Bellarmine · De Controversiis · On Grace and Free Choice · Book I: On Grace
Chapter 2: On the divisions of grace
Our translation, from the Latin of the Opera Omnia (Paris: Vivès, 1870–74), vol. V, De Gratia et Libero Arbitrio, Book I. The Latin source text is public domain; this English rendering is released with the site. Scripture quotations follow Bellarmine's Vulgate citations, rendered in Douay-Rheims wording where he quotes exactly. Click “Show the Latin” for the original (raw OCR of the scan; scanning errors remain — the scan itself is the authority).
Now of grace taken in the second and third ways — of which we are going to write, God helping, many things in the following disputations — there are many divisions. The first division is into eternal grace and temporal. Eternal grace is that love with which God loved us before the foundation of the world, from eternity itself; unto the praise and glory of which grace the Apostle witnesses that we were predestinated by God, and elected unto the adoption of sons, Ephesians 1: he hath predestinated us… unto the praise of the glory of his grace. Temporal graces are the benefits of vocation and justification, which are derived from the eternal grace, as effects from their cause; for whom he predestinated, them he also called. And whom he called, them he also justified, Romans 8.
The second division is of temporal grace, into grace freely given and grace making pleasing. Which division is not to be so taken as though there were some grace not freely given; but to one species, because it lacks a proper name, is left the name of the genus. Grace freely given is a supernatural gift, without any debt, conferred chiefly for the spiritual salvation of others: 1 Corinthians 12, there are diversities of graces, etc. Grace making pleasing is a supernatural gift, without any debt, given above all for the spiritual salvation of each man himself: 2 Corinthians 12, My grace is sufficient for thee. Each grace is called a supernatural gift, because it does not follow nature, but is granted from God above nature; and that without any debt, because it is neither owed to nature nor falls under the merit of the person. And although from grace freely given there sometimes follow bodily benefits, as the good health of a sick man, yet, because the last end of every grace freely given is the everlasting health of the soul, we have said that they are referred to spiritual salvation. Finally, we added in the definition of grace freely given that this kind of grace pertains chiefly to the salvation of others, because, though it is common to grace freely given with grace making pleasing that they conduce both to one's own and to another's salvation, yet there is this difference: that grace making pleasing is given above all for the salvation of each man himself, secondarily for that of others — namely, that we ourselves first be made just and perfect, and then the rest may see our good works and glorify our Father who is in heaven; contrariwise, grace freely given looks chiefly to the salvation of others — of those, namely, who by preaching and miracles are drawn either to faith or to penitence — and to one's own secondarily, because, while through those gifts we skillfully apply ourselves to the salvation of our neighbors, we win God to ourselves, and merit to hear from him: Well done, good and faithful servant, etc. For as the philosophers will have two kinds of virtues — some private, and necessary to each man wherever he live, as temperance and continence; some common, and necessary in the commonwealth on account of the society of others, as justice and liberality — so also God willed there to be in the Christian commonwealth two kinds of aids: the private, by which each becomes good; and the common, which we need for helping the salvation of others.
The third division is of grace making pleasing, into permanent or habitual grace, and the grace of special help. Permanent grace is the name for the infused habits of faith, hope, and charity — and chiefly of charity, as we are going to demonstrate a little later. The grace of special help seems able to be defined in these words: it is a motion of God by which man is helped toward operations which in some manner surpass his nature. It is called a motion, that it may be distinguished from the infused and permanent qualities; for special help is not an infused habit, or a permanent quality, but an action by which God moves man to work, or works with him. And this help is not necessary for operations which do not surpass the powers of nature — such as to understand and to desire human things, for which general help suffices; but it is necessary for those operations which in any manner exceed the powers of nature. Now an operation can surpass the powers of nature in three ways. First, simply and absolutely — if the operation is of its kind of a higher order than natural things are; such are the acts of the theological virtues, faith, hope, and charity, which are not acquired by repeated and frequent acts, but are infused into the soul from God. Second, not simply, but by reason of the state of sin: for as a sick man cannot move some huge mass unless he be helped by another — a mass which the same man, if he were well, could have moved alone — so man, weakened through sin, cannot without special help effect many things which in the state of innocence he would easily have effected without such help. Third, by reason of manner, place, time, person, or any other circumstance; for it often happens that what surpasses the powers of nature neither of its kind nor by reason of state nevertheless surpasses them by reason of a circumstance. And, to continue in the example set: a healthy man will be able by himself to move a certain mass from its place, yet will not be able without another's help if he be compelled to use only one hand, or if either the mass or he himself be placed in a spot little convenient. So a just man will be able easily to fulfill some precept of the Decalogue, if no diabolical temptation come from without; but if a temptation of that kind come, he will not be able to do it without special help. From these things it will be easy to gather what lies between the general help of God and the special help. The general is given for all acts, as well evil as good; for even in evil acts that which is material and positive is good, and cannot be done save with God cooperating; but the special is given only for good acts. Again, the general help is given by God as author of nature, for those works which are exercised through the natural powers, and are referred to an end which has proportion with nature; but the special is furnished by God as giver of glory, for those works which exceed the powers of nature, and are ordained to the end of everlasting beatitude. Furthermore, the general help, though it is not owed simply, is yet owed in some manner on a supposition: for since God has willed created things to exist and to work, it is equitable that he not deny them the help without which they could neither move themselves nor effect anything at all; but the special is owed by no reasoning, but is given from a certain new and infinite liberality of God — especially if we speak of the first grace preventing and stirring man. Wherefore the name of grace belongs more properly to the special help than to the general — as also the habits of faith, hope, and charity are more properly named gifts of grace than the faculties of understanding and willing.
The fourth division is of special help, into stirring help and aiding help. To the grace of stirring help pertain the divine illuminations and inspirations, by which God knocks at our heart, that we may be roused from the sleep of sin, or of negligence in good works. To the grace of aiding help belong the divine cooperation, direction, and protection, by which we are helped both to choose and to do what God, preventing us, has inspired. Apocalypse, chapter 3: Behold, I stand at the gate, and knock. If any man shall hear my voice, and open to me the door, I will come in to him, etc. Hence is that in the prayers of the Church: “Prevent our actions, we beseech thee, O Lord, by thy inspiration, and further them by thy help.” And that of St. Augustine, book 2 On the Merits and Remission of Sins, chapter 18 [al. 5]: “That we turn to God we cannot, save he himself stirring and helping.” And that of blessed Bernard, in the book On Grace and Free Choice: “Our endeavors are both vain, if they be not helped; and none at all, if they be not stirred.” With which agrees that of the Council of Trent, session 6, chapter 6: “They are disposed toward justification while, stirred and helped by divine grace, conceiving faith from hearing,” etc.
The fifth division is of help, or grace, into sufficient and efficacious help or grace. That is called sufficient help by which God so calls and stirs a man, and is so prepared to help him by directing, protecting, and cooperating, that he who is so stirred and called can in very truth will to believe, will to be converted, will to do some good; yet in fact does not will to believe, or be converted, or do that good. That is called efficacious help by which God so calls and stirs a man, and is so prepared to help him by directing, protecting, and cooperating, that infallibly he who is so stirred and called does in fact will, and in fact believes, is converted, does good.
The sixth division is of efficacious grace, into operating and cooperating: operating grace is that which makes us will; cooperating, that which makes us fulfill what we have willed. Which division is taken from those words of St. Augustine, the book On Grace and Free Choice, chapter 17: “He, that we may will, works, beginning; who, with those who will, cooperates, perfecting.” And below: “Without him — whether working that we may will, or cooperating when we will — we avail nothing toward the good works of piety.” Of these two divisions we shall discourse more fully at the end of this book. Another division of grace is wont to be brought forward, into preventing and subsequent, since in Psalm 58 we read, his mercy shall prevent me, and in Psalm 22, thy mercy will follow me. But this division contains nothing new; it only includes the former ones. For the stirring grace can be called preventing, and the aiding, subsequent, according to that: “Prevent our actions by thy inspiration, and further them by thy help.” Again, operating grace is also preventing, and cooperating, subsequent: “Him that wills not” (says St. Augustine in the Enchiridion, chapter 32) “it prevents, that he may will; him that wills it follows, that he may not will in vain.” And St. Gregory, homily 9 on Ezekiel: “He prevents us, that we may will; and follows us willing, that we may not will emptily.” Finally, every prior grace can be called preventing, if it be compared with the later: “It prevents” (says St. Augustine, the book On Nature and Grace, chapter 31) “that we may be healed; and follows, that being healed we may grow strong; it prevents, that we may be called; and follows, that we may be glorified; it prevents, that we may live piously; and follows, that we may live with him always.”
Show the Latin (Vives edition, OCR)
\ Jam vero gratise secundo, et tertio modo acceptie, de qua in sequentibus disputationi¬ bus multa, Deo juvante, scripturi sumus, multa; partitiones sunt. Prima partitio est in gratiam aeternam ac temporariam. Gratia aeterna est ille amor, quo nos Deus ante mundi constitutionem ab ipsa aeternitate di- lexit, in cujus gratia; laudem et gloriam nos a Deo pradestinatos esse atque electos in adoptionem filiorum testatur Apostolus ad Ephes. i : Praedestinavit, inquit, nos in lau¬ dem gloriae gratia; sua; (3). Gratia temporal ia dicuntur beneficia 'vocationis, et justifica¬ tionis, quae ex aterna gratia, ut effectus ex causa, derivantur. Nam quos praedestinavit, hos et vocavit; quos vocavit, hos et justificavit, ad lloman. viii (4). Altera partitio est gratia; temporariae in gratiam gratis datam, et gratiam gratum facientem. Quae partitio non sic accipienda est, quasi aliqua sit gratia non gratis data, sed uni speciei, quod proprio nomine careat, relinquitur nomen generis. Gratia gratis data est donum supernaturale, absque ullo de¬ bito, ad aliorum spiritualem salutem praci- pue collatum, prima ad Corinth. xn. Divi¬ siones gratiarum sunt, etc. (5). Gratia gratum faciens est donum supernaturale absque ullo debito, ad propriam uniuscujusque spi¬ ritualem salutem potissimum datum, II ad Corinth. xn. Sufficit tibi gratia mea (6). Supernaturale donum utraque gratia dici¬ tur, quia non consequitur naturam, sed su¬ pra naturam conceditur divinitus : idque absque ullo debito, quia neque debetur na¬ tura;, neque cadit sub meritum persona. Quamvis autem ex gratia gratis data inter¬ dum beneficia corporalia consequantur, ut bona valetudo ®grotantis : tamen quia finis ultimus omnis grati® gratis dat®, est sanitas anim® sempiterna, ideo ad spiritualem salu¬ tem eas referri diximus. (1) Psal XLIV, 3; Joan. I, 14; Luc. II, 40. — (2) Rom. III, 24. — Rom VI, 23. — (3) Eph. 1, 6. (4) Rom. VIII, 30. — (5) I Corin. XII, 4; II Corinth. XII, 9. CAPUT II. 501 Denique addidimus in definitione gratiae gratis datae, ad aliorum praecipue salutem, hoc genus gratiae pertinere, quia licet com¬ mune sit gratiae gratis datae cum gratia gra¬ tum faciente, ut tam propriae, quam aliene saluti conducant : tamen illud interest, quod gratia gratum faciens datur potissimum ad propriam uniuscujusque salutem, secundario ad aliorum, nimirum, ut nos ipsi primum justi perfectique efficiamur, deinde caeteri videant opera nostra bona, et glorificent Pa¬ trem nostrum qui in coelis est. Contra vero gratia gratis data, alienam salutem spectat praecipue, eorum videlicet, qui praedicatione et miraculis vel ad fidem, vel ad poenitentiam pertrahuntur : propriam autem secundario, quia dum per ea dona so- lerter in proximorum salutem incumbimus, Deum nobis conciliamus atque ab eo audire meremur : Euge serve bone, et fidelis, etc. Sicut enim Philosophi duo genera virtutum esse volunt, quasdam privatas, et necessarias nnicuique ubicumque vivat, ut temperantiam et continentiam, quasdam communes, et ne¬ cessarias in Republica, propter aliorum so¬ cietatem, ut justitiam, et liberalitatem : ita etiam Deus in Republica Christiana duo esse voluit genera adjumentorum ; privatum, quo quisque fit bonus; et commune, quo indige¬ mus ad aliorum juvandam salutem. Tertia partitio est gratiae gratum facientis, in gratiam permanentem, sive habitualem, et gratiam auxilii specialis. Gratia perma¬ nens dicuntur habitus infusi, fidei, spei, charitatis, ac praecipue charitatis, ut paulo post demonstraturi sumus. Gratia auxilii spe¬ cialis definiri posse videtur his verbis : Est motio Dei qua homo ad operationes, quae na¬ turam suam aliquo modo superant, adjuva¬ tur. Motio dicitur, ut distinguatur ab infusis ac permanentibus qualitatibus ; neque enim auxilium speciale est habitus infusus, aut permanens qualitas, sed actio qua Deus ho¬ minem movet ad operandum, vel cum eo operatur ; non est autem hoc auxilium ne¬ cessarium ad operationes, quae vires naturae non superant, quales sunt intelligere et ap¬ petere res humanas, ad hujusmodi enim suf¬ ficit auxilium generale ; sed necessarium est ad eas operationes, quae quoquo modo natu¬ rae vires excedunt. Porro tribus modis operatio aliqua vires naturae superare potest. Primum simpliciter et absolute, ut si ex genere suo operatio sit ordinis altioris, quam sunt res naturales, quales sunt actus virtutum Theologicarum, fidei, spei, et charitatis, quae non acqui¬ runtur per iteratos et frequentatos actus, sed divinitus in animam infunduntur. Secundo, non simpliciter, sed ratione sta¬ tus peccati ; quemadmodum enim homo aegrotus movere non potest ingentem ali¬ quam molem, nisi juvetur ab alio, quam ipse idem, si sanus esset, solus movere potuisset ; sic homo per peccatum debilitatus, multa non potest sine auxilio speciali efficere, quae in statu innocentiae, sine tali auxilio, facile effecisset. Tertio, ratione modi, loci, temporis, per¬ sonae, aut alterius cujuslibet circumstantiae ; saepe enim accidit, ut id, quod neque ex genere suo, neque ratione status, vires na¬ turae superat, easdem tamen superet ratione circumstantiae ; ac, ut in exemplo posito perseveremus, poterit homo sanus per se, molem quamdam loco movere, non tamen poterit sine alterius auxilio, si alteram ma¬ num tantum adhibere cogatur, aut si loco parum commodo, vel moles, vel ipse sit con¬ stitutus : ita poterit homo justus praeceptum aliquod Decalogi facile adimplere, si nulla extrinsecus diabolica tentatio accedat ; si vero tentatio ejusmodi accedat, sine speciali auxilio id facere non poterit. Ex his autem facile erit colligere, quid intersit inter guxilium Dei generale, et auxi¬ lium speciale : generale siquidem datur ad actus omnes tam bonos, quam malos, nam et in malis actibus id quod materiale et po¬ sitivum est bonum est, nec fieri nisi Deo co- operante potest ; speciale autem non datur nisi ad actus bonos. Rursus generale auxilium datura Deo, ut auctore naturae, ad ea opera, quae per natu¬ rales potentias exercentur, et ad finem, qui cum natura proportionem habeat, referun¬ tur ; speciale vero praestatur a Deo, ut glo¬ riae donatore, ad ea opera, quae naturae, vi¬ res excedunt, et ad finem sempiternae bea- titudinis ordinantur. Adhaec generale auxilium, quamvis non sit debitum simpliciter, est tamen debitum aliquovmodo ex hypothesi, cum enim Deus res creatas exstare, et operari voluerit, ae¬ quum est, ut e*6 non deneget auxilium, sine quo nec se ipsae movere, nec aliquid omni¬ no possent efficere; speciale autem nulla ratione est debitum, sed ex nova quadam et infinita Dei liberalitate donatur, praesertim si loquamur de prima gratia hominem prae- 502 LIBEM I. veniente et excitante : quare nomen gratia; magis proprie convenit auxilio speciali , quam generali, sicut etiam magis proprie habitus fidei, spei et charitatis, quam in- fclligendi, volendique facultates, dona gra¬ tia? nominantur. Quarta partitio est auxilii specialis, in auxilium excitans, et auxilium adjuvans; ad gratiam auxilii excitantis divina? illustratio¬ nes, atque inspirationes pertinent, quibus Deus cor nostrum pulsat, ut a somno pecca¬ ti, vel negligentiae in bonis operibus excite¬ mur : ad gratiam auxilii adjuvantis spectat divina cooperatio, directio, ac protectio, quibus juvamur tum ut elegamus tum ut fa¬ ciamus quod Deus praeveniens inspiravit. A- pocalypsis cap. m : Eccc sto ad ostium et pulso, si quis audierit vocem racam, et aperuerit ja¬ nuam, in traho ad illum etc. (1). Hinc est illud in precibus Ecclesiae : « Actiones nostras, quaesumus Domine, aspirando praeveni, et adjuvando prosequere. » Et illud sancti Au¬ gustini lib. it. de peccatorum meritis et re¬ missione c. 18 : « Quod ad Deum nos conver¬ timus, nisi ipso excitante et adjuvante non possumus. » Et illud beati Bernardi in libro de gratia et libero arbitrio : « Conatus nostri et cassi sunt, si non adjuventur; ct nulli, si non excitentur. » Quibus congruit illud Con¬ cilii Tridentini sess. 6. c. 6. « Disponuntur ad justificationem, dum excitati divina gra¬ tia, et adjuti, fidem ex auditu concipientes etc. i) Quinta partitio est auxilii, sive gratia; in auxilium, sive gratiam sufficientem, et effi¬ cacem. Auxilium sufficiens dicitur, quo Deus ita hominem vocat, et excitat, et juvare di¬ rigendo, protegendo , cooperando paratus est, ut re vera possit ille sic excitatus, et vocatus, velle credere, velle converti, velle bonum aliquod facere, tamen re ipsa non velit credere, aut converti, aut bonum illud facere. Auxilium efficax dicitur, quo Deus ita hominem vocat, et excitat, et juvare di¬ rigendo, protegendo, cooperando, paratus est, ut infallibili ter re ipsa velit ille, qui sic excitatur, et vocatur, et re ipsa credat, con¬ vertatur, bonum faciat. Sexta partitio est. gratia; efficacis in ope¬ rantem, et cooperantem : gratia operans est, quae facit ut velimus ; cooperans vero, quae facit ut quod voluerimus, impleamus. Qua; partitio sumpta est ex verbis illis sancti Augustini libro de gratia et libero arbitrio, cap. 17. «Ipse ut velimus operatur incipiens, qui volentibus cooperatur perficiens. » Et infra : « Sine illo vel operante ut velimus, vel cooperante cum volumus, ad bona pie¬ tatis opera nihil valemus. » De his duabus partitionibus in fine hujus libri plenius dis¬ seremus. Solet adferri alia quaedam partitio gratiae, in praevenientem ct subsequentem, cum in Psalm. LYltl. legalimus : Misericordia ejus prseveniet me. Et in .Psalm. xxii, Misericor¬ dia tua subsequetur me (2). Sed haec partitio nihil novi continet, sed superiores dun taxat includit ; siquidem gratia excitans dici po¬ test praeveniens ; et adjuvans, subsequens, juxta illud : « Actiones nostras aspirando praeveni, ct adjuvando prosequere. » Rursus gratia operans est etiam pi‘aeveniens ; et co¬ operans, subsequens : « Nolentem (inquit, sanctus Augustinus in Enchiridio cap. 32.) praevenit ut velit, volentem subsequitur, ne frustra velit. » Et sanctus Gregorius liomil. t). in Ezechielem : « Nos, inquit, praevenit, ut velimus, et volentes subsequitur, ne ina¬ niter velimus. » Denique omnis gratia prior, praeveniens dici potest , si comparetur ad posteriorem : « Prevenit (inquit sanctus Au¬ gustinus libro de natura et gratia cap. 32.) ut sanemur, et subsequitur, ut sanati vege¬ temur; praevenit ut vocemur, et subsequi¬ tur ut glorificemur ; praevenit, ut pie viva¬ mus, et subsequitur, ut cum illo semper vivamus. » CAPUT III. Gratiam gratum facientem esse qualitatem ,