The Saints' Everlasting Rest

So that if men did believe the Doctrine contained in the Scripture, it should no way hinder their Salvation, not to know whether there were any Scripture, or no] saith, [I thought it had been necessary to have received those material Objects or Articles of our Faith, upon the Authority of God, speaking in the Scriptures: I thought it had been Anabaptistical to have expected any Revelation but in the Word of God. &c.] I should rather for my part think thus, That the immediate Revelation of Scripture from God, was not to me, but to the first Witnesses and Penmen: The way of Conveyance to us is another thing; and is a Revelation too. The best way is by Scripture, (which without Tradition no man would ever see, or hear of.) Where this is not to be had▪ there mere Tradition may save; and is a Revelation sufficient to Salvation, and not Anabaptistical. (Though Traditional unwritten doctrines to make up the defects of Scripture, I abhor.) And I should ask the Dissenter, first, Whether men were not saved before Moses without Scripture? And as Doctor Usher well observeth, One reason why they might then be without it, was the facility and certainty of Tradition: For Methuselah lived many hundred years with Adam, and Shem lived long with Methuselah; and Isaac lived fifty years with Shem: So that three men saw all from the Beginning of the World, till Isaacs fiftieth year. Secondly, And were not many saved by the Apostles doctrine many years before the New Testament was written? And Jews before, while the old was almost lost? Thirdly, What if some Ethiopians, Armenians, or Papists, should by mere Tradition believe in Christ, (and who dare say, That they may not?) should they not be saved? He that saith, No, contradicteth Christ, who ⟨image 107⟩saith, That whosoever believeth in him, shall not perish, (which way soever he came by it.) Will you hear Irenaeus in this? who lived before Popery was born. Lib. 3. cap. 4. Quid enim & siquib. de aliqua modica quaestione disceptatio esset? Nonne oporteret in antiquissimas recurrere Ecclesias (Mark, he saith not Ad Romanam Ecclesiam, vel ad unam principem) in quibus Apostoli conversati sunt, & ab eis de praesenti quaestione sumere quod certum & re liquidum est? Quid autem si neque Apostoli quidem Scripturas reliquissent nobis? nonne oportebat ordinem sequi Traditionis, quam tradiderunt iis quibus committebant Ecclesias?

So that if men did beleeve the Doctrine contained in the Scripture, it should no way hinder their Salvation, not to know whether there were any Scripture, or no] saith, [I thought it had been necessary to have received those material Objects or Articles of our Faith, upon the Authority of God, speaking in the Scriptures: I thought it had been Anabaptistical to have expected any Revelation but in the Word of God. &c.] I should rather for my part think thus, That the immediate Revelation of Scripture from God, was not to me, but to the first Witnesses and Penmen: The way of Conveyance to us is another thing; and is a Revelation too. The best way is by Scripture, (which without Tradition no man would ever see, or hear of.) Where this is not to be had there meer Tradition may save; and is a Revelation sufficient to Salvation, and not Anabaptistical. (Though Traditional unwritten doctrines to make up the defects of Scripture, I abhor.) And I should ask the Dissenter, first, Whether men were not saved before Moses without Scripture? And as Doctor Usher well observeth, One reason why they might then be without it, was the facility and certainty of Tradition: For Methuselah lived many hundred yeers with Adam, and Sem lived long with Methuselah; and Isaac lived fiftie yeers with Sem: So that three men saw all from the Beginning of the World, till Isaacs fiftieth yeer. Secondly, And were not many saved by the Apostles doctrine many yeers before the New Testament was written? And Jews before, while the old was almost lost? Thirdly, What if some Ethiopians, Armenians, or Papists, should by meer Tradition beleeve in Christ, (and who dare say, That they may not?) should they not be saved? He that saith, No, contradicteth Christ, who