THE DEAN AND FACULTY OF THEOLOGY OF PARIS TO ALL THE FAITHFUL IN CHRIST — SALVATION.
Perceiving that. through the altercation of Doctors and Preachers with regard to dogmatical points, the great body of the faithful are in accordance with what Paul writes to the Ephesians. “like children carried to and fro with every wind of doctrine,” while it is our duty, as much as in us lies, to calm the contending billows of opinion; and being abundantly persuaded of the most holy purpose of His Most Christian Majesty, it has seemed proper to set down briefly, in the following order, what, in reference to the Articles generally controverted, Doctors and Preachers ought to teach, and the rest of the faithful, with the whole Church, believe.
THIS being a magisterial definition, it is to be observed, that proofs are not added, because to do so were to derogate from the ancient privileges of the School of Paris. But for the sake of certain persons of an over-curious temper, who, in the present day, will believe nothing that is not fully proved, I will, though it is superfluous, say something here in passing in confirmation, or in supplement of the decisions written above, and to be written below.
First, the place ought to have very great authority in the Church; and although our masters are deficient in proofs from Scripture, they
compensate the defect by another authority which they have, viz., that of the Church, which is equivalent to Scripture, or even (according to the Doctors) surpasses it in certainty. But that our masters, when congregated in one body, are the Church, is proved from hence, that they are like the ark of Noah, in as much as they form a multitude of all kinds of animals.
Secondly, since in the school of Pythagoras the authority of one man prevailed to such a degree that his ipse dixit sufficed for proof, how much more ought that which so many of our masters have together, and with one voice pronounced, to suffice? Especially seeing that, before coming to a decision, they chanted a low mass of the Holy Spirit, and that some were illuminated after having broken their fast, and others made zealous by the bile still reigning in the stomach.
ANTIDOTE.
When the Apostle forbids us to be
“like children who are carried about with every wind of doctrines,”
(<490413>Ephesians 4:13)
he at the same time prescribes the method by which it may be avoided, viz., by all coming together in the “unity of the faith,” which he defines to be the knowledge of the Son of God. Moreover, he elsewhere declares, that
“faith cometh by the word of God,” (<451017>Romans 10:17.) For which reason, he, in another place, also teaches that believers ought to be built
“upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets,”
(<490220>Ephesians 2:20.)
And he exhorts the Colossians to continue in the faith grounded and settled, and not to be moved away from the hope of the gospel which they had heard, (<510123>
Colossians 1:23.) Hence, too, the Thessalonians are deservedly commended by Luke, (<441711>Acts 17:11,) because, though they had with great readiness of mind embraced the doctrine of Paul, they, notwithstanding, brought it to the test of Scripture. Nor in any way could the doctrine of Paul, in another passage, viz., that our faith stands not in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God, (<460204>1 Corinthians 2:4,) be maintained, unless we depend solely on God; as it is written,
“Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live,” (<235503>
Isaiah 55:3.) And it is this which the Lord commands by Jeremiah,
“He that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully,”
(<242328>
Jeremiah 23:28.)
Likewise by Peter,
“If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God,”
(<600411>1 Peter 4:11.)
Therefore, whenever any controversy arises, the proper course is not to settle or decide it by the will of man, but to set it at rest by the authority of God only. Paul gives intimation of this when he arms us against Satan with no other sword than the “word of God,” (<490617>Ephesians 6:17.) Christ also points out the same thing to us by his own example. When assailed by Satan, the only resistance which he opposed to him was passages of Scripture, (<400404>
Matthew 4:4.) Nor otherwise would the eulogium which Paul pronounces upon it be true, when he declares that it is profitable not only for doctrine and reproof, but for correction,
(<550316>2 Timothy 3:16.) Now, therefore that the world is in tumult from
contending opinions, this is the only remedy that we must use. We must, I say, flee to Scripture, or, as Isaiah calls it, (<230820>Isaiah 8:20,) “to the law and to the testimony,” as a sacred anchor, that, in accordance with the Apostle’s precept, “we may be like minded one toward another,” but still
“according to Christ Jesus,” (<451505>
Romans 15:5.) In the admirable words of Augustine, — “When an obscure matter is under dispute, no aid being offered by clear and certain passages of sacred Scripture, human
presumption, which gains nothing by leaning to either side, ought to restrain itself,” (Lib. 2 De Peccator. Merit. et Remiss. in fin.F1) Therefore in the controverted questions of the present day, let us follow the counsel which, according to Theodoret, (Lib. 1 Hist. Ecclesiastes cap. 7,)
Constantine gave to the Bishops at the Council of Nice-let us seek their determination from the pure oracles of God.