we know for certain that the New Testament was written by the persons whose names are affixed to the several books, but from tradition? that is, from the mention made of them as authentic writings, from the present age upward, until we come to the writings of persons who lived so near to the time when the Apostles taught, that the Apostolic writing could not have been falsely attributed to them, without its being detected. We allow the full force of this argument; but this is a tradition of testimony, and we allow it as such, not a tradition of doctrine; and, moreover, it is a tradition which is applied to the written word, whereas, the tradition which the Romanists support, and which we reject, as a rule of faith, applies exclusively to the unwritten word.

These statements show the fundamental difference between the Church of Rome and all the Reformed Churches; and, when the authority of tradition is brought forward to prove that we ought to worship saints, to venerate relics, to believe in purgatory, or to comply with the unscriptural and dangerous practices of Popery, we reply, in the language of the prophet, "To the law, and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." (Isai. viii. 20.)

The Holy Scriptures, and they alone, are the supreme and infallible rule of faith; because in them only do we find all the essential requisites of such a rule. That which is to answer the purpose of a rule of faith should be known, perfect, infallibly-certain, and immutable. It should be known; for how can that be a rule, that is unknown to him whom it is to regulate? It should be perfect; for it is the standard of duty, and what is imperfect cannot be a standard, and would be unworthy of God to give. It must be infallibly-certain, that is, its positive statements and declarations, must be absolutely and entirely true, though from human imperfection, some who profess to take it as their guide, may err. It must be immutable, that is, fixed; it must not rise and fall, according to the fluctuations of human opinions. In the word of God, and in it only, do we find all these requisites combined. The word of God, therefore, is the alone standard of faith and practice.

For it is known; and so openly is it published, that the Apostle applies to it, what the Psalmist had applied to the heavens, saying, "their line is gone out into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world." Nor are the sacred books given, that they may be kept by the teachers of

religion, shut up and imprisoned, and dealt out in such portions, and to such classes, as they think best. They were intended to be a universal patrimony, and whether you regard them as a whole, or as various pieces given at sundry times, and in divers manners, no where is there the slightest indication, that any part was meant to be restricted to a few. The Bible was given to all; is addressed to all; is intended for all. The Pentateuch was addressed to all Israel. The Prophets addressed all the people, and called upon all to listen. The Gospels were written for the benefit of all. The Epistles were addressed to whole assemblies. And the book of Revelation, so difficult, so dark, so mysterious, commences with a benediction upon those who read and who hear the word it contains. The whole Scripture, therefore, was given, and intended for the benefit of the human family, and it comes to them in such a form as to be easily known. But who will say the same of the Decrees of Councils, and the Traditions of the Church? The Roman Catholic Clergy tell us of the difficulty of Scripture, and ask, How shall the poor and illiterate understand it? That it has difficulties we admit; but we affirm that all that is necessary to man's present happiness and duty, and to his eternal glory, is so plain, that "he may run who readeth it.”

"If there be obscure and difficult parts in the Bible, it is not generally the simple who abuse them, but the proud and learned, who make a bad use of them. For, in fine, it is not the ignorant and simple who have formed heresies in perverting the word of God. They who do so are generally Bishops, Priests, learned and enlightened persons; so that, so far from knowing by experience that the reading of the Scriptures is dangerous to the simple and ignorant, one may say, that we learn therefrom that it seldom causes any but the learned to fall into error, and that the simple have generally found there nothing but what is edifying and instructive." (Dupin. Diss. sur la Bible, B. I. c. 9.)

Even Cardinal Bellarmine writes as follows:-" Heresies originate with men of the upper rank, rather than with persons belonging to the inferior classes. Beyond a doubt, almost all authors of heresies have been either Bishops or Priests. Heresies are, therefore, to be considered as the factions of leading men, without whom there could be no popular revolts in the world." (De Rom. Pont. Lib. I. c. 8.)

"And concerning the hardness of Scripture; he that is so weak that he is not able to brook strong meat, yet he may suck the sweet and

tender milk, and defer the rest until he wax stronger, and come to more knowledge. For God receiveth the learned and the unlearned, and casteth away none, but is indifferent unto all. And the Scripture is full, as well of low valleys, plain ways, and easy for every man to use and to walk in, as also of high hills and mountains, which few men can climb unto. And whosoever giveth his mind to Holy Scriptures with diligent study and burning desire, it cannot be, saith St. John of Chrysostom, that he should be left without help. For either God Almighty will send him some godly Doctor to teach him; or else, if we lack a learned man to instruct and teach us, yet God himself from above will give light unto our minds, and teach us those things which are necessary for us, and wherein we be ignorant. And in another place Chrysostom saith, that man's human or worldly wisdom, or science, is not needful to the understanding of Scripture; but the revelation of the Holy Ghost, who inspireth the true meaning unto them that with humility and diligence do search therefore. He that asketh shall have, and he that seeketh shall find, and he that knocketh shall have the door opened. If we read once, twice, or thrice, and understand not, let us not cease so; but still continue reading, praying, asking of others; and so, by still knocking, at the last, the door shall be opened, as St. Augustine saith. Although many things in Scripture be spoken in obscure mysteries, yet there is nothing spoken under dark mysteries in one place, but the selfsame thing in other places is spoken more familiarly and plainly, to the capacity of both learned and unlearned. And briefly to conclude: as St. Augustine saith, By the Scripture all men be amended, weak men be strengthened, and strong men be comforted. So that surely none be enemies to the reading of God's word, but such as either be so ignorant, that they know not how wholesome a thing it is; or else be so sick, that they hate the most comfortable medicine that should heal them; or so ungodly, that they would wish the people still to continue in blindness and ignorance of God."-Hom. on Reading of Holy Scriptures.

The rule of faith should be perfect. "The excellence of a law," said the most acute of ancient philosophers, "consists in this, that it so regulates and defines all things, as to leave as little as possible to the opinion of the judges." This requisite of human laws, is still more necessary in regard to divine laws; and this requisite is found in the Scriptures, and in them only. They leave nothing to be regulated by

C

66

human wisdom or human expedients; for the Holy Scriptures are able to make men wise unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus." "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for instruction in righteousness, and to make the man of God perfect, thoroughly furnished unto every good work." Now if the Holy Scriptures can do all this,-if they can instruct, correct, reprove, and guide,-if they can teach knowledge of the truth, confute errors, correct the vicious, and form men to holiness and piety,-what is wanting? What is left for the traditions of men to accomplish? But the Apostle does not stop even here; he tells us that they are "able to make the man of God,"-the Christian minister who is set for the defence of the Gospel,-who is appointed to hold out the lamp of truth to them who are in darkness, who is to instruct the ignorant, to confute the gainsayers, to comfort the afflicted, to reclaim the strayed, and to build up believers in their most holy faith,-Him, the Holy Scripture is able to make "perfect, and thoroughly furnished unto every good work." Is it not then perfect? Is it not then sufficient for those who move in a humbler sphere of life? They tell us of decrees of councils, and fathers, and traditions. Find out such an eulogium on any, or on all of them,-pronounced by Him too who cannot err, who cannot deceive, as the following which is pronounced on the word of God, and we will begin to think whether we ought not to abandon it for them :- "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever; the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold, sweeter also than honey and the honey comb. Moreover, by them is thy servant warned, and in keeping of them there is great reward." (Psalm xix. 7—11.)

"All Christians," says the eloquent Chrysostom, Bishop of Constantinople, towards the end of the fourth and beginning of the fifth century, "ought to have recourse to the Scriptures. For at this time, since heresy has infected the Churches, the divine Scriptures alone can afford a proof of genuine Christianity, and a refuge to those who are desirous of arriving at the true faith. Formerly it might have been ascertained by various means, which was the true Church; but at present there is no

other method left to those who are willing to discover the true Church of Christ, but by the Scriptures alone. And why? Because heresy has all outward observances in common with her. If a man therefore be desirous of knowing the true Church, how will he be able to do it, amidst so great a resemblance, but by the Scriptures alone? Wherefore our Lord, foreseeing that such a great confusion of things would take place in the latter days, orders the Christians to have recourse to nothing but the Scriptures." (Hom. 49. on Matt. c. 24.) Again (on 2nd Corinth. Hom. 13.) he says, "Let us not attend to the opinions of the many; but let us inquire into the things themselves. For it is absurd, while we will not trust other people in pecuniary affairs, but choose to reckon and calculate for ourselves, that in matters of far greater consequence, we should implicitly follow the opinions of others; especially as we possess the MOST EXACT AND PERFECT RULE AND STANDARD by which to regulate our several inquiries-I mean the regulations of THE DIVINE LAWS. Therefore I could wish that all of you would neglect what this or that man asserts for truth, and that you would investigate all these things in the Scriptures."

The rule of faith should be infallibly-certain. We are aware that Roman Catholics claim infallibility for their Church; but the claim carries absurdity on the very face of it. We ask, what is meant by the Church which is infallible, and we are told it means the Clergy. Are they individually infallible? No; for when we point out Priests, Popes, Bishops, and Cardinals, who have held destructive error, and have been guilty of horrid crimes, the reply is-these were but individual instances. Well, are we then to understand that a company of men, of whom every one considered separately, is fallible, becomes infallible when they are taken collectively?

Again, where is this infallibility seated? Is it in a Council, without a Pope? or in a Council, with a Pope? or, in the Pope himself? Different opinions are entertained by Roman Catholics; and, as it has been said, an infallibility which cannot be found when needed, is about as good as no infallibility at all. And why is it that this boasted infallibility has never put down diversity of opinion, and suppressed diversity of sects, in the Church of Rome?

For with all her boasted unity, it would be easy to shew, that scarcely less diversity of judgment, and that too on most