is enjoined a salutary obedience to his commands. In which commands, as in most plentiful dishes, a spiritual supply of heavenly delights so abounds, that in the word of God there is ample provision for the perfect to eat, and ample provision for the little one to suck. For there is both the milky drink, by which the tender infancy of the faithful may be nourished, and the solid food from which the robust youth of the perfect may receive a spiritual increase of holy virtue. There provision is fully made for the salvation of those whom the Lord vouchsafes to save; there is to be found what is suitable to every age, there what is agreeable to every profession; there we hear the precepts we ought to obey, there we learn the rewards we may expect; there is the command which teaches us in the letter, and leads us to knowledge; there the promise which draws us through grace and leads us to glory."1

GREGORY (fl. a. 590.)

We conclude, as before, with the testimony of the celebrated Gregory.

"The divine word," he says, "as by its mysteries it exercises the wise, so for the most part it cherishes the

1 Dominicus sermo, quem debemus omnes non solum studiose verum etiam sapienter audire, cui nos oportet humiliter ac delectabiliter obedire, moderationis suæ tenens ubique temperiem, ut nec ovibus desint pabula nec pastoribus alimenta: quædam specialiter solis præcipit nobis, quædam vero generaliter et nobis et vobis. Nobis namque, id est servis, quos pater ille familias rerum omnium dominus, ad hoc in sua magna domo constituit, ut populo ejus verbum gratiæ ministremus, specialiter injungitur sanctæ prædicationis officium; generaliter vero nobis et vobis salutaris indicitur obedientia mandatorum. In quibus denuo mandatis, tanquam ditissimis ferculis, sic cœlestium deliciarum copia spiritalis exuberat, ut in verbo Dei abundet quod perfectus comedat, abundet etiam quod parvulus sugat. Ibi est enim simul et lacteus potus, quo tenera fidelium nutriatur infantia, et solidus cibus, quo robusta perfectorum juventus spiritalia sanctæ virtutis accipiat incrementa. Ibi prorsus ad salutem consulitur universis quos Dominus salvare dignatur; ibi est quod omni ætati congruat, ibi quod omni professioni conveniat; ibi audimus præcepta quæ faciamus, ibi cognoscimus præmia quæ speremus; ibi est jussio quæ nos per litteram doceat, et instruat ad scientiam; ibi promissio quæ per gratiam trahat et perducat ad gloriam. FULGENTI Serm. De Dispensat. Dom. Serm. 1. (Op. ed. Ven. 1742. p. 248.)

simple by that which it contains on the surface. It openly exposes that by which it may nourish the little ones, it keeps secret that by which it may hold the minds of the lofty in admiration. It is, so to speak, like a river that is smooth and deep, in which both a lamb may wade, and an elephant may swim.”1

And for its occasional obscurity he thus assigns the cause ;-" The very obscurity of the oracles of God is of great use, because it exercises the understanding, that it may be expanded by the labour, and may understand when in exercise that which it could not understand when idle. It has also another greater advantage, inasmuch as the understanding of the sacred Scripture, which, if in all points it were free from difficulty, would be held cheap, gives the mind, when found in certain more obscure passages, so much greater pleasure as in the search it fatigues the mind with greater labour." It is not "tradition," then, to which we are directed to teach us the meaning of the obscure passages, but a more careful and attentive examination of them.

Upon the strength of these testimonies, then, we maintain that the weight of patristical testimony is beyond dispute in our favour. The clearness, indeed, with which most of the Fathers have asserted the view for which we contend, makes it a matter of surprise that any one at all acquainted with their writings should venture to claim them as opposed to it.

I Divinus etenim sermo sicut mysteriis prudentes exercet, sic plerumque superficie simplices refovet. Habet in publico unde parvulos nutriat; servat in secreto unde mentes sublimium in admiratione suspendat. Quasi quidam quippe est fluvius, ut ita dixerim, planus et altus, in quo et agnus ambulet et elephas natet. GREG. M. Epist. ad Leand. præfix. ad Moral. sive Expos. in Job, tom. i. col. 5, 6.

Magnæ utilitatis est ipsa obscuritas eloquiorum Dei, quia exercet sensum, ut fatigatione dilatetur, et exercitatus capiat quod capere non posset otiosus. Habet quoque adhuc aliud majus, quia Scripturæ sacræ intelligentia, quæ si in cunctis esset aperta vilesceret, in quibusdam locis obscurioribus tanto majore dulcedine inventa reficit, quanto majore labore fatigat animum quæsita. ID. In Ezech. lib. i. hom. 6. Op. tom. i. col. 1213.

There remains, however, one more point in the system of our opponents, respecting which we have to inquire the sentiments of the Fathers; to which I now proceed.

SECT. VI.-WHETHER PATRISTICAL TRADITION IS THE GROUND UPON WHICH OUR BELIEF IN THE INSPIRATION OF SCRIPTURE MUST BE FOUNDED.

There remains for consideration the question, Upon what grounds the Fathers considered that belief in the inspiration of Scripture should rest. I have said, in a former page,1 that they did not make Church-tradition the ground for belief in this doctrine; and I shall now endeavour to show the truth of this, by citing various passages from the works of some of the most eminent among them, in which the grounds for belief in this doctrine are pointed out; and a very different view taken of the subject, to that maintained by our opponents.

JUSTIN MARTYR (fl. a. 140.)

Let us observe, first, the ground upon which Justin Martyr makes his faith in Scripture as the word of God, to rest; and which he proposes to others, as a proper foundation for their faith in it as such.

In his Dialogue with Trypho and his companions, he gives an account of the mode of his conversion; and attributes it to a conversation with an aged and venerable person, whom he had fallen in with in a solitary place, to which he had retired for the purpose of meditation. Giving the details of this conversation, he says that, when he put the question, how he might attain the knowledge of the truth, if not in philosophy, his venerable Christian instructor gave him this answer. "There were certain men, a long time since, more antient than all those called philosophers, blessed and just men, and lovers of God, 1 Vol. i. p. 468.

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who spoke under the influence of the Divine Spirit, and prophesied of things that were to come, which things are now in the course of fulfilment; and men call them prophets. These alone saw and declared to men the truth, neither regarding with undue respect, nor dreading, any one, not overcome by the desire of glory, but speaking those things only which they heard and saw, being filled with the Holy Spirit. And their books still remain to the present time; and he who reads and believes them, is very greatly improved in knowledge, respecting both the beginning and end of things, and whatever it behoves a philosopher to know. For they did not write in the way of demonstration, as being placed above the necessity of any demonstration as faithful witnesses of the truth. And the things which have come to pass, and are now happening, compel men to believe the things spoken by them. And moreover they were worthy to be believed, on account of the miracles which they wrought; since they also glorified God, the Maker of the Universe, and Father of all, and preached Christ his Son, who was sent by him; which the false prophets, influenced by a spirit of error and impurity, neither did nor do; but presume to work certain miracles to frighten men, and glorify spirits of error and devils. But pray that, above all things, the gates of light may be opened to thee. For these things are not seen nor understood by all, but only by him, to whom God and his Christ grant the knowledge of them."1 "And [adds Justin] having considered with myself his words, I

1 Εγένοντο τινες προ πολλου χρονου παντων τούτων των νομιζομενων φιλοσοφων παλαιότεροι, μακαριοι και δικαιοι, και θεοφιλείς, θείω πνεύματι λαλησαντες, και τα μέλλοντα θεσπισαντες, ἃ δη νυν γινεται προφητας δε αυτους καλουσιν· οὗτοι μονοι το αληθες και είδον και εξειπον ανθρωποις, μητ' ευλαβηθεντες μητε δυσωπηθεντες τινα, μη ήττημενοι δόξης, αλλά μόνα ταυτα ειπόντες ἃ ἤκουσαν και ἃ εἶδον, ἁγιω πληρωθέντες πνευματι συγγραμματα δε αυτών ετι και νυν διαμένει, και εστιν εντυχοντα τούτοις πλείστον ωφεληθηναι και περι αρχων και περι τελους, και ὧν χρη ειδεναι τον φιλοσοφον, πιστευσαντα εκείνοις. Ου γαρ μετα αποδείξεως πεποιηνται τότε τους λόγους, άτε ανωτέρω πασης αποδείξεως οντες αξιοπιστοι μαρτυρες της αληθειας τα δε αποβάντα και αποβαίνοντα εξαναγκάζει συντίθεσθαι τοις λελαλημε νοις δι' αυτών και τοι γε και δια τας δυνάμεις &ς επετέλουν, πιστευεσθαι δικαιοι ηταν επειδη και τον ποιητην των όλων Θεον και πατέρα εδόξαζον, και τον παρ' αυτού

found that this is the only safe and profitable philosophy; and thus, in truth, through these things, I became a philosopher. And I could wish that all having brought themselves to the same state of mind, would not stand aloof from the words of the Saviour, for they have a certain majesty in themselves, and are sufficient to alarm those who turn from the right way; and give most sweet peace to those who are conversant with them."1

It appears that Justin was more particularly directed by his instructor to the writings of the prophets, in order, no doubt, to afford him the evidence which the fulfilment of those prophecies gives to the truth of Christianity; and that in them he clearly perceived the doctrine of Christ; and this doctrine he afterwards exhibits to Trypho and his companions, by extracts from their writings. The excellence of the doctrine of the sacred writers, and the evidence afforded to it by the fulfilment of their predictions and their miracles, convinced him, when a heathen, of the divine origin of the revelations, both of the Old and New Testaments; and by showing Trypho and his companions the true meaning of the prophetical writings, and the doctrine of Christ, as contained in them, he hoped to bring them to the belief of the New.

And further on, in reply to an objection of Trypho, that he had suffered himself to be misled, he says, "I will show, if you will stay with me, that we have not believed empty fables, nor words incapable of demonstration, but

Χριστον υἱον αυτου κατηγγελλον όπερ οἱ απο του πλάνου και ακαθαρτου πνευματος εμπιπλαμενοι ψευδοπροφηται ούτε εποίησαν, ούτε ποιουσιν, αλλα δυνάμεις τινας ενεργειν εις καταπληξιν των ανθρώπων τολμωσι, και τα της πλανης πνευματα και δαιμονια δοξολογουσιν. Ευχου δε σοι προ παντων φωτος ανοιχθήναι πυλας ου γαρ συνοπτα ουδε συννοητα πασιν εστιν, ει μη τω Θεος δε συνιέναι και ὁ Χριστος αυτου. JUST. MART. Dial. cum Tryph. § 7. p. 109. (Ed. Col. pp. 224, 5.)

1 Διαλογιζόμενος τε προς εμαυτον τους λόγους αυτού, ταύτην μονην εὑρισκον φιλοσοφίαν ασφαλη τε και συμφορον, οὕτως δη και δια ταυτα φιλοσοφος εγω. Βουλοιμην δ' αν και παντας ίσον εμοι θυμον ποιησαμένους, μη αφίστασθαι των του Σωτηρος λόγων, δεος γαρ τι εχουσιν εν ἑαυτοις, και ίκανοι δυσώπησαι τους εκτρε πομένους της ορθής όδου, αναπαυσις τε ἡδιστη γινεται τοις εκμελετωσιν αυτούς. ID. ib. § 8. p. 109. (Ed. Col, p. 225.)