Et de his tribus habetur in canonica Iudae 11–12: vae illis qui in via Cain abierunt et errore Balaam mercede effusi sunt, in quo ostenditur intentio nocendi; hi sunt in epulis suis maculae, convivantes sine timore, semetipsos pascentes, nubes sine aqua quae a ventis circumferuntur, in quo tangitur concupiscentia impellens ad motum; arbores autumnales infructuosae, in quo ostenditur quod ex levitate sine fructu discurrunt. Of all these three orders of men, St. Jude writes: woe to them! For they go the way of Cain, and abandon themselves to Balaam’s error for the sake of gain, in which is shown their intention of doing harm. These are blemishes on your love-feasts, while they feast with you without fear, feeding themselves. They are waterless clouds carried along by the winds: which touches upon their concupiscence impelling their motion; autumn trees without fruit, which shows that they roam fruitlessly from fickleness (Jude 1:11–12). Quod ergo Apostolus arguit quosdam de inquietudine, discursum ex levitate procedentem reprehendit, vel etiam ex concupiscentia, quod patet ex hoc quod in Glossa subiungitur: qui foeda cura pastum sibi quaerebant per curiosam inquietudinem. Ad 1: By these words is typified the unfruitfulness of journeys which are undertaken through frivolous motives. The Apostle blames the men of whom we have been speaking for the levity, or inordinate desires, which cause them to travel abroad. The Gloss says that the words of St. Jude refer to those who seek food by unworthy means or inquisitive disquiet. Similiter quod dicit Augustinus quosdam monachos nusquam fixos, nusquam missos, nusquam stantes, nusquam sedentes, arguit eorum discursum ex levitate procedentem; vel potius ex cupiditate, unde subiungit quod propter lucrum quaerendum discurrebant, et in hoc reprehensibiles erant. Ad 2: St. Augustine, when he speaks of monks, who, although they bear no commission, are never settled, never quiet, means that their journeys are undertaken from frivolous or avaricious motives. This is clear by the context, wherein he blames them for running about in quest of lucre. Quod etiam dicitur Marc. VI, 10 et Luc. X, 7 manifeste prohibet discursum de domo in domum, idest de hospitio in hospitium: ad quod frequenter concupiscentia inducit, ut scilicet contingit in illis quibus ea quae habent non sufficiunt lautiora quaerentes, unde de domo in domum discurrunt. Ad 3: The words quoted from Mark 6 and Luke 10 plainly allude to men whose inordinate desires induce them to run from house to house in hopes of being supplied more abundantly with food by one family than by another. Quod autem dicitur Isai. XXX, 7 pertinet ad animi levitatem per quam homo qui in Deo fixus non est ad diversa discurrit in quibus quietem invenire possit; unde hoc ad litteram dicitur contra Iudaeos qui divino auxilio non contenti in Aegyptum descendere volebant ut aegyptiorum patrocinio salvarentur. Ad 4: The text of Isaiah 30:7 warns us against that inconstancy of mind, which tempts the man whose soul does not rest in God, to flit from one object to another, finding rest in none. The words, in their literal sense, refer to the Jews who, not satisfied with the divine assistance accorded to them, desired to go down into Egypt to seek protection from the Egyptians. Similiter quod dicitur Ier. XIV, 10 ad discursum ex levitate procedentem referendum est, quod patet ex hoc quod dicit: qui dilexit movere pedes suos; eis enim qui ex levitate moventur, hoc ipsum quod circueunt appetibile videtur: unde Glossa exponit ibi motum pedum de motu affectuum. Ad 5: The words quoted from Jeremias are likewise a warning against that love of wandering about which arises from lightness of mind. This appears by the context, these people have loved to move their feet. For, they who move easily, delight in motion. And the Gloss, on this passage, explains the movement of the feet to mean movement of the affections. Capitulum 11 Chapter 11 De hoc quod religiosi studio vacant Attacks made on religious because they study Objections Nunc quarto videndum est quomodo in religiosorum sugillationem inducunt quod studio vacant. We now proceed to consider the objections brought against the studious life led by religious. Dicitur enim II Tim. III, 7 in derogationem quorundam per quos pericula Ecclesiae imminebunt quod erunt semper discentes et nunquam ad scientiam veritatis pervenientes; et ita ex hoc ipso eos suspectos reddere volunt quod studio vacant. Obj. 1: We find certain persons, who were a danger to the Church, accused of always being instructed and never arriving at a knowledge of the truth (2 Tim 3:7). For this reason, it is considered a suspicious circumstance when religious are fond of study. Item, Gregorius dicit in 13 libro Moralium, super illud Iob XVI, 10 hostis meus terribilibus oculis me intuitus est, sicut incarnata veritas in praedicationem suam pauperes, idiotas et simplices elegit, sic contra ille damnatus homo quem in fine mundi apostata angelus assumit ad praedicandum falsitatem suam, astutos ac duplices ac huius mundi scientiam habentes est electurus; unde ex hoc ipso eos quasi praenuntios Antichristi insimulant quia praedicationis officium scientia fulgentes exercent. Obj. 2: St. Gregory makes the following remarks on the words, my enemy has looked at me with terrible eyes (Job 16:10): the incarnate truth, he writes (Moral., 13), chose for his preachers such as were poor, simple, and unlearned. But, on the other hand, the astute and double-tongued man, filled with the knowledge of this world, whom at the end of time the apostate angel will elect to propagate his falsehood, will be damned. Hence religious, because they exercise the office of preaching in a learned manner, are regarded as the forerunners of antichrist. Item, Apoc. XIII, 11: vidi aliam bestiam ascendentem de terra et habebat cornua duo similia agni, Glossa: descripta tribulatione quae erit per Antichristum et suos principes, subiungit aliam quae fiet per suos apostolos quos ipse per totum mundum sparget; item Glossa: ascendentem, idest in praedicatione proficientem; item alia glosa: habebat duo cornua: qui simulabunt se habere innocentiam et puram vitam et veram doctrinam et miracula quae Christus habuit et suis discipulis dedit; vel duo testamenta sibi usurpabunt: et ita videtur quod illi qui cum scientia duorum Testamentorum in praedicatione proficiunt sanctitatem simulantes sint apostoli antichristi. Obj. 3: I saw another beast that rose out of the earth; it had two horns like a lamb (Rev 13:11). On these words of the Apocalypse the Gloss remarks: the description of the tribulation which will be caused by antichrist and his princes is followed by a narrative of the evils which will befall the Church, by means of the apostles of antichrist, who will travel throughout the entire world. Again, coming up out of the earth signifies going forth to preach (Gloss). On the words it had two horns the Gloss remarks: these preachers are said to have two horns, because they will profess to imitate the innocent and spotless life of our Lord, to work miracles resembling his, and to preach his doctrine; or else because they will usurp to themselves the two testaments. Hence it would appear that they who go forth to preach, with the knowledge of the two testaments, and with an appearance of sanctity, are the apostles of antichrist. Item, I Cor. VIII, 1: scientia inflat, caritas aedificat; sed religiosi humilitatem praecipue sectari deberent: ergo deberent a studio scientiae abstinere. Obj. 4: Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up (1 Cor 8:1). Now as religious are in a peculiar manner bound to the practice of humility, they ought to abstain from knowledge. Item, de beato Benedicto qui praecipuus in religione fuit dicit Gregorius in secundo Dialogorum quod recessit a studio litterarum scienter nescius et sapienter indoctus; unde ad eius exemplum religiosi deberent scientiae studium deserere. Obj. 5: Of St. Benedict, patriarch of religious, we are told that he withdrew from the study of literature, and that his learning was unlearned and his wisdom untaught (St. Gregory, Dialogues, 2). Hence after his example, religious should desist from study. Item, Apostolus II Thess. III, 11 arguit eos qui relicto opere manuali curiositati vacabant et otio; sed curiositas in studio scientiae consistit: ergo non deberent religiosi ab opere manuum desistere ut studio vacarent. Obj. 6: St. Paul (2 Thess 3:11), reproves those who neglected manual labor, and indulged themselves in curiosity and sloth. As then the acquisition of knowledge is curiosity, religious ought not to abandon manual labor for the sake of study. Response Huius autem cogitationis ipsi auctores non sunt sed Iulianus Apostata qui, ut Ecclesiastica narrat historia, servos Christi a studio litterarum coercuit; cuius imitatores se ostendunt qui religiosis studium interdicunt, manifeste contra auctoritatem Scripturae loquentes. I answer that, now those who have been quoted above are not the originators of the error we are refuting. Julian the Apostate was the first to conceive this idea. He, as we are told in ecclesiastical history, forcibly prevented Christians from acquiring knowledge. Those therefore who imitate him, by forbidding religious to study, act in a manner opposed to the precepts of Scripture. Dicitur enim Isai. V, 13: propterea captivus ductus est populus meus quia non habuit scientiam, Glossa: quia noluit habere; non autem voluntarius defectus scientiae puniretur, nisi studium scientiae laudabile esset. We read, for instance, in Isaiah 5:13: therefore, is my people led away captive, because they had not knowledge. Gloss: because they would not have knowledge. Now voluntary ignorance could not deserve punishment, were not knowledge praiseworthy. Item, Os. IV, 5-6: nocte tacere feci matrem tuam. Conticuit populus meus eo quod non habuit scientiam; quia tu scientiam repulisti, repellam te ne sacerdotio fungaris mihi; in hoc etiam manifeste ostenditur quomodo defectus scientiae graviter punitur. In Hosea 4:5 we read: in the night I have made your mother to be silent. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. This text clearly shows how severely ignorance will be punished. Item, in Psalmo CXVIII, 66: bonitatem et disciplinam et scientiam doce me, Glossa: bonitatem, idest caritatem inspira; disciplinam, idest patientiam da; scientiam, idest mentem illumina: scientia enim utilis est qua sibi homo innotescit. In Psalm 118:66, we read: teach me goodness and discipline and knowledge. On these words, the Gloss says: teach me goodness, that is, inspire me, with charity; teach me discipline, that is, give me patience; teach me knowledge, that is, enlighten my mind. For that knowledge is useful, whereby a man becomes known to himself. Item. Hieronymus ad Rusticum monachum: nunquam de manu et oculis tuis recedat liber: et infra ama scientiam Scripturarum et carnis vitia non amabis. Item Ieronymus in epistola ad Paulinum monachorum: sancta rusticitas solum sibi prodest, et quantum aedificat ex vitae merito Ecclesiam Christi tantum nocet si destruentibus non resistat; in quo manifeste sanctorum scientia praefertur simplicium sanctitati. St. Jerome writes to the monk Rusticus: let a book be never absent from your eyes or hand. Again, love the knowledge of the Scriptures, and you will not love the vices of the flesh. The same saint likewise writes to the monk Paulinus: holy ignorance is only profitable to itself, and inasmuch as when accompanied by the example of a good life it edifies the Church of Christ. It is harmful, when it is powerless against those who impugn her doctrine. Hence the learning of the saints is preferable to the holiness of the unlearned. Item, in eadem epistola, enumeratis sacrae Scripturae libris subiungit: oro te, frater carissime, inter haec vivere, ista meditari, nihil aliud nosse, nihil aliud quaerere, nonne videtur tibi iam hic in terris regni caelestis habitaculum?; ex quo patet quod caelestis conversatio est in studio sacrae Scripturae commorari. In the same epistle, after enumerating the books of Sacred Scripture, St. Jerome continues: I beseech you, brother, let these books be the companions of your life and the subject of your meditation. I know nothing but these, and seek no other thing. Don’t you see that in this way you may on earth enjoy the kingdom of heaven? A heavenly life then consists in the, constant study of Sacred Scripture. Quod autem illis qui ad praedicationis officium deputantur praecipue studium Scripturarum conveniat, patet per illud quod dicit Apostolus I Tim. IV, 13: dum venio attende lectioni, exhortationi et doctrinae; ex quo patet quod exhortari et docere volentibus necessarium est studium lectionis. St. Paul points out that knowledge of the Scriptures is essential to preachers. For, he says, until I arrive, give attention to the public reading of scripture, to exhorting, to teaching (1 Tim 4:13). It is evident from this that a knowledge of what they are to teach, is necessary for those whose duty it is to preach and to exhort. Item, Hieronymus ad Rusticum monachum: multo tempore disce quae postmodum doceas; et idem ad eundem: si clericatus te titillat desiderium, discas quod possis docere. St. Jerome writes to the monk Rusticus: spend much time in learning what you must later on teach. Once more he writes to the same, if you desire to enter the clerical state, study, in order that you may teach. Item, Gregorius in pastorali: nimirum necesse est ut qui ad officium praedicationis excubant a sacrae lectionis studio non recedant. St. Gregory says, in his Pastoral Rule: it is eminently necessary that they who accept the office of preachers should not desist from sacred study. Item, religiosorum vita praecipue ad contemplationem ordinatur; sed pars contemplationis est lectio, ut Hugo de sancto Victore dicit: ergo religiosis studio vacare competit. The life of religious is established primarily for contemplation; but, as Hugh of St. Victor says, reading is part of contemplation. Hence religious have a right to apply themselves to study. Item, illi praecipue sunt ad scientiam capiendam idonei qui a carnalibus curis sunt magis separati, Is. XXVIII, 9: quem docebit scientiam et quem intelligere faciet auditum? Ablactatos a lacte, avulsos ab uberibus; et Commentator dicit in VII Physicorum quod castitas et aliae virtutes quibus concupiscentiae carnis reprimuntur praecipue valent ad acquirendas scientias speculativas. Cum igitur religiosi concupiscentiae carnis domandae magis inserviant per continentiam et abstinentiam, eis praecipue studium litterarum competit. They are best capable of prosecuting their studies with success, who are least embarrassed by earthly ties. We read in Isaiah 28:9, whom will he teach knowledge, and to whom will he explain the message? Those who are weaned from milk, those taken from the breast. The Commentator says, (on Physics, 7) that chastity and the other virtues, whereby the desires of the flesh are curbed, are special aids to the acquisition of speculative knowledge. Now as religious consecrate themselves to a life of continence and abstinence, they are peculiarly fitted for study. Item, quod non solum studio litterarum sacrarum sed etiam studio litterarum saecularium laudabiliter vacare possint, expresse habetur per Hieronymum in epistola ad Pammachium monachum: si adamaveris captivam mulierem, id est sapientiam saecularem, et eius pulchritudine captus fueris, decalva eam et illecebras crinium atque ornamenta verborum cum remotis unguibus seca, lava eam prophetali nitro, et tunc requiescens cum illa dicito: sinistra eius sub capite meo et dextera illius amplexabitur me, et multos tibi fetus captiva dabit ac de Moabitide efficietur Israelitis. Ex quo patet quod etiam monachis licet saeculares scientias addiscere, dummodo ea quae ibi reprehensibilia inveniuntur secundum regulam sacrae Scripturae resecentur. St. Jerome proves, moreover, in a letter Pammachius the monk that it is commendable in religious to devote themselves, not only to sacred learning, but to secular study. If, he says, you are enamoured of the spouse knowledge, whom you have taken captive (that is to say if your heart is enthralled by the beauty of secular knowledge), cut off the tresses of this maiden, and remove the ornaments from her head, whereby I mean, heed not, when you study, the meretricious charms of language. Bathe your spouse, learning, in the salt of prophetic wisdom; and then, resting with her, speak saying: "her left hand is under my head, and with her right hand she will embrace me." Then, shall this captive raise up around you a numerous offspring, and this Moabitess shall become an Israelite in truth. Hence we may understand that it is permissible for religious to occupy themselves with secular branches of learning if, according to the rule of Sacred Scripture, they avoid all that may be reprehensible. Item, Augustinus in II De doctrina christiana dicit: philosophi autem qui vocantur, si qua forte vera et fidei nostrae accommodata dixerunt, maxime platonici, non solum formidanda non sunt sed ab eis tanquam ab iniustis possessoribus in usum nostrum dedicanda sunt. St. Augustine (De doctrina Christiana, 2) says: those philosophers, especially of the Platonic School, whose teaching is true and consistent with the Faith, are not to be feared. On the contrary, we may make use of them, as we may despoil those who are in unjust possession of our property. Item, Dan. I, 8 super illud proposuit autem Daniel in corde suo etc. dicit Glossa: qui de mensa regis non vult comedere ne polluatur, si sapientiam et doctrinam aegyptiorum sciret esse peccatum nunquam didicisset; discit autem non ut sequatur sed ut iudicet atque convincat. Si quis enim imperitus huius artis adversus mathematicos scribat, aut expers philosophiae contra philosophos agat, quis etiam ridendus vel ridendo non rideat? On the words, Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself (Dan 1:8), the Gloss says: he who would not eat at the king’s table, lest he should thereby be defiled; he would never have studied the science of the Egyptians, had he considered it to be sinful. He studied it, however, not in order to follow it, but to judge and confute it. Now if a man, ignorant of mathematics, undertakes to argue with a mathematician, or if one who knows nothing of philosophy enter the lists against philosophers, what does he do, save expose himself to ridicule? Ex quibus omnibus patet quod studium in religiosis est commendandum et praecipue sanctarum Scripturarum, et maxime in illis qui ad praedicandum deputantur. From all that has been said, we see then that it is advisable for religious, and especially for preachers, to be learned, and that above all things they ought to have a good knowledge of Sacred Scripture. Replies to objections Quod ergo dicitur II Tim. III: semper discentes et nunquam ad veritatis viam pervenientes, non in reprehensionem dicitur quod semper discunt sed quia ad veritatis scientiam non perveniunt, et hoc contingit illis quorum studium eos a fidei veritate seu rectitudine errare facit: unde et ibidem sequitur: homines reprobi corrupti mente circa fidem. Ad 1: The words, always being instructed and never arriving at a knowledge of the truth (2 Tim 3:7), are a rebuke, not to such as are ever learning, but to those whose study withdraws them from the Faith, and who, therefore, never attain to the knowledge of the truth. Such men are reprobates at heart and blinded to the faith. Ad id quod Gregorius dicit quod Antichristus habebit praedicatores mundi scientiam habentes, (dicendum) quod intelligit de illis qui humana scientia utentes inducunt populum ad mundi desideria et peccata; unde Gregorius statim subiungit auctoritatem Isaiae: vae terrae cymbalo alarum quae mittit in mari legatos suos et in vasis papyri super aquas, quod exponens ibidem dicit: ex papyro quippe charta est. Quid itaque per papyrum nisi saecularis scientia designatur? Vasa ergo papyri sunt corda saecularium doctorum; in vasis igitur papyri legatos super aquas mittere est praedicationem suam in sapientium carnalium sensibus ponere et defluentes populos ad culpam vocare. Ad 2: When St. Gregory says that the preachers of Antichrist are learned in the knowledge of this world, he refers to those preachers who make use of earthly learning to draw their hearers to sin and to worldly desires. For, in the context to the words we have quoted, he cites the following verse of Isaiah: ah, land of whirring wings beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, sending ambassadors by the Nile in vessels of papyrus on the waters! (Isa 18:1) Upon these words, St. Gregory makes this comment: paper is made from the reed papyrus. What then shall we understand by the bulrushes, or reeds, of which the prophet is speaking, save earthly learning? The vessels of bulrushes then ate the hearts of worldly men; and to send ambassadors upon the waters in vessels of bulrushes, is to base our preaching on the arguments of carnal wisdom, and to attract our hearers to sin. Ad aliud dicendum quod Glossa illa loquitur de praedicatoribus quos Antichristus post suum adventum per mundum sparget, sicut per multa quae ibi dicuntur apparet; nec tamen propter hoc est scientia duorum testamentorum reprobanda in religiosis quia illi ea abutentur, nisi dicatur quod innocentia et puritas vitae sint reprobanda quia illi ea simulabunt, quod est absurdum. Ad 3: The words of the Gloss, quoted in the third objection, refer (as may be plainly seen by comparing this passage with many others) to preachers whom Antichrist will, at his coming into the world, send forth. Neither is the fact that the knowledge of the Old and the New Testament may be abused an argument against religious possessing such knowledge; unless we likewise say that because they may make a hypocritical display of innocence and purity of life, these virtues are therefore to be reprobated.