the creed were not, as it appears, composed by men; but the most suitable passages collected together out of the whole Scripture, make up one form of instruction in the faith. And as a grain of mustard seed contains, in a small grain, many branches, thus, also, the creed itself embraces, in a few words, the whole knowledge of religion revealed to us in the Old and New Testament. Be careful, therefore, and hold fast the traditions, &c." These traditions, therefore, were the articles of the creed; which articles were expressed in language carefully taken from Scripture; the creed being a collection of suitable passages selected from the whole Scripture, to give a brief and comprehensive view of the principal points of the Christian faith. The word "traditions," therefore, is here evidently merely equivalent to "instructions;" or at least has not the meaning in which the Tractators use the word "traditions."

The translation and comment given by Mr. Newman to the above passage, are worthy of notice. He translates it thus; "Learn and hold fast thy faith in what is taught and promised; that faith which alone is now delivered to thee BY TRADITIONS OF THE CHURCH, and established from Scripture."2 And he quotes it as showing that Cyril "distinguishes between Tradition as teaching, and Scripture as proving, verifying doctrine."

Upon the various errors in the translation of these few lines, I say nothing; but to its bad faith, in the introduction of the phrase, "traditions of the Church," I cannot but call the attention of the reader. The passage is merely a request by Cyril to his hearers, to attend to that which the Church, through him, was delivering to

1 Ου γαρ ὡς έδοξεν ανθρωποις συνετέθη τα της πίστεως, αλλ' εκ πάσης γραφης τα καιριώτατα συλλεχθεντα, μιαν αναπληροι την της πιστεως διδασκαλίαν. Και ὅνπερ τρόπον ὁ του σινάπεως σπορος εν μικρώ κοκκω πολλους περιέχει τους κλάδους, οὕτω καὶ ἡ πιστις αύτη εν ολίγοις ρημασι πασαν την εν τη παλαια και καινη της ευσέβειας γνωσιν εγκεκολπισται. Βλέπετε ουν, αδελφοι, κ. τ. λ. ut supra. ID. Cat. 5. §§. 7, 8. p. 76.

2 Lect. pp. 385, 6.

them as the Christian faith. And there is not one word about "Tradition" teaching. And what possible advantage could Mr. Newman's cause gain by it, if there was; when Cyril himself cautions his hearers not to believe one word he was about to say, but as they should see it to be proved by Scripture? The sole question is, whether there is any authoritative teaching, forming part of the rule of faith, but Scripture; and Cyril here expressly affirms the negative. That patristical tradition, or the instruction of the Fathers, teaches, and teaches the true faith, and that the ministers of the Church teach the faith, and the Church through them, is all perfectly true; and that they teach it from Scripture, and refer their hearers to Scripture, as Cyril does here, to test their instructions, and see that they teach the true faith, is equally true. But what then? Does that avail Mr. Newman's cause? No; the only thing that would serve his cause, would be a statement that the oral teaching of the Apostles had been perpetuated, by a successional delivery, from one to another in the Church, and is still to us the authoritative interpreter of Scripture, teaching us its meaning with sovereign authority, and forming part of the rule of faith, under the name of "Tradition;" in which sense, chiefly, the word "Tradition" has been used by the moderns, and is exclusively applied by the Tractators. And to make the Fathers appear to intimate this, Mr. Newman translates the words "delivered to thee by the Church," thus-" delivered to thee by traditions of the Church;" thereby deceiving both himself and others. For Cyril himself tells us that the articles delivered, were gathered from the Scriptures. They were not, therefore, traditions in that technical sense of the word in which the Tractators use it. And, as it often happens in such cases, Mr. Newman's cause would gain nothing by his mistranslation, when it came to be compared with the context; for, if it had been correct, the context would only have testified the more strongly in condemnation of his views of the authority of "Traditions."

HILARY OF POICTIERS. (fl. a. 354.)

I proceed to the excellent Hilary of Poictiers, whose writings deserve more attention than they have received. "No one," saith Hilary, "ought to doubt that, for the knowledge of divine things, we must use the divine instructions . . . . Therefore, in opposition to the wicked and impious instructions that are given respecting God, we follow the authoritative testimonies themselves of the divine words."1

These words, undeniably spoken with reference to Scripture, clearly prove that Hilary recognized no other divine informant but Scripture; and hence considered Scripture the sole authoritative rule in matters of faith.

Again; "How much do we stand in need of God's grace, that we may entertain correct views, and from the Prophetical and Evangelical authorities, maintain one and the same doctrine!" This passage appears to me particularly forcible in proof of Scripture being looked to by Hilary as the sole, rule of faith; and that he considered unity of view in its correct interpretation, to flow, not from "tradition," but from "God's grace," enlightening the mind, and enabling it to receive the truth.

Again; "When the discourse shall relate to the things of God, let us grant to God the knowledge of himself, and wait upon his words with pious veneration ;"3 where, by the words of God, he evidently means Scripture.

Again; "We are compelled, by the follies of heretics and blasphemers, to do that which is not lawful, to climb up to things beyond our reach, to speak clearly of things

I Nemini dubium esse oportet, ad divinarum rerum cognitionem divinis utendum esse doctrinis . . . . Sequimur ergo adversus irreligiosas et impias de Deo institutiones, ipsas illas divinorum dictorum auctoritates. HILARII PICTAV. De Trin. lib. 4. § 14. col. 835. Ed. Bened. Par. 1693.

"Quanta opus est nobis Dei gratia, ut recta sapiamus, ut ex propheticis atque evangelicis auctoritatibus unum idemque teneamus. IDEM. Tract. in Ps. 118. [119 apud nos] Litt. i. § 12. col. 249.

3 Cum de rebus Dei erit sermo, concedamus cognitionem sui Deo, dictisque ejus pia veneratione famulemur. ID. De Trin. lib. 1. § 18. col. 777.

that are ineffable, to assume a knowledge of things not revealed. And when it became us to fulfil the things that are commanded us by a simple faith, namely, to adore the Father, and venerate with him the Son, and abound in the Holy Spirit, we are obliged to stretch the meanness of our discourse to those things that are unspeakable, and are forced into an act of folly, by the folly of others; so that those things that ought to have been only matters of religious contemplation, are now exposed to the danger of human language [which can but imperfectly express them]. For there have been many who were resolved to understand the plain declarations of the heavenly oracles, in the meaning which their own wishes dictated, not with a simple regard to truth; interpreting them differently to what the force of the words demanded. For heresy is derived from the meaning given to Scripture, not from Scripture Their unbelief, therefore, draws us into a position of doubt and danger, rendering it necessary to produce, respecting things so great and recondite, something beyond the heavenly rule. The Lord had said that the nations were to be baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.' The form of the faith is certain; but as far as the heretics are concerned the whole sense is uncertain. Nothing, therefore, is to be added to the [divine] precepts, but a limit is to be assigned to human audacity; that since the malignity that has been roused at the instigation of diabolical deceit eludes the truth of things through the names of nature, we may show the nature and meaning of the names; and the dignity and office of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit being set forth, as far as words will enable us so to do, the names may not be defrauded of what belongs to their nature, but at the same time may by the force of the names be restrained within the limits of the signification that belongs to their nature ... But that which is required is vast, that of which we are to make free to speak is incomprehensible, that we should discourse respecting God beyond what God has declared. He has laid

down the names of nature, Father, Son, Holy Spirit. Whatever is inquired beyond this is beyond the power of language to express, beyond what sense can reach, beyond what the mind can conceive; it is not expressed, it is not reached, it is not understood by us But we humbly praying for pardon for yielding to this necessity from him who is all these, will venture, will inquire, will speak; and (which alone we promise in so vast a question) will believe those things which shall be made known to us." 1

...

In this remarkable passage we see that Hilary, far from supposing that he had an infallible guide in patristical tradition, or anything else, conveying to him the doctrine of the Trinity more fully or clearly than it is revealed in Scripture, trembles at the thought of endeavouring to add anything to what Scripture says respecting it.

1 Compellimur hæreticorum et blasphemantium vitiis illicita agere, ardua scandere, ineffabilia eloqui, inconcessa præsumere. Et cum sola fide expleri quæ præcepta sunt oporteret, adorare videlicet Patrem, et venerari cum eo Filium, sancto Spiritu abundare, cogimur sermonis nostri humilitatem ad ea quæ inenarrabilia sunt extendere, et in vitium vitio coartamur alieno; ut quæ contineri religione mentium opportuissent, nunc in periculum humani eloquii proferantur. Exstiterunt enim plures qui cælestium verborum simplicitatem pro voluntatis suæ sensu non pro veritatis ipsius absolutione susciperent, aliter interpretantes quam dictorum virtus postularet. De intelligentia enim hæresis non de Scriptura est. . . . Horum igitur infidelitas in anceps nos ac periculum protrahit, ut necesse sit de tantis ac tam reconditis rebus aliquid ultra præscriptum cæleste proferre. Dixerat Dominus baptizandas gentes'in nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti.' Forma fidei certa est; sed quantum ad hæreticos omnis sensus incertus est. Ergo non præceptis aliquid addendum" est, sed modus est constituendus audaciæ; ut quia malignitas instinctu diabolicæ fraudulentiæ excitata veritatem rerum per naturæ nomina eludit, nos naturam nominum proferamus; et editis, prout in verbis habebimus, dignitate atque officio Patris Filii Spiritus Sancti, non frustrentur naturæ proprietatibus nomina, sed intra naturæ significationem nominibus coartentur.... Immensum est autem quod exigitur, incomprehensibile est quod audetur, ut ultra præfinitionem Dei sermo de Deo sit. Posuit naturæ nomina, Patrem, Filium, Spiritum Sanctum. Extra significantiam sermonis est, extra sensus intentionem, extra intelligentiæ conceptionem, quidquid ultra quæritur; non enuntiatur, non attingitur, non tenetur . . . . Sed nos necessitatis hujus ab eo, qui hæc omnia est, veniam deprecantes, audebimus, quæremus, loquemur; et quod solum in tanta rerum quæstione promittimus ea quæ erunt significata credemus. Io. ib. lib. ii. §§ 2, 3, 5. col. 788-91.