The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1860-10-24

met, then II must be sufficient aud infaIlible, -
the only standard II not. then the challenge
Is good against revelation itself, and Infdelity
is the sole gainer. The Bible alone, or no
Bible ut all is the alternative -.ta ,--- u
Cd. To set up another standard implies self.
contradiction. Admitting revelation as fact,
the decision of men and the church must accord
or disagree with it. II the iormer, they are
mere reefflrmations OF IFS truth, and that upon
its sole authority, which is the true place Of
confessions and catechisms and church symbols.
If the latter, then en- issue is Joined, but by a
8 ngle step we are brought back to the question
ol belief or unhsIief, the Bible or blind rea
son, of the creature or the creator. And then
we say, "let God be true, but every man liar" )"
Sd. But the Bible itself repudiates any other
standard. We hsve it in the thunder OF isaiah's
protest and summons to an unbeleving world
To the law and 10 the testimony, il they speak
not according to this word it is because there
is no light in them" We have it still more
impressively in the rebukeS Of Christ whether to
the Sadducess,- ,-the wprshipers Of human rea.
son, ia his day, ,s-sayins, "ye do err, not know.
(! ing the scripture nor the power of Gods" or to
the Pharisees, bitter representatives OF au-
thority--saying, "1n vain. do they worship me
teaching for doctrines, the commandments OF
!
to be "the record that God gave OF his SOM
"the true light that lightet6 every man that
cometh into the rld,'--the voice OF the Lord
in his holy temple, commanding all the earth
to keep silence before him. s-tsa EeE
II. The right of personal inquiry. Here we
advance from the rulc to its use. Who may
interpret and apply it? The ministry and the
church indeed, but under restriction of the
word, and only so as to Gevolve the ultimate
responsibility upon p,1aate judgment, and with
no power 10 stand between God and the con
science. The church and the ministry are to
be tried by the word of God. The Bereans
were commended because they searched the
scriptures for themselves. Any other princi
pie, by putting blind belief Tor conviction. the
church Tor the gospel, and the priest in the place
of Christ, not un!y leads men into error and
tsin, but binds the soul all over with letters OF
slavery. ,FL "s o. ta
1st. Let us look at the thinking agent him
self, TO discover whether God has not given him
the charter OF right in his very capacity. II the
structure OF the eye implies the right of vision,
and Of the ear The right to hear, and Of the
foot the right to walk; and if the possession Ct
memory. judgment and conscience imply use In
the common affairs of life why will the un-
broken chain Of analogy fail only when 1t reach.
es the highest faculties and their noblest use?
| Where is the right to suspend the exercise Of
our God given powers, in the very sphere OF
cur greatest responsibility to God and our wi.
dest'matier of knowing and clarifying him?--
What then remains but the moral servitude of
agents, whom tn creator has made free? IA
I'd. Let US turn from the thinking agent to he
revelation given him for belief and Obedience
Let US learn from the rule itself who may and
must in,erpetit. Eass~ iter dot 9 itsuet contain
recognition Of the right Of individual judgment
and opinion?
The Bible is Gods revelation to man IN mans
language. The divine mind is conveyed in the
forms OF human speech. This is significant
| But then is it nota book of science nor of mys-
teries for the few? II is a book for the masses,
in eondescepsion to theiI ignorance and wants,
like the ministry OF Christ whom "the common
people heard gladly" This is still more con-
vincing. But still further, it is not masses Of
tnen. as such, nor the church, as such, but in
dividuals that are for the most part addressed.
Especially is this SO. when the higher points OF
faith and duty are urged. He that believeth,
&C., shall be saved he that believeth not shall
be damned" Repent and I've converted every
one Of you, &C." "'ihe word is nigh thee even
in thy mouth and in thy heart; that is the word
of !aith which we preach; that il thou shalt
confess with thy Wtoate the Lord Jesus and be,
lieve in thy heart that God has raised him from
the dead thou shalt be saved" -rrr.. b..
Sd. The very argument comedies the point
before u.s. Private judgment is appealed to
against the right OF private judgment. Our
reason is addressed to show that we have no
business with rational conviction. We are re-
ferred to the Bible for proof that we have no
right to read or understand it. Yet without
the exercise OF private inquiry, we cannot be
convinced that we have no right to exercise it
at all. Thus certainly does error move in a
circle, and Ike wounded serpent, recoil upon
upon itself
4th But if we have no right Of inquiry, who
shall Interpret for us? The Church we are uni.
formly told But who is the inialible repteseh.
tative Of her views? The Fathers of the first
| four centuries, some tell us. We acknowledge
| them as good witnesses Of usage and opinion in
their day, but who has appointed them arbiters
Of the meaning of book which is in our own
hands? Who shall rednce to harmony their
fierce conflicts? Who shall first expunge from
their dusty pages, their jargon and follies and
positive heresies? General councils, some say
possess the authority in question, councils
convened by ungodly emperors, swayed here
and there by the caprice Of maiorities, and ere.
ating doubt by conflicting decisions. Which
councils shall explain the simple words OF the
Holy Spirit? But apostolic tradition, others in
sist is the universal solvent OF all perpexities.
VI hat is it? Something outside Of the canon
Of scripture, springipg from source which no
man can discover, descending through the will
derness OF dark ages, BY q channel which no
man can trace. and as turbd as the track over
which it has flown. Yet they would pursuade
US that such waters are preferable to Silva's
brook that flows last by the oracles of God
But in the last extremity we are told of the
Pope Of Rome, as Chrst's viceeesent, the infal
libie head OF the Church, though IN scriptures
he is known only as sahe Man Of SIM" But
here again, have we q succession determined by
political power, presenting often the spectacle OF
| rival Popes Of equal conservation. and thunder.
! ing anathemas at each other, and many OF ,bem
monsters OF iniquity and Of stupidity. at the
very time when they claimed 10 speak from
within tho veil, the orscles OF God. And it Is
| by such tortulous route that we are 10 be
conducted to the truth, on condition that we
turn our backs upon the Bible, and stop our
ears 10 the voice Of divine wisdom. 'a ,-. ta
III Wecoine now to the practical duty, upon
the discharge Of which the commerdation Of the
text is passed! The right carries with it the,
Obligation. rsi rr57
These Bsreans were not like ma ny. iaour da ',
who would travel in blood. rather than surrcr.
der the Bible in their. own language, and the
right Of private Judgment, but at the same time
allow the dust Of neglect to Accumulate or the
sacred word. They received the truth and
searched the SCRIPTURES earnestly and daily in
quest oft. And what is this but simple obe-
diencs to Christ who says, Search the scrip
y q b isFHa ana ~