Bellarmine · De Controversiis · On Justification · Book III: On the Uncertainty, Mutability, and Inequality of Justice
Chapter 6: The same is proved from various places of the Prophets and Apostles
Our translation, from the Latin of the Opera Omnia (Paris: Vivès, 1870–74), vol. VI, De Justificatione, Book III. 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).
The same truth can be proved by the testimonies of the Prophets and Apostles, which either require on our part various conditions that we may be justified, or indicate that it is uncertain whether he who does penance obtains remission, or admonish that we be not too secure, as though we were certain of the justice already attained. Of the first kind are these testimonies. Deuteronomy 4: When thou shalt seek there the Lord (namely, after various sins) thou shalt find him; yet so, if thou seek him with all thy heart, and all the affliction of thy soul. 2 Paralipomenon 6: If they sin against thee, and thou be angry, etc. And below: If they be converted to thee with all their heart, and with all their soul, thou wilt hear from heaven, and wilt forgive thy people. Isaias 1: Cease to do perversely, learn to do well, seek justice, etc.; and come, and accuse me, saith the Lord: if your sins be as scarlet, they shall be made as white as snow; and if they be red as crimson, they shall be white as wool. Ezechiel 18: If the wicked do penance for all his sins, and do judgment and justice, he shall live, etc. John 15: You shall be my friends, if you do the things that I command you. Luke 13: Unless you do penance, you shall all likewise perish. Acts 8: If thou believe with all thy heart, thou mayest. These and like testimonies manifestly signify that something is required in us that we may be justified. Nor can the adversaries deny this, who, although they say that remission depends not on the condition of works, nor that penance, or faith, or any act of ours is the cause or merit of justification, yet do not deny that faith and penance are required, and living faith and serious penance, and that without these no one is justified. But no one can be certain, especially by the certitude of faith, that he is converted to the Lord with his whole heart, and has faith and penance such as is required, since in no Scripture is a testimony of this kind found about our faith and penance in particular. Therefore no one can be certain, by the certitude of faith, that his sins are remitted him. This is plainly a Theological demonstration, of which we have said enough in book 1, where we proved that that is not true faith by which one believes that his sins are remitted him.
Of the second kind are these testimonies. Daniel 4: Perhaps God will forgive thy offences. Joel 2: Be converted to me with all your heart, etc. And a little after: Who knoweth but he will return, and forgive? Jonas 3: the same is had, Who can tell if God will turn, and forgive? Acts 8: Do penance for this thy wickedness, and pray to God, if perhaps this thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee. These and the like, which signify the uncertainty of remission, do not make the promises of God doubtful, by which he promised indulgence to the truly penitent — for those are most certain; but they regard the uncertainty of our disposition. But from whatever source the uncertainty come, these testimonies always prove that a man ought not to be so secure as not always to ask of God serious penance and the remission of sin. So St. Jerome expounds that of Jonas 3: “Therefore it is set ambiguously and uncertainly, that while men are in doubt of salvation, they may do penance more strongly, and more provoke God to mercy.” That hither also pertains that of Psalm 50 St. Augustine teaches: The uncertain and hidden things of thy wisdom thou hast made manifest to me. Where he also alleges the place of Jonas: “Who knoweth but God will turn and forgive? It is uncertain, when it is said, Who knoweth? Of the uncertain they did penance, and merited certain mercy.” Of the third kind are these testimonies. Proverbs 28: Blessed is the man that is always fearful. 2 Corinthians 10: For not he who commendeth himself is approved, but he whom God commendeth. But certainly, if anyone by the certitude of faith knew that he was just, he could indeed commend himself, and would be approved, since without doubt he would in no wise be deceived. Philippians 2: With fear and trembling work out your salvation. 1 Peter 1: Converse in fear during the time of your sojourning. 2 Peter 1: Labour, that by good works you may make sure your calling and election. But if by good works the certitude of vocation is to be sought, certainly also of justification. For whom he called, them he also justified, Romans 8. But if the certitude of justification depends on good works, then a man is not certain of his justification as soon as he is justified. Again, then, the certitude of justification does not depend on faith alone. Finally, then, our justification is not certain with the certitude of faith, which is infallible, but with the certitude of works, which is a conjectural and imperfect certitude.
Show the Latin (Vives edition, OCR)
CAPUT VI. Idem probatur ex variis locis Prophetarum et Apostolorum. Eadem veritas probari potest testimoniis Prophetarum et Apostolorum, quae vel re¬ quirunt ex parte nostra varias conditiones, ut justificemur, vel indicant incertum esse, an qui agit poenitentiam, consequatur remis¬ sionem, vel admonent, ut non simus nimium securi, quasi certi simus de justitia jam ade¬ pta. Primi generis sunt haec testimonia, Deu- teron. IV. Cum quaesieris ibi Dominum (ni¬ mirum post varia peccata) invenies eum , si tamen in toto corde quaesieris eum , et in tota tribulatione animae tuae. 2. Paralip. vi. Si peccaverint tibi , et iratus fueris etc. Et infra ; Si conversi fuerint ad te in toto corde suo , et in tota anima sua, tu exaudies de coelo , et di¬ mittes populo tuo. Isaice i. Quiescite agere perverse , discite benefacere , quaerite justitiam etc. et venite et arguite me , dicit Dominus , si fuerint peccata vestra sicut coccinum , sicut nix dealbabuntur , et si fuerint rubra sicut vermi¬ culus , sicut lana alba erunt. Ezech. 18. Si impius egerit poenitentiam ab omnibus peccatis suis, et fecerit judicium et justitiam, vita vivet etc. Joan. xv. Vos amici mei eritis, si feceritis, quae ego praecipio vobis. Luc. xm. Nisi poenitentiam habueritis, omnes similiter peribitis. Act. vm. Si credis in toto corde, licet (1). Haec et similia testimonia manifeste signi¬ ficant requiri aliquid in nobis, ut justifice¬ mur. Neque adversarii hoc negare possunt, qui tametsi dicant, remissionem non pende¬ re a conditione operum, neque poenitentiam, aut fidem, aut ullum actum nostrum, esse causam aut meritum justificationis, tamen non negant, requiri fidem, et poenitentiam, et fidem vivam, et poenitentiam seriam, et sine his neminem justificari. At nemo certus esse potest, praesertim certitudine fidei, se toto corde conversum esse ad Dominum, et fidem, ac poenitentiam habere, qualis requi¬ ritur, cum in nulla Scriptura testimonium ejusmodi inveniatur de fide et poenitentia nostra in particulari : igitur nemo certus es¬ se potest, certitudine fidei, sibi remissa esse peccata. Haec plane Theologica demonstra¬ tio est, de qua satis multa diximus inTib. i. ubi probavimus, non esse veram fidem il¬ lam, qua quis credit, sibi remissa esse pec¬ cata. Secundi generis sunt haec testimonia, Da- niel. iv. Forsan ignoscet Deus delictis tuis; Joel. n. Convertimini ad me in toto corde ve¬ stro etc. Et paulo post : Quis scit si converta¬ tur et ignoscat Deus. Jonae m. Idem habetur, Quis scit si convertatur, et ignoscat Deus. Act. vm. Poenitentiam age ab hac nequitia tua, et roga Deum , si forte remittatur' tibi (2). Haec et similia, quae significant incerti tu dinem remissionis, non faciunt dubias promissiones Dei, quibus promisit vere poenitentibus in¬ dulgentiam, illae enim certissimae sunt ; sed respiciunt incertitudinem nostrae dispositio¬ nis. Undecumque autem veniat incertitudo, semper probant haec testimonia non debere hominem ita esse securum, ut non semper a Deo petat seriam poenitentiam et peccati remissionem. Sic exponit sanctus Hieronymus illud Jonae 3. Ideo , inquit, ambiguum ponitur, et incertum, ut dum homines dubii sunt de salute, fortius agant poenitentiam, et magis ad mise¬ ricordiam provocent Deum. Huc etiam perti¬ nere docet S. Augustinus illud Psalm. l. Incerta et occulta sapientiae tuae manifestasti mihi (3). Ubi etiam allegat locum Jonae; « Quis scit, si convertatur et ignoscat Deus. Incertum est, inquit, cum dicitur, quis scit. De incerto poenitentiam egerunt, et certam misericordiam meruerunt » . Tertii generis sunt haec testimonia, Pro- ver. 28. Beatus homo, qui semper est pavidus. II ad Corinth. x. Non enim qui se ipsum commendat, ille probatus est, sed quem Deus commendat (4). At certe si quis certitudine fidei sciret, se justum esse, posset utique se commendare, et probatus esset, quia sine dubio minime falleretur. Ad Philip, ii. Cum (I) Deut. IV, 29; II Par.VI, 36; ibid. 37; Isai I, ld; Ez. XVIII, 21; Joan. XV, 14;Luc. XIII, 3; Act. VIII, 37.— (2) Dan. IV, 24: Joel. 11, 12; Jon. III, 9; Act. VIII, 22.~|3) Ps. L,S.-(4) Prov. XXV111, 14; II Cor. X, 18. 260 LIBER Ili. metu et tremore salutem vestram operamini. 1 Pet. i. In timore incolatus vestri tempore conversamini. II Pet. i. Satagite , ut per bona opera certam vestram vocationem et electio¬ nem faciatis (i). At si per bona opera certi¬ tudo vocationis quaerenda est, certe etiam justificationis. Nam quos vocavit, hos et ju¬ stificavit (2) : ad Rom. vm. Quod si certitudo justificationis ex bonis operibus pendet ; non igitur certus est homo de sua justificatione, mox atque justificatus est. Rursus, non igi¬ tur ex sola fide pendet certitudo justificatio¬ nis. Denique, non igitur certa est justifica¬ tio nostra certitudine fidei, quae infallibilis est, sed certitudine operum, quae conjectu¬ ralis atque imperfecta certitudo est.