to it. But a written Book is not equally liable to thefe dangers. Nay, we may be affur'd by fufficient proof, that a Book was written by that Author whofe Name it bears; and that it has been handed down without any Material Depravations The Words of a written Book are fix'd; and therefore are not fo liable to diminutions, or additions, or mifreprefentations, as unwritten Doctrines are But thofe that live at the diftance of ten thousand Years,may be almoft as fure that they receive a Do&rin, in the Author's own Phrafes, as thofe that heard it from his own Mouth, or read it written with his own Hand. Now, if our Adverfaries will be pleas'd to fhew, that we have as good fecurity against the Alterations of an unwritten Do&trin, as we can have againft the Alterations of a written Book; then we fhall grant it to be as reafonable to receive the Teftimony of Tradition in behalf of an unwritten Doctrin, as of a written Book but I am perfuaded, they will never be able to fhew that these are parallel cafes.

If it be faid, That written Books are fometimes corrupted, and that the Holy Scriptures may have been corrupted alfo; and that 'tis only Tradition that can affure us of the integrity of our prefent Copies; I answer, 1. That tho' fome Books may have been, and certainly are corrupted; yet all Books are not equally liable to the fame misfortune. And as for the Holy Scriptures in particular, we have better Arguments to prove that they have not been corrupted, than can be produc'd for all other Books in the World. But I need not enlarge upon this fubject; because our Adverfaries will freely grant, that the Text of the Bible is fincere and genuine, and that nothing of moment has been deprav'd in it. 2. That if a written

Book

Book may be corrupted, an unwritten Tradition is infinitely more in danger; fo that this do's not prove Tradition to be a fecure way of conveying an unwritten Doctrin, but gives us ftill greater reason to diftruft it. 3. Tho' 'tis only Tradition that can affure us of the integrity of our prefent Copies; yet this Tradition is back'd with fuch circumstances, as will constrain any Man to accept it's Testimony. However, were it a bare Tradition only, without any extraordinary circumstances to enforce it; yet 'tis the Tradition of a written Book, which, as I have already faid, is not fo liable to Alterations, as the Tradition of an unwritten Doctrin. 4. Since Books are the most certain means of conveying the knowledge of those things which were tranfacted in former Ages, that Mankind in it's prefent circumstances is capable of therefore we may juftly depend upon Providence for the Preservation of thofe Books, upon which our future Happiness or Misery do's depend. For tho' it be poffible, that Books may be carelefly written or copy'd; yet fince they are the best means we can poffibly enjoy, and fince no less than Eternity depends upon them; we may fairly conclude, that if God has any Goodness in his Nature, he will make thofe means truly safe and effectual, and not fuffer us to be mistaken in fo great a concern. So that the Nature of God do's afford us as good a demonftration of integrity of the Scriptures, as any modeft and confidering Perfon can defire. Nay, I freely acknowledge,that if God had obliged us by any Text of Scripture to receive unwritten Traditions; we ought to depend upon his care of thofe Traditions, and to relie upon them with a moft steadfast Faith. Because he had by obliging us to receive them, obliged himself

to maintain the Purity of them. But then, fince the Tradition of unwritten Doctrines has ever been uncertain and liable to great corruptions; and fince we are not fecur'd from the uncertainty and corruptions of it, either by the circumftances of the thing, or by the Promife of Almighty God; and fince we have no reafon to believe that the Goodness of God ftands engag'd for the Preservation of it, because there are better means already imploy'd for the spreading of Christianity, and we have no particular reason to convince us that we ought to receive unwritten Doctrines as a part of our Religion; therefore we cannot think it reasonable to belieye upon the Teftimony of bare Tradition, that any particular unwritten Doctrin was reveal'd to the Apostles by Almighty God, altho' we receive its Teftimony, as a fufficient Proof that the Holy Scriptures were written by fuch particular Men, and that they are not corrupted, and (by confequence) that they are the Word of God.

CHA P. VIII.

That thofe Doctrines which are not contained in the Scriptares, were not reveal'd fince the Apoftles times.

SECO

ECONDLY, I am now to fhew that we have no fufficient Proof, that any particular Doarines, not contain'd in the Scriptures, were reveal'd to any other Perfons fince the Apoftles times. And this will appear, if we confider what Proof is fufficient to establish a Revelation upon. The Apostles prov'd their Miffion by the Authority

of

of frequent and unquestionable Miracles done in the face of the whole World; and we have the greatest reafon imaginable to expect as good Proof of all the pretended late Revelations, as the Apoftles gave; especially fince we have ftronger Arguments against the Reception of any new Doarines, as neceffary to Salvation, than ever cou'd be urg'd against the Doctrin of Chrift by the Jews or Gentiles. For,

I. If God requires new Conditions of Salvation, he makes a new Covenant with Mankind, and will not fuffer us to be fav'd upon the ancient Gospel terms. Now 'tis certain that God requires new Conditions of Salvation, if he reveals fome Do&trines as neceffary to Salvation in these days, which were not neceffary in the Apoftles times

and therefore he must be fuppos'd to make a new Covenant with us. Now I leave our Adverfaries to confider, 1. Whether God's making a New Covenant do's not difannul the Old one, as being lame and imperfect without these additional particulars. 2. Whether thefe additional particulars do not make the Gofpel falfe: fince the Gospel promises Salvation to those who believe and practise what God reveal'd by the Apoftles; whereas (if God has reveal'd fome New Doctrines which are now neceffary to Salvation) Men must now perform fome other things in order to it, besides what the Apoftles have taught us.

2. 'Tis an impeachment of the Wisdom of God to fuppofe that he requires new Terms of Salvation. For either he reveal'd thofe Terms to the Apoftles, which he is fuppos'd to have fince reveal'd to the later Saints, or he did not. If he did reveal them to the Apoftles, and the Apoftles have not taken due care to deliver them down to

the fucceeding Generations of the Church (as I have fhewn they did not, because we have no Sufficient proof that any particular Doctrin, not contain'd in the Scriptures, was reveal'd to the Apostles by Almighty God then either the Apoftles were negligent in the performance of their duty, or they were not. Now our Adverfaries will by no means accufe the Apoftles of negligence; and therefore we muft fuppofe that they took effectual care to preach whatsoever was injoyn'd them. If therefore the Apostles did preach all that God injoyn'd them to preach; then it follows, that tho' Almighty God did reveal thefe pretended Doctrines to them, yet he did not then command them to publish them as neceffary to Salvation. Now if God did not then require the Apostles to publish those Doctrines as neceffary to Salvation; or if he did not reveal them to the Apoftles, but only to fome later Saints, and requir'd those later Saints to publish them as neceffary to Salvation; it is a great Impeachment of his Wifdom. For then he must have fuppofed to have chang'd his Mind, and to have inftituted a Religion which (tho' he defign'd it for the laft difpenfation, yet) he found good caufe to alter.

3. Our Savior purchas'd Redemption for us by his death upon the Crofs; and we may juftly claim Salvation by his Merits, upon the performance of thofe conditions which were then agreed on. Now the conditions then agreed on were either the very fame which the Apoftles reveal'd and none other; or elfe the Apostles reveal'd only a part of those conditions, and the Revelation of the other part was deferr'd, till fome future opportunity fhould offer it felf. If the Apoftles reveal'd all thofe conditions, then 'tis unjuft in Almighty

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