"For the discourses of man concerning the things of God, there are left to us no other words than those of God; all others are both narrow and confined, and embarrassed and obscure. If any one desires to describe this matter in any other words than those in which it is declared by God, either he does not himself understand it, or he leaves it unintelligible to the reader."i

"It ought first to be known, that God has not spoken to himself but to us, and has so adapted his words to our intelligence as to enable the infirmity of our nature to receive and understand them.

"Therefore God providing for the infirmity of man has not taught the faith by bald words of doubtful meaning . . . I ask what other fitter words he could have used to make us understand his meaning, that he and the Father should be understood to be one, than, &c. [quoting John x. 30]."'s

"The Lord has declared the faith of the gospel with the greatest possible simplicity of words; and has adapted his language to our intelligence as far as the infirmity of our nature could bear."

"The Apostolical words have not a meaning incautiously expressed, or one that is doubtful so as to give room for impiety."s

Hence so far from thinking it necessary to appeal to tradition because the heretics quoted Scripture, he says, "The meaning of those very declarations must be produced from the declarations themselves, that the truth may there be found where it is denied. For the things that are spoken by divine inspiration simply and to teach us the faith, are necessarily so spoken, that for that for which they are spoken they cannot be confirmed by the testimonies of declarations foreign to them."

1 Non relictus est hominum eloquiis de Dei rebus alius præter quam Dei sermo: omnia reliqua et arta et conclusa et impedita sunt et obscura. Si quis aliis verbis demonstrare hoc quam quibus a Deo dictum est, volet, aut ipse non intelligit, aut legentibus non intelligendum relinquit. ID. ib. lib. vii. § 38. col. 942.

Primum cognosci oportet, Deum non sibi sod nobis locutum et in tantum ad intelligentiam nostram eloquii sui temperasse sermonem, quantum comprehendere ad sentiendum naturæ nostræ possit infirmitas. ID. ib. lib. viii. § 43. col. 973. & Consulens itaque humanæ infirmitati Deus non incerta verborum nuditate fidem docuit.... quæro quo alio ad intelligentiæ nostræ sensum expositionis suæ uti potuerit aptiore sermone, ut unum esse intelligerentur, quam, etc. ID. ib. § 52. col. 978.

Quanta potuit Dominus verborum simplicitate evangelicam fidem locutus est; et in tantum ad intelligentiam nostram sermones aptavit, in quantum naturæ nostræ ferret infirmitas. In. ib. lib. ix. § 40. col. 1010.

• Non incautis neque ad occasionem impietatis incertis significationibus sermo apostolicus loquitur. In. lib. xi. § 17. col. 1092.

Eorum ipsorum dictorum ratio ex his ipsis dictis afferatur; ut illic veritas re

He makes Scripture the judge for the very reason that heretics quoted it as in their favour.

And the reason he gives for heretical misinterpretations of Scripture is, not its obscurity, but that what is read is adapted to a meaning, rather than a meaning adapted to what is read.1

Many other passages of a like nature might easily be added.' Moreover, on the means of attaining a knowledge of the true sense of Scripture, he speaks thus,

After speaking of the Law being understood by Christians, he adds "This perhaps may be thought bold. It is indeed bold if we take this glory to ourselves, if we think so much to be within the power of our infirmity, that with respect to things hidden for so long a time, obscure to so many ages of the human race, in seeking to attain the sense of which kings have laboured in vain, doctors and teachers of the law have themselves erred, we that are fools in the eyes of the world, the offscouring of the earth and madmen to the wise, should boast of understanding them. But yet we do understand them because he is faithful who said, 'Ask and it shall be given you, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you'. . . . It is not therefore of ourselves that we understand, but of him who hath given us to understand those things which were beyond our knowledge. There fore understanding is to be looked for from him, who will both open to those who knock, and will show to those who inquire, and will not refuse those that ask."s

"It is a matter requiring great diligence to consider the force of the words used, and to know what belongs to each thing in the meaning of what is said. . . . . In the divine Scriptures

periatur, ubi negatur. Quæ enim simpliciter et ad eruditionem fidei divinitus dicta sunt, necesse est ita dicta sint, ut ad id [ad] quod dicta sunt non alienorum atque extrinsecus dictorum confirmentur exemplis. In. ib. § 7. col. 1086.

1 Nec negari possit, ex vitio malæ intelligentiæ, fidei exstitisse dissidium, dum quod legitur sensui potius coaptatur quam lectioni sensus obtemperat. In. ib. lib. vii. § 4. col. 917.

2 See in Psalm 118. Litt. 1. §. 7. col. 246. Ib. Litt. 14. § 2. col. 321, 2. In Psalm 135. § 2 col. 482. De Trin. lib. iv. § 17. col. 838. Ib. lib. vi. § 19. col. 890, 1.

3 Hoc forte insolens existimetur. Plane insolens est si nobis hanc gloriam præsumimus, si tantum infirmitati nostræ licere volumus, ut tantis temporibus abstrusa, tantis humani generis obscura ætatibus, in quibus intelligendis frustra reges laboraverint, ipsi doctores et magistri legis erraverint, nos stulti sæculo et purgamenta mundi et deliramenta sapientibus eorum intelligentiam gloriemur. Sed tamen intelligimus ; quia non mendax est qui dixit, Petite et dabitur vobis ; quæ. rite et invenietis, pulsate et aperietur vobis..... Non ergo ex nobis est quod in. telligimus, sed ex eo qui quæ ignorabilia erant fecit intelligi. Itaque ab eo spe randa intelligentia est, qui et pulsantibus aperiet et quærentibus demonstrabit et etentibus non negabit. ID. In Ps. 125. § 2. col. 407.

if an impious ear and a rustic mind should hear them, it may neglect them as useless and unnecessary, but if a hearer or reader, earnestly desirous of the knowledge of God, shall have approached them, whose frequent reading and gift of spiritual grace shall have given him knowledge to discern and understand the several matters contained therein, he will admire every thing, and will use them according to their proper powers and qualities."1

"He is the best reader [of the Scriptures] who looks for the meaning of the words from the words rather than imposes a meaning upon them, and takes away a sense rather than brings it; nor forces upon the words the appearance of that sense which before reading he presumed to be the meaning."

"We trust, therefore, that thou, O God, wilt give an impulse to the commencement of this fearful undertaking, and strengthen us in its progress, and call us to communion with the prophetic or apostolic spirit, that we may understand their words in no other sense than that in which they uttered them, &c. . . Grant us, therefore, the knowledge of the meaning of the words, the light of intelligence, the force of the statements, the true faith, &c."

"Let us from the words look for the sense, from the sense let us gather the purport, and from the purport let us apprehend the truth."

"Let us seek the meaning in the following context. For the faith is to be derived not from our will, but from the force of the words."5

Megnæ diligentiæ res est, virtutem verborum collocatorum expendere, et scire quid cuique rei sub eorum quæ dicta sunt significatione sit proprium . . . In divinis Scripturis .... si eas impia auris et mens rustica audiat, tamquam otiosas et non necessarias negligat, at vero si calens ad cognitionem Dei auditor aut lector adstiterit, et cui frequens lectio et spiritalis gratiæ donum scientiam dijudicandi singula intelligendique præstiterit, mirabitur omnia, atque his secundum naturales eorum virtutes et efficientias utetur. ... collatis et virtutibus et temporibus et rebus non imperite his quæ sibi comperta fuerint utatur. ID. In Ps. 134. § 1. col. 468.

2 Optimus lector est, qui dictorum intelligentiam exspectet ex dictis potius quam imponat, et retulerit magis quam attulerit; neque cogat id videri dictis contineri quod ante lectionem præsumserit intelligendum. ID. De Trin. lib. i. § 18. col. 776, 7.

3 Exspectamus ergo ut trepidi hujus cœpti exordia incites, et profectu accrescente confirmes et ad consortium vel prophetalis vel apostolici spiritus voces: ut dicta eorum non alio quam ipsi locuti sunt sensu apprehendamus, etc.... Tribue ergo nobis verborum significationem, intelligentiæ lumen, dictorum honorem, veritatis fidem, &c. In. ib. § 38. col. 786.

4 Ex verbis sensum sequamur, ex sensu rationem intelligamus, et ex ratione veritatem apprehendamus. ID. ib. lib. v. § 7. col. 858.

5 Intelligentiæ igitur sensum in consequentibus requiramus. Non enim fides ex arbitrio nostro, sed ex dictorum est ineunda virtutibus. ID. ib. lib. vii. § 33. col. 939.

"The meaning of the words must be sought, either from what goes before, or from what follows."

"The man of the world does not comprehend the faith of the Apostles; and no other words than his own explain the declarations in which he has expressed his views."

"Nor, in truth, would human infirmity carry itself forward to the knowledge of heavenly things, if it were not taught to understand the divine and inscrutable nature, by God bestowing upon it the gift of knowledge, through the teaching of the Spirit.' Such are the statements of Hilary on the means by which the sense of Scripture is to be ascertained.

EPIPHANIUS (fl. a 368.)

The testimony of Epiphanius is worthy of especial notice, as peculiarly clear and strong in favour of the views for which we contend.

"The Scripture," he says, "always guarding against men falling into extremes, leads the mind from every quarter, into the middle path of truth. . . the whole Scripture sets before us with clearness the right path with respect to truth."

994

"You see how clear all things are relating to the truth, and no contradiction in the Scripture."s

Again; having pointed out various texts of Scripure in refutation of the Arian heresy, he says, "You see that all things relating to Christ are easy, and nothing in them perplexed." "The divine Scripture is lifegiving, and has nothing to offend the faithful, or that can palliate blasphemy against the Word."

Epiphanius, then, knew nothing of the doctrine that Scripture is so ambiguous, that an Arian may, without any offence against sound reason, find his errors there,

1 Dictorum intelligentia aut ex præpositis aut ex consequentibus expetatur. ID. ib. lib. ix. § 2. col. 985.

2 Apostolicam fidem sæculi homo non capit, et sensus sui dicta alius præter quam ipsius sermo non explicat. ID. ib. § 10. col. 990.

3 Nec sane humana infirmitas in cœlestem scientiam se ipsa proveheret, nisi Deo donum scientiæ per doctrinam Spiritus largiente ad cognitionem divinæ et imperspicabilis naturæ erudiretur. ID. In Ps. 118. [119.] Litt. 12. § 1. col. 309. 4 Αει γαρ ή γραφη ασφαλιζόμενη της κατα το ακρον πτώσεις των ανθρώπων, εκ πανταχο θεν τον νουν συνάγει επι την μέσην της αλήθειας όδον. . . Της πάσης γραφης σαφως περι andwas nμr any odov únoтibeμevns. EPIPHAN. De Hæres. hær. 57. Noet. § 10. vol. P. 488.

i.

5 Όρας ως παντα τα της αλήθειας σαφη ύπαρχει, και ουδεν εναντίον εν τη γραφή. ID. Ib. hær. 66. Manich. § 41. i. 654.

6 Όρας ότι παντα του Χριστου λεία, και ουδέν εν αυτοίς στραγγαλιαδες Ip. ib. her. 69. Arian. § 38. i 760.

* Της θείας γραφης, ζωτικής ούσης, και μηδεν εχούσης εις προσκόμμα πιστοίς, η ως άλατ Taμa Broquias πpos rov Aeger. In. ib. hær. 69. Arian. § 39. i, 762.

1

KK

Again; in reply to the same heretics, he says," And thus all things are clear and perspicuous, and no contradiction, nor anything at all tending to involve us in fatal error, as these men, in their wicked imaginations, pretend."1

And a little further on he tells us how their errors arose, namely, from their "not taking what is said as it was spoken, but putting an erroneous meaning upon it from their own fancies, and, from what is said, giving to that which is correctly spoken a false interpretation, in accordance with their own erroneous conceits." Their fault was, not in their supposing that Scripture was expressed in sufficiently plain terms for them to understand what it meant, but that they were not contented to take Scripture as they found it, and interpret it in its obvious sense, but strained it to their own conceits.

Again; still more clearly, while replying to the same heretics, -"Observe, O ye servants of Christ, and sons of the holy Church of God, and the orthodox faith, that there is nothing difficult in the divine Scripture, nothing obscure, but all things are marvellously written, and rendered perfect, to forward our salvation."

Again"All things are clear in the divine Scripture to those who are willing to come to the divine word with a pious mind; and not having cherished within themselves a diabolical spirit to hurl themselves headlong into the depths of death."

"Everything that is in the divine Scripture, and everything that concerns the holy faith, is lucid to us, and nothing diffi cult, or contradictory, or obscure."s

"For God is come, and the divine Scriptures explain all things to us clearly; for there is nothing in them difficult or obscure."

And from these Scriptures Epiphanius learnt the true faith, for he says, "The true faith as preached everywhere, is declared to

1 Και ούτω παντα εστι σαφή και διαυγή, και ουδεν εναντίον, ουδε θανατου παραπλοκής έχον είδος εν τη θεία γραφη, ως οὗτοι προφασίζονται, πονηρα ἑαυτοις επινοούντες. In. ib. p. 778.

2. Ου καθώς ειρηται το ρητον έχοντες, αλλά κακως ὑπονοούντες, και απο ρήτου το καλώς ειρημένον κατά την κακην αυτών ύπονοιαν παρερμηνευοντες. Ib. ib.

3 Όρατε Χριστου θεράποντες, και υἱοι της αγίας του Θεου Εκκλησίας, και ορθοδοξου πίστεως, ότι ουδέν εν τη θεια γραφη σκολιον, ουδε στραγγαλιάδες, αλλά τα παντα θαυμασίας ως την ἡμετεραν σωτηρίαν γεγραπται και τέτέλειωται. ID. ib. § 60. i. 787.

4 Παντα γάρ σαφή εν τη θεία γραφή τοις βουλομένοις ευσεβει λογισμού προσερχεσθαι του θελω λόγω, και μη διαβολην διαβολικήν, Petav.] ενεργειαν εν εαυτοις εγκισσησαντας ἑαυτους KATAOTρIQUV Us Ta СxрxOpx тou bevaтcu. ID. ib. hær. 76. Anom. § 7. i. 920.

6 Πάντα ήμιν φωτεινα τα της θείας γραφης, και τα της αγίας πίστεως, και ουδεν σκολίου, η εναντιον, η στραγγαλιώδες. Ib. ib. p. 975.

6 Ο Θεος γαρ ήλθε, και εις [? dele εις] παντα ήμιν σαφηνίζουσιν αἱ θεαι Графа, ουδεν Η αυταίς εστι σκολιον, η στραγγαλιωδες. ID. ib. § 41. ii. 46.

зар