Ok, so Calvin is a big fan of Scripture. But, Scripture is not the only kind of special revelation. Some people hear directly from the Holy Spirit. But, hearing from the Holy Spirit cannot replace the Scriptures. How does Calvin know this? Well, all of the Biblical authors heard directly from the Holy Spirit, but they all revered the authority of Scripture.
There is now a 'mutual connection' between Scripture and Spirit. They compliment eachother and serve the same purpose. So, people should not be tempted to separate them from eachother. It is a both/and situation, not an either/or.
Well, that was painless. Right? Not necessarily.
Apparently, the 'Fanatics' that Calvin castigates in this chapter were the worse kind of people - Anabaptists. These fanatics had from God directly and God told them that the Reformers hadn't gone far enough. So, when Calvin says that the Spirit would only testify to scripture, I am certain he has his own interpretation of that scripture in mind.
POP QUIZ!!!
Which Calvin would you rather hang out with?
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