Bellarmine · De Controversiis · On Grace and Free Choice · Book II: On Predestination and Sufficient Grace
Chapter 5: That sufficient help unto salvation, according to place and time, is given to all
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).
The fifth proposition: “Help sufficient unto salvation, according to place and time, mediately or immediately, is given to all.”
We say “help sufficient unto salvation”; for of the help sufficient for not sinning there is another account, as will appear below in its place. And so here we discourse only of the help sufficient for rising again from sin, and for procuring justification and salvation. We say “according to place and time,” since we do not define in this place whether such help is present at every time and every moment — of this matter we shall treat a little later — but only assert this, that there is no one who does not at least at some time have this help. We say finally “mediately or immediately,” since we believe that into those who have the use of reason holy inspirations are sent by God, and that thereby they have stirring grace immediately — to which, if they will to acquiesce, they can be disposed toward justification, and at some time attain to salvation; but to those who have not the use of reason — such as are infants, or those bereft of mind from infancy — we judge the help to be given mediately, since their parents can, if they will, provide not only for themselves, but also procure Baptism for their children, above all those lacking the use of reason.
This proposition, so explicated, is proved first from the divine writings. Psalm 18: there is no one that can hide himself from his heat. Augustine on this place: “He has permitted no mortal to excuse himself by the shadow of death; for the heat of the Word has penetrated even it.” Likewise Psalm 24: All the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth. For the Holy Spirit seems to signify this: that to all men mercy is first shown by God; then, if they use it not, judgment is shown; but it cannot rightly be said that one is dealt with mercifully, as touching salvation, unless there be given him sufficient help unto salvation; nor can he justly be punished for not profiting by the divine help, if the help was not sufficient. Likewise Proverbs 1: Wisdom preacheth abroad: she uttereth her voice in the streets: at the head of multitudes she crieth out, in the entrance of the gates of the city she uttereth her words, saying: O children, how long will you love childishness, and fools covet those things which are hurtful to themselves, and the unwise hate knowledge? Turn ye at my reproof: behold I will utter my spirit to you, and will shew you my words. Because I called, and you refused: I stretched out my hand, and there was none that regarded… I also will laugh in your destruction. This general preaching, and likewise general threatening, signifies plainly enough that the Wisdom of God so deserts no one as not at some time to call him and furnish him sufficient help. Likewise Wisdom 11: thou hast mercy upon all, because thou canst do all things, and overlookest the sins of men for the sake of repentance… For thou lovest all things that are, and hatest none of the things which thou hast made: for thou didst not appoint, or make any thing hating it… But thou sparest all: because they are thine, O Lord, who lovest souls. These things certainly can scarce be understood unless we confess that sufficient help is bestowed on all; for how does he have mercy on all, and spare all, if he give them not at least the help by which they can come to reconciliation if they will? Nor ought these things to be restricted to the elect; for the reason why God spares all and has mercy on all is given in this place from creation — because God created all, and because he loves souls, and the things made by himself; but creation is absolutely common to all. Likewise Wisdom 12: if thou didst punish the enemies of thy servants, and that deserved to die, with so great deliberation, giving them time and place whereby they might be changed from their wickedness: with what circumspection hast thou judged thy own children? But in vain would God give sinners time and place whereby they could be changed from their wickedness, unless he also furnished the help without which they cannot be changed. Likewise Ezechiel 33: Thus you have spoken, saying: Our iniquities, and our sins are upon us, and we pine away in them: how then can we live? Say to them: As I live, saith the Lord God, I desire not the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way, and live. Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways: and why will you die? That exhortation, “turn ye, turn ye,” would seem mocking unless God had given them strength by which they could be converted; and that the exhortation was not mocking or ironical, that oath witnesses: As I live, saith the Lord, I desire not the death of the wicked, etc.
Likewise that of Matthew 5: who maketh his sun to rise upon the good, and bad, and raineth upon the just and the unjust. St. Ambrose, sermon 8 on Psalm 118, admonishes that it is to be understood also of the sun of justice and the rain of grace. Likewise that invitation, Come to me, all you that labour, and are burdened, Matthew 11 — that it be not in vain, it altogether requires that, as the calling is general, so also the help by which men can come be general. That also of John 1, enlighteneth every man, we said above, out of the commentary of Chrysostom and Cyril, is referred to the light of grace, of which no one at all is deprived. That also of 1 Timothy 2: who will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth; and 2 Peter 3: not willing that any should perish, but that all should return to penance — is indeed expounded in various ways by St. Augustine; but that exposition seems most to agree with the Apostolic sentence which he has in the book On the Spirit and the Letter, chapter 33, where he expounds the question why God does not give to all the willing to believe, since he wills all men to be saved; and answers that God wills all to be saved, yet so as not to take from them free choice, by the good or evil use of which they may most justly be judged; and adds that unbelievers act against the will of God when they believe not the Gospel, yet do not conquer the will of God, since they will experience in punishments the power of him whose mercy in gifts they contemned. And he sets the similitude of a master who wills that all his servants labor in the vineyard, yet so that, if any will not work, they be thrust into the mill-house. From these things we understand that this was Augustine's judgment on this place of the Apostle: God wills all to be saved, because he gives to all that whence they can will to believe and be saved — yet so that, if they themselves will not, they are not saved, but are destined to eternal punishments. Which was also the exposition of St. Prosper, book 2 On the Calling of the Gentiles, chapters 23, 25, and 28; likewise of the commentaries attributed to Ambrose; likewise of Chrysostom, Theophylact, and Oecumenius, who say that God wills all to be saved, if they also themselves will — namely, if they will to cooperate with preventing divine grace. That also of 1 Timothy 4: who is the Saviour of all men, especially of the faithful, can scarce be expounded otherwise than as St. Prosper expounds it in book 2 On the Calling of the Gentiles, chapter 16: that we understand, namely, that God is the Savior of all, because he gives to all that whence they can be saved; but especially of the faithful, because he gives to them not only that they can be saved, but also that they are saved. Finally that of 1 Corinthians 15: Christ died for all; and 1 Timothy 2: Who gave himself a redemption for all; and 1 John 2: he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world. How can this be true, if there be not given to all something whence they can be made partakers of the death of Christ? For since no one can, without a preventing gift, be partaker of the death of Christ and of the price of this redemption, in vain did Christ pay the price for all, if he willed not to open to all a way by which they could come to the redemption.
The same judgment is proved, second, by the testimonies of the Fathers. St. Dionysius the Areopagite, in the book On the Celestial Hierarchy, chapter 9: “Surely,” says he, “we also, with the other nations from whom we too are sprung, have breathed again, out of the blindness of our former error, unto the immense and infinite sea of divine light, which is always prepared, and lies open to all for participation; and to it, in truth, the obedient were led by the Angels set over the several nations.” Dionysius asks in that place why the Jews alone at one time worshiped the true God, while nearly all the nations flowed away to idols; and he answers that this came to pass from the sloth and wickedness of the gentiles, who would not look upon the divine light, or remain in it, since the light itself lies open to all for participation, and the Angels set by God over the several nations are by no means wanting to their charge. Where, when blessed Dionysius says that the divine light is prepared and lies open to all for participation, he does not signify that the divine light is offered to those who will to receive it by their own powers, as the Pelagians rave, but that it is prepared and open to all because God reaches out to all the help by which they can, if they will, open the eyes of the heart and be illuminated. St. Irenaeus, book 4, chapter 71 [al. 37]: “Violence,” says he, “is not done by God, but a good judgment is with him always; and for this cause he gives good counsel indeed to all, but he has placed in man the power of election. They therefore who cast away the good, and as it were spit it out, shall all deservedly fall under the just judgment of God.” Where by the good counsel which God gives to all must be understood the inward persuasion, with all the other things which are necessary for conversion; for otherwise they would not justly be judged as contemners of the divine counsel, unless they had received from God the strength by which they could embrace and execute it. Clement of Alexandria, in the hortatory oration to the gentiles, beyond the middle: “Hear, ye that are far off; hear, ye that are near: the Word is hidden from none; the light is common; it shines upon all men; there is no Cimmerian in the Word.” Origen, book 3 On First Principles, chapter 1, proves this very thing by many arguments and similitudes — that all men can be saved — and solves the contrary arguments, explaining nearly all the testimonies of the Scriptures which pertain to this place. And although Origen's books On First Principles contain not a few errors, yet neither Epiphanius, nor Jerome, nor Philastrius, nor Augustine numbers this judgment among the errors of Origen.
St. Hilary, book 1 On the Trinity, before the middle: “To be sons of God,” says he, “is not a necessity, but a power; since, the gift of God being set before all, it is not asserted by the nature of the begetters, but the will obtains the reward.” St. Ambrose, sermon 8 on Psalm 118, explaining that verse, “the earth is full of the mercy of the Lord”: “The sun of justice,” says he, “has risen for all, has come for all, has suffered for all, and has risen again for all; but if anyone does not believe in Christ, he defrauds himself of the general benefit — as if one, shutting the windows, should exclude the rays of the sun.” St. John Chrysostom, homily 7 [al. 8] on John: “If he enlightens every man that comes into this world, how is it that so many men remain without light? For not all know Christ. How then does he enlighten every man? He enlightens, assuredly, as much as in him lies; but if some, of their own accord closing the eyes of the mind, will not direct their gaze toward the rays of this light, their remaining in darkness is not from the nature of the light, but from their own wickedness, whereby of their own accord they have rendered themselves unworthy of so great a gift.” St. Cyril teaches the same, in almost the same words, in book 1 on John, chapter 11 [al. 9], which it seems needless to repeat. St. Paulinus, in the first epistle to Aper: “Hence,” says he, “in every place more signs, more wonderful than usual, daily multiply, that he may save every man, as much as in him lies; he shows in a few what would profit all, if they willed; for the pattern of a few suffices for the instruction of all, and it is set forth for both ends — to be an example to believers, a testimony to the hardened.”
St. Augustine, besides the place cited from the book On the Spirit and the Letter, chapter 33, has another most open place in book 3 On Free Choice, chapter 19, which he repeats in the same words and confirms in the book On Nature and Grace, chapter 67 — lest perchance he be said to have retracted it after the Pelagian heresy arose. These, then, are his words, with which he answers the complaints of men saying they cannot conquer concupiscence and ignorance, etc.: “To whom,” says he, “it is briefly answered, that they be quiet, and cease to murmur against God. For they would perhaps complain rightly, if there existed no conqueror of error and lust; but since he is everywhere present who in many ways, through the creature serving him as Lord, calls him who is turned away, teaches him who believes, consoles him who hopes, exhorts him who loves, helps him who strives, hears him who prays — it is not reckoned to thee as fault that thou art ignorant against thy will, but that thou neglectest to seek what thou knowest not; nor that thou dost not bind up thy wounded members, but that thou despisest him who would heal thee.” But we shall learn the mind of St. Augustine yet more openly from his most diligent disciple and follower. St. Prosper, in book 2 On the Calling of the Gentiles, chapter 15 [al. 5]: “Nor,” says he, “are the nations excusable on this account — the nations which, alienated from the conversation of Israel, having no hope, and without God in this world, perished under the darkness of ignorance — because this abundance of grace, which now waters the whole world, did not before flow with equal largess. For there has always been applied to all men a certain measure of teaching from above, which, though it was of a scantier and more hidden grace, yet sufficed, as the Lord judged, to some for a remedy, to all for a testimony.” And chapter 26: “The grace of God indeed holds the principal preeminence in all justifications — persuading by exhortations, admonishing by examples, terrifying by dangers, inciting by miracles; by giving understanding, by inspiring counsel, and by illuminating the heart itself and imbuing it with the affections of faith.” And below: “Which succor is applied to all through innumerable ways, whether hidden or manifest; and that it is refused by many is of their own wickedness; but that it is received by many is both of divine grace and of human will.” And below, chapter 28: “It becomes manifest,” says he, “that in diverse and innumerable ways God wills all men to be saved; but they who come are directed by the help of God; they who come not resist by their own obstinacy.” And below, chapter 31 [al. 34]: “It has been labored, as much as the Lord helped, that it might be proved that not only in the last days, but also in all ages past, the grace of God has been present to all men; since, whether manifestly or hiddenly, he is, as the Apostle says, the Savior of all men, especially of the faithful.” And that help unto salvation is lacking not only to adults, but not even to little ones, the same author teaches in the same book, chapter 23 [al. 17]: “I think it not irreligiously believed,” says he, “that these men of a few days pertain to that portion of grace which has always been expended on all nations; by which, assuredly, if their parents used it well, they too would be helped through the same; for all the beginnings of little ones, and all those first stages of not yet rational infancy, lie under the choice of another's will, nor can they in any way be provided for save through others; and it follows that they pertain to the fellowship of those by whose affection, whether right or depraved, they are governed: for as they believe by another's confession, so by another's unbelief or neglect they believe not. And since they themselves have had desire neither of the present life nor of the future, as their being born is another's doing, so their not being reborn becomes their own lot.”
We have therefore, from the Scriptures and the Fathers, that it is believed at least with probability and piously, that to no one is lacking, or ever was lacking, help sufficient unto salvation. The contrary arguments will be solved more commodiously a little below, in chapter 8.
Show the Latin (Vives edition, OCR)
CAPUT V. Auxilium sufficiens ad salutem, pro loco ct tempore, omnibus dari. \ Quinta propositio : « Auxilium sufficiens ad salutem pro loco et tempore, mediate vel immedi.ate omnibus datur. » Dicimus, « auxilium sufficiens ad salutem»; nam de auxilio sufficienti ad non peccandum, alia ratio est, ut infra suo loce patebit. Ita¬ que hic tantum disserimus de «auxilio suffi¬ ciendi ad resurgendum a peccato, atque ad justificationem et salutem comparandam. Dicimus, « pro loco et tempore », quo¬ niam non definimus hoc loco, utrum omni tempore, omnique momento tale auxilium adsit, de h.ac enim re paulo post agemus ; sed tantum id asserimus, nullum esse, qui 542 LIBER II. rion aliquando saltem hoc auxilium habeat. Dicimus denique « mediate vel immedi¬ ate, » quoniam iis, qui usu rationis utuntur, immitti credimus a Deo sanctas inspirationes, ac per hoc immediate illos habere gratiam excitantem, cui si acquiescere velint, possint ad justificationem disponi, et ad salutem ali¬ quando pertingere : iis autem qui rationis u- sum non habent, quales sunt infantes vel ab infantia mente capti, mediate auxilium do¬ nari censemus, quoniam parentes eorum non solum sibi ipsi prospicere, sed etiam filiis suis, praesertim rat ionis usu carentibus, ba¬ ptismum procurare pos.sunt, si volunt. Haec igitur propositio sic explicata pro¬ batur primum ex divinis litteris, Psal. xviii : Non est qui se abscondat acoloreejus (1). Augu¬ stinus in hunc locum: « Nullum, inquit, mor¬ talium permisit excusare se de umbra mor¬ tis, ipsam enim penetravit verbi calor. » Item Psalm. xxiv : Universae viae Domini mise¬ ricordia et veritas (2). Videtur enim hoc signifi- carq Spiritus sanctus, omnibus hominibus primum a Deo exhiberi misericordiam , deinde si ea non utantur, exhiberi judicium ; non potest autem recte dici, agi cum aliquo misericorditer, quod attinet ad salutem, nisi detur ei sufficiens auxilium ad salutem, ne¬ que juste puniri potest, qui ex divino auxilio non proficit, si auxilium non fuit sufficiens. Item Proverb. i : Sapientia foris praedicat , in plateis dat vocem suam,. in capite turbarum clamitat , in foribus portarum urbis profert verba sua dicens ; usquequo parvuli diligitis infantiam, et stulti ea, quae sibi sunt noxia cu¬ pient , et impnidentes odibunt scientiam ? con¬ vertimini ad correptionem meam. En proferam vobis spiritum meum , et ostendam vobis verba mea. Quia vocavi et renuistis, extendi manum meam, et non fuit qui aspiceret, ego quoque in interitu vestro ridebo (3). Haec certe praedicatio generalis et comminatio item generalis satis aperte significat Dei sapientiam, nullum ita deserere, quin aliquando eum vocet , et au¬ xilium sufficiens illi praebeat. Item Sap. xi Miseris omnium, quia omnia potes, et dissimulas peccata hominum propter poenitentiam ; diligis enim omnia, quae sunt, et nihil odisti eorum quae fecisti. Nec enim odiens aliquid constituisti, aut fecisti. Parcis autem omnibus, quoniam tua sunt , Domine , qui amas animas (4). Haec certe vix intelligi possunt, nisi fateamur omnibus tribui sufficiens auxilium; quomodo enim miseretur omnium, et parcit omnibus, si non dat saltem eis auxilium, quo ad reconciliationem possint pervenire si ve¬ lint ? Neque debent haec restringi ade lectos, nam ratio cur Deus omnibus parcat, et om¬ nium misereatur, redditur hoc loco ex cre¬ atione, quia Deus omnes creavit, et quoniam amat animas, et res a seipso factas ; at cre¬ atio communis est omnibus absolute. Item Sap. xu : Si inimicos servorum tuorum et debitos morti, cum tanta cniciasti attentione, dans tempus et locum per quae possent mutari a malitia , cum quanta diligentia judicasti ser¬ vos tuos (5) ? At frustra Deus daret tempus et locum peccatoribus, per quae possent mutari a malitia, nisi auxilium etiam praeberet, sine quo mutari non possunt, ItemEzech. xxxm : Sic locuti estis dicentes, iniquitates nostrae et peccata nostra super nos sunt, et in ipsis nos tabescimus, quomodo ergo vivere poterimus ? dic ad eos, vivo ego, dicit Dominus , nolo mortem impii, sed ut convertatur impius a via sua, et vivat ; convertimini, con¬ vertimini, el quare moriemini (6) ? Illa exhorta¬ tio, convertimini , convertimini, irrisoria vide- returnisi Deusdedisset illis vires, quibus con¬ verti possent. Non fuisse autem irriso riam sive ironicam exhortationem, testatur juramen¬ tum illud : vivo ego, dicit Dominus, nolo mor¬ tem impii, etc. Item illud Matth. v : Qui solem oriri facit super bonos et malos, et pluit super justos et in justos (7). Monet S. Ambrosius serm. 8. in Psal. cxviii. intelligendum esse etiam de sole justitiae et pluvia gratiae. Illa item invitatio : Venite ad me omnes qui laboratis et onerati es¬ tis, Matth. xi (8). Ne sit frustra, requirit om¬ nino ut sicutvocatio est generalis, ita et auxi¬ lium quo possint homines venire, sit generale. Illud item Joan. i : Illuminat omnem ho¬ minem, supra diximus ex commentario Chry- sostomi et Cyrilli, referri ad lumen gratiae, quo nemo omnino privatur. Illud quoque I Tim. ii : Vult omnes salvos fieri et ad agnitio¬ nem veritatis venire. Et II Pet. m : Non vult aliquos perire, sed omnes ad poenitentiam con¬ verti (9). Exponitur quidem variis modis a S. Augustino, sed illa expositio videtur maxime congruere Apostolicae sententiae quam habet (1) Psal. XVIII, 7. — (2) Psal. XXIV, 10. - (3) Prov. I, 20. — (4) Sap. XI, 24. - (5) Sap. XII. 20. - (6) Ezech. XXXIII, 10. - (7) Matth. V, 45. — (8) Ibid. XI, 28. — (9) Joan, I, 9 ; I Tim. II, 4; II, Pet. III, 9, CAPUT V. 543 inlib. de spiritu etlitter. cap.33. ubi exponit quaestionem, cur Deus non det omnibus velle credere, cum velit homines omnes salvos fi¬ eri, et respondet Deum velle omnes salvos fieri, sic tamen, ut non adimat eis liberum arbitrium, quo vgl bene vel male utentes ju- stissimejudicentur, et addit, infideles contra Dei voluntatem facere, cum non credunt E- vangelio, tamen non vincere Dei voluntatem, quoniam experientur in suppliciis potestatem ejus, cujus in donis misericordiam contem¬ pserunt. Et ponit similitudinem Domini, qui vult, ut omnes servi laborent in vinea, sic ta¬ men ut si qui operari noluerint, detrudantur in pistrinum. Ex his intelligimus hanc fuisse Augustini sententiam de hoc loco Apostoli, Deum vello omnes salvos fieri, quia dat omnibus, unde possint velle credere et salvari, sic tamen ut si ipsi noluerint, non salventur, sed ad sup¬ plicia destinentur aeterna, quae fuit etiam ex¬ positio S. Prosperi lib. ii. de vocatione gen¬ tium cap. 23. 25. et 28. Item commentari¬ orum qui tribuuntur Ambrosio, item Chry- sostomi, Theophylacti et Oecumenii, qui di¬ cunt Deum velle omnes salvos fieri, si et ipsi velint, nimirum si velint cooperari divinae gratiae praevenienti. Illud item I Tim. iv : Qui est Salvator om¬ nium hominum maxime fidelium (1). Vix potest aliter exponi, quam ut exponit S. Prosper in lib. ii. de vocatione gentium cap. 10. ut vi¬ delicet intelligamus, Deum salvatorem esse omnium, quia dat omnibus unde salvari pos¬ sint, sed maxime fidelium, quia dat illis non solum, ut salvari possint, sed etiam ut 'sal¬ ventur. Denique illud I Corinth. xv : Pro omnibus mortuus est Christus. Et I Timoth n : Qui de¬ dit semetipsum redemptionem pro omnibus. Et F Joan. ii : Ipse est propitiatio pro peccatis nostris, non solum autem nostris, sed etiam to¬ tius mundi (2). Quomodo potest verum esse, si non datur omnibus aliquid, unde Christi mor¬ tis participes fieri queant ? nam cum non possit ullus sine praeveniente dono particeps esse mortis Christi et pretii redemptionis hu¬ jus, frustra Christus pro omnibus pretium solvit, si noluit omnibus viam aperire, qua ad redemptionem pervenire possent. Probatur secundo eadem sententia testi¬ moniis Patrum. S. Dionysius Areopagita in lib. de coelesti hierarch. cap. 9 : « Nempe, inquit, et aliis gentibus, ex quibus et nos, ad immensum et infinitum divini luminis pela¬ gus, quod semper paratum est, et patet om¬ nibus ad participandum, ex praeteriti erroris caecitate respiravimus, ad quod sane obse¬ quentes ducebant Angeli, praepositi singulis gentibus. » Quaerit eo loco Dionysius cur soli Judaei Deum verum aliquando coluerint, gentes autem pene omnes ad idola defluxe¬ rint. Respondet vero, id factum esse ex de¬ sidia et nequitia gentilium, qui noluerunt di¬ vinum lumen aspicere ; aut ineo permanere cum ipsum lumen omnibus pateat ad parti¬ cipandum, et Angeli singulis gentibus a Deo praepositi muneri suo nequaquam desint ; ubi quod dicit B. 'Dionysius divinum lumen paratum esse et patere omnibus ad parti¬ cipandum , non significat divinum lumen offerri volentebus suis viribus illud excipere, Ut Pelagiani delirant, sed paratum esse et patere omnibus, quoniam Deus omnibus por¬ rigit auxilium, quo possint, si velint, oculos cordis aperire et illuminari. S. Irenaeus lib. iv. cap. 71. « Vis, inquit, a Deo non fit, sed bona sententia adest illi (homini videlicet) semper, et propter hoc con¬ silium quidem bonum dat omnibus, posuit autem in homine potestatem electionis. Abji¬ cientes igitur bonum, et quasi respuentes, merito omnes justum judicium incident Dei. » Ubi per consilium bonum, quod Deus dat omnibus, debet intelligi interna suasio cum aliis omnibus, quae necessaria sunt ad con¬ versionem, alioqui enim non juste judica¬ rentur tamquam contemptores consilii divini nisi vires a Deo accepissent, quibus illud am¬ plecti et exequi possent. Clemens Alexandrinus in oratione exhor¬ tatoria ad gentes, ultra medium : « Audite, inquit, qui estis longe, audite qui prope, nullis celatum est verbum, lux est communis, omnibus illucescit hominibus, nullus est in verbo Cimmerius. •>> Origcnes lib. iit. de principiis cap. 1. mul¬ tis argumentis et similitudinibus hoc ipsum probat, omnes homines posse salvari, et sol¬ vit argumenta contraria, explicans fere omnia testimonia Scripturarum, quae ad hunc lo¬ cum pertinent. Et quamvis Origenis libri de principiis non paucos errores contineant, ta¬ men neque Epiphanius, neque Hieronymus, neque Philastrius, neque Augustinus hanc sententiam inter errores Origenis numerant. (1) I Tim. IV, 18. - (2) I Corin. XV, 3; 1 Tim. II, 6; I Joan. II, 2. 44DE41 ii. S. Hilarius lib. I. de Trinit. ante medium : « Esse, inquit, filios Dei non necessitatem esse, sed potestatem, quia proposito universis Dei munere, non natura gignentium assera¬ tur, sed voluntas pr®mium consequatur. » S. Ambrosius serm. 8. in Psalm. cxvm. explicans illud : « .Misericordia Domini plena est terra. » Sol, inquit, justitue ornnibus ortus est, omnibus venit, omnibus passus est, et omnibus resurrexit; si quis autem non credit in Christum, generali beneficio ipse so fraudat, ut si quis clausis fenestris radios So- lis excludat. S. Joannes Chrysostomus hom. 7. in Joan. <( Si illuminat, inquit, omnem hominem ve¬ nientem in hunc mundum, quo nam pacto tot homines sine lumine permanent ? neque enim omnes Christum cognoscunt, quomodo ergo illuminat omnem hominem ? illuminat profecto quantum in ipso est ; si qui autem sponte sua mentis oculis conniventibus ad hujus locis radios aciem dirigere noluerint, non ex luminis natura in tenebris perstite¬ runt, sed ex malitia sua sponte tanto se dono indignos reddiderunt. » S. Cyrillus idem docet iisdem fere verbis, in lib. I. in Joannem cap. 11. qua* frustra repetenda non videntur. S. Paulinusin epist. 1. ad Aprum: « Hinc, inquit, in omni loco plura quotidie mirabili¬ ora solito signa crebrescunt, ut omnem, quantum in ipso est, hominem salvum fa¬ ciat ; ostendit in raris quod omnibus, si ve¬ lint, prosit ; sufficit enim universorum insti¬ tutioni forma paucorum, qu® in utrumque proponitur, ut credentibus exemplo sit, in¬ durantibus testimonio. » S. Augustinus pr®ter locum citatum ex li¬ bro de spiritu et littera cap. 33. habet alium locum apertissimum in lib. iii. de libero ar- bit. cap. 49. quem iisdem verbis repetit et confirmat in libro de natura et gratia cap. 67. ne forte dicatur revocatus post exortam h®resim Pelagianam. Haec igitur sunt ejus verba, quibus respondent, querimoniae ho¬ minum dicentium, se non posse vincere con¬ cupiscentiam et ignorantiam, etc., « Quibus, inquit, breviter respondetur, ut quiescant, et adversus Deum murmurare desistant , recte enim fortasse querentur, si erroris et libidinis nullus victor existeret, cum vero ubique sit prtesens, qui multis modis per cre¬ aturam sibi domino servientem aversum vo¬ cet, doceat credentem, consoletur sperantem, diligentem adhortetur, conantem adjuvet. exaudiat deprecantem : non tibi deputatur ad culpam, quod invitus ignoras, sed quod ne- gligis qu®rere quod ignoras ; neque illud, quod vulnerata membra non colligis , sed quod volentem sanare contemnis. » Sed mentem S. Augustini adhuc apertius ex dili- gentissiino ejus discipulo et sectatore di¬ scemus. S. Prosper in ii. lib. de vocatione gentium cap. 44. « Neque, inquit, ob hoc excusabiles sunt nationes, quae alienat® a conversatione Israel, spem non habentes et sine Deo in hoc mundo sub ignorantia; tenebris perierunt, quia haec abundantia grati®, qu® nunc uni¬ versum mundum rigat, pari antea largitate non fluxit. Adhibita enim semper est uni¬ versis hominibus qu®dam supern® mensura doctrin®, qu® et si parcioris occultiorisque grati® fuit, sufficit tamen, sicut Dominus ju¬ dicavit, quibusdam ad remedium, omnibus ad testimonium. » Et cap. 26 : « Gratia quidem Dei in om¬ nibus justificationibus principaliter prae¬ eminet, suadendo exhortationibus, monendo exemplis-, terrendo periculis, incitando mi¬ raculis, dando intellectum, inspirando con¬ silium, corque ipsum illuminando, et fidei af¬ fectionibus imbuendo. » Et infra : « Qu® opitulatio per innumeros modos sive occultos sive manifestos omnibus adhibetur : et quod a multis refutatur, ip¬ sorum est nequiti®, quod autem a multis re¬ cipitur, et grati® est divin® et voluntatis hu rnan®. » Et infra cap. 28 : « Fit, inquit, manifestum quod diversis atque innumeris modis omnes homines vult Deus salvos fieri ; sed qui ve¬ niunt, Dei auxilio diriguntur ; qui non ve¬ niunt sua pertinacia reluctantur. » Et infra cap. 34 : « Elaboratum est, quan¬ tum Dominus juvit, ut non solum in novis¬ simis diebus, sed etiam in cunctis retro s®- culis probarentur, gratiam Dei omnibus ho¬ minibus adfuisse, quoniam sive manifeste, sive occulte, ipse est, ut Apostolus ait, sal¬ vator omnium hominum, maxime fidelium. » Nec solum adultis, sed etiam parvulis au¬ xilium ad salutem non deesse, idem auctor docet in eodem lib. cap. 23 : « Non irreli¬ giose, inquit, arbitror credi, quod isti pau¬ corum dierum homines ad illam pertineant grati® partem, qu® semper universis est im¬ pensa nationibus qua, utique si bene uteren¬ tur eorum parentes, etiam ipsi per eosdem .juvarentur, omnia namquo exordia parvu CAiHT Yl, lorum, totaque illa principia, nec dum ra¬ tionalis infantiae sub arbitrio jacent volun¬ tatis alienae, nec ullo modo eis, nisi per alios consuli potest : et consequens est illos ad eorum pertinere consortium , quorum vel recto, vel pravo aguntur affectu, sicut enim ex aliena confessione credunt, ita ex aliena infidelitate vel dissimulatione non credunt. Et cum ipsi, nec praesentis vitae desiderium habuerunt, nec futura; : quam ipsorum fa¬ ctura est naisci, tam ipsorum efficitur non re¬ nasci ». Habemus igitur ex Scripturis et Patribus, saltis probabiliter pieque credi, nemini dc- esse, aut unquam defuisse auxilium sufficiens ad salutem. Argumenta contraria solventur commodius paiulo infra cap. 8.