This post is an excerpt from the forthcoming book Rome Examined: Examination of the Decrees of the Council of Trent. In this concise distillation of Chemnitz’s magisterial critique, we present his scriptural case against Rome’s decrees on tradition, justification, the sacraments, and papal authority—one section at a time. (Find all the excerpts here: https://wolfmueller.co/category/rome-examined/)
1:5: Testimonies of the Ancient Church concerning the Scriptures
The Proper Place of the Fathers’ Testimonies after Scripture
[1] Up to this point, what we have adduced from the words of Scripture itself is the most certain testimony, wherein a pious soul can find rest. For in these words of Scripture, we have the evidence of the Spirit concerning Scripture. Now we would like to add the unanimous testimony of the ancient church about the status, perfection, and sufficiency of Scripture. For we love and honor the testimonies of the ancient, pure church and see ourselves joyfully strengthened through them. Faith itself, however, is not grounded in human reputation, but in God’s Word. Therefore, we do not place the testimony of the fathers first, but we have them follow the scriptural evidence.
Irenaeus and Chrysostom
First, I repeat the view of Irenaeus (bk. 3, ch. 1), “At that time the apostles preached the Gospel, afterwards, they committed the will of God to writing, so that we could find therein the foundation and pillar of our faith.” Thus Augustine (City of God, bk. 19, ch. 18), “From the Scriptures comes faith.”[1] Chrysostom imagined that the original church was even so perfect that a written Gospel was not necessary for it.[2] But he nevertheless states that the church of that privilege, where the oral preaching sufficed, has ceased. For this reason, he calls Scripture the second means of salvation, by which we are instructed after the loss of that privilege. Contempt for Scripture then is also to him a sign of the greatest perversity. He also emphasizes the clarity of Scripture in all necessary parts and states in Homily 13 on Genesis, “Scripture interprets itself.”[3] In Homily 49 on Matthew 24, the flight to the mountains is the flight of Christians to God’s Word.[4] He also calls the Word of God the most accurate scale for Christians to use when weighing important questions (Homily 13 on 2 Corinthians).[5]
Augustine
Augustine, (On Christian Doctrine, bk. 2, ch. 9), finds in the evidently core words of Scripture the entire content for faith and life in hope and love.[6] He confesses the same judgment as Paul gave in his Epistle to the Galatians, “If then an angel from heaven preached a Gospel other than that which we have also preached to you, that one is accursed,” (Against the Letters of Petilian, bk. 3, ch. 6).[7] For Augustine, according to Epistle 163, Scripture is the arbiter in all disputes. Likewise Augustine states in On the Unity of the Church, ch. 16, “If they want to substantiate their church, when they can, let them do so not from the churches of Africa, nor from the councils of their bishops, but rather from the words of the Law, Prophets, Psalms, from the voices of the good shepherd, and from the evangelists and all canonical books.”[8]
Origen
Origen notes the example of Paul for teachers of the church in Romans 3, that they ought not to fashion their preaching from their own notions but rather should ground them in divine thoughts.[9] Origen says in Homily 25 on Matthew that just as gold outside of the temple is unconsecrated, so is every mind that stands next to Scripture and not within it an unsanctified mind.[10]
Tertullian, Cyprian, Epiphanius, Basil, and Theodoret
Tertullian advises Hermogenes to put forth this teaching: “It is written.” On this he comments, “I adore the fullness of Scripture.”[11] Cyprian refers Pompeius to the source of the Gospel.[12] Epiphanius desires no investigation from his own reasoning, but rather that every investigation be developed from the context of Scripture.[13] Basil considers it unfaithful to reject something from the written word.[14] Theodoret (bk. 1, ch. 7) mentions Constantine’s words at the opening of the Nicene Council, “The books of the prophets, evangelists, and apostles teach us fully concerning divine matters.”[15]
Jerome
Jerome states in his commentary on Galatians, “The canon is the teaching of the Holy Spirit, against which the councils may determine nothing.” In his commentary on Titus, he writes, “Without the resounding status of Scripture, verbosity has no end.”[16] Thus, he also remarks on Matthew 23, “What is not grounded in Scripture is as easily rejected as it is approved.”[17] Likewise in the commentary on Psalm 86 attributed to Jerome, “Holy Scripture is the book of peoples. For it is understood by all peoples. Plato wrote only for a few. There are hardly three who understand him. But the rulers in the kingdom of God, that is, the evangelists, wrote not for a few, but for all people.”[18]
Conclusion from the Fathers’ Testimonies
[2] More testimonies from the fathers could be cited, but since the actual proof is drawn from Scripture, this witness from the ancient church can suffice.
[3] Let us see from this, therefore, that according to the testimony of the ancient church, Scripture in its perfection and sufficiency is the rule, standard, and norm for life and faith.
Andrada’s Objection and Chemnitz’s Response
Andrada objects, “Indeed, we must measure everything according to Holy Scripture, but we cannot reduce the catholic faith to the narrow limits of the Bible. To be sure, everything which is contained in Scripture is completely true, but not all points of the Christian faith stand recorded in the holy written memorials.” We maintain in response to Andrada, “If Scripture is nothing other than the rule of faith in the way that Andrada claims, then it is not even worthy of this name. It does not deserve to be called the rule of faith.”
[5] It is entirely true that the true church cannot be separated from the true doctrine. For it is the true church which confesses the true doctrine. But when the assembly which calls itself the church deviates from the true doctrine, it does not follow that their errors are truth, but rather it only follows that it is no longer the true church. The matter is therefore completely different from what Andrada opines. For the truth of the Word of God does not depend on the church, it is rather the reverse: the truth of the church depends on the Word of God and is examined according to it. For the church is no autocratic assembly. Much rather it must demonstrate the divine truth of its doctrine by clear and explicit testimonies. It must draw these proofs from the canon of Scripture. It is also worth considering that even in the true church, according to 1 Corinthians 3:12, wood, hay, and stubble are often built upon the foundation. At times the true church is so hidden that Elijah laments, “I am the only one remaining” (1 Kings 18:22, 19:10). If someone in the days of Elijah had wanted to judge the true doctrine according to the consensus of the visible church, then they would have been completely mistaken. Christ gives the true church this sign, “My sheep hear my voice.” Paul also exclaims, “You are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets.” [6] The papists further contend that Scripture is obscure and uncertain. Andrada, however, limits this to the fact that Scripture is perverted by heretics. He also makes a great outcry about how much danger lies in distorting the obscure passages of Scripture. We also say that no belief should be established from the obscure passages of Scripture, which cannot also be demonstrated from the clear passages. Thus, Augustine says, “Because so much in Scripture is obscure or stated with images, let us select what is clear and explicit” (Against the Letters of Petilian, ch. 5).
[1] “It [i.e. the City of God] believes also the Holy Scriptures, old and new, which we call canonical, and which are the source of the faith by which the just lives and by which we walk without doubting while we are absent from the Lord. So long as this faith remains inviolate and firm, we may without blame entertain doubts regarding some things which we have neither perceived by sense nor by reason, and which have not been revealed to us by the canonical Scriptures, nor come to our knowledge through witnesses whom it is absurd to disbelieve.” – Augustine of Hippo, The City of God, Book XIX, Chapter 18, NPNF1-02, link: https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/120119.htm
[2] “It were indeed meet for us not at all to require the aid of the written Word, but to exhibit a life so pure, that the grace of the Spirit should be instead of books to our souls, and that as these are inscribed with ink, even so should our hearts be with the Spirit. But, since we have utterly put away from us this grace, come, let us at any rate embrace the second best course. For that the former was better, God hath made manifest, both by His words, and by His doings. Since unto Noah, and unto Abraham, and unto his offspring, and unto Job, and unto Moses too, He discoursed not by writings, but Himself by Himself, finding their mind pure. But after the whole people of the Hebrews had fallen into the very pit of wickedness, then and thereafter was a written word, and tables, and the admonition which is given by these. And this one may perceive was the case, not of the saints in the Old Testament only, but also of those in the New. For neither to the apostles did God give anything in writing, but instead of written words He promised that He would give them the grace of the Spirit: for ‘He,’ saith our Lord, ‘shall bring all things to your remembrance.’ And that thou mayest learn that this was far better, hear what He saith by the Prophet: ‘I will make a new covenant with you, putting my laws into their mind, and in their heart I will write them,’ and, ‘they shall be all taught of God.’ And Paul too, pointing out the same superiority, said, that they had received a law ‘not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.’ But since in process of time they made shipwreck, some with regard to doctrines, others as to life and manners, there was again need that they should be put in remembrance by the written word.” – John Chrysostom, Homily 1 on the Gospel of Matthew, NPNF1-10, link: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf110.iii.iv.html
[3] In one of his sermons on Genesis, when speaking of God forming Adam out of the dirt and breathing life into him, Chrysostom proceeds to lambast people who read these verses of Scripture and twist the Scriptural account that God breathed life into Adam to either ascribe a physical body to the Father or to ascribe a divine soul consubstantial with the essence of the Father to humanity. He points out that the Scriptures speak of God in concrete terms but do so in an analogical way, and he concludes his rebuke in this way: “Anyhow, in case by wanting to make a display of these people’s stupidity we, too, find ourselves induced to utter unseemly remarks, let’s have done with their folly and turn aside from such idiocy; let us follow the direction of Sacred Scripture in the interpretation it gives of itself, provided we don’t get completely absorbed with the concreteness of the words, but realize that our limitations are the reason for the concreteness of the language. Human senses, you see, would never be able to grasp what is said if they had not the benefit of such great considerateness.” – John Chrysostom, FC, Vol. 74, Homilies on Genesis 1-17, Homily 13.8 (Washington, D.C.: The Catholic University of America Press, 1986), pg. 172, link: https://tinyurl.com/yu9mdum2
[4] “And His pretext indeed for dismissing them was the multitude, but He was Himself minded to go up into the mountain; and He did this, instructing us neither to be always in intercourse with multitudes, nor always to fly from the crowd, but each of the two as may be expedient, and giving each duly his turn. Let us learn therefore ourselves also to wait upon Jesus; but not for His bounty in things sensible, lest we be upbraided like the Jews. For ye seek me, says He, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. John 6:26 Therefore neither does He work this miracle continually, but a second time only; that they might be taught not to be slaves to their belly, but to cling incessantly to the things of the Spirit. To these then let us also cling, and let us seek the heavenly bread, and having received it, let us cast away all worldly care. For if those men left houses, and cities, and kinsmen, and all, and abode in the wilderness, and when hunger was pressing, withdrew not; much more ought we, when approaching such a table, to show forth a more abundant self-command, and to set our love on the things of the Spirit, and to seek the things of sense as secondary to these.” – John Chrysostom, Homily 49 on Matthew, §3-4, NPNF1-10, link: https://ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf110.iii.XLIX.html
[5] “And how shall he walk the narrow way? Let us not therefore carry about the notions of the many, but examine into the facts. For how is it not absurd that in respect to money, indeed, we do not trust to others, but refer this to figures and calculation; but in calculating upon facts we are lightly drawn aside by the notions of others; and that too, though we possess an exact balance , and square and rule for all things, the declaration of the divine laws? Wherefore I exhort and entreat you all, disregard what this man and that man thinks about these things, and inquire from the Scriptures all these things; and having learned what are the true riches, let us pursue after them that we may obtain also the eternal good things; which may we all obtain, through the grace and love towards men of our Lord Jesus Christ, with Whom, to the Father and the Holy Spirit, be glory, might, and honor, now and ever, and world without end. Amen.” – John Chrysostom, Homily XIII on Second Corinthians, NPNF1-12, link: https://ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf112/npnf112.v.xiii.html
[6] “In all these books [of the Holy Scriptures] those who fear God and are of a meek and pious disposition seek the will of God. And in pursuing this search the first rule to be observed is, as I said, to know these books, if not yet with the understanding, still to read them so as to commit them to memory, or at least so as not to remain wholly ignorant of them. Next, those matters that are plainly laid down in them, whether rules of life or rules of faith, are to be searched into more carefully and more diligently; and the more of these a man discovers, the more capacious does his understanding become. For among the things that are plainly laid down in Scripture are to be found all matters that concern faith and the manner of life,—to wit, hope and love, of which I have spoken in the previous book. After this, when we have made ourselves to a certain extent familiar with the language of Scripture, we may proceed to open up and investigate the obscure passages, and in doing so draw examples from the plainer expressions to throw light upon the more obscure, and use the evidence of passages about which there is no doubt to remove all hesitation in regard to the doubtful passages.” – Augustine of Hippo, On Christian Doctrine, Book II, Chapter 9, link: https://ccel.org/ccel/augustine/doctrine/doctrine.x_1.html
[7] “Furthermore, whether concerning Christ, or concerning His Church, or any other matter whatsoever which is connected with your faith and life, to say nothing of ourselves, who are by no means to be compared with him who said, ‘Though we,’ at any rate, as he went on to say, ‘Though an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you than that which’ you have received in the lawful and evangelical Scripture, ‘let him be accursed.’ While carrying out this principle of action in our dealings with you, and with all whom we desire to gain in Christ, and, among other things, while preaching the holy Church which we read of as promised in the epistles of God, and see to be fulfilled according to the promises in all nations of the world, we have earned, not the rendering of thanks, but the flames of hatred, from those whom we desire to have attracted into His most peaceful bosom; as though we had bound them fast in that party for which they cannot find any defense that they should make; or as though we so long before had given injunctions to prophets and apostles that they should insert in their books no proofs by which it might be shown that the party of Donatus was the Church of Christ. And we indeed, dear brethren, when we hear false charges brought against us by those whom we have offended by preaching the eloquence of truth, and confuting the vanity of error, have, as you know, the most abundant consolation. For if, in the matters which they lay to my charge, the testimony of my conscience does not stand against me in the sight of God, where no mortal eye can reach, not only ought I not to be cast down, but I should even rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is my reward in heaven.” – Augustine of Hippo, Answer to Petilian the Donatist, Book III, Chapter 6, NPNF1-04, link: https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/14093.htm
[8] “But you, supported by so much obvious evidence from the law, prophets, psalms, the Lord himself, and the apostles concerning the Church spread throughout the world, demand of them that they show some clear evidence from the canonical books out of Africa that pertains to Donatus’ sect.” – Augustine of Hippo, De Unitate Ecclesiae (On the Unity of the Church), XXV, 75, link: https://www.semperreformanda.com/de-unitate-ecclesiae-on-the-unity-of-the-church-by-augustine/
“I have the most obvious voice of my shepherd commending the Church to me without any ambiguity. I will blame myself if I should be led astray or wander from his flock which is the Church itself, through the words of men when he has especially warned me, saying, those who are my sheep hear my voice and follow me (John 10:27). See, his voice is clear and open. Having heard it, who does not follow him? How will he dare to say he is his sheep? No one tells me ‘O, what does Donatus say, what does Parmenianus say, or Pontius or any of them?’ No one agrees with the catholic bishops if they are anywhere by chance mistaken in holding any opinion contrary against the canonical Scriptures of God. But if they maintain the bond of unity and love and they fall into error, it will be done to them what the Apostle says if you think differently about anything, this too God will reveal to you (Phil. 3:15). But now those divine utterances about the universal Church are so obvious that the heretics cannot rant against them unless out of perversity of mind or blind rage.” – Augustine of Hippo, De Unitate Ecclesiae (On the Unity of the Church), XI, 28, link: https://www.semperreformanda.com/de-unitate-ecclesiae-on-the-unity-of-the-church-by-augustine/
[9] “There are innumerable other fictitious productions of men composed with dialectical reasoning and with fraudulent sophisms. But when the truth of God conquers each one of them by means of churchmen and those who have been instructed in the divine wisdom and when it refutes the snares of these arguments, the truth of God is said to abound in the falsehood of men, and not only to abound but to abound ‘to his glory.’ In my opinion this is to be understood in the following manner: Suppose a teacher of the Church gives instruction to certain simple hearers not yet occupied with false doctrines and, concerning each one of these, explains to them the rationale of divine truth. In [false] instruction of this sort, the truth of God shall seem to abound. But if the discourse is given to those who resist the truth and who contradict words of sound doctrine and, while trying to contradict it, they find themselves confuted and proven wrong, so that when the darkness of their errors has been forsaken they come to the light of the truth, then not only will the truth of God abound, but it will abound to God’s glory.” – Origen, Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans, Book 3, Chapter 2, §18, The Fathers of the Church: A New Translation, The Catholic University of America Press (2201), Vol. 103, pg. 186-187, link: https://tinyurl.com/mump9rv2
[10] “Now an oath is in confirmation of somewhat that has been spoken. The oath here then may signify testimony of Scripture which we produce in confirmation of that word which we speak. So that Divine Scripture is the temple of God, the gold is the meaning which it contains. As the gold which is outside the Temple is not sanctified, so all thoughts which are without divine Scripture, however admirable they may seem, are not hallowed. We ought not therefore to bring any speculations of our own for the confirmation of doctrine, unless such as we can shew are hallowed by being contained in divine Scripture. The altar is the human heart, which is the chief thing in man. The offerings and gifts that are bid upon the altar, are every thing which are done in the heart, as to pray, to sing, to do alms, to fast. Every offering of a man then is sanctified by his heart, by which the offering is made. There cannot therefore be a more honourable offering than the heart of man, out of which the offering proceeds. If then one’s conscience does not smite him, he has confidence towards God, not by reason of his gifts, but so to speak because be has rightly ordered the altar of his heart. Thirdly, we may say that over the temple, that is over every Scripture, and over the altar, that is over every heart, there is a certain meaning which is called the Heaven, the throne of God Himself, in which we shall be able to see the things that are revealed face to face, when that which is perfect is come.” – Origen, Commentary on Matthew 23:16-17, in: Thomas Aquinas, Catena Aurea, Vol. 1, Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 23, link: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena1.ii.xxiii.html
[11] “I revere the fulness of His Scripture, in which He manifests to me both the Creator and the creation. In the gospel, moreover, I discover a Minister and Witness of the Creator, even His Word. But whether all things were made out of any underlying Matter, I have as yet failed anywhere to find. Where such a statement is written, Hermogenes’ shop must tell us. If it is nowhere written, then let it fear the woe which impends on all who add to or take away from the written word.” – Tertullian, Against Hermogenes, Chapter XXII, ANF, Vol. 3, link: https://ccel.org/ccel/tertullian/against_hermogenes/anf03.v.v.xxii.html
[12] “If a channel supplying water, which formerly flowed plentifully and freely, suddenly fail, do we not go to the fountain, that there the reason of the failure may be ascertained, whether from the drying up of the springs the water has failed at the fountainhead, or whether, flowing thence free and full, it has failed in the midst of its course; that so, if it has been caused by the fault of an interrupted or leaky channel, that the constant stream does not flow uninterruptedly and continuously, then the channel being repaired and strengthened, the water collected may be supplied for the use and drink of the city, with the same fertility and plenty with which it issues from the spring? And this it behooves the priests of God to do now, if they would keep the divine precepts, that if in any respect the truth have wavered and vacillated, we should return to our original and Lord, and to the evangelical and apostolic tradition; and thence may arise the ground of our action, whence has taken rise both our order and our origin.” – Cyprian, Epistle 73, §10, link: https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/050673.htm
[13] “I cannot give the answer to any question from my own reasonings, but I can from the text of the scriptures.” – Epiphanius of Salamis, Against Paul the Samosatian, The Panarion of Epiphanius of Salamis Books II and III, tr. Frank Williams, BOSTON: Brill (2013; Second, revised Edition), pg. 220, §5.3, link: https://ia800501.us.archive.org/18/items/EpiphaniusPanarionBksIIIII1/Epiphanius%20-%20_Panarion_%20-%20Bks%20II%20%26%20III%20-%201.pdf
[14] “What is the mark of a Christian? Faith working by charity. What is the mark of faith? A sure conviction of the truth of the inspired words, not to be shaken by any process of reasoning, nor by the alleging of natural requirements, nor by the pretences of false piety. What is the mark of a faithful soul? To be in these dispositions of full acceptance on the authority of the words of Scripture, not venturing to reject anything nor making additions. For, if ‘all that is not of faith is sin’ as the Apostle says, and ‘faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God,’ everything outside Holy Scripture, not being of faith, is sin.” – St. Basil, The Morals, Rule Eighty, cap. 22, The Fathers for the Church: A New Translation, Vol. 9: Saint Basil Ascetical Works, The Catholic University of America Press (1962), pg. 203-204, link: https://archive.org/details/fathersofthechur027835mbp/page/203/mode/1up
[15] “The excellent emperor next exhorted the Bishops to unanimity and concord; he recalled to their remembrance the cruelty of the late tyrants, and reminded them of the honourable peace which God had, in his reign and by his means, accorded them. He pointed out how dreadful it was, aye, very dreadful, that at the very time when their enemies were destroyed, and when no one dared to oppose them, they should fall upon one another, and make their amused adversaries laugh, especially as they were debating about holy things, concerning which they had the written teaching of the Holy Spirit. ‘For the gospels’ (continued he), ‘the apostolical writings, and the oracles of the ancient prophets, clearly teach us what we ought to believe concerning the divine nature. Let, then, all contentious disputation be discarded; and let us seek in the divinely-inspired word the solution of the questions at issue.’ These and similar exhortations he, like an affectionate son, addressed to the bishops as to fathers, labouring to bring about their unanimity in the apostolical doctrines. Most members of the synod, won over by his arguments, established concord among themselves, and embraced sound doctrine.” – Theodoret of Cyrus, The Ecclesiastical History of Theodoret, Book I, Chapter VI, NPNF2-03, link: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf203.iv.viii.i.vii.html
[16] I believe Chemnitz is summarizing several passages from Jerome here:
“Those who have this health of faith and doctrine and sound words, do not heed Jewish fables and the commands of men who turn away from the truth. Let us acquiesce for a short time to the Jews, and listen patiently to their foolishness, and then we will understand what the Jewish tales are which have no authority from Scripture, nor any rational basis, but are the product of the fables and imaginations of certain people about animals and legends, of whom Isaiah prophesied, saying: ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. They worship me in vain, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men’ (Isaiah 29:13). This is confirmed by the testimony of the Savior in the Gospel, who accuses them of giving preference to the commandments of men over the Law of God.” – Jerome of Stridon, Commentary on Titus 1:12-14, link: https://historicalchristian.faith/by_father.php?file=Jerome/Commentary%20on%20Titus.html
“‘All things are clean to the clean, but to the unclean and unbelieving nothing is clean; instead, both their mind and their conscience are corrupted.’ For he had said earlier: ‘For there are many rebellious people who deceive others with their empty talk and false teaching. This is especially true of those who insist on circumcision for salvation. They must be silenced, because they are turning whole families away from the truth by their false teaching. And they do it only for money.’ So he is telling Titus to sharply rebuke them, so that their faith will be healthy and they will not waste their time in endless discussion of myths and spiritual pedigrees. This kind of talk only leads to meaningless speculations, which don’t help people live a life of faith in God. The Bible clearly states that all things are clean to those who believe in Jesus Christ and know that everything God created is good.” – Jerome of Stridon, Commentary on Titus 1:15, link: https://historicalchristian.faith/by_father.php?file=Jerome/Commentary%20on%20Titus.html
[17] “But we do need to ask who this Zechariah son of Barachiah is [who is mentioned in Matthew 23:35-36]. For we read about many Zechariahs. He even removes the possibility of error for us by adding: ‘whom you killed between the sanctuary and the altar.’ I have read diverse things in diverse sources, and I ought to record the opinions of each of these. Some say that Zechariah son of Barachiah is the eleventh of the twelve prophets. The name of his father is in agreement with this, but the Scripture does not say when he was killed between the sanctuary and the altar, chiefly since in his time there were scarcely even ruins of the Temple. Others want this Zechariah to be understood as the father of John. They approve of certain daydreams from apocryphal writings that say that he was killed because he had predicted the Savior’s advent. Since this view does not have the authority of the Scriptures, it is rejected with the same facility with which it is approved.” – Jerome of Stridon, Commentary on Matthew 23:35-36, The Fathers of the Church: A New Translation, Volume 117, St. Jerome: Commentary on Matthew, The Catholic University of America Press (2008), pg. 266, link: https://tinyurl.com/359dfd7y
[18] “Just see how full of mystical meaning Sacred Scripture is! We have read the Apostle Paul; we have read Peter; and we have read Paul’s words: ‘Do you seek a proof of the Christ who speaks in me?’ What Paul speaks, Christ speaks, for: ‘He who receives you, receives me.’ Our Lord and Savior, therefore, speaks to us in the writings of His princes. ‘In his record of the peoples the Lord shall tell’: in the sacred writings, in His Scripture that is read to all peoples in order that all may know. Thus the apostles have written; thus the Lord Himself has spoken, not merely for a few, but that all might know and understand. Plato wrote books, but he did not write for all people but only for a few, for there are not many more than two or three men who know him. But the princes of the Church and the princes of Christ did not write only for the few, but for everyone without exception. ‘And princes’: the apostles and the evangelists. ‘Of those who have been born in her.’ Note: ‘who have been’ and not ‘who are.’ That is to make sure that, with the exception of the apostles, whatever else is said afterwards should be removed and not, later on, hold the force of authority. No matter how holy anyone may be after the time of the apostles, no matter how eloquent, he does not have authority, for ‘in his record of the people and princes the Lord shall tell of those who have been born in her.’” – Jerome of Stridon, Homily 18: On Psalm 86 (87), tr. Sister Marie Liguori Ewald, The Fathers of the Church: A New Translation, Volume 48, The Homilies of Saint Jerome, Vol. 1: 1-59 On The Psalms, pg. 142-143, link: https://archive.org/details/homiliesofsaintj0001unse/page/142/mode/1up
