However, since God speaks in Sacred Scripture through men in human fashion,〔St. Augustine, ''City of God'', XVII, 6, 2: PL 41, 537: CSEL. XL, 2, 228〕 the interpreter of Sacred Scripture, in order to see clearly what God wanted to communicate to us, should carefully investigate what meaning the sacred writers really intended, and what God wanted to manifest by means of their words. To search out the intention of the sacred writers, attention should be given, among other things, to "literary forms" ... in accordance with the situation of his own time and culture.〔. St. Augustine, ''On Christian Doctrine III'', 18, 26; PL 34, 75-76.〕 For the correct understanding of what the sacred author wanted to assert, due attention must be paid to the customary and characteristic styles of feeling, speaking and narrating which prevailed at the time of the sacred writer, and to the patterns men normally employed at that period in their everyday dealings with one another.〔Pius XII, loc. cit. ''Denziger'' 2294 (3829-3830); EB 557-562.〕 But, since Holy Scripture must be read and interpreted in the sacred spirit in which it was written,〔cf. Benedict XV, encyclical ''Spiritus Paraclitus'' Sept. 15, 1920:EB 469. St. Jerome, "In Galatians" 5, 19-20: PL 26, 417 A.〕 no less serious attention must be given to the content and unity of the whole of Scripture if the meaning of the sacred texts is to be correctly worked out. The living tradition of the whole Church must be taken into account along with the harmony which exists between elements of the faith. It is the task of exegetes to work according to these rules toward a better understanding and explanation of the meaning of Sacred Scripture, so that through preparatory study the judgment of the Church may mature.〔''Dei Verbum'' (''Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation''), promulgated by Pope Paul VI on November 18, 1965; No. 12.〕