clearly shown that God hath not a body, we must
perforce explain all those passages whereof the literal sense agreeth
not with the demonstration, for sure it is that they can be so
explained. But the eternity of the world hath not been so demonstrated,
therefore it is not necessary to do violence to Scripture in support of
some common opinion, whereof we might, at the bidding of reason, embrace
the contrary."

Such are the words of Maimonides, and they are evidently sufficient to
establish our point: for if he had been convinced by reason that the
world is eternal, he would not have hesitated to twist and explain away
the words of Scripture till he made them appear to teach this doctrine.
He would have felt quite sure that Scripture, though everywhere plainly
denying the eternity of the world, really intends to teach it. So that,
however clear the meaning of Scripture may be, he would not feel certain
of having grasped it, so long as he remained doubtful of the truth of
what was written. For we are in doubt whether a thing is in conformity
with reason, or contrary thereto, so long as we are uncertain of its
truth, and, consequently, we cannot be sure whether the literal meaning
of a passage be true or false.

If such a theory as this were sound, I would certainly grant that some
faculty beyond the natural reason is required for interpreting
Scripture. For nearly all things that we find in Scripture cannot be
inferred from known principles of the natural reason, and therefore, we
should be unable to come to any conclusion about their truth, or about
the real meaning and intention of Scripture, but should stand in need of
some further assistance.

Further, the truth of this theory would involve that the masses, having
generally no comprehension of, nor leisure for, detailed proofs, would
be reduced to receiving all their knowledge of Scripture on the
authority and testimony of philosophers, and consequently, would be
compelled to suppose that the interpretations given by philosophers were
infallible.

Truly this would be a new form of ecclesiastical authority, and a new
sort of priests or pontiffs, more likely to excite men's ridicule than
their veneration. Certainly our method demands a knowledge of Hebrew for
which the masses have no leisure; but no such objection as the foregoing
can be brought against us. For the ordinary Jews or Gentiles, to whom
the prophets and apostles preached and wrote, understood the langua