About Tradition, Discourse
A DISCOURSE ABOUT TRADITION; Shewing what is meant by it, AND WHAT TRADITION Is to be received, AND WHAT TRADITION Is to be rejected.
LONDON, Printed by Miles Fleſher, for Robert Horne, at the South Entrance of the Royal Exchange, and Fincham Gardiner, at the White Horſe in Ludgate Street, 1683.
A DISCOURSE ABOUT TRADITION.
AN obligation being laid upon us at our Baptiſm, to believe and to doe the whole will of God, revealed unto us by Chriſt Jeſus; it concerns every one that would be ſaved, to enquire where that whole, intire will of God is to be found? where he may ſo certainly meet with it, and be ſo informed about it, that he may reſt ſatisfied he hath it all?
And there would be no difficulty in this matter, had not the worldly intereſts of ſome men, raiſed controverſies about it; and made that intricate and perplexed, which, in it ſelf, is eaſie and plain. For the Rehearſal of the Apoſtles Creed at Baptiſm, and of that alone; as a Summary of that Faith, whoſe ſincere profeſſion intitles us to the Grace there conferred; warrants the Doctrine of the Church of England, in its VI. Article, that the Holy Scripture containeth all things neceſſary to Salvation; ſo that whatſoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man, that it ſhould be believed as an Article of Faith, or be thought requiſite or neceſſary to Salvation.
But this ſtrikes off ſo many of the Doctrines of the preſent Roman Church, which are not to be found in the Scripture, nor have any countenance there; that they are forced to ſay: the faith once delivered to the Saints (mentioned by S. Jude) is not intirely delivered in the Scripture; but we muſt ſeek for the reſt in the Traditions of the Church. Which Traditions, ſay they, are to be received as a part of the Rule of Faith, with the ſame Religious reverence that we do the Holy Scripture.
Now, though this is not really the bottom of their hearts (as will appear before I have done) but they finally reſt for their ſatisfaction in matters of Faith ſomewhere elſe; yet this being plauſibly pretended by them, in their own juſtification, that they follow Tradition; and in their accuſations of us, that we forſake Tradition: I ſhall briefly let all our people ſee, who are not willing to be deceived, what they are to judge and ſay in this buſineſs of Tradition. About which a great noiſe is made, as if we durſt not ſtand to it, and as if they of the Roman Church ſtedfaſtly kept it, without any variation: neither of which is true, I ſhall plainly ſhew in this ſhort Diſcourſe.
The meaning of the word.
Which for clearneſs ſake ſhall begin with the meaning of the word TRADITION: which in Engliſh is no more than delivering unto another; and by a Figure ſignifies, the matter which is delivered; and among Chriſtians the Doctrine of our Religion delivered to us. And there being two ways of delivering Doctrines to us, either by writing or by word of mouth; it ſignifies either of them indifferently: the Scriptures, as you ſhall ſee preſently, being Traditions. But cuſtome hath determined this word to the laſt of theſe ways, and diſtinguiſhed Tradition from Scriptures, or writings: at leaſt from the Holy Writings; and made it ſignifie that which is not delivered in the Holy Scriptures, or writings. For though the Scripture be Tradition alſo, and the very firſt Tradition, and the fountain of all true and legitimate Antiquity; yet in common language Traditions now are ſuch ancient Doctrines, as are conveyed to us ſome other way: whether by word of mouth, as ſome will have it, from one generation to another; or by humane Writings, which are not of the ſame authority with the Holy Scriptures.
How to judge of them.
Now there is no better way to judge aright of ſuch Traditions, than by conſidering theſe four things.
Firſt, The Authours of them, whence they come.
Secondly, The matter of them.
Thirdly, Their Authority.
Fourthly, The means by which we come to know, they derive themſelves from ſuch Authours, as they pretend unto: and conſequently have any authority, to demand admiſſion into our belief.
1. For the Firſt of theſe, every body knows and confeſſes, that all Traditions ſuppoſe ſome Authour, from whom they originally come, and who is the deliverer of thoſe Doctrines to Chriſtian people: who being told by the preſent Church, or any perſon in it; that ſuch and ſuch Doctrines are to be received, though not contained in the Holy Scriptures, becauſe they are Traditions; ought in Conſcience to inquire from whom thoſe Traditions come, or who firſt delivered them: By which means they will be able to judge, what credit is to be given to them, when it is once cleared to them, from what Authours they really come. Now whatſoever is delivered to us in Chriſtianity, comes either from Chriſt, or from his Apoſtles, or from the Church (either in General, or in part) or from private Doctours in the Church. There is nothing now called a Tradition in the Chriſtian World, but proceeds from one or from all of theſe four Originals.
2. And the matter which they deliver to us, (which is next to be conſidered) is either concerning that Faith, and godly life, which is neceſſary to Salvation; or concerning Opinions, Rites, Ceremonies, Cuſtoms, and things belonging to Order. Both which, as I ſaid, may be conveyed either by writing or without writing; by the Divine writings, or by humane writings: though theſe two ways are not alike certain.
3. Now it is evident to every underſtanding, that things of both ſorts which are delivered to us, have their Authority, from the Credit of the Authour from whence they firſt come. If that be Divine, their Authority is Divine; if it be onelyonly Humane, their Authority can be no more. And among Humane Authours, if their credit be great, the authority of what they deliver is great; if it be little, its authority is little: and accordingly muſt be accepted with greater or leſſer reverence.
Upon which ſcore whatſoever can be made to appear to come from Chriſt, it hath the higheſt authority, and ought to be received with abſolute ſubmiſſion to it, becauſe he is the Son of God. And likewiſe whatſoever appears to have been delivered by the Apoſtles in his name, hath the ſame Authority: they being his Miniſters, ſent by Him, as He was by God the Father; and indued with a Divine Power, which atteſted unto them. In like manner, whatſoever is delivered by the Church, hath the ſame Authority which the Church hath: which though it be not equal to the foregoing (the Church having no ſuch Divine Power, nor infallible judgment, as the Apoſtles had) yet is of ſuch weight and moment, that it ought to be reverenced next to theirs. I mean, the ſenſe of the whole Church; which muſt be acknowledged alſo to be of greater or leſſer Authority, as it was nearer, or farther off from the times of the Apoſtles. What was delivered by their immediate followers, ought to weigh ſo much with us, as to have the greateſt humane Authority; and to be look'd upon as little leſs than Divine. The Univerſal conſent of the next Generation, is an Authority approaching as near to the former, as the Ages do one to another. But what is delivered in latter times hath leſs humane Authority, though pretending to come, but without proof, from more early days: and hath no Authority at all, if it contradict the ſenſe of the Church, when it was capable to be better acquainted with the mind of Chriſt, and of his Apoſtles.
As for particular Churches, their Authority ought to be reverenced by every member of them; when they profeſs to deliver ſincerely the ſenſe of the Church Univerſal; and when they determine, as they have power to do, Controverſies of Faith, or decree Rites and Ceremonies (not contrary to God's word) in which enery one ought to acquieſce.
But we cannot ſay the ſame of that which comes from any private Doctour in the Church, modern or Ancient: which can have no greater Authority than he himſelf was of; but is more or leſs credible, according, as he was more or leſs diligent, knowing, and ſtrictly religious.
4. But to all this, it is neceſſary that it do ſufficiently appear, that ſuch Doctrines do really come from thoſe Authours, whoſe Traditions they pretend to be. This is the great, and the onelyonly, thing; about which there is any queſtion, among ſober and judicious perſons. How to be ſufficiently aſſured, that any thing which is not delivered unto us in the Scriptures, doth certainly come; for inſtance, from Chriſt, or his holy Apoſtles. For in this all Chriſtians are agreed, that whatſoever was delivered by Chriſt, from God the Father, or by the Apoſtles from Chriſt, is to be embraced and firmly retained, whether it be written or not written: that makes no difference at all, if we can be certain it came from Him, or them. For what is contained in the Holy Scripture, hath not its Authority, becauſe it is written: but becauſe it came from God. If Chriſt ſaid a thing, it is enough: we ought to ſubmit unto it: but we muſt firſt know that he ſaid it; and let the means of knowing it be what they will, if we can certainly know He ſaid it, we yield to it.
But how we can be certain (at this diſtance of time, from his being in the world) that any thing, now pretending to it, was ſaid by Chriſt, which is not recorded, in the Holy Scriptures; there is the buſineſs. And it is a matter of ſuch importance, that it cannot be expected any man ſhould be ſatisfied without very good evidence of it: but he may very reaſonably queſtion, whether many things be not falſly aſcribed unto Him, and unto his Apoſtles; which never came from them. Nay, whether thoſe things, which are affirmed to be the Doctrines of the Primitive Church, and of the whole Church, be not of ſome later Original; and of ſome particular Church, or private Doctours in the Church: unto whoſe Authority that reverence is not due, which ought to be paid, and which we willingly give unto the former.
Now according to this ſtate of the matter, any good Chriſtian among us (who is deſirous to know the Truth, and to preſerve himſelf from Errour) may eaſily diſcern what Traditions ought to be received, and held faſt; and what we are not bound unto, without any alteration; and what are not to be received at all, but to be rejected; and how far thoſe things are from being credible, which the Roman Church now would obtrude upon us, under the name of Apoſtolical, or ancient Traditions; without any Authority from the Holy Scriptures, or (in truth) any Authority but their own, and ſome private Doctours, whoſe opinions cannot challenge an abſolute ſubmiſſion to them.
But to give every one, that would be rightly informed, fuller ſatisfaction in this buſineſs; I ſhall not content my ſelf with this General Diſcourſe: but ſhall particularly and diſtinctly ſhew what Traditions we own, and heartily receive; and then what Traditions we cannot own, but with good reaſon refuſe. Theſe ſhall be the two Parts of this ſhort Treatiſe: wherein I ſhall endeavour that our people may be inſtructed not merely to reject Errours, but alſo to affirm the Truth.