ρος ων, μυρίαις συνεχόμενος

φροντισι, και πανταχοθεν πολλοις περικυκλόμενος πραγμασιν, ουκ ειδως απερ ανεγινώσκεν, όμως ανεγίνωσκεν επι του οχήματος καθημενος. Ει δε εν οδω τοσαυτην σπουδήν επεδεικ

νυτο, εννόησον τις ην οικον διατριβων. Ει τον καιρον της οδοιπορίας ουχ ηνειχετο χωρις αναγνώσεως μενειν, πολλω μαλλον εν τη οικία καθημενος ει μηδεν ειδως ων ανεγινώσκεν, ουκ αφίστατο της αναγνώσεως, πολλώ μάλλον μετα το μαθειν. Ότι γαρ απερ ανεγίνωσκεν ουκ ηδει, ακουσον τι φησιν αυτω ο Φιλιππος, αρά γε γινώσκεις α αναγινώσκεις ή κακείνος ταυτα ακουσας ουκ ηρυθρίασεν, ουδε ησχύνθη, αλλ' ωμολόγησε την αγνοιαν, και φησι πως γαρ αν δυναίμην, εαν μη τις οδηγηση με ; επει ουν ουδέπω τον οδηγουντα εχων, ουτως ανεγινωσκε, δια τουτο ταχέως επελαβετο του χειραγωγούντος. Είδεν αυτου την προθυμίαν ο Θεος, απεδέξατο την σπουδην, και επεμψεν αυτω διδασκαλον ευθεως. Αλλ' ου παρεστιν ο Φιλιππος νυν. Αλλα το πνευμα το κινησαν τον Φιλιππον παρεστι. Με καταφρονωμεν της

You don't understand the things which are contained in the Scriptures ? But how can you ever understand them, who will not even look into them? Take the book in your hand, read the whole history, and retaining the things which are intelligible, frequently run over those which are obscure; and if, by perseverance in reading, you cannot find out what is said, go to one who is wiser than yourself, go to a teacher, converse with him concerning the things that are said, manifest great eagerness, and if God shall behold will not overlook your vigiyou using such earnestness he lance and care; and even if men should not teach you what you seek, he will completely reveal it to you. Call to mind the Eunuch of the Queen of the Ethiopians, who, being a barbarian, hedged in with a thousand cares, and surrounded on all sides by multifarious business, when he did not understand what he read, nevertheless read whilst he sat in his chariot. But if he displayed such eagerness in his journey, think what he must have been when he staid at home; if he could not suffer the time of his journey to pass without reading, much more when he sat at home ; if when he understood nothing of the things which he read, he did not desist from reading, how much more he must have read

βαραθρον βαθυ, των γραφων η αγνοια μεγαλη προδοσία σωτηριας το μηδεν απο των θείων ειδεναι νομων. Τουτο και αιρεσεις ετεκε, τουτο και βιον διεφθαρμενον εις ηγαγε, τουτο τα ανω κατω πεποιηκεν. Αμηχανον γαρ, αμηχανον ακαρπον αναχώρησαι τινα συνεχώς

after he had learnt them. For to see that he did not understand what he read, hear what Philip says to him: “Understandest thou what thou readest ?" And he, when he heard this, did not blush, nor was he ashamed, but confessed his ignorance, and said, "How can I, except some one guide me ? Because then,

when he had no guide, he thus read, he soon obtained a person to lead him by the hand. God saw his he aceagerness, cepted his earnestness, andim

επιστασίας.

The

But Philip is not now present. But the Spirit who moved Philip is present. Beloved, let us not despise our salvation. All these things are written for us, for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. reading of the Scriptures is a great safeguard against sinning; ignorance of the Scriptures is a great precipice and a profound deep. To know nothing of the divine Laws is a great betrayal of salvation. This also has given birth to heresies; this also has introduced corrupt living; this has subverted all things.* For it is impossible that any one who constantly enjoys the reading of the Scriptures with diligence should depart unprofited.

Και οτι πανταχου της οικουμενης τας γραφας ηπλωσεν, ακουσον του προφήτου λέγοντος εις πασαν γην εξηλθεν ο φθογγος αυτών, και εις τα πέρατα της οικουμενης τα ρηματα αυτ Κ'αν προς Ινδους απελ

των.

θης, ους πρωτους ανισχων ο Ηλιος ορα, καν εις τον ωκεανον απελθης, κ'αν προς τας Βρεταννικους νήσους εκείνας, κ'αν εις τον Εύξινον πλευσης ποντον και προς τα νότια απελθης μερη, παντων ακουση πανταχού τα απο της γραφης φιλοσοφούντων, φωνη μεν ετερα, πιστει δε ουκ ετερα, και γλώσση μεν διαφορά, διάνοια δε συμφωνω.

And that you may see that he has difused the Scriptures everywhere throughout the habitable world, hear the prophet, who says, "Their sound is gone forth into all the earth, and their words to the end of the world." Whether you depart to the Indies, whom the rising sun first regards; whether you go forth to the ocean, and to those British isles; whether you sail into the Euxine Sea, and depart to the southern regions, you hear all persons everywhere philosophising upon the things that are in the Scriptures, with a different voice, but not with a different faith; with a different tongue, but with the same understanding.

supra.)

Ου γαρ ειπεν αναγινώσκετε τας γραφας, αλλ' ερεύνατε τας γραφας. Επειδη γαρ τα περι αυτου λεγόμενα πολλης εδείτο της επιμέλειας. Δια τουτο και διασκάπτειν αυτους μετα ακριβειας κελεύει νυν, ινα τα εν τω βαθει κειμενα δυνηθωσι ευρειν.

For he did not say read, but "Search the Scriptures," since the things which are said of him require much research. For this reason he also now commands them to dig through with diligence, that they may be able to discover the things which lie deep.