Bellarmine · De Controversiis · On Justification · Book III: On the Uncertainty, Mutability, and Inequality of Justice
Chapter 8: The same is proved by various reasons
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).
Besides the testimonies of the Scriptures and the Fathers, there are not lacking also excellent reasons by which this truth may be proved. We shall prove, then, by reason: first, that certitude of faith about one’s own justice cannot be had; second, that no one is bound to have it, even if perhaps it could be had; third, that it is not expedient that it be ordinarily had; fourth, that in fact it is not had, save by a few to whom their own justification is specially revealed by God.
The first reason: nothing can be certain with the certitude of faith unless it be either immediately contained in the word of God, or deduced from the word of God by evident consequence. For faith is not, unless it rest on the authority of the divine word. Nor do either Catholics or heretics doubt of this principle. But in the word of God is not immediately contained this particular proposition, “such or such a man is truly justified”; for, some very few excepted — as Magdalen, and a certain Paralytic, who heard from Christ himself, Thy sins are forgiven thee — the rest of men are not even named in the sacred letters. But that the universal promises require their conditions, that they may be applied to individuals, we have already demonstrated above in book 1. It behooves, then, that from the word of God, by evident consequence, he gather this, whoever boasts that he has that certitude. But that this cannot be done we prove in this manner. The reasoning by which one would conclude the certitude of faith about his own justice from the word of God ought to be this: The word of God testifies that all who are truly converted to God, and seriously doing penance for their sins, obtain indulgence and grace; but to me my true conversion and penance is evident; therefore it is certain to me, by the certitude of faith, that I have received indulgence and grace. The assumption of this argument I say is not only false, but even impossible, unless there be a revelation. For, first, the heart of man is depraved, and unsearchable; who can know it? says Jeremias, chapter 17. Then, we see in fact that many are deceived, who think that they have what they have not. Certainly blessed Peter, when he said, With thee I am ready to go both into prison and to death, believed that he was ready to undergo death for Christ; and yet he was not truly ready, as the event showed. And the Apostle Paul, when he raged against the Christians, thought that he burned with a great charity of God, and yet through ignorance was deceived. And who is there who is certain that he labors not under some ignorance, not probable, but gross, and from it bears an affection to sin which he himself sees not? Finally, there are no clearer signs of true conversion and of grace already attained than the works of charity, and especially if one lay down his life for God; but this very thing can be a fallacious sign, since the Apostle says, 1 Corinthians 13, that a man can, without the true charity of God, distribute all his substance to feed the poor, and deliver his body to be burned. And in fact we sometimes see heretics gladly meet death for the defense of their perfidy, who do not doubt that they most ardently love God, when yet they have not even a crumb of true charity. The adversaries will say, perhaps, that such conversion is not required, that faith alone suffices. But this has already often been refuted, especially since the Lutherans themselves also contend that true faith cannot be separated from charity and penance. But perhaps Catharinus will answer that perfect conversion and penance are not necessarily exacted, save outside the Sacrament; but with the Sacrament it is enough that one place no obstacle. But neither can one be certain, with the certitude of faith, that he places no obstacle, since he can from gross ignorance bear an affection to sin; nor can he be certain, with the certitude of faith, that he receives a true Sacrament, since the Sacrament is not effected without the intention of the minister, and no one can see the intention of another. Nor am I ignorant what Catharinus holds about the intention in effecting the Sacraments; but his opinion is convicted of being contrary to the Ecclesiastical definition, as we have demonstrated elsewhere.
The second reason will be to prove that no one is bound to believe for certain, with the certitude of faith, that his sins are remitted him. For an article of this kind is contained in no Symbol of faith. And a precept of this kind is found in no Ecclesiastical canon. Let the Symbols be run through — the Apostolic, the Nicene-Constantinopolitan, that of Athanasius — nowhere will such an article be found, “I believe that I am just.” But as to what is said in the Apostolic Symbol, “I believe the remission of sins,” it signifies that in the Church Baptism is given unto the remission of sins, as is explained in the Constantinopolitan Symbol. Further, in the Ecclesiastical Councils not only is no such precept of faith had, but there is even had expressly the contrary in the Council of Trent, session 6, canon 13 — that is, that men are not bound to believe that their sins are remitted them. Add that, if we had an article of faith of this kind, it would follow that every man who sins, by whatever kind of mortal sin, straightway becomes a heretic, and so that there is no sinner who is not at the same time a heretic; for he who voluntarily sins cannot believe that he is just, unless he would deliberately believe what is false. But certainly it is unheard of that in the Church there is no sinner who is not a heretic. And moreover, since all heretics are separated from the Church and are outside, it would follow that no sinner could be in the Church — which was the heresy of the Donatists, and was manifestly refuted from the Gospel by Augustine and the other Fathers. For what are the grains and the chaff in the same floor, the good and bad fishes in the same net, the sheep and the goats in the same fold, but just men and sinners in the same Church? Let the Lutherans, then, who say that by every sin justifying faith — that is, true faith — is shaken off, see how they extricate themselves from the heresy of the Donatists, and how they do not openly conflict with the Gospel itself.
The third reason will prove that it is not expedient that men ordinarily have certitude of their own grace. “For (as St. Augustine says in the book On Rebuke and Grace, chapter 13), in this place of temptation so great is the weakness that security can breed pride.” Whence also St. Gregory writes, book 9 of the Morals, chapter 17: “If we know that we have grace, we grow proud.” And the Lord himself, Luke 18, by the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican, shows that those who trust that they are just easily set themselves before the rest, and despise them: They are not, they say, as the rest of men, as also is this publican. But contrariwise the ignorance of this secret preserves and increases humility; for it makes the faithful think themselves inferior to one another, and one prevent another in honor. Thou wilt say: if it be so, why does God reveal to some their own justification? Because, as he judges them worthy of this special favor, so also he foresees that they are so rooted in humility and charity that there is to them no danger from this elation, which yet he knows can easily threaten the weaker and more feeble. The fourth reason will teach that in fact such certitude is not present to the faithful. For, first, it is established that to certain men it was revealed by a singular benefit that their sins were remitted them. For this the great Athanasius testifies of St. Anthony in his life; St. Gregory, of St. Galla, in book 4 of the Dialogues, chapter 13; St. Bonaventure, of St. Francis, in his life, chapter 3; nor are there lacking other examples of the same kind. But to what end would God reveal this to certain men, as by a special prerogative, if this knowledge were common to all the faithful? Then, it is no less established that certain others, otherwise most perfect, at their death not moderately trembled on account of this uncertainty. St. Jerome relates that blessed Hilarion at death said: “Go forth, my soul, what fearest thou? Go forth, why dost thou tremble? Nearly seventy years thou hast served Christ, and dost thou fear death?” Like examples of most holy Fathers trembling John Climacus recounts. But certainly, if men even most holy tremble on account of the uncertainty of grace and the abyss of the judgments of God, how will it be credible that to all the faithful certitude is present about their own grace and justice? Finally, the same is most openly proved by the experience of the heretics of this time. For although all whatsoever boast this certitude, yet by their own opinion very many are deceived, and by ours, all. Nor does it pertain to the matter, what Chemnitz says, that the Sacramentarians, and Anabaptists, and others, besides the men of his own sect, are deceived, since they err against the foundation of faith. This, I say, makes nothing to the matter; for if by the foundation of faith be understood faith in Christ the Mediator, not descending to particular articles, they too hold the foundation. But if by the foundation be understood all the dogmas of faith which are had in the Scriptures, they indeed err against the foundation, as Chemnitz himself also errs; yet those errors are in historical faith, not in justifying faith; for all alike believe that they are just on account of the imputed merits of Christ, and embrace the same promises by faith. Whence, then, is it that they are deceived, and not these? “Because (says Bucer) in them that certitude is not from the motion of the Holy Spirit.” But this very thing is what we ask: why is it not from the motion of the Holy Spirit, if they have justifying faith? They will say that they have not justifying faith, because justifying faith cannot be conjoined with error. But experience teaches that the faith which they define to be justifying easily remains with error. For the Anabaptists and Sacramentarians, whom the Lutherans contend to err, firmly believe that on account of Christ, apprehended by faith, their sins are remitted them. Then, by what certain indication will the Lutherans show that the Anabaptists and Sacramentarians err, but they themselves err not, since all boast the Scriptures, and there is among them no common judgment by which their controversies can be decided? Finally, from whatever cause it happen that the Anabaptists and Sacramentarians are deceived, in the judgment of the Lutherans, and contrariwise the Lutherans in the judgment of the Anabaptists and Sacramentarians, we evidently conclude, and this above all we press, that the greatest part of those who boast this certitude, by their own witness too, are without doubt deceived.
Show the Latin (Vives edition, OCR)
CAPUT VIII. Idem probatur rationibus variis . Praeter testimonia Scripturarum et Pa¬ trum, non desunt etiam egregiae rationes, quibus haec veritas comprobetur. Probabi¬ mus igitur ratione primum, non posse ha¬ beri certitudinem fidei de propria justitia. Secundo, neminem teneri ad illam haben¬ dam, etiamsi forte posset haberi. Tertio, non expedire, ut ordinarie habeatur. Quarto, reipsa non haberi, nisi a paucis, quibus a Deo specialiter justificatio propria revela¬ tur. Prima ratio, non potest aliquid certum esse certitudine fidei, nisi aut immediate contineatur in verbo Dei; aut ex verbo Dei per evidentem consequentiam deducatur : Fides enim non est, nisi verbi divini aucto¬ ritate nitatur. Neque de hoc principio vel Catholici, vel Hairetici dubitant. At in verbo Dei non continetur immediate particularis ista propositio ; Talis vel talis homo vere justificatus est, exceptis enim paucissimis, ut Magdalena, et quodam Paralytico, qui ab ipso Christo audierunt : Remittuntur tibi pec¬ cata tua : Cseteri homines in sacris litteris, ne nominantur quidem. Universales autem promissiones, conditiones suas requirere, ut singulis applicentur, jam supra in i. lib. de¬ monstravimus. Oportet igitur ut ex verbo Dei, per evidentem consequentiam id colli¬ gat, quisquis eam certitudinem habere se jactat. Id autem fieri non posse probamus hoc modo. Ratiocinatio, qua quis certitudinem fidei de sua justitia ex verbo Dei concluderet, heee esse deberet. Verbum Dei testatur, omnes vere conversos ad Deum, et poenitentiam se¬ rio agentes peccatorum , indulgentiam et gratiam obtinere : Mihi autem evidens est mea vera conversio, et poenitentia ; igitur mihi certum est, certitudine fidei, me indul¬ gentiam et gratiam accepisse. Hujus argumenti assumptionem dico non solum falsam, sed etiam impossibilem esse, nisi adsit revelatio ; nam in primis pravum est cor hominis , et inscrutabile , et quis cognoscet illud (1) ? inquit Hierem. cap. 17. Deinde vi¬ demus reipsa multos falli, qui se putant ha¬ bere quod non habent. Certe B. Petrus, cum dicebat. Tecum paratus sum in carcerem et in mortem ire ; paratum se esse credebat mor¬ tem subire pro Christo ; et tamen vere para¬ tus non erat, ut eventus ostendit. Et Aposto¬ lus Paulus, cum in Christianos fureret, ma¬ gna se Dei charitate flagrare arbitrabatur, et tamen ex ignorantia fallebatur. Et quis est, qui certus sit, se non laborare ignoran¬ tia aliqua non probabili, sed crassa et ex ea peccandi affectum gerere, quem ipse non 262 LIBER II. videat? Denique, nulla sunt clariora signa verae conversionis et gratia) jam adeptae, quam opera charitatis, et praesertim, si quis animam pro Deo ponat : at hoc ipsum potest esse signum fallax, cum Apostolus dicat pri¬ ma ad Corinth. 13. posse hominem sine vera charitate Dei consumere in cibos pauperum omnes facultates suas , et tradere corpus suum ita ut ardeat. Et reipsa interdum vide¬ mus, haereticos pro defensione perfidiae suae mortem libenter oppetere, qui se Deum ar¬ dentissime amare non dubitant, cum tamen ne micam quidem verae charitatis ha¬ beant. Dicent fortasse adversarii, non requiri ta¬ lem conversionem, sufficere solam fidem. At hoc jam saepe refutatum est, praesertim cum ipsi quoque Lutherani veram fidem a chari¬ tate et poenitentia separari non posse conten¬ dant. Sed fortasse Catharinus respondebit, non exigi necessario perfectam conversio¬ nem et poenitentiam, nisi extra Sacramen-' tum, cum Sacramento autem sufficere, ut quis obicem non ponat. At neque potest quis certus esse certitudine fidei, se non ponere obicem, cum possit ex ignorantia crassa ge¬ rere affectum ad peccatum, neque potest certus esse certitudine fidei, se percipere ve¬ rum Sacramentum, cum Sacramentum sine intentione ministri non conficiatur, et inten¬ tionem alterius nemo videre possit. Nec ignoro quid de intentione, in Sacramentis conficiendis, sentiat Catharinus; sed ejus sententia definitioni Ecclesiastica) contraria esse convincitur, ut alibi demonstravimus. Secunda ratio erit ad probandum neminem teneri certo credere certitudine fidei, sibi remissa esse peccata. Nam ejusmodi articu¬ lus in nullo Symbolo fidei continetur. Et ejusmodi praeceptum in nullo canone Eccle¬ siastico reperitur. Percurrantur Symbola, Apostolicum , Nicamum Constantinopolita- num, Athanasii, nusquam repcrietur talis articulus : « Credo me esse justum ». Quod autem in Symbolo Apostolico dicitur: v Credo remissionem peccatorum », significat in Ec¬ clesia dari Baptismum in remissionem pec¬ catorum, ut explicatur in Symbolo Constan- tinopolitano. Porro in Conciliis Ecclesiasticis non solum non habetur tale praeceptum fidei, sed habe¬ tur etiam expresse contrarium in Concilio Tridcntino, sess. 6. can. 13, id est, non te¬ neri homines ad credendum, sibi remissa esse peccata. Adde quod si ejusmodi articulum fidei ha¬ beremus, sequeretur, omnem hominem, qui peccat, quocumque genere peccati mortalis, continuo fieri haereticum, atque ita nullum esse peccatorem, qui non simul esset haere¬ ticus, neque enim potest, qui voluntarie peccat, credere ; se justum esse, nisi falsum, dedita opera, credere velit. At certe inaudi¬ tum est, in Ecclesia nullum esse peccatorem, qui non sit haereticus. Et praeterea cum om¬ nes haeretici ab Ecclesia separentur, et foris sint, sequeretur, nullum peccatorem in Ec¬ clesia esse posse, quae fuit haeresis Donati- starum, et ab Augustino et caeteris Patribus ex Evangelio manifeste refutata est. Quid enim sunt grana et paleae in eadem area, boni et mali pisces in eodem reti, oves et hcedi in eodem ovili, nisi justi peccatores in eadem Ecclesia? Viderint igitur Lutherani, qui per omne peccatum fidem justificantem, id est, veram fidem excuti dicunt, quomo¬ do se ab haeresi Donatistarum expediant, et quomodo non aperte cum ipso Evangelio pugnent. Tertia ratio probabit, non expedire ut ho¬ mines habeant ordinarie certitudinem de propria gratia. «Nam (ut sanctus Augusti¬ nus ait in lib. de corrept, et gratia, cap. 13), in hoc loco tentationis tanta est infirmitas, ut superbiam possit generare securitas ». Unde etiam S. Gregorius scribit lib. ix. Mo¬ ralium cap. 17. « Si scimus nos gratiam ha¬ bere, superbimus». Et ipse Dominus Luc. xvdi, per parabolam Pharisaei et Publicani ostendit, eos, qui se justos esse confidunt, facile se caeteris anteponere, eosque despi¬ cere : Non sunt, aiunt, sicut exteri hominum, velut etiam hic publicanus (1). Contra autem ignoratio hujus secreti humilitatem conser¬ vat, et auget, facit enim ut se fideles supe¬ riores invicem arbitrentur, et unus alium honore praeveniat. Dices, si ita est, cur Deus aliquibus justi¬ ficationem propriam revelat? Quoniam sic¬ ut speciali hoc favore dignos illos judicat, ita etiam praevidet, sic in humilitate, et cha¬ ritate radicatos esse, ut non sit illis ab hac elatione periculum, quod tamen infirmiori¬ bus, et imbecillioribus facile imminere posse cognoscit. Quarta ratio docebit, reipsa fidelibus, ejus- (1) Luc. XV1I1, 12. CAPUT IX. 263 modi certitudinem non adesse. Namiu pri¬ mis quibusdam singulari beneficio revelatum osse constat, ipsis remissa fuisse peccata. Id enim testatur de sancto Antonio Magnils Athanasius in ejus vita; de sancta Galla S. Gregorius in lib. iv. Dialogorum, cap. 13. de sancto Francisco, sanctus Bonaventura in ejus vita, cap. 3, nec desunt alia ejusdem generis exempla. Quorsum autem Deus id certis hominibus revelaret, quasi speciali praerogativa, si fidelibus omnibus esset noti¬ tia ista communis ? Deinde non minus constat, alios quosdam, alioqui perfectissimos, in obitu suo propter hoc incertum non mediocriter trepidasse. Refert S. Hieronymus, B. Ililarionem in morte dixisse : « Egredere anima mea, quid times ? egredere, quid trepidas ? Septuaginta prope annis servisti Christo, et mortem ti¬ mes » ? Similia exempla trepidantium san¬ ctissimorum Patrum recenset Joan. Climacus. At certe si viri etiam sanctissimi propter in- ccrtitudinem gratiae, et abyssum judiciorum Dei trepidant, quomodo credibile erit, om¬ nibus fidelibus certitudinem adesse de pro¬ pria gratia atque justitia? Denique idem apertissime probat expe¬ rientia hujus temporis haereticorum. Nam cum omnes omnino hanc certitudinem ja¬ ctent ; tamen ipsorum sententia falluntur plurimi, nostra autem, omnesi Neque per¬ tinet ad rem, quod dicit Kemnitius, falli Sa- cramentarios , et Anabaptistas , et alios , praeter suae sectae homines, quoniam illi er¬ rant contra fundamentum fidei. Hoc, inquam, ad rem non facit; nam si per fundamentum fidei intelligatur fides in Mediatorem Chri¬ stum, non descendendo ad particulares arti¬ culos, tenent illi quoque fundamentum. Sin autem per fundamentum intelligantur omnia dogmata fidei, quae in Scripturis habentur, errant quidem illi contra fundamentum, ut etiam errat ipse Kemnitius ; tamen isti erro¬ res sunt in fide historica, non in fide justifi¬ cante , omnes enim eodem prorsus modo credunt, se justos esse propter Christi me¬ rita imputata, et easdem promissiones fide amplectuntur. Unde igitur fit, ut illi fallan¬ tur, et non isti ? « Quoniam (inquit Bucerus) in illis ista certitudo nort est ex Jmotu Spiritus sancti ». At hoc ipsum est, quod quaerimus, cur non sit ex motu Spiritus sancti, si fidem justificantem habent. Dicent, eos non habere fidem justifican¬ tem, quia fides justificans, cum errore con¬ juncta esse non potest. At experientia docet, fidem quam ipsi justificantem esse definiunt, cum errore facile permanere. Nam Anaba- ptistae et Sacramentarii, quos Lutherani er¬ rare contendunt, firmiter credunt, sibi pro¬ pter Christum, fide apprehensum, remissa esse peccata. Deinde quo certo indicio Lutherani doce¬ bunt, Anabaptistas et Sacramentai'ios errare, se autem non errare , cum omnes jactent Scripturas, et non sit apud eos ullum com¬ mune judicium, quo ipsorum controversiae dirimi queant. Denique undecumque accidat, ut fallan¬ tur Anabaptistae et Sacramentarii , judicio Lutheranorum, et contra Lutherani, judicio Anabaptistarum et Sacramentariorum, nos evidenter concludimus, atque hoc potissi¬ mum urgemus, maximam partem eorum, qui hanc certitudinem jactant, ipsis etiam testibus, sine dubio decipi.