CHAPTER XVIII.

Concerning Traditions and their Divisions. (66.)

"WHAT is tradition?

"Ans. Generally understood, it is nothing else than unwritten doctrine: not as though it could never be found written; but because it has not been written by its author, nor dictated by him that it might be written.

"Tradition, therefore, as it is taken theologically, may be defined: 'a doctrine pertaining to religion, which is communicated orally by its author, and is transmitted to posterity, whether it be afterwards written by any one or not.'

"How is tradition divided?

"Ans. 1. On account of its origin or author, into divine, apostolic, and ecclesiastical tradition.

"2. On account of its matter, into dogmatic, ritual, and moral tradition.

"3. On account of its duration, into perpetual and temporal.

"4. On account of its place, into universal and particular.

"What tradition is called divine?

"Ans. It is the unwritten word of God, or it is a truth divinely revealed to the Church, and transmitted by the Fathers to the latest posterity without the writing of a canonical author. Examples of divine tradition are: that there are seven sacraments, neither more nor less; that there are four gospels; that the Mother of God always remained a virgin; that infants are to be baptized; and various other things, which relate to the substance and forms of the sacraments.

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Apostolic tradition is that which was instituted by the apostles as the pastors of the Church; such is the observance of the Lord's day, the forty days' fast, and various rites of the mass and sacraments.

"That is called ecclesiastical tradition, which was introduced by the superiors of the Church or by Christian people after the times of the apostles; such are the observance of

festivals, abstinence from eggs and milk-diet on certain days, &c.

"Yet observe, that these terms, divine, apostolic, ecclesiastical tradition, are sometimes so confounded that something is said to be of apostolic or ecclesiastic tradition, which is of divine tradition, and vice versa.

"What tradition is called dogmatic?

"It is that which treats concerning the doctrines of the faith; as is that by which the existence of Scripture is proved, and that it is the word of God, &c.

"Ritual is concerning sacred rites: such is the doctrine of the ceremonies which are observed in the sacrifice of the mass, the administration of the sacraments, &c.

"Moral pertains to customs; as that on certain days fasts are to be observed, that the festival of Easter is to be celebrated, &c.

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Perpetual tradition is that which is instituted that it may always be kept; such are the divine traditions.

"Temporal is that which is instituted for a certain time: as abstinence from blood and things strangled was at the beginning of the Church.

"Universal tradition is that which is proposed for observation to the whole Church: as the observance of the Lord's day.

"Particular is that which was appointed for one or more particular churches: thus, in the time of St. Augustine, a fast was observed at Rome on the Sabbath, but not at Milan. "How great is the authority of tradition?

"Divine tradition has equal authority with Holy Scripture; for both are truly the word of God. There is only this difference, that as for Holy Scripture, the creed of the church is more plain to us; from the circumstance that it has fixed the catalogue of canonical books, and has approved the edition of the vulgate as authentic; but the church has not framed a catalogue of divine traditions, but sets forth, sometimes one, sometimes another, as occasion demands.

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Apostolic tradition has the same authority, which the decrees of the apostolic institution have.

"Ecclesiastical tradition is of the same authority as the ecclesiastical laws and constitutions: and hence the Pope

may change both an apostolic and an ecclesiastical (tradition.)

"Ís tradition a rule of faith, and which (tradition is a rule?)

"Ans. Merely apostolic or ecclesiastical tradition is not a rule of faith; because neither has been divinely revealed; but divine tradition is truly a rule of faith, as it is the word of God, not less than Holy Scripture. We will especially establish this tradition, as the heretics assail it chiefly."

Concerning the existence and necessity of Traditions. (67.) "Are divine traditions to be admitted besides Sacred Scripture?

"Ans. Our heretics say no, principally on this ground, that all truths of the faith are contained in Sacred Scripture; against this error, the Catholic faith teaches, that divine traditions are to be admitted in the new law, as the Council of Trent has decided, Sess. 4.

"The existence and necessity of the same are proved, 1. from 2 Thess. ii. 14, where the apostle says: hold the traditions, which you have learned, whether by word or by our epistle;' i. e. whether in word, or writing.

"Hither tends also that which the apostle writes, 2 Tim. i. 13: hold the form of sound words, which thou hast heard from me in faith, and in the love which is in Jesus Christ,' and ch. iii. 14. 'Continue thou in the things which thou hast learned, and which have been committed to thee; knowing of whom thou hast learned.' God refers also to tradition, Deut. xxxii. 7. Ask thy father and he will declare to thee; thy elders and they will tell thee.' Besides, John says, that not all the things which Christ taught, were written, ch. xxi. 25. But there are also many other things which Jesus did; which if they were written every one, the world itself, I think, would not be able to contain the books that should be written.' Very many things also, which he taught the apostles during the 40 days after the resurrection have come down to us through tradition. Add to this the unanimous consent of the Holy Fathers.

2. It is proved (thus.) Our heretics assert that they be lieve many things which are no where found in Scripture; for instance; the virginity of the divine Virgin, even after

the birth (of Christ); that there are four gospels; that baptism applied to infants is valid, &c.

3. "It is proved from the necessity of tradition: for without divine tradition it cannot be known what books are Sacred Scripture; why the gospel of Matthew should rather be received than that of Bartholomew; what is the meaning of Scripture, where there is no other means of discerning those things, at least no ordinary one: although God might show these things in an extraordinary way, as for instance, by a miracle; but then the course of tradition supplies the (place of a) miracle.

"HENCE OBSERVE THERE IS MORE NEED OF DIVINE TRADITION THAN OF SACRED SCRIPTURE, as Scripture cannot be known without tradition.

"The heretics object. One divine tradition can be known without the other; therefore Sacred Scripture can be known without divine tradition.

"The inference is plain: just as tradition is the word of God orally delivered, so Scripture is the written word of God: but the word of God orally delivered may be known without any other divine tradition, therefore by parity of reasoning the written word of God may be thus known.

"Ans. I deny both the inference and the parity; there is a disparity, because divine tradition is a living witness, and Scripture is a dead witness, which therefore does not prove itself.

"For this reason, it is to be observed that divine tradition must be considered according to its own origin; but the origin of divine tradition is from the fact that God has revealed some truth to the church by means of speech; now oral address proves itself: for there is no need when any one speaks that he should also affirm that he is speaking: and thus the church can propose to us one divine tradition without any ulterior one. But the church receives Scripture, not by means of oral communication and speech, but by means of an instrument written by the sacred penman, who might even be ignorant that he was writing the word of God; hence the church could not know that other Scripture had been dictated by God, unless God should further prove by this revelation that this Scripture had been dictated by God; and this ulterior revelation is called divine tradition.

"You will reply: but the church without tradition can define what is Sacred Scripture. The supposition is proved; the church is infallible, therefore, &c.

"Ans. I deny this supposition: the church is indeed infallible in definitions of faith and customs; but in order that she may define she ought not to proceed in a blind way, but to have sufficient ground for her definition: but the church has not any other sufficient ground by which she may discern Sacred Scripture from that which is not sacred, than divine tradition, therefore, &c.

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'Although some divine traditions may have existed, yet they could not be preserved pure and entire to this time; because that which passes from ear to ear is easily altered and lost but tradition passes from ear to ear, therefore, &c.

"Ans. I admit the assertion, that what passes from ear to ear is easily altered, if there are no causes assisting in its preservation; but if there are such causes, I deny the assertion; but these causes are divine providence, which rules and governs the Church, the writings of the ancients, the continuous practice of the faithful; add to this, that in almost all ages new heresies arise, which God wonderfully employs for the preservation of the doctrine of the Church against them. Learned men also are always raised up by God, who investigate and commend to posterity the doctrine of the Church and ancient traditions."

CONCERNING THE PRINCIPAL RULES OF TRADITION.

1. Rules for distinguishing Traditions.

"Are there any special rules for ascertaining traditions? "Yes; and the following are usually assigned:

"1. If the whole Church embraces any thing as a dogma of faith or customs, has approved by practice something which no one but God alone could institute, and which is not found in Scripture, it must needs be a divine tradition; thus, for instance, we know that the baptism of infants is valid, and that confirmation and ordination cannot be repeated, &c.

"2. If any truth not contained in Scripture, has been received in the Church, and the contrary doctrine to it has been condemned as heretical, it is a divine tradition: such is the perpetual virginity of the Mother of God.