Wilson on Article XXXIV: Of the Traditions of the Church

b God’s Church ought not, neither may it be so tied to that or any other ord^r now made, or hereafter to be made and de- vised by the authority of man, but that it may lawfully, for just causes, alter, change, or mitigate those ecclesiastical decrees and orders, yea, recede wholly from them, and break them, when they tend either to superstition, or to impiety ; when they draw the people from God, rather than work any edification in them. This authority Christ himself used, and left it to his Church. Ke used it, 1 say ; for the order or decree made by the elders for washing ofttimes, which was diligently observed of the Jews, yet tending to superstition, our Saviour Christ altered and changed the same in his Church into a profitable sacra- ment, the sacrament of our regeneration, or new birth. This authority to mitigate laws and decrees ecclesiastical the Apostles practised ; when they, writing from Jerusalem unto the congre- gation that was at Antioch, signified unto them, that they would not lay any further burthen upon them, but these necessaries : that is, ” that they should abstain from things offered unto idols, from blood, from that which is strangled, and from forni- cation,” (Acts xv. 29.) notwithstanding that Moses’s law re- quired many other observances. Positive laws made by

princes, for conservation of their policy, not repugnant unto God’s law, ought of all Christian subjects with reverence of the magistrate to be obeyed : not only for fear of punishment, ” but also,” as the Apostle saith, ” for conscience sake.” Conscience, I say, not of the thing, which of its own nature is indifferent, but of our obedience, which by the law of God we owe unto the magistrate, as unto God’s minister. By which positive laws, though we subjects, for certain times and days appointed, be restrained from some kinds of meats and drink, which God by his holy word hath left free to be taken and used of all men, with thanksgiving, in all places, and at all times ; yet for that

his private judgment, 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 of common authority, c ought to be rebuked openly, (that other may fear to do the like,) ri as he that offendeth against the common order of the Church, e and hurteth the authority of the magis- trate, f and woundeth the consciences of the weak brethren.

such laws of princes and other magistrates are net made to put holiness in one kind of meat and drink more than another, to make one day more holy than another, but are grounded merely upon policy ; all subjects art bound in conscience to keep them by God’s commandment ; who by the Apostle willeth all, with- out exception, to submit themselves unto the authority of the higher powers. Horn. x\i. 2.

r Obey them that have the rule over you, aud submit yourselves. Heb. xiii. 17. Them that sin, re- buke before all, that others also may fear. 1 Tim. v. 20. Warn them that are unruly, (or disorderly.)

1 Thess. v. 14. We hear there are gome among you that walk dis- orderly. If any man obey not

our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.

2 Thess. iii. 11, 14.

d Now we command you, bre- thren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tra- dition which he received of us.

2 Thess. iii. 6. Biotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence, receiveth us not. Wherefore if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating1 against ns with malicious words : and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.

3 John 10. Let all things be done decently, and in order. 1 Cor. xiv.

40. Though I be absent in the flesh, yet am 1 with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order. Col. ii. 5.

e Submit yourselves to every or- dinance of man for the Lord’s sake, 1 Pet. ii. 13. Ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. Rom. xiii. 5. Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. Eph.

I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions aud of- fences, contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned ; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ. Rom. xvi. 17, 18. Wheu ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak consciences, ye sin against Christ. 1 Cor. viii. 12. Take heed that ye despise not oua of these little ones. Matt, xviii. 10. Let us not judge one another, but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling-block or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way. Rom. xiv. 13. We that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please our- selves. Rom. xv. 1 . b b 2

s Every particular and national church hath authority to ordain, change, and abolish cere- monies or rites of the Church, ordained only by man’s authority, so that all things be done to edifying.

s And though Christ said, ” They worship God in vain that teach doctrines and commandments of men yet he meant not thereby to overthrow all men’s commandments ; for he himself was ever obedient to the princes and their laws, made for good order and governance of the people : but he reproved the laws and traditions made by the Scribes and Pharisees, which were not made only for good order of the people, (as the civil laws were,) but they were set up so high, that they were made to be right and pure worshipping of God, as they had been equal with God’s laws, or above them : for many of God’s laws could not be kept, but were fain to give place unto them. This arrogancy God detested, that man should so advance his laws to make them equal with God’s laws, wherein the true honouring and right worshipping of God standeth, and to make his laws for them to be left off. God hath appointed his laws, whereby his pleasure is to be honoured. His pleasure is also, that all men’s laws, not being contrary unto his laws, shall be obeyed and kept, as good and necessary for every commonweal, but not as things wherein principally his honour resteth ; and all civil and man’s laws either be, or should be made, to bring men the better to keep God’s laws, that consequently, or followingly, God, should be the better honoured by them. Horn. v. See Art. XX.

35 Let us follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. Rom. xiv. 19. Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good

to edification. Rom. xv. 2. Seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the Church. J Cor. xiv. 12. Let all things be done unto edifying. 1 Cor. xiv. 26.