Page 154 - 1842 Creeds

154

July the 30. 1842 it is a raining quit smart

no written creed or discipline, leaving the

world to guess at our faith and manners? this

argument if it proves any thing, proves that

there are none who believe the scriptures,

and practice as they direct, or that the

scriptures are defective, and need emendation or

addition to make them effecive and useful. the argu:

:ment may be condensed thus. the scriptures are a

dead letter and they require a living letter, called

a creed or discipline, to carry them into effect,

who will affirm that a written creed or discip:

:line, has more life and power inlt, than written

word of god has? I goe with the apostle and say that

he who receives the testimony of man can receive

the testimony of god . because the testimony of god

is greater and better tan that of man I was

much pleased with Br. Shinn's last piece on

controversy.' he has expressed my views on

that subject better than I could have done it

my self, and when he shall have proved, that

no class of men are divinely and exclusively

autherised to expound the scriptures, then I

will take his proofs and shew that all creeds

and disciplines are made by just such men as

claim the right to dictate and guide others in relig:

:ious matters, and that all such books, including

the little book; recommended by him, are nothing

more nor less than the expositions of falible men,

and that they all have a tendency to restrict

private Judgment. the chief difference betwene the

man who adopts a written creed or discipline ( other

than the scriptures) and the man who takes the

scriptures alone as his creed and discipline consists

in this, that the former --- ---- reads the

scriptures to find proofs favoring his creed or

discipline, while the latter reads the scriptures to

learn his duty to god, that he may do it. the former

considers all things found in the scriptures noness:

:ential unless expressed in his credd or discipline,

while the latter can consider all the teachings of god

essential and necessary to his welfaire here and

here after I am aware however, that there are men

who profess to take the scriptures alone for the creed