apostles, Acts 15, 10, say: Why tempt ye God to put a yoke, etc.,
where Peter declares this purpose to burden the Church a great sin.
And Paul forbids the Galatians, 5, 1, to be entangled again with the
yoke of bondage. Therefore, it is the will of the apostles that this
liberty remain in the Church, that no services of the Law or of
traditions be judged as necessary (just as in the Law ceremonies were
for a time necessary), lest the righteousness of faith be obscured,
if men judge that these services merit justification, or are
necessary for justification. Many seek in traditions various
_epieicheian_ [mitigations] in order to heal consciences, and yet
they do not find any sure grades by which to free consciences from
these chains. But just as Alexander once for all solved the Gordian
knot by cutting it with his sword when he could not disentangle it,
so the apostles once for all free consciences from traditions,
especially if they are taught to merit justification. The apostles
compel us to oppose this doctrine by teaching and examples. They
compel us to teach that traditions do not justify; that they are not
necessary for justification; that no one ought to frame or receive
traditions with the opinion that they merit justification. Then,
even though any one should observe them, let him observe them without
superstition as civil customs, just as without superstition soldiers
are clothed in one way and scholars in another [as I regard my
wearing of a German costume among the Germans and a French costume
among the French as an observance of the usage of the land, and not
for the purpose of being saved thereby]. The apostles violate
traditions and are excused by Christ for the example was to be shown
the Pharisees that these services are unprofitable. And if our
people neglect some traditions that are of little advantage, they are
now sufficiently excused, when these are required as though they
merit justification. For such an opinion with regard to traditions