The approval of some of our adversaries.
The approval of some of our adversaries.
§ 491. We can even confirm our position from our adversaries themselves.
[Jus canonicum,] dist. 38, c. Si juxt., from Jerome: “If, according to the apostle Paul, Christ is ‘the power of God’ and ‘the wisdom of God,’ and whoever does not know the Scriptures does not know the power and wisdom of God, then ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ.” (Yet not only the clergy but also the laity must beware of an ignorance of Christ.) Distinctio 96, c. Ubinam, from the letter of Pope Nicholas to Emperor Michael: “Where in the world do you read that the emperors, your predecessors, took part in synodal assemblies, except perhaps in those where the discussion was about faith, which is universal, common to all, which pertains not only to the clergy but also to the laity and to all Christians without exception?” (If faith pertains to the laity, so also does the literature of faith, or Holy Scripture.) Causa 2, q. 7, c. Oves: “The sheep that have been entrusted to their shepherd ought not censure him, unless he has deviated from the true faith.” Causa 2, quaest. 7, c. Secuti: “It is sometimes right for the laypeople to refute their clerics.” (Therefore the reading of Scripture must not be denied to the laity, on the basis of which they should pass judgment on their pastors.)
Thomas Aquinas, [ST,] p. 1, q. 1, art. 9: “Scripture uses metaphors in such a way that even the uninstructed grasp them, for Scripture was published for all people.” Lecture 3 on Colossians 3: “Some are satisfied with a little bit from the Word of God, but the apostle wants us to have much.”
In his preface to the New Testament, Erasmus begins as follows: “Remember, my fine reader, that testimony has been given elsewhere that I disagree very much with those who think that the laity and illiterate should be kept completely away from reading the sacred volumes.” Later, he proves his position in detail by drawing in many arguments that are both pious and learned. He says: “What the evangelical writings teach pertains to all people equally. What they promise pertains to all people equally. They have been produced in such a way that the devout and humble uneducated man understands them more quickly than the proud philosopher.”
Cornelius Agrippa, De vanit. scient., c. 100: “Not only theologians but also all people, in accordance with the ability given them, are obliged to read Scripture.” In the same chapter he quotes a decree of the Council of Nicaea: “No Christian should be without a text of the Bible.”
Bishop Claudius Espencaeus, commentary on Titus 2: “It is obvious from the apostle in Colossians 3 and from the practice of the ancient Church that the public use of reading the Scriptures was granted to the people.”
Acosta, De Christo revelato, bk. 3, c. 20: “It is altogether remarkable in the case of divine Scripture that no one is so dull and inexperienced that he does not understand many useful and true things from it if he reads with humility.”
Bellarmine, De verb. Dei, bk. 1, at the beginning of c. 2: “Moses, the prophets, Christ, John, and the apostles certainly exhorted others to read the Scriptures.”