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| The Research After Definite Truth Enjoined on Us. When We Have Discovered This, We Should Be Content. PREVIOUS SECTION - NEXT SECTION - HELP
Chapter
IX.—The Research After Definite Truth Enjoined on Us. When We
Have Discovered This, We Should Be Content.
I now purposely1956 relinquish
this ground of argument. Let it be granted, that the words,
“Seek, and ye shall find,” were addressed to all men
(equally). Yet even here one’s aim is1957
carefully to determine1958 the sense of the
words1959 consistently with1960
(that reason),1961 which is the
guiding principle1962
1962 Gubernaculo. See
Irenæus, ii. 46, for a similar view (Rigalt.). Surely
Dodgson’s version, if intelligible in itself even, incorrectly
represents Tertullian’s sense. | in all
interpretation. (Now) no divine saying is so unconnected1963 and diffuse, that its words only
are to be insisted on, and their connection left undetermined.
But at the outset I lay down (this position) that there is some one,
and therefore definite, thing taught by Christ, which the Gentiles are
by all means bound to believe, and for that purpose to
“seek,” in order that they may be able, when they have
“found” it, to believe. However,1964
there can be no indefinite seeking for that which has been taught as
one only definite thing. You must “seek” until you
“find,” and believe when you have found; nor have you
anything further to do but to keep what you have believed provided you
believe this besides, that nothing else is to be believed, and
therefore nothing else is to be sought, after you have found and
believed what has been taught by Him who charges you to seek no other
thing than that which He has taught.1965 When, indeed,
any man doubts about this, proof will be forthcoming,1966 that we have in our possession1967 that which was taught by Christ.
Meanwhile, such is my confidence in our proof, that I anticipate it, in
the shape of an admonition to certain persons, not “to
seek” anything beyond what they have believed—that this is
what they ought to have sought, how to avoid1968
interpreting, “Seek, and ye shall find,” without regard to
the rule of reason.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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