III. In St. Basil's second book against Eunomius is a very singular passage to this purpose. And writing to the Ephesians, as truly united to him "who is," through knowledge, he called them in a peculiar sense "such who are," saying: "To the saints who are, and " [or even]" the faithful in Christ Jesus." For so those before us have transmitted it, and we have found it in ancient copies.'

It is well known, that there is a question agitated of late among the learned, concerning the persons to whom the epistle, called to the Ephesians, was written. But I do not now concern myself about that question: I am at present only desirous to settle, as far as I am able, the meaning of this passage of Basil; in which he has been supposed by some to say, that he had seen copies, in which the words Epery, at Ephesus' were wanting. So particularly Dr.i Mill. But Mr. L'Enfant in his remarks upon Mill's New Testament, soon after its publication at Oxford, argues, that Basil does not say, those words, at Ephesus,' were wanting in any copies. Ludolph Kuster, in the preface to his edition of Mill's New Testament, justifies Mill, and condemns L'Enfant. But this learned author soon replied in a Latin ' letter, vindicating the interpretation he had given of St. Basil. Mr. Wolff, who approved Mr. L'Enfant's opinion, has given a very good account of his argument, with some additional observations of his own in support of it. And I must own, it seems to me likewise, that Mr. L'Enfant's interpretation is the truest.

Says that ingenious writer, The various reading con'sists in the emphatical particle Tous, and not ev Epeow, as 'may appear from these several considerations: 1. St. Basil moves not the question, whether that epistle be written to the Ephesians or others. 2. At the beginning of the passage, he supposeth that it was written to the Ephesians, without saying that there was any contest about it. 3. The design of Basil is to show, that the Ephesians are justly and properly called ovTes, such who are,' because of their union with him who is.' 4. The word diagonTws,

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οντες,

h Αλλα και τοις Εφεσίοις επιτελλων, ὡς γνησίως ἡνωμενοις τῳ οντι δι' επιγνώσεως, οντας αυτές ιδιαζόντως ωνόμασεν, ειπων Τοις άγιοις τοις εσι, και πιςοις εν Χρισῳ Ιησε. Ούτω γαρ και οἱ προ ἡμων παραδεδώκασι, και ήμεις εν τοις παλαιοις των αντιγράφων ευρηκαμεν. Αdv. Eunom. 1. ii. p. 254. Ε.

Ev Eptop.] Omittit Basil. l. ii. adv. Eunomium, fide patrum, quod dicit, ac veterum exemplarium. Mill. ad Eph. i. 1. Vid. et ejusdem Prolegom. n. 89. Bib. Choisie. T. xvi. p. 301, &c. Bib. Choisie. T. xxi. m Vid. Prolegom. in ep. ad Eph. et in cap. i. p. See, as before, Bib. Ch.

p. 96, &c.
10-13. ap. cur. Philol. T. iv.
T. xvi. p. 301, &c.

peculiarly,' must relate to the emphatical article Tous, 'which is necessary to answer to ò wv, him who is,' and 'which, according to Mill's own account, is wanting in one MS. at least. This is the point: Tos was wanting in the common copies in the time of St. Basil, but he had read it ' in ancient MSS. and he avails himself of it, to authorize 'his speculation. It is true, that in his quotation he does · not put the words, at Ephesus,' because that was not the thing in contest, and he had mentioned it before, and he had no occasion to mention it again. Moreover, he might be disposed to omit those words, at Ephesus,' the more to favour his speculation upon Tois Boi, such who are,' 'taken in an absolute sense. 5. St. Jerom, who refutes this speculation of St. Basil, makes it turn upon the particle TOS, and mentions not any various reading upon the ' place.'

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0

Let me enlarge a little farther, and agreeably, as I apprehend, to L'Enfant's mind, though without transcribing him.

The passage of Jerom, just referred to, which is usually alleged, as illustrating the passage of Basil, in my opinion greatly favours L'Enfant. Jerom P in his comment upon the epistle to the Ephesians mentions Basil's speculation, or forced interpretation, which we have seen, and rejects it. Not a few learned men think, that Jerom has a particular reference to Basil; but I see no ground for that supposition. He might find perhaps that observation in Origen, or Apollinarius, or Didymus, whose commentaries upon the epistle to the Ephesians he mentions in his preface, or in some others. In Basil this interpretation is produced as an argument against the Arians; but nothing of that kind appears

• Omisit potius eas, quod ex alterâ parte satis ipsi erat, articulum To ex antiquis exemplaribus tanquam necessarium vindicare; ex altera vero intelligebat expositionem suam pro nullâ facile habitum iri, si voces εv Epɛσų voci 80 subjectæ legerentur. Wolf. Curæ, T. iv. p. 12. m.

Sanctis omnibus qui sunt Ephesi.'] Quidam curiosius quam necesse est, putant ex eo quod Moysi dictum sit: Hæc dices filiis Israel: Qui est, misit me?' [Exod. iii. 14.] etiam eos qui Ephesi sunt sancti et fideles, essentiæ vocabulo nuncupatos. Ut quomodo a sancto sancti, a justo justi, a sapientià sapientes: ita ab eo, qui est,' hi qui sunt' appellentur, et juxta eundem apostolum elegisse Deum ea quæ non erant, ut destrueret ea quæ erant.-Alii vero simpliciter, non ad eos qui sunt, sed qui Ephesi sancti et fideles sint, scriptum arbitrantur. Hieron. in Eph. cap. i. T. iv. P. i. p. 323.

Vid. Benedictin. Annot. ad Basil. loc. T. i. p. 254. not. '.

Denique Basilium hic tantum de articulo roc ante so cogitâsse, ut suam posterioris vocis interpretationem ingeniose potius, quam vere stabiliret, ex Hieronymi, expositionem illam (sive apud Basilium, sive Origenem, Apollinarem, et Dydimum legerit) aversantis, loco manifestum est.-Wolff. Curæ in ep. ad Eph. i. ver. i.

*

in Jerom's account of it: however, Jerom's passage, as I said, favours L'Enfant's opinion, that Basil does not say those words, at Ephesus,' were wanting in his copies: because Jerom, mentioning the same interpretation, takes no notice of any various reading. On the contrary, he again and again supposeth the common reading. And he says, that some thought the saints and faithful at Ephesus were said to be such as are.' But others, he But others, he says, without stopping at the expression, such who are,' or without laying a stress upon that expression, understood the inscription in a plain manner and continued sense, to the saints and faithful who are at Ephesus.'

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6

One thing more to be observed here, and not omitted by L'Enfant in his second letter upon this subject, is, that for two hundred years last past, and more, many manuscripts of the New Testament have been discovered, and the various readings have been diligently collected; but as yet there has not been one copy found to support Basil's account; supposing him to say, that the words ev Epeow where wanting in his time, in the ancient copies, and that it had been so transmitted by those of former times: nor is there any version to confirm that supposition. In a word, it appears to be incredible, that such a various reading, supposing it to have been in many copies in St. Basil's time, should have been totally lost. To which might be added, that there would have been notice taken of it by many remaining ancient writers, beside Basil.

If it should be said, that there are scarce any copies, that bear witness to our supposed various reading: I think, it may fitly be answered, that our various reading is a trifling thing; but a various reading in the words ev Epeow, is very remarkable, and must have appeared in some remaining copies, if there had been many such in Basil's time.

I should not forget to observe, that elsewhere also Basil quotes this epistle with the title of the epistle to the Ephesians, without hesitation.

Upon the whole, it seems to me, that there is no reason to understand St. Basil to say, that ev Epeow, at Ephesus,' was wanting in any copies in his time.

And I imagine, that there were two ways in use among those, who fancied the forced interpretation, which we have seen in Basil. Some understood it thus, To the saints who are, even the faithful in Christ Jesus at Ephesus:'

t

See Bib. Ch. T. xxi. p. 112.

Γραφων ὁ αποτολος προς Εφεσίος φησιν Αληθεύοντες δε εν αγαπη, κ. λ. [cap. iv. 15.] De Sp. Sto. cap. v. n. 9. T. iii. p. 8. A.

others after this manner, To the saints and faithful in Christ Jesus at Ephesus, who are.' The former seems to have been Basil's method, and the latter that of the persons mentioned by Jerom.

IV. I now proceed. St. Basil bears witness to the respect which was all along paid by christians to the sacred scrip

tures.

1. Upon Ps. Ix. otherwise lix.If" any should say, this psalin was written to us, he would not say amiss: for the divine oracles are ours, and they are proposed to the church of God in every assembly, as gifts sent from God, containing nourishment for the soul, afforded by the Spirit.'

2. In a homily, containing an exhortation to baptism, having quoted a text of Isaiah, of the Psalms, the Acts, and St. Matthew, he says, For all these were in to-day's reading.'

W

3. The usefulness of the divine scriptures is shown by him in a homily upon the first Psalm: All scripture given by inspiration of God, is profitable, and for that end was written by the Spirit, that as in a common treasury of medicines for souls, all might find what is proper for the healing of their several maladies. The prophets teach some things, the historical books other things, the law others: and the Proverbs have instructions for regulating our manners. The book of Psalms contains whatever is useful in all the rest.'

4. In a letter to Gregory Nazianzen: The best way to know our duty is to meditate on the divinely-inspired scriptures: here are instructions concerning our conduct; and the examples of good men recorded therein, are as it were living patterns, set before us for our imitation. And whatever malady any man labours under, if he acquaints himself with the scriptures, he will there find a medicine suited to his case.'

5. In a letter to a woman of condition who was a widow, and had sought to him for counsel, he says, If you attend to the consolations of the divine scriptures, you will neither need my advice, nor the advice of any other, the directions of the Holy Ghost being sufficient to lead you into a right conduct.'

u Hom. in Ps. lix. T. i. p. 190. E.

-di

• Συ δε, δια προφητων διδασκόμενος· -δια ψαλμων νεθετωμενος αποτολων ευαγγελιζομενος-υπ' αυτε τε Κυριε προσλαμβανόμενος, λέγοντος Ταύτα γαρ παντα σημερον συνεδραμε προς την αναγνωσιν. Hom. in Sanct. Bapt. T. ii. p. 114. B. C. In Ps. i. p. 90. A. B.

y Ad Gregor.

Ep. 283. [al. 284.] p. 424. D. E

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6. To another widow of quality he writes: And by you I salute your good daughter, and I exhort her to live in the meditation of the oracles of the Lord, that by their excellent institution her mind may be nourished, and improve more than her body does according to the course of nature.'

According to Basil therefore, the scriptures might be profitably read by all sorts of people.

7. I might add other passages, where he says, all things are to be proved by the scriptures. And whatever appears agreeable to the divinely-inspired scriptures, let that be received by us as true. He likewise says, that hearers well acquainted with the scriptures, ought to examine what is said by their teachers; and to embrace what is agreeable to the scriptures, and to reject what is otherwise. If any should say that Basil speaks only of such as are well acquainted with the scriptures,' I think it may be justly answered, that Basil's rule is general. All ought to be well acquainted with the scriptures, and may be so, if they will but seriously endeavour it,

"CHAP. XCVIII.

GREGORY NAZIANZEN.

I. His time. II. A catalogue of the books of the Old and New Testament, with remarks. III. General titles and division of scripture. IV. Select passages.

THOUGH Jerom's chapter concerning Gregory Nazianzen be somewhat long, I cannot forbear to transcribe the great

3

Ep. 296. [al. 285.] T. iii. p. 434. B.

• Ότι δει παν ῥημα η πραγμα πιςεσθαι τη μαρτυρία της θεοπνευσε γραφής. K. A. Moral. Reg. 26. T. ii. p. 256. B. C.

• Ουκεν ἡ θεοπνευτος, ἡμιν διαιτησατω γραφη και παρ' οἷς αν εὑρεθη τα δογματα συνῳδα τοις θείοις λογοις, επι τοτες παντως της αληθειας ή ψηφος. Ep. 189. [al. 80.] T. iii. p. 277. E. Vid. et Moral. Reg. 80. c. 22.

* Ότι δει των ακροατών της πεπαιδευμενος τας γραφας δοκιμάζειν τα παρα των διδασκαλων λεγομενα και τα μεν σύμφωνα ταις γραφαις δεχεσθαι, τα δε αλλότρια αποβαλλειν. κ. λ. Moral. Reg. 72. cap. 1.

* Gregorius, primum Sasimorum, deinde Nazianzenus episcopus, vir eloquentissimus, præceptor meus, quo scripturas explanante didici, ad triginta