These are briefly the foundations of the answer returned to the inquiry formerly laid doAvn, which might abundantly be enlarged — How know we that the Scripture is the word of God ; how may others come to be assured thereof? The Scripture, say we, bears
TESTIMONY OF THE SPIRIT. 325
testimony to itself that it is the word of God ; that testimony is the witness of God himself, which whoso doth not accept and beheve, he doth what in him lies to make God a liar. To give us an infallible assm-ance that, m receiving this testmiony, we are not imposed upon by cunningly devised fables, the ai ypapal, the hpa ypd^u^/^ara, " the Scriptures," have that glory of light and power accompanying them, as wholly distinguisheth them by infalhble signs and evidences fi-om all words and writings not divine ; conveying then- truth and power into the souls and consciences of men with an infallible certainty. On this account are they received as from God by all that receive them, who have any real, distinguishing foundation of their faith, which would not be — separated from these grounds — as effectual an expe- dient for the reception of the Koran.
CHAPTER V.
Of the testimony of the Spirit — Traditions — Miracles.
Before I proceed to the consideration of those other testimonies, which are as arguments drawn from those innate excellencies and properties of the Word which I have insisted on, some other things, whose right understanding is of great importance in the cause under debate, must be laid down and stated. Some of these refer to that testimony of the Spirit that is usually and truly pleaded as the great ascertaining principle, or that on the account whereof we receive the Scriptures to be the word of God. That it may be seen in what sense that is usually delivered by our divines, and how far there is a coin- cidence between that assertion and what we have dehvered — I shall lay down what that testimony is, wherein it consists, and what is the weight or stress that we lay upon it.
That the Scripture be received as the word of God, there is re- quired a twofold efficacy of the Spirit. The first respects the subject, or the mind of man that assents unto the authority of the Scripture. Now, concerning this act or work of the Spirit, whereby we are enabled to believe the Scripture, on the account whereof we may say that we receive the Scripture to be the word of God — or upon the testimony of the Spirit — I shall a httle inquire, what it is, and wherein it doth consist.
First, then. It is not an outward or inward vocal testimony con- cerning the Word, as the Papist would impose upon us to believe and assent. We do not affirm that the Spirit immediately, by himself, saith unto eveiy individual believer, This book is, or contains, the
326 THE DIVINE ORIGINAL OF SCRIPTURE.
word of God. We say not that the Spirit ever speaks to us of the Word, but hy the Word. Such an enthusiasm as they fancy is rarely ■oretended ; and where it is so, it is for the most part quickly dis- covered to be a delusion. We plead not for the usefulness, much less the necessity, of any such testimony. Yea, the principles we have laid down — resolving all faith into the public testimony of the Scrip- tures themselves — do render all such private testimonies altogether
needless.
Secondly, This testimony of the Spirit consists not in 2^ persuasion that a man takes up, he knows not well how or why; only this he knows, he will not depose it [lay it aside] though it cost him his life. This would be like that which by Morinus^ is ascribed to the Church of Rome, which, though it knew no reason why it should prefer the vulgar Latin translation before the original, yet, by the guidance of the Spirit, would do so — that is, unreasonably. But if a man should say, that he is persuaded that the Scripture is the word of God, and that he will die a thousand times to give testimony thereunto ; and, not know- ing any real ground of this persuasion that should bear him out in such a testimony, shall ascribe it to the Spirit of God — our concernment lies not in that persuasion. This may befall men by the advantage of traditions, whereof men are usually zealous, and obstinate in their de- fence. Education in some constitutions will give pertinacity in most vain and false persuasions. It is not, then, a resolution and persuasion induced into our minds we know not how, built we know not upon what foundation, that we intend in the assignation of our receiving the Scripture to be the word of God to the effectual work and witness of the Holy Ghost.
Two things, then, we intend by this work of the Spirit upon the mind of man.
1. His communication of spiritual hght ; by an act of His power, enabling the mind to discern the saving truth, majesty, and authority of the Word — Ti/gu/iar/xa ■rvgu^iar/xws. There is a blindness, a dark- ness, upon the minds of men 'Trnvfj^a [i^ i-^ovruv, that not only disen- ables them from discerning the things of God in their certainty, evidence, necessity, and beauty, (for -^vy^ixlg avSpwrog ov hkyjTai ra rov SsoD), but also causes them to judge amiss of them, as things weak and foolish, dark, unintelligible, not answering to any principle of wisdom whereby they are guided. (1 Cor. ii.) Whilst this yXamufia abides on the minds of men it is impossible that they should, on any right abiding foundation, assent to the Word of God. They may have a prejudicate opinion — they have no faith concerning it. This dark- ness, then, must be removed by the communication of light by the