vances had won for
themselves the exalted title of being the spiritual life and the
perfect life. Meanwhile the commandments of God, according to each
one's calling, were without honor namely, that the father brought up his
offspring, 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. And this error
greatly tormented devout consciences, which grieved that they were
held in 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; for it was
impossible to keep all traditions, and yet men judged these observances
to be necessary acts of worship. 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 they had all the while
not heard any consolation of the righteousness of faith and grace. We
see that the summists and theologians gather the traditions, and
seek mitigations whereby to ease consciences, and yet they do not
sufficiently unfetter, but sometimes entangle, consciences even more.
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 of faith, of the
cross, of hope, of the dignity of civil affairs of consolation of
sorely tried consciences. 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.
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 such are his words.

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.
There was great need to warn the churches of these errors, which had
arisen from misunderstanding the traditions. For the Gospel compels
us to insist in the churches upon the doctrine of grace, and of the
righteousness of faith; which, however, c