Timothy, when this epistle was written, resided at Ephesus, and not at Rome. �V*herefore, the claim of the Church of Rome to be the onl.? cmr?Mli� CAterers, and thereby excluding all others, ought to be rejecte? with contempt, because it is a usurpation contrar? to Scripture. 2. But what is the tr,?tA of which the church is the pillar and support ? The truth referred to is not any particular system of doctrine expressed in words of human invention, such as the zym/Mb of fantA, composed by councils or synods, whether general or particular, in ancient or modern times. But the truth is the revelation of God to man: T/?y word t?tA, John xvii, 17. The truth of the Christian church is composed of the writings of the Old and New Testaments. It was expressed in 2 ?m. of ?nd u,o,'ds, which St. Paul exhorted Timothy to ? fawt, i, 13. The gospel revelation is called the trutA in several passages of Scri?ure. Gal. iii, 1; v, 7; Eph. i, 13; 2 Theas. ii, 10, 12; 1 Tim. ii, 4; vi, 5; 2 Tim. ii, 15, 18; Tit. i, 1, and elsewhere. 3. And this truth has been preserved by the ditt'erent churches through- out the world. Almost every church procured a copy of the sacred writings and transmitted it to their successors; and with such care have they been preserved, that in comparing the almost innumerable manu- scripts and translations together, their integrity* is indeed miraculous. The Church of Rome has done no more than her share in preserving Scripture truth. And had she never had a being, or were we to judge of the preservation of truth by those documents we have, without having recourse to any of hers, the truth of Scripture and of revealed religion would stand on the same firm basis that it now does. 4. The church is here styled the pillar and ground of the truth, not in respect to its teachers, but in respect to its members especially*, or assembly of be- lievers; and, therefore, the infallibility of the church representatives can never be concluded from these words, which do expressly relate to the whole body of believers, in distinction from their bishop or Timothy. 5. The chureh of the living God is certainly composed of believers who live piously, avoiding all sin, and doing good to all. Wicked men never were employed or authorized by* Heaven to be supporters of his truth. 6. The common phraseology. of the ancient fathers was, to style eminent persons the pillars and ground of faith; and yet they were far from thinking that any of these fathers were infallible. Whence it follows, that according to the judgment of the primitive church, this phrase did not import infallibility'. 7. The church can- not here be styled the pillar and ground of tn?th, as being the founda- tion ou which.truth is built, and which gives it authority-; saith Chrysostom, the p?llar and o,,'roumt of the c/m?�A.* So St. Paul says that the church is built o? the fo?dat? of the apostles, Eph. ii, 19, 20. And our Lord says, On tlri? rock w? I build ?n?, cYmrc!,, i. e., on the truth. Any church ceases to be such when she gives up the truth. She therefore is the church of Christ, because she holds the truth; for it is essential to her being to maintain and teach all neceasaFy truths. 2. In fayour of infallibility, Romauists argue from the ,?e?fy there is for a judge in matters of controversy. That without it there would be nothing but endless confusion. T?at without it ? has not made sufficient provision for the assurance of men's faith, and For the peaoe �T? e?2? w?f ?;? w? ?Mz?y?z.-.-Chrysootom in 1 *rim. iii, IS. Digitized by GO0(?Ic
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