SACRED TRADITION

When, however, they are confuted from the Scriptures, they turn round and accuse these same Scriptures, as if they were not correct,
nor of authority, and [assert] that they are ambiguous, and that the truth cannot be extracted from them by those who are ignorant of
tradition.

But, again, when we refer them to that tradition which originates from the apostles, [and] which is preserved by means of the
succession of presbyters in the Churches, they object to tradition, saying that they themselves are wiser not merely than the
presbyters, but even than the apostles, because they have discovered the unadulterated truth. For [they maintain] that the apostles
intermingled the things of the law with the words of the Saviour; and that not the apostles alone, but even the Lord Himself, spoke as
at one time from the Demiurge, at another from the intermediate place, and yet again from the Pleroma, but that they themselves,
indubitably, unsulliedly, and purely, have knowledge of the hidden mystery: this is, indeed, to blaspheme their Creator after a most
impudent manner! It comes to this, therefore, that these men do now consent neither to Scripture nor to tradition.

IRENAEUS OF LYONS, Adversus haereses, Book 3, Chapter 2:1,2 [A.D. 178]

Since therefore we have such proofs, it is not necessary to seek the truth among others which it is easy to obtain from the Church;
since the apostles, like a rich man [depositing his money] in a bank, lodged in her hands most copiously all things pertaining to the
truth: so that every man, whosoever will, can draw from her the water of life. For she is the entrance to life; all others are thieves and
robbers. On this account are we bound to avoid them, but to make choice of the thing pertaining to the Church with the utmost
diligence, and to lay hold of the tradition of the truth. For how stands the case? Suppose there arise a dispute relative to some
important question among us, should we not have recourse to the most ancient Churches with which the apostles held constant
intercourse, and learn from them what is certain and clear in regard to the present question? For how should it be if the apostles
themselves had not left us writings? Would it not be necessary, [in that case,] to follow the course of the tradition which they handed
down to those to whom they did commit the Churches?

To which course many nations of those barbarians who believe in Christ do assent, having salvation written in their hearts by the
Spirit, without paper or ink, and, carefully preserving the ancient tradition, ...Thus, by means of that ancient tradition of the apostles,
they do not suffer their mind to conceive anything of the [doctrines suggested by the] portentous language of these teachers, among
whom neither Church nor doctrine has ever been established.

IRENAEUS OF LYONS, Adversus haereses, Book 3, Chapter 4:1,2 [A.D. 178]

St. Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons and Father of the Church.

There is also a very powerful Epistle of Polycarp written to the Philippians, from which those who choose to do so, and are anxious
about their salvation, can learn the character of his faith, and the preaching of the truth. Then, again, the Church in Ephesus, founded
by Paul, and having John remaining among them permanently until the times of Trajan, is a true witness of the tradition of the apostles.

IRENAEUS OF LYONS, Adversus haereses, Book 3, Chapter 3:4 [A.D. 178]

Since many, however, of those who profess to believe in Christ differ from each other, not only in small and trifling matters, but
also on subjects of the highest importance, as, e.g., regarding God, or the Lord Jesus Christ, or the Holy Spirit; and not only
regarding these, but also regarding others which are created existences, viz., the powers and the holy virtues; it seems on that
account necessary first of all to fix a definite limit and to lay down an unmistakable rule regarding each one of these, and then to
pass to the investigation of other points. For as we ceased to seek for truth (notwithstanding the professions of many among
Greeks and Barbarians to make it known) among all who claimed it for erroneous opinions, after we had come to believe that Christ
was the Son of God, and were persuaded that we must learn it from Himself; so, seeing there are many who think they hold the
opinions of Christ, and yet some of these think differently from their predecessors, yet as the teaching of the Church, transmitted
in orderly succession from the apostles, and remaining in the Churches to the present day, is still preserved, that alone is to be
accepted as truth which differs in no respect from ecclesiastical and apostolical tradition.

ORIGEN, De Principiis, Book 1:2 [A.D. 185-253]

St. Origen, Father of the Church. Born about 185 A.D. and died about 253 A.D. It is likely that the torture Origen endured

during his persecution lead to his death.

Wherefore, since the Church alone has the living water, and the power of baptizing and cleansing man, he who says that any one
can be baptized and sanctified by Novatian must first show and teach that Novatian is in the Church or presides over the Church.
For the Church is one, and as she is one, cannot be both within and without. For if she is with Novatian, she was not with Cornelius.
But if she was with Cornelius, who succeeded the bishop Fabian by lawful ordination, and whom, beside the honour of the
priesthood, the Lord glorified also with martyrdom, Novatian is not in the Church; nor can he be reckoned as a bishop, who,
succeeding to no one, and despising the evangelical and apostolic tradition, sprang from himself. For he who has not been ordained
in the Church can neither have nor hold to the Church in any way.

CYPRIAN, Epistle 75:3 [A.D. 200-258]

St. Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage.

AT that time there flourished in the Church Hegesippus, whom we know from what has gone before, and Dionysius, bishop of
Corinth, and another bishop, Pinytus of Crete, and besides these, Philip, and Apolinarius, and Melito, and Musanus, and Modestus,
and finally, Irenaeus. From them has come down to us in writing, the sound and orthodox faith received from apostolic tradition.

EUSEBIUS OF CAESAREA, Church History, Book 4:21 [A.D. 260-341]

St. Eusebius Pamphili, Bishop of Caesarea in Palestine, and the Father of Church History. Born about 260 A.D.

and died about 341 A.D..

Well, they preserving the tradition of the blessed doctrine derived directly from the holy apostles, Peter, James, John, and Paul, the sons
receiving it from the father (but few were like the fathers), came by God's will to us also to deposit those ancestral and apostolic seeds.
And well I know that they will exult; I do not mean delighted with this tribute, but solely on account of the preservation of the truth,
according as they delivered it. For such a sketch as this, will, I think, be agreeable to a soul desirous of preserving from escape the blessed
tradition.

CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA, The Stromata, Book 1, Chapter 1 [A.D. 188-199]

St. Clement of Alexandria, a Greek Theologian.

Having been sufficiently instructed in these things, keep them, I beseech you, in your remembrance; that I also, unworthy though I
be, may say of you, Now I love you, because ye always remember me, and hold fast the traditions, which I delivered unto you.

CYRIL, Lecture 20:8 [A.D. 315-386]

Hold fast these traditions undefiled and, keep yourselves free from offence.

CYRIL, Lecture 23:23 [A.D. 315-386]

St. Cyril, Bishop of Jerusalem and Doctor of the Church. Born about 315 A.D. and died about 386 A.D..

So we are not remiss in giving notice of its seasons, as we have received from the Fathers. Again we write, again keeping to the
apostolic traditions,....

ATHANANIUS, Letter 2:7 [A.D. 297-373]

But ye are blessed, who by faith are in the Church, dwell upon the foundations of the faith, and have full satisfaction, even the
highest degree of faith which remains among you unshaken. For it has come down to you from Apostolic tradition, and frequently
has accursed envy wished to unsettle it, but has not been able.

ATHANANIUS, Letter 29:fragment 7 [A.D. 297-373]

But what does that mean, if not that God has come in the Flesh? While the Apostolic tradition teaches in the words of blessed Peter,
'Forasmuch then as Christ suffered for us in the Flesh;'

ATHANANIUS, Letter 60:6 [A.D. 297-373]

St. Athananius, Bishop of Alexandria; Confessor and Doctor of the Church. Born about 297 A.D. and died in 373 A.D..

The one aim of the whole band of opponents and enemies of "sound doctrine" is to shake down the foundation of the faith of
Christ by levelling apostolic tradition with the ground, and utterly destroying it. So like the debtors,--of course bona fide debtors.--
they clamour for written proof, and reject as worthless the unwritten tradition of the Fathers. But we will not slacken in our defence
of the truth.

BASIL, De Spiritu Sancto, Chapter 10:25 [A.D. 329-379]

Of the beliefs and practices whether generally accepted or publicly enjoined which are preserved in the Church some we possess
derived from written teaching; others we have received delivered to us "in a mystery" by the tradition of the apostles; and both of
these m relation to true religion have the same force. And these no one will gainsay;--no one, at all events, who is even moderately
versed in the institutions of the Church. For were we to attempt to reject such customs as have no written authority, on the ground
that the importance they possess is small, we should unintentionally injure the Gospel in its very vitals; or, rather, should make our
public definition a mere phrase and nothing more.

BASIL, De Spiritu Sancto, Chapter 27:66 [ A.D. 329-379]

St. Basil the Great, Doctor of the Church. Born about 329 A.D. and died in 379 A.D..

[Papias, who is now mentioned by us, affirms that he received the sayings of the apostles from those who accompanied them, and he
moreover asserts that he heard in person Aristion and the presbyter John. Accordingly he mentions them frequently by name, and in his
writings gives their traditions. Our notice of these circumstances may not be without its use. It may also be worth while to add to the
statements of Papias already given, other passages of his in which he relates some miraculous deeds, stating that he acquired the
knowledge of them from tradition.

PAPIAS, Fragments of Papias From the Exposition of the Oracles of the Lord, Chapter 6 [A.D. 115-140]

St. Papias, Bishop of Hierapolis and Apostolic Father. The works of St. Papias was written between 115 A.D to 140. A.D.,

and although lost, isolated fragments have been preserved in quotations and references by St. Irenaeus [A.D. 178] and

St. Eusebius [A.D. 260-341].

The blessed apostles, then, having founded and built up the Church, committed into the hands of Linus the office of the episcopate. Of
this Linus, Paul makes mention in the Epistles to Timothy. To him succeeded Anacletus; and after him, in the third place from the
apostles, Clement was allotted the bishopric. This man, as he had seen the blessed apostles, and had been conversant with them, might
be said to have the preaching of the apostles still echoing [in his ears], and their traditions before his eyes. Nor was he alone [in this],
for there were many still remaining who had received instructions from the apostles. In the time of this Clement, no small dissension
having occurred among the brethren at Corinth, the Church in Rome despatched a most powerful letter to the Corinthians, exhorting
them to peace, renewing their faith, and declaring the tradition which it had lately received from the apostles, proclaiming the one God,
omnipotent, the Maker of heaven and earth, the Creator of man, who brought on the deluge, and called Abraham, who led the people
from the land of Egypt, spake with Moses, set forth the law, sent the prophets, and who has prepared fire for the devil and his angels.
From this document, whosoever chooses to do so, may learn that He, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, was preached by the
Churches, and may also understand the apostolical tradition of the Church, since this Epistle is of older date than these men who are
now propagating falsehood, and who conjure into existence another god beyond the Creator and the Maker of all existing things. To
this Clement there succeeded Evaristus. Alexander followed Evaristus; then, sixth from the apostles, Sixtus was appointed; after him,
Telephorus, who was gloriously martyred; then Hyginus; after him, Pius; then after him, Anicetus. Sorer having succeeded Anicetus,
Eleutherius does now, in the twelfth place from the apostles, hold the inheritance of the episcopate. In this order, and by this
succession, the ecclesiastical tradition from the apostles, and the preaching of the truth, have come down to us. And this is most
abundant proof that there is one and the same vivifying faith, which has been preserved in the Church from the apostles until now, and
handed down in truth.

IRENAEUS OF LYONS, Adversus haeresus, Book 3, Chapter 3:3 [A.D. 178]

Ver. 15. "So then, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye were taught, whether by word, or by Epistle of ours."

Hence it is manifest, that they did not deliver all things by Epistle, but many things also unwritten, and in like manner both the one and
the other are worthy of credit. Therefore let us think the tradition of the Church also worthy of credit. It is a tradition, seek no farther.
Here he shows that there were many who were shaken.

JOHN CHRYSOSTOM, Homilies on 2 Thessalonians, Homily 4 [A.D. 347-407]

Cor. viii. 18.) Again, when he says, "He was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve," and, "according to the Gospel which ye received" (1
Cor. xv. 5, 1), he means the Gospel of this Luke. So that there can be no mistake in attributing this work to him: and when I say, to him, I
mean, to Christ. And why then did he not relate every thing, seeing he was with Paul to the end? We may answer, that what is here
written, was sufficient for those who would attend, and that the sacred writers ever addressed themselves to the matter of immediate
importance, whatever it might be at the time it was no object with them to be writers of books: in fact, there are many things which they
have delivered by unwritten tradition.

JOHN CHRYSOSTOM, Homilies on the Acts of the Apostles, Homily 1, Acts 1:1,2 [A.D. 347-407]

St. John Chrysostom, Doctor of the Church. Born in 347 A.D. and died in 407 A.D..

The question is, as I said, very difficult to deal with: yet, if we should be able to find anything that may give support to the uncertainty
of our mind, so that it may no longer totter and waver in this monstrous dilemma, it would be well: on the other hand, even if our
reasoning be found unequal to the problem, we must keep for ever, firm and unmoved, the tradition which we received by succession
from the fathers, and seek from the Lord the reason which is the advocate of our faith: and if this be found by any of those endowed
with grace, we must give thanks to Him who bestowed the grace; but if not, we shall none the less, on those points which have been
determined, hold our faith unchangeably.

GREGORY OF NYSSA, "Not Three Gods" -- To Ablabius, Page 331 [A.D. 385]

St. Gregory of Nyssa, ordained Priest and geat pillar of orthodoxy and great opponent of Arianism. Date of birth, unknown;

date of death, about 385 A.D..

As to those other things which we hold on the authority, not of Scripture, but of tradition, and which are observed throughout the
whole world, it may be understood that they are held as approved and instituted either by the apostles themselves, or by plenary
Councils, whose authority in the Church is most useful, e.g. the annual commemoration, by special solemnities, of the Lord's passion,
resurrection, and ascension, and of the descent of the Holy Spirit from heaven, and whatever else is in like manner observed by the
whole Church wherever it has been established.

AUGUSTINE, From Augustine to Januarius, Letter 54, Chapter 1:1 [A.D. 354-430]

For if none have baptism who entertain false views about God, it has been proved sufficiently, in my opinion, that this may happen
even within the Church. "The apostles," indeed, "gave no injunctions on the point;" but the custom, which is opposed to Cyprian,
may be supposed to have had its origin in apostolic tradition, just as there are many things which are observed by the whole Church,
and therefore are fairly held to have been enjoined by the apostles, which yet are not mentioned in their writings.

AUGUSTINE, On Baptism-Against the Donatists, Book 5, Chapter 23 [A.D. 354-430]

To go on to what he says, "that a bishop should be 'teachable,'" adding, "But he is teachable who is gentle and meek to learn; for a
bishop ought not only to teach, but to learn as well, since he is indeed the better teacher who daily grows and advances by learning
better things;" --in these words assuredly the holy man, endowed with pious charity, sufficiently points out that we should not
hesitate to read his letters in such a sense, that we should feel no difficulty if the Church should afterwards confirm what had been
discovered by further and longer discussions; because, as there were many things which the learned Cyprian might teach, so there
was still something which the teachable Cyprian might learn. But the admonition that he gives us, "that we should go back to the
fountain, that is, to apostolic tradition, and thence turn the channel of truth to our times," is most excellent, and should be followed
without hesitation.

AUGUSTINE, On Baptism-Against the Donatists, Book 5, Chapter 26 [A.D. 354-430]

St. Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, Father and Doctor of the Church. Born in 354 A.D. and died in 430 A.D..

CHAPTER II.

[4.] I HAVE often then inquired earnestly and attentively of very many men eminent for sanctity and learning, how and by what
sure and so to speak universal rule I may be able to distinguish the truth of Catholic faith from the falsehood of heretical pravity;
and I have always, and in almost every instance, received an answer to this effect: That whether I or any one else should wish to
detect the frauds and avoid the snares of heretics as they rise, and to continue sound and complete in the Catholic faith, we must,
the Lord helping, fortify our own belief in two ways; first, by the authority of the Divine Law, and then, by the Tradition of the
Catholic Church.

CHAPTER XXVII.

[70.] BUT it will be said, If the words, the sentiments, the promises of Scripture, are appealed to by the Devil and his disciples, of
whom some are false apostles, some false prophets and false teachers, and all without exception heretics, what are Catholics and
the sons of Mother Church to do? How are they to distinguish truth from falsehood in the sacred Scriptures? They must be very
careful to pursue that course which, in the beginning of this Commonitory, we said that holy and learned men had commended to
us, that is to say, they must interpret the sacred Canon according to the traditions of the Universal Church and in keeping with the
rules of Catholic doctrine, in which Catholic and Universal Church, moreover, they must follow universality, antiquity, consent.
And if at any time a part opposes itself to the whole, novelty to antiquity, the dissent of one or a few who are in error to the
consent of all or at all events of the great majority of Catholics, then they must prefer the soundness of the whole to the corruption
of a part; in which same whole they must prefer the religion of antiquity to the profaneness of novelty; and in antiquity itself in like
manner, to the temerity of one or of a very few they must prefer, first of all, the general decrees, if such there be, of a Universal
Council, or if there be no such, then, what is next best, they must follow the consentient belief of many and great masters. Which
rule having been faithfully, soberly, and scrupulously observed, we shall with little difficulty detect the noxious errors of heretics
as they arise.

CHAPTER XXIX

[76.] THIS being the case, it is now time that we should recapitulate, at the close of this second Commonitory, what was said in that
and in the preceding. We said above, that it has always been the custom of Catholics, and still is, to prove the true faith in these
two ways; first by the authority of the Divine Canon, and next by the tradition of the Catholic Church. Not that the Canon alone
does not of itself suffice for every question, but seeing that the more part, interpreting the divine words according to their own
persuasion, take up various erroneous opinions, it is therefore necessary that the interpretation of divine Scripture should be ruled
according to the one standard of the Church's belief, especially in those articles on which the foundations of all Catholic doctrine
rest.

VINCENT OF LERINS, A Commonitory For The Antiquity And Universality of the Catholic Faith Against
The Profane Novelties Of All Heresies, Chapters 2, 27 and 29 [A.D. 445]

St. Vincent of Lerins, a Monk and an Ecclesiastical Writer. Date of birth, unknown; date of death, about 445 A.D.

Prayer, fasting and almsgiving are the three comprehensive duties of a Christian. But there are three things which most belong to
religious actions, namely prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, in the exercising of which while every time is accepted, yet that ought to be
more zealously observed, which we have received as hallowed by tradition from the apostles: even as this tenth month brings round
again to us the opportunity when according to the ancient practice we may give more diligent heed to those three things of which I
have spoken.

POPE LEO I THE GREAT, Sermon 12 [A.D. 461]

That indeed is not permitted either by the needs of the times or by any precedent. Yet in these brethren, that is Paschasinus and
Lucentius, bishops, Boniface and Basil, presbyters, who have been deputed by the Apostolic See, let your brotherhood reckon that
I am presidings at the Synod; for my presence is not withdrawn from you, who am now represented by my vicars, and have this long
time been really with you in the proclaiming of the catholic Faith: so that you who cannot help knowing what we believe in
accordance with ancient tradition, cannot doubt what we desire.

POPE LEO I THE GREAT, Letter 93 [A.D. 461]

St. Leo I The Great. Elected Pope in 440 A.D. and reigned as Bishop of Rome 440-461 A.D.. Pope Leo I The Great was

declared Doctor of the Church in 1754.

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