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Against Heresies
2.
For all the apostles taught that there were indeed two testaments among the two peoples; but that it was one and the same God who appointed both for the advantage of those men (for whose 1 sakes the testaments were given) who were to believe in God, I have proved in the third book from the very teaching of the apostles; and that the first testament was not given without reason, or to no purpose, or in an accidental sort of manner; but that it subdued 2 those to whom it was given to the service of God, for their benefit (for God needs no service from men), and exhibited a type of heavenly things, inasmuch as man was not yet able to see the things of God through means of immediate vision; 3 and foreshadowed the images of those things which [now actually] exist in the Church, in order that our faith might be firmly established; 4 and contained a prophecy of things to come, in order that man might learn that God has foreknowledge of all things.
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We here read "secundum quos" with Massuet, instead of usual "secundum quod." ↩
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"Concurvans," corresponding to sunkampton, which, says Harvey, "would be expressive of those who were brought under the law, as the neck of the steer is bent to the yoke." ↩
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The Latin is, "per proprium visum." ↩
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[If this and the former chapter seem to us superfluous, we must reflect that such testimony, from the beginning, has established the unity of Holy Scripture, and preserved to us--the Bible.] ↩
Translation
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Gegen die Häresien (BKV)
2.
Alle Apostel nämlich haben gelehrt, daß zwei Testamente bei zwei Völkern waren; daß aber von ein und demselben Gott beide zum Heil der Menschen, denen er die Testamente gab, angeordnet wurden, damit sie an Gott glauben sollten, das haben wir aus der Lehre der Apostel selbst im dritten Buche nachgewiesen. Auch zeigten wir, daß nicht zwecklos oder vergeblich oder zufällig das erste Testament gegeben wurde, sondern um die, denen es gegeben wurde, zu ihrem eigenen Nutzen unter die Knechtschaft Gottes zu beugen. Denn Gott gebraucht ja nicht ihren Dienst. Dann zeigte es aber auch das Vorbild der himmlischen Dinge, weil ja der Mensch mit eigenen Augen Gott noch nicht sehen konnte, und gab die Bilder von dem, was in der Kirche sein sollte, im voraus, damit unser eigener Glaube fest sei, und enthielt die Prophezeiungen der künftigen Dinge, damit der Mensch lernen sollte, daß Gott alles voraus weiß.