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CHAPTER IX.

THE DOCTRINE OF THE FATHERS ON THE SUBJECT OF THIS WORK.

SECT. I.-PRELIMINARY REMARKS.

In proceeding to review the sentiments of the Fathers on the subject of this work, I would offer in the first place a few general remarks, that may tend to assist the reader in forming a right judgment of them.

It is always difficult to give, by a few brief extracts, any correct notion of the full spirit and force of a writer's testimony to a point like that before us, in which his views are very much shown by the general tone of his remarks, and the whole course of his arguments. And it is still more difficult in the present case, from the misinterpretation to which the works of the Fathers have been subjected from the Romanists and our oppo

nents.

Before I proceed further, therefore, I would caution the reader against allowing himself to be misled by sentences taken apart from their context, or phrases used in common by the Fathers and our opponents, but with a different meaning.

For instance, it is easy to find, in the works of the Fathers, as in the Catholic writers of later times, an appeal to the writers that preceded them, in confirmation of the orthodoxy of the doctrine they are inculcating. And these appeals are sometimes most incorrectly cited as proofs of their having maintained the pseudo-catholic notion that the Fathers are the authorized interpreters of Scripture, and patristical tradition a practically infallible informant; whereas it will almost invariably be found, where such passages are examined, that the doctrine has been placed altogether upon the foundation of Scripture testimony, and the appeal to preceding writers in confirmation of it, made

only with the view of showing that such an exposition of Scripture was no novelty, but not as if the the testimony of a few ecclesiastical writers could be taken as an infallible expounder of God's word, or per se necessary to the right interpretation of it, on account of its imperfection and obscurity.

Another misinterpretation to which the writings of the Fathers have been subjected, (to which we have already alluded,1) and which has been more useful than any other to the pseudocatholic cause, is the perversion of the meaning of the word "tradition," as used by the Fathers. The writings of the Romanists in particular abound with citations from the Fathers in which the whole force of the passage depends upon the meaning of this word, and where an examination of the context shows that it is Scripture to which the writer is referring; and thus, not unfrequently, the quotation which appears the most forcible to a superficial reader, turns out to be not only no evidence of what it is cited to prove, but precisely an evidence of the contrary. And, as we have already seen, our opponents have followed them in this, so that Mr. Newman has actually quoted a passage of Athanasius in defence of his views, which is diametrically opposed to them. In the former part of this work, I have given several passages in proof of what we are here maintaining, namely, that the word "tradition" is frequently used in the Fathers in reference to Scripture. But as the point is of considerable importance, I will here add some further proofs of it, in order to show its constant use by them in this sense.

Thus Origen says, "If any arrogant person chooses to slight or despise the declarations of the Apostles, let him look to it himself. I for my part think it right to cleave close, as to God and our Lord Jesus Christ, so also to his Apostles, and to inform myself from the Divine Scriptures according to their own tradition."1

Thus, also, Pope Felix III. says, "Observe, disciples of Christ and my children, the traditions which ye have received from the Divine Scriptures."

See vol. i. pp. 18, 63, 65, 68, 69.

2 Vol. i. pp. 68, 69.

3 See vol. i. pp. 18, 64, 65, 68-70.

Si quis vero arrogantia tumidus Apostolica dicta contemnit aut spernit ipse viderit. Mihi autem, sicut Deo et Domino nostro Jesu Christo, ita et Apostolis ejus adhærere bonum est, et ex Divinis Scripturis secundum ipsorum traditionem intelligentiam capere. In Levit. hom. 7. § 4. Tom. ii. p. 224.

5 Φυλάξετε, Χριστου μαθηται, όμου δε υἱοι, τας παραδόσεις ας παρελάβετε από των θείων papar. FELIX III. Papa (fl. 483) in Epist. ad Petrum Fullonem Ep. Antioch. sub fin.; Concil. ed. Paris. 1671. Tom. iv. p. 1070.

So Gregory Nyssen (already quoted) says, "It is believed ... from the tradition of the Scriptures."

So Cyril of Jerusalem says, "Hold the traditions which ye now receive," where, as his learned editor, Milles, observes, the word traditions refers to what he had just set before his hearers from the Scriptures.

So Cyprian (already quoted) frequently speaks of our Lord's words recorded in the Gospels, under the name of "the Dominical tradition ;" and elsewhere on the question of the rebaptization of heretics, exhorts (in similar language to the passage above quoted from him) a return to "the Evangelical testimony and the Apostolical tradition," meaning the Gospels of the Evangelists and the Epistles of the Apostles.5

The description of the New Testament, occurring in these words of Cyprian, was one in very common use with the Fathers. Thus we find the Bible frequently referred to under the title, "The Law, the Prophets, the Evangelists, and the Apostles," as by Hippolytus, Gregory of Neocæsarea, Cyril of Jerusalem,s Epiphanius, Salvian, and Hilary." So the New Testament is referred to by Origen," and Ephrem Syrus,1s as "the Evangelical

1 Πεπιστευται εκ τε της κοινής υπολήψεως, και εκ της των γράφων παραδόσεως. GREG. Nrss., De anim. et resurr. Tom. ii. p. 644. Ed. 1615.

2 KpRTETE Tas Tapadores as vuy raparaulavers. Catech. 5. § 8. Ed. Milles, p. 76. See the note of Milles in loc.

3 Traditio Dominica. See his Ep. ad Cæcil. Ep. 63. Ed. Pamel.

4 Quare si rejectis humanæ contentionis erroribus, ad Evangelicam auctoritatem atque ad Apostolicam traditionem sincera et religiosa fide revertamur, intelligemus, &c. Ep. ad Jubaianum, circa med. Ep. 73. Ed. Pamel.

s For the use of the word tradition by the Fathers, see also IREN. adv. hær.; lib. iii. c. 25, p. 256, ed. Grab. (the word is also used, pp. 129, 131, 185 and 199) CLEM. ALEX. Strom. pp. 806 and 896. ed. Potter (al. pp. 679 and 762); CYRILL. ALEX. De recta fide ad Theodos. Tom. v. P. 2. p. 15. ed. Aubert.; ORIGEN. In Matth. tom. x. § 17. Op. vol. iii. p. 462. ed. Ben.

6 Νόμον, προφητας, ευαγγελιστας, αποστολους. HIPPOL. De antichrist. § 58. Ed. Fabr. vol. i. p. 28.

7 GREGOR. NEOCAS. In Annunc. Serm. ii. p. 19. ed. Par. 1622.

8 Ουχ έτερον μεν εν Νόμο και Προφήταις, ἕτερον δε εν Ευαγγελίοις και Αποστολοις, αλλ' έν έστι και το αυτο Πνευμα αγιον το εν Παλαια και Καινη Διαθηκη τας θείας λάλησαν γραφας. CYRILL. HIEROS. Cat. 17. § 3. ed. Milles. p. 243.

9. Ου μόνον εκ των Ευαγγελικών και Αποστολικών . . . αλλά και εκ Νόμου και Προφήτων. EPIPH. Adv. hær. h. 31. § 15. tom. i. pp. 181, 2.—'Oτ¡ Osos sis nur er Noμa xas αν Προφήταις και εν Ευαγγελίοις και Αποστολοις, εν Παλαια και Καινη Διαθηκη, κεκηρυκται. In. ib. Exp. fid. Cath. § 18. tom. i. p. 1101.

10 Legem, Prophetas, Evangelium et Apostolicas lectiones. SALVIAN. De Gubern. Dei. lib. iii. p. 45.

Dilatis igitur . . . Evangelicis atque Apostolicis præconiis, omnis interim nobis de Lege et Prophetis adversus impios pugna sit. HILAR. De Trin. lib. v. 6. col. 858. Ed. Ben.

12 Tay vagay na TOV ATTOσTONIXWV WYWY. ORIG. contr. Cels. lib. iii. § 15. tom. i. p. 457.

13 Diem semper adventus Domini prædictum Propheticis et Evangelicis atque Apostolicis vocibus contempleris. EPHR. STR. De Pœnit. tom. iii. p. 599.

VOL. II.

S

and Apostolical sayings," by Hilary as "the Evangelical and Apostolical institutes," and similarly by Gregory of Neocæsarea; just as in the passages formerly referred to it is called "the evangelical and apostolical traditions." The Gospels are referred to by Theophilus of Antioch and Cornelius as "the evangelical voice;" by Epiphanius as "the evangelical witness;" by Theodoret as "the evangelical declarations;" by Gregory Nyssen as "the evangelical sayings ;" "the evangelical teaching," "the teaching of the gospel," just as in the passage of Athanasius already referred to they are called "the evangelical tradition."10 And, in like manner, "the Apostolical Epistles are referred to by Gregory of Neocæsarea, under the title of "the Apostolical teaching.'

9911

And hence we may see the meaning of a passage in Epiphanius, (which the Romanists have as usual misrepresented) and add another example to the foregoing as to the use of the word "tradition." Epiphanius at the close of his work against heresies, having noticed many usages that were received in the Church, adds, "But as it respects the other mysteries, namely concerning baptism and the more sacred mysteries, they are observed according as the tradition of the Gospel and the Apostles directs;" where the reference is clearly to the New Testament, and an important testimony is afforded us as to the source whence Epiphanius considered our instructions for the celebration of the sacraments should be derived.

These passages may serve to put us on our guard against the representations of the Romanists and our opponents, as they clearly show us that the Fathers have been grievously misquoted, and their meaning often altogether perverted. When the

1 Evangelicis atque Apostolicis institutis. HILAR. De Trin. lib. iv. § 1. col. 827. See also § 5, col. 829 and lib. vi. § 8. col. 882. Also Tract. in Psalm. § 23. col. 38.

2 Όταν αναγινωσκεται το ευαγγελιον, η αποστολικον, μη προσχης του βιβλου, κ. τ. λ. GREG. NEOCES. In Annunc. Serm. ii. p. 19.

3 See vol. i. pp. 68, 9.

•H suazzersos corn. THEOPH. Ad. Autol. lib. iii. § 13. ed. Ben. p. 388. ed. Col. 1686. p. 126. Sequentes evangelicam vocem dicentem, Beatos esse puros corde quoniam ipsi Deum videbunt. CORNEL. Ep. ad Cypr. ap. Cypr. Epist.

49. ed. Fell.

5 Evxggarian μaprupia. EPIPHAN. adv. hær. tom. i. p. 935.

6 Evzzzersnæv unpuμatar. THEODOR. Hær. Fab. lib. v. c. 22. tom. iv. p. 452.

η Ευαγγελίκων φωνών. GREG. NYSS. Procem. in Cant. vol. i. p. 471. ed. 1615.

8 Της ευαγγελικης διδασκαλία. Ib. p. 473.

9 THE TOU EURggerio Sidonis. ID. De anim. et resurr. tom. ii. p. 639.

10 See vol. i. pp. 68, 9.

11 Η αποστολική διδασκαλία. In Annunc. Serm. ii. p. 19.

12 Το διαλλα μυστημα περί λουτρου και των ενδοθεν μυστηρίων, ως έχει ή παραδοσις του τε Ευαγγελίου και των Αποστολών, ούτως επιτελείται. EPIPE. adv. her. Expos. fid. cath. § 22. tom. i. pp. 1105, 6.

Fathers speak of "the Apostolical tradition," or "the tradition of the Apostles," they are almost always referring to the Scriptures of the Apostles.

And to this we may add that when they speak of "the tradition of the Fathers," they are sometimes referring to something which those Fathers gathered from Scripture. For thus speaks Basil; "That therefore which our fathers said, that also we say

.. But it is not sufficient for us, that this is the tradition of the Fathers; for they also followed the mind of Scripture, taking their first principles from those testimonies which we just now placed before you from the Scripture." And to this other instances might be added.

In short the word tradition is often used, not to denote anything which has come down by successional delivery from the Apostles, but merely as equivalent to the teaching or doctrine of the persons referred to. Thus Polycrates speaks of having observed Easter "according to the tradition of my relations," where the word "tradition" is translated by Jerome by the word teaching or doctrine. There are, indeed, few passages of the Fathers in which, considering the sense usually affixed by the moderns to the word "traditions," the meaning of apadosis would not be more accurately conveyed by translating it doctrines or instructions.

I shall now, then, endeavour to show more particularly that on all the five points in which we have summed up the views of our opponents, the weight of patristical testimony is incompara

4

1. Όπερ ελεγον τοίνυν οἱ πατέρες ήμων, και ήμεις λεγομεν . . . Αλλ' ου τουτο ήμιν εξαρκεί, ότι των πατέρων ἡ παράδοσις· κακείνοι γαρ τω βουλήματι της Γραφης ηκολούθησαν, εκ των μαρτυμένων ας μικρώ προσθεν ύμιν εκ της Γραφής παρεθέμεθα τας αρχας λαβοντες. BASIL. De Sp. S. c. 7. tom. iii. p. 13. ed. Ben.

2 Κατα παράδοσιν των συγγενων μου.

Routh. Reliq. S. vol. i. p. 371.

POLYCR. in EUSEB. Hist. Eccl. v. 24, or,

3 Secundum doctrinam propinquorum meorum. See Routh. Reliq. S. vol. i. p. 371.

4 Which are as follows (as given vol. i. pp. 41, 2) ;—

1. That consentient patristical tradition or "catholic consent" is an unwritten Word of God, a divine informant in religion, and consequently entitled as to its substance to equal respect with the Holy Scriptures.

2. That such tradition is consequently a part of the divinely-revealed rule of faith and practice.

3. That it is a necessary part of the divine rule of faith and practice on account of the defectiveness of Scripture, for that

(1.) Though it does not reveal to us any fundamental articles of faith or practice not noticed in Scripture, Holy Scripture containing, that is giving hints or notices of, all the fundamental articles of faith and practice, it is yet a necessary part of the divine rule of faith and practice as the interpreter of Scripture, and as giving the full development of many points, some of which are fundamental' which are but imperfectly developed in Scripture, and

(2.) It is an important part of that rule as conveying to us various important divinely-revealed doctrines and rules not contained in Scripture.