Bellarmine · De Controversiis · On Councils · On the Authority of Councils, Book II
Chapter 5: The Arguments Drawn from Scripture Are Answered
Our translation, from the Latin of the Opera Omnia (Paris: Vivès, 1870–74), vol. II, De Conciliis (De Conciliorum Auctoritate), On Councils, Book II (of the controversy On Councils and the Church). The Latin source text is public domain; this English rendering is released with the site. Scripture quotations follow Bellarmine's Vulgate citations, rendered in Douay-Rheims wording where he quotes exactly. Click “Show the Latin” for the original (raw OCR of the scan; scanning errors remain — the scan itself is the authority).
The adversaries object to us four kinds of arguments. One they draw from the Scriptures. Another from the testimonies of the Fathers. The third from the Councils themselves, which not rarely seem to fight either with other Councils or with the Scriptures. The fourth from natural reason. But the first has almost no force, and therefore will be most briefly refuted.
Calvin objects, then, Book 4 of the Institutes chapter 9 § 3, those places of the Old Testament in which all the Pastors, and Priests, and Prophets are reproved not only of wickedness but also of ignorance and error. Such is that of Isaiah 56: His watchmen are all blind, they are all ignorant; dumb dogs, not able to bark, lying down and loving dreams; and the shepherds themselves knew no understanding. Likewise that of Hosea 9: The watchman of Ephraim was with God; the prophet is become a snare of ruin upon all his ways, madness in the house of his God. And that of Jeremiah 6: From the prophet even to the priest, every one dealeth deceitfully. And chapter 14: The prophets prophesy falsely in my name. Finally that of Ezekiel 22: There is a conspiracy of the prophets in the midst thereof; like a roaring lion catching the prey. Her priests have violated my law, and have defiled my sanctuaries.
But all these are solved in three ways. First, it is most frequent in the sacred letters that on account of some evil ones all are reproved, and on account of some good ones all are praised — namely, that both the vituperation and the commendation may be the more vehement. This Saint Augustine noted, in his book on the unity of the Church chapter 12; and many examples could be drawn from the divine letters, but one will suffice in this place. The Apostle writes, Philippians 2: All seek the things that are their own, not the things that are Jesus Christ's. And yet in chapter 1 he had already said that some preached Christ out of contention, some out of charity. And in chapter 3 he says: Be ye followers of me, and observe them who walk so as you have our model; for many walk, of whom I have told you often (and now tell you weeping) that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, and what follows. If, then, some preached Christ out of charity, and walked according to the Apostle's model, so as to be even worthy that the Philippians should imitate and observe them, then not all sought the things that were their own; and yet in a certain manner — that is, by a figure of understanding — all sought the things that were their own, as the Apostle says. The cited testimonies of Scripture, therefore, do not compel us to understand that the Pastors, and Priests, and Prophets of the Old Testament were all at some time together liars and wicked, but only some.
Next, since none of these is said against a Council of Priests, but against Pastors and Prophets who severally deceived the people, those testimonies do not seem to make for our matter. For the case of Pastors gathered in a Council by public authority, and who, the name of God invoked, diligently sift questions, is one thing; that of Pastors dispersed, and who, while each sits in his own place, indulges his own judgment, is another. Wherefore the same Scripture which so frequently inveighs against evil Pastors, and warns us to beware of false Prophets, the same nonetheless sends those who doubt of some matter to a Council of Priests, and commands them to observe what those who preside in the place which the Lord shall have chosen shall say, Deuteronomy [17]. Finally, even if we had none of these, yet it would not straightway be lawful to transfer to the Priests of the New Testament, especially gathered in a Council, all that is said in the Scriptures against the Prophets and Priests of the Old Testament; for the Church has surer and greater promises of God than the Synagogue. For nowhere do we read of the Synagogue what Christ says of the Church, Matthew 16: Upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Nor that which the Apostle says, 1 Timothy 3, that it is the pillar and ground of the truth. Nor is it written of Caiaphas, but of Peter: I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not, Luke 22.
The same Calvin objects, secondly, in the same place § 4, these places of the New Testament. 2 Peter 2: As there were among the people false prophets, so among you there shall be lying teachers, who shall bring in sects of perdition. Acts 20: I know that after my departure ravening wolves will enter in among you, not sparing the flock; and of your own selves shall arise men speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Matthew 24: And many false prophets shall rise, and shall seduce many.
But truly it is a wonder if Calvin, while he proposed these, did not turn his eyes upon himself, and say: What if, then, I myself be one of the number of these unhappy false Prophets? For most clearly Christ, Peter, and Paul describe the heretics under the name of false Prophets, who, resisting the doctrine which is preserved by the Bishops presiding in the Church by ordinary succession, do not fear to introduce sects, to draw away disciples after them, and to make themselves a name in the earth, so that some are called Lutherans, others Calvinists. So far is it, then, that those places which warn us to beware of false Prophets ought to be understood of Councils of Bishops, that rather for this cause ordinary Councils are held, that false Prophets may be detected and confuted, and, as ravening wolves, driven far from the fold of Christ.
Show the Latin (Vives edition, OCR)
CAPUT VI. Solvuntur argumenta ex Scripturis de¬ prompta . Adversarii quatuor argumentorum genera nobis objiciunt. Unum ex Scripturis petunt. Alterum ex testimoniis Patrum. Tertium ex ipsis Conciliis , quae vel cum aliis Conciliis, vel cum Scripturis non raro pugnare viden¬ tur. Quartum ex naturali ratione. Sed pri¬ mum nullas fere habet vires, ideo brevissime refutabitur. Objicit igitur Calvinus lib. IV Instit. cap. 9, §. 3. illa loca Testamenti veteris, in qui¬ bus omnes Pastores , et Sacerdotes , atque Prophetsereprehenduntur non solum impro¬ bitatis, sed etiam ignorantia? , et erroris. Quale est illud Isa. LYI : Speculatores ejus ececi omnes , neque quidquam noverunt. Omnes canes muti , nec valent latrare , jacentes dor¬ miunt \ et amant dormitionem , et Pastores ipsi nihil sciunt , nec intelligunt. Item illud Osca* IX : Speculator Ephraim cum Deo , laqueus aucupis , odium in domo Dei. Et illud Hier. VI : A Propheta usque ad Sacerdotem , quisque sectatur mendacium. Et cap. XIV : Prophetes mendacium prophetant in nomine meo. Deni¬ que illud Ezech. XXII : Conjuratio Propheta¬ rum in medio ejus sicut leo rugiens , et qui ra¬ pit praedam. Sacerdotes ejus violarunt legem meam , et prophanaverunt sancta mea (I). Sed haec omnia tribus modis solvuntur. Primum enim frequentissimum est in sacris litteris, ut propter aliquos malos reprehen¬ dantur omnes, propter aliquos bonos lauden¬ tur omnes , quo videlicet vehementior sit tum vituperatio, tum commendatio. Anno¬ tavit id S. Augustinus lib. de unitate Eccle¬ siae c. 12. et multa ex divinis litteris exem¬ pla peti possent, sed unum hoc loco sufficiet. Scribit Apostolus ad Philip, cap. II : Omnes quaerunt ques sua sunt , non quae Jesu Christi. Et tamen c. I. jam dixerat quosdam ex con¬ tentione, quosdam ex charitate Christum annuntiare. Et c. III ait : Imitatores mei es¬ tote , et observate eos , qui ita ambulant , sicut habetis formam nostram. Multi enim ambulant , quos sespe dicebam vobis , nunc autem' et flens dico , inimicos crucis Christi (2). Et quae se¬ quuntur. Si igitur quidam ex charitate Chris¬ tum annuntiabant, et ambulabant secundum Apostoli formam , ita ut etiam digni essent, quos Philippenses imitarentur, et observa¬ rent ; non igitur omnes quaerebant, quae sua sunt, et tamen suo quodam modo, id est, per figuram intellectionis , omnes quaerebant, quae sua sunt , ut Apostolus loquitur. Non igitur allata Scripturae testimonia cogunt, ut intelligamus Pastores, et Sacerdotes, et Pro¬ pheta» Testamenti veteris aliquo tempore omnes simul mendaces, et sceleratos fuisse, sed tantum aliquos. Deinde cum nihil horum dicatur in Con¬ cilium Sacerdotum, sed in Pastores, et Pro¬ phetas, qui separatim populum decipiebant, non videntur ea testimonia ad rem nostram facere. Alia enim ratio est Pastorum in Con¬ cilio congregatorum publica auctoritate , et qui Dei nomine invocato qusestiones diligen¬ ter excutiunt; alia vero dispersorum, et qui dum in locis quisque suis sedent, proprio ju¬ dicio indulgent. Quare eadem Scriptura, quae tam frequenter in Pastores malos invehitur, et a falsis Prophetis cavendum esse monet, eadem tamen eos, qui de aliqua re dubitant, ad Concilium Sacerdotum mittit , ac praeci¬ pit, ut id observent , quod dixerint ii , qui praesunt loco, quem elegerit Dominus, Deut. Denique etiamsi nihil horum haberemus, tamen non continuo liceret omnia, quae di¬ cuntur in Scripturis adversus Prophetas , et Sacerdotes Testamenti veteris , illa omnia transferre ad Sacerdotes Testamenti novi, praesertim inConcilio congregatos; certiores enim, et majores promissiones Dei habet Ec¬ clesia, quam Synagoga. Nec enim de Syna¬ goga usquam legimus , quod de Ecclesia Christus dicit, Matth. XVI : Super hanc pe¬ tram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam , et portae in¬ feri non praevalebunt adversus eam. Nec id quod Apostolus aitl. Timoth. III :Eam esse columnam et firmamentum veritatis. Neque de — (2) Philipp. II (1) Isai. LVI, 10; Ose. IX, 8; Jerem.VI, 13; et XIV, 14; Ezech. XXII, 25. et III. Caipha scriptura est, sed de Petro : Rogavi pro te , ut non deficiat fides tua Lucae XXII (1). Objicit secundo idem Calvinus ibidem §. IV. haec loca Testamenti novi II. Pet. II, quemadmodum fuerunt in populo veteri Pseudopropheta, sic et inter vos erunt falsi doctores, sectas perditionis insinuantes. Act. XX : Scio quod post discessum meum intrabunt in vos lupi rapaces, non parcentes gregi , et ex vobis ipsis erunt , qui loquentur perversa , ut abducant discipulos post se. Matth. XXIV : Et multi Pseudoprophetce surgent , et seducent multos (2). At sane mirum est, si Calvinus dum heec proponeret , non ad se ipse oculos reflecte¬ bat, ac dicebat : Quid si ergo ipse unus sim de numero horum infelicium Pseudoprophe¬ tarum? Clarissime enim Christus, Petrus, ac Paulus describunt haereticos sub nomine fal¬ sorum Prophetarum, qui repugnantes doctri¬ nae, quae per Episcopos, ordinaria successione in Ecclesia praesidentes, conservatur, sectas non metuunt introducere , ut abducant dis¬ cipulos post se, et faciant sibi nomen in ter¬ ra, ut alii Luth erani , alii Galvinistae nomi¬ nentur. Tantum vero abest , ut de Conciliis Epi-coporum intelligi debeant ea loca, quae monent, ut a falsis Prophetis caveamus, ut potius ea de causa ordinaria Concilia liant, ut falsi Prophetae detegantur, et confutentur, et tanquam lupi rapaces ab ovili Christi pro¬ cul arceantur.