II.] Scan'Te. 45 things called traditions which are not the unwritten word of Go? at least not knows so to be; and thus the commandments of men are obtruded on us as the doctrines of God. And hence the testimonies of a few men are put on a level with universal testimony; particular tra- ditions are equalled to universal; the uncertain to the certain; and traditions are said to be apostolical if they be but ancient. 3. The Scripture itself is the best testimony of its own .fulness and su?c/en?. It is not to be replied here, that no man's testimony con- cerning himself is to be relied on. If a man has always told the truth, his testimony concerning himself is to be received; especially if all men always had told truth. Now this is precisely the case in reference to Scripture. Its truth is already established. And Roman Catholics take the side of infidels when they argue on the uncertainty of Scrip- ture. For if the Scripture be allowed to be infallible, it can give testimony concerning itself; and so can any man if you allow him to be infallible, and all that he says to be true. And if Scripture be not allowed to give testimony to itself, who shall be a competent witness ? Shah the church or the pope ? But if they be not credible themselves, we are nothing nearer for their giving testimony to-.?cripture. 4. It is possible that the Scriptures should contain all things neces- sary to salvation. God could cause such a book to be written; and he did so to the Sews, and commanded the authentic copy to be kept in the ark. Tra- dition was not relied on for the preservation of any law of faith or practice. Now since this was so in reference to the Jewish religion, there is much more reason that it is true in respect to Christianity, because, (1.) There could be no other design in writing the books of the New Testament than to preserve the memory of Christ's history and doctrines. (2.) Many things not absolutely necessary to salvation were written, and, therefore, to omit any thing truly necessary would be absurd. (3.) The ancient fathers make no mention of any defects in the re- cords of Scripture in regard to any thing necessary to salvation, but they unanimously taught the contrary. (4.) The enemies of Christian/ty always opposed the doctrines con- ?ained in Scripture, and supposed by this means that they opposed Christianity, and they knew no other repository of it. (5.) That the New Testament was not written during C. hrist's minis- try, but preached only by word of mouth, is reasonable; because all was not finished or prepared for recording till after the resurrection and ascent of Christ, the descent of the Holy Spirit, and the organization and establishment of the church. But before the death of the apostles, that is, before the spirit of infallibility was to depart, all was written that was intended; and upon no other supposition can we account for the writing of so many books as are comprised in the gospels and the epistles. 5. The sufficiency of Scripture is proved from the compl?t?ne#s of its contents. This is evident from the compendiums, symbols, or catalogues of the things to be believed, and to which salvation is promised. Now if "he that believeth ?Iesus Christ to be the Son of God hath eternal life," 1 John v, 10; John xvii, 3; it followre, that this being the affirmation 1
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