[PART III. ments while there was a just sense of religion and separation from the public worship was considered as a great evil, were found to have a very salutary effect; but the power of excommunication, which was at first kept within due bounds, was gradually enlarged, and was at last carried to an exorbitant height, and perverted to the worst purposes by the popes of Rome; they inflicted it upon the most trifling and improper occasions, and in a manner authorized neither by reason nor Scripture, and utterly unknown in the more antient times. Among the early Christians, excommunication did not deprive a person of any of his natural or civil rights; but the popes pretended, by their excommunications, not only to take away the common rights of nature and of social life, such as the obedience due from children to their parents, and protection from the magistrate, but also to depose princes from their thrones, and absolve subjects from their allegiance; they even interdicted whole churches and nations, and forbade them the use of the Sacraments; they endeavoured, for the most frivolous and unjust causes, to dissolve every tie which keeps mankind united, and to deprive whole countries of every social and religious comfort. The conse quence of this extravagant and mischievous usurpation

usurpation of authority was, that in process of time, papal excommunication fell into total disregard; and at the Council of Trent it was expressly acknowledged, "Cum experientia doceat, si excommunicatio temere aut levibus ex causis incutiatur, magis contemni quam formidari, & perniciem potius parere quam salutem." Most of the reformed churches asserted the power of excommunication; it makes a part of our church discipline (k), but it has of late years been very rarely exercised.

(k) Vide Blackstone and Burn.

ARTICLE THE THIRTY-FOURTH.

Of the Traditions of the Church.

IT IS NOT NECESSARY THAT TRADITIONS AND CEREMONIES BE IN ALL PLACES ONE, or utTERLY LIKE; FOR AT ALL TIMES THEY HAVE BEEN DIVERSE, AND MAY BE CHANGED ACCORDING TO THE DIVERSITIES OF COUNTRIES, TIMES, AND MENS MANNERS, SO THAT NOTHING BE ORDAINED AGAINST GOD'S WORD.

WHOSOEVER, THROUGH 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 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 CONSCIENCES OF WEAK

WOUNDETH

THE

BRETHREN.

EVERY PARTICULAR OR NATIONAL CHURCH HATH AUTHORITY TO ORDAIN, CHANGE, AND ABOLISH CEREMONIES OR RITES OF THE

CHURCH

CHURCH ORDAINED ONLY BY MAN'S AU

THORITY,

SO THAT ALL THINGS BE DONE

TO EDIFYING,

BEFORE we enter upon the explanation of this article, it may be proper to remark, that the word "traditions" is not here used in the same sense in which it was used in the explanation of the sixth Article. It there signified unwritten articles of faith, asserted to be derived from Christ or his Apostles; in this article it means customs or practices relative to the external worship of God, which have been delivered down from former times; that is, in the sixth article, traditions meant traditional doctrines of pretended divine authority, and in this it means traditional practices acknowledged to be of human institution.

It was shown under the twentieth Article, that "the church hath power to decree rites and ceremonies," with this limitation, that it does not "ordain any thing that is contrary to God's word written." The Christian religion is designed to be universal and perpetual; and the Gospel contains nothing which is not suited to the men of all ages, and to the inhabitants of all countries. It leaves us, as has been already observed, at full liberty with respect to external forms;

VOL. II.

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forms; and there is no command, or even the remotest intimation, that these forms should be the same at all times and in all places. As there is a great diversity in the customs and manners of men at different periods, and in different parts of the world, the traditions and ceremonies relative to the form of public worship ought to be accommodated to existing circumstances; they may be changed from time to time, and they may also vary in different churches. Institutions of this kind are only provisions made for the purpose of promoting the great ends of religion according to the present state of things; and, as the affairs of men are ever fluctuating, what was formerly well adapted to the condition of the Christian world, might now be useless or impracticable. That difference, therefore, and constant change, which are observable from the first promulgation of the Gospel to the present day, are not only allowed in Scripture, but are founded in the nature of human things; and consequently we hesitate not to accede to the first part of the Article, IT IS NOT NECESSARY THAT

TRADITIONS AND CEREMONIES BE IN ALL PLACES ONE, OR UTTERLY LIKE; FOR AT ALL TIMES THEY HAVE BEEN DIVERSE, AND MAY BE CHANGED, ACCORDING TO THE DIVERSITY OF COUNTRIES, TIMES, AND MENS MANNERS