Caput 1 Chapter 1 Ministri contra reprobatos Ministers Against the Reprobate Lectio 1 Lecture 1 Salutatio Greeting ^1:1 Paulus servus Dei, apostolus autem Jesu Christi secundum fidem electorum Dei, et agnitionem veritatis, quae secundum pietatem est [n. 3] ^1:1 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of the elect of God and the acknowledging of the truth, which is according to godliness: [n. 3] ^1:2 in spem vitae aeternae, quam promisit qui non mentitur, Deus, ante tempora saecularia: [n. 6] ^1:2 Unto the hope of life everlasting, which God, who does not lie, has promised before the times of the world: [n. 6] ^1:3 manifestavit autem temporibus suis verbum suum in praedicatione, quae credita est mihi secundum praeceptum Salvatoris nostri Dei: [n. 8] ^1:3 But has in due times manifested his word in preaching, which is committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior: [n. 8] ^1:4 Tito dilecto filio secundum communem fidem, gratia, et pax a Deo Patre, et Christo Jesu Salvatore nostro. [n. 9] ^1:4 To Titus, my beloved son according to the common faith, grace and peace, from God the Father and from Christ Jesus our Savior. [n. 9] 3. Haec epistola dividitur in salutationem et epistolarem narrationem, ibi huius rei. 3. This letter is divided into a greeting and a message, at for this cause I left you in Crete (Titus 1:5). 4. In prima, primo ponitur persona salutans, quae notificatur tripliciter, scilicet ex nomine, cum dicit Paulus, quod significat humilitatem. I Cor. XV, 9: ego sum minimus apostolorum, et cetera. 4. In the greeting, first, the person who sends the greeting is mentioned, and he is identified by certain marks: first, by his name; hence he says, Paul, which signifies humility: I am the least of the apostles (1 Cor 15:9); Item ex conditione, cum dicit servus. Ps. CXV, 16: Domine, ego servus tuus. second, by his state when he says, a servant of God: O Lord, I am your servant (Ps 116:16). Contra, Io. XIV: iam non dicam vos servos. Respondeo. Sancti quandoque dicuntur servi, quandoque non, sed filii. Duplex enim est servitus. Una est ex timore, quae non competit filiationi Dei, sed condividitur contra eam. Rom. VIII, 15: non accepistis spiritum servitutis iterum in timore, et cetera. Alia ex amore, quae consequitur filiationem Dei. Et ratio huius distinctionis est, quia liber est qui est causa sui, qui operatur quod vult; servus vero est qui est causa alterius. But this seems contrary to John: no longer do I call you servants (John 15:15). I answer that the saints are sometimes servants and sometimes not, but friends. For there are two kinds of servitude: one is from fear, which is not suitable to a son of God, but is contradistinguished against sonship: for you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of sonship (Rom 8:15); the other is from love, which follows upon sonship. The reason behind this distinction is that a free man is one who exists for his own sake, for he does what he wills; but a servant exists for someone else’s sake. Sed triplex est causa, quae est principium operis, scilicet finalis, formalis et efficiens. Si ergo propter causam finalem, sic omnes sancti sunt servi Dei, quia propter Deum faciunt. I Cor. X, 31: sive manducatis, sive bibitis, vel aliud quid facitis, omnia in gloriam Dei facite. Et hoc est ex amore, a quo procedit, quod omnia operemur propter Deum. Si vero propter causam moventem, quae est extrinseca, et compellit, sic est servitus timoris, et est malorum. Si propter causam formalem, sic est habitus inclinans, et sic quidam sunt servi peccati, quidam servi iustitiae, qui secundum habitum inclinantur ad malum vel ad bonum. But there are three causes which serve as the beginning of a work, namely, the final cause, the formal cause and the efficient cause. If we consider the final cause of one’s actions, then all the saints are servants of God, because they do all things for God’s sake: so, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God (1 Cor 10:31). And this springs from love, by which we do all for God. If we consider the efficient cause, which is extrinsic and compels one to act, one is a servant under fear, and such servitude belongs to wicked men. But if we consider the formal cause of actions, it is a habit causing an inclination: then some are servants of sin and others servants of justice, because a habit inclines a person either to good or to evil. 5. Item ex auctoritate, cum dicit apostolus. Lc. VI, 13: elegit, scilicet super omnes fideles, duodecim ex ipsis, quos etiam apostolos nominavit. Eph. IV, 11: primum quidem apostolos. 5. Third, he is identified by his authority when he says, and an apostle: he chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles (Luke 6:13); and his gifts were that some should be apostles (Eph 4:11). Et describitur primo ab auctore, cum dicit Iesu Christi, quia ab ipso est electus. Gal. I, v. 1: non ab hominibus, neque per hominem, sed per Iesum Christum, et cetera. Item quia solum Christum annuntiabat. II Cor. IV, 5: non enim nosmetipsos praedicamus, sed Iesum Christum Dominum nostrum, nos autem servos vestros per Iesum. Item quia legatus Christi, cuius auctoritate utebatur. II Cor. V, v. 20: pro Christo ergo legatione fungimur. Eph. VI, 20: legatione fungor in catena. II Cor. II, 10: si quid donavi propter vos in persona Christi. His apostleship is described in terms of its author, when he says, of Jesus Christ, because he was chosen by him: not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ (Gal 1:1). Or, of Jesus Christ, because he preaches only Christ: for what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’s sake (2 Cor 4:5); or because he is Christ’s representative whose authority he enjoys: so we are ambassadors for Christ (2 Cor 5:20); for which I am an ambassador in chains (Eph 6:20); what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ (2 Cor 2:10). Item secundo describitur ex idoneitate; nam apostolus est annuntiator. Matth. ult.: docete omnes gentes, et cetera. He is also identified by the specialty, for an apostle is one who preaches: make disciples of all nations (Matt 28:19). Doctor autem debet habere fundamentum doctrinae, et perfectionem. Primum pertinet ad quemlibet, secundum vero pertinet ad praedicatores, et ad doctores. Et sicut in aliis scientiis sunt principia, sic in hac sunt articuli fidei, qui innotescunt cuilibet fideli secundum lumen infusum, et articuli sunt fundamenta fidei, quae est substantia rerum sperandarum, etc., Hebr. XI, 1. Et ideo dicit secundum fidem electorum Dei. But a teacher should have a firm foundation in knowledge and be perfect: the first can belong to anyone, but the second is expected of preachers and teachers. And just as in the other sciences there are principles, so in the preacher’s knowledge there are principles, namely, the articles of faith which are known to every believer in virtue of an infused light. These articles are the foundation of faith, which is the substance of things to be hoped for; the conviction of things not seen (Heb 11:1). Therefore he says, according to the faith of the elect of God. Item requiritur perfectio doctrinae. Unde dicit et agnitionem veritatis. Duplex autem habetur cognitio veritatis, scilicet perfecta in patria, scilicet quando videbimus facie ad faciem, et imperfecta per fidem, quam habent sancti. Io. VIII, 32: cognoscetis veritatem, et veritas liberabit vos. Furthermore, the preacher should be perfect in doctrine; hence he says, and the acknowledging of the truth. For knowledge of the truth can be possessed in two ways: perfectly in heaven, when we shall see face to face; and imperfectly by faith, which the saints have: you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free (John 8:32). Sed cuius veritatis? In agnitionem eius, quae est secundum pietatem. Religio enim et pietas, secundum Tullium, sunt partes iustitiae; et differunt, quia religio est cultus Dei. Sed quia Deus non solum est Creator, sed etiam est Pater, ideo non solum debemus ei cultum ut Creatori, sed amorem et cultum sicut Patri. Et ideo pietas quandoque pro cultu Dei sumitur. Iob XXVIII, 28: ecce pietas, ipsa est sapientia, secundum aliam translationem, ubi nostra sic habet: ecce timor Domini, ipsa est sapientia. But what sort of truth? In the acknowledging of the truth, which is according to godliness. Now religion and godliness, according to Cicero, are parts of justice, but they differ: because religion is the worship of God. But since God is not only the Creator, but also a Father, we owe him worship not only as Creator, but also love and worship as to a Father; accordingly, godliness is sometimes taken for the worship of God: behold godliness itself is wisdom (Job 28:28); according to another text: lo, the fear of the Lord is wisdom. 6. Tertio describitur ex fine, et 6. He then describes apostleship from its objective: primo ponit ipsum finem; first, the objective is mentioned; secundo eius dignitatem, ibi quam promisit. second, its dignity, at which God, who does not lie. Finis autem est spes vitae aeternae, quia etsi Moyses possit dici apostolus, quia a Domino missus; sed tamen non in spem vitae aeternae, sed terrae Hevei et Amorrhaei; sed Paulus est apostolus in spem vitae aeternae. Io. VI, 40: haec est voluntas Patris mei qui misit me, ut omnis qui videt Filium, et credit in eum, habeat vitam aeternam, et ego resuscitabo, et cetera. I Pet. I, 3: regeneravit nos in spem vivam. Rom. V, 2: gloriamur in spe gloriae filiorum Dei. But the objective is hope of life everlasting, because even though Moses can be called an apostle, inasmuch as he was sent by the Lord, yet not in the hope of life everlasting, but of the land of the Hevite and Amorrhite. Paul, however, is an apostle in the hope of life everlasting: for this is the will of my Father, that every one who sees the Son and believes in him should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day (John 6:40); by his great mercy we have been born anew to a living hope (1 Pet 1:3); we rejoice in our hope of sharing the glory of God (Rom 5:2). 7. Promissio autem haec est firma dupliciter: primo, ex parte promittentis; unde dicit qui non mentitur. Deus enim veritas est, cuius contrarium est mendacium. Num. c. XXIII, 19: non est Deus quasi homo ut mentiatur. 7. This promise is firm for two reasons: first, by reason of the one who promises; hence he says, God, who does not lie. For God is truth, the opposite of which is a lie: God is not a man, that he should lie (Num 23:19). Secundo ex divino proposito dandi; unde dicit ante tempora saecularia. Saeculum, secundum Philosophum, est mensura durationis uniuscuiusque rei. Tempora ergo saecularia sunt tempora distincta secundum diversas successiones rerum; quasi dicat: antequam tempus successivum inciperet esse. Et quia incepit hoc tempus cum mundo, ideo fuit ante principium mundi. Second, by reason of God’s intention to give; hence he says, has promised before the times of the world. For an age, according to the Philosopher, is the measure of a thing’s duration. The ages of the world, therefore, are times which are distinguished according to the successions of things. As if to say: before time began its march. And because this time began when the world began, God’s intention existed before the beginning of the world. Alia littera habet, aeterna, id est, antiqua. Sic enim aliquando accipitur aeternum, id est, antiquum. Vel aeterna, non secundum veritatem, sed secundum imaginationem. Et ante ista promisit hoc, quia haec sunt successiva. Sed promittere est verbo nuntiare suam voluntatem de dando. Et Deus ab aeterno protulit Verbum suum in quo erat ut sancti haberent vitam aeternam. Eph. I, 4: elegit nos ante mundi constitutionem. Another version has times eternal, i.e., olden times, for that is the meaning of the word ‘eternal,’ namely, old. Or eternal, not really, but in the imagination. And so, even prior to that, he promised this. But to promise is to declare one’s intention to give: and from all eternity God uttered his Word, in which was contained the promise that the saints would possess eternal life: he chose us in him before the foundation of the world (Eph 1:4). 8. Confirmatur autem haec spes ex manifestatione promissionis, unde dicit manifestavit autem suis temporibus, et cetera. Et describitur haec manifestatio tripliciter. 8. This hope is confirmed by the manifestation of the promise; hence he says, but has in due times manifested his word. And he describes this manifestation in three ways. Primo ex tempore, unde manifestavit quando Verbum suum incarnari constituit; unde dicit temporibus suis, id est, tempore congruo, quo homo esset convictus de superbia, per quam peccaverat. Et sic primo medicus convincit aegrotum, ut eum congruentius sanet. Homo enim superbiebat de scientia, sed convictus est de ignorantia ante tempus legis, ubi peccavit in idololatria, et vitiis contra naturam. Item de virtutibus, et de his convictus est tempore legis. Gal. IV, 4: at ubi venit plenitudo temporis, misit Deus Filium suum, et cetera. First, from the time; hence he manifested when his Word became incarnate. Therefore, he says, in due times, i.e., when man became convinced of his pride, through which he sinned. Hence a physician, first of all, convinces his patient in order to heal him more easily. For man took pride in his knowledge; but he became convinced of his ignorance before the time of the law, when he fell into idolatry and vices against nature. He also took pride in his strength, but became convinced of his weakness during the time of the law: but when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law (Gal 4:4). Item, secundo, describitur ex modo, quia per publicam praedicationem. Mc. ult.: euntes in mundum universum, praedicate Evangelium omni creaturae. Unde dicit in praedicatione. I Cor. IX, 17: dispensatio credita est mihi. Second, this manifestation is described from its manner, because it occurred through public preaching: go into all the world and preach the Gospel to the whole creation (Mark 16:15). Hence he says, in preaching: a dispensation is committed to me (1 Cor 9:17). Item tertio ex auctore. Unde dicit secundum praeceptum, et cetera. Matth. I, 21: ipse enim salvum faciet populum suum a peccatis eorum. Act. IX, 15: vas electionis est mihi iste, ut portet nomen meum, et cetera. Third, from its author; hence he says, according to the commandment of God our Savior: he will save his people from their sins (Matt 1:21); he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel (Acts 9:15). 9. Persona salutata ponitur, cum dicit Tito, quem describit tripliciter: primo ex nomine; secundo ex dilectione; tertio ex filiatione. 9. The person greeted is mentioned when he says, to Titus, whom he describes from three marks: first, from his name; second, from his love; third, from his sonship. Filius ergo est per dilectionem et fidem, quae debet esse communis, ut idipsum dicant omnes. Et ideo dicit communem fidem, quae etiam dicitur Catholica, id est, universalis. Unde dicitur Eph. IV, 5: una fides, unus Dominus, et cetera. He is a son or child through love and the faith, which should be common, so that all say the same thing. Hence he says, according to the common faith, which is also called Catholic, i.e., universal. Hence, it is said: one Lord, one faith, one baptism (Eph 4:5). Bona vero optata sunt gratia et pax. Haec saepe coniungit, quia omnium spiritualium donorum principium est gratia, et pax, finis. Ps. CXLVII, 14: qui posuit fines tuos pacem. A Deo, et cetera. The good he wishes him is grace and peace. These usually go together, because grace is the beginning of all spiritual gifts, and peace is the end: he makes peace in your borders (Ps 147:14). From God the Father and from Christ Jesus our Savior. Lectio 2 Lecture 2 Ordinatio presbyterorum Ordination of priests ^1:5 Hujus rei gratia reliqui te Cretae, ut ea quae desunt, corrigas, et constituas per civitates presbyteros, sicut et ego disposui tibi, [n. 10] ^1:5 For this cause I left you in Crete: that you should set in order the things that are wanting and should ordain elders in every city, as I also appointed you: [n. 10]