Faith forms reason under Scripture; Lesbia rule; Durandus; Richard of St Victor

Note here, however: when the proper and interior truth of the mysteries brought into controversy comes to be explained by God's Word, the canon is by no means to be formed according to the natural measure of human reason and that hitherto described by the philosophers, but according to the genius and dictate of faith, which under a new light subjects reason in its mysteries to God's Word, even against blind reason's blind judgment. For example, Scripture teaches that Mary's only-begotten is God's only-begotten Son, and that this man begotten from Mary is the eternal God; likewise, that God suffered, and things like these. Which words by their native signification do not yield that sense of which reason by its natural light is capable, and which can be measured and grasped according to that norm delineated in the genera of logical predications.

Nor is it needful here that the significations of these words be turned so long by artful translations until they yield such a sense as can be comprehended by reason's natural capacity according to logical rules — because the truth of the divine mysteries and institutions exceeds the natural capacity of human reason, and does not temper itself to human wisdom and logical rules, as things and actions subject to reason are customarily disposed and treated according to logical rules. For logic is like the Lesbian rule, which ought to accommodate itself to things as they are; nor are things and their necessary and contingent connections, known by nature or divinely revealed, to be twisted to rules found by logicians from considering natural and moral things. Where therefore the truth of a statement is revealed in the Scriptures as singular and unusual, there the logician ceases; if he is a Christian he believes God revealing, and gladly confesses that his rules fail, and heartily rescinds his own decrees in God's honor.

But whatever right reason demonstrates to be alien to God's wisdom, goodness, equity, and justice — so far that it is alien even from the human — that is to be flatly rejected and spat out. Indeed whatever is absurd, false, and foolish according to right reason is absurd, false, and foolish before God and everywhere — as if someone should say that one is two, that one and two do not make three, that three are even, four odd, and that if we take equals from equals what remain are not equal, and if anything else truly implies a contradiction. For it cannot be that two contradictories are true at once. Let faith be present, and there will be no question. For to scrutinize mysteries is rashness; to believe is piety; to know is eternal blessedness.

Yet here too there is a grave stumbling-block: how does Christian faith prevail over philosophical science? Durandus says: To every knower it can be established concerning his conclusion that it is true, and that it is impossible for it to be otherwise. But concerning a conclusion deduced from principles only believed, it cannot be established for the one deducing that it is impossible for it to be otherwise, nor that it is true. For no more can be established concerning the conclusion than concerning the principles, since knowledge of conclusions depends on knowledge of principles. But we reply that God's Word is indeed the firmest principle of faith, yet one that has its own tokens which argue that the sacred Bibles are the true Word of the most true God; and although in these themselves the human mind acting in a human way now and then wavers, yet God, by illuminating it through that very Word and drawing the will into obedience, so confirms the certainty of the principle that the believer with joyful breast does not hesitate to seal it with his blood. With the principle thus established and unmoved, whatever is comprehended in it is believed with equal firmness, so that thus an infallible full assurance of both the principle and the conclusions drawn from it is given.

For if one proceeds so that to the deduction of tokens by which a persuaded man at first believes that the prophetic and Apostolic Word is the most true Word of the most true God, there is joined that Word's power and efficacy in illuminating the mind and strengthening the hearer's assent perpetually depending on the Word — then what otherwise perpetually fluctuates is set most firmly in our souls. And on this depends the conclusion of Richard of St. Victor, called a solid Doctor: As many of us as are truly faithful — that is, gifted with true faith kindled by divine illumination through the mediation of God's Word — hold nothing more certain, nothing more constant, than what we apprehend by faith. Would that the Jews would attend, would that the pagans would notice, with how great security of conscience we shall be able to approach the divine judgment. Shall we not with all confidence be able to say to God: Lord, if it is error, we have been deceived by you yourself? For these things in us have been confirmed by such great signs and wonders and such as can be done only through you, which also have been handed down to us by men of highest holiness, proved with highest and authentic attestation, you yourself cooperating, confirming the word with following signs? Note here the Lord's cooperation with God's preached Word, besides external miracles — as Christ (John 5:20) reckons the vivification which he performs through the gospel among works greater than visible signs.