An Inquiry into the Use of Church Authority, Tradition, and Private Judgment, in the investigation of Revealed Truth. With a Catena Patrum from the writings of Anglican divines who have regarded Scripture as the only test of the Divine Will

the means of leading one mind astray, or of casting the faintest shade upon the brightness with which the pure truth of God ought to shine upon this divided world.

Balliol College, Oxford,
April 11, 1838.

CONTENTS.

CHAP. I.

NATURE OF THE SUBJECT.

All men responsible for their religious belief

Difficulty of deciding upon genuine orthodoxy

Common mode of arguing on the question

Unity of feeling in all Christians

CHAP. II.

OPINIONS PREVALENT ON THE SUBJECT.

1. Doctrine of Rome

2. Theory that the Scripture is the rule, and the

Church the guide

3. Prevailing Protestant opinion

4. Theory that the Church is to be followed to a

certain extent

5. Opinion concerning the authority of the Fathers

6. Examination of these views

CHAP. III.

ON THE LEGITIMATE MODE OF REASONING ON THE

QUESTION.

1. Fallacious mode of arguing against Tradition, on

the ground that it teaches what is not in the

Bible

Tradition teaches what is contrary to the

Bible

3. No argument to be built on facts which are unin-

telligible without a knowledge of Christian

doctrine

4. It is allowable to reject the claims of tradition and

of the Church, when they uphold what is im-

possible, or are destructive of the evidence for

Christianity.

5. Caution necessary in estimating arguments of

antecedent probability.

CHAP. IV.

ANTECEDENT PRESUMPTIONS WITH

RESPECT ΤΟ THE

EXISTENCE OF A DIVINELY AUTHORIZED INTERPRETER

OF SCRIPTURE.

The attributes of God are unchangeable

1. We have no antecedent knowledge of the manner
in which God would reveal his will
2. No parallel to any supposed infallible guide to be
found in the present constitution of the world

3. Tendency of mankind to trust to the dictates of

authority

4. Love of power natural to all men

CHAP. V.

SCRIPTURE TESTIMONIES TO THE RIGHTS OF THE CHURCH

AND OF INDIVIDUALS, AND TO THE AUTHORITY OF

TRADITION.

1. Passages of Scripture urged in favour of the su-

preme authority of the Church

2. Texts alluding to Tradition

1. The Apostolic Epistles written for the express

purpose of correcting traditional doctrines

2. Passages of Scripture encouraging investigation

on the responsibility of the individual judg-

Knowledge of the truth contingent on practical
holiness

Scripture asserts its own sufficiency.

CHAP. VI.

OF THE POSSIBILITY OF ASCERTAINING THE SUPPOSED
APOSTOLICAL TRADITION, THROUGH THE MEDIUM OF
THE CHURCH CATHOLIC; AND OF THE RULE OF VIN-
CENTIUS LIRINENSIS.

I. Difficulties attending the inquiry, " Which is the

true Church?"

(1.) Catholicity and apostolical tradition claimed

for contradictory opinions.