SIBE II A CONFUTATION POPERY, In III. PARTS. WHEREIN, I. The Controverfy concerning the Rule of Faith is determined. II. The particular Doctrines of the Church of Rome are Confuted. III. The Topijh Objections againft the Church of England are Anfwer'd. By THO. BENNET^D.D- Vicar of St. Giles'/ Cripplegate. THE FIFTH EDITION. LONDON: Printed by M. JENOUR, and Sold by THO. A s T L E Y, at the Rofe in St. Paul's Church-yard. MDCCXXVHI. THE t PREFACE Stack Annex 5" O?D THofe Books, which have been writ- ten in our own Language againft the Corruptions of the Church of Rome, are of two forts ; viz. fuch AS treat of fome one or more particular Difpates, and are whollj filent concerning the reft : or Juch as are of a more comprehensive nature, and take in all the material Differences be- tween the Reformed Churches and the Church of Rome. Thofe of the frjl fort are very well ftor'd with excellent Learning : but the Treatifes being pngle, and confidently very numerous^ A good, Collection is fcarcely to be found ; nor can they be furchas d at fuch a price, as the feneraiity of Readers are able or willing to eftow upon them. Bepdes, it is A matter of fome trouble and difficulty to difpofe a con- jiderable quantity of them in A good order, And digeft them irito A regular body of Popifh fyntroverfes. A 2 As 2063312 The PREFACE. As for thofe of the fecond forty they AT 6 txtremefy fly or t. The Authors of them have faid fome general things : and rather propo~ fed their Reafons, than driven them home. Such D/fcourfes are fitted for the ufe of the tneaneft Readers, who cannot examin the tnerits of a Caufe, or enter far into it : but Men of greater Capacities are willing to go deeper, and understand the force of an Ar* gument. Wherefore, tko* the Nation is plentifully Jurnffid with Books againft Popery, yet 1 have thought it advifable to publijb the fol- lowing Confutation of it. Becaufe, though I have omitted fome unneceffary Difputes, and fyoken very briefly of feverai others ; yet 1 Am perfuaded, that thefe Papers will give the Reader a full view of all the "material Branches of th& Popifli Controverfy. *Tis true, 1 have not (fjewn the 'Judgment of the Ancient Fathers concerning it : but I think I have determined the great queftion concerning the Rule of Faith with fo much flainefs, that the Judgment of the ancient Fathers is for that retfon Juptrflaous, and the Reader ought not to expect it from me. For *twill be readily granted, that if the Scriptures do contain all things ne'ceffary to Salvation, as 1 hope 1 have frov*d in the frfl Part ; then, though the Ancitnt Fathers had really mantaitfd all the Popifh Tenets, yet The PREFACE. yet we may and. ought to reject them. Be* caufe 1 hAve [heivn in the fecond Part, that all the particular Doctrines of the Church of Rome, which are worth dtfyuting, are ei- thtr abfolutely falfe, or forbidden in Scri- pture, or not contained in it. BtfideSy very jew Perjons are Able to judge of the Opinions of the Antkrtt Fathers. No- thing is more common, than fvr each Party to charge the other with falfe or imperfect Quotations : and *tis impcfjible for any Man to tell who reprtfents an Author j airly , un- lefs hs be skilled in the Original, and have opportunity of confuting it. But the me- thod, / h.vue us^dj will enable even fuch as are not acquainted with the learned Tongues, or cannot have recowje to well-furnifljed Libra- ne ( , throughly to under ft and the prefent -D/- Jputes between us and. our Awer furies. For tf I have faithfully rendered fame few Au- thorities, which I have found it ncoeffgry to al- ledge (and for this 1 dare appeal even to the Popifh Pr lefts thewfelves) then any Per- Jon, who has an ordinary (hare of cowrnon Senfe, and an Englifh Bible , is a competent 'Judge of thefe matters. Jf it be objected, that thefe Papers are anfeafonable, btcauje we are not now in danger of Popery ; / deftre the Objectors to confider three things. a Firft, The PREFACE. Fir ft, That tb true, the Church is now more vigoroujly attacked front other Quarters. There are many pernicious Doctrines of a quite diffe- rent nature, which appear barefaced among as, and ought to engross the chiefeft part of our Studies. But yet we are ft ill obliged to examine the Opinions of our Popifh Adver- faries, and to remember the Grounds of our differing from them. Otherwife we (ball not fufficiently value the unfpeakable blefftng of the Reformation : nor (hall we prevent or frttftrate the future attempts of Popifh Emif- faries. Now if the Popifh Contr over fie s ought to be looked into, even when the danger of Po- pery is not apparent, and when Difputes of another kind do require the moft considerable fbare of our time ; certainly that Book, which will make us well acquainted with the Po- pifh Controverfes by be f owing only fome lei- fare hours upon them, is not only feafonable, but almoft neceffary. Secondly, How Jecare foever we Prote- ftants are from the Popifh Religion j yet cer- tainly *twill ever be a principal part of our Chriftian duty to regard the Souls of others : and we know there are many Perfons in this Nation^ who thd* living And converging with Prote- The PREFACE. Proteftants, do neverthelefs adhere to the Church of Rome. *Tis matter of juft grief \ that rve have- not as yet effected their Conversion. Would to God we could learn Z^al from our Ene~ mies ; and were as Indujlrious in the propa- gat ion of pure Religion, as they are of that which is miferably corrupted. Certainly the Papifts are not proof again ft all our endea* vors. Let it fljame A Chriftian to draw back^ when Chrift leads him on. Confider that we fight the Caufe of God, that we labor for the gaining of Souls ; and that whether rve fucceed or no, we fljafl be eternal) rewarded for fo great and glorious an Attempt. Let thefe Thoughts fill us with vigor, and force us to proceed. Thofe who havje jujl Notions of Popery ^ ought not to reft {atisffd that they themf'elves do abhor it : but they ought alfo to open tin Eyes of their Brethren, and excite the fame abhorrence in others -, that thofe whom Satan has bound for /> many years, may now l& loofed. Efpecially we ought to be diligent at this juncture of Time, when the Jeventy of our Laws do*s ficond our endeavors : and the consideration of their Temporal Intereft will prevail with our Adversaries to lend an Ear to our Reafons, and examine the force of them. Now 'fis poflible that this Book be i fbme meafure ufeful for the Con- a a verjim The PREFACE. verfion of Papifts; and therefore it cannot be thought unfetjonable. Thirdly, It may be added, th.it our Jea- loufies of Popery hone been lately revived. We know the relief's Spirit of the Romifh Clergy ; that they will lay hold of every op- portunity of eft.iblifotng their Superstition a* mong us, and that they will fpare no pains in endeavouring to extirpate what they call Here- fy : and therefore we ought not to be over-con- fident of our Security. God only knows what changes may happen, and what dangers do threaten our Religion. But without ad doubt it becomes uf Spiritual Mariners fo far at lezjt to think of a. Storm, as to make provifton againft it. tor fboald it fuddenly overtake us, ^tis to be doubted, tbxf many would make, Shipwreck of their Faith. Now "*tis pf./fible, that what 1 have writ- ten in the following Papers, may confirm the resolution of fime one or other, and make him more ftedfaft in what he believes. It may in- freafe his knowledge, and, (irexgthen him a- ?ain ft the day of Tryal. And. certainly, whatsoever may Jave a Soul from Death,, ought not to be thought un Cplcheflef, ftp. 13. 1700. 2S. J58S. > c 2. jtSil .J25. jeSs . .cy'f tjV A f i_P^ 3Sf S << 8? g THE CONTENTS Of the Rule of Faith. Chap. I. ' 1 ^Hat tbofe things which are not contained in the Scri- p fares, vaeie not revealed to the Apoftles. p. i chap, ii. That Tradition is utterly uncertain, 4d liable to great Corruptions. p. 6 chap. iii. That we have no remedy again ft the Vncertainty and Corruptions of Traditi- on, p. 20 cfiap. iv. That the Church is not Infallible. P. 22 chap. v. That the Scriptures do not command us to receive unwritten Traditions, p. $6 chap. vi. That the Scriptures were written on purpo/e to prevent the mi/chiefs aripng from unwritten Traditions. p 41 chap. vii. That we ought to receive the Scri- ptures upon the Tejtimony of Tradition, al- thtf we reject unwritten Traditions, p. 5 1 chap. The Contents. chap. viii. That thofe Doctrines which are not contained in the Scriptures , were not re- veafttfotte the Apojlles times. P- 54 chap. ix. That the Scriptures do contain all things neceffary to falvation. p. 60 chap. X. The frft Objection, that the Canon of Scripture is imperfect, anfiver^d. p. 6 1 chap. xi. The fecond Objection, that the Scri- ptures are obfcure, anjwer^d. p. 6j chap. xii. A fbort Summary of what has been J aid, in the former Chapters. P- 74 M" PART II. Of f&e particular 'Dottrines of the Church of Rome. Chap, I. ' \ General Argument ag&inft Po- XX P er y f r opos'd. P- 77 chap. ii. That the Doctrine of Tranfubftanti- ation is abfolutely falfe. p. 8j chap, iii. That the Doctrine of Tranfubftan- tiation cannot be proved from the fixth Chapter of St. John's Go/pel. p. 1 1 1 chap. iv. That the fixth Chapter of St. John's Gofpal do's not relate to the Lord's Supper. p. 1 1 3 chap. v. Objections againft the former Cha fter Anfaer'd* p. 122; chap. The Contents? chap. vi. That alt ho 7 the fxth Chapter of St. John'j Gofpel did relate to the Lord?s Supper, yet it cannot be under ftood in A Li- teral Senfe p. 127 chap. vii. That, alt ho* the fixth Chapter of St. John'j Go Ip el did relate to the Lord's Supper, and were to be under flood in a Li- teral Senfe ; yet it do*s not prove the Do- Urine of Tranfubftantiation, but direttly contrary. p. 1^4 chap. viii. That the Doffrine of Tranfub- ftantiation cannot be proved from the Words of the Institution of the Lord's Supper. p. i$6 chap. ix. That the Dcflrine of the Trinity, and the Doctrine of Tranfubftantiation, are not equally credible. p. 147 chap. x. Of the Adoration of the Hofl. p. 151 chap. xi. Of Communion in one kind. p. 1 56 chap. xii. Of Prayers in an unknown Tongue. chap. xiii. OJ the Worship of Angds and Saints. p. i8d chap. xiv. Of Auricular Confe/fion. p. 210 chap. xv. Of Satisfaction. p. 219 chap. xvi. Of Purgatory. p. 249 chap. xvii. Of Prayers for the Dead. p. 270 chap, xviii. Of Merits. p. 285 chap. xix. Of Indulgences. p. 289 chap, xx, Of Extreme Vntfion. p. 299 chap. The Contents. chap. xxi. Of the Popes Supremacy. p. } i o chap, xxii, Brief Reflections upon feme other Popifh Dotfrines. p. ^2 chap, xxiii. The General Argument agatnft Popery concluded. p. $36 PART III. ; Of the Popifh QljeSiws againjl the Church of England. Chap. I/ I ^ HE charge of Schifm from the Catholic Church, anfrer^d and returned. p. ^8 chap. ii. The pretence of our many Divijioxs anfwet'*d. p. 344 chap. iii. Of the pretended Novelty of our Re- ligion ; or &n anfiver to the common gue- Jlion a Where was your Religion before Luther? p. 347 chap. iv. Of the Invalidity of our Orders, p. 352 chap. v. The pretence of greater fafety in the Roman Communion, than in the Commu- nion of the Church of England, a^faer^. P- 354 CONFUTATION POPERY- PARTI. Of the Rule of Faith. CHAP. L That thofe things which are not contain' d, in the Scriptures, were not reveal'd to the Apoftles. BEfore I proceed to the examination of thofe particular Dodrines which are maintained, and impos'd as necelTary to falvation, by the prefent corrupted Church of Rome ; I think it neceflary to fettle that great and fundamental A poinc 2 Of the Rule of Faith. Part. I. point of the RULE of FA 1 7 If. In treating ot which, I ihall not meddle with any fubtile nice- ties concerning the nature and properties of aRule : but endeavor to ihew with all poffible plainefs, that the Bilk is a perfeEl Rule of Faith ; or, which is the very fame in other words, that the Holy Scriptures do contain all things mceffary to fal- vation. This I fhall attempt in the following manner. Both Proteflants and Papifls are agreed, thatGod has reveal'd all thofe things which are neceflary to falvation ; and that the Holy Scriptures do con- tain Divine Revelations : and therefore if I make it appear, that we ought not to receive any thing as a Divine Revelation, befides thofe things which are contained in the Scriptures -, it plainly follows, that the Holy Scriptures, which will then appear to be the only Divine Revelations, do contain all things neceflary to falvation. Now 'tis certain, that we ought not to receive any thing as a Divine Revelation, without a fuf- ficient proof that it was reveal'd by God : and therefore we ought not to receive any thing as a Divine Revelation, befides thofe things which are contained in the Scriptures ; becaufe we have no fufficient proof that God has reveal'd it- For, if God has reveal'd fome particular things, befides thofe which are contain'd in the Scriptures, then he has reveal'd them either to the Apoftles, or to fome other Perfons : whereas I (hail make it ap- pear, that we have no fufficient proof that any particular things, not contained in the Scriptures, were reveal'd to either of them. - FIRST then, I fhall fliew that we hare no fufficient proof that any particular thing, not contain'd in the Scriptures, was reveal'd to the Apoftles. Cfiap. I. Of the Rale of Faith. j Apoftles. Now that I may not be mifunderftood;, I defire the Reader to obferve, that I do not fay, thatGod did never revea! any thing to theApoftles, befides what we find in their Writings. For it ap- pears from thofe very Writings, that they knew fome particulars, which they did not think fit to communicate to pofterity : and 'tis probable, that God made many great difcoveries of his Will to thofe firft Planters of the Gofpel, which being not neceflary for us, are for that reafon conceal'd from us. But I fay, that whatever Revelations God was pleas'd to vouchfafe them, it does not appear to us, that any of thofe things, which tho' not con- tain'd in the Seriptures,are now a- daiesfaid to have been reveal'd to them, were certainly reveal'd by Almighty God. And therefore, tho* fome things, not contained in the Scriptures, were never fo cer- tainly reveal'd; yet we cannot name thofe particu- lar things. Nor can we affirm upon juft and reafo- nable grounds, that any one Dodrin, which laies claim to the Apoftles Authority, was reveal'd to them by Almighty God, if that Dodrin be not contained in the Scriptures. The only argument by which our Adverfaries endeavor to prove, that God did reveal fome particular dodrines to the Apoftles, which are not contained in the Scriptures, is drawn from the te- ftimony of Tradition. By which word, as 'tis us'd in Scripture, we are to underftand that Holy Do- drin, which was immediately delivered by the Apoftles to the firft Chriftians, either by word of mouth, or in writing. But in the controverfies between the Reform'd Churches and the Church of Rome, the word Tradition has two different meanings. i. It fignifies a particular Dodrin, which is A 2 (aid 4 Of the Rule of Faith. Part I. faid to have been taught by the Apoflles , and is therefore call'd an ApoftnUcal Tradition. Thus, when we ask, whether Tt anfubftantiation, Auricular Con- feffion, Extreme Unfiion, &c- are Afoftolical Tra- ditions, or no ; the queftion is, whether thole par- ticular Doctrines were taught by the Apoflles. 2. It fignifies the manner or means by which any particular doctrin is delivered or handed down from generation to generation. And this may be done, either by the Writings of the Perfons who teach it, and then Vis call'd a 'written Tradition ; or elfe by the report or Writings of other Perfons, and then 'tis call'd an unwritten Tradition. Thus for inftance, thofe Doctrines which the Apoftles or Evangelifts have taught us in their own Wri- tings, I mean, in the New Teftament, are handed down to us by written Tradition : whereas thofe Doctrines which are not fo taught, but are faid to have been deriv'd from them, either by the report of fucceffive generations, or by the Teftimony of ancient Fathers,are handed down to us by unwritten Tradition ; that is, they were never committed to writing by thofe Preachers themfelves, altho* they may have been written a thoufand times by other Perfons. And from hence it appears that there are two kinds of unwritten Tradition. For Fir ft, if by un- written Tradition we under/land the bare report of "our Anceftors, fuch as was fpread from Father to Son, or from one Man to another, merely by word of mouth ; then that unwritten Tradition is diftin- guifti'd by the Name of Oral Tradition But Se- condly, if by unwritten Tradition we underfland the Teftimony of the ancient Writers, of the Church, who have deliver'd any particular dodrin in their Books ; then this Tradition (which we do there- fore Chap. I. Of the Rule of Faith. 5 fore call unwritten, becaufe it was nor written by the firft fuppos'd Teachers themfelves) is diftin- guim'd by the Name of Hiftorical tradition. Ha- ving thus ex plain 'd the feveral acceptations of Tra- dition, I muft now defire the Reader to obferve, that I ufe the Word in the latter fenfe of the two, that is, it fignifies unwritten tradition in general, comprehending both Oral and Hiftorical, in the following difcourfe. Now 'tis fully agreed between us and our Ad- verfaries, that thofe Doctrines which we find in the Scriptures were moft certainly reveal'd to the Apoftles by Almighty God ; becaufe we are af- fur'dof the Revelation of them by the written Tra- diticn of the Apoftles themfe'ves : but then our Ad- verfaries proceed much farther. They teil us, that by the report of all former generations, and by the Writings of the Primitive Fathers (that is, both by Oral and Hiftorical 'Tradition) they have found out other doctrines ; which tho' not con- tain'd in the Scriptures, were neverthelefs taught by the Apoftles, and reveaTd to them by Almighty God,and handed down to us by this unwritten 'Tra- dition. But to this I anfwer, Firft, that there is no 'Tradition for thofe do- ctrines which our Adverfaries wouid fain obtrude upon us. But becaufe I cannot juflify this reply, and prove it to be fufficient, without fearching into the Books of the Ancient Fathers, and fhewing the vanity of this pretence to Tradition, by deducing the Hiftory of thefe and the oppofite Doctrines thro' the firft and purefl Ages of the Church ; and becaufe this Method of proceeding is not only tedious > but will alfo oblige me to in- lift upon very many authorities, taken from thofe who have written in the Learned Langnages ? which A 3 many 6 Of the Rale of Faith. Part I. many readers have neither time nor abilites to examin ; therefore I (hall rather chufe to an- fwer, Secondly, that tho' they could juftly pretend to an ancient unwritten Tradition ; yet the teftimony of bare Tradition is not a fufficient proof, that any par- ticular Dottrin not contain d in the Scriptures, -was reveal* d to the Apoftles by Almighty God. And this will appear, ifc we confider the following parti- culars ; Firft, that Tradition is utterly uncertain, and li- able to great Corruptions. Secondly, that -we ha've no remedy agaivft the Un- certainty and Corruptions of Tradition. CHAP. IL That Tradition // utterly uncertain, ana li~ able to great Corruptions. J. I ^Hen, Tradition is utterly uncertain, and liable JL to great Corruptions' The Heathen My- thology is a fufficient demonflration of thisMatter. They received their Religion from the Reports of their Fathers, who were alwaies making fuch ad- dHonstoit, that at length it was loaded with abfurdities, and became both incredible and ridi- culous. I doubt not but their {lories had fome foundation of truth ; but the Folly, Superftition or Knavery of thofe Perfons who convey'd them do wn,had fo much debas'd and increas'd them with Lies and Corruptions, that in procefs of time the whole Hiftory of their Gods was one continu'd But Chap. II. Of the Rule of Faith. 7 But perhaps our Adverfaries may pretend, that the Heathens being without any revelations from the true God, might be the more eafily dsceiv'd by the falfe ones ; and that their monftrous errors in Religion were not owing to the Natural uncer- tainty of Tradition, but to the Malice of theDevil, who made it his great bufinefs to ruin the'r fouls by the grofieft Idolatry. Now in anfwer to this it muft be granted, that the Devil us'd his utmoft endeavors to corrupt the principles of the Gentile World ; and that they cou'd not fo well withstand his temptations, as thofe who enjoy the affiilance ofDivine Revelation : but yet it mufl be obferv'd, that when the Devil aim'd at their deflruction, he thought Tradition the readied way to compafs it- 'Twas by the help of Tradition that he de- bauch'd their notions concerning God and Reli- gion ; and from thence it appears that Tradition is a moft pernicious inftrument, if managed by the Devil's artifice. Nor ought we to imagin our felves fecure from the mifchief of it, becaufe we enjoy the benefit of theGofpeI,and have a greater and clearerlight than the Heathens : for I fhai) fiiew that Tradition has ever been uterly uncertain and liable to great Corruptions, notwithftanding the brighteft Reve- lations that God has ever vouchfaPd to Mankind. And I am fure, we have too many proofs, that the Devil is as able and as willing to deceive and de- ftroy in thefe daies,as he was in thofe of otirFore- fathers. I fuppofe our Adverfaries will allow, that God vouchfafd frequent Revelations to the Patriarchs before the Law, and fufficiently inilructed diem in his Will. Nor can we doubt but thofe holy Men us'd their beft endeavors tp propagate the A 4 Do- 8 Of the Rule of Faith. Parti. Doftrin they received ; that by being Preachers of Righteoufnefs they might reform theLives of their Brethren. Befides, it appears from Scripture that Methufalemy who was 243 years old when Adam dy'd, liv'd till Sent the fon of Noah arriv'd at the Age of 98 years. So that Sem dying 600 years old, and 502 years after the Flood, which was brought upon the World 1 6^6 years after the Cre- ation of it ; it is manifeft, that thefe three Perfons, Adam, Methufalem and Sem, fill'd up the fpace of 2158 years. Now in thefe Times it is obfervable, not only -that the Lives of Men were extremely long, but alfo that the principles of their Religion were ex- tremely few ; fo that it might be convey *d with much greater eafe and fafety, than we can expect in our prefentCircumftances. Nay, Sem cou'd re- ceive the moft exact informations from Methufa- lem y who might be aflur'd of every particular from the Mouth of Adam himfelf, who liv'd for a while in the State of Innocence, and was the firft Man that God created. The cafe was much the fame with refpect to the reft of Noah's Children, who liv'd before the Flood, and were able to fpread an exact account of God's Holy Will, and his ter- rible Judgments, thro* all the World. All thefe things meeting together made much more for the fecurity and prefervation of Tradition, and were infinitely better able to maintain the pu- rity of it, than any the fucceeding Ages cou'd ever pretend to. And yet Tradition, tho' attended with fuch unparallel'd circumftances, cou'd not faithfully convey even the Natural Religion, but mix'd it with numberlefs errors j infomuch that Idolatry was foon pra&is'd, and God was con- (even during Sems life time) to make new Chap. II. Of tke Rule of Faith. 9 new and immediate Revelations to the Patriarch Abraham. Again, 'tis granted, that the Jewijb Church worfhipp'd the trueGcd, and had excellent oppor- tunities of preferving their Traditions, and preven- ting the Corruptions of them. They had not only the Books or" Mofes, but a fucceffion of Pro- phets alfo, to examm them by. And yet, in fbight of all thefe great advantages, when once they were made to think, that they ought to re- ceive Tiadittcns, tho' faid to be deiiv'd from M^ fes himfelf- ; they entertain'd and taught fuch abo- minable doctrines, that our Savior faid, they did traxfgrtji t!:e Commandment of God by their Tra- dition, Matt. 15-3- Mark 7. 7. Tho' God had exprefly told them, Dc-ut. 12. 32. W/bdtfeever I command }ou y c,bferve to do it; ye Jhall not add to it, nor dimmijh from it ; yet they neglected feme of God's moll important Precepts, and made the Commandments of God of mne effect thro' their Tra* dition, Matt. 15.6. They were led by the autho- rity of tradition to believe that the Meffias fliou'cl be a Temporal Prince ; and upon this ground they refilled the evidence of thofe Arguments, by which our Savior prov'd himfelf to be the Meffias. So that their final obflinacy, and hatred of Chrift, their putting him to death, and the perfecutionof his difciples and followers, were the fad eftecls of their adhering to an uncertain and corrupted Tra- dition. If we look into the State of the Chriftian Church, we hall find many inftances of the fame nature. Papias, who liv'd in the beginning of the fecond Century, made it his buiinefs to colled Traditions. He convers'd with thofe, wl o were in- timately acquainted with the Apoftles; and wrote thofe io Of the Rale of Faith. Part I. thofe Relations which they ddiver'd to him ; and yet we cannot rely upon the credit of his Re- ports. For he vented a parcel of idle (a) Tales; and amongft the reft he delivers the Do&rin of the Millennium for a certain truth. Nay farther, Irenaus who receiv'd this Story from Papias, gives (b) us ( if you'l believe him) the very words of our Savior Chrift concerning it. 'Tis manifefl alfo, that all the Ancient Fathers believ'd it j and even St. Jerome himfelf, who did not want cou- rage, was aimed afraid (c) to write againft it, be- caufe it was fo univerfally receiv'd in his daies, So that we have not half the evidence for any ( a) Kou ftva. AXet c/A. ff7 ^ >j \SGKSWV fifyttf- Eufcb. Hift. Eccl. lib. 3. cap. 39 Edit. Ptlef. Mogunr. 1672. C^)Prxdiaaitquebenediftioadtempora regni fine con- tradiftione pertinet, quando regnabunt jufti furgcntes a mortuis : quando & creatura renovata & liberta, multitu- dinem fruftificabit universe efcse, & rore cxli, & ex fertili- rate terrae : quemadmodum Presbyter! meminerunt, qui Jo- hannem difcipulumDomini viderunt,audiffe fe ab eo, quem- admodum de temporibus illis docebac Dominus,& dicebar, Venient dies,in quibusVineae nafcenter fingulsedecem mil* lia palmicum habentes,8cin uno palmite dena millia brachio- rum^f./rew.adv.Hxref. lib. 5. cap. 33. Edit, Fettarctent.PuriC. 1675. (c) Ncc ignoro quanta inter homines fententiarumaiver- fitas fit. Non dico de Myfterio Trinitatis, cujus refta con- fefllo eft ignoratio fcientix : fed de aliis ecclefiafticis dogma* tibus j de refurreftione fcilicet, & deanimarum & huma- nx carnis flatu, de repromiiHonibus futurorum ; quo modo debeantaccipi, &quaratione intelligenda fit Apocalypfis fykannit: quam fi juxta litteram accipimus, Judaisandum eft ; fi fpiritualiter, ut fcriptaeft, diilerimus,multorum ve- terum videbimur opinionibus contraire : Latinorum, Tertvl- liani,yiiorini t Laftantii : Graecorum, ut cseteros praetermit- tam, Hirenti tantum, &c. ut prjefaga mente jam cernam, quanrorum in me rabies concitanda fit. Hierw* in Ifaiam, Kb, 18, frocm, Paris. 1613. other Chap. II. Of tie Rule of Faith. n other opinion,that comes recommended by Tradi- tion j which we have for this Millenary Dodrin. And yet the Papifts themfelves do rejed this Do- &rin, which has above all others the greateft ap- pearance of truth, and perhaps the fmalleft Num- ber of ill confequences. Baronius (d) calls it aa error in Papias ; and faies, 'twas afterwards an He- refy in Appollinaris , wifely adding this necedarjr caution, that ( e ) We mujt learn from the example of Papias to make a choice in Traditions, atid net be- lieve any thing, which a Man faies hz receivd from the Tradition of the Ancients. We are alfo told by Du Pin, when he is (peaking of this (/ ) Wri- ter, that We mufl not -wonder if be has made er/ort and falfities pafs for fentiments of the Apojlles, axul related iabukus ftories as real truths. Wi-ich ttacfaf us that there is nothing fi dangerous in matters $ Religion, as rafoly to believe and greedily to embrace every thing -which has the appearance of Piety, -wit/j- out conjidtrivg uhether it be true or no. Now if Men were ib apt to be deceiv'd, and (d) Error Hie irrepfit in nonnullos Fideles, au9ore Epifcopo Hierapolitano, dcMilienario j qui tamen non eoisf- que progrefTus eft, ur tranfiretin hsereftm, nift poftquamia Jftllm&rt. quieum pertinaciuspropugnabat, a Dam&fo Papa Cut fuo loco dicemus) damnatus eft. Baron, ad annum nH. jintverp. 1617. (e) Ex quibus facile intelligas in Tradttintibut habenduni efle deleftum ; ut non mox ut quis fe aliquid ex majortmt Tradltione accepifle tradit (ut de Papia accidie) fidem iTi omncs adhibeant. B*rtn. ibid. (/) II nc faut pas s'etonner, s'il a fait paffcr des erreurs, & des faufletez pour des fentimens des Apotres, 8c s'il a con- te des Hiftoires fabaleufes comme les veritables. Cc qoi nous montre que rich n'eft (i dangereux en matiere de Re- ligion, que de croire legerement, & d'embrafler avidcmei* tout cequi a Tapparence de piete, fans confiderer, s'il en a la verite.Da Pin. Biblioth, Tomeprem. pag. 53. A P*n/,iX. 'gQ? Of']" 'TA'f^V cmTiK&V if 't%. Eufeb. Hift. Ecclcf. lib. 5. cap. 23. KJ/ (inquic Polycrates, qui praefuit Epifcopis Afianis) ' - et i%ie/{oV7o. Sozomen. Hift. Ecclef. //. 7. cap. 19. Edit. Va'lclf Par//. i6(58. Chap. IT. Of the Rale of Faith. 15 fifties St. Paul and St. Peter, and continud doiw to their own T'lmei. I fuppofe our Adverfaries will not fay, that the Apoftles prefcrib'd different Cuftoms in different Countries ; for if they did, I pray what (hall we think of Pope Vitlor, who excommunica- ted thofe that obferv'd the Apoftles Inftituticn; and how (hail we be able to juftify thofe Bifhops who agreed to neglect oneCuftom, and maintained an univerfal obfervation of the other ? And if the Apoftles did not prefcribe different Cuftoms, then it i'eems tradition is a very uncertain thing, which cou'd lead fo many perfons into fo great an en or about fo great an annual Feaft in fo fmall a com- pafs of Time ; and that too, in the pureft Ages of the Church, when no intereft or other worldly consideration cou'd have any fhare in the Cor- ruption of it. But were I obliged to number up all the inftances of doubtful and corrupted Traditions y my task wou'd be infinite and impoffible. Every age of theChurch affords too great a plenty of them -, and everyMan's reading and experience will allure him that 1 fpeak the truth. Nor is this thing to be wondred at, if we con- fider the Nature of Mankind, and the policies of Satan the Grand Deceiver of it. *Tis notorious, that Paffion, Affection and Intereft do govern, or at leafthave a ftrange influence upon the World ; and that the beft of Men are not exempted from thefe common frailties of Human nature. They may, I confefs, endeavor to correct the Vices of sheir feveral conftitutions ; but 'tis impoffible to be wholly free from them. This is the reafoti that Truth is adulterated, and receives a new tin- cture from every Channel it pafles thro'. Men are apt to fpeak as their inclinations lead them, and 14 Of the Rate of Faith. Part I. and to give a matter of fact fuch colors as they think it ought to wear. So that the fame thing is reprefented diverfe waies, and appears with al- moft as many different Faces, as there are different Perfons in the World. The fame may be obfervM of any Doctrin that is delivered -, for it is drefs'd up after contrary manners, according as Men are well or ill difpos'd for the reception of it. He that is fond of an Opinion, and either hears or reads an expreflion, coming from a judicious Perfon, that may feem to favor it, is foon perfuaded that the other a- grees perfectly with him ; and will back his con- ceit with the judgment of one, whofe authority fie thinks fufficient to recommend it. But if the Opinion thwart his inclination, and he wou'd fain be at liberty to reject it j then every argument is nicely examined, and fcarce any thing fhall be thought a fufficient demonfhation of it. We have every day moft notorious inftances of this common frailty, even in the beft and fincerefi Chriftians. Where is the Man that is wholly free from prejudice, and that does not find it the mofl difficult thing in nature to be truly and really im- partial ? How many Perfons that are wedded to an Hypothecs, do appeal to the Scripture for the certainty of it ? They feemtoimagin that the Heads of the ApofMes were caft in the fame Mould with their own ; that all the infpir'd Writers were throughly acquainted with their Schemes : and then to be fure the Holy Word of God does infallibly teach all their idle fancies. Thus do they unwittingly fall into a very dangerous error, and fatten their own follies upon the infallible Spirit of God. On the other fide, when Men are obftinately fee againft an Opinion, the bare found Chap. II. Of the Rule of faith. 15 found o a Scripture phrafe ftiall be cali'd a con- demnation of it j and thofe that (hall venture to de- fend it, muft exped to be charg'd with nothing lefs than Herefy and opposing the Scripture. This is a matter of daily experience j fo that 'tis impoflible for any Man to be ignorant of it. The difeaie is fo deeply rooted in our nature, that the moft pru- dent and religious Perfons are in fome ineafure af- flided with it. The ancient Fathers labor'd under the fame mif- fortune. Tho' they were eminently pious, yet they felt the byafs of corrupted nature. This is evident from their Writings, in which they have fhewn themfelves to be but Men. We that live at a diflance, and are not immediately interefted in their difputes, can obferve diverfe inftances of weaknefs, which we ought to picy, becaufe they are necefTary frailties. They fometimes load their adverfaries with fuch Charges, as we can hardly efteem jufl ; and aggravate fome things, perhaps beyond their due meafure. They do fometimes infift upon the flightcit matters in the heat of their difputes ; and lay great ftrefs upon fome arguments, which we cannot think conclu- five- When they were poiTefs'd of an Opinion, they feem'd as eager in the defence of it, as their Succeflbrs ; and therefore we muft not think it Grange if they were fometimes too hafty, and took thofe things for fubftantial proofs, which when narrowly fearch'd by thofe who have more leifure and cooler thoughts, appear to have been little or nothing to the purpofe. Thus 'tis probable, that the Apoflles might have fpoken many glorious things concerning the future flour ifh ing State of the Church, &c which Pafias being acquainted with, and having an aflfeftion for fome 16 Of the Rule of Faith. Part L fome earthly promifes, might eafily miftake fora temporal Reign of our Savior Chrift. Others that are pleafed with the fame thoughts, may apply Texts of Scripture in favor of them ; and think this Dcarin contained in God's Word, becaufe it is not exprefly contradicted by it. Si.ch are the efteds of a Warm Fancy, when it heartily efpouies an Opinion. . I do not now difpute concerning the truth ot the Millenary Doftrin. If the abettors of it have (as perhaps they may have) fubftantial arguments to evince it, I object nothing againft it ; only I contend that Tradition is a very weak proof, fince it might be owing to the temper of an Honeft Chriiiian ; who,becai;fe it pleas'd him well, cou'd eafily think it an Apollolical Truth. This may teach us to be fober and cautious in our aflertions; for tho* we are not forbidden to propofe an Hy- pothefis,and entertain our felves with fuchSchemes as we think probable ; yet we ought not to receive or impoie any thing for truth, which may not be evidently prov'd. 'Twere eafy to heap up numberlels mitances upon this occafion j but I am unwilling either to weary the Reader, or to difcover the Weaknefs of fuch Venerable Fathers. However, I am per- fuadcd, we may account for the far greater part of their Midakes upon this Principle , and I cou'd heartily wiih, that the much grofler er- rors of fome other Perfons were equally capable of excufe. Now if the humours and circumftances of Me have fo much influence upon their judgments, and the holy Fathers of the Church were liable to thefe infirmities ; if the Written Word of God is fo often ftretch'd and wiredrawn, even by tftofc who Chap. II. Of the Rale of Faith. 1 7 whohaveajuftefleem for it; if 'tis made to fpeak, what Men are willing to hear : and forcibly bent to that fide which is moil apt to pleafe ; if, I fay thefe things be true, and fo much violence may be done even to the Scripture it felf , how great is the danger of unwritten Traditions ; when not only a prejudic'd under/landing, an excufable fondnefs for an Opinion, an earneft defire to defend what is judg'd right, tho 1 by weak arguments j when, I fay, not only thefe things, but Confidence and Obftinacy, Deceit and Hypocrify, Intereft and Defign, and every wicked Principle which needs a forgery to affift it, has all poflible opportunities of making additions to them ? We know what wonderful Cheats have been pafs'd upon the World by Men of intriguing Heads, and hardened Foreheads, and deep Diffimu- lation; and what fbou'd hinder, but that fuch perfonsmay obtrude falfe Do&rines, which it may be utterly impoffible for us to confute, if a bare Tradition be thought fufficient to eftablilha Truth ? When the matter is indifferent, let us if we pleafe, believe a confident Report ; or atleaft not oppofe and contradict it, till we know it to be falfe : but certainly 'tis unreafonable to think that thing ne- ceflary to Salvation, which is grounded upon fuch pitiful proof. The Chriftian Religion wou'd be a very uncertain thing, and the Profeflbrs of it wou'd be reduc'd to great Mifery, and be utterly deftitutc of any reafonable hopes of Heaven ; if their Salvation muft depend upon the belief of Reports. 'Tis poflible they may never come to the knowledge of half of them ; or they may be corruptly deliver'd. 'Tis plain, they cannot have any juft Aflurance, any well feti'd Hope, which is as an anchor of the foul both fure and ftedfaft, B Heb, xS Of the Rule of Frith. Part I. Heb. 6. 19. if they are plung'd into fuch circum- ftances. We know how much our Practice is influenced by our Faith ; that 'tis eafy to debauch Men's Morals by debauching their Principles : and there- fore we have too much reafon to believe that the Devil does endeavour it. Now how is it poflible for us to efcape the Wiles of Satan, if we are ob- liged to receive Traditions upon the pain of damna- tion ? Why may not he make ufe of his ufual in- ftruments, and impofe lies upon us ? Why may not he imploy fome Wolves in Sheeps cloathing, whom we my take for fincere and upright Saints ; whilft at the fame time they may teach uamnable Here- (ies, and prove them by a Confident pretence to Tradition? Nay, why may not he abufe the Weak- nefs even of good Perfons, and corrupt the Chri- ftian Doctrine, by inticing them to reprefent Matters with a different Air, to give them another turn and heightening circumflances ; which being increas'd by the next Relator, may at length fwell that which was true in the Original, into a mon- ftrous Abfurdity ? Thus may the Devil deftroy the Vitals of Religion, and overturn the Gofpel by the help of Traditions. It cannot be deny'd, but that feveral errors have taken fanduary in 'Tradition. For befides what I have already mention'd, and innumerable other inftances which might be produced, we know that the (i) Valentinians, Carpocratiam, The- cdotiam, and other ancient Hereticks, pretended to Tradition. Nay the very Scriptures themfelves have been in danger of corruption by reafon of adv. Hacr. lib. i.a 14. 8c lib. 3.0. r, 2, 3,4. Tertull. de prsfcrip. c. 12, 15, 27. Evfelr- Hift. lib. 5.0. 18. thofe Chap. II. Of the Rale of Faith. 1 9 thofe Additions, which the Naz,arem and others made upon the Authority of Tradition. From whence it appears, that when Tradition is fet up, it undermines the Truth of the written Word of God. I know our Adverfaries will reply, that tho* 'tis poffible for Men to deceive and be deceived, and confequently to propagate miftakes j yet on the other fide it is alfo poffible for them to convey the truth : and that Providence will not fufrer Errors to prevail fo far as to corrupt the truth of the Gof- pel. But 1 defire them to confider, that matters of Faith, and things necetfary to falvation, oughc not to depend upon bare poffibilities. 'Tis poffible, I confefs, that Tradition may be kept pure ; but 'tis a thoufand times more probable that 'twill be corrupted. But, I pray, how is it poffible for thofe who live at a confiderable difhnce of time, to know whether it has been corrupted, or no ? The Experience of all Ages forces us to fufpeft it : nay, 'tis hardly poffible to produce an inflance of any Tradition, in which we are not able, even in thefe latter days, to difcover alterations and addi- tions, and to fhew mamfefr, footfteps of the cor- ruption of it. 'Tis in vain to fay, that Providence fUnds engag'd for the perfervation of it ; finceex^ perience contradicts and overthrows this pretence. Nor ought we to depend upon Providence, with- out either a reafon or a promife to ground our ex- pectations upon. In a word, no Man can fafely rely upon any one Tradition, unlefs he has reafonable grounds to think, that it has not been deprav'd ; and 'tis ira- poffible for h m to arrive at any tolerable fatif- fadion in this matter, unlefs he can be in fome meafure aflur'd, i . what every one of thofe Perfons B 2 were, 20 Of fa Rtfle of faith. Part I. were, thro' whofe hands it has pafs'd. 2. that not one of them was deceived himfelf. 3. that not one of them has deceived his Succeflbrs. But I am fully perfuaded that thofe who contend for the authority of* Tradition, will never be able to make out either aS t or any one of thefe particulars. I cannot without fome difficulty reflrain my felf from making further enlargements upon this point. Tradition has been the Parent of fo much mifchief, that it deferves to be fully expos 'd. But I muft not urge the tenth part of what may be faid againft it ,* efpecially fince any (ingle inftance or argument has force enough to weaken it's pre- tended authority. And I hope, what I have very briefly difcours'd, or rather hinted at, has made it plain that we cannot depend upon it ; be- caufe it is utterly uncertain and liable to great cor~ ruption'f. CHAP. III. That we have no remedy againft the Vncer- taintj and Corruptions of Tradition. BUT then, to carry this matter a little higher, I defire it may be confiderM II. That we have no remedy againft the Un- certainty and Corruptions of Tradition- 'Tis pretended by our Adverfaries, that tho* Tradi- tion is utterly uncertain and liable to great cor- ruptions, yet we cannot be deceiv'd by Tradition, if we admit none but what the Church has pro- nounc'd authentic. But I anfwer, that the Church is not able to atfure us, that fome Traditions are genuine Chap. III. Of the Rule of Faith. 2 i genuine and pure ; fo that we muft for ever re- main liable ro deceits and impoftures; Becaufe, if the Church be able to aflure us, that fome Traditions are genuine and pure , flie muft be able to do it, either by ordinary means, or by an extraordinary affiftance from Almighty God. Now I prefume our Adverfaries will not venture to fay, that the Church can afljure us, that fome Traditions are genuine and pure, by the ufe of ordinary means ; becaufe ordinary means have ever been granted to all Mankind, and yet I have made it plainly appear from the experience of ail Man- kind, that Tradition is utterly uncertain and liable to great Corruptions. If therefore on the other hand, the Church pre- tends to affure us, that fome Tt-aditiom are genuine and pure, by an extraordinary affiftance from Al- mighty God i (he wou'd do well to prove, that ihe has fuch an affiftance. Now this muft be prov'd, either by the teftimony of Miracles, or by a Promife granted to the Church in the holy Scriptures. If it be prov'd by Miracles ; thofe Miracles ought to be true, and well attefted and publicly known : but I am perfuaded, our Ad<- verfaries will not infift upon that fort of argu- ments ; and therefore it muft be prov'd from fome Promife of Scripture. Now 'tis not pretended by our Adverfaries, that God has made any particular Promife to affift the Church in the diftindion of Traditions: but they fay, that God has Promised in general that his Church fhall be infallible in her determinations; and from hence they conclude, that (he can in- fallibly determin what traditions are genuine and pure, J fhall therefore examine thofe places up- on which the Do&rine of infallibility is ground- B 3 ded, 2 Of the Rule of Faith. Part I. ded, and fhew that there is no Promife of the Church's Infallibility contain'd in the Scriptures, This I Ihall do in the following Chapter. CHAP. IV. Tb*( the Church is not infallible. NOw our Adverfaries endeavour to prove the Infallibility of the Church from diverfe Texts j and i. They produce Dent. 17. 8, &c. If there arife a matter too bard for thee in judgment, between bloud and bloud, between flea and flea, and between Jlroak and ftroak, being matters of controverfy within thy gates ; then t bou Jbalt arife, and get the uf into the f lace which the Lord thy God fiafl chuje ; andthoujhalt come unto the Priefts the Invites, and unto the Judge that fhall be in thofe days, and inquire, and they fiatt 'flew thee thejentence of judgment. And thou fhalt do accord" ing to thefentence, which they of that flace (which the LQrdJha.ll chufe) Jhalljhew thee \ and thou Jhalt obferve to do according to all that they inform thee. According to thefeutence of the Law whicb they Jhatt teach thee t and according to the judgment which they jkafl tell thee, thou. /halt do i thou Jha.lt not decline from thefentence which they fhatijbew thee, to the right hand or to the left. And the Man tha.t will dofrefumftuoufly, and will not hearken unto the Priefl, that Jiandetb to minijler there before the Lord, or unto the Judge, even that Manflaft die ; and tfou (halt put away the evil from Ifrael, Chap. IV. Of the Rule of Faith. * j Concerning this Paflage I (hall obferve Four things, i. That the matters to be determin'd are matters of juftice and right between Man and Man; fo that Religious matters are not mentioned. And for the farther confirmation of this, it is to be no- ted, that the Israelites were perpetually oblig'd by this Precept, to abide by the determination o the Perfons here mentioned ; fo that our Savior Chrid was oblig'd (as a Man) to do the fame : and yet I believe our Adverfaries will not fay, that our Savior, who was without doubt ready to fubmit to their authority in matters of right, did ever think them infallible in Religious matters ; efpeci- ally when they condemn'd him as an Impoftor, 3. I obferve that the People are commanded to a* bide by the Sentence of the Judge, as well as of the Prieft ; fo that the one has as much infallibili- ty as the other, g. That the Ifraelites are not commanded to believe the Sentence Infallible, but only to fubmit to it, as the proper way to decide Controversies. 4. That the Sentence was to be given according to the prescription of the Law ; (o that the Perfon who gives Sentence, is not for that reafon to be thought infallible, any more than one of our Judges in an ordinary Court or Juftice, Thefe things therefore being premis'd, I anfwer, l. That this paflage does not prove that the Jewijb Church was infallible in Matters of Faith. *. That if it does fuppofe the Jewijb Church to have been infallible in matters of Faith, it muft fuppofe the Jewijb Civil Magiftrates to have been infallible alfo ; which our Adverfaries will not grant. 3. If it be good arguing from this cafe of the Jews to that of the Cbriftia&s, then, upon fuppoiition that the Jewijb Church and Civil Magiilrates were in- B 4 fallible, 24 Of the Rule of Faith. Part I. fallible, it follows that the Chriflian Civil Ma- giftrates, as well as the Chriftian Church, are in- fallible. But this I fuppofe, will be ftifly deny'd by thole of the Church of Rome. 4. If this Text prove any infallibility at all, then that in- fallibility is lodg'd, not only in the whole Body of the Church, but alfo in every fmall Number or fingle Perfon, that (hall have been appointed to hear a particular Caufe. But the confequences of this Affertion are ridiculous. 5. Tho J this paflage did really prove the Jewifi Church to have been infallible in matters or Faith (which for the jreafons alledg'd can never be (hewn) yet it do's not follow that the Chriftian Church is alfo in- fallible in matters of Faith. For we cannot chal- lenge to our felves feveral of their Privileges ; and we may with as much reafon lay claim to their Urim and Thummim, &c. as to their infal- libility ; unlefs we can (hew by fome Text of Scripture, that our Savior has tranfplanted this particular Gift of Infallibility out of the Jewijh into the Chriftian Church. 2. They urge our Savior's Promife to the Church, that the Gates of Hett Jkall net prevail a- gainfl it, Matth. 16. 18. In thofe Words our Blef- led Lord afliires us, that his Church (hall not be totally deftroy'd ; but continue either in a prof- perous, or at leaft in an afflicted Stare, to the end of the World. Now 'tis freely granted, thar the perpetuity of the Church is herein plainly fore- told : but furely it will never be prov'd, that the Church cannot be perpetual, unlefs it be alfo in- fallible. They fay indeed, that Herefies may be brought into the Church, and by degrees deftroy all the Articles of the Chriftian Faith, unlefs the Church has infallibility to prevent them, But we anfwer. Chap. IV. Of the Rale of Faith. 2 5 anfwer, that God can eafily preferve his Church from being totally undermin'd and ruin'd by He- refies (which is all that is here promis'd) with- out the help of Infallibility : and therefore Infal- libility is not neceflary to the perpetual duration of it. 3. Becaufe our Savior fays, Matth. 18.17. ff be negletl to hear the Church, let him be unto thee as an Heathen Man or a Publican, they think the Church muft be infallible j for otherwife (fay they) a Man wou'd not be obliged to obey it upon pain of fuch a punifhment. But I anfwer this with an inftance more than parallel. I fup- pofe our Adverfaries will allow, that an undutiful Child or a rebellious Subject fhall (unlefs he re- pent) be eternally damn'd ; and that eternal dam- nation is as fevere a punifliment, as being thought an Heathen Man or a Publican : and yet I fuppofe they will not fay that a Parent or a King muft needs be infallible ; as if a Child or a Subjed cou'd not otherwife be damn'd for difobedience. This Text indeed directs to the Cenfure, which ought to be inflicted on thofe who difobey the Churches authority ; but it do's by no means prove the Church infallible, unlefs there can be no authority without infallibility. 4. Our Savior fays, Matth. 1 8. 20. H/here two or three are gathered together in my Name, there am J in the midfl of them : from whence fome Perfons conclude, that if he be prefent with two or three Perfons, he is much more prefent in a General Council; and if Chrift be prefent in a general Council, that General Council muft be infallible. To this I anfwer, i . that our Savior fpeaks of Men's offering up their Prayers to God, and pro- mifes them that their joint Petitions Ihall be gran- ted : 26 Of the Rate of Faith. Part I. ted : but he fpeaks not one word of an infallible determination of Controveriies concerning matters of Faith. This appears from the context ; for after he had fpoken of Church Cenfures, he pro- ceeds to Church Prayers, faying, Again 1 fay Unto yoUy that if two of you Jhatt agree on earth as touching any thing that they jhatt ask, it Jhall be done for them of my Father which is in Heaven. For where two or three are gather d together in my Name, there am I in the Midft of them. 2. Tho* this be moft plainly fpoken of public Prayers ; yet let us fuppofe it fpoken of two or three judges met to consider of Ecclefiaftical affairs. Certainly out Adverfaries will not fay, that every fmali meeting of two or three Ecclefiaftical Perfons is infallible ; as they muft of neceflity be, if infallibility be the confequence of Chrift's being in the midfl of them. 5. T'he Scribes and Pharifees (fays our Blefied Lord j Matth. 23,1, 2.) Jit in Mofes'j Seat ; all there- fore, whatfoever they bid you obferue, that olferve and do. Therefore in the judgment of fome Perfons the Scribes and Pharifees, and much more the Church of Chrift, muft be thought infallible. But I pray, muft not the People hear their Spiritual Teachers, unlefs thofe Teachers be infallible ? The Scribes and Pharifees were to explain the Law, and as far as they taught the People their duty, they are to be followed, notwithstanding their own wick- ed Lives ; and this we allow alfo with rcfpcft to Chriftian Paftors : for certainly the Jews o old, and the Chriftians now-a-days are obliged to pracWe whatever is prefs'd upon them out of the Word of God ; tho* their Teachers be neither good Men, nor infallible. But will our Adverfaries fay, the Scribes and Pha* rifees Chap, IV. Of the Rale of frith. 27 rifees cou'd not miflead the People ? What then {hall we think of our Savior's Words, when he fays, they taught for doctrines the commandments of men, Matth. 15.3. and calls them blind guides, Matth. 23. 24. fools and blind> v. 17, i p. and blind leaders of the blind, Matth. 15. 14. and fays, v. 13. WQ unto you Scribes and Pharifees, hypocrites, for ye Jbutup the Kingdom of Heaven againft Men: for ye neither go in your fellies, wither fuffer ye them that are entringto go in. And again, v. 15. Te com- fafs Sea and Land to make one Profelyte ', and -when he is made, ye make him twofold more the Child of HeS than your fehes? Nay, they condemn'd our Savior, and taught the People fo to do, and caft thofe that follow cl him out of the Synagogue, John p. and are notthefe infallible Marks of infallible Guides? Now if the Scribes and Pharifees were not in- fallible, as I think I have fufficiently prov'd: then that infallibility, which has been falfly at- tributed to them, do's not prove that the Chri- ftian Church is infallible. Befides, if the Scrites and Pharifees had been truly infallible -, yet it do's not follow that the Chnftian Church is infallible alfo. Becaufe none can enjoy that privilege, un- lefs God beftow it on them : and we muft not conclude that God beftows it upon one body of Men, becaufe (for fome reafons beft known to hirafelf) he did formerly beftow it upon ano- ther ; unlefs we are able to fhew the Promife, or prove the gift of it. Nay farther, if the Scribes and Pharifees muft be thought infallible, becaufe the People were to ob- ferve and do whatever they commanded , then every fingle Perfon of them was infallible ; becaufe the People were not taught by the whole Body of them together, but by one fingle Perfon at a time- Now a8 Of the Rule of Faith. Part I. Now if every (ingle Scribe or Pharifee were in- fallible in his .teaching ,- then, according to our Adverfaries way of reafoning, every fingle Chri- ftian Prieft muft be infallible in his Sermons. But, I prefume, no considering Perfon will affirm thefe things. 6. Some Perfons argue, that the Church is in- fallible, becaufe our Savior promised, Matth. 28. 20, to be -with it to the end of the -world. But we (hall think this Paflfage nothing at all to their purpofe, till they can prove it impoffible for our Savior to be with his Church, and Affift it with his Grace and Bleffing (which is all he promjfes in this place) unlefs he make it alfo in- fallible, 7. Our Savior fays, Luke io. itf. He that heareth you, heareth me ; and he that defpifeth you y defptfeth me ; and he that defpifeth me, defpifeth him thatfent me. Therefore, fay our Adverfaries, the Church js infallible. But, I pray, may not defpifing the Paftors of God's Church, who are Ambaffadors for Chrift, 2 Cor. y. 20. be grievous fin, and an a& of contempt againft his Majefty ; although the Paftors of the Church be not infallible ? Befides, if this Text proves any infallibility, it is to be found in every particular Preacher ; becaufe he that heareth him, health Chrift j and he that defpifeth him, defpifeth Chrift ,' and he that defpifeth Chrift ; defpifeth God, that fent our Savior Chrift. But, as I have already faid, no fo- ber Perfon will think every particular Preacher to be infallible. 8. Again, our Savior fays to Sr.Pffcr, Luke '32.32. But I have frayd for tbee, that thy faith fail not ; and when thou art converted, ftrengtben thy Brethren. Our Savior forefaw, that St. /toer wou'd Chap. IV- Of the Rule of Faith. 29 would deny'd him ; he knew that the Devil de- fiY 3 dto have the Apoftles, that he might Jift them as wheat, v. 3 1. and was fenfible ot St. Peter's frail- ty and cowardice, and was troubled at it. This made him pray for the perfeverance of all his Dif- ciples j and particularly, to tell St. Peter, that he had interceded for him, who was in danger of Apoftafy. But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not , I have intreated my Father, that he wou'd give thee fuch a portion of his preventing and affifting grace, as may not permit thee finally to fall away. And when thou art convened, and art fenfible of that grievous fin, into which thy weaknefs fhall betray thee, then do thou ftrengthen thy brethren. Do thou, who flialt then have been a fad example of human frailty, endeavour to con- firm their doubting and wavering fpirits ; do thou ufe all poflible arguments, and imploy all thy Zeal in pcrfuading them to be true to their Mailer, and take warning at thy great calamity. But now, which way will any Man be able to prove the Church infallible from this Text of Scripture ? Do's our Savior's Praying to his Fa- ther that St. Peter may not finally Apoftatize, or his advifing St. Peter to flrengthen his Brethren, when he was recovered from the fin of denying his Matter j I fay, do's either of thefe things prove that St. Peter the pretended Head of the Church, or that the whole body of the Catholic Church met together in a general Council, is in- fallible ? But I proceed. 9. Our Savior being about to leave the World, that he might revive the drooping fpirits of his Difciples, who were fill'd with forrow at the thoughts of his departure, promifes that he will fend them another Comforter, which (hall abide with jd Of the Rule of Faith. Part I. with them forever. If ye love me, fays he, John 14. i" 5, 16. keep my commandments. And I will ffay the Fatbery and he Jhatt give you another Com- forter, that he may abide with you forever* This promife was made to the Difciples only, and their experience prov'd the~ performance pf it : but which way it belongs to the fucceeding ages, I am not able to divine. However, wee'l fuppofe it made to the whole Church in general, thro* all the future Gene- rations of it ; yet how is it poifible to prove the Church's infallibility from it ,- unlefs all thofe to whom the Holy Ghoft is a Comforter, and with whom he abides, are infallible ? If this be granted ; then every good Man, who is the Temple of the Holy Ghoft, muft be thought infallible. But this Aflertion is fo very abfurd, that no confidering Perfon will maintain it. jo. Well i but this Comforter {hall teach them all things, v. 26. and therefore the Church muft needs be infallible. But this is eafily anfwer'd, if we confider that the words (as I have already faid) were fpoken to the Apoftles only ,* who as our Savior tells them, Luke 24. 25. wereyZotuo/ heart to believe all that the Prophets have fpoken* Therefore he promifes them, that the Comfor- ter fhou'd teach them all things , and bring all things to their remembrance, vohatfoever he had faid unti them. The holy Spirit was to open their Un- derftandings, and refrefli their Memories , fo that by comparing what our Savior did and fpake, with the ancient Prophecies, they fhou'd be ful- ly convinc'd of his being the true Mejfiah, and upon that conviction fhou'd boldly preach the Truth to all the World. And I pray, may not this Promife, made to the Apoftles, be Chap. IV. Of the Rule of Faith. j i fulfill'd, unlefs the Church be forever infallible ? However, let us fuppofe this Promife made to the whole Church in general in all fucceeding times ; yet there is no need of the gift of infal- libility for the performance of it : becaufe the holy Ghoft, in teaching the Apoftles, has alfo taught us all things. For by reading and comparing their Writings with thofe of the old Prophets, we are able to demonftrate the truth of our Savior's Miffion ; fo that we need not any farther evi- dence of it. But certainly no Man will ever be able to prove, that the Church is therefore in- fallible, becaufe God has taught her all things that are, either required to prove the truth of the Chriftian Religion, or neceflary to falvation by the Gofpel-Coyenant. God teaches every Man his duty ; but by teaching a Man his duty, he do's not make that Man infallible. Even fo God may teach the Church as much as he thinks con- venient j but tins may be done without making the Church infallible. ii. Our Savior fays, John 16. 12, 13. I have yet many things to Jay unto you ; but ye cannot bear them now. ffoiubeit, when He the Spirit of truth is come, he -will guide you into all truth ; and there- tore fome fuppofe the Church muft be infallible. But I fay again, that thefe words were fpoken to the Apoftles only ; and 'tis certain that our Savi- or cou'd guide his Apoftles into all truth, and make his will fully known to them by the mini- ftry of the blefled Spirit ; altho' the Church in fucceeding Ages were not infallible. If it be faid, that the promife is made to the whole Church in all fucceeding Ages ; I anfwer, i That it appears from the context to be plainly otherwife : but 2. Granting the promi(e made to the 7- / $2 Of the Rule of Faith. Part I. the whole Church ; yet we are well aflur'd, that the holy Spirit can affift the Church in all Ages, and lead thofe who are ready to follow his dire- ctions, into all neceffary truths, altho' the Church be not infallible. Belides, the holy Spirit has promis'd to lead all Men into all goodnefs : and I hope our Adverfa- ries will acknowledge him to be as good as his Word, altho' the beft of Men do fin every day. So that a promife to lead the Church into all truth, do's not make the Church infallible; any more than a promife of aflifting us to perform all good acti- ons, do's preferve Men from a poflibility of finning. i a. They alledge Afts 15.28. It feemed good to the holy Ghoft and to us t &c. from whence they in- fer, that the Holy Ghoft do's prefide in all the General Councils of the Church, and makes them infallible. But this Text will do our Adversaries no fervice, if the Context be confider'd. For when fame Men which came down from Ju- dea, taught the brethren and faid, Except ye be cir- cumcis'd after the manner of Mofes, ye cannot be fai)d\ verfe i. it was at length <&;o7/'^ thatPzul and Barnabas, and certain other of them ftou'd go up to Jerufalem unto the Apoftles and Elders about this queftion; verfe 2. Now when the Apoftles and Elders came together for to conjider of this matter ; and when there had been much difputing, Peter rofe up, v. 6, 7. the fubftance of whofe fpeech was to this effect; viz,. That it was not neceflary for theGentiles to become jfews y before they cou'd be receiv'd into the Church ; for that God had formerly fent him to Cornelius, and thereby plainly declar'd that he put no diffe- rence between Jews and Gentiles, but that in every Nation, he that fearethGod, and worketh righte- oufuefs is accepted of him. Then Chap. IV. Of the Rule of Faith. ? ? Then, when each perfon had fpoken what he thought convenient, James the Bifhop of that place determined the queftion, faying, verfe 13, &c. Men and Brethren, hearken unto me. Simeon hath declared (by inftancing in Cornelius) how God at the Jtrftdid'vifnthe Gentiles, to take out oj them a people for his Name, &c. Wherefore my fentence is, that we trouble not them which from the Gentiles are turned to God&c And accordingly 'twas agreed to write unto the Brethren, who hadfent Barnaba* and Saul, laying, v. 28. It jeemed good to the Holy Ghoft, who has plainly fignify'd his Will in the Revelation made concerning Cornelius, and to us, who are re- D , 5- . ow his di^ons, and walk by that Rule which he has fet us by his own example, to lay upon you, &c. This is the Natural Interpretation of the Text - and therefore it do's not appear, that the Holy Ghoft did at that inftanc infpire them with their relo ution : but that they gathered what was his Will, from a former revelation, and defign'd in this which was a like cafe, to proceed accordingly. bo that our Adverfaries cannot conclude from hence, that the General Councils of the Church are guided by the Holy Ghoft ; i.becaufe this do s by no means appear to have been a General Council. 2 . becaufe tho' it were a General Council, yet there is no particular guidance vouchfaPd to them; but they direcl themfelves by a former example. However, fuppofe it were quite othefwife ; fup- pofe this were a truly General Council, and that the Holy Ghoft prefided in it: yet our Adverfaries will never be able to prove, that the Church may depend upon the fame privilege in thefe days ; be- uie there is not the leaft fliadow of a promife in C Scri- 24 Of the Rule of Faith. Part L Scripture, by virtue of which Ihe may lay claim to it. 13. Becaufe the Church is call'd the Piflar and Ground of Truth, i Tim. 3.15. fome will haftily conclude, that (he is infallible. But certainly 'tis poffible for the Church to profefs all the neceflary truths of the Chriftian Religion (which is all that this Text implies) altho' it be not endu'd with In- fallibility. Ifuppofe, every Member of the Church of Rome do's believe that he profeffes all the Go- fpel truths ; and yet, I prefume, fcarce any Mem- ber of the Church of Rome do's think himfelf infal- lible. 14. To fuch as argue from Heb. 13.7. Remem- ber them which have rule ovsr you, &c. I return a fliort anfwer, That we may remember and obey our Spiritual Rulers, without thinking them infallible. And thus, I hope it do's fufficiently appear, that the Church cannot claim Infallibility upon the ac- count of any promife made to her in the Holy Scriptures. But I know, our Adverfaries will not quit their claim to Infallibility, altho' all their Arguments from Scripture fail them. 'Tis neceflary, they fay, that there fhould be an infallible Judge of Contro- verfies ; for otherwife God has not fufficiently pro- vided for the peace of his Church : and fince 'tis neceflfary there (hould be one, we are fure there is one. Now to this I anfwer, i . That their Argument from the neceffity of an infallible Judge, is by no means conclufive. For we cannot fay, that God has done a thing, merely becaufe we think it neceflary that he mould do it. They ought to {hew that there is fuch a Judge, that there is an infallible Authority in the Church; and this they ought to evince by fubftantial Ar- guments : Chap. IV. Of the Rule of Faith. 35 guments : but they muft not think to prove a mat- ter of fad by faying, // ought to be. "Pis confefs'd by all ProteftantSj that God has fufficiently provi- ded for his Church ; and this we affirm, not only becaufe he is naturally good, and extremely careful of it , but alfo becauie we do by experience find that he has made ample provifion for it : but tho* we cou'd imagine fomething, which to our weak undemanding might feem wanting, yet we dare not fay, 'tis neceilary for us. Nay, we rather con- clude, that it is therefore not neceiTary, becaufe it do's not appear that God has given it to us. Thus in the Cafe before us, tho' there were a feeming neceffity of Infallibility ; yet xve believe that there is no real neceffity of it, becaufe we have no fuffi- cient Reafons to perfiiade us., ti^at God has bellow- ed it upon the Church. But, 2. There is not fo much as a feeming neceflity of Infallibility. For the Holy Scriptures are fuffici- ently plain, and fit to determine all Controverfies concerning Religion , and this is the only end that Infallibility can ferve. If our Adverfaries object, That the Scriptures are obfcure, and that the fenfe of them is uncertain, without the affiflance of an infallible Interpreter j I crave leave to wave this Objection at prefent, becaufe it will better fuit with the latter end of this Difcourfe, wherelfhall give it a full Anfwer. Well then; iince we have no fufficient Proof that the Church is infallible ; certainly fhe cannot pretend to give an infallible Sentence. And fince fhe cannot give an infallible fentence' ; fhe cannot infallibly determine which are pure and genuine, and which are corrupted Tradition*. And there- fore, fince the Church cannot furnift us with a Remedy againft the Uncertainty and Corruptions C a of 36 Of the Rule of Faith. Part I. of Tradition, and fince there is no Remedy pre- tended to come from another hand -, I may fafely affirm what 1 undertook to prove, vtz,. That W* have no remedy againfl the Uncertainty and Corruptions of Tradition. Now if we joyn thefe particulars, which I think have been fairly prov'd ,- if, I fay, Tradition be utterly uncertain and liable to great Corruptions, and we have no remedy againft the Uncertainty and Corruptions of it; then it plainly follows, that the Teftimony of bare Tradition ism fufficient proof t that any particular Doflrine, not contained in the Scri- ptures, was revealed to the Apoftles by Almighty God. CHAP. V. That the Scriptures do not command us to receive unwritten Traditions. BUT I muft not pafs from this point, before I have anfwer'd two objections. And, Firft, It is pretended that the Holy Scriptures do oblige us to receive unwritten Traditions. This our Adverfaries endeavour to prove from feveral Texts, which I fhall examine in their order. i. Then, St. Paul fays, i Cor. n. 2. Now I praife you brethren, that you remember me in att things y and keep the ordinances (or Traditions ) as I deli- vered them to you. It feems the Apoftle did with very good reafon commend the Corinthians for fol- lowing thofe rules, which they knew and remem- bred that he had taught them : but will it follow from thence, that we ought to receive fome other things, tho* we do not certainly know that the Apoftles taught them > We we heartily willing to Chap. V. Of the Rule of Faith. j 7 to praftife what ever the Apoftles injoyn'd ; but we defire it may be prov'd that they in/oyn'd it, before we be required to praccife it. Now as to the Scriptures we are abundantly fatisfy'd, that they do verily contain the Dodrine of Chrift, as 'twas delivered by the Apoftles : but we have no Sufficient proof (as I have already fhewn) that thofe things, which are not contain'd in the Scriptures, were delivered by them ; and for this reafon we do not think it fit to receive them. If it be faid, That the word in the Original fig- nife Tradition and therefore we mufl receive Tra- ditions as the Corinthian* did ; I anfwer, That we do receive fuch Traditions as the Corinthians did ; thofe things, I mean, which we know to be, ac- cording to the true import of this Phrafe, Traditi- ens from (that is immediately deliver' d by) the Apo- ftles themfelves ; and for this reafon we receive the Scriptures : but certainly we are not oblig'd to re- ceive whatever is pretended to have been delivered by them, without fufficient proof that they did de- liver it. We do receive what is here call'd Tradi- tion (that is the ApoftVs own words) as readily as our Adverfaries : but tho" we ought to receive Tra- ditions in one fenfe, it will not follow that we ought to receive them in another. In a word, the Apo- ftle fpeaks of thofe Traditions which were certain- ly delivered by the Apoftles themfelves : and when our Adverfaries can prove, that their pretended unwritten Traditions were as certainly deliver d by the Apoftles, as thefe of which St. Paul fpeaks, the Proteftants will not dare to rejed them. 2. In the 1 6. v. of the fame Chapter, tis faid, // any man feem to t>e contention*, we have no fuch tuftom, neither the Churches of God. St. Paul had been fiiewing that 'twas not decent for Men to C 3 wear 38 Of the Rule of Faitb. Parti, wear long hair, or for Women to pray uncover'd. Judge in your f elves, fay she, v. 13. is it comely, &c ? But becaufe fome pecfons might reply, that it was not finful in it's own Nature, and then-fore they would follow their private humor, he adds, But if any Man, Jeem to he contentious, we have no fnch cu- ftom, neither the Churches of God. Thac is, Let fuch a perfon know, that 'tis not agreeable to our Cu- itom, and therefore he ought to forbear ; becaufe 'tis an offence againft Modefty to be fingular or fantaftic in our actions or apparel. Moreover, when an indifferent thing is injoyn'd, 'tis rebellion to neglect the obfervation of it. From hence it appears, that we ought to comply with all the prevailing cuftoms of the Church or Country in which we live, as far as they are con- fiftent with our Duty : but how it will follow from hence, that we ought to receive thofe things, whichr are faid to have been delivered by the Apoflles, for real and neceffary duties, I cannot imagin. We are very well contented to join in an innocent thing, which pretends to Antiquity, tho' we can- pot trace the original of it, and find from whence it fprang : but certainly we are not oblig'd to think every thing that is handed down, and perhaps cor- rupted, by we know not whom, to be an Apofto- lical injunction. Let Cuftoms remain, where they have obtain'd : but let not a Cuflom be thought $ Command from God. 3. Again in the 34. v. the Apoflle tells the Car rinthianf) tfa reft luiU / fet in order lul.en I come ; and doubtlefs the Apoftle was as good as his word. But how do's this relate to T'radmons ? Will any Man argue thus j "The dfo/lleSt.Pamlft fome things in order in the Chyrch of Cptinch, and therefore we Chap. V. Of the Rale of Faith. 3 9 ntufl receive unwritten Traditions ? Yes, fay our Ad- verfaries , for the Apoftle has not told us in any part of his writings, what thofe things were which he fet in order ; and therefore we cannot learn them otherwife than by Tradition. 'Tis true,, I confefs ; We cannot be inform'd from Scripture, and (what is ftill worfe) we cannot be inform'd by Tradition, what thofe things were ; and we reft fatisfy'd with our ignorance, becaufe we do not conceive it neceffary to falvation for us to be ac- quainted with fuch particulars. But if our Adverfaries wou'd prove any thing from this Text, they muft fhew, i. That thofe things which the Apoftle fet in order in the Church of Corinth, muft of neceflity be known to us. 2. That fince the Scri;vures are filent, therefore Tradition (tho* it be generally never fo uncertain and liable to corruption, yet) muft of neceflity be be- liev'd j becaufe in this cafe we have no better light. 3. That fince Tradition muft be credited in one (ingle point, becaufe that point is neceffary ; there- fore we muft always credit it, in fpight^of all the ftrongeft objections againft it, and the jufteft fuf- picions of it. Nay farther, that we muft efteem alJ thofe things neceffary to falvation, which are re- ported by it. When our Adverfaries have prov'd thefe Proportions, perhaps we may believe that the Scriptures do oblige us to receive Traditions* 4. St. Pfl#/fays, 2 Thejf. 2. 15- Therefore brethren ftandfaft, and hold the Traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word or our Efiflle \ and from this Text our Adverfaries endeavour to prove, that we are oblig'd to receive unwritten Traditions. Now to this I anfwer, That whatever is delivered to us by the Apoftles themfelves, as thofe Traditions given to the Theffaknians certainly were, we ac- C 4 knowledge 40 Of the Rule of FM. Part L knowledge our felyes bound to fubmit to : but we deny that this or any other Text do's oblige us to receive thofe unwritten 'Traditions, which are faid to have been handed down from Generation to Ge- neration, and to have been originally deriv'd from the Apoftles j becaufe it do's not appear by fuf- ficient evidence that the Apoftles did deliver them. In a word, I defire our Adverfaries to confider (what I have already faid } that by Traditions St . Paul underftands the Chriftian Doctrine, which he had deliver'd to them both by word of Mouth, and in Writing. Thefe Traditions we do moft cordially embrace, as far as they are contain'd in their writ- ten Books ; becaufe when we read thofe books, we read the Apoftles own words, and are fare that we learn their real Dodrine. But as for all other pre- tended Tradition!, we dare not affirm that they are deriv'd from the Apoftles ; becaufe we have no convincing proof of the derivation of them, and we dare not faften that upon an infpir'd Perfon, which we cannot prove to have been taught by him. We are defirous to follow the advice given to t Timotljj 3 i 'Tim. I. 13. to hold f aft the form of found words ; and we think it an unpardonable pre- fumption to add any thing to them- Whatever ' comesartcnded with fufficient credentials, we thank- fully receive as a meflage from God : but we dare not efteem that as a Meflage from God, which can- not be prov'd to have come from him. Therefore we muft intreat our Adverfaries not to infift upon the bare found of a word ; for 'tis not the Phrafe that we quarrel with, but the thing which is meant by it. If by Tradition they mean (with St. Paul) whatfoever is immediately an4 certainly delivered by the Apoftles, as the contents of Chap. VL Of the Rule of . 41 of the Scriptures certainly ate ; we contend for Tra- ditint with all poffible ZeaL But if by Tradum they underiland (as all Men do in this Difpute) the delivery of fome things which are not written in the Scriptures ; we make juft exceptions againft it ; bee aufe 'tis not fuch a method of conveyance as we may venture to rely upon. So that they mull not urge us to receive Traditions in this latter acceptation, becanfewe are willing to receive them in the former. For 'tis not good arguing from Tra- dttions in a Scripture fenie, to thofe which are ma- nifeftly different from them. We do not deny that we are commanded to receive Traditions ; but we fay that the Apoftle fpeaks of one fort ofTraditi- ouf, and our Adverfaries of another. 'Tis their bufir.efs to prove if they can, by any one place of Scripture, that we are commanded to receive thofe things for necellary and fundamental truths, which tho' not written or i'poken to us by infpir'd Per- fons, areneverthelefs reported to have been taught by them. But I am fully perfuaded that they cannot produce one fingle Text in favor of fucb Trait lions. CHAP. VI: Thtt the Scriptures were mitten onfurpofe to pre- vent the mifehiefs ariprtg jrom unwritten Traditions; N' A Y, the holy Scriptures are fo far from com- manding us to receive unwritten Traditions, that we have aU imaginable reaibn co believe, that they 42 Of the R ule of Faith. Part I. they were written on purpofe to prevent the Mif- chiefs arifing from them. Without doubt Almighty God had well confi- der'd our circumflances ; and the firft planters of Chriftianity knew the fad eftefts of leaving Men without a certain Rule in matters of Faith. The Devil had his Agents in the very beginning of Chriftianity, who endeavour'd tofet up their own Notions in oppofition to what had been Preach'd by our Lord's command. Our Savior had faid, Matth. 24. 24. T'here jhall artfe falfe Chrifls andfalfe Prophets, and jhaUJbew great Jigns and wonders, info- much that (ij it were pojflble) they Jhatt deceive the very ektt. This was verify'd in the times of the Apo- ftles themfelves, who quickly found that an Ene- my had fow'd Tares, and mingled their Dodrines with Errors and Lies. There was fo great a change wrought in the Chriftian Religion even in St. Paul's days, that he call's it another Gofpel, Gal- i. 6. And the fame Apoftle was fo fenfible of thofe terrible difficul- ties, which the Church was to encounter with, that he warns the Ephefians, Eph. 4. 14. of their danger of being tojfed to and fro and carry 3 d about with every wind of doftrine, by the flight of men, and cunning craftinefs whereby they lie in wait to deceive. And when he fent for the Elders of the fame Church, Afts 20. he us'd thefe Expreffions to them, and the Church of Ephefm it felf was foon de- flroy'd. T^he myflery of iniquity doth already "work, faith St. Paul in another place, 2 The/. 2. 7. and 'twas for this reafon that he charg'd the Philip' pians, Philip. I. 27. to ft and f aft in one fpirit, -with one mind, firming together for the Faith of the Go~ fpel. Now fince the holy Apoftles were fo perfectly aware of thofe troubles which threatened the Church ; and fince they had exprefs'd fo much Zeal in perfuading Men to be firm in their pro- feflion, and not to hearken, tho' themfelves or an Angel from Heaven (hou'd Preach any other Gofpel, than what they had preach'd, and their Converts had receiv'd, Gal. i . 8, 9. fince, I fay, they were fo throughly affected with the miferies that were like to befall the Church by reafon of falfe Tea- chers ; can it be imagined that they would leave the World deftitute of a fufficient rule of Doctrine and Practice , from whence Men might be throughly informed of all things neceflary to Sal- vation ? No ; our Adverfaries themfelves do moft gratefully acknowledge, that they have beftow'd fufficient care upon the Church. They do free- ly and thankfully own, that thofe holy Perfons hare faithfully executed the defign of our Savior Chrift, and made ample provifion for our inftru- ction. But alas ! If we examine that method, by which our Adverfaries do fuppofe that the Apoftles have made provifion for the Church ; we ftall foon perceive that it is very imperfect. For tho' we readily own, that as far as the Scriptures teach us, we 44 Qf the Rule of Faith. Part I. we have all reafonable certainty of the Chriftian Dodrine : yet our Adverfaries do contend, that there are forae things, which tho' not contain'd in the Scriptures, are neceflary to falvation ; and thefe things they fuppofe we muft learn from Tra- dition. But wou'd fuch wife and diligent Perfons as the Apoftles, who were able enough to write a compleat Syftemeofour Religion, give us fuch great aflurance of one part of it,and leave us doubt- full as to the other ? Do's it not appear that Tra- dition is generally uncertain and liable to great cor- ruptions ; and did not the holy Pen-Men know it: and wou'd they then deliver us over to the mif- chiefs of Tradition, without giving us any Scrip- ture command to receive Traditions (as I have prov'd they did not) or direding us to any me- thod of knowing what Traditions we muft re- ceive ? Certainly, 'twill be granted by our Adverfaries, that there is no reafon founded upon the Nature of the thing, which obliges us to receive Tra- ditions ; nay, we have the greatefl reafon to fuf- pecl: and rejecl: them : and therefore if it had been the defign of the Apoftles to oblige us to hear- ken to Traditions, and to build a part of our Chri- ftianity upon the credit of them ; they wou'd have been very exprefs in injoyning it, and deliver'd fome rules, by which we might be enabled to a- void corrupted Traditions. If the Church were by the Ordinance of God to be our Guide in diftinguiming Traditions , certainly we Jhou'd have had better proof that fuch a power was lodg'd with her, and that we ought to have recourfe to her, than any our Adverfaries have produc'd. We ftou'd have been plainly told, that fhe is infal- lible, and that we muft obferve thofe Traditions which Chap. VI. Of the Rule of Faith. ^ which (he has declar'd authentic. But then on the contrary, fince all their arguments for the Churches infallibility are fo very little to the pur- pofe, as 1 have (hewn ; and fince we are no where commanded to receive thofe Traditions which are handed down from generation to generation, as I have alfo fliewn , nay, fince the Apoftles knew the great reafons we have to fufped and rejed Traditions, and did not command us to receive them notwithftanding ; certainly we may con- clude, that they did never defign, that we their fucceflbrs fhou'd receive any thing as their doctrine, but what is delivered in their written Books. Nay farther, the Hiilory of thofe occasions upon which they wrote, do's confirm our opini- on, that their Books were compos J d on purpofe to prevent the mifchiefs arifing from unwritten "Traditions. For, as we are told by St. (a) Chryfo- flonty becaitfe in procejs of time Men were in danger of flumblirig, fome by reafon of their Opinions , and Bikers by reafon of their Life and Actions, fwas nece/far) that theyjhould be admonijl'd by -writing. And as Irenam (b) ipeaks, they did afterwards deliver the Will of God in Writing, that it might be a Foundation and Pil- lar of our Faith. (a) ' \i&vp.VYis. Chrjfoft. flom in Mace. i. Edit. Savil. Tom. a. pag. I. (b) Quod quidem tune praeconiaverunt, poftea vero per Dei Voluncacetn in Scripturis nobis tradiderunr, funda- mentum & columnam fidei noftras futurum. irsn- adv. H*re lib. 3- <*. I. 46 Of the Rule of Faith. Part I. Eujebitu (c) acquaints us, that St. Matthew bar wing fir ft preach' d to the Hebrews, when he was about to travail (that he might alfo preach) to others, gave them his Gofpelin writing in the Vulgar Tongue ; and by that means fupply 3 d the want of his prefence to thofe from whom he was about to depart. The fame is at- firm'd by (d) Nicephorw alfo, who feems to have copy'd it from Eufebim. >c Tis reported of Matthew t fays St. (e) Chryfoftom, that when the believing Jews came and dejlr'd him, he left thofe things with them in wrttingy which he had delivered by word of Mouth. And a certain (/) Author has thefe Words, ''Its faidy this was the caufe of Matthew'^ writing tis Go- fpel. When there was a gnevom persecution m Pale- ftine, infomuch that all were in danger of being d'fpers'd, they (c) iT4ff Hfat/, 710.7^ y^u-ffif yf '<&ct.fct^io!>i TV hsiTnv TVI OJJTX T? Eufeb. Hift- Ecclcf. lib. 3 cap 14. (d) 'Awri>& 3^5, TffflT- M79a7- o CK 7IXr/8 f G&Ttl&OV tiy-V MgU^tlf) \TT&7n% Ct-TKtifHV Niccphor. Hift. Ecclef. lik. i. cap. 4?. Edjr.Parif. ]<<3c. jTW )y TU/T <*pf- of f*w T>t eiTI diTive x * M*'o^ J dntt^iv f &}(!> W W TO Hift. Ecclcf. lib. 2. ef. 15. (b) Nieefhor. Hift. Ecclef. lit. a. cap, 15. 48 Of the Rule of Faith. Part I. afmucb as many have taken in hand to fet forth in order a declaration of thofe things which are moft furely believ'd among us ; even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were Eye- witneffes and Miniflers of the Word : It feemd good to me alfo, having had perfect under/landing of all things from the Very Firft, to write unto thee in order , mofl excellent Theophilus, that thou mighteft know the certainty of thofe things, wherein thou haft been inftrutted. Whom St. Luke underftands by the word Many ; or whether he were the firfl in order of all the Four Evangeliils, I ihall not (i) determine. Perhaps my argument might re- ceive fome ftrength from a resolution of thofe queries ; but I (hall forbear, becaufe I do not want it. 'Tis plain, that St. Luke's defign was to let Iheofhilm know the certainty of thofe things wherein he had been inftrufled He wrote his Gofpel, faies (k) Eufebiw, that he might free w> from controverted Opinions, and give m cer- tain information of the truth -, or that 7'heophilM t to whom he Addrefles himfelf, might attain to certainty, and continue in it , as St. (/) Chryfo- ftom fpeaks. Nay, as (m) Theophylatt explains it, that (i) See Beza in Luc. i. I. Genev. 1582. Maldonat. in Luc. I. J. Mogunt. 1602. Bafnagii Exercit. HiJl.Crit. pag. 372. Ultrtjcft. 1692. (k) ' AvafoetTlav fzf TWJ /afei i% aifaKf etnynelr* 'cawxw- r^gwf, TCI/ cty^otAM \oy>v - J)& TO tJYx 7m(iJb>My' day AK. Eufeb. Hift. Ecclef. lib. 3. cap. 24. (7) "IVA 'i'xys >t), "iva. u itypyqit ^TEX'PJ* S*va'rd of God. CHAP. VIII. That thofe Doffrines which are not contained in the Scriptures^ were not reveal'd fince the dfofiles times. SECONDLY, I am now to fhew that we have no fufficient Proof, that any particular Do- ctrines, not contained in the Scriptures, were re- veal'd to any other Perfons fince the Apoftles times. And this will appear, if we confider what Proof is fufficient to eftablifli a Revelation upon. The Apoftles prov'd their Million by the Authority of Chap. VIII. Of the Rule of Faith. 5 5 of frequent and unqueftionable miracles done in the face of the whole World ; and we have the greateft reafon imaginable to expect as good Proof of all the pretended late Revelations, as the Apo- Itles gave , efpecially fince we have ftronger Argu- ments againft the Reception of any new Doctrines, as neceflary to Salvation, than ever cou'd be urg'd againft the Doctrine of Chrift by the Jews or Gen- tiles. For, 1. If God requires new Conditions of Salvation, he makes a new Covenant with Mankind, and will not fufrer us to be fav'd upon the ancient Gofpel terms. Now J tis certain that God requires new Conditions of Salvation, it he reveals fome Do- .ctrines as neceflary to Salvation in thefedays, which were not neceflary in the Apoftles times , and therefore he muft be fuppos'd to make a new Co- venant with us. Now I leave our Adverfaries to confider, i. Whether God's making a New Cove- nant do's not difannul the Old one, as being lame and imperfect without thefe additional particulars. 2. Whether thefe additional particulars do not make the Gofpel falfe : fince the Gofpel promifes Salva- tion to thofe who believe and practife what God reveal'd by the Apoitles ; whereas (if God has reveal'd fome New Doctrines which are now ne- -ceflary to Salvation) Men muft now perform fome other things in order to it, befides what the Apo- illes have taught us. 2. "Tis an impeachment of the Wifdom of God to fuppofe that he requires new Terms of Sal- vation. For either he reveal'd thofe Terms to the Apoftles, which he is fuppos'd to have fince re- veal'd to the later Saints, or he did not. If he did reveal them to the Apoftles, and the Apoftles have not taken due care to deliver them down to D 4 the 5 6 Of the Rale of Ftitb. Part I. the fucceeding Generations of the Church (as I have {hewn they did not, becaufe we have no fujfi- cient proof that any particular Doctrine, not contain d in the Scriptures, TUM reveal'd to the Apoftles fa Al- mighty God then either the Apoftles were negli- gent in the performance of their duty, or they were not. Now our Adverfaries will by no means accufe the Apoftles of negligence ; and therefore we muft fjppofe that they took effectual care to preach whatfoever was injoyn'd them. If there- fore the Apoftles did preach all that God injoyn'd them to preach ; then it follows, that tho' Al- mighty God did reveal thefe pretended Doctrines to them, yet he did not then command them topub- lifii them as neceflary to Salvation. Now if God did not then require the Apoftles to publifh thofe Doctrines as neceflary to Salvation ; or if he did not reveal them to the Apoftles, but only to fome later Saints, and requir'd thofe later Saints to pub- lifh them as neceflary to Salvation ; it is a great impeachment of his Wifdom. For then he muft be fuppos'd to have chang'd his Mind, and to have inftituted a Religion which (tho' he defign'd it for the laft difpenfation, yet) he found good caufe to alter. 3. Our Savior purchased Redemption for us by his death upon the Crofs , and we may juftly claim Salvation by his Merits, upon the perfor- mance of thofe conditions which were then agreed on. Now the conditions then agreed on were ei- ther the very fame which the Apoftles reveai'd, and none other j or elfe the Apoftles reveal 'd only a part of thofe Conditions, and the Revelation of the other part was deferred, till fome future oppor- tunity fliould offer it felf. If the Apoftles reveal'd all thofe conditions, th,en 'tis unjuft in Almighty Go4 Chap. VIII. Of the Rttleof Faith. 57 God to require fome other Conditions, contrary to his Compact with his Son. But if only a part of thofe Conditions was reveal'd by the Apoftles, and the other part was to be difcover'd in after- ages ; then the firft Chriflians did not perform all the Conditions of the Gofpel Covenant, and con- fequently cou'd not claim Salvation by it. But this is fo abfurd and fo uncharitable a Doctrine, as I hope no good Man will maintain. If it be faid, that tho* God had made an abfolute promife to our Savior, yet there is no injuftice in the al- teration of it, upon fuppofition that our Savior's confent be firft had , and therefore the Father and the Son together may by mutual confent reveal fome New things, and impofe them as neceflary to Salvation ; 1 anfwer, That we cannot fuppofe two Perfons in the Holy Trinity to have made an over-hafty covenant, and afterward to defire each other's confent for the improvement of it. Befides, that this being liable to perpetual alterations, wou'd make the Chriftian Religion the moft uncer- tain thing in the World. 4. 'Tis an ad of injuftice to Mankind to require New Conditions of Salvation. For tho' our Sal- vation be the Gift of God, yet this Gift is now confitm'd to us by a Divine Charter ; fo that 'tis not in God's power to alter it by adding new Con- ditions, without which we (hall not reap the bene- fits of it. For God is oblig'd to ftand to his Pro- mife, and perform thofe things, which he has given us a legal Title to, and a juft right to require of him. Nay, 5. St. Paul has plainly forbidden us to receive any new Terms of Salvation, befides what he him- felf has publifh'd to the World ; faying, Gal. i . 8. Ibo uv or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gofpel <(8 Of the Rule of Faith. Part I. Goffelunto you, than that which -we have preach'd unto you, let him be accurs'd. Nay, he is extremely ve- hement in this injunction, as appears by his repe- tition of it in the following Verfe, faying, As we faid before, fo fay 2 now again, if any Man preach any other Gofpel unto you, than that ye have received, let him be accurs'd. Now 'twill be readily granted by our Adverfaries, that St. Paul wrote thefe words by the affiftance of God's Spirit ; and that they are to be underftood as God's Command : and therefore I defire them to confider, whether it can be imagined, that an All-wife and Immutable God wou'd publifli any other Gofpel than what had been preach'd by the Apoftles, after he had for- bidden the whole World to receive any other Go- fpel than what was at firft deliver'd. And yet this muft have been done, if God has reveafd any new things as neceflary to Salvation, fince the Apoftles times. Nay, farther ftill, 6. We cannot have better proof of any New Doctrine, than the Teftimony of Miracles j and yet our Savior himfelf has warn'd us againft ad- mit ting even that fort of proof; faying, For there {hatt arifefalfe Chrifls, &c. Matth. 24. 24. Behold, I have told you before, fays he, ^.25. that you may not be deceiv'd by them, And St. Paul tells us of one that comes with att power andfigns and lying "Wonders, 2 Thefi. 2. p. So that we have invin- cible Objections againft the Miracles themfelves, and all imaginable Reafon to reject thofe New Do- ctrines which are prov'd by them. Thefe, if I miftake not, are very weighty Ar- guments againft the Reception of New Terms of Salvation , and much ftronger than any the Jews or Gentiles cou'd offer againft our Holy Profeflion, For the Gentile Religion was eafily prov'd to be abfurd ; Chap. VIII. Of the Rule of Faith. 59 abfurd j and the Jewifi Law was to continue but for a time. 'Twas a type of things to come , and they were to expecl: an alteration of it. But we have the fureft Grounds to believe that the Chrifti- an Religion (as 'twas Preach'd by the Apoftles) was to be a /landing and perpetual Rule to the end of the World ; and we are exprefly in joyn'd to hold him accurs'd, that preaches any other Gofpel : and therefore, tho' it were fuppos'd lawful to re- ceive fome novelties, if attefted by Miracles (which neverchelefs we may and ought to diitruit after fuch Cautions ,- yet I fay, tho' it were fuppos'd lawful to receive fome Novelties) certainly we may juftly expect the mod convincing Demonftra- tions to prove the Divine Authority of any Addi- tions to it. Therefore let our Adverfaries produce their Credentials ; let them perform Miracles before our Eyes ; and do fuch things in confirmation of their Doftrines, as may at leaft equal what the Apoftles did in former days. But I am fatisty'd, that they will not pretend to fuch Testimonials. Something perhaps that is a little odd, may be faid to have been done in a corner ; or perhaps they may give us an old Story to prove a Revelation by : but we are not to build upon fuch fandy foundations ; or to receive a thing that is faid to come from God, without evident and fubftantialReafonsto afl'ure us, that God did certainly reveal it. Great things are moft juftly required at the hands of thofe, who fet up for new Lights and frefh Revelations : but we find no Performances anfwerable to their Pretences. Wherefore we muft take the freedom of withold- ing our aflent, till fuch mighty Deeds are fhewn, as right Reafon fhall not be able to diftruft. CHAP. 60 Of the Rule cf Faith. Part I. CHAP. IX; Thai the Scriptures do contun all things neceffary to Salvation: THUS then I have made it appear, that we have no fufficient Proof, that any particular Doctrines not contain 'd in the Scriptures, were reveal'd either to the Apoftles, or to any other Perfons : from whence it follows that God has not at all reveal'd any particular Doctrines not con- tain'd in the Scriptures. Now fince we are not to receive any thing as a Divine Revelation without a fufficient Proof ; and fince we have no fufficient Proof of any Revelations, befides what we find in the Scriptures; 'tis plain that the Holy Scriptures are the only Divine Revelations, which we ought to receive. And therefore, fince 'tis granted on both fides, that God has reveal'd all thofe things which are neceffary to Salvation ; and fince the Holy Scriptures are the only Divine Revelations which we ought to receive , it follows, that the Holy Scriptures, which are now prov'd to be the only certain Revelations, do contain all things ne- ceflfary to Salvation. CHAP. Chap. X. Of the Rule of Faith. 6i CHAP. X. The fir ft Objection, that the Canon, of Scripture imperfect, anfmr^d. N'O T H I NG DOW remains, but that I an- fwer two Objections. Firfl then, It is faid. That if the Holy Scri- ptures do contain all things neceflary to Salvation ; it muft be underftood either of the whole Canon, or of fome one particular Book. Now our Ad ver- faries may juftly conclude, that no one particular Book do's contain all things neceflfary to Salvation; if they can prove that the whole Canon do's not contain them : as they endeavour to make appear, by fhewing, that the prefent Canon of Scripture is imperfect ; becaufe diverfe Books which formerly belong'd to it, are now faid to be loft. To this I anfwer, i . That we can prove, that not one Book, that was once truly Canonical, is now loft , and that feveral of thofe Books which they inftance in, are now extant in our Canon, tho' under different Titles. But 'tis not cecefTary for me to enter up- on that difpute, becaufe this Objection will ap- pear to be of no force, if it be confider'd, 2. That the Queftion at prefent is not concerning the Num- ber of Canonical Books ; whether any of them be loft, or no : but concerning the certainty of Re- velation : whether we have fufficient "reafon to re- ceive any particular Doctrine, not contam'd in the Scriptures, as reveal'd by Almighty God. There- fore our Adverfaries ought not to urge, that our prefent Canon is imperfect : but they ought to prove that we have fufficient reafon to receive fomething 62 Of the Rale of faith. Part I. fomething that is not in our prefent Canon. Now I have examin'd thofe things, which it may be pretended we havefufficient reafon to receive } and I have prov'd, that we have no diffident reafon to believe, that God has reveal'd any particular things, befides what the Scriptures do teach us : and therefore the prefent Canon of Scripture (which contains all the Revelations that we have juft rea- fon to receive) do's contain all things neceflary to Salvation , becaufe 'tis granted on both fides, that God has reveal'd all thofe things that are necefla- ry to Salvation. Let us fuppofe therefore that fome Books which were once in the Canon, are now certainly loft : yet it do's not follow that we muft fupply the fuppos'd want of them by recei- ving uncertain "Traditions, Efpecially if it be ob- ferv'd, 3. That if any part of the antient Canon be now loft, God will not require the Contents of it at our hands. We mail not be punifli'd for not obeying, what we never cou'd read or learn. Nor are thofe things neceflary to the falvation of Chri- flians, which no Chriftian can attain to the know- ledge of. To this I may add, 4. That our Ad- veufaries cannot argue, that we ought to receive unwritten Traditions, becaufe fome of the Canonical Books are loft ; unlefs they can mew, that by re- ceiving unwritten 'Traditions, we may fupply the Want of thofe B^oks. Now this cannot be made appear, unlefs it be fhewn ; Firft, What the Con- tents of thofe Books were. Secondly, That thofe Contents are prefcrv'd in unwritten Traditions. But how is it poffible for them to prove that the Con- tents of any Book are preferv'd, when the Book is fo utterly loft, that they are not fure of one page of the Contents of it ? CHAP. Chap. XL Of the Rule of Faith. 6; CHAP. XI. The Second Objection, that the Scriptures are obfcure^ anfwer'd. SEcondly, 'Tis objected that whatever the Scri- ptures do contain, 'tis certain that they are fb very obfcure, that ordinary perfons cannot un- derftand them. To this I anfwer, i. That our prefent Queftion is not concerning the obfcurity of the Scriptures, but concerning the perfection of them. And therefore it is fufficient for my prefent purpofe, if all things neceflary to Salvation are contain'd in the Scriptures ; whether they be plain- ly taught, or no. But 2. for the full fatisfaction of our Adverfaries I (hall fhew, that the Scriptures are by no means obfcure in thofe points which are neceflary to Salvation. There are indeed fome knotty Texts, fome dark Paffages, which even the Learned are puzl'd with : but our Adverfaries will never be able to feew, that the underftanding of thofe parts of the Bible is neceflary to Salvation. Nay farther,perhaps fome Texts may contain things neceflary to Salvation, tho' the meaning of thofe paflages be not obvious to every capacity, or to a carelefs Reader. But then, when they meet with Intricacies, Men ought to ufe greater application and induftry, and to take advice of their Spiritual Guides. Such Methods will enable them to fur- mount all the difficulties of the Sacred Pages, as far as is neceflary in order to their Happinefs : and fince the welfare of their Souls depends upon it, certainly they ought not to be fparing of their labour. Now if fuch Texts may be underftood at 64 Of the Rule of Faith. Part T . at all (tho' it coft a Chriflian fome little trouble) the charge of Obfcurity is fairly remov'd. The eaiie\L and moll certain Demonftrations in the Mathematics, do require fome confiderable atten- tion j and yet none can object againft the clearnefs of them. Even fo thofe necelTary points (if any fuch be lefs plainly deliver'd) may with due care be well underltood. Now that the Holy Scriptures are in this fenfe fu'fficiently plain and intelligible, will appear if we coniider the following particulars. Fnfi, That all Men are to be judg'd by the Scriptures, Rom. 2. 16. Now can it L>e imagined that Men (hall receive the Sentence of Condemnation to eternal Fire, for not practifing thofe Rules, or believing thofe Doctrines of the Gofpel, which were fo very obfcurely laid down, that they could not poffibiy understand them ? Secondly, 'T\s a reproach call upon the Wif- dom of God, to fuppofe that he wqu'd fend forth a Book containing his Divine Will j and yet fuffer it to be fo myftcrious, that Men fiiou'd not be able to unriddle the meaning of it, even in thofe mat- ters which do fo nearly concern them. Certainly, when God undertook to inform us by writing, and was fo well able to fute his Expreffions to our capacities ; he wou'd by no means leave us utterly in the dark- Thirdly, Thofe who ftudy the Bible, do learn feveral things which are not neceflary to Salvation , and can it be thought that God wou'd make thofe things which are not necellary to Salva- tion, plainer than thofe that are ? Fourthly, The Scriptures are defcrib'd as very plain and intelligi- ble. The Ward of Faith which we preach, i:.y s St. Paul, is nigh thee, even in thy month and in thy Heart, Rom. 10. 8. it commends it felf to every Mans confci- eme in the fight of Gvd, 2 Cor. 4. 2. But if our Gofpel Chap. IX. Of the Rule of Fiirti 6$ Gofpel be hid, faies the fame Apoftle ( 11. 3, 4. )jt is hid to them that are hft ; in whom the god of this World has blinded the eyes of them which believe not. So that the Scriptures cannot be faid to be obfcure in neceflary points ; but thofe who difobey and do not underftand them, are blind. If any Man teach otberwftf and confent net to wholfom "words, even the Words of our Lord Jefus Chrifl, and to the Doftrin which is according to Godlinefs ; he is (not weak, but) proud, &c. and will not be in- form 'd ; i Tim. 6. 3,4- Thy Word (faies David, Pfal. 1 1 p. 105.) is a lamp unto my feet ; and a light un- to my path. The way of the Lord is perfeEl, converting the foul : the Teflimony of the Lord is fure, making wife the Jtmple. The Statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart : the commandment of the Lord is purej enlightningthe eyes ; Pfal. ip. 7, 8. But certain- ly the word ot" God wou'd not deferve thefe Cha- racters, if it were fo obfcure as our Adverfaries pretend. It is alfo able to make Men wife unto falvation, 2 Tim. 3. 15. and therefore it muft be plain enough in things neceflary to Salvation. Timothy knew the Scriptures from a Child, as we read in the fame place ; and furely then they were not fo very dark. Nay, how can we be obliged tp prove all things, and hold faft that which is good, i The(f. 5. 21. and how can we be commanded to judge what the ApoIHe faies, i Cor. 10. i?- if the Scriptures, which are our rule, be fo very ob- fcure even in neceflary matters, that we cannot judge or prove things by them ? Fifthly, We ap- peal to experience, whether the Scriptures be noc very plain in fuch neceflary matters. Let our Ad- verfaries fliew us, if they can, any one thing ne- ceflary to Salvation, whjch is not fairly intelli- gible to thofe, who will beftow a little pains, and 66 Of the Rule of Faith. Part. I. and have but an ordinary underftanding. They tell us indeed, that the Doftrines of the Trinity, Incarnation, &c. are very obfcure ; but we reply, thattho' they are obfcure to our conceptions, yet they are very plainly deliver'd to us. We know that there are fuch truths ; but we (hall never be able to comprehend them- Nor is it neceffary to Salvation, that we fliould determin all the School-queftions concerning them. J Tis enough if we acknowledge the things themfelves : and fo much may be eafily gather'd from plain Scrip- tures. Well, but our Adverfaries fay, the Scriptures do affirm themfelves to be obfcure. Now to this I anfwer, that feveral paflages in the holy Scrip- tures are confefs'd to be obfcure : but the queflion is, whether the Scriptures are not Efficiently plain in matters neceflary to Salvation. If our Adver- faries wou'd prove any thing, let them make out this Propofition, that the Scriptures do declare, that fome things mcejfary to fahation are fo ol>- fcurely deliver'd in them, that even by the help of induftry, Men cannot underftand them. This I am perfuaded, they will never evince by thofe Ar- guments which are produc'd, as any Perfon may perceive by the following examination of them. For i! When David praies, Open Am mine eyet, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law, Pfal. i\9' !*- Giue **** underftanding, that 1 may learn thy commandments, v. 73. "Teach me thy fta- twes, v. 26. 135, &c. it muft be fuppos'd that he do's not pray for the knowledge of things ne- ceffary to Salvation in fuch a manner as wou d fuppofe him utterly ignorant of them -, becaufe he who was an infpir'd Perfon at the time of his Writing, Chap. XF. Of the Rule of Faith. 6? Writing, cou'd not be a novice in fuch matters, But he defires a clearer infight into the Wifdom and goodnefs of God's Precepts, a greater and fteddier inclination to the practice of them, &c. For thofe Perfons who know things neceffary to Salvation, are ftill capable of improvements in Grace and Virtue ; and may endeavor to obtain a fuller view of the riches of Goa'sMercyin the many excellencies and beautiful contrivance of Religion. 2. Tho' Chriit expounded to his Difciples in all the Scriptures the things concerning himfelf, Luke 24. 27. yet it do's not follow that the Scriptures ave utterly obfcure in matters neceflary to falvation. For Ftrft, tho' the Scriptures of the Old Tefta- ment,which concerned ourSavior's being theMeffiah, might at that time fcem obfcure to the Difciples ; yet now that we find them fo plainly fulfilled, and fince Jefus is fo fully prov'd to be the Chrift, they cannot be thought obfcure to us. Secondly, thofe Scriptures were even then fo plain, that our Savior upbraids the Difciples with their dulnefs and want of underftanding. 6 foolf, faies he, and flow of heart to believe aU that the Prophets have fpoken ! Ought not Chrifti&c? Luke 24. 25, 16. As if he had faid, How ftupid are you, that you do not underftand thefe things ? from whence it appears that they were plain enough to be intelligible. The fame may be faid with refpocl; to the 45th e prov'd frona Scripture, are not neceflary to falvation. And therefore in our Difputes with thofe of the Church of Rome we may juftly challenge our Adverfaries to produce Scripture-arguments for all their do- drines; and we may alfo juftly reject what- foever the Holy Scriptures do not fairly and fully prove. The Papifts indeed tell us of Fathers and Coun- cils, which Names do make a great noife in the ears of ignorant People : but we appeal to the Bible as the Rule of our Faith, and challenge them 7<5 Of the Rule of Faith. Part I. them to prove their Religion from it. We are able, 'tis true, to fight at the other Weapon, and to (hew that they have neither Fathers nor Councils on their fide : but becaufe this method of proceeding is utterly needlefs and very tedi- ous : and becaufe ordinary perfons are not com- petent judges of fuch matters ; therefore we infift upon Scripture-proofs. For this reafon in the fol- lowing Chapters, I ihail think my felf obliged to anfwer only thofe Arguments, which they draw from God's Word, to prove their Do&rines by, The End of the Ftrji Parti 77 CONFUTATION O F POPERY- PART II. Of the particular 'Dofirines of the Church of Rome. CHAP. I. A General Argument agrinft Popery propos'4. HAviug ihewn in the former Part, that the Holy Scriptures do contain all things ne- ceffary to Salvation, I fhall now proceed to the Confutation of Popery, and propofe this Gene- ral Argument againft it. 78 A general Argument Part II. Whatfoever Religion impofes thofe things as neceffary to falvation, which are either abfolutdy falfe, or condemn'd by God's Word, or not con- tain'd in it ; is an unlawful Religion. Now that the Popifb Religion do's impofe fuch things as neceflary to falvation, is manifeft from the Popijb Creed, which was (a) Eftablifh'd by Pope Pius the Fourth and the Council of Trent, and is as follows ; 1. / Believe in one God the Father Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth, and of all things Vi- fible and Invifible. 2. And in one Lord Jefus Chrift, the only begot" ten Son of God, begotten of the father before aU worlds, God of God, Light of Light, Very God of Very God, begotten not made, being of one fubftance -with the Father, by whom all things were made. 3. Who for us Men, and for our Salvation, came down from Heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Ghoft of the Virgin Mary, and was made Man. 4. And was Crucify 3 d alfo for us under Pontius Pilate, he fufferd and was buried. 5. And rofe again the T'hird Day according to the Scriptures. 6. And ascended into Heaven, and fitteth on the Right Hand of the Father. 7. And he jhaU come again with Glory to judge both the quick and the dead, whofe Kingdom Jhatt have m end. 8. And in the Holy Ghojl, the Lord and giver of Life, who froceedethfrom the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is wor/jiff'd and glori- fy 4, who f fake by the Prophets. 9. And in one Holy Catholic and Apoflolic Church. . Condi. Labb, Torn. 14.^.944,94^ 946. 10. / Chap. I. AgAinft Popery proposed. 79 10. / acknowledge one Baptifm for the remiffton of fins. 1 1 . And I look for tie refurreElien of the dead. 12. And the Life of the World to come. Amen. i^./ fledfaftly admit and embrace Apoftolical and Ecclejiaflical "Traditions, and the reft of the Obfervan- ces and conflitutions of the fame Church. 14. I do alfo admit of the Holy Scripture in that fmfe which our Holy Mother the Church, to -whom it belongs to judge of the true fenfe and interpretation of the Holy Scriptures, did and doth hold ; nor -will I ever take and interpret it otherwife, than according to the Unanimous confent of the Fathers. 15. 1 do alfo profefs, that there are truly and pro-* perl) feven Sacraments of the New Law, (which Sacraments were inftituted by Jefus Chrift our Lord, and are necejfary to the fahaticn of Mankind, altho all the Sacraments be not necejfary to every Perfon) viz. Baptifm, Confirmation, the Lord's Supper, Pe- nance, Extreme Unclion, Orders and Matrirmny ; 13. Apoftolicas 8c Ecclefiafticas Traditiones, reliquafque ejufdem Ecclefiz obfervationes & confticutiones firmiflime admitto & ampleftor. 14. Item Sacram Scripturam juxta eum fcnfum, quetn tenuit & tenet Sanfta Mater Ecclefia, cujus eft judicare de vero fenfu & incerpretatione Sacrarum Scripcurarutn, ad- mitto ; nee earn urrquam, nifl juxta unanimem confcnfun; Patrum accipiam & interpretabor. 15. Profiteer quoque feptem efTe vere & proprie Sacra- menta novae legis a Jefu Chrifto Domino noftro inftituta,at> que ad falutem humani generis,Iicet non omnia fingu]is,ne ceflaria ; fcilicet Baptifmum,Cpnflrmationem, Euchar iftiam, Pxnicentiam, Extremam Unftionem, Ordinem & Matrimo- nium ; illaque graciam canferre ; & ex his Bapcifmum, Confirmationem & Ordinem fine Sicrilegio reiterarinon pofle. Receptos quoque & approbates Ecclefiz Catholicas ritus, in fupradiftorum omnium Sacramentorum folennx adminiflratione, recipio & admitco. that 8o A General Argument Part II. that they do confer Grace ~, and that thrde of them, viz* Eaptifm, Confirmation, and Orders cannot be repeated without Sacrilege. 1 do alfo receive and admit the receivd and approved Rites of the Catholic Church in thefo/emn adminijiration of aU the Sacraments before wentiond. 1 6' 1 do embrace and receive all and every thing, that hath been defind and declared in the Holy Coun- cil of Trent concerning Original Sin and 'Juftifica- tion. 17. / do likewife profefs that in the Mafs there is offer 3 d a true, proper and propitiatory facrifice for the living and the dead ', and that the Body and Blond, together with the Soul and Divinity of our Lord Jefus Chrift, are truly, really, and fubftantially in the mofl Holy Sacrament of the Lord's fupper -, and that the whole fubftance of the Bread is turnd into the Body, and the whole fubflance of the Wine is turnd intc the Bloud ', which change the Catholic Church calls Tran- fubfiantiation. 18. / do alfo profefs, that WJiole and Intire Chrift, and a true Sacrament, is received under one kind wly. 16. Omnia 8c fingula, quse de Peccato Originali & de Ju- ftificatione in Sacro-Sanfta Tridencina Synodo definita & dcclarata fuerunt, ampltftor & recipio. 17. Profiteer par her in Mifla otferri Deo verum, propri- um & propitiatorium facrificium pro vivis and defunfti*; ac- que MI fantiffimo Euchariflise Sacramento effe vcre, realiter & fubihntialiter corpus & fanguinem, una cum anima & Divinitate Domini noftriJefuChrifti.fieriqueconverfionem toctus fuhftantiae panis in corpus, & totius fubfbmiae vini in fanguinem ; quam conv&rfionem Catholica Ecclefia Tranfubftantiationctn appellar. j 8. Fateor etiamfub altera tantuift fpecie, totum atque integrum Chriftum, verumque Sacramencutn fumi. 19- I Chap. I. agamft Popery propos'4. 81 i p. I do firmly believe that there is a Purgatory* and that the Souls detain d therein are help'd by the Prayers of the Faithful. 20. And I do likewife firmly believe, that the Saints Reigning together with Chrift are to be hc- nor'd and pray'd to ; and that they do fray to God for us ; and that their Reliques are to be had in Ve- neration. 21. I do mo ft ftedfaftly ajfert^ that the Images o/Ch rift and the Mother of God, "who was alwaies a J/irgin, and of other -Saints alfo, are to be had and retain d ; and that due honor and veneration is to be paid to them. 22. / do alfo affirm that the power of Indulgences was left in the Church by Chrift , and that the ufe of them is very helpful to Chnftian People. 23. / do acknowledge the Holy Catholic and Afo- ftolic Church of Rome, the Mother and Mtftrefs of all Churches ; and I do prbmife and fwear true Obe- dience to the Bijhop of Rome, the Succejfor of St. Peter the Prince of the Apoflles, and the Vicar of Jefus Chrift. 19. Conftanter teneo Purgatorium efle, animafque ibi detentas fidelium fuffragiis juvari. 20. Similiter & fanftos una cum Chrifto regnantes, ve- nerandos atque invocandos efTe ; eofque orationes Deb pro nobis offerre ; atque eorum reliquias efle venerandas. ai Firmiflime aflero imagines Chrifti ac Deiparcs fert- per Virginis, necon aliofum Sanftorum, habendas & reti- nendas efle, atque cis debicum honorem ac venerationemi impertiendam. 22. InduJgentiarum etiam poteftatem a Chrifto in Ecclefia reliftam fuifle, illarumque ufum Chriftiano populo maxime falutarem efle, aiHrrno. 22. Sanftam, Catholicam