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were in danger of being difpers'd, they defir'd Matthew to write them an Hiftory of all the Words and Works of Chrift; that in whatsoever place they Shou'd be, they might have an account of their whole Faith; fo that they might not want the DoErin, though they might want the Teachers of the Faith.

As for St. Mark's Gospel, we are told by (g) Eufebius, that the Romans were not fatisfy'd with one fingle bearing, or with an unwritten instruction in the Divine Preaching; but us'd all manner of arguments with St. Mark, whofe Gospel we have, and earnestly defir'd him as being the Companion of Peter that he would leave them a written memorial of that Doctrin, which he had deliver'd to them by word of Mouth. Nor did they defift, till they had prevail'd upon him, and by this means caus'd him to write that Gospel, which is call'd St. Mark's. This he reports upon the Credit of Clemens Alexandrinus's Sixth Book of Inftitutions, which is now loft. The fame thing is affirm'd, and upon the fame authority, by (b) Nicephorus, who has, as it were, transcrib'd Eufebius.

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St. Luke acquaints us for what reafon he wrote his Gospel in the First Chapter of it, saying, For

(3) Τοσέτο δ' απέλαμψε ταῖς ἢ ἀκροατῶν τὸ Πέζι διανοίας εὐσεβείας φέγΘ, ὡς μὴ τὴ εἰσάπαξ ἱκανῶς ἔχειν ἀρκεῖς ἀκοῇ, μηδὲ τῇ ἀγράφῳ τὸ θείο κηρύγματα διδασκαλία, παρακλήσεσι 5 παντοίαις Μάρκον, * τὸ ἐυαγγέλιον φέρεται, ἀκόλουθον ὄντα Πέτρε λιπαρῆσαι, ὡς ἂν καὶ διὰ γραφῆς ὑπόμνημα τ διὰ λόγο παραδο θείσης αὐτοῖς καταλείψοι διδασκαλίας μὴ πρότερόν τε ἀνεῖναι, ἢ κατεργάσεις ο άνδρα, καὶ ταύτη αἰτίες γυέως το το λεγομλόν και Mágnor evayfeλis yegons. Eufeb. Hift. Ecclef. lib. 2. cap. 15. (b) Nicephor. Hift. Ecclef. lib. 2. cap. 15.

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afmuch as many have taken in band to fet forth in order a declaration of those things which are most Turely believed among us ; even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were Eyewitneffes and Minifters of the Word: It seemed good to me alfo having perfect understanding of all things from the Very First, to write unto thee in order, moft excellent Theophilus, that thou mightest know the certainty of thofe things, wherein thou hast been instructed. Whom St. Luke underftands by the word Many; or whether he were the first in order of all the Four Evangelifts, I fhall not (1) determin. Perhaps my argument might receive fome ftrength from a refolution of thofe queries; but I fhall forbear, becaufe I do not want it. Tis plain, that St. Luke's defign was to let Theophilus know the certainty of thofe things wherein he had been instructed. He wrote his Gofpel, faies (k) Eufebius, that he might free us from controverted Opinions, and give us certain information of the truth; or that Theophilus, to whom he Addreffes himself, might attain to certainty, and continue in it; as St. (1) Chryfoftom fpeaks. Nay, as (m) Theophylact explains it,

(i) See Beza in Luc. 1. 1. Genev. 1582. Maldonat. in Luc. 1.1. Mogunt. 1602. Bafnagii Exercit. Hift. Crit. pag. 372. Ultraject. 1692.

(1) Απαλλάλων ἡμᾶς τ αεὶ τὶς ἄλλες ἀμφηρίς υπολήψεως, ἢ ἀσφαλῆ λόγον διὰ τὸ ἰδίο παρέδωκεν εὐαγγελία. Eufeb. Hift. Ecclef. lib. 3. cap. 24.

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(1) Ἵνα έχης γάρ, φησι, πεὶ ὧν κατηχήθης λόγων τω ἀσφάλεια τετέςιν, ἵνα συνεχώς υπομιμνησκόμμα τω ἀσφάλειαν ἔχης, κα dogancía μevns. Chryfoft. Hom. in Matt. 1. pag. 3.

(m) Τᾶτο ἐν καὶ ὁ Εὐαγγελικής φησιν, ὅτι διὰ τοτό σοι ἔγραψα τὸ εὐαγγέλιον, ἵνα ἃ ἀγράφως κατηχήθης, ἐν ἀσφαλείᾳ πλείονι κατέχης πιςεύσας μοι μᾶλλον νῦν, ὡς τοσέτον θαῤῥῖναι ἐπὶ τοῖς ἀγράφοις, ὥτε καὶ ἐγγράφως ταῦτα ἐκεῖναι. Theophylatt, in Luc. præfat. Parif. 1631.

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that he might have greater certainty, than when be beard it preach'd; that he might credit St. Luke the more, and be the more fecure for it's being committed to writing. (y) Epiphanius indeed, who thinks that by the word Many St. Luke underftands the ancient Heretics, faies, that Theophilus had receiv'd no certain information from others that had pretended to inform him, and therefore St. Luke wrote his Gospel, that he might know the exact truth.

As for St. John's Gofpel, tho' feveral reasons are given for the compofure of it, yet I fhall mention only that which he informs us of himfelf, when he faies to the Readers of it, chap. 20. 31. Thefe figns) are written, that ye might believe that Jefus is the Chrift the Son of God; and that believing ye might have Life thro' his Name.

The contents of the Acts of the Apoftles do plainly fhew, for what reason they were written. And as for the Epiftles, they do chiefly contain confirmations and illuftrations of things which are recorded in the Gofpels, and repeated perfuafions to the practice of that Holinefs which is recommended by them.

Now if Tradition were fo certain and fafe a method of conveying Religion, for what end, I pray, did the Apoftles write? Cou'd they defire any thing better than what is truly fuf

(γ) Περὶ ὧν, φησί, κατηχήθης λόγων τω ἀσφάλειαν. Καὶ τω μὲ κατήχησιν προτεταγμένω ἔφασκεν, ὡς ἤδη ὑπὸ ἄλλων και κατηχήθαι, ἐκ ἀσφαλῶς ἢ παρ' αυτῶν μεμαθηκέναι· εἶτα τίω dxpíkáv nov. Epiphan. Hæref. 51. cap. 7. Parif. 1622.

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ficient? And if they thought it fufficient for one part of our Religion; why not for the other? But fince these things were written that we might be certain; that Men might have an account of their whole Faith, and be able to give a fatisfactory reason of the Hope that is in them; fince they were written that we might believe, and that believing we might have eternal Life; fince they were written at the defire of feveral Churches, which were willing, it seems, to have greater fecurity of the truth, than what bare Tradition can afford; it plainly follows that the Apoftles, who proceeded upon these reasons, did not think fit to commit the concerns of our eternal happiness or misery to the management of Tradition. They were aware of thofe dangers which Tradition might enfnare us in; and Penn'd their feveral Books for our perpetual fafeguard, and that we might be without excufe. For they have now given us all reasonable affurance of the Certainty of our holy Faith, and prevented thofe objections which might have been juftly made against it, if it had been built upon bare Tradition, which all the World has found to be utterly uncertain and liable to great corruptions.

CHAP.

CHAP. VII.

That we ought to receive the Scriptures upon the Teftimony of Tradition, altho' we reject unwritten Traditions.

Econdly, 'Tis objected by our Adverfaries, that we receive the Scriptures upon the Teftimony of Tradition; and therefore we confefs, that the Teftimony of Tradition ought to be accepted in fome cafes. Now if Tradition be thought a fufficient proof, that the Holy Scriptures are the Word of God; why may it not be also thought a fuffi, cient proof, that fuch particular Doctrines, tho' not contain'd in the Scriptures, were reveal'd by God? To this I answer, That altho' the Testimony of Tradition concerning a written Book ought to be accepted; yet we have no reason to accept it in the behalf of an unwritten Doctrin; because these cafes are widely different.

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The Reasons (as I have already fhewn) why we dare not rely upon Tradition for the delivery of an unwritten Doctrin, are chiefly thefe; 1. Because Men may be fo fond of an Opinion, that they may interpret every thing they hear in favor of it; and confequently they may believe and affirm, that fuch a Perfon taught what he never dreamt of. 2. Because an unwritten Doctrin may be misunderstood, or mifreported, or fomething of moment may be added to it; and the alterations of it may (as experience fhews) become at last so very confiderable, that the propofition may be utterly chang'd, or enlarg'd into a falfhood, or into that which is flatly contradictory

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