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| First, the Sense of the Writer is to Be Discovered, Then that is to Be Brought Out Which Divine Truth Intended.
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Chapter XXXII.—First, the Sense
of the Writer is to Be Discovered, Then that is to Be Brought Out
Which Divine Truth Intended.
43. Finally, O Lord, who art God, and not flesh and
blood, if man doth see anything less, can anything lie hid from “Thy good
Spirit,” who shall “lead me into the land of uprightness,”1166
which Thou
Thyself, by those words, wert about to reveal to future readers,
although he through whom they were spoken, amid the many
interpretations that might have been found, fixed on but one?
Which, if it be so, let that which he thought on be more exalted
than the rest. But to us, O Lord, either point out the same, or any
other true one which may be pleasing unto Thee; so that whether
Thou makest known to us that which Thou didst to that man of Thine,
or some other by occasion of the same words, yet Thou mayest feed
us, not error deceive us.1167
| 1167 Augustin, as we have seen (see notes, pp. 65 and
92), was frequently addicted to allegorical interpretation, but he,
none the less, laid stress on the necessity of avoiding obscure and
allegorical passages when it was necessary to convince the opponent
of Christianity (De Unit. Eccl. ch. 5). It should also be
noted that, however varied the meaning deduced from a doubtful
Scripture, he ever maintained that such meaning must be sacræ
fidei congruam. Compare De Gen. ad Lit. end of book i.;
and ibid. viii. 4 and 7. See also notes, pp. 164 and 178,
above. | Behold, O Lord my God, how many
things we have written concerning a few words,—how many, I
beseech Thee! What strength of ours, what ages would suffice for
all Thy books after this manner? Permit me, therefore, in these
more briefly to confess unto Thee, and to select some one true,
certain, and good sense, that Thou shall inspire, although many
senses offer themselves, where many, indeed, I may; this being the
faith of my confession, that if I should say that which Thy
minister felt, rightly and profitably, this I should strive for;
the which if I shall not attain, yet I may say that which Thy Truth
willed through Its words to say unto me, which said also unto him
what It willed.
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