Encyclopedia of sacred theology - pagina 423

:

Chap.

AND THE HOLY SCRIPTUKE

II]

product of this activity. Bible at least

is

Neither can

it

be said, that the

identical with the fruit of the principium

two objections

of knowledge, as such, for this also invites

many

First, that it

399

histories are contained in the Bible, so that

and secondly, knowing (cognosceudi) has produced

resembles in nothing a text- or law-book

that this principium of

;

by no means the Scripture only, but from it proceeds even the working of the Holy Ghost, which maintains, applies and vitalizes the knowledge of God, partly by illumination in the consciousness of individuals, and partly by the work

now

of the sacred ministry.

To understand the God and

just relation

cipium in

between

this special prin-

the Holy Scripture, a more accurate

demanded, and this is only obtained by a double First, by the distinction between that which concerns our race as an organic unit and the knowledge of God in the single individual and secondly, by the distinction between the content of the material of our knowledge and the way in which our knowledge takes this material up Both these distinctions demand a brief explanainto itself. definition

is

distinction.

;

The Romish dogmaticians very properly observed, that the Holy Scripture could not be the instrument of salvation tion.

many

in the absolute sense, for the reason that

centuries

was completed, and that there were nevertheless not a few who in the meantime, and without ScriptThis admits no rejoinder. ure, were saved. It is simply But this objection loses its force at once, when we true. elapsed before

it

consider the great mystery. 9

i.

9, iii.

i.

20, this

;

CoL

i.

mystery

26 is

;

1

Tim.

In Rom. xvi. 25 iii.

9

;

Tit.

i.

2

;

;

in Ephes.

and 1 Pet.

referred to again and again as the

key which unlocks for us insight into the course of reveThis involves no secondary point, but a main point, lation. and this main point, as we read in Col. i. 26, amounts that there is the " mystery which hath been hid to this from all ages and generations," which eighteen centuries :

ago has been revealed to the saints of God, " to

whom God

was pleased to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ

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