meetings; whence it follows that Scriptural doctrine contains no lofty
speculations nor philosophic reasoning, but only very simple matters, such
as could be understood by the slowest intelligence.

(5) I am consequently lost in wonder at the ingenuity of those whom I have
already mentioned, who detect in the Bible mysteries so profound that they
cannot be explained in human language, and who have introduced so many
philosophic speculations into religion that the Church seems like
an academy, and religion like a science, or rather a dispute.

(6) It is not to be wondered at that men, who boast of possessing
supernatural intelligence, should be unwilling to yield the palm of
knowledge to philosophers who have only their ordinary, faculties; still I
should be surprised if I found them teaching any new speculative
doctrine, which was not a commonplace to those Gentile philosophers whom, in
spite of all, they stigmatize as blind; for, if one inquires what these
mysteries lurking in Scripture may be, one is confronted with nothing but
the reflections of Plato or Aristotle, or the like, which it would
often be easier for an ignorant man to dream than for the most accomplished
scholar to wrest out of the Bible.

(7) However, I do not wish to affirm absolutely that Scripture contains no
doctrines in the sphere of philosophy, for in the last chapter I pointed out
some of the kind, as fundamental principles; but I go so far as to say that
such doctrines are very few and very simple. (8) Their precise nature and
definition I will now set forth. (9) The task will be easy, for we know that
Scripture does not aim at imparting scientific knowledge, and, therefore, it
demands from men nothing but obedience, and censures obstinacy, but not
ignorance.