meek and pious disposition seek the will of God. And in pur-
CHAP. X.] THE METHOD OF STUDY. 43
Chap. ix.—How we should proceed in studying Scripture.
14. In . all these books those who fear God and are of a meek and pious disposition seek the will of God. And in pursuing this search, the first rule to be observed is, as I said, to know these books, if not yet with the understanding, still to read them so as to commit them to memory, or at least so as not to remain wholly ignorant of them. Next, those matters that are plainly laid down in them, whether rules of life or rules of faith, are to be searched into more carefully and more diligently ; and the more of these a man discovers, the more capacious does his understanding become. For among the things that are plainly laid down in Scripture are to be found all matters that concern faith and the manner of life,—hope, to wit, and love, of which I have spoken in the previous book.
After this, when we have made ourselves to a certain extent familiar with the language of Scripture, we may proceed to open up and investigate the obscure passages, and in doing so draw examples from the plainer expressions to throw light upon the more obscure, and use the evidence of passages about which there is no doubt to remove all hesitation in regard to the doubtful passages. And in this matter memory counts for a great deal bilt if the memory be defective, no rules can supply the want.
Chap. x.— Unhnown or ambiguous signs p)revent Scripturefrom being tinderstood.
1 5. ]N'ow there are two causes which prevent what is written from being understood: its being veiled either under unknown, or under ambiguous signs. Signs are either proper or figurative. They are called proper when they are used to point out the objects they were designed to point out, as we say hos when we mean an ox, because all men who with us use the
Latin tongue call it by this name. Signs are figurative when the things themselves wliicli we indicate by the proper names are used to signify something else, as we say hos, and understand by that syllable the ox, which is ordinarily called by that name ; but then further by that ox understand a preacher of the gospel, as Scripture signifies, according to the apostle's explanation, when it says : " Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn."^
^ Bovem tViturantem iion infienabis.— 1 Cor. ix. 9.