PREFACE

TO THE THIRD BOOK.

Cyprian to my son Quirinus greeting.

ario.

With that faith and devotedness which you manifest toward the Lord God, you asked me, most dear son, to extract, for your instruction, from the Holy Scriptures, certain points which bore upon the religious discipline of our school. Secta. Your wish was to peruse the divine writings, in a succinct method; that so a mind which has given itself to God, not wearied by the length or number of volumes, but instructed out of a breviary of heavenly precepts, may have store whole-brevisome and large, for the nurturing of its memory. And because I owe an affectionate attention to your wishes, I have done that for which you asked, and have given myself labour for once, lest you should have labour always. So far then as my poor ability could compass, I have gathered together some precepts of the Lord and precedents divine; which will be convenient and instructive to the reader, since a few passages laid within shortened space, may be read with more speed, and gone over oftener. Dearest son, it is my wish that all health may ever attend you.

Heads of the third Book.

1. On the benefit of works and mercy.

2. In charity and alms, though through smallness of means

the act be less, yet that the will is sufficient.

operis.

3. That love and brotherly affection is to be religiously and agapen.

stedfastly exercised.

F

TREAT.
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Duties and graces of the Christian.

4. We must glory in nothing, because nothing is our own. 5. That humility and quietness must be kept hold on in all things.

6. That all good and just men have more trouble, but ought to bear it because they are being tried.

7. That we must not grieve the Holy Spirit, whom we have received.

8. That anger must be conquered, lest it force us to sin. 9. That brethren ought to bear one another up.

10. In God alone are we to trust, and in Him to glory.

11. That he who has attained unto faith, having put off the old man, ought to think only of heavenly and spiritual things, and lean not towards a world which he has now renounced.

12. That we must not swear.

13. That we must not curse.

14. That we must never murmur, but concerning all things which befal, must bless God.

15. To this end that men are tried by God, that they may be proved.

16. Of the benefit of Martyrdom.

17. That those are less things which we suffer in this world, than is the reward which is promised.

18. That nothing is to be preferred to the love of God and Christ.

19. That we must obey not our own will, but that of God. 20. That fear is the foundation and ground of hope and faith.

21. That we must not rashly judge concerning another. 22. When we have suffered an injury, it must be remitted and forgiven.

23. We must not return evil.

24. That it is impossible to come unto the Father, except through His Son Jesus Christ.

25. That except a man be baptized and born again, he cannot come to the kingdom of God.

26. That to be baptized and to receive the Eucharist is a opere, i. little thing, unless a man improve in deeds and works.

e. charitable

27. That the baptized also loses the grace he has been works. admitted to, except he keep innocency.

Duties and graces of the Christian.

67

28. That remission cannot be to him in the Church, whose

sin is against God.

29. Concerning the hatred of the Christian Name, it was simply before prophesied.

30. What a man has vowed to God, he must pay quickly.
31. That he who believeth not, is already judged.
32. On the benefit of virginity and continency.

:

33. That the Father judgeth nothing, but the Son and that the Father is not honoured by him, by whom the Son is not honoured.

34. That the believer ought not to live like the Gentile. 35. That God is to this end patient, that we may repent us of our sin, and be reformed.

36. That a woman ought not to be secularly adorned.

37. That the believer ought not to be punished for other offences besides his Name.

38. That the servant of God ought to be innocent, lest he fall into secular punishment.

39. That the example of living is given to us in Christ.

nominis.

nomen.

40. That works must not be done boastingly or with operannoise.

41. That we must not speak idly and jeeringly.

42. That faith altogether profits, and that we are able to do, in proportion as we believe.

43. That he can immediately obtain, who truly believes. 44. That when the faithful have a matter against one another, they ought not to make use of a Gentile judge.

45. That hope is of things future; and that therefore the believer in those things which are promised, ought to be patient.

46. That a woman ought to be silent in the Church.

47. That it comes from our sin and deservings that we are troubled, and do not feel the help of God in all things. 48. That we must not take usury.

49. That even enemies are to be beloved.

50. That the Sacrament of Faith is not to be profaned.

51. That none ought to extol himself in his work.

52. That the liberty of believing or not believing is placed in free choice.

dum.

opere suo.

in arbitrio.

TREAT.

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Duties and graces of the Christian.

53. That God's secrets cannot be seen through, and therefore our faith ought to be simple.

54. That none is without filth and without sin.

55. That we must please, not men, but God.

56. That none of those things that are done is unseen by God.

57. That the believer is made better, and reserved.

58. That none ought to be made sad by death, since in living there is trouble and peril, in dying peace and certainty of resurrection.

59. Concerning the idols, which the Gentiles think gods. 60. That too great lust of food is not to be sought after. 61. That the lust of gain, and money, are not to be sought after.

62. That marriage is not to be made with Gentiles.

63. That the sin of fornication is a grievous sin.

64. What are those carnal things, which beget death; and what those spiritual, which lead to life.

65. That all sins are put off in Baptism.

66. That the Discipline of God in Church precepts is to be observed.

67. That it is foretold, that they would despise wholesome Discipline.

68. That we must withdraw from him who lives disorderly, and contrary to Discipline.

69. That the kingdom of God is not in the wisdom of the world, or in eloquence, but in the faith of the Cross, and virtuousness of conversation.

70. That we must obey Parents.

71. Neither ought fathers to be bitter toward their children. 72. That slaves when they have believed, ought the more

to obey their masters according to the flesh.

73. That masters also ought to become more mild.

74. That all widows who are approved are to be honoured. 75. That each person should chiefly take care of them who

belong to himself, and especially of believers.

76. That one who is older is not to be rashly accused.
77. That he who sins is to be publicly rebuked.

78. That we must not speak with heretics.

79. That innocency asks with confidence, and obtains.

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69

80. That the devil has no liberty against man, unless God permit.

81. That payment must quickly be made to the hireling. 82. That divination is not to be used.

83. That the corner of the head is not to be rounded.

84. That the beard is not to be plucked.

85. That we must rise up, when Bishop or Presbyter

comes.

86. That schism must not be made, even though he who secedes remain in one faith and in the same tradition.

87. That the faithful ought to be simple as well as prudent. 88. That a brother must not be defrauded.

89. That the end of the world comes suddenly.

90. That the wife is not to separate from her husband; or if she separate, is to remain unmarried.

91. That every one is so much tempted, as he is able to bear.

92. That not whatsoever is lawful is to be done.

93. It is foretold that heresies should be.

94. That the Eucharist is to be received with fear and honour.

95. That we must company with the good, and avoid the wicked.

96. That our works must be in deeds, not in words.

operandum.

97. That we must hasten to Faith, and to the attainment simply

of Baptism.

98. That the catechumen ought now to sin no more. 99. That judgment will be according to the times; either of equity, before the Law; or after Moses, of the law. 100. That the grace of God should be given freely. 101. That the Holy Spirit hath often appeared in fire. 102. That all good men ought willingly to hear reproof. 103. That we must withhold from much speaking. 104. That we must not lie.

105. That they are oftentimes to be corrected, who err in domestic duty.

106. That when injury has been received, patience is to be kept, and vengeance to be left to God.

107. That we must not speak detractingly.

108. That we must not lay snares against a neighbour.

consecutionem.