Is the Holy Bible inscribed in the pure heart and preserved in it?

St. John Chrysostom says, “It were indeed fitting for us not at all to require the aid of the written Word, but to exhibit a life so pure, that the grace of the Spirit should be instead of books to our souls, and that as these are inscribed with ink, even so should our hearts be with the Spirit.”⁹³ “The Scriptures were not given us for this only, that we might have them in books, but that we might engrave them on our hearts … And this I say, not to prevent you from procuring Bibles, on the contrary, I exhort and earnestly pray that you do this, but I desire that from those books you convey the letters and sense into your understanding, that so it may be purified when it receives the meaning of the writing. For if the devil will not dare to approach a house where a Gospel is lying, much less will any evil spirit, or any sinful nature, ever touch or enter a soul which bears about with it such sentiments as it contains.

89 St. John Chrysostom, Six Sermons on Isaiah 6:1 (In illud, Vidi dom) 2.2 (PG 56:97–142).

90 St. John Chrysostom, Two Sermons on Romans 16:3 (In illud, Salutate) 1.1 (PG 51:187–208).

91 St. John Chrysostom, A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles , Homily 55 (NPNF I/11:327) amended.

92 St. John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Statues 1.3 (NPNF I/9:332) amended.

93 St. John Chrysostom, Homilies on Matthew 1.1 (NPNF I/10:1) amended.

Sanctify then your soul, sanctify your body, by having these ever in your heart, and on your tongue. For if foul speech defiles and invites devils, it is clear that spiritual reading sanctifies and draws down the grace of the Spirit. The Scriptures are divine charms, let us then apply to ourselves and to the passions of our souls the remedies to be derived from them.”⁹⁴