spect injured; but by the other [i. e. Scripture being indited in superior language] the greater part of the world would have been injured; and if it behoved it to consider the few, it more especially behoved it to consider the many and since it has considered all, it is clearly shown to be divine and heavenly." "The sacred and heavenly oracles, since they were spoken and written for the benefit of all mankind, were expressed in plain language. All those who are engaged in husbandry, and the arts, and other occupations of life, derive profit from its clearness; learning both what is proper and what is just and what is useful in a moment of time." And, lastly, he says,-" If all things were plain, where should we make use of our understanding, there not being any investigation to make? But if all things were obscure, thus also we should fall, there being no discovery of the truth. But now, through those parts that are plain, those that are obscure are in a manner understood." 978 THEODORET (fl. a. 423.) We pass on to one of the most learned of the Greek Fathers, Theodoret; from whom we have the following testimonies as to the suitability and power of Scripture to teach the faith. "The divine Scripture," he says, "is accustomed to accommodate its lesssons to those who are to be instructed; and to the perfect, to offer that which is perfect; and to the ignorant, elementary points and things suited to their ability." "The divine Scripture accommodates its language to men; and orders its words so that they may be able to understand." 995 "Some persons having become affected with this disease of 1 Ει δε ή αληθεια τη καλλιέπεια συναφθείη, δύναται μεν τους πεπαιδευμένους ωφελήσαι, τους δε άλλοις άπασιν άχρηστος εσται και ανωφέλης. Δι' ὁ και η γραφη την αλήθειαν πέξω λόγω ήρ μηνευσεν, ἵνα και ιδίωται και σοφοι και παίδες και γυναίκες μαθοιεν. Εκ μεν γαρ τούτου οἱ μεν σοφοι ουδεν παραβλάπτονται εκ εκείνου το πλέον της οικουμένης μερος προεβλαβη αν τινων συνέχρην φροντίσαι, μάλιστα μεν των πλειόνων. Επειδαν δε και πάντων εφρόντισεν, δεικνυται λαμπρως θεία ουσα και ουράνιος. Ib. lib. iv. Ep. 67. p. 449. 2 Οι ίεμοι και ουράνιοι χρησμοί, επειδαν προς ωφέλειαν πάσης της ανθρωποτητος ερρέθησαν και αγράφησαν, τη σαφήνεια εκράθησαν · · · παντες οἱ γεωργίαις και τέχναις και ταις άλλαις αστ χόλιαις του βίου σχολάζοντες, ωφελούνται εκ της σαφήνειας και το πρέπον και το συμφέρον εν ακαριαία καιρου ροπη μανθάνοντες. ib. lib. iv. Ep. 91. p. 461. 3 Ει μεν γαρ παντα ην δηλα, που τη συνέσει εχρησαμεθα, μη ουσης ζητήσεως, ει δε παντα άδηλα, και ούτως αναπεπτωκειμεν αν. μη ούσης εὑρέσεως· νυν δε δια των δήλων και τα άδηλα το πον τινα καταλαμβάνεται. Ib. lib. iv. Εp. 82. p. 458. 4 Μετρειν ειωθε τοις παιδευομενοις ή θεία γραφή τα μαθηματα· και τοις μεν τελείοις προσφέρειν τα τέλεια, τοις ατέλεσι δε τα στοιχειώδη, και τη σφων δυνάμει συμβαίνοντα. THEODORET. Quæst. in Gen. q. 1. tom. i. p. 3. 6 Προσφόρως τοις ανθρωποις ή θεία γραφη διαλέγεται και ως ακουων δύνανται μετασχημα τίζω τους λόγους. Ib. ib. q. 52. tom. i. p. 65. 6 mind, have undertaken to accuse the divine Scripture, and especially the prophecies, as if they were obscure. To whom the divine Paul would say, ' But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost; for we speak wisdom among them that are perfect.' And agreeable to these are the words spoken by our Master and Saviour to the holy Apostles, To you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom, but to them it is not given.' And teaching them the cause of this he directly adds, For seeing they see not, and hearing they do not understand;' for they, saith he, willingly draw upon themselves the cloud of ignorance; for if they had turned to the Lord, as the divine Apostle says, the veil would be removed. Therefore the divine oracles are not obscure to all, but only to those who are willingly blind. . . . . . . LET NO ONE THEREFORE, AND ESPECIALLY AMONG THE PUPILS OF PIETY, BE SO BOLD AGAINST THE DIVIVE SPIRIT AS TO CHARGE HIS WORDS WITH OBSCURITY; but earnestly seeking to understand the sacred words, let him exclaim with the divine David, 'Open thou mine eyes, and I shall behold wondrous things out of thy law. For he who seeks this knowledge for his profit shall assuredly obtain his request." And he gives the following reason for the occasional obscurity of Scripture." There are occasions when the divine revelations are spoken and written ænigmatically, that those things which are revealed to the saints may not be manifest to all. For thus, if they were equally discerned by all, they would become objects of contempt." 999 Further, he says,-" For the things of which we are ignorant we learn from the inspired Scripture." Again; "For as great as is the difference between God and the devil, so great is the difference between the teaching of God 1 Ταυτη περιπεσοντες τη νόσω τίνες της θείας γραφης κατηγορείν επεχείρησαν, διαφέροντας δε των προφητικών θεσπισμάτων ως ασάφεια κεκαλυμμένων. Προς ούς αν εικοτως ὁ θεσπεσιος ωποι Παύλος" εἰ δε και εστι κεκαλυμμένον το ευαγγελιον ήμων, εν τοις απολλυμένοις εστι με καλυμμένον σοφίαν γαρ λαλούμεν ἐν τελείοις. Συμφωνει δε τουτοις και τα ύπο του Δεσποτου και Σωτήρος ήμων προς τους αγίους Αποστόλους ειρημένα. Ύμιν δέδοται γνωναι τα μυστηρια της βασιλείας, εκείνοις δε ου δέδοται και την αιτίαν διδασκων ευθυς επαγει. Ότι βλέποντες ου βλέπουσι, και ακουοντες ου συνιυσιν· αυτοί γαρ φησιν έκοντες επισπωνται της άγνοιας το νέφος εαν γαρ επιστρέψωσι προς Κυριον, η φησιν ο θείος Αποστολος, περιαιρείται το κάλυμμα. Ου τοίνυν πασιν εστιν ασαφή τα θέμα, αλλά τοις εθελουσίως τυφλώττουσιν . . .. τοίνυν, και μάλιστα των της ευσέβειας τροφίμων, κατα του θεου Πνευματος θρασύνεσθω, τους τουτου λόγοις ασάφειαν επιμεμφομενος, αλλά νοήσαι τους ιερους εφιέμενος λόγους μετα του θεσπεσίου βοατω Δαβίδ. αποκαλυψον τους οφθαλμους μου, και κατανοησω τα θαυμασια εκ του νόμου σου· τεύξεται γαρ παντως της αιτήσεως, επ' αφέλεια την γνωσιν επαγγειλας. ID. in Ezech. Præf. tom. ii. pp. 670-2. Μηδεις 2 Αινιγματωδως δε εστιν ότε τα θεια λεγεται και γράφεται, ίνα μη πασιν η δηλα τα τοις αγιοις αποκαλυπτομενα· ούτω γαρ αν ευκαταφρόνητα εγεγονει όμοιας ύπο παντων γνωριζομενα. Ip. in Dan. c. 9. tom. ii. p. 1238. 3 Α γαρ αγνοουμεν, εκείθεν [i. e. εκ θεοπνεύστου γραφής ] μανθανομον. ID. in 2 Tim. iii. 16. tom. iii. p. 691. and that of the devil. And the beauty of the divine oracles sending forth the beams of a light suited to the faculties of man, when compared with those fables, will more clearly show this."1 And throughout the work from which this extract is taken, viz. that on heretical fables, as well as in other places, he continually refers to the divine Scripture, and to that only, as his teacher in the doctrines he inculcates. Again; he says,-" For all the preachers of the truth, the prophets and apostles I mean, were not possessed of the Grecian eloquence, but being full of the true wisdom brought to all the heathen, both Greeks and barbarians, the divine doctrine, and filled the whole earth and sea with their writings concerning virtue and piety. And now all men have left the follies of the philosophers and take delight in the lessons of fishermen and publicans, and reverence the writings of a shoemaker. They are acquainted with Matthew and Bartholomew and James, nay, moreover, with Moses and David and Isaiah, and the rest of the Apostles and Prophets, as familiarly as with the names of their children. And straightway they laugh at their names as barbarous. But we lament over their madness; in that, seeing the Grecian eloquence overcome by men of a barbarous tongue, and their beautifully composed fables altogether put to flight, and the Attic syllogisms destroyed by the solecisms of fishermen, they do not blush nor hide themselves, but impudently fight for their error ... But we clearly demonstrate the power of the apostolical and prophetical doctrines, for all places under the sun are full of these discourses. . . . And we may see not only the teachers of the Church acquainted with these doctrines, but even shoemakers and smiths and workers in wool, and other handy-craftsmen, and in like manner women, not only the educated, but also those who work for their living, both needle-women and moreover servantgirls. And not only those who live in cities, but also those who live in the country, have obtained this knowledge. And you may fiad even ditchers and herdsmen and gardeners conversing respecting the divine Trinity, and concerning the creation of the universe, and knowing much more of human nature than Aristotle and Plato; and, moreover, having a regard for virtue and avoiding vice, and fearing the looked-for punishments, and awaiting without doubts the divine tribunal, and philosophizing respecting the life that is eternal and indestructible, and for the sake of the kingdom of heaven gladly undertaking every kind 1. Όσον γαρ Θεου και διαβολου το μεσον, τοσαυτη της του Όσιου και διαβολου διδασκαλίας διαφορα· και τουτο δείξει σαφέστερον τοις μυθοις εκείνοις παρατιθέμενον των θείων λογίων το καλλος, τας του νερου φωτος εκπεμπον μαρμαρυγας, ID. Hær. Fab. lib. v. Præf. tom. iv. p. 377. of labour, and WHO HAVE LEARNT THESE THINGS FROM NO ONE ELSE BUT FROM THOSE WHOM YOU CALL BARBARIAN-TONGUED." 991 Again, in one of his Letters, he says,-"For the sake of this we are accustomed from our cradles to meditate upon the sacred Scripture, and draw from it as from a breast, that when affliction comes upon us we may apply the Spirit's teaching as a healing medicine."" Lastly, in the sermons attributed by some to Theodore t, but by others to Eutherius, we meet with the following passage. Speaking of those who neglected the study of the Scriptures, the writer adds," But we, confiding in the truth of the mystery, and in the aid of him who cannot lie, who says, 'Every one that seeketh findeth,' both seek as we ought, and find what we ought, and speak with demonstration, and hear with a sincere purpose of mind, so that we may persuade those that belong to us, and convince our adversaries, and enrich ourselves by the search, and not propose inconsistent doctrine. Shall I neglect the Scriptures ? Whence then shall I obtain knowledge? Shall I relinquish knowledge? Whence, then, shall I obtain faith? .. The Scripture is the food of the soul. . . . By the holy Scriptures is the manifestation of things hidden, the establishment of our hopes, the fulfilment of the promises, the discovery of the Saviour. But they who desire to be themselves the judges of their own doctrines, drive us from the Scriptures, under the pretext of not being presumptuous, as if they were incomprehensible, ... 1 Και γαρ άπαντες της αλήθειας οἱ κηρυκες, προφηται φημι και αποστολοι, της μεν Ελληνι της ου μετέλαχον ευγλωττίας εμπλεοί δε της αληθινης οντές σοφίας, πασι τοις εθνεσι, και ελλη νίκοις και βαρβαρικοις την θειαν διδασκαλίαν προσηνεγκαν και πασαν γην και θαλασσαν των αρθ της περί και ευσέβειας ξυγγραμμάτων ενέπλησαν. Και νυν απαντες, των φιλοσοφων τους ληρους καταλιπόντες, τοῖς των αλιέων και τελωνων εντρυφωσι μαθήμασι, και τα του σκυτοτόμου ξυγ γράμματα περιάγουσι . ... Τον Ματθαιον και τον βαρθολομαιον και τον Ιακωβον, και μέντοι τον Μωυσέα, και τον Δαβίδ, και τον Ησαίαν, και τους άλλους αποστολους τε και προφητας, ούτως ισασιν ως τας των παίδων προσηγορίας. Αυτικά τοίνυν και κωμωδούσιν ως βαρβαρα τα ονοματα ημεις δε αυτών την εμπληξίαν ολοφυρόμεθα ότι δη όμωντες βαρβαροφώνους ἀνθρώπους την ελληνικήν ευγλωττίαν νενικηκοτας, και τους κεκομψευμένους μύθους παντελως εξεληλαμένους, και τους αλιευτικους σολοικισμούς τους αττικους καταλελυκότας ξυλλογισμούς, ουκ ερυθριουσιν, ουδ' εγκαλύπτονται, αλλ' αναιδὴν ὑπερμάχουσι της πλάνης. Ήμεις δε των αποστολικών και προφητικών δογμάτων το κράτος εναργώς επιδεικνυμεν· πασα γὰρ ἡ ὕφηλιος τώνδε των λόγων αναπλέως. . . . Και εστιν ιδειν ταυτα ειδότας τα δόγματα, ου μόνους γε της εκκλησίας τους δίδα σκάλους, αλλά και σκυτοτόμους, και χαλκοτύπους, και ταλασιουργούς, και τους άλλους αποχει βεβίωτους και γυναίκας ωσαύτως, ου μόνον τας λογων μετεσχηκυίας, αλλά και χερνητιδας, και ακιστρίδας, και μεντοι και θεραπαινας· και ου μόνον αστοί αλλά και χωρητικοί τηνδε την γνωσιν εσχήκασι, και έστιν εύρειν και σκαπανέας, και βοηλάτας, και φυτουργούς περί της θείας διαλεγομε τους Τριάδος, και περί της των όλων δημιουργίας, και την ανθρώπειαν φυσιν ειδότας Αριστοτέλους πολλώ μάλλον και Πλάτωνος· και μέντοι και αρετής επιμελουμένους, και κακίαν εκκλίνοντας, και τα κολαστήρια δεδιότας τα προσδοκωμενα, και το θειον δικαστήριον ανενδοιάστως προσμένοντας, και της αιωνίου περί και ανωλεθμού φιλοσοφούντας ζωης, και των ουμάνων ένεκα βασιλείας πανιά πονον ασπασίως αιρουμένους και ταυτα, ου παρ' άλλου του μεμαθηκότας, αλλά παρ' εκείνων ούς όμως βαρβαροφωνους αποκαλείτε. ID. Græc affeck Curatio. Disp. 5. tom. iv. pp. 837–41. 2 Τούτου γαρ δη χάριν ευθύς εκ σπαργανων οἷον τινα θηλων ελκομεν της έδρας γραφης την με λύτην, ἵν' ὅταν ἡμιν πρόσπεση παθος, προσενέγκωμεν αλεξικακον φάρμακον την διδασκαλίαν του Πνευμάτος. ID. Epist. 14. tom. iv. p. 1072. but in reality in order to avoid being convicted by them of their own false doctrine."1 you. FULGENTIUS OF RUSPA (fl. a. 507.) "The word of the Lord," says Fulgentius, "which we all ought to hear not only attentively but wisely, and which we ought to obey with humility and delight, everywhere preserving the balance of its moderation, so that neither the sheep might be without pasture, nor the shepherds without food, gives some commands specially to us alone, and some generally both to us and For to us, that is the servants whom that Father of the family, the Lord of all things, has appointed for this purpose in his great house, that we should minister the word of grace to his people, is specially enjoined the duty of holy preaching; but generally both to us and you there 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 Ημως θαρρούντες τη αληθεία του μυστηρίου, και τη βοήθεια του αψευδους είποντος, Πας ὁ ζητων εὑρισκει, και ξητουμεν ως δεί, και εὑρισκομεν α δει, και μετα αποδείξεως λεγομεν, και μετα προθέσεως γνησίας ακουομεν, ως και τους οικείους πείθειν, και τους εναντίους ελέγχειν, και μας αυτους δια της ερεύνης κερδαίνειν, και μη ασύστατον πράγμα δεικνύειν. Αμελησα γρα φων ; ποθεν ουν ή γνωσις. Καταλείψω γνωσιν ; ποθεν ἡ πίστις . . Τροφη ψυχης ή γραφή. Εκ των αγίων γραφων ή των αδήλων φανέρωσις, ή των ελπίδων βεβαίωσις, ή των ύποσο χεσεων εκβασις, ή του Σωτηρος εύρεσις. Ἀλλ ̓ οἱ βουλομενοι τα ἑαυτων κρίνειν απείργουσι των γράφων, προφάσει μεν του μη κατατέλμαν ως απρόσιτων· τη δε αληθεία ύπερ του φευγειν τον εξ αυτών ελεγχον της οικείας κακοδοξίας. ΤHEODOR. seu EUTHERII Serm. 2. tom. v. pp. 1124-6. This homily has been attributed to Athanasius. See Athanas. Op. ed. Ben. tom. ii. pp. 562, 3. ed. Col. tom. ii. pp. 295, 6. 2 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, |