Although the Holy Fathers themselves had rites and traditions, they did not maintain that these are useful or necessary for justification. They did not cloud over Christ's glory and office, but taught that we are justified by faith for Christ's sake, and not for the sake of these human services. The Fathers celebrated human rites for the body's benefit. For example, by such rites people would know what time they should gather so that, for the sake of example, all things might be done in order and properly in the churches (1 Corinthians 14:40) and that the common people might receive a sort of training. The Fathers maintained the rites for these reasons. We also conclude it is proper for these reasons to keep traditions. - Apology of the Augsburg Confession XV: 20-
Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions. 1st edition. St. Louis: Concordia, 2005
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