THE ADULTERO-GERMAN INTERIM

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TO WHICH IS ADDED THE TRUE METHOD OF GIVING PEACE TO CHRISTENDOM, AND OF REFORMING THE CHURCH.

THE INTERIM, OR DECLARATION OF RELIGION, OF HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY CHARLES V. Being a Constitution Prescribing the Mode in Which the States of the Holy Roman Empire Should Mutually Conduct Themselves and Treat Each Other Until The Decision of a General Council.

Published By His Imperial Majesty in the Diet Held at Augsburg 15th May, and Accepted By the States of the Empire, A. D. 1548. HIS SACRED IMPERIAL MAJESTY, our most clement Lord, to the Electors, Princes, and other States of The Holy Roman Empire, and the Deputies of those absent, orders the following Intimation to be made.

Although his Sacred Imperial Majesty, from the commencement of his reign, had nothing more at heart than to consider and promote whatever might in any way be conducive throughout the whole world, and especially The Holy Empire of the Germanic Nation as his beloved country, to the honor, advantage, and prosperity of said Nation, and to preserve under the wings and happy administration of His Majesty the peace, concord, and tranquillity of all ranks: yet His Majesty perceived long ago, by clear enough signs and experience in fact, that without the Christian settlement, or lawful determination of this most pernicious dissension on the subject of Religion, from which all the discord, rancor, wars, difficulties, and grievances of the States have hitherto proceeded, no hope of such firm peace, justice, and concord remained: Therefore His Majesty, after holding various Conferences and Negotiations on the subject, has left no stone unturned in order that this fatal dissension might be brought to a Christian concord, or a sounder understanding.

But when, in the prosecution of this work, the case itself declared, that that dissension had struck its roots so deep that it now affected not only the Germanic but also many other nations, and has begun to be common to them all, so that it appeared that to this so grievous disease no more convenient remedy could be applied than by the way of an Universal Catholic Council: His Majesty, on the prayer of The States, at length obtained, after many negotiations held on the subject, that a General Council was convened, and was begun to be held at Trent in the Germanic territory. Wherefore, also, at the commencement of these Diets, he so dealt with The States, and persuaded them that, following in the footsteps of our holy fathers and ancestors, who in matters of faith were ever wont to recur to Sacred Councils, and obey the same, they agreed in common to adhere and submit to this Council, and further left it free to His Majesty to devise Christian and convenient means by which, in the interval, until the end and determination of the Council, all The States might live and dwell together piously and peacefully, so that none should be aggrieved contrary to right and equity. And as His Majesty at that time received such consent and submission of The States with most clement mind, so he now also no less receives it.

On the subject of said Submission, as in itself most weighty, His Majesty has hitherto, in paternal affection, deliberated faithfully and with the utmost care, and has earnestly sought the sentiments of the States, (as they themselves know;) and after thoroughly weighing the matter, has with heartfelt sorrow perceived what immense inconveniences this illustrious Nation has suffered hitherto from foresaid dissension; what calamity and destruction are threatened by the same, so that inevitable necessity demands, for the establishment and preservation of firm peace, justice, and unity, and for removing the seeds of discord, that we do not leave this matter even till the progress and determination of the General Council, as it were suspended in its present state and confusion, but rather bring it back to Christian concord, moderation, and a sounder and closer understanding, and no more connive at the various contrary opinions coming in, or allow that by them the public peace be any more disturbed or impeded.

While, then, His Imperial Majesty was wholly occupied with this matter, it happened very opportunely that certain persons of high rank and name, no doubt from right zeal for Christian concord, peace, and tranquility, and true love toward their country, laid before His Majesty this Counsel, and opinion of theirs here added, delivered it to be more thoroughly discussed, and promised that they would diligently observe it.

This Counsel His Majesty submitted to the inspection of some excellent Doctors skilled in the Sacred Scriptures, and approved, from whose Report it has been observed, that if it is understood in a right Christian sense, it is not at variance with our true Catholic Religion and Ecclesiastical Doctrines, Statutes, and Ordinances, except in two Articles concerning Communion under both kinds, and the Marriage of Priests; but tends to promote and obtain a fuller concord on controverted points of the Christian religion, and preserve public peace and tranquillity in The Holy Empire, as it also so appears to His Majesty, the nature of these times considered: And he has nothing more at heart than that all orders under his Imperial Government as is incumbent from this office on His Majesty, should live and meet together in religious peace and concord.

Therefore, His Majesty of his clemency requires the Common States, who have hitherto observed the Ordinances and Statutes of the Universal Church, to continue to observe them in future, steadfastly remain and persevere in them, and not deviate from them, or change them in any respect, as they have constantly declared they would do. The other States, who have begun innovation, His Majesty, in like manner, clemently and earnestly requires that they either again connect themselves with the Common States, and agree with them in the observance of the Statutes and Ceremonies of the Universal Catholic Church, or at least conform themselves entirely, in their Doctrine and Ecclesiastical Ordinances, to the foresaid Counsel, and neither institute nor attempt anything beyond it; and that in case they have gone farther, they conform in all things to the foresaid Counsel and Confession, and firmly abide therein; and that all the States, for the furtherance of public peace, quiet, and union, tolerate the foresaid writing for the present, and not impugn it. or teach, write, or preach against it; but that all the States wait patiently and studiously for the Declaration and Determination of The Universal Council.

Nevertheless, His Majesty will use all diligence, and leave nothing untried, in order that an Universal Council, according to the Requisition of The States, may be held as soon as possible, and the Germanic nation be entirely delivered from the present Schism.

In like manner, also, His Majesty is now wholly occupied in considering how some Catholic Reformation may be framed, to be published by The States themselves during the present diets; of which (Reformation) it may be hoped that it will not a little contribute, until the determination of the said Council, to the removal of abuses and scandals, and the plantation and preservation of Catholic Discipline, regularity of life, and virtue.

And seeing that, in the often-named Counsel, under the rubric of Ceremonies, it is contained, inter alia, that if anything has grown up among them which might give rise to Superstition, it be taken away, etc., His Majesty reserves to himself, in regard to it and the other Articles, when and so far as shall be necessary, now or hereafter, at all times the power of conveniently statuting and arranging. For whatever His Majesty, to promote the glory of God, to settle Religious Controversy, to maintain firm peace, justice, and tranquillity in The Holy Germanic Empire, in short, for the advantage of and convenience of the States, will be able to undertake, institute, effect, and promote, he therein declares himself with all clemency, according to his imperial office, to be most ready.

This much, to declare the will of His Imperial Majesty, we deemed it right clemently and benignly to intimate to the common States of the Empire.

THE ADULTERO-GERMAN INTERIM.

CHAPTER 1. — OF THE CONDITION OF MAN BEFORE THE FALL. 1. God at first created man after his own image and likeness, ( Genesis 1,) and adorned him with grace, and by means of original righteousness made him to be right in all the powers of his body as well as his soul, and not actuated by any turbulent and depraved notions, but in him the flesh obeyed the spirit, and the inferior powers of the soul the superior powers which so strongly invited him to God. 2. Seeing then that the soul of man was so well constituted, God left him so far in the hand of his own counsel, ( <211501> Ecclesiastics 15,) that he had no less power to choose good than evil. 3. Had he used this his freedom rightly, and obeyed the commands which God had given him, he would have preserved the blessings which he had received, and righteousness for himself and all his posterity, and nothing would have been wanting to him and his posterity for living well and happily: no hunger, nor thirst, nor cold, nor heat, nor pain, nor disease, nor death would have afflicted him: in short, he would have avoided all vice and sin, nor from them as the wages of sin would any danger have been brought to him and his posterity.

CHAPTER 2. — OF THE CONDITION OF FALLEN MAN. 1. But after our first parent did contrary to what God had commanded, ( Romans 5) he incurred the penalty appointed by God, and lost the most fair gift of original righteousness. Hence there was a want of this righteousness, ( Ephesians 2,) together with a vicious habit of concupiscence, which is perpetually at war with the spirit and the higher powers of the soul. This sin, (i.e., the privation of that righteousness by which it rendered the reason subject to God,) together with concupiscence, he propagated to all his posterity, so that all men whatsoever that come into this world ( Job 25.) are born with it, and none is free from it, not even the child of one day, according to the Scriptures. 2. Hence that wound of our nature, that the animal man perceives not the things which are spirit, ( 1 Corinthians 2,) nor before grace desires and freely chooses the same, seeing that the concupiscence and affection of the flesh which rule in him are enmity against God, and abhorrent from the law of God, ( Romans 8,) and impede him the more in good, the more they impel him to evil. 3. And though such a man retains freedom of will, though weak and injured, and from it as from a fountain both the moral virtues of the heathen, and the actings of these (virtues) flow, yet before the grace of God and renovation he cannot aspire to a righteousness which is valid before God, but is rather the slave of sin, the bondman of Satan, the enemy of God, and liable to the evils of this world: for he is pressed by hunger, thirst, cold, heat, pain, disease, and is at last overcome by death itself. For by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin. ( Romans 5.) But then punishments of that first transgression are common to the regenerate as well as sinners;. In the case of the former, however, they are employed by God for discipline, whereas they are inflicted as punishment on the unrighteous and ungodly. 4. And that in man thus depraved by original sin, so long as nature only continues and is not renewed by grace, along with depraved concupiscence Satan also reigns, who holds him bound with the chains of his slavery, and works in him so that he corresponds in his desires, doing the will and mind of the flesh, and crowns the original sin which he drew from his parents with actual sins, and is, as the Apostle says, ( Ephesians 2,) a child of wrath, so that if he dies in this his most wretched condition, being at length thrown into hell by the just judgment of God, he there suffers eternal punishments, so that, as it is written by Isaiah, neither is his fire extinguished nor does his worm die. ( Isaiah 66.)

CHAPTER 3. — OF REDEMPTION BY OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. 1. God, therefore, who is rich in mercy, ( John 3,) being unwilling that those whom he had created should perish, sent his Son into the world, that when it was impossible for man to deliver himself he might have redemption in our Lord and Savior through his blood, as is written by the Apostle. ( Romans 3.) 2. For God laid our iniquities upon him that he might bear our sins in his own body, nailing them to the tree. ( Isaiah 53) He, as he suffered in innocence, and satisfied for our sins, hath indeed redeemed us, and so appeased God the Father. ( 1 Peter 2.) But the same Father, because of his blood, acquitted us, miserable and polluted by sins, and reconciled us to himself. For Paul says truly, “God was in Christ; reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them.” ( 2 Corinthians 5.) 3. And though God is propitious to us freely, ( Romans 3,) and for his name’s sake, and wipes away our iniquities for his own sake, yet that he might not remit sins without any price of sanctification, he, for the display of his righteousness, of his incomprehensible wisdom and boundless goodness, mingled righteousness with mercy, and was pleased that a price for redeeming us should be paid by the blood of his own Son, that the punishments which we sinners ought to have suffered, the same that most innocent Lamb should endure on the cross, and we might be able to borrow from his wounds the price of redemption, which we miserable could not pay, and use it for our deliverance and salvation, that while our most gracious Father pities us freely, he does not, however, pity without the intervention of the blood of his own Son, that what is here bestowed on us freely we ought to ascribe to the merit and righteousness of Christ, that whosoever glories; may glory in the Lord our Redeemer and Savior. ( Jeremiah 9: 1 Corinthians 1.)

CHAPTER 4 — OF JUSTIFICATION. 1. Now he who is redeemed by the precious blood of Christ, and to whom the merits of Christ’s passion are applied, is forthwith justified, that is, finds forgiveness of his sins, is immediately acquitted from liability to eternal damnation, and raised up by the Holy Spirit, and so from being unrighteous is made righteous. For God when he justifies acts not with man only after the manner of man, merely pardoning him, forgiving his sin, and absolving his guilt, but he makes him better; a thing which men are not wont and not able to give. For he communicates ‘Lo him of his Holy Spirit who purifies his heart, and by love shed abroad in his heart, incites him to seek after what is good and just, and follow out and act what is thus sought. 2. This is that true method of inherent righteousness which David longed for when he uttered the wish — “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit in my bowels.” ( Psalm 4.) Of this the Apostle writes, — “Ye are washed, ye are sanctified, ye are justified;” ( 1 Corinthians 6;) and when he says, “That God of his own mercy has saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom he hath Shed on us abundantly, through Jesus Christ our Savior, that being justified by his grace, we may be heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” ( Titus 5.) 3. And though this righteousness, which flows from the fountain of the law of the Spirit, is far more abundant than was the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ( Matthew 5; Galatians 5,) yet in those who are endued with it, concupiscence nevertheless wars with the Spirit, so long as we live here. Hence it is that the same with their mind, indeed, serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin, and live not without sin. ( 1 John 1.) 4. Seeing, then, that man, while he lives in this life, does not obtain the full perfection of inherent righteousness, Christ of a truth, who was made to us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption, most kindly succors us in this respect, inasmuch as he, both by the communication of his own righteousness, renders the righteousness of the man partaking of it inherent, and so augments it, that it is renewed from day to day, till it is fully perfected in the eternal home, and by the merit of his precious blood, and by the most perfect righteousness which he establishes, he obtains indulgence for man, so that what man because of his weakness could not do, is recovered and pardoned through the perfection of Christ. (Aug. Cont. Faust. lib. 19 c. 7.) Hence the comforting words of John, — “Little children, I write these things unto you that ye sin not; and if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the propitiation for our sins.” ( 1 John 2.) 5. The merit of Christ, and the inherent righteousness to which we are renewed by the gift of charity, indeed concur — the inherent righteousness, that by it we may live soberly, and righteously, and godly, in this world, waiting for the blessed hope and advent of the great God and our Savior. But the merit of Christ, that it may become the cause of our inherent righteousness, and as in many things we all offend, and because of our weakness and imperfection many things occur to disturb our minds, and urge us to despair, we breathe again in the same merit and precious blood of Jesus Christ, and find what may enable us to struggle most resolutely in hope of salvation. For in Christ Jesus the Lord, our Redeemer and Savior, whom the pious put on, and with whom all things are given unto them, the Apostle says that all things are most firm, and solid, and perfect to us, so that by the same we are rightly supported in a living hope. ( Galatians 3.)

CHAPTER 5 — OF THE UTILITY AND THE FRUITS OF JUSTIFICATION. 1. The justified have indeed peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ. For God is appeased, is merciful and propitious to them, so that they can hope that if when they were enemies, God reconciled them to himself by the death of his Son, much more, when reconciled, will they be saved, to use the words of the Apostle, which are most full of comfort. ( Romans 5.) 2. Likewise, those who are justified are adopted by God as sons, that, as Paul testifies, they are heirs of the eternal Father in heaven, and co-heirs of Christ, ( Romans 8,) and have now right of access to that inheritance which is eternal life.

CHAPTER 6 — OF THE MEANS BY WHICH A MAN RECEIVES JUSTIFICATION. 1. Although God, not by works of righteousness Which man hath done, but according to his own mercy, justifies him, and that freely, ( Romans 3,) that is, without his merit, so that if he would glory he must glory only in Christ, ( 1 Corinthians 1,) by whose merit alone he is redeemed from guilt, and justified, yet our merciful God does not here act with men as with a block, but draws him willing, if he be an adult. For such an one receives not those benefits of Christ, unless, by the preventing grace of God, his mind and will are moved to a detestation of sin. For, seeing that sin separates between us and God, as Isaiah says, ( Isaiah 59,) none can approach the throne of grace and mercy, save he who has previously been turned away from sin by repentance.

Accordingly, John, when preparing the way of the Lord, said, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” ( Matthew 1.) 2. Farther, the same divine grace moves the mind toward God by Christ, as this is the method of faith by which man, believing without hesitation, assents to the Holy Scriptures, and the promises which they bring. For Christ himself, after he had first required repentance, immediately requires such a faith, saying, “Since the time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God approacheth, repent, and believe the gospel.” ( Mark 1.) 3. He who thus believes and, from fear of the divine justice by which he is beneficially alarmed, has turned to consider the mercy of God, and redemption by the blood of Christ, is aroused and admonished by the grace of God, conceives trust and hope to believe against the hope of his merit, ( Romans 4,) in the hope of the promised mercy, giving glory to God, and is thus brought to charity. 4. With such faith towards God, ( Galatians 3; Romans 3,) whosoever leans on the divine mercy and merit of Christ, and commits himself to the same, receives the promise of the Spirit, and is so justified by faith in God, according to Scripture, that not only is sin forgiven him, but he is also sanctified and renewed by the Holy Spirit: for that faith obtains the gift of the Holy Spirit, by whom love is shed abroad in our hearts. To whatever extent charity is added to faith and hope, to the same extent are we truly justified by inherent righteousness. For this righteousness consists of faith, hope, and charity, so that if you withdraw any one of these from this righteousness you obviously leave it maimed.

CHAPTER 7. — OF CHARITY AND GOOD WORKS. 1. Charity, which is the end of the commandment and fulfilling of the law, as soon as it enters justification is fruitful, and now includes in itself the seeds of all good works. As it is prepared to bear the good fruits of righteousness, so it bears them in him who is justified at the earliest and as often as it ought, and the faculty of working is not taken from him by any impediment. Accordingly, the faith which works not by love seems not to be living but rather barren and dead, as James testifies. ( James 2.)

Nay, man, whatever be the degree in which he is endued with faith, if he wants charity, remains in death, as John declares, ( 1 John 3) seeing that charity especially ought now to be a part of the eternal life which is begun in us, and is to be perfected at last in glory. For though faith and hope will cease when we shall have gone to those eternal mansions, charity will remain and enter therein, ( 1 Corinthians 13,) that in respect of it we may be able to live most happily and enjoy God, who will thus be all in all, throughout the ages of eternity. Nevertheless that faith by which nominal Christians are discriminated from infidels is true, inasmuch as they assent to the Scriptures, and the things revealed by God, although it is disjoined from charity. 2. From this greatest gift of God, which the more it increases in us the more our old man is impaired, the good works which flow as from a. fountain are so necessary to the salvation of every justified person, that he who does not do them continually, loses the grace of God, and, like an useless branch is cut off from Christ, and cast into the fire, as Christ himself teaches in his Gospel. ( John 15, Matthew 7.) 3. And though these works are such that God may exact them from us as in his own right, and the saints, though they should have done all the things commanded, ought still to acknowledge and say, that they are unprofitable servants, yet as they proceed from them to God, and are effects of the grace of God, and as God has of his own will most liberally promised reward to those working, he designs to reward them both with temporal blessings and eternal life, according to the testimony of the Apostle, who says, “Abound in every good work, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. For God is not unjust to forget your work and love which ye have shown in his name.” ( 1 Corinthians 15; Hebrews 6.) 4. And the justified having now become as the servants of righteousness, exhibiting their members as the servants of righteousness unto sanctification, (grace cooperating,) they abound in good works; and the more they abound in them, the more increase of righteousness is added to them, that those who are righteous may become more righteous. “Fear not,” saith the Scripture, “of being justified unto death.” ( <210101> Ecclesiastics 1.) Again, “He who is just, let him be justified still,” ( Revelation 22,) and, let him who is fruitful ill Christ, be purged by the heavenly Father, to produce more abundant fruit, as Christ himself teaches. ( John 15) This is that justification by works of which James, the brother of the Lord, speaks. ( James 2) 5. As to what remains, although the works commanded by God as necessary to salvation, are especially to be urged according to the words of Christ, “If thou wouldest enter into life keep the commandments,” ( Matthew 19,) those things which, superadded to the precepts, are either piously or honestly received, are themselves also to be recommended, that we may not be at variance with the Holy Spirit, who recommends many of these in the Holy Scriptures. Were it otherwise, “to leave and sell all, and follow the Lord…to preserve virginity or continence,” would not be good and useful. Nay, David, when he danced before the ark, might justly have been laughed at by Michal, ( <120601> Kings 6,) and Paul would in vain have remitted his salary to those to whom he had preached the word. ( 1 Corinthians 9.) 6. In short, works of supererogation, which are done above what is commanded, (to use the expression of Chrysostom,) must be distinguished from those which are done against it. These Christ himself condemns as the leaven of the Pharisees; those the Holy Spirit recommends in the Scripture, saying, “O Lord, accept the free-will-offering of my mouth.” ( <19B801> Psalm 118) CHAPTER 8. — OF CONFIDENCE IN THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS. 1. Then care must be taken that we do not either make men too secure and confident in themselves, or drive them by anxious doubting to despair.

Wherefore, since Paul says, ( Galatians 2,) that he was indeed conscious of no sin, but yet by this was not justified, man cannot believe that his sins are forgiven without a doubt of his own weakness or indisposition. But although he ought not to boast in himself, he is not to be so terrified as to doubt the promises of God, and the efficacy of the death and resurrection of Christ, and despair of obtaining the forgiveness of sins and salvation. All hope, and the assurance of all confidence, ought to be in the precious blood of Christ, which was shed because of us and our salvation. In him alone we both can with certainty, and we ought, to breathe and confide, having the confirmation of the Holy Spirit, who bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God.

CHAPTER 9 — OF THE CHURCH. 1. It now seems proper to treat of the Church, which is the whole body of the faithful in Christ, unto which the Holy Spirit so gathers and joins regenerate men and Christians, that they are one house, one body by one baptism and one faith, which, as Paul testifies, is one in all Christians.

Wherefore it is necessary that the life of Christians, in order to attain to the perfect end at which the Church aims, should be good and pious. Let no man, however, persuade himself that any probity of life will avail him, unless he has joined and accommodated himself to the unity and communion of believers. Let the Church, then, be the house of the living God, and that body of which Christ is the head; “for we being many are one body in Christ,” says Paul. ( Ephesians 5.) 2. For this Church our Lord Jesus Christ gave himself, that he might sanctify it, cleansing it by the laver of the water of life in the word, that he might exhibit it a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it might be holy and immaculate. ( Ephesians 5.) 3. And seeing that the Church alone is that door and one body, it is certain that Christ sanctifies and cherishes it alone by his Spirit, so that out of it he gives the blessings of his grace to none. Whose, therefore, is not in the communion of this body, is no more quickened by the Holy Spirit unto eternal salvation, than any natural member cut off and torn away from its body is quickened unto natural life, because it is no longer invigorated by the vital Spirit flowing from its one head. Wherefore, we must believe that no one out of the Christian Church and its spiritual communion can obtain eternal life. 4. The nature of this communion is, that as the Spirit of Christ descends from him, as Head, into his own body, that is, permeates the Church and all her members, each member receives as much from him as suffices it for salvation; and what good falls to each, the same he lends to all, and so provides for the whole body. For, as the Apostle says, ( Ephesians 4,) the members grow up in love in all things in him who is the Head, even Christ, from whom the whole body compacted and connected by every joint of supply, according to the operation of each member, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. In such a connection and society of men, the connection is the strongest when the members are solicitous for each other; and whether one member suffers, all the members suffer with it, or one member rejoices, all the members rejoice with it. ( 2 Corinthians 12.) 5. And although the Church, as consisting of such members as live in love, is composed of saints only, and so far spiritual and invisible, yet it is also sensible, as Christ himself demonstrates, saying, “Tell the Church.” ( Matthew 18.) To this same Church belong the bishops, who rule the people whom Christ has purchased with his own blood. Other ministers also belong to it. For God gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some: evangelists, and some pastors and teachers. ( Ephesians 4.) 6. To this same Church belongs the word of God, which flows into the ear; belong the sacraments; belong the keys of binding and losing; belongs the power of coercing by excommunication; belongs calling to ecclesiastical offices; belongs, in fine, the right of making Canons. 7. Those things which pertain to the sensible and external part of the Church ought to be subservient to the perfecting of saints, to the work of the ministry, to the edification of the body of Christ. Now, ill the Church, not only saints, but also bad men as its members, though withered, are found: whence Christ likens it at one time to a net cast into the sea, and inclosing good and bad fishes; at another, to a sown field producing at once good corn and tares. For those who have been made members of the Church by baptism often relapse into sin, and make themselves the servants of sin, and liable to eternal damnation. And although they lose the grace of the communion of saints, and of the spiritual Church, they nevertheless remain in the external society of Christians, and in the Church; they hear the word of God, and take the sacraments, and have other sensible things likewise in common with the Church, unless they are cut off, either by just excommunication, or by schism, or by heresy, or by defection from the Christian faith. 8. Miserable indeed is the condition of those who languish under mortal sin, and who, removed from spiritual communion, live in peril of eternal damnation; but still, as they may hear the word and use the sacraments usefully as instruments of Divine grace, they may be more easily restored to the communion of the Church, especially as, even in the external Church, the Holy Spirit worketh salvation by the word of God and the Sacraments. 9. But schismatics, heretics, and those revolting from the Christian faith, as they are separated not only from the spiritual, but also from the external society of the Church, as long as they are in this calamitous state, have no means of being assisted and recovered; nay, like members cut off from the whole body, they putrefy to their own destruction, unworthy to remain in any part of the body of Christ, whose unity they so shamefully rend and lacerate. Hence the words of the Apostle: “A heretic, after the first and second admonition, avoid, knowing that he who is of this description is subverted and fails, seeing he is condemned by his own judgment.” ( Titus 3.)

CHAPTER 10. — OF THE MARKS AND SIGNS OF THE TRUE CHURCH. 1. And since there are various bodies of men which associate together, it is of importance to know the marks and signs by which the Church is distinguished from other human societies, especially seeing that those schismatics and heretics who fall off from the true Church constitute bodies of their own, and hesitate not to annex to them the name and authority of the Church; and others of them say that Christ is elsewhere: of these Christ himself admonishes us to beware. ( Matthew 24) 2. The signs of the true Church, then, that is, of that great house, in which are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and of clay, and some to honor and some to dishonor, are sound doctrine and the right use of the Sacraments, by which the Church is disjoined from meetings of Jews and Gentiles, both of whom want both sound doctrine and the Sacraments of the New Testament. 3. The third sign is unity, which is maintained by the bond of love and peace, and so joins the members of the Church together, that they not only are of the same sentiments which the uniform consent of the saints, from the days of the Apostles even to ours, has received and approved, but speak the same thing as the Apostle exhorts: ( 1 Corinthians 1.) “I beseech you, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that ye be perfect in the same feeling and sentiments.” 4. The fourth sign of the true Church is, that it is catholic and universal; that is, diffused through all times and places, and, through means of the Apostles and their successors, continued even to us, being propagated by succession even to the ends of the earth, according to the promises of God: “Ask of me, and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the utmost ends of the earth for thy possession.” ( Psalm 2; Hebrews 1) Again, “Many will come unto me from the east and from the west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.” ( Matthew 8) Again, “And you will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth.” ( Acts 1.)

Again, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Comforter, to abide with you for ever, the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive.” ( John 14) 5. ‘These two signs distinguish the Church from flocks of schismatics and heretics who break the bond of peace, and to their own destruction deprive themselves of Catholic union, while they prefer their own party to the whole universal Church.

CHAPTER 11 — OF THE AUTHORITY AND POWER OF THE CHURCH. 1. Although the Scripture, as Christ says, cannot be broken, and is therefore immovable, and greater than all human authority, still the authority of distinguishing between true and spurious Scriptures belonged to the Church. Hence is that Canon of Scripture which distinguished the genuine from the false writings which were obtruded under the name of the disciples and apostles of the Lord. 2. And as the Church always had power and authority in this matter, so had it also of interpreting, and so of exploring and extracting, doctrines from the same Scriptures, as she never is without the Holy Spirit to lead her into all truth, as Christ himself hath promised. Hence the words of Peter, “No prophecy of Scripture is of self-interpretation; but holy men of God spoke as they were inspired by the Holy Spirit.” And this power of interpreting is most necessary in those matters which are difficult to be understood, as the thing itself teaches. ( John 14; 2 Peter 1) 3. The Church, besides, has traditions brought down from Christ and his Apostles by the hands of the Bishop, even to our own times. He who tears them up denies that she is the pillar and ground of the truth. Of this class are the baptism of infants, etc. 4. It is likewise clear that the power of restraining and excommunicating belongs to the Church, and that by the appointment of Christ:, as to the power of binding. Conformable to this is the expression of the Apostle, “Take away the evil thing from among you,” Matthew 16; <460501> Corinthians 5. 5. She has also the power of giving judgment. For when the right of restraining is possessed, the power of deciding cannot be wanting. 6. And if doubtful questions arise in the Church, she has the power of judging of the same, and decreeing, and that by a Council, and what this Council lawfully assembled in the Holy Spirit decrees, the Holy Spirit himself seems to decree, according to the words; of the Council of Jerusalem: “It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us.” ( Acts 15.)

Therefore, that the authority of Councils is most salutary no man ought to doubt. 7. And as is perceived from the same Council of Jerusalem, the Church has also power to frame Canons, and that for the advantage of the Church, whose power is all for edification and not for destruction.

CHAPTER 12 — OF THE MINISTERS OF THE CHURCH. 1. The Church has a divinely delivered doctrine which is to be taught to the people. She has also external sacred rites which are to be handled and explained piously and salubriously for the advantage of Christians: hence, on this account, the ministers who perform the necessary offices for these purposes neither can nor ought to be wanting to the Church. And, indeed, these offices are not common to all Christians, but God himself from the beginning gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edification of the body of Christ. 2. Accordingly, in the time of the Apostles, power to perform the offices of the Church was given, not to all but to certain persons only, and those set apart for the purpose. For when Barnabas, Lucius, Manaen, and Saul were at Antioch:, while they were ministering to the Lord, (as Luke says in the Acts of the Apostles,) and fasting, the Holy Spirit said unto them, “Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” ( Acts 13.) We must be careful, therefore, not to confound the spiritual priesthood common to all Christians, whom the Holy Spirit hath anointed, with this outward and ministerial priesthood which belongs not to all, but to those only who have been called and duly ordained to it. This could not happen without grievous and pernicious perturbation and calamity to the Churches.

CHAPTER 13 — OF THE SUPREME PONTIFF AND BISHOPS. 1. And that the Church which belongs to one head, that is, is the one body of Christ, ought to be more easily kept in unity, though she has many bishops to rule her people whom Christ has purchased with his own precious blood, and that by divine law, yet for the removal of schism she has one Supreme Pontiff to preside over all the others with plenitude of power, and that in respect of the prerogative granted to Peter. How useful this is to avert schisms from the Church is sufficiently evident to those who are not ignorant, that from the contempt of this Supreme Pontiff schisms generally arose, as Cyprian writes, and the thing itself testifies. 2. The Supreme Pontiff, therefore, who holds the chair of Peter, with the right with which Peter received it from Christ, when he said, “Feed my sheep,” ( John 21,) both governs the whole Church and ought to govern. 3. This his power, however, he ought to use, not for destruction, but for edification. Christ, in giving this plenitude of power to Peter and his successors, seems not to have withdrawn part of that care from the other bishops, but to have wished them to be, by divine right, true bishops of their churches and dioceses. Christian men ought to obey both the Supreme Pontiff and their individual bishops also, according to the words of the Apostle, “Obey them who are set over you, who watch for your souls.” ( Hebrews 13.)

CHAPTER 14 — NOT THE SACRAMENTS IN GENERAL. 1. The Sacraments were instituted by divine authority, chiefly for two reasons. The one is that they might be certain marks and signs of that great assembly — the Church. For men cannot be gathered under a name unless they are bound together by some community of signs or sacraments.

Wherefore our Lord Jesus Christ bound together the society of his new people by Sacraments very few in number, most easy of observance, most excellent in meaning, viz., Baptism, Confirmation, the Eucharist, Penance, Extreme Unction, Orders, and Matrimony. 2. The other reason is, that they may not only signify but also sanctify and confer the invisible grace of God, not by the proper virtue of external things, or the merit of the minister, but of the Lord appointing and working secretly. Wherefore, although it becomes a minister of the Sacraments to be a good man, yet a bad man also may dispense them usefully.

CHAPTER 15 — OF BAPTISM. 1. And first, indeed, as it is necessary to man for salvation, that he be Regenerated into a new creature, seeing that otherwise he is by nature a child of wrath, Christ himself instituted the Sacrament of Baptism, to be the laver of that Regeneration, which is not less necessary to the new and spiritual life than carnal nativity is to the natural life. Nor can any one obtain salvation, unless he be born again of water and of the Spirit, as Christ himself declares. ( John 3) 2. This Sacrament, therefore, washes, sanctifies, justifies us: this Sacrament makes us obtain the remission of our sins, original and actual. In short, this Sacrament is altogether of such a nature, and so salutary, that he who is initiated by it puts on Christ, as Paul writes. ( Galatians 3) 3. This Sacrament consists of the word of God, and water. For as soon as the word is added to the element, it becomes a Sacrament, by the laver of which we are regenerated and cleansed from all sin. Wherefore, when we see the water washing the body outwardly, let us reflect that the Spirit, whom we see not, is doing more inwardly. 4. With regard to the form of words, without which the mystery cannot be completed, Christ delivered it to the Apostles, when he enjoined them to baptize in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. On this command, as often as Baptism is conferred, both the faith of the recipient, if he is adult, and in the case of infants, the faith both of those engaging and confessing for them, and of the whole Church, and the word of the officiating Minister, lean, inasmuch as he says, “I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” ( Matthew 28:19.) 5. To us, indeed, it seems that it tends very greatly to excite the faith and promote the comfort of adults, that they understand that those who are baptized in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, are now consecrated and sanctified by the power, energy, and might of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and wholly consecrated to God, and made the peculiar property of God, who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, to whose guardianship they now pass, giving themselves to God in an eternal covenant, by which they renounce the devil and his works, and promise to be soldiers of God. 6. In regard to the office of Baptism, though it belongs chiefly to Priests, yet a Layman may rightly and usefully baptize, in case of necessity: and if a heretic should baptize, provided he use the due matter, form, and intention, the Sacrament is not to he repeated, seeing the same depends not on the dignity of the Minister, but on the truth of the divine word, and the energy of the Holy Spirit. 7. But though Baptism takes away all our defilement’s, according to the Scripture, it does not, however, take away all the languor of vitiated nature, as we also observed above, for it leaves concupiscence, inclining to evil, though the guilt be removed. This concupiscence ceases not to war against the good spirit in man so long as we live on this earth. 8. Herein, however, the efficacy of Baptism fails us not, in that it not only has at once taken away the guilt of every sin, but in opposition to the concupiscence still adhering to us, and stirring up wars of desire, it confirms our strength, through the Holy Spirit, by whom we are so fortified against all the power of concupiscence, that we are able to resist it and prevail over it, the Apostle admonishing us, “Walk in the Spirit, and you will not fulfill the desires of the flesh.” ( Galatians 5:16.)

Thus far of Baptism.

CHAPTER 16 — OF CONFIRMATION. 1. And as it is necessary for the corporeal life of man, not only to be born and be, but also to grow and be nourished, so it is necessary to him for salvation that he be not only Regenerated, but also confirmed and increased in good, by the energy of the Holy Spirit; for which purpose was instituted one of the most useful Sacraments, viz., Confirmation, which the Apostles celebrated when they laid hands on the Samaritans, with beneficial efficacy, as is written in the Acts of the Apostles. ( Acts 8.) What the Apostles then did they did in the name of Christ, and in introducing this mystery they seem to have acted for Christ, just as in the other parts of their office. This mystery rests on the promises of Christ concerning the grace of the Holy Spirit, and the sending of him, — “I will send the promise of the Father unto you.” ( Luke 24:49.)

Again, “But the Spirit, the Comforter, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things.” ( John 16:26.) 2. And although, at the beginning, the Sacrament of Confirmation was only celebrated by the laying on of hands, yet the Church, immediately’ subsequent to the days of the Apostles, in accordance with their traditions, with the view of indicating the internal unction of the Holy Spirit, by an external sign, added chrism to the rite, together with the sign of the holy cross, which custom, and it is a very ancient one, ‘the Catholic Church ceases not to approve. And she believes that those of his servants whom God has regenerated by water and the Spirit, the same are so sealed by this mystery, that they receive the Spirit with the seven eyes, the holy Comforter from heaven, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit, of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge, and godliness, and fear.

When the Catholic Church, who is the best interpreter of the mysteries of God, believes these things, and attests them in the administration of the Sacrament, he who thinks differently denies her to be the pillar and ground of the truth. 3. The virtue of this Sacrament, therefore, is, that those who are confirmed by it receive the Holy Spirit, by which they may be able to walk and persevere in the ways of salvation, and happily resist the temptations and snares of the devil, the world, and the flesh. 4. But as most of those who are baptized are infants, and do not by themselves give forth a profession of faith, it will be proper that when as adults now sufficiently instructed in the Christian religion, they come to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation, they with their own mouths also profess faith in Christ and obedience to the Church, and fasting, and having confessed, be initiated in this sacred mystery, as was ordained by the Council of Aurelium. We do not, however, think that children are to be: kept back from this Sacrament, seeing Christ himself hesitated not to lay his hands on them, ( Matthew 19:13-15,) for we do not here lay down a law to the Churches. 5. Let the Minister of this Sacrament, however, be a Bishop. This is approved by the consent of the whole Catholic Church and the practice of the Apostles.

CHAPTER 17 — OF THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE. 1. And since the Regenerate often fall into grievous crimes, Christ instituted the Sacrament of Penance, which, after Baptism, is as it were our second plank in shipwreck. For this use he gave the key of loosing, saying: “Receive the Holy Spirit; whose sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them.” ( John 20:22,23.)

For so soon as a sinner truly repents of his sin, and draws near with confidence to the throne of mercy, and believes that what Christ promised is received by this Sacrament, it is done to him as he believes, nor is the thing promised wanting to this Sacrament. For like other Sacraments, this, too, has the power of sanctifying. This Sacrament consists in the absolution of the Priest, which is founded on the institution and words of Christ, who for this purpose delegates his power to Priests, saying, “As the Father hath sent me, so send I you. Receive the Holy Spirit; whose sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them.” ( John 20:21,23.) 2. But as the Priest has authority not only to remit, but also to bind, both having been at the same time divinely delivered, he seems to receive the power of judging’ in so far as he receives this power of both keys: nor can he exercise it unless he understands whether he ought to remit or to retain.

But such judgment can only be derived from the confession of the mouth and the enumeration of sins. For seeing that most of men’s faults are committed without a witness, while secret crimes also beset and wound the soul, and are sometimes more grievous and perilous than those that are manifest, the priest is not able to judge of them truly unless he who has committed them review and confess them, and himself open, as it were, his own wounds. 3. Wherefore as the remedy of Penance has been pointed out as a cure for the faults of men, the Confession also of the penitent, with an enumeration of his sins, seems recommended; and as the Sacrament of Penance is to be proved to the Christian people to be salutary and necessary, so also ought the Confession and enumeration of sins, which, while it is not to be too much relaxed, is not, on the other hand, to be made too stringent. For who understands his faults? ( Psalm 19:12.) Wherefore the sins are to be enumerated which come into the mind of one reflecting and examining himself, not too anxiously indeed, but carefully. Those which do not come into the mind are rightly included in a general Confession, and are remitted no less than if they had been individually confessed. And as pardon is here sought from Absolution, the burden imposed by Confession is not so great as the comfort which Absolution gives to him who believes it. 4. Then although that Satisfaction which expiates the guilt and eternal punishment; is to be attributed to Christ alone, the satisfaction which consists in the fruits of Penitence, especially fasting, alms, and prayer, whether undertaken of ourselves, or enjoined by the clergy and dispensers of the sacraments, if performed in faith and charity, cuts off the causes of sin, and cures the remains of sin, and either takes away or mitigates the temporal punishment, and, in fine, operates as an example. 5. But to return to the Absolution of the Priests, in which the power of the Sacrament of Penance consists. The form and the words ought to be such that he who confesses may be able to hear and understand that his sins are forgiven by the benefit, merit, and power of Christ, according to the institution and the words, “Whose sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them.” ( John 20:23.)

For to use the words of Amb