549. “The Church observed a most salutary practice (alluding to the repetition of baptism) to correct in schismatics and heretics what was wrong; not to repeat what had been given. Which practice, I believe came down from apostolical tradition:(a) as many things, which are not found in their Epistles, nor in later Councils, and yet because they are observed through the Church, are believed to have descended from the Apostles.” De Baptismo, contra Donatistas, L. ii. c. 7, T. ix. p. 102.-“ What the whole Church observes, what was not decreed by Councils, but always retained, is justly believed to be of apostolic origin.) Ibid. L. iv.c. xxiv. p. 140.—“The custom of the Church in baptising infants, is not to be disregarded, nor to be deemed superfluous; but were it not of apostolical Tradition, it should not be admitted.” De Gen. ad lit. L. x. c. 23. P. 1. T. iii. p. 272.
VINCENT OF LERINS, L. C.-See the quotations p. 24, and seqq.
St. Nilus,[1] G. C. “You ask me, if we should believe, that the Holy Ghost is of the same nature with the Father and the Son? So we hold ;- so we believe; having been taught by the Holy Fathers.”(d) T.11, L. ii. ep. ccx. p. 229. Ed. Rom. 1668.
Not only then, agreeably to these various opinions, so fully expressed, has the authentic body of our Scriptures been preserved by Tradition; but, by the same rule, has the expounding of those Scriptures been invariably directed:
- ↑ St. Nilus had for his master the great Chrysostom. After having been governor of Constantinople, he retired into the desert of Sinai, and there led a solitary life. He flourished under the emperors Arcadius and Theodosius, and died about 451. He has left us several treatises, and a great number of letters on religious subjects.
