The Truth and Certainty of the Protestant Faith, Section 7 – Section 8
SECT. VII.
Qu. CAn the Scripture be a ſufficient Rule of Faith, and ſufficient to decide controverſies in the Church, without the help of unwritten Traditions? Anſ. It is; 1. Becauſe the alone way for being ſaved is in following what is written there, Ioh. 20: 31. Theſe things are written, that you may believe that Ieſus is the Chriſt, and that believing you might have life through his name. 2. It is a full and ſufficient Rule, containing all things neceſſary, both to believe & do; 2 Tim. 3. 15. From a Child thou haſt known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wiſe unto ſalvation, through faith which is in Chriſt Ieſus: Yea, it is there ſhewed to be Profitable for Doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for inſtruction in righteouſneſſe; that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furniſhed unto all good works. 3. It is expreſly againſt the Scriptures, to impoſe any humane Traditions on the Church, for ſubjecting our Faith thereto. Deut, 4: 2. Thou ſhalt not add to the words, which I command thee. Qu. But doth not the Apoſtle command to hold faſt the Traditions, whether by Word or Epistle delivered to us? 2. Theſ. 2: 15? Anſ. It is there ſhewed. 1. That the Apoſtolick Authority, whether in ſpeaking, or writing, was the ſame; and that to both the Church was to give the ſame credit. 2. That what was taught from the Apoſtle by word, was the very ſame delivered by Epiſtle: but thence can be no ground for receiving of Traditions of the Church of Rome, which are not only different from the Scripture, but viſibly con…rary thereto, when neither Scripture, Reaſon, nor Antiquity, diſcover their being delivered by the Apoſtles. Qu. Is not Oral Tradition ſuch as cannot poſſibly deceive, whereby the Chriſtian Faith, and true ſenſe of the Scripture hath been delivered down from hand to hand, and from one age to another? Anſ. To this of late doth a part of this of late doth a part of the Romiſh Church fly, though nothing more viſibly repugnant to Scripture and Reaſon, if men but open their eyes, to ſee, 1. That no more ſure, and plain delivery of the Truth can be to us by ſpeaking, than by writing; nor can it be poſſibly judged, how a certainty of the ſenſe of their traditional Doctrine ſhould be more than that of the Scripture. 2. This were to reſolve our Faith; not on the Teſtimony of God in his Word, but on what the Father & Forefathers have told to the Children; and in effect to paſs from all certainty of the Chriſtian Faith, and to deny that Doctrine of Chriſt, and, way of being eternally ſaved, which, with moſt convincing evidence, is delivered to us in the Scripture. 3. We ſee, how far Tradition in a few Ages differeth from it ſelf, and hath been the riſe of ſuch fabulous Romances the World is full of about matters of fact, from former times; yea, how oft the Church hath been almoſt ſwallowed up of ignorance and errour: ſo that if one would trace back the Divinity of Christ by Tradition, they ſhould go near to loſe the ſcent, when it came to Athanaſi…s's time, whilſt the whole Chriſtian world ſeemed to be Arrian. Qu. Is there no neceſſity of Tradition, when the Scripture is not ſufficient to refute all Hereſies in the Church? Anſ. Can it be poſſible to underſtand Hereſies, but as they are againſt the Scripture, or how to have another conception thereof, and yet that not ſufficient for their refutation? this is, I confeſſe, a Doctrine meet for ſuch, who can make contradictions meet and agree at their pleaſure.
SECT. VIII.
Qu. HAve we not ſafe and unanſwerable ground, from the Antiquity of the Romiſh Doctrine, and its long continued ſucceſſion, to found an infallible aſſurance of its Truth? Anſ. None can deny theſe, 1. That the Scripture is the trueſt Antiquity, and what is not according to this, is a novelty brought in on the Church. 2. That the riſe and pedegree of the Man of Sin muſt be trac'd back to the very times of the Apoſtles, in his beginning to work, whoſe gradual breaking-up did then haſten to a more full appearance. 3. But it is moſt clear alſo, that the Primitive Church, for ſome Ages, knew no ſuch thing as Popery, in ſo horrid a corrup…ing of the Chriſtian Doctrine, that after followed; nor what an Univerſal Biſhop, and his Infallibility meaned. Qu. But can any evidence be found from theſe firſt times of the Chriſtian Church, that will import a contradicting of the Popiſh Doctrine, as it is now profeſſed. Anſ. There are no accidents where the thing it ſelf hath no being, nor could theſe poſſibly write againſt Poperie, in ſuch heads, as the Romiſh Infallibility, the worſhip of Images and Saints, &c. before they were once brought to light: but by undeniable conſequence it is clear, they held the Scripture to be the alone Rule, and foundation of the Chriſtian Faith; therefore not the Romiſh Church: and that the Counſel of God was clearly revealed in the ſame; therefore not to be ſhut up as the fountain of errour: Yea, that there are but two places after death, without the leaſt touch, or mentioning ſuch a thing as Purgatory. This alſo was the known Doctrine of the firſt times, that Faith in Chriſt was the alone way of Salvation; therefore not by o…r own merit.