thought the Scriptures to be the Rule of Sermon Faith and Practice, not before they were VIII. written (for that would be a ftrange Suppofition) although this is a mighty Argument with the Roman Church for Tradition, that the Scriptures were not immediately pen'd, and then Tradition was the only Guide. And if, fay they, it was fo then; why not fince? By no Means: For the Difference is wide and obvious. There is no great Difficulty fure to discern, that the Scripture could not be a Rule, or any Thing, till it was written: And as for Tradition, it might indeed do, while the Apoftles were living, tho' then but lamely; for in the Apoftles abfence from any Church, for Want of Writing, Tradition was foon corrupted or forgot; as appears by the Apoftles themfelves; which foon engaged them to secure the true Faith by Writing, which is not much to the Honour of Tradition. But to return to the Point, what the Apostles thought of their own Writings, when they had published them.

St. Paul difcourfes of Scripture in general in fuch a Strain, as if he apprehended it the only infallible Rule, a compleat and fufficient Direction. It was all given forth by Inspiration, and was profitable to all pious Purposes, contain'd Directions for all Cafes, and, in a Word, was able to make a Man wife

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Sermon wife to Salvation, yea perfect, if he would VIII. follow it. What? without Tradition? fo it

feems. And this is the more remarkable, because it was fpoken by one, that once was a furious Pharifee, exceeding zealous for the Tradition of the Elders, and yet now, not one Word for Tradition. What can this mean, but that the Spirit, that now directed him, owned no fuch Thing, but entire ly rejected it? All I infer is, that only Scripture is here commended, which, from one once a zealous Pharifee, makes bad for Tradition.

Although this be directly spoken of the Scriptures of the Old Teftament, yet it is not exclufive of the New; for the Writings of St. Paul, St. Peter calls Scripture likewife, and makes it as damnable to pervert them, as thofe of the Old; which muft imply them equally Infpired and Divine. But ftill we want any fuch Commendations of Tradition.

But what I principally intend is, The Evangelifts muft furely understand their own Ends and Intentions in writing a Hiftory of our Saviour's Life and Doctrine; and they expressly tell us, what their Ends were, The Motive of St. Luke's Writing, he tells us, was this. It feemed good to me alfo, having bad perfect Understanding of all Things from the very Firft, to write to thee, in

order,

order, moft excellent Theophilus, that thon Sermon mightest know the Certainty of thofe Things, VIII. wherein thou hast been inftructed. From hence, I think, it is moft clear, Firft, That St. Luke knew all Things neceffary to Salvation; they are his own Words, that he had perfect Understanding of all Things from the very Firft; and, Secondly, That his Gofpel contained all thefe neceffary Points; for it is faid, at the firft Verfe, that it contains the Things that are most surely believed among us ; and again he wrote, That Theophilus and all Men might know the Certainty of thofe Things in which they had been inftructed: Which, fure, muft be the Sum of what the Apoftles taught, that is, all Things neceffary to Salvation: Which, if fo, there is no Room for Tradition, and traditionary Doctrines are in vain pretended; and efpecially, if we admit of what the Ancients fay, That this Gospel of St. Luke was dictated, or at leaft approved of St. Paul, and of this he means, when he fays, according to my Gospel: And if this be true, St. Luke's Gofpel muft contain the Subftance of the Apostle's preaching, that is, all Things neceffary to Salvation. So again, St. John acquaints us with his End and Intent of publishing a Gofpel. He pretends not that all Things that Jefus faid or did were therein contained, no, the World it felf would not contain it all, but R 4 thefe

Sermon thefe Things are written that ye might believe, VIII. and believing might have Life through his

Name. What can fuch Expreffions fignify, but the Fulness and Sufficiency of the Writings of Scripture? And indeed, why, otherwife, do the Writers of our Saviour's Life, the Evangelifts, fet forth this in the Title of their Work, and call it the Gospel of our Saviour? Can it anfwer this Title, or did they duly perform their Undertaking, if they omitted Things as neceffary to be known, of our Saviour or his Doctrine, as any they inferted? Sure it would be efteemed a very lame and imperfect Performance in the Writers of Lives, fhould they omit Facts of altogether as important a Nature, concerning the Men they would make known to Pofterity, as thofe that they committed to Writing. And if this be inconfiftent with common Senfe and Prudence, much more with divine Inspiration. And if this be true of one of the Gospels, how much more of all, and of the several Epiftles added to them? It follows, a fortiori, that the whole New Teftament, inftead of being deficient, and fcanty, and wanting of Direction, is abounding in it.

Fourthly and Laftly, The Falfehood of the Roman Traditions is even demonftrated from the direct Oppofition they have to the Word

of

of God. Truth and Infallibility of the Word of VIII. God; only fhe pretends, that there are Truths neceffary to be believed, not contained in it; but yet fuch as are contained in it are infallibly true and divine, and neceffary to be believed in order to eternal Life And this is enough to demonftrate the Falfehood of their Traditions. For the Scriptures being own'd the Word of God and infallibly true, that cannot be true that openly and directly contradicts the Scriptures, unless God can contradict himself; but the Roman Traditions moft grofsly and evidently contradict the Scripture: For the Scripture, in plain and direct Words, affirms, that Prayer ought to be performed in a known Tongue; but the Doctrine and

The Roman Church owns the Sermon

Practice of the Roman Church is otherwife. The Scripture forbids, in direct Terms, the Ufe of Images in divine Worship; Tradition vouches and upholds them in the Roman Church. Scripture is clear and plain against praying to Saints and Angels, and fays, that there is but one Mediator between God and Man; the Roman Church, relying upon Tradition, teaches and requires her Members to apply to them, and almost every Man has his tutelar Saint; and how the Virgin Mary is esteemed, addressed to, and deified, their Mafs-Book fhews. St. Paul

prophe