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PAGE 73. That The inward immediate Teftimony of the Spirit is not neceffary to a faving Chriftian Faith.

ALTHO' he allows p. 73. That the inward gracious Affiftance of the Spirit, in concurrence with outward Means, is abfolutely neceffary to a faving Christian Faith, to remove the Impediments of our Prejudices and Paffions, and to give us fuch a clear difcerning of the • Chriftian Truths, and of the Evidence thereof, and to difpofe us to fuch a Teachableness and Attention thereto, as may not only gain a rational Conviction and affent to them with ⚫ our Understandings, but may also move and • incline our Wills and Affections to yeild that • Obedience thereto, that makes the Faith thereof faving. And therefore the Faith thro' which we are faved is faid in Scripture to be the Gift of God, and is mentioned among the Fruits of the Spirit, Eph. ii. 8. Gal. v, 22.

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WE muft here again urge our Opponent to fhew, wherein this Inward gracious affiftance of the Spirit, to give us a clear difcerning of the Chriftian Truths and of the Evidence thereof, differs from The inward immediate Teftimo

ny of the Spirit.' And after what Manner the Spirit moves and inclines our Wills and Affectians to Obedience, if not by an inward immediate Teftimony to the Truth of thofe Precepts, it moves and inclines us to Obferve?

HOWEVER, fince our Opponent has pofitively afferted, as before, That we may have a real ⚫ certain belief of the Authority of Scripture, • which may fatisfy our Confciences, without

• the

the inward and immediate Testimony of the Spirit,'

And

THAT The inward immediate Teftimony of the Spirit is not neceffary to a faving Chriftian Faith.' We fhall produce, in Oppofition to his Affertion, the Teftimonies of fome famous Proteftant Writers.

CALVIN, that noted profeffor of Divinity at Geneva, fays, (a) Profane Men, because they think Religion doth ftand only in Opinion, to the End they may not either fondly or lightly believe, do covet and defire to have proved to them by reason, that Mofes and the Prophets fpake from God. And to fuch I Anfwer, that the Teftimony of the Spirit far exceeds all Reafon, for as God alone is a fu<ficient Witnefs of himself in his Word, fo will it not find credit in the Hearts of Men, until it is fealed by the inward Teftimony of the Spirit, 'Tis therefore neceffary that the fame Spirit which spake by the Prophets, enter into our Hearts to perfuade us, that they faithfully declared what was commanded them of God.' ZANCHIUS

(4) Quia opinione tantum ftare videtur religio profanis hominibus, nequid ftultè aut leviter credant, ratione probari fibi cupiunt ac poftulant, Mofen & prophetas divinitús loquutos effe. Atque teftimonium Spiritus omni ratione præftantius effe refpondeo: Nam ficuti Deus folus de fe idoneus eft teftis in fuo fermone; ita etiam non antè fidem reperiet Sermo in hominum cordibus, quam interiore Spiritûs teftimonio obfignetur. Idem ergo Spiritus qui per os prophetarum loquutus eft, in corda noftra penetret neceffe eft, ut perfuadeat eos fideliter protuliffe, quod divinitùs erat mandatum. Calvin Inftitut. lib. 1. C. 7. Sect. 4.

ZANCHIUS, Profeffor of Divinity at HeidelTM berg, in his Treatife of the Holy Scriptures, Tom. 8. of his Works, in Anfwer to those that fay, The Scripture needs no other Testimony, but is fufficient of it felf, to prove it was given by Infpiration of God,' lays down the following Propofitions.

PROP. I. (b) Tis not in the power of any Man nor of the univerfal Church, but of God alone, to make a Man certainly know that this very Scripture whereof we are fpeaking, was "given by Inspiration of God, and others were

not.

PROP. 2. (c) Nor can the Holy Scripture effect this of itself alone, but the Holy Spirit is neceffary for the fo enlightning of the Mind ⚫ of Man, in his hearing or reading of the Scriptures, that he may fee and perceive God, and • not Man to be the speaker.'

PROP. 3. (d) No Reafons drawn either from the Antiquity, or Harmony of the Scriptures, or thofe Miracles wherewith the Holy Scrip

ture

(b) Non eft cujus piam hominis, neque totius Ecclefiæ, fed folius Dei efficere ut quis certo cognofcat, hanc de qua loquimur fcripturam effe EóжVeusov, alias vero minime.

(c) Non eft etiam Scripturæ fanctæ per fe folius hoc ef ficere; fed opus eft Spiritu Sancto, mentem hominis le gentis aut audientis Scripturam ità illuftrante, ut videat ac fentiat Deum loqui in Scripturis, non hominem.

(d) Nullis etiam rationibus, five ab antiquitate, five a confonantià Scripturarum. five Miraculis quibus fuit Scriptura S. confirmata, five complemento vaticiniorum ejus, five ab alio quovis loco, deductis, pefuaderi ulli homi-. num, poteft, hos libros effe Osovéusus, alios nequ quam, fine Spiritu intus hoc demonftrante.

<ture was confirmed, or the fulfilling of its Prophecies, or any other Topicks, can perfuade a Man, that thefe Books were given by Infpi<ration of God, and others were not, without the inward Demonftration of the Spirit.

PROP. 4. (e) The holy Spirit therefore which can open the Mind, and enlighten the Eyes of it, is not only neceffary to make a Man ⚫ know of a truth, that the Canonical Books were given by Inspiration of God; but he alone is alfo a Teacher, able and fufficient to do this, without any Teftimony of the Church, or any • Reasons of Man.

PISCATOR Profeffor of Divinity at Herborn, fays, (f) Though the Scripture deferveth to be believed of all Men, as being given by divine Inspiration, and felf-credible, yet it must be confirmed by the Spirits Teftimony in our Hearts, that we may be certain of its Authority, and fo give full credit there

C unto.

BUCANUS, Profeffor of Divinity at Laufanna, having proposed this Question, (g) How is it certain

(c) Ergo Spiritus Sanctus qui mentem mentifq; oculos aperiat, atque illuminet, non folum neceffarius eft ad hoc, ut quis verè agnofcat canonicos libros effe buses, led etiam ad hanc rem ille unus, fine ullo teftimonio Ecclefia fineq; ullis rationibus, idoneus eft atq; fufficiens Doctor.

(f) Etli autem hæc Scriptura fidem apud omnes meretur tanquam θεόπνευτος και αυτό πιςος, tamen teftimonio Spiritus Sancti fanciri eam in cordibus noftris oportet, ut nobis certa ejus conftet Authoritas, ac proinde at plenam ei fidem habeamus. Pifcator in Aphorifmis Loc. 2. Aphor 2. (g) Unde conftat a Deo dictata effe Scripta Prophetica. et Apoftolica? Partim Teftimoniis quidem, partim Ar

gumentis

• that the Writings of the Prophets and Apostles • were dictated of God? Answers, Partly by • Testimonies, and partly by Arguments: • The Teftimonies are either internal or external: The internal Teftimony is but one, namely of the holy Spirit, inwardly fpeaking to our Heart, and dictating, that thofe Writings were • given by divine Inspiration, and Sealing them therein.

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And this Teftimony is peculiarly appointed for the strengthening of us, and alone fatisfies • us.'

RAVANELLUS fays, (h)

We are certain of the divine Authority of the Scripture, by the Teftimony which the holy Spirit gives inwardly in our Hearts.

The Testimony of the holy Spirit is far more Effectual and Excellent than all other Teftimonies, and particularly, the Teftimony of the

gumentis. Teftimoniis quidem partim internis, partim externis. Internum Teftimonium unicum eft, nempe, Spiritus Sancti intus alloquentis cor noftrum, & dictantis fcripta illa effe veusa & ea cordibus noftris obfignantis. Eftque hoc Teftimonium propriè ad noftrum ipforum confirmationem, folumque nobis fatisfacit. Bucani Inftit. Theolog. Loc. 4. Quæft. 12.

(b) De divinitate Scripturæ nobis conftat, ex Teftimonio, quod Spiritus San&tus intus in cordibus noftris perhibet. Spiritus Sancti Teftimonium largè eft efficacius & præftantius omnibus aliis Teftimoniis, & nominatim Ecclefiæ Teftimonio: nam neque Teftimonium, quod vel ipfa Scriptura fibi aut reddit, vel ex naturà ejus, feu ex iis quæ fibi infita funt, defumitur, quidquam valet ad perfuadendum, nifi accedat internum Spiritus Sancti Teftimonium. Ravanelli Bibliotheca Sacra in verbo (Scripturas) Num. 2. Dift. 1.