II. Secondly then, That Word of God which was once unwrit ten, being now written, we acknowledge our felves to be much indebted to the Church of God in all foregoing Ages, which hath preferved the Scriptures, and delivered them down to us, as his Word: which we ought to do unto thofe that shall fucceed us; as our Church teacheth us in its Twentieth Article, where the Church is affirmed to be a Witneß and a keeper of Holy Writ.

This Tradition we own; it being univerfal, continued, uninterrupted, and undenied. Though, in truth, this is Tradition in another fence of the word; not fignifying the Doctrine delivered unto us, but the manner and means of its delivery.

And therefore, if any Member of our Church be preffed by thofe of the Romith Perfwafion, with this Argument, for their prefent Traditions, that Scripture it felf is come to us by Tradition, let them anfwer thus: Very right, it is fo, and we thank God for it; therefore let this be no part of our difpute, it being a thing prefuppofed in all Difcourfes about Religion, a thing agreed among all Chriftian people, that we read the Word of God when we read the holy Scriptures. Which being delivered to us, and accepted by us as his Word; we fee no neceffity of any other Tradition or DoAtrine, which is not to be found there, or cannot be proved from thence for they tell us, they are able to make, even the men of God, wife unto Salvation.

And if they prefs you again, and fay, How do you know that fome Books are Canonical, and others not; is it not by a conftant Tradition? Answer them again in this manner: Yes, this is true alfo; and would to God you would stand to this univerfal Tradition, and receive no other Books, but what have been fo delivered. But know withal, that this univerfal Tradition of the Books of Scripture (unto which you have added feveral Apocryphal Writings, which have not been conftantly delivered, as those we receive) is no part of the Tradition or Doctrine delivered. That is, no Doctrine diftinct from the Scriptures; but onely the inftrument or means of conveying that Doctrine unto us.

In short, it is the fidelity of the Church with whom the Canon of Scripture was depofed; but is no more a Doctrine, not written in the Scripture, than the Tradition or delivery of the Code, or Book of the Civil Law, is any Opinion or Law not written in that Code.

And we are more affured of the fidelity of the Church herein, than the Civilians can be affured of the faithfulnefs of their Predeceffors in preferving and delivering the Books of their Law to them,

*

B 2

them, because these holy Books were always kept with a greater care, than any other Books whatsoever, and in the acceptance of them alfo, we find there was great caution used, that they might not be deceived: all Chriftians looking upon them to be of fuch importance, that all Religion, they thought, was concerned in them.

Of which, this is an Argument, that they who fought to destroy the Chriftian Religion, in the primitive times, fought nothing more than to deftroy the Bible. Which they were wont to demand of those who were fufpected to be Chriftians, to be delivered up to them, that they might burn it. And according as men behaved themselves in this trial, fo they were reputed to be Christians, or not Christians. And the Traditours, as they were called, that is, they who delivered the holy Scriptures into the hands of the Pagans, were look'd upon by Chriftians, as men that were content to part with their Religion. For which there could be no reason, but that they thought Chriftian Religion to be therein contained, and to be betrayed by those who delivered them to be burnt.

By which I have proved more than I intended, in this part of my Difcourfe; that in the holy Scriptures, the whole Will of God concerning our Salvation, is contained. Which is the true Question between us and the Church of Rome: Not whether the Scripture be delivered to us as the Word of God, or no, (in this our People ought to tell them we are all agreed) but whether they have been delivered as the whole Will of God. And from that Argument now mentioned, and many more, we conclude, that Universal Tradition having directed us unto these Books and no other, they direct us fufficiently, without any other Doctrines, unto God, and to our everlasting reft.

And if they urge you farther, and fay, that the very Credit of the Scripture depends upon Tradition: tell them that it is a Speech not to be endured, if they mean thereby that it gives the Scripture its authority, (and if they mean less, we are agreed, as hath been already said for it is to fay, that Man gives authority to God's Word. Whereas in truth, the holy Scriptures are not therefore of Divine Authority, becaufe the Church hath delivered them fo to be; but the Church hath delivered them fo to be, because it knew them to be of fuch authority. And if the Church fhould have conceived, or taught otherwife, of thefe Writings, than as of the undoubted Oracles of God; the would have erred damnably in fuch a Tradition.

I

I fhall fum up what hath been faid in this fecond particular, in a few words. Chrift and his Apostles at firft taught the Church. by word of mouth; but afterward that which they preached was by the commandment of God committed to writing, and delivered unto the Church, to the ground of our Faith. Which is no more than Ireneus hath faid in exprefs words. (L. 3. C. 1.) fpeaking of them by whom the Gospel came into all Nations: Which they then preached, but afterward, by the Will of God delivered unto us in the Scriptures, to be, in time to come, the Foundation and Pillar of our Faith.

III. And farther we likewife acknowledge, that the fum and fubftance of the Chriftian Religion, contained in the Scriptures, hath been delivered down to us, even from the Apostles days, in other ways or forms, befides the Scriptures. For inftance, in the Baptifmal Vow, in the Creed, in the Prayers and Hymns of the Church. Which we may call Traditions, if we please; but they bring down to us no new Doctrine, but onely deliver, in an abridgment, the fame Christianity which we find in the Scriptures.

Upon this there is no need that I should enlarge; but I proceed farther to affirm,

IV. That we reverently receive also the unanimous Tradition or Doctrine of the Church in all Ages, which determines the meaning of the holy Scripture, and makes it more clear and unquestionable in any point of Faith, wherein we can find it hath declared its fence. For we look upon this Tradition as nothing else but the Scripture unfolded; not a new thing, which is not in the Scripture; but the Scripture explained and made more evident.

And thus fome part of the Nicene Creed may be called a Tradition; as it hath exprefly delivered unto us the fence of the Church of God, concerning that great Article of our Faith, That Jefus Chrift is the Son of God. Which they teach us was always thus understood the Son of God, begotten of his Father before all worlds, and of the fame fubftance with the Father.

But this Tradition fuppofes the Scripture for its ground, and delivers nothing but what the Fathers, affembled at Nice, believed to be contained there, and was firft fetch'd from thence. For we find in Theodoret (L. 1 C. 6.) that the famous Emperour Conftantine, admonished thofe Fathers, in all their Questions and Debates, to confult onely with these heavenly infpired Writings; Because the Evangelical and Apoftolical Books, and the Oracles of the old Prophets, do evidently inftruct us what to think in Divine matters. This is

fo

fo clear a Teftimony, that in thofe days they made this compleat Rule of their Faith, whereby they ended Controverfies, (which was the reafon that in feveral other Synods we find they were wont to lay the Bible before them) and that there is nothing in the Nicene Creed, but what is to be found in the Bible; that Car dinal Bellarmine hath nothing to reply to it, but this: Conftantine was indeed a great Emperour, but no great Doctor. Which is rather a Scoff, than an Anfwer; and cafts a fcorn not onely upon him, but upon that great Council, who, as the fame Theodoret, witneffeth, affented unto that Speech of Conftantine. So it there follows in these words: The most of the Synod were obedient to what he had difcourfed, and embraced both mutual Concord, and found Doctrine.

And accordingly, St. Hilary a little after extols his Son Conftantius for this, that he adhered to the Scriptures; and blames him onely for not attending to the true Catholick fence of them. His words are thefe, (in his little Book which he delivered to Conftantius) Itruly admire thee, O Lord Conftantius the Emperour, who defireft a Faith according to what is written. They pretended to no other in thofe days; but (as he speaks a little after) look'd upon him that refused this, as Antichrift. It was onely required that they should receive their Faith out of God's Books, not merely according to the words of them, but according to their true meaning, (becaufe many fake Scripture without Scripture, and pretended to Faith without Faith, as his words are); and herein Catholick and conftant Tradition was to guide them. For whatfoever was contrary to what the whole Church had received and held from the beginning, could not in reafon be thought to be the meaning of that Scripture which was alledged to prove it. And, on the other fide, the Church pretended to no more than to be a Witnefs of the received fence of the Scriptures; which were the bottom upon which they built this Faith.

4.

Thus I obferve Hegefippus faith, (in Eufeb. his History, E. C. 22.) that when he was at Rome, he met with a great many Bifhops, and that he received the very fame Doctrine from them all. And then, a little after, tells us what that was, and whence they derived it, faying, That in every fucceffion of Bishops, and in every City, fo they held as the Law preached, and as the Prophets, and as the Lord. That is, according to the Doctrine of the Old and New Teftament.

I fhall conclude this particular with a pregnant paffage, which I remember in a famous Divine of our Church, (Dr. Jackson, in

his

his Treatife of the Catholick Church, Chap. 22.) who writes to this effect:

That Tradition which was of fo much ufe in the Primitive Church, was not unwritten Traditions or Cuftoms, commended or ratified by the fuppofed infallibility of any visible Church, but did especially confift in the Confeffions, or Registers of particular Churches. And the unanimous confent of fo many feveral Churches, as exhibited their Confeffions to the Nicene Council, out of fuch Forms as had been framed and taught before this Controversie arofe, about the Divinity of Chrift; and that voluntarily and freely (thefe Churches being not dependant one upon another, nor overfwayed by any Authority over them, nor miiled by Faction to frame their Confeffions of Faith by imitation, or according to fome pattern fet them) was a pregnant argument,that this Faith wherein they all agreed, had been delivered to them by the Apostles and their Followers, and was the true meaning of the holy Writings in this great Article; and evidently proved, that Arius did obtrude fuch interpretations of Scripture, as had not been heard of before; or were but the fence of some private persons in the Church, and not of the generality of Believers.

In fhort, the unanimous confent of so many distinct visible Churches, as exhibited their several Confeffions, Catechisms, or Teftimonies of their own or Forefathers Faith, unto the Council of Nice, was an argument of the fame force and efficacy against Arius and his Partakers, as the general confent and practice of all Nations, in worshipping a Divine Power in all Ages, is against Atheists. Nothing but the ingrafted notion of a Deity, could have induced fo many feveral Nations, fo much different in natural difpofition, in civil Difcipline and Education, to affect or practise the duty of Adoration. And nothing but the evidence of the ingrafted word (as St. James calls the Gofpel) delivered by Chrift and his Apofiles in the holy Scriptures, could have kept fo many feveral Churches, as communicated their Confeffions unto that Council, in the unity of the fame Faith.

The like may be faid of the reft of the four firft General Councils; whofe Decrees are a great confirmation of our belief, because they deliver to us the confent of the Churches of Chrift, in those great Truths which they affert out of the holy Scriptures.

And could there any Traditive Interpretation of the whole Scri`pture be produced upon the Authority of fuch Original Tradition, as that now named, we would most thankfully and joyfully receive