CYRIL OF JERUSALEM. (fl. a. 350.) I proceed to Cyril of Jerusalem, and offer to the reader the following extracts from his Catechetical Lectures to those about to be baptized. First, as it respects Scripture being the sole authoritative rule of faith. After giving a brief account of the principal articles of the Christian faith, he says,-" Retain this seal ever in thy mind, the principal points of which have now been briefly enumerated. But if the Lord permit, they shall be discussed, as far as I am able, with Scripture proof. For, as it respects the divine and holy mysteries of the faith, not even the least point ought to be delivered without the divine Scriptures, nothing asserted nakedly without proof, by probable reasoning and oratorical statements. Nay, you must not believe me, when I declare these things to you nakedly without proof, if you do not receive the proof of the things spoken from the Divine Scriptures."1 To see the full force of this passage, we must recollect that it is addressed to the young, to those about to be baptized; and to them it is said by Cyril that they were not to believe him, but so far as they should find him to be borne out by the declarations of Scripture; so far is he from asserting that the interpretation of Scripture which he gave, was binding upon the conscience, and the proper object of faith. And, moreover, this is said with reference to the creed, which is emphatically put forward by the Tractators as part of the rule of faith, and a divine revelation, quite independent of Scripture. 1 Again, he says, "There is need truly of spiritual δ Ταυτην εχε την σφραγιδα εν τη διανοια σου παντοτε, ἥτις νυν μεν κατα ανακεφαλαίωσιν ακροθιγώς ειρηται. Ει δε παρασχοι ὁ Κύριος, μετα της των γραφων αποδείξεως κατα δυναμιν ῥηθησεται. Δει γαρ περί των θείων και άγιων της πίστεως μυστηριων, μηδε το τυχον ανευ των θείων παραδίδοσθαι γραφων, μηδε ἁπλως πιθανοτητι και λόγων κατασκευαις παραφέρεσθαι. Μηδε εμοι τω ταυτα σοι λέγοντε άπλως πιστευσης, εαν την αποδειξιν των καταγγελλομένων απο των θείων μη λaßns Ypapwv. CYRILL. HIEROSOL. Catech. 4. § 12. (Ed. Milles. Oxon. 1702. p. 56.) в в 2 grace, that we may discourse of the Holy Spirit. Not that we may speak worthily of the subject, for that is impossible; but that speaking the things which we learn from the Divine Scriptures, we may proceed without danger." He knew nothing of an infallible interpretation of Scripture, derived from the oral teaching of the Apostles, and handed down by "tradition." Further, as to the perfection of Scripture. He says, "What else is there that knows the deep things of God, but only the Holy Spirit that uttered the Divine Scriptures? But neither hath the Holy Spirit himself spoken in the Scriptures concerning the generation of the Son from the Father. Why, therefore, do you curiously inquire after that which the Holy Spirit hath not written in the Scriptures? Do you, who know not what is written, curiously inquire after that which is not written? There are many subjects for inquiry in the Divine Scriptures, [and] we do not fully comprehend that which is written, why do we curiously inquire after what is not written ?? Again; "Therefore let those things be spoken by us concerning the Holy Spirit which are written. And if anything is not written, let us not curiously inquire after it. The Holy Spirit himself hath uttered the Scriptures, and hath himself spoken concerning himself as much as he pleased, and as much as we are capable of receiving. Therefore let those things be spoken which he has uttered; for what he hath not spoken, we dare not speak."s 1 Πνευματικής αληθως χρεια της χαριτος, ίνα περι Πνευματος ἅγιου διαλεχθώμεν οὐχ ἵνα κατ' αξίαν ειπωμεν· αδυνατον γαρ αλλ' ἵνα τα απο των θείων γραφων είποντες ακινδύνως διελθωμεν. In. Cat. 16. § 1. p. 223. Ρ. 2 Τι εστιν έτερον γινωσκον τα βαθη του Θεου, ει μη μόνον το Πνευμα το άγιον το λαλησαν τας θείας γραφας αλλ' ουδ' αυτο το Πνεύμα το άγιον περί της εκ Πατρος του Υιου γεννήσεως εν ταις γραφαις ελαλησεν. Τι τοινυν πολυπραγμονείς, & μηδε το Πνεύμα το άγιον εγραψεν εν ταις γραφαις; δ τα γεγραμμένα μη γινα σκων, τα μη γεγραμμενα πολυπραγμονείς; Πολλα ζητηματα εστιν εν ταις θείαις γραφαις, το γεγραμμένον ου καταλαμβανομεν, τι το μη γεγραμμένον πολυπραγ μονουμεν ; ID. Cat. 11. § 4. pp. 140, 1. Ει δε τι μη 3 Λεγέσθω τοινυν ὑφ ̓ ἡμων περὶ ἅγιου Πνεύματος τα γεγραμμένα. γεγραπται, μη πολυπραγμονωμεν. Αυτο το Πνεύμα το άγιον ελαλησε τας γραφάς αυτο και περι αυτου ειρηκεν όσα εβούλετο, και όσα εχωρουμεν λεγέσθω ουν ἁ ειρηκεν· όσα γαρ ουκ ειρηκεν ἡμεις ου τολμωμεν. Ib. Cat. 16. § 1. p. 224. Again; "It is sufficient for us to know these things. But as to nature or hypostasis, do not curiously search into it. For, if it was written, we would declare it. It is not written, let us not dare to do so. It is sufficient for our salvation, to know that there is Father, Son, and Holy Ghost." "1 Again; "Not using, even to-day, human imaginations, for that would be unprofitable; but only PUTTING YOU IN MIND OF those things which we learn from the Divine Scriptures; for that is the safest; according to the blessed Apostle, who says, 'which things we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.' But it may be said, (for it has been said by those who would fain make us believe that every passage in the Fathers, in which the word tradition (rapacoric) is mentioned with favour, is a support to the views we are opposing,) that Cyril says, in another place, "Be careful, therefore, brethren, and hold fast the traditions which ye now receive . . . God will require of you an account of the deposit committed to your keeping."3 True; and what does he mean by these " traditions"? Let his own words in the previous context explain,—“Hold fast the faith [or, creed] both in knowledge and profession, and keep it; that only, I mean, which is now delivered (tradited) to thee by the Church, and which is established from the whole Scripture ;" and of this creed he adds, "The articles of 1 Και αυταρκες ήμιν ειδεναι ταυτα φυσιν δε η ὑποστασιν μη πολυπραγμονει· ει γαρ ην γεγραμμενον, ελεγομεν' ου γεγραπται, μη τολμησωμεν· αυταρκες ἡμιν είδεναι προς σωτηρίαν ότι εστι πατηρ και υἱος και ἅγιον Πνευμα. ID. Cat. 16, § 12. pp. 236, 7. * Ουκ ανθρωπινοις και σημερον κεχρημενοι σοφισμασιν, ασύμφορον γαρ' αλλά τα εκ των θείων γραφων μόνον ὑπομιμνησκοντες, ασφαλεστατον γαρ κατα τον μακαριον Αποστολον, ὁς και φησιν· ἃ και λαλουμεν, ουκ εν διδακτοις ανθρωπινης σοφίας λογοις, αλλ' εν διδακτοις Πνευματος, πνευματικοις πνευματικά συγκρινοντες. ID. Cat. 17. § 1. p. 241. • Βλεπετε ουν, αδελφοι, και κρατείτε τας παραδόσεις, ἃς νυν παραλαμβάνετε Θεος δε παρ' ὑμων απαιτεί της παρακαταθήκης τους λογους. Ib. Cat. 5. § 8. p. 76. 4 Πιστιν δε εν μαθήσει και επαγγελια κτησαι και τήρησον, μονην την ύπο της Εκκλησίας νυνι σοι παραδιδομενην, την εκ πάσης γραφής οχυρωμένην. ID. Cat. 5. § 7. p. 75. the creed were not, as it appears, composed by men; but the most suitable passages collected together out of the whole Scripture, make up one form of instruction in the faith. And as a grain of mustard seed contains, in a small grain, many branches, thus, also, the creed itself embraces, in a few words, the whole knowledge of religion revealed to us in the Old and New Testament. Be careful, therefore, and hold fast the traditions, &c." These traditions, therefore, were the articles of the creed; which articles were expressed in language carefully taken from Scripture; the creed being a collection of suitable passages selected from the whole Scripture, to give a brief and comprehensive view of the principal points of the Christian faith. The word "traditions," therefore, is here evidently merely equivalent to "instructions;" or at least has not the meaning in which the Tractators use the word "traditions." The translation and comment given by Mr. Newman to the above passage, are worthy of notice. He translates it thus; " Learn and hold fast thy faith in what is taught and promised; that faith which alone is now delivered to thee BY TRADITIONS OF THE CHURCH, and established from Scripture.' 112 And he quotes it as showing that Cyril "distinguishes between Tradition as teaching, and Scripture as proving, verifying doctrine." Upon the various errors in the translation of these few lines, I say nothing; but to its bad faith, in the introduction of the phrase, “traditions of the Church,” I cannot but call the attention of the reader. The passage is merely a request by Cyril to his hearers, to attend to that which the Church, through him, was delivering to 1 Ου γαρ ὡς έδοξεν ανθρωποις συνετέθη τα της πίστεως, αλλ' εκ πάσης γραφής τα καιριώτατα συλλεχθεντα, μιαν αναπληροί την της πίστεως διδασκαλίαν. Και όνπερ τρόπον ὁ του σινάπεως σπορος εν μικρώ κοκκω πολλους περιέχει τους κλάδους, οὕτω καὶ ἡ πίστις αύτη εν ολίγοις ρημασι πασαν την εν τη παλαια και καινη της ευσέβειας γνωσιν εγκεκολπισται. Βλέπετε ουν, αδελφοι, κ. τ. λ. ut supra. Ib. Cat. 5. §§. 7, 8. p. 76. 2 Lect. pp. 385, 6. And there is not one word them as the Christian faith. about "Tradition" teaching. vantage could Mr. Newman's cause gain by it, if there was; when Cyril himself cautions his hearers not to believe one word he was about to say, but as they should see it to be proved by Scripture? The sole question is, whether there is any authoritative teaching, forming part of the rule of faith, but Scripture; and Cyril here expressly affirms the negative. That patristical tradition, or the instruction of the Fathers, teaches, and teaches the true faith, and that the ministers of the Church teach the faith, and the Church through them, is all perfectly true; and that they teach it from Scripture, and refer their hearers to Scripture, as Cyril does here, to test their instructions, and see that they teach the true faith, is equally true. But what then? Does that avail Mr. Newman's cause? No; the only thing that would serve his cause, would be a statement that the oral teaching of the Apostles had been perpetuated, by a successional delivery, from one to another in the Church, and is still to us the authoritative interpreter of Scripture, teaching us its meaning with sovereign authority, and forming part of the rule of faith, under the name of "Tradition;" in which sense, chiefly, the word "Tradition" has been used by the moderns, and is exclusively applied by the Tractators. And to make the Fathers appear to intimate this, Mr. Newman translates the words "delivered to thee by the Church," thus-" delivered to thee by traditions of the Church;" thereby deceiving both himself and others. For Cyril himself tells us that the articles delivered, were gathered from the Scriptures. They were not, therefore, traditions in that technical sense of the word in which the Tractators use it. And, as it often happens in such cases, Mr. Newman's cause would gain nothing by his mistranslation, when it came to be compared with the context; for, if it had been correct, the context would only have testified the more strongly in condemnation of his views of the authority of "Traditions." |