Corpus Scriptorum Ecclesiasticorum Latinorum 18
Priscilliani Quae Supersunt
ed George Schepss (Vienna 1889)
See also A. Hilgenfeld, "Priscillianus und seine nuentdeckten Schriften,"
Zeitschrift fuer wissenschaftliche Theologie 35 (1892), 1-82
Andrew S. Jacobs, "The Disorder of Books: Priscillian's Canonical Defense
of Apocrypha," Harvard Theological Review 93 (2000) 135-159.
[p.44]
Wirceb. fol. 56 \1/ [56-74]
[one folio missing?] . . . . . .
. . . . . .||56|| damnet, quoniam nouitas ingenii contentionis est
mater,
= ...would be condemned, since the novelty produced by cleverness is the
mother of contention,
eruditio scandali auctor, schismatis alimentum, heresies nutrimentum, delicti
forma peccati.
= erudition is the author of scandal, the food of schism, the nourishment of
heresy, a form of the crime of sin.
Omne enim quod aut a deo aut ab apostolis dictum uidetur aut factum
= For everything that seems to have been said or done, either by God or
by the apostles,
uel ut fieret adprobatum,
= or that it might be approved,
hoc est de quo scribtum est: est est non non; [Matt 5.37; cf.
infra Priscilliani canonem I]
= is that of which it has been written: "Let yes be yes, no be no."
quod autem ex nouo ingeniis et calumniis repperitur,
= But whatever has been invented as new through cleverness and trickeries
hinc testimonium diuinae uirtutis ostenditur dicentis:
= here the witness of divine virtue exposes by saying,
quod superabundat ex malo est. [Matt 5.37]
= "Anything more is a product of evil [or, the Evil one]."
[[Jacob's translation: ...would be condemned, since novelty of intellect is
the mother of contention,
erudition is the author of scandal, fuel of schism, nourishment of heresy, form
of mortal sin.
Indeed, everything that seems to have been said or done, either by God or by
the apostles,
so that it might be approved,
concerning this it has been written: "Yes is yes, no is no" [Matt
5:37].
Moreover, that which has been found anew by intellects and trickeries
is here opposed to the witness of divine virtue,
which says, "That which surpasses this is from the Evil one." ]]
Uideamus ergo, si apostoli Christi Iesu magistri nostrae conuersationis et
uitae
= Let us see, then, if the apostles of Christ Jesus, the masters of our
conversation and life,
extra canonem nil legerunt.
= were reading nothing outside the canon.
| Ait Iuda apostolus\2/ clamans ille didymus domini,
= Judas the apostle said, proclaiming himself to be twin of the Lord,
ille qui deum Christum post passionis insignia cum putatur temptasse plus
credidit,
= the one who believed Christ was God after the signs of the passion when
he had been tempted to think otherwise,
ille qui uinculorum pressa uestigia et diuinae crucis laudes et uidit et
tetigit:
= the one who was amazed as he both saw and touched the exact marks of the
bonds and of the divine cross
=[aj] the one who saw and touched the vistigial marks of the chains and the
merits of the divine cross:
prophetauit de his, inquid, septimus ab Adam Enoc dicens
= he prophesied about these things, it/he says, namely the 7th from Adam,
Enoch, saying:
`ecce uenit dominus in sanctis milibus facere iudicium et arguere omnem\3/
= "Behold the Lord comes with multitudes of saints to make judgment and
convict all
et de omnibus duris quae locuti sunt contra cum peccatores.' [Jude
14.15]
= and of all hard (things) which have been spoken against (him) with sinners"
Quis est hic Enoc quem in testimonium profetiae apostolus Iudas adsumpsit?
= Who is this Enoch to whom the apostle Judas refers as a witness of prophecy?
An qui profetasset de [p.45] deo, alium non habebat nisi profetiam
huius poneret, quam,
= Or rather who prophesies concerning God, would have nothing other than to
provide this prophecy, than,
si uera dicuntur, canonica ipse ordinatione ||57|| damnasset?
= if they are speaking truly, condemning its selection as canonical [??]?
---
\1/Uid. subscriptionem tractatus II, ubi deest ~ET'; agitur uero mutilo nostro
libello de apocryphis magis quam de fide, quia ante fol. 56 complura interciderunt
(uid. praef. cap. 11)
\2/Hieronym., de uir. ill. c. 4: Iudas frater Iacobi [`frater domini' legi
in antiquis codicibus animaduertit Uictorius;
cf. Hegesippus ap. Eusebium, hist. eccl. III, 19 et 20] . . . de libro Enoch
. . . assumit testimonium.
Cf. Tertull., de cultu fem. Z, 3.
\3/uerba IN SANCTIS - OMNEM man. I in margine inferiore posuit; in tegtu est hoc signum: 6-NS- bb-
===
Aut fortassis Enoc profeta esse non meruit
= Or perhaps Enoch is not considered a prophet
quem Paulus in epistula ad Hebreos [Heb 11.5] facta ante translationem
testimonium habuisse testatur
= whom Paul in the Epistle to the Hebrews attests that before his translation
bore witness
aut quem in principio generis, cum adhuc mundi forma et natura rudis saeculi,
= or whom in the beginning of generations, when the form of the world and the
nature of the age was still young,
peccatum decepti hominis retinens,
= when sin was holding man by deception [?]
futuram conuersionem ad deum post peccata non crederet,
= he did not trust in a future conversion to God after sins
transferre inter suos deus maluit quam perire?
= God preferred to tranfer him among his own than to destroy him?
De quo si non ambigitur et apostolis creditur quod profeta est,
= Concerning whom, if it is not ambiguous and it is believed by apostles that
he is a prophet,
qualiter consultatio potius quam tumultus, consilium quam temeritas, fides quam
perfidia dicitur,
= why is it called a consultation rather than a riot, a counsel rather than
rashness, faith rather than falsehood
ubi, dum in ultio|nem simultatum sententia tenditur, praedicans deum propheta
damnatur?
= where, when a decision is rendered out of base rivalry, a prophet who speaks
for God is condemned?
=[aj] = If it is not disupted, but is believed among the apostles, that he is
a prophet,
then why is it called a matter of consideration rather than commotion,
counsel rather than temerity, faith rather than falsehood,
when a sentence is brought forth for the vengeance of quarrels,
and a prophet who preaches God is condemned? [transl, AJ]
Aut numquid de triuialibus rebus agimus
aut tali et tesserae inter manus nostras sunt
aut scaenae ludibria tractamus, ut, dum homines huius saeculi sequimur, apostolorum
dicta damnemus?
Aut quae constituendae pacis est gratia, hominibus quae uoluerint credere et
dicta apostolica non tenere?
Sed fortassis aliquis in haec ingenia se iactet, ut,
quamuis etiam unum testimonium ad confirmandam sanctorum fidem in deo ualeat,
tamen dicat uni rei ||58|| non esse credendum,
sed in duobus et tribus testibus totius uerbi constare rationem. [Deut 19.15;
Matt 18.16; 2 Cor 13.1; 1 Tim 5.19; cf. infra Prisc. can.
XLVI et Hieronymi ep. 27 (ad Marcellana = Migne 22, 432)]
Conuertat itaque sese quilibet qui huiusmodi est, et utrum uera dicamus diligens
scripturarum scrutator inquirat.
Quid est quod Tobi sanctus futurae uitae ad filium praecepta disponens, cum
quid custodiret ediceret, ait:
nos fili prophetarum sumus; [Tob 4.13 (in Itala)]
Noe profeta fuit et Abraham et Isac et Iacob et omnes patres nostri
11 Hilarius, contra Constantium imp. c. 6: Non est istud temeritas sod
fides, neque inconsideratio sod ratio, neque furor sod fiducia; - c. 24:
. . perfidia non fides est. 14 tall et tesserael cf. Cicero, de or. IT[,
15, 58; de seneet. 16, 58.
3 FOR'CASSCS 11 peRFIbIAqUA(DIFIbIS 12 Slmu[iANTUm
14 TeSSel;e 22 SESIqUIlII13ETqUI
[p.46]
qui ab initio saeculi profetauerunt.
Quando in canone profetae Noe liber lectus est?
=[aj] =Now where in the canon is the book of the prophet Noah read?
quis inter profetas dispositi ca|nonis Abrahae librum legit?
= Who reads the books of Abraham among the prophets of the established
canon? [transl, AJ]
quis quod aliquando Isac profetasset edocuit?
= Who ever taught that Isaac prophesied? [transl, AJ]<br><br>
quis profetiam Iacob quod in canone poneretur audiuit?
= Who has heard the prophecy of Jacob which is laid out in the canon? [transl,
AJ]
Quos si Tobia legit et testimonium prophetiae in canone promeruit, qualiter,
quod illi ad testimonium emeritae uirtutis datur, alteris ad occasionem iustae
damnationis adscribitur?
Inter quae ignoscant singuli quique, si damnari cum prophetis dei malumus,
quam cum his qui incauta praesumunt ea quae sunt religiosa damnemus.
Quis enim accusatore Noe diuini iudicii disceptatione non timeat?
De quo apostolus ait ||59|| Noe iustum iustitiae praeconem custodiuit
cataclismum mundo super impios inducens. Quis Abrahae profetae sinum ad quietis
testimonium non requirat?
quis reputari in Isac semen nolit?
quis Iacob dictum a deo Faraonis deum non amet?
aut quis non memorias sanctorum respuens intremescat, cum scribtum sit:
amen dico uobis quod qui scandalizauerit minimum ex his qui crediderunt in nomine
meo
bonum est illi ligari molam asinariam et in profundum maris mitti.
Quod si de minimis dicitur, | uolo scire, quid de his qui ad fidem primi sunt
pronuntiatur.
In quibus tamen omnibus libris non est metus, si qua ab infelicibus hereticis
sunt inserta,
delere et <quae> profetis uel euangeliis non inueniuntur. consentire respuere.
Nec enim illi ipsi deo sancti mendacium in ueris et sacrilega amplectuntur uel
detestabilia pro sanctis,
= In all these books [that is, the apocrypha] there is no fear--if some things
have been inserted by miserable heretics -- in deleting and in agreeing to reject
that which is not found in the prophets and evangelists.
Indeed, for that very saint of God a lie is not embraced by the truth, nor are
sacriligious and hateful things set before the saints. [transl, AJ]
meliusque est zezania de frugibus tollere quam spem boni fructus propter zizania
perdidisse,
quod propterea cum suis inter sancta zabulus inseruit, ut, nisi sub cauto messore,
cum
12 II. Petr. 2, 5. 14 cf. Luc. 16, 22. 23. 15 cf. Gen. 21, 12; Rom. 9, 7
al. quis Iacob e. q. s.] cf. Egod. 7, 1 ubi tamen de Mose agitur 17 Marc.
9, 41; Matth. 18, 6. 27 cf. Matth.13, 29. 29 cf. Matth. 13, 25. 39.
11 bISCEptA210NE] facile de accusatiuo cogites; cf. quae in prae<A3>
cap. II de litt. M oppressa digi 19 [eGARI, puncto superposito a del.
22 pRONUN'iIATUIQ retinui indicatiuum, quamuis desideretur coniunc-
tiuus. 24 qUAE deest in codice.
[p.47]
zezaniis frux pe||60||riret et bona faceret occidere cum pessimis,
una sententia adstringens cum qui pessima cum bonis iungit quam qui bona cum
malis perdit.
= It is better to "lift out the tares from the harvest" rather than
have the hope of a good harvest be destroyed on account of the tares. For on
that account the devil inserted his own words into the holy words in order that,
without a careful harvester, the harvest should perish with the tares and the
good be made to fall with the worse. A single sentence binds the one who has
joined the worst to the good and the one who has destroyed the good to the bad.
[transl, AJ]
Denique in euangelio cata Lucanum dicente euangelista testatur dens dicens:
inquiretur sanguis omnium profetarum qui effusus est a constitutione mundi,
a sanguine Abel usque ad sanguinem Zacchariae qui occisus est inter altare et
aedem;
et Helias in regnorum ait:
altaria tua suffoderunt, profetas tuos occiderunt et ego relictus sum solus
et quaerunt animam meam.
Quis est iste Abel profeta, ex | quo sanguis profetarum sumpsit exordium, cuius
principium in Zacchariam finit?
Qui runt {sunt ?}illi medii qui uidentur occisi?
Si enim omne quod dicitur in libris canonis quaeritur et plus legisse peccare
est,
nullum ab his qui in canone constituti sunt profetam legimus occisum,
= if everything which is said is sought in the books of the canon, and to read
beyond that is to sin,
yet we read of no one killed among those who are established as prophets in
the canon. [transl, AJ]
ac si extra auctoritatem canonis nihil uel adsumendum est uel tenendum,
non possumus tantum fabulis credere et non historiam scripti factorum probatione
retinere.
Fortasse enim aliquis exsiliat et dicat Eseiam fuisse dissectum;
si quis ille est inter huiusmodi qui ista ||61|| damnauerint,
os suum claudat aut certe historian factae rei proferens picturis se dicat credere
uel poetis,
= If he is the sort who would condemn matters like this [that is, reading apocrypha],
let him shut his mouth or, confidently offering forth the story of how this
happened, let him say that he also believes in painters and poets. [transl,
AJ]
quoniam iam facilius admittunt quod philosoforum studia mentiuntur,
certe ut huiusmodi rei testimonium et occisorum profetarum a constitutione mundi
sanguis requiratur.
Quae si euangelista legens recte ad testimonium protulit dicens:
scrutate scribturas, etiam me ut ea legerem quae legerat traxit.
Non possum autem dicere quod loqui cogor, ut mihi apostolum sequi non
4 Luc. 11, 50. 51. 8 III. Reg. 19, 10; Rom. 11, 2. 3. 25 Io. 5, 39.
18 Hilarius, contra Const. imp., c. 4: nec ego . . . equuleum metuissem,
qui desectum Esaiam scissem. - Tertull., de patientia, c. 24: his
patientiae uiribus secatur Esaias; alii.
3 qUAO) scripsi; cod.: quob 4 [UCANUM] eadem forma deprehenditur in codd.
Uindob., quern Belsheim anno 1885, in Usseriano, quem Abboth 1884, in
Anabrosiano, quem Ceriani 1861, et in German., cuius partem Wordsworth
1883 edid. INqulkETUP, E ex I corr. 6 ACONS'CITUtIONUMmUNbl] cf. 39, 13;
48, 7, al., sed cum in huius paginae uersu 24 legatur 'a constitutione',
etiam hic ablatiuum exhibui
[p.48]
eruditio fidei fuerit, sed muscipula decepti.
= I cannot say that which I am compelled to speak, that, in my case, following
the apostle was not the learnedness of faith, but rather the trap of one deceived.
[transl, AJ]
| Nam et rursus in euangelio cata Mattheum tenetur scribtum:
surgens autem Ioseph accepit puerum et matrem eius noctu et abiit in Aegyptum
et erat ibi usque ad consummationem Herodis, ut adinpleretur quod dictum est
a domino per profetam dicentem:
`ex Aegypto uocaui filium meum.'
Quis est iste profeta, quem in canonem non legimus,
cuius profetiae fidem uelut fideiiussor promissi muneris dominus inpleuit?
Certe non modica indulti operis magnitudo est passurum deum credere
et testimoniis prophetiae tamquam ||62|| <uiam> diuini itineris
praeparare,
de qua deuertere deus nollet, ut locutum se in eo qui profetauerat conprobaret;
certe damnari liber non potest cuius testimonium canonicae elocutionis fidem
conplet,
= A book cannot be condemned whose witness fultills the faith of canonical speech.
[transl, AJ]
nec potest tamquam inter aepularum mortalium uoluntates aliud eligi et aliud
repudiari,
nec de sofisticis quaestio est, ubi quod quis adsumpserit sequitur et,
dun {dum ?}dialecticum ingeniorum opus uolunt, sectas de persuasione fecerunt.
Scribtura dei res solida, res uera est nec ab homine electa,
sed homini de deo tradita,
= It is not possible for one thing to be selected and another rejected, as if
choosing from delicacies at a banquet! Nor is it a question of clever reasoning,
whereby someone has assumed that which follows: while they make a pretense of
the dialectical work of intellects, they end up making sects through persuasion.
The Scripture of God is a solid matter, a true matter, not to be chosen by a
person but transmitted to that person by God, [transl, AJ]
cuius si dilibatio sancta est et massa sancta est.
| Inde denique heresis, dum singuli quique ingenio suo potius quam deo seruiunt
et non sequi symbolum,
sed de symbolo disputare disponunt, cum, si fidem nossent, extra symbolum nil
tenerent.
= From this arise heresies: when each individual serves his own intellect rather
than God, and is not disposed to follow the creed but rather to argue over the
creed, [transl, AJ]
Symbolum enim signa-
2 Matth. 2, 14. 15. 7 At uid. Hos. 11, 1, ad quem locum Sabatarius haec
Hieronynai affert testimonia: a) comma. in Hos. 11, 1 (= Migne 25, col.
915): Septuaginta transtulerunt 'ex Aegypto uocaui filios eius', quod in
Hebraico non habetur nullique dubium est Matthaeum de boo loco sumpsisse
testimonium iugta Hebraicam ueritatem e. q. s. - b) de opt. gen. interpr.
(= ep. 57 ad Pannanach., Migne 22, col. 573): hoc nostri codices non
habent, sed in Osee iugta Hebraicam scribitur ueritatem . . . `ex Aegypto
uocaui filium meum' e. q. s.; cf. edam Hieronyrrai praef. in Esdram. 19
Rom. 11, 16.
6 UOCA6I, 6 lin. del. 7 CA N0NEO)] ita codex; cf. supra
39, 13.
9 mO6ICAm] abundat litt. M, uid. praef. cap. II. 10 post TAO)
quAm rasura; eratne blU? 11 UIAO) deest in codice 15 qUEST10
18 bo~mINEIeCTA, E ex I corr. 22besym(50[0
[p.49]
tura rei uerae est et designare symbolum est disputare de
symbolo malle quam credere;
= Indeed, the creed is the seal of the true matter, and to schematize the creed
is to prefer to argue over the creed rather than to believe in it. [transl,
AJ]
symbolum opus domini est in
nomine patris et fili et spiritus sancti, fides unius dei, ex quo
Christus deus dei filius saluator natus in carne passus resur-
rexit propter hominis amorem; qui apostolis suis symbolum 5
tradens, quod fuit est et futurum erat, in se et in symbolo
suo ||63|| monstrans nomen patris filium itemque fili patrem, ne
Binionitarum error ualeret, edocuit; nam qui requirentibus
apostolis omne id quod nominabatur se esse monstrauit,
unum se credi uoluit non diuisum,
= The creed is the work of the Lord, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit, faith in one God, from whom Christ God is the Son of God, savior born
in the flesh, suffering, who rose up on account of love of humanity; who, handing
over the creed to his apostles, taught what he was and he would be, showing
in himself and in his creed the Son as the name of the Father and the Father
as that of the Son, lest the error of the Binionites should prevail. For he
showed to the apostles who inquired that he was everything that he was called
yet he wished to be believed in as One and indivisible. [transl, AJ]
dicente profeta: hic est 10
deus noster nec reputabitur alius absque eum qui
ostendit uiam disciplinae et dedit eam Iacob puero
suo et Istrahel dilecto suo; posthaec in terris uisus
est et cum hominibus conuersatus est, dominus deus
nomen eius. Sed ne amore fidei ducti ad alia non quam pro- 15
posueramus conuertisse dicamur, licet ex abun|danti contra
diuersas hereses uincendi locus pateat, tamen de hoc specia-
liter susceptum opus uolumus, ut infidele mendacium testi-
moniorum nube uincamus.
Nunc uero ad illa redeundum est, ut,
=Now indeed, one must return to this, so that,
si probabiles in eo in quo repraehendimur inuenimur, 20
=if we are found to be acceptable in that in which we are censored
recte etiam de reliquis disputasse uideamur.
= we may also seem correct about the remainder of the disputed matters.
Sic namque et Paulus dixisse deum ait:
=Thus Paul said that God [Jesus] had said,
beatius est dare magis quam accipere [Acts 20.35],
="it is more blessed to give than to receive,"
et hoc locutum deum in canone non legimus.
=and we do not read that God [Jesus] said this in the canon.
Et Daniel deum locutum fuisse testatur dicens:
=And Daniel testifies that God had spoken saying,
quoniam exiet iniquitas de Babylone ex presbyteris
="Because inequity poured forth from Babylon from the elders
qui uidebantur ||64|| regere plebem.
= who seemed to govern the populace." [Susanna (in Daniel) 5 --
a quotation attributed to God]
Et cum ista facta dicta uel scribta
=And when such things are spoken or written,
et in euangelistae uerbis et apostoli eloquio et diuinis sermonibus crederemus,
=and we believe in the words of the evangelist and the eloquence of the apostle
and the divine words,
ecce nunc tempus adlatum est, ubi, dum disceptatio superfluarum rerum quaeritur,
=behold now the time has come where, when a dispute over superfluous things
is raised,
stupor fidelibus inseratur.
=stupor is implanted in the faithful.
Non enim possumus dicere deum non dixisse quod eum dixisse apostolus dixit
=For we cannot say that God has not said what the apostle says he said
aut non prophetatum fuisse quod scribtura pro[50]fetam dixisse testatur.
=or that it was not a prophecy which the scripture testifies a prophet said.
= Indeed, we cannot say that God has not said what the apostle has said he has
said, nor that the prophet made no prophecy about which the scripture testifies.
[trans AJ]
9 cf. Eph. 1, 21. 10 Bar. 3, 36-38. 14 dominus] Amos 5, 8. 18 Hebr. 12,
1. 22 Act. 20, 35. 24 Dan. 13, 5 (= Susannae hist. apocrypha).
1 uepe 3 FIbIS 6 EIZAT] ita cod., non EKIT 7
NC
131NIONITArUm] cf. supra p. 5, 10 24 EXIST] nolui nut. in
EMIT
Et cum haec recte ad fidem credimus, scribta haec in canonem non uidemus et
ideo,
si extra canonem tota damnanda sunt | aut qualiter uel damnatorum testimonium
recipitur,
uel in his quae scribta sunt scribentis auctoritas non tenetur.
=And since we correctly believe these things according to faith, we do not look
at these texts in the canon and therefore, if everything outside the canon is
to be condemned, either the testimony of the condemned is received or else there
is no authority in these things written in the scriptures. [transl, AJ]
=And since we correctly believe these things according to faith we do not see
these written things in the canon and therefore if everything outside the canon
is condemned, either the testimony of the condemned is accepted or the authority
is not maintained in these things written in the scriptures [transl HT]
Sic denique et Ezechiel profeta ait:
=Lastly, the prophet Ezekiel said,
haec dicit dominus ad Gog
="these things the Lord says to Gog,
`tu es de quo locutus sum in diebus antiquis per manus seruorum meorum profetarum.'
='you are what I spoke of in days of old through the hands of my slaves (servants)
the prophets.'"
Credo quod dixit nec tam perfidus mihi sum,
=I believe what he said and not the treachery of my existence (self?)
ut aut profetam finxisse quod dixerit deus aut deum mentitum fuisse confirmem;
=so that I confirm either the prophet molded what God said or God lied.
= I must either affirm that the prophet has invented what God has said, or that
God has lied. [transl, AJ]
qui sit tamen ille profeta, per quem hoc deus locutus sit, in canone non uideo
et,
cum dictorum habeamus fidem, scribti in canone non in||65||uenimus auctorem.
=However, who that prophet is, through whom God spoke, I don't see in the canon.
=And when we have faith in sayings and we do not come upon what is written in
the canon.
Sic et in libris Paralipomenon Natham profetam, Achiam Selonitam,
=Thus also in the books of Chronicles, Nathan the prophet, Achiam the Selonite,
uisiones Laedam, uerba Zeu fili Anani
= the visions of Laedam [Iddo], the words of Zeu [Jehu] son of Anani [Hanani]
ad fidem ueri et eorum quae gesserunt auctoritatem inuenimus edicta, dicente
scriptura:
et reliqui sermones Iosafat primi et nouissimi ecce scribti sunt in sermonibus
Zeu fili Anani
qui perscribsit in libro reges Istrahel, et haec scripta in libris canonis non
legimus,
sed recepta a canone conprobamus; sicut et ibi ait:
et reliqui sermones Solomonis primi et nouissimi ecce scribti sunt in uerbis
Nathae profetae
et in uerbis | Achiae Selonitae et in uisionibus Laedam, quae uidebat de Heiorobeam
filio Nabat;
et item ibi: et reliqui sermones Roboam primi et nouissimi nonne scripti sunt
in uerbis Sameae profetae
et Edom uidentis et omnes actus eius?
et item ibi: et reliqui sermones Abdiae et actus eius et uerba eius scribta
sunt in libro Edom profetae; et
5 Ezech. 38, 14.17. 15 II. Paralip. 20, 34. 19 II. Paralip. 9, 29. 23 II.
Paralip. 12, 15. 26 II. Paralip. 13, 22.
1 Boethius, opusc. sacr. II, p. 167, 64 ed. Peip.: Race si se recte et ex
fide habent . . .
1 C1tORDUS] coniunctium modus desiderari uidetur, sed cf. 53, 1
2 INCAN0NECO] uid. supra p. 48, 7 13 ACbIA 1 [AebA
14 eesplut-Tl 15 INUENIMU$ scripsi, cod.: INUENIUtTIpl
IzetiqU'
22 qUAE] ita cod. 23 ETSEit(DO NES
[p.51]
item ibi:
et reliqui sermones Amessiae primi et nouissimi nonne ecce scripti sunt in libro
dierum regum Iudae et Istrahel?
item ibi: nonne haec scripta sunt in libro dierum regum Iuda?
item ibi: et reliqui sermones ||66|| Manasse et oratio eius quam orauit
ad dominum in nomine dei Istrahel
ecce scribta sunt in sermonibus orationis eius et in sermonibus uidentium.
Quis ergo huiusmodi fluctuus patienter accipiat?
= Who therefore would patiently receive such a torrent? [transl, AJ]
Hine una ex parte indocta urget insania, furor exigit inperitus nihil dicens
aliut
nisi sint catholica necne quae dicis; damna quae ego nescio, 10
damna quod ego non lego, damna quod studio pigriscentis
otii non requiro. Hine ex parte altera diuinum urget eloquium:
scrutate, inquid, scripturas, illud peculiariter monens, ut
quorum sanguis ad testimonium uin|dictae quaeritur eorum
eloquia non negentur. Inter quae positi necessario confidentiam 15
iam uolumus esse quod dicebamus antea esse cautelam.
Habeo testimonium dei, habeo apostolorum, habeo profetarum:
si quaero quod Christiani hominis est, si quod eclesiasticae dispositionis,
si quod dei Christi est, in his inuenio qui deum praedicant, in his inuenio
qui profetant.
Non est timor, fides est, quod diligimus meliora et deteriora respuimus, unum
inter ista seruantes,
= We want you to be confident that we have spoken previously out of surety.
I have the witness of God, I have that of the apostles, I have that of the prophets;
if I seek out that which characterizes the Christian person, if [I seek] that
which characterizes the ecclesiastical disposition, if [I seek] that which characterizes
God Christ, I find those who preach God, I find those who prophesy. It is not
fear, it is faith, because we have cherished that which is better and have rejected
that which is worse. [transl, AJ]
ut, quoniam in huiusmodi libris, quos extra canonicorum librorum numerum ad
legendi diligen||67||tia
retentabat adque ad conprobanda ea quae scripta in canone legimus adsumpti sunt,
hereticorum in pleraque sensus inuadens pugnam catholicis parans falsare maluit
quam tenere,
illam apostolicam feramus iure sententiam omnem spiritum qui negat Iesum de
deo non esse et omnem spiritum
qui confitetur Christum Iesum de deo else,
= Since through such books (which diligence has kept outside the order of canonical
books for the task of reading and which are held aside for the confirmation
of those texts we read in the canon), the greater part of heretical sensibilities,
waging war against the Catholics, showed that they prefer to falsify rather
than hold true, in this way we might uphold that apostolic sentence by the law
that "every spirit that denies Jesus is not from God, and every spirit
who confesses Jesus Christ is from God" [cf 1 John 4;3,2]. [transl, AJ]
sicut scrib-
1 II. Paralip. 25, 26. 3 II. Paralip. 28, 26. 4 II. Paralip. 33,18.19. 13
Io. 5, 39. 27 cf. I. lo. 4, 3: 2.
20 Cf. Hilarii locum, quem supra p. 45 attuli.
1 KElqUI 10 NECNEI 20 TIMOR] propter CAUTEWp (u. 16) nolui mutare in
TUMOR (cf. Hilarims 1. 1. `temeritas') FIbiS 25 Ab SumPTA;
[p.52]
tum est: nemo enim dicit in spiritu sancto anathema
Iesu et nemo nisi in spiritu sancto loquitur dominum
Iesum. Denique in antiquis librorum monumentis cum testa-
mentum scribturarum diabolus inuideret, Hierusalem capta |
polluto altario domini distrui templum satis non fuit; nam 5
quia facile erat, ut quae manufacta erant in manufactis homo
redderet, area incensa est testamenti, sciente diabolo quod fa-
cile natura hominum obligata saeculo fidem perderet, si ad
praedicationem diuini nominis scribturarum testimonia non ha-
beret. Sed argutior diuini mysterii natura quam diabuli, quae, 10
ut quid deus in homine posset ostenderet, reseruari Hesdram
uoluit qui illa quae fuerant incensa rescribsit. Quae si uere
incensa et uere credimus fuisse rescribta, quamuis incensum
tes||68||tamentum legatur in canone, rescriptum ab Hesdra in canone
non legitur, tamen, quia post incensum testamentum reddi non 15
potuit nisi fuisset scribtum, recte illi libro fidem damus, qui
Hesdra auctore prolatus, etsi in canone non ponitur, ad elogium
redditi diuini testamenti digna rerum ueneratione retinetur;
= although it may be read in the canon that the covenant was burned, it is not
read in the canon that it was rewritten by Ezra. Nevertheless, since after the
covenant was burned it could not have been restored unless it was written down,
we correctly put faith in that book which claims Ezra as its author. Even if
it is not established in the canon, it should be retained for the praise of
the restored divine covenant with veneration appropriate to these matters. [transl,
AJ]
in quo tamen legimus scriptum spiritum sanctum ab initio saeculi
et hominum et rerum gesta retinentem cor electi hominis in- 20
trasse et, quod uix ad humanam memoriam scribti forma reti-
neret, ordine numero ratione repetita, cum per | diem loquens
et nocte non tacens scriberet, omnia quae gesta uidentur esse
uel legimus scribta ad humanam memoriam condidisse. In quo
libet exclamare: est! liceat! qualiter, rogo, pauca ex his legentes 25
1 I. Cor. 12, 3. 13 sq. cf. IV. Reg. 25, 9; IV. Esd. 14, 21 ad u. 14-24
uid. IV. Esd. (lib. apocryph) c. 14 (inprimis u. 22. 25. 40. 43.) 22 cf
IV. Esd. 14, 43; Ps. 21, 3.
11 c<A3> inter alios Tertull., de cultu fem. I, e. 3 (= I, p. 705 ed.
Oehler): omne instrumentum Iudaicae litteraturae per Esdram constat
restauratum; Hieronym., de peril. uirg. b. M. c. 7, et contra Uigilant.
e. 7 (11ligne 23, col. 190 et col. 344); Bid., orig. Y, 39, 20; VI, 3, 2.
25 Boethius, de cons. phil. p. 16, 160 ed. Peip.: Itaque libet exclamare.
4 bIeKUSAIE] uid. p. 5, 9; 20,13; 25,12 et 22, al. 11 OSTCNbepe]
S
coniunctiuum posui, sed cf. supra 36, 1; 42, 1 12
IZCSCIZIBIZI 15 to
C,ITUIZ] ita cod., cf. p. 82, 18 al. 20 nOO)INeS 21 FOPcnAI] nolui
in accusatiuum mutare
[p.53]
culpabiles sumus, cum magis ob hoc rei sumus, quod omnia
quae de deo sunt profetata non legimus? Non dubito autem
quemquam ex his qui calumnias potius quam fidem diligunt
esse dicturum: ultra nihil quaeras! sufficit to legere quod in
canone scribtum est.
Cuius quidem uerbis facile ingenio humanae naturae
quae otium potius quam laborem requirit adsurgerem,
=[aj] seeking leisure rather than toil
nisi me Lucae ||69|| euangelistae testimonium perurgeret
dicentis in actibus apostolorum: addiscipuli pariter con-
ferebant inter se scribturas, si ita esset, quemadmodum
locutus fuerat ad eos Paulus, et ea quorum cognitionem uolo 10
testimonium prophetiae in canone accepisse cognosco. Quamuis
enim crimen sit apostolicis non credidisse sermonibus, non est
tamen damnabilis culpae firmamentum fidei scriptorum pro-
batione construere et nihil in quo nos infirmes redarguitio
diaboli faciat reseruare.
Potuit enim sermo diuinus, quoniam 15
ipsius erat omne quod dixerat, | tamquam ab se loquens non
scribtum ab alio dicere, sed ex se ipse proferre; dicens autem
scribtum esse, necessario proponens nobis legendi sollicitudinem,
= Divine speech was indeed not able (since everything it had said belonged to
it) when speaking about itself to speak a text about another, but only to report
about itself; saying there that 'it is written' necessarily offers a responbile
basis for our reading, [transl, AJ]
et suam de quo profetatum fuerat gloriam et illius qui pro-
fetauerat debitam posteritati gratiam non omisit. Ego certe 20
inter utrosque utrisque debitor sum, ut et illum qui ad me-
moriam diuinam profetauerit legam et deo credam. Quis enim
non delectetur Christum ante saecula non a paucis, sed ab
omnibus profetatum? aut quis diuinae magnitudinis et tam
incredibilis miraculi deum nasci habere et uirginalem metram 25
in ||70|| ministerium diuini uerbi ad concipiendum uel parturiendum
8 cf. Act. 17; 11. 21 cf. Rom. 1, 14.
1 SUO)US] modus coniunetiuus desiderari nidetur, sed cf. 50, 1
3 ante fIbe(D deletum est b puncto superposito; librarium praepostere
bI[IC,UN'C scripturum fuisse opinor 8 facile cogites de AT
bISICIPUb
14 INFIIZMES] uid. supra p. 11, 5 16 IpSIUS!SEIZAi, litt.
S (in
SER) exstincta L No-iI IN SCPIBTUM, IN lin. del. 21 MUSqUE,
BU m
U altero loco in 0 conuers. 24 0MNIS 25 UIRCINAIEU'UT)E
2KAM, litterae UT lineis deletae sunt; librarium UTEIZU(T) scripturum
fuisse putes 26 UEP&IINILAjbl IN ras. del., littera iAi ante lineam
proponitur (fuit t)
[p.54]
habitaculum corporis patuisse tam sterilis aestimator est, ut
putet non in omnem terram adque in omnem hominem diuini
senses secreta clamasse, cum scribtum sit: omnis lingua con-
fiteatur quoniam dominus Iesus in gloriam dei patris?
Et ideo, quilibet ille sit qui haec neget, ego certe scio 5
quod eius pharisaei recipiet mercedem qui adueniente do-
mino, cum omnis turba cum apostolis iuncta clamaret:
`osanna, osanna in caelis, benedictus qui uenit in no-
mine domini', corripi oportere eos dixit qui tam indu-
bitanter praesentis dei | glorias non tacebant. Sed uideat qui 10
huiusmodi est dixisse dominum: etiamsi isti tacuerint,
lapides clamabunt, et intellegat quoniam, si duritia petra-
rum naturaliter praemortua ad dandum testimonium deo in
usum humani sermonis animatur, quomodo sanctorum lingua
praecluditur quae ad confitendum et suapte natura et diuina 15
gratia perurgetur? Si enim gentiles animae idolorum formis et
caerimoniis inpeditae auium praepetes transitus et dedita uentis
itinera pinnarum uelut ad praescientiam futuri prouentus lo-
quuntur et extarum uenas animatione ter||71||reni spiritus palpi-
tantes, dum fidem daemonibus dant, moritura post momentum 20
animalium uiscera futura praenuntiare confirmant et de uita
mortuos rogant dicentes lapidi `surge' et ligno `uigila,'
sicque sacrilegium ab his studium dicitur, inperitia sapientia
nuncupatur nescientibus his non deo se sacrificare sed
daemoni: in quo si talibus aped se gloria est, quomodo nos 25
diuinas sanctorum respuimus profetationes et, dum oboedi-
mus uoluntatibus nostris, his qui deum profetauerint inui-
demus relinquentes apostolica praecepta dicentia: spiritus no-
lite extinguere, |profetias nolite repudiare? Et ideo, quia
3 Philipp. 2, 11. 7 cf. Luc. 19, 37-39; Matth. 21, 9. 11 Luc. 19, 40.
22 Habac. 2, 19. 24 cf. 1. Cor. 10, 20. 28 I. Thess. 5, 19. 20.
1 pATUISSeeiIA(D, a linea et puncto, I in IA(D lineis del. $LTJE
TET
Lr it~IS 2 ULq AeNON1, qUAE lineis del. 6 C(Ukb, fi lip.
del.
10 UIbeANT 15 SUApiAe 23 s1CqUE) nolui mutare in S19UE
[p.55]
ubi libertas ibi Christus, libet me unum clamare pro totis,
quia et ego spiritum domini habeo: cesset inuidia diaboli ab
omnibus adnuntiatus est dominus, ab omnibus profetatus est Chri-
stus, <ab> Adam Sed Noe Abraham Isac Iacob et a ceteris qui
ab initio saeculi profetauerunt, et intrepidus dico quod 5
inuidet diabolus: uenturum in carne deum omnis homo sciuit,
non dicam hii quos in dispositione generationis suae in euangelio
deus posuit et diuinae naturae fidem et numerum canoni prae-
staturos. Quod sicut scientibus et negantibus maior poena est, ||72||
sic et perfecta gloria est non solum corde credere, sed et
ore confessionis gloriam non negare, dicente Dauid: credidi,
propter quod locutus sum. In quo et apostolus Petrus
sciens conscientiam in libris canonicis numeri rationem et re-
laxans legendi ea quae de Christo scripta sunt libertatem, cum
ad Colosenses epistulam daret, dixit: cum lecta fuerit apud 15
uos epistula haec, facite, ut et in Laodicensium eclesia
legatur, et eam quae Laodicensium est nos legatis.
Aut numquid damnabilis apud uos apostolus fuit, qui epistulam
quae in canone non erat discipulos suos legere | permisit aut
uobis maior cura pro Christo est sicque uoluntates uestras 20
agitis, ut iniustum iudicium etiam in ea quae ante uos sunt
decreta tendatis? Omnibus enim nobis qui deum Christum cre-
dimes plenitudo fidei dies domini est et lex uitae apostolici
forma praecepti est, quoniam, si fides ex auditu, auditus
autem per fidem constat, qualiter nobis futurorum spes 25
1 cf. II. Cor. 3, 17. 2 I. Cor. 7, 40. 4 Tob. 4, 13. 10 cf. Rom. 10, 10.
11 credidi] Ps. 115, 10. 15 Col. 4, 16. 23 cf. Hebr. 10, 22. 24 Rom. 10,
17; cf. Hil., de trin. V, 32, ubi recte legitur: and. autem per uerbum.
2 Hilarius, contra Const. imp. c. 6: cesset itaque maledictorum opinio et
mendacii suspicio; cf. de trin. 11, 9; V11, 24; X11, 35.
4 AF) deest 6 CARNE] uid. supra p. 7, 18; 21, 22 al. 13 CON
SCIENTIA-1 cf. supra p. 5, 4; 30, 3 al. exempla abundantis
litterae M
m
20 SIQUe] cf. 54, 23 22 'CeNbATIS, b ras. del. CKEb~JmuS
phElNl'IUbO, eratne CKOEO)US? 231ocus NITUbO-bIESscriptura
coartata egaratur LESTE'C1eX1U12AEA~pOS'COtILC1 24 fibIS
[p.56]
ponitur, si quae ante docentur scribta uel dicta de Christo et
in memoriam reseruata nec umquam ab apostolis repudiata
sed lecta, non solum respuantur a nobis, sed tamquam sacri-
lega damnentur, cum in euangelio scribtum sit: ||73|| quicumque
fecerit in nomine meo uirtutem, non potest de me 5
male loqui?
In quo illud tamen non recuso nec respuo inperitis haec non committenda auribus,
ne,
= ... communicated to ignorant ears ...
quia ab hereticis pleraque falsata sunt,
= since many things have been falsified by heretics
dum praetitulato nomine prophetarum
in uerbis sanctorum diuinum opus quaerunt,
haereticae falsitatis inruant foueam, dum apostolici sermonis non ad plenum
retinent disciplinam.
=[aj] rushing into the pit of heretical falsehood: for they do not maintain
the discipline of apostolic speech to its fullest
Sed nec propter nequitias pessimorum
prophetia dam|nanda sanctorum est; nam in omnibus heresibus
cunctarum scribturarum interpraetatione peruersa infelicium
sectarum instituta de persuasione fecerunt
= For in all heresies they have persuasively made the perverse bases of their
miserable sects through the interpretation of all the Scriptures...[transl,
AJ]
omnesque se Christum
deum credere et Christianos esse confirmant. Nec ideo diuina 15
scribtura damnanda est aut repudianda fides Christi est aut
nomen refugiendum est Christianum, si, dum adserere sacri-
legia sua uolunt, catholici nominis audent usurpare consortium.
Si enim omnia quae legunt dam||74||nare uolumus, certe quae
etiam in canone sunt relata damnamus,
= If we wish to condemn everything they read, certainly we also condemn
those books which are set in the canon. [transl, AJ]
unde melius est inter- 20
praetationem funestam et institutionem sacrilegam quam scrib-
turam damnare diuinam, quoniam scribtum est: uobis datum
est scire mysterium regni dei,
= It is better to condemn lethal interpretation and sacrilegious custom rather
than divine Scripture, since it is written, 'To you it is given to know the
mystery of the kingdom of God.' [transl, AJ]
ceteris autem in para-
bolic loquar, ut uidentes non uideant et audientes non audiant.
Mihi certe seruo domini consideranti haec unus hic 25
sensus est quoniam qui non amat Christum anathema
maranata.
4 Marc. 9, 38. 22 Luc. 8, 10; Marc. 4, 11. 12. 26 I. Cor. 16, 22.
6 NEC ex Ne'que corr., qUE lineis del., litt. C addita in marg.
7 NeqUIWDD, fi linea et puncto, (p lin del. 10 FOEUEA(D 12 erat
EST!EST, prius EST ras. del. 17 SI, erat ei 19 CERTA. 27 (DA
~3.
1tANATAo I FINIT'INCIPIT TPACTATUS~nASCbAC [E~EFEIIX~
V%%~%~%~CU(DTUIS~IN.XpO.IFU.bNO.NOSTo Erasum est ante cum
nomen AMANTIA, de quo cf. praef. cap. II, ubi etiam de nota Tironiana
k
disputatur.