but climbeth up some other way, he is a thief and a robber.” Behold the marks of the thief. First, that he does not enter with confidence; secondly, that he does not enter by the Scriptures. For this is not entering by the gate. And there he hints at those who preceded him, as well as those that should be after him ; both the Antichrist, the false Christs, and Judas, and Theudas, and all others whatsoever of that sort, and he ftly called the Scriptures the gate. For they bring us to God, and they bring in the knowledge of God. They make the sheep, they guard them, and they permit not the wolves to enter in upon them. For like a safe gate, it shuts out the entrance of heretics, placing us in safety with respect to all things which we desire, and not allowing us to err. And unless we destroy this, we shall not be easily taken by our enemies and by this those who are shepherds, as we shall all know, as well those who are not. But what is meant by entering into the fold? Entering into the sheep, and their superintendence. For he who does not use the Scriptures, but goes up by another way, that is to say, who cuts out for himself a way which is not appointed, he is a thief. Ignorance of the Scriptures is the origin of all error. Chrys. in Epist. ad Coloss. c. iii. Hom. ix. p. 223. tom. xii. (Editio ut supra.) Ο λογος του Χριστου ενοικειτω εν υμιν πλουσίως, κ.τ.λ. Ενοικείτω, φησιν, εν υμιν "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly." Let it dwell in you richly, he πλουσίως, μη απλως, αλλα μετα says, not simply, (let it dwell in you) but with much abundance. Listen as many of πολλης της περιουσίας. Ακου σατε όσοι εστε κοσμικοι, και γυ ναικος και παιδων προίστασθε, πως και υμιν επιτρέπει μαλιστα τας γραφας αναγινωσκειν. Και ουχ απλως, ουδε ως ετυχεν, αλλα μετα πολλης της σπουδης. you as are men of the world and govern wife and children, how he enjoins you especially to read the Scriptures, and not simply to read them, and accidentally, but with great earnestness. Hear I beseech you all ye who lead a domestic life, and obtain books which are medicines for the soul. If will ye have nothing else, at least possess the New Testament, the Acts of the Apostles and the Gospels, as perpetual instructors. If affliction should come upon you, look into them as into a storehouse of medicines. Take comfort thence against the evil, whether it be 10ss, or death, or bereavement of your domestics. Or rather do not look into them, but partake of all, and retain them in your mind. Ignorance of the Scriptures is the cause of all evils. We go unarmed to the battle, and in what manner must we be saved? We must be content to be saved with these, we cannot be without them. Do not throw every thing upon us. The Scriptures the great safeguard against error. Chrys. in Epist. ad Heb. c. v. Hom. viii. p. 774. tom. xxi. (Editio ut supra.) Πρωτη μεν παντων αίρεσις, η θον ειναι νομισωμεν. Καθα- ου The first of all heresies was that of Marcion. For that introduced a God who did not exist. Behold an addition (to the truth). After that came the heresy of Sabellius which affirmed that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost were one person. Then the heresy of Marcellus and Photinus, which also lends its sanction to the same things. Then the heresy of Paul of Samos, which affirmed that Christ derived his beginning from Mary. Then the heresy of the Manicheans; and this is after all the rest. After that the heresy of Arius. There are others also, and therefore we have received the faith, that we should not enter upon a thousand heresies and be troubled with them, but whatever any one should undertake to add or take away, we should consider that as spurious. For as those who give rules, need nothunt about for a thousand measures, but they order you to attend to the one which is given ; thus is it with doctrines. But no one is willing to attend to αρκεσαι δυναται, αλλα και την παραστατην διαφυλαξαι, και της των πολεμιων βλαβης ελευθερωσαι. Νυν δε ουδε οτι γραφαι εισιν ισασι τινες. Και του το πνευμα το αγιον τοσαυτα ωκονο μησεν, ώστε αυτας φυλαχθηναι. Και ορατε ανωθεν, ινα μαθητε του Θεου τον αφατον φιλανθρωπιαν. Ενέπνευσε τω μακαριω Μωσει, τας πλακας εκόλαψε, κατέσχεν αυτόν τεσσαρακοντα ημερας επι του ορους, και παλιν τοσαυτα ετέρας, ωστε δουναι τον νομον. Μετα δε ταυτα προφητας επεμψε μυρια παθοντας δεινα. Επηλθε πολεμος, ανειλον παντας, κατέκοψαν, ενεπρήσθησαν αι βιβλιοι. Ετέρω παλιν ανδρι θαυμαστω ενεπνευσεν, ώστε αυτας εκθεσθαι, τω Εσδρα, λεγω, και από λειψανων συντεθηναι εποίησε. Μετα δε τουτο ωκονομησεν ερμηνευθηναι αυτας υπο των εβδομης κοντα. [Ερμηνευσαν εκεινοι.] Παρεγένετο ο Χριστος, δέχεται αυτας, οι αποστολοι εις παντας αυτας διασπείρουσι. Σημεία εποίησε και θαυματα ο Χριστος. Ειτα τι; μετα τοσαυτην πραγ ματειαν και οι αποστολοι εγραψαν, καθώς και Παυλος ειπεν, εγραφη δε προς νουθεσίαν ημων, εις ους τα τελη των αιωνων κατήντησε. Και ο Χριστος ελεγε, Πλανάσθε, μη ειδότες τας γραφας. Και Παυλος παλιν ελεγε, δια της υπομονης και της παρακλησεως των γραφων την ελπιδα εχόμεν. Και παλιν πασα γραφη θεοπνευστος He the Scriptures. For if we did attend, not only we should not fall into error, but we should rescue those who are in error, and should draw them out of danger. For the valiant soldier not only suffices for himself, but also can guard the man who is next to him, and can liberate him from the injury of his enemies. But at the present day, there are some who do not know that the Scriptures exist. But truly the Holy Spirit provided many things in order that they might be preserved. And look to the beginning in order that you may learn the ineffable love of God towards man. inspired Moses, he carved the tables, he kept him forty days upon the mountain, and again forty other days, in order that the law might be given. But after this he sent prophets who suffered a thousand terrible things. War came on, they destroyed and cut in pieces every thing, the books were burned. He again inspired another wonderful man, to set them forth, Esdras I mean, and he caused him to collect them from the remnants. After that he provided that they should be interpreted by the Seventy. They interpreted them. Christ came, he received them, the Apostles disseminated them among all. Christ performed signs and wonders. And what then? After so many things were done,the Apostles committed them to writing, as Paul has also said, "they were written for our instruction upon whom the ends of the world are come," and Christ said, "ye do err not knowing the Scriptures," and Paul again said, “ through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures, we have hope.” And again, "all Scripture is inspired of God and profitable." And "let the word of Christ dwell in you richly." And the Prophet, "in his law και ωφέλιμος. Και, ο λογος του Χριστου ενοικείτω εν υμιν πλουσίως. Και ο προφητης, εν τω νόμω αυτου μελετησει ημερας και νυκτος. Και ετερωθι παλιν, πασα διηγεσις σου εστω εν νομω με υψίστου. Και παλιν, ως γλυκα τω λαρυγγι μου τα λογια σου [ουκ είπε, τη ακοη μου, αλλα, τω λαρυγγι μου] υπερ μελι και κηριον τω στο ματι μου. Και ο Μωσης, Μελετήσεις εν αυτοίς, φησι, διαπαντος, ανισταμενος, καθεζομενος, κοιταζομενος. Δια τουτο και ο Παυλος γραφων προς Τιμοθεον, ελεγεν. Εν αυτοίς ισθι, ταυτα μελετα. Και μυρια he shall meditate day and Αλλ' αν τις περί αυτών ειποι. αναγκη τους νόμους αυτον μαν θανειν τους στρατιωτικούς" Και εις τις την κυβερνητικήν, η την τεκτονικήν επιστημην γινωσκειν εθελοι, η ει τι ετερον, τα της τεχνης αυτον αναγκη μανθανειν. Ενταύθα δε ουδεν τοι ουτον εστι ποιουντας ιδειν. Και ταυτα της επιστημης ταυτης πολλης δεομενης της αγρυπνιας. Ότι γαρ και τουτο τεχνη εστι διδασκαλίας δεομενη, ακουσον του προφήτου λεγοντος, Δευτε, τέκνα, ακούσατε μου, φοβον Κυριον διδαξω υμας. Apa αληθως διδασκαλιας δειται ο του Θεου φοβος. Ειτα, φησι, τις night." And again elsewhere, let all your conversation be in the law of the Highest.” And again, “ how sweet are thy words to my throat,” [he did not say to my hearing, butto my throat], more than honey and the honeycomb to my mouth.” And Moses says, you will meditate in them always, rising, sitting, and going to bed; and for this reason Paul writing to Timothy said, “ be in them, meditate upon them.” And one might say a thousand things about them. Nevertheless, after so many things, there are some who do not know that the Scriptures exist. For this cause truly, there is nothing healthy or useful among us. If how |