Transcription
You reject the church fathers, if you see their teaching as standing next to the scriptures, rather than under them.
Augustine writes, "I confess to thy love that I have learned to give this reverence and honor to those books of scripture alone, which are now called canonical. As firmly to believe that no one of their authors erred in writing anything. But I so read the others that however excellent in purity of doctrine, I do not therefore take a thing to be true because they thought so. But because they can persuade me either through those canonical authors or probable reason that it does not differ from the truth. Nor do I think that you, my brother, are of a different opinion. I say further, I do not suppose that you wish your books to be read as if they were the writings of the prophets or apostles, which beyond a doubt are free from any error."
Speaking of church leaders in good standing, Augustine writes, "We ought not consider the disputations of any men, though they be Catholic and praiseworthy men, as canonical scriptures. So that we may not, saving the reverence due to those men, disallow or refuse anything in their writings, if perhaps we find that they thought otherwise than the truth is. Such am I in other men's writings, such will I that other men be understanders of my writings."
Of Cyprian, he says, "We do no injury to Cyprian when we distinguish any writings of his whatsoever from the canonical authority of the Holy Scriptures. For not without cause with such helpful diligence the ecclesiastical canon is appointed, to which certain books of the prophets and apostles do pertain, which we dare not judge at all, and according we may freely judge of other writings, either of faithful men or infidels."
Or as Jerome wrote, "I know that I esteem the apostles differently from certain tractators. The former is always speaking the truth, the latter as men sometimes making mistakes."
Jerome in dependence on apostolic writings says, "Origen should be read occasionally as Tertullian, Novatus, and Arnobius, and some ecclesiastical writers, so that we may extract what is good from them and shun the opposite according to the apostles direction. Prove all things, hold fast to that which is good."
Or as Ambrose testified, "I am unwilling that you should believe me. Let the scriptures be recited. I do not speak from myself because in the beginning was the word, but I hear. I do not attach, but I read."
Or Cyril, "do not attend to my fluent comments for possibly you may be deceived, but unless you receive the testimony of the prophets to each particular, you must not believe my words."
Faithfulness to what the church fathers taught means to see all of them as fallible and under the authority of the infallible scriptures.