Certainly the Learned Fathers have evermore thought, that in such perilous times of dissension in judgement, it is most behooveful for the people, to have recourse unto the Scriptures. 1When Paul, and Silas preached at Berrhoea, the people there daily searched, and considered the Scriptures, to know, whether that they preached, 2were true, or no. Chrysostom expounding these words, When ye shall see the Abomination of desolation standing in the Holy place, writeth thus, Ideo man dat, ut Christiani volentes firmitatem accipere Fidei verae, ad nullam rem fugiant, nisi ad Scripturas. Alioqui, si ad alia respexerint, scandalizabuntur, & peribunt, non intelligentes, quae sit vera Ecclesia: & per hoc incident in Abominationem desolationis, quae stat in Sanctis Ecclesiae locis. Therefore he commandeth, that Christian men, that will be assured of the true Faith, resort unto nothing else, but only unto the Scriptures. For else, if they have regard to any other thing, they shall be offended, and shall perish, not knowing, which is the true Church: and by mean thereof they shall fall into the Abomination of desolation, that standeth in the Holy places of the Church. In like sort writeth Origen upon the same place: 3Animae imperitae verbi Justitiae, quia facilé Seducuntur, non possunt inseducibilite• permanere in conspectu Abominationis desolationis stantis in loco Sancto: The soules, that be unskilful of the Word of Justice, because they are easily deceived, cannot stand without error in the sight of the Abomination of desolation standing in the Holy place. S. Hierome saith, 4In aduentu Messiae, populus, qui sub Magistris fuerat consopitus, ibit ad montes Sc•ipturarum: ibique inuenient montes Mosen, montes Propheras, Montes Nou• Testamenti. Et in talium montium lectione versatus, si non inuenerit, qui doceat, tamen illius studium comprobabitur, quòd confugerint ad Montes. At the coming of Christ, the people, that was laid a sleep under their teachers, shall go to the Mountains of the Scriptures: There shall they find these Mountains, Moses, the Prophets, and the New Testament. And being occupied in the reading of these Mountains, notwithstanding they find no man to teach them, yet shall their good will be well allowed, for that they have fled unto the Mountains.5 So S.
Certainely the Learned Fathers haue euermore thought, that in suche perillous times of dissension in iudgement, it is most behooueful for the people, to haue recourse vnto the Scriptures. 1When Paule, and Silas preached at Berrhoea, the people there dayly searched, and considered the Scriptures, to knowe, whether that they preached, 2were true, or no. Chrysostome expoundinge these woordes, When ye shal see the Abomination of desolation standinge in the Holy place, writeth thus, Ideo mā dat, vt Christiani volentes firmitatem accipere Fidei verae, ad nullam rem fugiant, nisi ad Scripturas. Alioqui, si ad alia respexerint, scandalizabuntur, & peribunt, non intelligentes, quae sit vera Ecclesia: & per hoc incident in Abominationem desolationis, quae stat in Sanctis Ecclesiae locis. Therfore he commaundeth, that Christian men, that wil be assured of the true Faithe, resorte vnto nothinge els, but onely vnto the Scriptures. For els, if they haue regarde to any other thinge, they shal be offended, and shal perishe, not knowinge, whiche is the true Churche: and by meane thereof they shal fal into the Abomination of desolation, that standeth in the Holy places of the Churche. In like sorte writeth Origen vpon the same place: 3Animae imperitae verbi Iustitiae, quia facilé Seducuntur, non possunt inseducibilite• permanere in conspectu Abominationis desolationis stantis in loco Sancto: The soules, that be vnskilful of the Woorde of Iustice, bicause thei are easily deceiued, cannot stande without erroure in the sight of the Abomination of desolation standinge in the Holy place. S. Hierome saithe, 4In aduentu Messiae, populus, qui sub Magistris fuerat consopitus, ibit ad montes Sc•ipturarum: ibique inuenient montes Mosen, montes Propheras, Montes Nou• Testamenti. Et in talium montium lectione versatus, si non inuenerit, qui doceat, tamen illius studium comprobabitur, quòd confugerint ad Montes. At the comminge of Christ, the people, that was laide a sleape vnder their teache•s, shal goe to the Mountaines of the Scriptures: There shal they finde these Mountaines, Moses, the Prophetes, and the Newe Testamente. And beinge occupied in the readinge of these Mountaines, notwithstandinge they finde noman to teache them, yet shal their good wil be wel allowed, for that they haue fleadde vnto the Mountaines.
- 1Actorum. 17.
- 2Chrysostom. in Opere imperfecto, homi. 49.
- 3Origen. in Matthae. cap. 24.
- 4Hieronym. in Prophetam Nabum. cap. 3.
- 5••silius Moralium. 26. ca. 1.
