Augustine, Luther, or Cranmer in older days, or Scott, or Milner in modern times, have said so, therefore Christians repose upon it. This is giving a kind of inspired authority to men. Let not our faith be in teachers, but in God's word.

Hildersham, in an address before his Exposition of John, wisely thus discriminates as to the use of human authors- When scholars furnish themselves with store of other writers, besides the scriptures, and being little conversant in the scriptures, draw the scriptures to the authors whom they most affect, and not their authors to the scriptures; their divinity proves but humanity, and their ministry speaks to the brain, but not to the conscience of the hearer. But he that digs all the treasures of his knowledge and the ground of religion out of the scriptures and makes use of other authors, not for ostentation of himself, nor for the ground of his faith, nor for the principal ornament of his ministry, but for the better searching out of the deep wisdom of the scriptures, such an one believes what he teaches, not by a human credulity from his author, but by a divine faith from the word, and because he believes, therefore he speaks, and speaking from faith in his own heart, he speaks much more powerfully to the begetting and strengthening of faith in the hearer.'

How great then is the folly of those, who rather than take pains to study divine truth, will implicitly, and at all adventures, believe what the society of Christians, in which they have been born or educated, have truly or falsely delivered. They who would not believe a proposition in statics,' about a mere point without investigation; yet,' says Boyle, take up the articles

of faith concerning matters of great and everlasting. consequence, on the authority of men fallible as them. selves, when satisfaction may be had without them from the infallible word of God.' But we must also watch against the opposite snare of presumption and self-wisdom, and form our judgment of existing systems not hastily and rashly, not positively and harshly, as if all wisdom centred in ourselves, but modestly and patiently, kindly, slowly, and humbly, as Cranmer, Ridley, Melancthon, and even Luther did.

Nothing is infallible truth but what is revealed and declared in the divine word; and this truth is there declared generally in a more interesting, obvious, and plain way, than in any merely human productions. We do not undervalue other books. We are very far from being disposed to say of them as the barbarian Sultan Omar said of the famous Alexandrian Library

If these writings of the Greeks agree with the Koran, they are useless, and need not be preserved ; if they disagree, they are pernicious, and must be destroyed.' Other books have their use, and are valuable in their place; but let us first take the holy scriptures, to give us just views and impres

sions.

The importance of a supreme regard to the Bible, as it respects a right judgment in controverted points, is strongly shown by Chillingworth- I, for my part, after a long, and, as I verily believe and hope, impartial search of the true way to eternal happiness, do profess plainly that I cannot find any rest for the sole of my foot, but on this rock only. I see plainly and with my own eyes that there are popes against popes,

councils against councils; some fathers against others, the same fathers against themselves; a consent of fathers of one age against the consent of fathers of another; the church of one age against the church of another. Traditive interpretations

of scripture are pretended, but there are none to be found. No tradition of scripture can derive itself from the fountain, but may be plainly proved either to have been brought in, in such an age after Christ, or that in such an age it was not. In a word, there is no sufficient certainty but of scripture only, for any considerate man to build upon.' It has been observed, long since, that the conscience can never find sure footing till it comes to the scripture. Chrysostom says, if any thing be spoken without scripture, the knowledge of the hearer halts.' His meaning is, that the judgment is never firm, till scripture has resolved it. St. Augustine says, 'It is of no force to tell the people, This I say, and this such an one says; it is only

1 The expressions of St. Gregory Nazianzen, in the fourth century, though tinged with acrimony and disappointed feeling, strongly show how councils may be abused. He says, writing to Procopius to excuse his attendance at a synod at Constantinople, To tell you plainly, I am determined to fly all conventions of bishops; for I never yet saw a council that ended happily. Instead of lessening, they invariably augment the mischief. The passion for victory, and the lust of power (you will perhaps think my freedom intolerable) are not to be described in words. One present as a judge will much more readily catch the infection from others, than be able to restrain it in them. For this reason I must conclude that the only security of one's peace and virtue is retirement.' Yet if all men had acted on this principle, we should have lost the truth. Paul and Barnabas preserved the purity of the church by their firmness at the first council, (Acts xv. 2.) Paul withstood Peter in another assembly, and so maintained the simplicity of the gospel. (Gal. ii. 14,)

Thus saith the Lord that strikes the stroke and does either convince or convert the hearer's conscience... I would not have you follow my authority as though you should think yourself bound to believe what I say, because I say it.'1

A similar and impressive testimony is given by our own country to the excellence of the Bible, when, on presenting it to our monarch at the coronation, the archbishop says to him, Our gracious king! we present unto your majesty this book-the most valuable thing that this world affordeth. Here is wisdom. This

112 As there are those who pretend to build on antiquity, and yet endeavour to restrain the circulation of the scriptures, it may be well to add one or two more quotations from the Fathers on this point. Augustine, on the 8th Psalm, says God has bowed down the scriptures and suited them to the capacities of babes and sucklings.' Cyprian, in a letter to Pompey, says, 'It is easy both to displace error and discover truth, for if we advert to the head and origin of divine tradition, error will cease.' The context shows that he alludes to the holy scriptures. He then compares the failure of truth, to a copious and abundant conduit of water which had refreshed a whole country, ceasing to convey the fertilizing stream; in which case men will naturally go to the fountain head. Theodoret has recorded this noble declaration of Constantine before the Nicene Council, held in 325-The Evangelical and Apostolical books, and also the Oracles of the ancient Prophets, plainly instruct us In the Divine mind; therefore, laying aside all hostile disagreement, let us take the explanation of questions from the sayings of the divine Spirit.' Gregory the great in one of his Letters, says, As the word of God contains in it mysteries capable of exercising the most penetrating wit, so does it also afford plain and manifest truths, fit for the nourishment of the simple and less knowing. On the surface there is milk for children, and within its secret recesses there is matter of admiration and wonder for the most delicate.' He says in another place, the scripture is incomparably beyond all other writing, in that it proclaims nothing but truths,'-Those who wish to see some testimonies of the Fathers on this subject, will find some in Usher's valuable work, An Answer to a Jesuit,' pp. 25-27, 4th edition. In his 'Historia Dogmatica,' published by Wharton, there is a still more extended series of quotations, from authors down to 1600.

is the royal law. These are the lively oracles of God. Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this book; that keep and do the things contained in it: for these are the words of eternal life, able to make you wise and happy in this world, nay, wise unto salvation, and so happy for evermore, through faith which is in Christ Jesus; to whom be glory for evermore. Amen.'

All things relating to religion may be resolved into these two great questions,-Is the Bible the word of God? What does the Bible teach? To be able to answer the first satisfactorily is a great and important duty. The scriptures must be read, the evidences must be weighed, and light must be sought from above, that the mind may come to a clear and decided conviction. To answer the second, the scriptures also must first be diligently sought, and cavils must not be admitted; it being proved to be the word of God, submission of mind to its ascertained truth, even where we cannot harmonize them, is as great a duty as diligent inquiry, to ascertain what these truths are. Men of an infidel spirit have scrutinized and sifted the Bible with as little reverence as if it were a mere human classic. But, while in all other books, we have to exercise our judgment as to what is right and what wrong, and are bound to leave the wrong there is a vast difference in the Bible. It is God's word, and we have by that book to correct every other impres

is

sion.

All sentiments on religion that are not founded on the word of God and drawn from it, however they may pretend to bring us to a state of purity and holiness, are in reality vain. The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. 1 Cor. iii. 20. • The word