Rogers on Article XXXIV: Of the Traditions of the Church

The Propositions.

1. Traditions, or ceremonies are not necessarie to be like, and the same in all places.

2. No priuate man, of a selfe will, and purposely, may in publike violate the traditions and ceremonies of the Church, which by common authoritie be allowed, and are not repugnant to the word of God.

3. Ceremonies, and traditions, ordained by authoritie of man, if they be repugnant to Gods word, are not to be kept, & obserued of any man.

4. Euery particular, or nationall Church, may ordaine, change, and abolish ceremonies or rites, ordained onely by mans authoritie, so that all things be done to edifying.

1. Proposition. Trad[?]tions, or ceremonies, are not necessarily to be like, or the same in all places.

The proofe from Gods word.

IF a necessitie were laid vpon the Church of God to obserue the same traditions. and ceremonies at all times, and in all places, assuredly neither had the ceremonies of the old lawe bin, as they are now ¹, abolished; neither would the apostles euer haue giuen such presidents of altering them, vpon speciall reasons, as they haue done,

For the said Apostles changed the times, and places of their assembling together, the people of God meeting, and the Apostles preaching, sometimes on the weeke ², sometime on the Sabboth daies ³, sometimes publikely, in the Temple ⁴, in the synagogues ⁵, and in the Schooles ⁶, sometimes priuately, in house after house ⁷, and in chambers ⁸, sometimes in the day time ⁹ sometimes in the night ¹⁰,

Neither kept they the same course in the ministration of the Sacraments.

For as occasion was offered, they both baptized in publike assemblies ¹¹, and in priuate houses ¹², before many ¹³, and when none of the faithfull, but the minister onely, and the party to be baptized, were present ¹⁴, and ministred likewise the Supper of the Lord, in the day time¹⁵, and at midnight ¹⁶, in the open Churches ¹⁷, and in priuate houses ¹⁸.

So nothing therefore be done against the word of God, traditions, and ceremonies, according to the diuersitie of countries, and mens manners, may be changed and diuers.

Of this iudgement with vs be all reformed Churches ¹⁹.

The Errors and adversaries vnto this truth.

They are greatly deceiued therefore which thinke that

The Iewish ceremonies, prescribed by God himselfe for a time vnto the Iewes, are to be obserued of vs Christians. Such were the old Heretikes, the false Apostles ²⁰, the Cerdonites ²¹, the Cerinthians ²² and the Nazarites ²³, and are the Familists ²⁴.

The traditions, and namely the tradition, and ceremonie of the seuenth day for the Sabboth; & the manner of sanctifying thereof, must necessarily be one, and the same alwaies, and in al places. Hence the demi-Iewes, our English Sabbatarians, affirme, first touching the sanctification of the seuenth day, howe

It is not lawfull for vs to vse the seuenth day to any other end, but to the holy, and sanctified end, for which God in the beginning created it ²⁵.

So soone as the 7. day was, so soone was it sanctified, that wee might know, that as it came in with the first man, so must it not goe out, but with the last ²⁶.

The Sabboth (or seuenth day of Rest), which hath that cō mendation of antiquitie, ought to stand still in force ²⁷.

All the Iudaicall daies, and Feasts being taken away, onely the Sabboth remaineth ²⁸.

And next concerning the forme, and manner of keeping the day, they deliuer that.

Wee are bound vnto the same Rest with the Iewes on the Sabboth day ²⁹.

As the first seuenth day was sanctified: so must the last be ³⁰.

Wee be restrained vpon the Sabboth from work, both hand and foote, as the Iewes were ³¹.

Euery ecclesiasticall minister in his charge necessarily must preach, and make a sermon euery Sabboth day ³², euery man or woman, vnder paine of vtter condemnation, must heere a Sermon every Sabboth day ³³.

Euery pastor in his charge must execute the discipline, and (Presbyteriall) gouernment in his parish euery Sabboth day ³⁴.

Last of all, deceiued by be the Romane Catholikes, which are of opinion how the ceremonies of their Church, are vniuersally, and vnder the paine of the great curse, necessarily to be vsed in all places, and countries ³⁵.

2. Proposition. No priuate man, of a selfe will, and purposely, may in publike violate the traditions, and ceremonies of the Church which by common authoritie be allowed, and are not repugnant to the word of God.

The proofe from Gods word.

Great is the priuiledge, great also the libertie and freedome of Gods Church, and people.

For they are deliuered,

From the curse of the Lawe ³⁶.

From the Law of sinne, and of death ³⁷.

From all Iewish rites, and ceremonies ³⁸.

And from all humane ordinances, and traditions whatsoeuer, when they are imposed vpon the consciēces of men, to be obserued vnder paine of eternall condemnation ³⁹.⁴⁰

Notwithstanding the Church, and euery member thereof in his place, is bound to the obseruation of al Traditions, and Ceremonies which are allowed by lawfull authoritie, and are not repugnant to the word of God. For hee that violateth them, contemneth not man, but God who hath giuen power to his Church to establish whatsoeuer things shall make vnto comenesse, Order, and Edification ⁴¹.

This, of our godly brethren in their published writings, is approoued.

The adversaries vnto this truth.

Notwithstanding, say the Anabaptistes ⁴², The people of God are free from all lawes, and owe obedience to no man, are not to be bound with the bands of any iurisdiction of this world, say the Brownistes ⁴³; are freed frō the obseruation of all rights, and eccles. ceremonies, say certaine ministers of the praecise faction both in Scotland, and England ⁴⁴.

Againe, there be of the Clergie, who rather then they will vse, or obserue any rights, ceremonies, or orders, though lawfully ratified, which please them not, will disquiet the whole Church, forsake their charges, leaue their vocations, raise stirs, and cause diuisions in the Church; as did many, when it was, in Germanie about the Rheme, Frankeland, and Sneauland, whereby most lamentable effects did ensue ⁴⁵: and doe the refractorie ministers in the Church of England at this day ⁴⁶, the more is the pittie.

The principall author of all these tragicall suries about ceremonial matters was Flacius Illyricus, whose preachings were, that rather thē ministers should yeeld vnto the seruitude of ceremonies, they should abādō their calling, & giue ouer the ministery to the end that Princes & magistrates euē for fear of vprores, and popular tumults, might bee forced at the length to set their ministers free from the obseruation of all ceremonies, more then they were willing to vse themselues ⁴⁷.

3. Proposition. Ceremonies, and traditions, ordained by the authoritie of man, if they be repugnant to Gods word, are not to be kept, and obserued of any man.

The proofe from Gods word.

Of ceremonies, and traditions repugnant to the worde of God, there bee two sorts; whereof some are of things meerly impious, & wicked; such was the Israelites calfe ⁴⁸, and Nebuchadnezars idoll ⁴⁹; and bee the Papisticall Images, Reliques, Agnus-deis, and Crosses, to which they doe giue diuine adoration ⁵⁰. These, and such like be all flatly forbidden ⁵¹. Others are of things, by God in his word neither commaunded, nor forbidden; as of eating, or not eating Flesh; of wearing, or not wearing some Apparrell; of keeping, or not keeping some daies holy by abstinence from bodily labour, &c: the which are not to be obserued of any Christian, when for sound Doctrine it is deliuered, that such workes either doe merit remission of sinnes; or bee the acceptable seruice of God; or doe more please then the obseruation of the lawes praescribed by God himselfe; or be necessarilie to be done, insomuch as they are damned, who doe them not.

We must therfore haue alwaies in minde, that we are bought with a price, and therefore may not be the seruants of men ⁵²; and that none humane constitution in the Church, doth binde any man to breake the least commaundement of God ⁵³.

The consideration heereof hath caused other Churches also, with a sweete consent to condemne such wicked ceremonies, and traditions of men ⁵⁴,

Errors & Adversaries to this truth.

Such vngodly traditions, & ceremonies, are all the ceremonies and traditions in a manner of the Antichristian synagogue of Rome.

Such also be the Sabbatarian traditions, and ceremonies, lately broached: because they be imposed vpon the Church, Necessarilie, and perpetually to be obserued of all, and euerie Christian, vnder paine of damnation both of soule and body. For say they (speaking yet of their priuate, and Classicall Iniunction about the Sabboth day). The Lord hath commaunded so praecise a Rest vnto all sorts of men, that it may not by any fraude, deceipt, or circumvention whatsoeuer be broken, but that he will most seuerely require it at our hands, vnder the paine of his euerlasting displeasure ⁵⁵.

This (viz. the manner of keeping the Sabboth praescribed by themselues) the Lord requireth of all, and euery one continually, from the beginning to the end of our liues, without any interruption, Vnder the paine of euerlasting condemnation ⁵⁶.

Another sort of people there is among vs, which will obserue, and vse all Ceremonies whatsoeuer, as the temporizing Familistes, who at Rome, and such like places of Superstition, will goe vnto idolatrous seruices, and doe adoration vnto Idols ⁵⁷; and no where will they striue; or varie with any one about Religion, but keepe all externall orders ⁵⁸, albeit in their hearts they scorne all professions, and Seruices but their owne; tearming all Temples, and Churches, in derision Common houses ⁵⁹; and all Gods seruices, or religions besids their owne. Foolishnes ⁶⁰.

To the Christian Reader.

Christian, and beloued Reader, let me request thee to obserue well the first section of the proofe of this present proposition; and therein howe I speake of ceremonies, and traditions apparently impious, among which I doe reckon papisticall Crosses, whereunto the Romanistes doe attribute diuine adoration, as elsewhere in this booke, and subscription of mine, I haue declared, and could more copiouslie; but the reliques of a Libell of theirs, left in the parrish church of Euborne in Barkshire an. 1604, sufficiently shal expresse the thoughts of Papists touching their Crosse, and Crossing: whose words be these: Nowe Ma. Parson, for your welcome home, Read these fewe lines, you knowe not from whom. You hold Crosse for an outward token, and signe, And remembrance only, in religion thine; And of the profession the people doe make. For more then this comes to, thou dost is not take. Yet holy Church tells vs, of holy Crosse much more ⁶¹. Of power, and virtue to heale sicke, and sore; Of holinesse to blesse vs, and keepe vs from euill, From fowle feend to fend vs, and saue vs from Deuill; And of many miracles, which holy Crosse hath wrought, All which by tradition, to light Church hath brought. Wherefore holy worship, holy Church doth it giue; And surely so will we, so long as we liue. Though thou saist Idolatrie, and vilde superstition, Yet we knowe it is holy Churches tradition. Holy Crosse then disgrace not, but bring it in renowne. For vp shall the Crosse goe, and you shall goe downe.

Of this Crosse I spake, and mean[?], and of none other, when I number it among things meerely impious, and vnlawfull. And therefore haue I not a little woundred at those my Brethren, which drawe these words of mine in this section vnto the Crosse vsed in our church at Baptisme ⁶², which I neuer thought, nor take to be either papisticall, or impious, because none adoration, not so much as ciuill, much lesse diuine, is giuen thereunto, either by our church in generall, or of any minister, or member thereof in particular. If they haue no other Patrons for their not vsing, or refusing the ceremonie of the Crosse then my selfe, they are in an ill case. For both in my iudgement, and practise I doe allowe thereof. This their peruerting of my words, contrarie to their sence, and my meaning, telleth mee that other mens wordes, and names are but too much abused by them in that booke, to the backing of schisme, and faction in the Church, and State, which from our soules we doe abhorre.

4. Proposition. Euery particular, or nationall Church, may ordaine, change, & abolish ceremonies, or rites, ordained onely by mans authoritie, so that all things be done to edifying.

It hath pleased our most mercifull Lord, and Sauiour Christ, for the maintenance of his Church militant, that two sorts of rites, or ceremonies should be vsed, whereof

Some, God his most excellent maiestie hath himselfe ordained, as the ceremonie of Baptisme, and the Lords Supper: which are till the end of the world, without all addition, diminution, and alteration, with all zeale, and religion to be obserued.

Others be ordained by the authoritie of each prouintiall, or nationall Church, & that partely for comelinesse, that is to say, that by those helpes, the people of God the better may be inflamed with a godly zeale; and that sobernes, and grauitie may appeare in the handling of ecclesiastical matters: and partly for order sake, euen that gouernors may haue rules and directions how to gouerne by; Auditors, and inferiors may know how to prepare, and behaue themselues in sacred assemblies; and a ioyfull peace may be continued, by the well ordering of Church affaires.

We haue already prooued ⁶³, that these latter sort of ceremonies may be made, and changed, augmented or diminished, as fit opportunitie, and occasions shall be ministred, and that by particular or nationall Churches: which thing is also affirmed by our neighbours ⁶⁴.

Adversaries vnto this truth.

This manifesteth to the world the intolerable both arrogancie of the Romish church, which dare take vpon her to alter, and applie to wrong vses, the very Sacraments instituted euen by Christ himselfe ⁶⁵, and to prescribe ceremonies, and rites not to some particular, but to all Churches in al times, and places ⁶⁶.

It sheweth also the boldnesse of our home-adversaries, the Puritane dominicanes, which say that the Church, nor no man can take away the libertie (of working sixe daies in the weeke) from men, and driue them to a necessarie rest of the body (vpon any day sauing the seuenth ⁶⁷.)

Againe say these men, the Church hath none authoritie, ordinarily, and perpetually to sanctifie any day, but the seuenth day, which the Lord hath sanctified ⁶⁸, nor to set vp any day like to the Sabboth day ⁶⁹.

The latter sort, what in them is, quench the peoples deuotion, and hinder them from frequenting of Churches vpon all holydaies falling on the weeke daies, and ordained by the lawfull authoritie of the Church.

Footnotes

1. Act. 6.14.10.13. & 15: 1. &c. Gal. 2.3. &c. Eph. 2.14. Col. 2.16. ↩

2. Act. 2.46.5.24. ↩

3. Act. 13.14.17.2.[?]8.4. ↩

4. Act. 2.46.3.1.5.26. ↩

5. Act. 9.20 14.1.17.10.18.4. ↩

6. Act. 19.9. ↩

7. Act. 5.42. ↩

8. Act. 1.13.20.8.28.30.31. ↩

9. Act. 2.46.3.1. ↩

10. Act. 20.7. ↩

11. Act. 2.46. ↩

12. Act. 16.33.10.27.48. ↩

13. Act. 8.12.10 27.48. ↩

14. Act. 8.36. ↩

15. Act. 2.46. ↩

16. Act. 20.11. ↩

17. 1. Cor. 11.17.
    ↩

18. Act. 20.7.2.46. ↩

19. Confes. Helv. 2. c. 17.27. Bohem. c. 15. Gal. ar. 32. Belg. ar. 32. Aug. ar. 15. & ar. 7. [?]o[?]. h. abuses. Saxo. ar. 20. VVittemb. ar. 35. Sue. c. 14. ↩

20. Act. 15. ↩

21. Tertul. contra Mar. l. 4· ↩

22. Philaster. ↩

23. D. Hieron. in epist. ad Aug. ↩

24. H.N. euang. c. 13. §. 5. ↩

25. D.B. Sub. do 1. B. p. 4. ↩

26. Ibid. p. 6. ↩

27. Jbid. p. 9. ↩

28. Ibid. p. 128. ↩

29. Ibid. p 125. ↩

30. Ibid. p. 6. ↩

31. Jbid. p. 127. ↩

32. Jbid. p. 174. ↩

33. Ibid. p. 173. ↩

34. Ibid. p. 165. ↩

35. Concil. Trid. s[?]s. 7. can. 13. ↩

36. Gal. 3.23. ↩

37. Rom. 8.2. ↩

38. Act. 15.24. ↩

39. Col. 2.8. ↩

40. 1. Cor. 4.46.26.
    ↩

41. Conf. Helvet. 1. ar. 25. & 2. c. 24. Bohem. c. 15.18. Aug. ar. 4.15. Sax. ar. 20. Sue. c. 14. ↩

42. Bulling. contra Anabap. lib. 2. c. 2. ↩

43. [?].H. on Psal. 122. ↩

44. D. Bar. c[?]f[?]r. a[?] Hamp. p. 70.71. ↩

45. Phil. Mel. epist. ad pastores & in comitatu Mansfeldi. ↩

46. Burges in his letter vnto K. Iames, anno 1604, saith the number of those ministers so refusing conformitie, were 6 or 700. viz. (as it is in the Lincolneshire ministers Apologie) in Oxfordshire 9; St[?]ffordshire 14; Dorset shire 17; Hartfordshire 17; Northampton shire, [?]0; Suny 21; Norfolke 28; Wilshire 31; Buckinghamshire 33, Sussex 47; Lecestershire 57; Essex 57; Cheshire 12; Bedfordshire 16, Somersetshire 17, Darbieshire 20, Lancashire 21, Kent, 23: London. 30, Lincolnshire, 33: Warwickshire, 44: Deuonshire, and Comwell, 51: Northamptonshire, 57: Suffolke. 71. ↩

47. Fat[?]or me suasisse & Francis, & aliis, ne discrerent Ecclesias propter scr[?]itatem, quae sine impietate sustineri posset. Nam quod Jllyricus vociseratur, poti[?]s [?]a itatem fuisse faciendam in templis, et meta seditionum terrendos Principes, ego ne nunc quidem […] sententiae autor esse velim, inqu[?] Phil. Melancion epist. ad pium Lectorem. inter epist. Theolog s[?]as Pag. 455. ↩

48. Exod. 30.4. &c. ↩

49. Dan. 3.1. &c. ↩

50. See afore Art. 22. prop. 3.4.5. ↩

51. Thou shalt make thee no grauen Image, neither any similitude of things &c. Thou shalt not bowe downe to them, neither serue them &c. Exod. 20.4.5. ↩

52. 1. Cor. 7.23.
    ↩

53. Acts 5.29. ↩

54. Confess. Heluet. 1 [?]ar. 4. & 2. c. 124.27. Basil. ar. §. 3. ar. [?]0. Bohem. c. 15. Gal. ar. 24.33. Belg. ar. 7.29.32. August. ar. 15. VVil[?]emb. ar. 28.29.32.33 Sue[?]ica. c. [?].14.15. ↩

55. D.B. Sab. doct. 1. booke. p. 98. ↩

56. Ibid. page. 146. ↩

57. Patterne of the praes. Temp. [?] ↩

58. Ibid. ↩

59. H.N. spir. land. cap. 5. §. 1. ↩

60. Ibid. ↩

61. Vide Coster. Iesuit. enchirid. Controuers. c. 11. de S. Cruce. pag. 358. &c. ↩

62. Abrid. of the Lincolne. minist Apolog. vnto K. Iames, an. 1605. pa. 30. ↩

63. In this art. prop. 1. ↩

64. Confes. Helue. 2. c. 27. Bohem. c. 15. Gal. ar. 32. Belg. ar. 32. Aug. de abu. ar. 7. VVittem. ar. 35. Sue. c. 14. ↩

65. See a[?]. 25. pr. 10. ↩

66. Trid. Concil. ses. 7. c. 13. ↩

67. T.C. 1. rep. p. 120. ↩

68. D.B. doct. of Sab. 1. B.p. 31. ↩

69. Jbid. p. 47. ↩