for them, that they are preferred before the expressed texts of Scripture themselves.
Some Christians also have their traditions, which they pretend to have received through the Apostles from Christ, and transmitted by them to others downwards. These traditions are called by them the Unwritten Word, and by which, they say, the Written Word can only be explained.
There is perhaps nothing more fatal to the acquirement of pure religious truth, than a leaning to, and a fondness for traditions. It is a self-evident fact, that our Lord never speaks of traditions but in terms of disapprobation, and never encouraged his disciples to observe them. The non-observance of traditions was, indeed, the charge that the Scribes and Pharisees brought against Jesus and his followers. "Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread." The Lord in reply, said, "Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? for God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother, but ye say, whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, it is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; and honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition." (verses 3, 6.) Beware of traditions! for they lead the mind away from the true spirit of religion to observe some traditionary ceremony which neither enlightens the eye nor affects the heart. No tradition is worth attending to, unless the substance of it can be clearly traced to the WRITTEN WORD. Those Christians who observe traditions, do indeed say, that
