authority of those ancient writers, whose opinions, upon some other points, we shall be compelled to call in question.

It has been already noticed, that the Epistles of Clement and Barnabas were probably written before the canon of the New Testament was completed, and consequently, that their views of Christianity were derived, in a measure, from the oral instructions of the apostles. Yet, it is remarkable, that they never claim any authority for these instructions: their authoritative appeals are invariably to the Scriptures, generally of the Old Testament: they plead no other justification either of their doctrinal or ethical opinions.

This negative testimony of the apostolical fathers against the existence of traditional doctrines in Christianity, we are able to corroborate by the more direct evidence of the fathers of the second century.

Irenæus discusses this subject in the first five chapters of his Third Book adversus Hæreses. He expressly denies their existence against the heretic Valentinus and others who asserted it.3 He appeals, it is true, to the oral instructions of the apostles, which he informs us were, in his time, well known throughout the world; but only for the purpose of pointing out the entire accordance between them and their written epistles. He places this in a strong light, by supposing the case, that they had left no inspired writings behind them, when this tradition would have been our only guide. This case had actually occurred with certain nations of barbarians, among whom the apostles

3" Etenim si recondita mysteria scissent Apostoli, quæ seorsim et latenter ab reliquis perfectos docebant, his vel maxime traderent ea quibus etiam ipsas ecclesias committebant."-C. 3.

4 "Traditionem apostolorum in toto mundo manifestatam.”—Id.

had preached the faith and planted churches, while they were ignorant of written characters; and they remained in the same state to his time, diligently observing this tradition, which agreed, in every particular, with the doctrine of those churches that were in possession of the inspired Volume.5

In the writings of Tertullian we find the views of Irenæus on this subject abundantly confirmed. He reiterates his denial of the existence of oral doctrines in Christianity, which had been asserted by Valentinus and other heretics, rejects the idea as madness, and declares that it casts a reproach upon Christ, as great, at least, as the more impudent fabrication that the apostles did not teach certain truths, because they were ignorant of them. "For the one," he says, "accuses him of sending forth ignorant apostles, the other dishonest ones." He also refers more than once to the existing Christian tradition, in order to point out its entire accordance with the New Testament Scriptures.7

Clement of Alexandria was infected with the error which is reproved by the two preceding writers, and sought in tradition for a sanction of the heathen absurdity of a double doctrine in Christianity, which he could not find in the written word. We can hardly, therefore, con

5 C. 4.

6 "Solent dicere: non omnia apostolos scisse; eadem agitati dementiâ qua rursus convertunt: omnia apostolos scisse sed non omnia omnibus tradidisse. In utroque Christum reprehensioni injicientes, qui aut minus instructos aut parum simplices apostolos miserit.”—De Præs. Hær., c. 22. p. 20. 7 Idem 32-37.—Adv. Mar., lib. 1. c. 21.

8 He thus describes it in his great work, the Stromates, which professes to be an exposition of the second or mystical doctrines of Christianity, as his Pædagogus is, of the primary and simple truths for the uninitiated. "This work is not a mere treatise composed according to technical rules for the sake of show; for in me are treasured up, even to old age, memorials

ceive of a better proof of the rule we are endeavouring to lay down, than the present exception.

As, then, we deny the existence of traditional doctrines in Christianity, both from the improbability of such a notion and upon the evidence of those persons who, occupying distinguished places in the Christian church at the times nearest to those of the apostles, must have been their depositories had they existed, we, of course, deny all authority, on this ground, to the writings of the apostolical fathers.

Greatly admiring, therefore, the little that we know concerning the characters of these eminent and holy persons, and fervently thanking the God of all grace for that he enabled them, in times of unexampled peril and of super-abounding error, to hold fast, in all its great features, the faith once delivered to the saints; and at length to lead forth, as we believe, that noble army of martyrs,

which are a specific against oblivion: for I possess the very image and adumbration of the discourses, at once easy of comprehension and spiritual, which I was counted worthy to hear, and of the blessed and excellent men who uttered them." He then proceeds to describe the various teachers of the new Platonics to whom he had listened; and lastly, mentions one whom he found concealed in Egypt and with whom he remained ;-probably Pantænus, whom he succeeded as principal of the school at Alexandria. Him he describes as a "truly Sicilian bee, hovering over the flowers that grow in the prophetical and apostolical meadows, and distilling the virgin honey of the doctrines he had drawn from thence into the souls of his hearers.". "But all these kept the true tradition of that blessed doctrine which they had received immediately from the holy apostles, Peter, and James, and John, and Paul, as a son from a father; and though few be like their fathers, yet, by the help of God, these apostolical seeds, sown in our fathers, have come down to us. I well know that many will rejoice in this my book, because this tradition is preserved in it."-1 Strom. § 1. In exactly the same spirit he speaks a little further on, of "the glorious and venerable canon of tradition which was established before the foundation of the world."-Id. p. 20. See also Pad. 1, 5. 7 Strom. § 6, &c.

who, overcoming the confederate powers of darkness by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony, loved not their lives unto the death, we, nevertheless apply to their writings the precept of Tertullian," and their own example; we enquire and search diligently whether the apostolic men write according to the mind of the apostles; and we say of them as of every other unassisted writing, to the law and to the testimony, if they speak not according to this word, it is because (on the point whereon they differ,) there is no light in them.10

CHAPTER IV.

OPINIONS OF THE EARLY FATHERS UPON INSPIRATION.

THAT the works of the apostolical fathers were held in very high estimation by the ancient church, is a fact too notorious to require that it should be here formally established by an array of quotations:1 and they certainly were in some measure entitled to it, both on account of the deserved reputation for sanctity of their authors, and with some of them, on the score of literary merit also. But it is much to be regretted, that the limits between these and inspiration were but little sought into or understood in those days. They do not seem to have considered, that whatever be the excellence of a merely human production, or of its author, between these and the words of him who is under the inspiring influence of the Holy Ghost there is an immeasurable distance, when viewed in the light of a religious authority :-for the one is the truth of God, that shall stand for ever; the other is valuable only in proportion to its close and faithful adherence to the tenets of that word, and whatever it contains which is not to be found there, either mediately or immediately, is necessarily false.

1 The Preliminary Discourse to Archbishop Wake's admirable translation of their Works leaves nothing to be desired upon this point, which it ably and amply treats upon.