Oe?. III.] Tl&DITION. 113 traditions, and see how far the Church of Rome has their authority for making traditions equal to the word of God. 1. Before we adduce the testimony of the fathers, a few preliminn O- remarks may be proper in order to understand correctly the amount of weight which we may attach to their declarations. The w?ters of the first six centuries are commonly embraced in the list of fathers. Those who were cotemporary with the apostles are called apostolical fathers. These are Barnabas, Clement, of Rome, Herruns, Ignatius, and Polycarp. They were aH natives of the East except Clement, and wrote in Greek. They also wrote before any association took place between philosophy and religion, which is' attested by their style and manner 5f reasoning. They neglected for- mal arrangement in exhibiting their arguments. The fundamental doc- trines of Christianity are clearly and Scripturally inculcated by them; and these are everywhere so interwoven with the highest precepts of morality, as to prove to us that the belief of these men was inseparable from their practice. They therefore delivered their moral and doctrinal instructions as parts of the same scheme. They have also constant reference to the books of the New Testament, such as we now possess. The principal Greek writers who succeeded the apostolical fathers were Justin Martyr and Iremeus. The ancient fathers were not re- markable for their learning or eloquence. On the contrary, they ex- press the most pious and admirable sentiments in the plaineat and most unadorned style. We do no? profess any blind veneration for their names or submis- sion to their opinions; yet we are very far removed from the contempt of either. They were erring and feeble mortals like ourselves; much inferior to moderns in intellectual discipline, under early prejudices, proceeding from the oblique principles and perverse systems of their day. Learned men are not unanimous concerning the degree of esteem that is due to the authors now mentioned. Some represent them as the most excellent guides in the paths of piety; while others place them in the lowest rank of mor?l writers. Without determining this point with precision, it appears that in the writings of the ancient fathers there are many things well adapted to form a religious life; while, on the other hand, they abound with precepts of an excessive and un- reasonable austerity, with stoical and acadcmical dictates, vague and indeterminate notions, and with decisions absolmely false and in oppo- sition to the precepts of Christ. While then we admit them as honest' and faithful witnesses and historians of the times during which they lived, we are not to place any great weight ou their moral precepts, otherwise than as they are in accordance with the Holy Scriptures. As historians, they ark valuable in transmitting down to us the occur- fences of their times; but as moral teachers they are not to be fol- lowed beyond the bounds of Scripture. Traditions at the first publication of Scripture were clear, evident, recent, remembered, talked of by all Christians in all their meetings, l?lic and private; and the mistakin? of them by tho? who carefully endeavoured to remember them waz not easy; and if there had been a miatake, a living atnmtle , or one of their immediate diaciples, waa [anment to set all things right. After the death of the apostles hereales aprong up, ?o support which uadiaoa was quote?i, bat r? SCtilmn?;
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