06 March 2007

Mystery Quotation: Giddy Men

by Dan Phillips

It's high time for another round of Mystery Quotation. Remember, no tricks—
  1. Memory (or guessing) alone
  2. No electronic tools
  3. No Googling
Here 'tis (emphases added):
...those who, having forsaken Scripture, imagine some way or other of reaching God, ought to be thought of as not so much gripped by error as carried away with frenzy. For of late, certain giddy men have arisen who, with great haughtiness exalting the teaching office of the Spirit, despise all reading and laugh at the simplicity of those who, as they express it, still follow the dead and killing letter. But I should like to know from them what this spirit is by whose inspiration they are borne up so high that they dare despise the Scriptural doctrine as childish and mean. For if they answer that it is the Spirit of Christ, such assurance is utterly ridiculous. Indeed, they will, I think, agree that the apostles of Christ and other believers of the primitive church were illumined by no other Spirit. Yet no one of them thence learned contempt for God's Word; rather, each was imbued with greater reverence as their writings most splendidly attest.

...From this we readily understand that we ought zealously to apply ourselves both to read and to hearken to Scripture if indeed we want to receive any gain and benefit from the Spirit of God—even as Peter praises the zeal of those who were attentive to the prophetic teaching, which nevertheless could be seen to have given up its place after the light of the gospel dawned [II Peter 1:19]. ...Yet indeed they contend that it is not worthy of the Spirit of God, to whom all things ought to be subject, himself to be subject to Scripture. As if, indeed, this were ignominy for the Holy Spirit to be everywhere equal and in conformity with himself, to agree with himself in all things, and to vary in nothing! ...He is the Author of the Scriptures: he cannot vary and differ from himself. Hence he must ever remain just as he once revealed himself there. This is no affront to him, unless perchance we consider it honorable for him to decline or degenerate from himself.
Have fun.

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33 comments:

Anonymous said...

Jonathan Edwards

Anonymous said...

Sorry, I broke the rules and cheated by Googling. Therefore being a man of integrity (even though I did cheat), I will disqualify myself, and will not divulge the name of said quotee.

But e.stevenson didn't get it...

lee n. field said...

"Who Said That." Kim Riddelbarger plays that game on his blog too.

Reads like what I've read of Calvin.

donsands said...

Tozer.

Catez said...

Benny Hinn?

DJP said...

Good guesses, everyone. Well, except Catez, of course.

Keep it up.

Nice to know Riddlebarger got a good idea from me. There's others he has more need of, though.

(c;

philness said...

Could it be Oswald Chambers? It does sound deep and unclear the first go round. But of course most things do for me.

Robert said...

I can't believe nobody's tried Spurgeon yet. Am I right or wrong?

DJP said...

Right-minded, but wrong.

My usual threshhold is 10 comments. I'll just give it a little more time, then pull aside the curtain.

Al said...

Hmmm... Gill?

Or Knox?

Do you quote Presbyterians Dan?

al sends

Al said...

man... It was the "giddy" thing that through me...

Now that I googled it I am ashamed.

al sends

Al said...

threw me... I need a proof reader

Unknown said...

my guess is Dan Phillips

Sacha said...

being new to this blog, but very interested reader...I'd say...Ravi Zacharias?

Dr Fin said...

Robert Tilton?
Phil Johnson?
Ann Coulter?
The Dixie Chicks?
Richard Dawkins?

Am I even close?

Even So... said...

Me...

Oh wait, I was quoting the guy who actually said it first...

candy said...

Lloyd-Jones?

Patrick H. said...

Spurgeon?

Anonymous said...

Reverend Jim from "Taxi"?

FX Turk said...

Was the writer writing in English, Dan, or is this quote in translation?

[/hint]

DJP said...

Translation, cheatboy.

(c;

Frank Martens said...

Martin Luther

Or Tyndale

Tyler said...
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Tyler said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
DJP said...

This has been fun. It's tempting to let it go on. But I think I should let you all know that... YOU'RE ALL WRONG!

Here's the source:

John "The Man" Calvin, Institutes, I. ix. 1-2

PS -- Craig, no credit for asking if anyone's guessed Calvin. Gotta make the bold move!

(c;

Anonymous said...

Yeah, I knew that...

DJP said...

Oops, Lee N. Field did say Calvin early on. Sorry! And then Craig brought up the name.

Catez said...

Well, except Catez, of course.

Now that could be taken two different ways... I'm in a "think on these things" mode so I'll take it as of course my answer was wrong. I came back to say Martin Luther. Wrong - of course.

Calvin - now that I know it really does fit.

I think the person who said Ann Coulter should get points for trying. Made me laugh :)I don't think Ann Coulter should get points for trying though. Saying Timothy McVeigh should have bombed the NY Times building doesn't have the same ring to it - or a high view of scripture.

Turretinfan said...

Sounds a bit Augustinian.

DJP said...

Probably.

(c:

C. M. White said...

*sigh*

I was going to guess Calvin, but I didn't get here in time...

DJP said...

Yes, in my family, "I knew he was the murderer" is always followed by "But you didn't say it, so it doesn't count."

(c:

Frank Martens said...

I'm a retard... that's all I got to say about that.