a man be persuaded of the truth of that alone which has the seal of the written testimony."

Cyril of Jerusalem, who died in 386, speaks thus :-"Not even the least of the divine and holy mysteries of the faith ought to be handed down without the divine Scriptures. Do not simply give faith to me speaking these things to you except you have the proof of what I say from the divine Scriptures. For the security and preservation of our faith are not supported by ingenuity of speech, but by the proofs of the divine Scriptures."t

5. Fathers of the fifth century.

Chrysostom, bishop of Constantinople, who was born in 347, flourished from 370 to about 400, and died in 407, gives ample testimony to the sufficiency and clearness of Scripture. He says that the Scripture, "like a safe door, doth prevent an entrance to heretics, guarding us in safety in all things we desire, and not permitting us to be deceived."‡ He therefore concludes: "Whoso useth not the Scriptures, but cometh in otherwise, that is, cuts out for himself a different and unlawful way, the same is a thief."||

Chrysostom writes also as follows:-" Formerly it might have been ascertained by various means which was the true church, but at present there is no other method left for those who are willing to discover the true church of Christ but by the Scriptures alone. And why? Because heresy has all outward observances in common with her. If a man, therefore, be desirous of knowing the true church, how will he be able to do it amid so great resemblance, but by the Scriptures alone? Wherefore our Lord, foreseeing that such a great confusion of things would take place in the latter days, ordered the Christians to have recourse to nothing but the Scriptures." On the passage," All Scripture is given by inspiration of God," Chrysostom says, "The man of God could not be perfect without the Scriptures. Instead of me, saith he, thou hast the Scriptures: if thou desirest to learn any thing, hence thou mayest. But if he writes these things to Timothy, who was filled with the Holy Spirit, how much more must we think these things spoken to us." Furthermore he says: "It is absurd, while we will not trust other people in pecuniary affairs, but choose to reckon and * “ Εν τουτῳ μωνῳ την αληθειαν πίθεσθω, ᾧ σφραγις επεστι της γραφίας μαρτυpias."—Greg. Nyss. Dialog. de Anima et Resurrectione, tom. i, edit. Greco. Lat., p. 639. + Cat. iv, p. 56.

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† “ Καθαπερ γαρ τις θυρα ασφαλης, ουτως αποκλείει τους αιρετικούς την είσοδον, εν ασφάλεια καθιστώσα ημας περί ων αν βουλώμεθα πάντων, και ουκ εώσα πλανάσθαι." -Chryst. Homil. 59, in Johan. c. 2, tom. viii, p. 346.

Η “ Ο γουν μη ταις γραφαις χρωμενος, αλλά αναβαίνων αλλαχόθεν ; τουτέςιν, ετεραν εαυτώ και μη νενομισμένην τέμνων οδον, ουτος κλεπτης εστιν.”—Idem.

$ “ Δια τούτο φησι, γεγονεν η των γραφων παρακλησις, ένα άρτιος η ο του Θεού άνθρωπος, ουκ αρα χωρίς αυτής αρτιον ενι γενέσθαι· αντί εμού, φησί, τας γραφας έχεις" ει τι βούλει μαθείν, εκείθεν δυνηση· ει και Τιμοθέω ταύτα εγραφε τῷ πνεύματος εμπε TANOμEVY, TVOW pahλov 'vpiv.”—Chrysostom, Hom. 9, in 2 Tim. c. 1, tom. xi, p. 714, infra.

ག་ 64 Πως γαρ ουκ ατοπον υπέρ μεν χρημάτων μη ετεροις πιςεύειν, αλλ' αριθμό και ψηφῳ τούτο επιτρέπειν· υπερ δε πραγματων ψηφιζωμένες, απλώς ταις ετερων παρασ. υρεσθαι δόξαις· και ταυτα ακριβη ζυγον απαντων έχοντας, και γνώμονα, και κανονα, των θείων νωμων την απόφασιν ; Δια παρακαλω και δεομαι παντων υμων αφεντες τι ω δείνι και τῳ δεινι δοκεί περί τούτων, παρα των γραφων ταύτα απαντα, πυνθάνεσθε.”Chrysostom, Hom. 13, c. iv, in fine, in 2. Cor. tom. x, p. 536.

calculate for ourselves, that in matters of far higher consequence we should implicitly follow the opinions of others, especially as we possess the most exact and perfect rule and standard by which to regulate our several inquiries, I mean the regulation of the divine laws. I, therefore, could wish that all of you would reject what this or that man saith, and that you would investigate all these things in the Scriptures." He also declares, "Hear, I beseech you, all you secular men; provide you Bibles, which are the medicines for the soul: at least get the New Testament."

We

Whole pages could be given from Chrysostom to show that not tradition, but Scripture, was the rule of conduct to Christians. shall, for the present, however, content ourselves with one more, which is the following.

On the text, Search the Scriptures, &c., Chrysostom observes, after saying that in secular things the greatest diligence is necessary, "So when Christ sent the Jews to the Scriptures, he did not send them for the sake of a single reading, but for accurate examination. For he did not say, Read the Scriptures, but, Search the Scriptures, because those things which are said in them require much investigation. So he commands them to dig diligently, that they may find those things which lie deep."t

Theophilus Alexandrinus, who died in 412, says plainly, "It is the part of a devilish spirit to think any thing to be divine that is not in the authority of the Holy Scriptures."

Jerome, who died in the year 420, writes thus:- -"The church of Christ, possessing churches in all the world, is united by the unity of the Spirit, and has the cities of the law, the prophets, the gospels, and the apostles. She has not gone forth from her boundaries, that is, from the Holy Scriptures." Again: "Those things which they make and find, as it were, by apostolical tradition, without the authority and testimony of Scripture, the word of God smites."§ Again, on the question whether the Zacariah slain between the porch and the altar was one of the minor prophets or the father of the Baptist, Jerome would admit of no decision on the case, because Scripture did not decide. 66 This," says he, "because it hath not authority from Scripture, is with the same easiness despised as it is proved." St. Jerome writes thus against Helvidius: "As we deny not those things that are written, so we refuse those things which are not written. That God was born of a virgin we believe, because we read it; that Mary * “ Ακούσατε, παρακαλώ, παντες οι βιωτικοι, και κτᾶσθε βιβλια φαρμακα της ψυχης· ει μηδεν ετερον βούλεσθε την γουν και νην κτησασθε.”—Idem, Hom. 9, in cap. 3. ad Col., tom. xi, p. 391. c.

† “ Δια τούτο και ο Χριςος παραπέμπων τους Ιουδαίους ταις γραφαις, ουκ εις απλῆν αναγνωσιν, αλλ' εις ερευναν ακριβή και κατανενοημένην αυτους παραπέμπεν· ου γαρ είπεν, αναγινώσκετε τας γραφας· αλλ', ερευνάτε τας γραφας· επειδη γαρ τα περι αυτών λεγόμενα πολλης εδείτο της επιμέλειας-Δια τούτο και κατασκαπτειν αυτούς μετα ακριβειας κελεύει νυν, ἵνα τα εν τῷ βαθει κειμενα δυνηθώσι ευρείν.” --Chrysostom Serm. 41 or 40, in Johan. Scrutamini Scripturas, c. i, tom. viii, p. 243,

supra.

Epist. Pasch. 2.

Comment. in Micha. lib. i, c. 1.

"Sed et alia, quæ absque authoritate et testimoniis Scripturarum, quasi traditione apostolica, sponte reperiunt atque contingunt, percutit gladius Dei."-Jerome on Aggai, c. 1.

"Hoc, quia de Scripturis non habet autoritatem eâdem facilitate contemnitur quâ probatur."-Jerome in Matt. 23.

did marry after she was delivered we believe not, because we do not read it."

Although Jerome acknowledged no standard for faith and morals except Scripture, he nevertheless seems to be of the opinion that several customs had obtained in the church for which there was no direct Scripture authority. In his Dialogue between an orthodox Christian and a disciple of Lucifer Calaritanus, he gives instances, which we will produce as quoted by Du Pin in his Ecclesiastical History, (vol. i, p. 348,) with his accompanying remark: "There is," says Du Pin, "in that treatise a curious passage about tradition, which he proves by the custom of imposing of hands and the invocation of the Holy Ghost after the administration of baptism. He adds, "That many other things are observed in the church upon the account of tradition without being authorized by a written law, as the dipping of the head three times in water at baptism, the giving milk and honey to the baptized, not bowing the knee upon Sundays, nor all the time between Easter and Whitsuntide."" It is not surprising that Jerome found no such traditions as these authorized by the word of God; and yet these are similar to many of those practised in the Church of Rome, as well as those of the ancient Pharisees, which our Lord condemns.

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St. Augustine, bishop of Hippo, who flourished from 387, the time of his conversion, till his death in 430. We select the following pertinent remarks of the bishop of Hippo :-"In those things which are clearly laid down in Scripture, all those things are found which pertain to faith and morals." And again : "Whatsoever ye hear from thence (the Scriptures) let that be well received by you: whatsoever is without them refuse, lest ye wander in a cloud." And in another place: All those things which in times past our ancestors have mentioned to be done toward mankind and have delivered unto us: all those things also which we see and deliver to our posterity, so far as they pertain to the seeking and maintaining true religion, the Holy Scripture hath not passed in silence."|| "Whatever our Saviour would have us read of his actions or sayings he commanded his apostles and disciples, as his hands, to write." And in another place, where he mentions that saying of Cyprian: "Hence," says he, "it is in vain for them to object custom, who are overcome by reason, as though custom were greater than truth; or as though that were not to be followed in spiritual things which is revealed by the Holy Ghost." "This," saith Augustine,¶"is *"Ut hæc quæ scripta sunt non negamus; ita ea quæ non sunt Scripta renuimus. Natum Deum esse virginis, credimus, quia legimus; Mariam nupsisse post partum, non credimus, quia non legimus."-Hieron. Advers. Helvid.

"In iis quæ apertè in Scripturâ posita sunt, inveniuntur illa omnia quæ continent fidem moresque vivendi."-Aug. de Doctrina Christ., lib. ii, c. 9.

"Quicquid inde audieritis hoc vobis bene sapiat: quicquid extra est respuite, ne erretis in nebulâ."-Idem, in lib. de Pastor., c. 11.

"Omnia quæ preterritis temporibus ergo humanum genus majores nostri gesta essc meminerunt, nobisque tradiderunt; omnia etiam quæ nos videmus, et posteris tradimus, quæ tamen pertinent ad veram religionem quærendam, et tenendam, divina Scriptura non tacuit."-Idem, epist. 42.

"Quicquid Servator de suis factis et dictis nos legere valuit, hoc scribendum illis tanquam suis manibus imperavit."-De Consens. Evang., lib. i, c. ult.

"Proinde, inquit, frustra quidam qui ratione vincuntur, consuetudinem nobis abjiciunt, quasi consuetudo major sit veritate; aut non id sit in spiritualibus sequendum quod in melius fuerit a Spiritu Sancto revelatum. Hoc planè verum est, quia ratio et veritas consuetudini præponenda est.”—Aug. de Baptism. Contra Donat., lib. iv, c. 5.

evidently true, because reason and truth are to be preferred to custom." Again Augustine declares: "Who knows not that the sacred canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are contained within certain bounds; and ought so far to be preferred to the later writings of bishops, that we are not to doubt or call in question any thing therein written, whether it be true and right or no.”* He also saith in another place: "All writings, since the confirmation of the canon of Scripture, are liable to dispute, and even councils themselves to be examined and amended by councils." When speaking of the unity of the church, Augustine says, "I am unwilling that the church be demonstrated by human documents, but by the divine oracles." Referring to the Donatists he says, "Let them if they can demonstrate their church, not by the talk and rumour of the Africans; not by the councils of their own bishops; not by the books of their disputers; not by deceitful miracles, against which we are cautioned by the word of God, but in the prescript of the law, in the predictions of the prophets, in the verses of the Psalms, in the voice of the Shepherd himself, in the preaching and works of the evangelists; that is, in all canonical authorities of the sacred Scriptures."

"I would not believe the gospel unless the authority of the Catholic Church moved me thereto." This sensible and ancient decision, in a false sense, is adduced by the Church of Rome to establish their high claims of church authority. In opposition to their views we adduce the following, and, to us, indubitable evidence. (1.) They substitute the Roman Church in Italy for the entire church catholic: whereas, Augustine meant the universal church. Augustine did not refer to the Church of Rome singly, because, as the head of a number of African bishops, he did not acknowledge the authority of the Romish Church, seeing he opposed appeals to that see. (2.) When Augustine adduces the authority of the Catholic Church for the reception of the canonical gospels, he means that had any one gospel wanted the evidential attestation of the universal church from its first appearance, we would reject it on the same ground on which we disown the gospel of Christ's infancy, and the like unattested productions. In short, Augustine says nothing more than that he would not receive the gospel without sufficient evidence of its genuineness; and this evidence we possess from the extant written historical evidence of the early ages; and that too independently of the testimony of the provincial Church of Rome. (3.) That such is the meaning of Augustine is evident from the connection of this passage, as well as from other places, some of which we have already quoted. We will, however, adduce another from his treatise on the City of God, which is as follows:-"We should, therefore, reject the statements of those Scriptures which are called Apocrypha, because, their origin being uncertain, it doth not appear in those

"Quis autem nesciat Sanctam Scripturam Canonicam, tam veteris quam Novi Testamenti certis suis terminis contineri, eamque omnibus posterioribus Episcoporum literis ita præponi, ut de illâ omnino dubitari et disceptari non possit, utrum verum, vel utrum rectum sit, quicquid in eâ scriptum esse constiterit."-Lib. ii, de Baptis. Contra Donat., c. 3.

Aug. De Unit. Eccl., c. 3.

Aug. De Unit. Eccl., c. 16.

"Ego veró Evangelio non crederem, nisi me Catholicæ Ecclesiæ commoveret authoritas."-Aug., lib. i, c. 5; Epist. Contra Fund.

things from which the authority of the true Scriptures hath come by a most certain and known succession. Many things are introduced by heretics under the names of the other prophets, and more recently under the names of the apostles. These things under the name of the Apocrypha are destitute of canonical authority, and complete proof, on diligent examination."* Nothing can be more rational than the statement and evidential principle of Augustine; but with the pretension of the Church of Rome it hath no sort of alliance. (3.) Several Roman Catholic divines of eminence refer the saying of St. Augustine, not to the present church, but to the church in the time of the apostles. Thus Durandus de St. Sourcain, after having quoted the words of Augustine, observes, "That which is said concerning the approbation of the Scriptures by the church is to be understood only of the church which was in the time of the apostles, who were filled with the Holy Spirit, and, withal, saw the miracles of Christ, and heard his doctrine; and on that account were fit witnesses of all things which Christ both did and said, that by their testimony the Scriptures, containing the actions and sayings of Christ, might be proved." To the same purpose is the following declaration of Driedo, another Roman Catholic divine: "When Augustine says, I would not believe the gospel, &c., he understands it of the Catholic Church, which was from the beginning of the Christian faith, increasing according to the course of succession of bishops to these times, which church comprehends in it the college of the apostles." Again, Gerson, commenting on this passage of Augustine, says: "By the church, Augustine means the primitive assemblies of those who had seen and heard Christ, and had been his witnesses." From all these things put together, it is evident that modern Roman Catholics have no support from the quotation from Augustine, which says: "I would not believe the gospel did not the authority of the Catholic Church move me thereto." Indeed, Augustine was no friend to such tradition as is authorized by the Church of Rome. In his fifty-fourth and fifty-fifth letters, which are addressed to Januarius, he declares that "the Christian religion was so burdened with human traditions, rites, and ceremonies, in the times in which he lived, that the condition of the Jews under the law was more tolerable than the state of Christians under the gospel; for that the Jews were subject only to the burden of the law, and not also to human tradition." It is due to remark, however, that though Augustine

"Omittamus igitur earum Scripturarum fabulas, quæ Apocrypha nuncupantur, eo quod earum occulta origo non claruit partibus, a quibus usque ad nos autoritas veracium Scripturarum, certissima et notissima successione, pervenit. Multa sub nominibus et aliorum prophetarum, et recentiora sub nominibus Apostolorum ab hæreticis proferuntur. quæ omnia, sub nomine Apocrypharum, ab autoritate canonica, diligenti examinatione, remota sunt."-Aug. de Civ. Dei., lib. xv, c. 23.

"Hoc autem quod dictum est de approbatione Scripturæ per ecclesiam, intelligitur solum de Ecclesiâ quæ fuit tempore Apostolorum, qui fuerunt repleti Spiritu Sancto, et nihilominus viderunt miracula Christi, et audierunt ejus doctrinam, et ab hoc fuerunt convenientes testes omnium quæ Christus fecit aut docuit, ut per eorum testimonium, Scriptura continens facta et dicta Christi, approbarentur."-Durand., lib. iii, dist. 24, q. 1, sec. 9.

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Augustinus cum dicit, Ego Evangelio, &c., intelligit de Ecclesia Catholicâ quæ fuit, ab initio Christionæ fidei, secundum seriem successionis Episcoporum crescens ad hæc usque tempora, quæ sanè Ecclesia complectitur collegium Apostolorum."-Driedo., tom. i, 1. iv, c. 4. See Stillingfleet's Grounds, p. 184. See also Pope and Maguire, p. 100.

11 De vitâ Spirit. Animal., Lect. ii, corol. 7, part 3. See Pope and Maguire, p. 101.