faid to have been taught by the Apoftles; and is therefore call'd an Apoftolical Tradition. Thus, when we ask, whether Tranfubftantiation, Auricu lar Confeffion, Extreme Unction, &c. are Apoftolical Traditions, or no; the question is, whether those particular Doctrines were taught by the Apoftles.

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2. It fignifies the manner or means by which any particular doctrine is deliver'd or handed down from generation to generation. And this may be done, either by the Writings, of the Perfons who teach it, and then 'tis call'd a written Tradition; or elfe by the report of Writings of other Perfons, and then itis call'd an unwritten Tradition. Thus for inftance, thofe Doctrines which the Apostles or Evangelifts have taught us in their own Writings, I mean, in the New Teftament, are handed down to us by written Tradition: whereas those Doctrines which are not fo taught, but are faid to have been deriv'd from them, either by the re port of fucceffive generations, or by the Teftimo ny of ancient Fathers, are handed down to us by unwritten Tradition; that is, they were never committed to writing by thofe Preachers themselves, altho they may have been written a thousand rimes by other Perfons.

-And from hence it appears that there are two kinds of unwritten Tradition. For. First, if by: unwritten, Tradition we understand the bare report of our Ancestors, fuch as was fpread from Father to Son, or from one Man to another, merely by word of mouth; then that nipritten Tradition is diftinguifh'd by the Name of Oral Tradition. But Se condly, if by unwritten Tradition we understand the Teftimony of the ancient Writers of the Church, who have deliver'd any particular doctrine in their Books; then this Tradition (which we do there

fore

fore call unwritten, because it was not written by the firft fuppos'd Teachers I thenfelves) is diftinguifh'd by the Name of Historical Tradition. Having thus explain'd the feveral acceptations of Tradition, I must now defire the Reader to obferve, that I use the Word in the latter fenfe of the two, that is, it fignifies unwritten Tradition in general, comprehending both Oral and Hiftorical, in the following discourse...

Now 'tis fully agreed between us and our Adverfaries, that thofe Doctrines which we find in the Scriptures were moft certainly reveal'd to the Apoftles by Almighty God; because we are affur'd of the Revelation of them by the written Tradition of the Apoftles themselves: but then our Adverfaries proceed much farther. They tell us, that by the report of all former generations, and by the Writings of the Primitive Fathers (that is, both by Oral and Hiftorical Tradition) they have found out other doctrines; which, tho' not contain❜d in the Scriptures,were nevertheless taught by the Apostles, and reveal'd to them by Almighty God, and handed down to us by this unwritten Tradition. But to this I answer,

First, that there is no Tradition for thofe do&trines which our Adverfaries wou'd fain obtrude upon us. But becaufe I cannot justify this reply, and prove it to be fufficient, without fearching into the Books of the Ancient Fathers, and fhewing the vanity of this pretence to Tradition, by deducing the Hiftory of these and the oppofite Doctrines thro' the first and pureft Ages of the Church; and because this Method of proceeding is not only tedious, but will alfo oblige me to infift upon very many authorities, taken from thofe who have written in the Learned Languages, which

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many Readers have neither time nor abilities to examine; therefore I fhall rather chufe to an fwer,.

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Secondly, that tho they could justly pretend to an ancient unwritten Tradition; yet the teftimony of bare Tradition is not a fufficient proof, that any particular Doctrine not contain'd in the Scriptures, was reveal'd to the Apoftles by Almighty God. And this will appear, if we confider the following particulars; i

First, that Tradition is utterly uncertain, and li able to great corruptions.

Secondly, that we have no remedy against the Uncertainty and Corruptions of Tradition.

CHA P. II.

That Tradition is utterly uncertain, and liable to great Corruptions.

1.THEN, Tradition is utterly uncertain, and lis able to great Corruptions. Corruptions. The Heathen Mythology is a fufficient demonftration of this Matter. They receiv'd their Religion from the Reports of their Fathers, who were always making fuch additions to it, that at length it was loaded with abfurdities, and became both incredible and ridiculous. I doubt not but their ftories had fome foundation of truth; but the Folly, Superftition or Knavery of thofe Perfons who convey'dithem down, had fo much debas'd and increas'd themwith Lies and Corruptions, that in process of time the whole Hiftory of their Gods was one continu'd Fable.

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But

But perhaps our Adverfaries may pretend, that the Heathens being without any revelations from the true God, might be the more easily deceiv'd by the falfe ones; and that their monftrous er- ́ rors in Religion were not owing to the Natural uncertainty of Tradition, but to the Malice of the Devil, who made it his great business to ruin their fouls by the groffeft Idolatry. Now in answer to this it must be granted, that the Devil us'd his utmoft endeavours to corrupt the principles of the Gentile World.; and that they cou'd not fo well withstand his temtations, as thofe who enjoy the affiftance of Divine revelation: but yet it must be obferv'd, that when the Devil aim'd at their deftruction, he thought Tradition the readieft way to compafs it. 'Twas by the help of Tradition that he debauch'd their notions concerning God and Religion; and from thence it appears that Tradition is a moft pernicious inftrument, if manag'd by the Devil's' artifice.

Nor ought we to imagin our felves fecure from the mischief of it, because we enjoy the benefit of the Gospel,and have a greater and clearer light than the Heathens: for I fhall fhew that Tradition has ever been utterly uncertain and liable to great Corruptions, notwithstanding the brighteft Revelations that God has ever vouchfaf'd to Mankind. And I am fure, we have too many proofs, that the Devil is as able and willing to deceive and deftroy in thefe days, as he was in thofe of our Forefathers.

I fuppofe our Adverfaries will allow, that God vouchfaf'd frequent Revelations to the Patriarchs before the Law, and fufficiently inftructed them in his Will. Nor can we doubt but thofe holy Men us'd their beft endeavours to propagate the

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Doctrine they receiv'd; that by being Preachers of Righteoufnefs they might reform the Lives of their Brethren. Befides, it appears from Scripture that who 243 years old when Adam dy'd, liv'd till Sem the fon of Noah arriv'd Tufalem, was at the Age of 98 years. So that Sem dying 6o years old, and 502 years after the Flood, which was brought upon the World 1656 years after the Creation of it; it is manifeft, that these three Persons, Adam, Metbufalem and Sem fill'd up the pace of 2158 years.

vedi andı,bes bizoW silagpo Now in thefe Times it is obfervable, not only that the Lives of Men were extremely long, but alfo that the principles of their Religion were extremely few fo that it might be convey'd with much greater eafe and fafety, than we can expect in our prefent Circumftances. Nay, Sem cou'd receive the most exact informations from Methusalem, who might be affur'd of every particular from the Mouth of Adam himself, who liv'd for a while in the State of Innocence, and was the first Man that God created. The cafe was much the fame with respect to the reft of Noah's Children, who liv'd before the Flood, and were able to fpread an exact account of God's Holy Will, and his terrible Judgments, thro' all the World.

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All thefe things meeting together made much more for the fecurity and prefervation of Tradition, and were infinitely better able to maintain the purity of it, than any the fucceeding Ages cou'd ever pretend to. And yet Tradition, tho attended with fuch, unparallel'd circumftances, cou'd not faithfully convey even the Natural Religion, but mix'd it with numberlefs errors; infomuch that Idolatry was foon practis'd, and God was conftrain'd (even during Sem's life tiine) to make

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