Bellarmine · De Controversiis · On Justification · Book I: On Justifying Faith
Chapter 17: That faith does not justify alone is proved from the manner of justifying of faith itself, where also is treated the question of the value and price of faith
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).
There follows the fourth argument, which is sought from the manner of justifying of faith itself. For the chief cause why the adversaries attribute justification to faith alone is this: that they think faith justifies not by way of a cause, or of worth, or of merit, but only relatively, because, namely, by believing it receives what God by promising offers. For if they could be persuaded that faith justifies by obtaining, and by meriting, and after a certain manner of its own by beginning justification, without doubt they would not deny that this belongs also to love and penance and the other good acts.
Let us prove, then, that true and justifying faith is not (as the adversaries will have it) a bare and sole apprehension of justice, but is a cause, and has the power of justifying. And all the arguments can be recalled to three heads. The first will be drawn from those testimonies which teach that faith is the cause of justification in general. The second from those which prove that justice is begun by faith. The third from those which demonstrate that through faith we please God, and obtain, and in some manner merit, justification.
First, then, let those places come forth which signify that we are justified through faith, or by faith. Romans 3: We account a man to be justified by faith. In the same place: There is one God, who justifieth circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith. Romans 5: Being justified therefore by faith, let us have peace with God. Ephesians 2: You are saved by faith. In these and like places we prove that the prepositions “Through” and “By” signify a true cause: first, from the contrary. For when the Apostle writes, Romans 3 and 4, and to the Galatians 2 and 3, and often elsewhere, that a man is not justified through works, or by works, through the law, or by the law, without doubt he excludes the efficiency and power of the law and of works in justifying, not the sole relative apprehension. For no one could doubt that the law and works did not justify by apprehending justice relatively. And thereby most inept would have been the Apostle’s sentence, if he had wished to signify that justice is apprehended by faith, not by law or works — as he would speak ineptly who should say that an alms is apprehended by the hand, not by the heel. Moreover, those whom the Apostle reprehends, when he affirms and proves that a man is not justified by the law or works, did not dream that by the law or works justice was as it were apprehended by the hand; but they thought that by the merit of their works and of the observance of the Mosaic law the advent of Christ and the gift of justification had been due to them, as is clear from the epistle to the Romans and to the Galatians. For thence the false apostles urged the Gentiles to the observance of the law, that they too, by the merit of the observance of the law, might be able to pertain to Christ, and to the indulgence of sins, and to the very grace of faith. For so St. Augustine narrates these places, both elsewhere and in the preface on Psalm 31: “Therefore I have said these things to thee, O man, that no one is justified by works, lest thou shouldst seem as it were to presume of thy works, and to have received the grace of faith by the merit of thy works.” See also St. Augustine on chapter 1 to the Galatians, tome 4. Since, then, the same Apostle attributes to faith what he denies to works and the law, saying that a man is justified through faith, not through the law, by faith, not by works, without doubt he attributes to faith efficiency and some merit in respect of justification — which merit yet is not from us, but from God, whose gift is faith; and therefore the Apostle joins grace with faith, saying that we are justified freely by the grace of God, through the faith of Jesus Christ, etc.
Second, we prove it from other places where the preposition “Through” or “By” is had. For if in all other places it signifies a cause, why will it not signify a cause also when it is said that a man is justified through faith, or by faith? I omit those places where we are said to be justified through Christ, through his blood, through his death; likewise that of him, through him, and in him are all things, and others of that kind, where no one ever doubted that the preposition “Through” or “By” signifies a cause. I shall be content only with those places where faith itself is treated. To the Hebrews 11, when it is said: The saints by faith conquered kingdoms, wrought justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, etc., the particle “By” signifies not apprehension, but a true cause. For not through faith did they apprehend kingdoms relatively, but in fact the sons of Israel, armed with faith, obtained the kingdoms of Chanaan. Nor did Daniel, and David, and Samson through faith apprehend victory against the lions, but, fortified by faith, and imploring the help of God, they overcame those beasts. In the same chapter the Apostle takes as the same, that something be done through faith, or by faith, as all grant. When, then, he says that Abel offered a fuller sacrifice, and Noe fitted the Ark for salvation, and Abraham obeyed to go out into another place, and attributes all these to faith, most openly he makes faith the cause. For Abel by faith, or through faith, offered a fuller sacrifice than Cain, since, certainly believing that God is the first author of all things, and to be adored with the highest worship, he was moved from that faith to offer that which he had best. And so faith was the cause of that precious oblation. Noe too by faith, or through faith, fitted the ark, since, believing the words of God threatening the flood, having conceived fear, fearing, he fitted the ark; where we see that from faith fear was born, from fear the building of the ark; and accordingly that faith was the true cause of the fear, and consequently of the ark itself. Finally Abraham by faith, or through faith, obeyed to go out into a place which he knew not; since, believing God to be omnipotent and most faithful, from that faith he was moved to obey promptly, though he knew not whither he was called. Wherefore faith was the cause also of the obedience; and to obey by faith is nothing else than that faith is the cause of the obedience. Therefore in the same manner to be justified by faith, or to be justified through faith, will be nothing else than that faith is the cause of justification.
The second argument is sought from those places which testify that faith is the beginning of justice, and thereby is the inchoate formal cause of justification. This above all the Apostle teaches, Romans 4, when he says: To him that believeth in him who justifieth the impious, his faith is reputed to justice. Where faith itself is deemed to be justice; and thereby faith does not apprehend the justice of Christ, but faith itself in Christ is justice. And if indeed it be faith living and perfected through charity, it will be perfect justice; but if not, it will be at least imperfect and inchoate justice. The same proves that testimony, 1 Corinthians 3: Other foundation no man can lay, but that which is laid, which is Christ Jesus. Now if any man build upon this foundation, gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble, every man’s work shall the fire try. For by the foundation St. Augustine understands, in the book On Faith and Works, chapter 16, and elsewhere everywhere, faith in Christ. In which manner also Chrysostom, Theophylact, and the later interpreters expound this place. But it is agreed that the foundation in any building is a part and the inchoation of the building, which by the addition of walls and roof is brought to its top and perfection. The same proves that of the Apostle Peter, Acts 15: By faith purifying their hearts. Where faith is said to purify hearts, since it frees a man from the filth of errors and false opinions about God and things divine. Which indeed faith does not so much efficiently as formally, in the way that light entering drives out darkness, since light and darkness cannot abide together at once. But what is purity of heart but justice, whether inchoate or perfect? Hither pertain all the testimonies which we brought forward above, chapter 13, where we proved that faith is the first disposition unto justification. To which can be added also these testimonies of the Fathers. St. Ignatius, in the epistle to the Philippians: “The beginning of life is faith; but its end is love. Both, joined together and made into unity, perfect the man of God.” Clement of Alexandria, book 2 of the Stromata, adducing the sentence of a most ancient book which was called the Pastor: “Faith goes before, but fear builds, and love perfects.” Origen on chapter 4 to the Romans: “I think that the first beginnings of salvation, and the very foundations, are faith; but the progress and increase of the building, hope; and the perfection and summit of the whole building, charity.” St. Ambrose on Psalm 118, sermon 20, treating that, “The beginning of thy words is truth”: “Faith is the beginning of a Christian, but the fulness of a Christian is justice.” St. Augustine, sermon 16 on the words of the Apostle: “Man begins from faith; but because the devils also believe, it is necessary to add hope and charity.” And sermon 22, likewise on the words of the Apostle: “The house of God is founded by believing, raised by hoping, perfected by loving.” And in the preface on Psalm 31: “A great work, but from faith. I praise the superstructure of the work, but I see the foundation of faith; I praise the fruit of good work, but in faith I recognize the root.”
The third argument, which also is the most weighty, is taken from those places which teach that through faith the remission of sins is obtained, and thereby a man is justified by faith — not because faith only regards the promise, and apprehends it by believing, but because it obtains the remission, and after a certain manner of its own even merits it. Luke 7: Thy faith hath made thee safe, says the Lord to the woman, to whom he had said, Thy sins are forgiven thee. But it would not rightly be said that faith makes safe — namely, from sins, that is, justifies — if in truth it did nothing in the order to justification, but only received the indulgence. For who would say to a needy man, who only stretched out his hand for an alms, “Thy hand hath made thee an alms”? Or who would say to a sick man taking medicine with his hand, “Thy hand hath cured thee of the disease”? And so, “Thy faith hath made thee safe” is without doubt a great encomium of faith, and attributes to faith itself not nothing, but plainly something of efficacy. And this efficacy of faith is confirmed by that which we read, Matthew 15, said to the Canaanite woman: O woman, great is thy faith. And Mark 7: For this saying go thy way, the devil is gone out of thy daughter. For here openly is attributed to faith the efficacy of obtaining health. Nor ought it to be answered that it is one thing to speak of justification, another of the cure of a bodily disease. For the Lord in plainly the same words attributes to faith both healths. For to the sinful woman he said, Thy faith hath made thee safe, Luke 7; and to the woman cured of the issue of blood he likewise said, Thy faith hath made thee safe, Matthew 9; and to the blind man illuminated he also said, Thy faith hath made thee safe, Mark 10.
Again, Romans 4: In the promise of God he staggered not by distrust, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, most fully knowing that whatsoever he hath promised he is able also to perform. And therefore it was reputed to him unto justice. In this place the Apostle renders the cause why the faith of Abraham was reputed to justice: namely, because by believing he gave glory to God. And so that faith pleased God, through which he himself was glorified; and therefore, by the merit of that faith — which yet was his gift and grace — he justified Abraham. Likewise Romans 10: Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? Or how shall they believe without a preacher? Where blessed Paul, as he makes the preaching of the Word the cause of faith, so he makes faith itself the cause of invocation, and invocation the cause of salvation, that is, of justification. From which we understand that faith, through invocation, obtains justification. Therefore faith does not justify relatively, namely by receiving the offered justification, but by seeking, knocking, asking, finally by invoking and obtaining, it justifies. Lastly (to pass over many other places), to the Hebrews 11 the Apostle teaches by many examples that through faith men please God, and thereby that faith is of great price and merit with God. Of Abel he writes that through faith, though dead, he yet speaks — that is, that his blood cries to God, and obtains vengeance for the merit of his faith. Of Henoch he writes that by faith he was translated that he should not see death — that is, by the merit of the faith through which he had pleased God; and that he pleased through faith, because without faith it is impossible to please God. Many other things of this kind are read in that chapter, which it would be long, and not at all necessary, to bring hither.
To these testimonies of Scripture I shall add the testimonies of St. Augustine, who constantly teaches, in very many places, that faith obtains and merits the remission of sins and justification. From which it will be understood that this most holy man, whom the adversaries prefer to all others, was very far from the error of the Lutherans about faith justifying relatively, or through sole apprehension without any efficacy or merit of its own. St. Augustine, then, book 1 of the Retractations, chapter 23, approves what he had said somewhere: “Not works, but faith begins merit.” Likewise in epistle 105 to Sixtus, before the middle: “Neither is the remission of sins itself without some merit, if faith obtains it. For the merit of faith is not nothing. By which faith he said, God be merciful to me a sinner, and went down justified by the merit of his faithful humiliation, since he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” In epistle 106 to Paulinus, before the middle: “If anyone say that faith merits the grace of working well, we cannot deny it, nay rather we most gladly confess it.” In which place by the grace of working well he understands justification; “for (as he himself often repeats) good works accede to one justified, they do not precede one to be justified.” In epistle 144 to Anastasius: “The law leads to faith, faith obtains a more copious Spirit, the Spirit diffuses charity, charity fulfils the law.” In the book On the Spirit and the Letter, chapter 13: “What the law of works commands by threatening, this the law of faith obtains by believing.” And chapter 30: “Through the law, the knowledge of sin; through faith, the obtaining of grace against sin; through grace, the healing of the soul.” In the book On Faith and Works, chapter 21: “By the violence of faith the Holy Spirit is obtained, through whom, charity being diffused in our hearts, the law is fulfilled, not by the fear of punishment, but by the love of justice.” In book 1 Against the Adversaries of the Law and the Prophets, chapter 17: “In the New Testament faith obtains charity.” In the book On the Predestination of the Saints, chapter 7: “Therefore the Apostle says that a man is justified by faith, not by works, because faith itself is first given, from which the rest are obtained which are properly called works, in which one lives justly.” Finally, in the book On Grace and Free Choice, chapter 14: “Faith is granted even unasked, that to it asking other things may be granted.”
We have, therefore, from Augustine, not once or twice, but often and oftener repeated, that faith obtains justification, the remission of sins, the grace of working well, and thereby justifies by way of disposition and of merit, not on account of a bare relation by which it regards or receives justification. See what we said in book 2 On Penance, chapter 12, where we proved that contrition is the meritorious cause of justification, and answered the objections which are wont to be made against the merit of dispositions of this kind. See also the solution of the arguments against this merit of faith, chapter 21 of this book.
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CAPUT XVII. excludatur etiam fides, qua; est quuddam opus. Dicent, excludi etiam fidem, ut est opus, sed non ut instrumentum apprehendens ju¬ stitiam. At fides non est instrumentum, nisi ut opus ; neque enim fides est aliquid soli¬ dum et permanens, sed actio et operatio, atque ut actio et operatio apprehendit ju¬ stitiam, si ullo modo illam apprehendit. Dicent, vocem, «Solam», excludere opera, non ut opera, sed ut merita. Sic enim acci¬ pitur opus ad Romanos iv. ubi distinguitur fides ab opere, quod operanti non imputetur merces secundum gratiam, sed secundum debitum, credenti autem in eum, qui justi¬ ficat impium, reputetur fides ad justitiam secundum propositum gratiae Dei. At si ita est, non debent excludi poenitentia, et dilectio ab actione justificandi, ut opera sunt abso¬ lute, sed solum ut opera meritoria sunt. Dicent, poenitentiam, dilectionem, et simi¬ lia opera, excepta fide, non posse concurrere ad justificationem nisi sub ratione meriti, et ideo cum sub hac ratione excludantur, sim¬ pliciter, et absolute excludi ; fidem autem praeter rationem meriti, habere etiam, ut sit instrumentum apprehendens justitiam, et idcirco eam solam inter humanas actiones, non excludi simpliciter, sed tantum sub ra¬ tione meriti. Atque hoc est omnino extre¬ mum, quo potest adversariorum pervenire responsio ; si Sacramenta justificare conce¬ dant. Sed hoc ipsum facile refutatur ex ipsa na¬ tura fidei et dilectionis. Nam (ut supra osten¬ dimus) actus fidei non est apprehensio, sed judicium : quod sijudicium improprie appre¬ hensionem appellare velint, cogentur vim apprehendi tribuere dilectioni meliore ra- Itione, quam fidei. Magis enim apprehendere dicetur dilectio quam judicium, quoniam magis unit. Quod si actum fidei justificantis non judicium, sed confidentiam esse velint : eadem ratione dicemus, melius apprehendi rem aliquam dilectione, quam confidentia, quod magis illa, quam ista conjungat et uniat. J- • ' . B 187 GAP UT XVII. Fidem non solam justificare , probatur ex modo justificandi ipsius fidei, ubi etiam tractatur queestio c/c valore et pretio fidei. K Sequitur argumentum quartum, quod petitur ex modo jus:ificandi ipsius fidei. Nam praecipua causa, cur adversarii soli fidei justificationem attribuant, illa est, quod ex¬ istiment, fidem non justificare per modum causa;, aut dignitatis, aut meriti, sed solum relative, quia videlicet credendo accipit, quod Deus promittendo offert. Nam si per¬ suaderi possent, fidem justificare impetrando, ac promerendo, et suo quodam modo in¬ choando justificationem, sine dubio non ne¬ garent, id etiam dilectioni et poenitentia;, aliisque bonis actibus convenire. Probemus Jgitur fidem veram et justifi¬ cantem non esse (ut adversarii volunt) nudam ac solam apprehensionem justitia;, sed esse causam, et vim habere justificandi. Possunt autem argumenta omnia ad tria capita revo¬ cari. Primum ducetur ab iis testimoniis, qua; docent, fidem esse causam justificationis in genere. Alterum ab iis, qua; probant fide inchoari justitiam. Tertium ab iis, qua; de¬ monstrant per fidem nos placere Deo, et impetrare, atque aliquo modo mereri justi¬ ficationem. Primum igitur prodeant ea loca, qua; si¬ gnificant nos justificari per fidem, aut ex fide, ltom. m : Arbitramur hominem justificari per fidem. Ibidem : Unus est Deus, qui justificat circumcisionem ex fide, et praeputium per fidem. Rom. v : Justificati ergo ex fide, pacem habeamus ad Deum. Ephes. n. Salvi facti estis per fidem (1). In his et similibus locis pra; positio nem Per, et Ex, veram causam significare proba¬ mus primo, ex contrario. Nam cum Aposto¬ lus scribit ad Rom. in.et iv. et ad Galat. n. et iii. et alibi sa;pe, hominem non justificari per opera, aut ex operibus; per legem, aut ex lege, sine dubio excludit efficientiam, et vim legis, et operum in justificando, nc.t autem solam apprehensionem relativa :n. Nemo enim dubitare poterat, quin lex et opera non justificarent apprehendendo ju¬ stitiam relative. Ac per hoc ineptissima fuis¬ set Apostoli sententia, si id significare vc- (1) Rom. III, 22; Rom. V, 30; Eph. II, 8. 188 LIBER I. luisset, justitiam apprehendi fide, non lego, aut operibus, quomodo inepte loqueretur, qui diceret, eleemosynam apprehendi manu, non calcaneo. Pricterea ii, quos Apostolus reprehendit, cum affirmat et probat, hominem non justi¬ ficari ex lege, aut operibus, non somniabant loge, aut operibus, quasi manu apprehendi justitiam ; sed existimabant, merito operum suorum, et observationis legis Mosaicae sibi debitum fuisse adventum Christi et justifica¬ tionis donum, ut perspicuum est ex ipsa epist. ad lloni. et ad Galat. inde enim .coge¬ bant pseudoapostoli gentiles ad legis obser¬ vationem, ut ipsi quoque merito observatio¬ nis legis pertinere possent ad Christum, et ad indulgentiam peccatorum, et ad ipsam fidei gratiam. Sic enim enarrat haec loca S. Augustinus, tuin alibi, tum praefatione in Psalm. xxxi. « Propterca, inquit, haec dixi tibi, o homo, quia ex operibus non justifica¬ tur aliquis, ne quasi de operibus tuis p in¬ sumere videreris, et merito operum tuorum tc accepisse gratiam fidei». Vide etiam S. Augustinum in cap. i. ad Galat. tom. 4. Igitur cum idem Apcstolus tribuit fidei, quod negat operibus et legi, dicens homi¬ nem justificari per fidem, non per legem; ex fido, non ex operibus sine dubio tribuit fidei efficientiam, et meritum aliquod respe¬ ctu justificationis, quod tamen meritum ; non ex nobis, sed ex Deo est, cujus donum est fides, et ideo cum fide gratiam adjun¬ git Apostolus, dicens, nos gratis justificari per gratiam Dei, per fidem Jesu Christi, etc. Secundo probamus ex aliis locis, ubi ha¬ betur praepositio Per, aut Ex. Nam si in omnibus aliis locis significat causam, cur non etiam causam significabit, cum dicitur homo justificari per fidem, aut exfide? omitto loca illa, ubi dicimur justificari perChristuni, per sanguinem ejus, per mortem ipsius; item ex ipso, per ipsum, ct in ipso esse omnia, et alia id genus, ubi praepositionem Per, aut Ex, causam significare nemo dubitavit un¬ quam. Illis tantum locis contentus ero, ubi de ipsa fide agitur. Igitur ad Hebraeos xr. cum dicitur : Sancti per fidem vicerunt regna, operati sunt justitiam , adepti sunt repromis¬ siones, obturaverunt ora leonum, etc. (1), parti¬ cula, Per, non apprehensionem, sed verari! causam significat. Non enim per fidem ap¬ prehenderunt regna relative, sed re ipsa fide armati filii Israel, obtinuerunt regna Chanaam. Neque Danicl, ct David, etSamp- son, per fidem apprehenderunt victoriam contra leones, sed fide muniti, et imploran¬ tes auxilium Dei, bestias illas superave¬ runt. In eodem capite accipit Apostolus, pro eodem aliquid fieri per fidem, aut fide, ut omnes concedunt. Cum igitur dicit, Abel obtulisse plurimam hostiam, ctNoe aptasse Arcam in salutem, et Abraham obedi vissc, ut exiret in alium locum ; et haec omnia tri¬ buit fidei ; apertissime fidem facit causam. Nam Abel fide, seu per fidem obtulit pluri¬ mam hostiam, quam Cain, quoniam certo credens, Deum esse primum auctorem om¬ nium rerum, et summo cultu adorandum, ex ea fide motus est, ut offerret id, quod opti¬ mum habebat. Itaque fides causa fuit illius pretiosae oblationis. Noc quoque fide, seu per fidem aptavit arcam, quoniam credens verbis Dei commi¬ nantis diluvium, timore concepto metuens aptavit arcam; ubi videmus ex fide natum esse timorem, ex timore fabricationem arcae. Proinde fidem veram causam fuisse timoris, et consequenter ipsius arcae. Denique Abraham fide, sive per fidem obedivit exire in locum, quem nesciebat. Quoniam credens Deum omnipotentem et fi¬ delissimum ex ea fide motus est, ut prompte obediret, etiamsi nesciret quo vocaretur. Quare fides causa fuit etiam obedientiae ; ct fide obedire, nihil est aliud, nisi fidem obe¬ dientiae esse causam. Igitur eodem modo fi¬ de justificari, vel per fidem justificari, nihil aliud erit, nisi fidem causam esse justifica¬ tionis. Alterum argumentum petitur ab iis locis, quae testantur, fidem esse initium justitiae, ac per hoc esse causam formalem inchoa¬ tam justificationis. Id in primis docet Apo¬ stolus ad Roman. iv. cum dicit : Credenti in eum, qui justificat impium , reputatur /ulcs ejus ad justitiam (2). Ubi ipsa fides censetur esse justitia ; ac per hoc non apprehendit fides justitiam Christi, sed ipsa fides in Christum est justitia. Et si quidem sit fides viva, ct perfecta per charitatom, erit perfecta justitia, sin minus, erit saltem imperfecta, inchoataque justitia. Idem probat testimonium illud, I Co- (1) II cb. X', 33. - (‘2) Rom. IV, 5. CAPUT X YIT. 180 rinth. ni : Fundamentum aliud nemo potest po- nere praeter id, quod positum est, quod est Christus Jesus. Si quis autem aedificat super fundamentum hoc, aurum, argentum , lapides pretiosos, ligna, fornum , stipulas, uniuscujus¬ que opus ignis probabit (i). Nam per funda¬ mentum intelligit S. Augustinus in lib. de fi¬ de et operibus, cap. 16, et alibi passim, fidem in Christum. Quomodo etiam hunc locum exponunt Chrysostomus, Theophylactus et interpretes deteri. Constat autem funda¬ mentum in quovis aedificio partem et inchoa¬ tionem aedificii esse, quod per additionem parietum et texti, perducitur ad fastigium et perfectionem. Idem probat illud Apostoli Petri Actor, xv. Fide purificans corda eorum (2). Ubi fides di¬ citur corda purificare, quoniam liberat homi¬ nem a sordibus errorum, et falsarum opi¬ nionum de Deo, rebusque divinis. Quod quidem facit fides non tam efficienter, quam formaliter, quomodo lux intrans, pellit tene¬ bras, cum simul morari non possint lux, et tenebrae. Porro puritas cordis quid est nisi justitia, vel inchoata vel perfecta ? Huc pertinent omnia testimonia, quae at¬ tulimus supra cap. 13. ubi probavimus, fi¬ dem esse primam dispositionem ad justifi¬ cationem. Quibus addi possunt haec etiam testimonia Patrum. Sanctus Ignatius in epistola ad Philippen¬ ses : « Principium, inquit, vitae, est fides; finis vero ejus dilectio. Ambae autem simul junctae, et in unitate factae, hominem Dei perficiunt. Clemens Alexandrinus lib. ii. Stromatum, adducens sententiam libri antiquissimi, qui dicebatur Pastoris : Praecedit, inquit, fides, timor autem aedificat, perficit autem dilectio. Origenes in cap. iv. ad Roman. « Puto, inquit, quod prima salutis initia, et ipsa fundamenta fides est : profectus vero, et augmenta aedificii spes ; perfectio autem et culmen totius aedificii charitas ». Sanctus Ambrosius in Psal. cxvm. serm. 20. tractans illud : « Principium verborum tuorum veritas», «Fides, inquit, principium Christiani est, plenitudo autem Christiani, justitia est ». Sanctus Augustinus serm. 16. de verbis Apostoli: « A fide incipit homo, sed quia et daemones credunt, necesse est addere spem et charitatem ». Et serm. 22. item de ver¬ bis Apostoli : « Domus Dei credendo funda¬ tur, sperando erigitur, diligendo perfici¬ tur ». Et praefatione in Psal. xxxi. a Mag¬ num, inquit, opus, sed ex fide. Laudo su¬ peraedificationem operis, sed video funda¬ mentum fidei ; laudo fructum boni operis, sed in fide agnosco radicem » . Tertium argumentum, quod etiam potis¬ simum est, sumitur ab iis locis, quae docent, per fidem impetrari remissionem peccato¬ rum, ac per hoc justificari hominem ex fide, non quia fides tantum respiciat promissio¬ nem, et illam credendo apprehendat, sed quia remissionem impetret, et suo quodam modo etiam mereatur, Lue. vn. Fides tua te salcarn fecit, ait Dominus mulieri, cui di¬ xerat, remittuntur tibi peccata tua (3). Non au¬ tem recte diceretur, fides salvum facere, vi¬ delicet a peccatis, hoc est, justificare, si re vera nihil faceret in ordine ad justificatio¬ nem, sed tantum acciperet indulgentiam, Quis enim diceret egenti, qui solum ad elee¬ mosynam porrigeret manum, manus tua tibi fecit eleemosynam ? aut quis eegroto manu pharmacum capienti diceret, manus tua te curavit a morbo ? Itaque, fides tua te salvam fecit, sine dubio magnum est encomium fidei, et non nihil, sed plane aliquid efficaciBe ipsi fidei tribuit. Confirmat autem hanc efficaciam fidei, quod Matthaei xv. legimus dictum Chana- naeai : 0 mulier, magna est fides tua. Et Marci vi). Propter hunc sermonem vade, exiit Dx- monium a flia tua (4). Hic enim aperte tri¬ buitur fidei efficacia impetranda) sanitatis. Neque responderi debet, aliud esse loqui de justificatione, aliud de curatione morbi cor¬ poralis. Nam Dominus iisdem plane verbis tribuit fidei utramque sanitatem. Peccatrici enim dixit : Fides tua te salvam fecit, Luc. vn. et mulieri curatae a fluxu sanguinis, similiter dixit : Fides tua te salvam fecit, Matth. ix. et caeco illuminato etiam dixit : Fi¬ des tua te salvum fecit , Marci x (5). Rursus ad Roman. iv. In repromissione, inquit Apostolus, non haesitavit ^diffidentia, sed confortatus est fule, dans gloriam Deo, plenissime sciens, quia quxeumque promisit Deus, potens est et facere. Ideo et reputatum est ei ad justitiam (6). IIoc loco causam reddit Apostolus, cur fides Abrahae reputata sit (I) I Cor. III, 11. — (2) Act. XV, 9. - (3) Luc. VII, 50. - (4) Matth. XV, 28; Mar. VII, r.9. — (5) Matth. IX, 22; Mare. X, 52. - (6) Rom. IV, 20. 190 LIBER I. justitia, quoniam credendo dedit gloriam Deo. Itaque placuit Deo fides illa, per quam ipse glorificatus est, et ideo merito illius fi¬ dei, qua; tamen donum et gratia ipsius erat, Abrahamum justificavit. Item ad Roman. x : Omnis , inquit Aposto¬ lus. quicumque invocaverit, nomen Domini , salvus erit. Quomodo invocabunt in quem non crediderunt ? quomodo credent sine praedi¬ cante (I) ? Ubi beatus Paulus, sicut facit cau¬ sam fidei praedicationem Verbi, ita facit cau¬ sam invocationis ipsam fidem, et causam sa¬ lutis, id est, justificationis, invocationem. Ex quo intelligimus fidem per invocationem, im¬ petrare justificationem. Non igitur fides rela¬ tive justificat, accipiendo videlicet oblatam justificationem, sed quaerendo, pulsando, petendo, denique invocando et impetrando justificat. Postremo (ut alia multa loca praeteream) ad Haebrams xi. multis exemplis Apostolus docet, per fidem placere homines Deo, ac per hoc fidem apud Deum magni esse pre¬ tii ac meriti. De Abele scribit, eum per fi¬ dem adhuc, quamvis defunctum, loqui. Hoc est sanguinem ejus clamare ad Deum, et vindictam impetrare oh meritum fidei ipsius. De Ilenoch scribit, fide. translatum fuisse ne videret mortem, hoc est, merito fidei, per quam placuerat Deo placuisse autem per fidem, quia sine fide impossibile est placere Deo. Alia id genus multa in eo capite legun¬ tur, quae longum esset, minimeque necessa¬ rium huc adferre. Ad haec testimonia Scripturae addam te¬ stimonia S. Augustini, qui constanter docet plurimis in locis, fidem impetrare et mereri remissionem peccatorum et justificationem. Ex quo intelligetur hunc sanctissimum vi¬ rum, quem adversarii aliis omnibus antepo¬ nunt, longissime abfuisse ab errore Luthe- ranorum de fide justificante relative, sive per solam apprehensionem sine ulla sua effi¬ cacia, vel merito. Igitur S. Augustinus lib. i. Retractat, cap. 23. approbat, quod alicubi dixerat : « Non opera, sed fides inchoat meritum ». Item in epist. 105. ad Sixtum, ante medium : « Nec ipsa, inquit, remissio peccatorum si¬ ne aliquo merito est, si fides hanc impetrat. Neque enim nullum est meritum fidei. Qua fide ille dicebat, Deus propitius esto mihi pec¬ catori, et descendit justificatus merito fidelis humiliatus, quoniam qui se humiliat exaltabi¬ tur » . In epist. 106. ad Paulinum, ante me¬ dium : « Si quis dixerit, quod gratiam bene operandi fides mereatur, negare non possu¬ mus, imo vero gratissime confitemur ». Quo loco per gratiam bene operandi justificatio¬ nem inte-lligit : « Nam, ut ipse saepe repetit, bona opera accedunt justificato, non praece¬ dunt justificandum ». In epistol. 144. ad Anastasium : « Lex, inquit, adducit ad fi¬ dem, fides impetrat spiritum largiorem, dif¬ fundit spiritus charitatem, implet charitas legem ». In lib. de spiritu et littera cap. 13. « Quod factorum lex minando imperat, hoc fidei lex credendo impetrat ». Et cap. 30. « Per legem cognitio peccati, per fidem im¬ petratio gratiae contra peccatum, per gra¬ tiam sanatio animae». In libro de fide et operibus cap. 21. « Violentia, inquit, fidei Spiritus sanctus impetratur, per quem diffu¬ sa charitate in cordibus nostris, lex, non ti¬ more poenae, sed justitiae amore completur. » In lib. i. cont. adversarior. legis et Prophe¬ tiarum cap. 17. « In novo, inquit, Testamen¬ to fides impetrat charitatem ». In lib. de praedestinat. Sanctorum cap. 7. « Ex fide, inquit, ideo dicit Apostolus justificari homi¬ nem, non ex operibus, quia ipsa prima da¬ tur, ex qua impetrentur caetera, quae pro¬ prie opera nuncupantur, in quibus juste vi¬ vitur ». Denique libro de gratia et libero arbitrio cap. 14. « Fides, inquit, et non pe¬ tita conceditur, ut ei petenti alia concedan¬ tur ». Habemus igitur ex Augustino non semel, aut iterum, sed saepe ac saepius repetitum, fidem impetrare justificationem, remissio¬ nem peccatorum, gratiam bene operandi, ac per hoc justificare’ per modum dispositionis ac meriti, non propter nudam relationem, qua justificationem aspiciat vel recipiat. Vi¬ de quae diximus in n. lib. de poenit. cap. 12. ubi probavimus, contritionem esse eausaiii meritoriam justificationis, et respondimus ad objectiones, quae contra meritum ejus¬ modi' dispositionum fieri solent. Vide etiam solutionem argumentorum contra hoc me¬ ritum fidei cap. 21. hujus libri. (1) Rom. X, 13. CAPUT XVIII. 1 91