That aboue al other Guifts they should seek after Charitie: as that without which nothing
profiteth, 4. and which doth al as is to be done, and remaineth also in Heauen.
1.
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The Epistle vpon the Sunday of Quinquagesme, called Shroue-sunday.
IF I speake with the tongues of men, and of Angels, and haue
Not charitie.
Charitie.
Without charitie, both toward euery particular person, and specially toward the
common body of the Church, none of the guifts and graces of God be profitable.
not charitie, I am
become as sounding brasse, or a tinkling cymbal.
2. And if I should haue prophecie, and knew al mysteries, and al knowledge, & if I
should
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This proueth that faith is nothing worth to saluation without workes, and that there
may be true faith without charitie.
haue al faith so that I could remoue mountaines, and haue not charitie, I am nothing.
3. And if I should distribute al my goods to be meate for the poore, and if I
should
Deliuer my body.
False Martyrs.
Beleeue (saith S. Augustin) assuredly and hold for certaine, that no
Heretikes and schismatikes that vniteth not himself to the Catholike Church again,
how great almes soeuer he giue, yea or shead his bloud for Christes name, can
possibly be saued. For many Heretikes by the cloke of Christes cause deceiuing the
simple suffer much. But where true faith is not, there is no iustice, because the
iust liueth by faith. So it is also of Schismatikes, because where charitie is not,
iustice can there be none: which if they had, the would neuer plucke in peeces the
body if Christ which is the Church. Aug. seu Fulg. de fide ad Pet. c. 39. So saith
S. Aug. in diuers places, not only of Heretikes that died directly for defense of
their heresie, as the Anabaptistes and Caluinists now adaies doe (for that is more
damnable:) but of some Heretikes and Schismatikes that may die among the Heathen or
Turkes for defense of truth or some Article of Christes religion. Aug. de verb.
Do. ser. 50. c. 2. & in Ps. 34 conc. 2. prope finem. Cypr. de vnit. Ec. nu. 8.
deliuer my body so that I burne, and haue not charitie, it doth profit me nothing.
4. Charitie is patient, is benigne: Charitie enuieth not, dealeth not peruersly: is
not puffed vp,
5. is not ambitious, seeketh not her owne, is not prouoked to anger, thinketh not
euil,
6. reioyceth not vpon iniquitie, but reioyceth with the truth:
7. suffereth al things, beleeueth al things, hopeth al things, beareth al things.
8. Charitie neuer falleth away: whether prophecies shal be made void, or tongues shal
cease, or knowledge shal be destroied.
9. For in part we know, & in part we prophecie.
10. But
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By this text S. Augustin lib. 22. ciu. c. 29. proueth that the Saints in
Heauen haue more perfect knowledge of our affaires here, then they had when they
liued here.
when that shal come that is perfect, that shal be made void that is in part.
11. When I was a litle one, I speake as a litle one, I vnderstood as a litle one, I
thought as a litle one. But when I was made a man, I did away the things that belonged to a
litle one.
12. We see now by a glasse in a darke fort: but then face to face. Now I know in part:
but then I shal know as also I am knowen.
13. And now there remaine, faith, hope, charitie,
These three.
The 3. vertues Theological. Charitie lost by mortal sinne, not faith
These are the three vertues Theological, each one by nature and definition distinct
from another: and faith is by nature the first, and may be and often is before, and
without Charity: and truely remaineth in diuers after they haue be deadly sinne lost
charitie. Beware therfore of the Heretikes opinion, which is, that by euery mortal
sinne faith is lost no lesse then charitie.
these three: but the
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Charitie is of al the three the greatest. How then doth only faith, being
inferiour to it saue & iustifie and not charitie?
greater of these
is charitie.