Decretum De Libris Recipiendis Et Non Recipiendis

DECREE ON BOOKS TO BE RECEIVED AND NOT TO BE RECEIVED, illustrated from unpublished monuments. NOTICE. From the Prolegomena, numbers following, it is evident into how many and what kinds of difficulties historians and other critical men have fallen on account of the eulogy of Sedulius, which is read in the decree on books to be received and not to be received. This venerable monument of ecclesiastical antiquity is certainly worthy of being illustrated by some learned man with a special commentary. As far as it lies in me, I shall take care to present it here, recognized and emended from several manuscript copies. Chiffletius published it in his notes to the little work of Vigilius of Thapsus, Fontaninus in the Appendix to the Antiquities of Horta, page 317, Blanchinus in the Prolegomena to volume IV of the works of Anastasius, opuscule 3, and Mansius in the Supplement to the Councils. Being furnished with greater resources, and no less at a suitable place, I shall bring together many things on the same matter, led also by the intention that I may in some part, if I can, assist the efforts of my friends, who at Bologna are not perfunctorily engaged in composing a history of the Church. I shall establish three parts: in this first, I describe the Roman Council, celebrated under Pope Damasus, from a Vatican manuscript codex; in the second, I shall review the Gelasian Decree (attributed by some to St. Damasus) according to old copies; in the last, from ancient parchments of the Vatican library, I shall bring forth a certain paraphrase of the same Decree not yet published.

PART ONE. * Council held at Rome under Pope Damasus. On the explanation of the Catholic faith. It has been said that we must first treat of the sevenfold Spirit, who reposes in Christ: the Spirit of wisdom: Christ, the power of God, and the wisdom of God (1 Cor. 1:24). The Spirit of understanding: I will give you understanding, and I will instruct you in this way, in which you will walk (Ps. 31:8). The Spirit of counsel: And he shall be called the angel of great counsel (Isa. 9:6). The Spirit of fortitude, as was said above: Christ, the power of God, and the wisdom of God. The Spirit of knowledge, on account of the eminence of the knowledge of Jesus Christ, as the Apostle says. The Spirit of truth: And I am the life, and the truth (John 14:6). The Spirit of fear: The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord (Ps. 110:6). But the dispensation of the names of Christ is manifold. Lord, because Christ. Word, because Son of God, because only-begotten from the Father. Flesh, because born of the Virgin. Shepherd, because guardian of the sheep. Mountain, because strong. Way, because through him is the straight entrance to life. Lamb, because he suffered. Cornerstone, because of the building. Master, because he shows the way of life. Sun, because he is the illuminator. True, because from the Father. Life, because he is the ruler. Bread, because flesh. Samaritan, because guardian and merciful. Christ, because anointed. Jesus, because savior. God, because he is from God. Angel, because messenger. Bridegroom, because mediator. Vine, because we are redeemed by his blood. Lion, because king. Rock, because foundation.

Foundation, because it is a firmament. Flower, because it is chosen. Prophet, because he reveals future things. For the Holy Spirit is not the Spirit of the Father alone, but of the Father and the Son. For it is written: If anyone loves the world, the Spirit of the Father is not in him. Likewise it is written: Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ is not his. Therefore, when the Father and the Son are named, the Spirit is understood, concerning whom the Son himself says in the Gospel: The Spirit, who proceeds from the Father, and he will receive from me and will announce to you. Likewise it has been said: Now we must treat of the divine Scriptures, what the universal Catholic Church holds and what must be avoided. Here begins the order of the Old Testament. The book of Genesis, one book. Exodus, one book. Leviticus, one book. Numbers, one book. Deuteronomy, one book. Joshua, one book. Judges, one book. Ruth, one book. Kings, four books. Chronicles, two books. The Psalter, one book. Solomon, three books. Proverbs, one book. Ecclesiastes, one book. Song of Songs, one book. Likewise Wisdom, one book. Ecclesiasticus, one book.

Here begins the order of the prophets. The book of Isaiah, one. The book of Jeremiah, one, together with Baruch; likewise with his Lamentations. The book of Ezekiel, one. The book of Daniel, one. The book of Joel, one. The book of Obadiah, one. The book of Hosea, one. The book of Amos, one. The book of Micah, one. The book of Jonah, one. The book of Nahum, one. The book of Habakkuk, one. The book of Zephaniah, one. The book of Haggai, one. The book of Zechariah, one. The book of Malachi, one. Likewise the order of histories. The book of Job, one. The book of Tobit, one. The book of Judith, one. The book of Esther, one. The book of Ezra, one. The books of Maccabees, two. Likewise the order of the Scriptures of the New Testament, which the holy and catholic Church receives. The Gospel according to Matthew, one. According to Mark, one. According to Luke, one. According to John, one. The Epistles of Paul, number fourteen. To the Romans, one. To the Corinthians, two. To the Ephesians, one. To the Thessalonians, two. To the Galatians, one. To the Philippians, one. To the Colossians, one. To Timothy, two. To Titus, one. To Philemon, one. To the Hebrews, one. Likewise the Apocalypse of John the Apostle, one book. The Acts of the Apostles, one book. Likewise the Canonical Epistles, number seven. The Epistles of Peter the Apostle, two. The Epistle of James the Apostle, one.

One epistle of John the Apostle. Two epistles of the other John the Presbyter. One epistle of Jude the Zealot. After all these prophetic, evangelical, and apostolic Scriptures, which we have set forth above, by which the Catholic Church throughout the world was founded by God, we have also thought it necessary to declare that, although all the Catholic Churches spread throughout the world are like one bridal chamber of Christ, nevertheless the holy Roman Church has been elevated above the other churches by certain synodal constitutions; and also by the evangelical word of our Lord and Savior it obtained the primacy: "You are," He says, "Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it, and I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." The fellowship of the most blessed apostle Paul, the vessel of election, was also added, who not at a different time, as heretics prattle, but at one time, on one and the same day, dying a glorious death with Peter in the city of Rome under the emperor Nero, was crowned; and they together consecrated the aforementioned Roman Church to Christ the Lord, and preferred it to all others in the whole world by their presence and venerable triumph. Therefore, the first see of the apostle Peter is the Roman Church, having no spot, nor wrinkle, nor anything of the kind.

The second see, however, at Alexandria, was consecrated by Peter through his disciple and evangelist Mark; and he, sent into Egypt by the apostle Peter, preached the word of truth and completed a glorious martyrdom. The third see, at Antioch, is held honorable of the most blessed apostle Peter, both because he dwelt there first before coming to Rome, and because there the name of Christians first arose among the new people. The end. PART TWO AND THREE. The Gelasian Decree, from the Vatican manuscripts, as well as a paraphrase of the same decree. (We reserve these to be better placed among the works of Gelasius, where, if you please, read them.)