Jackson on Article XXXIV: Of the Traditions of the Church
Bernard C. Jackson, 1900
Commentaries on Article XXXIV: Rogers (1607)Ellis (1660)Burnet (1699)Beveridge (d. 1708)Welchman (1713)Practical Exposition (1716)Veneer (1725)Madan (1772)Hey (1796)Tomline (1799)Wilson (1821)Jones (1849)Trollope (1850)Browne (1850)Forbes (1867)Boultbee (1871)Maclear & Williams (1895)Green (1896)Gibson (1896)Jackson (1900)Bicknell (1919) · Article 34: text, context and Study
Article XXXIV. Of the Traditions of the Church
It is not necessary that Traditions and Ceremonies be in all places one, and utterly like; for at all times they have been divers, and may be changed according to the diversities of countries, times, and men's manners, so that nothing be ordained against God's Word. Whosoever through his private judgement, willingly and purposely, doth openly break the traditions and ceremonies of the Church, which be not repugnant to the Word of God, and be ordained and approved by common authority, ought to be rebuked openly, (that others may fear to do the like,) as he that offendeth against the common order of the Church, and hurteth the authority of the Magistrate, and woundeth the consciences of the weak brethren.
Every particular or national Church hath authority to ordain, change, and abolish, ceremonies or rites of the Church ordained only by man's authority, so that all things be done to edifying.
Text: Book of Common Prayer (1662)
Cleaned OCR; [...] marks passages cut for illegibility. See the scan. Text: The Thirty-nine Articles: a short exposition, by Bernard C. Jackson (London: Church Book Room, 1900). Short notes on each Article. Cleaned OCR from the Internet Archive scan; passages too garbled to recover are marked [...]. Public domain.
This Article asserts the principle on which most of the changes at the Reformation were made, viz., that ‘‘ every particular or national Church hath authority to ordain, change, and abolish, ceremonies or rvites.”” It is an extension of the principle asserted in Article XX. The claim to this authority is based on an appeal to history. The exercise is safeguarded by two conditions, viz., that ‘* Nothing be ordained against God’s Word,’’ and that “ all things be done to edify- ing.’’ The penalty of public censure is threatened against anyone who “ through his private judge- ment ’’ wilfully disregards the authority thus exercised. The Chapter ‘‘ Of Ceremonies ”’ at the beginning of the Prayer Book should be care- fully read with this Article.
ARTICLE XXXV. OF Homiuiss.
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