Chapter XXVI: The use of this article is theoretical: (1) Teaching. (2) Refuting. And practical: (1) Admonishing. (2) Co
CHAPTER XXVI: ON THE USE OF THIS COMMONPLACE
§ 538. The use of this commonplace is: (I) theoretical and (II) practical.
The theoretical use: (1) Teaching, so that we may acknowledge the truly divine authority and majesty of Scripture. (2) Refuting, so that we may defend its authority and integrity against any heretics who flee from the light of the Scriptures, such as atheists and Epicureans.
The practical use: (1) Admonishing, so that we make Holy Scripture familiar to ourselves by daily reading and meditation. You see, this is God’s letter sent to us from heaven, which teaches us about His essence and will and which points out to us the way to heaven. (In our Method. stud. theol., part 3, sect. 1, c. 1ff., we treated in detail the usefulness and necessity of the diligent and constant reading of Holy Scripture, as well as the method of reading Scripture.) (2) Consoling, so that we acknowledge the inestimable goodness of God from the fact that He wanted Holy Scripture to exist for our consolation (Rom. 15:4).