It is fitting no less to the end itself: because Scripture was given so that through it man might be directed in things to be known and things to be done, so that he might at last arrive at things to be desired. And because all creatures were made for this purpose, that they might serve man tending toward the heavenly homeland; therefore Scripture takes up the diverse forms of those creatures, so that through them it might teach us the wisdom directing us to eternal things. And because man is not directed to eternal things unless the cognitive power acknowledges the truth to be believed, and the operative power does the good to be done, and the affective power sighs for God to be seen and loved and fully enjoyed: hence it is that Sacred Scripture, given through the Holy Spirit, takes up the book of creation, referring it to its end according to a threefold mode of understanding: so that through tropology we may have knowledge of things to be done courageously; through allegory, of things to be believed truthfully; through anagogy, of things to be desired delightfully: so that, thus purged through virtuous operation, illuminated through radiant faith, and perfected through most ardent charity, we may at last attain the prize of eternal happiness.
§ 5. On the mode of proceeding of Sacred Scripture itself.
In so great a manifold of wisdom, therefore, which is contained in the breadth, length, height and depth of sacred Scripture itself, there is one common mode of proceeding, namely the authoritative, within which are contained the narrative, preceptive, prohibitive, exhortative, proclamatory, comminatory, promissory, deprecatory, and laudatory modes. And all these modes are placed under the one authoritative mode, and this indeed quite rightly.
For since this doctrine is such that we may become good and be saved, and this is not accomplished through bare consideration, but rather through the inclination of the will, therefore divine Scripture ought to have been handed down in that manner by which we could be more effectively inclined. And because the affections are moved more by examples than by arguments, more by promises than by reasonings, more by devotions than by definitions, therefore this Scripture ought not to have had the definitive, divisive, and collective mode for proving certain properties of a subject in the manner of other sciences; but it was fitting that it should have its own proper modes, inclining souls in diverse ways according to the various inclinations of souls, so that if someone is not moved by precepts and prohibitions, he may at least be moved by narrated examples; if someone is not moved by these, let him be moved by benefits shown to him; if someone is not moved even by these, let him be moved by wise admonitions, by truthful promises, by terrible threats, so that thus he may at least be aroused to devotion and praise of God, in which he may receive grace through which he may be directed toward virtuous works.
Since, therefore, these narrative modes cannot proceed by way of the certitude of reasons, because particular deeds cannot be proved, therefore, lest this Scripture waver as though doubtful, and thereby move less effectively, in place of the certitude of reason God provided for this Scripture the certitude of authority, which is so great that it surpasses all the perspicacity of human genius. And because the authority of one who can deceive or be deceived is not certain, and there is no one who cannot be deceived and who is unable to deceive except God and the Holy Spirit, hence it is that, in order that sacred Scripture might be perfectly authoritative in the manner due to it, it was handed down not through human investigation, but through divine revelation.
Therefore nothing in it is to be despised as useless, nothing rejected as false, nothing repudiated as wicked, because the Holy Spirit, its most perfect author, could say nothing false, nothing superfluous, nothing deficient. And therefore heaven and earth shall pass away, but the words of sacred Scripture shall not pass away, without being fulfilled. Until indeed heaven and earth pass away, not one iota or one tittle shall pass from the Law, until all things be accomplished, as the Savior attests. Whoever therefore shall break those things which Scripture teaches, and shall teach men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven: but whoever shall do and teach them, shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
§ 6. On the manner of expounding sacred Scripture.
Moreover, just as this Scripture has a special manner of proceeding, so according to its manner of proceeding it ought to be understood and expounded in its own special way. For since it conceals a manifold understanding beneath a single letter, the expositor ought to bring hidden things forth into the light and make manifest what has been drawn forth through another, more open passage of Scripture, as if I were to expound that verse of the Psalm: Take hold of arms and shield, and rise up to help me, and wished to explain what the divine arms are; I would say that they are his truth and good will: and that this is so must be proved through open Scripture. For it is also written elsewhere: With the shield of your good will you have crowned us: and again: His truth shall compass you about with a shield. - To this no one can easily attain unless through habitual reading he commits the text and letter of the Bible to memory; otherwise he will never be able to be proficient in the exposition of the Scriptures. Hence, just as one who disdains to learn the first elements from which a word is composed can never know either the meaning of words or the correct rule of constructions: so one who scorns the letter of sacred Scripture will never rise to its spiritual understandings.
Let the expositor note, however, that allegory is not to be sought everywhere, nor are all things to be expounded mystically. For which reason it should be noted that sacred Scripture has four parts. The first is that in which, according to the letter, it treats of worldly natures, and through them signifies our restoration, as is apparent in the description of the formation of the world.
The second is that in which it treats of the acts and events of the Israelite people, and through them signifies the restoration of the human race.
The third is that in which in plain words it signifies and expresses those things which pertain to our salvation with respect to faith or morals.
The fourth is that in which it foretells the mystery of our salvation, partly in plain words, partly in enigmatic and obscure ones. And therefore Scripture in these various passages is not to be expounded uniformly.
Moreover, the expositor ought to be guided in the exposition of sacred Scripture according to a threefold rule, which can be drawn from the words of blessed Augustine in the book On Christian Doctrine.
The first is this. Wherever in this Scripture the primary signification of the words signifies things of creation, or particular acts of human conduct, there the things signified by the words are first signified, and then the mysteries of our restoration: but where the primary signification of the words expresses faith or charity, there no allegory is to be sought.
The second rule is this. Where the words of this Scripture signify things of creation, or the conduct of the Israelite people; there one should seek from another passage of Scripture what each thing signifies, and then derive its signification through words plainly signifying the truth of faith, or the uprightness of morals as well; as for example if it is said: The sheep bring forth twin offspring, one should show that sheep there signify human beings, and twin offspring the twofold charity.
The third rule is this. When a passage of Scripture has both a literal and a spiritual meaning, the expositor ought to examine whether that attribution suits the historical or the spiritual sense, if perhaps it cannot suit both; but if it applies to both, then it ought to be affirmed both literally and spiritually: but if in only one way, then it ought to be understood spiritually alone: as that the sabbath of the Law is perpetual, the priesthood eternal, the possession of the land eternal, and the covenant of circumcision eternal; all of which are to be referred to the spiritual sense.
But in order that one may proceed securely through the forest of the sacred Scriptures by cutting and expounding, it is necessary first to know the truth of sacred Scripture itself through explicit words, namely to attend to how Scripture describes the beginning, progress, and consummation of the twofold body, as though looking at each other from opposite sides, namely of the good, who here humble themselves so as to be exalted eternally in the future, and of the wicked, who here exalt themselves so as to be cast down eternally. Whence it treats of the whole universe with respect to the highest and the lowest, the first and the last, and with respect to the intermediate course, under the form of a certain intelligible cross, in which the whole machinery of the universe must be described and in a certain way seen by the light of the mind; for understanding which it is necessary to know the principle of things, God, the creation of things themselves, the fall, the redemption through the blood of Jesus Christ, the reformation through grace, the healing through the Sacraments, and finally the retribution through punishment and everlasting glory.
And because this doctrine has been handed down so diffusely, both in the writings of the Saints and also of the doctors, that it cannot be surveyed or heard in its entirety by those approaching the hearing of Sacred Scripture over long periods of time — on account of which even new theologians frequently recoil from Sacred Scripture itself as though it were uncertain and disordered and as though it were a kind of dark forest — having been asked by my companions to say something brief in summary from our poor little store of knowledge concerning the truth of theology, and overcome by their entreaties, I consented to compose a certain breviloquium, in which summarily not all things, but some more opportune points might be briefly touched upon, adding at the same time some reasoning for understanding, as it occurred to me at the time.
But because theology is discourse about God and about the first principle, inasmuch as it, as the highest science and doctrine, resolves all things into God as into the first and supreme principle: therefore in assigning reasons in all things that are contained in this entire little work or treatise, I have endeavored to take my reasoning from the first principle, so that I might thus show that the truth of Sacred Scripture is from God, about God, according to God, and for the sake of God, so that this science might deservedly appear to be one and ordered and not undeservedly called theology.
If therefore anything imperfect, or obscure, or superfluous, or less than correct be found therein, let pardon be granted to the occupation and brevity of time and to our poor little knowledge; but if anything be correct, let honor and glory be referred to God alone.
But so that what follows may shine forth more clearly, I have taken care to set forth beforehand the particular titles of the chapters, for easier memory and a more lucid contemplation of the things to be said, which are distinguished by seven parts and seventy-two chapters.
HERE ENDS THE PROLOGUE.
HERE BEGIN THE CHAPTERS OF THE BREVILOQUIUM.
Part I.
The first part, on the Trinity of God, has nine chapters, and they are these.