Bellarmine · De Controversiis · On Justification · Book I: On Justifying Faith
Chapter 10: The same is proved by reasons
Our translation, from the Latin of the Opera Omnia (Paris: Vivès, 1870–74), vol. VI, De Justificatione, 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).
Last, that special faith can be exploded by manifest reasons.
The first reason: Faith (as Calvin himself also teaches) ought to aim at nothing else than the word of God; for it cannot be certain and infallible unless it lean on the authority of him who can neither be deceived nor deceive. But in the word of God there is nowhere found announced salvation, or the remission of sins, to me, or to that man, in particular — excepting a certain few: as the paralytic, to whom it was said, Matthew 9, Be of good heart, son, thy sins are forgiven thee; and the sinful woman, of whom it was said, Luke 7, Many sins are forgiven her, because she hath loved much; and perhaps the adulteress, to whom it was said, John 8, Go, and now sin no more; and Zacheus, of whom it was said, Luke 19, This day is salvation come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; and the thief, to whom it was said, Luke 23, This day thou shalt be with me in paradise. The rest of men, then, cannot believe — except altogether rashly — that, as from the word of God, their sins have been remitted them. They answer that the special promise is contained in the general; for he who said, John 3, He that believeth in the Son hath everlasting life, signified that all who believe — that is, this man and that man who believes — have everlasting life; by like reasoning, he who said, Acts 13, In him every one that believeth is justified, and Romans 3, The justice of God, by faith of Jesus Christ, unto all and upon all them that believe in him, signified that all and each who believe are justified. But this response sins on many counts. For first, Scripture nowhere says, “he who believes that his sins have been remitted him has everlasting life, or is justified,” but, “he who believes in the Son has everlasting life,” or is justified. But that to believe in the Son is to believe that one’s sins have been remitted through the Son the adversaries have not from the word of God, but from their own interpretation; accordingly they cannot make that the object of faith, unless they would make the word of God out of their own word. Add that their interpretation is so far from being the word of God that it is even repugnant to the word of God. For the same John who wrote, He that believeth in the Son hath everlasting life, wrote, 1 John 5: Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. And below: Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? And so to believe in the Son — the Evangelist John himself being interpreter — is to believe that Jesus is the Son of God, and the Christ. So also blessed Paul, who wrote, “in him every one that believeth is justified,” and, “justice unto all that believe in him,” himself explained his own words when he says, Romans 10: This is the word of faith, which we preach: that if thou confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thy heart that God hath raised him up from the dead, thou shalt be saved. And so not only are those particular propositions not had in Scripture which the adversaries profess to hold with certain faith — namely, “to Luther, or to Calvin, sins are remitted” — but neither is that general one had: “every one who believes that his sins have been remitted him through Christ is justified.” Then, the adversaries sin also in this: that from a conditioned antecedent they gather an absolute conclusion. For those propositions — He that believeth in the Son hath everlasting life, and, In him every one that believeth is justified — are conditioned; as if it were said: if anyone believe in the Son, he has everlasting life; and, if anyone believe in Christ, he is justified. For so the Apostle explains, Romans 10, If thou believe in thy heart, etc.; and Philip, Acts 8, If thou believest with all thy heart, etc. Now from these conditioned propositions a conditioned conclusion is rightly gathered: therefore I, if I believe, have justification and everlasting life. But the absolute conclusion which the adversaries wish requires an absolute assumption, namely this: “But I believe in the Son.” Which absolute assumption is not in the word of God, but in my opinion; and that opinion of mine not only is not the word of God, but can even be deceitful. For if everyone who thinks he believes did in fact believe as is fitting, all heretics, however contrary among themselves, would believe rightly and be saved. For what heretic was ever so absurd and desperate as not to judge that he believed most rightly? Certainly the Lutherans, who hold the Calvinians and Anabaptists for heretics, lest they be compelled to confess that these believe rightly, cannot admit that all in fact believe who suppose themselves to believe; and the same the Calvinians and Anabaptists, for the same cause, will not admit. Add that, according to the Scriptures, it is not enough to believe in any manner whatever, but one must believe with the whole heart, as is said in Acts 8. And as the Lord says, Every one that asketh receiveth, Luke 11, and yet James in his epistle, chapter 4, truly writes, You ask and receive not, because you ask amiss — so also, though Scripture say, He that believeth in the Son hath everlasting life, yet we can most truly say: many believe in the Son and have not everlasting life, because they believe amiss. Nor can the adversaries deny this, seeing they deny that faith is true unless it be living, and bring forth the fruits of good works. But who is there who can affirm with certainty that he believes with the whole heart, and as is fitting, and has a faith living, and conjoined with charity? Finally, the adversaries sin in this: that they think those propositions — He that believeth in the Son hath everlasting life; In him every one that believeth is justified, and other like ones — are so to be understood that faith alone suffices for justice and salvation; which we shall demonstrate to be openly false in the following book. For he who believes in the Son has everlasting life, if he apply the other things which faith itself shows must be applied. Wherefore, even if we granted that it were written in the book of God, “every one who believes that his sins are remitted him is justified,” and likewise written, “such or such a man believes that his sins are remitted him” — which we have taught to be false — still it could not rightly be gathered that that man is truly justified. Accordingly that special faith would not be certain, and thereby neither divine, nor justifying.
The second reason: Justifying faith must precede justification; but the faith of special mercy follows justification; therefore the faith of special mercy is not justifying faith. The major of this argument is most certain; for faith is the cause of justification — for those prepositions “of” and “through” signify cause, when it is said, Romans 5, justified by faith, and chapter 3, who justifieth circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith — and every cause is prior to its effect. Wherefore St. Augustine, in the book On the Spirit and the Letter, chapter 30, establishes this order among the acts of Justification: that in the first place is the law, through which is the knowledge of sin; in the second, faith, which obtains grace against sin; in the third, grace, which justifies from sin. And in epistle 106, and elsewhere, he often repeats that through faith the remission of sins is obtained, and thereby that faith is prior to justification. The minor of the same argument is demonstrated with no labor. For if that special faith does not follow justification, it is proved false. For how is that a true faith by which I believe my sins to have been remitted me, if, while I so believe, the sins are not yet remitted, but are to be remitted afterwards through this very act? Then, if the object of this faith is that proposition, “to me sins have been remitted through Christ,” certainly the remission must be prior to the faith, since every act depends on its object, not contrariwise the object on the act. Nor does it much matter if someone perhaps say that by the special faith it is believed not that the sins have been remitted, but that they are being remitted at the present moment; for the remission is always the object of the faith, and thereby must be before the faith; nor can it be understood that the object come to be through that very act whose object it is, since the object gives essence to the act, not the act to the object. That faith, then, cannot justify which has the special justification itself for its object.
The third reason: That special faith which the adversaries feign to be justifying faith takes out of the way prayer, the sacraments, good works, and whatever else God has instituted for our salvation; it can therefore rightly be named not a justifying faith, but a faith hindering justification, and leading into ruin and perdition. For if I must certainly, and from faith, believe that my sins have been remitted me through Christ, how can I say with the publican, O God, be merciful to me a sinner; or with the Apostles and the universal Church, Forgive us our debts — without wavering in the faith, and making God a liar? For why, if I should pray God that his Word be made flesh in the womb of the virgin, I should be judged unbelieving — and shall I not similarly be deservedly judged unbelieving, if I ask of God the remission of my sins, when I ought to believe with no less certain faith that my sins have been remitted me than that the Word has already been made flesh in the womb of the Virgin? Then, what need is there of baptism, if through the faith which must precede baptism I am certain that my sins have already been remitted me? And so Luther, congruently enough with this his heresy of special faith, wrote in the book on baptism that the man who believes is justified, even if perchance he who baptizes neither intend to baptize nor baptize in the name of the Lord. And the same can be said of the Sacrament of reconciliation, or of penance, and of the other remedies of sins divinely instituted.
The fourth reason, which properly refutes those who will have justifying faith to be the confidence of special benevolence: for although the confidence of obtaining pardon, such as ought to be in a man doing penance, precedes justification, yet the confidence by which one trusts that his sins have been remitted him, and that he is pleasing to God, and an heir of the kingdom — of which the adversaries speak — depends on a good conscience, and perseverance in the love of God and in good works; and accordingly it pre-demands justification, does not effect it; and thereby is not justifying faith, but something later than justifying faith. That confidence depends on, and even is born from, a good conscience, and perseverance in love and good works, the divine Scriptures clearly deliver. Psalm 4: Offer up the sacrifice of justice, and trust in the Lord. Ecclesiasticus 2: Direct thy way, and trust in him. Osee 12: And thou shalt return to the Lord thy God: keep mercy and judgment, and hope in thy God always. 1 John 2: Abide in him, that when he shall appear, we may have confidence. And chapter 3: If our heart do not reprehend us, we have confidence towards God. 2 Peter 1: Labour, that by good works you may make sure your calling and election. St. Augustine also, in the book On the Christian Combat, chapter 13: “Faith is first, which subjects the soul to God; then the precepts of living, by the keeping of which our hope is made firm.” And tractate 6 [al. 9] on John he teaches that confidence proceeds from charity. See, to the same sense, St. John Chrysostom, homily 3 on Matthew.
The fifth reason, which properly regards Calvin: Justifying faith begets peace and tranquillity of mind, according to that of the Apostle, Romans 5: Being justified therefore by faith, let us have peace with God. But that special faith which Calvin teaches brings perturbation and desperation to minds. For Calvin will have it that by the special faith it must not only be believed that our sins have been remitted us through Christ, but also plainly known that we certainly pertain to the number of the predestined, and that faith once had cannot be lost — book 3 of the Institutes, chapter 2. But who, I beseech you, can hope that he has such a faith? And if this very faith, and it alone, justifies, who will trust that he will be just, or ever was? For that they can be deceived who suppose themselves predestined, or never to fall, is taught most openly both by experience — by which we see men daily fall — and by Calvin himself, in the same place, where he speaks thus: “So many are the recesses of vanity, with so many lurking-places of lying does the human heart teem, with so fraudulent a hypocrisy is it beset, that it often deceives itself. But let them who glory in such simulacra of faith understand that in this part they in no wise excel the devils.” Certainly, if these things are true, the greatest part of men deservedly despairs of salvation. For if, of those who determine in their heart that they are just and predestined, very many are deceived, and, while they suppose themselves equal to the Angels, are nothing better than the devils — ought not all deservedly to dread lest they impose upon themselves? And if they dread this, do they not already lack justifying faith, which ought to be a certain and firm knowledge of the divine benevolence?
Show the Latin (Vives edition, OCR)
CAPUT X.
Probatur idem rationibus.
Postremo, manifestis rationibus potest fides
ista specialis explodi.
Prima ratio. Fides (ut ipse etiam docet
Calvinus) in nihil aliud eollimaie debet, nisi
iti verbum Dei. Non enim potest esse certa
et infallibilis, nisi ejus auctoritate nitatur,
qui nec falli potest, nec fallere : at in verbo
Dei nusquam reperitur annunciata salus, vel
remissio peccatorum mihi, aut illi in parti¬
culari, exceptis quibusdam paucis, ut para¬
lytico, cui dictum est Matth. ix. Confide fili ,
remittuntur tibi peccata tua; et peccatrice,
. de qua dictum est Lucte vir. Remittuntur ei
peccata multa , quoniam dilexit multum. Et
fortasse adultea, cui dictum est Joan. vm.
1 ad e, et jam amplius noli peccare. Et Za-
charo, de quo dictum est, Luc. xix. Hodie
satus huic domui facta est, eo quod et ipse sit
filius Abrahac. Et latrone, cui dictura est Luc.
xxm. Hodie fnecum eris in Paradiso (i).
Non igitur possunt reliqui homines credere,
nisi omnino temere, tamquam ex verbo Dei
sibi remissa esse peccata.
Despondent, specialem promissionem con¬
tineri in generali : nam qui dixit Joan. iit.
Qui credit in Filium , habet vitam leternam ;
significavit omnes qui credunt, hoc est, il¬
lum, et illum, qui' credit, habere vitam al¬
ternam. Pari ratione qui dixit, Actor, xm.
in hoc omnis, qui credit, justificatur. Et
Rom. ni. Justitia Dei per Fidem Jesu Christi
in omnes , et super omnes, qui credunt in eum ;
significavit, omnes et singulos, qui credunt,
j ustificari.
Sed haec responsio multis nominibus pec¬
cat. Primum enim nusquam dicit Scriptura,
qui credit sibi remissa esse peccata, habet
vitam re ter nam, aut justificatur ; sed qui
credit in filium, habet vitam aeternam, vel
justificatur, tjuod autem credere in filium,
sit credere sibi remissa esse peccata per fi¬
lium, non habent adversarii cx verbp Dei,
sed ex interpretatione sua ; ■ proinde non
possunt id facere objectum fidei, nisi velint
ex verbo suo facere verbum Dei.
Adde, quod interpretatio ipsorum tantum
abest, ut sit verbum Dei, ut etiam repugnet
verbo Dei. Nam idem Joanncs, qui scripsit :
Qui credit in Filium, habet vitam asternam ;
scripsit i. Joan. v. (2). Omnis qui credit, quo¬
niam Jesus est Christus, ex Deo natus est.
Et infra : Quis est, qui vincit mundum, nisi
qui credit., quoniam Jesus est filius Dei (3) ?
Itaque credere in filium, ipso interprete E-
vangelista Joanne, est credere, quod Jesus
sit filius Dei, et Christus. Sic etiam B. Pau¬
lus, qui scripsit ; in hoc omnis qui credit ju¬
stificatur, et justitia in omnes qui credunt in
eum. Idem explicuit verba sua, cum ait ad
Rom. x. Hoc est verbum fidei, quod prae¬
dicamus, quia si confitearis in ore tuo Domi¬
num Jesum , et in corde tuo credideris , quod
Deus eum suscitavit a mortuis, salvus eris (4).
Itaque non modo non habentur in Scriptura
illa; particulares propositiones, quas adver¬
sarii certa fide se tenere profitentur, videli¬
cet, Lutbero, aut Calvino remittuntur pec¬
cata; sed neque habetur illa generalis : Om¬
nis qui credit sibi per Christum remissa esse
peccata, justificatur.
Deinde peccant adversarii etiam in eo,
quod ex antecedente conditionato colligunt
conclusionem absolutam. Nam illse proposi¬
tiones : Qui credit in filium, liabit vitam xter-
nam. Et : In hoc omnis qui. credit justificatur,
conditionatae sunt, ac si dictum essef, Si quis
credit in filium, is habet vitam seternan) :
Et si quis in Christum credit, justificatur.
Ita enim explicat Apostolus ad Roman. x.
Si credideris in corde tuo ete. Et Philippus
Actor, vm. Si credis ex toto corde et c (o).
Ex his autem conditionatis propositioni¬
bus recte colligitur conditionala conclusio,
igitur ego, si credo, habeo justificationem,
et vitam aaternam. Absoluta. vero conclusio,
quam adversarii volunt, requirit assumptio¬
nem absolutam, videlicet illam, Atqui ego
credo in Filium. Quse assumptio absoluta
non est in verbo Dei, sed in opinione mea.
(!) Mattii. IX. 2; Luc. VII, '.7 ; Joan. VIII, I I ; Luc. XIX, 9; Luc. XXIII, 13. — (2) Joan. III, 36:
Act. XIII, 39 : Rom. III, 22. - (3) I Joan. V, 1. - (4) Itera. X, 19. - (5) Act. VIII, 37.
166
LIBER I.
Opinio autem ista mea non solum non est
verbum Dei, sed etiam fallax esse potest.
Nam si omnis, qui existimat se credere, re
vera crederet, sicut oportet, haeretici omnes,
quamtumvis inter se contrarii, recte crede¬
rent et salvarentur. Quis enim unquam iue-
reticus fuit tam absurdus et deploratus, qui
se non arbitraretur rectissime credere ? cer¬
te Lutherani, qui Calvinianos et Anabapti-
stas pro haereticis habent, ne cogantur fate¬
ri, illos recte credere, non possunt admitte¬
re, omnes illos re vera credere, qui arbitran¬
tur se credere : quod idem Calviniani et A-
nabaptistae eadem de causa non admittent.
Adde quod secundum Scripturas, non sa¬
tis est, quocumque modo credere, sed opor¬
tet toto corde credere, ut dicitur Actor, vm.
Et quemadmodum Dominus dicit : Omnis qui
petit accipit , Luca; xr. Et tamen Jacobus
in epistola sua, cap. 4. vere scribit : Petitis
et non accipitis, eo quod male petatis { 1). Sic
etiam quamvis Scriptura dicat : Quis credit
in /ilium, habet vitam aeternam , tamen ve¬
rissime dicere possumus ; multi credunt in
Filium, et non habent vitam aeternam, eo
quod male credant. Neque hoc negare pos¬
sunt adversarii, quippe qui fidem negant es¬
se veram, nisi sit viva, et fructus bonorum
operum pariat. At quis est, qui certo affir¬
mare queat, se toto corde, atque ut oportet,
credere, et fidem habere vivam, et cum cha-
ritate conjunctam ?
Denique peccant adversarii in eo, quod
existimant, illas propositiones : Qui credit in
filium , habet vitam aeternam ; in hoc omnis, \
qui credit, justificatur; et alias similes, ita
esse intelligendas, ut sola fides sufficiat ad
justitiam et salutem, quod aperte falsum es¬
se in libro sequenti demonstraturi sumus.
Qui enim credit in Filium, habet vitam se-
ternam, si esetera adhibeat, qua; fides ipsa
adhibenda demonstrat. Quare tametsi fate¬
remur, scriptum esse in libro Dei, Omnis qui
credit sibi remitti peccata, justificatur, et
pariter scriptum esse, talis vel talis hoiho
credit, sibi remitti peccata ; qua; falsa esse
docuimus, adhuc tamen non posset recte
colligi, talem illum hominem vere esse ju¬
stificatum. Proinde fides illa specialis non
esset certa, ac per hoc neque divina, neque
justificans.
Secunda ratio. Fides justificans prajcedere
debet justificationem ; Fides autem specialis
misericordia; sequitur justificationem, Igitur
fides specialis misericordiae, non est fides ju¬
stificans.
Propositio hujus argumenti certissima est,
nam fides est causa justificationis ; causam
enim significant illae praepositiones, « ex et
per », cum dicitur ad Roman. v. Justificati
ex fide; et cap. m ; Qui justificat circumci¬
sionem ex fide, et praeputium per fidem (2).
Omnis autem causa prior est effectu. Quo¬
circa S. Augustinus, in libro de spiritu, et
littera, cap. 30. hunc ordinem statuit inter
actus Justificationis, ut primo loco sit lex,
per quam est cognitio peccati ; secundo, fi¬
des, qua; impetrat gratiam contra peccatum ;
tertio, gratia, quae justificat a peccato. Et
in epist. 106. et alibi, saepe repetit, per fi¬
dem impetrari remissionem peccatorum, ac
per hoc fidem priorem esse justificatione.
Assumptio ejusdem argumenti, nullo ne¬
gotio demonstratur ; nam si fides illa specia¬
lis non sequitur justificationem, falsa esse
convincitur. Quomodo enim yera fides est, qua
credo mihi remissa esse peccata, si dum ita
credo, nundum sunt remissa peccata, sed
sunt per hunc ipsum actum postea remitten¬
da? Deinde si objectum hujus fidei est illa
propositio : Mihi sunt per Christum peccata
remissa, certe prior debet esse remissio,
quam fides, cum omnis actus pendeat ab
objecto, non contra objectum ab actu. Ne¬
que multum refert, si quis forte dicat, fide
speciali non credi peccata esse remissa, sed
remitti in pra;sens; nam semper remissio
est objectum fidei, ac per hoc prius debet
esse, quam fides, neque intelligi potest, ut
objectum fiat per illum ipsum actum, cujus
est objectum, cum objectum det essentiam
actui, non actus objecto. Non igitur fides
illa justificare potest, qua; justificationem
ipsam specialem pro objecto habet.
Tertia ratio. Fides illa specialis , quam
adversarii fingunt, esse fidem justificantem,
tollit c medio orationem, sacramenta, opera
bona, et quidquid aliud ad salutem nostram
Deus instituit; non igitur fides justificans,
sed fides justificationem impediens, et in
exitium, ac perditionem adducens, jure no¬
minari potest. Nam si certo, atque ex fide
credere debeo, mihi peccata esse remissa
per Christum, quomodo possum cum publi¬
cano dicere : Deus propitius esto mihi pec¬
catori, aut cum Apostolis, et Ecclesia aniver-
(I) Luc. XI, 10 ; Jacob. IV, 3. - (2) Rom. V, \ ; III, 30.
CAPUT XI.
167
sa : Dimitte nobis debita nostra, nisi haesitem
in fide, et Deum mendacem efficiam ? 'cur
enim si praecarct a Deo, ut Verbum ipsius
caro fieret in utero virginis, infidelis judica¬
rer, et non similiter infidelis merito judica¬
bor, si petam a Deo remissionem peccato¬
rum, cum non minus certa fide credere de¬
beam, mihi remissa esse peccata, quam
verbum carnem in utero Virginis esse jam
facium ?
Deinde quod opus est baptismo, si per fi¬
dem, quae baptismum praecedere debet, cer¬
tus sum mihi jam remissa esse peccata? Ita¬
que Lutherus satis congruenter ad hanc
suam haeresim, de fide speciali scripsit, in
libro de baptismo, justificari hominem , qui
credit, etiamsi forte is qui baptizat, neque
intendat baptizare neque baptizet in nomine
Domini. Quodidem dici potest de Sacramen¬
to reconciliationis, sive poenitentiae, aliis¬
que remediis peccatorum divinitus institutis.
Quinta ratio, qua; proprie refellit eos, qui
volunt fidem justificantem esse fiduciam be¬
nevolentiae specialis : nam tametsi fiducia
obtiuehdae veniae, qualis esse debet in homi¬
ne poenitentiam agente, praecedat justifica¬
tionem ; tamen fiducia, qua quis confidit,
sibi remissa esse peccata, seque Deo gratum
esse, et haeredem regni, de qua loquuntur
adversarii, pendet a bona conscientia, et per¬
severantia in dilectione Dei, et operibus bo¬
nis, ac proinde praeexigit justificationem, non
illam efficit, ac per hoc non est fides justi¬
ficans, sed aliquid fide justificante poste¬
rius. '
Pendere fiduciam, atque etiam nasci ex
bona conscientia, et perseverantia in dile¬
ctione, et operibus bonis perspicue tradunt
divinae scripturae. Psalm. iv. Sacrificate sa¬
crificium justitiae , et sperate in Domino. Eccle¬
siastici ii. Dirige viam tuam, et spera in ilium.
Osex xu. Et tu ad Dominum Deum tuum con¬
verteris , misericordiam et judicium custodi ,
spera in Deo tuo semper. I Joan. n. Manete in
eo , ut cum apparuerit , habeamus fiduciam.
Et cap. m. Si cor nostrum non reprehenderit
nos , fiduciam habemus ad Deum. II Petr. i.
Satagite , ut per bona opera certam vestram
vocationem et electionem faciatis (1).
Sanctus quoque Augustinus in lib. de ago¬
ne Christiano, cap. 13. « Fides (inquit) est
prima, quae subjugat animam Deo, deinde
praecepta vivendi, quibus custodiis spes no¬
stra firmatur ». Et tract. 6. in Joannem, do¬
cet, fiduciam ex cliaritate procedere . Vide
in eamdem sententiam sanctum Joannem
Chrysostomum, homil. 3. in Matth.
Quinta rafio, quae proprie Calvinum respi¬
cit : Fides justificans pacem et tranquillita¬
tem animi parit, juxta illud Apostoli ad Rom.
v. Justificati ergo ex fide , pacem habeamus ad
Deum (2). At fides illa specialis, quamCal vi¬
nus docet, perturbationem, et desperatio¬
nem mentibus adfert. Vult enim Calvinus,
fide speciali non solum credi oportere, nobis
per Christum remissa esse peccata, sed etiam
plane cognosci, nos ad numerum praedesti¬
natorum certo pertinere, et fidem semel ha¬
bitam amitti non posse, lib. m. Institut.
cap. 2.
At quis (obsecro) talem se fidem habere
sperare potest? et si haec ipsa fides, et sola
ipsa justificat, quis justum se futurum esse,
aut unquam se fuisse confidet? Falli enim
posse eos, qui se praedestinatos, aut num-
quam lapsuros arbitrantur, docet apertissi¬
me tum experientia, qua videmus quotidie
homines labi, tum ipse etiam Calvinus in eo¬
dem loco, ubi sic loquitur : « Tot vanitatis
recessus sunt, tot mendacii latebris scatet
cor humanum, tam fraudulenta hypocrisi
objectum est, ut se ipsum seepe fallat. At
vero qui talibus fidei simulacris gloriantur,
intelligant diabolis nihilo se in hac parte
pra;cellere » . ^
Certe si haec vera sunt, maxima pars ho¬
minum merito de salute desperat. Nam si
ex iis, qui statuunt in corde suo se justos ac
praedestinatos esse, plurimi falluntur, et
cum se Angelis pares arbitrentur, nihilo sunt
diabolis meliores, nonne merito omnes for¬
midare debent, ne ipsi sibi imponant? quod
si hoc formidant, nonne fide justificante
jam carent, qua; certa et firma notitia divi¬
nae benevolentiae esse debet ?