The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-11-23
THE BIBLE AND THE CHURCH.
.,or sRIses DISCUSSES THEIR RELA-
rsyr lDTBORITvI IN THE DIVINE ORDER.

TIVE IN 1nHD OhDhh
4. ...,.uept or HIS Attituae-Seraons on
~. higher Criticism ~ che Rev. Dr. ny.
100 asa the Rev. Dr. Macarthur.
pro, Charles A. Briggs delivered his second
onnday night lecture ut the Church OF the
csnonant. Fourth avenue and Thirty NTH
e....t last night in the Bible course which the
Raw DIR. j. b. MoIlvaine. the churchs pastor.
~. arranged for this winter. THE Bible and
.ha church as Fountains Of Divine Authority I"
Us Tho subject of DR.. Briegs's lecture.
~ ouaht to be q commonplace" he said.
shat there are historically. three great
,,,nta,ns Of divine authority the Bible.
.ss church. and the reason When It
:. said that the reason is the seat
n,aiyine authority. the meaning Is that God
.ntsrs the form Of the reason In order to speak
.hrouch the conscience and the religious feel
,nr with divine authority to men. The word
..ource OF authority does not afflrm that the
church is the original source Of divine author
Nv snart from and Independent Of God. The
common meaning Of the word. as In the
.ourses OF river. the sources OF history and the
,,ta Justify one in speaking Of the Church as q
source out OF which. as Of fountain head or
:. out Of an original document, arises the
dlvine authority that we need. The source Of
an authority does not institute the authority.
mi the authority establishes the source as
she form and mould which. 1t fills with divine
contents The term fountain Of divine
authority onght not to be open to objection.
mr. no one can reasonably confuse the foun-
tsip with the living water that flows through
a ar the power back Of the fountain that
nushes the water forth.
"When We say that there are historically
three rrea. fountains OF divine authority we
.imnly state fundame entail fact on which
christianity as whole is agreed. The Chris
tan Church is divided into three great par
t;es on the question Of the relation Of these
sources. The Churchmen have exalted the
church above the Bible and the reason. the
Rationslists have exalted the reason above the
Church and the Bible, the Ey,ssnEeenlieal party
the reason: but nc, party. "a far as ! know. has
made Bible; Church; and reason A. coordinate
De Bible alone X the infslltble rule Of faith
say6 one amns Ssha sns
grace. God Is the only divine authority. :, The
Bible. the Church. and the reason have divine
viii william and gracious pleasure Of God,
and the Church. The relative authority Of the
b RafH Of the Reformation. The Roman
Catholic party In tho Church claimed that the
Church had divine authority to determine the
s ssnSe 81 Holy Scriptures and to define
ali questions OF doctrinal practice not defined
* sbS Ssned thu s re- 'oe
divine authority p the Holy scripturee and the
sssnss sna prsats 'ne con-
canon Of Holy Scripture: claiming that ths
n saa Psry densS 70
the Church in this particular. and claimed
hat t6s HOLY Scripture bad n .is
The Church cannot give any more authority
Rs make t51s s9 se 9, Scripture which is not
Alter Quoting from Calvin and the Confession
literally. Dr. Briggs, continued: This doc
CONVINCE and give iniallible GERTRUDE as re-
CARDS its own authority and is one Of tho most
Re divine sasRor.y of The sS!o
upon the presence and power Of God Ia it and
do& hRssi speaks 3; e through
the divine truth that e T. them The only
Reformation. The reformers refused to define
questions Of biblical criticism or in any way
ass hes
the divine evidence in the scriptures them
selves give the believer certainty. the assur.
1nce that his faith 10 founded on the word OF
The Roman Catholic party. in the Church
also claim that the Church has divine au-
thority in the iptsrpretatton Of the Holy Scrip
teaches that the infallible rule q interpreta-
- This doctrine OF the Reformation needs
great emphasis at the present time in the effort
oithe Church to throw of from the scriptures
adm AID modern thought the incubus Of traditional
The reforming party in the Church did net
The fathers OF the Reformed Church never
suthesrity y, .. the Church. they deprived the
Church Of its usurped authority over the Holy
Scriptures and the consciences Of men. but
they did not take from the Church any au-
a S that rsbe ne aS das
Confession gives seven chapters on the doc
Fine Of the Church and sacramento. doctrines
as essential and necessary to tho system OF
Doctrine taught In the Westminster Confess
The Westminster Confession clearly teach
authority. There is divine authority
Isans S Sas i h dh by hs ssp1 H. H
makes its institutions ef1cacious He grants
who deny the divine authority OF the Church
take away from the Presbyterian CHURCH the
SEho deny that there Is divine authority IN the
hsiy Spirit and make theM Of NJ esct
Church"