Private Judgment on Scripture  (Vid. art. Rule of Faith .)

 THE two phrases by which Athan. denotes private judgment on religious matters, and his estimate of it, are [ ta idia ] and [ ha ethelon ], e.g. "Laying down their private ([ ten idian ]) impiety as some sort of rule ([ hos kanona tina ], i.e. as a Rule of Faith), they wrest all the divine oracles into accordance with it." Orat. i. § 52. And so [ idion kakonoion ], Orat. ii. § 18. [ tais idiais muthoplastiais ]. Orat. iii. § 10, and, "they make the language of Scripture their pretence; but, instead of the true sense, sowing upon it (Matt. xiii. 25, vid. art. [ epispeiras ]) the private ([ ton idion ]) poison of their heresy." Orat. i. § 53. And so, [ kata ton idion noun ]. Orat. i. § 37. [ ten idian asebeian ]. iii. § 55. And, "He who speaketh of his own, [ ek ton idion ], speaketh a lie." contr. Apoll. i. fin.

 And so other writers: "They used to call the Church a virgin," says Hegesippus, "for it was not yet defiled by profane doctrines ... the Simonists, Dositheans, etc. ... each privately ([ idios ]) and separately has brought in a private opinion." ap. Euseb. Hist. iv. 22. Ruffinus says of S. Basil and S. Gregory, "Putting aside all Greek literature, they are said to have passed thirteen years together in studying the Scriptures alone, and followed out their sense, not from their private opinion, but by the writings and authority of the Fathers," etc. Hist. ii. 9. Sophronius at Seleucia cried out, "If to publish day after day our own private ([ idian ]) will, be a profession of faith, accuracy of truth will fail us." Socr. ii. 40.

 "We must not make an appeal to the Scriptures, nor take up a position for the fight, in which victory cannot be, or is doubtful, or next to doubtful. For though this conflict of Scripture with Scripture did not end in a drawn battle, yet the true order of the subject required that that should be laid down first, which now becomes but a point of debate, viz. who have a claim to the faith itself, whose are the Scriptures." Tertull. de Præscr. 19. "Seeing the Canon of Scripture is perfect, etc., why need we join unto it the authority of the Church's understanding and interpretation? because the Scripture being of itself so deep and profound, all men do not understand it in one and the same sense, but so many men, so many opinions almost may be gathered out of it; for Novatian expounds it one way, Photinus another, Sabellius," etc., Vincent. Comm. 2. Hippolytus has a passage very much to the same purpose, contr. Noet. 9 fin.

 As to the phrase [ hos houtoi thelousi ], vid. [ legontes me houtos ... hos he ekklesia kerussei, all  ' hos autoi thelousi ]. Orat. iii. § 10, words which follow [ idiais muthoplastiais ], quoted just above. Vid. also iii. § 8 and 17. This is a common phrase with Athan. [ hos ethelesen, haper ethelesan, hotan thelosi, hous ethelesan ], etc., etc., the proceedings of the heretics being self-willed from first to last. Vid. Sent. Dion. 4 and 16. Mort. Ar. fin. Apoll. ii. 5 init. in contrast with the [ euaggelikos horos ]. Also Decr. § 3. Syn. § 13. Ep. Æg. § 5, 19, 22. Apol. Arian. § 2, 14, 35, 36, 73, 74, 77. Apol. Const. § 1. de Fug. § 2, 3, 7. Hist. Arian. § 2, 7, 47, 52, 54, 59, 60.

 In like manner [ ha boulontai ], etc. Ep. Enc. 7. Ap. Arian. § 82, 83. Ep. Æg. § 6. Apol. Const. § 32. de Fug. § 1. Hist. Ar. 15, 18.