If, moreover, the apostolical Fathers, and the
creeds and councils of the early Church, become



LECTURE III. 73

thus divine documents supplying the defects of
Scripture, and fixing its sense, we shall find them
appealed to by all subsequent writers as at once
decisive of every controversy that could arise in
the Church, .and determining every doubtful
question among its members.
Let us then enquire ' how far this is the case ;
beginning with the apostolical Fathers ; for if they
do not recognize and appeal to an authoritative
Tradition, the first link in the chain is wanting.
This consideration makes their -writings of
extreme importance to the whole question in
which we are engaged; and the conviction of its
importance has led to the fictitious homilies,
epistles, constitutions, recognitions, and canons,
which have been palmed upon the Church in
their name ; and to the corruption and interpo-
lation of their authentic remains to such an
extent as to throw a degree of doubt and discredit
on what we have on the whole reason to believe
to be genuine.
Nor is it only that the remains of the apostoli-
cal Fathers are few and scanty, but those we
have were for the most part written under cir-
cumstances which did not admit of the declaration
of their opinions on many of the points which
have since agitated the Church. These reverend
men seem to occupy the position of the leaders



74 LECTURE III.
of a small band in the face of a superior force.
