Chapter 9. That Those Fanatical Men, Who Forsaking Scripture Resort to Revelation, Do Overthrow All the Principles of Godliness

Now they that forsaking the Scripture do imagine I know not what way to attain to God, are to be thought not so much to be held with error, as to be carried with rage. For there have arisen of late certain giddy-brained men, which most presumptuously pretending a school of the spirit, both themselves do forsake all reading, and also do scorn their simplicity which still follow the dead and slaying letter, as they call it. But I would fain know of these men, what spirit that is, by whose inspiration they are carried up so high, that they dare despise the doctrine of the Scripture as childish and base. For if they answer that it is the spirit of Christ, then such carelessness is worthy to be laughed at. For I think they will grant, that the Apostles of Christ and other faithful in the primitive church were enlightened with none other spirit. But none of them did learn of that spirit to despise the word of God: but rather every one was moved more to reverence it, as their writings do most plainly witness. And surely so was it foretold by the mouth of Isaiah. For where he says, My spirit that is upon you, and my words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, nor out of the mouth of your seed forever: he does not bind the old people to the outward doctrine as though they were set to learn to spell, but rather he teaches, that this shall be the true and perfect felicity of the new church under the reign of Christ, that it shall no less be led by the voice of God, than by the spirit of God. Whereby we gather, that these lewd men with wicked sacrilege do sever asunder those things that the Prophet has joined with an inviolable knot. Moreover, Paul being ravished up into the third heaven, yet ceased not to go forward in the doctrine of the law and the Prophets, even so as he exhorts Timothy, a doctor of singular excellence, to apply reading. And worthy is that commendation to be remembered, wherewith he sets forth the Scripture, saying, that it is profitable to teach, to admonish and to reprove, that the servants of God may be made perfect. How devilish a madness is it to feign, that the use of Scripture is but transitory, and lasts but for a while, which indeed guides the children of God even to the last end? Again, I would have them answer me this: whether they have tasted of another spirit than that, which the Lord promised to his disciples. Although they be vexed with extreme madness, yet I think they are not carried with such giddiness, that they dare so boast. But what manner of spirit did he speak of in his promise? Even that spirit which should not speak of itself, but should minister and inspire into their minds those things which he the Lord himself had taught by his word. It is not therefore the office of the spirit which is promised us, to feign new and unheard-of revelations, or to coin a new kind of doctrine, whereby we should be led from the received doctrine of the gospel, but to seal in our minds the very same doctrine that is commended to us by the gospel.

Whereby we plainly understand, that we ought right studiously to apply the reading and hearing of the Scripture, if we would take any use and fruit of the spirit of God. As also Peter praises their diligence that are heedful to the doctrine of the Prophets, which yet might seem to have given place after the rising of the light of the gospel. On the other side, if any spirit leaving the wisdom of the word of God does thrust to us another doctrine, that same spirit ought rightly to be suspected of vanity and lying. For what? When Satan transforms himself into an angel of light, what credit shall the Holy Ghost have among us, if it be not severally known by some assured mark? And truly it has been plainly pointed out to us by the word of the Lord, but that these miserable men do willingly covet to err to their own destruction, while they seek a spirit rather from themselves than from him. But (say they) it is dishonorable, that the spirit of God, whom all things ought to obey, should be subject to the Scripture. As if this were a dishonor to the Holy Ghost to be everywhere equal and like to itself, to agree with itself in all things, and nowhere to vary. Indeed if it were to be tried by the rule either of men, or of angels, or any other rule whatever, then it might well be thought, that it were brought into obedience, or if you like so to term it, into bondage. But when it is compared with itself, when it is considered in itself, who can therefore say, that there is any wrong done to it? But thus it is brought to trial. I grant, but such a trial wherewith it was his own pleasure to have his majesty established. It ought to content us as soon as he enters into us. But lest under his name the spirit of Satan should creep in, he will have us to know him by that image of himself, which he has printed in the Scriptures. He is the author of the Scriptures: he cannot be different and unlike himself. Therefore it must needs be, that he continually remain such as he has showed himself therein. This is no dishonor to him, unless perhaps we count it honorable to swerve and go out of kind from himself.

Whereas they cavil that we rest upon the letter that kills, herein they suffer punishment for despising of the Scripture. For it is plain enough that Paul there contends against the false Apostles, who commending the law without Christ did call away the people from the benefit of the new testament, wherein the Lord does covenant that he will engrave his law within the bowels of the faithful, and write it in their hearts. The letter therefore is dead, and the law of the Lord kills the readers of it, when it is severed from the grace of Christ, and, not touching the heart, only sounds in the ears. But if it be effectually printed in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, if it present Christ to us: then is it the word of life, converting souls, giving wisdom to little ones, etc. Also in the same place the Apostle calls his preaching the ministry of the Holy Ghost: meaning that the Holy Ghost does so stick fast in his truth which he has expressed in the Scriptures, that then only he puts forth and displays his force, when the Scripture has its due reverence and dignity. And it disagrees not here with which I before said, that the word itself is not much assured to us, unless it be confirmed by the witness of the Holy Ghost. For with a certain mutual bond the Lord has coupled together the assurance of his word and of his Spirit, so that perfect reverence to the word does then settle in our minds when the Holy Ghost shines upon us to make us therein behold the face of God: and on the other side without all fear of being deceived we do embrace the Holy Ghost when we recognize him in his own image, that is in his word. Thus it is undoubtedly: God brought not abroad his word among men for a sudden show, meaning at the coming of his Spirit by and by to take it away again, but he after sent the same Spirit with whose power he had distributed his word, to make an end of his work with effectual confirmation of his word. In this sort Christ opened the minds of the two disciples. Not that they should cast away the Scriptures and grow wise of themselves, but that they should understand the Scriptures. Likewise Paul when he exhorts the Thessalonians not to extinguish the Spirit, does not carry them up on high to vain speculations without the word, but by and by says further, that prophecies are not to be despised: whereby without doubt is meant, that the light of the Spirit is choked up as soon as prophecies come to be despised. What say these proudly swelling men, ravished with the Spirit, to these things, who reckon this only to be an excellent illumination, when carelessly forsaking and saying farewell to the word of God, they both boldly and rashly do take hold of all that they have conceived in their sleep. Truly a far other sobriety becomes the children of God: who as they see that without the Spirit of God they are void of all light of truth, so do they know that the word is the instrument with which the Lord distributes to the faithful the light of his Spirit. For they know no other Spirit but that which dwelt and spoke in the Apostles, by whose oracles they are continually called to the hearing of the word.

Those who forsake Scripture and imagine some other way to reach God should be thought of as driven not so much by error as by madness. For in recent times there have arisen certain unstable men who, with great presumption claiming to be taught by the Spirit, both abandon all reading themselves and mock the simplicity of those who still follow what they call the dead and killing letter. But I would gladly have these men tell me what spirit it is that carries them so high that they dare to despise the teaching of Scripture as childish and elementary. If they say it is the Spirit of Christ, this carelessness deserves only laughter. I think they will grant that the apostles of Christ and the other faithful in the early church were enlightened by no other Spirit. But not one of them learned from that Spirit to despise the word of God — on the contrary, each was moved to greater reverence for it, as their writings most plainly show. And this is exactly what Isaiah foretold. For when he says, 'My Spirit that is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, or from the mouth of your offspring, or from the mouth of your offspring's offspring, says the Lord, from this time and forevermore' — he is not binding the Old Testament people to the outward doctrine as though they were set to learn the alphabet. Rather he is teaching that this will be the true and perfect blessing of the new church under the reign of Christ: to be led no less by the voice of God than by the Spirit of God. From this we gather that these wicked men, with sacrilegious impiety, tear apart what the prophet has joined with an unbreakable bond. Moreover, Paul, though caught up to the third heaven, did not cease to advance in the doctrine of the law and the prophets — going so far as to urge Timothy, a teacher of singular excellence, to give himself to reading. And worthy of remembrance is the commendation with which Paul speaks of Scripture, saying that it is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped. How devilish a madness it is to pretend that the usefulness of Scripture is only temporary and passes away, when it in fact guides the children of God to the very end! Again, I would have these men answer me this: whether they have received a different Spirit from the one the Lord promised His disciples. Mad as they are, I do not think their madness has gone so far that they would dare to boast of this. But what kind of Spirit did He speak of in His promise? The Spirit who would not speak of Himself, but would bring to their minds the very things He the Lord had already taught by His word. It is therefore not the office of the Spirit promised to us to invent new and unheard-of revelations, or to coin a new kind of doctrine that would lead us away from the received teaching of the Gospel — but to seal in our minds that very same doctrine which the Gospel commends to us.

From this we plainly understand that we ought to apply ourselves diligently to the reading and hearing of Scripture if we wish to take any benefit from the Spirit of God. So also Peter praises the diligence of those who attend carefully to the doctrine of the prophets — which might seem to have given way after the light of the Gospel arose. On the other side, if any spirit, abandoning the wisdom of God's word, thrusts upon us a different doctrine, that spirit ought rightly to be suspected of vanity and deception. For consider: when Satan disguises himself as an angel of light, how would the Holy Spirit have any standing with us if He were not distinguished by some reliable mark? And truly He has been plainly pointed out to us by the word of the Lord — but these miserable men willfully choose to err to their own destruction, seeking a spirit from themselves rather than from God. But they object: is it not dishonoring the Spirit of God, to whom all things should submit, to make Him subject to Scripture? As if it were a dishonor to the Holy Spirit to be consistent with Himself everywhere, to agree with Himself in all things, and to vary nowhere. If the Spirit were to be tested by the standard of men, or angels, or any other rule, then one might say He was being brought into subjection or bondage, if you will. But when He is compared with Himself, when He is considered in Himself, who can say that any wrong is done to Him? He is brought to trial in this way, yes — but by a trial He Himself was pleased to use to establish His own majesty. It ought to satisfy us as soon as He enters into us. But lest the spirit of Satan should creep in under His name, God wills us to know the Holy Spirit by that image of Himself which He has impressed in the Scriptures. He is the author of the Scriptures — He cannot be different from or contrary to Himself. He must therefore remain as He has revealed Himself therein. This is no dishonor to Him — unless we count it honorable to be inconsistent and unlike oneself.

When they complain that we rest on the letter that kills, they are suffering the consequences of their own contempt for Scripture. For it is plain enough that Paul there contends against the false apostles who commended the law without Christ, drawing the people away from the blessing of the new covenant — in which the Lord promises that He will engrave His law within the hearts of the faithful. The letter is therefore dead, and the law of the Lord kills its readers, when it is separated from the grace of Christ and, not touching the heart, only sounds in the ears. But when it is effectively written in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, when it presents Christ to us — then it is the word of life, converting souls, giving wisdom to the simple. In that same passage the apostle also calls his preaching the ministry of the Holy Spirit — meaning that the Holy Spirit is so firmly joined to the truth He has expressed in the Scriptures that He puts forth and displays His power only when Scripture receives its due reverence and honor. And this does not contradict what I said earlier — that the word itself is not sufficiently confirmed for us unless it is sealed by the witness of the Holy Spirit. For the Lord has joined the certainty of His word and of His Spirit together with a kind of mutual bond, so that a settled reverence for the word takes hold in our minds when the Holy Spirit shines upon us to let us behold in it the face of God. And on the other side, we receive the Holy Spirit without any fear of being deceived when we recognize Him in His own image — that is, in His word. This is how it stands without doubt: God did not bring His word into the world for a momentary display, intending to withdraw it as soon as the Spirit came. Rather, He afterward sent the same Spirit by whose power He had distributed His word, to complete His work by effectively confirming that word. In this way Christ opened the minds of the two disciples on the road — not so that they might throw away the Scriptures and become wise on their own, but so that they might understand the Scriptures. Likewise, when Paul urges the Thessalonians not to quench the Spirit, he does not carry them off into empty speculations without the word. He immediately adds that prophecies must not be despised — by which he undoubtedly means that the light of the Spirit is extinguished as soon as prophecies come to be despised. What have these arrogant, Spirit-ravished men to say to all this — those who consider their highest illumination to consist in carelessly dismissing and saying farewell to the word of God, while boldly and rashly seizing hold of everything they have dreamed up? A very different sobriety becomes the children of God. They see that without the Spirit of God they are empty of all light of truth — and they also know that the word is the instrument by which the Lord distributes the light of His Spirit to the faithful. For they know no other Spirit but the one who dwelt and spoke in the apostles, by whose words they are continually called to the hearing of the word.