The principles of Protestant truth and peace in four treatises : viz. the true state of liberty of conscience, in freedom from penal laws and church-censures, the obligations to national true religion, the nature of scandal, paricularly as it relates to indifferent things, a Catholick catechism, shewing the true grounds upon which the Catholick religion is ascertained / by Tho. Beverley ...

CAP. VIII. Of Tradition and Antiquity.

Quest. BY what hath been said, Scripture and its Inter∣pretation appear guarded by their own Divine∣ness, against all Private and Counterfeit, as by Cherubims, and a Flaming Sword turning every way. But hath there been no Stratagem of the Adversary to undermine Divine Ca∣tholick Religion, and the Authority of Scripture, the Publick Record of Religion, with its Publick Interpretation; and yet that all these should seem still to rest firm upon their own Base?

Answ. The great Enemy of God and Truth hath been wanting in no Artifice, and therefore hath fallen upon that very Method inquired of; that what could not be atchie∣ved by denying Scripture, by bringing in False Scripture, or Private Interpretation, monstrous to the Text, (all such gross Frauds being in some Times and Places exposed and exploded) might be more successfully attempted and effe∣cted, by yoaking Tradition with Scripture, a Private In∣certain

Oracle with a Publick and Certain one, and so avowed to be by the Traditionists themselves.

Quest. What is Tradition?

Answ. These four things concur to the making up Tra∣dition.

1. That from the Divine Authority of Scriptures, and the True Religion of them, which (as hath been said) it acknowledges, it borrows not only Countenance, but Oc∣casion, and more than that, a shew of Reason and Necessi∣ty for it self.

2. That it therefore endeavours to tack and joyn it self to Scripture, and the Religion of it, as necessary to com∣pleat and fill it up▪ or to provide something more requisite to that Religion, that Scripture hath not provided for.

3. That it having grown up from no true Root, nor risen upon any just Foundation, it hath stollen into its Authority and Reverence, by being passed from Hand to Hand so long, that its Elderliness looks like a Patent for that Authority and Reverence: And its Original (some Injudicious Devotion, at the best) not being easie to be trac'd, it comes to be supposed, or rather superstitiously to be suspected to be Divine; and at length, like a long-told Lie, assuming to be Truth, it takes upon it self to be Di∣vine, and to curse all those that derogate from it.

4. That having thus rivetted it self, it by degrees, like Pharaoh's Lean Kine, eats out the generous and rich Sense of Scripture, and devours the Authority of it, and yet it self remains a jejune and starv'd Superstition.

Quest. Who are the great Masters of Tradition?

Answ. They that have, under the True Religion, set up some private Diana of Profit, Honour, or Worldly Advan∣tage, and cannot maintain it by that True Religion, they eke out therefore with Private Tradition what may sup∣port it.

Quest. What Antidote is there against the Mischief of Tradition?

Answ. To cleave with full purpose and resolution of Heart and Soul to the Word of God, and to that only; to have no Religion, nor any thing in Religion, but what is enjoyn∣ed and recommended by Divine Authority, in that Blessed Word of God; and this is indeed to be of the truly Ca∣tholick, Apostolick, and Publick Religion.

Quest. But is the Sense that hath now been given of Tra∣dition, the best Sense of it in Scripture-use?

Answ. No, it is not; and the Consideration of a better Sense will much clear to us the Nature of Tradition. When therefore our Saviour discoursed of the Commandments of Men, delivered down from Hand to Hand, subsisting only upon the Private Authority of the Elders, not founded on the written Canon of the Old Testament, at that time the only Rule of Faith, Worship, and Practice, he always names Tradition in the ill Sense already given: But when the Do∣ctrine and Rules of the New Testament, in those grand Points, were just breathing from the Holy Spirit, and not yet fixed in that abiding Canon, Tradition is so long accepted in a good Sense. The History of the Things done by our Saviour, though most surely believed, Luc. 1. 1. was first but delivered or tradition'd by Word of Mouth, but afterwards written, that the certainty of them might be more fully known to those that had been before Catechiz'd in them by Oral Tradition. All the Ordinances of the Christian Worship were first Traditions, 1 Cor. 11. 2. and the very Rules of Life were in Tradition, 2 Thess 3. 6.

But yet all these, though they were Trad••••••ons delive∣red by those that were Commissioned immediately by the Holy Ghost, and were themselves Eye witn••s••••••, and Ear∣witnesses of most Things they gave in T••••dition, were yet not sealed so sure as the more sure Word of Prophesie, because they were not yet written by Divine Inspiration,

though given out by it, nor generally received and assu∣red, as so written, till the due time of Trial by former Scripture had passed upon them. The first Christians did therefore well to take heed to that former Scripture, till they had the full Day of the Gospel, as hath been before spoken.

If Tradition then was not so sure in the first and truly pure Times of it, how much less would it have been sure afterwards, if it had continued in Tradition? All there∣fore of Doctrine in the New Testament was first prepared by Tradition, laid in and proved by the Scriptures of the Old Testament, either by direct Consequence, or by Inter∣pretation from immediate Revelation, demonstrated, as the First giving of Scripture always was, by Miracles; and so all at once, and once for all, consigned over to the Poste∣rity of Christians by Divinely Inspired Writings, so as∣sured, so confirmed, as to leave no place for Tradition o•• the Best sense: There remains therefore nothing for Tra∣dition now, but its Ill sense.

Quest. Why might not True Religion continue in Traditi∣on, committed all along to Faithful Men, even as it did in ••••e Custody of the Apostles, and such Faithful Persons as they com∣mitted it to?

Answ. Even in the time of the Apostles it was trusted no longer to Tradition, than it must needs; for the Apostle John, the Survivor of them, closed the Canon of the New Testament, that was drawn apace into Writing all along: But at that time there was such a continual immediate Energy or Efficacy of the Holy Spirit, that Truth mov'd every way, like Lightning, and both by its direct and straight forward Motion in Doctrine, and its reverse strokes in the Conviction of all Falshood, Errour was blasted eve∣ry way: But when this Extraordinary Appearance ceased, there was then no safety for Truth, but in an unchangeable Written Word, that was in such an extraordinary Season

of Miracles and immediate Revelation, setled and establish∣ed, under so great a Supervisal, in the midst of so many Witnesses of all things, by their Eyes and Ears; and it be∣ing once written, and always so secured by Divine Pro∣vidence, as hath been represented, it always speaks the same Things, in the same Words it first did.

Quest. Why might not Divine Truth be committed, some more Fundamental Parts to Writing, and some, according to variety of Occasion, to Tradition?

Answ. God, to whom all Futurity is present, who fore∣saw all that was necessary to be written, before he had done writing cannot be supposed to commit his Will in part to Writing, and that upon great Reasons; and the same Reasons notwithstanding, to leave a considerable part, or so much as any one Branch obligatory upon the Consci∣ence, to Parol-Tradition: For, if he that offends in one Point is guilty of all, there needs the same Authority, and as well assured, for one Point of Faith and Obedience, as for all the rest.

2. It is unconceivable, what End Tradition, unconsign'd by Scripture, can serve, that Scripture does not more fully and effectually take care for. Publick Religion reserves nothing to be a Cabal for Private Interest, within a close Cabinet or Conclave.

3. Whatever is supposed to be entrusted to Tradition, must either be the very same we have in Scripture, and then Tradition is needless and superfluous; for we have it in Scripture, if we duly exercise our selves in it: or it is more than Scripture hath declared, and yet supposed to be of equal Authority with Scripture; and then it must be a Motionary and Itinerant Word of God: But where are the daily and continual Seals and Credentials Divine Tradition had, and in a constant fresh Motion with it, as it moves; for so it had need be, in so fluid a Thing as Tradition, if it would pretend to be Sacred; and so

Divinely Inspired Tradition had, while it continued in Tradition: But what Reason can be given, Tradition, as we now speak of it, was not incorporated into Scripture, as was argued before? Or that in so long a Course of Time it hath not been enroll'd into Scripture, as the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles still was? Seeing, if it had all things else, it cannot but want the Benefit of the Di∣vine Contexture and Conveyance that Scripture hath, in Words chosen, and put together by Inspiration, and the ready, easie, and certain Access to it by all: For all are equal∣ly concerned in it. Now seeing Tradition wants all these, how can we accept it? How can we look off from Scrip∣ture, to pore upon Tradition? or what hold can we have of it?

Quest. But how can it be, but there must be Tradition, seeing there were so many Things spoken and done, more than the Scripture contains, or the World it self could contain, if they were all written? These then being known in the first Times, have been conserv'd by Tradition, Tradition made valuable by those of Honourable Name among Christians, and their Discourses of Christianity?

Answ. Granting such things so preserv'd, suppose them the Actions and Words of our Saviour himself, yet if not written by Inspired Penmen, they are not recommended as obligatory upon After-ages: For whatever was necessa∣ry, that we might believe, and have Eternal Life, was so written; and that not only just so much as might serve Necessity (for that the One Gospel of St. Jo•••• might serve to That, it self witnesses) but also be matter of Bounty and Abundance; so that out of that greater World of Truth, than our World could receive, there was so much selected as was bountifully sufficient, and abundant to all Intents and Purposes of Clearness, Certainty, Enforcement upon the Affections, Variety, continual Exercise and De∣light, that so every Christian might be throughly furnished

to every good Work, to all things that pertain to Life and Godliness.

As for all that Christ did and spake, or that the Apo∣stles spake or did by Infallible Guidance, and Immediate Assistance, if it be not written, a Veil is drawn over it, and a Cloud hath received it out of our sight: It is a secret thing, that belongs not to us, but is sealed up from us, like the things which the Thunders uttered in the Revelation.

And indeed the Wisdom of Providence seems to have dealt with all such Sayings or Actions, as with the Body of Moses; all Monuments of Worth and Certainty, after Scripture, in relation to them, are concealed from us: There is a great Darkness upon the History of that Time, lest we should superstitiously venerate, in place of that which is divinely written and preserved to us, the things that were not prepared for our Learning, and so, to us, but as a Body not divinely inspired, that is, a Body without a Soul. All too fierce Disputes about them are therefore raised only by Sathan, the Enemy of Light and Truth, to no other purpose than that about the Body of Moses, that is, to found an occasion of Superstition, and silently to whisper, Scripture is not sufficient. And yet we see with what an eager Zeal Men are set upon such Researches, not satisfied with the Proportion of Manna allowed by God; but even as the Israelites, that gathered much, had nothing over; so may it be truly said of those that would abound beyond Scripture, in that which pertains to the true gui∣dance of Conscience, That they have nothing over, and what they will needs keep, as such, corrupts.

Quest. Is there Reason sufficient to support this Sentiment?

Answ. This great Reason: If we had undoubted, but not inspired History of that Time, it could not be like the Evangelistick History, or the Actes of the Apostles to us; we should in some things want the Application and Dire∣ction to our use, dictated by Divine Wisdom; in others, the

unerring Censure of even Apostolick Actions, as in that of the Apostle Peter, Galat. 2. 11. Now because our Con∣sciences would be apt to be drawn into subjection to things of so great Reputation, and yet there would be no Divine Authority to draw them, nor Infallible Authority to sup∣port them, in which Cases it is the Absolute Will of God they should not be in subjection, God hath therefore in his Providence left that time so much in the dark, that we may trust in his written Word only.

For separate Immediate Divine Presence from the Pro∣phets and Apostles themselves, and there remains nothing at the highest, but the Wisdom and Prudence of Under∣standing, and Good Men, applying General Rules to par∣ticular Cases, Times, Places, and Events as they for that time could best judge, and yet besides the variation of Circumstances in every Age, they themselves were as Men, subject to mistakes, as Nathan about David's building the Temple, as Paul assaying to go into Bithynia; to like Passions with other Men, as in the Contention betwixt Paul and Barnabas; to like Temptations, as in the Mis∣carriage of Peter before referred to: All they did and said, not shining with immediate Light from Heaven, must be tried in the Light of what themselves, together with all the other Penmen of Scripture, had written. They them∣selves therefore acting or speaking by way of Prudence or general Assistance, must be tried by themselves, acting or speaking according to Revelation, and special Assistance, in which only they are and ought to be Authoritative.

Quest. But it still remains, There might be some things that were not so sit for vulgar Knowledge, and so were Secre∣ted into Tradition apart from Scripture, and that Tradition deposited with Trusty Men, who should successively so deposite it, that it might at convenient Seasons be brought forth, as Goliah's Sword from behind the Ephod.

Answ. None like it indeed, to serve a purpose: But to sa∣tisfie Reason and Conscience, nothing so improper. For, first, let these Traditionaries give clear Expositions, and such as are worthy to be acquiesced in, of the Prophetick, or otherwise Dark Places of Scripture. If they cannot do that, where is the Wisdom above the Vulgar? and why did not Tradition, without Scripture, inclose those myste∣rious Visions of the Revelation from Popular Inspection? But the things Tradition is imploy'd indeed in, are quite of another Nature; either the Prelation of Men in Church-Office and Dignity, or some Rites of Worship, that should change Devotion into Superstition, or lull it into Igno∣rance; or some Canons, that turn Religion into Trade, or Doctrines suited to that End; or, which serves to all such purposes, a Tradition to call back all Scripture out of the Written Word into Oral Tradition, by locking it up in a Tongue unknown to the generality of Christians. And yet if there were any seemingly Purer, or more Con∣templational Traditions, seeing they are not inrolled into Scripture, they must, as hath been said, give such Eviden∣ces of themselves, as Divine Revelation hath, or be, at their highest, but Enthusiasm and Fanaticism.

Quest. But what Esteem is to be had of the Writings and Iransactions of the Ancients, whom we call Fathers, Doctors of the Church, Men of eminent Holiness, great Abilities, Confessors, and Martyrs of Christianity?

Answ. It may be easily judg'd, by what hath been said already, that they must be brought to Scripture, laid at its Feet, and submitted to its Acceptance, whether according to its true Sense, or not: For, if the Apostles, when the Holy Spirit was not upon them, could not exceed Hu∣mane, how much less can any of a lower Class pretend? The Fathers therefore had so great an Awe of Scripture, that they did not assume any thing to themselves or their Writings, or yield any thing to the Persons or Writings of

those of the same Time with them, but according to the undeniable Sense of Scripture.

Quest. But the nearness of these Fathers to the Days of Christ and the Apostles, must needs enable them, either from what they themselves received warm from their Lips, or from what they had from others, not quite cold, to know the Apo∣stles Doctrine, Discipline, Manner of Life, Purpose, their Sense of the Scope and Meaning of those Things wherein they were Divinely Inspired, and so to deliver it to After-ages.

Answ. Whatever they have spoken, or written, giving us more light and advantage to understand, and behold Scripture in its own Light, ought from them, or from any other, to be accepted with great regard; but if it do not thus, it cannot be accepted, even from the Writers of Scriptures themselves upon a single, or divided Autho∣rity: They were so bounded by the very Things, and Words, they themselves had once spoken and written by the Holy-Ghost, that all the deference to their know∣ledge in Divine Things above others, was to be made rea∣sonable in the clearest Expounding what themselves and others had written by Divine Inspiration, and to be discerned in the very Writings themselves, and not to be drawn oracularly out of their Breasts, when the Evi∣dences of Divine Inspiration were not upon them: For he that is Spiritual, i. e. that God vouchsafes Inspirati∣on to, or pretends to it, must acknowledge all that is either truly written, or spoken by the same Inspiration, to be the Commandments of the Lord, 1 Cor. 14. 37.

And as for the newness, freshness, and life of Truth given by Divine Revelation, God graciously providing it should remain, as Revelation left it, and the Eviden∣ces it hath done so, appearing with it; it is the same in all Ages; Divine never loses of its life, nor abates of its vigor; what it was so many Ages ago, that it abides now; what the Holy-Ghost spoke so many Ages ago, that

it speaks now as warmly as then: All Divine Truth given, is after the power of an endless life, the Eternal Increa∣ted Spirit lives in it, and gives Divine Quickness to it. It is yesterday, to day, the same for ever; and so breathes its own sense in Scripture, by the ordinary Assistances it vouchsafes to Holy, Humble, and diligent Waiters upon him in this, even as it did in the first Ages, though the extraordinary Motions are withdrawn.

Quest. But still the Gifts and Endowments of those Eminent Men, with all the Light, Truth, Grace, Learning and Reason, they shine to us with, ought to be esteemed and improved?

Answ. Yes doubtless: For whatsoever Things are true, whatsoever things are pure, are of Virtue, and deserved praise, they are Publick, and of God, wherever they are found: And whatever there is in these Elders, in their nearness to the First Times, their Holiness, their Sufferings, their great Learning, their Encounters of Pa∣ganism, their Apologies for Christianity, their Heaven∣liness, their Contempt of this World, all is a Donation, and a Grace of God by them to his Church, and Mankind in general.

Quest. And does not there arise great Evidence to Chri∣stianity, and the Doctrines and Practices of it, from such eminent Witnesses?

Answ. No doubt there does, both to Christianity in particular, and to all Religion, Virtue and Goodness in general: But yet neither their Writings, nor Practices can in any wise become Scripture to us; they all lead to Scripture, and ought to do so; they are all to be seen, and reflected in Scripture Light, and from thence they receive their lustre: For though they are a Subordinate Testimony, as hath been said, yet Christian Religion hath greater Testimony, and first enabled them to give a va∣luable Testimony to it self, by Communicating so great knowledge and worth to them: And besides all that hath

been spoken, the Writings of the Fathers are so Volumi∣nous, as not to be read over by the most; so doubtful in their Genuiness, that they cannot be Examined, but with great Labour, and well prepared Judgment; so dis∣putable in their sense, that to attain a certainty in it, would cut off Time from the greater Imployment of Me∣ditation in the Word of God, day and night, where Men's Callings lie otherwise; so that to receive our Re∣ligion from hence were of too remote an assurance to any one, much more to those who have not Books, and stu∣die for their Profession: But every Man, whether learned or unlearned, is concerned deeply to try his Religion with his own Eyes, and not anothers for him; and God hath therefore provided a Word nigh him, even in his Mouth, and in his Heart; and hath also taken care by stirring up so many both of the Ancient and Modern Christians, to separate themselves to intermeddle with all sacred knowledge, that there is a worthy exercise of the learned World herein, and great advantages arise thereby for universal knowledge even to the less learned, and the very unlearned.

Quest. But did the Fathers themselves distinguish thus their own and one anothers Writings from Scripture?

Answ. It is most evident, as hath been already affirmed, they put a greatest difference betwixt the most excellent Monuments of Christianity, that were but Humane▪ whether their own, or others, and inspired Pages; else Clement, Ignatius, and others, might as well have been Canoniz'd by them, as what is from them come down to us for Sacred Canon it self; and even as they did, we may see the great odds betwixt the one and the other; and as we adore God the supreme Author, so the Sove∣reign Preserver of Scripture, who by Divine Evidences, and by superintending Providence, hath divided the bound of Scripture at so great a remove from all the Writings

in the World, whether Christian or Prophane, the Apocryphal Books not excepted, which though too ad∣venturously joyn'd so generally in a Volume with Scrip∣ture, yet are evidently disproportioned in the Majesty of Sense, and Divine Eloquence.

Quest. Is there no greater Authority of the First Coun∣cils?

Answ. How many Humanes soever meet, they can∣not make up Divine, where it was not before; nor can a multitude of Privates constitute a Publick: Divine and Publick may be declared, but cannot be made so by such Contribution. All Determinations of Councils are infinitely outweighed in Value, and over-ruled in Au∣thority by Scripture indeed Publick and Divine.

Quest. But in such a number of his Servants, may we not conclude, God is certainly among them, and does guide them?

Answ. Give them all the advantages that can be given, and either we must say, they are Infallibly guided, and then we must receive their Decrees, as Scripture, and they must be attested to us, as Scripture is attested; or they are not Infallibly guided, and then their Decrees must be tryed, as all Fallibles ought to be, by a Rule surer than themselves: If even Divine Revelation it self was at first tryed, and found perfect; nay, if even all that God proposes to us, as from himself, comes laden with its own proper Evidences, how much more must that which is confessedly humane, be tryed by that which is confessedly Divine? The great use of Councils is therefore so to debate, and bring things to a Result, by a confluence of Wisdom and Learning, that we may see Divine Truths in their own Light, in Scripture∣light, to hold out which they are but ministerially im∣ploy'd, and not to impose upon any under the name of Publick; for that alone is Publick, that is Divine: All

Comparison of Privates among themselves, must needs be lost in this Publick, before which the greatest name of Publick, is but as the drop of the Bucket, and the small dust of the Ballance: And the union with that true Pub∣lick makes the most Private a Publick; and Separation from it, the most seemingly Publick, a most Idiottal Private.

And it were very happy, if the Experiment hereof were not too evident in the Councils that have been, how little Number of it self can Contribute to truly Pub∣lick, or Divine; yet the fitness of the Means is withall to be acknowledged, as ordain'd by God.