nintelligible
to it, for human thought goes no farther than the Law and the Ten
Commandments. Laying hold upon these it confines itself to them. It
does not attempt to do more, being governed by the principle that
unto him who fulfils the demands of the Law, or commandments, God is
gracious. Reason knows nothing about the wretchedness of depraved
nature. It does not recognize the fact that no man is able to keep
God's commandments; that all are under sin and condemnation; and that
the only way whereby help could be received was for God to give his
Son for the world, ordaining another ministration, one through which
grace and reconciliation might be proclaimed to us. Now, he who does
not understand the sublime subject of which Paul speaks cannot but
miss the true meaning of his words. How much more did we invite this
fate when we threw the Scriptures and Saint Paul's epistles under the
bench, and, like swine in husks, wallowed in man's nonsense!
Therefore, we must submit to correction and learn to understand the
apostle's utterance aright.

19. "Letter" and "spirit" have been understood to mean, according to
Origen and Jerome, the obvious sense of the written word. St.
Augustine, it must be admitted, has gotten an inkling of the truth.
Now, the position of the former teachers would perhaps not be quite
incorrect did they correctly explain the words. By "literary sense"
they signify the meaning of a Scripture narrative according to the
ordinary interpretation of the words. By "spiritual sense" they
signify the secondary, hidden, sense found in the words.

For instance: The Scripture narrative in Genesis third records how
the serpent persuaded the woman to eat of the forbidden fruit and to
give to her husband, who also ate. This narrative in its simplest
meaning represents what they understand by "letter." "Spirit,"
however, they understand to mean the spiritual interpretation, which
is thus: The serpent signifies the evil temptation which lures to
sin. The woman represents the sensual state, or the sphere in which
such enticements and temptations make themselves felt. Adam, the man,
stands for reason, which is called man's highest endowment. Now, when
reason does not yield to the allurements of external sense, all is
well; but when it permits itself to waver and consent, the fall has
taken place.

20. Origen was the first to trifle thus with the holy Scriptures, and
many others followed, until now it is thought to be