And I hope he will not deny, that a doctrine orally delivered confifts of words, and letters, and accents, and ftops, as well as a doctrine written; and that the several actions of fpeaking are as fhort and curfory as of writing.

$5. 2dly, He tells us, p. 38. " Scripture, formally "confidered as to its fignificativenefs, is alfo uncer"tain:" 1. "Because of the uncertainty of the letter," ibid. This is already answered. 2." Because the certain "fenfe of it is not to be arrived to by the vulgar, who

are deftitute of languages and arts," ibid. True, where men are not permitted to have the fcriptures in their own language, and understand no other: but where they are allowed the fcriptures tranflated into their own language, they may underftand them; all neceffary points of faith and practice being fufficiently plain in any tranflation of the Bible that I know of. And that eminent wits cannot agree about the fenfe of texts which concern the main points of faith, p. 38. hath been spoken to already.

$6. As for the reverence he pretends to fcripture in the conclufion of his fourth difcourfe, he might have fpared that, after all the raillery and rudeness he hath used against it. It is easy to conjecture, both from his principles and his uncivil expreffions concerning them, what his esteem is of thofe facred oracles. Probably it was requifite in prudence to caft in a few good words concerning the fcriptures, for the fake of the more tender and fqueamifh novices of their religion; or, (as Mr Rufhworth's nephew fays frankly and openly, Dial. 2. $14.)," for the fatisfaction of indifferent men, that have "been brought up in this verbal and apparent respect of "the fcripture;' who it seems are not yet attained to that degree of Catholic piety and fortitude, as to endure patiently, that the word of God fhould be reviled or lighted. Befides, that in reference to those whom they hope hereafter to convert, (who might be too much alienated from their religion, if he had expreffed nothing but contempt towards a book which Proteftants and Christians in all ages, till the very dregs of Popery, have been bred up to a high veneration of), it was not much amifs to pass this formal compliment upon the Bible which the wife of his own religion will eafily underftand,

and

and may serve to catch the reft. But let him not deceive himself, God is not mocked.

SECT. VI. That the properties of a rule of faith do not belong to oral tradition.

"that the

Econdly, He comes to fhew, p. 41. properties of a rule of faith belong to oral "tradition." And, first, he gives a tedious explanation of the nature of this oral practical tradition; which amounts to this, that as, in reference to the civil educa tion of children, they are taught their own and o "thers names, to write and read, and exercise their "trades; fo, in reference to religion, "the children of "Chriftians first hear founds; afterwards, by degrees,

get dim notions of God, Chrift, Saviour, heaven, "hell, virtue, vice, and by degrees practife what they "have heard; they are fhewn to fay grace, and their prayers, to hold up their hands, or perhaps eyes, "and to kneel, and other poftures. Afterwards they are acquainted with the creed, ten commandments, "and facraments, fome common forms of prayer, and "other practices of Chriftianity; and are directed to "order their lives accordingly; and are guided in all "this by the actions and carriage of the elder faithful. "And this goes on by infenfible degrees, not by leaps "from a hundred years to a hundred, but from month "C to month, and even lefs." If this be all that tradition doth, this is nothing but what is done among Proteftants, and that with greater advantage; because we always teach children to fay their prayers in a known tongue, fo as they may understand them. And we also teach them the creed, and ten commandments, and the facraments, fo many as Chrift hath inftituted, and no more. So that if this be fo infallible a way of conveying the doctrine of Chriftianity, we have it among us. And we do over and besides inftruct them in the fcriptures, which are the authentic inftrument whereby Chrift's doctrine is conveyed to us. But then we do not fuppofe, as his hypothefis neceffarily inforceth him. to do, that the Chriftian doctrine is equally taught and learned by all; but by fome more, by others lefs per

fectly,

fectly, according to the different abilities and diligence of parents and teachers, and the various capacities and difpofitions of children: whereas his hypothefis falls, if all, or at least the generality of parents do not inftruct their children in the like exactness, and if the generality of children do not receive this doctrine in the fame perfection that it is delivered. For if it be taught or received with any variation, it must neceffarily be fo conveyed; and thefe variations will grow daily. I had thought he would have told us how all parents do teach their children the whole body of Chrift's doctrine, and explain to them every part of it in a hundred or a thoufand several expreffions fignifying the fame fenfe; and not have instanced in two fet forms, fuch as the creed, and ten commandments; for, according to Mr White, (Apology, p.81.) "that cannot be a tradition which "is delivered down in fet words."

2. Having thus explained oral tradition, he comes to fhew, that the properties of a rule of faith agree to it. I have already fhewed, that the true properties of a rule of faith are but two, viz. "That it be plain and intel"ligible; and, That it be fufficiently certain." The first of thefe, that oral tradition may deliver a doctrine plainly and intelligibly, I grant him. All the difficulty is about the fecond property, whether we have fufficient affurance that the doctrine delivered down by oral tradition, hath received no corruption or change in its conveyance? And all that he pretends to prove in this dif courfe is, That if this rule hath been followed and kept to all along, the Chriftian doctrine neither hath, nor can have received any change; that is, if the next age after the Apoftles did truly, and without any alteration, deliver the Chriftian doctrine to their immediate fucceffors, and they to their heirs, and fo on; then, upon this fuppofition, the doctrine of the prefent traditionary church must be the very fame with that which was delivered to the Apoftles. All this is readily granted to him. But that this rule hath always been followed, nay, that it is impoffible there fhould have been any deviation from it, as he pretends, this we deny, not only as untrue, but as one of the moft abfurd propofitions that ever yet pretended to demonstrative evidence.

PART

325

PART III.

In which Mr S.'s demonftrations and corollaries are examined.

SECT. I. Confiderations touching his demonftrations in general.

§ 1.

Bonations, I premise there two confi

Efore I come to speak particularly to his de.

derations: 1. That, according to the principles of the patrons of tradition, no man can, by his private reason, certainly find out the true rule of faith. 2. That, according to Mr S. the way of demonstration is no certain way to find out the rule of faith. If either of these be made out, his demonstrations lose all their force. If the first be made good, then he cannot demonftrate the infallibility of tradition, nor, confequently, that that is the rule of faith. If the fecond, then the way of demonstration, which he pretends to take, fignifies nothing.

2. 1ft, No man can, according to the principles of the patrons of tradition, by his private reafon, certainly find out what is the rule of faith. Suppofe a Heathen to be defirous to inform himself of the Chriftian faith; in order to which, he is inquifitive after fome rule by which he may take a measure of it, and come certainly to know what it is: he inquires of Christians what their rule is, and finds them divided about it; fome faying, that the fcripture, others, that oral tradition, is the rule. In this cafe, it is not poffible, without a revelation, for this man to find out the rule of faith, but by his own private reason examining and weighing the arguments and pretences of both fides. And when he hath done this, unless he can by his reason demonftrate, that the one is a certain and infallible rule, and the other not fo, he hath not (according to Mr S.) found out the rule of -faith. But reafon can never do this, according to Mr S. For, fpeaking of demonftrating the certainty of tradition, he tells us, p. 53. that "tradition hath for VOL. III.

E e

"its

"its bafis man's nature; not according to his intel"lectuals, which do but darkly grope in the purfuit of "fcience," &c. And again, fpeaking how reafon brings men to the rule of faith, he uses this comparison, (Append. 2. p. 183.)" She is like a dim-fighted man, who "ufed his reason, to find a trufty friend to lead him in "the twilight, and then relied on his guidance rationally, without ufing his own reafon at all, about the 68 way itself." So that, according to him, the certainty of tradition cannot be founded on demonstration, because it is not founded in the intellectual part of man, which only can demonftrate. Befides, if it were founded in the intellectual part, yet that can never be able to demonftrate the certainty of tradition; because that faculty, which is dim-fighted, and does but grope darkly. in the pursuit of fcience, is incapable of framing demonftrations. Nor can any man understand how dimfighted reafon fhould fee clearly to chufe its guide any more than its way; efpecially if it be confidered, what a pretty contradiction it is, to fay, that reafon, as it is dim-fighted, can see clearly.

But Mr Creffy is not contented to call every man's reafon dim fighted; he ventures a step farther, and calls it hoodwinked and blind: for he tells us, (Append. c.6. 8.), that " private reafon is apparently a most fallible guide." And he pities my Lord Falkland's cafe; becaufe, in the fearch of the true religion, he did “betake "himfelf to the cafual conduct of blind, human, natural " reafon," (ibid. § 9.) which afterwards (§ 11.) he calls. a guide that two perfons cannot poffibly follow toge "ther; because no two perfons that ever followed any "other guide befide authority, did or could think all "things to be reasonable that all others thought fo; "and, by confequence, fuch a guide, that, as long as "he continues in that office, there cannot poffibly be church any where: which (says he) is an infallible eviction, that this is an imaginary feducing guide; "fince it is impoffible, that that fhould be a guide ap"pointed for any Chriftian, which neither Chrift nor "his Apostles, nor any of their followers, ever mention"ed; yea, which formally deftroys one of our twelve articles of the Apoftles creed, viz. I believe the Holy "Catholic

any