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lefs Authentick for that Alteration; as ap pears from the infpir'd Writings of the New Teftament, who fometimes quote it as it is fet down there; and the fame infallible Spirit both directed and influenc'd that Alteration which had before given Being and Authority to the Original, as is evident from the fame Allegations. Again, had Tradition been fo very effectual a Mean for conveying Truth down to Pofterity, we cannot look upon the Evangelifts as fo well employ'd when they were penning their Gofpels: But those who recommend Tradition to us fo highly, reprefent thofe holy Perfons to us as Men exercis'd only in needlefs and fuperfluous Curiofities; as if they might have bufied themselves much better in travelling about to preach the Gofpel, than in that tedious and unneceffary Work. Our Saviour had liv'd in publick View of the World: there were many Thoufands of Eye and Ear-Witneffes of what he faid and did, while he convers'd with Mankind, and it was very likely that fuch extraordinary Words and Actions as his were, fhould make a more than ufual Impreffion upon fuch Numbers of Witneffes: Yet all these Confiderations could not divert thofe infpired Penmen from that really important Work. They would not truft the treacherous Memories of carelefs and forgetful Men with fo glorious a Hiftory. And fince we believe that the Spirit of God guided their Hands too in thofe Divine Writings; that Conceffion muft, imply the Neceffity there was of committing that Hiftory to Writing, unless we will ad- venture upon downright Blafphemy.

But

But now, fince thofe Evangelifts did spend the reft of their Labours in Preaching the Gospel as induftrioufly as the Apoftles (who did not write) or any of their Companions; it is plain that they did not believe that Preaching alone was enough to fecure the Defcent of Gofpel-Truths to the convertible World: And therefore St. Luke tells Theophilus exprefly that Having bad full Information of all Things Luke 1. 2. relating to the Life and Actions of Chrift from 3, 4. thofe who were Eye-Witneffes of them and Minifters of the Word, it feem'd also good to him to write thofe Things hiftorically, and fend them to Theophilus, that by reading what he had written in due Order, he might know the Certainty of thofe Things in which he had been inftructed. So that it feems, this Evangelift would have his prefent Hiftory to be the Teft of those Doctrinal Truths which he had deliver'd by Preaching to Theophilus before: And tho' perhaps, there might be nothing in this whole Book but what Theophilus remembred and underftood perfectly well; yet he thought a written Hiftory would prove an excellent Affiftant to Memory, and a neceffary and fecure Way to improve him in that Faith which he profefs'd: Nor can we believe the Writings of the other Evangelifts, tho' entring into the World without any fuch Preface, to be lefs effectual to the fame excellent Purpose.

We can have little Reafon to found either our Faith or Practice upon unwritten Tradition, unlefs where it directly agrees with or illuftrates any thing deliver'd in the Book of God, when we find our Saviour sharply reproving the Scribes and Pharifees for making

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void the Law of God by their Traditions, and when we find the Chriftian World could be fo miferably divided, and that fo foon af ter the Apoftles Days, about the Obfervation of the Feast of Eafter, when the Western Church pretended a Tradition for their Account from St. Peter and St. Paul, the Eaftern Churches, another from St. John, (who had then been but a few Years dead) for their different Practice: But had Tradition been attended with Infallibility, that Conteft, tho' in it felf of no great Weight, could never have happen'd. Zozimus Bilhop of Rome, in the Beginning of the Fifth Century, pleaded a Traditionary Right of receiving Appeals from other Churches in any Matters of Controverfy among them: But not depending altogether upon Tradition, he alleged a Canon of the Nicene Council in Confirmation of his Plea: But the African Bishops, and among the reft St. Auguftine, (none of the meaneft Luminaries of the Chriftian World,) rejected both the Tradition and the Canon, and by procuring authentick Copies of the Canons of that great Council from Alexandria and Conftantino; le, thoroughly baffled the fhameless Impofture. In the prefent Roman Church the Francifcan Friars affert the immaculate Conception of the bleffed Virgin, and confirm their Opinion by Tradition and Miracles: The Dominicans deny it, and make good their Doctrine from the fame Topicks. Gelafius Bishop of Rome, about the Sixth Century, gives us an authentick Catalogue of the feveral Books making up the Canon of the holy Scripture, as he had receiv'd it from unquestionable Autho

Authority. The Council of Trent, by Virtue
of Tradition, as they fay, but deriv'd from
God knows who, make many more Books Ca-
nonical than Gelafius,or the antient Church ever
thought to own under that Character. The
Church of Rome generally acknowleges, that
in the first Ages of the Church, the People as
well as the Prieft, were wont to receive the
Sacrament of the Lord's Supper in both Kinds,
fo that that Cuftom was establifh'd by Tra-
dition. The Fourth Council of Conftance owns
that Tradition; yet, for what they call weighty
Reasons, establish'd a contrary Practice in all
the Churches in the Roman Communion for
the future. By all which Inftances we learn,
that Traditions contradicting one another can
never be any fafe Guides for others to walk
by; that we are no more obliged to obey,
pretendedly antient Traditionary Inftitutions.
or Prefcriptions than the Church of Rome is:
And in one Word, that the holy Scriptures
ought to be the only Rule and Standard both
of our Faith and Practice: Only where in
Matters of Fact the fame Tradition is univer-
fally and inconteftably acknowledged by all
the several Parts of the Chriftian World, there
and no where elfe, Tradition must be own'd
to be of an irrefragable Authority; fince it
is not to be imagined that the whole believ-
ing World fo divided into Sects and Parties,
and at fuch vaft Distances one from another,
fhould ever confpire together to put an Abufe
or a Cheat upon all Mankind. But all other
Traditions or pretended Traditions are to be
examin'd by God's written Word: If they are
agreeable to that, they are good and may be
VOL. II.
Dd
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depended upon, if not they are to be rejected as fpurious and abominable.

I have infifted upon this Particular the more largely, because, if it is poffible, I would at fuch a Time as this efpecially, prevent Mens being like Children, toft too and fro with every Wind of Doctrine. Abundance of Deceivers are now at Work, both of the Church of Rome, and of the Separation. Eternal Life and Salvation is the Cry on both Hands. Search the Scriptures: Try their Doctrines by thofe Heavenly Oracles. Do it without Prejudice, without Partiality, without any Ref pect to the Perfons of Men, how much foever a Mob may dote on them: And I doubt not but you'll be ftedfaft and immoveable in the Midft of Storms. God's Providence has made me your more immediate Paftor, to divide the Word of Truth to you, and to feed you with the Bread of Life: I have endeavour'd to preach to you, that Faith, and that Faith only, which was once deliver'd to the Saints. Nay, I am fure, that the Word of God has been the fole Foundation of all that Doctrine which I have deliver'd to you: Nor, if I know my own Heart, do I defire to live longer than I preach the Truths of God, and them only. But for all this, I defire you not to believe me only, becaufe I tell you fo, but look into the Book of God, weigh what I fay to you in the Balance of the Sanctuary. If what I tell you agrees with that; believe me, obey that Doctrine which I deliver: If my Do&trine do not agree with it, let not any Arguments, tho' never fo well couch'd, prevail upon you. No Doctrine contrary to Scripture

ought