writ is equally plain from the passages quoted under this and the preceding article, as also that she ought not to enforce any thing contrary to the same to be believed as necessary to salvation. On this latter subject the reader is referred to the remarks under Chapter X.