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not praying without first washing their hands. But he remarks, that the principle extends to other subjects, and then brings in the recited words.

The same is taught by Cyprian in the following pas sage; in which, although he uses the word "tradition," he evidently means that of scripture. And this ought to be noticed; because, as was shown of scripture itself, the fathers use the word "tradition" in a latitude, applying it to what had been delivered in the sacred books: He represents those against whom he wrote, saying* "Let nothing be innovated, but what is delivered." And then he asks..." Whence is that tradition? [meaning of his opponents] whether descending from the authority of the Lord and from the gospel, or coming from the commandments and from the epistles of the apostles?" illustrating his sense by a quotation from Joshua i. 8. In general, the notice of the fathers has been confined to the first three centuries. But to show, that the same principle continued into the fourth, two of the fathers of that age shall be quoted, from among many who have written to the same effect.

Chrysostome says..." If there be need to learn, or to be ignorant, thence" [from Scripture] "we shall learn it: if to confute, or to argue against that which is false, thence shall we draw it; if to be corrected or chastised to exhortation, if any thing be wanting for our comfort, and that we ought to have it, nevertheless from thence we learn it."+ These remarks are on the sixteenth verse of the third chapter of the second epistle to Timothy. And the father, after reciting the seventeenth verse..." That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works," goes on thus..." Therefore, without it" [the Scripture] "there can be no perfection. He" [the apostle] "says--instead of me, you have the Scripture. If you desire to learn any thing, here you may obtain it. But if he writes thus to Timothy, who was full of the Holy

Ep. ad Ponpeium.

† Hom. 9. in 2 Tim.

Spirit, how much more ought we to consider it as said to us."

Austin says "All things which appertain to life and doctrine are found in those things which are plainly set down in Scripture:"* and in another place" The Scripture has established the rule of our doctrine, that we may not dare to be wiser than we ought to be."+ The connexion of the words admits of no other construction, than that here given. The father, writing concerning widowhood and marriage, begins with distinguishing between doctrine and exhortation, in his undertaking. Under the former head, he declares the Scripture to be the only rule; and goes off to expound the words of St. Paul, in 1 Cor. vii. 8.

By the advocates of the obligation of tradition, it is held to be a powerful argument, that the authenticity of the Scriptures themselves is dependent on this species of testimony. But there is a manifest difference between competency to testify to the precise fact of the existence of a particular book; and the handing down through centuries of what had been said orally, and of course became liable to the misconceptions of all the understandings through which it has had its passage. How much what a speaker says in publick, is liable to go in a different shape in every direction in which it passes from him, must be known to those who have had experience of human life: and this, where there is no intention to misrepresent; much more, where misreprésentation and passion coincide. There is indeed evidence of what tradition is thus liable to, in the different conceptions of divers early hereticks of this very subject; when they set it up in opposition to the general doctrine of the Church. In short, nothing could have preserved it in its purity, but continued miracle; and this is not pleaded. As to the testimony of tradition to the authenticity of the Scriptures; the evidence is precisely the same, as was remarked in a preceding dissertation, with that which attaches to the testimonies of † De bon Viduat.

* Contra Donat. Lib. ii. cap. 9.

the legislature of any country and of its courts, in reference to the laws which they have acted under, and which have influenced the manners of successive generations. There is no species of evidence more generally acted on, or less liable to be deceptive.. no est

There is manifest inconsistency in the Roman Church, in rejecting some matters which have undeniably the support of tradition---as the delivery of the cup in the Eucharist, the love feasts, and the institution of deaconesses; of which the first has the united authority of scripture and of tradition. There were also formerly affirmed some practices to rest on tradition--although it is here believed not truly as the communicating of infants: now universally and properly laid aside.

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Again, what shall be said in the case of opposite traditions? That this existed in relation to the time of keeping Easter, is a fact as notorious as any rela tive to the subject. The opinion is hère entertained, that it might have continued to this day, without any impairing of Christian verity. But the opposite opinion has governed on the other side: and if it be correct, how can this matter be brought under the rule of having been held " always and every where"?

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The same opposition of traditory evidence, prevailed for a long time, in relation to the Epistle of St. James. It is not among the books declared to be authentick by the council of Laodicea: and when received by the Western Church, it was through the tradition of the Eastern; which indeed was the most likely to be in possession of the successive testimony in favour of the book. The list of the epis. tles as found in Eusebius*, and what he says of the Epistle of St. James in particular,† is decisive as to this point. As to the Apocryphal books of the

Lib. iii. cap. 3. † Lib. ii. cap. 23.

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Old Testament, there is not the tradition of the first three centuries in their favour.

Some writers, in vindication of the claims of tradition, have not failed to rest thereon the practice of infant baptism, and the observance of the Lord's day: whereas the former of these rests on the two principles of the general instruction to receive into the Church by baptism, and our Lord's declaration that infants are fit members of his Church. The other subject rests on the ground, that there being a general duty of social worship, and therefore a necessity of the setting apart for it of some time; the acknowledged practice of the apostles of holding their assemblies on the first day of the week, is evidence of the appointment of it in the place of the abrogated sabbath.

Again, some have gone so far in their zeal against Protestantism, as to risque the doctrine of the di vinity of Christ, on the unstable ground of the tradition of the Church. Petavius, a learned Jesuit, has written to this effect; thereby putting weapons into the hands of the Socinians, as is shown by bishop Bull, in his Vindication of the Nicene Faith: in which admirable treatise, the errour is pointed out and guarded against. Doubtless, the doctrine has tradition on its side; but it also possesses the higher authority of scripture..

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The author supposes, that it will be to the point, to introduce as a remarkable instance of the abuse of the plea of tradition, and what it must be always liable to the celebration of the assumption into heaven of the blessed Virgin: which is one of the festivals of the Church of Rome; there being prepared for it a service, wherein the worshippers recognize that pretended event, in addresses to Almighty God. It rests on the credit of a book, which was never heard of until about five hundred years after Christ; being then fathered on Dionysius the Areopagite, mentioned in Acts, xvii. 34, and reported by Eusebius to have been bishop of Athens.

It is here supposed, that, no critick of the Roman Catholick communion admits of its authenticity at the present day. Fleury, having occasion to mention it as being quoted in a controversy in the sixth century, says "This is the first time any mention is made of the writings ascribed to Dionysius the Areopagite:" and then it seems the authority was demurred to. As to Dupin, he not only rejects those writings as palpable forgeries, but offers as one instance of the fraud, the pretended author's declaring that he was present at the death of the Virgin: whereas according to the common opinion concerning the time of her decease, the real Dionysius was not then a convert to Christianity. What renders the inconsistency the more glaring, is that in the service for the festival, although there are various lections from the Scriptures and ancient writers, not one of them recognizes the assumption, except John Damascenus, who lived in the eighth century. There are lections from St. Austin; but these are silent as to the alleged fact so very worthy of recital, had it been known to him..

The present author would be among the last to treat with levity, and with disrespect to personal feeling, devotions offered up by any description of professing Christians, under the belief of their being exacted by religious obligation. But at the same time, there are imperious calls of gospel verity. Under these, he holds it to be consistent with the other principle, to urge as an instance of the fallacy of tradition in the light of a rule of faith, that the whole of a religious office has been constructed by the advocates of that rule, on what appears from the statements of some of the most intelligent of them, to be a fable.

The work of Vincent of Lerins, which was noticed in another dissertation, if taken in connexion with the reputation of its author and the use made

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