Whitsunday is the older English name for Pentecost. And there’s a sermon about it in the Second Book of Homilies. That sermon explains the significance of Pentecost, gives a short teaching on the person of the Holy Spirit, and then discusses the gifts of the Spirit. The majority of this third section ends up being about ecclesiology, the doctrine of the Church, and a substantial portion of that section is a sustained criticism of the Roman Catholic Church and its teaching. All in all, it provides a really interesting and instructive look at the older Anglican understanding of the doctrine of the Church and doctrinal authority.
Here’s a relevant selection. I have placed some markers to help us easier identify some of the key ideas:
1) The true Church is an universal congregation or fellowship of GOD’S faithful and elect people, built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the head corner stone (Ephesians 2.20). 2) And it hath always three notes or marks whereby it is known. Pure and sound doctrine, the Sacraments ministered according to Christs holy institution, and the right use of Ecclesiastical discipline. This description of the Church is agreeable both to the Scriptures of God, and also to the doctrine of the ancient fathers, so that none may justly find fault therewith. 3) Now if ye will compare this with the Church of Rome, not as it was in the beginning, but as it is presently, and hath been for the space of nine hundred years and odd: you shall well perceive the state thereof to be so far wide from the nature of the true Church, that nothing can be more. 4) For neither are they built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, retaining the sound and pure doctrine of Christ Jesus, neither yet doe they order the Sacraments, or else the Ecclesiastical keys, in such sort as he did first institute and ordain them: But have so intermingled their own traditions and inventions, by chopping and changing, by adding and plucking away, that now they may seem to be converted into a new guise. 5) Christ commended to his Church a Sacrament of his Body and Blood: They have changed it into a Sacrifice for the quick and the dead. 6) Christ did minister to his Apostles, and the Apostles to other men indifferently under both kinds: They have robbed the lay people of the cup, saying, that for them one kind is sufficient. 7) Christ ordained no other element to be used in Baptism, but only Water, whereunto when the word is joined, it is made (as S. Augustine saith) a full and perfect Sacrament. They being wiser in their own conceit then Christ, think it is not well nor orderly done, unless they use conjuration, unless they hallow the water, unless there be oil, salt, spittle, tapers, and such other dumb Ceremonies, serving to no use, contrary to the plain rule of Saint Paul, who wills all things to be done in the Church unto edification (1 Corinthians 14.5). 8) Christ ordained the authority of the keys to excommunicate notorious sinners, and to absolve them which are truly penitent: They abuse this power at their own pleasure, as well in cursing the godly, with bell, book and candles, as also in absolving the reprobate, which are known to be unworthy of any Christian society: Whereof they that lust to see examples, let them search their lives. To be short, look what our Savior Christ pronounced of the Scribes and Pharisees, in the Gospel, the same may be boldly and with safe conscience pronounced of the Bishops of Rome, namely that they have forsaken, and daily do forsake the Commandments of GOD, to erect and set up their own constitutions. Which thing being true, as all they which have any light of GOD’S word must needs confess, we may well conclude according to the rule of Augustine: 9) That the Bishops of Rome and their adherents, are not the true Church of Christ, much less then to be taken as chief Heads and Rulers of the same. Whosoever (saith he) do dissent from the Scriptures concerning the head, although they be found in all places where the Church is appointed, yet are they not in the Church: a plain place, concluding directly against the Church of Rome (Augustine, Contra Petiliani Donatist Epi., Chap. 4). Where is now the holy Ghost which they so stoutly do claim to themselves? Where is now the spirit of truth, that will not suffer them in any wise to err? If it be possible to be there, where the true Church is not, then is it at Rome: otherwise it is but a vain brag, and nothing else. Saint Paul (as ye have heard before) says: If any man have not the spirit of Christ, the same is not his. And by turning the words, it may be truly said: If any man be not of Christ, the same hath not the spirit. 10) Now to discern who are truly his, and who not, we have this rule given us, that his sheep do always hear his voice (John 10.3). And Saint John saith, He that is of GOD, heareth GOD’S word (John 8.47). Whereof it follows, that the Popes in not hearing Christ’s voice, as they ought to do, but preferring their own decrees before the express word of GOD, do plainly argue to the world, that they are not of Christ, nor yet possessed with his spirit. 11) But here they will allege for themselves, that there are divers necessary points not expressed in holy Scripture, which were left to the revelation of the holy Ghost. Who being given to the Church, according to Christs promise, hath taught many things from time to time, which the Apostles could not then bear (John 16.7). To this we may easily answer by the plain words of Christ, teaching us that the proper office of the holy Ghost is, not to institute and bring in new ordinances, contrary to his doctrine before taught: but shall come and declare those things which he had before taught: so that it might be well and truly understood. When the Holy Ghost (saith he) shall come, he shall lead you into all truth (John 16.13). What truth does he mean? Any other then he himself had before expressed in his word? No. For he saith, He shall take of mine, and shew unto you. Again, he shall bring you in remembrance of all things that I have told you (John 16.15). It is not then the duty and part of any Christian, under pretense of the holy Ghost, to bring in his own dreams and fantasies into the Church: but he must diligently provide that his doctrine and decrees be agreeable to Christ’s holy Testament. 12) Otherwise in making the Holy Ghost the author thereof, he doth blaspheme and belie the Holy Ghost, to his own condemnation.
Now that’s a wall of text, so I placed some markers at various distinct statements. Listing this out will provide a helpful guide for understanding the classical Anglican doctrine of the Church.
1- The True Church is defined. It is not defined institutionally but instead as the whole number of God’s elect. This is an old definition, going back at least to Augustine. The invisible church has a theological priority over the visible church.
2- There are three marks by which the Church can be known: correct doctrine, sacraments properly administered, and discipline rightly used.
3- The Church of Rome has been corrupted and fallen away from the nature of a true Church.
4- Rome has fallen away by corrupting doctrine and disordering the sacraments and discipline.
5- The sacrament of Holy Communion is not a sacrifice for the quick and the dead.
6- Holy Communion must be administered under both kinds (bread and wine must be in the sacrament for it to be valid).
7- You may not add other elements to the water in Holy Baptism. No oil, salt, spit, or candles should be incorporated into the sacrament.
8- Excommunication must be against notorious sinners, and absolution should be given to those who are truly penitent. The keys are not mechanical or automatic. They are founded upon a prior spiritual reality.
9- The Papacy considered as an office is not the true Church and is not even “in the Church.”
10- True members of the Church are known by their obedience to Christ. Proclaiming one’s own commands to be Christ’s commands is evidence of disobedience to Christ.
11- Unwritten tradition is rejected as authoritative for doctrine, and the Church is forbidden from establishing or developing doctrine according to its own ministry and office. The Scriptures are the anchor and sure proof of all doctrine.
12- Claiming the inspiration of the Holy Ghost for manmade doctrine is actually the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Ghost.
A person might wonder if all Anglicans have to agree with each of these points. A full discussion of that would require a much longer treatment. But we can say that these doctrines at least represent “the mind of the Church,” certainly in the 16th and 17th centuries. But more than this, these statements, by virtue of their inclusion in the Homilies, do carry a sort of public authority. They are included in the “godly and wholesome doctrine” of Article 35. They are also the sort of thing that preachers should show a certain measure of deference towards. The Homilies are certainly more traditional and more authoritative than any given Anglican minister today, and they are even more authoritative than the private writings of Richard Hooker, Lancelot Andrewes, or even John Davenant. The doctrinal content of the Books of Homilies should be understood as a norm for Anglicans.
And so the Homily for Whitsunday is a helpful and necessary guide for recovering Anglican ecclesiology. It helps us understood who we are and who we are not. And it, along with the rest of the historic Formularies, it can direct the project of global Anglican ressourcement and renewal.