Bellarmine · De Controversiis · On Grace and Free Choice · Book II: On Predestination and Sufficient Grace
Chapter 13: The arguments against the eighth proposition are answered
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).
Against our eighth proposition, on gratuitous predestination, there are not wanting arguments drawn as well from the Scriptures as from the Fathers, and from reason.
The first testimony of Scripture they take from those words of the Apostle, Romans 8: For whom he foreknew, he also predestinated to be made conformable to the image of his Son. For by this sentence there seems to be signified that God predestinated those whom he foreknew would be conformable to the image of his Son, so that the foreknowledge of future probity — or future probity foreknown — was the cause of predestination. I answer: that is a depraving, not an explication, of the Apostolic testimony. For blessed Paul does not say “those who would be conformable,” but “to be made conformable”; and “to be made conformable” is not rightly joined with the verb “he foreknew,” but with the verb “he predestinated”: for it would not rightly be said, “he foreknew them to be made,” as it is rightly said, “he predestinated them to be made.” The verb “to be made” is indeed wanting in the Greek text, and there is only the word symmorphous; yet great with us is the authority of the old interpreter, who for explication's sake added “to be made,” and not “who would be.” And then, what need is there of a hyperbaton, when we can interpret everything most plainly in the direct order? The sense, then, of those words is: whom God foreknew — that is, whom he foreknew with the knowledge of approbation, whom he loved, whom he willed — those he also predestinated to be made conformable to the image of his Son. For to know and to foreknow in the Scriptures is not rarely taken for the knowledge of approbation, as is evident from that of Romans 11: God hath not cast away his people, which he foreknew; 2 Timothy 2: the Lord knoweth who are his; Matthew 25: I know you not; Psalm 1: the Lord knoweth the way of the just; John 10: I am the good shepherd; and I know mine.
The second testimony they take from those words, 2 Timothy 2: But in a great house there are… vessels of gold… and of earth: and some indeed unto honour, but some unto dishonour. If any man therefore shall cleanse himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour… profitable to the Lord, etc. For we see in this place that the vessels unto dishonor can, through free choice and the grace of God, be changed into vessels unto honor. Therefore in Romans 9, by the vessels unto honor and unto dishonor are understood the predestinated and the reprobate not by the sole will of God, but through foreseen works — otherwise predestination could be deceived, since the vessels can, as the same Apostle says, be changed, and of vessels of dishonor become vessels unto honor. I answer: the Apostle does not say that the vessels unto dishonor become, through cleansing, vessels unto honor; but he shows by what sign the vessels unto honor can be known, and says that the vessels unto honor have two seals: one internal, which cannot be discerned by us in this life — namely, the knowledge of the divine approbation; the other external — the avoiding of iniquities and errors. For since God has so predestinated men that he wills them to arrive at glory through good works, it is a sign of predestination diligently to avoid sins, and above all the defilement of heresies. And so, when the Apostle had said that the heretics Hymeneus and Philetus had subverted the faith of some, he adds that there is no danger of their subverting the faith of all, since the sure foundation of God stands firm — in the elect, namely; and he adds the signs of the elect: “having this seal: the Lord knoweth who are his”; and, “let every one depart from iniquity who nameth the name of the Lord” — where that “let him depart from iniquity” signifies not that from unjust he become just, but that he beware of committing iniquity, and preserve the justice which he once received. Then he adds that it is not to be wondered at if some depart from the faith and seem to be numbered among the reprobate: for in a great house there are vessels of gold and of silver, and of wood and of earth; some unto honor, some unto dishonor. For God, to show the riches of grace, willed to have vessels unto honor; and, to declare his just wrath upon the impious, he tolerates also vessels unto dishonor. Finally he repeats the sign by which the vessels unto honor can in some fashion be known, and says: If any man therefore shall cleanse himself from these — that is, if anyone shall not have adhered to heretics of this kind, but shall have kept himself clean from their filth and pollution — he shall be a vessel unto honor, etc. But, thou wilt say, at least men themselves make themselves vessels unto honor; therefore they are not vessels unto honor by predestination, unless predestination depend on the foreseeing of works. But the answer is easy. For the Apostle does not say, if anyone shall cleanse himself from these he shall become a vessel unto honor, but, he shall be a vessel unto honor — that is, he shall be known to be a vessel unto honor. And then it is not absurd that men become vessels unto honor both by predestination and by their own actions: for God predestinated whom he willed, that they should be vessels unto honor; but he effects afterward that they be such, both by his grace and by their own work; and predestination does not on that account depend on works, but works on predestination. For whom he predestinated, them he also called. And whom he called, them he also justified. And whom he justified, them he also glorified, Romans 8. And so good works are effects of predestination, though God justifies us with free choice concurring and cooperating with his grace, as we shall teach below in its place.
The third testimony they take from Apocalypse 3: hold fast that which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. But certainly, if the crown can be lost through evil works, God predestinated no one to the crown save his works being foreseen — unless predestination can be deceitful and mutable. St. Thomas answers, part 1, question 23, article 6, reply to the first, that the crown of glory can be owed by a double title — the title of predestination, and the title of merits; and that although, as it is owed by the former title, it simply cannot be lost, yet, as it is owed by the latter title, in that respect it can be lost. And St. Augustine, in the book On Rebuke and Grace, chapter 13, most rightly admonishes that the crown of glory prepared for the elect before the foundation of the world cannot be lost; yet that it be not lost, God effects in various ways — and one of these is fears and terrors, by which solicitude and vigilance are stirred up. And so it is said to the predestinated: hold fast that which thou hast, that no man take thy crown — because in very truth, if he did not persevere in holding his justice, he would lose his crown; but, terrified by this admonition and threatening, he to whom his own predestination is still uncertain will without doubt hold most firmly what he has, and in that way will at length arrive at the crown which he has not.
The fourth testimony they take from that of Matthew 25, where the master of the house distributed to every one talents according to his proper ability. For God seems to furnish grace to all, but various according to the various disposition of nature which he sees to be in men; and what God does, he predestinated beforehand that he would do; therefore predestination depends on the foreseen disposition of nature, not on the sole will of God. I answer: by the name of talents are understood those graces freely given which are common to the elect with the reprobate, as the grace of healings, the gift of tongues, the interpretation of speeches, and other things of that kind; and by the name of proper ability is signified not the disposition of nature, but the grace given to each, that he may be able to use well the talent entrusted to him. But be it so — let the disposition of nature be understood by the name of proper ability: who, I pray, disposed nature, but he who made nature? He therefore who brings it about that for the predestinated all things work together unto good — he, I say, not only bestows grace on his elect, but also disposed their nature; and thus predestination is the root and origin of all goods. For although predestination prerequires in some manner that the thing which is predestinated exist, yet it does not prerequire that it be of such or such a nature, save conditionally. For God, as we said above, before he willed anything absolutely, saw all things that could happen, in whatever ways the order of things might be constituted. And so he saw, for example, that if he predestinated such a one, that man would be of such a nature as to seem little apt for that to which he is elected; but it was in his choice either not to predestinate him, or to temper his nature in another way, or to correct and amend his nature, howsoever disposed, through grace; and thus, when he predestinated him, he at the same time appointed that both nature and grace, and whatever could ever happen to him, should work together for him unto good.
The fifth testimony they take from that of Matthew 20: Call the labourers and pay them their hire. And chapter 25: possess you the kingdom… For I was hungry, and you gave me to eat, etc. Now God does in time what he appointed before all times that he would do; therefore God appointed from eternity to give the kingdom of heaven to those whom he foresaw would do good works. I answer: one is the account of predestination, another of execution. For he appointed in predestination to give the kingdom of heaven to certain men whom he loved without any foreseeing of works; yet he at the same time appointed that, as to the execution, the way of arriving at the kingdom should be good works. And so that proposition, “God from eternity predestinated to give men the kingdom through foreseen good works,” can be both true and false. For if that “through foreseen works” be referred to the verb “predestinated,” it will be false; for it will signify that God predestinated men because he had foreseen their good works. If it be referred to the verb “to give,” it will be true; for it will signify that the execution would be through good works — or, what is the same, that glorification is the effect of justification and of good works, as justification itself is the effect of calling, and calling of predestination.
The sixth testimony they take from those places: enlighteneth every man that cometh into this world, John 1; and, will have all men to be saved, 1 Timothy 2; and, not willing that any should perish, 2 Peter 3. But these were explained in chapters 3 and 5, and can be understood commodiously enough of the antecedent will. The seventh they take from those places which witness that God does not accept persons, Acts 10, Romans 2, and elsewhere — which also were expounded, as much as seemed enough, in the place cited. For since acceptance of persons is a vice contrary to justice, it has no place in the gifts of grace — of which kind is predestination.
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* CAPUT XIII Solvuntur argumenta contra propositionem octavam. Adversus octavam nostram propositionem de praedestinatione gratuita, non desunt ar¬ gumenta tum cx Scripturis, tum ex Patribus, tum cx ratione deprompta. (1) Roni. XI, 33. — (2) Ezech. 111, 3, 0; Matth. XI, 2f. CAPUT XIII. Primum Scripturae testimonium sumunt ex verbis illis Apostoli ad Romam vm : Onus prxscicit ct praedestinavit conformes fie¬ ri imaginis f ilii sui (1). Videtur enim hac sen¬ tentia significari, Deum praedesti nasse illos, quos praescivit conformes futuros imaginis lilii sui, ita ut praescientia futurae probitatis, sive probitas futura praecognita praedestina¬ tionis causa fuerit. Respondeo : depravatio cstisla non expli¬ catio Apostolici testimonii ; non enim dicit R. Paulus conformes futuros, sed, « fieri conformes » ; non autem recte conjungitur, « fieri conformes », cum verbo «praescivit», sed cum verbo « praedestinavit ». Non enim recte diceretur « praescivit fieri », sicut recte dicitur « praedestinavit fieri ». Deest quidem in textu Graeco verbum «fieri», et solum est nomen c»uw.op?cy; ; taimen magna est apud nos auctoritas veteris interpretis, qui explicandi gratia addidit, « fieri » , nonautem, « futuros ». Deinde quid opus est hyperbato, 'cum pos¬ simus recto ordine omnia planissime inter¬ pretari. Itaque sensus est eorum verborum, quos Deus praescivit, id est, quos praescivit scientia approbationis, quos dilexit, quos vo¬ luit. illos et praedestinavit conformes fieri, id est, ut conformes fierent imaginis filii sui. Nam scire, et praescire in Scripturis noir ra¬ ro pro scientia approbationis accipitur, ut patet ex illo ad Rom. xi. : .\on repulit Deus plebem suam, quam prxscrivit ; II ad Timoth. ji. : Cognovit JJominus, qui sunt ejus ; Mattii, xxv. : Aon novis eos. Psalm. i. A ovit Dominus dani justorum. Joan. xx : Ego sum pastor bo¬ nus, et cognosco ores meas (12). Alterum testimonium sumunt ex illis ver¬ itis, II ad Timoth. 11. In magna domo sunt rasa aurea et fictilia , alia in honorem, alia in contumeliam. Si quis emundaverit se ab istis, erit vas inhonorem, utile Domino , ctc. (II). Videmus enim hoc loco vasa in contumeliam posse per liberum arbitrium, ct Dei gratiam, mutari in vasa in honorem. Non igitur ad ltoman. ix. per vasa in honorem et in con¬ tumeliam intelliguntur praedestinati et re¬ probi. sola Dei voluntate, sed per opera praevisa, alioqui falli posset praedestinatio, cum possint, ut idem Apostolus ait, vasa mu¬ tari, et de vasis contumeliae fieri vasa in ho¬ norem. Respondeo : non dicit Apostolus, vasa iu :>G7 contumeliam per emundationem fieri vasa in honorem ; sed ostendit quo signo possint cognosci vasa in honorem ; ac dicit, vasa in honorem habere duo signacula. Unum inter¬ num, quod a nobis in hac vita cerni non po¬ test, notitiam videlicet divinae approbationis. Alterum externum, vitationem iniquitatum et errorum. Cum enim Deus ita praedestina¬ verit homines, ut per bona opera eos perve¬ nire velit ad gloriam, signum est praedesti¬ nationis, diligenter vitare peccaita, et prae¬ sertim haeresum inquinationem. Itaque cum dixisset Apostolus, Hymeneum, et Philelum haereticos subvertisse quorumdam fidem, ad¬ dit non esse periculum, ne omnium fidem subvertant, quoniam fundamentum Dei fir¬ mum consistit, in electis videlicet, et addit signa electorum : « Habens, inquit, signacu¬ lum hoc, cognovit Dominus qui sunt ejus.» Et: « Recedat abiniquitate omnis qui invocat Domini ». Ubi illud : « Recedat ab iniquita¬ te », non significat cx iniquo fiat justus, sed caveat ab iniquitate patranda, conservet ju¬ stitiam, quam semel accepit. Deinde addit, non esse mirandum, si ali¬ qui recedunt a fide, et inter reprobos nume¬ randi videantur : .\am in magna domo sunt vasa aurea, et argentea, ct lignea ac fictilia , alia in honorem, alia ia contumeliam. Voluit enim Deus ad ostendendas divitias gratia» va¬ sa habere in honorem, et ad iram suam ju¬ stam in impios declarandam, tolerat etiam vasa in contumeliam. Denique repetit signum, quo possint ut¬ cumque cognosci vasa in honorem, et ait: Si quis ergo emundaverit se ab his, id est, si quis non adhseserit hujusmodi haereticis, sed mundum sc ab eorum sordibus, et pollutio¬ ne servaverit, erit vas in honorem, ctc. At. inquies, saltem homines ipsi se vasaiu honorem efficiunt, non igitur praedestinatione sunt vasa in honorem, nisi praedestinatio pendeat ex praevisione operum. Sed facilis est responsio. Nam Apostolus non dicit, si quis emundaverit se ab his, fiet vas in hono¬ rem, sed, erit vas in honorem, id est, cogno¬ scetur esse vas in honorem. Deinde non est subsurdum, homines ct praedestinatione, et propriis actionibus fieri vasa in honorem : Deusenim praedestinavit quos voluit, ut essent vasa inhonorem ; sed efficit postea, utsintta- les, et gratia sua, et opere ipsorum, et non ideo pendet praedestinatio ab operibus, sed (I) Rom. VLIl, 29. — |2) Rom. XI, 1; 11 Tim. II. 19; Psxl I, 6: Joan XI, U. - (9) II Tim. II, 20. 568 LIBER II. opera a praedestinatione. Nam quos praedesti¬ navit , hos vocavit ; quos vocavit , hos justifica¬ vit, quos justificavit, hos magni ficavit (1), ad Roman. vni. Itaque sunt opera bona effe¬ ctus praedestinationis, licetDeus nos justificet concurrente libero arbitrio, et cooperante gratiae ejus, ut infra suo loco docebimus. Tertium testimonium sumunt ex Apocal. III. Tene quod habes, ne alius accipiat coro¬ nam tuam (2). At certe si corona potest amitti per mala opera, non praedestinavit Deus ul¬ lum ad coronam, nisi praevisis operibus ejus nisi fallax et mutabilis praedestinatio esse queat. Respondet S. Thom. in i. part. quaest. 23. art. 6. ad i. coronam gloriae duplici titulo debitam esse posse, titulo praedestinationis, et titulo meritorum; et quamvis, ut debita est priore titulo, simpliciter non possit amit¬ ti, tamen ut posteriore titulo debita est, ea ratione posse amitti. Sanctus autem August. in lib. de corrept. et gratia, cap. 13. rectis¬ sime monet, coronam gloriae praeparatam e- lectis ante mundi constitutionem, amitti non posse tamen ut non amittatur, Deum effice¬ re variis modis. Horum unum esse timores ac terrores, quibus sollicitudo, ac vigilantia excitatur, Itaque dicitur praedestinato : Tene quod habes, ne alius accipiat coronam tuam, quia reveia si non perseverat tenendo justitiam suam, amitteret coronam suam, sed hac ad¬ monitione et comminatione perterritus is, cui adhuc incerta est praedestinatio sua, te¬ nebit sine dubio fortissime quod habet, et eo modo tandem perveniet ad coronam,, quam non habet. Quartum testimonium sumunt exilio Matth. xxv. ubi pater familias, distribuit unicuique talenta secundum propriam virtutem (3). Vide- turj enim Deus omnibus gratiam praebere, sed variam pro varia dispositione naturae, quam in hominibus inesse videt. Quod autem Deus facit, id se facturum ante praedestina¬ vit, igitur praedestinatio ex praevisa disposi¬ tione naturae, non ex sola Dei voluntate de¬ pendet. Respondeo, nomiue talentorum gratiae gratis datae illae intelliguntur, quae commu¬ nes sunt electis cum reprobis, ut gratia sani¬ tatum, donum linguarum, interpretatio ser¬ monum, et alia id genus : nomine autem propriae virtutis non significatur dispositio naturae, sed gratia unicuique data, ut talento sibi credito bene uti possit. Sed esto, nomine propriae virtutis intelli- gatur dispositio naturae, quis, quaeso, dispo¬ suit naturam, nisi quae fecit naturam ? ille igitur qui facit, ut praedestinatis omnia coe¬ perentur in bonum, ille, inquam, electis suis non solum gratiam tribuit, sed etiam natu¬ ram disposuit, atque ita praedestinatio ra¬ dix et origo est omnium bonorum. Quamvis enim praedestinatio praerequirat aliquo mo¬ do rem esse, quae praedestinatur, tamen non praerequirit eam esse talis, vel talis naturae, nisi conditionaliter. Deus enim, ut supra dixi¬ mus, antequam absolute aliquid vellef, vidit omnia, quae accidere poterant, quibuscum¬ que modis rerum ordo constitueretur. Itaque vidit, exempli gratia, si talem prae¬ destinaret, eum talis esse naturae, ut parum aptus videatur ad id, ad quod eligitur, sed in arbitrio ejus fuit, vel eum non praedesti¬ nare, vel alio modo ejus temperare naturam vel naturam, quocumque modo dispositam corrigere, atque emendare per gratiam, at¬ que ita cum eum praedestinavit, simul con¬ stituit, ut tum natura, tum gratia, et quidquid illi unquam accidere posset, ei cooperaretur in bonum. Qqintum testimonium sumunt ex illo Matth. xx.'Foca operarios, et redde illis mer- cedem. Et cap. xxv : Percipite regnum, esu¬ rivi enim et dedistis mihil manducare, elc. (-4). Deus autem id facit in tempore, quod se an¬ te omnia tempora facturum esse constituit ; igitur constituit Deus ab aeterno regnum coe¬ lorum illis dare, quos bona opera facturos fuisse praevidit. Respondeo, alia ratio est praedestinationis, alia exeeutionis. Constituit enim in praede¬ stinatione, regnum coelorum dare certis ho¬ minibus quos absque ulla operum praevisio- ne dilexit : tamen simul constituit, ut quoad exeeutionem, via perveniendi ad regnum, essent opera bona. Itaque illa propositio, Deus ab aeterno praedestinavit hominibus dare regnum per opera bona praevisa, potest et vera esse et falsa. Nam si illud : « Per opera praevisa », referatur ad verbum, « praedestinavit, » fal¬ sa erit ; significabit enim Deum praedestinas¬ se homines, quia opera illorum bona praevi¬ derat : si referatur ad verbum, « dare, » ve¬ ra erit, quia significabit, exeeutionem futu¬ ti) Rom. VIII, 30. - (2) Apo. III, II . - (3) Mattii. XXV, 15. - (4) Matth. XX, 8; ibid. XXV, 35. CAfctJT xiv. oca ram esse per opera bona, sive, quod est idem, glorificationem effectum esse justificationis, et operum bonorum, sicut ipsa justificatio effectus est vocationis, et vocatio prcedcsti- nationis. Sextum testimonium sumunt ex illis locis: Illuminat omnem hominem venientem in hunc mundum , Joan. i. Et : Vult omnes homines salvos fieri, I ad Timoth. ii. Et, Neminem vuli perire, II Petr. m (1). Sed haec explicata sunt cap. 3. Et satis commode intelligi possunt de antecedente voluntate. Septimum sumunt ex illis locis, quae te¬ stantur, Deum non accipere personas, Actor x, Koman. n. et alibi, qua) sunt etiam loco citato, quantum satis esse videbatur, expo¬ sita. Nam cum acceptio personarum sit vi¬ tium justitia) contrarium, non habet locum in gratia) donis, quale est praedestinatio.