Bellarmine · De Controversiis · On Grace and Free Choice · Book VI: Grace and Free Choice in Works of Piety
Chapter 10: Free choice in pious and salutary actions is proved from the divine writings
Our translation, from the Latin of the Opera Omnia (Paris: Vivès, 1870–74), vol. VI, De Gratia et Libero Arbitrio, Book VI. 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 this error of the heretics, by which they strip our will of all liberty in pious and salutary works, we shall bring forward first the testimonies of the Scriptures, then also the tradition of the ancient Church.
The first testimony is taken from those places in which men, in the works of piety, are called laborers, builders, planters, waterers, cooperators, and co-helpers of God. For if men did nothing properly through free choice, but were only led and moved, as mere instruments, they ought to be called not cooperators and co-helpers of God, but mattocks, rakes, axes, and other things of that kind. Matthew 20: Call the labourers, and pay them their hire. Here certainly they are called laborers who have performed the good works conducing to salvation. 1 Corinthians 3: I have planted, Apollo watered; but God gave the increase. And in the same place: Every man shall receive his own reward, according to his own labour. For we are God’s coadjutors. Where two words are to be noted: the pronoun “his own,” and the name “coadjutors.” For if the labor is rightly called ours, certainly we ourselves are the Lords of that action which we effect by laboring. Nor does Calvin’s objection avail, who, book 2 of the Institutes, chapter 5, § 14 [al. 17], to show that the pronoun “his own,” or “our,” does not signify dominion, objects that saying: Give us this day our daily bread — where that bread is called ours which we desire to be given us, because it becomes ours by title of gift, not because we freely made it. This objection, I say, avails nothing — nay, it can be most openly turned back upon its author. For, as some of the ancients rightly expound, we call the bread which we ask to be given us ours because we would not steal another’s bread, but acquire it by our own labor, God helping — that we may at the same time fulfill that of Genesis 3: In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat thy bread. And so the bread is called ours by reason of our own labor, and yet is asked as a gift by reason of the divine aid, without which all our industry would be useless. Nor can Calvin reject this exposition, since he himself too, book 3 of the Institutes, chapter 20, § 44, expounds that petition of corporal bread. Add that the Apostle, for what we have as “according to his own labour,” wrote in Greek kata ton idion kopon — that is, according to his proper labor; while in the Gospel, Matthew 6 and Luke 11, where the Lord’s prayer is had, it is not idion arton, but arton hemon — our bread, not one’s proper bread. And “proper” declares free action more than “our” does. The other word is “coadjutors,” in the Greek synergoi — that is, cooperators; than which word none apter can be devised. And the same is used by Mark, in the last chapter, where he says of the Apostles: But they going forth preached everywhere, the Lord working withal. Where this also is to be noted: when it is a question of preaching, in which a human and free work is required, it is said, “the Lord cooperating”; but when it is a question of miracles, which are not in the power of men, but are done by God through men as mere instruments, it is not said, “the Lord cooperating,” but, “the Lord confirming the word with signs that followed” — where the miracles are simply attributed to God, though they be done through men, since they do not depend on free choice. Another place is Romans 8: To them that love God, all things work together unto good. Where the Greek reading shows a double sense: for that synergei can be referred to the noun “all things,” and then it is to be rendered “work together,” and the sense is that to them that love God all things are profitable, and cooperate unto salvation. This sense the common Latin reading makes, which cannot be reprehended, since it is not unusual among the Greeks to join a nominative of the plural number with a verb of the singular; but that verb synergei can also most aptly be referred to the noun pneuma which precedes — so that the sense is: for them that love God, the Holy Spirit in all things cooperates unto good. Nor can the adversaries reject this sense; for it is altogether to the purpose, as he will understand who reads the place itself; and besides it is simpler, since synergei is of the singular number, and there is no need to have recourse to an Atticism — which yet is necessary if a verb of the singular number be joined with that word panta, which is of the plural. Finally, this reading and this sense are followed, among the Greeks, by Theodoret in the commentary on this place, and among the Latins by St. Augustine, book On Correction and Grace, chapter 9; and it could perhaps have come to pass that the Latin interpreter rendered “cooperatur,” and by the fault of copyists one letter was added, and it became “cooperantur.” The Spirit, then, according to this sense — which (as I said) the adversaries cannot repudiate, and which Peter Martyr and Erasmus in their commentaries dare not repudiate — cooperates with us in all holy and salutary works.
The second testimony is taken from those places which command, or urge upon men, the works of piety, and even conversion itself to God — about which the adversaries chiefly contend. For it would be foolish to command or urge works of this kind upon one who had not liberty of choice, as we argued in the preceding book about the precept and persuasion of moral works. Zacharias 1: Turn ye to me, and I will turn to you. Joel 2: Turn ye to me with all your heart. Jeremias 3: Thou hast prostituted thyself to many lovers; nevertheless return to me. Ezechiel 18: Make to yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Isaias 1: Wash yourselves, be clean. John 6: Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that which endureth unto life everlasting. And to the Jews asking, What shall we do, that we may work the works of God? the Lord answers: This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he hath sent. And so the very believing, which is the work of God, the Lord commands that we ourselves work; and thereby he commands that we cooperate with God in this work. Colossians 3: Strip yourselves of the old man, and put on the new. Philippians 2: With fear and trembling work out your salvation; for it is God who worketh in you. What else is this than: cooperate with God, working your salvation in you? Calvin answers, book 2 of the Institutes, chapter 5, § 14 [al. 5], that all those places mean nothing else than that we are not moved by God as stocks and trunks, but as men endowed with mind and reason — though we are moved necessarily, and cannot do other than that which, God moving, we do. But if God so moves us that it is not in us to act and not act, to what end those precepts and persuasions? For fire too, when it is applied to wood, is not moved like a trunk that does nothing — for the fire truly burns the wood; and the horse, when the spurs are applied to it, is not moved like a stock — for the horse truly walks; and yet who, unless mad, would command or persuade the fire to burn, or the horse to walk? But fire and horse are not endowed with mind and reason. Why then does no one command or persuade a man to will to be blessed, or wretched — except that he knows that a man endowed with mind and reason cannot not love beatitude, or not hate misery, since toward these there is no liberty of the human choice? Precepts and persuasions, then, demonstrate that there is in men not reason only, but liberty also. Then, when Scripture says, God worketh to will and to accomplish, and, God worketh all in all, and, I will give you a new heart and a new spirit, and when we say to God, Convert us, O God our saviour — the adversaries contend that by such testimonies is signified that God truly and properly acts, and works our good actions. Why then, when Scripture says, Work out your salvation; Make to yourselves a new heart and a new spirit; Turn ye to me, and I will turn to you — do they not suffer these same words to be understood in the same way, and us to be said truly and properly to work our good actions? Is this to follow the Word of God — or to twist it at pleasure to one’s own heresies?
The third testimony is taken from those places which teach that we are helped by God in the works of piety. For he is not properly said to be helped who does nothing, but he who labors in doing. Psalm 26: Be thou my helper; forsake me not. Psalm 69: O God, come to my assistance; O Lord, make haste to help me. Romans 8: The Spirit also helpeth our infirmity. For we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit himself asketh for us with unspeakable groanings. In which place it is a question of prayer, which is an action most pious and salutary, which the Holy Spirit works in us while he makes us pray and groan; but because he does this not alone, but with us, therefore the Apostle set down that word “helpeth” — which in the Greek is much more significant. For synantilambanetai, the word blessed Paul uses, is properly said of those who, as it were from the opposite side, take hold of a burden with their hands, to succor him who labors. Finally — to pass over many other things — 1 Corinthians 15: I have laboured more abundantly than all they, says the Apostle; yet not I, but the grace of God with me. To this last place Calvin answers in these words, book 2 of the Institutes, chapter 3, § 12: “It is a wonder that so many men, not otherwise bad, have stumbled at this straw. For the Apostle does not write that the grace of the Lord labored with him, so as to make himself a partner in the labor; rather, by that correction he transfers the whole praise of the labor to grace alone. ‘It is not I,’ says he, ‘who have labored, but the grace of God which was present with me.’ They were deceived by the ambiguity of the expression — but still more by the preposterous version, in which the Greek article was omitted. For if you render it word for word, he does not say that grace was his co-worker, but that the grace which was present with him was the effecter of all.” But unless Calvin forge for himself a new Greek text and thrust it upon us, he will never persuade of that exposition of his those who know anything. For the Greek words are these: alla he charis tou Theou he syn emoi — which word for word sound thus: “but the grace of God which is with me.” But that “was present to me,” or “was in me” — let Calvin see whence he took it. Certainly syn emoi cannot be rendered more simply than “with me,” as the common interpreter rendered it. And why did the Apostle not say “the grace which is in me,” but “the grace which is with me,” except to show that grace labors with us, not works alone? For he looked back to that of Wisdom 9: Send her out of thy holy heavens, that she may be with me, and may labour with me. Wherefore St. Augustine — to whom Calvin, will he nill he, must yield — in the book On Grace and Free Choice, chapter 15 [al. 5]: “Yet not I, but the grace of God with me — that is, not I alone, but the grace of God with me; and thereby neither the grace of God alone, nor he himself alone, but the grace of God with him. What clearer?”
The fourth testimony is taken from those places which teach that man, called by God, can not come. For since through the grace of God he can come, as the adversaries concede, if he can also resist grace, and not come, he is without doubt proved to be of free choice. Proverbs 1: I called, and you refused. Matthew 23: I would have gathered together thy children, and thou wouldest not. John 6: Will you also go away? Acts 7: You always resist the Holy Ghost. Apocalypse 3: I stand at the gate, and knock. If any man shall open to me the door, I will come in to him.
Show the Latin (Vives edition, OCR)
CAPUT X.
Probatur ex divinis litteris liberum arbitrium
in actionibus piis et salutaribus.
Adversus hunc haereticorum errorem, quo
voluntatem nostram in operibus piis et sa¬
lutaribus, omni libertate spoliant, adferemus
primum testimonia Scripturarum, deinde
etiam veteris Ecclesiae traditionem.
Primum testimonium sumitur ab illis locis,
•n quibus dicuntur homines in operibus
pietatis operarii, aedificatores, plantatores,
rigatores, cooperatores et coadjutores Dei.
Nam si homines proprie nihil agerent per
liberum arbitrium, sed tantum ducerentur
et moverentur, ut mera instrumenta, non
deberent appellari cooperatores et coadju¬
tores Dei, sed ligones, rastra, secures, et
alia id genus. Matth. xx. Voca operarios , et
redde illis mercedern (1). Hic certe operarii
dicuntur, qui bona opera, ad salutem con¬
ducentia, peregerunt. I ad Corinth. iii. Ego
plantavi, Apollo rigavit , Deus autem incre¬
mentum dedit. Et ibidem : Unusquisque mer-
cedem accipiet secundum, suum laborem. Dei
enim sumus coadjutores (2). Ubi duo vocabula
notanda sunt, pronomen ( Suum ) et nomen
(Coadjutores). Nam si recte labor dicitur
noster, certe nos ipsi Domini sumus illius
actionis, quam laborando efficimus.
Nec valet Calvini objectio, qui lib. ii In-
stit. cap. v. § xiv. ut ostendat pronomen
suum , vel, nostrum , non significare domi¬
nium, objicit illud : Panem nostrum quoti¬
dianum da nobis hodie, ubi noster dicitur
panis, quem nobis donari cupimus, quia
titulo donationis fit noster, non quia nos
illumlibere fecerimus. Haec, inquam, objectio
nihil valet, imo potest in auctorem apertis¬
sime retorqueri. Nam, ut aliqui veteres recte
exponunt, panem, quem nobis dari petimus,
nostrum vocamus, quia nolumus panem
alienum furari, sed nostro labore illum ac¬
quirere, Deo juvante, ut simul impleamus
illud Gen. m : In sudore vultus tui, vesceris
pane tuo (3). Itaque noster dicitur panis, ratio¬
ne proprii laboris, et tamen dono petitur ra¬
tione divini adjutorii, sine quo inutilis esset
nostra omnis industria.
Neque potest Calvinus rejicere hanc ex¬
positionem cum ipse quoque lib. m. Instit.
cap. xx. § 44. exponat eam petitionem de
pane corporali. Adde, quod Apostolus pro
eo, quod nos habemus, secundum suum la¬
borem, scripsit graece, x«a xov tSiov xoirov,
id est, secundum proprium laborem, in
Evangelio autem Matth. vi et Luc. xi. ubi
habetur oratio Dominica, non est totov ap-rov,
sed apTov f|pwv, panem nostrum, non panem
proprium. Magis autem explicat liberam
actionem illud, «proprium », quam illud,
« nostrum » .
Alterum vocabulum est, Coadjutores, in
Graeco auvepYol, id est, cooperatores, qua voce
nulla fingi potest aptior. Eadem xero utitur
Marcus cap. ult., ubi dicit de Apostolis: Illi
vero profecti, praedicaverunt ubique , Domino
cooperante^ 4). Ubi illud quoque notandum est,
cum agitur de praedicatione, in qua requi¬
ritur opus humanum et liberum, dici, Do¬
mino cooperante : cum vero agitur de mira¬
culis, quae non sunt in potestate hominum,
sed fiunt a Deo per homines, ut mera in¬
strumenta, non dici, Domino cooperante,
sed, Domino confirmante sermonem sequenti¬
bus signis ; ubi miracula simpliciter tribuun¬
tur Deo, licet per homines fiant, quoniam
non pendent ex libero arbitrio.
Alius locus est ad Rom. vm : Diligentibus
Deum, omnia cooperante m bonum (5) ; ubi
Graeca lectio diplicem sensum ostendit, nam
illud (ruvEpysi, potest referri ad nomen, « om¬
nia», et tunc reddendum est, cooperantur,
(I) Matth. XX, 8, — (2) I Cor. III, G, - (3) Gen. IIT, 19. - (4) Mac. XVI, 20. - (5) Rom. VIII, 28.
120
LIBER VI.
et sensus est, diligentibus Deum, omnia esso
utilia, et cooperari ad salutem. Hunc sen¬
sum facit lectio latina vulgata, quae repre¬
hendi non potest, cum non sit inusitatum
apud Graecos, conjungere nominativum nu¬
meri multitudinis, cum verbo numeri sin¬
gularis : sed potest etiam aptissime referri
verbum illud auvspyst ad nomen 7rvsvp.a, quod
praecedit, ut sensus sit, diligentibus Deum,
Spiritus sanctus in omnibus cooperatur ad
bonum.
Neque hunc sensum adversarii rejicere
possunt. Nam est omnino ad propositum, ut
intelliget, qui locum ipsum leget. Et praeter¬
ea est simplicior, cum auvepysi sit numeri
singularis, et non sit opus recurrere ad at-
ticismum, quod tamen oportet, si conjun¬
gatur verbum numeri singularis, cum illa
voce, TT-avTa, qua3 est numeri multitudinis.
Denique hanc lectionem, et hunc sensum
sequuntur ex Graecis, Theodoretus in com-
ment. hujus loci, et ex Latinis, S. Augu¬
stinus lib. de correptione et gratia cap. 9
et fortasse fieri potuit, ut Latinus interpres
verterit, cooperatur, et vitio Scriptorum
accesserit una litera et factum sit, cooperan¬
tur. Spiritus igitur secundum hunc sensum,
quem ( ut dixi ) adversarii repudiare non
possunt, et Petrus Martyr, et Erasinus in
comment. repudiare non audent, cooperatur
nobis in omnibus operibus sanctis et saluta¬
ribus.
Alterum testimonium sumitur ex illis lo¬
cis, qute imperant, aut suadent hominibus
opera pietatis, et ipsam etiam conversionem '
ad Deum, de qua maxime litigant adversa¬
rii. Stultum enim esset imperare, aut sua¬
dere ejusmodi opera ei, qui non haberet
arbitrii libertatem, ut in libro superiore dis¬
putabamus de pnecepto et suasione operum
moralium. Zachar. i : Convertimini ad me ,
et ego convertar ad vos. Joel. u : Convertimini
ad me in toto corde vestro. Hierem. m : Tu
fornicata es cum amatoribus plurimis, verum-
tamen revertere ad me. Ezechiel. xvm : Facite
vobis cor novum et spiritum novum. Isai. i :
Lavamini , mundi estote. Joan. vi : Operamini
non cibum , qui perit , sed qui permanet in
vitam aeternam. Et petentibus Judseis : Quid
faciemus, ut operemur opera Dei ? respondet
Dominus : Hoc est opus Dei, ut credatis in
eum, quem misit ille (1).
Itaque ipsum credere, quod est opus Dei
jubet Dominus, ut nos ipsi operemur, ac
per hoc jubet, ut Deo in hoc opere coopere.
mur. Ad Colossens. iii : Exuite veterem ho¬
minem, et induite novum. Ad Philip, ii : Cum
metu et tremore salutem vestram operamini ,
Deus enim est, qui operatur in vobis (2). Quid
hoc est aliud, nisi cooperamini Deo salutem
vestram in vobis operanti?
Respondet Calvinis lib. ii. Instit. cap. 5.
§ 14. ista omnia loca nihil aliud sibi velle,
nisi non moveri nds a Deo, tamquam stipites,
ac truncos, sed tamquam homines mente, ot
ratione praeditos, quamvis necessario mo¬
veamur, nec possimus aliud agere, quam id,
quod Deo movente agimus. At si Deus ita
nos movet, ut non sit in nobis agere, et non
agere, quorsum illa praecepta et suasiones ?
Nam etiam ignis, cum applicatur ad ligna,
non movetur instar trunci, nihil agentis,
vere enim ignis comburit ligna; et equus,
cum ei adhibentur calcaria, non movetur
instar stipitis, vere enim equus ambulat ;
et tamen quis, nisi amens, imperaret, vel
suaderet igni, ut combureret, aut equo, ut
ambularet ? At ignis et equus, non sunt
mente et ratione praediti. Cur igitur nemo
imperat, aut suadet homini, ut velit esse
beatus, aut miser ? nisi quia novit, non
posse hominem mente et ratione praeditum,
non amare beatitudinem, aut non odisse
miseriam* cum ad haec arbitrii humani non
sit ulla libertas. Praecepta igitur et suasio¬
nes, non solam rationem, sed libertatem
etiam in hominibus esse demonstrant.
Dem de, quando Scriptura dicit : Deus
operatur velle et perficere. Et : Deus operatur
omnia in omnibus. Et : Dabo vobis cor novum,
et spiritum novum. Et cum nos Deo dicimus :
Converte nos Deus salutaris noster, adversa¬
rii contendunt ejusmodi testimoniis signifi¬
cari, Deum vere et proprie agere, et operari
nostras actiones bonas. Cur igitur, quando
Scriptura dicit : Operamini vestram salutem .
Facite vobis cor novum, et spiritum novum ;
Convertimini ad me, et convertar ad vos ;
non patiuntnr, ut eodem modo ista eadem
vocabula intelligantur, et nos vere, proprie-
que dicamur, operari nostras actiones bonas?
Est ne hoc Verbum Dei sequi, an illud pro
arbitrio ad proprias hsereses detorquere ?
Tertium testimonium sumitur ex locis
(l)Zach. I, 3: Joel. II, 12: Hier. 111,1-, Ezech. XVIII, 31 ; Isai. I, 16; Joan. VI, 27. —(2) Coi. III,
9 ; Phil. II 12.
CAPUT XT.
127
illis, quai docent, nos a Deo juvari iu operi¬
bus pietatis. Non enim proprie juvari dicen¬
dus est, qui nihil agit, sed qui laborat in
agendo. Psal. xxvi : Adjutor meus esto , ne
derelinquas me. Psal. lxix : Deus in adjuto¬
rium meum intende. Domine ad adjuvandum
me festina. Ad Roman vm -. Spiritus adjuvat
infirmitatem nostram. Nam quid oremus sicut
oportet , nescimus , sed Spiritus postulat pro
nobis , gemitibus inenarrabilibus (1). Quo loco
agitur de oratione, quae est actio maxime
pia et salutaris, quam Spiritus sanctus ope¬
ratur in nobis, dum facit nos orare, ac
gemere, sed quia non facit id solus, sed no-
biscum, ideo posuit Apostolus illud verbum :
« Adjuvat, >i quod in Graeco multo est sig¬
nificantius. Nam G-jvavTiXagSavrrai, qua voce
B. Paulus utitur, proprie dicitur de iis, qui
quasi e regione manibus capiunt onus, ut
laboranti succurrant. Denique ut alia multa
praeteream I. ad Cor. xv. Plus, inquit Apo
stolus, omnibus laboravi, non autem ego , sed
gratia Deimecum (2).
Ad hunc postremum locum respondet
Calvinus bis verbis in lib. ii. Instit. cap. 3.
§. 12. « Ad hanc, inquit, festucam, mirum
est, tot non malos alioqui homines impegisse.
Non enim gratiam Domini secum laborasse
scribit Apostolus, ut se consortem laboris
faciat. Quin potius totam laboris laudem uni
gratiae transcribit ista correctione. Non ego,
ait, sum is, qui laboravi, sed gratia Dei, quae
mihi aderat. Fefellit autem eos locutionis
ambiguitas, sed magis praepostera versio, in
quavis Graeci articuli praitermissa fuit.
Nam si ad verbum reddas, non dicit, gra¬
tiam sibi fuisse cooperatricem, sed gratiam,
quae sibi aderat, omnium fuisse effectricem» .
At nisi Calvinus novum textum Graecum
sibi cudat, ac nobis obtrudat, non persuade¬
bit unquam istam expositionem suam iis,
qui aliquid norint. Nam Graeca verba haec
sunt : dXXa vj /dpi? T&ii Qcou jj ?uv Igot, quae ad
verbum hoc sonant : Sedipsa gratia Dei, quae
« mecum » videlicet « est ». Illud autem,
« mihi aderat », vel « in me erat », viderit
Calvinus unde sumpserit. Certe cuv Igot, non
potest simplicius reddi, quam «mecum»,
ut vulgatus interpres reddidit. Cur autem
non dixit Apostolus, gratia quae est in me,
sed, gratia quae mecum est, nisi ut osten¬
deret, gratiam nobiscum laborare, non so¬
lam operari ? Respexit enim ad illud Sa¬
pient. ix : Mitte illam de coelis sanctis tuis , ut
mecum. sit, et mecum laboret { 3). Quare S. Au¬
gustinus., cui cedere, velit nolit, debebit
Calvinus in lib. de Gratia et libero arbitrio
cap. xv. « Non autem ego, inquit, sed gra¬
tia Dei mecum, id est, non solus, sed gratia
Dei mecum, ac per hoc nec gratia Dei sola,
nec ipse solus, sed gratia Dei cum illo, quid
clarius ? »
Quartum testimonium sumitur ex iis locis,
quae docent, hominem a Deo vocatum, posse
non venire. Nam cum per gratiam Dei
possit venire, ut adversarii concedunt, si
possit etiam grati® resistere, et non venire,
sine dubio liberi arbitrii e§se convincitur,
Proverb. i: Vocavi , et renuistis. Matth .
xxiii : Volui congregare filios tuos , et noluisti.
Joan. vi : Vultis et vos abire? Actor, vn : Vos
semper Spiritui sancto resistitis. Apocal. iii :
Ego sto ad ostium , et pulso , si quis aperuerit
mihi, intrabo ad eum (4).