They did not hearken unto the Lord, but did after their old custom.”
“They followed the wickedness of their own hearts, and served strange gods, as their fathers taught them.”
Tertullian, of Virginity, or Praises. ^ Custom, for the most part, taking his beginning either of ignorance or simplicity, in process of time waxeth strong by use: and so it is alleged against the truth. Whatsoever smelleth against the truth, that is heresy, yea, though it be old custom?.”
Cyprian, unto Cecilie, Lib. ii. Epist. 3. There is no cause why, dear brother, that any man should think the custom of some men ought to be followed. If any man have thought that only water ought to be offered in the chalice, we must first ask, whom they followed: and that Christ only ought to be heard, the Father witnesseth from heaven, saying: This is my well beloved Son, hear him.” Wherefore, if only Christ ought to be heard, we ought not to regard what any man afore us thought to be done, but what Christ, which is before, did first: neither ought we to follow the custom of man, but the truth of God.”
[βασιλείαν ἀπὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου” οὐχ ὅτι ἐθαυ- tioned by Platina in his account of Pope Celestine I.]
[paTovpyicare’ ἀλλ ὅτι émelvaca — kai ἐν τοῖς asfollows: Ferunt hoc tempore diabolum, personam]
[μακαρισμοῖς δὲ, οὐδαμοῦ τοὺς τὰ θαύματα ποιοῦν- Moysi indutum, multos Judaos decepisse, dum eos]
[Tas τίθησιν, ἀλλὰ τοὺς βίον ἔχοντας ὀρθόν. Chry- ex Creta in terram promissionis ad similitudinem]
[sost. De Compunct. Cordis. Lib. 1. cap. viii. Tom. historie veteris sicco pede per mare deducere polli-]
[I. pp. 136, 7. Ed. Paris. 1718—38.] cetur. Multi enim ex his, falsum Moysen secuti, [! Primum quia Joannes quidem nullum fecit in undis periere. Aiunt autem illos solos evasisse,]
[signum, id est nullum miraculum ostendit, neque qui tum Christum verum Deum credidere.— Plat. de]
[tamen id in aliquo derogat sanctitati ejus, quo inter Vit. Pontif. p. 57. Ed. Colon. Agrip. 1626. ]]
[natos mulierum non surrexit teste Salvatore major; [5 Consuetudo, initium ab aliqua ignorantia vel]
[nempe miracula operari nihil adjicit sanctitatis ho- simplicitate sortita, in usum per successionem corro-]
[mini, cum malis et reprobis id competat, dicente boratur,et ita adversus veritatem vindicatur.Quod-]
[Domino apud Mattheum, Multi dicent in illa die.— cunque adversus veritatem sapit, hoc erit haresis,]
[Quare e diverso, nulla signorum ostensio nihil etiam vetus consuetudo. Tertull. De Virg. Veland.]
[detrahit homini sanctitatis. —Cyril. Alexandr. in cap. i. pp. 172, 3. Ed. Paris. 1664.]]
[Joannem. Lib.vrr. cap. xiii. col. 45. Ed. Paris. [^ Non est ergo, frater carissime, quod aliquis]
[1508. ] existimet sequendam esse quorundam consuetu- [? This is not found in Sabellicus, but is men- dinem, si qui in przteritum in calice dominico]
The same to Julian, of the Baptizing of Heretics. “In vain do some men, when they be overcome with the truth, allege custom against us, as though custom were greater - -than the truth” St Augustine hath the same”.
The same to Pompus, against Stevens Epistle. Custom without truth is an old error: for the which cause let us leave custom, and follow the truth?.”
Chrysostom, upon Genesis xxix. Homily 59. “For if the counsel be good and profitable, yea, though it be not custom, keep it; but if it be hurtful and noisome, cast it away. For if we will be wise, and care for our salvation, we may leave off an evil custom, and bring in a good custom; and so shall we give no small occasion to them that come after us to change the same, and have the reward of those things that be done of them.”
Jerome, in his Preface to Job. “Old custom is of such force that vices, which many men themselves confess, please them through it.”
The same, Cap. 9. Neither are the errors of our fathers, nor our elders to be followed, but the authority of the scriptures, and the commandments of God that teacheth us.”
Augustine, of one only Baptism, Lib. ii. Distinct. 8. cap. ^ When the truth is once 8 > y bap Ρ known, let custom give place to the truth. For who doubteth but custom ought to give place to the manifest truth 7 ”
The same, in the same place. “Let no man prefer custom above truth and reason. For truth and reason do ever exclude custom ”.”
Gregorius to Guelmunde the bishop, 2 Distinct. Si consuetudo. “If thou chance to lay custom against me, thou must take heed what the Lord saith: ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life He did not say, I am custom, but the truth.”
Nicolas the pope to Ignatius the reverend bishop, 8. Distinct. “ΑἸ evil custom is no less to be avoided than an hurtful corruption: which except it be plucked up the sooner by the roots, it will be taken of the ungodly for a law.” 56.
[aquam solam offerendam putaverunt. Quarendum ζηλοῦν, kal τῶν ὑπ ἐκείνων κατορθουμένων ἡμεῖς]
[est enim ipsi quem sint secuti. —Et quod Christus ληψόμεθα τὸν μισθόν. Chrysost. in cap. xxix.]
[debeat solus audiri, Pater enim de c«lo contestatur Genes. Hom. lvi. Tom. IV. p. 540.]]
[dicens: Hic est filius meus dilectissimus, in quo [? Tanta est enim vetustatis consuetudo, ut etiam]
[bene sensi; ipsum audite.” Quare si solus Christus confessa plerisque vitia placeant. Hieron. Praf. in]
[audiendus est, non debemus attendere quid alius Libr. Job. Alt. Tom. III. p. 17. Ed. Francof.]
[ante nos faciendum esse putaverit; sed quid, quiante 1684.]]
[omnes est, Christus prior fecerit. Neque enim ho- [!? This passage is not found in the place re-]
[—. minis consuetudinem sequi oportet, sed Dei verita- ferred to. ]]
[em. Cyprian. ad Cacil. de Sacram. Domin. cal. [? Itaque veritate manifestata cedat consuetudo]
[ry: xiii. p. 108. Ed. Paris. 1726. (Ed. Erasm. veritati. Plane quis dubitet veritati manifestata]
[Lib. 11. Epist. 3, as quoted in the text by the arch- debere consuetudinem cedere? August. De Bapt.]
[bishop.)] contra Donatist. Lib. 111. cap. vi. Tom. VII. p. 45. [5 Proinde frustra quidam qui ratione vincuntur Ed. Paris. 1637. Gratian. Distinct. viii, Cap. iv.]
[consuetudinem nobis opponunt; quasi consuetudo ” Veritate manifestata.” Tom. I. p. 6. Ed. Paris.]
[major sit veritate. Id. ad Jubaian. de Bapt. Heret. 1687.]]
[Epist. Ixxiii, p. 133. Ed. Paris. 1726.] [/? Nemo consuetudinem rationi et veritati [$ See below, note 11.] preponat; quia consuetudinem ratio et veritas [7 Nam consuetudo sine veritate vetustas erroris semper excludit. Id. ibid.]]
[est. Propter quod relicto errore sequamur veritatem. [!? Si consuetudinem fortassis opponas, adver-]
[Id. ad Pompei. contra Epist. Steph. de Hzret. Bapt. tendum est, quod Dominus dicit: Ego sum veri-]
[Epist. Ixxiv. p. 141.] - tas et vita.” Non dixit, Ego sum consuetudo, sed [? Ei μὲν γὰρ καλόν ἐστι τὸ τῆς συμβουλῆς καὶ veritas. Gregor. Wimundo Aversano Episcopo. Id.]
[ἐπωφελὲς, κἂν μὴ συνήθεια 1, γινέσθω ei δὲ βλά- ibid. Cap. v. Si consuetudinem,” Ibid. ]]
[βην ἔχον kai πολὺν τὸν ὄλεθρον To νῦν παρ᾽ ὑμῖν [^ Mala consuetudo, quz non minus quam per-]
[ἐπιτελούμενον, κἂν συνήθεια ἢ, ἐγκοπτέσθω.---ἐὰν niciosa corruptela vitanda est: nisi citius radicitus]
[γὰρ βουλώμεθα νήφειν, kai πολλὴν τῆς ἑαυτῶν evellatur, in privilegiorum jus ab improbis assumi-]
[σωτηρίας ποιεῖσθαι τὴν φροντίδα, δυνησόμεθα καὶ tur. Nicol. Papa Hincmaro Remensi Archiepi-]
[τῆς κακῆς συνηθείας ἀποστῆναι, καὶ ele καλὴν συνή- scopo. Id. ibid. Cap. iii. ‘ Mala consuetudo.”]
[θειαν ἑαυτοὺς ἀγαγεῖν. καὶ οὕτω καὶ τοῖς med Ibid.]]
[ἡμᾶς οὐ μικρὰν παρέξομεν ἀφορμὴν τοῦ τὰ αὐτὰ]