45. On receipt of this
letter, Diodorus made himself master of its contents, and then entered
the lists against Manes. This he did too with such spirit, that
he was commended greatly by all for the careful and satisfactory
demonstration which he gave of the fact that there is a mutual
relationship between the two testaments, and also between the two
laws.1996
| 1996 [See
p. 215, supra.] |
Discovering also more arguments for himself he was able to bring
forward many points of great pertinency and
power against the man, and
in defence of the
truth. He also reasoned in a conclusive manner
against his opponent on verbal grounds.
1997
| 1997 Ex
nominibus. The Codex Bobiensis offers the extraordinary reading,
ex navibus. |
For example, he argued with him in
the following manner:—Did you say that the testaments are
two? Well, then, say either that there are two old testaments, or
that there are two new testaments. For you assert that there are
two unbegottens
1998
belonging
to the same time, or rather
eternity: and if there are in this
way two, there should be either two old testaments or two new
testaments. If, however, you do not allow this, but
affirm, on
the contrary, that there is one old testament and that there is also
another new testament, that will only
prove again that there is but one
author for both; and the very sequence will show that the Old Testament
belongs to Him to whom also the New Testament pertains. We may
illustrate this by the case of a man who says to some other individual,
1999
| 1999 We
read, with the Codex Bobiensis, “dicat homini, Loca mihi,”
etc. The Codex Casinensis has the meaningless reading,
“homini diviti,” etc. |
Lease me your
old
house. For by such a mode of address does he not pronounce
the man to be also the owner of a new
house? Or, on the other
hand, if he says to him, Show me
2000
your new
house; does he not by that very word designate him also as the
possessor of an old
house? Then, again, this also is to be
considered, that since there are two beings, having an unbegotten
nature, it is also necessary from that to suppose each of them to have
(what must be called) an old testament, and thus there will appear to
be two old testaments; if indeed you
affirm that both these beings are
ancient, and both indeed without a beginning.
2001
| 2001 The text
of this obscure passage runs thus: “Quia ex quo duo sunt,
ingenitam habentes naturam, ex eo necesse est etiam habere unumquemque
ipsorum vetus Testamentum, et fient duo vetera Testamenta; si tamen
ambos antiquos et sine initio esse dicis.” The Codex
Bobiensis gives a briefer but evidently corrupt reading:
“ex quo duo sunt ingenita habentes naturam ipsorum Testamentum,
et fient,” etc. |
But I have not
learned doctrine like
that; neither do the Scriptures contain it. You, however, who
allege that the
law of
Moses comes from the
prince of
evil, and not
from the good
God, tell me who those were who withstood
Moses to the
face—I mean Jamnes and Mambres?
2002
| 2002
Jamnem dico et Mambrem. [So in Vulg., except
“Jannes.”] |
For, every object that withstands,
withstands not itself, but some other one, either better or worse; as
Paul also gives us to understand when he writes in the following terms
in his second
Epistle to Timothy: “As Jamnes and Mambres
withstood
Moses, so have these also
resisted the
truth: men of
corrupt mind,
reprobate concerning the
faith. But they shall
proceed no further: for their
folly is manifest unto all men, as
theirs also was.”
2003
Do you observe how he compares Jamnes
and Mambres to men of
corrupt mind, and
reprobate concerning the
faith;
while he likens
Moses, on the other
hand, to the
truth? But the
holy John, the greatest of the
evangelists, also tells us of the giving
and diffusing of
grace for
grace;
2004
| 2004
Gratiam gratia præstare et differre. John i. 16. |
for he indicates, indeed, that we have
received the
law of
Moses out of the fulness of
Christ, and he means
that for that one
grace this other
grace has been made
perfect in us
through
Jesus Christ. It was also to show this to be the case
that our
Lord Jesus Christ Himself spake in these terms:
“Do not think that I will
accuse you to the
Father: there
is one that accuseth you, even
Moses, in whom ye
hope. For had ye
believed
Moses, ye would indeed have believed me: for he wrote of
me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my
words?”
2005
And besides
all these words, there are still many other passages that might be
adduced both from the
Apostle Paul and from the Gospels, by which we
are able to
prove that the old law belongs to no other one than that
Lord to whom also the new testament appertains, and which it would suit
us very well to set forth, and to make use of in a satisfactory
manner.
2006
| 2006 The
Codex Bobiensis gives, “exponere et a Patre ut
convenit.” For these meaningless words Valesius proposed to
read, “exponere et aperire ut convenit.” The Codex
Casinensis, however, offers the satisfactory reading, “exponere
et aptare convenit.” |
Now, however,
the evening prevents us from doing so; for the day is drawing to its
close, and it is right that we should now bring our disputation to an
end. But an opportunity will be given you to-morrow to put
questions to us on any points you are pleased to take up. And
after these words they went their way.
2007
| 2007 Here
ends the section edited by Valesius. |
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