This section teaches the following propositions : 1st. The inspired Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are a complete rule of faith and practice ; they embrace the whole of whatever supernatural revelation God now makes to men, and are abundantly sufficient for all the practical necessities of men or communities.

This is proved (a) from the design of Scripture. It professes to lead us to God. Whatever is necessary to that end it must teach us. If any supplementary knowledge is necessary, it must refer to it. Incompleteness in such an undertaking would be falsehood. But (6) while Christ and his apostles constantly refer to Scripture as an authoritative rule, neither they nor the Scriptures themselves ever refer to any other source of divine revelation whatsoever. They therefore assume all the awful prerogatives of completeness. John xx. 31 ; 2 Tim. iii. 15—17. And (c), as a matter of fact, the Scriptures do teach a perfect system of doctrine, and all the principles which are necessary for the practical regulation of the lives of individuals, communities and churches. The more diligent men have been in the study of the Bil>le, and the more assiduous they have been in carrying out its instructions into practice, the less has it been possible for them to believe that it is incomplete in any element of a perfect rule of all that which man is to believe concerning God, and of all that duty which God requires of man.

2d. Nothing during the present dispensation is to be added to this complete rule of faith, either by new revelations of the Spirit or traditions of men.

No new revelations of the Spirit are to be expected now, because (a) he has already given us a complete and all-sufficient rule; (6) because, while the Old Testament foretells the new dispensation, the New Testament does not refer to any further revelation to be expected before the second advent of Christ. They always refer to the *' coming'' or "appearance" of Christ as the very next supernatural event to be anticipated, (c.) As a matter of fact, no pretended revelations of the Spirit since the days of the apostles have borne the marks or been accompanied with the "signs" of a supernatural revelation. On the contrary, all that have been made public —

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as those of Swedenborg and the Mormons — are inconsistent with Scripture truth, directly oppose the authority of Scripture and teach bad morals; while private revelations have been professed only by vain enthusiasts, and are incapable of verification.

Traditions of men cannot be allowed to supplement Scripture as a rule of faith, because {a) the Scriptures, while undertaking to lead men to a saving knowledge of God, never once ascribe authority to any such a supplementary rule. (6.) Christ rebukes the practical obBcrvance of it in the Pharisees. Matt. xv. 3-6 ; Mark vii. 7. (c.) Tradition cannot supplement Scripture, because, while the latter is definite, complete and perspicuous, the former is essentially indeterminate, obscure and fragmentary, (d,) The only system of ecclesiastical tradition which pretends to rival the Scriptures as a rule of faith is that of the Roman Church, and her traditions are, many of them, demonstrably of modern origin ; none can be traced to the apostolic age, much less to an apostolic origin ; they are inconsistent with the clear teaching of Scripture and with the opinions of many of the highest authorities in that Church itself in past ages.

3d. Nevertheless, a personal spiritual illumination by the power of the Holy Ghost is necessary in every case for the practical and saving knowledge of the truth embraced in the Scriptures. This necessity does not result from any want of either completeness or clearness in the revelation, but from the fact that man, in a state of nature, is carnal, and unable to discern the things of the Spirit of God. Spiritual illumination differs from inspiration, therefore, (a) in that it conveys no new

truths to the understanding, but simply opens the mind and heart of the subject to the spiritual discernment and appreciation of the truth already objectively presented in the Scriptures, and (6) in that it is an element in regeneration common to all the children of God, and not peculiar to prophets or apostles ; (c) and hence, in that it is private and personal in its use, and not public.

4th. That, while the Scriptures are a complete rule of feith and practice, and while nothing is to be regarded as an article of faith to be believed, or a religious duty obligatory upon the conscience, which is not explicitly or implicitly taught in Scripture, nevertheless they do not descend in practical matters into details, but, laying down general principles, leave men to apply them, in the exercise of their natural judgment, in the light of experience and in adaptation to changing circumstances, as they are guided by the sanctifying influences of the Holy Spirit.

This liberty, of course, is allowed only within the limits of the strict interpretation of the principles taught in the Word, and in the legitimate application of those principles, and applies to the regulation of the practical life of the individual and of the Church in detailed adjustments to changing circumstances.

These sections relate to the perfection and perspicuity of the Scriptures.

1, In regard to the ])erfection, or sufficiency, of the Scriptures, it is acknowledged that there are some circumstances concerning the worship of God, and government of the Church, in regard to which no express injunctions are given in Scripture, and which are to be ordered by the light of nature and Christian prudence, according to the general rules of the Word. The Apostolic rule in such cases is, — " Let all things be done decently and in order," — 1 Cor. xiv. 40 ; but this general iide does not authorise the introduction into the Church of rites and ceremonies of human invention, in order to set oft' the worship of God. This cannot be justified by any plea of expediency, with a view of rendering the services of the Church more attractive, and conciliating those that are withawt. " And it may be here remarked, that it was one of the first and greatest mistakes into which the Church fell, after insjnration ceased, to make too free a use of this doctrine of expediency. The abuses which have crept in under this specious disguise were not foreseen. The Fathers saw no harm in an indiff'erent ceremony, to which, perhaps, their new converts were attached from long custom. By adopting things of this kind, the Church, which was at first simple, and unencumbered with rites, became strangely metamorphosed ; and in place of her simple robe of white, assumed a gorgeous dress, tricked oft' with gaudy ornaments and various colours. And this practice of inventing new ceremonies went on increasing, until, in process of time, the burdensome vitual of the Levitical law was not comparable to the liturgy

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of the Christian Church. Who that now attends a Romish chapel on some ' high day,' would suppose that the service performed was connected with the religion of the New Testament ?" *

In maintaining the perfection of the Scriptures, we do not insist that every article of religion is contained in Scripture in so many words ; but we hold that conclusions fairly deduced from the declarations of the "Word of God are as truly parts of divine revelation as if they were expressly taught in the Sacred Volume. That good and necessaiy consequences deduced from Scripture are to be received as part of the rule of our faith and practice, is evident from the example of our Saviour in proving the doctrine of the resurrection against the Sadducees, — Matt. xxii. 31, 32 ; and from the example of Paul, who proved that Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ, by reasoning with the Jews out of the Old Testament Scriptures. — Acts xvii. 2, 3. " All Scripture " is declared to be " profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, foi instruction in righteousness ; " but all these ends cannot bft obtained, unless by the deduction of consequences. Legitimate consequences, indeed, only bring out the full meaning of the words of Scripture ; and as we are endued with the faculty of reason, and commanded to search the Scriptures, it was manifestly intended that we should draw conclusions from what is therein set down in express words.

By the jjerfection of Scripture, then, we mean, that the Scripture, including necessary consequences as well as the express words, contains a complete revelation of the will of God, concerning all things necessary for his own glory, man's salvation, faith, and life. The Scripture is represented as 2?e7'fect, fitted to answer every necessary end, — Ps. xix. 8, 9 ; it is sufficient to make " the man of God perfect," and able to make private Christians " wise unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus." — 2 Tim. iii. 15-17. So complete is the Scripture, that its Author has peremptorily prohibited either to add to, or to diminish ought from it. — Deut. iv. 2 ; Rev. xxii. 18, 19.

The perfection of the Scriptures is to be maintained in opposition to those enthusiasts who pretend to new revelations of the Spirit, and in opposition to the Church of Rome, which " receives traditions with the same veneration that they do the Scriptures." No new revelations are to be added to the oracles of God, for Christ and his apostles have foretold the rise of false prophets, and wai'ned us not to g'ive heed to their pretended revelations. — IMatt. xxiv. 11,

* Alexander on the Canon of the Scriptures.

24. The Apostle Paul denounces a curse upon all who preach any other gospel than that which is contained in the Scriptures.— Gal. i. 8, 9. The uncertainty of private revelations furnishes another argument against them. Such is the deceitfulness of the heart, that men are apt to mistake their own fancies and imaginations for revelations of the Spirit, and such is the subtlety of Satan, that he sometimes transforms himself into an angel of light. Private revelations, therefore, must be very uncertain to ourselves, and much more so to others. And it may be observed, that none plead for the authority of private revelations but such as, by the contrariety of their oj^inions and practices to the Scriptures, manifest themselves to be led by a spirit of delusion.

Neither are the traditions of men to be added to the Word of God. Traditions have been a fertile source of corruption in religion, both among Jews and Christians. The Jews pretended that besides what Moses committed to wiiting, he received from God a variety of revelations, which he communicated verbally to Aaron, and w^hich w^ere orally transmitted from generation to generation. These traditions multiplied exceedingly, especially after the Sjiirit of prophecy was withdrawn from the Church ; and when Christ appeared on earth, he found the Jews so far degenerated, that their religion consisted almost entirely in the observation of such traditions. Plence we find him declaring, " Ye have made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition." " In vain they do w^orship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." — INIatt. xv. 6, 9. In the same way have a multitude of the corruptions in the doctrine and worship of the Romish Church sprung iip. They, after the example of the Jews, pretend that Christ and his apostles delivered many things which are not found in the Scriptures, and which have come down to us by tradition. But how can it be shown that those articles of religion, or institutions of worship, which they say have come down by tradition, were really received from the mouth of Christ, or from the teaching of his apostles ? Or, supj^osing that they were derived from this source, how can it be ascertained that they have been conveyed down to us without alteration or corruption ? The fact is, many of these traditions, which are called ajjostolical, can be traced to their commencement, at a period much later than that of the apostles. To admit unwritten traditions would open a door for all the innovations and corruptions which the fancies of men may devise, and would ma;ke void the law of God. But as our Lord strongly conB

18 CONFESSION OF FAITH. [[cHAP. I.

demned the Jewish tradilions, so we justly reject the mass of traditions received by the Romish Church.

2. The Scriptures are clear and perspicuous in all things necessary to salvation. We allow that there are doctrines revealed in the Scriptures which surpass the comprehension of created beings, such as, the doctrine of the Trinity, the eternal generation and the incarnation of the Son of God, These are mysteries which we cannot comprehend, but the doctrines themselves are plainly taught in the Scriptures, and we must receive them on the divine testimony. We also admit that in the Scriptures there are some things obscure and " hai'd to be understood." But this obscurity is chiefly in history and prophecies, which do not so nearly concern our salvation. As in nature everything necessary for the support of life occurs almost everywhere, and may be found on the most easy search, while other things less necessary, such as its gems and gold, lie concealed in certain places, and can only be discovered and obtained by great exertions and unwearied industry ; so there are things in the Scriptures, ignorance of which will not endanger the salvation of the soul, that are abstruse and difficult to be imderstood, even by those who possess acute minds and great learning. But we maintain, that all those things which are necessary to be known, believed, and observed, for salvation, are so clearly revealed in some place of Scripture or other, that every serious inquirer, in the due use of ordinary means, may iindei'stand them. This may be inferred from the fact that their author is God. If he intended them to be a rule of faith and life to men, surely he has adapted them to the understandings of men. There are numerous injunctions to read and search the Scriptures, but these necessarily imply that they are perspicuous and intelligible. Christians are also commended for searching the Scriptures, and trying by the written Word the doctrines delivered to them. — Acts xvii. II. If the Scriptures were unintelligible to common Christians, and the interpretation of the Church were necessary to discover their meaning, then such Christians would have no foundation. upon which a divine faith could rest. Their faith must be ultimately resolved into the testimony of men; but human testimony, being fallible, cannot be the ground of an infallible persuasion.

Notwithstanding the subjective perspicuity of the Scriptures, we acknowledge the imvard illumination of the Spirit of God to be necessary for the saving understanding of such things as are revealed in them. This arises from the blindness and perversity of the human understanding, as now corrupted

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and depraved. — 1 Cor. ii. 14. If the enlightening influences of the Holy Spirit were unnecessary, then the greatest ade})ts in human literature would he best acquainted with the Scriptures ; this, however, is not the case. — INIatt. xi. 25. In the promises of God, and in the prayers of the saints, the special illumination of the Spirit is i-epresented as necessa.ry to enable us savingly to understand the things of God, — John xiv. 26 ; Ps. cxix. 18, &c.