The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-08-25
THE PURITANS AND THE BIBLE.

THE PURITANS. AND THE BIBLE.
Rev. George E. Ellis's book, ''The
Puritan Age of Massachusetts, ;" which
is just fresh from the press, is the re-
suit Of a lifetime Of study and reflec-
ton. We reserve for the ample leisure
of another notice view of its general
scope and purpose. But the chapter
on 1.-The Puritans and the Bible" is
worthy of especial attention. We have
never seen the place of the Bible in
Puritan history more thoroughly treat
ed than it is in this chapter; for, as DR..
Ellis says, sthat Book was to the Puri-
tans what it had never been before to
any class or communion of Christians,
and what it has not been since the
close of the Puritan age, even to those
who in lineage and creed may be re-
garded as nearest in kin and sympathy
with them" An understanding Of the
Puritan's relation to the Bible furnish
es the key to puritan history. Without
this it is inexplicable. Viewed in the
light Of our own age, and free from
letters of Bibliolatry, the action of the
Puritan mind seems strangely narrow,
rigid, and literal in its movement. Its
action becomes Ineligible, natural,
and even Inevitable, when wesse the
limits in which it was compelled to
move. Roman Catholicism is equally
incapable of rational solution until we
get down to the fundamental dogma of
the infallibility of the church, which
underlies the whole system.
A knowledge of the relation of the
Puritans to the Bible is necessary, not
only to understand their theological
system, but to comprehend the Puritan
character; and DR.. Ellis truly says,
1.-The bigotry, the austerity, the harsh
and cruel rule of the Puritans, may be
directly traced to the creed which they
firmly believed to be taught them by
Oou duu Iuo OCIlpbuEcS.
The analysis which DR.. Ellis gives
of the Puritan creed is entirely accurate
and just. He has not toned down nor
has he heightened in any degree the
lurid colors Of that system. His tran
script has the fidelity of photograph.
1t may be said, and said truly, that,
while his statement Of the Puritan
creed is a faithful one, the Puritans
did not do full justice to the Bible in
constructing their theology. The Bible
furnished the timber. There was no
plank in their creed which was not
hewn from some Scriptural text. Yet
their system, as developed, Joined, and
reared in its entirety, was not absolute
ly Biblical system. Indeed, one of
the anomalies of the Puritan relation
to the Bible is, that, while they held it
to be supreme authority, they also ac-
cepted as Biblical truth doctrines
which were not taught in its pages.
There is nothing grimmer in the Puri-
tan creed than it's terrible provision
for the damnation Of unbaptized or
unelect infants. Yet there is no pas
sage in the whole range Of the New
Testament that teaches any such doc
trine. But we must constantly re-
member that what the Puritans held
as infallible was not merely the Bible,
but their own Interpretation of it.
From this no departure was allowed.
We are impressed again with the
stern heroism with which they accept
ed the very harshest implications of
their creed. DR.. Ellis said:
1t was never claimed that this creed
was conformed to natural justice or to
enlightened reason. Nor was it a
valid objection to it that, instead of
being so conformed, it outraged both
justice and reason. 1t was, therefore,
but futile for natural justice and en-
lightened reason to dispute the creed.
This was accepted submissively and
loyalty, solely on the ground that it
was the revealed will and decree of
God. Only as coming from that divine
source would it have been admitted as
authoritative. And here we must recog.
nize the sturdiness of temper. the front
OF courage, the heroism of spirit mani
tested by the Paritans in their attitude
of docile and unquailing belief.
The Christianity of the Puritans was
as merciless as the most barbaric form
of heathenism, and DIR. Ellis freely
admits it:
What known form of heathenism
presents to US more shuddering, hid
eous conceptions Of the Divine rule,
of the relations between the Father of
men and his children, then the West
minister Confession? The curse Of be-
ing born by the will Of man and the
curse of dying by the decree of God are
equally darkened in woe. We know
what penalties and agonies, by perse-
cution and inquisitorial tortures, men
have inflicted upon their fellows in the
service of religion. Might they not |
plead that they learned their cruelty |
from God? Would those who held SO |