Teaching Christianity (continued)
slavery, but rather of spiritual freedom.
But just as following the letter and taking signs for the things signified by them is a matter of slavish weakness, so too interpreting signs in a useless way is a matter of error going badly astray.[23] Those, however, who do not understand what a sign signifies, and still understand that it is a sign, are also not being oppressed by the yoke of slavery. But it is better even to be oppressed by signs that are useful though not understood than by interpreting them in a useless manner to withdraw one's neck from the yoke of slavery, only to insert it in the noose of error.
Rules for telling what are figurative expressions and what are not
10, 14. To this warning against treating figurative expressions, that is metaphorical ones, as though they were meant in the literal, proper sense, we also have to add this one, to beware of wanting to treat literal, proper statements as though they were figurative. So first of all we must point out the method for discovering if an expression is proper or figurative. And here, quite simply, is the one and only method: anything in the divine writings that cannot be referred either to good, honest morals or to the truth of the faith, you must know is said figuratively. Good honest morals belong to loving God and one's neighbor, the truth of the faith to knowing God and one's neighbor. As for hope, that lies in everybody's own conscience,[24] to the extent that you perceive yourself to be making progress in the love of God and neighbor, and in the knowledge of them. All this formed the subject of the first book.
15. The human race, however, is inclined to judge sins, not according to the gravity of the evil desire involved, but rather with reference to the importance attached to their own customs. So people frequently reckon that only those acts are to be blamed which in their own part of the world and their