he that thinks himself never so Infallible in the Grounds of it That is a true Divine Faith which purifies the Heart and thereby enlightens the mind which works by Love and not by cavilling and wrangling about the Grounds of it which overcomes the World and not that which overcomes the Temptations of it And such a Faith and only such a one will carry us to Heaven when if it were possible for us to have the utmost Infallibility in the Act of believing yet if it did not work effectually on our Hearts and Lives we might go infallibly to Hell. And so I shall conclude this Discourse with the second sense of the Obligation which lies on those who have received Christ Iesus the Lord so to walk in him i. e. to improve their sound Faith into the Practice of a good Life For alas What advantage will it be to us to have the most Primitive and Apostolical Faith if our Works be not answerable to it Why call ye me Lord Lord saith Christ and do not the thing which I say Why do we pretend to receive Christ Iesus the Lord if we do not observe his Commands It is good saith S. Paul to be zealously affected always in a good thing And no doubt our Faith is such but then let us be zealous of good Works too that we may shew our selves to be that peculiar people who are redeemed by Iesus Christ. So that our Obligation arises every way from Christ Iesus the Lord to walk in him if we consider him as our Lord so we are to obey him if as Christ Iesus so he died for us to redeem us from all iniquity We can have no pretence to live in our sins if we have received him who commands us to forsake them for then we receive and reject him at the same time Let every one that names the name of Christ depart from iniquity saith St. Paul what should those then do that profess to receive him as their Lord who are thereby bound to yield obedience to his Laws one of the great causes of the Degeneracy of the Heathen World was the separating Religion and Morality when this was left to the Schools of Philosophers to instruct men in whereas their Religion consisted only of some Solemn Rites and Sacrifices Let us have a care of as dangerous a Separation between Faith and Works or which is all one between receiving Christ and doing his Will. For those are the proper Works of the Gospel wherein we own Christ as our Lord and do them because he commands us And the Apostle hath summ'd up the whole Duty of Christians in those comprehensive words Teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present World looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearance of the great God and our Saviour Iesus Christ. To whom c. FINIS ERRATA PAge 8. line 18. for Days read Places p. 25. l. 15. r. Matimâ—â— p. 28. l. 18. for were â— are 2 Cor. 1. 12. Col. 2. 3. Col. 1. 14. John 6. 66. Rom. 1. 8. 16. 17. 1 Cor. 15. 12. 14. Gal. 4. 14. 16. Ch. 1. v. 7. â—â— 12. v. 3. Russia in Symbol Joh 16. 13. Acts 9. 13 21. Gal. 1. 17. 2. 9. Euseb. Hist. l. 3. c. 25. Iren. l. 3. c. 3. 4. Tertul. de Praescript Haer. 1 John 1 2 3. Euseb. Hist l. 3. c. 39. Luk. 1. 4. Iâ—â—n l. 3. c. 1. Aug. de Con. â—ers Evang. l. 1. c. 54. l. 2. c. 53. Euseb Hist. l. 3. c. 2. 〈…〉 〈…〉 in Mat. in Prâ—â—ogo Euseb. l. 2. c. 15. Euseb. l. 6. c. 25. Epiphan Haer. 51. Athanas. in Synopsi p. 155. Tâ—tâ—l c. Marc. l. 4. c. 5. Hieron de Script Eccles Ambros. in Luc. Luke 1. 1. Epiph. Haer. 51. Theophyl in Luc. Maldonat Com. in Evang prol Joh. 20. 31. Hierom. Proem in Matth. De Script Eccles. Epiph. Hâ— 51. Chrys. hom 1. in Matth. Euseb. l. 3. c. 24. Act. 15. 23. 1 Cor. 15. 2. Gal. 3. 1. 1. 6. 1 Cor. 15. 10. Eph. 4. 14. 6. 17. Phil. 3. 2. 1. 27. 2 Thess. 2. 3. 10. 1 Tim. 4. 2 3. 2 Tim. 3. 1. 5. 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. 2 Thess. 2. 15. Bell. de verbo l. 4. c. 5. Aug. de Peccat Meritis l. 1. c. 4. a In Symbolo Fidei Spâ—i nostrae quod ad Apostolis traditum non scribitur in Charta Atramento sid in tabulis cordis carnalibus Hieron ad Pammaclu advers Errores Joh. Hierosol b Nec ut eadem verba Symboli teneatis ullo modo debetis scribere sed audiendo perdisctre nec cum didicâ—ritis scribere sed memoria semper tenere recolere August de Diversis Serm. 75. c Iacirco denique haec non scribi Chartulis membronis sid requiri credentium cordibus tradiderunt ut certum esset haec neminem ex lectione quae interdum 〈…〉 ad infideles solet sed ex Apostolorum traditione didicisse Ruffinus in Symbol d Tetul de Prascrip c. 12 13 14 21. De Virgin. Vâ—l. c. 1. Advâ—s Praâ—â—am c. 2. August Som. 59. 186. 213. 215. Retract l. 2. c. 3. Enâ—iâ—iâ— de Fide n. 15. De Symbol ad Caâ—â—câ— Râ—ffin in â—â—oem c Theod. l. 5. c. 9. d Cyrill 〈◊〉 11. e Theodo l. 1. c. 12. f Cassian de 〈◊〉 l. 6. c. 3 4. g Hiâ—â—on ad Pammach h Ruffin in Symbol p. 191. V. Vsser de Symb. p. 8 9. i Epiph. 〈◊〉 Haeres 72. k Cyrill Catech. 18. l August de Symb. l. 1. Petr. Chrysol Serm. 57 c. m Epiph Ancor at n Augustinâ— de Fide Symbolo Et de Symbolo Serm. 243. o De Symbolo ad Catech. c. 1. Deut. 9. 10. 10. 4. 2 Kings 22. 8. 23. 2 3. John 5. 39. 46. 47. Matt. 15. 3. 9. Heb. 11. 1. Act. 15. 9. Gal. 5. 6. 1 Joh. 5. 4. Luk. 6. 46. Gal. 4. 18. Tit. 2. 14. 2 Tim. 2. 19. Tit. 2. 12. 13.
SCRIPTURE AND TRADITION COMPARED IN A SERMON Preached at Guild-Hall Chapel Novemb. 27. 1687. By EDWARD STILLINGFLEET D. D. and Dean of St. Paul's LONDON Printed for Henry Mortlock at the Phoenix in St. Paul's Church-yard 1688. Imprimatur Guil. Needham Rmo in Christo ac D. D. Wilhelmo Archiep. Cant. a Sacris Domest Nov. 28. 1687. THE PREFACE I Intend God willing to publish in a little time a full Answer to J.S. his Catholick Letters so far as I am concerned in them In the mean while I thought it not unfit to Print this Sermon I lately Preached that I might give a General View of Scripture and Tradition as to the Way of conveying Matters of Faith before I come to the particular Debate with J.S. Wherein I do not doubt but I shall be able to shew that we have ry good Grounds for the Certainty of our Faith and that they have none either as to Faith or Tradition as to the main Points in Controversie between us nestly as he doth to them Must we think as some do that he uses these Expressions as gentle Methods of Insinuation and commends them for that which he would perswade them to But this doth not seem agreeable to the Apostles simplicity and godly sincerity which he elsewhere sets such a value upon But it is far more probable that hitherto they had been very orderly and stedfast but Epaphras going to St. Paul had informed him throughly of their condition viz. That they were like a Garrison closely besieged on all sides and although hitherto they had held out with great Courage yet he did not know what earnest Sollicitations and fair Promises and tempting Motives might do with them and therefore the Apostle writes this Epistle to encourage them in their stedfastness and to warn them against Temptations Which he doth in such a manner as shews 2. That he had a more than ordinary Apprehension of the danger they were in And this I say saith he lest any man should beguile you with enticing words v. 4. and beware lest any man spoil you with Philosophy and vain deceit after the traditions of men after the rudiments of the World and not after Christ v. 8. Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of Angels c. v. 18. All which expressions do imply that he had just reason to fear and to give them caution in time that while they did yet think that they stood they should take heed lest they fall And this is that which the Apostle aims at in the words of the Text As ye have therefore received Christ Iesus the Lord so walk ye in him Receiving Christ Iesus the Lord doth not here relate to his Person but to his Authority and to his Doctrine so the Apostle himself explains it in the next verse rooted and built up in him and established in the Faith as ye have been taught Walking in him is an Eastern way of speaking and supposes both an adhering to that Faith they had then received and living according to it looking on Christ and his Doctrine as their only way to Heaven And as ye had received him so walk ye in him implies that the manner of their receiving Christ and his Doctrine at first was different from that which the false Apostles endeavoured to bring in among them and that they were bound to keep close to that pure and Primitive Doctrine which they at first received From hence we may consider a double Obligation lying upon them 1. To keep stedfast to that Faith which they first received without being seduced from it by the Arts of Deceivers who were then busie among them 2. To live according to it by making that Faith the Principle of a Christian Life and so walking in him as they have received him 1. As to the former the Reasonableness of it cannot but appear from the supposition here made viz. that they had received Christ Iesus the Lord. For thereby they declared that they received him as the Christ i. e. as him who was anointed of the Father to Teach and Instruct his Church and therefore they were bound to adhere to his Doctrine there being no other whom the Father hath sealed and appointed to declare his Will and in him were hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge They received him as Christ Iesus that is they hoped for Redemption through his Blood even the forgiveness of sins And if their hopes of Heaven depended upon his Mediation they had the greatest Reason to adhere only to him They received him as Christ Iesus the Lord and therefore they ought to submit to his Authority to obey his Commands and to observe his Institutions and in all Circumstances of Life to keep stedfast to the Doctrine which he delivered But here arises the great Difficulty how they should know by any Certain Rule what was the true and genuine Doctrine of Christ which himself delivered For 1. The false Teachers among them pretended to deliver the true Doctrine of Christ as well as the Apostles 2. That which they at first received was no certain Rule For the false Teachers might have been before them And first Possession gives no Title in Religion 3. The Apostle doth not put the whole Tryal meerly upon their Judgments or Memories or Capacities viz. What they thought or remembred was at first taught them for the Doctrine of Christ. For it was very possible for them to have mistaken or to have mis-remembred what was at first delivered Nothing can be more weak than to imagine that the Judgments of People in matters of Faith must be formed according to the skill and excellency of their Teachers For the hearers of Christ himself although he spake as never Man spake yet did very often mistake his meaning Aud at one time so remarkably that although he took care to rectify their misapprehension yet it is said From that time many of his Disciples went back and walked no more with him So that the highest infallibility in the Teachers doth not prevent the possibility or the danger of mistaking in the hearers And whatsoever any vainly pretend nothing can do it but Transfusing the Spirit of Infallibility into all If we look over the Apostolical Churches while they were under the Care and Conduct of an Infallible Spirit yet this did not prevent their running into great errours and mistakes as appears by the Account we have of them given by that Spirit which cannot deceive in the Apostolical Writings In the Church of Rome it self even at that time when its Faith was spoken of throughout the World yet there were dissensions and differences there and such as were contrary to the Doctrine which was delivered And St. Paul bids them to mark such which caused them he doth not say it was impossible for them to introduce any thing contrary to the Doctrine which they had learned by Tradition from the Apostles but he
the Church might be furnished with a full Relation of all that was necessary to compleat and establish the Faith of Christians 2. As to the Epistles The first Epistle we read of in the Christian Church and in probability the first writing in the New Testament was the Decretal Epistle of the Council of Ierusalem What should make the Apostles put these Decrees into Writing They were very short and concerned the practices of Men and withal were sent by Barnabas and Paul and Iudas and Silas Were not these sufficient to deliver the Apostles sense to the Churches without Letters from them What a pitiful thing did they take Oral Tradition to be if they thought such Men could not by it give full satisfaction to the Churches of Syria and Cilicia unless they sent it under their hands The Epistle to the Romans was written by St. Paul on purpose to clear some main points of the Christian Doctrine which were then warmly disputed between the Jews and the Christians and between the Judaizing Christians and others as about Iustification Rejection of the Iews the difference of Meats c. And St. Paul took very needless pains in writing that excellent Epistle if he knew of Christs appointing a Iudge of Controversies there or if he thought Writing were not a certain way to make a Rule of Faith whereby they were to judge in those matters The first Epistle to the Corinthians was written not meerly to reprove their Factions and Disorders but to direct them and to establish and prove the Faith of the Resurrection which was then contested among them The Epistle was sent by Stephanus and Fortunatus who could have carried the Apostles sense without his Writing but there are many weighty things besides the particular occasions which are of lasting concernment to the Church in all Ages as there are likewise in his second Epistle to them The Epistle to the Galatians was written on occasion of one of the greatest points of controversy at that time viz. the Use and Obligation of the Law of Moses And St. Paul sound by sad experience among them that it was very possible for those who had the best Instructions either to forget them or to grow out of Love with them and to be fond of a change else he would never have said O foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you that ye should not obey the Truth And I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the Grace of Christ into another Gospel How was it indeed possible for them to be removed and to be soon removed who had received the Faith by the Delivery of St. Paul himself Then for all that I can see human Nature taken with all its Advantages and Motives and Evidences is a very sallible thing and if then it might be deceived and that so easily and grosly then much more in any following Age of the Church unless human Nature be mightily changed for the better since the Apostles times or any Teachers since be more effectual than the Apostles and especially than St. Paul who laboured more abundantly than they all The Epistle to the Ephesians though written upon a general Argument yet doth suppose that they were in continual danger of being deceived and tossed up and down and carried about with every wind of Doctrine by the sleight of Men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive And therefore he advises them to be upon their guard and to have their Armour about them and one choice part of it is the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. The Philippians were assaulted by a rude violent head-strong Faction of Judaizers which the Apostle bids them to beware of and writes his Epistle to them for that purpose and he exhorts them to stand fast in one Spirit with one mind striving together for the Faith of the Gospel In the second Epistle to the Thessalonians and in both Epistles to Timothy he gives notice of a great Defection from the Christian Faith he describes the manner of it that it shall be with signs and lying words and with all deceiveableness of unrighteousness in them that perish because they received not the love of the truth that they shall speak lies in hypocrisie and forbid to marry and command to abstain from meats being evil men having a form of godliness and denying the power of it I meddle not now with the time when this Apostacy began but from hence it is evident that St. Paul supposed that those who at first received the Christian Faith by Tradition from the Apostles themselves might notwithstanding through their own weakness and folly and the Artifices of Deceivers be drawn from it and that to prevent such mischievous consequences he knew no better means than a Written Rule which he tells Timothy was able to make him wise to Salvation and to make the Man of God perfect throughly furnished to every good Work. And to name no more the Colossians were set upon by some who thought to refine Christianity or at least to make it more passable in the World and therefore would have introduced into it some Rites of the Jews some Austerities of the Gentiles some ways of Worship which would recommend them to their Adversaries and upon this occasion he writes this Epistle to them to convince them that Christianity alone was far beyond any mixtures of the Fancies or Traditions of men and therefore he could give them no better Advice than as they had first received the Doctrine of Christ to continue in it or in the words of the Text As they had received Christ Iesus the Lord so to walk in him The design of what I have said is that although the Gospels and Epistles were written upon particular occasions yet those occasions were so great and considerable and the Assistance of the Holy Ghost did so direct the Hands and Pens of the Evangelists and Apostles in writing them that what they have therein delivered contains a compleat Rule of the true and genuine Faith as it was at first delivered to the Church But against this it is objected that St. Paul himself charged the Thessalonians to stand fast and hold the Traditions which they have been taught either by word or by his Epistles From whence it appears that there were other Traditions to be held that were not written The force of all this will be taken away if we consider when that Epistle was written viz. one of the first which St. Paul wrote and soon after the former Epistle to the Thessalonians which was some time before St. Lukes Gospel which was first received in the Churches of Greece planted by St. Paul. Therefore all the proper Doctrine of Christ himself and all that relates to his Life and Actions were then but Traditions among them and therefore St. Paul had great Reason then to require them to stand