Scripture Is Not Changed for the Sake of the Weak

Those who are on the road to ruin, or rather who are eager to destroy themselves, can never lack occasions and opportunities for destroying themselves. Nor are those passages of Scripture to be rejected and torn out of the book altogether which encourage the perversity of heretics, or increase the unbelief of the Jews, or offend the pride of pagan wisdom. Surely they are to be devoutly believed, firmly held, and preached according to the rule of truth. So we should not, because of someone else’s unbelief, reject the oikonomia, that is, the “economy,” of the prophets and saints that Scripture relates. Otherwise, while we think we ought to stoop to their weaknesses, we stain ourselves with the sin not only of lying but of sacrilege. But, as we said, we ought to accept these things according to the letter, and explain how they were rightly done. For those who are badly disposed, the opening for lies will not be blocked by this means, if we try either to deny altogether, or to explain away by allegorical interpretations, the truth of the things we are going to bring forward or have already brought forward. For how will the authority of these passages harm them, if their corrupt will alone is enough to lead them into sin? [a]