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| Chapter XXVI.—The treasure hid in the Scriptures is Christ; the true exposition of the Scriptures is to be found in the Church alone.
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Chapter XXVI.—The treasure hid in the
Scriptures is Christ; the true exposition of the Scriptures is to be found in
the Church alone.
1. If any one, therefore, reads the
Scriptures with attention, he will find in them an account of Christ, and
a foreshadowing of the new calling (vocationis). For Christ is the
treasure which was hid in the field,4149
that
is, in this world (for “the field is the world”4150
); but the treasure hid in the Scriptures is
Christ, since He was pointed out by means of types and parables. Hence
His human nature could not4151
| 4151 Harvey cancels “non,” and reads the sentence
interrogatively. | be understood, prior to the consummation of
those things which had been predicted, that is, the advent of Christ. And
therefore it was said to Daniel the prophet: “Shut up the words,
and seal the book even to the time of consummation, until many learn, and
knowledge be completed. For at that time, when the dispersion shall be
accomplished, they shall know all these things.”4152
But Jeremiah also says, “In the last days they shall
understand these things.”4153
For
every prophecy, before its fulfilment, is to men [full of] enigmas and
ambiguities. But when the time has arrived, and the prediction has come
to pass, then the prophecies have a clear and certain exposition. And for
this reason, indeed, when at this present time the law is read to the
Jews, it is like a fable; for they do not possess the explanation of all
things pertaining to the advent of the Son of God, which took place in
human nature; but when it is read by the Christians, it is a treasure,
hid indeed in a field, but brought to light by the cross of Christ, and
explained, both enriching the understanding of men, and
showing forth the wisdom of God and declaring His dispensations with
regard to man, and forming the kingdom of Christ beforehand, and
preaching by anticipation the inheritance of the holy Jerusalem, and
proclaiming beforehand that the man who loves God shall arrive at such
excellency as even to see God, and hear His word, and from the hearing of
His discourse be glorified to such an extent, that others cannot behold
the glory of his countenance, as was said by Daniel: “Those who do
understand, shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and many of
the righteous4154
| 4154 The Latin
is “a multis justis,” corresponding to the Greek version of
the Hebrew text. If the translation be supposed as corresponding to the
Hebrew comparative, the English equivalent will be, “and above
(more than) many righteous.” | as the stars for ever and
ever.”4155
Thus, then, I have shown it
to be,4156
| 4156 The text and
punctuation are here in great uncertainty, and very different views of
both are taken by the editors. | if any one read the
Scriptures. For thus it was that the Lord discoursed with the disciples
after His resurrection from the dead, proving to them from the Scriptures
themselves “that Christ must suffer, and enter into His glory, and
that remission of sins should be preached in His name throughout all the
world.”4157
And the disciple will be perfected, and [rendered] like the householder,
“who bringeth forth from his treasure things new and
old.”4158
| 4158
Matt. xiii. 52. [I must express my delight in the
great principle of exposition here unfolded. The Old Scriptures are a
night-bound wilderness, till Christ rises and illuminates them, glorying
alike hill and dale, and, as this author supposes, every shrub and
flower, also, making the smallest leaf with its dewdrops glitter like the
rainbow.] |
2. Wherefore it is incumbent to obey the
presbyters who are in the Church,—those who, as I have shown,
possess the succession from the apostles; those who, together with the
succession of the episcopate, have received the certain gift of truth,
according to the good pleasure of the Father. But [it is also incumbent]
to hold in suspicion others who depart from the primitive succession, and
assemble themselves together in any place whatsoever, [looking upon them]
either as heretics of perverse minds, or as schismatics puffed up and
self-pleasing, or again as hypocrites, acting thus for the sake of lucre
and vainglory. For all these have fallen from the truth. And the
heretics, indeed, who bring strange fire to the altar of God—
namely, strange doctrines—shall be burned up by the fire from
heaven, as were Nadab and Abiud.4159
But such
as rise up in opposition to the truth, and exhort others against the
Church of God, [shall] remain among those in hell (apud inferos),
being swallowed up by an earthquake, even as those who were with Chore,
Dathan, and Abiron.4160
But those who cleave asunder, and
separate the unity of the Church, [shall] receive from God the same
punishment as Jeroboam did.4161
3. Those, however, who are believed to be presbyters by
many, but serve their own lusts, and, do not place the fear of God
supreme in their hearts, but conduct themselves with contempt towards
others, and are puffed up with the pride of holding the chief seat, and
work evil deeds in secret, saying, “No man sees us,” shall be
convicted by the Word, who does not judge after outward appearance
(secundum gloriam), nor looks upon the countenance, but the heart;
and they shall hear those words, to be found in Daniel the prophet:
“O thou seed of Canaan, and not of Judah, beauty hath deceived
thee, and lust perverted thy heart.4162
Thou that
art waxen old in wicked days, now thy sins which thou hast committed
aforetime are come to light; for thou hast pronounced false judgments,
and hast been accustomed to condemn the innocent, and to let the guilty
go free, albeit the Lord saith, The innocent and the righteous shalt thou
not slay.”4163
Of whom also did the Lord say: “But if the evil servant
shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming, and shall begin to
smite the man-servants and maidens, and to eat and drink and be drunken;
the lord of that servant shall come in a day that he looketh not for him,
and in an hour that he is not aware of, and shall cut him asunder, and
appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.”4164
4. From all such persons, therefore, it behoves us to
keep aloof, but to adhere to those who, as I have already observed, do
hold the doctrine of the apostles, and who, together with the order of
priesthood (presbyterii ordine), display sound speech and
blameless conduct for the confirmation and correction of others.4165
| 4165 [Contrast this spirit of a
primitive Father, with the state of things which Wiclif rose up to
purify, five hundred years ago.] | In this way, Moses, to whom
such a leadership was entrusted, relying on a good conscience, cleared
himself before God, saying, “I have not in covetousness taken
anything belonging to one of these men, nor have I done evil to one of
them.”4166
In this way, too, Samuel,
who judged the people so many years, and bore rule over Israel without
any pride, in the end cleared himself, saying, “I have walked
before you from my childhood even unto this day: answer me in the sight
of God, and before His anointed (Christi ejus); whose ox or whose
ass of yours have I taken, or over whom have I tyrannized, or whom have I
oppressed? or if I have received from the hand of any a bribe or [so much
as] a shoe, speak out
against me, and I will restore it to
you.”4167
And when the people had said to him,
“Thou hast not tyrannized, neither hast thou oppressed us neither
hast thou taken ought of any man’s hand,” he called the Lord
to witness, saying, “The Lord is witness, and His Anointed is
witness this day, that ye have not found ought in my hand. And they said
to him, He is witness.” In this strain also the Apostle Paul,
inasmuch as he had a good conscience, said to the Corinthians: “For
we are not as many, who corrupt the Word of God: but as of sincerity, but
as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ;”4168
“We have injured no man, corrupted no
man, circumvented no man.”4169
5. Such presbyters does the Church nourish, of whom
also the prophet says: “I will give thy rulers in peace, and thy
bishops in righteousness.”4170
Of whom
also did the Lord declare, “Who then shall be a faithful steward
(actor), good and wise, whom the Lord sets over His household, to
give them their meat in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his
Lord, when He cometh, shall find so doing.”4171
Paul then, teaching us where one may find
such, says, “God hath placed in the Church, first, apostles;
secondly, prophets; thirdly, teachers.”4172
Where, therefore, the gifts of the Lord have been placed, there
it behoves us to learn the truth, [namely,] from those who possess that
succession of the Church which is from the apostles,4173
| 4173 [Note the limitation; not the succession
only, but with it (1) pure morality and holiness and (2) unadulterated
testimony. No catholicity apart from these.] | and among whom
exists that which is sound and blameless in conduct, as well as that
which is unadulterated and incorrupt in speech. For these also preserve
this faith of ours in one God who created all things; and they increase
that love [which we have] for the Son of God, who accomplished such
marvellous dispensations for our sake: and they expound the Scriptures to
us without danger, neither blaspheming God, nor dishonouring the
patriarchs, nor despising the prophets.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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