XXII–XXXVII: governance of intelligent creatures by teaching — narration, law, promise, threat, covenant
XXII. The governance of intelligent creatures is that by which God governs them through teaching and through action. And He governs them as befits their nature (Genesis 28:15; Psalm 103:6–7, 11–12).
XXIII. God teaches first either without condition, or with a condition sometimes expressed, sometimes tacit. XXIV. Then He teaches either simply, outside the reason of a covenant, or compositely, in a covenant. XXV–XXVI. Simply He teaches either by narrating or by defining something about creatures. Narration is that by which God only sets forth the truth in things to be known — simple doctrine, prophecy, history — to which faith ought to answer. XXVII. Narration is here specially called admonition when God sets forth truth in things to be known for caution.
XXVIII–XXXII. Further, about intelligent creatures God defines something when by law He designates something to them — by commanding, forbidding, or conceding — or pronounces something concerning them. Precept teaches holiness in doing; interdiction, holiness in omitting; concession, middle things to be done or omitted prudently for our liberty. XXXIII–XXXVI. The mode by which He pronounces something concerning creatures is by promising, by threatening, or by indulgence. Promise teaches His mind concerning kindness to be exercised; threat, concerning severity; indulgence, concerning neither notable kindness nor severity. XXXVII. There follows the composite mode of teaching, by which God strikes a covenant with intelligent creatures, solemnly joining modes of teaching and constituting mutual obligation.
Latin
XXII. Intelligentium creaturarum gubernatio est, qua Deus eas regit partim docendo, partim agendo. Gubernat autem eas naturae suae convenienter — Genesis 28:15; Psalm 103:6–7, 11–12. XXIII. Docet autem Deus primo vel sine conditione, vel cum ea alias expressa alias tacita. XXIV. Deinde docet vel simpliciter extra rationem foederis, vel composite in foedere. XXV–XXVI. Simpliciter aliquid docet aut narrando aut circa creaturas aliquid definiendo. Narratio est qua Deus exponit tantum veritatem in rebus sciendis — doctrina simplex, prophetia, historia — cui respondere debet fides. XXVII. Narratio hic specialiter submonitio appellatur, quando Deus exponit veritatem in sciendis ad cautionem. XXVIII–XXXII. Porro circa intelligentes creaturas Deus aliquid definit dum iis quippiam lege designat — praecipiendo, interdicendo, vel concedendo — aut de iis aliquid pronunciat. Praeceptio docet sanctitatem in agendo; interdictio in re omittenda; concessio res medias pro libertate prudenter agendas omittendasque. XXXIII–XXXVI. Modus quo aliquid de creaturis pronunciat est vel promittendo vel comminando vel per indulgentiam. Promissio docet sententiam de benignitate; comminatio de severitate; indulgentia de nulla notabili benignitate neque severitate. XXXVII. Sequitur modus docendi composite, quo Deus cum creaturis intelligentibus foedus aliquod pangit, solemniter coniungens modos docendi et mutuam obligationem constituens.