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Prologus, §5

Breviloquium · Prologus

Textus Latinus
p. 206

§ 5. De modo procedendi ipsius sacrae Scripturae.

In tanta igitur multiformitate sapientiae, quae continetur in ipsius sacrae Scripturae latitudine, longitudine, altitudine et profundo, unus est communis modus procedendi authenticus8, videlicet intra quem continetur modus narrativus, praeceptorius, prohibitivus, exhortativus, praedicativus9, comminatorius, promissivus, deprecatorius et laudativus. Et omnes hi modi sub uno modo authentico reponuntur, et hoc quidem satis recte.

Quia enim haec doctrina est, ut boni fiamus10 et salvemur; et hoc non fit per nudam considerationem, sed potius per inclinationem voluntatis: ideo Scriptura divina eo modo debuit tradi, quo modo magis possemus inclinari. Et quia magis movetur affectus ad exempla quam ad argumenta, magis ad promissiones quam ad ratiocinationes, magis per devotiones quam per definitiones; ideo Scriptura ista non debuit habere modum definitivum, divisivum et collectivum ad probandum passiones aliquas de subiecto ad modum aliarum scientiarum11; sed oportuit, quod haberet modos proprios, secundum varias inclina-

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tiones animorum diversimode animos inclinantes; ut, si quis non movetur ad praecepta et prohibita, saltem moveatur per exempla narrata; si quis non per haec movetur, moveatur per beneficia sibi ostensa; si quis nec per haec movetur, moveatur per monitiones sagaces, per promissiones veraces, per comminationes terribiles, ut sic saltem excitetur ad devotionem et laudem Dei, in qua percipiat gratiam, per quam dirigatur circa opera virtuosa.

Quoniam igitur hi modi narrativi non possunt fieri per viam certitudinis rationum, quia particularia gesta probari non possunt1; ideo, ne Scriptura ista tanquam dubia vacillaret, ac per hoc minus moveret, loco certitudinis rationis providit Deus huic Scripturae certitudinem auctoritatis, quae adeo magna est, quod omnem perspicacitatem humani ingenii superexcellit. Et quia non est certa auctoritas eius qui potest fallere vel falli; nullus autem est, qui falli non possit et fallere nesciat, nisi2 Deus et Spiritus sanctus: hinc est, quod ad hoc, quod Scriptura sacra modo sibi debito esset perfecte authentica, non per humanam investigationem est tradita, sed per revelationem divinam. — Ideo nihil in ipsa contemnendum tanquam inutile, nihil respuendum tanquam falsum, nihil repudiandum tanquam iniquum, pro eo quod Spiritus sanctus, eius auctor perfectissimus, nihil potuit dicere falsum, nihil superfluum, nihil diminutum. Et propterea caelum et terra transibunt, verba autem Scripturae sacrae non praeteribunt3, quin impleantur. Donec enim caelum et terra transeat, iota unum aut unus apex non praeteribit a Lege, donec omnia fiant, Salvatore testante. Qui ergo solverit ea quae Scriptura docet, et docuerit sic homines, hic minimus vocabitur in regno caelorum; qui autem fecerit et docuerit, hic magnus vocabitur in regno caelorum.

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English Translation

§ 5. On the mode of procedure of sacred Scripture itself.

In so great a manifoldness of wisdom, then, as is contained in the breadth, length, height, and depth of sacred Scripture itself, there is one common authentic mode of procedure8, within which are contained the narrative, preceptive, prohibitive, exhortative, predicative9, minatory, promissory, deprecatory, and laudatory modes. And all these modes are set under the one authentic mode — and this indeed quite rightly.

For since this teaching exists that we may become good10 and be saved, and this does not come about through bare consideration but rather through the inclining of the will, therefore the divine Scripture had to be handed down in that mode by which we could the more be inclined. And because the affection is more moved by examples than by arguments, more by promises than by reasonings, more by devotions than by definitions, therefore this Scripture ought not to have had the definitive, divisive, and collective mode for proving certain attributes of a subject after the manner of the other sciences11; but it was fitting that it should have modes proper to itself, according to the various inclinations

of minds inclining minds in diverse ways — so that, if someone is not moved by precepts and prohibitions, he may at least be moved by examples narrated; if someone is not moved by these, he may be moved by the benefits shown to him; if someone is not moved by these either, he may be moved by shrewd admonitions, by truthful promises, by terrifying threats, so that thus he may at least be roused to devotion and praise of God, in which he may receive grace, through which he may be directed in works of virtue.

Since, therefore, these narrative modes cannot proceed by way of the certitude of reasons — because particular deeds cannot be proved1 — therefore, lest this Scripture should waver as though doubtful and thereby move less, God provided for this Scripture, in place of the certitude of reason, the certitude of authority, which is so great that it surpasses all the acuteness of human genius. And because the authority of him who can deceive or be deceived is not certain, and there is no one who cannot be deceived and who knows not how to deceive except2 God and the Holy Spirit — hence it is that, in order that sacred Scripture might be perfectly authentic in the manner due to it, it was handed down not through human investigation but through divine revelation. — Therefore nothing in it is to be despised as useless, nothing rejected as false, nothing repudiated as unjust, since the Holy Spirit, its most perfect author, could say nothing false, nothing superfluous, nothing deficient. And on this account heaven and earth shall pass away, but the words of sacred Scripture shall not pass away3 without being fulfilled. For till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall not pass of the Law, till all be fulfilled, as the Savior testifies. He therefore that shall break what Scripture teaches, and shall so teach men, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but he that shall do and teach, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

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Apparatus Criticus
  1. 8
    Du Cange, Glossarium etc. refert ex Io. de Ianua: Authenticus [ab αὐθεντεῖν i. e. dominari], auctoritate plenus, fide dignus, cui primo credebatur ex sui dignitate. Item, authenticus dicitur etiam nobilis. — Verbis transpositis I videlicet authenticus.
    Du Cange, Glossarium etc., reports from John of Genoa: Authenticus [from αὐθεντεῖν, that is, to have mastery], full of authority, worthy of trust, one who was believed at first on account of his own dignity. Likewise, authenticus is also said to mean noble. — With the words transposed, I has videlicet authenticus.
  2. 9
    Ita P Q S, alii praedicatorius; in aliis codd. et edd. praedictivus, quod minus convenire videtur verbis beneficia sibi ostensa, quibus hoc adiectivum respondet.
    So P Q S; others have praedicatorius; in other codices and editions praedictivus, which seems to accord less with the words beneficia sibi ostensa, to which this adjective answers.
  3. 10
    His verbis describit Aristot., II. Ethic. c. 2, finem scientiae moralis. Cfr. I. Sent. Prooem. q. 3.
    With these words Aristotle, Ethics II, c. 2, describes the end of moral science. Cf. Book I of the Sentences, Prooemium, q. 3.
  4. 11
    Aristot., I. Poster. c. 7: Tria enim sunt in demonstrationibus: unum quidem quae demonstratur conclusio... unum autem dignitates [axiomata]; dignitates autem sunt, ex quibus est demonstratio; tertium autem genus subiectum, cuius passiones [i. e. proprietates] et per se accidentia ostendit demonstratio. Cfr. August., II. de Doctr. christiana, c. 34. 36. n. 48. 54. — Pro collectivum L O P V collativum. Inferius pro ad praecepta, quod habent fere omnes codd. et 2, aliae edd. per praecepta.
    Aristotle, Posterior Analytics I, c. 7: For there are three things in demonstrations: one indeed the conclusion which is demonstrated… another the axioms; and the axioms are those from which the demonstration proceeds; the third is the subject genus, whose attributes [that is, properties] and per se accidents the demonstration exhibits. Cf. Augustine, On Christian Doctrine II, cc. 34, 36, nn. 48, 54. — For collectivum L O P V have collativum. Below, for ad praecepta, which nearly all the codices and edition 2 have, the other editions have per praecepta.
  5. 1
    Aristot., I. Poster. c. 14. (c. 18.): Singularium enim sensus est; non enim contingit accipere ipsorum scientiam. Cfr. ibid. c. 24. (c. 31.) et II. de Anima, text. 60. (c. 5.). Vide etiam III. Sent. d. 24. dub. 3, ubi exponitur dictum August., quod facta historica nunquam intelliguntur, sed tantum creduntur. — Inferius pro superexcellit K L M O V superexcellat (respiciuntur verba August., II. de Gen. ad lit. c. 5. n. 9: Maior est quippe Scripturae huius auctoritas, quam omnis humani ingenii capacitas).
    Aristotle, Posterior Analytics I, c. 14 (c. 18): For of singulars there is sense-perception; for it does not happen that knowledge of them is had. Cf. ibid., c. 24 (c. 31), and On the Soul II, text 60 (c. 5). See also Book III of the Sentences, d. 24, dub. 3, where the saying of Augustine is expounded, that historical facts are never understood but only believed. — Below, for superexcellit K L M O V have superexcellat (reference is made to the words of Augustine, On Genesis according to the Letter II, c. 5, n. 9: For the authority of this Scripture is greater than all the capacity of human genius).
  6. 2
    D F G H addunt solus. Inferius post perfecte authentica, pro quo I perfectae auctoritatis vel authentica, A C D H I N S subiungunt quod, F G quia.
    D F G H add solus. Below, after perfecte authentica — for which I has perfectae auctoritatis vel authentica — A C D H I N S add quod, F G quia.
  7. 3
    Matth. 24, 35. — Seq. locus est ibid. 5, 18. seq.
    Matthew 24:35. — The following passage is ibid., 5:18 f. ---
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