THE SECOND PREFACE.

...pronounce? Furthermore, what if they were to hear not only those questions proposed by him and decided with a wonderful agreement with the Catholic Church, but also to hear the other controversies—which began in recent years and are still debated in Europe—explained and defined with the same assertiveness and clarity?

Certainly, they will not wonder that Saint Ephrem attacks the "gods" of Marcion, or explodes the "Aeons" of Valentinus, or mocks the "Horoscopes" of Bardesanes, or the Hyle original: Hilen. From the Greek hyle, meaning "matter." Mani taught that matter was an eternal, evil principle. of Mani; but they will never cease to wonder that he vindicates the canonical authority of the Books of the Maccabees, and describes almost that very passage for which they were rejected by the innovators, and that in an entire volume he exhorts all Christians to pray for the Dead. They will marvel that he declares the Sacraments of Confirmation and Extreme Unction Now more commonly called the Anointing of the Sick. to descend from Divine Institution; that he asserts the Primacy of Saint Peter and his preaching in the City of Rome; and that the disciples of Saint Ephrem, based on his teaching, affirm Saint Peter to be the First Supreme Pontiff of the Christians. That he distinguishes the grades of the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy; that he urges the veneration of Martyrs and relates their miracles; that he committed the deeds of Monks to writing and everywhere extols their Institution—all these things will surely fill any sensible reader with admiration. This is not because these things are not already known or certain from other sources, but because the reader sees them offered to him from unknown and remote shores, recorded in a foreign language. For he will immediately

understand that such harmony could not have been formed or preserved without some great authority prescribing it to both sides. Nor will he doubt that the persuasion of those Eastern nations was indeed as it is asserted, when he hears this affirmed by a witness of the highest authority—one who had many reasons to speak the truth and clearly no reason to lie, and who, as a witness present at the events he relates, certainly could not have been ignorant of the truth. Indeed, he reports the customs, laws, and decrees regarding Religion of his own people.

However, if stupid men do not perceive or wonder at these things, I certainly do not wonder at them; for even if they wanted to, they cannot. For although wonder original: admiratio arises from ignorance, it cannot exist without knowledge; hence it happens that among all living creatures, only man is capable of wondering. But the listeners of this current composition original: hujus concretionis auditores. Benedict likely refers to those "mixed up" in contemporary theological confusion. do not even know this: how to wonder at things that are wonderful. Beyond this, a certain kinship of spirit is necessary to excite such emotions of the soul; furthermore, it is clear that men who are greedy, lustful, and wallowing in pleasures have no affinity with Saint Ephrem. Therefore, if they do not agree with us at all, it is no wonder, since they do not even agree with themselves. For the mind that is at odds with itself and discordant within itself will not look up to these things, nor can it taste any part of clear pleasure and free enjoyment from this source.

But indeed, if the Innovators original: Novatores. A term often used by Catholic polemicists to refer to Protestant Reformers. of this sort neither praise the harmony of Saint Ephrem with the Roman Church...