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
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
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.
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
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
and my Grounds why I then believ'd rest still unchang'd nay are unchangeable But yet Reason acts much differently now then â—ormerly Before I came at Faith she acted about her own Objects Motives or Maxims by which she scand the Authorities we spoke of But in Acts of Faith she hath nothing to do with the Objects of those Acts or Points of Faith She is like a dimsighted man who us'd his Reason to find a trusty Friend to lead him in the twi-light and then reli'd on his guidance rationally without using his own Reason at all about the Way it self To make this clearer we may distinguish two sences in the word Reason one as 't is taken for that natural Faculty which constitutes Man which Faculty never deserts or ought to desert us in any action that is Manly or virtuous The other as 't is taken for that Power wrought upon by motives under its own ken in the same sence we call it human Reason by which is not meant the natural Power unactuated or abstractedly for then the word human were a Taâ—tology but Reason as conversant with such objects or inform'd by such knowledges as are commonly found within the sphere of our natural condition as Men such as are those which beget Science And this leaves us when we have once found the Authority now spoken of the Objects of Faith formally speaking being out of her reach nor is she thus understood the motive of our Assent to the verity of the Point of Faith but AVTHORITY onely Wherefore into Authority onely Faith as such is resolvd finally though if you go about to resolve the Rationalness of assenting to the Authority it self it will light into those Evident Reasons which your naturall power of reason as yet uninform'd by Faith but by motives or maxims within its own sphere was capable to wield 5. Reason therefore taken for my natural Power is my Eye or interiour sight as inform'd by common Principles or Maxims antecedent to Faith my Guid to bring me to believe Authority and those motives or Maxims are the Rules to my Reason by attending to which she hath virtue or skill to set her own thoughts right that is to guid me in my way to Faith but when I have once come to beleeve Authority that is come to Faith not Reason but Authority is my Guid for I follow Authority and not my Reason in judging what is Faith what not and though the Light of that naturall power never deserts me yet Reason as rul'd by her own natural maxims is useless to me as a Guid or those Maxims as a Rule for I apply neither of these to the mysteries of Faith to scan their verity or falsity by but purely rely upon Authority and beleeve them Authority then is my Guid and in the Infallibility of that Authority consists the power or virtue it has to guide me right that is to regulate or rule me as one of the Faithfull or as one who must have such Certain Grounds of my Assent as I may securely build my Salvation on This Authority then as it is Inâ—allible is also my Rule in my beleeving or the Rule of my Faith This of my Rule of Faith in Common against Adversaries of Faith in common But with Protestants who grant Christ to be God and consequently his words or doctrine true the onely Rule and Guid we need is to lead us into the Knowledge of what he said and assure it to us We affirm then that the Catholick Church is the Guid we follow and her Infallibility consisting in Tradition our Rule of Faith Hence all Catholicks profess her doctrin uninterruptedly succeeding from the Apostles time and so to continue to the end of the World hence with one voice they lay claim to Christs gracious Assistance to her in defending her from over-growing Errors against Faith or Heresies hence all profess to hear and follow her and pledge undoubtingly even the security of their salvation by relying on the Certainty of her Living Voice for their Tenets and on her Disciplin for the Practice of their Faith And though some Schoolmen make Scripture a partial Rule of Faith yet they can mean onely materially not formally that is that some part of Faith is signifi'd by Scripture's Letter not that Scripture's Letter alone is sufficient securely to signify it to private understandings so as to beget that most strong firm Assent found in Divine Faith as is evident by this that all hold no Scripture is of private Interpretation all hold the living voice of the Church and her constant Practice are the best Interpreters of Scripture Now Faith being Tenets and Sence that must be 〈◊〉 the Rule of Faith which ascertains us of Christs Sence not the materiall Characters which that Certain Interpreter we call the Church works upon and by her Practicall Tradition interprets 6. 'T is high time now to look back upon Dr. Pierce and his party how justly they deal with us and how mistakingly they discourse when they come to the Grounds of their Faith 7. First by the tenour of his discourse he would seem to obtrude upon us a Tenet which none but perfect mad-men could hold namely that we profess we have no reason why we believe the Church which devolves to this that we must profess we have as much reason to believe an old wife's dream as our Faith since there can be no less reason than none at all And hence he will needs assure the Reader that therefore the Enthusiastick Sectaries are in part Romish Proselytes c. And indeed upon so gross a calumny layd down for his principle and a sober Truth what might he not conclude with equal reason he might have inferr'd that all Bedlam were Catholicks and that to turn mad were to turn a Romanist But his carriage to put this upon Mr. S. C. is strangely unjust since he knows and hints it that he writ a Book upon his declaring himself Catholick entitled Motives of his Conversion does he think the word Motives does not signify Reasons or that to write an whole Book of Reasons why he adhea'd to the Catholick Church signifies that he renounc't all reason why he believ'd her 8. Next as for his own tenet he layes this for his Ground that Reason alone is Iudge in all cases I will propose him one case and 't is the Existence of a Trinity To work now with your Reason about this object and see how you evince it I doubt your best reasons will crack ere you make all ends meet But you mean you must have Reason to believe it I conceive speaking properly you should rather say you must have Reason to believe the Authority and Authority to believe It for Belief is as properly relative to Authority as Science is to an Act of true Reason or Evidence Whence 't is as incongruous to say I must have Reason to believe such a Point as to say I know such a point Scientifically by Authority
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
which imbu'd you antecedently with those contrary Tenets not the Scripture's Letter was your true Rule of Faith in regard you frame It according to the Interest of those foreheld Tenets He pressingly therefore demands whence you had those Tenets or Points of Faith by which you guide your self in adhering or not adhering to the Scripture's Letter as it lies 5. If you say from other places of Scripture controlling plainly the others he replies this can onely make you acknowledge Scripture's Letter plainly contradicts it self and so leaves you doubtful which side to hold as far as the bare Letter carries you or if it invites you to any thing 't is to hold both sides of the contradiction What therefore he still demands is what it is which forelaid those Judgements in you by which you were byast beyond the power of the Letters Indifferency to hold one side rather than â—he other Here you are at a loss with your â—retence of the Letter's Authority being gone beyond it If then you recurr to Reason and Science teaching you that God is immutable a Spirit c. he straight replies Then that Science taught you that Point whether Scripture had been or no. It therefore was your Rule in this and the same may be said of what-ever you avail your self to interpret Scriptute by not the Letter If you say you rely on the Science or Skill of your Parents Forefathers and Pastours then their skill which ascertaind them of Gods sence not Scripture's Letter was their Rule and so is likewise yours for whoever relies on any precisely as skilful relies in very deed and properly on their skill and not on the Letter their skill works upon Besides oue not skilful himself is a bad Judge how far anothers skill extends If you say you rely not on their skill fallible perhaps in them and obscure to you but on their Senses enabling them to be knowing Witnesses of what was delivered them and free from the former exceptions you are driven for your last refuge to Tradition and still desert your Letter-Rule In a word he challenges the consciousness of your most inward thoughts whether however in Controversies against others you quote Scripture yet in reading the Letter for your own Faith you bring not along with you some thoughts to interpret it by which you are resolved to hold to and so the Scriptures Letter lies before you as matter to work on so as to preserve it significative of what you judge sound and not to frame your Judgements by that is you use it as a thing ruled not as a Bule Nay more if you look narrowly into the bottome of those Thoughts you shall discover the natural method of Tradition to have at unawares setled your Judgements concerning Faith and actually guiding you in the Interpretation however when your other Concerns awake design in you you protest against it and seem perhaps to your unreflecting self to embrace and hold to the meer guidance of the Letter 6. Again Waving the insufficiency of the Scriptures Letter to declare its own sence he asks this smart question how you are certain of the Truth of the Letter in this very Text and demands your certain proof or demonstration either either for the Thing or for the Certainty of the Authority upon which you hold that any particular Text you alledge is truly a part of the Scriptures Letter and not foisted in or some way altered in its significativeness or how you know by the diligence of the Letter-examiners if it be a negative Proposition that the particle not was not inserted if affirmative not left out You alledge Consent of all our Copies He replies first that this onely argues that those ancient Copies whence ours came were alike perhaps not so much but who knows or can undertake that they were not alike faulty or alike Unlike the true Original or that there were not some in those dayes which never came to our knowledge different from ours in the very point between us In a word that all depends on the Truth of the Copies immediately taken from the Original or the very next to them which what they were by whom taken where and how preserved from time to time how narrowly examined when they were first transcribed and such like is so buried in obscurity and oblivion and so far from Evidence apt to beget Certain Knowledge that we must have recourse to Charity to allow it our Hopes had we no other Rule of Faith than that bare Letter Again though human diligence did play its part yet it is acknowledg'd sayes your Deist that there are almost innumerable Variae Lectiones in it still controverted nay so many in the new Testament alone observed by one man my Lord Vsher that he durst not print them for fear of bringing the whole Book into doubt and why may not there have been such formerly and now blindly determined and swallowed in each Text that concerns our mainest Points of Faith If you reply as Nature will lead you that the Faith of Christ believed and taught from Father to Son was writ in the hearts of the Faithful and this made them both able and willing to that is actually did preserve the Letter from Errour in any passage that concerned the Body of Christian Doctrine he challenges you to fly your Colours to desert your own Rule and embrace Tradition the Rule of Roman-Catholikes and lastly that you make Scriptures Letter the thing Ruled not the Rule Yet without this recourse no satisfactory account can possibly be render'd to a strict Examiner why Errour might not creep into the Text in substantial points of Faith as well as in less concerning passages which devolves to this that the Scripture's Letter held forth as a Rule of Faith can never convince an obstinate and acute Adversary FOURTH DISCOURSE That the Two last Properties of the Rule of Faith are clearly incompetent to Scripture 1. THere remain the two last conditions Certainty in its self and Ascertainableness to us That the later is incompetent to Scripture alone or unassisted by another certain Rule that is incompetent to it as a Rule however it may agree to it as a thing regulated or ruled is the Subject in a manner of all our foregoing Discourse and it so depends upon the former Property of the two last named Certainty in it self that if it fails that later is impossible Now as for its Certainty in its self or its being establish't on secure Grounds we may consider Scripture's Letter either Materially as such and such Characters or Formally as Significative of a determinate sence suppos'd to be Christ's and both of these either in its single self or as dependent on other helps or Causes on foot now in the world according to the course of things 2. And as for the meer material Characters in Books 't is evident that they are of themselves as liable to be destroy'd as any thing else in Nature as burnt torn
advantages the Letter gives them as comparing places and such like and availing themselves the best they can by acquir'd skills yet differ in so main points as those of the B. Trinity and Christ's Divinity what Certainty can we undertakingly promise to weaker heads that is to the Generality of Mankind less able to make such fit allusions of places to one another incapable of such means as should help them which the other had and are very pertinent and proper to work upon the Letter And lastly who are for want of those unfurnish't of any steady Principles to settle their Judgements and rationally determin their own Interpretation Certain Scripture's Letter therefore is not Certain in it's self that is has no immovably secure Grounds enabling it to perform the Office of the Rule of Faith or to guide Mankind in their way to Faith with a rational assuredness Our Conclusion then is this that SCRIPTURE'S LETTER WANTS ALL THE FOREMENTIONED PROPERTIES BELONGING TO THE RULE OF FAITH 7. Lest any should misconstrue my former Discourse I declare here once more that in a great part of it I argue ad hominem that is I manifest what must follow out of the Principles of those who hold the Scripture's Letter the Rule of Faith not out of my own or Catholick ones I declare likewise that I with all reverence acknowledge such Excellencies in those Sacred Oracles as would task the tongues both of Men and Angels to lay them forth I onely contest that the Scripture's Letter is most improper and never intended for the Rule of Faith as is easy to be evinc't against an unobstinate Adversary by this that 't is known the Apostles and their Successors went not with Books in their hands to preach and deliver Christ's Doctrin but Words in their mouths and that Primitive Antiquity learn't their Faith by another Method a long time before many of those Books were universally spread amongst the vulgar much less the Catalogue collected and acknowledg'd till the Revolters from that Method and Rule being manifestly convinc't of Novelty by it were forâ—t to invent some other and chose this of the Scripture's Letter for most plausible as being held very Sacred untill by straining it to an undue use and to please the people putting it without any distinction of the person into their hands and leaving it to their Interpretation they have brought it as 't is made use of for a Rule of Faith to the vilest degree of contempt every silly upstart Heresy fathering it self upon It. Of which no Nation in the world is so evident an Instance as our miserable Country distracted into so many Sects all issuing from that Principle so impossible to be brought under Ecclesiastical Government and even with much ado under Temporal that 't is wonderful such proper Effects especially so sensible burthensome so universally spred and so continual should not long ago have abundantly demonstrated their Proper Cause and oblig'd them to renounce that Principle which is the necessary Parent of such ruinous and unredressable disorders FIFTH DISCOURSE Showing the Notion of TRADITION and that all the Properties of the Rule of Faith do clearly agree to It. 1. HAving then quite lost our labour in our last search let us see whether we shall have better success in this second Enquiry which is whether we may hope to find the Properties of the Rule of Faith meet in that which we call or all or Practical Tradition By which we mean a Delivery down from hand to hand by words and a constant course of frequent and visible Actions conformable to those Words of the Sence and Faith of Forefathers 2. But to make a more express conceit of Tradition that so we may more perfectly understand the Nature of that which we treat of let us first soberly reflect on the manner how Children learn their own and others names with whom they live as also of the rooms and thingâ— they converse with afterwards growing up to exercise their trades to write read or use civil or legal carriage to every one in their kindsâ— And looking into the Thing we shall observe that they first glean'd notions of those several Objects either meerly through Impressions on their Senses by the Thing it self alone or by the help of having them pointed at or something practic'â— about them at the same time they were nam'dâ— and afterwards learnt to repeat the same Word after others more and more intelligently by degrees and to practice the same Actions till aâ— length the former Generation of Teachers decaying by the course of Nature a new one iâ— sprung up to Perfection furnish't with all the accomplishments of the former and continuing the same natural and Civil Knowledges Actionâ— and Conveniences to this Age which the formeâ— enjoy'd and so forwards to succeeding Generations by a natural kind of method without needing Books or new Skills meerly to perform this Effect of continuing and preserving the former Age as it were alive in this Add now to this that this Continuation goes not by long leaps from Age to Age or from twenty years to twenty but from year to year nay moneth to moneth even less according as the new Off-spring grows up by degrees to a Capacity of understanding and practicing and then reflect on this whole Course and we shall see the true nature of Tradition or immediate Delivery as exercis'd in Civil matters and Human Conveniences 3. We want nothing now but to apply this self-same Method to Spiritual or Ecclesiastical affairs and to reflect how it brings down Faith by Doctrin couch't in Words and exprest in conformable Practices and then we shall have gain'd a compleat and proper notion of faith-Faith-Tradition which is the Tradition we speak of 4. We may observe then that the Children of Christians first hear the Sounds afterwards by degrees get dim notions of God Christ Saviour Heaven Hell Virtue Vice and such like and according as their capacity increases are put on to practice what they have heard and made to do some external Actions by precept and Example which Actions by their more particularizing nature ripen to a more express and familiar conceit those raw Apprehensions or Judgments which while they stood under bare words look't as if they hover'd in the Ayr and afar off They are deterr'd from sins first from lying and disobeying their Parents afterwards others by reproaches and punishments and encourag'd to virtuous actions by rewards such as their Age bears to breed in them a conceit of the badness of sin and goodness of Virtue They are shown how to say Grace say their Prayers and made do it when they are able and to gain them some abstracted conceit of those Actions they are inur'd even while very Infants by certain carriages unusual at other times as holding up their hands or perhaps eyes kneeling keeping silence and other sober postures to look upon such actions as extraordinary ones when as yet they know no more of
them which breeds a certain awe in them before-hand preparing their minds to more reverence for the future Afterwards growing up they come acquainted with the Creed the ten Commandments the Sacraments some common forms of Prayer and other Practices of Christianity and are directed to order their lives accordingly the Actions or Carriage of the circumstant Church and Elder Faithful guiding the Younger notwithstanding the difficulty of the yet-undigested Metaphor in which dialect Faith is delivered to frame their lives to several sorts of Virtues by the doctrine deliver'd in words as Faith Hope Charity Prayer Adoration c. and the concomitant or subservient Virtues to these and the more intelligent whose Understandings are clear'd by Study and the circumstance of conversing with the learneder sort of Fore-fathers to do out of Knowledge and Reflexion what others do as it were naturally and by meer Belief or guidance of others And this goes on by insensible degrees till at last the Teachers die and leave in their room a new Swarm of the same nature with themselves as to Christian Life that is practising the same external Actions which determin to a certain degree the sence of the Words they have been inur'd to and since the practice of those Actions was instill'd from their Infancy and serious holding consequently the Principles of those Actions that is the same Points of Faith with the former Age. And this goes on not by leaps from an hundred years to an hundred or from twenty to twenty but by half-years to half-years nay moneths to moneths and even less according as the young brood of Eaglets made to see the Sun in his full Glory grow up to a capacity of having their tender eyes acquainted first with the dawning afterwards with the common day-light of Christian Doctrin 5. If any should be so dull as to think this looks like a Speculation onely and not to see plainly that 't is confirm'd by ten thousand Experements every day I desire them to consider how the Primitive Faithful were inur'd to Christianity ere the Books of Scripture were writ or communicated or how themselves though Protestants or Presbyterians were first imbu'd with Christian Principles ere they could read and they shall finde it was meerly by this way of Tradition Nay more I dare affirm that the very Presbyterians much more the Protestants still adhere to their Faith because their Parents Pastors taught them it when they were young and not upon the Evidence of Scripture's Letter to their own private Judgement which is manifest by this that those who are brought up under Mr. Baxter are apt to follow him others Mr. Pierce and all in general hold fixedly to the doctrin of others especially if their Parents be of the same persuasion So hard it is to beat down Nature by Designe or not to follow Tradition in practice though at the same time they write and talk never so vehemently and loud against it Nay 't is easie to remark that those who were brought up Protestants while they follow'd their Teachers and Forefathers in the Traditionary way continu'd firmly such and that none declin'd from that Profession until they began to use their own private Judgments in interpreting Scripture and that then they ran by whole shoals into innumerable other Sects However then they exclaim against Tradition yet 't is evident they owe to It all the Union and Strength they have and to the renouncing It all their Distractions and Weakness 6. What is said hitherto is onely to explain the Nature of Tradition perfectly and to settle a right conceit of it which done many Objections will be render'd unnecessary either to be answerd or mention'd as those that proceed against a kind of Prophetical Afflatus which can have no force against our way building upon perfect Evidence of our best Senses but especially those which take so wrong an aym that they dispute against res traditae or the things deliver'd instead of Tradition it self and thereupon accuse us for holding Human Traditions or things invented by men for Faith Whereas when we speak of the Rule of Faith we mean by the word Tradition onely the Method of publickly delivering and conveying down Tenets held to have come from Christ in the manner before declared This note premised to avoid mistake and keep the Reader 's mind more steady to the matter in hand let us see now whether Tradition have in it the nature of a Rule of Faith which is done by examining whether the fore-named Properties belong to it or no. 7. And first 't is already manifest from what is said that the First Property of the Rule of Faith namely that it must be Evident to all as to its Existence absolutely agrees with Tradition For Tradition being the open conveyance down of Practical Doctrines by our best senses of Discipline that is our Eyes and Ears and this by Sounds daily heard and Actions daily seen and even felt 't is as easily appliable to all sorts or Evident to them as to its Existence as it is to see and hear So that it can be insinuated into or affect not onely the rudest vulgar and little Children but in some degree even very Babes as was shown 8. The second Condition which is that its Ruling Power should be easily Evidenceable to any Enquirer is thus shown to agree to Tradition Let the rudest Doubter come and desire to be certify'd that Tradition is a Rule able if follow'd to convey down Christ's doctrin to our very daies or to the world's end and let these plain Interrogatories be put to him Suppose all Protestants in England were settled in an unanimous Profession of their Faith and that their Children without looking farther should believe and practice as their Fathers had brought them up would it not follow in self-evident terms that those Children while they followed this method would be Protestants too Suppose these now grown men under those Parents should have children too of their own who should behave themselves in the same manner towards their Fathers by believing and practising as they taught them without looking any farther would it not be equally evident they would still be Protestants also Since to believe and practice thus is to be a Protestant and would not this method if followed carry on that doctrin still forwards from Generation to Generation to the very end of the world 'T is then most easily evidenceable to the rudest capacity that this immediate delivery of Tradition as above explicated is a certain way of deriving down Christs Doctrin while the world shall last This Property therefore of the Rule of Faith is found evidently to agree to Tradition 9. The third Condition which is that the Rule of Faith must be apt to justify unreflecting and unredoubting persons that they proceed rationally while they rely on it is found most exactly in Tradition For the common course of human conversation makes it a madness not to believe great
Compare next the certainty each Christian Forefather has of what he has practic 't all his life with that which a sworn Witness in a Court has of what he saw or heard but once which done multiply these thus-qualify'd Witnesses till you equal the vast total of Christianity and then invent what force in Nature's Universe is comparable to this Inerrability of Tradition And if clear Reason evinces to you that 't is far more possible to make a man not be than not to know what is rivetted into his Soul by so-oft-repeated Sensations nay if it exceed all the power of Nature abstracting from the cases of Madness and violent disease to blot Knowledges thus fixt out of the Soul of one single Believer then 't is as clearly evinc't that sooner may all Mankind perish than the regulative virtue of Tradition miscarry Nay sooner may the sinows of entire Nature by overstraining crack and she lose all her activity and motion that is her self than one single part of that innumerable multitude which integrate that vast Testification we call Tradition can possibly be violated The virtue then by which Tradition regulates her followers to bring down Faith unerringly is grounded on a far stronger Basis than all material Nature that is on such a one as was fitting for Supream Wisdom to lay for Faith being so neer and necessary a means to bring Mankind to his Beatitude which was the end of all this corporeal Architecture Its Followers I say for I onely contest in this present part of my Discourse that Tradition if follow'd is of such a Nature whether it was alwayes thus follow'd or no belongs to another Enquiry 13. Nor must I neglect the reminding in this place what was producâ—t before § 8. to show the Evidenceableness of Tradition's Ruling Power to the rudest Enquirers It being as Evident that while the next Age believes and practices as the former Age held and practic 't that is while the Rule of Tradition is follow'd those of the later Age are still of the same Faith with the former as it is that to believe the same is to believe the same Onely I am forbidden by my Reason and Logick to call this a Proof or Argument because 't is of the Nature of that first Principle Idem est idem sibijpsi and onely an Instance or Particular of it as these Propositions are a stone is a stone a man is a man in which the two Terms are as neerly laid and as fast connected as perfect Identity can ciment them that is so close that no medium can come between to make them capable of being argud or prov'd that is 't is self-evident and so I had no more to do but by opening the Terms to explicate the Proposition which done it was evident beyond proof 14. Let now the most rational Doubter or most Sceptical Dissenter muster all the Caprichoes of Fancy Invention can suggest and the subtlest quirks ingeniously misus'd Logick and abus'd-into-Sophistry can furnish them with Let the most obstinate and acute Adversaries of Faith whet their wits to that degree of sharpness as to be able to penetrate with nice distinctions between the sides of two notions if in the least disagreeing that is onely metaphysically divisible and lay open their difference what can they say in this case If they will argue against Tradition it must be out of some Knowledges but Knowledge is taken from Things and the best Thing in this universe to wit Man's Nature in what he is unalterable is engag'd for the Certainty of Tradition But indeed their proper task will be to find a solution for or to loose those two notions which perfect Identity binds and to blunder that Truth which the noon-day-Sun of Self evidence discovers and as it were writes with its most lightsome and most conspicous rayes 15. These four last Conditions then of the Rule of Faith most fully agree with Tradition as well as the three first that is 't is Self-evident to all as to it's Existence § 7. and Evidenceable as to it 's Ruling Power to any vulgar Enquirer § 8. apt to settle and justify undoubting persons § 9 10. to satisfy fully the most Sceptical dissenters and most rational doubters and to convince the most obstinate and acute Adversaries built upon unmoveable Grounds that is Certain in it's self and absolutely ascertainable to us § 11 12 13 14. And these Properties springing out of the very nature of the Rule of Faith and being incompetent to any Competitor or pretended Rule as has been shown this main Conclusion is made good that TRADITION IS THE RULE OF FAITH SIXTH DISCOURSE Endeavouring to demonstrate à priori the Indefectibleness of Tradition 1. ALl this is well may some say in case Tradition had been ever held to for then indeed Faith had come down by such an incomparable Testification that the like was never heard of But how know we who began to desert that Rule and who ever held to it or that it was ever held to by any 2. Now though the carriage of Protestants makes this labour needless while I write against them yet I owe to my former discourse a clearing of this likewise Their Carriage I say For when it is prov'd evidently that Tradition is a certain Rule and Scripture's Letter not such they who reject the former to adhere to the later are clearly cast in their Cause and condemn'd without more ado Indeed If Protestants faulted not the Rule but onely pretended that men had fail'd it they might yet delude the world with some colour that they had ever held to the doctrin of Ancestours and onely deserted us because we had deserted Ancestours formerly but if they put the fault in the Rule it self write against it disgrace it and recurr to another 't is a certain sign of self-condemnation and that they judge in their inmost thoughts that Tradition or immediate delivery ever stood our Friend and would overthrow them Nay did they think they could manifest satisfactorily that we had deserted formerly the Faith of our Forefathers as they pretend they had no more efficacious way to ruine us than to oppose us upon those Principles laid in this former Discourse since Tradition a little after the Primitive times at which time they pretend we fell had not gone down many steps and so the Renouncers of it would in reason seem to them more easily discoverable by its vicinity to the Apostles Besides this Rule being so own'd and stuck to by us it had been the most efficacious way ad hominem to confute and shame us even by our own Principles Wherefore it is most evident they think it not their best play to offer to avail themselves by Tradition knowing 't will be their disadvantage and our gain that is they in effect tacitly yield that if Tradition be a Certain Rule which we have shown self-evident the doctrin held by our Church to be of Faith came down uninterruptedly from the Apostles
that is was ever or is Christ's doctrin however they blind their own Consciences with glances of Fancy from private Interpretations of God's word and deaf their own and others ears with empty sounds rebounding witth false Ecchoes from those Sacred Oracles 3. Now though it seem an unreasonable expectation to require that a Rule should not onely be able to rule those who would follow it but also should have power to oblige the generality of those who actually do follow it not to desert it yet such is the Goodness of our Saviour towards his Church to order that the Rule which brings down Faith to us should both out of the Nature of Man in which it is grafted and much more by means of the doctrin it recommends be of so wonderful an Efficacy 4. This point therefore of the actual Indefectiveness of Tradition I shall endeavour to demonstrate both à priori from proper Causes and à posteriori from a now-adayes experienc't Effect 5. To do the former I say for my Grounds First that Christian doctrin was at first unanimously settled by the Apostles in the hearts of the Faithful disperst in great multitudes over several parts of the world Secondly that this doctrin was firmly believed by all those Faithful to be the way to Heaven and the contradicting or deserting it the way to damnation so that the greatest Hopes and Fears imaginable were by engaging the Divine Authority strongly apply'd to the Minds of the First Believers encouraging them to the adhering to that doctrin and deterring them from relinquishing it and indeed infinitly greater than any other whatever springing from any temporal consideration and that this was in all Ages the perswasion of the Faithful Thirdly that Hopes of Goods and Fears of Harms strongly apply'd are the Causes of Actual Will Lastly that the thing was feisible or within their power that is that what they were bred to was Knowable by them This put it follows as certainly that a great number or Body of the first Believers and after-Faithful in each Age that is from Age to Age would continue to hold themselves and teach their Children as themselves had been taught that is would follow and stick to Tradition as it does that a Cause put actually causing produces it's Effect Actually I say For since the Cause is put the Application put and the Patient dispos'd for our Argument puts this to be the Minds of true Believers in regard the first Renouncers of Tradition must have been True Believers or Holders of it ere they renounc't it it follows inevitably that the Cause is put still actually causing 6. I foresee some will object the Indisposition of the Wills of the Believing Parents by reason of original Corruption But supposing I dispute against those Christians who hold that Christ's Doctrin was intended to be an Antidote for that Original malice and to keep Men's Wills already possest with it right notwithstanding the poize of their corrupted Nature and the temptations of their circumstances to say 't is apply'd universally to all several sorts and tempers and preserves none good is to question Christ's Wisdom and to doubt whether it be fit to do the Effect it was meant for Not to mind the Objecter how many thousands of Martyrs and Holy Confessors by the Power of this Doctrin overcame this inbred declivity of their Wills and its disorderly inclinations to the dearest Goods Life or Nature could bestow A great part therefore would be virtuous and so it being easie and obvious as our former Discourse proved would teach their Children what themselves believ'd in their Consciences to be Christ's Doctrine or the doctrine they had been taught and so a Body of Traditionary Christians would still be continu'd to the very End of the World nor could that Rule be totally relinquisht by any Stratagem of the Devil or prevail'd against by the gates of Hell Again though Natâ—re incline men to sin or vicious Appetites yet can it incline them all to this sort of sin that is to teach their Children what they think will damn them Or rather does not Nature most strongly carry them to the contrary Their Original corruption then is no particular inviter to this kind of sin to teach their Children pernicious falshoods and which themselves hold such though themselves be otherwise liable to several sort of particular failings 7. If any object the fickle nature of the Will and imagin that this exempts her from the Laws of Causes I ask them without engaging farther into School-disputes which I industriously avoid whether Good be not the proper Object of the Will and so is to affect it when sufficiently apply'd or propos'd If so then since an Object to affect a Power is to put it in act and the Act of the Power we call the Will is actual Volition or Willing Good propos'd makes the Will to will or desire that Good and consequently the known means to obtain it Now Infinit Goods and Harms sufficiently propos'd are of their own nature incomparably more powerful Causes to carry the Will than Temporal ones Since then when two Causes are counterpos'd the lesser when it comes to execution is no Cause as to the substance of that Effect as a heavy weight which were otherwise a cause of descending is no such Cause when overweighâ—d by an heavier as not making its scale descend at all it follows that there is no Cause to move the Wills of a World of Believers to be willing to do that which they judge would lose themselves and their Posterity Infinit Goods and bring them Infinit Harms such strong and main Hopes and Fears being put in the counter-ballance in case a sufficient Proposal or Application be not wanting 8. The last Attempt then of an Objectour is to fault the Application of Spiritual and Heavenly Goods and to enhance the Proposals of sensible and Temporal Objects But if we reflect with how steady a pursuit and even equal to that of eye-sight or any other Sense we generally work for Ends no otherwise propos'd than by undoubted Authority as when a King prepares for an Expedition against a forrain Country he never saw or a Gentleman for a journey to Rome and such like If we but call to mind how the greatest Testimony in the world engages God's supremely-Infallible Veracity for the truth of the Doctrin it proposes which ascertains us of those Infinit Goods and Harms spoken of the best Application of a motive to a truly rational power which can possibly be imagin'd If we but consider how those spiritual and unseen Goods are made Intelligible to all in a fair measure by most fit and obvious Metaphors Familiar and Sensible by daily practice and as it were Experience of them in Christian Language and Actions by the venerable Sacraments by the spectable Majesty of outward Ceremonies all including our spiritual last End or intimating it by their order to it nay if we but contemplate even Essential Heaven it self
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
the Multitudes of virtuous persons would â—elp to encrease both Virtue and Glory too in â—heir fellowes and relations It follows that â—ad those Fathers in any Age consented to misâ—â—ad their Posterity from what themselves conâ—eit to be true they should do the most Extream â—arm imaginable to others without any the â—east Good to themselves which is perhaps imâ—ossible in one single man more in a few but â—nfinitly in a multitude especially of good men Moreover Christ's Law being the Law of Châ—rity which includes Love of our Neighbouâ— 't is directly opposit to the Principles of Christiâ—nity to do them an injury of so high a nature 〈◊〉 to debar them Heaven and send them to Helâ— and all this gratis 11. Again the greater the Recommends any Truth is the greater is the obligation not bely our selves and it Let us weigh then 〈◊〉 Recommends which Christian doctrin receive from Forefathers had either as to its serious 〈◊〉 port that it be faithfully transmitted to otherâ— or the Universality conceited wisdom gooâ—ness c. of the Recommenders and then 〈◊〉 lance it with the Recommendation of any natâ—ral or civil Truth whatsoever and we shall 〈◊〉 it levitate like an inconsiderable feather or 〈◊〉 in comparison of the vast poize and weigâ— sway with which the other descended 12. Nothing is by Nature more deeply 〈◊〉 more universally rooted in the hearts of mankiâ—â— than a dear and tender love of their off-sprinâ— and a careful provision for their passing their 〈◊〉 well that is free from miseries with a comâ—tency of such Goods as are held fitting for thâ— Nature But how much more care must Chaâ—â—ty oblige Parents to have of their Children 〈◊〉 to use the means they conceive proper to briâ— them Everlasting and Infinit Bliss in Heaveâ— and to avoid them Intolerable and Endless Misâ—ries in Hell Especially since the performing â—evaricating from that Duty is of equal concern 〈◊〉 Themselves How strange an advantage â—peradds Christianity in this particular to the â—earest natural love of our selves or of our nearâ—â—t Relations who are next our selves 13. Consider we next the Natural care of not â—â—sing one's Credit and we shall find in comâ—on that the good Opinion of others we call â—redit or Repute is look't upon as a most necessaâ—â— means to make men fit for human Society or â—ommerce and without which none can expect 〈◊〉 thrive in his Vocation or live with comfort â—eflecting next on the degrees of Discredit we â—nd that he who tells a lye for his own adâ—antage though without any harm to others with â—uch ado escapes some disrepute but if his â—yes be pernicious he is held an arrant villain â—f to nearest Friends and Relations still greater â—f the mischiefs he does by his salse words or â—ealings be exceeding great ones he is yet more â—bominable and proportionally still as the harms â—e induces grow If the motives he had to keep â—im good were very strong and efficacious he â—s still more enormous and as the strength of â—hose preservative motives encrease so is his Maâ—ice still enhanc't But if he go about all this wickedness boldly and confidently without caâ—ing who knows it especially if he back his most notorious and most pernicious Lye with deepest Oaths and Perjuries by things most Sacred he is now conceiv'd to be arriv'd at such a pitch of wickedness that he is no longer to be held a Man but a Divel Incarnate But how incomparably more wicked and consequently disgraceful must that man be who believing Christ's doctrin to be thus received and the means to salvation should teach his Children otherwise The believed mischiefs he does his nearest relations no less than the loss of Heaven and the sad Gain of Hell-fire for all Eternity the motives he had not to do it as to his own concerns full as Infinit his lye most Notorious to all about him and even the whole World And if he be a Pastor who besides other Sacraments implying most obliging vows not to renounce his Faith is consecrated by a particular one to preach Christ's doctrin truly and to preserve his Flock sound in Faith to his power then to prevaricate from this Duty renders him a sacrilegious abuser of the most holy state of life and most inviolable tye this world as Sanctify'd by our Saviour has in it What inconcievable villany then and consequently discredit must that man seeingly undergo who shall misteach his own Fancies for doctrins deliver'd and how impossible is it a World of Forefathers should all conspire to make so desperate and absolute a forfeit of their reputation and honesty 'T is not possible to be summ'd up or even ghest at being beyond all proportion The Advantage then with which Christian Doctrin in the mind of each and the Holy Ghost in the hearts of most of the Faithful rivet and confirm this natural care of Credit to the preserving Tradition inviolable is incomparable and in a manner Infinit 14. It would require a large volum to unfold particularly how each virtue contributes to show the inerrable Indeficiency of Tradition and how the Principles of almost each Science are concern'd in demonstrating its Certainty Arithmetick lends her Numbring and Multiplying Faculty to scan the vast number of Testifiers Geometry her Proportions to show a kind of Infinit Strength of Certitude in Christian Tradition above those Attestations which breed Certainty in Human affairs Logick her skill to frame and make us see the Connexions it has with the Principles of our Understanding Nature her Laws of Motion and Action Morality her first Principle that nothing is done gratis by a Cognoscitive Nature and that the Body of Traditionary Doctrin is most conformable to Practical Reason Historical Prudence clears the Impossibility of an undiscernible revolt from points to descended held so Sacred Politicks show this to be the best way imaginable to convey down such a Law as it concerns every man to be skilful in Metaphysicks engage the Essences of Things and the very notion of Being which fixes every Truth so establishing the scientifical Knowledges which spring from each particular nature by their first Causes or Reasons exempt from change or motion Divinity demonstrates it most worthy God and most conducive to bring Mankind to Bliss Lastly Controversy evidences the total Uncertainty of any thing concerning Faith if this can be uncertain and makes use of all the rest to establish the Certainty of this first Principle and which settled secures Scripture as far as is requisit and all things else that can mainly concern Salvation To pursue these and many other Testimonies of Tradition's Infallibleness is not my task at present I shall content my self with concluding that as we have prov'd it self-evident that Tradition if ever held to is an inerrable Rule so our four last Discourses have shown its ever-Indeficiency or rather Indefectibleness scientifically Evident and as strong as Nature and Grace strain'd as we may say to their utmost can make
be rendred interpretable that way Whence there are almost as many minds as men about the time when any change was made nay some of their best Champions Dr Whitaker and Mr Powel profess the time of the Romish Churches change cannot easily be told and that they cannot tell by whom or at what time the Enemy did sow the Papists Doctrin This I say being so 't is most Evident they decline the pretence of any Tradition against ours and the very way of deriving down orally and practically Sence writ in mens Hearts by matter of Fact working on their Senses and instead of that recurr to pittiful shreds and fragments oâ— words utterly unauthoriz'd if the Tradition for that Books Goodness can fail And if Catholick Tradition which in its source was so largely extended visible and practicable by all can faulter ten thousand times more easily may the Tradition for any particular Book which in comparison of the other can be but of a very obscure Original fail and deceive us Now that no Tradition is alledgeable against us by Protestants appears hence that their immediate Forefathers little more than an 100. Years ago being Catholicks that is holders of their Faith no Novelty but uninterruptedly descended could never conspire to deliver to them any such sence that the Roman Church had alter'd her Faith since they had the contrary sence writ in the Tables of their hearts Nor can they have recourse to the Greek Church for a Tradition opposit to ours for any points of Faith in which they differ from us for they will find none such Nor is the Greek Church Progenitours to them here in England nor by consequence can they derive traditionarily from them 18. No solid Argument from Reason or intrinsecal Principles is producible against Christian Tradition For since Arguments if solid are taken from Things or Nature and the Certainty of Christian Tradition is built on the best Nature that is Man 's not according to what is alterable in it but what is abstracting from disease absolutely unalterable that is on Knowledge imprinted by natural Sensations and this Knowledge strengthen'd and made most lively by the oft-repeatedness of those Sensations and the import of the Things known Also since most efficacious Causes actually appli'd that is impossible not to do the Effect and Effects impossible to be without such a Cause's Existence are engag'd for the ever-continuance or Uninterruptedness of Tradition as hath been shown Disc. 6. 8. and the force of those preserving Causes strengthen'd by the most powerful assistances of the Holy Ghost Disc. 9. or by best Graces superadded to best Nature 'T is impossible any solid Argument from Reason should be brought against Tradition 19. The arguing by way of some few Instances as the manner is can have no force against Tradition's Certainty and Indefectiveness For seeing a pretended Instance of Tradition's failing is a particular action presumed to be long ago past and particulars out of the very nature of being particulars are surrounded by a thousand individuating circumstances or rather constituted by them that is are plac't in the proper sphere of Contingency and that particular Action is put to be long ago past and â—o affects not our Senses by Experience in which is founded the force of Instances in regard Experimental Knowledge is a necessary Effect of the Things being such as it is known Nor have we or can we have without Tradition any certain knowledge Coroll 16. that the Points of Faith pretended to have miscarried or to have been alter'd then or else the manner of expressing them were not mistaken then or misrepresented to us now nor that Interest for example of one party passion between both ambiguity of words slightness or confusedness of report grounding the Historians narration rashness of belief in him corruption of his Books since they were writ and innumerable other chances apt to occasion mistake did not intervene any of which would render the Instance uncertain and the Argument from it Inconclusive Again seeing we can have certainty of our own meaning of our words when we demonstrate and also of our consequence it follows that the way for a solid man to answer Traditions pretended demonstrableness must be to show the incoherence of the Terms and not to bring some old story against it which were to produce Uncertainty known to be such against pretended Certainty and not yet known to be other than such nay whos 's Evidence we cannot in reason deny till we can solve the connexion of Terms drawn from intrinsecal Mediums on which 't is built 20. The denying Tradition is a proper and necessary disposition to Fanatickness For since no Argument taken from any dead or written Testimony Coroll 12. 14. 16. nor living Testimony of Tradition Coroll 13. 17. nor from any thing in Nature Coroll 18. that is from any thing without us which is a second Cause is valid against Tradition It follows that Tradition cannot be denied but by pretending some Light or Knowledge within us deriv'd from the immediate Influence of the First Cause To which pretence helps its difficulty to be confuted in regard 't is easie to stand stiff in this Tenet that they see clearly such Truths by an inward Light and that therefore it were a madness to go about to confute their own manifest Experience whereas were Arguments produc-t openly they and their confutations might be publisht together and the Truth would lie expos'd to the scanning and decision of the Indifferent part of the world and be clear'd by a few Replies if a right method of discourse be taken Wherefore since Nature will easily teach the obstinate deniers of any Principle to avail themselves by the best plea they can to escape confuting 't is manifest that Nature will connaturally carry the deniers of Tradition to Fanatick Pranciples and that men are so long and no longer preserv'd from Fanatickness than they follow Tradition or the openly declar'd Sence of Forefathers either in our Church or some other Congregation Again Tradition being the way of coming to Faith by the open use of our Senses the denying it must drive the deniers to deny that way and to recurr to Knowledge had some other way Not to Knowledge acquir'd by human skill the Knowledge of such high mysteries being confessedly more than human therefore to infus'd Knowledge and this not infus'd by ordinary wayes as preaching teaching of Forefathers and such like as we experience such Knowledges to be infus'd into us for this again falls into the way of Tradition therefore they can onely have refuge to inward Light or Knowledge infus'd extraordinarily or without connatural means to make which the common road of receiving Heaven's Influences is the very definition of Fanatickness 21. Fanatick Principles can have no force against Tradition though unconfutable but by it For since they pretend for their ground a Light within imprinted on such a manner as manifests God the Authour that is an Effect
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
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
her Certainty is the First Principle in the Science of Controversy 6. This tenour of my Discourse briefly reflected on I beg of my intelligent Reader to regard it once more in the bulk and he will see that I begin with Self-evident Principles That my Principles are antecedent to Authorities and so are competent means to judge Authorities by that I studiously avoid wordish ambiguity which Rhetorical Discoursers ly open to holding rigorously to the notion or meaning of the words that I lay but the meaning of two familiar words Rule and Faith for the basis of all my Discourse that I endeavour to pursue my Principles by very obvious and immediate connexions that all the way I attend heedfully to and build upon the Natures of the Things which in short devolves to this that it may be hop't at least by my method that there needs nothing but Time and Industry to frame and make up in rigorous demonstrative form that sence which I have here deliver'd in a way more sutable to the temper of the World and ease of my Readers who may see Evidence in my Discourse without being oblig'd to bend their brains to study my Book with that severity as they would do an Euclid 7. When this is done let my Reader reflect on all the Discourses concerning Faith made by any Protestant and see how far they are short from I will not say any such performance but even an Attempt of Evidence First Principles they lay none and consequently Evidence of Deduction cannot be expected from them for wanting First Principles 't is nonsence and folly to talk of deducing Again For want of such Principles they want Certainty of any Text of Scripture to justify it against an Atheist or Deist They want Self-evident Principles to guide them in interpreting their Vncertain Letter and so confute other Sects which differ from their Church and the method they take to do it is evidently quite of another nature than Scientifical They have nothing upon account of Living Teachers which ascertain Sence so that you must to find your Faith not build upon the sence of two or a few familiar words but of an whole large Book that is on millions of words and those too not onely unsenc't but also very abstruse and mysterious They suppose all which is antecedent to Faith that is all Principles which are to induce Faith and so make no Provision for the Grounds of Christianity against Heathens and Atheists The Natures of Things they are so far from proceeding upon that they not so much as mind or think of them nor I doubt fancy or value that method when set before their eyes Principles to weigh each Testimony by they lay none and so quote at randome Certainty they seek not nor care for for they quote the Fathers and Scripture as by themselves interpreted and yet neither hold the Testimony of Fathers Infallible nor yet themselves in interpreting Scripture yet plainest reason tells us that unless the Fathers or themselves were Infallible hic nunc in this saying or interpretation they were hic nunc Fallible that is all built on that Testimony or Interpretation is contingent and Vncertain yet of such Citations no better authoriz'd clâ—d perhaps in some fine words the Books of their best Champions are made up So that they are convinc't not to study Things but Words that is not to be Scholars or Knowers but Empty Talkers and so the effect of their endeavours can never be satisfaction to an intelligent soul but onely tickling the Ear or pleasing the Fancy 9. As I have shown this Vngrounded proceeding of the Protestants by Principles so I intend to do the same by Instances but ere I go about this undertaking I think fit to meet with an Objection obvious to many Readers 'T is this that 'T is strange all Catholicks do not take this way it being so conclusive as well as I. 10. I answer that all Truths being connected 't is evident each Truth even for being such is maintainable several wayes especially Supreme â—nd very concerning ones Amongst which wayes some are sutable to some capacities others to others Wherefore Catholick Controvertists esteeming themselves Debtors both Sapientibus or to those who judg of things per altissimas causas and Insipientibus or those who do not so nor fly higher than a prudential pitch and the later of these being the Generality hereupon the Charity and Prudence of those learned Opposers of Dr. Pierce and very many others have thought fit to address to These by answering his Testimonies particularly leaving me the way of Reason and Principles though in danger to receive much disadvantage by my imperfect delivery and securer under the managery of their abler heads and pens I declare therefore that I intend no confutation of any of those Authours nor to share in the victory of those excellent Champions of Truth It being perhaps needless to the Generality however very satisfactory to examining Wits to confute that in Common which is already confuted by Retail I write more against their Way than their Books Yet if any will be so charitable as to judge my short hints to bear the force of a solid Confutation because they radically and fundamentally overthrow all their Arguments and very Method of arguing if it be Truth 's advantage I shall give God thanks for it and be glad of it But the main is it imports not in maintaining Truth what others do or do not but if it be shown that Catholick Principles I mean the living voice of the Catholick Church or Tradition our Rule of Faith can bear such a rigorous test of Reason and appear more lustrous and bright by so severe a trial and on the contrary that the Principles of the Revolters from her are so little solid so volatil and meerly made up of Fancy that they evaporate into ayr and even shrink into nothing when set in the mid-daâ— beams of Truth the Rules of Evidence I desire no higher an honour to the Catholick Church nor deeper discredit to her Adversaries FIRST APPENDIX Animadversions on the Groundlesness of Dr Pierce's Sermon 1. LOoking about for Instances of Protestants Books most proper to be confuted by my former Doctrin my thoughts pitcht naturally on Mr Whitby's where he goes about to settle rationally his Rule of Faith and on Mr Stillingfleet's where he opposes the way of Reason and the Certainty of Tradition But it seem'd convenient to take to task also some Adversary who insisted on Testimonies and bring him to Grounds because in the way of Reason which brings Testimonies to Grounds to confute one is in a manner to confute all Dr Hamond seem'd proper but his Book is now out of vogue if it were ever in it for I never heard past two or three persons speak of it and I am sure the best Protestant Wits of our Nation never valued him as a smart and efficacious Writer Besides the Notes I have lately given upon the
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