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Of the Precepts of the Church

1. Are there any other commandementes to be obserued by Christians besides these ten?

THere are doubtles: for-asmuch as our1 Law-maker and2 maister Christ hath not only taught the ten commandements3 of the Lawe, but hath also commaunded in generall, al those things that doe concern the yeelding of obedience vnto Apostolicall & Ecclesiasticall commaundementes. To this ende are those speeches of the Gospell:4 As my Father hath sent mee, I also doe send you. He 5 that heareth you, heareth me: and hee that despiseth you, despiseth mee. If 6 hee will not heare them, tell the Church: and if he wil not heare the Church; let him bee to thee as the Heathen & the Publican; in which places, Christ attributeth, & willeth to be attributed the chiefe and last iudgement vnto the Church, that7 is to say, to the Prelates & Gouernours of the Church, as8 S. CHRYSOSTOME doth interpret, and the wordes of the Gospell immediatelie following doe declare and conuince.

For which cause it is not in vaine written of the Apostle Saint. PAVL, He 9 walked through Syria & Cilicia, confirming the Churches: commanding them to keep the precepts of the Apostles and the Auncients.

11. What then are the precepts of the Apostles & Auncients which S. PAVL would haue vs to keepe?

SAint DENIS the Areopagite, Scoller of S. PAVL10 affirmeth, that they are of two sortes: to witte, partly written, & partly vnwritten. To both kindes doth belong that which Saint IHON the Euangelist saith: He 11 that knoweth God, heareth vs. He that is not of God heareth vs not. In this we know the spirit of trueth, and the spirit of errour.

And surely the first kinde which is committed to letters, and standeth in written Lawes, is apparant enough: for that it consisteth of those bookes that are Canonicall.

But the latter consisteth in those precepts and ordinances, which are comprehended vnder this one name of Traditions, and vsually so called by the12 Fathers. For they are not kept in writing, as the former, but deliuered by word of mouth, & as it were by hand from our Auncestors surrendered ouer vnto vs, and commended vnto the Church.

3. Are both these kindes of precepts necessary to be obserued?

THey are doubtlesse, if wee will followe the doctrine of Saint PAVL, giuing vs this charge: Stand, 13 and hold the Traditions which you haue learned, whether it be by Worde, or by our Epistle. Whereupon he in this respect commendeth the Corinthians, because they did diligently keepe the preceptes of the14 Apostles, which they had already by word of mouth receiued. Then he warneth the Thessalonians, that they withdrawe themselues from euerie15 brother walking inordinately, and not according to the Tradition receiued from the Apostles.

And this is that which the holy Counsaile of Nice consonant to16 diuine Scripture, hath expressed in so plaine termes. It behoueth vs to obserue with one consent and inuiolably, Ecclesiasticall Traditions; whether they by writing, or by custome bee reteined in the Church. And we17 read in S. CYPRIAN that, that is of no lesse force which the Apostles by the inspiration of the holy Ghost haue deliuered, than that which CHRIST him-selfe hath deliuered. For as18 the holie Ghost, and CHRIST haue one and the same God-heade: so is the authoritie and power of them both, equall in their sacred ordinances.

4. How maie wee knowe which are Apostolicall and approued Traditions in the Church?

OF these S. AVSTEN hath19 prescribed vs a rule worthye to be noted, saying; Those things that we keep not written, but deliuered, which are certainly obserued al the worlde ouer: it is vnderstoode that they are holden as commended & ordained, ether by the Apostles thenselues, or by general Counseles, whose authority in the Church is most holesome. So the same holy Doctor discoursing against the20 Donatistes, yea euen against al Hereticks, admonisheth this very seriously; looke what the vniuersal church holdeth, which by counsels hath not bin decreed, & yet euer hath bin vsed: it is very wel beleeued, that by no other meanes, than by the authority of the Apostles thenselues it hath bin deliuered.

And LEO21 the great agreeing hereunto, saith. It is not at al to bee doubted, but that what-soeuer is holden in the Church as a custome of deuotion, it proceedeth from Apostolical Tradition, and of the Doctrine of the holy Ghost.

5. What are those Apostolical Traditions which Christians must obserue?

THere are sufficient store of examples extant amongest the Fathers, and such of the Fathers, as aboue a thowsande yeares since deserued publike credit. By Tradition, ORIGEN22 &23 S. AVSTEN, doe teach that Infants are to be baptised. S. DENIS24 and25 TERTVLLIAN do shew, that praiers & oblations ought to be made at the Altar for them that are departed.

Hereupon S. HIEROME26 &27 EPIPHANIVS doe plainly affirme that the set fasts of the church, especially that of LENTE, are to be obserued. So in like maner doth Saint AMBROSE28 &29 Saint CHRYSOSTOME auouche the dignitie of those things, that are solemnely prosecuted in the holy office of the MASSE.

Than besides30 DAMASCEN, the Fathers that the second Nicen Councell doth31 cite, doe witnes by the same reason, that the Images of Christ and his Saintes are to be reuerenced.

Finally to omit all others; that great and holy32 doctour Saint BASIL affirmeth that the sacred Chrisme & other solemne ceremonies vsed in the most holy Sacramentes, are holden vpon tradition.

And the same Sainte addeth33 further. If we doe once attempt to refuse the ordinances and customes that are not written, as thinges of small moment and importance: we shall couertly, and by little & little, fal to disproue the very ratified sentences of the Gospell, or rather wee shall bring the preaching thereof to a bare name. But I,34 saith he, doe thinke it Apostolicall to sticke to those Traditions also that are not written.

6. How much at this day doe men erre & goe astray about Apostolical & Ecclesiastical Traditions?

VEry much no doubt; whilest many do despise them, others neglecte them, or at the least, make no more account of them, than of the statutes of35 ciuil Magistrates: and faine them to be decrees of men, which may bee obserued & broken at a mans pleasure, as being to verie little, or no profite at all: calling them thinges indifferent.

Some there are, who wil haue all manner of Traditions of like moment: and so they doe shamefullie confound certaine places of Scripture, as though there were no difference between36 Pharisaicall Traditions, and Apostolicall; between37 Iudaicall, and38 Ecclesiastical, betweene priuate & particular Traditions, and39 those which being receiued by the consent of the whole Church, & approued so many ages together, by the common custome of deuout persons, and as it were by hande deliuered ouer vnto vs: are found in a maner al the world ouer.

7. What is to be thought of such as reiect, & make no account of the Traditions of the Church?

THese doth the word of God reproue and condemne: when it appointeth Traditions to be40 obserued; & commaundeth vs to41 heare the Church; and to keepe the 42 precepts of the Apostles & Auncients. It is the worde of God that maketh vs subiecte to Magistrates, both43 Ciuil &44 Ecclesiastical, to the modest, & also to the45 waiwarde, for46 conscience-sake: It will haue vs giue both great47 reuerence and obedience vnto their Lawes.48 Obay saith it, your prelates and be subiect vnto them. 49 Al things that they shall say to you, obserue yee, and doe yee; but according to their workes do yee not. Wherefore, these fellowes doe not only despise men, but God50 himselfe most gratious & mighty, whom they shoulde heare & reuerence in the51 Apostles & their52 successours. Therefore they do manifestly resist the worde of God, whilest they resiste the power and ordinance of God, and purchase damnation vnto themselues thereby, if we beleeue53 S. PAVL.

Vndoudtedly this is the very ordinance of God himselfe, which can not be abolished by any authoritie of man, that by certaine Lawes, & those partly written, and partly vnwritten, which the Tradition of the54 Apostles commendeth vnto vs: the Church be gouerned, true Doctrine preserued, Religion defended, Concorde nourished, Discipline kept and obserued.

8. What hath the iudgement of the Fathers beene about this matter?

ORIGEN, a famous and verie auncient author, hath written in these wordes. Euerie such on is of vs to bee accounted an55 Hereticke, that professeth himselfe to beleeue Christ; & beleeueth otherwaies of the trueth of Christian faith, than hath the definition of the Churches Tradition. And the same in an other place. That,56 only is to be thought the truth, saith he; which in no pointe disagreeth from the Tradition of the Church. And it is the speach of S. HIEROME: I doe57 thinke it good to admonishe thee, that the customes of the Church, espeacially those that are not against faith, are so to be obserued, as they were deliuered from our auncestors.

And S. AVGVSTINE58 teacheth in this manner: If the authoritie of diuine Scripture doe prescribe any thing; there is no doubt, but that we ought so to doe, as we haue read: & so in like maner if the Church doe vse any thing through out the worlde, for to dispute, that a man ought not so to doe: were a part of most insolent madnesse. And againe the same: In59 those matters wherin the worde of God hath set downe no certainty; the custome of Gods people, or the decrees of our Auncestours are to be holden as a lawe. And as the transgressours60 of diuine lawes, so also the contemners of the Churches customes are to be restrained.

Finally TERTVLLIAN a most learned and auncient writer of the Church, in one whole booke together disputeth61 against those, that doe admitte nothing that is not expresly set downe in the Scripture, & he contendeth very earnestly, that there be certaine vnwritten Traditions & obseruations of the Church, which none can take exceptions against, but heretikes only. But, If any man seem to be contentious, (that we may vse62 S. PAVLS words) We haue no such custome, nor the Church of God.

9. I pray you then what is the Church?

63THE Church is the whole multitude of all those that professe the faith and doctrine of Christ, which Christ the Prince of Pastors, committed both vnto S. PETER the Apostle, and also to his64 successours to be fedde and gouerned.

And therfore all Heretickes and Schismatickes doe not deserue the name of a Church, but do65 falsely arrogate the same vnto themselues: who although they seeme to professe the faith & doctrine of Christ: yet they refuse to be the sheepe of the high Pastour and Bishop which Christ hath made chiefe gouernor oer the sheepfold of the Church in his owne steed, & hath by perpetuall66 succession in the Romane Church continually preserued.

This Chaire of S. PETER, this primacy of the Church, whosoeuer doth deny & oppugn: first, they do not vnderstand the large promises of Christ,67 made vnto S. PETER, & the mysticall keies of the kingdome of heauen deliuered to him only, and many other thinges written of Saint PETER the68 Prince, the mouthe and head of the Apostles. Then they doe manifestly breake the peace and certaine order of the Church, which with-out an highe Bishop & his supereminent auctoritie, can neither be well gouerned nor kept long in vnitie, nor holde that sounde strength that is necessarie to beare out the violence of hell gates. Lastly they doe impudently discredite the Fathers, & their Coun cels and writings consenting all togither about this manifest69 note of the Church, yea and the consonant voyce of all Christianitie.

This Church and Her dignitie acknowledged Saint HIEROME; whose70 words are these: he that is ioined to PETERS chaire, is mine. Optatus of71 Africke hath acknowledged her; who witnesseth that among the true notes of the Church, the Chaire of Saint PETER is the principall.72 S. AVGVSTINE hath acknowledged Her; who writeth expresly, that in the Church of Rome the Soueraigntie of the See Apostolike hath al-waies florished. Saint73 Cyprian hath acknowledged her; who imputeth the cause of all Haeresies and Schismes that doe growe, to this alone; that men doe not obey one highe Priest, & Iudge in Christ his roome. Saint Ambrose 74 hath acknowledged Her; in so much that he hath saide, that in all thinges he did couet to followe the Romane Church.

And more auncient than al these, and neere vnto the Apostles time, that very Apostolicall man Ireneus, 75 giueth such a testimoniall of con mendation to the Church of Rome: To this Church saith he, because of the chiefer principallitie, it is necessary that all the Church haue recourse, that is to say, all the faithful that are dispersed in all places: in which Church by those that are in all places of the world hath alwaies ben conserued the Apostolical Tradition.

10. What dignitie and auctoritie hath the Church?

ALmightie God doth aduance his Church,76 of all thinges vpon earth the moste deerest vnto him, with many & most excellent dowries, promises, and benefits. Her, he doth alwaies adorne, preserue, defend and maintaine.

Her also he hath appointed to be his77 house, wherin all the Sones of God, may be cherished, taught and exercised.

His pleasure was to make Her the78 piller & grounde of trueth, that we may not doubt any whit of Her doctrine, which as a maistres, keeper, & interpreter of the trueth, obtaineth credite and authority inuiolable.

Moreouer, he hath determined that she should be builded vpon a sure79 Rocke; that we might assuredly knowe how she is vnmoueable & stedfast; and how she preuaileth as vnuanquishable against the very gates80 of hell, to wit, the most sharpe and grieuous assaultes of all aduersaries.

Finally he will haue Her to be a certaine Cittie81 most holy set vpon a hill, apparant to all men, and easie to goe vnto: least any man forsaking Her,82 might betake himselfe to the pestiferous dennes & dungeons of Haeretickes; and being seduced with those false speaches,83 Beholde here is Christ, beholde there; might depart and be with-drawne from her.

This is the84 Louer, Sister and only spouse of Christ, which holy Scripture proposeth and commendeth vnto vs, for whose85 Redemption, clensing, Sanctification, gathering together,86 & wholy vniting vnto himselfe: the Sonne of God, did and suffered all thinges, in so much as he doubted not to geue his most holy body and blood for the loue of her.

For Her he asked87 & obtained, that Her faith, vnity & stedfastnesse might neuer faile.

To her88 he hath promised, and faithfully89 sent downe and lefte a teacher, president and gouernour, and the holy Ghost: Hee, 90 saieth he, shall teach you all thinges, and suggest vnto you all thinges, whatsoeuer I shall say to you: hee 91 shall abide with you for euer: He shall 92 teach you all truth, to witte whatsoeuer is necessarie to be knowne and beleeued.

11. By whom I pray you dothe the holy Ghost teach vs the trueth in the Church?93

BY those vndoubtedlye, whom the Apostle witnesseth to be ordained by the holy Ghost, to gouerne the Church: whom he calleth Bishops, Prelats, Pastours also and Doctours. And these94 after the Apostles haue bene euer & yet are the chiefe Ministers of God & of the Church, & high Stewardes and Dispensors95 of the mysteries of Almightie God.

The authority of whom both in many other thinges and espeacially in the Sacred96 Synods may euidently be seene: where they haue not only power to determine certaine thinges of Faith & Religion: but also by their owne right and Apostolike auctority, to proteste and say; It hath seemed good to the holye Ghost and vs, as it appeareth by the actes of the first Councell holden97 at Hierusalem. It was certes of olde, a very heinous crime, & such a one as was punished by98 death, if any man had not obeied the iudgemente of the Highe-Prieste, that gouerned the99 chaire of MOYSES. And yet the100 Church hath now autority in gouerning, iudgeing and decreeing, no whitte inferiour to that, which then the Synagog had. That Lawe of obedience that was amongest the Iewes, standeth also in force amongst the Christian: that the iudgementes of the Highe-Preists, whose dignity and authority is most excellent; about101 all such matters as doe belong vnto Religion, bee receiued, approoued, and obserued.

And therefore they do incur the guilte of an enormous crime, who are so far off from yeelding anie authority & obedience vnto the Magistrates of the Church; that they presume euen openly to oppugne & abolishe, sometime the holy102 Laws of the High-Bishoppes, who haue alwaies hadde103 supreame power and authority to determine of holy things: And sometime the reuerend decrees of general Counsails, whose autority in the Church, as S. AVGVSTINE104 speaketh is most holesome: Finally sometime the vndoubted sentences of the Fathers about matters of faith, whose general iudgement, &105 consent in one matter, is a firme testimonie of Christian verity. It was very notablely spoken of good, and deuoute Emperors: He doth 106 iniurie to the iudgement of the Counsaile, whosoeuer goeth about to call into question & publike disputation, those thinges that are once iudged, and rightlie disposed.

12. To what end is this diuine ordinance and appointment, that there bee alwaies Pastours & Doctours in the Churcb?

THis ordinance of God is not a little profitable and holesome for vs, by which the power and holie gouernemente of the Church, doth107 farre excell all Ciuil autoritie. For this is a spirituall power, by which the Christian people is singularly furthered in the atcheiuing of spirituall and eternall good thinges.

And first, It profiteth that wee may vse the wordes of108 S. PAVL to the consummation of the Saints: that is to say, that they which doe exercise that power, may exhibite euery109 man perfite in Christ, as the same Apostle speaketh in an other place, and by their diligence bring the faithfull to that perfection of holinesse,110 to which they haue bene called.

It profiteth also; to the worke of the ministerie, that they which are called and are in deede the chiefe ministers of the Church, may be alwaies111 vigilant and carefull according to the great and highe function con mitted vnto their charge.

It profiteth besides;112 vnto the edifying of the body of Christ, that these spirituall and wise Architectes 113 may knowe, that about the114 misticall body of Christ, which requireth a singuler industrie in the building, they must be continually occupied; sometime to lay and fortifie the foundations of true faith; sometime to builde115 vp other things necessarie, to the perfit righteousnesse of the faithfull.

It profiteth finally;116 that we be not children, wauering and caried about with euery winde of doctrine, in the wickednesse of men, that is to say: for the weaker sorte (which are alwaies in the Church very many in number) the function of Ecclesiasticall Prelates is very necessary: espeacially at such time as the tempestes of heresies, and the stormes of117 persecutions doe beate into the house of the Church. For then there is need of the present helpe of those, who according to their authoritie both will & can keepe118 off the wolues, defende the sheepe, roote out the cockle, & confirme sound doctrine, least otherwise the simple be seduced by the words, writinges, & examples of deceiptful & wicked persons,119 from the kingly rodeway of truth: but rather that all, not only knowing the truth, but practising the same; may growe and goe forwarde in him that is the heade, Christ our Lorde, as the same Apostle S. PAVL120 hath also spoken.

13. By what meanes may we obtaine these so singuler commodities?

BY this no doubt; if we be not to highlye,121 but soberly wise; alwaies carefull to122 keepe the vnitie of spirite in the bande of peace, that so wee maye shewe our selues the humble and obedient sheepe of Christ. Of which sheepe certes it is the propertie,123 to flie the wolues: and not to followe Aliens but their owne Pastours:124 to submit thenselues to then, as to the ordinarie Prefectes of our Lords folde, and in them to heare the125 spirite of truth.

That spirite it is, which vouchsafeth euen by euill126 Prelates, to teach, feed, and preserue our Lords flocke: and which by them, commendeth vnto vs the precepts both of God our Father and the Church our Mother, in thess wordes:127 Heare my sonne the discipline of thy father, and doe not let goe the lawe of thy mother. And againe the same doth inculcate; Keepe saith 128 he, my sonne the preceptes of thy father, and doe not let goe the lawe of thy mother.

14. Which are the precepts of the Church?

THere are fiue principall, necessarie doubtlesse to be knowne and obserued of euery Christian.

1. 129 The appointed holy daies of the Church doe thou celebrate.

2. 130 The holy office of the Masse, vpon holy daies, doe thou heare with reuerence.

3. 131 The Fastes on certaine daies and times appointed, doe thou obserue. For example, as the Lent, imber daies, and the nexte daies before certaine solempne feastes, which our forefathers haue132 called vigils or euens, bicause they did vse at such times all night to watch in the Churches.

4. 133 Thy Sinnes to thy proper Priest doe thou euery yeere confesse.

5. 134 The holy Eucharist, at the least once in the yeere and that about the feast of Easter doe thou receaue.

15. What profite doth the obseruation of these precepts bring?

THese and other the like customes, & precepts of the Church so manie ages receiued, and with great consent & practise of deuoute Christians, confirmed, and very agreable to pietie and reason: doe bring with them very notable and excellent commodities.

For they are holsome exercises of faith, humilitie, and Christian obedience: they doe aduance honest135 discipline and concorde among the people: they are goodly signes & badges of Religion: finally they giue markes and tokens of our inwarde pietie, by which we oughte iointly to shine with the good, and to shew our light to the euill for136 their edification.

Breifly, they doe helpe vs to this, that we may exactly obserue that rule of the Apostle; Let all thinges 137 be done honestly, and according to order among you.

16. Wherein, is the authoritie of the Church necessarie vnto vs?

FIrst of all surely in this, that we may certainlie138 discerne the true and canonicall Scripture from that which is counterfet and apocryphall. Whereupon Saint HIEROME doth testifie: we receiue, saith he, the139 olde and new Testament, in that number of bookes, which the authority of the holy Catholike Church doth deliuer. And140 Saint AVGVSTINE: I truely would not beleeue the Gospell, excepte the authoritie of the Catholike Church did moue me thereunto.

It is also necessarie; that we may be assured of the141 true sense and apte interpretation of the Scripture: least that otherwise we neuer make an end of doubting and disputing about the sense of the wordes. For all Heretickes, as the same holy Saint142 hath written: doe labour to defend their false and deceiptfull opinions by the holy Scriptures, and yet the Scriptures doe not consist in reading, but in vnderstanding: as witnesseth143 Saint HIEROME. Thirdly; that in the waightier questions144 and controuersies of faith that may fall out, there may be some145 Iudge by whose authoritie matters may be moderated. For as that is most true that146 EPIPHANIVS teacheth against Heresies, that all thinges can not be had out of the Scriptures: so doth147 Saint AVGVSTINE most rightlye affirme: that the authoritie of the Catholike Church is of speciall waighte and value for our faith and assurance in a doubtful case. Neither can the holy Ghost be wanting to the Church to leade her (as Christ hath148 promised) into all trueth.

Againe; that for the diuersitie of persons, places, and times, canons149 may be ordained, perfite discipline preserued, and iudgementes pronounced. For to the Church,150 hath God giuen this power to edification, and not to destruction. Moreouer; to the intente that the stubbourne and rebellious persons may feele that151 power of chastising and excommunication, which Christ hath ordained, and Sainte152 PAVL exercised: and by the same may be corrected & repressed. Here vpon153 S. AVGVSTINE: they, saith he, that gouern in the Church, maye exercise discipline, so it bee without tumulte and in peaceable manner, against the wicked & outragious.

Wherfore, in all these thinges, to omit many others, it is manifest that the Churches authoritie is not only profitable, but also necessarie: so that without the same, doubtlesse, the Christian common welth, might be thought nothing els but a very Babylonical confusion. And therefore, as we doe beleeue, the Scripture, and relie vpon it, and attribute vnto it speaciall authoritie, for the testimony of the holy Ghost speaking154 within it: so also doe we owe faith, reuerence, and obedience, to the Church; for that by Christ her heade and spouse, she is informed, endowed, & confirmed with the155 same spirite, so that it is not possible but that she be as she is called: the156 Piller and grounde of truth.

17. What is the fruite and commoditie of the whole doctrine touching the preceptes & Traditions of the Church?

IT is certes very greate and full of variety. And surely the first is, that we may knowe, that we are not tied to letters only, or to diuine Scriptures. For, to vse the words of Saint Ireneus: 157 What if the Apostles had lefte vs no Scriptures? must we not haue haue followed the order of Tradition, which they deliuered vnto them, to whom they committed the Churches? therfore hath S. BASILL158 saide very well: The verities which are helde and taught in the Church; some we haue out of the doctrine set forth in writing: some wee haue receiued from the Tradition of the Apostles, in mysterie, that is, in hidden and secrete manner. Both which, haue equall force and authoritie to the furtherance of pietie. And these no man will gainesay, that hath beene but euen meanly experienced; what the lawes of the Church are. And it can not be doubted, but that159 Christ and his Apostles, both did & taught many thinges, which although they are not written, yet they doe very much appertaine vnto vs and all posteritie. Of which S. PAVLL160 warning vs in generall, saith. For the rest, brethren, what thinges soeuer be true, whatsoeuer honest, whatsoeuer iust, whatsoeuer holye, whatsoeuer amiable, whatsoeuer of good name: if there be any vertue, if any praise of discipline: these thinges thinke vpon: which you haue both learned, and receiued, and heard, and seene in me: these thinges doe you, and the God of peace be with you.

The next commoditiy of them is, that we may rightly vse Christian libertie, which men giuen to idlenesse and riote, if euer at any time, now most of all doe make an occasion to the fleshe, as the161 Apostle speaketh: vnder pretence thereof they serue their filthy pleasures: & whatsoeuer in a manner they haue a fancie vnto, though it concerne euen the alteration of the decrees of Religion: they thinke it lawfull for them to doe.162 But from this prophane noueltie and rashnesse; the Apostolicall and Ecclesiasticall Doctrines, & decrees, do call away, defend, & terrifie vs: bridling mans licentiousnesse, & teaching vs to vse Christian liberty in a conuenient sort: to wit, so that163 being made free by Christ, from the yoke of sinne & bondage of the olde lawe, we may willingly & of our164 owne accorde performe Christian dutie: we may serue God in holinesse and iustice: we may followe the holy Ghost as our guide in the lawe of Charitie, being the seruauntes of iustice, the sonnes of obedience, the practisers of humilitie, the keepers of patience, and louers of penance, and of the Crosse. You, saith the165 Apostle, are called into libertie: only, make not this libertie an occasion to the flesh, but by charitie of spirite serue one another. To the nourishing & maintenance of which charitie of spirite in the dutifulnesse of an holy seruitude: both all honest thinges are profitable; and the deuoute obseruation of the Tradition of the Church, is vndoubtedlye most auaileable.

The last vse and commoditye is; that we may truly discerne betwene the lawfull and bastarde children of the Church, or betwene Catholikes and Heretikes. For166 the first, doe simply stay them selues in the doctrine of the Church, whether the same be deliuered vnto them in writing, as in the Bible; or approued by the Tradition of the Fathers. For they doe followe the worde of God: Doe 167 not goe beyond the auncient boundes, which thy Fathers haue set. But, the other which are Heretickes, doe swarue from this simplicitie of faith, & from the approued sentence of our reuerende mother the Church, & of the holy Fathers: and they trust to much either vnto them selues, or to those that haue reuolted from the Church: insomuch as euen being warned they doe not come backe & amend their error. And therfore of them hath Saint PAVL so seuerely decreed, when he saith: A man 168 that is an Hereticke, after the first and second admonition, auoide: knowing that he that is such a one, is subuerted. And to conclude with169 S. CYPRIAN, whosoeuer hath reuolted from the vnitie of the Church; he must needes be founde in the company of Heretickes.

18. What finally is the summe of all the premises?

THose thinges that from the beginninge hetherto haue bene handled, touchinge the summe of Christian doctrine; doe tend to this end: that the true wisdome of a Christian man might be described and set before vs: which is comprehended in these three170 vertues171 faith, hope, & charitie. By faith, the soule, doth172 firmlie consent vnto Gods truth, and relie vpon the same. By hope, she doth yet more173 neerelye apprehend the goodnesse of Almightie God, knowne now and conceiued by faith: finally174 by charitie she is ioined & vnited vnto God; and for God, to her neighbour.

Now as concerning faith: the Creed of the Apostles doth instruct vs, in that it setteth before vs those thinges that are espeacially to be beleeued & professed of euery Christian. And of those things that are to be hoped & praied for: our Lords praier hath informed vs. Then, vnto charitie; doe those thinges belong, which in the two Tables of the ten commandements are exhibited vnto vs.

It is therfore a very notable saying of175 ORIGEN: I doe thinke (saith he,) that faith is the first beginning, and the very foundation of saluation: & hope is the aduancement and encrease of the building: but that charitie is the perfection & toppe of the whole worke.

Happy then are they which176 heare and keepe the worde of God: and they that knowe the will of the Father & doe fulfill the same: walking and perseuering in faith, hope, and charitie, by the gouernment & protection of Christ our Lorde.

And this truly for the scope of our intention is sufficient, touching those chife and principall vertues, which, because they are infused by God, and doe make mortall men become diuine: are worthely called vertues Theologicall, and are rightly referred to Christian wisedome.

19. Is there any other thing that belongeth vnto Christian doctrine?

YEa verely: for the doctrine of the Sacramentes doth expresly appertaine therunto: that Christians may know, what instrumentes, as it were, they haue neede of, ordained by God, for the obtaining, exercising, encreasing, preseruing, yea and also repairing of177 faith, and hope, & espeacially charitie.

Yea and moreouer very true it is: that neither Christian wisdome, nor Christian Iustice can be established or holden without Sacraments: as without the which all178 Religion must needes be extinguished.

They therfore are of very great importance in Christian doctrine, and very requisite it is that we handle them in particuler.

Footnotes

  1. Iac. 4, 12. ↩

  2. Mat. 23, 8. ↩

  3. Mat. 19, 17. ↩

  4. Io. 20, 21 & 17, 18. ↩

  5. Luc. 10, 16. ↩

  6. Mat. 18.17. ↩

    1. Reg. 8, 14.
    ↩

  8. hom. 61 in Mat. & Bas. c. 30. constit. monasti. Theophylac. & Eutim. in c. 18. Mat. ↩

  9. Act. 15.42. et 16, 4. ↩

  10. Eccl. Hier cap. 1. Bas. de spir. Sanct. c. 27. Euseb. lib. 1. demonst. c. 8 Epiph. haer. 61. contra Apostolicos Tert. de cor. mil. c. 3. t. 4. ↩

    1. Io. 46.
    ↩

  12. Cyprian. de ablu. ped. Hiero. cont. Lucif. c. 4. Chrysost. in 2. ad Thef. hom. 4. ↩

    1. Thes. 2, 15. & ibid. Chrysost. & Theophylact.
    ↩
    1. Cor. 11, 2.
    ↩
    1. Thes. 3, 6.
    ↩
    1. Nicen. act. 7. & 8. Sinod. c. 1.
    ↩

  17. De ab. pedum. ↩

  18. Ibidem ↩

  19. In Epist. 118. ad Ian. cap. 1. ↩

  20. Lib. 4. c. 24. & lib. 2. c. 7. & lib. 5. cap. 28. ↩

  21. Ser. 2. de Ieiunio Pen tecostes. ↩

  22. in c. 6. ep. ad Rom. ↩

  23. l. 10. de gen. ad lit. c. 23. et con. Don. lib. 4. c. 24. ↩

  24. de Eccle. hier. c. 7. ↩

  25. in exhor. ad castit. c. 11. et de cor. mil. c. 3. et de monog. c. 10. ↩

  26. ad Marcell. ep 54. cont. erro. Montani. ↩

  27. haeresi. 75. Acrii. ↩

  28. in officio Mediolan. ↩

  29. in Liturgia. ↩

  30. l. 4. c. 17. & in orat. de Imag. ↩

  31. act. 6. tom. 4. & act. 7. ↩

  32. l. de spir. sanct. c. 27. ↩

  33. Ibidem. ↩

  34. c. 29. clus. dem li. ↩

  35. Ro. 13, 1. ↩

  36. Math. 15, 9. ↩

  37. Col. 2, 8.20. Mar. 7, 3. ↩

    1. Thes. 2, 15, Act. 15, 42. & 16, 4,
    ↩

  39. Aug. ep. ad Ian. 118. c. 1. & 2. & epist. 86. ad Casul. ↩

    1. Thess. 2, 15. 1. Cor. 11, 2
    ↩

  41. Mat. 18, 17. ↩

  42. Act. 15, 42. & 16.4. ↩

  43. Ro. 13, 1. Mat. 22, 21. ↩

  44. Mat. 23, 2. Luc. 10, 16. ↩

    1. Pet. 2, 13.
    ↩

  46. Ro. 13, 5. ↩

  47. Tit. 3, 1. ↩

  48. He. 13, 17 ↩

  49. Mat. 23, 2. ↩

    1. Thess. 438. 1. Cor. 14, 37.
    ↩

  51. Ioa. 20, 21. & 17, 18 & Luc. 10, 16. ↩

  52. Cyprian. epist. 69. ad Flor. Pas. cap. 23. constitut. mon. ↩

  53. Ro. 13, 2. ↩

  54. Bas. de Spir. Sanct. cap. 27. Aug. lib. 4. cont. Dona. c. 24. et l. 2. c. 7. et l. 5. c. 23. et 26. Epiph. haeresi. 55. Euseb. l. 3. histor. c. 30. ↩

  55. In cap. 3. ep. ad Tit. teste Pamphilo in apol. pro Origen. Iten. l. 4. c. 43 ↩

  56. l. 1. periar. in Proo mio. ↩

  57. ad Lucinium ep. 28 ↩

  58. ep. 118. cap. 5. ↩

  59. ad Casul. ep. 86. ↩

  60. Distinct. 11. c. in his. ↩

  61. Lib. de praescript. ↩

    1. Cor. 11, 16.
    ↩

  63. Rom. 12, 4. 1. Cor. 12, 12. 1. Pet. 5, 4. Io. 21, 15. Mat. 16, 18. ↩

  64. Chryso. l. de Sacerdoti. Conc. Flor. Bern. l. 2. de consid. c. 8. ↩

  65. Hier. cont. Lucif. c. 9. Cypr. epist. 69. ↩

  66. Iren. l. 3. c. 3. Tert. l. 3. con. Mar. c. 9. Optat. l. 2. Aug. ep. 165. et 42. et in Ps. cont. partem Donat. et lib. 2. contr. lit. Petil. c. 51, ↩

  67. Mat. 16, 18. Io. 21, 15. Luc. 22,, 31 Mat. 10, 2. Ioan. 1, 42. Mat. 17, 24. Act. 1.15. ↩

  68. Cypr. de simpl. Hil. et Hier. in c. 16. Mat. Hier. in Ion. l. 1. c. 14. Ciril. l. 2. in Io. c. 12 Aug. Tr. 56. et 124. in Io. Orig. ho. 2. in diuers. et tract. 6. in Mat. Bas. de paenit. Chry. ho. 87 in Io. et 55. in Mat. et. 9. de paenit. et ser. de caten. et gladio S. Pet. et ho. in SS. Petrum et Eliam Leo. ser. 3. de anniuers. et ep. 89. ad Epis. Vien. ↩

  69. Aug. cont. ep. Fund. c. 4. et de vtilitate cred. c. 17. et lib. 11. cont. Faustum. cap. 2. ↩

  70. ad Dam ep. 58. et ep. 57. ad cund. ↩

  71. l. 2. cont. Donat. ↩

  72. ep. 162. 90. 92. 93. 165. ↩

  73. ep. 55. & 69. Hier. cont. Lucif. c. 4. Leo. ep. 84. ad Anast. cap. 11. ↩

  74. l. 3. de sacram. c. 1. & de obitu Satyr. ↩

  75. Lib. 3. c. 3. Tert. de praescrip. cap. 36. Cypr. ep. 45. & 46. Theod. l 2. hist. cap. 4. Ber. ep. 190. ad Innoc. & lib. 2. de con sid. cap. 8. Con. Chalc. action. 3. Anaclet. ep. 1. & 3. Marcell. ep. 1. Synedus Alexand. ad Foelicem. ↩

    1. Cor. 12.28 Ephes. 5, 25. Io. 14, 15.26 & 16, 12. & 17, 11.17. Mat. 28, 20. & 16, 18. Psal. 120, 4.
    ↩
    1. Tim. 3, 15. Ps. 22, 2. Io. 10, 16.
    ↩
    1. Tim. 3, 15. Aug. lib. 1. cont. Cre cap. 33. 2. cap. 32.
    ↩

  79. Mat. 1 18. & 7, 25. Ephes. 2, 20. Psal. 86, 2. & 47, 9. Aug. in Psal. 47. Alcim. lib. 4. cap. 14. ↩

  80. Mat. 16, 18. ↩

  81. Apo. 21, 2 Mat. 5, 15. Esa. 2, 2. Mich. 4, 1. Mal. 1, 11. Act. 1, 8. P. 21, 26.28. ↩

    1. Io. 2, 19.
    ↩

  83. Mat. 24, 23. & ibid. Orig. tract. 29. & 30. ↩

  84. Cant. 4, 7 & 6, 8. ↩

  85. Ephes. 5, 26. ↩

  86. Io. 11, 52. Col. 1, 18.24 Eph. 4, 12. & 1, 22. ↩

  87. Io. 17, 21 Luc. 22, 31. Mat. 16, 18. ↩

  88. Io. 14, 15.26. et 15, 26. & 16, 12. ↩

  89. Act. 2, 4 ↩

  90. Io. 14, 26 ↩

  91. Ibidem 16. ↩

  92. Io. 16, 13 Aug. tract. 97. in Mat. ↩

  93. Act. 20, 28. 1. Tim. 3, 2. Heb. 13, 17. Ephes. 4, 12. 1. Cor. 12, 28. ↩

  94. Aug. in Psal. 44. ↩

    1. Cor. 4, 1.
    ↩

  96. Can. Apost. 38. Conc. 1. Nic. Soz. l. 6. c. 7. Theodos. imper. apud Cyrillum ep. 4. Basil. imperat. in 8. Synod. act. 10. Atha. in ep. ad solit. vitan: agentes Ruff. lib. 1. hist. ca. 5. ↩

  97. Act. 15, 28. ↩

  98. Deut. 17, 12. ↩

  99. Mat. 23.2. ↩

  100. Cypr. ep. 55. ad Corn. & ep. 62. ad Pomp. ↩

  101. Greg. l. 1. ep. 24. ad Patriar. et l. 2. indict. 11. ep. 10. ad Sauin. Niceph. l. 16. ca. 33. ↩

    1. Conc. Tol. c. 1. dist. 19. et 9. qu. 1 Patet. et seq.
    ↩

  103. Hier. ad Damas. ep. 57. et 58. Chalc. Syn. act. 3. in epi. ad Leon. 6. Syn. act. 4. ↩

  104. ep. 118. c. 1. et l 1. con. Donat. c. 18. Greg. vt supra. ↩

  105. Vin. Lirinens. cont. Nouat. Aug. l. 1. & 2. contr. Iul. Pacian. ep. 1. ad Sympron. ↩

  106. Actio. 3. Con. Chalc. Gelas. in ep. ad Epi. Dar. Leo. ep. 43. & 50. ad Mart. & 78. ad Leonem Augustum. ↩

  107. Chrys. l. 3 de sacerd. & ho. 4. & 5. de verb. Isa. Ignat. ad Smyrnenses. Ambr. in exhort. ad Virgines & l. 2. de dignit. sacerd. cap 2. ↩

  108. Eph. 4, 12 ↩

  109. Col. 1.28. ↩

    1. Thes. 4, 7. 2. Tim 3, 17. 2. Cr. 13, 11.
    ↩

  111. Act. 20, 28. Heb. 13, 17. Cypr ep. 66. ad Furn. ↩

  112. Eph. 4, 12. ↩

    1. Cor. 3, 10.
    ↩

  114. Eph. 1, 23. Col. 1, 18.24. Eph. 2, 21. ↩

    1. Cor. 3, 12.
    ↩

  116. Eph. 4, 14 1. Cor. 14, 20. Ro. 15, 1 Act. 14, 21. 1. Thess. 3, 2 & 4, 1. Ezech. 34, 2. ↩

  117. Mat. 7, 25. ↩

  118. Act 20, 29. Eze 33, 6. 2. Tim. 2, 23.25. & 4, 2. Tit. 1, 9.10.11. ↩

    1. Pet. 2, 1. & 3, 3. Ro. 16, 17. Iud 17.4 10 Mat. 7.15.
    ↩

  120. Ephes. 4, 15. ↩

  121. Ro. 12, 3. ↩

  122. Eph. 4, 3. Io. 10, 2. & 21, 17. ↩

  123. Io. 10, 2. Tit. 3, 1. Heb. 13, 17. Mat. 10, 20. ↩

  124. Bern. de praecep. & disp. c. 12. ↩

  125. Io. 15, 26 et 14, 17. et 16, 13. ↩

  126. Mat. 23, 2. Phil. 1, 15. Io. 11, 51. Mat. 18.17. Deut. 17, 12 ↩

  127. Pro. 1, 8. see Epiphan haer. 75. ↩

  128. Pro. 6, 20 ↩

  129. Conc. Lugdun. apud Iuonen. p. 4. c. 14. 2. Matiscon. c. 1. Mogunt. c. 36. et 37. Tribur. c. 35. Ignat. ad Philip. ↩

  130. Conc. Agath. c. 47. et 21. Tribur. c. 35. 1. Aurel. ca. 28. ↩

  131. Canon. Apost. 68. Gangren. c. 19. Ignat. ad Phil. Mog. c. 34. et 35. Salegunst. c. 1. et 2. Ber. in vig. S. Andreae. See the places cited in the treatis of good works in the 4. question. ↩

  132. Tert. l. 2. ad Vxo. c. 4. et in apolog cap. 2. ↩

  133. Sinod. Lateran. can. 21. Triden. sess. 14. c. 8. ↩

  134. Lateran. & Trident. sess. 13. can. 9. ↩

  135. Phil. 4, 8. 1. Cor. 14, 26.40. ↩

  136. Mat. 5, 17. Ro. 15, 2. Phil. 2, .14. ↩

    1. Cor. 14 40.
    ↩

  138. Gal. 2, 2. 1. Tolc. c. 25. Aug. ser. 129 de temp. & li. 13. contra. Faust. c. 4. & 5. et l. 28. c. 2 & 4. ↩

  139. in sym. ad Damasu. & et Aug. ser. 19. 1. de ten. Conc. Laod c. 59. Conc. 3. Carth. c. 47. Conc. Trid. sess. 4. ↩

  140. Cont. ep. Fund. c. 5. ↩

  141. Esa. 59, 21. Aug. l. 1. c. 33. cont. Cresco et de vnit. Eccle. c. 22. Trid. ses. 4. Vin. Lir. contr. nouatores ↩

  142. lib. 1. de Trinit. c. 3. Hillar. l. 2. ad Constanti. Vinc. Lir. ↩

  143. Cont. Lucif. c. 9. & in c. 1. ad Gal. Hilar. l. 2. de Trin. ↩

  144. Deut. 17.8. ↩

  145. Act. 15, 2 ↩

  146. haer. 61. cont. Apostolicos. ↩

  147. l. 11. con. Faust. c. 2 & l. 7. c n. Donat. c. 53. et in Ps. 57. ↩

  148. Io. 14, 16. & 16, 13. ↩

  149. Can. Ap. 38. et Synod. 1. Nic. c. 5. Lateran. Can. 6. ↩

    1. Cor. 10, 8. & 13, 10.
    ↩

  151. Mat. 18, 17. et ibi Hieron. ↩

    1. Cor. 5, 3. 1. Tim. 1, 20.
    ↩

  153. l. de fid. et op. c. 5. & 3. & l. 3. con. Parm. c. 2. Greg. ho. 26 in Euang. Chrysost. l. 3. de Sacerd. ↩

    1. Pet. 1, 19. 2. Tim. 3.16 Mat. 18, 17. Io. 14, 16.26 & 16, 12.
    ↩

  155. Act. 2, 4. Eph. 4, 4. ↩

    1. Tim. 3, 15.
    ↩

  157. Lib. 3. c. 4 Epi. haer. 61. ↩

  158. Lib. de spir. sanct. c. 27. ↩

  159. Io. 20, 30 & 21.25. Aug. ep. 108 ad seleucianam. ↩

  160. Phil. 4, 8. ↩

  161. Gal. 5, 13 2. Pet. 2, 19. ↩

  162. Aug. ep, 118 cap. 1. & 5. ↩

    1. Pet. 1, 18. Ro. 6, 18.22. Gal. 3, 13. & 4, 31. Ro. 8, 2.
    ↩

  164. Psa. 53, 8. Col. 3, 23. Luc. 1, 71. 2. Cor. 3, 17 Ro. 6, 22. 1. Cor. 9, 19. 1. Pet. 1, 22. & 2, 20. Luc. 21, 19. Mat. 4, 1.7. & 16, 14. ↩

  165. Gal. 5, 1 ↩

  166. Vincen. Liren. ↩

  167. Pro. 22, 28. Eccli. 8, 11. Deut. 32, 7. Hier. c, 16. ↩

  168. Tit. 3, 10. ↩

  169. ad Pompeium. ↩

  170. Aug. l. 2. tetr. c. 63. ↩

    1. Cor. 13, 13. 2. Tim. 2, 22
    ↩

  172. Heb. 11.1 ↩

  173. Gal 5, 5. ↩

  174. Ro. 8, 38. Io. 14, 21.23 Ro. 13, 8. Aug. in Enchir. c. 7. ↩

  175. in cap. 4. ep. ad Rom. ↩

  176. Luc. 11, 28. Ro. 2, 13. Luc. 6, 46. Mat. 7, 21.24. et 19, 17. et 25, 35. Io. 15, 2. Mat. 10, 22. et 24, 13. ↩

  177. Aug. in Io. Tract. 120. ↩

  178. Aug. l. 19 cont. Faust. c. 11. et de vera relig. c. 17 et ep. 118. cap. 1. ↩

Chapter 9 of 36