Article XXVIOf the Distinction of Meats and of Traditions

1 p. 53 It has been the general persuasion, not of the people alone, but also of such as teach in the churches, that making Distinctions of Meats, and like traditions of men, are works profitable to merit grace, and able to make satisfactions for sins. 2 And that the world so thought, appears from this, that new ceremonies, new orders, new holydays, and new fastings were daily instituted, and the teachers in the churches did exact these works as a service necessary to merit grace, and did greatly terrify men’s consciences, if they should omit any of these things. 3 From this persuasion concerning traditions, much detriment has resulted in the Church.

4 First, the doctrine of grace and of the righteousness of faith has been obscured by it, which is the chief part of the Gospel, and ought to stand out, as the most prominent in the Church, that the merit of Christ may be well known, and that faith, p. 54 which believes that sins are forgiven for Christ’s sake may be exalted far above works. 5 Wherefore Paul also lays the greatest stress on this article, putting aside the law and human traditions, in order to show that the righteousness of the Christian is another than such works, to wit, the faith which believes that sins are freely forgiven for Christ’s sake. 6 But this doctrine of Paul has been almost wholly smothered by traditions, which have produced an opinion that, by making distinctions in meats and like services, we must merit grace and righteousness. 7 In treating of repentance, there was no mention made of faith; all that was done was to set forth those works of satisfaction, and in these all repentance seemed to consist.

8 Secondly, these traditions have obscured the commandments of God; because traditions were placed far above the commandments of God. Christianity was thought to consist wholly in the observance of certain holydays, fasts and vestures. 9 These observances had won for themselves the exalted title of being the spiritual life and the perfect life. 10 Meanwhile the commandments of God, according to each one’s calling, were without honor, namely, that the father brought up his family, that the mother bore children, that the Prince governed the Commonwealth,—these were accounted works that were worldly and imperfect, and far below those glittering observances. 11 And this error greatly tormented devout consciences, which grieved that they were bound by an imperfect state of life, as in marriage, in the office of magistrate, or in other civil ministrations; on the other hand, they admired the monks and such like, and falsely imagined that the observances of such men were more acceptable to God.

Thirdly, traditions brought great danger to consciences; 12 for it was impossible to keep all traditions, and yet men judged these observances to be necessary acts of worship.

13 Gerson writes that many fell into despair, and that some even took their own lives, because they felt that they were not able to satisfy the traditions; and meanwhile, they heard not the consolation of the righteousness of faith and grace.

14 We see that the summists and theologians gather the traditions together, and seek mitigations whereby to ease consciences, and yet they do not succeed in releasing them, but sometimes entangle consciences even more. 15 And with the gathering of these traditions, the schools and sermons have been so much occupied that they have had no leisure to touch upon Scripture, and to seek the more profitable doctrine p. 55 of faith, of the cross, of hope, of the dignity of civil affairs, of consolation of sorely tried consciences. 16 Hence Gerson, and some other theologians, have grievously complained, that by these strivings concerning traditions, they were prevented from giving attention to a better kind of doctrine. 17 Augustine also forbids that men’s consciences should be burdened with such observances, and prudently advises Januarius, that he must know that they are to be observed as things indifferent; for these are his words.

18 Wherefore our teachers must not be looked upon as having taken up this matter rashly, or from hatred of the bishops, as some falsely suspect. 19 There was great need to warn the churches of these errors, which had arisen from misunderstanding the traditions. 20 For the Gospel compels us to insist in the churches upon the doctrine of grace, and of the righteousness of faith; which, however, cannot be understood, if men think that they merit grace by observances of their own choice.

21 (Thus, therefore, they have taught, that by the observance of human traditions we cannot merit grace, or be justified; and hence we must not think such observances necessary acts of worship.)

They add hereunto testimonies of Scripture. 22 Christ [Matt. 15:3] defends the Apostles who had not observed the usual tradition, which however, seemed to pertain to a matter not unlawful, but indifferent, and to have a certain affinity with the purifications of the law, and says [9]: “In vain do they worship me with the commandments of men.” 23 He, therefore, does not exact an unprofitable service. Shortly after, he adds [11]: 24 “Not that which goeth into the mouth, defileth a man.” So also Paul [Rom. 14:17]: “The Kingdom of God is not meat and drink.” [Col. 2:16]: 25 “Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the Sabbath day;” also [v. 20, sq.]: 26 “If ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, touch not, taste not, handle not?” 27 And Peter says [Acts 15:10]: “Why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers, nor we were able to bear; but we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, we shall be saved, even as they.” 28 Here Peter forbids to burden the consciences with many rites, either of Moses, or of others.

29 And in 1 Tim. [4:1, 3], Paul calls the prohibition of meats a doctrine of devils; for it is against the Gospel to institute or to do such works that by them we may p. 56 merit grace, or as though Christianity could not exist without such service of God.

30 Here our adversaries cast up that our teachers are opposed to discipline and mortification of the flesh, as Jovinian. But the contrary may be learned from the writings of our teachers. 31 For they have always taught concerning the cross, that it behooves Christians to bear afflictions. 32 This is the true, earnest and unfeigned mortification, to wit, to be exercised with divers afflictions, and to be crucified with Christ.

33 Moreover, they teach, that every Christian ought to exercise and subdue himself with bodily restraints and labors, that neither plenty nor slothfulness tempt him to sin, but not that we may merit grace or make satisfaction for sins by such exercises. 34 And such external discipline ought to be urged at all times, not only on a few and set days. 35 So Christ commands [Luke 21:34]: “Take heed, lest your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting;” also [Matt. 17:21]: 36 “This kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.” 37 Paul also says [1 Cor. 9:27]: “I keep under my body and bring it into subjection.” 38 Here he clearly shows that he was keeping under his body, not to merit forgiveness of sins by that discipline, but to have his body in subjection and fitted for spiritual things, and for the discharge of duty according to his calling. ( Therefore, we do not condemn fasting, but the 39 traditions which prescribe certain days and certain meats, with peril of conscience, as though works of such kinds were a necessary service.

40 Nevertheless, very many traditions are kept on our part, which conduce to good order in the Church, as the Order of Lessons in the Mass, and the chief holydays. 41 But, at the same time, men are warned that such observances do not justify before God, and that, in such things, it should not be made sin, if they be omitted without scandal. 42 Such liberty in human rites was not unknown to the Fathers. 43 For in the East they kept Easter at another time than at Rome, and when, on account of this diversity, the Romans accused the Eastern Church of schism, they were admonished by others that such usages need not be alike everywhere. 44 And Irenæus says: “Diversity concerning fasting does not destroy the harmony of faith.” As also Pope Gregory intimates in Dist. xii., that such diversity does not violate the unity of the Church. 45 And in the Tripartite History, Book 9, many examples of dissimilar rites are gathered, and the following statement is made: “It was not the mind of the Apostles to enact rules concerning holydays, but to preach godliness and a holy life.”