Page:Delineation of Roman Catholicism.djvu/132

 14 RImTMN. [Boost f. d/d 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 seem8 to be of the opinion that several cuJtoms had obtained in the church for which there was no direct Scripture authority. In his D/a/ogue 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 baptizgd, not bowing the knee upon Sundays, nor all the time between Easter and Whitsuntide.'" It is not surprising that Jerome found no stch 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. 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 HipIx) :--" In those things which are clearly laid down in Scripture, all those things are found which pertain to faith and morals."t And again: "Whatsoever ye hear from thence (the Scriptures) let that be well received by you: whatsoever is with- out 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 pused in silence."ll "Whatever our Saviour would have us read of his actions or sayings he commanded his apesties 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 greatcr than trmh; or as though that were not to be followed in spiritual things which is revealed by the Holy Ghost." "This," saith Augustine,'" is �"Ut iusc qum script- suni non negamus; it- ea quo_ non suni Scripts renuirons. Nature Deum __s__ virginia, cradnus, quia !eRimus; MarJam nupsiase post parturn, non credimus, quia non legimus."--Hierost. Aer.  "In iis qum apert in ScripturA poit. aunt, inveniuntur ilia omnia quse continent dem morasque vivendi.*'AKs.. d DocJr/sut C/tr/st., lib. ii, c. 9. t "Quicquid inde audieritis hoe vobis bene snpiat' quicquid extra eat realmite, ne erretis in nebuiA."Idem, in lib. de Pastor., c. 11. [ "Omniit qm pratersiris temporibus ergo humanurn genus majores nostri mereinto'nat, nobisque tradiderunt; omnia etiam qum nos videmuss et postris tradimus, .qum tamen pertinent ad veram religionem quserendarn, et tenendam, divirm Scriptufa non tacuit."Idem, epist.  "Quicquid erv&tor de suis factis et dictis nos legera valuit, hoc ,cribendure illis tanqusm sus manibus imperavit."D� (onett. atg., lib. i, c. ult. �rolade, inquit, frustra quidam qui ratione vincuntur, consuetudiuem nobis abjiciunt, quasi consuetudo major sit verit.te; ant non id sit in spiritualibus Clnendum qua!. in reelins fueit a tpiritu gmncto rmvelatum. Hoc plan5 vm'um eat, quia ratio et vtttns eonsuetudini prseponenda est."--Ar.  jtlp/m. (rm lm/., lib. iv, c. 1

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