Reliquiæ Baxterianæ, or, Mr. Richard Baxters narrative of the most memorable passages of his…

Another means hath been by Parents teaching these Principles to their Children, which as they were commanded to do, and did before the writing of the Gospel; so did they successively continue it as a collateral way. 5. Another collateral means was in the constant use of the Lord's Supper, in Commemoration of Christ's Death till he come to receive us to Glory, where the very Sum and all the Fundamentals of our Religion are contained; which hath been continued by uninterrupted Succession, even from the time that preceded the writing of the Scriptures, it is therefore conceived possible for some Souls to be converted in darker parts of the World by these or some of these means, without the written Word. 3. The ancient Doctors of the Church affirmed that they had their Doctrine from the Apostles by verbal as well as by written Tradition; Yea, and that if there were no Scripture, yet Tradition might resolve the Doubts against the Heretics, ⟨p. 202⟩and that (in those Days which were nearer the Spring-Head) Tradition was a better way than Scripture to confute Heretics, as Tertullian de Praescript at large, and Irenaeus's Words are well known. Whether in this they mistake or not, I don't determine; yet certainly this may tell us that we cannot conclude that there was then no co-ordinate way of delivering down the Sum of Christian Verity.

Another means hath been by Parents teaching these Principles to their Children, which as they were commanded to do, and did before the writing of the Gospel; so did they successively continue it as a collateral way. 5. Another collateral means was in the constant use of the Lord's Supper, in Commemoration of Christ's Death till he come to receive us to Glory, where the very Sum and all the Fundamentals of our Religion are contained; which hath been continued by uninterrupted Succession, even from the time that preceded the writing of the Scriptures, it is therefore conceived possible for some Souls to be converted in darker parts of the World by these or some of these means, without the written Word. 3. The ancient Doctors of the Church affirmed that they had their Doctrine from the Apostles by verbal as well as by written Tradition; Yea, and that if there were no Scripture, yet Tradition might resolve the Doubts against the Hereticks, ⟨p. 202⟩and that (in those Days which were nearer the Spring-Head) Tradition was a better way than Scripture to confute Hereticks, as Tertullian de Praescript at large, and Irenaeus's Words are well known. Whether in this they mistake or not, I don't determine; yet certainly this may tell us that we cannot conclude that there was then no co-ordinate way of delivering down the Sum of Christian Verity.