Letter LXXV.

(a.d. 404.)

Jerome’s answer to Letters XXVIII., XL., and LXXI.

To Augustin, My Lord Truly Holy, and Most Blessed Father, Jerome Sends Greeting in Christ.

Chap. I.

1. I have received by Cyprian, deacon, three letters, or rather three little books, at the same time, from your Excellency, containing what you call sundry questions, but what I feel to be animadversions on opinions which I have published, to answer which, if I were disposed to do it, would require a pretty large volume. Nevertheless I shall attempt to reply without exceeding the limits of a moderately long letter, and without causing delay to our brother, now in haste to depart, who only three days before the time fixed for his journey asked earnestly for a letter to take with him, in consequence of which I am compelled to pour out these sentences, such as they are, almost without premeditation, answering you in a rambling effusion, prepared not in the leisure of deliberate composition, but in the hurry of extemporaneous dictation, which usually produces a discourse that is more the offspring of chance than the parent of instruction; just as unexpected attacks throw into confusion even the bravest soldiers, and they are compelled to take to flight before they can gird on their armour.

2. But our armour is Christ; it is that which the Apostle Paul prescribes when, writing to the Ephesians, he says, “Take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day;” and again, “Stand, therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked: and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”466    Eph. vi. 13–17. Armed with these weapons, King David went forth in his day to battle; and taking from the torrent’s bed five smooth rounded stones, he proved that, even amidst all the eddying currents of the world, his feelings were free both from roughness and from defilement; drinking of the brook by the way, and therefore lifted up in spirit, he cut off the head of Goliath, using the proud enemy’s own sword as the fittest instrument of death,467    1 Sam. xvii. 40–51. smiting the profane boaster on the forehead and wounding him in the same place in which Uzziah was smitten with leprosy when he presumed to usurp the priestly office;468    2 Chron. xvi. 19.the same also in which shines the glory that makes the saints rejoice in the Lord, saying, “The light of Thy countenance is sealed upon us, O Lord.”469    Ps. iv. 7, according to the LXX. Let us therefore also say, “My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise: awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp; I myself will awake early;”470    Ps. lvii. 7, 8. that in us may be fulfilled that word, “Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it;”471    Ps. lxxxi. 10. and, “The Lord shall give the word with great power to them that publish it.”472    Ps. lxviii. 11, in LXX. version. I am well assured that your prayer as well as mine is, that in our contendings the victory may remain with the truth. For you seek Christ’s glory, not your own: if you are victorious, I also gain a victory if I discover my error. On the other hand, if I win the day, the gain is yours; for “the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.”473    2 Cor. xii. 14. We read, moreover, in Chronicles, that the children of Israel went to battle with their minds set upon peace,474    1 Chron. xii. 17, 18. seeking even amid swords and bloodshed and the prostrate slain a victory not for themselves, but for peace. Let me therefore, if it be the will of Christ, give an answer to all that you have written, and attempt in a short dissertation to solve your numerous questions. I pass by the conciliatory phrases in your courteous salutation: I say nothing of the compliments by which you attempt to take the edge off your censure: let me come at once to the matters in debate.

Chap. II.

3. You say that you received from some brother a book of mine, in which I have given a list of ecclesiastical writers, both Greek and Latin, but which had no title; and that when you asked the brother aforesaid (I quote your own statement) why the title-page had no inscription, or what was the name by which the book was known, he answered that it was called “Epitaphium,” i.e. “Obituary Notices:” upon which you display your reasoning powers, by remarking that the name Epitaphium would have been properly given to the book if the reader had found in it an account of the lives and writings of deceased authors, but that inasmuch as mention is made of the works of many who were living when the book was written, and are at this day still living, you wonder why I should have given the book a title so inappropriate. I think that it must be obvious to your own common sense, that you might have discovered the title of that book from its contents, without any other help. For you have read both Greek and Latin biographies of eminent men, and you know that they do not give to works of this kind the title Epitaphium, but simply “Illustrious Men,” e.g. “Illustrious Generals,” or “philosophers, orators, historians, poets,” etc., as the case may be. An Epitaphium is a work written concerning the dead; such as I remember having composed long ago after the decease of the presbyter Nepotianus, of blessed memory. The book, therefore, of which you speak ought to be entitled, “Concerning Illustrious Men,” or properly, “Concerning Ecclesiastical Writers,” although it is said that by many who were not qualified to make any correction of the title, it has been called “Concerning Authors.”

Chap. III.

4. You ask, in the second place, my reason for saying, in my commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians, that Paul could not have rebuked Peter for that which he himself had done,475    Gal. ii. 14. and could not have censured in another the dissimulation of which he was himself confessedly guilty; and you affirm that that rebuke of the apostle was not a manœuvre of pious policy,476    Dispensatoria. but real; and you say that I ought not to teach falsehood, but that all things in Scripture are to be received literally as they stand.

To this I answer, in the first place, that your wisdom ought to have suggested the remembrance of the short preface to my commentaries, saying of my own person, “What then? Am I so foolish and bold as to promise that which he could not accomplish? By no means; but I have rather, as it seems to me, with more reserve and hesitation, because feeling the deficiency of my strength, followed the commentaries of Origen in this matter. For that illustrious man wrote five volumes on the Epistle of Paul to the Galatians, and has occupied the tenth volume of his Stromata with a short treatise upon his explanation of the epistle. He also composed several treatises and fragmentary pieces upon it, which, if they even had stood alone, would have sufficed. I pass over my revered instructor Didymus477    “Videntem meum Didymum,”—Didymus of Alexandria, who, at the time when Jerome wrote his book on ecclesiastical writers (A.D. 392), was above ninety-three years of age. He became blind when he was five years old, but by perseverance attained extraordinary learning, and was much esteemed. (blind, it is true, but quick-sighted in the discernment of spiritual things), and the bishop of Laodicea,478    The younger Apollinarius, who in 380 was excommunicated for error regarding the Incarnation. His works were valuable, but have been almost all lost, being not transcribed because of his lapsing into heresy. who has recently left the Church, and the early heretic Alexander, as well as Eusebius of Emesa and Theodorus of Heraclea, who have also left some brief disquisitions upon this subject. From these works if I were to extract even a few passages, a work which could not be altogether despised would be produced. Let me therefore frankly say that I have read all these; and storing up in my mind very many things which they contain, I have dictated to my amanuensis sometimes what was borrowed from other writers, sometimes what was my own, without distinctly remembering the method, or the words, or the opinions which belonged to each. I look now to the Lord in His mercy to grant that my want of skill and experience may not cause the things which others have well spoken to be lost, or to fail of finding among foreign readers the acceptance with which they have met in the language in which they were first written. If, therefore, anything in my explanation has seemed to you to demand correction, it would have been seemly for one of your learning to inquire first whether what I had written was found in the Greek writers to whom I have referred; and if they had not advanced the opinion which you censured, you could then with propriety condemn me for what I gave as my own view, especially seeing that I have in the preface openly acknowledged that I had followed the commentaries of Origen, and had dictated sometimes the view of others, sometimes my own, and have written at the end of the

Chapter with which you find fault: “If any one be dissatisfied with the interpretation here given, by which it is shown that neither did Peter sin, nor did Paul rebuke presumptuously a greater than himself, he is bound to show how Paul could consistently blame in another what he himself did.” By which I have made it manifest that I did not adopt finally and irrevocably that which I had read in these Greek authors, but had propounded what I had read, leaving to the reader’s own judgment whether it should be rejected or approved.

5. You, however, in order to avoid doing what I had asked, have devised a new argument against the view proposed; maintaining that the Gentiles who had believed in Christ were free from the burden of the ceremonial law, but that the Jewish converts were under the law, and that Paul, as the teacher of the Gentiles, rightly rebuked those who kept the law; whereas Peter, who was the chief of the “circumcision,”479    Gal. ii. 8. was justly rebuked for commanding the Gentile converts to do that which the converts from among the Jews were alone under obligation to observe. If this is your opinion, or rather since it is your opinion, that all from among the Jews who believe are debtors to do the whole law, you ought, as being a bishop of great fame in the whole world, to publish your doctrine, and labour to persuade all other bishops to agree with you. As for me in my humble cell,480    Parvo tuguriunculo. along with the monks my fellow-sinners, I do not presume to dogmatize in regard to things of great moment; I only confess frankly that I read the writings of the Fathers,481    Majorum. and, complying with universal usage, put down in my commentaries a variety of explanations, that each may adopt from the number given the one which pleases him. This method, I think, you have found in your reading, and have approved in connection with both secular literature and the Divine Scriptures.

6. Moreover, as to this explanation which Origen first advanced,482    In the tenth book of his Stromata, where he expounds the Epistle to the Galatians. and which all the other commentators after him have adopted, they bring forward, chiefly for the purpose of answering, the blasphemies of Porphyry, who accuses Paul of presumption because he dared to reprove Peter and rebuke him to his face, and by reasoning convict him of having done wrong; that is to say, of being in the very fault which he himself, who blamed another for transgressing, had committed. What shall I say also of John, who has long governed the Church of Constantinople, and holding pontifical rank,483    This year (404) was the year of John Chrysostom’s banishment from Constantinople, after being pontiff there for ten years. who has composed a very large book upon this paragraph, and has followed the opinion of Origen and of the old expositors? If, therefore, you censure me as in the wrong, suffer me, I pray you, to be mistaken in company with such men; and when you perceive that I have so many companions in my error, you will require to produce at least one partisan in defence of your truth. So much on the interpretation of one paragraph of the Epistle to the Galatians.

7. Lest, however, I should seem to rest my answer to your reasoning wholly on the number of witnesses who are on my side, and to use the names of illustrious men as a means of escaping from the truth, not daring to meet you in argument, I shall briefly bring forward some examples from the Scriptures.

In the Acts of the Apostles, a voice was heard by Peter, saying unto him, “Rise, Peter, slay and eat,” when all manner of four-footed beasts, and creeping things, and birds of the air, were presented before him; by which saying it is proved that no man is by nature [ceremonially] unclean, but that all men are equally welcome to the gospel of Christ. To which Peter answered, “Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.” And the voice spake unto him again the second time, “What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.” Therefore he went to Cæsarea, and having entered the house of Cornelius, “he opened his mouth and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons, but in every nation he that feareth Him and worketh righteousness is accepted with Him.” Thereafter “the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word; and they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord.”484    Acts x. 13–48. “And the apostles and brethren that were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him, saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them.” To whom he gave a full explanation of the reasons of his conduct, and concluded with these words: “Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as He did unto us who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, what was I, that I could withstand God? When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.”485    Acts xi. 1–18. Again, when, long after this, Paul and Barnabas had come to Antioch, and “having gathered the Church together, rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how He had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles, certain men which came down from Judea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question. And when they were come to Jerusalem, there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying that it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.” And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, with his wonted readiness, “and said, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as He did unto us; and put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe that, through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, we shall be saved, even as they. Then all the multitude kept silence;” and to his opinion the Apostle James, and all the elders together, gave consent.486    Acts xiv. 27, and xv. 1–12.

8. These quotations should not be tedious to the reader, but useful both to him and to me, as proving that, even before the Apostle Paul, Peter had come to know that the law was not to be in force after the gospel was given; nay more, that Peter was the prime mover in issuing the decree by which this was affirmed. Moreover, Peter was of so great authority, that Paul has recorded in his epistle: “Then, after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.”487    Gal. i. 18. In the following context, again, he adds: “Then, fourteen years after, I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also. And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles;” proving that he had not had confidence in his preaching of the gospel if he had not been confirmed by the consent of Peter and those who were with him. The next words are, “but privately to them that were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.” Why did he this privately rather than in public? Lest offence should be given to the faith of those who from among the Jews had believed, since they thought that the law was still in force, and that they ought to join observance of the law with faith in the Lord as their Saviour. Therefore also, when at that time Peter had come to Antioch (although the Acts of the Apostles do not mention this, but we must believe Paul’s statement), Paul affirms that he “withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. For, before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew, and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. But when I saw,” he says, “that they walked not up-rightly, according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?”488    Gal. ii. 1, 2, 14. etc. No one can doubt, therefore, that the Apostle Peter was himself the author of that rule with deviation from which he is charged. The cause of that deviation, moreover, is seen to be fear of the Jews. For the Scripture says, that “at first he did eat with the Gentiles, but that when certain had come from James he withdrew, and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.” Now he feared the Jews, to whom he had been appointed apostle, lest by occasion of the Gentiles they should go back from the faith in Christ; imitating the Good Shepherd in his concern lest he should lose the flock committed to him.

9. As I have shown, therefore, that Peter was thoroughly aware of the abrogation of the law of Moses, but was compelled by fear to pretend to observe it, let us now see whether Paul, who accuses another, ever did anything of the same kind himself. We read in the same book: “Paul passed through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches. Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek: which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium. Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and he took and circumcised him, because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek.”489    Acts xv. 41, xvi. 1–3. O blessed Apostle Paul, who hadst rebuked Peter for dissimulation, because he withdrew himself from the Gentiles through fear of the Jews who came from James, why art thou, notwithstanding thine own doctrine, compelled to circumcise Timothy, the son of a Gentile, nay more, a Gentile himself (for he was not a Jew, having not been circumcised)? Thou wilt answer, “Because of the Jews which are in these quarters?” If, then, thou forgiveth thyself the circumcision of a disciple coming from the Gentiles, forgive Peter also, who has precedence above thee, his doing some things of the same kind through fear of the believing Jews. Again, it is written: “Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila; having shorn his head in Cenchrea, for he had a vow.”490    Acts xviii. 18. Be it granted that he was compelled through fear of the Jews in the other case to do what he was unwilling to do; wherefore did he let his hair grow in accordance with a vow of his own making, and afterwards, when in Cenchrea, shave his head according to the law, as the Nazarites, who had given themselves by vow to God, were wont to do, according to the law of Moses?

10. But these things are small when compared with what follows. The sacred historian Luke further relates: “And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly;” and the day following, James, and all the elders who were with him, having expressed their approbation of his gospel, said to Paul: “Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law: and they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs. What is it therefore? The multitude must needs come together: for they will hear that thou art come. Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men which have a vow on them; them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave their heads: and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the law. Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them, entered into the temple, to signify the accomplishment of the days of purification, until an offering should be offered for every one of them.”491    Acts xxi. 17–26. O Paul, here again let me question thee: Why didst thou shave thy head, why didst thou walk barefoot according to Jewish ceremonial law, why didst thou offer sacrifices, why were victims slain for thee according to the law? Thou wilt answer, doubtless, “To avoid giving offence to those of the Jews who had believed.” To gain the Jews, thou didst pretend to be a Jew; and James and all the other elders taught thee this dissimulation. But thou didst not succeed in escaping, after all. For when thou wast on the point of being killed in a tumult which had arisen, thou wast rescued by the chief captain of the band, and was sent by him to Cæsarea, guarded by a careful escort of soldiers, lest the Jews should kill thee as a dissembler, and a destroyer of the law; and from Cæsarea coming to Rome, thou didst, in thine own hired house, preach Christ to both Jews and Gentiles, and thy testimony was sealed under Nero’s sword.492    Acts xxiii. 23, xxviii. 14, 30.

11. We have learned, therefore, that through fear of the Jews both Peter and Paul alike pretended that they observed the precepts of the law. How could Paul have the assurance and effrontery to reprove in another what he had done himself? I at least, or, I should rather say, others before me, have given such explanation of the matter as they deemed best, not defending the use of falsehood in the interest of religion,493    Officiosum mendacium. as you charge them with doing, but teaching the honourable exercise of a wise discretion;494    Honestam dispensationem. seeking both to show the wisdom of the apostles, and to restrain the shameless blasphemies of Porphyry, who says that Peter and Paul quarrelled with each other in childish rivalry, and affirms that Paul had been inflamed with envy on account of the excellences of Peter, and had written boastfully of things which he either had not done, or, if he did them, had done with inexcusable presumption, reproving in another that which he himself had done. They, in answering him, gave the best interpretation of the passage which they could find; what interpretation have you to propound? Surely you must intend to say something better than they have said, since you have rejected the opinion of the ancient commentators.

Chap. IV.

12. You say in your letter:495    Letter XL. 4, p. 273. “You do not require me to teach you in what sense the apostle says, ‘To the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews;’496    1 Cor. ix. 20. and other such things in the same passage, which are to be ascribed to the compassion of pitying love, not to the artifices of intentional deceit. For he that ministers to the sick becomes as if he were sick himself, not indeed falsely pretending to be under the fever, but considering with the mind of one truly sympathizing what he would wish done for himself if he were in the sick man’s place. Paul was indeed a Jew; and when he had become a Christian, he had not abandoned those Jewish sacraments which that people had received in the right way, and for a certain appointed time. Therefore, even when he was an apostle of Christ, he took part in observing these, but with this view, that he might show that they were in no wise hurtful to those who, even after they had believed in Christ, desired to retain the ceremonies which by the law they had learned from their fathers; provided only that they did not build on these their hope of salvation, since the salvation which was fore-shadowed in these has now been brought in by the Lord Jesus.” The sum of your whole argument, which you have expanded into a most prolix dissertation, is this, that Peter did not err in supposing that the law was binding on those who from among the Jews had believed, but departed from the right course in this, that he compelled the Gentile converts to conform to Jewish observances. Now, if he compelled them, it was not by use of authority as a teacher, but by the example of his own practice. And Paul, according to your view, did not protest against what Peter had done personally, but asked wherefore Peter would compel those who were from among the Gentiles to conform to Jewish observances.

13. The matter in debate, therefore, or I should rather say your opinion regarding it, is summed up in this: that since the preaching of the gospel of Christ, the believing Jews do well in observing the precepts of the law, i.e. in offering sacrifices as Paul did, in circumcising their children, as Paul did in the case of Timothy, and keeping the Jewish Sabbath, as all the Jews have been accustomed to do. If this be true, we fall into the heresy of Cerinthus and Ebion, who, though believing in Christ, were anathematized by the fathers for this one error, that they mixed up the ceremonies of the law with the gospel of Christ, and professed their faith in that which was new, without letting go what was old. Why do I speak of the Ebionites, who make pretensions to the name of Christian? In our own day there exists a sect among the Jews throughout all the synagogues of the East, which is called the sect of the Minei, and is even now condemned by the Pharisees. The adherents to this sect are known commonly as Nazarenes; they believe in Christ the Son of God, born of the Virgin Mary; and they say that He who suffered under Pontius Pilate and rose again, is the same as the one in whom we believe. But while they desire to be both Jews and Christians, they are neither the one nor the other. I therefore beseech you, who think that you are called upon to heal my slight wound, which is no more, so to speak, than a prick or scratch from a needle, to devote your skill in the healing art to this grievous wound, which has been opened by a spear driven home with the impetus of a javelin. For there is surely no proportion between the culpability of him who exhibits the various opinions held by the fathers in a commentary on Scripture, and the guilt of him who reintroduces within the Church a most pestilential heresy. If, however, there is for us no alternative but to receive the Jews into the Church, along with the usages prescribed by their law; if, in short, it shall be declared lawful for them to continue in the Churches of Christ what they have been accustomed to practise in the synagogues of Satan, I will tell you my opinion of the matter: they will not become Christians, but they will make us Jews.

14. For what Christian will submit to hear what is said in your letter? “Paul was indeed a Jew; and when he had become a Christian, he had not abandoned those Jewish sacraments which that people had received in the right way, and for a certain appointed time. Therefore, even when he was an apostle of Christ, he took part in observing these; but with this view, that he might show that they were in no wise hurtful to those who, even after they had believed in Christ, desired to retain the ceremonies which by the law they had learned from their fathers.” Now I implore you to hear patiently my complaint. Paul, even when he was an apostle of Christ, observed Jewish ceremonies; and you affirm that they are in no wise hurtful to those who wish to retain them as they had received them from their fathers by the law. I, on the contrary, shall maintain, and, though the world were to protest against my view, I may boldly declare that the Jewish ceremonies are to Christians both hurtful and fatal; and that whoever observes them, whether he be Jew or Gentile originally, is cast into the pit of perdition. “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth,”497    Rom. x. 4. that is, to both Jew and Gentile; for if the Jew be excepted, He is not the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. Moreover, we read in the Gospel, “The law and the prophets were until John the Baptist.”498    Matt. xi. 13 and Luke xvi. 16. Also, in another place: “Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill Him, because He had not only broken the Sabbath, but said also that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God.”499    John v. 18. Again: “Of His fulness have all we received, and grace for grace; for the law was given Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.”500    John i. 16, 17. Instead of the grace of the law which has passed away, we have received the grace of the gospel which is abiding; and instead of the shadows and types of the old dispensation, the truth has come by Jesus Christ. Jeremiah also prophesied thus in God’s name: “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah; not according to the covenant which I made with their fathers, in the day that I took them by the hand, to bring them out of the land of Egypt.”501    Jer. xxxi. 31, 32. Observe what the prophet says, not to Gentiles, who had not been partakers in any former covenant, but to the Jewish nation. He who has given them the law by Moses, promises in place of it the new covenant of the gospel, that they might no longer live in the oldness of the letter, but in the newness of the spirit. Paul himself, moreover, in connection with whom the discussion of this question has arisen, delivers such sentiments as these frequently, of which I subjoin only a few, as I desire to be brief: “Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.” Again: “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.” Again: “If ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.”502    Gal. v. 2, 4, 18. From which it is evident that he has not the Holy Spirit who submits to the law, not, as our fathers affirmed the apostles to have done, feignedly, under the promptings of a wise discretion,503    Dispensative. but, as you suppose to have been the case, sincerely. As to the quality of these legal precepts, let us learn from God’s own teaching: “I gave them,” He says, “statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they should not live.”504    Ezek. xx. 25. I say these things, not that I may, like Manichæus and Marcion, destroy the law, which I know on the testimony of the apostle to be both holy and spiritual; but because when “faith came,” and the fulness of times, “God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons,”505    Gal. iv. 4. and might live no longer under the law as our schoolmaster, but under the Heir, who has now attained to full age, and is Lord.

15. It is further said in your letter: “The thing, therefore, which he rebuked in Peter was not his observing the customs handed down from his fathers, which Peter, if he wished, might do without being chargeable with deceit or inconsistency.”506    Letter XL. sec. 5, p. 273. Again I say: Since you are a bishop, a teacher in the Churches of Christ, if you would prove what you assert, receive any Jew who, after having become a Christian, circumcises any son that may be born to him, observes the Jewish Sabbath, abstains from meats which God has created to be used with thanksgiving, and on the evening of the fourteenth day of the first month slays a paschal lamb; and when you have done this, or rather, have refused to do it (for I know that you are a Christian, and will not be guilty of a profane action), you will be constrained, whether willingly or unwillingly, to renounce your opinion; and then you will know that it is a more difficult work to reject the opinion of others than to establish your own. Moreover, lest perhaps we should not believe your statement, or, I should rather say, understand it (for it is often the case that a discourse unduly extended is not intelligible, and is less censured by the unskilled in discussion because its weakness is not so easily perceived), you inculcate your opinion by reiterating the statement in these words: “Paul had forsaken everything peculiar to the Jews that was evil, especially this, that ‘being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, they had not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God.’507    Rom. x. 3. In this, moreover, he differed from them, that after the passion and resurrection of Christ, in whom had been given and made manifest the mystery of grace, according to the order of Melchizedek, they still considered it binding on them to celebrate, not out of mere reverence for old customs, but as necessary to salvation, the sacraments of the old dispensation; which were indeed at one time necessary, else had it been unprofitable and vain for the Maccabees to suffer martyrdom as they did for their adherence to them.508    2 Macc. vii. 1. Lastly, in this also Paul differed from the Jews, that they persecuted the Christian preachers of grace as enemies of the law. These, and all similar errors and sins, he declares that he counted but loss and dung, that he might win Christ.”509    Phil. iii. 8. Letter XL. sec. 6, p. 274.

16. We have learned from you what evil things peculiar to the Jews Paul had abandoned; let us now learn from your teaching what good things which were Jewish he retained. You will reply: “The ceremonial observances in which they continued to follow the practice of their fathers, in the way in which these were complied with by Paul himself, without believing them to be at all necessary to salvation.” I do not fully understand what you mean by the words, “without believing them to be at all necessary to salvation.” For if they do not contribute to salvation, why are they observed? And if they must be observed, they by all means contribute to salvation; especially seeing that, because of observing them, some have been made martyrs: for they would not be observed unless they contributed to salvation. For they are not things indifferent—neither good nor bad, as philosophers say. Self-control is good, self-indulgence is bad: between these, and indifferent, as having no moral quality, are such things as walking, blowing one’s nose, expectorating phlegm, etc. Such an action is neither good nor bad; for whether you do it or leave it undone, it does not affect your standing as righteous or unrighteous. But the observance of legal ceremonies is not a thing indifferent; it is either good or bad. You say it is good. I affirm it to be bad, and bad not only when done by Gentile converts, but also when done by Jews who have believed. In this passage you fall, if I am not mistaken, into one error while avoiding another. For while you guard yourself against the blasphemies of Porphyry, you become entangled in the snares of Ebion; pronouncing that the law is binding on those who from among the Jews have believed. Perceiving, again, that what you have said is a dangerous doctrine, you attempt to qualify it by words which are only superfluous: viz., “The law must be observed not from any belief, such as prompted the Jews to keep it, that this is necessary to salvation, and not in any misleading dissimulation such as Paul reproved in Peter.”

17. Peter therefore pretended to keep the law; but this censor of Peter boldly observed the things prescribed by the law. The next words of your letter are these: “For if Paul observed these sacraments in order, by pretending to be a Jew, to gain the Jews, why did he not also take part with the Gentiles in heathen sacrifices, when to them that were without law he became as without law, that he might gain them also? The explanation is found in this, that he took part in the Jewish rites as being himself a Jew; and that when he said all this which I have quoted, he meant not that he pretended to be what he was not, but that he felt with true compassion that he must bring such help to them as would be needful for himself if he were involved in their error.510    Letter XL. 6, p. 274. Herein he exercised not the subtlety of a deceiver, but the sympathy of a compassionate deliverer.” A triumphant vindication of Paul! You prove that he did not pretend to share the error of the Jews, but was actually involved in it; and that he refused to imitate Peter in a course of deception, dissembling through fear of the Jews what he really was, but without reserve freely avowed himself to be a Jew. Oh, unheard of compassion of the apostle! In seeking to make the Jews Christians, he himself became a Jew! For he could not have persuaded the luxurious to become temperate if he had not himself become luxurious like them; and could not have brought help, in his compassion, as you say, to the wretched, otherwise than by experiencing in his own person their wretchedness! Truly wretched, and worthy of most compassionate lamentation, are those who, carried away by vehemence of disputation, and by love for the law which has been abolished, have made Christ’s apostle to be a Jew. Nor is there, after all, a great difference between my opinion and yours: for I say that both Peter and Paul, through fear of the believing Jews, practised, or rather pretended to practise, the precepts of the Jewish law; whereas you maintain that they did this out of pity, “not with the subtlety of a deceiver, but with the sympathy of a compassionate deliverer.” But by both this is equally admitted, that (whether from fear or from pity) they pretended to be what they were not. As to your argument against our view, that he ought to have become to the Gentiles a Gentile, if to the Jews he became a Jew, this favours our opinion rather than yours: for as he did not actually become a Jew, so he did not actually become a heathen; and as he did not actually become a heathen, so he did not actually become a Jew. His conformity to the Gentiles consisted in this, that he received as Christians the uncircumcised who believed in Christ, and left them free to use without scruple meats which the Jewish law prohibited; but not, as you suppose, in taking part in their worship of idols. For “in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but the keeping of the commandments of God.”511    Gal. v. 6 and vi. 15.

18. I ask you, therefore, and with all urgency press the request, that you forgive me this humble attempt at a discussion of the matter; and wherein I have transgressed, lay the blame upon yourself who compelled me to write in reply, and who made me out to be as blind as Stesichorus. And do not bring the reproach of teaching the practice of lying upon me who am a follower of Christ, who said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.”512    John xiv. 6. It is impossible for me, who am a worshipper of the Truth, to bow under the yoke of falsehood. Moreover, refrain from stirring up against me the unlearned crowd who esteem you as their bishop, and regard with the respect due the priestly office the orations which you deliver in the church, but who esteem lightly an old decrepit man like me, courting the retirement of a monastery far from the busy haunts of men; and seek others who may be more fitly instructed or corrected by you. For the sound of your voice can scarcely reach me, who am so far separated from you by sea and land. And if you happen to write me a letter, Italy and Rome are sure to be acquainted with its contents long before it is brought to me, to whom alone it ought to be sent.

Chap. V.

19. In another letter you ask why a former translation which I made of some of the canonical books was carefully marked with asterisks and obelisks, whereas I afterwards published a translation without these. You must pardon my saying that you seem to me not to understand the matter: for the former translation is from the Septuagint; and wherever obelisks are placed, they are designed to indicate that the Seventy have said more than is found in the Hebrew. But the asterisks indicate what has been added by Origen from the version of Theodotion. In that version I was translating from the Greek: but in the later version, translating from the Hebrew itself, I have expressed what I understood it to mean, being careful to preserve rather the exact sense than the order of the words. I am surprised that you do not read the books of the Seventy translators in the genuine form in which they were originally given to the world, but as they have been corrected, or rather corrupted, by Origen, with his obelisks and asterisks; and that you refuse to follow the translation, however feeble, which has been given by a Christian man, especially seeing that Origen borrowed the things which he has added from the edition of a man who, after the passion of Christ, was a Jew and a blasphemer. Do you wish to be a true admirer and partisan of the Seventy translators? Then do not read what you find under the asterisks; rather erase them from the volumes, that you may approve yourself indeed a follower of the ancients. If, however, you do this, you will be compelled to find fault with all the libraries of the Churches; for you will scarcely find more than one Ms. here and there which has not these interpolations.

Chap. VI.

20. A few words now as to your remark that I ought not to have given a translation, after this had been already done by the ancients; and the novel syllogism which you use: “The passages of which the Seventy have given an interpretation were either obscure or plain. If they were obscure, it is believed that you are as likely to have been mistaken as the others; if they were plain, it is not believed that the Seventy could have been mistaken.”513    Letter XXVIII. ch. ii. p. 251.

All the commentators who have been our predecessors in the Lord in the work of expounding the Scriptures, have expounded either what was obscure or what was plain. If some passages were obscure, how could you, after them, presume to discuss that which they were not able to explain? If the passages were plain, it was a waste of time for you to have undertaken to treat of that which could not possibly have escaped them. This syllogism applies with peculiar force to the book of Psalms, in the interpretation of which Greek commentators have written many volumes: viz. 1st, Origen: 2d, Eusebius of Cæsarea; 3d, Theodorus of Heraclea; 4th, Asterius of Scythopolis; 5th, Apollinaris of Laodicea; and, 6th, Didymus of Alexandria. There are said to be minor works on selections from the Psalms, but I speak at present of the whole book. Moreover, among Latin writers the bishops Hilary of Poitiers, and Eusebius of Verceil, have translated Origen and Eusebius of Cæsarea, the former of whom has in some things been followed by our own Ambrose. Now, I put it to your wisdom to answer why you, after all the labours of so many and so competent interpreters, differ from them in your exposition of some passages? If the Psalms are obscure, it must be believed that you are as likely to be mistaken as others; if they are plain, it is incredible that these others could have fallen into mistake. In either case, your exposition has been, by your own showing, an unnecessary labour; and on the same principle, no one would ever venture to speak on any subject after others have pronounced their opinion, and no one would be at liberty to write anything regarding that which another has once handled, however important the matter might be.

It is, however, more in keeping with your enlightened judgment, to grant to all others the liberty which you tolerate in yourself for in my attempt to translate into Latin, for the benefit of those who speak the same language with myself, the corrected Greek version of the Scriptures, I have laboured not to supersede what has been long esteemed, but only to bring prominently forward those things which have been either omitted or tampered with by the Jews, in order that Latin readers might know what is found in the original Hebrew. If any one is averse to reading it, none compels him against his will. Let him drink with satisfaction the old wine, and despise my new wine, i.e. the sentences which I have published in explanation of former writers, with the design of making more obvious by my remarks what in them seemed to me to be obscure.

As to the principles which ought to be followed in the interpretation of the Sacred Scriptures, they are stated in the book which I have written,514    De optimo genere interpretandi. and in all the introductions to the divine books which I have in my edition prefixed to each; and to these I think it sufficient to refer the prudent reader. And since you approve of my labours in revising the translation of the New Testament, as you say,—giving me at the same time this as your reason, that very many are acquainted with the Greek language, and are therefore competent judges of my work,—it would have been but fair to have given me credit for the same fidelity in the Old Testament; for I have not followed my own imagination, but have rendered the divine words as I found them understood by those who speak the Hebrew language. If you have any doubt of this in any passage, ask the Jews what is the meaning of the original.

21. Perhaps you will say, “What if the Jews decline to answer, or choose to impose upon us?” Is it conceivable that the whole multitude of Jews will agree together to be silent if asked about my translation, and that none shall be found that has any knowledge of the Hebrew language? Or will they all imitate those Jews whom you mention as having, in some little town, conspired to injure my reputation? For in your letter you put together the following story:—“A certain bishop, one of our brethren, having introduced in the Church over which he presides the reading of your version, came upon a word in the book of the prophet Jonah, of which you have given a very different rendering from that which had been of old familiar to the senses and memory of all the worshippers, and had been chanted for so many generations in the Church. Thereupon arose such a tumult in the congregation, especially among the Greeks, correcting what had been read, and denouncing the translation as false, that the bishop was compelled to ask the testimony of the Jewish residents (it was in the town of Oea). These, whether from ignorance or from spite, answered that the words in the Hebrew Mss. were correctly rendered in the Greek version, and in the Latin one taken from it. What further need I say? The man was compelled to correct your version in that passage as if it had been falsely translated, as he desired not to be left without a congregation,—a calamity which he narrowly escaped. From this case we also are led to think that you may be occasionally mistaken.”515    Letter LXXI., sec. 5, p. 327.

Chap. VII.

22. You tell me that I have given a wrong translation of some word in Jonah, and that a worthy bishop narrowly escaped losing his charge through the clamorous tumult of his people, which was caused by the different rendering of this one word. At the same time, you withhold from me what the word was which I have mistranslated; thus taking away the possibility of my saying anything in my own vindication, lest my reply should be fatal to your objection. Perhaps it is the old dispute about the gourd which has been revived, after slumbering for many long years since the illustrious man, who in that day combined in his own person the ancestral honours of the Cornelii and of Asinius Pollio,516    The critic here referred to was Canthelius, whom Jerome abuses in his commentary on the passage, insinuating that the reason why the gourds found in this scion of a noble house a champion so devoted, was that they had often rendered him a service which ivy could not have done, screening his secret potations from public notice. brought against me the charge of giving in my translation the word “ivy” instead of “gourd.” I have already given a sufficient answer to this in my commentary on Jonah. At present, I deem it enough to say that in that passage, where the Septuagint has “gourd,” and Aquila and the others have rendered the word “ivy” (κίσσος), the Hebrew Ms. has “ciceion,” which is in the Syriac tongue, as now spoken, “ciceia.” It is a kind of shrub having large leaves like a vine, and when planted it quickly springs up to the size of a small tree, standing upright by its own stem, without requiring any support of canes or poles, as both gourds and ivy do. If, therefore, in translating word for word, I had put the word “ciceia,” no one would know what it meant; if I had used the word “gourd,” I would have said what is not found in the Hebrew. I therefore put down “ivy,” that I might not differ from all other translators. But if your Jews said, either through malice or ignorance, as you yourself suggest, that the word is in the Hebrew text which is found in the Greek and Latin versions, it is evident that they were either unacquainted with Hebrew, or have been pleased to say what was not true, in order to make sport of the gourd-planters.

In closing this letter, I beseech you to have some consideration for a soldier who is now old and has long retired from active service, and not to force him to take the field and again expose his life to the chances of war. Do you, who are young, and who have been appointed to the conspicuous seat of pontifical dignity, give yourself to teaching the people, and enrich Rome with new stores from fertile Africa.517    Alluding to the extent to which Rome was indebted to Africa for corn. I am contented to make but little noise in an obscure corner of a monastery, with one to hear me or read to me.

EPISTOLA LXXV . Respondet tandem Hieronymus ad Augustini quaestiones propositas in Epist. 28, 40 et 71, scilicet de titulo libri ecclesiasticos scriptores repraesentantis, de Petro reprehenso a Paulo in Epist. ad Galatas, de translatione veteris Testamenti, ac de hederae vocabulo apud Jonam: defendens acriter scriptiones et interpretationes suas adversus Augustinum.

Domino vere sancto et beatissimo papae AUGUSTINO, HIERONYMUS, in Christo salutem.

CAPUT PRIMUM.

1. Tres simul epistolas, imo libellos breves, per diaconum Cyprianum, tuae Dignationis accepi, diversas, ut tu nominas, quaestiones, ut ego sentio, reprehensiones opusculorum meorum continentes: ad quas si respondere voluero, libri magnitudine opus erit. Tamen conabor, quantum facere possum, modum non egredi longioris epistolae, et festinanti fratri moram non facere, qui ante triduum, quam profecturus erat, a me epistolas flagitavit; ut pene in procinctu haec qualiacumque sunt, effutire compellerer, et tumultuario respondere sermone, non maturitate scribentis, sed dictantis temeritate: quae plerumque non in doctrinam, sed in casum vertitur; ut fortissimos quoque milites subita bella conturbant, et ante coguntur fugere, quam possint arma corripere.

2. Caeterum nostra armatura Christus est, et apostoli Pauli institutio, qui scribit ad Ephesios: «Assumite arma Dei, ut possitis resistere in die malo.» Et rursum: «State succincti lumbos vestros in veritate, et induti loricam justitiae, et calceati pedes in praeparationem Evangelii pacis: super omnia accipientes scutum fidei, in quo possitis universa tela maligni ignita exstinguere; et galeam salutis accipite, et gladium Spiritus, quod est verbum Dei» (Ephes. VI, 13 17). His quondam telis rex David armatus procedebat ad praelium; et quinque lapides de torrente accipiens levigatos, nihil asperitatis et sordium inter hujus saeculi turbines in sensibus suis esse monstrabat, bibens de torrente in via; et idcirco exaltatus caput superbissimum Goliath suo potissimum mucrone truncavit, percutiens in fronte blasphemum (I Reg. XVII, 40-51), et in ea parte corporis vulnerans, in qua et praesumptor sacerdotii Ozias lepra percutitur (II Par. XXVI, 19); et sanctus gloriatur in Domino dicens: «Signatum est super nos lumen vultus tui, Domine» (Psal. IV, 7). Dicamus igitur et nos, «Paratum cor meum, Deus, paratum cor meum; cantabo et psallam in gloria mea. Exsurge psalterium et cithara; exsurgam diluculo» (Psal. LVI, 8, 9): ut in nobis possit impleri, «Aperi os tuum, et ego adimplebo illud» (Psal. LXXX, 11); et, «Dominus dabit verbum evangelizantibus virtute multa» 0252 (Psal. LXVII, 12). Te quoque ipsum orare non dubito, ut inter nos contendentes veritas superet. Non enim tuam quaeris gloriam, sed Christi; cumque tu viceris, et ego vincam si meum errorem intellexero; et e contrario me vincente, tu superas, quia non filii parentibus, sed parentes filiis thesaurizant (II Cor. XII, 14). Et in Paralipomenon libro legimus, quod filii Israel ad pugnandum processerint «mente pacifica» (I Paral. XII, 17, 18), inter ipsos quoque gladios et effusiones sanguinis, et cadavera prostratorum, non suam sed pacis victoriam cogitantes. Respondeamus igitur ad omnia, ac multiplices quaestiones, si Christus jusserit, brevi sermone solvamus. Praetermitto salutationis officia, quibus meum demulces caput; taceo de blanditiis, quibus reprehensionem mei niteris consolari: ad ipsas causas veniam.

CAPUT II.

3. Dicis accepisse te librum meum a quodam fratre, qui titulum non haberet, in quo Scriptores ecclesiasticos tam graecos quam latinos enumeraverim; cumque ab eo quaereres, ut tuis verbis utar, cur liminaris pagina non esset inscripta, vel quo censeretur nomine, respondisse, appellari Epitaphium: et argumentaris quod recte sic vocaretur, si eorum tantum vel vitas vel scripta ibi legisses, qui jam defuncti essent; cum vero multorum, et eo tempore quo scrib batur, et nunc usque viventium commemorentur opuscula, mirari te cur ei hunc titulum imposuerim. Puto intelligere prudentiam tuam, quod ex opere ipso titulum potueris intelligere. Legisti enim et graecos et latinos, qui vitas virorum illustrium descripserunt, quod nunquam Epitaphium huic operi scripserint, sed de illustribus viris, verbi gratia, ducibus, philosophicis, oratoribus, historicis, poetis, epicis, tragicis, comicis. Epitaphium autem proprie scribitur mortuorunt: quod quidem in dormitione sanctae memoriae Nepotiani presbyteri olim fecisse me novi. Ergo hic liber vel de illustribus viris, vel proprie de scriptoribus ecclesiasticis appellandus est; licet a plerisque emendatoribus imperitis, de auctoribus, dicatur inscriptus.

CAPUT III.

4. Secundo loco quaeris, cur dixerim in commentariis Epistolae ad Galatas, Paulum id in Petro non potuisse reprehendere quod ipse fecerat (Gal. II, 11), nec in alio arguere simulationem cujus ipse tenebatur reus; et asseris, reprehensionem apostolicam non fuisse dispensatoriam, sed veram, et me non debere docere mendacium, sed universa quae scripta sunt, ita sonare ut scripta sunt. Ad quae primum respondeo, debuisse prudentiam tuam praefatiunculae commentariorum meorum meminisse, dicentis ex persona mea: «Quid igitur? ego stultus ac temerarius, qui id pollicear quod ille non potuit? Minime: quin potius in eo, ut mihi videor, cautior atque timidior, quod imbecillitatem virium mearum sentiens, Origenis commentarios secutus sum. Scripsit enim ille vir in Epistolam Pauli ad Galatas quinque proprie volumina, et decimum Stromatum suorum librum commatico super explanatione ejus sermone complevit; tractatus quoque varios, et excerpta, quae vesola possent sufficere, composuit. Praetermitto Didymum videntem meum, et Laodicenum , de ecclesia nuper 0253 egressum, et Alexandrum veterem haereticum, Eusebium quoque Emisenum, et Theodorum Heracleotem, qui et ipsi nonnullos super hac re commentariolos reliquerunt. E quibus vel si pauca decerperem, fieret aliquid quod non penitus contemneretur. Itaque ut simpliciter fatear, legi haec omnia, et in mente mea plurima coacervans, accito notario, vel mea, vel aliena dictavi, nec ordinis, nec verborum interdum, nec sensuum memor. Jam Domini misericordiae est, ne per imperitiam nostram ab aliis bene dicta dispereant, et non placeant inter extraneos, quae placent inter suos.» Si quid igitur reprehensione dignum putaveras in explanatione nostra, eruditionis tuae fuerat quaerere utrum ea quae scripsimus haberentur in graecis, ut, si illi non dixissent, tunc meam proprie sententiam condemnares; praesertim cum libere in praefatione confessus sim, Origenis commentarios me esse secutum, et vel mea vel aliena dictasse, et in fine ejusdem capituli quod reprehendis, scripserim: «Si cui iste non placet sensus, quo nec Petrus peccasse, nec Paulus procaciter ostenditur arguisse majorem; debet exponere, qua consequentia Paulus in altero reprehendat quod ipse commisit.» Ex quo ostendi, me non ex definito id defendere, quod in graecis legeram, sed ea expressisse quae legeram, ut lectoris arbitrio derelinquerem, utrum probanda essent an improbanda.

5. Tu igitur, ne quod ego petieram faceres, novum argumentum reperisti, ut assereres, Gentiles qui in Christum credidissent, Legis onere liberos; eos autem qui ex Judaeis crederent. Legi esse subjectos: ut per utrorumque personam, et Paulus recte reprehenderet eos qui Legem servarent, quasi doctor Gentium; et Petrus jure reprehenderetur qui princeps circumcisionis (Gal. II, 8) id imperavit Gentibus, quod soli qui ex Judaeis erant, debuerint observare. Hoc si placet, imo quia placet, ut quicumque credunt ex Judaeis debitores sint legis faciendae; tu ut episcopus in toto orbe notissimus, debes hanc promulgare sententiam, et in assensum tuum omnes coepiscopos trahere. Ego in parvo tuguriunculo, cum monachis, id est compeccatoribus meis, de magnis statuere non audeo, nisi hoc ingenue confiteri, me majorum scripta legere, et in commentariis, secundum omnium consuetudinem, varias ponere explanationes, ut e multis sequatur unusquisque quod velit. Quod quidem te puto et in saeculari litteratura, et in divinis Libris legisse, et probasse.

6. Hanc autem explanationem, quam primus Origenes in decimo Stromatum libro, ubi Epistolam Pauli ad Galatas interpretatur, et caeteri deinceps interpretes sunt secuti, illa vel maxime causa subintroducunt, ut Porphyrio respondeant blasphemanti, qui Pauli arguit procacitatem, quod principem Apostolorum Petrum ausus est reprehendere, et arguere in faciem, ac ratione constringere, quod male fecerit, id est, in eo errore fuerit, in quo fuit ipse qui alium arguit delinquentem. Quid dicam de Joanne, qui dudum in pontificali gradu Constantinopolitanam 0254 rexit Ecclesiam , et proprie super hoc capitulo latissimum exaravit librum, in quo Origenis et veterum sententiam est secutus? Si igitur me reprehendis errantem, patere me, quaeso, errare cum talibus; et cum me erroris mei multos socios habere perspexeris, tu veritatis tuae saltem unum adstipulatorem proferre debebis. Haec de explanatione unius capituli Epistolae ad Galatas.

7. Sed ne videar adversus rationem tuam niti testium numero, et occasione virorum illustrium subterfugere veritatem, nec manum audere conserere, breviter de Scripturis exempla proponam. In Actibus Apostolorum, vox facta est ad Petrum dicens, «Surge, Petre, occide et manduca», id est, omnia animalia quadrupedum, et serpentium terrae, et volatilium coeli. Quo dicto, ostenditur nullum hominem secundum naturam esse pollutum, sed aequaliter omnes ad Christi Evangelium provocari. Ad quod respondit Petrus: «Absit, quia nunquam manducavi commune et immundum. Et vox ad eum de coelo secundo facta est, dicens: Quae Deus mundavit, tu ne commune dixeris.» Ivit itaque Caesaream, et ingressus ad Cornelium, «aperiens os suum, dixit: In veritate comperi, quia non est personarum acceptor Deus; sed in omni gente, qui timet eum et operatur justitiam, acceptus est illi.» Denique «cecidit Spiritus sanctus super eos, et obstupuerunt ex circumcisione fideles, qui venerant cum Petro, quod et in Nationes gratia Spiritus sancti fuisset effusa. Tunc respondit Petrus: Numquid aquam quis prohibere potest, ut non baptizentur hi qui Spiritum sanctum acceperunt sicut et nos? Et jussit eos in nomine Jesu Christi baptizari (Act. X, 13-48). Audierunt autem Apostoli et fratres qui erant in Judaea, quia et gentes receperunt verbum Dei. Cum autem ascendisset Petrus Jerosolymam, disceptabant adversus illum qui erant ex circumcisione, dicentes: Quare introisti ad viros praeputium habentes, et manducasti cum illis?» Quibus omni ratione exposita, novissime orationem suam hoc sermone conclusit: «Si ergo eamdem gratiam dedit illis Deus, sicut et nobis qui credidimus in Dominum Jesum Christum; ego quis eram, qui possem prohibere Deum? His auditis, tacuerunt; et glorificaverunt Deum dicentes: Ergo et Gentibus Deus poenitentiam ad vitam dedit» (Ibid. XI, 1-18). Rursum, cum multo post tempore Paulus et Barnabas venissent Antiochiam, et, congregata Ecclesia, retulissent «quanta fecisset Deus cum illis, et quia aperuisset Deus Gentibus ostium fidei (Ibid. XIV, 26); quidam, descendentes de Judaea, docebant fratres atque dicebant: Nisi circumcidamini secundum morem Moysi, non potestis salvi fieri. Commota igitur seditione non minima adversus Paulum et Barnabam, statuerunt ascendere» et ipsi qui accusabantur, et hi qui accusabant, «ad Apostolos et presbyteros Jerosolymam super hac quaestione. Cumque Jerosolymam perrexissent, exsurrexerunt quidam de haeresi Pharisaeorum, qui crediderant in Christum, dicentes: Oportet circumcidi eos, et praecipere illis ut servent Legem Moysi. Et cum magna super hoc verbo oriretur quaestio, Petrus» solita libertate: «Viri,» 0255 inquit, «fratres, vos scitis quoniam ab antiquis diebus in nobis elegit Deus per os meum audire Gentes verbum Evangelii et credere; et qui novit corda Deus, testimonium perhibuit, dans illis Spiritum sanctum, sicut et nobis, et nihil discrevit inter nos et illos, fide purificans corda illorum. Nunc autem quid tentatis Deum imponere jugum super cervicem discipulorum, quod neque patres nostri, neque nos portare potuimus? Sed per gratiam Domini nostri Jesu Christi credimus salvari, quemadmodum et illi. Tacuit autem omnis multitudo» (Act. XV, 1-12), et in sententiam ejus Jacobus apostolus, et omnes simul presbyteri transierunt.

8. Haec non debent molesta esse lectori, sed et illi et mihi utilia, ut probemus, ante apostolum Paulum non ignorasse Petrum, imo principem hujus fuisse decreti, Legem post Evangelium non esse servandam. Denique tantae Petrus auctoritatis fuit, ut Paulus in Epistola sua scripserit: «Deinde post annos tres veni Jerosolymam videre Petrum, et mansi apud eum diebus quindecim» (Gal. I, 18). Rursumque in consequentibus: «Post annos quatuordecim ascendi iterum Jerosolymam cum Barnaba, assumpto et Tito. Ascendi autem secundum revelationem, et exposui eis Evangelium quod praedico inter Gentes:» ostendens se non habuisse securitatem Evangelii praedicandi, nisi Petri, et qui cum eo erant, fuisset sententia roboratum. Statimque sequitur: «Separatim autem his qui videbantur aliquid esse, ne forte in vacuum currerem aut cucurrissem.» Quare separatim, et non in publico? Ne forte fidelibus ex numero Judaeorum, qui Legem putabant esse servandam, et sic credendum in Domino Salvatore, fidei scandulum nasceretur. Ergo et eo tempore cum Petrus venisset Antiochiam (licet hoc Apostolorum Acta non scribant, sed affirmanti Paulo credendum sit), in faciem illi Paulus restitisse se scribit, quia reprehensibilis erat. Prius enim quam venirent quidam a Jacobo, cum Gentibus edebat; cum autem venissent, subtrahebat se, et segregabat, timens eos qui ex circumcisione erant. Et consenserunt cum illo caeteri Judaei, ita ut et Barnabas adduceretur ab his in illam simulationem. «Sed cum vidissem,» inquit, «quod non recte ingrediuntur ad veritatem Evangelii, dixi Petro coram omnibus: Si tu, cum sis Judaeus, gentiliter et non judaice vivis; quomodo cogis Gentes judaizare?» (Gal. II, 1, 2, 14.) et caetera. Nulli ergo dubium est quod Petrus apostolus sententiae hujus, cujus nunc praevaricator arguitur, primus auctor extiterit. Causa autem praevaricationis, timor est Judaeorum. Dicit enim Scriptura quod primum edebat cum Gentibus; cum autem venissent quidam a Jacobo, subtrahebat se et segregabat, timens eos qui ex circumcisione erant. Timebat autem Judaeos quorum erat apostolus, ne per occasionem Gentilium a fide Christi recederent, et imitator pastoris boni, perderet gregem sibi creditum.

9. Sicut ergo ostendimus, Petrum bene quidem sensisse de abolitione Legis Mosaicae, sed ad simulationem observandae ejus timore compulsum; videamus an ipse Paulus qui alium arguit, tale quid fecerit. Legimus in 0256 eodem libro: «Perambulabat autem Paulus Syriam, et Ciliciam, confirmans Ecclesias: pervenitque in Derben, et Listram; et ecce discipulus quidam erat ibi, nomine Timotheus, filius mulieris viduae fidelis, patre autem gentili. Huic testimonium reddebant qui Listris erant et Iconio fratres. Hunc voluit Paulus secum proficisci; et assumens circumcidit eum propter Judaeos qui erant in illis locis: sciebant enim omnes quod pater ejus gentilis esset» (Act. XV, 41, et XVI, 1-3). O beate apostole Paule, qui in Petro reprehenderas simulationem, qua subtraxit se a Gentilibus propter metum Judaeorum qui a Jacobo venerant; cur Timotheum, filium hominis gentilis, utique et ipsum gentilem (neque enim Judaeus erat, qui non fuerat circumcisus), contra sententiam tuam circumcidere cogeris? Respondebis mihi: Propter Judaeos qui erant in illis locis. Qui igitur tibi ignoscis in circumcisione discipuli venientis ex Gentibus, ignosce et Petro, praecessori tuo, quod aliqua fecerit metu fidelium Judaeorum. Rursum scriptum est: «Paulus vero cum adhuc sustinuisset dies multos, fratribus valedicens, navigavit Syriam, et cum eo Priscilla et Aquila: et totondit sibi in Cenchreis caput; votum enim habuerat» (Ibid. XVIII, 18). Esto, ut ibi timore Judaeorum compulsus sit facere quod nolebat; quare comam nutrivit ex voto, et postea eam in Cenchreis totondit ex Lege, quod Nazaraei qui se Deo voverint, juxta praeceptum Moysi facere consueverunt? (Num. VI, 18.)

10. Verum haec ad comparationem ejus rei quae sequitur, parva sunt. Refert Lucas, sacrae historiae scriptor: «Cum venissemus Jerosolymam, libenter susceperunt nos fratres;» et sequenti die Jacobus et omnes seniores qui cum eo erant, «Evangelio illius comprobato, dixerunt ei, Vides, frater, quot millia sunt in Judaea, qui crediderunt in Christum, et hi omnes aemulatores sunt Legis. Audierunt autem de te quod discessionem doceas a Moyse eorum qui per Gentes sunt Judaeorum, dicens non debere eos circumcidere filios suos, neque secundum consuetudinem ingredi. Quid ergo est? Utique oportet convenire multitudinem; audierunt enim te supervenisse. Hoc ergo fac quod tibi dicimus. Sunt nobis viri quatuor votum habentes super se; his assumptis, sanctifica te cum ipsis, et impende in eos ut radant capita; et scient omnes quia quae de te audierunt falsa sunt, sed ambulas et ipse custodiens Legem. Tunc Paulus, assumptis viris, postera die purificatus, cum illis intravit in templum, annuntians expletionem dierum purificationis, donec offerretur pro unoquoque eorum oblatio» (Act. XXI, 17-26). O Paule, et in hoc te rursus interrogo; cur caput raseris, cur nudipedalia exercueris de cerimoniis Judaeorum, cur obtuleris sacrificia, et secundum Legem hostiae pro te fuerint immolatae? Utique respondebis: Ne scandalizarentur qui ex Judaeis crediderant. Simulasti ergo Judaeum ut Judaeos lucrifaceres; et hanc ipsam simulationem Jacobus et caeteri te docuere presbyteri: sed tamen evadere non potuisti. Orta enim seditione cum occidendus esses, raptus es a tribuno, et ab eo missus Caesaream, sub custodia militum diligenti, ne te Judaei quasi simulatorem ac destructorem Legis occiderent; atque unde Romam perveniens, 0257 in hospitio quod tibi conduxeras, Christum et Judaeis et Gentibus praedicasti: et sententia tua Neronis gladio confirmata est (Act. XXIII, 23, et XXVIII, 14, 30).

11. Didicimus quod propter metum Judaeorum, et Petrus et Paulus aequaliter finxerint se Legis praecepta servare. Qua igitur fronte, qua audacia Paulus in altero reprehendat quod ipse commisit? Ego, imo alii ante me exposuerunt causam quam putaverant, non officiosum mendacium defendentes, sicut tu scribis, sed docentes honestam dispensationem; ut et Apostolorum prudentiam demonstrarent, et blasphemantis Porphyrii impudentiam coercerent, qui Petrum et Paulum puerili dicit inter se pugnasse certamine; imo exarsisse Paulum in invidiam virtutum Petri, et ea scripsisse jactanter quae vel non fecerit, vel si fecerit, procaciter fecerit, id in alio reprehendens quod ipse commiserit. Interpretati sunt illi ut potuerunt; tu quomodo istum locum edisseres? Utique meliora dicturus, qui veterum sententiam reprobasti.

CAPUT IV.

12. Scribis ad me in epistola tua «Neque enim a me docendus es, quomodo intelligatur quod idem Apostolus dicit, Factus sum Judaeis tanquam Judaeus, ut Judaeos lucrifacerem (I Cor. IX, 20). et caetera, quae ibi dicuntur compassione misericordiae, non simulatione fallaciae . Fit enim tanquam aeger, qui ministrat aegroto; non cum se febres habere mentitur, sed cum animo condolentis cogitat quemadmodum sibi serviri vellet, si ipse aegrotaret. Nam utique Judaeus erat; Christianus autem factus, non Judaeorum sacramenta reliquerat, quae convenienter ille populus, et legitimo tempore quo oportebat, acceperat: ideoque suscepit ea celebranda cum jam Christi esset apostolus, ut doceret non esse perniciosa his qui ea vellent, sicut a parentibus per Legem acceperant, custodire, etiam cum in Christum credidissent; non tamen in eis jam constituerent spem salutis, quoniam per Dominum Jesum salus ipsa quae illis sacramentis significabatur, advenerat.» Totius sermonis tui, quem disputatione longissima protraxisti, hic sensus est ut Petrus non erraverit in eo quod his qui ex Judaeis crediderant, putaverit Legem esse servandam; sed in eo a recti linea deviarit, quod Gentes coegerit judoizare. Coegerit autem non docentis imperio, sed conversationis exemplo. Et Paulus non contraria sit locutus his quae ipse gesserat; sed quare Petrus eos qui ex Gentibus erant, judaizare compelleret.

13. Haec ergo summa est quaestionis, imo sententiae tuae, ut post Evangelium Christi, bene faciant Judaei credentes, si Legis mandata custodiant; hoc est si sacrificia offerant quae obtulit Paulus, si filios circumcidant, si sabbatum servent, ut Paulus in Timotheo, et omnes observavere Judaei. Si hoc verum est, in Cerinthi et Ebionis haeresim delabimur, qui credentes in Christum, propter hoc solum a patribus anathematizati sunt, quod Legis cerimonias Christi Evangelio miscuerunt, et sic nova confessi sunt, ut vetera non omitterent. Quid dicam de Ebionitis, qui Christianos esse se simulant? 0258 Usque hodie per totas Orientis synagogas inter Judaeos haeresis est, quae dicitur Mineorum, et a Pharisaeis nunc usque damnatur, quos vulgo Nazaraeos nuncupant, qui credunt in Christum Filium Dei, natum de virgine Maria; et eum dicunt esse, qui sub Pontio Pilato passus est, et resurrexit, in quem et nos credimus: sed dum volunt et Judaei esse et Christiani, nec Judaei sunt nec Christiani. Oro ergo te ut, qui nostro vulnusculo medendum putas, quod acu foratum, imo punctum, ut dicitur, hujus sententiae medearis vulneri, quod lancea, et, ut ita dicam, phalaricae mole percussum est. Neque enim ejusdem est criminis in explanatione Scripturarum diversas majorum sententias ponere, et haeresim sceleratissimam rursum in Ecclesiam introducere. Sin autem haec nobis incumbit necessitas, ut Judaeos cum legitimis suis suscipiamus, et licebit eis observare in ecclesiis Christi quod exercuerunt in synagogis satanae, dicam quod sentio: non illi Christiani fient, sed nos Judaeos facient.

14. Quis enim hoc Christianorum patienter audiat, quod in tua epistola continetur: «Judaeus erat Paulus; Christianus autem factus, non Judaeorum sacramenta reliquerat, quae convenienter ille populus, et legitimo tempore quo oportebat, acceperat: ideoque suscepit celebranda ea cum jam Christi esset apostolus, ut doceret non esse perniciosa his qui ea vellent, sicut a parentibus per Legem acceperant, custodire.» Rursum obsecro te, ut pace tua meum dolorem audias. Judaeorum Paulus cerimonias observabat, cum jam Christi esset apostolus, et dicis «eas non esse perniciosas his qui eas vellent, sicut a parentibus acceperant, custodire.» Ego e contrario loquar, et reclamante mundo, libera voce pronuntiem, cerimonias Judaeorum et perniciosas esse, et mortiferas Christianis; et quicumque eas observaverit, sive ex Judaeis, sive ex Gentibus, eum in barathrum diaboli devolutum. «Finis enim Legis Christus, ad justitiam omni credenti, Judaeo scilicet et Gentili» (Rom. X, 4): neque enim omni credenti erit finis ad justitiam, si Judaeus excipitur. Et in Evangelio legimus: «Lex et Prophetae usque ad Joannem Baptistam» (Matth. XI, 13, et Luc. XVI, 16). Et in alio loco: «Propterea ergo magis quaerebant eum Judaei interficere, quia non solum solvebat sabbatum, sed et Patrem suum dicebat esse Deum, aequalem se faciens Deo» (Joan. V, 18). Et iterum: «De plenitudine ejus nos omnes accepimus, et gratiam pro gratia, quia Lex per Moysen data est; Gratia autem et veritas per Jesum Christum facta est» (Ibid. I, 16, 17). Pro Legis gratia quae praeteriit, gratiam Evangelii accepimus permanentem; et pro umbris et imaginibus veteris Instrumenti, veritas per Jesum Christum facta est. Jeremias quoque ex persona Dei vaticinatur: «Ecce dies veniunt, dicit Dominus, et consummabo domui Israel et domui Juda testamentum novum; non secundum testamentum quod disposui patribus eorum, in die quando apprehendi manum eorum, ut educerem eos de terra Aegypti» (Jer. XXXI, 31, 32). 0259 Observa quid dicat, quod non populo Gentilium, ei qui ante non receperat Testamentum, sed populo Judaeorum, qui Legem dederat per Moysen, Testamentum novum Evangelii repromittat; ut nequaquam vivant in vetustate litterae, sed in novitate spiritus. Paulus autem, super cujus nomine nunc quaestio ventilatur, crebras hujuscemodi ponit sententias; e quibus, brevitatis studio, pauca subnectam. «Ecce ego Paulus dico vobis quoniam si circumcidamini, Christus vobis nihil prodest.» Et iterum: «Evacuati estis a Christo, qui in Lege justificamini; a gratia excidistis.» Et infra: «Si spiritu ducimini, jam non estis sub Lege» (Gal. V, 2, 4, 18). Ex quo apparet, qui sub Lege est, non dispensative, ut nostri voluere majores, sed vere, ut tu intelligis, eum Spiritum sanctum non habere. Qualia sint autem praecepta legalia, Deo docente discamus. «Ego, inquit, dedi eis praecepta non bona, et justificationes in quibus non vivant in eis» (Ezech. XX, 25). Haec dicimus, non quod Legem juxta Manichaeum et Marcionem destruamus, quam et sanctam et spiritualem juxta Apostolum novimus; sed quia postquam fides venit et temporum plenitudo, misit Deus Filium suum factum ex muliere, factum sub Lege, ut eos qui sub Lege erant redimeret, ut adoptionem filiorum reciperemus (Gal. IV, 4); et nequaquam sub paedagogo, sed sub adulto et Domino haerede vivamus.

15. Sequitur in epistola tua: «Non ideo Petrum emendavit, quod paternas traditiones observaret; quod si facere vellet, nec mendaciter, nec incongrue faceret.» Iterum dico: quando episcopus es, Ecclesiarum Christi magister, ut probes verum esse quod asseris, suscipe aliquem Judaeorum, qui factus Christianus, natum sibi filium circumcidat, qui observet sabbatum, qui abstineat a cibis quos Deus creavit ad utendum cum gratiarum actione, qui quarto decimo die mensis primi agnum mactet ad vesperam; et cum hoc feceris, imo non feceris (scio enim te christianum, et rem sacrilegam non esse facturum), velis nolis, tuam sententiam reprobabis; et tunc scies opere difficilius esse confirmare sua quam aliena reprehendere. Ac ne forsitan tibi non crederemus, imo non intelligeremus quid diceres (frequenter enim in longum sermo protractus caret intelligentia; et dum non sentitur, ab imperitis minus reprehenditur), inculcas et replicas: «Hoc ergo Judaeorum Paulus dimiserat, quod malum habebant. Quod est malum Judaeorum, quod Paulus dimiserat? Utique illud quod sequitur: quod ignorantes, inquit, Dei justitiam, et suam volentes constituere, justitiae Dei non sunt subjecti (Rom. X, 3); deinde quod post passionem et resurrectionem Christi, dato ac manifestato Sacramento gratiae, secundum ordinem Melchisedech, adhuc putabant vetera sacramenta non ex consuetudine solemnitatis, sed ex necessitate salutis esse celebranda; quae tamen si nunquam fuissent necessaria, infructuose atque inaniter pro eis Machabai martyres fierent: postremo illud, quod praedicatores gratiae Christianos Judaei, tanquam hostes Legis, persequerentur. 0260 Hos atque hujusmodi errores et vitia, dicit se damna et ut stercora arbitratum, ut Christum lucrifaceret (Philipp. III, 8).»

16. Didicimus per te, quae apostolus Paulus mala reliquerit Judaeorum; rursum te docente discamus quae bona eorum tenuerit. «Observationes,» inquies, «Legis, quas more patrio celebrant, sicut ab ipso Paulo celebratae sunt, sine ulla salutis necessitate.» Id quid velis dicere, «sine ulla salutis necessitate,» non satis intelligo. Si enim salutem non afferunt, cur observantur? Si autem observanda sunt, utique salutem afferunt; maxime quae observata martyres faciunt. Non enim observarentur, nisi salutem afferrent. Neque enim indifferentia sunt inter bonum et malum, sicut philosophi disputant. Bonum est continentia, malum est luxuria; inter utrumque indifferens, ambulare, digerere alvi stercora, capitis naribus purgamenta projicere, sputis rheumata jacere: hoc nec bonum, nec malum est; sive enim feceris, sive non feceris, nec justitiam habebis, nec injustitiam. Observare autem Legis cerimonias, non potest esse indifferens; sed aut malum est, aut bonum est. Tu dicis bonum; ego assero malum; et malum non solum his qui ex Gentibus, sed et his qui ex Judaico populo crediderunt. In hoc, nisi fallor, loco, dum aliud vitas, in aliud devolveris. Dum enim metuis Porphyrium blasphemantem, in Hebionis incurris laqueos: his qui credunt ex Judaeis, observandam Legem esse decernens. Et qui periculosum intelligis esse quod dicis, rursum illud superfluis verbis temperare conaris: «Sine ulla salutis necessitate, sicut Judaei celebranda putabant, aut fallaci simulatione, quod in Petro reprehenderat Paulus.»

17. Petrus igitur simulavit Legis custodiam; iste autem reprehensor Petri, audacter observavit legitima. Sequitur enim in epistola tua: «Nam si propterea illa sacramenta celebravit, quia simulavit se Judaeum, ut illos lucrifaceret, cur non etiam sacrificavit cum Gentibus, quia et his qui sine Lege erant, tanquam sine Lege factus est, ut eos quoque lucrifaceret (I Cor. IX, 21); nisi quia et illud fecit, ut natura Judaeus, et hoc totum dixit, non ut Paulus se fingeret esse quod non erat, sed ut misericorditer ita subveniendum esse sentiret, ac si ipse in eo errore laboraret; non scilicet mentientis astu, sed compatientis affectu.» Bene defendis Paulum, quod non simulaverit errorem Judaeorum, sed vere fuerit in errore; neque imitari voluerit Petrum mentientem, ut quod erat, metu Judaeorum dissimularet ; sed tota libertate Judaeum se esse diceret. Novam clementiam Apostoli! dum Judaeos Christianos vult facere, ipse Judaeus factus est. Non enim poterat luxuriosos ad frugalitatem reducere, nisi se luxuriosum probasset, et misericorditer, ut ipse dicis, subvenire miseris, nisi se miserum ipse sentiret. Vere enim miselli, et misericorditer deplorandi, qui contentione sua et amore Legis abolitae, apostolum Christi fecere Judaeum. Nec multum interest inter meam et tuam sententiam, quia ego dico et Petrum et Paulum, timore fidelium Judaeorum, Legis exercuisse, imo simulasse 0261 mandata; tu autem asseris hoc eos fecisse clementer, «non mentientis astu, sed compatientis affectu:» dummodo illud constet, vel metu, vel misericordia eos simulasse se esse, quod non erant. Illud autem argumentum, quo adversus nos uteris, quod et Gentilibus debuerit gentilis fieri, si Judaeis Judaeus factus est, magis pro nobis facit: sicut enim non fuit vere Judaeus, sic nec vere gentilis erat; et sicut non fuit vere gentilis, sic nec vere Judaeus erat. In eo autem imitator Gentilium est, quia praeputium recipit in fide Christi, et indifferenter permittit vesci cibis quos damnant Judaei; non cultu, ut tu putas, idolorum. In Christo enim Jesu nec circumcisio est aliquid, nec praeputium, sed observatio mandatorum Dei (Gal. V, 6, et VI, 15).

18. Quaeso igitur te, et iterum atque iterum deprecor, ut ignoscas disputatiunculae meae; et quod modum meum egressus sum, tibi imputes qui coegisti ut rescriberem, et mihi cum Stesichoro oculos abstulisti. Nec me putes magistrum esse mendacii, qui sequor Christum dicentem: «Ego sum via, veritas et vita» (Joan. XIV, 6). Nec potest fieri ut veritatis cultor, mendacio colla submittam. Neque mihi imperitorum plebeculam concites, qui te venerantur ut episcopum, et in ecclesia declamantem, sacerdotii honore suspiciunt; me autem, aetatis ultimae, et pene decrepitum, ac monasterii et ruris secreta sectantem, parvipendunt; et quaeras tibi, quos doceas sive reprehendas. Ad nos enim, tantis maris atque terrarum a te divisos spatiis, vix vocis tuae sonus pervenit. Et si forsitan litteras scripseris, ante eas Italia ac Roma suscipient, quam ad me, cui mittendae sunt, deferantur.

CAPUT V.

19. Quod autem in aliis quaeris epistolis, cur mea prior in Libris canonicis interpretatio asteriscos habeat, et virgulas praenotatas, et postea aliam translationem absque his signis ediderim; pace tua dixerim, videris mihi non intelligere quod quaesisti. Illa enim interpretatio Septuaginta interpretum est; et ubicumque virgulae, id est obeli sunt, significatur quod Septuaginta plus dixerint quam habetur in hebraeo: ubi autem asterisci, id est stellae praelucentes, ex Theodotionis editione ab Origene additum est; et ibi graeca transtulimus, hic de ipso hebraico, quod intelligebamus expressimus, sensuum potius veritatem quam verborum interdum ordinem conservantes. Et miror quomodo Septuaginta interpretum libros legas non puros, ut ab eis editi sunt, sed ab Origene emendatos, sive corruptos per obelos et asteriscos, et christiani hominis interpretatiunculam non sequaris; praesertim cum ea quae addita sunt, ex hominis Judaei atque blasphemi, post passionem Christi, editione transtulerit. Vis amator esse verus Septuaginta interpretum? Non legas ea quae sub asteriscis sunt: imo rade de voluminibus, ut veterum te fautorem probes. Quod si feceris, omnes Ecclesiarum bibliothecas condemnare cogeris. Vix enim unus aut alter invenietur liber, qui ista non habeat.

CAPUT VI.

20. Porro quod dicis non debuisse me interpretari post veteres, et novo uteris syllogismo: «Aut 0262 obscura fuerunt quae interpretati sunt Septuaginta, aut manifesta. Si obscura, te quoque in eis falli potuisse credendum est: si manifesta, illos in eis falli non potuisse, perspicuum est:» tuo tibi sermone respondeo. Omnes veteres tractatores qui nos in Domino praecesserunt, et qui Scripturas sanctas interpretati sunt, aut obscura interpretati sunt, aut manifesta. Si obscura, quomodo tu post eos ausus es disserere, quod illi explanare non potuerunt? si manifesta, superfluum est te voluisse disserere quod illos latere non potuit, maxime in explanatione Psalmorum quos apud Graecos interpretati sunt multis voluminibus, primus Origenes, secundus Eusebius Caesariensis, tertius Theodorus Heracleotes, quartus Asterius Scythopolitanus, quintus Apollinaris Laodicenus, sextus Didymus Alexandrinus. Feruntur et diversorum in paucos psalmos opuscula; sed nunc de integro Psalmorum corpore dicimus. Apud Latinos autem Hilarius Pictaviensis et Eusebius Vercellensis episcopi, Origenem et Eusebium transtulerunt: quorum priorem et noster Ambrosius in quibusdam secutus est. Respondeat mihi prudentia tua, quare tu post tantos et tales interpretes in explanatione Psalmorum diversa senseris? Si enim obscuri sunt Psalmi, te quoque in eis falli potuisse, credendum est. Si manifesti, illos in eis falli potuisse non creditur: ac per hoc utroque modo superflua erit interpretatio tua; et hac lege, post priores nullus loqui audebit, et quodcumque alius occupaverit, alius de eo scribendi non habebit licentiam. Quin potius humanitatis tuae est, in quo veniam tibi tribuis, indulgere et caeteris. Ego enim non tam vetera abolere conatus sum, quae linguae meae hominibus emendata de graeco in latinum transtuli, quam ea testimonia quae a Judaeis praetermissa sunt vel corrupta, proferre in medium, ut scirent nostri quid hebraea veritas contineret. Si cui legere non placet, nemo compellit invitum. Bibat vinum vetus cum suavitate, et nostra musta contemnat, quae in explanatione priorum edita sunt, ut sicubi illa non intelliguntur, ex nostris manifestiora fiant. Quod autem genus interpretationis in Scripturis sanctis sequendum sit, liber quem scripsi de Optimo genere interpretandi, et omnes praefatiunculae divinorum voluminum, quas editioni nostrae praeposuimus, explicant; ad illasque prudentem lectorem remittendum puto. Et si me, ut dicis in Novi Testamenti emendatione suscipis, exponisque causam cur suscipias; quia plurimi linguae graecae habentes scientiam, de meo possint opere judicare: eamdem integritatem debueras etiam in Veteri credere Testamento, quod non nostra confinximus, sed ut apud Hebraeos invenimus, divina transtulimus. Sicubi dubitas, Hebraeos interroga.

21. Sed forte dices: Quid si Hebraei aut respondere noluerint, aut mentiri voluerint? Tota frequentia Judaeorum in mea interpretatione reticebit, nullusque invenire poterit, qui hebraeae linguae habeat notionem; aut omnes imitabuntur illos Judaeos, quos dicis in Africae repertos oppidulo in meam conspirasse calumniam? Hujuscemodi enim in epistola tua texis fabulam: «Quidam frater noster episcopus, cum lectitari instituisset in Ecclesia cui praeest, interpretationem tuam, movit quiddam longe 0263 aliter a te positam apud Jonam prophetam, quam erat omnium sensibus memoriaeque inveteratum, et tot aetatum successionibus decantatum. Factus est tantus tumultus in plebe, maxime Graecis arguentibus, et inclamantibus calumniam falsitatis, ut cogeretur episcopus, (Oëa quippe civitas erat), Judaeorum testimonium flugitare. Utrum autem illi imperitia an malitia, hoc esse in hebraeis codicibus responderunt, quod et graeci et latini habebant atque dicebant. Quid plura? Coactus est homo velut mendositatem corrigere, volens post magnum periculum non remanere sine plebe. Unde etiam nobis videtur aliquando te quoque in nonnullis falli potuisse.»

CAPUT VII.

22. Dicis me in Jona propheta male quiddam interpretatum, et seditione populi conclamante, propter unius verbi dissonantiam, episcopum pene sacerdotium perdidisse. Et quid sit illud quod male interpretatus sim, subtrahis, auferens mihi occasionem defensionis meae; ne quidquid dixeris, me respondente solvatur: nisi forte, ut ante annos plurimos, cucurbita venit in medium, asserente illius temporis Cornelio et Asinio Pollione , me hederam pro cucurbita transtulisse. Super qua re in commentario Jonae prophetae plenius respondimus. Hoc tantum nunc dixisse contenti, quod in eo loco, ubi Septuaginta interpretes cucurbitam, et Aquila cum reliquis hederam transtulerunt, id est κισσὸν, in hebraeo volumine ciceion scriptum habetur, quam vulgo Syri ciceiam vocant. Est autem genus virgulti lata habens folia, in modum pampini: cumque plantatum fuerit, cito consurgit in arbusculam, absque ullis calamorum et hastilium adminiculis, quibus et cucurbitae et hederae indigent, suo trunco se sustinens. Hoc ergo verbum de verbo edisserens, si ciceion transferre voluissem, nullus intelligeret; si cucurbitam, id dicerem quod in hebraico non habetur: hederam posui, ut caeteris interpretibus consentirem. Sin autem Judaei vestri, ut ipse asseris, malitia, vel imperitia hoc dixerunt esse in voluminibus Hebraeorum, quod in graecis et latinis codicibus continetur; manifestum est eos aut hebraeas ignorare litteras, aut ad irridendos cucurbitarios voluisse mentiri. Peto in fine epistolae, ut quiescentem senem, olimque veteranum, militare non cogas, et rursum de vita periclitari. Tu qui juvenis es, et in pontificali culmine constitutus, doceto populos; et novis Africae frugibus Romana tecta locupleta. Mihi sufficit, cum auditore et lectore pauperculo in angulo monasterii susurrare.