Bellarmine · De Controversiis · On Grace and Free Choice · Book I: On Grace
Chapter 10: Certain doubts are resolved concerning the division of grace into freely given and making pleasing
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 concerning the partition of grace into grace freely given and grace making pleasing there are also certain doubts, but brief and easy; we shall run through them most briefly.
First, then, it is wont to be asked by the theologians whether grace freely given is a permanent habit, or a passing motion of God; for in the third partition we divided the grace that makes pleasing into habitual grace and the grace of special help, but of grace freely given we said nothing. I answer: of the nine gifts freely given which are enumerated by the Apostle, 1 Corinthians 12, five seem to be permanent habits — wisdom, knowledge, faith, kinds of tongues, and interpretation of speeches; the four remaining, passing motions — the grace of healings, the working of miracles, prophecy, and the discerning of spirits. The reason of all these is this: it is proper to habits that they who have them use them at their pleasure. Now it cannot be doubted that they who have the gift of knowledge, of wisdom, and the like can use them when they will; contrariwise it is certain that the gift of prophecy was not always present to the prophets, but then only when they were illuminated by God for foreknowing something, as St. Gregory teaches, homily 1 on Ezekiel; and it is clear from the fourth book of Kings, chapters 3 and 4, where Eliseus, otherwise an eminent prophet, stirred up in himself the spirit of prophecy by a minstrel and the praise of God, and openly confessed that he had not known the death of the Sunamitess's son: her soul, says he, is in anguish, and the Lord hath hid it from me. The same seems to be said of the gift of healings and the working of miracles: for ordinarily miracles are not done when men will, but when God impels them to do them. And if some seem to have the gift of healing after the manner of a habit — such as are the kings of the French, who cure the disease of scrofula when they will — yet not even in them is that gift truly a habit, since miracles are not done by some created virtue inhering in men, but by the virtue of God, which assists those who do miracles.
Second, it can be asked whether the graces freely given can be sundered, either from one another, or from the grace that makes pleasing. But the question is easy. For it is certain that these gifts are separated from one another, the Apostle saying, 1 Corinthians 12: To one indeed, by the Spirit, is given the word of wisdom: and to another, the word of knowledge, etc. — though it be credible that in the Apostles were all the gifts. Again, it cannot be doubted that they can be separated from the grace that makes pleasing. For that the gift of tongues, prophecy, wisdom, knowledge, and faith can exist without charity the same Apostle witnesses, 1 Corinthians 13; and it is agreed that charity either is itself the grace that makes pleasing, or is its inseparable companion. Moreover, Matthew 7, the Lord says that many will say in the day of judgment: have not we prophesied in thy name… and done many miracles in thy name? — who nevertheless shall hear: I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity. Finally, Balaam the soothsayer also prophesied many things truly of Christ, Numbers 22 and 23; and Caiphas, a man otherwise most abandoned, being the high priest of that year, prophesied, John 11. Yet it is not to be denied that for the most part the graces freely given are joined with the grace that makes pleasing; because, as St. Gregory teaches, homily 17 on Ezekiel, with gifts of this kind God adorns his servants outwardly, that it may appear what they are with God inwardly.
Third, it is asked whether the word of wisdom and the word of knowledge are the same as the spirit of wisdom and the spirit of knowledge, of which Isaias 11 treats. For many, since they judge that the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are never separated from the grace that makes pleasing and from charity, contend that the word of wisdom and of knowledge is far different from the Spirit of wisdom and of knowledge. But to us it seems probable that there is little or no difference between the word of wisdom and of knowledge and the spirit of wisdom and of knowledge, and that hence the gifts of the Holy Spirit, as we take them, can be separated both from charity and from one another. For St. Augustine, disputing at length on this place of blessed Paul, 1 Corinthians 12, in book 12 On the Trinity, chapters 14 and 15, and book 13, chapters 19 and 20, and book 13 of the Confessions, chapter 8 [al. 18], teaches that the wisdom of which Paul speaks is the contemplation of eternal things, and knowledge the cognition of things to be done or shunned — in which manner he also distinguished the wisdom and knowledge of which Isaias speaks, chapter 11, in book 1 On the Lord's Sermon on the Mount. From which we understand that, by the judgment of St. Augustine, the wisdom and knowledge in Isaias and in Paul are the same, or the one gift is contained in the other. For no one can have through the Spirit the word of wisdom unless he have through the Spirit the gift of wisdom: for the word of wisdom, in Augustine, in the place cited, is speech concerning those things which are known through wisdom; he therefore must have through the Spirit the gift of wisdom who through the same Spirit has the word of wisdom. But it is certain that the word of wisdom is not in all good believers, for to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom, to another the word of knowledge. Whence Augustine, book 14 On the Trinity, chapter 1: “In which knowledge,” says he, “do not very many of the faithful lack strength, though they be very strong in the faith itself?” Therefore neither are the very gifts of wisdom and knowledge in all good believers. And the same can be gathered from blessed Paul himself: for blessed Paul, 1 Corinthians 13, when he would show that the graces freely given profit nothing without charity, spoke thus: If I speak with the tongues of men, and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And if I should have prophecy and should know all mysteries, and all knowledge, and if I should have all faith, etc. — where what in chapter 12 he had called the word of wisdom he explains by that: if I should know all mysteries, and all knowledge, and if I should have all faith, etc.; and what he had called the word of knowledge he calls simply all knowledge. Wherefore by the word of wisdom and of knowledge the Apostle understood not only the gift of explaining mysteries or dogmas, as they think who follow the former opinion, but also the cognition of the mysteries and dogmas — which they who have can bring forth speech wisely and knowingly; but the cognition of mysteries and dogmas pertains to the very gift of wisdom and knowledge, and can be separated from charity, according to the word of the Apostle already cited: if I should know all mysteries, etc.
Further, St. Augustine, book 1 On the Lord's Sermon on the Mount, chapter 9 [al. 4], teaches that that fear of which it is written, Proverbs 1 and Psalm 110, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, is one of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit; but that the fear which is the beginning of wisdom is the servile fear which prepares the way for charity, and when she enters, goes out — so teach the holy Fathers, as Basil in the oration on the beginning of the Proverbs, and others. St. Augustine, then, will have it that the gifts of the Holy Spirit can exist without charity. St. Gregory also, book 1 of the Morals, chapter 32, disputing of the seven gifts: “For to be wise,” says he, “is not the same as to understand; for many indeed are wise concerning eternal things, but can by no means understand them.” Where he shows that the gift of wisdom and the gift of understanding are not necessarily connected. Moreover, there are many believers so rude that they grasp almost nothing unless it be set forth in a gross manner and with bodily examples — whom (as St. Augustine speaks, in the book against the Epistle of the Foundation, chapter 4) “not liveliness of understanding, but simplicity of believing, makes most safe.” To attribute to these the gift of knowledge or of understanding seems plainly ridiculous; yet we cannot say they are destitute of charity and the grace that makes pleasing. Lastly, to what end would Doctors be necessary in the Church, if all were endowed with the gift of wisdom, knowledge, and understanding? Nor is it probable that those gifts are nothing else than qualities divinely infused by which the human mind suffers itself easily to be led by the Holy Spirit; since the Scriptures and the holy Fathers by wisdom, knowledge, and understanding everywhere understand the cognition of mysteries and of other things — which certainly is not in all in whom charity is. And let these things be said of the Spirit, or gift, of wisdom and knowledge as they signify the knowledge of mysteries, in the manner the holy Fathers Augustine and Gregory seem to take them. For if they be taken for certain habits divinely infused, by which the human mind is rightly disposed to be led and moved by the Holy Spirit, as St. Thomas takes such gifts in the 1-2, question 68, then it will have to be said that these gifts (as St. Thomas rightly teaches) are inseparable, both among themselves and from charity; and that the word of wisdom and knowledge is one thing, the Spirit of wisdom and knowledge another. But of these, too much already for our purpose.
Fourth, it is asked whether the graces freely given are only nine, as seems to be gathered from chapter 12 of the first to the Corinthians. I answer that there are many more; for the Apostle did not in that place enumerate all, but only set down some by way of example. This is evident from chapter 12 of the epistle to the Romans, where the same Apostle, speaking of the same matter, adjoins to prophecy the grace of teaching and exhorting, likewise the grace of governing, the grace of ministering, the grace of dispensing; of which gifts the same Apostle makes mention, 1 Corinthians 12, where he says: Are all apostles? Are all prophets?… Are all workers of miracles? etc. And so many and various are the gifts of the Holy Spirit which are granted to the faithful for the profit of others; nor is there need curiously to seek a fixed number, since it is nowhere precisely indicated in the sacred writings.
Fifth, it is asked whether the power of conferring the Sacraments is a grace freely given. But the answer is easy: for even if that power be in some manner a grace freely given, yet properly it is not of the kind of those gifts which by the theologians are called graces freely given. For the graces freely given, when they are exercised, manifest outwardly their author, the Holy Spirit, according to that of 1 Corinthians 12: And the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man unto profit. For whoever hears someone speaking with various tongues, or doing miracles, or prophesying, or persuading efficaciously, easily judges the author of that gift to be the Holy Spirit; but the power of conferring the Sacraments is hidden, and rather needs faith that it may be believed to be present, than itself produces faith in other things. Further, a grace freely given is not bestowed on everyone who wills it, but is distributed by God as he himself wills, as the Apostle teaches, 1 Corinthians 12; but the power of conferring the Sacraments is given to all who will to receive the Sacrament of Order. Finally, the power of conferring the Sacraments is given through men; the graces freely given are conferred immediately by the Holy Spirit.
Sixth, it is asked whether the graces freely given are nobler than the grace that makes pleasing. But the Apostle answers, 1 Corinthians 12, that charity, which is the grace that makes pleasing, excels all the other gifts; for of it he says: And I shew unto you yet a more excellent way. The same the holy Fathers witness — Augustine, book 15 On the Trinity, chapter 18, and Gregory, homily 17 on Ezekiel. There comes also reason: because the grace that makes pleasing immediately joins man with God, and makes him the friend and son of God; but the graces freely given are as certain instruments by which one man prepares and disposes others, that they may at some time receive the grace that makes pleasing, and through it be received into the friendship of God and the adoption of sons.
Show the Latin (Vives edition, OCR)
tionem gratiae, in gratis datam , et gratum facientem. Jam vero de partitione gratiae in gratiam gratis datam, et gratum facientem, sunt etiam quaedam dubitationes, sed breves ac faciles, eas brevissime percurremus. Primo igitur quaeri solet a Theologis, sit ne gratia gratis data habitus permanens, an motio Dei transiens ; nam in tertia partitione divisimus gratiam gratum facientem, in gra- tiaim habitualem, et in gratiam auxilii spe¬ cialis ; de gratia gratis data nihil diximus. Respondeo : ex novem donis gratis datis, quae enumerantur ab Apostolo I ad Corinth. xii. quinque videri habitus permanentes : Sapientiam , scientiam, fidem, genera lingua¬ rum , et interpretationem sermonum ; quatuor reliqua, motiones transeuntes ; gratiam sani¬ tatum. , operationem virtutum , prophetiam, et discretionem spirituam (1). Ratio horum om¬ nium est : proprium est habituum, ut qui eos habent, pro arbitrio eis utantur. Porro du¬ bitari non potest, quin ii, qui habent donum scientiae, sapientiae, et similia, iis uti possint quando velint ; contra vere certum est, do¬ num prophetia} non semper adfuisse pro¬ phetis, sed tunc solum cum a Deo ad aliquod pramoscendum illustrabantur, ut S. Grego- rius docet hom. 1. in Ezechielem, et perspi¬ cuum est ex lib. iv. Regum cap. 3. et 4. ubi Ilelisaeus, egregius adioqui propheta, per psaltem et Dei laudem Spiritum prophetiae in se excitabat, et aperte faissus est, se igno¬ rasse mortem filii Sunamitis : Anima, in¬ quit, ejus in amaritudine est, et Dominus non indicavit mihi. Idem dicendum videtur de dono sanitatum, et operatione virtutum. Or¬ dinarie enim non fiunt miracula, quando volunt homines, sed quando Deus eos ad ea facienda impellit ; quod si aliqui donum sa¬ nitatis habere videantur per modum habi¬ tus, quales sunt reges Francorum, qui cu¬ rant morbum struma;, quando volunt, tamen neque in iis donum illud 'est vere habitus, siquidem miracula non fiunt ex virtute ali¬ qua creata, qua; in hominibus inhaereat, sed ex virtute Dei, qua; iis assistit, qui miracula faciunt. Secundo quaeri potest, an gratia; gratis data; sejungi possint, vel a se invicem, vel a gratia gratum faciente. Sed quaestio facilis est, nam certum est, haec dona a se invicem separari, dicente Apostolo I ad Corinth. xu : Alii datur per Spiritum sermo sapientiae, alii sermo scientiae, etc. (2). Quamquam credibile sit, in Apostolis omnia dona fuisse. Rursus dubitari non potest, quin a gratia gratum fa¬ ciente separari queant. Posse enim esse sine charitate donum linguarum, prophetiam, sapientiam, scientiam et fidem, idem Apo¬ stolus testatur i. ad Corinth. xm. Constat autem eharitatem, vel ipsam» esse gratiam gratum facientem : vel ejus comitem indivi¬ duam. Adhiec, Matth. vii. Dominus ait, mul¬ tos dicturos in die judicii : Nonne in nomine tuo prophetavimus, et virtutes multas fecimus ? qui tamen audient: Nescio vos. Et, discedite a me omnes operarii iniquitatis (3). Denique et Balaarn Ariolus multa de Christo vere pro¬ phetavit, Num. 22. et 23. et Gaiphas, vir alioqui perditissimus, cum esset pontifex anni illius, prophetavit, Joan. xi. Negandum tamen non est, ut plurimum gratias gratis datas, cum gratia gratum faciente conjungi, quia ut S. Greg irius docet hom. 17. in Eze- chiel. ejusmodi donis servos suos Deus ornat exterius, ut appareat quid sint apud Deum interius. Tertio quoeritur, utrum sermo sapientia; et sermo scientia; sint idem, quod spiritus sa¬ pientia; et spiritus scientia;, de quibus agi¬ tur Isaise xi. Multi enim , quoniam existi- ' mant, septem dona Spiritus sancti nunquam separari a gratia gratum faciente et chari¬ tate, contendunt longe diversa esse, sermo¬ nem sapientia; et scientia;, et Spiritum sa¬ pientia; et scientia;. Nobis autem probabile videtur, parum aut nihil interesse inter sermonem sapientia; et scientiae, et spiritum sapientia; et scientiae: ac per haec dona Spiritus sancti, ut a nobis (1) 1 Corinth. XII, 28. - (2) 1 Corinth. XIII, 8. - (3) Matth. VI, 22. . CAPUT X. 523 accipiuntur, a charitate et a se invicem se¬ parari posse. Nam sanctus Augustinus proli¬ xe disputans de hoc loco B. Pauli I. ad Co¬ rinthios xn. in lib. xn. de Trinitate cap. et 15. et lib. xm. cap. 19. et 20. et lib. xm. Confessionum cap. 8. docet, sapientiam, de qua Paulus loquitur, esse contemplationem rerum alternarum, scientiam autem cogni¬ tionem rerum agendarum, vel fugiendarum, quomodo etiam distinxit sapientiam et scien¬ tiam, de quibus loquitur Isaias cap. 11. in lib. i. de serm. Domini in monte. Ex quo intelligimus, ex sententia S. Au- gust. eamdem esse sapientiam et scientiam apud Isaiain, et apud Paulum ; vel uno dono alterum contineri ; non enim potest aliquis habere per Spiritum, sermonem sapientiae, nisi habeat per Spiritum donum sapientia). Sermo enim sapientia) apud Augustinum, loco citato, est sermo de iis rebus qua) per sapientiam cognoscuntur, debet igitur per Spiritum donum habere sapientia), qui per eumdem Spiritum sermonem habet sapien¬ tia) ; certum autem est, sermonem sapientia) non esse in omnibus bonis fidelibus, nam alii datur per Spiritum sermo sapientiae, alii sermo scientia). Unde Augustinus lib. xiv. de Trinit. cap. 1: « Qua scientia, inquit, non pollent fideles plurimi, licet *polleant ipsa fi¬ de plurimum ? » Igitur nec ipsa dona sapientia) et scientiae sunt in omnibus bonis fidelibus. Quod idem ex ipso B. Paulo colligi potest? Nam B. Pau¬ lus I. ad Corinth. xm. cum ostendere vellet, gratias gratis datas, sine charitate nihil pro¬ desse, ita loquutus est : Si linguis hominum loquar , et Angelorum, charitatem autem non habuero , factus sum velut xs sonans, aut cim- balum tinniens, et si habuero prophetiam , et noverim mysteria omnia , et omnem scientiam, et si habuero omnem /idem, elc., ubi quod cap. 12. vocaverat sermonem sapientia), ex¬ plicat per illud : Si noverim mysteria omnia, et omnem scientiam, et sihabuero omnem fidem, elc. (1). Et quod vocaverat sermonem scien¬ tia), simpliciter vocat omnem scientiam. Quare per sermonem sapientia) et scientia) non intelligebat Apostolus solum donurn ex¬ plicandi mysteria, vel dogmata, ut existi¬ mant, qui priorem opinionem sequuntur ; sed etiam cognitionem mysteriorum et dog¬ matum, quam qui habent, sapienter et scien¬ ter sermonem proferre possunt : cognitio autem mysteriorum et dogmatum ad ipsum donum sapientia) et scientia) pertinent, et a charitate separari queunt , juxta verbum Apostoli jam citatum : Si noverim mysteria omnia etc. Deinde S. August. lib. i. de serm. Domini in monte, cap. 9, docet, timorem illum, de quo scriptum est Proverb. i. et in Psal. cx : Initium sapientix timor Domini (2), esse unum ex septem Spiritus sancti donis, timo¬ rem autem qui est initium sapientiae, esse timorem servilem qui charitati viam parat, et illa introeunte exit : docent S. Patres, ut Basilius in oratione de initio Proverbiorum, et alii. Vult igitur S. Augustinus dona Spi¬ ritus sancti sine charitate esse posse; S. etiam Gregorius lib. i. Moral. cap. 32. dispu¬ tans de septem donis : « Non enim, inquit, idem est sapere quod intelligere, nam multi a)terna quidem sapiunt, sed intelligere ne¬ quaquam possunt. » Ubi ostendit, non esse necessario connexa donum sapientiae et do¬ num intellectus. Adhaec, multi sunt fideles adeo rudes, ut nihil fere capiant, nisi crasso modo, et exem¬ plis corporalibus proponatur : « Quos (ut lo¬ quitur S. Augustinus in lib. contra epist. fundamenti cap. 4.) non intelligendi vivaci¬ tas, sed credendi simplicitas tutissimos fa¬ cit. » His autem tribuere donum scientiae, vel intellectus, ridiculum plane videtur, quos tamen charitate et gratia gratum faciente destitutas esse dicere non possumus. Postremo, quorsum in Ecclesia necessarii essent Doctores, si omnes dono sapientia), scientia) et intellectus praediti essent? neque enim probabile est, dona ista nihil esse aliud, nisi qualitates divinitus infusas, quibus mens humana facile duci se sinat a Spiritu sancto : siquidem Scriptura) et sancti Patres, per sa¬ pientiam, scientiam et intellectum, passim intelligunt cognitionem mysteriorum, alia- rumque rerum, quam certum est non in om¬ nibus esse, in quibus est charitas. Atque haec dicta sint de Spiritu, sive dono sapientiae et scientia), ut significant notitiam mysteriorum, quomodo accipere videntur S. Patres, Augustinus et Gregorius. Nam si accipiantur pro quibusdam habitibus divini¬ tus infusis, quibus mens humana recte dis¬ ponitur, ut a Spiritu sancto ducatur et mo¬ veatur, ut ejusmodi dona accipit S. Thom. in 1. 2. quaest. 68. tunc dicendum erit, haec (t) 1 Corinth. X ili. — (2) Psal. CX, lu. UBER i. dona (ut S. Thomas recte docet) inseparabi¬ lia esse, tum inter se, tum a charitatc : et aliud esse sermonem sapientiae et scientia; ; aliud Spiritum sapientia, et scientiae. Sed de bis nimis multa pro instituto. Quarto quaeritur, num gratiae gratis datae sint taritum novem, ut colligi videtur ex cap. ■12. prioris ad Gorinth. Respondeo , esse multo plurcs , neque enim Apostolus eo loco omnes enumeravit, sed tantum aliquas exempli loco posuit. Id patet ex cap. 12. epist. ad Rom. ubi loquens idem Apostolus de eadem re, adjungit ad prophetiam gratiam docendi et exhortandi, item gratiam gubernandi, gratiam ministran¬ di, gratiam dispensandi, quorum donorum meminit idem Apostolus, 1 ad Gorinth. xn. abi ait : Numquid omnes Apostoli. ? numquid omnes Prophetse ? numquid omnes virtutes? etc. (1). Itaque multa sunt et varia Spiritus sancti dona, qua; ad aliorum utilitatem fide¬ libus conceduntur : neque opus est curiose certum numerum qu arere, cum is nusquam pra:cise in sacris litteris indicetur. Quinto quseritur, utrum potestas confe¬ rendi Sacramenta, sit gratia gratis data? Sed facilis est responsio, nam etiamsi po¬ testas illa sit aliquo modo gratia gratis data, tamen proprie non est ex genere eorum do¬ norum, quie a Theologis dicuntur gratia gratis data. Siquidem gratia gratis data cum exercentur, auctorem suum Spiritum sanctum, exterius manifestant, juxta illud I ad Corinth. xn : Unicuique datur manifestatio Spiritus ad utilitatem (2). Quicumque enim audit aliquem loquentem variis linguis, aut miracula lacientem, aut prophetantem, aut efficaciter persuadentem, facile judicat au¬ ctorem illius doni esse Spiritum sanctum : at potestas Sacramenta conferendi occulta est, et potius eget fide, ut credatur inesse, quam ipsa fidem aliis rebus faciat. Deinde gratia gratis data non tribuitur unicuique eam volenti, sed distribuitur a Deo, prout ipse voluerit, ut Apostolus docet I. ad Corinth. xii. Potestas autem Sacra¬ menta conferendi datur omnibus, qui Sacra¬ mentum Ordinis suscipere volunt. Denique potestas conferendi Sacramenta datur per homines ; gratiae gratis data; immediate a sancto Spiritu conferuntur. Sexto quaeritur, utrum gratia; gratis daUu sint nobiliores, quam gratia gratum faciens? (I ) l Corinth. XII, 20. - (2) 1 Corinth, Xlf, 7. . Sed respondet Apostolus 1. ad Gorinth. xii. charitatem, qua; est gratia gratum fa¬ ciens, omnibus aliis donis praestare. De hac enim ait : Adhuc excellentiorem viam, cohis de¬ monstro (3). Quod idem testantur S. Patres, Augustinus lib. xv. de Trinitate cap. 18. et Gregorius hom. 17. in Ezcchiel. Accedit etiam ratio, quia gratia gratum faciens, im¬ mediate hominem cum Deo conjungit, et amicum ac filium Dei facit; gratiae vero gra¬ tis datae, veluti quaedam instrumenta sunt, quibus unus homo alios praeparat, ac dispo¬ nit, ut gratiam gratum bidentem aliquando recipiant, et per cani in amicitiam Dei, et adoptionem liliorum recipiantur. CAPUT XI. Concedendam esse partitionem auxilii specialis