202 The L I FE of the- LIB. L ticks, and that ( in thofe Days which were nearer the Spy ing- l-Iead ) Tradition was a better way than Scripture to confute Hereticks, as T tod1sao de Pnefcript at large, and Irendm's Words are well known. Whether in this they miltake or not, I don't determine ; yet certainly this may tell us that wb' Cannot conclude that the-a was then no co-ordinate way of delivering down the Sum of Chriftian Verity. 4'.. He that will prove your negative Affertion muff either`know all the World, and that de fa5to, there is among them no fuch Tradition ; or elfe muff have fain Re- velation from God, that there is not anyfilch, nor fltatl' be: But we have neither of theft ; Ergowe cannot certainly conclude it. q. We Der by Experience that more fubftance of other common Precepts and Hiftory Can' be delivered down to Po- fterity by other means, without formal Records : Ergs, fö may theft : For though they cannot have the goldenCabinet of Scripture, but from theSpirit ; nor with- out the Spirit canMenbelieve : Yet the'Truths maybe remembred and delivered as aforefaid. 6. God can deliver the Marrow of the Gofpel by other means than the Writing ; and hebath not told us that he will not : Ego, for ought We know he doth. 7. We ought not abfolutely to excludeextraordinary means when God hath not tyed himfelf from them : It is a dangerous Sin-of them that leave the ordinarymeans and look out for extraordinary, asSpü ft of Prophefy, Angels, be. But to conclude, that God will never reveal Chrilt by an Angel, to one that hath not the Scripture, is more than we may do : I know not therefore why it is that you would not be prevailed 'with fo much is to add the-Word [ orJwes- ÿ J when yet it's by fome affirmed to be your Senfe ; and by all that it is your Duty to deli- ver your Senfe as plain as- you they t So muchof my Reafons againff the certainty of the Truth of:your Affertion- 3. I next add, that it feenis not a Point fo weighty, as tocall out 'all that are different from us in this Opinion. My Reafons are, r. From the Nature of the Thing. r. It hath fo much to be Did againft the veryTruth of it, and fo is doubt- ful. z. There can no ill Confequencesbe manifefted to rife from the contrary Opinion : Much lefs fo ill as todeferve fisch a Cenfure: It is no wrong to Scrip- ture-that there is a more imperfeâ collateral way of delivering fore part of the fame Truths, no more than it is a wrong to Scripture that the Law of Nature de- livers fbme -other Part of them. z. From the Perlons that were of the Opinion contrary toyour Affertion; who were the ancient'Doetors of theChurches, and many of themolt learned, judicious, and godly of the Reformed Divines, as I un- dertake to manifeft when I -haveOpportunity, and it is neceffary. For my own part, ifit wereonly my felf that should be call out by this Engine, I fhould fay the lets; but as I know not how many Hundred maybe of the fame Mind, and as I think it tobe the moft common Judgment of Divines, fo I know -fùchhere among us of that Mind, with whom I am nor worthy to be named, whowould not fub- fèribe to this your Affertion : whereby it kerns to me, tobe more tolerable to dilfent from you. 4. Seeing you have voted to lay down only Fundamentals to Salvation firft: and upon that Vote have put this as one, you do not only damn all that believe any other way than by the written Word ; but you damn all thofe that Will not damn them, by owning this condemning Article. Now, that it is not Funda- mental appeals ; a. In that the Fathers and choiceft reformed Divines were elfe no. Chrillians. z. No Creed ofthe ancient Churches did contain it. 3.' It is not ofnecefiìty to our believingon Chrifl the Foundation : A Man may be brought himfelf by the Scripture to believe, that yet thinks another may believe by ver- bal Tradition. 4. No Scripture Both exprefly (no not implicitly) deliver it; much lets as a Fundamental. My next Reafonwas, that your Affertion and Reafon are injurions to die ChriflianCat&. For I. WhenGofpel Truth is delivered,down by two Hands you wrong it when you cut off one; whets neither is needlefs. z. We are able by other ways ofProof to confute thofe Infidels that deny the Authority ofScripture; efpecially when they tell us, that we cannot prove that our Dotrinewas deliver- ed from Chrilt and his Apoftles, and not fine devifed or corrupted by later Hands. Now,you would force our Arguments out of our Hands, to the Advantageof the Enemy : Upon the Experience of fòme late Debates with'lùbtil Apoftates, now infidels; I amhold with Submiilion to fay, that I would not for all the World fo w'oünd the ChriftlanCaufe, as iris wounded by thofe who bereave the Scripture of the Advantageof other Tradition : And think that a Bible'found by the way, by One that never heard of it bath the fame Advantages to procure Belief, as Scripture and'Scrip:ure- Doctrine, and matters of Faf delivered to us by theHandof certgin
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