Bellarmine · De Controversiis · On Justification · Book I: On Justifying Faith
Chapter 13: That faith justifies, but not alone; for fear, hope, love, etc., do the same
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).
That man is not justified by faith alone we shall endeavor to demonstrate by five principal arguments. The first argument we take from this: that the scriptures and the Fathers attribute the power of justifying not to faith alone, but also to the other virtues which the Council of Trent numbered among the dispositions toward justice; then we shall add other arguments taken from various places.
The first disposition, then, according to the doctrine of the Council, is Faith — of which it is superfluous to show that by it the impious is justified, since the adversaries do not deny it. Wherefore we shall prove that faith does not so much justify as justify as the beginning and first root of justification; for hence it will follow that it does not justify alone, but so acts in this business, in what is its own, that it leaves place also for the other virtues. And at the same time we shall refute the impudence of the adversaries, who impute it as a fault to the Council of Trent that it gave faith nothing more than to be the beginning of justification — when they themselves (as we showed a little before) attribute nothing to it in fact, and with them justifying faith is truly a title without a thing, or a thing of mere title, as Luther falsely wrote of free choice.
That faith, then, is the beginning of justification the Apostle teaches, Hebrews 11: He that cometh to God must believe that he is, etc. — where to faith is attributed the first motion toward God, by which he who was far off now begins to draw near. The same Apostle, Romans 10: Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. But how shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? Or how shall they believe him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they preach unless they be sent? Where the Apostle describes this order of justification: that first is the sending of preachers; second, the very preaching of the Gospel; third, faith; fourth, invocation; fifth, salvation — that is, justification, which is the health of the soul from the disease of sin. Of which the sending and the preaching are outside us; accordingly the first inception of justification in us is faith, which is followed by invocation, and the rest in their order. St. John also, when he says, As many as received him, he gave them power to be made the sons of God; to them that believe in his name, John 1 — openly taught that they who through faith receive Christ are not yet sons of God, but can become so, if they proceed further, so as to begin also to hope and to love. For love properly makes the sons of God, as is clear from the first epistle of the same John, chapters 2 [al. 3]. But now let us hear the ancient Fathers also. Clement of Alexandria, book 2 of the Stromata, before the middle: “Faith is the first inclination toward salvation; after which fear, and hope, and penance.” Cyril of Jerusalem, catechesis 5 [al. 1], writes that faith is as it were an eye and a lamp for finding the way of salvation. Eusebius of Emesa, homily 2 on the Symbol, calls faith the light of the soul, the door of life, the foundation of salvation. St. John Chrysostom, in the homily on faith, hope, and charity, names faith the origin of justice. St. Cyril of Alexandria, book 4 on John, chapter 9: “The gate and the way into life is faith.” St. Ambrose, book 1 On the Sacraments, at the very beginning: “In a Christian the first thing is faith.” St. Jerome, in the commentary on chapter 3 of the epistle to the Ephesians: “The beginning and origin of confidence and access to God is faith in Christ.” St. Augustine, in the exposition of the third chapter of the epistle to the Galatians: “They are made sons of wisdom, the faith of the Mediator preparing and affording this.” Faith, then, is the preparation toward justification, through which we are made sons of God. Likewise in the book On the Predestination of the Saints, chapter 7: “Faith is given first, from which the rest are obtained.” And in the book On the Gift of Perseverance, chapter 2: “What beginning is more true for a Christian man than to believe in Christ?” And in the book On the Spirit and the Letter, chapter 30: “Through the law, the knowledge of sin; through faith, the obtaining of grace; through grace, the health of the soul,” etc. — where, after the law, which is outside us, he sets in the first place, among the things that are in us, faith; in the second, prayer; in the third, grace, etc. And in sermon 22 on the words of the Apostle: “The house of God is founded by believing, raised by hoping, perfected by loving.” You see how faith alone begins the building, and without hope and charity does not perfect it? St. Prosper, book 3 On the Contemplative Life, chapter 21: “Faith is the foundation of justice, which no good works precede, and from which all proceed.” And in the response to the eighth doubt of the Genoese: “Faith is the foundation of all the virtues.” St. Gregory, book 2 of the Morals, chapter 33 [al. 46]: “If faith be not first begotten in our heart, the rest cannot be good.” To these testimonies can be added a natural reason: for one can believe what he does not hope or love; he cannot hope or love what he does not believe; therefore the foundation of hope and charity is faith, not contrariwise the foundation of faith hope or charity. Again, in bodily diseases the beginning of health is to believe oneself sick, and to have faith in the physician who wills to cure; yet that faith alone is not entire health.
The second disposition is fear — which indeed to be good and salutary we showed in book 2 On Penance, chapters 17 and 18. Now we shall bring forward only those places which teach that it concurs toward justification in almost the same manner in which faith itself concurs. First, then, that faith justifies we learned from the Apostle, who says, Without faith it is impossible to please God, Hebrews 11; but this same is said of fear, Ecclesiasticus 1: He that is without fear cannot be justified. Then, faith justifies because it is the beginning of justice and salvation, as we taught a little before; but the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, as we read in Psalm 110 and Proverbs 1. And by wisdom is understood perfect justification, which composes the whole man, as St. Augustine demonstrates in book 1 On the Sermon of the Lord on the Mount, chapter 9. And by that fear, which is the beginning of wisdom, almost all the Fathers understand servile fear, which is in the sinner (of which fear we here dispute) — as St. Basil, in the oration on the beginning of the Proverbs; St. Augustine, both in the place cited and in tractate 9 on the epistle of John; St. Gregory, homily 19 on Ezechiel; Bede in the commentary on the first chapter of Proverbs; St. Bernard, homily 23 on the Canticles, and elsewhere. Moreover, faith justifies because through it we seek God and approach him, as the adversaries also teach; but the same does fear, for it is written in Psalm 77: When he slew them, then they sought him; and they returned, and came to him early in the morning. And again in Psalm 82: Fill their faces with shame; and they shall seek thy name, O Lord. And in Jonas 3, at the fear struck into them by Jonas, the King and the people of Ninive returned to God. From which place we understand how far from the truth Martin Luther wandered, who in the commentary on chapter 2 to the Galatians says that it is impossible that a sinner, hearing from the law the judgment of God, should not become impatient, and murmur, and hate God. And in the assertion of article 6 he affirms that the sinner, so long as he is driven by fear, always becomes worse in himself, though perhaps he harm others less. Moreover, faith justifies because through it Christ is formed in us, as is said in Galatians 4; but of fear Isaias writes, chapter 26, according to the interpretation of the Seventy: From thy fear we have conceived and brought forth the spirit of salvation. Again, faith justifies because the just man liveth by faith, Habacuc 2; and of fear it is written: The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, Proverbs 14. Finally, faith justifies because it purges sins, as the Apostle teaches, Acts 15 [al. 13], Romans 3, Galatians 3, and elsewhere; but of fear too we read, Ecclesiasticus 1: The fear of the Lord driveth out sin. Nor are there wanting also in this part the testimonies of the Fathers. St. Augustine, tractate 9 on the epistle of John: “Fear goads; but do not fear — charity enters, which heals what fear wounds. The fear of God so wounds as the physician’s iron takes away the rottenness. There is need, then, that fear enter first, through which charity may come: fear is the medicament, charity the health.” The same, in the book On Catechizing the Unlearned, chapter 5: “Most rarely does it happen — nay rather, never — that anyone comes willing to be made a Christian who has not been struck with some fear of God.” But certainly to introduce charity, and to compel to seek the laver of regeneration, is to dispose toward justification. St. Basil, on Psalm 33, treating that verse, “the fear of the Lord I will teach you”: “If thou desirest to hear what the salutary fear is, which leads to sanctity and is divinely implanted in the soul, attend,” etc. St. Jerome, in the commentary on the first chapter of Malachias: “The Lord wills that we withdraw from evils through the dread of punishments, and pass from the fear of servants to the grace of sons.” St. Gregory, homily 34 on the Gospels: “A depraved mind, unless it be first overturned through fear, is not cleansed from its wonted vices.” John Cassian, book 4 On the Institutes of the Renouncers, chapter 39: “The beginning of our salvation, and its keeping, as I have said, is the fear of the Lord. For through it both the beginning of conversion, and the purging of vices, and the keeping of the virtues, is acquired by those who are imbued unto the way of perfection.” To these add the place cited before from Clement of Alexandria, who after faith subjoins fear in the business of acquiring salvation. Let reason also come, last; for it is the nature of fear to flee evils and seek remedies by which it may escape them. Hence St. John the Baptist said, Matthew 3: Who hath shewed you to flee from the wrath to come? And we daily see that men are never more solicitous about eternal salvation than when some great fear — whether of plague, or of shipwreck, or of thunder and heavenly bolts — presses upon them.
The third disposition is hope, which is born from faith, no otherwise than fear. For the same faith which teaches that God is a most just judge, and a most severe avenger of sins, and therefore has prepared the gehenna of inextinguishable fire for obstinate and impenitent sinners, teaches also that the same is a most clement father, and wills not the death of sinners, but that they be converted and live; and therefore has sent his Son to earth, and is prepared, on account of the merits of his Son, to receive all sinners into grace, if they will do penance and return to him with their whole heart. This hope, then, of obtaining pardon, that it is a disposition toward justice and the remission of sins, the Wise Man teaches, Proverbs 28: He that trusteth in the Lord shall be healed. And David, Psalm 36: He shall save them, because they have hoped in him. And Psalm 90: Because he hoped in me, I will deliver him. And the Lord, Matthew 9: Be of good heart, son; thy sins are forgiven thee. For the Lord did not (as some falsely teach) first justify the Paralytic before saying to him, “Be of good heart, son”; but contrariwise (as the Council of Trent signifies, session 6, chapter 6) he first said, “Be of good heart, son”; and when he saw him raised into the hope of salvation, he adjoined, “thy sins are forgiven thee.” St. Ambrose, book 1 On Penance, chapter 1: “No one can do penance well, unless he have hoped for pardon.” St. Augustine, in the book On Catechizing the Unlearned, chapter 4: “Whatever thou narratest, so narrate that he to whom thou speakest, by hearing may believe, by believing may hope, by hoping may love.” St. Cyprian, in sermon 5 On the Lapsed: “Acknowledge the most grave crime of your conscience, neither despairing of the mercy of the Lord, nor yet already claiming pardon.” By which words the adversaries are refuted openly enough, who do not begin to repent before they persuade themselves, more certainly than certain, that they have already been made most dear and most friendly to God, and trust that they have place and seat among the Cherubim and Seraphim.
The fourth disposition is love. For as soon as anyone begins to hope for a benefit from another, he begins also to love him as the benefactor, and the author of that good which he hopes for. And so he who hopes for justification from God begins to love God (as the Council of Trent speaks) as the fountain of justice. Further, that some love is prior to the remission of sins — either in time, if it be an imperfect love, or at least in nature, if it be perfect and from the whole heart — and disposes toward it, the Ecclesiasticus teaches first, chapter 2; for after he had said, You that fear the Lord, hope in him, he subjoins: You that fear the Lord, love him, and your hearts shall be enlightened. Then the Saviour himself teaches it, when he says, Luke 7: Many sins are forgiven her, because she hath loved much. The Apostle Paul teaches it too, when he writes, Galatians 5: Neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith that worketh by charity. The Apostle John likewise teaches it, in the first epistle, chapter 3, saying: We have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. Finally the Council of Orange teaches it, in the last canon: “God first inspires faith and the love of himself, that we may faithfully seek the Sacraments of baptism.” But the adversaries object certain few arguments, to prove that love cannot be prior to justification. For God loves us first, before we love God, as St. John affirms in the first epistle, chapter 4; but God, loving, justifies those whom he loves, since his love is not idle, but efficacious. Likewise, no one loves God unless he have the Holy Spirit dwelling in him, according to that of Romans 5: The charity of God is poured forth in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, who is given to us; but no one has the Holy Spirit dwelling in him unless he be just; therefore no one loves God unless justified. Finally, one cannot love God unless he believe him appeased toward him; for he rather hates than loves one angry with him; but peace arises from the justification made through faith, according to that of Romans 5: Being justified therefore by faith, let us have peace with God. I answer: to the first, God loves us first, and by loving makes us just — but by degrees, and through certain means. For those whom he loves he first calls to faith; then inspires hope, and fear, and inchoate love; last, he justifies and pours in perfect charity. To the second: no one loves God with the whole heart and perfectly, so that his love can properly be called charity, unless he have the Holy Spirit dwelling in him, as the Apostle writes; yet an imperfect and inchoate love can be had without the Holy Spirit dwelling, though not without the special help of God, as we showed in book 5 On Grace and Free Choice. To the third: it is false that God cannot be loved while angry — especially if one believe that he is justly angry, and yet is inclined to clemency, and hope that he will soon be appeased. But peace is one thing, love another; and it can come to pass that one love him whom he has offended, and with whom he desires to enter into peace, though he be not yet reconciled to him. And so the Apostle rightly says that peace with God is acquired through justification; but he does not deny that before justification love is begun.
The fifth disposition is Penance — namely, the grief and detestation of sin — of which there stand many testimonies in the divine writings. But we shall bring forward only those which prove that through it men are disposed toward justification and the remission of sins. Such is that of Acts 11: God then hath also to the Gentiles given repentance unto life. And that of 2 Corinthians 7: The sorrow that is according to God worketh penance steadfast unto salvation. And that of Ezechiel 18: When the wicked turneth himself away from his wickedness, he shall save his own soul alive. What could be said more clearly? If penance is given by God unto life, that is, unto the obtaining of life; if grief over sins, undertaken for God’s sake, works penance unto salvation; if he who does penance is said to save his own soul alive — how does faith alone justify? Or how does penance not justify? But of this matter we have said enough in book 2 On Penance.
The sixth disposition is the Purpose, and desire, of receiving the Sacrament in very fact. For since it is written, Unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God, John 3; and, Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained, John 20 — he who has already learned that the necessary medicine for curing sins is the laver of Baptism, and that after Baptism the power of reconciliation has been granted to priests by Christ, certainly cannot be said rightly disposed toward justification unless he desire and seek those means instituted by the Lord himself. And so St. Peter, Acts 2, conjoined both, when he said: Do penance, and be baptized every one of you.
The seventh disposition is the Purpose of a new life and of the observance of all the commandments, of which the Lord speaks, Ezechiel 18: Cast away from you all your transgressions, and make to yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Of this matter St. Augustine wrote an entire book, which is entitled On Faith and Works; for he refutes the error of certain men who taught that men are to be admitted to Baptism even if they will not amend their life and manners.
Show the Latin (Vives edition, OCR)
CAPUT XIII. Fidem justificare , sed non solam , idem enim facere timorem, spem, dilectionem, etc. Hominem non sola fide justificari, quinque argumentis principalibus , demonstrare co¬ nabimur. Primum argumentum petimus ex eo, quod scripturae et Patres tribuunt vim justificandi non soli fidei, sed etiam aliis virtutibus, quas Concilium Tridentinum, inter dispositiones ad justitiam numeravit , deinde addemus alia argumenta variis ex locis petita. Prima igitur dispositio, ex doctrina Con¬ cilii, Fides est, de qua supervacaneum est ostendere, per eam justificari impium, cum adversarii id non negent. Quare probabi¬ mus, Fidem non tam justificare, quam justi¬ ficare ut initium, et radicem primam justifi¬ cationis, hinc enim sequetur, non ipsam so¬ lam justificare, sed sic eam agere in hoc negotio, quod suum est, ut etiam caeteris virtutibus locum relinquat. Simul etiam re¬ fellemus adversariorum impudentiam, qui Concilio Tridentino vitio vertunt, quod fidei nihil amplius dederit, quam ut esset initium justificationis, cum ipsi tamen (ut paulo ante ostendimus) nihil ei reipsa tribuant, et sit re vera apud ipsos, Fides justificans, titulus sine re, vel res de solo titulo, ut Lutherus falso scripsit, de libero voluntatis arbitrio. Igitur fidem esse initium justificationis, docet Apostolus, ad Hebr. xi. Accedentem ad Deum , oportet credere, quiaest, etc. (i). Ubi tri¬ buitur fidei prima motio in Deum, per quam is qui longe erat, jam incipit propinquare. Idem Apostolus ad Rom. x. Quicumque in¬ vocaverit nomen Domini salvus erit. Sed quo¬ modo invocabunt, in quem non crediderunt ? quomodo credent sine praedicante ? quomodo praedicabunt nisi mittantur (2) ? Ubi hunc ordi¬ nem justificationis describit Apostolus, ut primo sit missio praedicatorum. Secundo, ipsa praedicatio Evangelii. Tertio , fides. Quarto, invocatio. Quinto, salus, id est, ju¬ stificatio, quae est sanitas animae a morbo peccati. Ex quibus missio, et praedicatio ex¬ tra nos sunt, proinde prima inchoatio justi¬ ficationis in nobis est fides quam sequitur invocatio, et caetera ordine suo. S. etiam Joannes cum ait ; Quotquot rece¬ perunt eum, dedit eis potestatem filios Dei fie¬ ri, his qui credunt in nomine ejus (3). Joan. i. aperte docuit, eos, qui per fidem Christum recipiunt, nondum esse filios Dei, sed posse fieri, si pergant ulterius, ut etiam sperare et diligere incipiant. Dilectio enim proprie filios Dei facit, ut patet ex cap. n. 1. episto¬ lae ejusdem Joannis. Sed jam audiamus etiam veteres patres. Clemens Alexandrinus lib. ii. Strom. ante medium : « Fides, inquit, est prima ad salu¬ tem inclinatio, post quam timor, et spes, et poenitentia ». Cyrillus Hierosolymitanus, catechesi 1. scribit, Fidem esse quasi oculum, et lampa- dem ad viam salutis inveniendam. Eusebius Emissenus, hom. 2. de Symbolo, Fidem appellat lumen animae, ostium vitae, fundamentum salutis. S. Joannes Chrysostomus hom. de fide, spe et charitate, nominat fidem, originem justitiae. S. Cyrillus Alexandrinus lib. iv. in Joan. cap. ix. « Janua, inquit, et via in vitam, fides erit ». S. Ambrosius lib. de Sacram, i. in ipso principio : « In Christiano, inquit, prima est fides )>. S. Hieronymus in comment. ad cap. iii. epistolae ad Ephesios : « Fiduciae, inquit, atque accessus ad Deum principium, atque origo fides in Christo est » . S. Augustinus, in expositione capitis ter¬ tii epistolae ad Galatas : « Efficiuntur, in¬ quit, filii sapientiae, praeparante, ac praestante id fide Mediatoris ». Fides igitur praeparatio est ad justificationem, per quam efficimur filii Dei. Item in lib. de Praedestinat, sanet, cap. 7. « Fides, inquit, prima datur, ex qua caetera impetrantur » . Et in libro de bono perseverantiae cap. 2. « Quod initium, in¬ quit, verius homini Christiano, quam cre¬ dere in Christum? » Et in libro de Spiritu et litera cap. 30. « Per legem, inquit, cognitio peccati, per fidem impetratio gratiae, per gratiam sanitas animae, etc. » Ubi post le¬ gem, quae extra nos est, primo loco inter ea, quae in nobis sunt, constituit fidem, secundo orationem, tertio gratiam, etc. Et in serm. 22. de verbis Apostoli : « Domus, inquit, Dei credendo fundatur, sperando erigitur, dili¬ gendo perficitur » . Vides quomodo fides so- Q)Heb. XI, 6. — (2) Rom. X, 13. — (2) Joan. I, I*. CAPUT XIII. 175 lura inchoat aedificium, et sine spe et chari- tate non perficit ? S. Prosper lib. hi. de vita comtemplativa cap. 21. « Fides, inquit, est justitiae funda¬ mentum, quam nulla bona opera praecedunt, et ex qua omnia procedunt » . Et respons. ad dubium octavum Genevensium : « Fides est, inquit, virtutum omnium fundamentum » . S. Gregorius lib. n. Moralium cap. 33. « Si fides, inquit, non prima in corde nostro gignitur, reliqua quaeque esse bona non pos¬ sunt. » His testimoniis addi potest ratio naturalis, nam potest aliquis credere, quod non sperat neque diligit, non potest sperare aut dili¬ gere, quod non credit : igitur fundamentum spei, et charitatis est fides, non contra fun¬ damentum fidei spes, aut charitas. Rursus in corporalibus morbis initium salutis est credere se aegrotum, et medico curare vo¬ lenti fidem habere : non tamen sola illa fides est integra sanitas. Secunda dispositio est timor, quem qui¬ dem bonum esse, ac salutarem ostendimus in ii. lib. de Poenitentia, cap. 17. et 18. Nunc adferemus solum ea loca, quae docent illum concurrere ad justificationem eo fere modo, quo fides ipsa concurrit. Primum igitur, fidem justificare didicimus ex Apostolo, qui ait : Sine fide impossibile est placere Deo. Hebr. xi. Sed hoc idem dici¬ tur de timore : Ecclesiastici i. Qui sine ti¬ more est , non poterit justificari (1). Deinde, fides justificat, quia est initium justitiae et salutis, 'ut paulo ante docuimus : At timor Domini est initium sapientias (2), ut legimus Psalm. cx. et Proverb. i. Et per sa¬ pientiam intelligitur perfecta justificatio , quae totum hominem componit, ut sanctus Augustinus demonstrat in lib. i. de sermone Domini in monte, cap. 9. per timorem au¬ tem istum, qui est initium sapientiae, intelli- gunt timorem servilem, qui est in peccatore (de quo timore hic disputamus) fere omnes Patres, ut sanctus Basilius, oratione in prin¬ cipium Proverbiorum. Sanctus Augustinus tum loco citato, tum tractat. 9. in epistolam Joannis. Sanctus Gregorius, homil. 19. in Ezechielem. Beda in comment. ad i. cap. Prov. S. Bernardus hom. 23. in Cantica, et abi. t Praeterea, fides justificat, quia per eam quaerimus Deum, atque ad eum accedimus, ut etiam adversarii docent, sed idem facit timor, scriptum est enim in Psalm. lxxvii. Cum occideret eos quaerebant eum , et reverte¬ bantur , et diluculo veniebant ad eum. Et rur¬ sus in Psalm. lxxxii. Imple facies eorum ignominia, et quaerent nomen tuum , Domine (3). Et Jonae iii. ad timorem incussum a Jona, Rex, et populus Niniviticus ad Deum rediit. Ex quo loco intelligimus, quam procul aber¬ ret a vero Martinus Lutherus, qui in com¬ ment. ad ii. cap. ad Galat, dicit, impossibile esse, ut peccator audiens ex lege judicium Dei, non fiat impatiens, et non murmuret, et oderit Deum. Et in assertion. articuli 6. affirmat, peccatorem quamdiu timore agi¬ tur, semper fieri deteriorem in se ipso, quamvis fortasse aliis minus noceat. Adhsec , fides justificat , quia per eam formatur Christus in nobis , ut dicitur ad Ga¬ lat. iv. At de timore scribit Isaias cap. xxvi. secundum interpretationem lxx. A timore tuo concepimus et peperimus spiritum salutis (4). Rursus, fides justificat, quia, justus ex fide vivit. Habacuc n. Et de timore scriptum est : Timor Domini fons vitae. Proverb. xiv (5). Denique, fides justificat, quia purgat pec¬ cata, ut Apostolus docet Actor, xiii. Rom. ra. Galat. iii. et alibi. At de timore quoque le¬ gimus Eccles. i. Timor Domini expellit pec¬ catum. Neque desunt etiam in hac parte testimo¬ nia Patrum. S. Augustinus tract. 9. in epi¬ stolam Joannis : « Stimulat, inquit, timor, sed noli timere, intrat charitas, quse sanat quod vulnerat timor. Timor Dei sic vulne¬ rat, quomodo medici ferramentum putredi¬ nem tollit. Opus est ergo, ut intret timor primo, per quem veniat charitas : Timor me¬ dicamentum, charitas sanitas. » Idem in li¬ bro de Catechizandis rudibus cap. 5. « Ra¬ rissime, inquit, accidit, immo vero num- quam ut quisquam veniat volens fieri Chri¬ stianus, qui non sit aliquo Dei timore per¬ culsus. » At certe introducere charitatem, et compellere ad quaerendum lavacrum rege¬ nerationis, disponere ad justificationem est. S. Basilius, in Psalm. xxxm. tractans illud: « Timorem Domini docebo vos », « Timor, inquit, salutaris, qui ad sanctitatem ducit, et animae divinitus insitus qualis existat, si cu pis audire, attende, etc. » (1) Heb. XI, 6; Eccl. I, 28. - (2) Psal. CX, 10; Prov. 1, 7.-(3) Psalm. LXXVII, 34; ibid. LXXXII, 17. — (4) Gal. IV, 19. - (5) Hab. II, 4; Pro. XIV, 27; Eccl. I, 27. 176 LIBER I. ii S. Hieronymus in comment. ad I. cap. Malachiae : « Vult, inquit, Dominus, ut a malis per suppliciorum formidinem receda¬ mus, et de timore servorum ad gratiam fi¬ liorum transeamus ». S. Gregorius , hom. 34. in Evangelia : « Prava, inquit, mens, si non prius per ti¬ morem evertitur, ab assuetis vitiis non emun¬ datur ». Joannes Cassianus, lib. iv. de institutis renuntiantium cap. 39. « Principium nostrae salutis, ejusdemque custodia, sicut dixi, ti¬ mor Domini est. Per hunc enim et initium conversionis, et vitiorum purgatio, et virtu¬ tum custodia his, qui imbuuntur ad viam perfectionis, acquiritur. » His adde locum ante citatum ex Clemente Alexandrino, qui post fidem subjungit timorem in negotio ac¬ quirendae salutis. Accedat postremo etiam ratio ; natura enim timoris est, ut fugiat mala, et quaerat remedia, quibus illa possit evadere. Hinc enim S. Joannes Baptista dicebat, Matth. hi. Quis vobis demonstravit fugere a ventura ira ? Et nos quotidie videmus, numquam esse homines de salute aeterna magis sollicitos, quam cum ingens aliquis timor, aut pestis, aut naufragii, aut tonitruum, et coelestium fulminum ingruit. Tertia dispositio spes est, quae nascitur ex fide, non secus ac timor. Eadem enim fi¬ des, quae docet, Deum judicem esse justissi¬ mum, et vindicem peccatorum acerrimum, et ideo gehennam ignis inextinguibilis pec¬ catoribus obstinatis, et impoenitentibus prae¬ parasse, docet etiam eumdem esse patrem clementissimum, et nolle mortem peccato¬ rum, sed ut convertantur et vivant ; et ideo filium suum in terras misisse, ac paratum esse propter merita filii sui peccatores om¬ nes in gratiam recipere , si poenitentiam agere, et ad se toto corde redire velint. Hanc igitur spem obtinendae veniae, dis¬ positionem esse ad justitiam et remissionem peccatorum, docet Sapiens, Proverb. xxvm. Qui sperat in Domino, sanabitur. Et David in Psal. xxxvi. Salvabit eos, quia speraverunt in eo. Et Ps. lxl. Quoniam in me speravit, libe¬ rabo eum. Et Dominus, Matth. ix. Confide fili, remittuntur tibi peccata tua (2). Non enim (ut quidam falso docent) prius Dominus Pa¬ ralyticum justificavit, quam ei diceret, con¬ fide fili, sed contra (ut Concilium Tridenti- num significat, sess. 6. cap. 6.) prius dixit, Confide fili, et cum eum erectum in spem salutis vidit, adjunxit, .remittuntur tibi pec¬ cata tua. S. Ambrosius, lib i. de poenitentia cap. i. « Nemo potest bene agere poenitentiam, nisi qui speraverit indulgentiam ». S. Augustinus, in lib. .de Catechizandis rudibus, cap. 4. « Quicquid narras , ita narra, ut ille cui loqueris, audiendo credat, credendo speret, sperando amet » . S. Cyprianus, in serm. 5. de lapsis : « Gravissimum conscientiae crimen agno¬ scite, nec desperantes misericordiam Do¬ mini, nec tamen jam veniam vendicantes ». Quibus verbis satis aperte refelluntur adver¬ sarii, qui non prius resipiscere incipiunt, quam certo certius sibi persuadeant, se jam Deo carissimos et amicissimos esse factos. Et inter Cherubim et Seraphim locum, et sedem se habere confidunt. Quarta dispositio, dilectio est. Statim enim ac incipit aliquis sperare ab alio bene¬ ficium, incipit etiam eumdem diligere, ut benefactorem, atque auctorem ejus boni, quod sperat. Itaque qui sperat a Deo justifi¬ cationem, incipit Deum diligere (ut Conci¬ lium Tridentinum loquitur) ut justitiae fon¬ tem. Porro dilectionem aliquam priorem esse remissione peccatorum, vel tempore, si sit dilectio imperfecta, vel certe natura, si sit perfecta, et ex, toto corde, atque ad eam disponere , docet in primis Ecclesiasticus cap. ii. nam posteaquam dixerat : Qui time¬ tis Dominum , sperate in illo, subjungit : Qui timetis Dominum, diligite illum, et illumina¬ buntur corda vestra. Docet deinde etiam ipse Salvator, cum ait, Luc. vn. Remissa sunt ei peccata multa , quoniam dilexit multum. Do¬ cet quoque Apostolus Paulus, cum scribit ad Galat. v. Neque circumcisio aliquid valet , neque praeputium, sed fides, quae per dilectio¬ nem operatur. Docet item Apostolus Joannis, in epist. 1. cap. m. dicens : Translati sumus de morte ad vitam, quoniam diligimus fra¬ tres (3). Docet denique Concilium Arausica- num, Canon, ult. « Deus, inquit, fidem et amorem sui prius inspirat, ut Sacramenta baptismi fideliter requiramus » . At objiciunt adversarii pauca quaedam (1) Matth. III, 7. - (2) Prov. XXVIII, 25 ; PsaL XXXVI, 40 ; Ps. XC, 14; Matth. IX, 2.-(3)Eccl. II, 9, 10; Luc. VII, 47 ; Gal. V, 15; I Joan. III, 14. CAPUT XIV. 177 argumenta, ut probent, dilectionem non posse priorem esse justificatione. Nam prius diligit nos Deus, quam nos diligamus Deum, ut sanctus Joannes affirmat in epistol. 1 cap. 4. Deus autem diligens justificat, quos diligit, quoniam dilectio ejus non est inanis, sed efficax. Item, nemo diligit Deum, nisi Spiritum sanctum habeat inhabitantem, juxta illud Roman. v. Charitas diffusa est in cordibus nostris per spiritum sanctum , qui datus est nobis ; At nemo Spiritum sanctum habet in¬ habitantem, nisi sit justus ; igitur nemo di¬ ligit Deum, nisi justificatus. Denique non potest aliquis Deum diligere, nisi credat eum sibi placatum. Iratum enim odit potius, quam diligit, at pax oritur ex justificatione facta per fidem, juxta illud Rom. m. 5, Justificati ergo ex fide, pacem ha¬ beamus ad Deum. Respondeo ; ad Primum, Deus prior diligit nos, et diligendo facit justos, sed paulatim, et per certa media. Quos enim diligit, pri¬ mum vocat ad fidem, tum spem et timorem et dilectionem inchoatam inspirat, postremo justificat et perfectam charitatem infundit. Ad Secundum. Nemo diligit Deum ex toto corde, et perfecte, ut ejus dilectio pro¬ prie charitas dici possit ; nisi spiritum san¬ ctum inhabitantem habeat ut Apostolus scribit : tamen imperfecta et inchoata dile¬ ctio sine Spiritu sancto inhabitante haberi potest, quamvis non sine auxilio Dei speciali, ut ostendimus in lib. 5. de Gratia et libero arbitrio. Ad Tertium, Falsum est, non posse diligi Deum iratum; praesertim si quis credat, illum juste esse iratum, et tamen propensum esse ad clementiam, et speret brevi placan¬ dum. Aliud autem est pax, aliud dilectio, et fieri potest, ut quis diligat eum ; quem laesit, et cum quo pacem inire cupit, quamvis nondum ei reconciliatus sit. Itaque recte dicit Apostolus, pacem ad Deum per justifi¬ cationem acquiri ; sed non negat, ante justi¬ ficationem inchoari dilectionem. Quinta dispositio est Poenitentia, dolor videlicet , ac detestatio peccati , de qua multa extant in divinis litteris testimonia. Sed nos ea solum adducemus, quae probant, per eam disponi homines ad justificationem et remissionem peccatorum. Tale est illud, Actor, ii. Ergo et gentibm poenitentiam dedit Deus ad vitam. Et illud ii. Corinth. vn. Qux secundum Deum tristitia est , poenitentiam in salutem stabilem operatur. Et illud Ezech. xvm. Cum averterit se impius ab impietate sua, ipse animam suam vivificabit (1). Quid clarius dici poterat? Si poenitentia datur a Deo ad vitam, id est, ad obtinendam vitam ; si dolor de peccatis, propter Deum susceptus, poenitentiam in salutem operatur ; si is, qui poenitentiam agit, ipse animam suam vivi¬ ficare dicitur, quomodo fides sola justificat ? Aut quomodo poenitentia non justificat? Sed de hac re satis multa diximus, in 2. lib. de poenitentia. Sexta dispositio est Propositum, ac desi¬ derium Sacramenti re ipsa percipiendi. Nam cum scriptum sit : Nisi quis renatus fuerit ex aqua et Spiritu sancto , non potest introire in Regnum Dei, Joan. m. et : Quo¬ rum remiseritis peccata, remittuntur eis, et quorum retinueritis, retenta sunt (1). Joan. xx. Qui jam didicit, necessariam medicinam ad curanda peccata, lavacrum esse Bapti¬ smi ; et post Baptismum reconciliationis po¬ testatem sacerdotibus a Christo esse conces¬ sam ; certe non potest recte dispositus dici ad justificationem, nisi ejusmodi media ab ipso Domino instituta desideret ac requirat. Itaque S. Petrus, Actor, n. utrumque con¬ junxit, cum ait : Poenitentiam agite, et bapti¬ zetur unusquisque vestrum. Septima dispositio est Propositum novae vitae et observationis omnium mandatorum, de qua Dominus loquitur, Ezech. 18. Proji¬ cite a vobis omnes iniquitates vestras, et facite vobis cor novum, et spiritum novum. Scripsit de hac re librum integrum S. Augustinus, qui inscribitur de fide et operibus. Refellit enim quorumdam errorem, qui docebant ad¬ mittendos esse homines ad Baptismum, etiamsi vitam, et mores emendare non vel¬ lent.