108 T!t&DXTION. [Book L (1.) The Council of Trent taught that ecclesiastical and apostolical traditions are of equal authority with the written word. Such is pro- perly the doctrine of the Church of Rome since the sitting of the Trent C0unci]; although previous to that time ophfions varied much on the authority of tradition. (2.) Some Roman Catholic. doctors are of the opinion that tradition is infer/or to Scripture. The famous Gerson says, "In the trial of doctrines, that which is first and principally to be considered is, whether a doctrine be conformable to the Holy Scriptures, &c. The reason of this is, because the Scripture is del/vered to us as a sufficient and in- fallible rule for the government of the whole ecclesiastical body and its members to the end of the world."* Lyra says, "As in philosophy truth is discovered by reducing things to their first principles; so in the writings delivered by the holy doctors, truth is discovered as to matters of faith by reducing them to the canonical Scriptures."t Several other instances might be given where Romish doctors speak of Scrip- ture as superior to tradition in authority. (3.) Some great doctors of the Church of Rome declare trad/tion to be ? to the written word. It is true that this is not authorized by the express decision of the Cmmcil of Trent, which makes tradition only e? to Scripture. Yet the true sp/rit of popery, apart from some of her formal decrees, g/yes qu/te too much countenance to the exalta- tion of tradit/on above Scripture. Accordingly some of the most de- voted sons of Rome have unequ/vocally placed tradition above Scripture.. Thus Cardinal Baronins teaches: "Tradition is the foundation of Scriptures, and excels them in this; that the Scriptures cannot subsist unless they be strengthened by traditions; but traditions have strength enough without Scriptures."? Linden says: "Traditions are the mo?t certain foundations of faith, t]?e most sure ground of the sacred Scrip- tures, the impenetrable buckler of Ajax, the suppresser of all heresics. On the other side, the Scripture is a vase of wax, a dead and killing letter without life, a mere shell without a kernel, a leaden rule, a wood of thieves, a shop of heretics." a Bishop Canus gives the following reason why traditions are to be preferred to the Bible: "Because tra- dition is not only of greater force ao?ainst heretics than the Scriptures, but almost all disputation with heretics is to be referred to traditions."? (4.) At the Council of Trent, when the subject of tradition was dis- cussed, there were various and contradictory opinions.�ncent Lunel, a Franciscan, "thought it would be preferable to treat of the church in the first instance, because Scripture and tradition derived their authority from the church, and that it belonged to the church to determine what we are to receive for tradition." Anthony MarinJar was of a different opinion, and for the purpose of giving his sentiments in the most convincing form, we will quote them in the words of a Roman Catholic writer of great and just celebrity, Du Pin, a doctor of the Sorbonne, who states as follows :m,, Antonius Marinams, a Car- roelite, said] that traditions ought not to be spoken of; and that in order
- Trial of Doctrine, part i, colisM. 2. t Prolof. de lib. Bib. :? Baron., an.
!Y'Lii, n. 2. It Linden, Panopl. lib. i, c. 22, &c. �nna, Loc. TheoJ., C. 8. See much more to the same purpose in M*Gavin'o Prat., vol. i, p. 678 Vii Tuta et Via Devi? edit. 1819, pp. 900-909. �Palhr., h-o. vJ, c. S; 8arpi, rib. ii, pp. 45-47.
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