I believe that the Holy Spirit is the only authoritative, infallible, efficient and sufficient teacher of the Christian religion, in all its parts. If I be asked, “What is the manner in which he teaches this religion?” I reply, “In the same way that all teachers convey instruction to their pupils: by words, either spoken or written”.
Hence, it is by the sacred Scriptures that he convinces men of sin, righteousness and judgement to come, in these times and, indeed, in all times subsequent to the apostolic age. God is simple in all his plans. He never appears to use intricate means when the end to be effected can be produced by simple ones. Simplicity is the characteristic of all that he performs. He rules the heavens, he regulates the seasons, and he saves men upon few, but powerful, principles. If one means is able to make men wise, we need not expect to find any other institution than that one to effect the same end.
Now Paul says that the sacred Scriptures are able to make us wise to salvation by the faith for the Gospel which is through Christ Jesus. What more do we want than wisdom in relation to this matter? If the sacred Scriptures are able to make us wise, we need no other instrumentality. The Holy Spirit by the Word, without infusing a single idea into it more than it actually and ordinarily contains, and without any collateral influence, teaches us all wisdom and knowledge that is necessary. It instructs man concerning his origin, his constitution, his sinful state, and how he may, though mortal, absolutely and unqualifiedly mortal, yet attain to life and incorruptibility; it informs him concerning the attributes of God, the creation, and the destiny of the earth and the race by which it is inhabited. Why, then, my friends, can we not be content with the means within the grasp of everyone who owns the volume of inspiration?
If the ecclesiastical world were content to learn the truth from “the Bible alone”, and it honestly desired to obey the Messiah, there would soon be an end to Presbyterianism and every other ism, by which “Christendom” as it is called, or “Anti-Christendom” as it should be termed, has been for ages desolated. But the world loves not the truth; because, therefore, they have “not embraced the love of the truth that they might be saved, God has sent them strong delusion that they might believe a lie; that all might be condemned who have not obeyed the truth”.
The sacred Scriptures are not a dead letter, as the clergy teach you; they are “living and powerful, and sharper than a two-edged sword”: this is Paul’s testimony and ought, therefore, to be received as true by all believers.
The Solution