vina, seu theologica, quia a Deo, et de Deo, et ductiva ad Deum. A Deo dicitur, quod convenit aliis scientiis sed tamen non hoc modo convenit sacræ Scripturæ." (Alexandri Alensis Theologiæ Summa. Col. Agr. 1622. p. 3.)

Aquinas, the angelic doctor, who flourished something later in the thirteenth century, thus expresses himself: "Respondeo dicendum, sacram doctrinam unam scientiam esse. Est enim unitas potentiæ et habitus consideranda secundum objectum, non quidem materialiter, sed secundum rationem formalem objecti: puta homo, asinus, et lapis conveniunt in una formali ratione colorati, quod est objectum visus. Quia igitur sacra Scriptura considerat aliqua secundum quod sunt divinitus revelata, secundum quod dictum est, omnia quæcunque sunt divinitus revelabilia communicant in una ratione formali objecti hujus scientiæ; et ideo comprehenduntur sub sacra doctrina, sicut sub scientia una.” (S. Thom. Aquin. Theol. Sum. Col. Agr. 1622. p. 1. art. III. Concl.) "Et inde est quod et auctoritatibus philosophorum sacra doctrina utitur, ubi per rationem naturalem veritatem cognoscere potuerunt. Sicut Paulus, Act. xvii. inducit verbum Arati, dicens, Sicut et quidam poetarum vestrorum dixerunt, Genus Dei sumus. Sed tum sacra doctrina hujusmodi auctoritatibus utitur quasi extraneis argumentis et probabilibus. Auctoritatibus autem canonica Scripturæ utitur proprie ex necessitate, argumentando. Auctoritatibus autem alio:um doctorum Ecclesiæ, quasi arguendo ex propriis, sed probabiliter. Innititur nam fides nostra revelationi Apostolis et Prophetis factæ qui canonicos libros scripserunt. Non autem revelationi

si qua fuit aliis doctoribus facta." (Aquin. Theol. Sum. p. 3. I. pars. art. VIII. Concl.) This passage must plainly be understood as restricting the grounds of a Christian's faith to the canonical books of Scripture otherwise there would have been evident impropriety in naming the authors of these books as the sole authorities for religious belief. All the prophets and apostles were not writers, yet they were all favoured by heavenly revelations, either immediately by divine inspiration, or mediately, through conversation with Christ. There can be no doubt therefore, that religious information given by these inspired personages, who placed nothing upon record, was no less worthy of credence, than that given by those who wrote the canonical books. Aquinas, however, seems to have proceeded upon a presumption, either that the revelations made to non-writers are lost, or that we have no means of ascertaining their genuineness. Accordingly, in another place, he derives faith wholly from scripture: "Procedunt ex principiis fidei, sc. ex auctoritatibus sacræ Scripturæ." (Sec. Sund. p. 3. art. V. Concl.) Again he says, "Veritas fidei in sacra Scriptura diffuse continetur et variis modis, et in quibusdam obscure, ita quod ad eliciendam fidei veritatem ex sacra Scriptura requiritur longum studium et exercitium." (Ib. p. 5. art. IX. Concl.)

9 "Sacrosancta œcumenica et generalis Tridentina synodus, in Spiritu Sancto legitime congregata, præsidentibus in ea eisdem tribus apostolicæ sedis legatis, hoc sibi perpetuo ante oculos proponens, ut, sublatis erroribus, puritas ipsa Evangelii in Ecclesia conservetur: quod promissum ante per

prophetas in Scripturis sanctis Dominus noster, Jesus Christus, Dei Filius, proprio ore primum promulgavit, deinde per suos Apostolos, tanquam fontem omnis salutaris veritatis et morum disciplinæ, omni creaturæ prædicari jussit: perspiciensque hanc veritatem et disciplinam contineri in libris scriptis et sine scripto traditionibus, quæ ex ipsius Christi ore ab Apostolis acceptæ, Spiritu Sancto dictante, quasi per manus traditæ ad nos usque pervenerunt: orthodoxorum Patrum exempla secuta, omnes libros tam Veteris quam Novi Testamenti, cum utriusque unus Deus sit auctor, nec non traditiones ipsas, tum ad fidem, tum ad mores pertinentes tamquam vel ore tenus a Christo vel a Spiritu Sancto dictatas, et continua successione in Ecclesia Catholica conservatas, pari pietatis affectu ac reverentia suscipit ac veneratur." (Labb. et Coss. XIV. 746.) The manual compiled under the orders of the Trentine council for the instruction of the ordinary clergy, divides accordingly, as Romish divines have subsequently done, the Word of God into scripture and tradition. "Omnis doctrinæ ratio, quæ fidelibus tradenda sit, verbo Dei continetur, quod in Scripturam traditionesque distributum est." (Catechism. ad Parochos. Lovan. 1662. p. 7.) From these extracts it is manifest, that the Rabbinical and Romish churches stand exactly upon the same ground respecting the rule of faith, each professing to be the depositary of an unwritten, as well as of a written word of God. See this last fact excellently illustrated by Chemnitz. (Examen Concilii Tridentini, pars I. Francof. 1573. p. 14.)

10 That a decree of such importance should have been couched in terms conveying so little precise

information called forth loud animadversions immediately on its promulgation. (F. Paul's Hist. of the Council of Trent, by Brent; Lond. 1620. p. 162.) The council, in fact, by this decision, authorized the Roman church to enjoin any established points of faith or discipline which she might choose, as integral portions of God's unwritten word. Cardinal Pallavicino in effect admits this: "Quali poi fossero queste tradizioni in particolare, doveva esaminarsi e determinarsi di mano in mano, secondo che le materie richiedessero nelle future sessioni; e ciascuno era tenuto di sottomettersi in ciò al giudicio della Chiesa." (Ist. del Conc. di Trento. Rom. 1656. I. 586.) Bellarmine gives the five following rules for ascertaining genuine apostolic traditions: 1. When the universal Church embraces any article of faith which is not found in Scripture. 2. When the universal Church observes any thing, as infant baptism, which is not enjoined in Scripture. 3.When the universal Church has ever maintained any point of discipline, as the fast of Lent, upon which scripture is silent. 4. When all the doctors of the Church, either in a general council, or separately, in their several books, teach that any thing has descended by apostolical tradition. 5. Whenever any thing is accounted an apostolical tradition by those churches which have an unbroken and continued succession from the apostles. Integra et continuata successio. (Controv. I. 77.) This, again, virtually refers full power to the papal see of determining as to the members of this alleged unwritten word. For the first four marks are notoriously disputable, and probably papal polemics would deny

integrity and continuity of succession to all churches, but that of Rome.

II

11 "Divinæ (traditiones sc.) dicuntur, quæ acceptæ sunt ab ipso Christo, apostolos docente; et nusquam in divinis literis inveniuntur: talia sunt ea quæ ad materiam et formam sacramentorum pertinent: pauca enim de his habemus in divinis literis, et tamen certum est, sacramentorum essentiam non potuisse nisi a Christo institui. Propterea enim apostolus, 1 Cor. xi. loquens de sacramento Eucharista, dicebat, Ego enim accepi a Domino, quod et tradidi vobis." Bellarmin. I. 66.

"Apostolicæ traditiones proprie dicuntur illæ quæ ab Apostolis institutæ sunt, non tamen sine assistentia Spiritus Sancti, et nihilominus non extant scriptæ in eorum Epistolis, quale est jejunium Quadragesimæ, et quatuor temporum, et alia multa." Ibid.

13

"Ecclesiasticæ traditiones proprie dicuntur consuetudines quædam antiquæ vel a prælatis, vel a populis inchoatæ, quæ paulatim tacito consensu populorum vim legis obtinuerunt." Ibid.

14" Controversia inter nos et hæreticos in duobus consistit. Primum est, quod nos asserimus, in Scripturis non contineri expresse totam doctrinam necessariam sive de fide, sive de moribus: et proinde præter verbum Dei scriptum, requiri etiam verbum Dei non scriptum, id est, divinas et apostolicas traditiones. At ipsi docent, in scripturis omnia contineri ad fidem et mores necessaria, et proinde non opus esse ullo Dei verbo non scripto.— Secundo dissidemus, quod illi existimant apostolos quidam quædam instituisse præter Scripturam, quæ