Idolatry of the Bible (By Edward Irving) III
"I hesitate to pronounce that unqualified approbation upon that sign of the times, in which the times delight themselves so much, that the written word is translated into all languages and circulated in all lands. It is a token of good for them; but to us it is no token for good, if the labour of that ministry of translating and circulated be abstracted from the higher ministry of reading, learning, marking and inwardly digesting the word... The times were when the words of the preacher were spirit and life, and master minds lent their energies to the noble work of this spiritual embassy, and wearied themselves, and wearied the people, and rallied again; so that in the olden time when a bishop preached, and turned the glass at the end of the hour, the congregation rejoiced with a manifest joy that they were to have the music of the glad sound a little longer in their ears."
"The second evidence and measure of the extent to which the idolatry of the Scriptures hath advanced amongst us, I discern in the notion which now begins to prevail amongst the most pious both of our ministers and people concerning faith, that it is no more than the reception of the truths of revelation into the mind, and their activity thereupon as truths... Now, the true doctrine concerning faith is, that to its production in the soul the Spirit of God must work as effectually as the word of God: or, even further, that the word is the instrument with which the Spirit worketh, and that the word, to be profitable to redemption, regeneration, and salvation, waiteth for the Spirit to work therewithal; and that we must be born of the Spirit by the seed of the word which liveth and abideth for ever... But we seem in the churches to be relapsing into the condition of those disciples mentioned in the Acts, who did not know that there was a Holy Ghost... they are converting religion into an objective thing, and the object they have chosen is surely the most worthy one, the written word; but inasmuch as it is objective merely, it is idolatry. Objective it must be, but subjective it must at the same time likewise be; and to make it subjective in us, the Holy Spirit must work upon us..."
That is idolatry of the Bible, despising preaching, and forgetting the need for the Holy Spirit. Thank you, Mr. Irving. But Irving must have the last word:
"But when I shall witness as strenuous and sedulous endeavours to seek out children of the Spirit for preaching the word, as much boldness to speak against the children of the world who usurp the high places of this ministry, - when I shall hear not in word, but see in deed, that the Holy Spirit is looked to for all the increase, and that in this dependence all expedients, managements, solicitations of the high and noble, and traffic with the vanity and self-importance of men, and human wits and wiles, are supplanted in all our works by spiritual trust, then shall I be sure that the way of the Lord is mightily preparing, and that He is going forth as a man of war to convert the nations."
"The second evidence and measure of the extent to which the idolatry of the Scriptures hath advanced amongst us, I discern in the notion which now begins to prevail amongst the most pious both of our ministers and people concerning faith, that it is no more than the reception of the truths of revelation into the mind, and their activity thereupon as truths... Now, the true doctrine concerning faith is, that to its production in the soul the Spirit of God must work as effectually as the word of God: or, even further, that the word is the instrument with which the Spirit worketh, and that the word, to be profitable to redemption, regeneration, and salvation, waiteth for the Spirit to work therewithal; and that we must be born of the Spirit by the seed of the word which liveth and abideth for ever... But we seem in the churches to be relapsing into the condition of those disciples mentioned in the Acts, who did not know that there was a Holy Ghost... they are converting religion into an objective thing, and the object they have chosen is surely the most worthy one, the written word; but inasmuch as it is objective merely, it is idolatry. Objective it must be, but subjective it must at the same time likewise be; and to make it subjective in us, the Holy Spirit must work upon us..."
That is idolatry of the Bible, despising preaching, and forgetting the need for the Holy Spirit. Thank you, Mr. Irving. But Irving must have the last word:
"But when I shall witness as strenuous and sedulous endeavours to seek out children of the Spirit for preaching the word, as much boldness to speak against the children of the world who usurp the high places of this ministry, - when I shall hear not in word, but see in deed, that the Holy Spirit is looked to for all the increase, and that in this dependence all expedients, managements, solicitations of the high and noble, and traffic with the vanity and self-importance of men, and human wits and wiles, are supplanted in all our works by spiritual trust, then shall I be sure that the way of the Lord is mightily preparing, and that He is going forth as a man of war to convert the nations."
Labels: Quotations
posted by Highland Host at 10:11 am
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