Traditions of the churche.
The Freedom and Order of Church Traditions
Church traditions and ceremonies may vary across times and places as long as they do not contradict God's word, and those who deliberately break them in public should be rebuked for the sake of order and weaker consciences.
It isn't necessary that traditions and ceremonies be the same in every place, or utterly alike. For at all times they have been diverse, and they may be changed according to the diversity of countries and people's customs, so long as nothing is ordained against God's word. Whoever, through their own private judgment, willingly and deliberately breaks the church's traditions and ceremonies in public—those that are not contrary to God's word and that have been ordained and approved by common authority—ought to be rebuked openly (so that others may fear to do the same), as someone who offends against the common order of the church, harms the magistrate's authority, and wounds the consciences of the weaker brothers and sisters.1
Read the original English
IT is not necessarye that traditions and ceremonyes be in all places one, or vtterly lyke. For at all tymes they haue bene dyuers: and may be chaunged, accordyng to the diuersitie of countries, and mēnes maners: so that nothinge be ordeyned agaynste gods word.
WHosoeuer through his …uate iudgment wyllingly and purposedly▪ doth opēly breake the tradicions and ceremonies of the churche, whiche be not repugnāt to the word of god, and be ordayned, and approued …y common a…cthority: oughte to …e rebuked openlye (that other may fere to do the lyke) as one that offendeth against the cōmon ordre of the church, and hurteth tha…ctority of the Magistrate, & woundeth the consciences of the we… brethren.
Notes
- 1 ↩OCR gaps in the supplied witness were restored from residual letters and sense: private (…uate); by common authority (…y common a…cthority); be rebuked (…e rebuked); the authority (tha…ctority); weak (we…). Translation follows those restored readings.
John Ponet's Short Catechisme (1553) companion
Rule yourself daily, not just on retreat
Chosen Portion turns the mirror into a daily practice — a short reading and examining question each morning before you lead anyone.
Chosen Portion makes the mirror daily: the ruler-formation questions this collection preserves become a two-minute morning examination in the app.
- A daily formation reading drawn from centuries of counsel to those in authority
- One pointed examination question a day — two minutes, before the meetings start
- Track your practice over weeks and watch the examined life become a habit