To teach them obedience vnto Princes, and meeknes towardes al men, considering that we also
were as they, til God of his goodnes brought vs to baptisme. 9 To teach good workes, 9 And to
auoid vaine questions, 10 and obstinate Heretikes.
1. ADMONISH them to be subiect to Princes and Potestates, to obey at a word, to be ready
to euery good worke,
2. to blaspheme no man, not to be litigious, but modest: shewing al mildnes toward
al men.
3. For we also were sometime vnwise, incredulous, erring, seruing diuers desires and
voluptuousnesses, liuing in malice and enuie, odible, hating one another.
4. But when
⋮
The Epistle at the 2. Masse on Christmas day, & within the octaue, and in the
Votiue Masse of our B. Lady between Christmas and Candlemas.
the benignitie and
✟
φιλαθϱωπία
kindnes toward man of our Sauiour God appeared:
5.
*
2. Tim. 1,9.
not by the workes of Iustice which we did, but according to his mercie he hath
saued vs
✟
As before in the Sacrament of holy Orders (1. Tim. 4. and 2 Tim. 1.) so
here it is plaine that Baptisme giueth grace, & that by it as by an instrumental
cause we be saued.
by the lauer of regeneration and renouation of the Holy Ghost,
6. whom he hath powred vpon vs aboundantly by Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ Christ our Sauiour:
7. that being iustified by his grace, we may be heires according to hope of
life euerlasting.
8.
*
1 Tim. 4.
It is a faithful saying, and of these things I wil haue thee auouch earnestly:
that they which beleeue in God, be careful to excel in good workes. These things be good and
profitable for men.
9. But
*
2. Tim. 2,23.
foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and controuersies of the
Law auoid. For they are vnprofitable and vaine.
10. A man that is an heretike after the first and second
✟
These admonitions or correptions must be giuen to such as erre, by our
Spiritual Gouernours and Pastours: to whom if they yeald not, Christian men
must auoid them.
admonition auoid:
11. knowing that he that is such an one, is subuerted, and sinneth, being condemned
by his owne iudgement.
12. When I shal send to thee Artemas or Tychicus, hasten to come vnto me to
Nicopolis. For there I haue determined to winter.
13. Set forward Zenas the lawyer and Appollos carefully, that nothing be wanting to
them.
14. And let our men also learne
✟
πϱοίςασθαι
præesse.
to excel in good workes to necessarie vses: that they
be not vnfruitful.
15. Al that are with me, salute thee: salute them that loue vs in the faith. The grace
of God be with you al. Amen.
ANNOTATIONS.
Cʜᴀᴘ. III.
10. A man that is an Heretike.)
Who is properly an Heretike, and who is not. Descriptions or markes how to know an
Heretike.
Not euery one that erreth in religion, is an Heretike, but he onely that after the
Churches determination, vvilfully and stubburnely standeth in his false opinion, not
yelding to decree of Councel or the cheefe Pastors of the Church therein. They
(saith S. Augustine ep. 162.) that defend their sentence (though false and
peruerse) vvith no stubburne stomake or obstinate hart, specially if it be such as
them selues by bold presumption broched not, but receiued it of their deceiued parents, and
do seeke the truth vvarily and carefully, being ready to be reformed if they finde it, such
are not to be reputed among Heretikes. And againe, li. 18 de Ciuit. c. 51. They that
in the Church of Christ haue any crased or peruerse opinion, if being admonished to be of a
sound and right opinion, they resist obstinatly, and vvil not amend their pestiferous
opinions, but persist in defense of them, are thereby become Heretikes, and going forth out
of the Church, are counted for enimies that exercise vs. Againe li. 4 de Bapt.
cont. Donat. c. 16. He is an Heretike that, vvhen that doctrine of the Catholike faith is
made plaine and manifest vnto him, had rather resist it, and choose that vvhich him self
held &c. And in diuers places he declareth that S. Cyprian, though he held an errour,
yet vvas no Heretike, because he vvould not haue defended it after a general Councel had
declared it to be an errour. li. 2 de bapt. c. 4. So Possidonius in the life of S.
Augustine reporteth, hovv, after the determination of the See Apostolike that Pelagius
opinion vvas heretical, al men esteemed Pelagius an Heretike, and the Emperour made
lavves against him as against an Heretike. Againe S. Augustine saith, He is an Heretike
in my opinion, that for some temporal commoditie, and specially for his glorie and
principalitie, coineth or els folovveth false or nevv opinions. de vtilit. credendi
cap. 1.
vit. Aug. c. 18.
The former markes agree to the Protestants.
Let our Protestants behold them selues in this glasse, and vvithal let them marke al other
propreties that old Heretikes euer had, and they shal finde al definitions and markes of an
Heretike to fall vpon them selues. And therfore they must not maruel if vve vvarne al Catholike
men by the vvordes of the Apostle in this place, to take heede of them, and to shunne their
preachings, bookes, conuenticles and companies.
Their bookes, seruice, and preaching must be auoided.
Neither neede the people be curious to knovv vvhat they say, much lesse to confute them: but they
must trust Gods Church, vvhich doth refute and condemne them. And it is ynough for them to knovv
that they be condemned, as S. Augustine noteth in the later end of his booke de heresibus. And S.
Cyprian saith notably to Antonianus demaunding curiously vvhat heresies Nouatianus did teach: No
matter, saith he, What heresies he hath or teacheth, vvhen he teacheth vvithout. that is
to say, out of the Church.
Ep. 52.
nu. 7.
11. Subuerted.)
The Church seeketh the amendement of the most obstinate Heretikes.
Heretikes be often incorrigible, yet the Church of God ceaseth not by al meanes possible to
reuoke them. therfore S. Augustine saith ep. 162. The Heretike him self though svvelling
vvith odious and detestable pride, and madde vvith the frovvardnes of vvicked contention,
as we admonish that he be auoided lest he deceiue the vveaklings and litle ones, so vve refuse
not by al meanes possible to seeke his amendment and reformation.
11. By his owne iudgement.)
Heretikes cut themselues from the Church.
Other greuous offenders be separated by excommunication from the communion of Saincts and
the fellovvship of Gods Church, by the sentence of their Superiors in the same Church: but
Heretikes more miserable and infortunate then they, runne out of the Church of their ovvne
accord, and so giue sentence against their ovvne soules to damnation.