death. To suppose it not to be perspicuous, relatively to its design of commanding and teaching, is to charge God with dealing with us in a spirit at once disingenuous and cruel.
12. In what passages is their perspicuity asserted?
Ps. xix. 7, 8; cxix. 105, 130; 2 Cor. iii. 14; 2 Pet. i. 18, 19; Hab. ii. 2; 2 Tim. iii. 15, 17.
13. By what other arguments may this point be established?
1st. The Scriptures are addressed immediately, either to all men promiscuously, or else to the whole body of believers as such.—Deut. vi. 4–9; Luke i. 3; Rom. i. 7; 1 Cor. i. 2; 2 Cor. i. 1; iv. 2; Gal. i. 2; Eph. i. 1; Phil. i. 1; Col. i. 2; James i. 1; 1 Peter i. 1; 2 Peter i. 1; 1 John ii. 12, 14; Jude i. 1; Rev. i. 3, 4; ii. 7. The only exceptions are the epistles to Timothy and Titus.
2d. All Christians promiscuously are commanded to search the Scriptures.—2 Tim. iii. 15, 17; Acts xvii. 11; John v. 39.
3d. Universal experience. We have the same evidence of the light-giving power of Scripture that we have of the same property in the sun. The argument to the contrary is an insult to the understanding of the whole world of Bible readers.
4th. The essential unity in faith and practice, in spite of all circumstantial differences, of all Christian communities of every age and nation, who draw their religion directly from the open Scriptures.
14. What was the third quality required to constitute the Scriptures the sufficient rule of faith and practice?
Accessibility. It is self-evident that this is the pre-eminent characteristic of the Scriptures, in contrast to tradition, which is in the custody of a corporation of priests, and to every other pretended rule whatsoever. The agency of the church in this matter is simply to give all currency to the word of God.
15. What is meant by saying that the Scriptures are the judge as well as the rule in questions of faith?
"A rule is a standard of judgment; a judge is the expounder and applier of that rule to the decision of particular cases." The Protestant doctrine is—
1st. That the Scriptures are the only infallible rule of faith and practice.
2d. (1.) Negatively. That there is no body of men who are either qualified, or authorized, to interpret the Scriptures, or to apply their principles to the decision of particular questions, in a sense binding upon the faith of their fellow Christians.
