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CITY OF GOD |
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TESTIMONIES
What the Universities of Europe, the Religious Orders
and Learned Men Say of the "Ciudad de Dios."
FORTY years after the first appearance of the
"Ciudad de Dios" the great universities of Europe were called upon to
give their opinion about this great work. All the faculties, except the
Jansenistic members of the Sorbonne at Paris, published highest
recommendations. At the same time the learned men and teachers of each
religious order that maintained institutions of learning in Europe, were asked
to contribute their opinions. The following religious orders complied: The
Augustinians, Benedictines, Carmelites, Dominicans, Jesuits, Cistercians,
Basilians, Trinitarians, Mercedarians, Minims, Hieronymites,
Premonstratensians, Reformed Augustinians, Theatines, Minors of the Regular
Clergy, all unanimously endorsing the favorable decision previously published
by the University of Salamanca. To the approbation of nearly all the
Universities and Religious Orders, were then added the high eulogiums of other
learned men, great divines, bishops and princes of the Church and of the Popes
and the Roman Congregations. As a sample of what these witnesses said
concerning the wonderful "Ciudad de Dios," we here select the
official approbation of the University of Louvain, one of the great
Universities of Europe. After pointing out that God's power of giving private
revelations to whom He chooses, must not be circumscribed, and after referring
to some general rules in regard to private revelations, the document proceeds
to say:
"Now, while abiding the decision of the Church
concerning the revelations, which are given us under the title of The City of
God, we, having read the whole work, say and are of the opinion, that the
faithful can read it without danger to their faith and without damage to the
purity of morals; for there is not found anything within it, which could lead
to relaxation or to indiscreet rigor; but on the contrary, we have come to the
conclusion that it will be most useful for enlivening and augmenting the piety
of the faithful, the veneration of the most holy Virgin, and the respect for
the sacred mysteries."
"The strong and the weak, the wise and the
ignorant, and in fine, all the world will gather richest fruit from the reading
of these books: for they contain what is most sublime in theology and in a
style so simple, easy and perspicuous that, in order to enter deeply into an
understanding of the holy mysteries, no more is necessary than to read them
with sound judgment."
"Combined with this simplicity are found many
doctrines and valid proofs, free from contradictions and not easily found in
other writings. This History explains more than a thousand difficulties in holy Scripture, in a manner equally natural and wonderful.
At every step are encountered exquisite interpretations, until now unknown, and
which had been hidden beneath the mere letter, but are laid open in these
writings and brought to the light In short, the whole work is a beautiful web
of scripture passages which, though spun from its different books, are directly
and specially woven into a whole for the purpose intended by the Venerable
Mother."
"In addition thereto the instructions given by
the most holy Virgin at tile end of each chapter contain the purest morality,
instruct, entertain, and at the same time sweetly inculcate the love of virtue
and abhorrence of vice, painting them in the most vivid and natural colours.
They do not only convince the intellect, but they contain such a special
unction, that they enkindle a sacred ardor in the soul. In meditating upon them
one certainly will experience a delight not met with in ordinary writings; and
the more they are read the greater is the delight experienced. Finally, the whole
work contains something so unwonted and attractive that, once begun, the
reading of it can scarcely be relinquished."
"The novelty and variety found in these writings
delight and recreate the reader beyond all that is pleasant in the world, at
the same time instructing him and inspiring him with new fervor. All can easily
persuade themselves that, if the interior life of Christ our Lord and of the
most holy Virgin was not just as described in these books, it could certainly
have been like it; and that it would have been well worthy of Them, if it was
as it is there depicted. All that is there said is befitting the majesty and
humility of Christ, and in correspondence with the holiness of the Virgin and
the dignity of the Mother; since there is found nothing in the whole work which
was not worthy of both one and the other.
"Notwithstanding all this, we should not at all
wonder if the book met with men who are disposed to be critical; for what book
is there which can hope to escape the opposition of the people of our times?
God has not even provided that the sacred Scriptures should be free from such
attack among the greater part of the learned of this world. The whole
philosophy of the pagans causes them to join the number of those who are
opposed to the cross of Christ crucified; and among that number are also the
libertines of our day."
"Of course there are certain points in this work
which might give rise to apparent difficulties, and some of them occurred, and
do occur, to us. But, in accordance with what we have said of the excellence
and usefulness of this work, we have come to the conclusion that these few
passages must not hinder us from giving it the commendation already given;
besides, we must confess that we might possibly be ourselves mistaken in making
these objections."
"This seemed to us the most reasonable course,
since in this book there is something more than human. Anything so excellent
and sublime cannot be ascribed to an over-excited imagination, since the whole
work is consistent throughout. Nor can it be believed to be the work of a
perverted mind, for, with a constant equanimity, it treats of the most deeply
hidden and abstruse matters without involving itself in any contradictions;
though often also it descends to innumerable minute and particular
circumstances."
"There are contained in this work such noble,
such devout circumstantial and pertinent discourses, as cannot be the result of
mere discursive thought. Nor can it be attributed to the demon; for, from
beginning to end, it suggests and breathes nothing but humility, patience and
endurance of hardships."
"Therefore, just as 'Ciudad' must without a doubt
be attributed to the venerable Mother of Agreda, who
is claimed as its author, so she cannot have composed it without particular
help from on high. Our conclusive opinion is, that the City of God, for the
good of the public, and for the advantages to be derived there from, should be
brought forth to the light. This is our judgment, which we submit entirely to
the supreme decision of the Holy See, to whom alone belongs
the right of finally judging such writings."
Louvain, 20th of July 1715. |