5. Let us next hear Cyril of Jerusalem in the fourth century.
Respecting the divine and holy mysteries of the faith, not even a tittle ought to be delivered without the authority of THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. Neither ought any thing to be propounded, on the basis of mere credibility, or through the medium of plausible ratiocination. Neither yet repose the slightest confidence in the bare assertions of me your Catechist, unless you shall receive from THE HOLY SCRIPTURES foil demonstration of the matters propounded. For the security of our faith depends, not upon verbal trickery, but upon demonstration from THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. [36a]
6. Let us next hear the great Athanasius in the fourth century.
(1.) The holy and divinely inspired SCRIPTURES are sufficient for the declaration of the truth. [36b]
(2.) Let a person solely learn the matters, which are set forth in THE SCRIPTURES: for the demonstrations, contained in them, are, in order to the settling of this point, quite sufficient and complete. [36c]
(3.) If ye are disciples of the Gospels,—walk according to WHAT IS WRITTEN. But, if you choose to allege any other matters BEYOND WHAT IS WRITTEN: why do you contend against us, WHO WILL NEVER BE PERSUADED EITHER TO HEAR OR TO SPEAK A SINGLE SYLLABLE BEYOND GOD’S WRITTEN WORD? [36d]
(4.) These; namely, the canonical books of Scripture, from which the apocryphal books are carefully excluded by the accurate Father: These are the fountains of salvation; so that he, who thirsts, may drink from the oracles contained in them. In THESE ALONE is the evangelical school of piety. Let no one add to them: and let no one detract from them. [36e]
(5.) It is the part of mere triflers to propound and to speak THE THINGS WHICH ARE NOT WRITTEN. [36f]
(6.) What THE WRITTEN WORD had never revealed, you will never be able to discover. [37a]
7. Let us next hear Basil in the fourth century.