TRADITION. calculate for ourselves, that in matters o4' far higher consequence we should implicitly follow the opinions of others, especially as we possess the most exact afut perfect rule and standard by which to regulate our several inquiries, I mean the regulation of the divine laws. I, there- fore, could wish that all of you would reject what this or that man saith, and that you would investigate all these things in the Scriptures." He also declares, "Hear, I beseech you, all you secuhr men; provide you Bibles, which are the medicines for the soul: at least get the New Test?ment."e Whole pages could be given from Chrysostom to show that not tradition, but Scripture, was the rule of conduct to Christians. We shall, for the present, however, content ourselves with one more, which is the following. On the text, $eareA tl? $?iptures, &c., Chrysostom obser?'es, after saying that in secular things the greatest &iligence is necessary, "So when Christ sent the Jews to the Scriptures, he did not send them for the sake of a single reading, but for accurate examination. For he did not say, Read the Scriptures, but, Sea?ch tAe Scriptures, because those things which are said in them require much investigation. So he commands them to dig diligently, that they may find those things which lie deep."? Tl?op?ilus Alexandrinu?, who died in 412, says plainly, "It is the part of a devilish spirit to think any thing to be divine that is not in ?he authority of the Holy Scripmres."? Jerome, who died in the yea r 420, writes thus :--" The church of Christ, possessing churches in all the worM, is united by the ? of the Spirit, and has the cities of the law, the prophets, the gospels, and the aposfies. She has not gone forth from her boundaries, that is, from the Holy Scriptures."][ Again: "Those things which they make and find, as it were, by apostolical tradition, without the authority and ?esfimony of Scripture, the word of God smites."�ain, on the question whether the Zacariah slain between the porch and the.altar waz one of the minor prophets or the father of the Baptist, Jerome would admit of no decision on the case, because Scripture did not decide. "This," says he, "because it hath not authori? from Scrip- ture, is with the same easiness despised as i? is proved.? St. Jerome writes thus against Helvidius: "As we deny not those things that are written, so we refuse those things which are no? written. That God was born of a virgin we believe, because we read it; that Mary ? ? p? rrepo? fiov?.eo? rr/v yow za? ?e."--Ida? Horn. 9, m cap. 3. ?l Col., tom. xi, p. 391. c. ?'tv, a?ay?atzrrz rag ?,?' ?,; elx?vare rug ypal/?' tn?fid? yap ra ?rtp? --C?ottom ,,%rm. 41 or40, in Johan. 8crutamini oeripmmz, �. i, zorn. vi'fi, p. 943, t Epist. PHc? 2. Ii Commen?. in Micha. lib. i, c. 1. ?, "? et alia, qun al?quo authoritat? et testimonlla ?pt?m, q, uui traditiono a ?,??.' ?. l?ponte ?perluat atqu? coutingunt, percatit gladiu, lhi. --Jam? m q* "Hogs qui? de _Sc?_'p_tu? non I?t nlt? oldmzt facilitate cont?tt? qua
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