The work of the Holy Spirit - pagina 439

;

FAITH IN THE SACRED SCRIPTURES fore us,

is

it

we can

whether we will accept it or not. Its and Jesus will never be the Guide of our

for us to decide

rejection ends the matter, soul.

399

But, accepting

it,

saying,

We

"

believe all that

This confession implies:

proceed.

ness of the testimony; (2) faith in

(i) faith in

God who gave

it;

is

written,"

the genuine-

and

(3) faith

in the truth of its contents.

But

this is not saving faith, only faith in the

believe that

it

will

To

testimony.

own

prove true in our case, in our

persons,

is

This depends, not upon the testimony, but upon whether we will subtnit ourselves to Him of whom it speaks. Altho this Captain pilots souls safely across very deep waters, He does Tiot pilot all souls. They must be able and willing to submit themquite different.

Him

selves to

The unwilling

according to His demands.

are left

behind, and, trying to pilot themselves, they miserably perish.

Hence we must submit.

And

this requires the laying aside of all

our self-conceit, the utter casting out of

we

in the way.

refuse

Him

So long as

self.

as our spiritual Guide

self stands

nor do

;

we

be-

But as soon as self is cast out, the ego silenced, and the soul abandons itself to Him, the second faith awakens, and, upon bended knee, we cry: " My Lord and my God!" It is exactly as our Catechism beautifully and comprehensively expresses it " That true faith consists of two things, first, a certain * knowledge whereby I hold for truth all that God has revealed to us in His Word but also an assured confidence, which is a firm and stedfast confidence, which the Holy Ghost works by the Gospel in lieve in His power.

:

;

my

heart

;

that not only to others, but to

me

also,

remission of

everlasting righteousness, and salvation are freely given of

sin,

God

merely of grace, only for the sake of Christ's merits." Examining more closely what these two points have in common, we find, not that the one is knowledge and the other confidence, but that both consist in being perstiaded.

With the testimony to reject

it.

not affected contents?" "

No man

He

has

laid before him. the natural

many

objections.

can ever convince

He shows

*"Certa

it

is

inclined "

Was

it

by various alterations? Can I rely on the truth of its For a long time he continues his resistance. He says:

that impossible Scripture."

work.

"Is

man

genuine?"

fudicia."

^lim that

me

;

I

believe a great deal, but not

the Holy Spirit continues His

But he is wrong; and, altho

still resisting,

Not a certain knowledge, but certain knowledge.

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