Bellarmine · De Controversiis · On Justification · Book III: On the Uncertainty, Mutability, and Inequality of Justice
Chapter 12: The error concerning the certitude of predestination is refuted
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).
Hitherto we have endeavored to overthrow the first error of those four which we proposed at the beginning of this book. It follows that we discourse briefly against the second. The second error was of those who contend that certitude of faith is had not only of present grace and justice, but also of predestination and election unto glory. This error Martin Bucer taught in the Colloquy of Ratisbon. For there is extant in that Colloquy, among other titles, one on the most firm confidence and certitude of eternal salvation, and in it Bucer affirms that he is not a true Christian who does not, with the same certitude of faith by which he believes Christ to be, and God also to be, believe that he shall have eternal life. The same too he teaches in the book On Concord, in the conciliation of the article on justification. The same also Peter Martyr teaches, in the commentary on chapter 8 of the epistle to the Romans. The same error John Calvin defends tooth and nail, in book 3 of the Institutes, chapter 2, where he thus speaks, section 16: “He is not truly faithful save he who, persuaded with a solid persuasion that God is propitious to him, promises himself all things from his goodness; save he who, relying on the promises of the divine benevolence toward him, presumes an undoubted expectation of salvation.” See the same, section 40, and in the Antidote of the Council. In the same error Chemnitz is engaged, in the Examination of the Council of Trent. For he reprehends that the Council teaches, session 6, chapter 12, that no one without a peculiar revelation ought to determine for certain that he is of the number of the predestined. But Chemnitz affirms that this is a false doctrine, and proves from chapter 8 to the Romans that from the word of God all the justified can and ought to determine for certain of their own predestination. But this error conflicts with the testimonies of the divine Scripture, with the sentences of the holy Fathers, and with manifest and most open reason.
First, then, the Apostle Paul, Romans 11, disputing of predestination, refers this mystery among the deepest secrets of God, exclaiming: O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God! How incomprehensible are his judgments, and how unsearchable his ways! And who hath known the mind of the Lord? Or who hath been his counsellor? And although this depth of the secret chiefly regards the cause why God chooses one and chooses not another, yet it indicates also that it cannot be known without revelation whom God has chosen, and whom he has not chosen. For from this very thing, that we are ignorant what moves God to choose this man rather than that, and are compelled to refer the whole matter to his will, we understand that it cannot be known by any other way whom he has willed to choose, and whom not to choose, save by a special revelation, by which he himself deigns to manifest his own will to someone. Second, Scripture exhorts all the faithful to fear, when it says, Romans 11: But thou standest by faith; be not highminded, but fear, lest perhaps he also spare not thee. And 1 Corinthians 10: He that thinketh himself to stand, let him take heed lest he fall. And Philippians 2: With fear and trembling work out your salvation. And Apocalypse 3: Hold fast that which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. And in his second epistle the same John: Look to yourselves, that you lose not the things which you have wrought. And in Psalm 2: Serve ye the Lord with fear, and rejoice unto him with trembling. Embrace discipline, lest at any time the Lord be angry, and you perish from the just way. To these and the like Calvin and Chemnitz answer that these are said to shake off torpor and carnal security, which make men negligent in good works, not because there is in fact danger lest the true faithful fall from salvation. But it is true indeed that there is no danger lest the predestined lose eternal salvation, and that those terrors are applied by the Holy Spirit through the holy Scriptures that the elect may be excited to solicitude and diligence; but all these have place in those who are ignorant of their predestination, not in those who are most certain of it. For those who are certainly persuaded that they will altogether be saved cannot fear lest they fall from salvation; nay, they ought not to fear, if they believe this for certain with the certitude of faith, as they believe Christ to be God; for by that fear of theirs they would do injury to faith. And accordingly, if the response of the heretics were true, the Holy Spirit would exhort the elect to unbelief when he exhorts them to fear the loss of salvation. For as, if anyone admonished a believer to fear lest perhaps it be not true that Christ is God, he would without doubt seem to impel him to impiety, so plainly the Holy Spirit (which it is blasphemous to think) would provoke the elect to impiety, while he exhorts them to fear lest perhaps they be cut off, lest they perish from the just way, lest they lose their crown. Therefore we who are bidden to fear ought not, nor can, believe for certain with the certitude of faith that we are of the number of those to be saved.
Third, Scripture in express words teaches that salvation depends on the condition of works. Matthew 5: Unless your justice abound more than that of the Scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 19: If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. Romans 8: And if sons, heirs also; yet so, if we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified with him. 2 Timothy 2: If we be dead with him, we shall live also with him. And in the same place: He is not crowned, except he strive lawfully. But the adversaries grant that there can be no certitude of salvation, if it depend on the condition of works; whence, then, do they so confidently affirm that they are most certain of salvation and eternal life? They will answer, perhaps, that they have all these things not in themselves, but in Christ, of whom they are made members through faith. For so Calvin bids the believer regard not himself and his works, but regard Christ, not as placed outside him, but as remaining in him, and communicating all his goods. But this response is not solid. For Christ himself requires of his members that they too work well, and, as a vine, requires that the branches bear fruit; otherwise he threatens excision: I am the true vine (says John 15), and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he will take it away. And below: If any one abide not in me, he shall be cast forth as a branch, and shall wither, and they shall gather him up, and cast him into the fire, and he burneth. It does not, then, suffice unto salvation to be ingrafted into the vine Christ, unless one, as a branch, bring forth the fruit of good works. Then, when the Lord says, Unless your justice abound, etc., and, If thou wilt enter into life, etc., he signifies not that the members arrogate to themselves the justice of the head, but that they too work, and do justice — as is clear from what follows, where he says, Matthew 5, But I say to you, Love your enemies, etc.; and Matthew 19, If thou wilt be perfect, sell all that thou hast, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven. They are wont to answer that works are indeed required, but not as a condition on which the promise of eternal life depends, but because true faith is not unless it be living, and fructify good works; for sins — that is, the works of the flesh — shake off faith, and pour out the Holy Spirit. But we labor not in this place why works be necessary, but are content if it be granted us that they are necessarily exacted, and that without them eternal life is not obtained. For hence we evidently conclude that without divine revelation no one can determine for certain that he is of the number of the elect, since no one, even by the adversaries’ own witness, can determine for certain that he will do all those good works which Christ commands to be done.
Fourth, Scripture testifies that many believe for a time, and afterward make shipwreck concerning faith and perish — as is clear, Luke 8, of the seed which fell upon the rock, which the Lord expounds of those who believe for a time, and in the time of temptation fall away. And 1 Timothy 4: The Spirit manifestly saith that in the last times some shall depart from the faith. And chapter 6: Which some coveting have erred from the faith. But those who have fallen from grace and faith have no certitude of their restoration into grace; nay, Scripture says that this is plainly uncertain, when it says, 2 Timothy 2, Lest perhaps God give them repentance, and they recover themselves. And Joel 2: Who knoweth but he will return, and forgive? But if many believers afterward stray from the truth, and become reprobates, then those were not certain from faith that they would persevere; otherwise their faith would have been false. But certitude of predestination cannot be had without certitude of perseverance, since perseverance is the effect most proper to predestination, and without perseverance predestination cannot be fulfilled; therefore neither were those men certain of predestination from faith. And thereby it is false that all the faithful are certain, with the certitude of faith, of their own predestination. To this argument Calvin can somehow answer, seeing he denies that those had true faith who do not persevere — which error we shall refute a little after. But Chemnitz can answer nothing at all. For he openly confesses that the faithful can fall from grace, and not persevere, and yet boldly affirms that those who have faith ought to determine for certain that they are predestined. Which how ill they cohere among themselves, everyone sees. For if all ought from faith to determine for certain that they are predestined, and yet can not persevere, and thereby not be saved, then either the predestination of God can be deceived, or a man can from faith believe for certain that which is uncertain, and which it can be that it be false. Chemnitz answers that faith is always true, because that some persevere not comes not from this, that God will not preserve them unto the end, but because they by the works of the flesh shake off faith. But it is an inept solution. For this is what we press: that no one can be certain from faith that he pertains to the number of the elect, since it can be that he shake off faith, and at last be reprobate. For since true faith can be in one who in fact is reprobate before God, since he is foreknown as one who will not persevere, it evidently follows that either faith does not teach him to be of the number of the elect, or faith is false; for how can a reprobate believe from true faith that he is not reprobate, but elect?
To these testimonies of Scripture can be added also the testimonies of the Fathers. St. John Chrysostom, homily 11 on the epistle to the Philippians: “If Paul, who suffered so many things, was not yet secure about that resurrection, what shall we say?” St. Jerome, book 2 against the Pelagians: “Call no one blessed before death; for as long as we live, we are in the struggle; as long as in the struggle, there is no certain victory.” St. Augustine, book 11 On the City of God, chapter 12: “Although the saints be certain of the reward of their perseverance, yet of their perseverance itself they are found uncertain. For what man knows that he will persevere in the action and progress of justice unto the end, unless he be made certain by some revelation from him who, by a just and hidden judgment, instructs not all of this matter, but deceives no one?” Martin Bucer, in the book On Concord, near the end of the conciliation of the article on justification, objected this one place to himself, and applied two responses, or, if you prefer, tergiversations. First he says that the saints of themselves cannot determine for certain whether they will persevere; yet because they are called to the everlasting fellowship of Christ, they ought from faith to be altogether certain that they will persevere unto the end. Second he says that Augustine speaks of the certitude of science, not of the certitude of faith. But if the saints of themselves ought to determine — that is, from the powers of their own nature — they ought to determine for certain that they will not persevere. For how without the grace of God would they persevere? And so, if they ought to determine of themselves, they are not uncertain, as Augustine says, but plainly certain. Bucer will say, perhaps, that that “of themselves” ought not to be referred to the powers of persevering, but to knowledge, so that the sense is that the saints cannot determine for certain that they will persevere from the light of reason alone, but from the light of faith can altogether. But on the contrary; for of the reward of perseverance they are not certain of themselves — that is, from the light of reason alone — but from the light of faith; and yet Augustine writes that of the reward of perseverance the saints are certain, of perseverance itself uncertain. Moreover, if the saints were certain from the light of faith of their perseverance, all who are endowed with faith would have this certitude; but Augustine says that not all the saints — that is, not all who have faith — are certain of this matter, but only those to whom God deigns to manifest it by a special revelation. Augustine wills, then, that not only of themselves, but also from faith, and not only with the certitude of science, but also with the certitude of faith, the saints are uncertain of their perseverance. But that we may take from Bucer all occasion of tergiversating, let us add two other places, in the book On Rebuke and Grace, chapter 13: “Who, of the multitude of the faithful, as long as he lives in this mortality, presumes that he is in the number of the predestined?” Likewise in the book On the Good of Perseverance, chapter 13: “To which calling” (according to purpose, which is proper to the elect) “no man is to be said by men, with certain asseveration, to pertain, save when he has departed from this world. But in this human life, which is a temptation upon earth, he that seemeth to stand, let him take heed lest he fall.” St. Gregory, book 6 on 1 Kings: “Since the judgment of the omnipotent God is unsearchable, whence a man comes and whither he goes he knows not, since it cannot be known whether one ought to persevere unto the end in the grace which he receives.” St. Prosper, in book 2 On the Vocation of the Gentiles, last chapter: “In a secret most remote from human knowledge is hidden the predefinition of this election. And of no one, before his own end, can it be foretold that he will be in the glory of the elect, that a useful fear may keep a persevering humility, and he that stands may take heed lest he fall.” St. Bernard, whom in the place noted Bucer calls a man of God, and all the Lutherans in the question of justification are wont to make much of, thus speaks in sermon 1 on Septuagesima: “Who can say, I am of the elect? I am of the predestined to life? I am of the number of the elect? Certitude indeed we have not, but the confidence of hope consoles us.” The same, in epistle 107: “It is granted to have some presentiment of one’s own future beatitude, in the manner in which from eternity it lay hidden in the one justifying, to appear more fully in the one beatifying. Yet of this, the knowledge of himself in part being received, let one meanwhile glory in hope, not yet in security.”
Let us add, lastly, reasons. The first reason: nothing ought to be affirmed of those things which depend on the sole will of God, save from a manifest revelation of him. For if no one can certainly know what is in a man, save his spirit, how much more will no one be able to know what is in God, save the Spirit of God? But that predestination depends on the will of God is clear, since he hath mercy on whom he will, and whom he will he hardeneth, Romans 9. And whom he chooses, he chooses not from works, but from mercy. They will say: God revealed by his Spirit in the Scriptures that all who believe shall have eternal life. But nowhere did he reveal that all who say they believe, believe as they ought. For if it were enough to say, “I believe,” or even, “I believe rightly, and as I ought,” all heretics would be saved. The second reason: a man cannot be certain from faith whether he be worthy of hatred or love according to the present justice which he has in himself, as we showed in the preceding disputation; therefore much less can he be certain from faith whether he be worthy of hatred or love according to the eternal decree which lies hidden in God himself. For it cannot be doubted that the knowledge of present justice is easier than of eternal predestination. The third reason is taken from the utility of this secret. For, as St. Augustine writes, in the book On Rebuke and Grace, chapter 13, it is most useful for preserving humility that it be not known in this life who certainly pertains to the number of the elect. And although God could by another way too make medicine for this disease of elation, yet so it pleased that great physician, who takes not the order of healing from the sick man. The fourth reason is St. Prosper’s, in the place noted, since this was most useful also on account of the reprobate. For if it were known who are the predestined, all the rest, despairing of salvation, would care to do nothing of good at all. And so, that he that stands may take heed lest he fall, and he that, overcome by temptation, has fallen may strive to rise again, and no one distrust of the mercy of God, no one despair, it was most useful that election should be most secret.
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CAPUT XII. Ee fellitur error de certitudine Praedestinationis. Hactenus primum errorem ex illis qua- tuor, quos initio hujus libri proposuimus, expugnare conati sumus. Sequitur ut adver¬ sus secundum breviter disseramus. Secundus error eorum erat, qui non so¬ lum de praesenti gratia, atque justitia, sed etiam de praedestinatione, atque electione ad gloriam certitudinem fidei haberi conten¬ dunt. Docuit hunc errorem Martinus Buce¬ rus, in Colloquio Ralisbonensi. Nam exstat in eo Colloquio inter alios titulos, unus de firmissima aeternae salutis fiducia, et certitu¬ dine, et in eo affirmat Bucerus, non esse ve¬ rum christianum, qui non eadem fidei cer- titudiuc, credit se habiturum esse vitam aeternam, qua credit, Christum esse, ctDeum etiam esse. Idem etiam docet in lib. de Con¬ cordia, in conciliatione articuli de justifica¬ tione : Idem quoque docet Petrus Martyr, in commentar, ad cap. vm. epist. ad Roman. Eumdem errorem mordicus defendit Joannes Calvinus, in lib. m. Institution. cap. 2. ubi sicloquiturg. 16 : «Vere fidelis non est, nisi qui solida persuasione Deum sibi propitium per¬ suasus, de ejus benignitate omnia sibi polli¬ cetur, nisi qui divinae erga se benevolentiie promissionibus fretus, indubitatam salutis expectationem praesumit». Vide eumdem §. 40. et in antidoto Concilii. In eodem errore versatur Kemnitius, in Examine Concilii Tri- dentini. Reprehendit enim quod Concilium docet, sess. 6. cap. 12. neminem sine pecu¬ liari revelatione, certo statuere debere se esse ex numero praedestinatorum. Affirmat vero Kemnitius, hanc falsam esse doctrinam, et probat ex cap. vm. ad Roman. Ex verbo Dei posse ac debere omnes justificatos certo statuere de sua praedestinatione. Ceeterum hic error pugnat cum Scripturae divinae testimoniis, cum sententiis sancto¬ rum Patrum, et cum manifesta, atque aper¬ tissima ratione. Primum igitur, Apostolus Paulus ad Ro¬ man. xi. de Praedestinatione disputans, re¬ fert hoc mysterium inter altissima Dei se¬ creta, exclamans : 0 altitudo divitiarum sa¬ pientiae et scientiae Dei, quam inscrutabilia sunt judicia ejus, et investigabiles vix ejus i Et, quis novit sensum Domini, aut quis consi¬ liarius ejus fuit (2)? Et quamvis haec altitudo secreti praecipue respiciat causam, cur Deus unum eligat, alterum non eligat, tamen in¬ dicat etiam non posse sciri sine revelatione, quem Deus elegerit, et quem non elegerit. (1) Rom. V, 3; II Cor. VII, 4; ibid. VIII, 2; Jacob, I, 2;Psal. IV,2;ib. XCill, <9. -.(->) Rom. X!, 33 CAPUT XII. 281 Nam ex hoc ipso, quod ignoramus, quid mo¬ veat Deum, ut hunc potius quam illum eli¬ gat, et in ejus voluntatem rem totam referre cogimur, intelligimus non posse alia via co¬ gnosci, quem eligere, et quem non eligere voluerit, nisi per revelationem specialem, qua suam ipse voluntatem alicui manifestare dignetur. Secundo, Scriptura hortatur omnes fideles ad timorem, cum ait Roman. xi. Tu autem fide stas , noli altum sapere, sed time , ne forte et tibi non parcat. Et I Gorinth. x. Qui stat videat ne cadat. Et Philip, n. Cum timore, et tremore salutem vestram operamini. Et Ap.o- cal. iii. Tene, quod habes, ne forte alius acci¬ piat coronam tuam. Et in epist. n.-idem Joannes : Videte , inquit, ne perdatis , qux operati estis. Et in Psal. ii : Servite Domino in timore et exaltate ei cum tremore. Apprehen¬ dite disciplinam , n: quando irascatur Domi¬ nus, et pereatis de via justa (1). Ad haec et similia respondent Calvinus et Kemnitius, ha;c dici ad excutiendum torpo¬ rem et carnalem securitatem, quai homines in operibus bonis negligentes faciunt, non quod revera periculum sit, ne veri fideles excidant a salute. At verum quidem est, nullum osse periculum, ne praedestinati sa¬ lutem aeternam perdant, et terrores illos a Spiritu-Sancto, per Scripturas sanctas adhi¬ beri, ut electi ad sollicitudinem et diligen¬ tiam excitentur, sed haec omnia locum ha¬ bent in iis, qui praedestinationem suam igno¬ rant, non in iis, qui de illa certissimi sunt. Nam qui certo persuasi sunt, se omnino sal¬ vandos, non possunt timere, ne excidant a salute, immo nec debent timere, si- id certo credunt certitudine fidei, quomodo credunt Christum esse Deum, nam isto suo timore injuriam fidei facerent. Proinde si vera esset responsio haeretico- rum, Spiritus-Sanctus hortaretur electos ad infidelitatem cum hortatur ad timorem amit¬ tendae salutis : Quemadmodum enim si quis admoneret fidelem ut timeret, ne forte non sit verum, Christum esse Deum, ad impieta¬ tem sine dubio eum impellere videretur. Ita prorsus Spiritus-Sanctus (quod blasphemum est cogitare) ad impietatem provocaret ele¬ ctos, dum hortatur ut timeant, ne forte cx- cindantur, ne pereant de via justa, ne amit¬ tant coronam suam. Igitur qui timere jube¬ mur, non debemus, nec possumus certo credere certitudine fidei, nos esse de numero salvandorum. Tertio, Scriptura disertis verbis docet, sa¬ lutem pendere aconditione operum, Matth.v. Nisi abundaverit, justitia vestra plus quam Scribarum et Pharisxorum , non intrabitis in regnum coelorum. Matth. xix. Si vis ad vitam ingredi , serva mandata Rom. vm. Quod si filii et haeredes , si tamen compatimur , ut et conglorificemur. II. Timot. n. Si commortui sumus, et convivemus. Et ibidem : Non coro¬ nabitur, nisi qui legitime certaverit (2). At concedunt adversarii nullam esse posse cer¬ titudinem salutis, si ea pendeat a conditione operum, unde igitur tam confidenter affirmant se de salute et vita aeterna esse certissimos ? Respondebunt fortasse, haec omnia se ha¬ bere non in se, sed in Christo, cujus facti sunt membra per fidem. Sic enim jubet Cal¬ vinus, ut fidelis non respiciat se et opera sua, sed respiciat Christum, non ut extra se posi¬ tum, sed ut in se manentem, et omnia bona sua communicantem. Sed haec responsio non est solida. Nam Christus ipse requirit a mem¬ bris suis, ut ipsa etiam bene operentur, et tamquam vitis requirit, ut palmites fructum ferant. Alioqui excisionem minatur : Ego sum vitis vera (inquit Joan. xv.) et Pater meus agricola est. Omnem palmitem in me non ferentem fructum, tollet eum. Et infra : Si quis in me non manserit, mittetur foras sicut palmes, et arescet, et colligent eum, et in ignem mittent, et ardet (3). Non igitur sufficit ad salutem insertum esse in vitem Christum, nisi quis ut palmes fructum bonorum operum pariat. Deinde, cum Dominus ait : Nisi abun¬ daverit justitia vestra etc. Et : Si vis ad vitam ingredi etc. Non significat ut membra justi¬ tiam capitis sibi arrogent, sed ut ipsa quoque operentur, et justitiam faciant, ut perspi¬ cuum est ex sequentibus, ubi ait Matth. v. Ego autem dico vobis, diligite inimicos ve¬ stros etc. Et Matth. xix. Si vis perfectus esse, vende omnia quee habes, et habebis thesaurum in coelo (4). Respondere solent, opera quidem requiri, sed non ut conditionem, a qua pendeat pro¬ missio vitae aeternae, sed quia fides vera non est nisi sit viva, et fructificet opera bona, nam peccata, id est, opera carnis excutiunt fidem, et effundunt Spiritum-Sanctum. At (1) Rom. X!, 20;I Cor. X, 12; Phil. 11,12; Ap. III, 11; II Joan. 8; Psal. 11,11 .— (2j Mat.V, 20;ib.XIX, 17: Rom. VIII, 17; II Tim. II, 1 1 ; ibid. 5. - (3) Joan. XV, I, 6. — (4; Matth V, 14; ibid. XIX, 21. Tom. YI. i0 i 282 LIBER III. non laboramus hoc loco cur sini opera ne¬ cessaria, sed contenti sumus, si detur nobis, ea necessario exigi, et sine illis non obtineri vitam seternam. Hinc enim evidenter con¬ cludimus, sine divina revelatione neminem certo statuere posse, se esse de numero ele¬ ctorum, cum nemo, ipsis etiam adversariis tes¬ tibus, certo statuere possit, se facturum om¬ nia illa bona opera, quse Christus fieri jubet. Quarto, Scriptura testatur, multos ad tem¬ pus credere, et postea circa fidem naufragare et perire, ut patet Luc. 8. de semine quod cecidit super petram, quod exponit Dominus de iis, qui ad tempus credunt, et in tempore tentationis recedunt. Et I Timoth. iv. Spi¬ ritus manifeste dicit , quia in novissimis diebus discedent quidam a fide. Et cap. 6. Quam qui¬ dam appetentes erraverunt a fde (i). Qui au¬ tem a gratia et fide exciderunt, nullam cer¬ titudinem habent sua3 restitutionis in gra¬ tiam, immo Scriptura dicit, hoc plane esse incertum, cum ait II ad Tim. ii. Ne forte det illis Deus poenitentiam et resipiscant. Et Joelis ii. Quis scit si convertatur et ignoscat Deus (2) ? At si multi credentes a veritate postea aber¬ rant, et reprobi fiunt, igitur non erant illi certi ex fide se perseveraturos, alioqui falsa fuisset eorum fides. Non potest autem certi¬ tudo praedestinationis haberi sine certitu¬ dine perse verantise, cum perseverantia sit effectus maxime proprius praedestinationis, et sine perseverantia non possit impleri prae¬ destinatio, igitur neque de praedestinatione homines illi certi fuerunt ex fide. Ac per hoc falsum est, omnes fideles certos esse certitu. dine fidei de sua praedestinatione. Ad hoc argumentum utcumque respon¬ dere potest Calvinus, quippe qui negat ha¬ buisse veram fidem illos qui non perseve¬ rant. Quem errorem paulo post refellemus. Kemnitius vero nihil omnino respondere potest. Ipse enim aperte fatetur, posse fide¬ les excidere a gratia, et non perseverare, et tamen audacter affirmat debere eos, qui fi¬ dem habent certo statuere se esse praidesti- natos. Quae quam male inter se cohaereant, nemo non videt. Nam si omnes debent ex fide certo statuere se esse praedestinatos, et tamen possunt non perseverare, et per hoc non salvari, igitur vel potest falli praedesti¬ natio Dei, vel potest homo ex fide certo cre¬ dere id, quod est incertum, et quod fieri potest ut sit falsum. Respondet Kemnitius, fidem semper esse veram ; quia quod aliqui non perseverent, non fit ex eo quod Deus nolit conservare eos usque in finem, sed quia ipsi per opera car¬ nis fidem excutiunt. At inepta solutio est. Hoc ciiim est quod nos urgemus, non pogse ullum ex fide certum esse, se ad numerum electorum pertinere, quia potest fieri, ut ex¬ cutiat fidem, et tandem sit reprobus. Nam cum vera fides possit esse in eo, qui re vera coram Deo reprobus est, cum praesciatur non perseveraturus, evidenter sequitur, ut vel fides non doceat eum esse de numero electo¬ rum, vel fi-des sit falsa; quomodo enim re¬ probus credere potest ex fide vera se non esse reprobum, sed electum? Ad haec testimonia Scripturae addi possunt etiam testimonia Patrum. S. Joannes Chry- sostomus hum. 11. in epist. ad Philip. « Si Paulus, inquit, qui tanta passus est, nondum de resurrectione illa securus fuit, quid sane nos dicemus ? S. Hieronymus lib. ii. adversus Pelagia- nos :« Ne beatum, inquit, dixeris quempiam ante mortem, quamdiu enim vivimus, in certamine sumus ; quamdiu in certamine, nulla est certa victoria. S. Augustinus lib. xi. de Civ. Dei cap. 12. r Licet, inquit, sancti de suae perseverantiae praemio certi sint, de ipsa tamen perseve¬ rantia sua reperiuntur incerti. Quis enim ho¬ minum se in actione, profectuque justitiae perseveraturum usque in finem sciat, nisi aliqua revelatione ab illo fiat certus, qui de hac re justo, latentique judicio non omnes instruit, sed neminem fallit? » Martinus Bucerus in lib. de concordia, sub finem conciliationis articuli de justificatione, hunc unum locum sibi ipsi objecit, et duas adhibuit responsiones, sive malis dicere ter¬ giversationes. Primo dicit, Sanctos ex se non posse certo statuere, an sint persevera¬ turi ; tamen quia vocati sunt ad sempiter¬ num Christi consortium, ex fide debere om¬ nino certos esse, se usque in finem perseve¬ raturos. Secundo dicit, Augustinum loqui de certitudine scientia), non de certitudine fi¬ dei. At si Sancti ex se statuere debeant, id est, ex viribus natura; sua;, certo statuere debent, se non perseveraturos. Quo modo enim sine Dei gratia perseverarent? Itaque si ex se statuere debent, non sunt incerti, ut Augustinus dicit, sed plane certi. (1) 1 Tim. IV, I ; ibid. VI, 10. - (2) II Tim. 11,20; Joel. II, 14. CAPUT XII. 283 Dicet ibrtasse Bucerus, illud « (ex se) » non debere ad vires perseverandi referri, sed ad cognitionem, ut sensus sit, Sanctos non posse statuere certo se perseveraturos ex lumine solius rationis, sed ex lumine fidei omnino posse. At contra, nam de praemio perseverantiae non sunt certi ex se, id est, ex lumine solius rationis, sed ex lumine fidei : et tamen Augustinus scribit, de praemio per¬ severantiae Sanctos esse certos, de ipsa per¬ severantia incertos. Praeterea si certi essent Sancti ex lumine fidei de sua perseverantia, omnes, qui fide praediti sunt, hanc certitudi¬ nem haberent ; At Augustinus dicit, non om¬ nes Sanctos, id est, non omnes qui fidem habent, esse de hac re certos, sed illos tan¬ tum, quibus Deus per specialem revelatio¬ nem id manifestare dignatur. Yult igitur Au¬ gustinus non solum ex se, sed etiam ex fide, et non solum certitudine scientiae, sed etiam certitudine fidei Sanctos de sua perseveran¬ tia esse incertos. Sed ut omnem tergiversandi occasionem Bucero auferamus, addamus alia duo loca in lib. de correptione et gratia cap. 13. « Quis, inquit, ex multitudine fidelium, quamdiu in hac mortalitate vivitur, in nu¬ mero praedestinatorum se esse praesumnt » ? Item in lib. de bono perseverantiae cap. xm. « Ad quam vocationem » (secundum propo¬ situm, quae propria est electorum) '« pertinere nullus est homo ab hominibus certa asseve¬ ratione dicendus, nisi cum de hoc saeculo exierit. In hac autem vita humana, quae ten- tatio est super terram, qui videtur stare, vi¬ deat ne cadat » . S. Gregorius lib. vi. in 1. Iteg. « Quia ju¬ dicium, inquit, omnipotentis Dei imperscru- tabile est, unde veniat, et quo vadat homo nescit, quia sciri non potest, an quis in gra¬ tia, quam recipit, perseverare in perpetuum debeat » . S. Prosper, in lib. ii. de vocatione gen¬ tium cap. ult. (i In remotissimo, inquit, ab humana cognitione secreto praefinitio hujus electionis abscondita est. Et de nullo ante ipsius finem praenunciari potest, quod in ele¬ ctorum gloria sit futurus, ut perseverantem humilitatem utilis metus servet, et qui stat videat ne cadat » . S. Bernardus, quem virum Dei loco citato Bueerus appellat, et Lutherani omnes in quaestione de Justificatione magnifacere so¬ lent, sic loquitur in sermon. 1. de Septuage¬ sima : « Quis potest dicere, ego de electis sum? ego de praedestinatis ad vitam? ego de numero electorum ? certitudinem utique non habemus, sed spei fiducia consolatur nos ». Idem in epist. 107. « Datur, inquit, aliquid praesentire de sua ipsius futura beatitudinc, quemadmodum ab aeterno latuit in justifi¬ cante plenius appariturum in beatificante. De qua tamen jam percepta suimet ex parte notitia, interim quidem glorietur in spe, non¬ dum tamen in securitate » . Addamus ultimo rationes. Prima ratio : nihil affirmari debet de his, quee pendent ex sola Dei voluntate, nisi ex manifesta revela¬ tione ipsius : si enim nemo certo scire po¬ test, quid sit in homine, nisi spiritus ejus, quanto magis nemo scire poterit quid sit in Deo, nisi Spiritus Dei? Pendere autem prae¬ destinationem ex Dei voluntate, perspicuum est, quia cujus vult miseretur , et quem vult indurat. Ilorn. ix. (1). Et quos eligit non ex operibus, sed ex misericordia eligit. Dicent, revelavit Deus per Spiritum suum in Scri¬ pturis, omnes qui credunt, habituros esse vitam aeternam. At nusquam revelavit om¬ nes qui dicunt se credere, eos credere sicut oportet. Nam si satis esset dicere, ego credo, vel etiam, ego recte credo, et sicut oportet, credo, omnes haeretici salvarentur. Secunda ratio. Non potest homo certus esse ex fide, an sit dignus odio vel amore se¬ cundum praesentem justitiam, quam in se habet, ut ostendimus in disputatione praece¬ denti, igitur multo minus ex fide certus esse potest, an sit dignus odio vel amore secun¬ dum aeternum decretum, quod in ipso Deo latet. Neque enim dubitari potest, quin faci¬ lior sit notitia praesentis justitiae, quam aeter¬ nae praedestinationis. Tertia ratio sumitur ab utilitate hujus se¬ creti. Nam ut scribit S. Augustinus, in lib. de corrept. et gratia cap. 13. utilissimum est ad humilitatem conservandam, ut non scia¬ tur in hac vita, quis ad numerum electorum certo pertineat. Et quamvis posset Deus alia etiam ratione huic elationis morbo medici¬ nam facere : tamen sic placuit magno illi medico, qui ordinem sanandi non accipit ab £egi'oto. Quarta ratio est S. Prosperi loco notato, quoniam id etiam utilissimum fuit propter reprobos. Nam si scirentur qui sint prtede- (1) Rom. IX, 18. 284 LIBER III. i stinati, reliqui omnes desperantes da salute nihil omnino boni peragere curarent. Itaque ut qui stat, videat ne cadat, et qui victus tentatione cecidit, resurgere conetur, et ne¬ mo de Dei miseratione diffidat, nemo despe¬ ret, utilissimum fuit, ut secretissima esset eleetio.