Page:Delineation of Roman Catholicism.djvu/134

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126 TRADI'rI.o.?. [Book I. things from which the authority of the true Scriptarc0 hath come by a most certain and known succession. Many things are introduced by heretics under the names of the other prophets, and more recently under the'names of the apostles. These. things under the name of the Apocrypha are destitute of canonical Kuthority, and complete proof, on diligent examination."* Nothing can be more rational than the state- ment and evidential principle of Augustine; but with the pretension of the Church of Rome it hath no sort of alliance. (3.) Several Roman Catholic divines of eminence refer the saying of St. Augustine, not to the present church, but to the church in the time of the apostlea. Thus Durandus de St. Sourcain, after having quoted the words of Augustine, observes, "That which is said concerning the ?probat/o? of tie $cr/ptm'e?/? tie �/mrck is to be understood only of the church which was in the time of the aposdes, who were filed with the Holy Spix? and, withal, saw the miracles of Chidst, and heard his doctrine; and on titat account were fit witnesses of all things which Christ both did and said, that by their testimony the Scriptures, containing the actions and sayings of Christ, might be proved."t To the same purpose is the following declaration of Driedo, another Roman Catholic divine: "When Augustine says, I would not believe tie goal?el, &c., he understands it of the Catholic Church, which was from the beginoiug of the Christian faith, increasing according to the course of succession of bishops to these times, which church comprehends in itthe college of the apostles."? Again, Gerson, commenting on this passage of Augustine, says: "By the church, Augustine means the primitive assemblies of those who had seen and heard Christ, and had been his witnssses."U From all these things put together, it is evident that modern Roman Catholics have no sup- por? from the quotation from Augustine,which says: "I would not believe the gospel did not the authority of the Catholic Church move me thereto." Indeed, Augustine was no friend to such tradition as is ILuthorized by the Church of Rome. In his filly-fourth and fifty-fifth letters, which are addressed to Janustins, he declares that "the Christian religion was so burdened with human traditions, rites, and ceremonies, in the times in which he lived, that the condition of the Jews under the law was more tolerable than the state of Christians under the gospel; for that the Jews were subject only to the burden of the law, and not also to human tradition." It is due to remark, however, that though Augustine

  • '? Omittamus igitur earurn Scripturarum fnlmlas, qua- Also?-? nunculmnmr, so

?.uo?. eamm occult? ori?o non clamit pattibus, ? quibus usque ad nos autorim veracium ?cripturarum, eertissims et notissinm successlone, pervenit. Mult? sub nominibus et aliomm prophetarum, et reeentiom sub nominibus Apostolomm sb hmreticis prof?untur. qum crania, sub notnine Apocrypharum, &b autoritate canontea, diJii?enti examinatione, ramors sunt."--As?g. dz Ci,,. D?i., lib. xv, c. ?,3. t' "Hoc autem quod dictum eat de approbatione Scripturin per ecclesiare, anteill, tin solurn do Ecclesii qme fuit tempore Apostolomm, qui fuerunt repleti 8piritu Saneto, et nlhilominus viderunt miracula 0hristi, et audierunt ejus doctrinaJn, et ab bee ruerunt convenientes testes onmium qo?e Ohrisms feeit ant dgcuit, ut per eorum testimonium,

    • b

Scriptufa continens facta et dicta Christi, appmbarentur. mD?rmtd., li .iii, dist. ?,4, q. 1, sec. 9. ? "A.u?. tinus ctun dicit, Ego E?nge//o, &c., intelligit de Ecclesil Catholic?t quae fuit, ab iratic Christionse ftdei, secundum seriem successionis Ep?scopomm creeeens ad bee usque tempore, quse san5 Eccleaia cotnpleetitur college_urn Apostolomm.*'--Dr/do., tom. i?l. iv, c. 4. ? 8ti!lin?fieet's O?ounds, p. 184. See also Pope ?td Magnate, p. 100. 1