66

Wherefore, my brother, watch diligently, and be always earnest in attending to reading, that it may teach thee how to avoid the snares of the enemy, and obtain eternal life. For the reading of the divine Scriptures restrains the mind wandering into error, and gives knowledge towards God. For it is written, Be still, and know that I am God. Thou hearest, my brother, that he who rests from other pursuits to study the divine Scriptures with a true heart, receives the knowledge of God. Wherefore, my brother, neglect not thy soul, but give thyself to reading and to prayer, that thy mind may be enlightened, and that thou mayest become perfect and entire, wanting in nothing. Let others boast of their converse with great men, and rulers, and kings. Boast thou before the angels of God at conversing with the Holy Spirit, through the holy Scriptures. For it is the Holy Spirit that speaks through them. Therefore, be earnest in reading the holy Scriptures, and persevering in prayer. For, as often as thou dost meet God through them, so often thy body and soul is sanctified. Therefore, my brother, knowing this, be more frequent and earnest in reading them."

And for the interpretation of the word he thus directs us to the teaching of the Holy Spirit. "When thou art about to sit down and read, or to hear any one reading, pray to God first, saying, O Lord Jesus Christ, open my ears and the eyes of my heart, that I may hear thy words and understand and do thy will.. Always thus pray to God, that he may enlighten thy mind, and manifest to thee the meaning of his words. For many have erred through confidence in their understanding, and professing themselves to be wise have become fools, not understanding what was written, and have fallen into blasphemies and perished."s

Here we see what Ephrem considered to be the way to avoid error and heresy, not the taking our faith from any body of men, but from the Holy Scriptures, with earnest prayer to God to enable us rightly to understand them.

φης. Οι γαρ μη περιλαμπόμενοι τον νουν ύτο της θείας διδασκαλιας πορρω έχουσι τον έαυτων νουν από της αλήθειας. EPHREM. SYR. Adv. Gentil. error. Op. tom. vii. p. 49.

1 Διο, αδελφε μου, νηψον ασφαλώς και σπουδασον αει τη αναγνώσει προσκολλάσθαι, ἵνα σε διδάξη πως δει εκφυγείν τας παγίδας του εχθρού, και καταλαβείν την αιώνιον ζωήν. Συστέλλε γαρ ανάγνωσις των θείων γραφών τον νουν πλανωμένον, και δωρειται γνωσιν εις Θεόν. Γεγραπται γαρ. Σχολάσατε, και γνωτε ότι εγω ειμι ὁ Θεός. Ακουεις, αδελφε μου, ότι γνωσιν Θεού λαμ βάνει ὁ σχολάζων ταις θείαις γραφαις εν αληθινη καρδια. Δύο, αδελφε, μη αμέλησης της ψυχης σου, αλλά σχόλαζε τη αναγνώσει και ταις ευχαίς όπως φωτίσθη σου ή διάνοια, και όπως γένη τέλειος, και ολοκληρος, εν μηδενί λειπομένος. Αλλοι καυχώνται επί συνομιλια μεγιστάνων, αμ χοντων τε και βασιλεων. Συ δε καυχασαι εμπροσθεν των αγγελων του Θεού συνομίλων το αγίω Πνευματι δια των αγιων γραφων. Το γαρ αγιον πνευμα εστι το λάλουν δι' αυτών. Σπου δάζε ουν εντυγχάνειν ταις θειαις γραφαις και προσκαρτερείν ταις εύχαις. Όσακις γαρ εντυγχάνεις το Θεώ δι' αυτών, τοσαυτάκις αγιάζεται σου το σώμα και ψυχη. Τουτο ουν γίνωσκων, αδελφο μου, σπουδαζε πυκνοτέρως εντυγχάνειν αυταις. IDEM. De Sec. Adv. Op. tom. iii. p. 99, repeated in his Treatise, De Panoplia, tom. iii. pp. 230, 31.

2 Όταν δε μέλλης καθέστηναι και αναγνωναι, η αναγινωσκοντος ακουσαι, διηθητε πρώτον του

MACARIUS OF EGYPT (fl. a. 373.)

Our next testimony is from Macarius. Let the reader consider how far the following testimony is reconcileable with the notion that Scripture is insufficient to teach the faith. "God, the supreme king," says Macarius, "has sent the divine Scriptures as his Letter to mankind, having clearly declared by them that those who have called upon God, and believed in him, may claim and receive the heavenly gift."Are they written, then, so as to be insufficient to deliver his message?

AMBROSE (fl. a. 374.)

"He," saith Ambrose, "that is versed in the words of the Apostles, is acquainted with the commands of Jesus our Lord."" "The books of the heavenly Scriptures are good pastures, by which we are fed by daily reading, by which we are renewed and refreshed, when we taste the things that are written, or ruminate frequently upon that which has been but tasted. Upon these pastures the flock of the Lord is fattened." And a little further on, on the words, thy word is a light unto my feet," he says, "The eye of our mind is fed with the light of this spiritual lamp, which shines before us in this night of the world, lest like those who walk in darkness we should stagger with uncertain footsteps, and be unable to find the right path."

66

"That no one may err, let him follow those things by which the Holy Scripture, that we may be able to understand the Son, hath pointed him out. He is called the Word, he is called the Son, he is called the Power of God, &c."

1

Θεου, λέγων, Κύριε Ιησού Χριστέ ανοιξον τα ατα και τους οφθαλμους της καρδίας μου, του ακούσαι με των λόγων του, και συνιέναι, και ποιήσαι το θέλημα σου . . . Ούτω πάντοτε εύχου τω Θεω, όπως φωτίση σου τον νουν, και δήλωση σοι την δύναμιν των λόγων αυτού. Поллов зър επλανήθησαν θαρρησαντες τη συνέσει αυτών, και φάσκοντες είναι σοφοι εμωράνθησαν, μη νοούντες τα γεγραμμένα, και περιέπεσον εις βλασφημίας και απώλοντο. ID. Ib. p. 101. Repeated in his Treatise De Panoplia, p. 233.

1 Τας θείας γραφας ωσπερ επιστολάς απέστειλεν ὁ βασιλεὺς Θεος τοις ανθρώποις, δηλώσαι δι' αυτών, ἵνα παρακαλέσαντες τον Θεον, και πιστευσαντες αιτήσωσι και λαβωσι δωρεαν ουράνιον. MACAR. EGYPT. hom. 39. (Par. 1622. p. 203.)

2 Qui exercetur in verbis Apostolorum Jesu Domini mandata cognoscit. AMBROS. In Ps. 118. Serm. 2. § 35. tom. i. col. 993. ed. Ben.

3 Bona pascua libri sunt Scripturarum cœlestium, in quibus quotidiana lectione pascimur, in quibus recreamur ac reficimur, cum ea quæ scripta sunt degustamus, vel summo ore libata frequentius rumina nus. His pascuis grex Domini saginatur. . . . . Pascitur oculus noster interior lucernæ spiritalis lumine, quæ nobis in hac mundi nocte prælucet, ne sicut in tenebris ambulantes incertis titubemus vestigiis et viam veram invenire nequeamus. ID. In Ps. 118. Serm. 14. §§ 2, 5. i. col. 1140, 1141.

4 Certe, ne quis possit errare, sequatur ea quibus Scriptura Sancta, ut intelligere possimus Filium, significavit. Verbum dicitur, Filius dicitur Dei Virtus dicitur, etc. ID. De fide, lib. i. c. 2. ii. 447.

VOL. II.

LL

"When I consider, O august Emperor, how it is that the human race has so erred as that most, alas! follow different views respecting the Son of God, it appears by no means wonderful that human knowledge hath erred respecting heavenly things, but that it hath not rendered obedience to the Scriptures."

It required only "obedience to the Scriptures" to follow the true faith.

"In most places Paul so explains his meaning by his own words, that he who discourses on them can find nothing to add of his own; and that if he wishes to say anything must rather perform the office of a grammarian than a discourser.""

Other passages, confirmative of the same view, might easily be added.3

And of that spiritual teaching by which the meaning of the word is made known to the hearts of individuals, he speaks thus,

"Does it not sometimes happen, that when we think of anything out of the Scriptures, and cannot find its interpretation, while we doubt and seek, suddenly he [i. e. God the Word] appears to come to us over the mountains, that is, the highest doctrines, and then appearing to us as it were above the hills, illuminates our mind, that he may infuse into our understandings that which seemed difficult to us to find out? Therefore the Word, from being as it were absent, becomes present in our hearts. And, again, when anything is rather obscure to us, the Word is as it were withdrawn, and we desire' his presence as that of one who is absent; and, again appearing, he shows himself to us, and is as it were present to us in the knowledge of those things we are inquiring into. "

"God teaches and illuminates the minds of each, and pours

Consideranti mihi, Imperator Auguste, qua ratione sic erraverit genus hominum, ut de Dei Filio plerique, væ mihi. diversa sequerentur, nequaquam satis mireum videtur quia erravit humana scientia de supernis, sed quod Scripturis non detulit obedientiam. In. De fide, lib. iv. c. 1. ii. 521.

2 In plerisque ita se ipse suis exponat [i. e. Paulus] sermonibus, ut is qui trac tat, nihil inveniat quod adjiciat suum; ac si velit aliquid dicere, grammatici magis quam disputatoris fungatur munere. In. Epist. Class. 1. ep. 37. § 1. ii. 930.

3 See De Cain et Abel, lib. ii. e. 6. § 22. i 216. In Psalm. 37. Præf. § 7. i. 118. In Psalm. 118. Serm. 12. § 28. i. 1123. Ib. Serm. 22. § 19, i. 1251. Exhort. virg. c. 9. ii. 292. Epist. Class. 1. ep. 18. § 7. ii. 835.

4 Nonne cum aliquid de Scripturis cogitamus, et explanationem ejus invenire non possumus, dum dubitamus, dum quærimus, subito nobis quasi super montes altissima dogmata, videtur adscendere; deinde quasi super colles apparens nobis illu. minat mentem; ut infandat sensibus quod invenire posse difficile videbatur? Ergo quasi ex absente fit præsens Verbum in cordibus nostris. Et rursus cum aliquid nobis subobscurum est tamquam subducitur Verbum et tamquam absentis adventum desideramus; et iterum apparens ostendit se nobis, tamquam presens sit nobis in iis quæ requirimus cognoscendis. In Psalm. 118. Serm. 6. § 9. i. 1035.

into them the light of knowledge, if thou dost open the doors of thy heart, and dost give entertainment to the light of heavenly grace. When thou art in doubt, inquire diligently; for he that seeks finds, and to him that knocks it is opened. There is much obscurity in the prophetical Scriptures; but if with the hand of thy mind thou dost knock at the gate of the Scriptures, and diligently examine those things that are hidden, thou wilt begin by degrees to collect the meaning of the words; and it shall be opened to thee by no other than the Word of God, of whom thou hast read in the Apocalypse, that the Lamb opened the sealed book, &c."1

"To enable him to interpret the word, let him seek the assistance of God."2

JEROME (fl. a. 378.)

We proceed to Jerome.

"What other life can there be without the knowledge of the Scriptures, through which we become acquainted with Christ himself, who is the life of those who believe?"3.

"It is sufficient for me that I should speak so as to be understood, that disputing concerning the Scriptures, I should imitate the plainness of the Scriptures."

"Love the Holy Scriptures, and wisdom will love thee; love her, and she will preserve thee; honour her, and she will embrace thee; let these be the ornaments on thy breast and in thy ears.'

995

Again, commenting on Is. c. viii. vv. 19, &c., he says, that the meaning of the prophet was, that if they wished to know doubtful matters they must apply themselves with greater diligence to the Law and the testimonies of the Scriptures, adding, "To us

1 Docet Deus et mentes illuminat singulorum et claritatem cognitionis infundit, si tu aperias ostia cordis tui et cœlestis gratiæ recipias claritatem. Quando dubitas, diligenter inquiras: qui enim quærit, invenit, et ei qui pulsat, aperitur. Multa obscuritas est in Scripturis propheticis ; sed si manu quadam mentis tuæ Scripturarum januam pulses, et ea quæ sunt occulta, diligenter examines, paulatim incipies rationem colligere dictorum; et aperietur tibi non ab alio sed a Dei Verbo, de quo legisti in Apocalypsi quod agnus librum signatum aperuit, &c. In Psalm. cxviii. Serm. 8. § 59. i. 1078.

2 Ut verbum emolat, Deum quærat. Expos. Luc. lib. viii. § 63, i. 1486. 8 Quæ enim alia potest esse vita sine scientia Scripturarum, per quas etiam ipse Christus agnoscitur, qui est vita credentium. HIERON. Ep. ad Paulam, ep. 30. 7. tom. i. col. 149.

4 Mihi sufficit sic loqui ut intelligar, ut de Scripturis disputans Scripturarum imiter simplicitatem. ID. Ep. ad Damasum, ep. 36. § 14. i. 168.

5 Ama Scripturas sanctas, et amabit te sapientia; dilige eam, et servabit te honora illam, et amplexabitur te. Hæc monilia in pectore et in auribus tuis hæreant. ID. Ep. ad Demetriad. ep. 130. § 20. i. 997.

God hath to a greater extent given the Law and the testimonies of the Scriptures, which, if you are unwilling to follow, you will not have light, but darkness will always overwhelm you, which shall pervade your land and doctrine."

"It is the custom of the Scriptures to subjoin what is manifest to what is obscure, and openly and plainly to declare what they have before spoken enigmatically."

And as it respects the interpretation of the Scriptures, and the way in which men are led to embrace their true meaning, thus he speaks.

"Unless all things that are written are opened by him who hath the key of David, who opens and no man shuts, and shuts and no man opens, they will be opened by no other interpreter."s

"In expounding the Holy Scriptures, we always need the presence of the Spirit of God."+

"Marcion and Basilides, and the other heretics, have not the gospel of God, because they have not the Holy Spirit, without which the gospel that is taught becomes human."

975

And speaking of commentaries and commentators, he says,— "What place have commentaries? . . . . They repeat the opinions of many persons, and say, Some interpret this place in such a way, and others in such another way.' But we find no notice of the principle of traditive interpretation, on which our opponents insist.

THEOPHILUS OF ALEXANDRIA (fl. a. 385.)

For the sentiments of Theophilus of Alexandria on this matter, let us observe the force and bearing of the following passages.

1 Si vultis nosse quæ dubia sunt, magis vos Legi et testimoniis tradite Scripturarum. . . . Magis nobis Deus legem dedit ét testimonia Scripturarum, quæ si sequi nolueritis non habebitis lucem; sed semper caligo vos opprimet, quæ transibit per terram veftram atque doctrinam. I». In Is. c. 8. vv. 19, &s. iv. 126, 7, and 128.

2 Moris est Scripturarum, obscuris manifesta subnectere, et quod prius sub ænigmatibus dixerint, aperta voce proferre. I». In Is. c. 19. v. 1. iv. 201.

3 Nisi aperta fuerint universa quæ scripta sunt ab eo qui habet clavem David, qui aperit et nemo claudit, claudit et nemo aperit, nullo alio reserante pandentur. In. Ep. ad Paulin. ep. 58. § 9. i. 325, 6.

4 Semper in exponendis Scripturis sanctis illius [i. e. Spiritus Dei] indigemus adventu. In. In Micb. c. 1. vv. 10, &s. vi. 441.

5 Marcion et Basilides et cæteræ hæreticorum pestes non habent Dei evangelium, quia non habent Spiritum sanctum, sine quo humanum fit evangelium quod docetur. ID. In Galat. c. 1. vv. 11, 12. vii. 386.

6 Commentarii quid operis habent? Alterius dicta edisserunt; quæ obscure scripta sunt, plano sermone manifestant; multorum sententias replicant, et dicunt, Hunc locum quidam sic edisserunt, alii sic interpretantur, &c. ID. Contra Ruff, lib. i. § 16. ii. 471. See, also, ib. lib. iii. § 11. ii. 451..