true Sence of that Letter in Points of Faith deliver'd See Coroll 29. 30 it follows that Scripture alledged by the Church relying on Tradition for its Rule engages certainly and fully the very Authority of the Divinely inspir'd Writer himself and gives that Testimony the whole Effect upon our understanding which that Sacred Writers Authority deserves to have given it No wonder then the Council proceeding upon Traditionary Interpretation as it constantly declares it self to do honours Scripture-Testimony so as to put it before Tradition or the delivery of Christs Doctrin from hand to hand Scripture thus alledg'd and securd having the same force as if the Apostle or Evangelist himself should sit in the Council and by way of living voice declar'd his own Sence in the matter to whom thus present what deference the Council would have given is obvious to be imagin'd Hence also the Protestant may see what high esteem our Church gives to Gods Word truly so calld that is having Gods Sence certainly-known to be such in it and that 't is onely the outward Letter as us'd to hammer a Faith out of by wordish skills that is indeed their Method of interpreting it which by reason of its Uncertainty falls short of engaging the Sacred Authority of Gods Word we fleight and scorn And most justly since 't is the having no better way to work on Scripture which has brought Scripture it self thus usâ—d to scorn and contempt as appears in the carriage of our Bedlam of new Sects in England I expect here some mighty man of talk but very weak Speculator should object that this is an excellent way to bring all into our Churches hands But till he can prove that both Letter Sence of Scripture are knowable with such a Certainty as to build on them that most firm Assent call'd Faith by any other way than this of Tradition I can neither hinder my Inferences nor will he ever be able to confute my discourse 20. Thus much to show evidently that the Substance of the Doctrin we have given in our former Discourses is the very Sence of our Church at present and that her present Sence in this matter is agreeable to the Judgment of Antient Fathers and Councils I have no more to do now but to show that at the very time of the Breach here in England the Catholick was found adhering fast to this Rule of Tradition renounc't by the Protestant This is evident by the Protestants own confession For as oft as you hear them alledge that England was formerly overgrown with Popery that the new Light of the Gâ—spel hath of late discovered it self that they reformâ—d in Faith that the former Church errd and such like expressions which naturally must burst out from them so oft you hear them acknowledge themselves Deserters of Tradition and Innovators Which Expressions of theirs by the way easily manifest to the most vulgar understanding who â—tis that hath renounct Tradition whence it being also easily evidenceable to the rudest capacity that Tradition is a most certain way of bringing down Faith Disc. 5. § 8. the most vulgar Soul is capable of knowing which Profession it is to follow For the two former points being known they are Certain by motives within their own Ken that Protestants have renounct the Certain way to bring down Faith but that we renounct Tradition of old is unacknowledged by us disputable and onely knowable by skills they are not Masters of Common Sense then teaching them they must guide themselves by reasons they are capable of and not by reasons of which they know nothing and that God requires no more at their hands than they can do Gods goodness has provided for those weak people out of the very Confessions of Traditionâ—s deserters Certain means to judge whether they ought to be Catholicks or Protestants But to return whence we diverted 21. It is not onely the Protestants own Confession but the open Profession of the Catholick Clergy in the very nick of the Breach manifests our claim and constant adherence to Tradition Whose Declaration found in the Synodal Book 1559. begins thus Because by relation of publick Fame it hath lately come to our knowledge that many Tenets of Christian Religion hitherto received and approvâ—d by the Publick and 〈◊〉 Consent of Christian Nations and BROVGHT DOWN BY HANDS even from the Apostles to Vs are callâ—d into doubt Therefore c. Where we find them stick firmly to Tradition And insisting on this Principle they proceed to make a Profession of their Faith which they exhibit to the Bishops to be given to the Lord Keeper but the State by power over-bearing the Votes of the Reverend Convocation and persecuting them for their constancy the Breach ensuâ—d The Catholick cleaving fast to his Old Rule Tradition the Protestants chusing a new one of Scripture privately interpreted whose vanity a little reason makes them see but experience perfectly find and relinquishing the Antient Rule so demonstrably self-evident secure and solid By which means they became cut off from the onely Certain way to know Christs Sence that is from the Root of Faith and consequently from the Body of the Church The Guilt of which Fact neither Human Authority Multitude Prosperity Continuance nor yet all their Voluminous wordish Excuses will ever be able to Efface ANIMADVERSIONS On Dr. Pierce's Sermon Also on Mr. Whitby and Mr. Stillingfleet where they touch the Way lay'd in the foregoing Discourses In Three Appendixes Psalm 63. Sagittae parvulorum factae sunt Plagae eorum Anno Dom. 1665. TRANSITION To The following APPENDIXES I Have finisht my Discourse how dexterously must be determin'd by the Iudgment of my Readers and Confutation from mâ—â—e Adversaries But I account those onely my proper Iudges competent Adversaries who lay their Principles ere they discourse and weigh the efficaciousness of their Testimonies in the Scales of Reason ere they alledge them If I find a man laying no Principles of his own but supposing them and making account all men must admit them out of respect to him or his party and yet bend all his endeavours to cavil at Principles laid by others to ascertain and establish the Groundwork of Christianity If I find one ignorant of or resolv'd against the onely-Certain method and Rule of Discourse which is that No Position deserves Assent unless the Connexion of its Terms be Evident which must either be when they are Evidently connected of themselves of which nature ought to be all First Principles or made evidently-connected by the interposition of some other which we call Evident-by-consequence or Deduction Lastly if I find a man wedded to Parrat-talk of Ayr and Sounds that he thinks it a rare thing to load margents with Citations without first distinguishing them and considering what strength each ought to have according to rational Principles I decline such an empty Soul for my Iudge and sleight him as mine Adversary And lest any should impute this carriage to me
believing Ancestours That they who do not so stand upon a precipice seeking what 's beyond their power that is to hammer a certain Faith out of Scripture's Letter by their private Wit Which reflected on a little reason enlightned by so plain and manifold Experiences will easily tell them that 't is the shallowness of their Grounds unable to satisfy Rational Nature which makes so many of theirs take upon them to seek for Faith and so leave them and the solid secureness connaturalness and satisfactoriness of ours which makes few or none leave us and those who do 't is easie to discover the motives of their revolting 11. Yet one more from this Illustrious Father as one whom by reason of his Famous Contrasts with the impious Arians it concern'd to be more express in inculcating and sticking to the true Rule of Faith He writing to Epictetus Bishop of Corinth 'T is to be answer'd saith he to those things which alone of it self suffices that those are uot of the Orthodox Church and that our Ancestours never held so So that the living Voice of the Church Tradition or belief of Ancestours is held by him a sole-sufficient Rule of Faith and the onely Answer to be given why we reject points from Faith or admit them into It that is an Evident Reason for such a carriage for otherwise another Answer would be requisit 12. We will be shorter in the rest Clemens Alexandrinus Stromatôn 7o. As if one of a man becomes a beast like those infected by Circes poyson so he hath forfeited his being a man-of-God and Faithful to our Lord who spurns against the Churches Tradition and leaps into Opinions of human Elections Basil against Eunomius Wouldst thou have us all perswaded by thee prefer your Conceits before the Tradition of Faith which perpetually hath conquer'd under so many holy men And speaking against two other Hereticks Sabellius and Arius Let TRADITION bridle thee Our Lord taught thus the Apostles preach't it the Fathers conserv'd it our Ancestours confirm'd it be content to say as thou art taught We have it clear then that the Renouncer of Tradition is none of the Faithful that is cut off from the Root of Faith see Corol. 4. that all is men's Conceits and Arbitrary Opinions which the word Heresie imports that is opposit to Tradition We have lastly the whole course of our Faith's descent from Christ to us yet not a word of descending by Scripture or Letters in Books but by the way of Preaching and Teaching that is Oral delivery and Sence writ in men's hearts 13. I omit many other Fathers but I must not S. Austin Ea potius credam c. I will rather believe saith he contra Epistolam Fundamenti those things which are celebrated now by the consent of learned and unlearned and are confirmed throughout all Nations by most grave Authority And again 'T is manifest that the Authority of the Catholick Church is of force to cause Faith and Assurance Which Authority from the best establisht Seats of the Apostles even to this very day is strengthened by the Series of Bishops succeeding them and by the Assertion of so many Nations In both places he he makes the consent of Learned and Vnlearned Bishops and conspiring people continu'd down to these dayes that is the living voice of the Church Essential or Tradition the most grave Authority apt to ascertain us and cause Faith that is he makes Tradition the Rule of Faith and builds its strength as we also do on the multitude and consent of the Asserters or Testifiers of its descent Also in his 58. Epistle The Faithful saith he do possess perseveringly a RVLE OF FAITH common to little and great in the Church Where every word is Emphatical That the Churches voice is the Rule of Faith That this Rule is common to Learued and Vnlearned that is able to satisfie the acutest Discoursers and yet understandable by the rudest vulgar Lastly that they hold it and that perseveringly or unshakenly which shews it self-evident else both the unlearned at least might come to doubt of it See Disc. 5. § 8 9 10 11. 14. Thus much for the credit of Tradition it s being the Rule of Faith Certain and Uninterrupted But how shall we know who enjoyes this Tradition or what points have been handed down by it from the beginning Must we not run to Private Expositions of Scripture to be assur'd of this or at least to Libraries of Books writ in all former Ages to see if perhaps their Authours mightâ—have dream'd of our now difficulties and then prophesi'd us a satisfaction so express and ample that no cavil can avoid it No we have manifest Certainty of it other wayes if we may trust the Fathers We will onely alledge two both very Antient and great Masters of Controversy against the Hereticks of their times S. Ireneus lib. 1. cap. 3. All those who will hear Truth may at present perfectly discern adest perspicere in the Church the Tradition of the Apostles manifest in the whole World That is the Doctrin of the present Church proceeding upon or adhering to Tradition is a manifest Argument that what it teaches now was delivered by the Apostles And Tertullian contra Marcionem That is manifestly True which is First that First which is from the beginning that from the beginning which is from the Apostles In like manner that will manifestly appear to have been delivered by the Apostles which shall be establisht as Sacred in the Churches of the Apostles Where first he ascends and confounds Novelty or Heresie by shewing that the Priority of what they left argues it to have been ever or from the Apostles and so True and then proves and manifestly too that that was delivered from the Apostles which is found establisht that is held to be receiv'd as all his former Doctrine runs as sacred in the Churches at present which were founded by the Apostles But he is yet more express in his first Book against the same Heretick nothing is to be acknowledg'd a Tradition of the Apostles but what is at this present day profest for such in their Churches So that he sends us not to Volumes of Histories and other Writers which if Tradition can'fail are of no Authority to find what was the Antient or Primitive Traditions or what the Apostles taught or delivered but onely to the living Voice of the present Churches which had been but a weak procedure in case their holding now a thing deliver'd were not argumentative that it was deliver'd ever which is the substance of my proof a posteriori for the Indefectiveness of Tradition And least it should be imagin'd that this Argument loses its force by tract of time or the long-continuance of the Church Peter Chrysologus in his 85. Sermon secures us from that danger A Christian mind knows not how to bring into dispute those things which are strengthen'd by Tradition of the Fathers and even ipsis temporibus by Time
form of words This is the Faith of Blessed Peter this is the Faith of the Fathers this is the Faith of the Orthodox From which Testimonies note we 17. First That the Council in every Session not one excepted where Points of Faith are handled constantly professes to follow TRADITION Secondly It layes claim perpetually to Vninterruptedness of this Tradition as appears by the words ever alwayes from the Apostles times from the beginning from the Apostles have come down by hands to us The Church hath alwayes understood held openly profest taught hath ever kept and will ever keep perpetually commended by our Fathers hath learned by Tradition received down by hand hath ever observed and such like Plainly showing that this Persuasion of our Faith's descent uninterruptedly is deeply and unanimously rooted in the heart of the whole Catholick Church Which strengthens our Doctrin Disc. 8. § 2. and 3. 3ly It makes the Suggestion of the Holy Ghost or Sanctity in the hearts of the Faithful efficacious to perpetuate the delivery of received Doctrin See Sess. 6. Decreto de Iustificatione Sess. 13. de SS Euchar. Sacramento and many other places The very point I went about to explicate in my 9. Discourse 4ly 'T is observable that though it mentions the Holy Scriptures also with Tradition yet this is both very rarely and when it does so It onely expresses that Faith is contain'd in them but when it brings Places of Scripture to ground Definitions upon It perpetually professes to Interpret them by Tradition Which is most Evident both by its decreeing this in common Sess. 4. That none dare to interpret Holy Scriptures against the Sence which our Holy Mother the Church hath held and does hold meaning that Sence in the Hearts of the Faithful is the Rule to interpret Scripture by see Corol. 30. As also by several Instances Sess. 5. § 4. Sess. 14. Can. 3. Sess. 22. cap. 1. and to omit others in that most remarkable plaâ—e Sess. 14. In which after the Text of S. Iamesâ—lledg'd â—lledg'd for Extream Unction the Council subjoins In which words as the Church hath learn'd by Apostolical Tradition received down by hands be teaches c. Where Tradition is most evidently made the Rule which instructs and guides the Church in interpreting Scripture And 't is observable that the Council no where grounds any definition on Scripture but at the same time she grounds her Interpretation of Scripture on Tradition which devolves into this that the Council makes Tradition her onely Rule to know Certainly Christ's Sence or Points of Faith that is in proper speaking the onely Rule of Faith 18. But why then is the Holy Scripture made use of at all by the Council and that so solemnly nay and which is to be noted constantly put before Tradition To satisfy fully this difficulty 't is not the proper season at present yet being a good point and worth clearing I will not totally neglect it We may observe then that when we read any Book writ by an Authour we much esteem but yet such a Book as requires studying Aristotle's for Example or some other such whom we hold Scientifical we sometimes hope well as it were when we apply our own Industry to find out his meaning and have a kind of respect for what we conceive to be his Sence yet his Authority takes not full hold of our Understanding by reason the way we take is not evidently convictive that this is his Certain Sence But if the Point he writes on be first clear'd to us through a Scientifical discourse by word of mouth made by some Interpreter vers'd in his Doctrin and perfectly acquainted with his meaning we have as it were new Eyes given us to look deeply and thoroughly into his Sence and by this Security of arriving at it his Authority in case we highly esteem'd it has now its full force upon us to strengthen our Assent according to the degree of power it had upon our Understanding Now what a well-skill'd and insighted Interpreter or scientifical Explicater of the point is to such an Author the same is Tradition to Scripture For This bringing down Certainly Christ's Sence in every Point of Faith It easily and securely guides us to the true meaning of Scripture in those passages which concern such a point whereas the wordish way of Grammar and Criticism being evident by Principles to be ambiguous and by Experience to lead men into different Sences it can never satisfy us thoroughly that the Sence we arrive at by this method is infallibly the true one or Christs and so never engages certainly the Authority of GOD'S WORD And hence it is that Scripture thus interpreted is of sleight force and at best good onely for Ecclesiastical Rhetorick or Sermons where the concern is not much if the Preacher misses in this particular passage so the Substance of the Point he preaches on or his Text be truly Christ's doctrin nor is Scripture thus interpreted even a competent proof in the Science of School-Divinity as being Uncertain and so unapt to beget Science whence Intelligent Divines quoting and building on Scripture are to be suppos'd to judge the Sence they build on to be the Churches and so they are presum'd to go to work as Faithful or parts of Ecclesia docens or else they lay true Science first which is ever agreeable to Faith and so when any Text concerns a demonstrated point they know by Science what the true Sence of that Point must be Much less is Scripture wordishly interpreted apt to build Faith on the unwaveringness of which kind of Assent must be grounded and secure in the Principles which beget it and not meerly actually such as it were by accident whereas Interpretations thus made Faith's Principles in this case are liable to possible if not probable mistake This will be clearer by a parallel made by a learned Authour worth inserting because it strengthens our Discourse by a new Consideration Let a Critick and a skill'd Carpenter read Vitruvius his Book of Architecture the Critick has but a dim dry and uncertain conceit of what he reads as to the truth of the thing but the Carpenter or Architect by reason of some Principles and Practice he has already of those matters understands him more thoroughly and makes lively and firm conceits of the truth and excellency of what he writes Such is the Practical way of knowing Christs Sence or Tradition to the interpreting Scripture usâ—d by the Catholick Church in comparison of the Critical Method affected by others In a word Tradition gives us Christs Sence that is the Life of the Letter ascertaind to our hands which therefore must needs move the Letter its Body naturally The other way takes the dead Letter and endeavours to move it Artificially to counterfeit that Life which it truly wants 19. To apply this Discourse to our matter in hand Tradition securing to us the Scripture's Letter truly significative of Christ's Sence and also the
of a Contradiction in a clear matter of Fact which is utterly inconsistent with a judging or congnoscitive nature 6. These Principles lay'd we we will advance to the proof of our main Conclusion on this manner that since neither any Age by our first Principle could hold a new introduc't point for not-new but immediately deliver'd nor yet any foregoing Age by our second make it be receiv'd as not-new by Posterity it follows that in no Age could any doctrin changing the immediate Faith of Fore-fathers or new at that time come in or be received under the notion of immediately deliver'd or not-new at that time Wherefore since nothing can descend or come down under the notion of not-new or deliver'd uninterruptedly unless it first come in or be receiv'd under the notion of not-new or deliver'd uninterruptedly nor be held by us as descended under such a notion unless it did actually descend to us under such a notion by the second it follows manifestly that if we now hold it descended as such it did descend as such and consequently was received by the deliverers as such and the same reason holding equally in each Age from Christ came down consequently from Christ and his Apostles No power then or wit of man could make our Faith now held to be so descended but its having been actually so descended that is onely the Existence of Tradition's Indeficiency could have effected this present persuasion of Traditionary Christians or Catholicks that their Faith descended uninterruptedly from the Apostles It being then manifest by Experience that this Effect or present Persuasion is for all Catholiks hold the Church never fail'd in Faith 't is demonstratively Evident that its proper and onely Cause has been put that is that Christian Tradition has ever been held to by a Body of Men consisting of the Predecessors to those whom we find actually thus perswaded NINTH DISCOURSE Opening the incomparable strength of the Churches Human Authority and the Infinit advantages accrue to It by the Supernatual Assistances of the Holy Ghost 1. BUt all this is Nature may some say and by this Method an Heathen may by his natural wit become a good Christian. By which word Nature if the Objecter means Reason wrought upon by motives laid by God's special goodness to bring Souls to Bliss I wonder what else is Supernaturality but this which he miscalls Nature and why Reason rectify'd by such Lights and Proposals as the force of Nature could not have aym'd at much less effected ought not to be said to be affected supernaturally however those very motives be connatural to our Souls It being evident that we use even the natural power of our Reason in discoursing of things above our reason and on the other side to expect no constant way or common path of motives laid for the Salvation of Mankind but extraordinary inspirations for each particular man unravell's the Order of God's best Providence and is the very notion of Fanatickness But to meddle with this point is out of my road otherwise than to take my rise hence to show how far Christian Tradition is strengthenâ—d above the greatest meerly-human Testimony whatever And that the Church owes this strength to those Motives supervening to meer Nature which we rightly call Assistances of the Holy Ghost in regard they are built on Perfections of Will in the Faithful or on Virtues the Effects properly attributed to that Divine Person 2. Ere we come to explain what advantage the Church as thus divinely assisted has over her self as meerly wrought upon by human motives we will compare first her human Authority with some other vast Body of Testifiers which may most seem to stand in competition with her And an eminent and acute opposer of Tradition has already pointed us out a choice one namely that of the Mahometans for Mahomet's Existence which we doubt not to have the power to convey down the Truth thereof with Infallible Certainty to the end of the world if follow'd not do we think the most Sceptical Protestant doubts but it has had the force to make it self be follow'd hitherto however at unawares their calm Reason grants that to a Body of Turks which their Passion makes them question and even deny to a Church of Christians Yet I averr that the human force of Tradition in the Church for the descent of the main Body of Christs doctrin far exceeds that of the Turks for Mahomet's Existence 3. To shew this in brief I note in the first place and chiefly that howsoever a report may spread universally from a small beginning in the quality of a rumour yet the force of its Credibility if it be a matter of Fact is founded on the Quantity and Quality of those who first saw or perceiv'd it Putting then the Quality of the Testifiers in both cases to be equal so to bring our Controversy to a smaller compass and comparing onely the Quantity or Number of the original Testifiers on both sides what proportion is there between that handful of men about Mecha and some few other places where Mahomet conquer'd and planted his doctrin and those vast multitudes whom all the Apostles Disciples and Apostolical men converted by most powerful miracles in so many distant Nations in the World If we lay them together we shall find that few saw or felt that is were witnesses of Mahomets Existence so much as once in comparison of those who were every day imbu'd with and practicâ—t Christian Doctrine A new Consideration springs hence that 't is a thousand times easier for that single company of Arabians and Syrians to conspire to a ly and so deliver down to us a false Mahomet than it is for such a multitude of people in so remote Countries as first suck't in Christianity to conspire in the very thought of having such a Conspiracy And lastly it was as easie by oft repeated Sensatioâ—s to know Christian Doctrin at first to that degree as to govern their actions by it which is all that is requisit for the generality it giving the Principles to the daily practice of their new Life as they were Christians as it was for these other witnesses to be certain of Mahomet's Existence and much easier in regard the greater part by far of those whom we allow Witnesses of Mahomets Existence perhaps scarce knew him by sight not conversing him daily or very often as each of the Primitive Christians did with those points of Faith they guided their lives by 4. The human Authority then of the Church being such as exceeds she Evidence of other Testimonies which yet are such that amongst all the most extravagant Opiniastres none was ever found so frantick as to doubt them and should any do so all sober Mankind would esteem them stark mad which could not be done in reason unless they renounc't perfect evidence that is unless those Testimonies were perfectly Evident This I say being so some may think it superfluous and a quirk of an
none of the pretended Rules of Faith all of them building on Scripture's Letter are Certain Disc. 2. 3 4. without Tradition it follows that no other company have any Principle of Distinction from others that is either of Constitution or self-preservation under the notion of Church but that which adheres to Tradition All the loud out-cry then made commonly against that Body which adheres to Tradition callâ—d Roman-Catholick for accounting it self onely the Vniversal Church and excluding all others is but empty noise and her claim rational and well-grounded till it be shown by evident Discourse that the other Pretenders have some other more Evident and Certain Rule to know who are of the Church who not than this of Tradition now produc't and explicated upon which she proceeds and by which she consists 12. There is no arguing against Tradition out of Scripture For since as we have prov'd Disc. 4. there can be no absolute Certainty of Scripture's Letter without Tradition this must first be suppos'd Certain ere the Scripture's Letter can be rationally held such and consequently ought in reason to be held Vncertain while Tradition is thought â—it to be argu'd against that is while it's Certainty is doubted of Wherefore since none can argue solidly upon uncertain Grounds none ought to argue against Tradition out of the Letter of Scripture 13. None can in reason oppose the Authority of the Church or any Church against Tradition First because in reality Tradition rightly understood is the same thing materially with the living Voicâ— and Practice of the whole Church Essential consisting of Pastors and Layity which is so ample that it includes all imaginable Authority which can be conceiv'd to be in a Church Secondly because in the way of generating Faith Tradition formally taken is antecedent to Disc. 2. § 11. and so in the way of Discourse working by formal and abstracted notions its notion must be presuppos'd and its Certainty establish't before the notion and Certainty of Faith consequently of Faithful and consequently of Church which must necessarily be a congregation of Faithful Whence they would argue very preposterously who should go about to oppose Church against Tradition this being the same as to think to establish the House by overthrowing the Foundation 14. None can in reason oppose the Authority of Fathers or Councils against Tradition This is evident by the former Corol. 13. in regard neither of these have any Authority but as Representatives of the Church or Eminent Members of the Church Nor can any determin certainly what is a Father or Council Disc. 2. § 11. till the notion of Church that is of Faithful that is of Faith that is of Rule of Faith that is of Tradition be certainly establish't 15. No Disacknowledgers of Tradition are in Due of reason but in Courtesy onely to be allow'd to argue out of Scripture's Letter Father or Council For since wanting Tradition they have Certainty of none of those as was prov'd Disc. 2. § 11. 't is manifest that disacknowledging Tradition while they alledge and talk of these they alledge and talk of things themselves do not know to be Certain Wherefore 't is too great a Condescendence and courtesy in Catholiks to let them run forwards descanting with wordish Discourses on those Testimonies after their raw manner since they might justly take their advantage against them and show they have no right to make use of Principles which their own Grounds can never make good to them as was Tertullian's smart and solid way de Praescr Haeret. c. 15 16 17 18 19 20 21. denying them the use of Scripture who deny'd the Church which would save many an aiery confus'd discourse about words unapt to evidence any thing satisfactorily Nor can the right of an Opponent to argue ad hominem licence them to claim this favour from our Controvertists in regard we never held that Scriptures Letter hammer'd upon by Criticisms and such pretty knacks of human Learning was the Ground of our Faith nor the way to establish it but onely as interpreted by the Language and Practice of the Church nor consequently can we hold it capable to be prejudic't by such endeavours of private Wits Though then we should allow them a Copy of the Letter and consequently so far a liberty to argue ad hominem against us yet we never allow'd their method of arguing from it as efficacious either to build or evert Faiâ—h but our learned Controvertists ever held direct contrary Whence in case they clamour that in not following their wild method we desert Scripture to avoid which calumny with the vulgar I conceive one reason our Controvertists generally were so civil to them as to cope with them in their fleight way the unreasonableness of the Calumny is to be made appear which is quicklier done not their unreasonable expectation to be satisfy'd 16. No Authority from any History or Testimonial Writing is valid against the force of Tradition For since Falshood is as easy to be writ or printed as Truth 't is evident those Books can give no Testimony to themselves that what they express is certainly true and if we say they are abetted by the Testimony of other Books the same question recurrs concerning them in what Age soever they were writ It remains then that 't is onely the Acceptation of Men or Sence writ in their Hearts and so convey'd down from Father to Son that these Books are true Histories and not Fables which gives them any Authority But this has plainly the nature of Tradition They have therefore no Authority but by force of Tradition Therefore they can have no possible force against Tradition since if Tradition or the conveying down from hand to hand sence writ thus universally in men's hearts can deceive us no such Books can have any Authority at all Wherefore not the Books but the Sence writ in men's hearts of the Goodness and skill of the Authours of those Books upon which qualifications the Truth of each passage contain'd in those Books is built is to be alledg'd against Christian Tradition since 't is that Sence which authorizes those Books and gives Credibility to those passages and so is stronger than any dead Testimony from the Books themselves Which devolves into this that onely some great Tradition or living Testimony for things past can in point of Authority be pretended an equal match to Christian Tradition or competent to be alledgâ—d against it 17. No Tradition is alledg'd or alledgeable in reason against Christian Tradition That none is alledgâ—d is Evident from matter of Fact For the Adversaries of Catholick Tradition never pretend the Consent or constant Sence of great multitudes deriv'd from age to age by living voice that at such a time former Tradition was relinquish't new Faith introduc't or the old Faith chang'd or abolisht but onely odd ends or scraps of Histories or other dead Testimonies according as they light on some passage which seems favourable to them or may
which onely themselves know and are conscious of and on the other side nothing appears why such a kind of Impression is impossible nay 't is granted possible 't is clear none can argue against that inward Light 's existence out of the nature of that inward perswasion Fanaticks have in regard 't is latent and unknown It follows then that the way to conclude against it is to show out of evident Principles the contrary to these Inspiration to be Truth None therefore as plain matter of Fact testifies taking the way of arguing from Principles absolutely evident or demonstrating but Catholiks or the followers of Tradition and they effecting this by virtue of Tradition Disc. 5 6 8. it follows that they and onely they are able to confute Fanaticks and conclude their inward Light delusive Again since a Fanatick builds on conceited experience of Divine Inspiration there is no hopes to convince his Judgment without producing Demonstration for the contrary a task onely performable in the way of Tradition Which is enforc't and strengthen'd by this Consideration that the Basis of Tradidition is natural Knowledge directly imprinted by his Senses in which Knowledges he is undeceivable and these Sensations or Knowledges are daily repeated not on one private temper but on innumerable millions conspiring in the same that is Tradition is built on almost Infinit daily and most manifest Experiences whereas the conceited Effect of Inspiration or his strong persuasion that God speaks thus inwardly is found with consent of tenets in a few onely and liable to deceit by depending upon Fancy not Sense as appears in diseased or mad persons and the Fanaticks contradicting one another though both proceeding on the same Principle Without Tradition's help then 't is very hard if not impossible to confute Fanaticks as Experience also testifies by Protestants being forc't to recurr to Tradidion in disputes with them though very easy with it or by means of it 22. There is no arguing against Tradition without questioning the Constancy of every species in Nature that is the Certainty of whole Nature For seeing Man's Nature is as necessarily fit to receive the direct Impressions of Objects on his Soul that is Natural Knowledges and as necessarily determin'd to work for a motive or reason good or bad as Fire is to heat or water to wet and this absolutely and alwayes abstracting from disease incapacitating him to use his senses or his Fancy and both these spring out of the very Substance of his Nature as Rational or of such a species which Original Corruption hinders not it follows that he is as fit for those Operations and consequently will as frequently perform them as Fire burn water wet fruit-trees bear fruit or any other species in Nature do its ptoper Effect that is generally and onely rarely and contingently fail unless the Authour of Nature order the whole course of it worse for Man than for other things which were blasphemy to say and contrary to Experience since we find a course of Supernaturals on foot and that they comfort and strengthen man's true nature as hath been formerly declared Less liable then is the human Species to contingency in those its natural operations than any other kind is Wherefore seeing Traditions Certainty is grounded upon direct natural Knowledges and its Indefectiveness on Mankind's Incapableness to act without some motive to argue against It were to question These that is the constancy of the best and best-supported Species in Nature and a fortiori the Constancy of the rest Note here that all the Arguments brought by witty Reasoners against Tradition are fetcht from the Contingency of some one or some few Particulars whence by a wild kind of roving way they would conclude the defectibleness of the Generality or of the entire Species But because it looks too palpably inconsequent in Logicall form to say a few can err ergo all therefore they use to bring it in with a why not So that all the arguers against Tradition from natural reason oppose directly any Constancy in the Species or Generality and so are destroyers of natural Certainty and of their own Arguments to boot 23. There is no possibility of arguing at all against Tradition rightly understood or the living voice of the Catholick Church with any show of reason For since 't is evident that Scripture's Copy or Letter is in the whole and every tittle Uncertain Disc. 2 and 4. without Tradition as also that the writings of Fathers Councils History and of any written or dead Testimony whatever Corol. 14 and 16. are utterly unauthoriz'd otherwise than by means of Tradition and that no living Testimony or Tradition is alledgable against the Tradition we speak of or Catholick Tradition Corol. 13. and 17. Nor any pretended Instance of Traditionâ—s failing has force but by its being faithfully convey'd down by Tradition and depending on Tradition for its Certainty Corol. 19. and all Arguments from Natural Reason are so weak that they destroy all Certainty in that matter while levell'd against Tradition Corol. 18. 22. It follows that no Argument from any Authority publickly appearing in the world nor yet from intrinsecal mediums fetcht from second Causes in Nature can bear any show against Tradition Nor yet from private Effects pretended from the first Cause call'd Inspiration or Light of the Private Spirit Corol. 21. For besides what has been concluded for this point however this pretenâ—e may make the first Syllâ—â—gism yet when it comes to be prov'd that is made appear outwardly that the first Cause inspir'd thus or thus no extraordinary Effects proper to that Cause as miracles being producible their arguing or Proof is at an end however their Inward Adhesion stands There being then no other Argument imaginable but what is fetcht from Authority living or dead or else from Effects or Experience testifiable by those Authorities or from proper Effects or Causes in the ordinary course of natural things or from extraordinary private and unseen pretended Effects of the first Cause and none of these bearing any show against Tradition 'T is evident There is no possibility of arguing against Tradition rightly understood or the living voice of the Catholick Church with any show of Reason 24. Tradition is the First Principle in the way of Authority as it engages for matter of Fact long ago past For seeing that is the first Principle in any Knowledge into which all Knowledges in that kind are resolv'd to establish their Certainty and all ptetended Authorities for any matter of Fact long ago past Corol. 16. and consequently all Knowledges caus'd by the means of them are resolv'd finally into Tradition and depend on it for their Certainty it follows that Tradition is the very first Principle in the way of Authority as it undertakes for the truth of matters of Fact long ago past 25. Tradition in the matter of Tradition that is in matter of Fact before our time is Self-evident to all those who can need
the Knowledge of such things that is to all Mankind who use common Reason This is evident from the former For first Principles are to be Self-evident to all those who are to use them and proceed upon them which in our case is the most ordinary vulgar 26. The Certainty of Tradition being establisht the whole Body of the Faithful by which I mean Catholicks or the Church Essential is by relying on it infallibly certain that it is in possession of Christ's true doctrin For since Tradition is Self-evidently a Certain way if followd Disc. 5. § 8. 13. and both best Nature and best Grace in this world are engaged that it hath been and shall be ever followed Disc. 6. and 9. Again since the Certainty of what Faith was formerly taught must needs descend to us as matter of Fact formerly past that is whose Certainty depends on Authority and Tradition is the first Principle in way of Authority as it engages for matters of Fact formerly past Corol. 24. and Self-evident to the proceeders on it Corol. 25. that is to the Body of Catholicks Lastly since Christian Tradition rightly understood is nothing but the living voice of the Catholick Church Essential as delivering 't is manifestly and manifoldly evident that that Body which relies on It that is the Catholick Church or Corol. 6. 11. the whole Church Essential is infallibly Certain that she is in secure possession of Christs true Doctrin 27. Tradition once establisht General Councils and even Provincial ones nay particular Churches are Infallible by proceeding upon It. For the same reason in regard that proceeding on it they proceed upon a Certain and Self-evident Principle Corol. 24. 25. that is such a one as neither they can mistake nor it mislead them 28. The Roman See with its Head are particularly Infallible by the same means For in regard a more vigorous Cause put at first is apt to produce a greater Effect and the Coresidence Joynt-endeavours Preaching Miracles and lastly Martyrdome of the two Chief Apostles working upon that City which commanded the greatest part of the world were more vigorous Causes to imprint Christs Doctrin at first and recommend it to the next age than was found any where else it follows that the stream of Tradition in its source and first putting into motion was more particularly vigorous here than in any other See Again since uninterrupted publicity of professing Faith makes a greater visibility of Faith which is a manifest advantage to Tradition and no Patriarchal See but the Roman hath continued ever from the Primitive times in a publick Profession of Christs Faith being held under by Barbarians hence the Roman See and inclusively their Pastours and most their chief Pastour have a particular title to Infallibility built on Tradition above any other See or Pastour whatsoever Not to mention and dilate on the particular Assistances to the Clergy of that See and most particular to its Bishop springing out of their divinely constituted office in regard 't is a position unacknowledged by Adversaries against whom I am discoursing 29. Tradition establisht the Church is provided of a certain and Infallible Rule to preserve a Copy of the Scripture's Letter truly significative of Christs sence as far as it is coincident with the main Body of Christian doctrin preacht at first For since â—tis certain the Apostles taught the same Doctrin they writ â—tis manifest the Scriptureâ—s Letter was at first for what of it was intended to signify Points of Faith significative of Faith or Sence writ by miracles preaching and practice in the hearts of the first Faithful Wherefore since the same sence that was preacht at first was preserv'd all along unalterably by Tradition Disc. 6. 8. and the same sence in mens hearts can easily guide them to correct the alteration of the outward Letter so as to preserve it significative of the sence first delivered Therefore Tradition establisht the Church is provided of a certain and Infallible Rule to preserve a Copy of the Scripture's Letter truly significative of Christ's sence as far as Scripture is coincident with the main body of Christian Doctrin preacht at first 30. Tradition establisht the Church is provided of a certain and Infallible Rule to interpret Scripture's Letter by so as to arrive certainly at Christ's Sence as far as that Letter concerns the Body of Christian Doctrin preacht at first or points requisit to Salvation For since Disc. 6. 8. Tradition preserves the first deliver'd sence alive in mens hearts sent down by way of living voice and Christian practice and these were in the beginning evidently a most certain way of knowing the Sence of the Letter â—tis evident that they are still such Wherefore Tradition establisht the Church is provided c. 31. Tradition establish't nothing can be received by the Church as hâ—ld from the first or ever unless held ever For since Disc. 5. § 13. Disc. 6. 8. Corol. 24 25. Tradition is self-evidently a certain method of conveying down matters of Fact as they were found it follows that Tradition establish't points not held ever must be convey'd down such as they were found that is as not held ever and consequently not as held from the first or ever 32. Tradition establish't 't is impossible any Errour against Christâ— s Faith should bee received by the Church that is no Errour contradicting Faith can be received as of Faith For since to be received as of Faith is Disc. 6. 8. to Traditionary Christians the same as to be received as held ever or from Christs time and Corol. 31. no point at all though disparate or indifferent not-held-ever can be received as held-ever 't is evident that much less can an erroneous point contradicting what was held ever be received as held-ever 33. Notwithstanding Tradition Erroneous Opinions and their proper Effects absurd Practices may creep into the Church and spread there for a while For since notwithstanding the Certainty of Tradition the Church is still according to our Saviour a Congregation made up of good and bad and the Bad will do like themselves that is be glad to invent and propagate such Principles as shall make for their own Ends or for Vices that is Erroneous ones Again since it cannot be expected but that multitudes even of good men in the Church should in using their private reasons be liable to Errour in divers particular points or Cases and that the remoteness of Christian Principles or Points of Faith from the Principles of particular Actions or Cases is apt to make the opposition between them not easily nor clearly discoverable at first nay the ambiguity in wording them may make them appear at first sight fairly reconcilable till the Terms be distinguisht and clear'd from equivocation 't is very evident that Tradition's Certainty hinders not but Erroneous Opinions and their proper Effects absurd Practices may creep into the Church and spread there for a while 34.
Erroneous Opinions can never gain any solid footing in the Church For since Disc. 5. § 15. Corol. 11. the Church is a Body of men relying on Tradition or the Authority of attesting Forefathers not on the Authority of Opinators these Opinions can never have any firmness in her by means of Authority and on the other side being Erroneous they can never gain any depth of adhesion by being demonstrably true nor Errour being necessarily opposit to Truth can they even maintain their quiet posture by being evidently not opposit to Faith It follows that neither upon the score of Reason nor Authority can they sink deep into the minds of the Faithful at least the intelligent party of them or gain any solid footing in the Church but are subject to be contradicted or have their verity disputed by the searching and unsatisfy'd wits of Opposers 35. The Prudence requisit in Church-Government is one Cause why Erroneous Opinions are not immediately but after some long time perhaps to be declared against by the Authority of the whole Church For since a Church is a most vast and sacred Common-wealth and so of the greatest gravity and Authority imaginable she is not in prudence to engage it trivially in sleight occasions nor rashly when the point is unevident Wherefore seeing an Erroneous Opinion while held but by few is of sleight concern and so onely fit to be taken notice of by inferiour Officers when universally held is of great Authority amongst the multitude she is in Prudence to suspend till its Opposition to Faith be clear'd by the Science of Divinity and this satisfactorily to a great part of the Opinatours lest either she should in stead of tares pluck up wheat or use her Authority more to destruction than edification by a too hasty decision 36. No Erroneous Opinion in Divinity if Vniversal and Practical can be very long permitted in the Church For since Corol. 31. a meer Opinion can never gain the Authority of a Traditionary point 't is manifest it can never subsist when it is shown to clash with any of the said Points Wherefore since it is liable to discussion and men are naturally of different Judgments and Interests and the variety and Nature of worldly Interest is such that if any thing makes for the Interest of some 't is for that very reason against the Interest of another it will excite them to discussion and sifting its Conformity or Disconformity to Christian Principles which is the way to clear the Terms and make it appear But especially seeing absurd or irrational Practices are the proper Effects of Erroneous Principles and that our natural Corruption inclines men to follow such Practices till they be checkt by regard to something held Sacred that is by being shown opposit to Faith it follows that till this opposition be shown they will infallibly grow on still more and more till they come to such an height of absurdity that they need now no skill to discover them Experience teaching us that the most palpable and evident method to try the Truth of any Speculation is to put it into matter and bring it into Practice Those irrational Practices therefore must needs after some time discover themselves opposit to Christian behaviour and consequently confess the Principle which begot them opposit to Christian Faith which done it presently loses its credit and is quasht by the incomparably more powerful force and all over-bearing Authority of Tradition 37. Erroneous Opinions and the irrational Practices issuing from them though suppos'd Vniversal and of long continuance can never corrupt substantially the Iudgments or Wills of the Faithful For since Corol. 31. nothing not held ever or not coming from Christ can possibly be accepted as held ever or coming from Christ 't is evident no Erroneous Opinion can come to gain the sacredness and repute of a Traditionary point nor their proper practices the Esteem of Christian Practice Wherefore Traditionary Points being the Principles which absolutely possess the Judgmenrs and govern the lives of the Faithful as Christians it follows that no Opinion can ever be held by them but in a conciev'd subordination to Traditionary points or points of Faith nor practicâ—t by them but with a conceivd subordination and conformity to those Practices which spring from undoubtedly-known Christian Tenets or Traditionary points Seeing then what is not held and practicâ—t but as conceivd subordinate to other Tenets and Practices must needs be less held than those others nay not held at all otherwise than conditionally or upon supposal of such a subordination â—tis clearly consequent that Traditions Certainty is so powerful an Antidote that bad Opinions and Practices can never corrupt substantially and absolutely the Judgments or wills of the Faithfull 38. No Erroneous Opinion or its proper Practice is imputable to the Church properly and formally taken For since the Church formally as such proceeds on Christian Tradition no such Opinion nor consequently Practice is imputable to the Church properly and formally taken but onely to some men in the Church materially consider'd as left to the contingent force of their private Discourses that is indeed to the Schools not the Church 39. 'T is exceedingly weak and senceless to think to impugn the Church by objecting to her such Opinions and Practices For since they concern her not nor are imputable to her as Church or to her Members as Faithful the wise Objection can onely signify thus much that the Church has men in her who are fallible in their private Discourses or School-disputes that is she has men in her who are men A heavy imputation 40. The Knowledge of Tradition's Certainty is the first Knowledge or Principle in Controversial Divinity that is without which nothing is known or knowable in that Science For since Controversy or the Science which establishes the Certainty of Faith depends on these two Propositions Whatever God said is true and God said this the former of which is out of Controversy as we now handle it with our modern Dissenters and onely the later is the subject of our debate Seeing also as hath been largely and manifoldly evident nothing can ascertain us of this but Tradition nor It unless its Certainty be known it follows that the Knowledge of Tradition's Certainty is the first Knowledge or Principle in Controversial Divinity 41. Christ's promise to his Church however comfortable to the Faithful can bear no part in the notion of the Rule of Faith nor be the first Principle of a Controversial Divine For since Christ's promise to his Church is held as a point of Faith that is receiv'd upon the Rule of Faith that is subsequent to that Rule 't is manifest that it can be no part of that Rule nor first Principle in Controversy Again the Rule of Faith Disc. 1. § 4 and 9. must be so evident as to its Existence that no other Knowledge must intervene between the natural power of Understanding and It and this in the meanest vulgar
it self To omit here that he makes it the very temper of a Christian mind not to question Tradition he maintains Continuance of Time to be so far from weakening the Certainty of Traditionary points that it contributes to strengthen them more And the reason is because the Churches Doctrin spreads by Time and so the sway of Tradition's descent is ampler besides that every new Degree of Continuance establishes its Title to Possession and makes it hainouser to revolt from it And Effects show our discourse true for there were more variety of Heresies that is Renouncers of Tradition in the first 400 years after the Apostles than we read of in any 400 years since Nor that we may use a familiar Instance in Human Tradition does I conceive any man living more doubt now of Mahomets or Iulius Caesar's existence than within an 100 years after they liv'd 15. A few Notes well weigh'd will strengthen the force of these Allegations which even at first sight seem to look very favourably on our Cause I mind my Reader then First That almost every Citation alledg'd is of Councils or Fathers speaking directly against Hereticks that is in such Circumstances as put them to declare what fixt them Catholicks and what made the other Hereticks Secondly That though some Fathers and Councils speak highly of Scripture as that it contains all Faith c. 'T is first to be markt whether they speak of Scripture Senc't or as yet to be Sencâ—t and if the later by whom or whether any Fathers say that Scripture wrought upon by private Interpretation and Human Wit is apt to ascertain Faith or be the Rule of Faith which is the true point between the Renouncers of Tradition and us Thirdly They shall observe it frequent in Fathers to force Hereticks to accept the Sence of Scripture from those who gave them the Letter of Scripture and very frequent to Sence that Letter even when dark by Tradition but never to bend Tradition to the outward show the Scripture's Letter seems to bear as interpreted by human Skills or to say Universal Tradition is insufficient or uncertain unless the Scripture's Letter thus interpreted came to clear or assist it Lastly 't is impossible they should hold Scripture thus interpretable the Rule of Faith it being notorious that most Hereticks against whom they writ held it theirs And so had they held Scripture thus interpreted the Rule of Faith they could not have held them Hereticks since they adher'd stiffly to that Rule or Root of Faith however they might err in many particular Tenets Not to repeat how all the Properties of the Rule of Faith are urterly incompetent to Scripture's Letter This done all the Testimonies for Scripture against Tradition lose their edge That is if my discourse also hold the test it will appear by way of Fact as it did before by Argument that there is neither Reason nor Authority against Tradition So that I have no more to do but to show that our Church at present grounds her faith on Tradition as formerly which done it follows all the Substance of my foregoing Discourses is but an Explication of our Churches Sence 16. To know our Churches Sence in this point we will not fetch our Testimony from private Authours as is the Protestants mode when they would affix any thing upon her but we will attend to what her own living voice pronounc't in her late famous Representative the Council of Trent Where in every Session definitive of Faith It professes to follow TRADITION either in most express or equivalent Terms As Session 4th The Holy Synod clearly seeing that this Truth and Disciplin Christ's Doctrin is contain'd in the written Books and Traditions without writing which received by the Apostles from Christ's own mouth or from the very Apostles the Holy Ghost dictating as it were deliver'd by hands per manus Traditae have come down to us c. And Again Also the TRADITIONS both belonging to Faith and Manners as dictated orally by Christ or the Holy Ghost and conserved by CONTINVAL SVCSESSION in the Catholick Church c. Session 5. The Holy Council following the Iudgment aud Consent of the Church Ibid. § 4. As the Catholick Church where ever diffus'd hath alwayes understood it For by reason of this RVLE OF FAITH according to the TRADITION of the Apostles c. Session 6. It professes to follow that Doctrin which Christ taught the Apostles deliver'd and the Catholick Church the Holy Ghost suggesting perpetually or interruptedly retain'd Session 7. The Holy Synod adhering to the Holy Scripture the Traditions of the Apostles and the Consent of Councils and Fathers Session 13. The sound and sincere doctrin which the Catholick Church hath ever kept and will ever keep to the end of the World And again For so ALL OVR ANCESTOVRS that ever were in the tru Church of Christ most openly have profest And yet again cap. 3. This Faith was ever in the Church So cap. 4. It was ever held in God's Church More such like Expressions are found in the same Session But to proceed Session 14. chap. 1. The Consent of ALL the Fathers EVER understood c. Chap. 5. The Church of God NEVER taught nor held c. Chap. 5. The Vniversal Church EVER understood that c. Chap. 7. It was ever held in God's Church Chap. 8. It was PERPETVALLY COMMENDED by our Fathers to Christian people No Catholick EVER held c. And in the same Session concerning Extream Unction alledging S. Iames his Text it adds By which words AS THE CHVRCH HATH LEARNED BY TRADITION RECEIV'D DOWN BY HANDS he teacheth c. And Can. 3. As the Catholick Church EVER understood from the beginning c. Can. 6. Which the Catholick Church ever observ'd from the beginning and doth observe c. Session 21. chap. 1. The Council professes to follow the Iudgment and CVSTOME of the Church Chap. 2. It declares that this power has PERPETVALLY been in the Church Session 22. That the antient Faith and doctrin may be retain'd in the Church Ibid. cap. 1. As the Catholick Church EVER understood and taught Chap. 1. According to Apostolical TRADITION Session 23 Holy Writings show it and the TRADITION of the Catholick Church ever taught it Chap. 2. They are known to have been in use from the very Beginning of the Church Session 24. The Holy Fathers Councils and the VNIVERSAL TRADITION of the Church have ALWAYES taught And speaking of some Errors It pronounces them different from the Catholick Church and from the CVSTOME approved SINCE THE APOSTLES TIME Session 25. The Catholick Church instructed by the Holy Ghost teaches out of Sacred Writings and the ANTIENT TRADITION of the Church c. According to the use of the Catholick and Apostolick Church TRADITAM deliver'd from the first or Primitive times of Christian Religion c. More Expressions of the like strain are found in this Session And to close up all in their Acclamation they use this
for fastidiousness I offer my Reason for it For to cavil at Principles and yet go about to lay none himself is the method of a Sceptick and from him indeed I must suffer it if I cannot forcâ— him to hold his tongue But that one who pretends himself a Christian that is an Holder of Christ's Law that is if he goes consequently a Relier upon some First or Self-evident Principle for holding that Christ said thus or thus should be permitted to impugn Principles brought to ascertain fundamentally that point and yet himself lay none to do that Effect as is the Custome of the Impugners of Tradition is to let him behave himself like a Renouncer of Christianity and to fight against any assuredness of Christianity that is to contradict himself and all his own positions as he is Christian which permission is unreasonable according to Maxims of Common Sence and illegal by the Rules of true Logick Again if the clear light of Vnderstanding gives it manifest that nothing can be seen intellectually but what is either Evident by its own Light or by Deduction in the manner declared t is as Evident that to frame Discourses in another method than this or at least loose Discourses that have no Connexion involu'd in them enabling them to bear the Test of this Method can be onely to talk Vncertainties that is of we know not what Which is unworthy a Man much more a Scholler And lastly Since it is evident by Reason that every sleight Authority is not comparable to that of God's Church 't is Evident likewise that Reason is to weigh what is due to Authorities and that No Authority deserves any Assent further than Reason gives it to deserve Now this being so to alledge Authorities undistinguishingly whereas there is such diversity of degrees in them that perhaps there are no two to be found perfectly alike in merit is such a wild proceeding hand over head such a careless saying any thing to no imaginable purpose but purely to talk that no sober Discourser can think it fit to spend time in combating such an aiery Adversary 2. I make it my request to my intelligent Reader for I write to none but such that he would reflect back on the Method I have taken in my short Discouse and he will see that however my Performance speeds I pursue the Way of Evidence and aim at least at perfect Science of the point in hand He will see I take my rise at the meaning of the words Rule and Faith this known I establish my first Principles in this present matter to be these a Rule is a Rule Faith is Faith hence I proceed to discover diverse Attributes necessarily connext with what is meant by those two words and if to avoid witty cavil I decline the pretence of rigorous Definitions of either word without pressing the Essentialness of any of those Attributes to the Natures of Rule and Faith I hope I shall merit both pardon and thanks from those who look for satisfaction For as long as those Attributes must necessarily accompany the Rule of Faith I do my work without engaging into nicer disquisitions Those Attributes being shown necessarily connected with the notion of Rule of Faith I apply'd them to my matter in hand by means of these two Propositions bearing a necessity of Truth in their very Terms That is not the Rule of Faith to which Attributes necessarily belonging to the Rule of Faith belong not and That is the Rule of Faith to which Properties belonging onely to such a Rule do belong Hence I reject Scripture's Letter from being that Rule and assert Tradition to be it And this was enough perhaps for me to do if I onely minded opposition to those who adhere to Scripture's Letter for their Rule in contradistinction and opposition to Traditions being such 3. But intending to avail my self and my Cause by the strength of Truth and Reason not the Weakness and Passion of others I went forwards having first shown it clearly Self-evident that Tradition was a most Certain Rule if follow'd endeavouring to demonstrate the Indefectiveness of Tradition or that it was ever follow'd and this I attempted by those means I took the allow'd Definition of Man the Subject of the Effect I was to show which was to be a Rational Creature I found the proper Agent or Efficient to work upon him as such to be Motives or Reasons and from the impossibility of any such Motives to make him prevaricate from openly-deliver'd Faith nay the necessity of seeing he must destroy his Credit without any possibility of compassing his End I endeavour'd to conclude that Faith thus descended was never prevaricated from Then taking the way of demonstrating the same a posteâ—iori I took an Effect I conceiv'd Impossible to be introduc't into a Knowing Nature without the Existence of Tradition's ever-Indeficiency to ingraft it there or rather to imbue Souls with it naturally and as it were ex traduce 4. Seeing by this time that my Discourse by stooping from my First Principles while I applyâ—d them to my business seem'd immerst in matter and by the blunder of many more and more particular Terms than were in the meer Principle forciâ—ly taken in began to look with a contingent Face though indeed I still perch't upon the specifical natures of Things and so never flaggd below the Sphere of Science therefore to comfort the Readers understanding apt to grow turbid by my approach towards Practice I consider'd Tradition practically and open'd the nature of it by reflecting connaturally how the Revolt from it which we call Heresy comes to be originiz'd For the same reason I compar'd the Human force of Christian Tradition with another vast Tradition meerly human then touching at some Divine Assistances show'd how the Author of Nature had establish't the best piece of it Man's Nature by particular means exceeding her own native strength to this Effect of preserving the descent of Christ's doctrin unalterable and uninterrupted that is I show'd Tradition most Certain and most Indefective and far beyond the establishment of any other piece of Natural Science whatsoever 5. Lastly observing that my Discourse by process as the custom is in all Discourses however evident if not bound to Syllogistical form began to look dishevel'd I added diverse Corollaries In some of which I made many several ends of it meet in a closer frame in others I advanc't forwards to show that the Churches Vnity power to oblige and govern her Subjects as Faithful and her Infallibility in the whole and several parts of her was founded in Tradition nay that by means of Tradition She enjoyes a wonderful Sacredness of Authority being not onely unexpugnable but also unimpugnable without destroying all kinds of Certainty that is without highest nonsence in the Opposer And hence I seat TRADITION on her Throne demonstrating her they the First and consequently self-evident Principle in affairs of this Nature and therefore that the Knowledge of
to Demonstrations for the Ground of our Faith Not to note the unconsonancy of this carriage I shall yeild him the honour of professing he has no Demonstration but onely Probability for the Ground of his and to make this serious protestation for my self that I should esteem my self very dishonest did I assert and press on others any Argument for the Ground of my Faith which I judge not Evident that is Demonstrative This I hope will secure the Honesty of my Intentions however my Weakness may permit me to fail in my performance After this he endeavours to forestal my Reason for the Point in these words They have understandings of another mould from others who can conceive it Impossible that men should not think themselves oblig'd to believe and do all just as their Predecessours did Which words I desire the Reader to review and note for thence my Discourse takes its rise 13. What is it then that we affirm the later Ages oblig'd to hold and act as their Forefathers held and acted Wearing their clothes or building their houses No For both those matters of their own nature are of trivial concern and the fashion of both depend on Fancy which is too sleight a Principle to oblige to a Constancy What is it then To manage their Estates thus or thus no for the Inconvenience or Convenience of the different wayes were perhaps held not very material and the judging which was best depended upon Prudential Principles which are of their own nature variable and accommodable to circumstances and therefore not obliging them to think and Act as their Forefathers did Let us proceed Was it some piece of Skill or a Speculative Opinion depending on the Goodness or Badness of the Ancestors knowledge No For experience teaching that men differ in such Judgments and are errable it could never oblige posterity to believe Unalterably as They did Is it then some Historical passage or matter of Fact of great note and as such apt to strike their Fancy strongly yet still such as the succeeding Age was not highly concern'd whether it were true or no for example that of Alexander's Conquest of Asia to the Asian and Grecian off-spring of the next age after No Yet Experience tells us the memory of this is fresh and lively even amongst Us who are not the immediate descendents of those where he conquer'd though some thousands of years since 14. Before we go any further let 's examin how this History comes to obtain so firm and unshaken a Beleef from the whole World to this very day And first he must be a very weak Speculater that can think the universal and strong Perswasion of this matter of Fact was caus'd by Books Curtius his History for Example For since all Mankind knows naturally that Falshoods may as easily be charactered in Letters as Truths 't is evidently the continu'd Beleef of the Thing or Sence in mens hearts of it's Truth that is Human Tradition which gives that Book all its Authority and secures its strange Contents from being held Romanical which the very being-writ could never have done Let 's see next whence this Human Tradition had its force to continue hitherto so settled and unalterable a Persuasion of Alexanders Conquests And looking into the Thing for Proper Causes that is the best demonstrative mediums we shall find the Object it self was very Universall strange notorious and held of concern to the then livers which made their Hearts and Fancies full of it and so oblig'd them to burst out into Expressions of it and relate it to their Off-spring of the next Age. I but what oblig'd the Off-spring to beleeve their Forefathers telling it and to act or talk of it again to their Children as the Fathers did without which obligation it could not have descended to us Regarding once more the Thing we shall discover that it was imprinted into the Off-spring by the Forefathers Testifying what their senses had told them which put Common Sense inform'd them the thing was Infallibly-true and as Certain as if they had seen it with their own eyes For no reach of Reason but onely Extravagance of Madness could have furnish't them with any imaginable motive why the whole world should conspire to deceive them or be decievable in their Sensations By this means the Conceit of the Thing or matter of Fact as to the main for circumstantial Considerations were not so evident to all at first and so could not be universally deliver'd as ascertain'd by Sence was in the same degree of firmness and Certainty rivetted into the Hearts of next Age and so there being necessarily in the Rational part of the World some curious persons whom Nature her self could not but incline to an Inquisitiveness of what was done formerly and others too naturally inclin'd to tell it Children who were capable of it and delighted with hearing such strange-true Stories It went down continuing by the way of Tradition to our very dayes 15. But we have over-shot our mark The question is of the Obligation not to believe contrary to Forefathers from Age to Age. And t is already evident that the second Age after Alexander was oblig'd to beleeve the First because They saw with their eyes what was done But how could those in the Third Age be oblig'd to beleeve the Second who saw it not To answer this we must ask whether the third Age could be Certain that the second could not be deceiv'd in what the first Age told them and the notoriousness of the Thing being no speculation but a plain matter of Fact secures that or conspire to bely the second Ages Authority and common reason satisfying them by the circumstances of the honesty of the persons their Consent and the disinteressedness of the position that they could not thus conspire even the rudest have a Demonstration the second Age truly testifi'd what the First said and so those of the third Age have the first Ages Authority certainly apply'd to them and by means of its Authority its Sensations too and perfect knowledge of the Thing springing from that Experimential Perception which therefore must needs work the same Effect upon the third Age as it did upon the second And by virtue of the same Argument upon the the fourth fifth and five hundredth while it is known to have come down by the way of Testification and this is known by its being receiv'd in the five-hundredth Age as testify'd For if the second Age could not tell the third it was testify'd by the first unless it had been so testify'd the same reason I have assign'd for the Impossibility of that will hold for each Age to the End of the world that is 't will follow no Age could say a former Age testifyd so unless they did so whence nothing can come in as Testify'd by a former Age unless thus Testifyd If therefore the five-hundredth Age receiv'd a thing as testify'd supposing the notoreity of it secur'd the thing
visible and evident Not by three or four Victories imputable perhaps to Chance at least in which nothing Divine discovered it self engaged Cur Why was this doctrin of Christs taught and practic 't not to satisfy the vain humour of impotent Ambition but to deliver mankind from the Devils slavery and-hell fire its reward and to bring him to everlasting Salvation Quomodo By what manner By writing it in the fleshy Tables of the hearts of the First Christians and afterwards continuing it by the way of Testifying the most connatural way to oblige the Generality to Beleef of matters of Fact that Nature knows Quando When In the First Christians when they were now at Age to judge of the miracles and multitudes of Motives spoken of which aw'd overpower'd and subdu'd their Understandings to a firm Beleef and an high Reverence to the doctrin thus attested to be Gods In the after-Christians when they were yet scarce able to speak much less to judge and taught by nature to believe their Parents Hence a lively and reverential conceit was bred in their Hearts by others serious teaching and their own practising of the Sacredness and consequently Unalterableness of that doctrin ere they came to that Ripeness as to use their own Judgment Nay that doctrin was so deeply naturaliz'd into them by Christian Life ere they came to maturity of Understanding that it became Unnatural and exceedingly violent for them to act and beleeve contrary to what Fathers had taught Whereas the story of Alexander was not proper to be told Children till they were at Age and fit for some kind of Schollership and then it was so little practical that nothing was to be acted about it but talking of it again so that it lookt like a meer piece of Speculation and totally unconcerning them I add that this delivery by attestation or teaching went on linking the former Age to the later by propagating it into new Subjects not all at one time but from year to year moneth to moneth and even less according as the Understandings and even Bodies of Children budded into a Capacity of knowing saying or doing something which belong'd to Christianity which still-continu'd Interweaving the former Age with the later after a wonderful manner strengthens the sway of Tradition and secures it both against Mistake and Deceit neither of them having any possible place where the whole business is carry'd on by such immediate Steps 20. I will not repeat over again 〈◊〉 â—â—conceivable Advantages but leave it to Mâ—o Stillingfleet's reflexion and so proceed 〈…〉 discourse thus If the conceited Sacredness Concern Necessity Unalterableness miraculously-attestedness also if the Visibleness Practicalness with extent to every particular connaturalness c. found in the notion and nature of Christs doctrin or manifestly connected with it render'd it incomparably recommendable in every respect above the Story of Alexander's Conquests and that plainest nature or Common Sense and daily Experience teaches us that by how much more a thing is recommendable or deserving to be beleev'd and practic 't by so much more 't is obligatory to be believ'd and practic 't and that we find in unconcerning Stories a continu'd Obligation layd in Nature for the Children to believe Parents else such stories could never have descended with an hearty perswasion of their Truth hitherto it follows that incomparably and in a manner infinitely greater must the Obligation be to believe Christ's Doctrin than Alexander's or William the Conquerors Victories or any History of the like nature whatever 21. I have been much longer in such a point than the matter requir'd it needed no more but to manifest that Common Sense tells us Nature obliges every man to believe those he takes to be honest much more children Fathers or the next Age those of the former still more if what they tell them be no Speculation depending on Fancy or private Judgment but matter of Fact depending onely on Sense that is if they tell it them as Witnesses But most of all if they see we conspire in the same For then the Obligation is so necessary that I cannot conceive that from the beginning of the world there was ever found one single person so unreasonable as not to yeild to it Whence also we can show every first Beginner of an Heresie is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or self-condemn'd that is conscious to himself that out of Pride or some Passion he goes against Evidence of Authority Now in Tradition all is carry'd on this manner So that if the Explainers of Tradition have not made provision for this point 't is because they thought there could not be found a Considerer so unreasonable as to question it Yet because Mr Stillingfleet puts the whole stress of his Objection against Tradition in this I shall to give him further satisfaction consider it practically 22. Let us conceive then that the Apostles Disciples and Apostolical men taught the first Age Christ's Doctrin qualifi'd in the manner before declar'd and recommended it as such that is as Sacred Unalterable the way to Bliss Taught by Christ c. by Miracles and other Supernatural means 't is plain They had Obligation to believe Christ taught it Well they receiving it as such that is as Christ's and so Unalterable were bound to recommend it for such to the next Age. Nor does Mr. Stillingfleet question this But were their Children oblig'd to believe them While they were young t is plain they could do no other neither out of Reason nor Passion But what were they oblig'd to when they were grown up to ripeness of Judgement 'T is plain that were that Doctrin deliver'd as an Invention of then Forefathers or some Collection of their Reason that it was Christ's it was obvious for them to make this Discourse We have natural Wit as well as our Parents had and perhaps as good Circumstances to apply that wit and why then should not we cast about and consider whether that be indeed Christ's Doctrin and taught by the Apostles which they would persuade us is so But in case it were deliver'd as ascertain'd by their Senses to have been taught by the Apostles what imaginable reason can they have of doubt Can they think all their Fathers and Neighbours a pack of impudent Knaves that conspire to abuse their posterity purposely to damn them or that they could be mistaken in a Doctrin they were so highly concern'd to learn right and had led their lives by ever since they were Christian The third Age succeeds whose Immediate Ancestours the Second Age told them they had been taught and brought up thus by the First Nor have they more reason to doubt the Second Ages Attestation of the First Ages Doctrin and Life it being an unmistakable matter of Fact than the Second had the First 's that is they were oblig'd to believe it And since each foregoing Ages Attestation is a plain matter of Fact it follows that each succeeding Age has still equal obligation to
believe the foregoing Especially in a matter carrying along with it such powerful Recommends and this out of its very Nature as that the preserving and holding to it would bring them Infinit Goods and the altering it Infinit Harms Thus it goes on and while it goes on thus that is while this Rule is follow'd 't is self-evident no Heresie could ever be Disc. 5. § 8. Whence by the way if this be the onely difficulty in Tradition that is in case the next Age were oblig'd to believe the former Tradition would still be follow'd and so it would be self-evident no Heretick could be then it needs no proof they have such an Obligation for 't is questionless there is an Obligation for men not to be Hereticks 23. Well but an acute Wit or great Scholar arises who begins to question this way Let 's see if he have a good reason if not he is still oblig'd Can he bring an ampler or Certainer living Authority for the contrary Where shall he have it For all the Christian world is against him if he be the first and so onely denier of this way of Tradition Will he bring Demonstration against the Point How can he against a Truth for our case puts the point truly deliver'd and onely enquires into the obligation of believing Ancestours in such a Delivery and he must not hope a seeming Demonstration can free him from his Obligation of believing Ancestours For whence hapned it that it seem'd so to him when it was not such From Perfection in Science in that particular No surely for then he had not miscarry'd From the Imperfectness of his Science Then he ought the more to have believ'd From Precipitancy Then he ought not have been passionate But perhaps he will build on Dead Testimony or some Book granted to be Sacred In that case I ask how knows he with such a Certainty as to build Faith and his opposition to the whole Church upon it which ought be no less than a Demonstration that he has the right Letter and Sence of that Book Can he Demonstrate the exact conformity of its Letter from Copy to Copy and Translation to Translation and this up to the very Original He may as well measure the back-side of Heaven Will he recur to Traditions help Tradition could onely perform this either by the way of diligent Examiners continu'd along and securely testifi'd which as was said is impossible to show Or by continu'd Sence in Christian Hearts and then 't is plain if their Sence preserv'd the Letter rightly significative he ought to take the Sence of the Letter from them too as the Fathers use to press upon ancient Hereticks 'T is left then that he must pretend he will demonstrate some former Age has err'd How I wonder We have excluded him Scripture the nature of the Points and Authority of living men It may be he will alledge Testimonies of Historians or Fathers But first Fathers taken as such are not meerly great Scholars but Eminent Parts of Ecclesia docens or Witnessers of the Doctrin deliver'd Take away then the Certainty of Delivery or Tradition there 's no Certainty of Doctrin deliver'd nor consequently of Fathers 2 ly An Historians Testimony signifies but his own private saying unless authoriz'd by Sence writ in mens hearts or Tradition 3 ly Are those Testimonies and the like may be said of Scripture-proofs evidently against the present Church or no If not 't is a madness to talk of seeming Testimonies against so vast and evident a one as that of the whole foregoing Church If Evident 't is inconsistent with mans Nature the Christian Church should recommend down for true Fathers and creditable Historians those Authours which so evidently oppose her Doctrin Or if so great an Authority as the Churches delivers them down for fabulous or spurious how can their Authority ever come to be undoubtable or Certain The last refuge then of a passion-misled Reason is asham'd of her want of Principles and loth to show her head to pretend private Inspirations which therefore is the last non ultra of all Heresies and the flower or most refin'd quitessence of all Faith-Reformation But miracles failing these poor Creatures to shew forth the hidden divinity which they pretend possesses them they quickly fade away or if they make any further progress 't is into phrenzy or perfect Madness as we experience in our most miserably-distracted Country which disposition is therefore the Caput mortuum or Terra damnata of Heresie and the last and most natural effect of relinquishing Tradition 24. By this Discourse is seen that 't is impossible the following Age and every person in it unlearned and learned should not be oblig'd to believe the foregoing delivering to them Christs Doctrin as receiv'd from hand to hand by way of Testifying and that this Universal Obligation springs out of the Nature of that Heavenly Doctrin and the Nature of the Way of conveying it downwards 'T is time now to review Mr Stillingfleets words against the possibility of proving this by Reason and see how lank they look They are these neither more nor fewer It is hard to conceive what Reason should inforce it but such as proves the Impossibility of the contrary And they have Vnderstandings of another mould from others who can conceive it impossible men should not think themselves oblig'd to believe and do all just as their Predecessors did Is this Mr Stillingfleet who in the Appendix to his Irenicum § 6. so rationally characters those for more zealous than Iudicious discoursers who argue not out the very Nature and Constitution of a Thing and here in a discourse concerning the Rational way of looking into a point quite overleaps all that concerns either the Nature or necessary circumstances of that Thing and talks so rawly in common that is not one word to that particular purpose Observe the words Oblig'd to believe and do ALL IVST as their Predecessors have done What means the word ALL Does he mean we hold them oblig'd to cut their Beards or wear such Garters and Hatbands as their Fore-fathers did His raw words reach no farther What means the word JUST Does he think Faith being planted in Human that is Rational Nature will not propagate it self into consequent and subordinate Tenets and Practices All the wonder then of the Impossibility of the no-obligation lies in his crafty and sophistical expressing it which includes a fallacy of non-causa pro causa for not any thing convey'd down on any fashion is held by us thus obliging to believe and act accordingly but such a Doctrin and so convey'd as was before declared Had he put our Position thus as indeed he ought it being the true case Children or Immediate Posterity taught by Fathers or immediate Ancestors relying on the way of Sensation that such a Doctrin was taught or deliverd to be taught by God himself as most Sacred Necessary to be believ'd and practicâ—t by all being the way
to salvation so that to vary from it or hold or practise the contrary is the way to eternal misery are all oblig'd to believe and act as their Forefathers did and not introduce Contrary Doctrins and practices to those they had receiv'd Had it been I say thus propos'd there had been no such cause of wonderment But all these that is indeed all of weight in the point is quite left out Such poor shifts even the best Wits must be driven to when they would maintain a false Cause 25. One word to M. Stillingfleet He hath challeng'd us to make out this Obligation to Belief as the onely Thing we are to prove in the Traditionary way he hath offer'd us the choice of our Weapon either Reason particular Testimony or Vniversal Tradition I have accepted his offer chosen my weapon and given here the first blow I hope he will not now run the Field but return an Answer to my Discourse in the way of Reason which I have chosen by his Offer I am sorry for his sake my reflexions here are not more elaborate being sent to the Press in loose quarters of sheets as soon as writ more time not being allow'd me nor I hope needful to answer such mistakes Onely I request him when he replies to take along with him the nature of the subjecta materia the Doctrins and Practises we speak of the Nature of the Manner of delivering it and the necessary Circumstances which give weight to both as I have declar'd above and I promise him God assisting me a very serious Reply 26. Ere I quite leave this matter I desire to take the Reader along with me in my quest for a Reason or proper Cause why so judicious a person as Mr. Stillingfleet could come to doubt of such an Obligation in posterity to beleeve their Ancestours in a matter of fact or a matter deliver'd to have been not deem'd or thought but done or which is equivalent being it's necessary effect seen or known by Sense For I make account there is not a man in the world or ever was such is the Goodness of rational Nature given us by God who in his natural thoughts could ever raise such a doubt or think he could possibly frame his thoughts to a disbelief of the contrary no more than any man in England whom Speculative Scepticism has not besotted and unmann'd can doubt of William the Conquerors Harry the Eighths or Mahomets Existence much less judge the contrary And it appears at first sight to be a strange distorsion or rather destruction of human Nature which can so alter it Now looking into Things I find it to be a proper and natural Effect of the Protestant's temper and indeed of all who have left the Church For their humour being to chuse every one his Faith by his private Judgment or Wit working upon disputable words They wonder and judge it very unreasonable their Posterity thus imbu'd should be oblig'd to beleeve and act as Ancestours do and so should I too For while they can never deliver it to their Children as received ever by the way of Infallible Sense or Witnessing but must say the former Church de facto err'd and consequently that themselves might do so too so that they can only deliver it as depending or built on their own fallible Opinion in interpreting Scripture all which is imply'd in their making Scriptur's Letter the Rule of Faith and allowing no Living Interpreter able to give infallibly the Sence of it 't is natural their posterity should 〈◊〉 hold themselves oblig'd to beleeve Immediate Ancestors but use their own Judgments and chuse their own Faith when they come at Age as well as They did and Experience tells us they have done so in England till they have chosen fairly And this horrid Unreasonableness is the venomous source the First defective Principle or indeed the very nature of all Heresie imported also in the very word which signifies Choice or chusing one's Religion mention'd by Clemens Alexandrinus cited above p. 135. and counterpos'd by him to Tradition as also by S. Athanasius cited p. 133. 134. where 't is most excellently describ'd and homely apply'd to the Protestants and such others as the Reader may see I am a bad Transcriber 27. I have done my main task and so shall only touch at his next paragraph It begins thus It is to no purpose to prove the Impossibility of motion when I see men move no more it is to prove no Age of the Church could vary from the foregoing when we can evidently prove they have done it You argue well But two things are requir'd ere you can see our Faith varies from the former First To see what our Church holds now and then to see what the former Church held before and if I see any thing you see neither well For while you cannot distinguish between Faith and its Explication some School-men and Church I have no hopes you should see candidly what our Church holds now and if you cannot at present see what our Church holds now how and by what method will you assure us you see what She held formerly The thing to be prov'd is a plain matter of Fact and you have renounc't all living Attestation the common and secure way to bring it down and consequently Fathers too For Fathers speaking of them as such being Evident Witnessers Transmitters or Propagates of the Faith received to Immediate Posterity if you question Delivery or Tradition which you do while you doubt Obligation in Posterity to believe Ancestours you question whether there be any Doctrin deliver'd and so any Fathers and I wonder how you can imagin any man oblig'd to believe Fathers Historians or any that writ or testify'd things long ago and yet think the next age not oblig'd to believe the former in a matter of Fact done in their own dayes How far short then are your Evidences of the former Churches Doctrin like to prove of being parallell to our seeing a man move with our corporeal Eyes But you may say any thing or rather indeed forc't by your bad Cause you must do so 28. You call this Way of ours a Superficial Subtilty I beseech you consider what you say Is that which is wholly builds on the Nature of the Things as you see ours does Superficial or Yours which is meerly an aiery Descant upon dead Words What do you think Controversy is I deal plainly with you you may take it to be an Art of Talking and I think you do so though you will not profess it but I take it to be a noble Science I hold its Object to be rationem reddere fidei or to maintain question'd Faith which is chiefly done by showing the Authority on which Faith depends quoad nos Certain Hence all other Authority depending on Tradition's I hold Knowledge of its Certainty the First Principle in Controversy And this being quoad nos necessarily antecedent to Authority it can onely be
but that Christ promist his Church Infallibility is not thus self-evident but needs other Knowledges to evidence it unless we will make all come by Inspiration Besides if God's Providence laid in second Causes for Tradition's Indeficiency be not Certain in its self abstracting from Christ's promise to his Faithful Tradition can never convey certainly that Promise to us It must then be assur'd to us by Scripture's Letter ascertain'd onely by imagin'd diligence from Copy to Copy not by Tradition that is that Letter could not be certain its self and so fit to ascertain others till Tradition's Certainty be establish't antecedently And were it suppos'd a true Letter this Letter Tradition being as yet suppos'd unknown to be able to convey down certainly Christs sence must be interpreted onely by private skills and so all the Churches Veracity that is all Mankinds Salvation must be built on that private Interpretation Private I say for in that supposition till the Scripture's Letter for that point be Interpreted certainly truly the Churches veracity or power to interpret it truly is not yet known which besides the common Rule that no Scripture is of private Interpretation is particularly and highly faulty in this case that it would make our Fundamental of Fundamentals the Certainty of our Rule of Faith rely on such a private Interpretation Moreover to say Tradition of the Church is Certain because Christ promist it puts it to be believ'd not seen and is the same in Controversy as it is in Nature to say in common such an Effect is wrought because 't is God's will which gives no account of that particular Effect but onely sayes something in common Wherefore since the Certainty of the Rule of Faith it being antecedent to Faith must be seen not believ'd a Controversial Divine ought to make it seen that is ought to demonstrate its Certainty and Indeficiency by intrinsecal mediums or dependence on proper Causes It signisies therefore no more in the Science of Controversy to say Christ promist than in Natural Science to answer to every Question in stead of showing a proper Cause that God wills it which is a good saying for a Christian as is also the other but neither of them a competent Principle either for Philosopher or Controvertist Consent Of AUTHORITY To the substance of the foregoing Discourses 1. THus far Reason Let 's see how 't is seconded by Authority And first by the Scriptures 2. For the Self-evidence of the Way to Faith or which is all one The Rule of Faith see the Prophet Isay c. 35. v. 8. This shall be to you a direct way so that Fools cannot err in it That is evident to the rudest Vulgar or self-evident else Fools might possibly err in it in case it needed any Skill of Discourse and were not obvious to Common Sense 3. Now what this Self-evident Rule is is most expressively declar'd by the same Prophet c. 59. v. 21. speaking of God's favour intended to the Gentiles that is of the Law of Grace This is my Covenant with them saith the Lord my Spirit which is in thee and my words which I have put in thy Mouth shall not depart from thy mouth and from the mouth of thy Seed and from the mouth of thy Seed's Seed from henceforth for ever Here we see God's promise to perpetuate Christ's Doctrin and on what manner that is by Oral Tradition or Delivering it from Father to Son by word of Mouth or Teaching not by scanning a Book put in their hands We see it promist also that this Tradition shall be Indefectible or Vninterrupted and Lastly that his Spirit or Sanctity is both in the Church and will continue ever with her which being so she must needs be supernaturally assisted by the Holy Ghost that is incomparably above the power of Nature to this Effect of perpetuating Christ's doctrin by Tradition 4. As pithy and home is that of the Prophet Ieremiah c. 31. I will give my Law in their Bowels and iâ— their Hearts will I write it and still more that of St. Paul contradistinguishing the Law of Grace from Moses his Law by this that the later was writ in Tables of Stone the former in the fleshy Tables of mens Hearts Both as express as can be imagined to send us for our Faith to living Sence in the hearts of the Faithful not to meer dead Letters in a Book that is recommending to us Tradition which is the perfectest and naturalest way imaginable to write them there as hath been shown Note the word Hearts which in the Metaphorical expression is the Principle of Action not of meeâ— Speculative Knowledge as is the word Brain Which intimates the Practical nature of Tradition and that it imprints Christs Law and conveys it down by Christian Carriage and Action not by Speculative scanning the significativeness of Characters in a Book Note also the word Fleshy which signifies that the manner of writing Christ's Law is through the affecting the Soul by her Inferiour part considering her as she is a virtue of understanding that is by Sensations which make strong and plain Impressions in Mankind according to their material part and so force into them Natural Knowledge Whence things thus imprinted are apt to settle themselves solidly and even sink deeply into the most material gross and vulgar understandings Quite contrary to which in all regards is the way of beginning with reading and labouring to understand certainly Letters in a Book which is a kind of Speculation and so belongs to the Superiour part of the Soul as she is understanding being Artificial both in the very Nature of such Characters the skill in Reading and highest skills requisit to Sence them with Certainty 5. After Scripture-verdict succeed next in order those of Councils I will onely mention three in several Ages leaving multitudes of others The first Synod of Lateran We all confirm unanimously and consequently with one heart and mouth the Tenets and sayings of the Holy Fathers adding nothing subtracting nothing of those things which are DELIVERâ—D VS quae TRADITA sunt nobis by them and we believe so as the Fathers have believed we preach so as they have TAVGHT The Council of Sardica in its Encyclical sent to all Catholick Bishops We have received this Doctrin we have been taught so we hold this Catholick Tradition Faith and Confession And the seventh General Council in its second Act. We imbu'd with the precepts of the Fathers have so confest and do confess In the Third we receive and venerate the Apostolical Traditions of the Church And in the seventh Act giving their final determination they declare the Grounds on which they proceed in these words We walking in the King's-high-way Regiam viam incedentes and relying on the Doctrin of our holy and divine Fathers and observing the TRADITION of the Catholick Church define c. where we see General Councils that is the greatest Authority in the Catholick Church relying on the Teaching of
Fathers or foregoing Church and on the Churches Tradition as on their Rule and the High-way to Faith whence they repute Catholick Tradition and Faith the same thing We see also the Amplitude of this Rule recommending to us all Faith so that nothing ought be added to it And how empty a pretence the Fathers in this Council judg'd it to disallow this Rule under pretext of being opposit to Scripture is seen by these words in their First Session They who contemn the Teachings of the Holy Fathers and TRADITION of the Catholick Church and bring for their excuse and inculcate the words of Arius Nestorius Eutyches and Dioscorus saying Vnless we were sufficiently instructed out of the Old and New Testament we would follow the Doctrins of the Fathers of the six holy Synods and the Traditions of the Catholick Church Let him be accursed So that they held private Instruction from Scripture insufficient to build Faith on or which is all one to be a Rule of Faith Also that it was ever the common pretence of the most execrable Hereticks of old to decline Tradition and pretend to sufficient Light from Scripture's Letter and lastly that since the Sence of Scripture in points of Faith is not attainable sufficiently or with Certainty by the bare Letter of Scripture and with Certainty by Tradition and that Tradition brings us down determinate Sence Tradition is to sence Scripture's Letter and so that Letter no Rule but by virtue of Tradition seeing Faith being Sence and Points of Faith determinate Sences Faith's Rule must bring us to such determinate Sences 6. After antient Councils let us give a glance at Fathers and see what they say to this Point Celestin Saint and Pope to the Fathers of the Ephesin Council Agendum igitur nunc c. Now therefore we must act with a common endeavour to preserve things believed and retain'd to this very time by SVCCESSION FROM THE APOSTLES Ireneus cap. 4. Quid autem c. But what if the Apostles had not left us the Scriptures ought we not to follow the Order of â—radition which they had deliver'd to those to whom they committed the Churches To which Ordination assent many Natiens of those Barbarians who believe in Christ having Salvation writ by the Spirit in their hearts without characters and Ink and diligently keeping the Ancient TRADITION In the former we have it told a General Council what their proper task is namely to keep or hold fast what was believ'd and kept and how by Succession from the Apostles or from hand to hand In the second that the Apostles when they gave Bishops their Charge ordained or made it their Duty to observe Tradition that this Way of Tradition was sufficient to receive Faith upon that is sufficient to be a Rule of Faith without Scripture and that de facto it did perform that office to many Nations without Scripture Lastly he calls this delivery from Father to Son the writing it in their hearts by the Spirit that is the work of the Holy Ghost or Supernatural however it connaturally descended and seems to counterpose this to writing by characters or Ink as if this were not so immediately at least the Holy Ghosts work In regard as plain reason tells us the Sence of those Letters or Faith must either be had by those Inward Characters writ in the Readers hearts by God's Spirit and so It not the Ink writes it there or else by human or Natural Skills which are not attributable to our Sanctifier the Holy Ghost 7. The same Father lib. 1. cap. 3. For though there be diverse Tongues in the world yet the virtue of Tradition is one and the same The preaching of the Church is true and firm in which one and the same way of Salvation is shown over the whole world Here we have but one Rule of Faith or way to Faith this the preaching or living voice of the Church which is not onely said to be true but also firm that is the Certainty of its Truth is built on solid Grounds or founded in the nature of things order'd by God's special Providence to that end To show which hath been the aim of my present endeavours 8. Origen is more express 1. Periarchôn Servetur verò c. Let the Churches preaching deliver'd from the Apostles by order of Succession and remaining in the Church to this present be preserv'd That onely Truth is to be believ'd which differs in nothing from the Churches Tradition And 29. in Matth. We ought not to believe otherwise than as the Churches of God have deliver'd us by Succession Where he directly makes Tradition the Rule to judge what 's sound what not that is the Rule of Faith 9. Tertullian lib. de carne Christi If thou beest but a Christian believe what is traditum deliver'd And speaking to an Heretick By renouncing what thou hast believ'd thou provest that before thou didst renounce it what thou believedst was otherwise It was then deliver'd otherwise Moreover what was Deliver'd that was True as deliver'd by those to whom it belong'd to deliver Wherefore renouncing what was Deliver'd thou hast renounc't what 's True So that in this Father's Judgment a Christian and Follower of Tradition are the same and that to renounce what comes by Tradition is to renounce Truth which amounts to this that Tradition is the Test of Christianity and Rule of Faith Also he intimates that it belongs to some to deliver to some not and if to any to whom but those who lay claim and adhere to Tradition or Delivery and are in possession of it not to those who are known to have broken from Tradition and impugn its Certainty 10. Athanasius in lib. de Synodis They have declar'd themselves to be Vnbelievers by Seeking what they have not All therefore that are Seekers of Faith are Vnbelievers They onely to whom Faith comes down from their Ancestors that is from Christ by Fathers do not seek and therefore they onely have Faith If thou comest to Faith by Seeking thou wast before an Vnbeliever And in his Discourse against Paulus Samosatenus de Incarnatione He that searches after those things which are beyond his strength stands upon a precipice but he that sticks to Tradition stands out of danger Wherefore we persuade you which also we persuade our selves that you retain the Faith Deliver'd Traditam Fidem and avoid prophane words of Novelty I wish the Protestants would seriously weigh the import of these Sayings of this Father and consider what it was which sustain'd him who was a Pillar of Faith in his dayes and then applying it see whether it fits to Catholicks or Them They would plainly discern that which they prize themselves most for that is for taking their Faith out of Judgment by finding and seeking it in the Scriptures is alone enough to show them not to be truly Faithful That God has promised a perfectly secure way to give them true Faith that is by