Bellarmine · De Controversiis · On the Sacraments in General · Book I: On the Nature and Causes of the Sacrament
Chapter 25: The arguments of Luther are solved
Our translation, from the Latin of the Opera Omnia (Paris: Vivès, 1870–74), vol. III, De Sacramentis in Genere, Book I: On the Nature and Causes of the Sacrament. 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).
From these things it will be easy to answer the arguments of Luther. And first, in the book On abrogating the Mass, he proposes six Scriptures by which to prove that all Christians are equally priests. The first is 1 Peter 2: As living stones be you built up a holy priesthood. The second in the same place: But you are a chosen generation, a kingly priesthood. The third in the same place: That you may declare his virtues, who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. Where Christians are said to be called to this, that they may declare, that is, preach, the virtue of Christ; therefore all Christians can and ought to preach, which is the chief office of a priest. The fourth, Apocalypse 5: Thou hast made us to our God a kingdom and priests. The fifth, Apocalypse 20: They shall be priests of God and of Christ. The sixth, 2 Corinthians 3: Who hath made us fit ministers of the new testament.
He adds, besides, certain places to prove that women can preach. Joel 2: Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy. Acts 21: Philip had four daughters, virgins, who did prophesy. Exodus 15: Mary prophesied. Judges 4: Debora taught Barac. 4 Kings 22: Olda gave counsel to King Josias. Luke 1: the Virgin Mary prophesied. 1 Corinthians 11: Let a woman pray with veiled head, and prophesy. From which place he thinks another of the same Apostle is to be explained, 1 Corinthians 14: Let women keep silence in the churches. For in the former place he speaks absolutely, in the latter he forbids that women speak when men are present who are willing and able to speak.
Again in the book On instituting ministers, to the Praguers, he proves this same thing in two ways. First, by this reason: Christ is a priest, Psalm 109: Thou art a priest for ever. All Christians are the brethren of Christ, Psalm 21: I will declare thy name to my brethren; and Psalm 44: God hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. Therefore all Christians are priests. Second, he proves it from the offices of priests, which are: to preach, baptize, consecrate, absolve, sacrifice, pray for others, and judge of doctrines. That all can preach, he proves by three Scriptures. First, from that of 1 Peter 2: That you may declare his virtues. Second, from that of 1 Corinthians 11: As often as you shall eat this bread, you shall show the death of the Lord. For to show the death of the Lord is to preach. Third, from that of 1 Corinthians 14: Every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a revelation; you may all prophesy one by one. On account of which places Luther thus triumphs: “Wherefore it is by these places most robustly and clearly established that the ministry of the word chiefly is in the Church altogether one and common to all Christians, not only by right, but also by precept. Wherefore the priesthood also will be but one and common, so that against these divine thunderbolts nothing avail the infinite Fathers, the innumerable Councils, the eternal custom, and the whole multitude of the world, on which stubble the shaven ghosts strive to establish their priesthood.” So he.
That all can baptize, he proves from the use of our Church, which grants even to little women that they baptize, and accordingly that they minister the word; for Baptism does not stand without the word. That all can consecrate the Eucharist, he proves, first, because Luke 22 Christ at the supper said to all: Do this in commemoration of me. Second, because Paul 1 Corinthians 11 addresses the whole Church when he says: For I received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. Third, he proves it because to baptize and to preach is greater than to consecrate. For from the sermon and Baptism is given the remission of sins; from the consecration nothing follows but the astonishment of the priest at his own power and dignity. That all can absolve, he proves from that of Matthew 18: Whatsoever you shall bind upon earth, etc. That all can sacrifice, he proves because there is no sacrifice in the Church except that by which, according to Paul Romans 12, we sacrifice our bodies by the mortification of vices; but this is common to all. That all can pray for others, he proves because the Lord's Prayer is common, and in it prayer is made for others also. That all can judge and discern doctrines, he proves in two ways. First, from those Scriptures which bid us flee false prophets. John 10: My sheep hear my voice, the voice of strangers they hear not. Matthew 7: Beware of false prophets. Second, from those words of Paul 1 Corinthians 14: If anything be revealed to one sitting, let the first hold his peace. But here Luther triumphs, and will have it lawful for anyone to judge the Roman Church, although she sit as the mother and mistress of the Churches. These are the arguments from the book On instituting ministers. Let there be added, last, the argument which he makes in the assertion of the 13th article: “He who is baptized,” he says, “has the Spirit of Christ; but where the Spirit of Christ is, there is the power and liberty of all.”
Answer. To the first, second, fourth, and fifth places I answer that those places are understood of the spiritual priesthood, by which we offer spiritual victims — that is, good works, and chiefly praises and prayers — which priesthood indeed is common to all pious men. But besides this priesthood there is another properly so called, by which a sacrifice properly so called is offered, and to whose office it pertains to minister the word and Sacraments to the peoples. That it is so is plain. First, from the very places. For 1 Peter 2 it is had: Offering spiritual victims. For he added “spiritual” to distinguish them from the victims which are sacrificed not spiritually and mystically, but properly. So also in chapters 5 and 20 of the Apocalypse the priesthood of the blessed in heaven is treated, which certainly is only for offering praises. Second, the same is proved because the words of blessed Peter are taken from chapter 19 of Exodus, where that same thing is said of the Hebrews which blessed Peter attributes to Christians. But in the Old Testament not all were priests properly so called, but only the sons and posterity of Aaron, and yet all were spiritual priests. Third, because both Peter in the epistle and John in the Apocalypse join the kingdom with the priesthood. So, then, all Christians are priests in the way that all are kings. Fourth, these places are understood only of holy and pious Christians, not of sinners, who are not a holy nation, as Peter calls them; but the priesthood, or external ministry, agrees also with sinners, by the opinion both of Catholics and of Lutherans.
To the third place, That you may declare his virtues, etc.: Answer. St. Peter does not command that all Christians publicly preach the word of God, but that they give thanks to God and praise him for his benefits. For, as Bede rightly expounds, Peter alludes to the Canticle of the Hebrews (Let us sing to the Lord, for he is gloriously magnified, Exodus 15) which they sang, freed from Egypt, after the passage of the Red Sea. For he will have Christians, freed from diabolical servitude through the waters of Baptism, in like manner to sing a canticle of thanksgiving, and assiduously to praise the power of the Redeemer. Nor does Oecumenius ill add that blessed Peter will also that all Christians declare the virtue of God not so much by words as by good works, so that their life be a certain sermon to the gentiles, according to that of Matthew 5: That they may see your good works, and glorify your Father, etc. In which way many other places too are understood, as Psalm 18: The heavens show forth the glory of God, and the firmament declareth the work of his hands. 1 Timothy 2: As it becometh women professing (in Greek [epaggellomenai], announcing) godliness by good works. And below: I suffer not a woman to teach. Where you see it commanded to women that they announce godliness; and lest perhaps, deceived by the Lutheran interpretation, they should think it lawful for them even to preach, he adds: By good works, and: I suffer not a woman to teach.
To the sixth: He hath made us fit ministers, etc.: Answer. He speaks not of all Christians, but of himself only, and his other fellow-Apostles. For he compares himself with Moses, who was the minister of the Old Testament, and says that he ministered letters graven on stones, but that he himself and his colleagues minister the spirit, etc. But it is established that in the Old Testament not all were ministers and promulgators of the law, but only Moses. Besides, throughout the preceding chapter he speaks of himself, and likewise at the beginning of chapter 3, when he says: Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or do we need, as some, epistles of commendation to you, or from you?
To those places for women, I answer: It is one thing to prophesy, that is, to foretell future things; another to prophesy, that is, to preach or interpret the Scriptures. The first is not properly the office of a priest or an Ecclesiastical prelate, but is a grace freely given, which can agree even with lay men and women. Certainly David, Elias, Elisaeus, Isaias, and very many others were not priests, and yet prophesied; and of this kind of prophesying almost all the places alleged are understood. The other kind is proper to a priest, nor does it agree with women, because it belongs to women to be subject, not to preside. And this reason blessed Paul brings, 1 Corinthians 14: Let women keep silence in the church, for it is not permitted them to speak, but to be subject. Nor yet is God for that reason forbidden to be able extraordinarily to grant to women that they teach men, as once happened to Debora, and two hundred years before to St. Catherine of Siena. But these privileges do not make a law.
To the argument, from this, that Christ is a priest and all Christians are his brethren, I answer: This argument concludes nothing. First, because Christ is not an Aaronic priest, but according to the order of Melchisedech. In the Aaronic priesthood it had place that all brethren were priests; but in the priesthood according to the order of Melchisedech only the firstborn was priest. Besides, even in the Aaronic priesthood only the natural brethren were priests, not the adoptive; but Christians are the adoptive brethren of Christ, not natural. Finally, if all things which agree with Christ agreed also with all of us, why do we not all work miracles, foretell future things? etc.
To the argument from the first office of a priest, I answer: Those three places prove nothing. For that of 1 Peter 2, That you may declare his virtues, is understood of private praise, not of a sermon, as we said. That of 1 Corinthians 11, You shall show the death of the Lord, is understood of the commemoration of the Lord's Passion, which we make not by preaching, but by receiving the Eucharist; otherwise all who receive the Eucharist would have to preach, which is impossible. That of 1 Corinthians 14, You may all prophesy, that all may learn and all may be exhorted, is understood not of all Christians, but of all who had those gifts; for he says: Every one of you hath a psalm, hath a tongue, etc. But certainly not all had the gift of tongues, since the same Paul says 1 Corinthians 12: There are diversities of graces, etc., and: Are all speakers of tongues? And in this time there are none who have such a gift. Paul, then, means to say: Every one of you who glory in such gifts, use them in order, and unto edification. Add, second, that he speaks not of a public sermon, which is proper to priests, but of the pious conferences and exhortations which they used when they came together, as I shall say a little later. And so undeservedly does Luther, on account of these three places ill understood, despise the infinite Fathers, the innumerable Councils, the eternal custom, and the whole multitude of the world.
To the other, from the second office, I answer: Women among us baptize in the case of necessity, and by permission, not by office; in the way that it is also permitted to Jews and Turks, on account of the supreme necessity of that Sacrament. As, then, it does not follow, A Turk can baptize, therefore he can minister all the Sacraments, or, therefore he is a true priest; so it does not follow, A woman can baptize, therefore she can minister all the Sacraments, or, therefore she is a priest. Nor is it true that no one baptizes without preaching; for the word which is uttered in Baptism is not sermon-like, as we demonstrated above, but consecratory. To the argument from the third office, I answer: That, Do this, is not said to all; otherwise women and boys would be bound to consecrate the Eucharist; in like manner that, For I received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you, does not signify that the power of consecrating was delivered to all, but that it was delivered to all — that is, said, explained, and declared — what the Lord had instituted. Finally, the power of consecrating is greater than that of baptizing; for as through Baptism the remission of sins is given, so also through the Eucharist, John 6: He that eateth this bread shall live for ever. And besides, through the consecration the conversion of the bread is made, even though Luther be unwilling, which is not made through Baptism. To the argument from the fourth office: Those words, Whatsoever you shall bind upon earth, etc., are understood as said to the Church, of which in the same place: Tell the Church; and, If he will not hear the Church, etc. For that the Lord might show that the judgment of the Church is not to be despised, he added that promise: Whatsoever you shall bind. Now the Church binds and looses, but through her prelates, not through anyone whatsoever, as the body speaks, but through the tongue, not through the hand; and the university determines propositions, but through the Doctors, not through the students. And this the practice of the Church of all ages most plainly shows. To the argument from the fifth office: We deny that there is no other sacrifice in the Church than that of the mortification of vices. For for this sacrifice an altar is not required; but there is in the Church an altar, as is plain to the Hebrews 13: We have an altar, whereof they have no power to eat who serve the tabernacle. But of this elsewhere. To the argument from the sixth office, I answer: It is not of a priest to pray in any way whatsoever, but to pray publicly, and as a public person to intercede for the whole people, as Chrysostom teaches book 6 On the priesthood. To the argument from the seventh office, I answer: Those places, My sheep hear my voice, they hear not the voice of strangers, and, Beware of false prophets, teach that all men ought to judge of doctrines, not indeed by examining them by the rule of Scripture, as the heretics will have it — for if all could do this, there would be no need of pastors and doctors in the Church — but by examining them by the doctrine handed down before, and by the doctrine of the other pastors. For all can easily judge whether a doctrine be new, and then they ought to hold it suspect. Besides, the Lord calls “strangers” and “false prophets” not the ordinary pastors, but the extraordinary, who come of themselves, as all the heretics came. But that, If anything be revealed to one sitting, let the first hold his peace, in which Luther triumphs, is understood only of certain conferences, of which Paul in that place treats, not of the public sermon of a Pastor, and much less of the public judgment of a Council or of the Supreme Pontiff. Which is plain, first, from the use of the Church. For it was never heard that, while there is a public sermon, it was permitted to another to speak, and much less was it ever permitted to private men to resist the judgment of the whole Church. Second, because we are not bound to believe everyone who says that something has been revealed to him, especially in a grave matter, and most of all if that revelation be contrary to the doctrine of the ordinary Pastors; otherwise a door would lie open to all heresies. For there is no heresiarch who does not boast his own dogmas as a most true revelation of God. Third, it is plain from those words of the Apostle, Let two or three speak, and let the rest judge. For it would not be fitting that two or three preach, but it was well fitting that in a spiritual conference two or three speak. Add that Justin in the second Apology, near the end, explaining the custom of the primitive Church, distinguishes the sermon, which he attributes to the President alone, from the spiritual conference, which there, after the sermon and the Sacraments, they were wont to have among themselves. To that last argument: He who is baptized has the Spirit of Christ; but where the Spirit of Christ is, there is the power and liberty of all. I answer, first: The major proposition is not universally true. For many are baptized who do not receive the Spirit of Christ, because they are baptized without faith or penance; many receive it who afterward lose it, and yet do not lose Baptism. Second, the minor proposition too is false. For very many have the Spirit of Christ who yet do not have the power of all things, since they can neither speak in various tongues, nor foretell future things, nor cure diseases, nor raise the dead.
Show the Latin (Vives edition, OCR)
CAPUT XXV. Solvuntur argumenta Lutheri. Ex his ad argumenta Lutheri facile erit respondere. Ac Primum in libro de abro¬ ganda Missa proponit sex Scripturas, quibus probet omnes Christianos aeque esse sacer¬ dotes. Prima est I. Pet. II : Tamquam vivi lapides superaedificamini in sacerdotium sanc¬ tum. Secunda ibidem : Vos autem genus electum , regale sacerdotium. Tertia ibidem : Ut virtutes annuntietis ejus, qui vos vocavit de tenebris in admirabile lumen suum. Ubi Christiani dicuntur ad hoc vocati, ut annun¬ tient, id est, praedicent virtutem Christi : igitur omnes Christiani possunt ac debent praedicare, quod est praecipuum munus sacer¬ dotis. Quarta Apocal. V : Fecisti nos Deo nostro regnum, et sacerdotium. Quinta Apocal. XX : Erunt Sacerdotes Dei , et Christi ejus. Sexta. II. Cor. III. Qui idoneos nos fecit ministros novi Testamenti (3). Addit praeterea quaedam loca, ut probet mulieres posse concionari, Joelis II : Pro¬ phetabunt filii vestri et filice. Actor XXI. Erant Philippo quatuor filice virgines prophe¬ tantes. Exod. XV. Maria prophetavit. Judic. IY. Debora docuit Barach. IV. Reg. XXII. Olda consilium dedit Regi Josiae. Luc. I. Virgo Maria prophetavit. I. Corinth. £1 : Mulier , velato capite, oret, et prophetet. Ex quo loco explicari putat alium ejusdem Apostoli I. Corint. XIV : Mulieres in Ecclesia taceant (4). Nam in priori loco loquitur absolute, in posteriori prohibet, ne loquan¬ tur mulieres viris praesentibus, et loqui vo¬ lentibus, et valentibus. Rursus in lib. de instituendis ministris ad Pragenses, probat hoc ipsum dupliciter, Primo, hac ratione : Christus est Sacerdos. Psal. CIX : Tu es sacerdos in aeternum (5). Omnes Christiani sunt fratres Christi, Ps. XXI : Narrabo nomen tuum fratribus meis ; et Psalm. XLIV : Unxit te Deus oleo Icetitice pree consortibus tuis. (0) Igitur omnes Christi¬ ani sunt Sacerdotes. Secundo probat ex officiis Sacerdotum, (1) Luc. XXII, 19; Joan. XX, 23. — (2) I. Petr. II, 9. — (3) I. Petr. II, 5, 9; Apoc. V, 10; XX, 6; II. Cor. III, 6. — (4) Joel. II, 28; Act. XXI, 9; I.Cor. XI. 5; XIV, 34. — (5) Psal. CIX, 5. - (6) Psal. XXI, 23; XLIV, 8. 404 LIBER I. quae sunt condonari, baptizare, consecrare, absolvere, sacrificare , orare pro aliis, et judicare de doctrinis. Quod enim omnes possint condonari, probat tribus Scripturis. Primo ex illo I. Pet. II : Ut virtutes annuntie¬ tis. Secundo ex illo I Cor. XI. Quotiescum¬ que manducabitis panem hunc , mortem Domini annuntiabitis. Annuntiare enim mortem Domini, praedicare est. Tertio ex illo I. Cor. XIV : Unusquisque vestrum psalmum habet, doctrinam habet , Apocalypsim habet , po¬ testis omnes per singulos prophetare (1). Propter quae loca ita Lutberus trium¬ phat : « Quare satis his locis robustis¬ sime et clarissime firmatum sit, ministe¬ rium verbi potissimum in Ecclesia esse prorsus unicum, et commune omnibus Chri¬ stianis, non modo jure, sed etiam praecepto. Quare et sacerdotium non nisi unicum, et commune erit, ut nihil valeant adversus haec divina fulmina, infiniti Patres, innu¬ mera Concilia, aeterna consuetudo, et uni¬ versa mundi multitudo, quibus stipulis rasae larvae nituntur sacerdotium suum stabilire.» Haec ille. Quod omnes possint baptizare, probat ex usu nostrae Ecclesiae, quae concedit etiam mulierculis ut baptizent : et proinde ut mi¬ nistrent verbum : nec enim Baptismus sine verbo constat. Quod omnes possint consecrare Eucharis¬ tiam, probat Primo, quia Lucae XXII, Christus in coena omnibus dixit : Hoc facile in meam commemorationem. Item Secundo, quia Paulus I. Cor. XI. totam Ecclesiam alloquitur, cum ait : Ego enim accepi a Domino, quod et tradidi vobis (2). Denique Tertio probat ; quia majus est baptizare, et concionari, quam consecrare. Nam ex con¬ cione, et Baptismo datur remissio pecca¬ torum, ex consecratione nihil sequitur, nisi stupor sacerdotis super sua potestate et di¬ gnitate. Quod omnes possint absolvere, probat ex illo Matth. XVIII : Quaecumque alligaveritis super terram etc. Quod Omnes possint sacrificare, probat, quia nullum est sacrificium in Ecclesia, nisi illud, quo juxta Paulum Itom. XII: Sacrifi¬ camus corpora nostra per mortificationem vitiorum (3). Id autem commune est omni¬ bus.- Quod omnes possint orare pro aliis, pro¬ bat, quia oratio Dominica est communis; et in ea pro aliis etiam oratur. Quod omnes possint judicare, et discer¬ nere dogmata, probat dupliciter. Primo ex illis Scripturis, quae jubent , ut fugiamus falsos Prophetas. Joan. X : Oves meae vocem meam audiunt , vocem alienorum non audiunt. Matth VII : Attendite a falsis Prophetis. Se-. cundo ex illis verbis Pauli I. Cor. XIV : 5» sedenti revelatum fuerit , prior taceat (4). Hic vero triumphat Lutherus, ac vult licere unicuique judicare Ecclesiam Romanam, licet ipsa sedeat, ut mater, et magistra Ecclesiarum. Haec sunt argumenta ex lib. de instituendis ministris. Accedat ultimo argumentum, quod facit in assertione 13. art. « Qui, inquit, baptizatus est, spiritum Christi habet ; ubi autem spiritus Christi est, ibi omnium potestas et libertas. » Responsio. Ad Primum , Secundum, Quartum et Quintum locum respondeo, loca illa intelligi de sacerdotio spirituali, quo oderimus hostias spirituales, id est, opera bona, ac praecipue laudes, et preces : quod quidem sacerdotium commune est omnibus piis hominibus. Sed praeter hoc sa¬ cerdotium est aliud proprie dictum ; quo offertur sacrificium proprie dictum, et ad cujus officium pertinet ministrare verbum, et Sacramenta populis. Id ita esse patet. Primo ex ipsis locis. Nam I. Petri II. habetur : Offerentes spiri¬ tuales hostias (o). Addidit enim spirituales ad distinctionem hostiarum, quae non spi- ritualiter et mystice, sed proprie sacrifican¬ tur. Sic etiam in cap. V. etXX Apocalypsis agitur de sacerdotio beatorum in coelo, quod certum est non esse nisi ad offerendas laudes. Secundo idem probatur : quia verba B. Petri sumpta sunt ex cap. XIX Exodi, ubi illud idem dicitur de Ilebrseis, quod B. Pe¬ trus tribuit Christianis. At in Testamento veteri non erant omnes proprie dicti sacer¬ dotes, sed solum filii et posteri Aaron, et tamen erant omnes sacerdotes spirituales. Tertio : quia tam Petrus in epistola, quam Joannes in Apocalypsi conjungunt regnum cum sacerdotio. Sic igitur sunt omnes Chri¬ stiani sacerdotes , quo modo sunt omnes re¬ ges. (1) I. Petr. II, 9; I. Cor. XI, 20; XIV, 26. — (2) Luc. XXII, 19; I. Cor. XI, 23. — (3) Matth. XVIII, 18; Rom. XII, 1. — (4) Joan. X, 5 et 27; Mat. VII, 15; I. Cor. XIV, 30. — (5) I. Petr. II, 5. CAPUT XXV. 405 Quarto : haec loca solum intelliguntur de sanctis et piis Christianis, non de peccatori¬ bus, qui non sunt gens sancta, ut cos Pe¬ trus vocat : at sacerdotium, seu ministerium externum convenit etiam peccatoribus, ex sententia tum Catholicorum , tum Luthera- norum. Ad tertium locum : Ut virtutes annuntietis etc. Responsio. Non imperat S. Petrus, ut omnes Christiani publice pradicent verbum Dei, sed ut gratias agant Deo, eumque lau¬ dent ob ejus beneficia. Nam ut recte exponit Beda, alludit Petrus ad Canticum Hebraeo¬ rum ( Cantemus Domino gloriose etc. Exod. XV.) quod cantaverunt liberali ex Aegypto post transitum maris rubri. Vult enim eo¬ dem modo Christianos liberatos de diabolica servitute per aquas Baptismi cantare canti¬ cum actionis gratiarum, et assidue laudare potentiam Redemptoris. Nec male addit QEcumenius, velle etiam B. Petrum, ut om¬ nes Christiani non tam verbis, quam bonis operibus annuntient Dei virtutem, ita ut eo¬ rum vita sit quaedam concio gentilibus, juxta illud Matth. V : Ut videant opera vestra bo¬ na , et glorificent Patrem etc. Quomodo etiam intelliguntur multa alia loca, utPsal. XVIII : Coeli enarrant gloriam Dei , et opera manuum ejus annuntiat firmamentum. I. Timoth. II : Sicut decet mulieres promittentes. Graece snuppX).o pivoui, annuntiantes pietatem per ope¬ ra bona. Et infra : Mulieri docere non permit¬ to (I). Ubi vides mulieribus imperari, ut an¬ nuntient pietatem; ac ne forte Lutherana interpretatione deceptae putarent sibi licere etiam concionari, addit : Per opera bona , et: Mulieri docere non permitto. Ad Sextum : Idoneos nos fecit ministros etc. Responsio. Non loquitur de omnibus Chris¬ tianis, sed de se tantum , et caeteris collegis suis Apostolis. Nam confert se cum Mose, qui minister fuit testamenti veteris, ac dicit, illum ministrasse litteras in lapidibus in¬ sculptas, se autem, et collegas suos minis¬ trare spiritum etc. At constat in testamento veteri non fuisse omnes ministros, et pro¬ mulgatores legis, sed solum Mosem. Praete¬ rea toto capite praecedenti loquitur de se ipso, et similiter initio c. III, cum ait : Inci¬ pimus iterum nosmetipsos commendare ? aut egemus , sicut quidam commendati tiis litteris ad vos, aut ex vobis (2) ? Ad loca illa pro feminis , Respondeo : Aliud est prophetare, id est, futura praedi¬ cere, aliud prophetare , id est, concionari, sive Scripturas interpretari. Primum non est proprie munus sacerdotis, seu praesulis Ecclesiastici, sed est gratia gratis data, quae etiam laicis viris et feminis convenire po¬ test. Certe David, Elias, Elisaeus, Isaias, et alii permulti, sacerdotes non erant, et tamen prophetabant, et de hoc genere prophetandi intelliguntur fere omnia loca allegata. Alte¬ rum genus est proprium sacerdotis, neque convenit feminis, quia feminarum est sub- esse, non praeesse. Et hanc rationem adfert B. Paulus I. Corint. XIV : Mulieres taceant in Ecclesia , non enim permittitur cis loqui, sed subditas esse (3). Nec tamen propterea pro¬ hibetur Deus, quin possit extraordinarie fe¬ minis concedere, ut doceant viros, ut quon¬ dam contigit Deboree, et antea annos ducen¬ tos sanctae Catharina; Senensi. Sed heec pri¬ vilegia non faciunt legem. Ad argumentum, ex eo quod Christus est sacerdos, et omnes Christiani sunt fratres ejus, Respondeo : Nihil concludit hoc argu¬ mentum. Primo, quia Christus non est sa¬ cerdos Aaronicus , sed secundum ordinem Melchisedech. In sacerdotio Aaronico id ha¬ bebat locum, ut omnes fratres essent sa¬ cerdotes : at in sacerdotio secundum ordi¬ nem Melchisedech solus primogenitus erat sacerdos. Praeterea etiam in sacerdotio Aaronico soli fratres naturales erant sacerdotes , non autem adoptivi : porro Christiani sunt fra¬ tres Christi adoptivi, non naturales. Denique, si omnia, quae Christo conve¬ niunt, nobis etiam omnibus convenirent, cur non omnes faceremus miracula, praedicere¬ mus futura? etc. Ad argumentum ex primo officio sacerdo¬ tis, Respondeo : Tria illa loca nihil probant. Nam illud I. Pet. II : Ut virtutes annuntietis, intelligitur de laude privata, non de concio¬ ne, ut diximus. Illud I. Corint. XI : Mortem Domini annuntiabitis, intelligitur de comme¬ moratione passionis Dominicae , quam faci¬ mus non concionando, sed sumendo Eucha¬ ristiam; alioqui deberent omnes, qui su¬ munt Eucharistiam, concionari, quod est impossibile. Illud I. Corinth. XIV : Potestis omnes prophetare , ut omnes discant, et omnes ex hortentur ; non intelligitur de omnibus Christianis, sed de omnibus , qui habebant (1) Matth. V, 1G; Psal. XVIII. 1; I. Tim. II, 10 et 12. —(2) II. Cor. III. 1. — (3) I. Cor. XIV, 34. 406 LIBER I. ca dona; ait enim : Unusquisque vestrum psalmum habet, linguam habet elc. At certe non habebant omnes donum linguarum, cum idem Paulus dicat I. Cor. XII : Divisio¬ nes gratiarum sunt etc. et : ISumquid omnes lin¬ guis loquuntur ? (1) et hoc tempore nulli sunt, qui habeant ejusmodi donum. Vult ergo Paulus dicere : Unusquisque vestrum, qui gloriamini ob ejusmodi dona, utimini illis ordinate, ct ad aedificationem. Adde secun¬ do, quod non loquitur de concione publica, quae est propria sacerdotum, sed de piis collationibus, et exhortationibus quibus ute¬ bantur, cum simul conveniebant, ut paulo post dicam. Itaque immerito Lutherus ob haec tria loca male intellecta, contemnit in¬ finitos Patres, innumera Concilia , aeternam consuetudinem, et universam mundi multi¬ tudinem. Ad alterum ex secundo officio, Respon¬ deo : Mulieres apud nos baptizare in casu necessitatis, et ex permissione, non ex offi¬ cio : quomodo etiam permittitur Judaeis, et Tureis ob summam ejus Sacramenti necessi¬ tatem. Sicut ergo non sequitur, Turea po¬ test baptizare , ergo potest omnia Sacra¬ menta ministrare, vel, ergo est verus sacer¬ dos; ita non sequitur, Femina potest bapti¬ zare, ergo potest omnia Sacramenta minis¬ trare, vel, ergo est sacerdos. Neque est ve¬ rum neminem baptizare, quin condonetur ; verbum enim , quod in Baptismo profertur, non est concionale , ut supra demonstravi¬ mus, sed consecrativum. Ad argumentum ex tertio officio, Respon¬ deo : Illud, Hoc facite , non est dictum om¬ nibus ; alioqui tenerentur feminae, et pueri consecrare Eucharistiam; pari ratione illud, Ego enim accepi a Domino, quod ct tradidi vobis, non significat omnibus traditam potes¬ tatem consecrandi, sed omnibus traditum, id est, dictum, explicatum, et declaratum, quod Dominus instituerat. Denique potentia consecrandi major est, quam baptizandi, sicut per Baptismum datur remissio pecca¬ torum, ita et per Eucharistiam; Joan. VI : Qui manducat hunc panem , vivet id veter¬ num (2). Et praeterea per consecrationem fit conversio 'panis, etiam si Lutherus nolit, quse non fit per Baptismum. Ad argumentum ex quarto officio. Illa verba : Qucecumque alligaveritis super terram etc. intelliguntur dicta Ecclesiae , de qua ibidem : Dic Ecclesiae; et, Si Ecclesiam non audierit etc. (3) Ut enim ostenderet Dominus non esse contemnendum Ecclesiae judicium, addidit illam promissionem : Qucecumque al¬ ligaveritis. Porro Ecclesia ligat, et solvit, sed per suos praesules, non per quoscumque, si¬ cut corpus loquitur, sed per linguam , non per manum ; et universitas determinat pro¬ positiones, sed per Doctores, non per Scho¬ lasticos. Id autem ostendit apertissime pra- xis Ecclesiae omnium aetatum. Ad argumentum ex quinto officio. Nega¬ mus non esse in Ecclesia aliud sacrificium, quam mortificationis vitiorum. Nam ad hoc sacrificium non requiritur altare : est autem in Ecclesia altare, ut patet ad Hebr. XIII : Habemus altare, de quo edere non habent po¬ testatem, qui tabernaculo deserviunt. (4). Sed de hoc alibi. Ad argumentum ex sexto officio, Respon¬ deo : Non est Sacerdotis orare quomodo¬ cumque, sed orare publice, et tamquam pu¬ blica persona intercedere pro universo po¬ pulo, ut Chrysostomus docet lib. VI. de sacerdotio. Ad argumentum ex septimo officio, Res¬ pondeo : Illa loca : Oves mece vocem meam audiunt; non audiunt vocem alienorum, ct : Attendite a falsis Prophetis (3); docent de¬ bere omnes homines judicare de dogmati¬ bus, non quidem examinando *illa ad regu¬ lam Scripturae, ut haeretici volunt; si enim id omnes facere possent, non esset opus pas¬ toribus, ct doctoribus in Ecclesia, sed exa¬ minando illa ad doctrinam antea traditam, et ad doctrinam aliorum pastorum. Facile enim possunt omnes judicare, an doctrina sit nova, et tunc eam suspectam habere de¬ bent. Praeterea Dominus alienos, et falsos Prophetas non vocatordinarios pastores, sed extraordinarios, qui per se veniunt, ut ve¬ nerunt omnes haeretici. Illud autem : Si sedenti revelatum fuerit , prior taceat (6), in quo Lutherus triumphat, non intelligitur, nisi in collationibus quibus¬ dam, de quibus eo loco Paulus agit, non de publica concione Pastoris, et multo minus de publico judicio Concilii, aut summi Pon¬ tificis. Id quod patet primo, usu Ecclesiae. Numquam enim est auditum, ut dum sit pu¬ blica concio, permissum sit alicui alteri lo- (1) I. Petr. II, 9; I. Cor. XI, 23; XIV, 31 et 26; XII, 4 et 30. — (2) Joan. VI, 52. — (3) Matth. XVII 18 et 17. — (4) Hebr. XIII, 10. - (5) Joan. X, 5 et 27 ; Mat. VII, 15. — (6) I. Cor. XIV. 30. qui, et multo minus permissum est unquam privatis hominibus reluctari judicio totius Ecclesiae. Secundo, quia non tenemur credere uni¬ cuique dicenti sibi esse revelatum aliquid, praesertim in re gravi , et maxime si illa re¬ velatio sit contraria doctrinae ordinariorum Pastorum : alioqui pateret aditus omnibus haeresibus. Nullus est enim haeresiarcha, qui non jactet sua dogmata, ut verissimam Dei revelationem. Tertio patet ex illis verbis Prophetae , duo aut tres dicant , et conteri dijudicent. Non enim conveniret ut duo aut tres concionarentur, sed bene conveniebat, ut in collatione spiri¬ tuali duo aut tres dicerent. Adde quod Jus¬ tinus in secunda Apologia prope extrema, explicans morem primae Ecclesiae, distinguit concionem, quam soli Praeposito tribuit, a collatione spirituali, quam ibidem post con¬ cionem, et Sacramenta inter se habere so¬ liti erant. Ad illud argumentum postremum : Qui baptizatus est, habet spiritum Christi : ubi autem Spiritus Christi est , ibi om¬ nium potestas, et libertas. Respondeo pri¬ mo ; Major propositio non est vera univer¬ saliter. Multi enim baptizantur , qui non recipiunt spiritum Christi, quia sine fide aut poenitentia baptizantur : multi recipiunt, qui postea amittunt, et tamen non amittunt Bap¬ tismum. Secundo; Minor etiam propositio falsa est. Nam plurimi habent spiritum Chri¬ sti, qui tamen non habent omnium rerum potestatem, cum nec possint loqui variis lin¬ guis, neque futura praedicere , neque curare morbos, neque excitare mortuos.