be this, as I at least conceive, having been taught it from the Scriptures, that there are three holy ones," &c.'

And the requisites, the only requisites to which he adverts, for the right understanding of these Scriptures, are the careful study of them, and the enlightening influence of the Holy Spirit.

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Thus he speaks on these points.

Respecting the former, thus:-" All the divine words," he says, are not to be understood allegorically, but to be taken in their proper sense; but they need to be considered and apprehended, that we may know the force of each argument."

Respecting the latter, he speaks constantly; not as our opponents do, as if the teaching of the Holy Spirit was only to be expected through the teaching of the Church, but as an operation upon the heart of the individual, leading him into the knowledge of the truth.

This Spirit, he tells us, will enlighten the diligent reader of the Scriptures. "Search," he says, "the divine Scriptures, and learn the meaning of the Holy Spirit; and the Spirit itself that knows. the Father and the Son, will reveal to thee the knowledge of the Word, the Son of God, that you may not wander from the truth and lose your own soul."a

But by those who have not received the enlightening influence of the Spirit, the Scriptures are not understood. "The divine words being spoken by the Holy Spirit, are not understood by those who have not received the gift and grace of the Holy Spirit."

For he is the only effectual teacher; "The Holy Spirit. . . . that teaches all thnigs, that witnesses concerning the Son, that proceeds from the Father and from the Son, is the guide to truth, the interpreter of the holy laws, the teacher of the spiritual law," &c.3

Hence he gives us the exhortation,-" Let us understand the meaning of the Scripture, that the letter may not become death to us. For, saith he, [i. e. the Apostle] the letter killeth, but the

1 Πίστη δε ἡ καθόλου κηρύκων φωνη, αύτη σημαίνεται, ως εγω γε οιμαι, κατηχουμένος εκ'γρα φων, τρία αγία, κ. τ. λ. ID. ib. § 67. ii. 71.

2 Παντα τα θεα ρήματα ουκ αλληγορίας δείται, αλλά ως έχει θεωρίας δε δειται, και αισο θήσεως, εις το ειδέναι έκαστης υποθεσεως την δύναμιν. ID. Adv. Hæres. hær. 61. Apostol. § 6. i. 510, 11.

3 Ερευνησον τας θείας γραφάς, και μαθε του αγίου Πνεύματος την δυναμιν, και αυτό το Πνευμα το γινωσκον τον Πατέρα και τον Υιον αποκαλυπτει [? αποκαλυψεις σοι την του Λόγου του γιου του Θεου γνωσιν· ἵνα μη πλανήθης της αλήθειας, και απολεσης την σεαυτού ψυχήν. ID. Ancorat. 19. tom. ii. p. 25.

4 Έστι θεία τα νήματα Πνεύματι αγίω λεγόμενα, αγνωστα δε τοις μη ειληφόσι Πνευματ of aysousapear xas xapv. ID. ib. hær. 69. Arian. § 43. i. 766.

5 Το Πνεύμα το άγιον . . . το διδασκον τα πάντα, το μαρτυρουν περι του Υίου, ὁ παρα του Πατρός και εκ του Υιου, μονος οδηγος αληθείας, νομων εξηγητης αγίων, πνευματικού νόμου εφηγητης, κ. τ. λ. ID. Ancorat. § 73. ii. 78.

Spirit giveth life. Let us receive the Spirit, that we may be profited by the letter. The letter doth not kill; in the letter is life. But it will kill him who comes without understanding to the letter, and that has not the revealing Spirit opening the letter, and unfolding that which is contained in it." From which we may observe that this spiritual influence is not something, of which all baptized persons are possessed, but a peculiar influence vouchsafed for a particular purpose, of which they may be destitute.

Hence, lastly, he speaks thus of the dispositions and qualifications necessary for a right understanding of the Scriptures.

Writing against the Noetians, he says, " But altogether to one who possesses a mind inclined towards God, and is enlightened by the divine Scripture and the Holy Spirit, their doctrine is easy of refutation, and appears full of all folly."

Again; writing against the Arian errors, he says,-" As to all things in the divine Scripture, to one who possesses the Holy Spirit, and has received of the Lord an attentive mind, there is nothing of which it is difficult to see the meaning; either as to the nature of our feelings towards the Father, or towards the Son, or towards the Holy Ghost. But all things are spoken in truth in the divine Scriptures most perfectly by our Lord himself and his Apostles, and the holy Prophets sent by him, but, nevertheless, prudently with a regard to each point handled, and in each place, according to the subject treated of."

BASIL OF CESAREA (fl. a. 370.)

"All Scripture," says Basil," is given by inspiration, and profitable, composed by the Spirit for this purpose; that, as in a common repository for medicines for the soul, we all may each of us choose out hence the cure of our own malady.'

914

Replying to the question, Whether he who should not do the

1 Νόησωμεν την δύναμιν της γραφης, ίνα μη γένηται ήμιν το γραμμα θανατος. Το γραμ μα γαρ, φησι, αποκτείνει" το δε Πνεύμα ζωοποιεί. Λαβωμεν το Πνευμα, ένα ωφεληθώμεν εκ του γράμματος. Ου γραμμα αποκοτινεί, εν τω γραμματι ή ζωή. Αποκτήσει δε τον ασυνε τως τω γραμματι προσερχόμενον, και μη έχοντα το φράζον πνεύμα, το ανοίγον το γράμμα, XAI ATXAλUTTOV TO EV duTc. In. ib. § 22. it. 27.

2 Παντη δέ τω τον νουν εις Θεον κεκτημένω, και εν θεία γραφή, και εν Πνεύματι αγίω κατην. γασμένω ευθυελεγκτος ὁ αυτών λόγος, και πάσης άνοιας εμπλεως φαίνεται. ID. ib. hær. Noet. 57.3 1.482.

3 Παντα εν τη θεία γραφή των κεκτημένω Πνευμα αγιον και νουν εγρήγορον παρά Κυρίου βελη φοτο, ουδέν εστι σκολιον ὑπονοησαι, η πάθους είδος εις τον Πατέρα, η εις τον Υιόν, ουδε εις το αγιον Πνευμα αλλα παντα τελειότατα οικονομικώς δε εις έκων την χρείαν, και εν έκαστα του που προς το υποκειμενον εν αληθεια εν ταις θείαις γραφαις εἴρηται ὑπ' αυτου του Κυρίου, και των αυτού Αποστολων, και των αγίων Προφητών των υπ' αυτού απεσταλμένων. Ib. ib. § 66. i. 792.

4 Πασα γραφη θεόπνευστος και ωφελιμός. δια τουτο συγγραφείσα παρα του Πνεύματος, ίν' ώσπερ εν κείνω των ψυχών ιατρείω, παντες ανθρωποι το ιαμα του οικείου παθους έκαστος εκλε Justa. BASIL. CASAR. In Psalm. 1. § 1. tom. 1. p. 90. ed. Ben.

Lord's will, but should also neglect to inform himself what it was, had any ground of hope, he says, “Such a one evidently pretends ignorance, and cannot avoid the punishment of his sin. For, saith our Lord, if I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin; but now they have no cloak for their sin, the holy Scripture everywhere announcing the will of God to all."

“The things that appear of doubtful meaning, and obscurely delivered in some places of Holy Scripture, are clearly explained by what is openly expressed in other places."

"The best way to discover our duty, is the study of the inspired Scriptures . . . . Whatever any one may see that he is deficient in, by frequent use of them he will find, as from some public repository of medicines, the suitable remedy for his infirmity."

"Having the comfort that flows from the divine Scriptures, thou wilt need neither me nor any one else to enable thee to see what it behoves thee to do; having from the Holy Spirit advice which is all sufficient, and guidance to that which will conduce to thy welfare."

"I entreat her to spend her life in the study of the oracles of the Lord, that her soul may be nourished with sound doctrine, and her mind may grow and increase more than her body by

nature."s

He tells us, also, that the heretics always "take care not to teach simple souls from the divine Scriptures, but to circumvent the truth by human philosophy.”8

And in a work that has been by almost universal consent attributed to him, he thus accounts for the accasional obscurities of Scripture, and shows how he considered they were to be met.

1 Δήλος ἐστιν ὁ τοιουτος σχηματιζόμενος την άγνοιαν, και αφευκτον έχει της αμαρτίας την κρισιν· ει μη ήλθον γαρ, φησιν ὁ Κύριος, και ελάλησα αυτοίς, αμαρτίαν ουκ είχον νυν δε προφα σιν ουκ έχουσι περί αματίας αυτών, της αγίας γραφης πανταχου πασι το θέλημα του Θεού διαγγέλλευσης. ID. Reg. brev. xΙν. i. 429.

2. Τα αμφίβολα και επικεκαλυμμένως ειρήσθαι δοκουντα εν τισι τόποις της θεοπνεύστου γρα της, ύπο των εν άλλοις τόποις ὁμολογουμένων σαφηνίζεται. ID. Ib. cclxvii. ii. 506. Quoted by Photius in art. Eulogius, 225. p. 761. ed. 1653.

3 Μεγίστη δη οδος προς την του καθήκοντος εύρεσιν και η μελέτη των θεοπνεύστων γράφων περι όπερ αν έκαστος ενδεως έχοντος ἑαυτου αισθάνηται, εκείνω [εκείναις] προσδιατριβων, οἷον από τινος κοινου ιατρείου, το πρόσφορον εύρισκει το αρρωστηματι φαρμακον. ID. Epist. ad Gregor. ep. 2. (al. 1.) γ 3. ii. 72 3.

4 Έχουσα δε την εκ των θείων γράφων παράκλησιν, ουτε ημων ούτε άλλου τινος δεήθηση προς το τα δέοντα συνόρων, αυτάρκη την εκ του αγίου Πνεύματος έχουσα συμβουλιαν, και όδηγιαν προς In Epist. ad viduam. ep. 283. (al 284.) ii. 424.

το συμφέρον.

5. Παρακαλω εν τη μελέτη των λογίων του Κυρίου διάγειν αυτην, να εκτρέφηται ύπο тис аза θης διδασκαλίας την ψυχήν, και επιδίδω προς αύξησιν και μέγεθος ή διανοια αυτής, μάλλον ή το σωμα ύπο της φυσεως. ID. Ep. ad vid. ep. 296 (al. 285.) ii. 434. So elsewhere he calls the Scripture τροφη ψυχών, hum in P. 59 § 2. i. 190.

6 Τουτο γαρ αυτοίς αει εστιν επιμελες, μη εκ των θείων γραφων διδασκειν τας ακεραιοτέρας ψυχας, αλλ' εκ της έξωθεν σοφίας παρακρούεσθαι την αληθειαν. Epist. ad Casar. ep. 8. (al. 141.) § 2. ii. 81.

"As therefore," he says, "our Creator, without grudging us the enjoyment of those things, has not permitted that all the necessaries of life should be born with us, as in the case of the brutes, but has arranged that the want of necessary things should be an exercise of our understanding; so, also, he has contrived the obscurity that is in the Scriptures for the benefit of our mind, in order to rouse its energies; first, in order that being occupied with these, it may be withdrawn from lower pursuits; then that what is acquired by labour, may be the better loved, and that which has taken a long time to acquire, may remain the longer. But those things which are easily obtained, are but little valued in the enjoyment. . . . . Moreover, there is need of purity of life, that that which is obscure in the Scriptures may be discerned, for the promotion of moral virtue. And in addition to purity of life, there is need, also, of exercise in the Scriptures, that the excellent mysteries of the divine oracles may, by continual study, be impressed upon the soul."

Thus are the obscurities that are in the Scriptures to be solved; not by "tradition" or "the Church," but by study and meditation. And the aid of God's Holy Spirit is to be sought by us as our helper therein. For saith Basil," If we even fail of treating the matter as it deserves, yet if, by the aid of the Spirit, we do not depart from the mind of Scripture, we shall not be altogether condemned as reprobates; and by the aid of [divine] grace shall afford some edification to the Church of God.""

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I see that, even in the oracles of the Spirit, it is not open to every one to undertake the investigation of the things spoken, but to him who has the spirit of discernment, as the Apostle hath taught us, saying, in the distribution of spiritual gifts, For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom, &c.' [1 Cor. xii. 3.]"3

σις. . . ..

1 Ώσπερ ουν εν τουτοις ουχι βασκαίνων όμιν προς το ζην αφορμων παραπλησίως τοις αλόγοις συναπογενήθηναι παντα ὁ δημιουργος ήμων ου συνεχώρησεν, αλλά την ενδειαν των αναγκαίων γυμνασιον ήμιν της διανοίας εμηχανήσατο, ούτω και την εν ταις γραφαις ἀσαρείαν επ' ωφέλεια του νου, διεγείρων αυτού την ενέργειαν επετήδευσε πρώτον μεν ένα τούτοις ενασχολούμενος των χειρόνων απελκηται· επειτα ότι τα πονω κτηθέντα μάλλον πως αγαπαται, και τα δια μακρού χρονου προσγενομενα μονιμωτέρον παραμένει ων δεμάδια ή κτησις ου περισπούδαστος ή απολαυ Προς δη του το χρεία της εν τω βίω καθαρότητος, ωστέ και προς την της ηθικής αρχ της επιτήδευσιν το εν ταις γραφαις κεκαλυμμένον διαγνωσθήναι. Χρεια δε προς τη καθαροτη του βίου και της εν ταις γραφαις διατριβης, ἵνα το σεμνοπρεπες και μυστικόν των θείων λογιων EX THE GUVEXOUC MÉXETNC EVTUTŒÎn in fuxn. Comment. in Is. Præl. § 6. i. 382. The Bene dictines, though placing this among the works falsely ascribed to Basil, admit that this Commentary has been always by almost general consent attributed to Basil, and that the only learned critic who has opposed this view is Petavius, and that it is certainly a work of the fourth century or thereabouts. See " Monitum," ed. Ben, i 377.

2 Ει γαρ και της αξίας απολειπόμεθα. αλλ' εάν του βουλήματος της γραφης μη εκπέσωμεν τη βοήθεια του Πνεύματος, και αυτοί ουκ απόβλητοι παντελως κριθησομεθα, και τη συνεργία της χαριτος οικοδομήν τινα τη Εκκλησία του Θεου παρέξομεθα. In Hexaem. hom. 2. §. 1. i. 12.

3 Εγω δε όρω ότι και εν τοις λογίοις του Πνεύματος, ου παντί εξην επιβάλλον τη εξετάσει των ειρημένων, αλλα το εχοντι το πνευμα της διακρίσεως, καθώς εδίδαξεν ήμας ο αποστολος, αν

GREGORY OF Nyssa (f. a. 370.)

Of the opinion of Gregory of Nyssa on this subject, we may judge from the following passage in his observations on the Psalms.

"Let us observe," he says, "the skill with which the subject is treated; by which, though the course of life that is agreeable to virtue is so difficult and arduous, and the doctrine of the divine mysteries obscure, and the theology mysterious, and having its perfection in propositions difficult of comprehension, he hath made it so easy to be comprehended and sweet, that this instruction is not only an object of regard to men of perfection, who are already purified in the senses of their soul, but has become a possession which even women may call their own; and brings pleasure to babes, as one of their toys; and serves to old persons for a staff and rest; and that he who is joyful, thinks the gift of this instruction belongs to him; and that he who is in sorrow from misfortune, thinks that such a great blessing, namely, of the Scripture, was given on his account. Moreover, those who are journeying by land or by sea, or those who are engaged in sedentary operations, and, in short, all in every occupation, both men and women, well and ill, reckon it a misfortune to lose any opportunity of discoursing on this sublime instruction."

Such is his language, not with respect to the clear and plain statements of the New Testament, but with respect to the Book of Psalms. And I think that from it we may form a tolerably well-founded conclusion as to what would have been his sentiments on the general question of the aptness of Scripture, as a whole, to teach the faith.

EPHREM SYRUS (fl. a. 370.)

"We," says Ephrem Syrus, " will apply our own mind to the truth, under the guidance of the inspired Scripture. For they, whose minds are not enlightened by the divine teaching, are far from the truth." 2

ταις διαιρέσεσι των χαρισμάτων είτων· ω μεν γαρ δια του πνεύματος δίδοται λόγος συρίας, κα τ. λ Epist. ad. Neuzsar. ep. 204. (al. 75.) S 5. ii. 305.

1 Της εξετάσεως σκοπήσωμεν την επίνοιαν, δι' ἧς ούτως σκληρών τε και σύντονον ούσαν την κατ' από την πολιτείαν, την 1 των μυστηρίων αινιγματώδη διδασκαλίαν, και την απορρήτων το και κεκριμενην δυσερικτοις θεωρημασιν θεολογίαν, ούτως ευληττον (εύληπτον] τε και γλυκιαν εποίησεν, ως μη μόνον τέλειοις ανδρασιν τοις ήδη κεκαθαρμένοις τα της ψυχής αισθητήρια την διδασκαλίαν ταύτην σπουδαζεσθαι, αλλά και της γυναικωνίτιδος ιδιων γενεσθαι κτημα και νηπείς ως τι των αθυρμάτων ήδονην φερειν και τοις παρηλικότέροις αντι βακτηρίας τε και αναπαυ σέως γενεσθαι, τον τε φαιδρυνομένον ἑαυτου νομίζειν είναι της διδασκαλίας ταύτης το δώρον και τον οκυθρωτως εκ περιστάσεως διακειμένων, δι' αυτόν οιεσθαι την τοιαυτην της γραφης χαριν δύο δοσθαι· ὁδ πορουντες τε προς του τοις και θαλαττεύοντες άνθρωποι, η τισιν επιδιοριοις εργασίαις προσασχολούμενοι, και παντες οἱ απαξαπλως εν πασιν επιτηδεύμασιν άνδρες τε και γυναίκες, εν ύγεια τε και αρρωστια, ζημίαν ποιούνται, το μη δια στόματος την ύψηλην ταυτην διδασκαλιαν DE-GIU GREG. Nyss. Traci. 1. in Psalin, Inscript. c. 3. tom. i. pp. 261. 2.

2 Ημεις δε τη αληθεια επιστήσομεν την έαυτων νουν, ὁδηγουμενοι ύπο της θεοπνεύστου γρα