Scripture, by Virtue of which fhe may lay claim to it.

13. Because the Church is call'd the Pillar and Ground of Truth, 1 Tim. 3. 15. fome will haftily conclude, that fhe is infallible. But certainly 'tis poffible for the Church to profefs all the neceffary Truths of the Chriftian Religion (which is all that this Text implies) altho' it be not indu'd with Infallibility. I fuppofe, every Member of the Church of Rome do's believe that he profeffes all the Gofpel-truths; and yet, I prefume, fcarce any Member of the Church of Rome do's think himself infallible.

14. To fuch as argue from Heb. 13.7. Remember them which have rule over you, &c. I return a fhort answer, that we may remember and obey our Spiritual Rulers, without thinking them infallible. And thus I hope it do's fufficiently appear, that the Church cannot claim Infallibility upon the account of any promife made to her in the Holy Scriptures.

But I know our Adverfaries will not quit their claim to Infallibility,altho' all their Arguments from Scripture fail them. 'Tis neceffary, they fay, that there fhou'd be an infallible Judge of Controverfies; for otherwise God has not fufficiently provided for the peace of his Church: and fince 'tis neceffary there fhou'd be one,we are fure there is one. Now to this I answer,

1. That their Argument from the neceffity of an infallible. Judge, is by no means conclufive. For we cannot fay, that God has done a thing, merely because we think it neceffary that he fhou'd do it. They ought to fhew that there is fuch a Judge, that there is an infallible Authority in the Church; and this they ought to evince by fubftantial Ar

guments;

guments but they must not think to prove a matter of fact by faying, It ought to be. 'Tis confefs'd by all Proteftants, that God has fufficiently provided for his Church and this we affirm, not only because he is naturally good, and extremely careful of it; but also because we do by experience find that he has made ample provifion for it: but tho' we cou'd imagin fomething, which to our weak understanding might feem wanting yet we dare not fay, 'tis neceffary for us. Nay, weather conclude, that it is therefore not neceffary, because it do's not appear that God has given it to us. Thus in the Cafe before us, tho' there were a feeming neceffity of Infallibility; yet we believe that there is no real neceffity of it, becaufe we have no fufficient Reasons to perfuade us, that God has beftow'd it upon the Church. But,

2. There is not fo much as a feeming neceffity of Infallibility. For the Holy Scriptures are fufficiently plain, and fit to determin all Controverfies concerning Religion; and this is the only end that Infallibility can ferve. If our Adverfaries object, That the Scriptures are obfcure, and that the fenfe of them is uncertain, without the affiftance of an infallible Interpreter ; I crave leave to wave this Objection at prefent, because it will better fuit with the latter end of this Difcourfe, where I fhall give it a full Answer.

Well then; fince we have no fufficient Proof that the Church is infallible; certainly fhe cannot pretend to give an infallible Sentence. And fince the cannot give an infallible Sentence; fhe cannot infallibly determin which are pure and genuine, and which are corrupted Traditions. And therefore, fince the Church cannot furnish us with a Remedy against the Uncertainty and Corruptions

Scripture, by Virtue of which fhe may lay claim? to it.

,

13. Because the Church is call'd the Pillar an Ground of Truth, 1 Tim. 3. 15. fome will hafti conclude, that she is infallible. But certainly poffible for the Church to profefs all the neceffa Truths of the Chriftian Religion (which is all t this Text implies) altho' it be not indu'd with fallibility. I fuppofe, every Member of the Chu of Rome do's believe that he profeffes all the fpel-truths; and yet, I prefume, fcarce any Men of the Church of Rome do's think himself i lible.

14. To fuch as argue from Heb. 13.7. Re ber them which have rule over you, &c. I retu fhort answer, that we may remember and obe Spiritual Rulers, without thinking them infa And thus I hope it do's fufficiently appea the Church cannot claim Infallibility upon t count of any promife made to her in th Scriptures.

But I know our Adverfaries will not qu claim to Infallibility,altho' all their Argume Scripture fail them. 'Tis neceffary, they f there fhou'd be an infallible Judge of Contr for otherwife God has not fufficiently pro the peace of his Church: and fince tis there fhou'd be one,we are fure there is to this I answer,

1. That their Argument from the ne infallible. Judge, is by no means con we cannot fax that God has done a because we

They oug

he

nece that
re

which are te, fince the: mly againit

injoyn'd; but hey injoyn'd it, Now as to thei sfy'd, that they Chrift, asitwas: ave no fufficienc hat thofe things, iptures, were de-: afon we do not: Bord: weed, i in the Original: we muft receive ; I answer, That as the Corinthians ch we know to be, this Phrafe, Tray deliverid by) the is reafon we receive ve are not obliged? ed to have been deient proof that they e what is here call'd s own words) as rea ho we ought to ree, it will not follow

12

of Tradition, and fince there is no Remedy pretended to come from another hand; I may fafely affirm what I undertook to prove, viz. That We bave no remedy against the Uncertainty and Corruptions of Tradition.

Now if we join these particulars, which I think have been fairly prov'd; if, I fay, Tradition be utterly uncertain and liable to great corruptions, and we have no remedy against the Uncertainty and Corruptions of it; then it plainly follows, that the Teftimony of bare Tradition is no fufficient proof, that any particular Doctrin, not contain'd in the Scriptures, was revealed to the Apostles by Almighty God! N

T

CHAP. V.

That the Scriptures do not command us to receive unwritten Traditions.

UT I must not pafs from this Point, before I have anfwer'd two Objections. And, First, It is pretended that the Holy Scriptures do oblige us to receive unwritten Traditions. This our Adverfaries endeavor to prove from feveral Texts, which I fhall examin in their order.

Now I

1. Then, St. Paul fays, Cor. 11. 2. praife you brethren, that you remember me in all things, and keep the Ordinances or Traditions) as I delivered them to you. It feems the Apostle did with very good reafon commend the Corinthians for following thofe Rules, which they knew and remembred that he had taught them: but will it follow from thence, that we ought to receive fome other things, tho we do not certainly know that the Apoftles taught them? We are heartily willing

to