Page:Delineation of Roman Catholicism.djvu/104

  "rtLDrno. [Boo- I. he no certain roeming, unless as explained by the church, audition is left in a vague, uudotormined sense, liable to such constructions as the church, at any time, may see fit to put on it. To show more clearly the doctrine of tradition as held by the Church of Rome, we will quote some of her standard writers. Bishop Hsy holds the following language on this subject :--" Quss. Wnat is meant by tradition ? ANs. The handing down from one generation to another, whether by word of' mouth, or by writings, those truths revealed Jesus Chr to his Upssales, which either are not at all contained in the Holy Scriptures, or t least are not clearly contained in them. Q. What is the principle upon which tradition proceeds? A. It is the laying down, n an invariable rule, to be observed in every generation, firmly to adhere to the doctrine received from the preceding generation, and carefully to commit the same to the succeeding gene- ration, without addition or diminution. "e Dr. Milner asserin that the Roman Catholic rule of faith is "8vipture and tradition, and these pro- Londd and elaind by/tlw Catholic Clmr. This implies that we vea tt0ofoh/ ru/ or/aw, and thai we have an inttrFttr or judg t e/a/n/t, and to decide upon it in all doubtful points." Speaking of the preaching of the apostles, he says that Christ "inspired some o� the and their disciples to write cEa?Am rAa?s of these doctrines and precepts, namely, the canonical gospels and epistles." In his eleveth letter he says, "The Catholic rule is t/w who/t n-d qf God; togeher with her livng mghodty/in explaining it: as whateyer points of reli- gion are not clear from Scripture are supplied and illustrated by tra- dition; and as thepastors of the church, who possess that authority, arealways living and rey to delarewhat is the sense of Scripting, and what the tradition on each contested point which they have re- eeived in succession from the aposde8." Dr. Milner also says, "The first part of this rule conducts us to the second part; that is to say, tra- dition conducts us to Scripture." Protestants both acknowledge and maintain that the gospel was  proclaimed by word of mouth and then set down in writing; and t_h_st the church of Christ in all succeeding ages was bound, not onlyto pre- serve these writings dd/vere4 to her, but also to ddvo' to her children and to the world, byword ofmoutt, the form of wholesome words contained therein. Whon, therefore, Eomanists boast that the commission of preaching and teachlug was specially given to the apostles, they can.not claim more, nor even as much as Protestant miuisters can, who far excel them in preaching and teaching the truths of religion. Traditions therefore, of this nature, that is, of preserving the Scriptures and preaching the gospel, come not within the compass of our controversy. Again: in this eoutroversy we speak of doctrines delivered as the word of God; and not of rites and ceremonies left to the disposal of the church. Traditions, therefore, of this kind are not embraced in this controversy. But that traditions of men should be obtruded on us for articles of religion or for pas of God's worship; or that any traditions should be accopted for portions of God's word besides the Holy Scrip- tums and such doctrines us are contained in them, we have reason to t Bad of Contr., p. 53. t ldem. End oiitic ,,, G OOc[C

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