Bellarmine · De Controversiis · On Grace and Free Choice · Book II: On Predestination and Sufficient Grace
Chapter 4: That God cannot be accused of injustice, even if he gave not to all sufficient help unto salvation; and that we must despair of no one
Our translation, from the Latin of the Opera Omnia (Paris: Vivès, 1870–74), vol. V, De Gratia et Libero Arbitrio, Book II. 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).
Let the third proposition now be this: “There would be no iniquity in God if he denied the help sufficient unto salvation not only to some, but even to all men.” This is most certain among those who from the divine writings have known original sin; for since through the sin of the first man we are all born children of wrath (as the Apostle teaches, Ephesians 2), nothing is owed us by right except punishment. Hence, Wisdom 12, the Holy Spirit says: who shall stand against thy judgment? or who shall… charge thee, if the nations perish, which thou hast made? And the Apostle, Romans 9, demonstrates that it is mercy alone by which God out of the mass of perdition makes some vessels unto honor — whence he also calls them vessels of mercy. And this is the cause, as St. Augustine teaches in epistle 105, why they are few who are saved: that we may understand, namely, what was owed to all. Finally, the first grace is given to enemies, and thereby is in every way unowed; to no one, then, would injury be done if that grace were furnished to no one. And so St. Augustine, book On the Gift of Perseverance, chapter 8: “Let us not be ungrateful that the merciful God delivers so many from a perdition so much owed, that if he delivered no one from it, he would not be unjust.”
The fourth proposition: “Whether sufficient help be given to all, or only to some, we nevertheless ought to despair of no one's salvation, so long as he is in this life, nor withdraw from anyone rebuke, exhortation, and the other offices of charity.” This also is received by all without controversy. For even if some were so deserted by God, and so utterly destitute of all help, that they could by no means be converted, yet we, who know not who they are, ought to hope well of all, and to say with the Prophet Joel: Who knoweth but he will return, and forgive, and leave a blessing behind him? Joel 2. And to hear the Apostle Paul, who bids that we be mild toward all men, and with patience and modesty rebuke those who resist the truth — if peradventure God may give them repentance to know the truth, and they may recover themselves from the snares of the devil. Hence St. Augustine, book On Rebuke and Grace, chapter 15 [al. 13]: “Not knowing,” says he, “who pertains to the number of the predestinated and who does not pertain, we ought so to be affected with the affection of charity as to will that all be saved.” And chapter 16 [al. 49]: “As far as pertains to us, who are not able to distinguish the predestinated from the non-predestinated, and for this reason ought to will that all be saved, severe rebuke is to be applied by us to all, as a medicine, lest they perish.” Which same he repeats in book 1 of the Retractations, chapter 19. St. Leo also, in the first sermon on the Epiphany: “While life is lived in this body,” says he, “the reparation of no one is to be despaired of, but the correction of all is to be desired — the Lord helping, who lifts up them that are cast down, looses them that are fettered, and enlightens the blind.”
Show the Latin (Vives edition, OCR)
CAPUT IV. Non posse Deum injustiiiic accusari, si non flaret omnibus anxilium sufficiens ad salutem, neque de ullo desperandum esse. Sit jam tertia propositio : « Nulla esset in Deo iniquitas, si non solum aliquibus, sed etiam omnibus hominibus auxilium sufficiens ad salutem negaret. » Hcec certissima est apud eos, qui ex divinis litteris peccatum ori¬ ginale noverunt; nam cum per peccatum primi hominis nascamur omnes filii irae (ut Apostolus docet ad Ephes. 11.), nihil nobis jure debetur nisi poma. Hinc Sap. xn. dicit Spiritus sanctus : Quis stabit contra judicium tuum, aut quis tibi imputabit si perierint na- I dones, quas tu fecisti ? (1) Et Apostolus ad llom. ix. demonstrat, solam esse misericor¬ diam, qua Deus ex massa perditionis aliqua vasa facit in honorem, unde etiam vasamise- ricordice appellat. Et ea causa est, ut S. Au¬ gustinus docet in epistol. 105. cur pauci sint qui salvantur, ut nimirum intelligamus, quid omnibus deberetur ; denique prima gratia datur inimicis, «ac per hoc modis omnibus est indebita ; nulli igitur fieret injuria si ea gratia nemini praiberetur. Itaque S. Augu¬ stinus lib. de bono persev. cap. 8 : « Non simus ingrati, quod tam multos liberat mise¬ ricors Deus de tam debita perditione, ut si inde neminem liberaret, non esset injustus. » Quarta propositio : « Sive detur sufficiens auxilium omnibus, sive tantum aliquibus, nos tamen de nullius salute, donec in h«uc vita fuerit, desperare debemus, neque ab ullo , subtrahere correptionem , exhorta¬ tionem et alia charitatis officia. » Hiec quo- qu.c sine controversia recipitur ab omnibus, (1) Sap XII, 12. - (2) Joci. II, 14. ait nam tametsi nonnulli ita desererentur a Deo, omnique auxilio proisus destituerentur, ut nulla ratione converti possent ; nos tamen qui nescimus qui sint illi, de oinnihus bene sperare debemus, ac dicere cum Px-opheta Joel : Quis scit si convertatur et iynoscat Deus, et relinquat post se benedictionem ? Joel II (2). Et Apostolum Paulum audire, qui jubet ut mansueti simus ad omnes, et cum patientia ct modestia corripiamus eos, qui resistunt veritati , ne quando Deus det illis poeniten¬ tiam ad cognoscendam veritatem et resipi¬ scant a diaboli laqueis. Hinc S. Augustinus lib. de corrept. et grat. cap. 13 : «Nescientes, inquit, quis per¬ tineat ad praedestinatorum mumerum, quis non pertineat ; sic affici debemus charitatis affectu, ut omnes velimus salvos fieri. » Etcap. 16 : «Quantum ad nos perlinet, qui praedes¬ tinatos a non praedestinatis discernere non valemus, et ob hoc omnes salvos fieri velle, debemus omnibus ne pereant, adhibenda est a nobis medicinaliter severa correptio. » Quod idem repetit in 1. lib. retract. cap. ‘19. Sanctus quoque Leo in serm. i. dc Epi¬ phania : « Dum, inquit, hoc in corpore vivi¬ tur, nullius desperanda reparatio, sed om¬ nium est optanda correctio, auxiliante domi¬ no, qui erigit elisos, solvit compeditos, et illuminat caecos. »