Miscellanies 7.16.105

“Wisdom,” says Solomon, “has puffed up her own children.” For surely the Lord did not produce vanity in young people by his teaching; rather, he makes them confident in the truth and high-minded in the knowledge handed down through the Scriptures, and disdainful of whatever drags them down into sin. That is what the word “puffed up” means: wisdom has implanted grandeur in the children of her instruction through what she teaches. Indeed, the apostle says, “And I will know not the word of those who are puffed up, but their power,” that is, whether you understand the Scriptures in a lofty way (which means truly, and nothing is greater than truth). For in this lies the power of wisdom's puffed-up children. As if to say, “I will know whether you rightly think great things of your knowledge.” For “God is known,” as David says, “in Judea,” that is, to those who are Israelites according to knowledge; for Judea is interpreted “confession.” Reasonably, then, the apostle has said, “‘You shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not covet,’ and any other commandment, is summed up in this word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” For one must never, as those who pursue the heresies do, commit adultery against the truth or steal the church's rule, gratifying one's own desires and love of glory to the deception of one's neighbors, whom one ought above all to love and so teach to hold fast to the truth itself. It has been said plainly, at any rate, “Proclaim among the nations his deeds,” so that those who have heard beforehand may not be judged but converted. But those who “deceive with their tongues” have their penalties written down.