To the most illustrious and most reverend lord Don Gaspar de Quiroga: Archbishop of Toledo, Primate of the Spains, Chancellor Major, Inquisitor General, and of the Council of State of His Majesty, etc.
To the Christian Reader
Some virtuous persons have asked me, at times, Most Illustrious and Most Reverend Lord, to write a catechism in which I should declare the articles of our holy catholic faith, with all the rest that Christian doctrine contains, which every faithful Christian is obliged to know. But considering that other better minds have taken this in hand, it did not seem to me that I ought to spend time in writing what was already so well written by others. It seemed to me only to add to the catechisms already made a somewhat ample introduction, so that the principal mysteries of our faith might be better understood and affectionately felt, which are the work of the Creation of the world and the Redemption of the human race, which are the principal part of the catechism and the foundation of all Christian doctrine. For just as the heaven moves upon the two points, or poles as they call them, of the world, so this heavenly doctrine is founded upon these two such principal works of God, since from here the rest proceeds and, together with this, other principal mysteries that belong to this doctrine are also declared. And because the knowledge of these mysteries must be by faith (which the first word of the Symbol denotes, which is I believe), it seemed to me it would be just to treat of the excellences of our most holy faith and religion, so that by this means its professors may see the great treasures and riches that are enclosed in it, and may give thanks to the Lord who made them participants in this so great good. Of these excellences the Second Part of this book treats, and of the work of the Creation of the world in this First, and of the Redemption of the human race, which is a more divine work, in the Third and Fourth, which are the last. And although this doctrine is necessary at all times (since the apostle Saint Peter commands us to be prepared to give a reason for the faith that we profess), yet in this time this seems to be more necessary, where the catholic faith and the little ship of Saint Peter has suffered so many storms, as all the world knows and laments. And given the case that these kingdoms of Spain, by the mercy of God, and the protection of the Catholic and Royal Majesty, and by the providence of the Holy Office, of which Your Most Illustrious Lordship has singular care, are pure and clean of this pestilence (and thus we hope they will always be), nevertheless, because the sound of the heresies that run abroad cannot fail to reach our ears, it will not be beside the purpose to enlighten and confirm the souls of the faithful in this holy faith, declaring to them the excellence, the beauty, and the most sweet agreements and consonances that are in it, so that by this means they may be more firm and constant in the confession of the faith, and may enjoy that marvelous fruit of which the Apostle wishes us to be participants, when he says that God give to our souls a peace and a spiritual joy, believing the mysteries of the faith, so that thus there may grow in us (as he says) the hope of glory and the power of the Holy Spirit.
But given the case that this writing (a declarer of the truth) is a condemnation of the falsehoods and errors of the heretics, we shall not make mention of them here, because it is not fitting to give the common people breakfast on these deceits, for he will be farther from falling into them who does not even have notice of them. Nor is it my intent, either, to prove the mysteries of the faith by human reasons, since their firmness is not founded on these reasons, but on the light of faith, by means of which the Holy Spirit inclines and moves our understanding to hold the articles of the faith as certain and infallible, as things revealed by the first Truth, which neither can deceive nor be deceived.
This doctrine will serve (among other things) to extirpate one of the greatest deceits that now run in the world. Which is so much the greater the more it covers itself with the color and cloak of truth. For it is a common thing for those who wish to give poison to drink to compound it with some savory liquor, so that it may be drunk with less suspicion. And in this way wicked Mahomet, praising and raising above the heavens the person of our Savior, and confessing that he had a great advantage over him, and magnifying the dignity and holiness of the most sacred Virgin his mother, deceived a great part of Christendom, and with this opened doors for it to all sensual delights, which he not only conceded in this life, but also promised as reward in the other. In this manner the heretics of our times (as people guided by this same spirit of falsehood) have given the poison of their errors to drink with the bait of one of the highest truths and mysteries that the Christian religion professes. For we all know that among all the works that the divine Goodness and Wisdom has wrought in this world, the highest, the most divine, the most health-giving, the most sweet and admirable, and the one that gives us the clearest news of the ineffable goodness and mercy of our Lord God, and most consoles souls, and provokes them to love him and to place all their confidence in him, is the work of the Incarnation and Passion of his only-begotten Son. Therefore, since this matter is so pleasing to the human heart, they spread the sails in enlarging and amplifying it, accusing the catholics that they do not know how to esteem this divine benefit, and with the bait of this so sweet morsel they enchant the hearts of their hearers, making them believe that the satisfaction and penance that Christ made for the sins of the world is sufficient, without there being need of ours. So that, the foundation of that so great truth being set down, they came to philosophize so badly that, from where they ought to draw motives of greater love toward their Redeemer, more enkindled desires to imitate that most profound humility and most perfect obedience and never-vanquished patience of the Savior, with all the other virtues that shine forth in his sacred Passion, they took an argument for living at their pleasure and excusing all the labor of good works and of penance. And this deceit is not now new, but very ancient and very used, because with this false consolation soulless men make themselves secure in their vices, trusting in the merits of the Passion of Christ and in the goodness and mercy of God, making poison out of the medicine, and drawing darkness out of the light, and taking motives, in order to sin, from what ought to have been a means for more abhorring sin.
Therefore, against this poison, both of heretics and of bad Christians, a piece of this writing will serve as a kind of theriac, in which we shall declare how highly the catholics feel concerning this sovereign mystery of our Redemption, and how much they magnify and enlarge this supreme benefit. But we shall not philosophize so badly as they do, making an argument from the divine Goodness for our wickedness, and taking a motive for sinning from what God did
in order to destroy sin, making use of the torments and of the pains of Christ in order to deliver themselves to the delights and pleasures of the flesh, he having crucified his, not only for our remedy, but also for our example, as the apostle Saint Peter says. And because this doctrine serves for the declaration and confirmation of the principal articles and mysteries of our holy faith, by right it was owed to the person of Your Most Illustrious Lordship (even if there were no other particular reason), since by divine dispensation the protection and defense of the faith is in your charge, with which we hope that our Lord will preserve it in the sincerity and purity in which it has persevered until now. For the merits and virtues that raised Your Lordship to the highest title and dignity of these kingdoms of Spain, those same will bring it about that, by means of the zeal of your religious providence, the column of the faith may always persevere in its firmness. Gentile writers put great Alexander before Darius, king of the Persians, because Darius was born with the Empire, but Alexander attained it by his valor and effort, because it is a more glorious thing to be great by virtues and merits than by fortune. And this greatness Your Most Illustrious Lordship owes to our Lord, who in this life gave you the merits and together with them the reward for them, while there was being delayed the one that he has kept for you in the other life, which will be greater beyond comparison; may he prosper the Most Illustrious and Most Reverend person and estate of Your Lordship for long times with favors from heaven.
Most Illustrious and Most Reverend Lord,
Servant of Your Most Illustrious Lordship,
Fray Luis de Granada
To the Christian Reader
That the knowledge of God is the principle and foundation of all our happiness and blessedness is very well known to all. This knowledge is the proper and true theology of Christians, which is the queen and mistress of all the sciences. For if (as Aristotle says) that science is higher which treats of a more excellent matter, what thing is more excellent and higher than God? This is that science which God himself praises and magnifies through Jeremiah, saying: “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, nor the rich man in his riches, nor the strong man in his strength, but in this let him glory who would wish to glory, which is to have notice and knowledge of me.” Therefore this knowledge is (as we say) the highest, most divine, most profitable, most sweet, and most necessary science of all that the human understanding can comprehend. This knowledge the blessed have in heaven by clear vision of the divine essence. But since this has no place in this life, we resort to the consideration of the works of God, which, as works and effects of his goodness and wisdom, give us some notice of the source and cause from which they proceed. Of these works some are of nature, others of grace. Those of nature are the works of Creation, which serve for the sustaining of our bodies, but those of grace belong to the sanctification of our souls, which are many. But the principal one, and the fountain from which all flow, is the work of our Redemption. In which it appears that these two such principal works of our Lord are for us two great books in
which we can read and study all our life, in order to come through them to the knowledge of him and of the greatness and beauty of his perfections, which in these works of his, as in a most pure mirror, shine forth, and together with this give us matter for most sweet contemplation, which is the true pasture and sustenance of souls.
These two so notable works are the principal foundations of the articles of our faith. For by the first of them is declared the first part of the Creed, which belongs to the person of the Father, which is: I believe in God the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and of earth. But by the second is declared the second part of it, which belongs to the person of the Son, and they comprise the articles that belong to his sacred humanity. And thus, these two so principal works having been declared, the greater part of the articles of our faith remains declared. In which it appears that, just as the celestial bodies revolve upon the two poles of the world (which they call Arctic and Antarctic), so all the mysteries and articles of our faith are founded upon these two so principal ones that we mention. And therefore, these being known, the Christian remains sufficiently introduced into the understanding of the mysteries of our holy faith, which is the intent and end of this our Introduction.
And because the first foundation of our faith is that which Saint Paul sets down when he says that “he who comes to God must first believe that there is a God, and that he is a remunerator of those who seek him,” for this cause in the First Part of this book we treat of God our Lord, and of his divine providence, and of his greatnesses and perfections, insofar as they are known through created things. In this Part are set down principally the reasons by which the philosophers knew that there was a God, whom they called first mover, first principle, first truth, highest good, and first cause, on which all the other causes depend, and it depends on no one, because it has no superior.
Among these reasons, one of the most accommodated to the capacity of the people is to see the order of this whole world, that is, to see the movements of the heavens (from which proceeds the variety and course of the seasons of the year), so accommodated to the procreation and conservation of things, since each year (which is one revolution of the sun) we have a new birth and creation of animals, and fishes and birds, and new provision and sustenance for us and for them. And the same is declared to us by the skills that the Creator gave to these animals in order to seek their sustenance, and in order to defend themselves from their adversaries, and in order to cure themselves in their illnesses, and in order to raise and maintain offspring. In which divine providence singularly shines forth, which so perfectly and by so many and so diverse ways provided all creatures, however small they may be, with everything necessary for their conservation. In this manner the sheep, and all the other animals, by natural instinct know the herbs that are healthful for them, and the poisonous ones, and they graze on the former and leave the latter. In this manner the cranes, when they are on the road and rest at night, have their sentinel who watches over them with a stone in its hand, in order to awaken if it should fall asleep, and, when it is wakeful, it awakens another companion, so that it may succeed to the same charge. Therefore what shall I say of the skills of the ants, and of the subtlety of the nets and webs that spiders weave, and of the commonwealth of the bees with their king, so well ordered, and of the skill of the worms that breed silk, which is all the ornament of the world?
I
Considering, then, the philosophers these and other similar skills that are seen in creatures, they form this reason, with which they prove that there is in this world a most wise governor who rules it. For we see (they say) that all brute animals do everything that is fitting for their conservation as much to their purpose as if they had reason, and we know that they lack it; therefore we must confess that there is a universal reason and a supreme wisdom, which formed all these animals with such inclinations that, without having reason, they do everything that is fitting for them, as rightly as if they had it. For, putting an example in one thing, in what other way would swallows make their nest, if they had reason, than as they do? And in what other way would they raise their offspring except as they raise them? And in what other way would they divide so equally the labor of breeding except as they divide it? And in what other way would they change airs and regions in their seasons except as they change them?
We have in this matter for light and guide two great saints, who with great study and eloquence wrote upon it, who are Saint Basil and Saint Ambrose, treating in particular of the works of the six days in which our Lord created all things. Which matter they treat, not as philosophers (who intend no more than to give us knowledge of things), but as theologians, showing in them the infinite wisdom of the Maker, who knew how to trace out such things, and that of his omnipotence, which could with only his word make all that he traced out, and that of his goodness and providence, which so perfectly provided all of them with what was necessary for them, from the highest to the lowest, without leaving anything unprovided. And this knowledge serves for admiration and reverence of so great a majesty, and for love of so great a goodness, and for fear and obedience of so great a power and wisdom, and for confidence in so perfect and merciful a providence, because the providence that fails no creature, however small it may be, will not fail that one for whose service it created all the others. This is the fruit, this the doctrine that we draw from reading by the book of creatures by which the saints read, as is declared below.
But the principal intent to which the doctrine of this First Part is ordered is that, having seen these greatnesses of the Creator, we may recognize the great obligation that we have to love, serve, and honor so great a Lord, both because of what he is in himself, and because of the providence and care that he has for us. For as the greatnesses of God and his benefits exceed infinitely the greatnesses and benefits of men, so this obligation, which we have to his love and service, exceeds those that we have to all men.
But since there have been in the world many manners by which men intended to honor God, and many of them superstitious and full of errors and deceits, we say that, after the law of nature and of scripture (which ran their times), there is no other true and perfect religion with which God may be duly honored, except only the Christian faith and religion. And for testimony of this truth serves all the doctrine of the Second Part, which after this follows. So that the preceding Part especially proves that there must be in the world some true religion, with which that sovereign majesty and greatness may be honored. But the Second is employed in declaring how the true and perfect religion is ours, and that there is no other outside it. And this is
proved, not by philosophical reasons and subtlety of arguments, but by declaring the singular excellences that this religion has, and proving that all the things that a perfect religion must have, it has, and all in the highest degree of perfection. So that we do not seek for it false adornments and ornaments outside itself, but it alone with its own honesty and beauty captivates hearts, invites all to be esteemed and loved and held for certain and true.
II
But because the work of Redemption is without comparison greater than that of Creation (and that which by excellence is called the work of God, because it is so worthy of his goodness, in which there is found a sea of greatnesses and marvels), of this we treat in the Third and Fourth Part of this writing, although in a different manner. For in the Third Part (faith being presupposed), proceeding by light of reason, this mystery is treated, declaring that, although our Lord could have redeemed the world by many other means, yet there was none more proportioned nor more fitting, both for the glory of his mercy and justice and for the remedy and cure of our miseries. For which are recounted and declared twenty singular profits and benefits that the world received by power of the most holy Incarnation and Passion of Christ our Savior, which we here call fruits of the tree of the holy cross. After which are set down five dialogues between a disciple and a master, in which are proposed the principal questions that, concerning this divine mystery, human prudence can make, and answer is given to them. This the Third Part contains.
But in the Fourth, proceeding by light of faith and authority of the Holy Scriptures, it is clearly proved that Christ our Savior is the true Messiah promised in the law, and answer is given in eleven dialogues (in which a master and a catechumen speak) to all the points at which those stumble who have not wished to receive him. This Part I wished to treat more copiously, for the instruction of those who each day pass from the ancient law to the grace of the Gospel. For (as Saint Jerome writes in the Epitaph of Nepotian) our Savior dedicated for his service with the triumphal title of the cross (which was written with Greek and Latin and Hebrew letters) the three nations whose these languages were. Therefore, for the instruction of those whom each day he calls from this nation to his holy faith, this Part serves, which is like a catechism for them. For we know that in Rome and in Venice there are colleges deputed for such persons, and to this city of Lisbon there often come others from Barbary, who with much devotion receive it, and who have given very good account of their faith with virtuous life. And I hope in our Lord that this labor will profit both these and others who will be docile and tractable. For the hard and obstinate, other books by grave authors are written, which treat very much to the purpose of this matter. But those who are already rooted in the faith, I do not doubt, will receive very great consolation when, reading this writing, they see how solid and firm are the foundations of our truth, and with this they will give many thanks to the Father of lights, who enlightened their understandings with knowledge of it.
To these four principal Parts I wished to add a brief summary of the principal things that are contained in the four aforesaid Parts. For, since the writing is long, it had need of this brief recapitulation, so that what is treated more diffusely in the aforesaid Parts might be better held in memory.
III
This writing will seem long to someone. The cause of this was because I do not content myself only with informing the understanding, declaring the articles and mysteries of our faith (which is that in which the catechisms are principally occupied), but much more with moving the will to the love and fear of God, and obedience to his holy commandments, which is the end of all our knowledge, without which it would be worth little, and could even redound to our harm, since the Savior says that “the servant who knows the will of his lord, and does not fulfill it, will be more gravely punished.”
The principal fruit of all this writing is that the Christian should know the principal articles and mysteries of the faith and religion that he professes, and should know them in such manner that he knows their dignity and excellence and beauty, and with this his soul may have a most sweet pasture and sustenance with the consideration of these truths, which are the highest, noblest, and most divine of all that through all human sciences can be attained. With which his soul will be so confirmed in the faith of this truth (if with the study of it he joins that of humble prayer, as we advise below) that he will come by a new manner, as it were, to palpate and touch the truth of the mysteries that he believes. And since in these sad times, by just judgment of God and by the sins of the world, so great a part of Christendom has departed from the sincerity of the catholic faith, no matter comes more to the purpose for them than that which serves to enlighten the mysteries of our faith, and to confirm the faithful in it, so that the example of so many lost who have apostatized from it may not be scandal for the weak, but a motive for the true Christian to have compassion, and to give thanks to our Lord for not being one of them. For as in time of wars arms are more necessary, and in time of great illnesses medicines, so in time where the enemy has sown so much cockle of heresies among the good sowing of the catholic Faith, it is fitting to be more prepared and armed with the truth of the doctrine of the faith.
Therefore the peace and consolation that follows from this faith so enlightened and formed (as the apostle Saint Paul says), others will experience if with humility and devotion they occupy themselves in this doctrine, which, although generally profitable to all, will particularly be so to some, who are troubled with temptations of the faith, which give great pain to the one who suffers them.
I endeavored to accompany this doctrine with some histories and lives of Saints brought to their purposes, and these the sweetest that I found, and most authentic. For since history is a very agreeable thing, I wished to recreate and bait the Christian reader with these so sweet morsels, so that he might occupy himself more willingly in the reading of this writing, and might leave the other fabulous and harmful ones.
I also ask the reader not to become weary if he sees that in diverse parts of this book I treat many times, for their purposes, the same matters that are treated in other parts of it. For there are four matters most noble, and so profitable and rich, that however much is said of them, there always remains more to say, which are: the mystery of our Redemption, the conversion of the world, the never-vanquished constancy of the martyrs, and the holiness of the glorious monks and confessors. And if what there is to write and magnify in each of these things were all put together, perhaps it would weary minds that are friends of variety, and they would draw loathing from where they ought to draw fruit. For this reason it seemed to be a more fitting thing to treat these same matters in diverse places for their purposes, adding in some what was left silent in others, or explaining more in one part what in another was said with more brevity.
I also advise the reader that, in some of the authorities of holy Scripture that are alleged here, at times I insert some word for greater declaration of the sentence, when without it the sentence would remain obscure and maimed. But I do not use this liberty in the authorities of the prophets that treat of the coming and of the works of Christ. Let this suffice so that the Christian reader may understand the argument of all this writing.
FIRST PART
First part of the Introduction of the Symbol of Faith, in which the creation of the world is treated, in order to come through the creatures to the knowledge of the Creator and of his divine perfections
Argument of this first part
Since there are many means for coming into knowledge of the universal Creator and Lord, here we shall principally use that which the Apostle teaches us when he says that “the things that we do not see of God are known through those that we see wrought by him in this world,” by which his eternal power and the loftiness of his divinity is known. For as effects declare to us something of the causes from which they proceed, and all creatures are effects and works of God, they (each one in its degree) give us some notice of their Maker. For which reason we shall here follow this manner of philosophizing, discoursing first through the principal parts of this world, which are heavens, stars, and elements, and then we shall descend to treat in particular of the other creatures, tracking through them the infinite wisdom and omnipotence of him who created them, and the goodness and providence with which he governs them.
This discourse will serve (besides the knowledge of God, which is proper to the doctrine of the catechism) to give him thanks for his benefits, when we consider that this whole so great house and fabric of the world this sovereign Lord created, not only for the provision of our necessities, but much more so that by the knowledge of the creatures we might lift our spirits to the knowledge and love of our Creator, considering that all this so great house with so great an apparatus of things he fabricated, not for himself (since from eternity he was without it) nor for the angels, who are pure spirits and have no need
of a bodily place in which to be, and much less for the brutes (since this was a thing unworthy of such an artificer), but for man alone. In which he will see how much this Lord loved him, and esteemed him, and honored him, since such palaces with so much provision of innumerable things he deputed for him, which we shall declare in this whole process, showing clearly that all things go directed to the use and profit of man.
This doctrine will also serve to strengthen our confidence. For considering how perfectly that infinite Goodness provides all brute animals with what is necessary, however small they may be (as is the ant, the mosquito, the spider, and other similar ones), man will see clearly how much reason he has to trust in God, that he will not fail the noblest of his creatures (for whose service he created this whole inferior world) in what may be necessary for the provision of his body and sanctification of his soul.
Thirdly, this doctrine serves to give spiritual persons copious matter for consideration, looking in the creatures at the beauty, the wisdom, the goodness, and providence of their Creator and governor. In which consideration the great philosophers placed the sum of human happiness, as we shall presently declare.