Bellarmine · De Controversiis · On Justification · Book III: On the Uncertainty, Mutability, and Inequality of Justice
Chapter 14: That faith and justice are not the property of the elect, and once had can be lost
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).
I come to the third error, which is proper to Calvin, who teaches, book 3 of the Institutes, chapter 2, section 11, that faith and justice are proper to the elect, and, once truly received, cannot by any reason be lost; and that those who seem to lose it never truly had it. “The elect alone,” he says, “God regenerates for ever with incorruptible seed, so that the seed of life ingrafted in their hearts never perishes.” And below, section 12: “This meanwhile is to be held: although faith be small and weak in the elect, yet because the Spirit of God is to them a sure earnest, and a seal of their adoption, its sculpture can never be blotted out of their hearts.” And in the same place he affirms that very many are deceived who think that they have faith, when they have nothing but the shadow and simulacrum of faith. Against Calvin are not only the Catholics, but also very many of the Lutherans, and Peter Martyr himself, in the commentary on chapter 8 to the Romans, and Chemnitz in the Examination of the Council. Although these two last, though they openly teach that a just man can sometimes fall, yet seem to hold that it cannot be that he does not return to faith before death. Certainly that error about the faith of predestination compels them to believe that no believer can be reprobate, unless they would most openly fight with themselves. For how would they say that all the faithful are certain from faith of their own predestination, if they believed that some of the faithful can perish eternally? And so this alone seems to be the difference between Calvin and them: that Calvin says faith is not only not except in the elect, but adds also that in the elect it is plainly immovable; but they, convicted by arguments, confess that faith can be lost for a time, yet not so that it does not return before death. Both errors can be refuted by the testimonies and examples of divine Scripture, by Ecclesiastical definition, and by reason.
As regards the testimonies of Scripture, they are so many and so clear that it is a wonder how such an error could fall into the minds of men. Ezechiel 18: When the just man turneth himself away from his justice, and doth iniquity, he shall die in it. What clearer? How, I ask, is the just man turned away from justice, if he is justified by faith alone, and faith once conceived cannot be extinguished? But let us come to the Gospel. Luke 8: Now that upon the rock are they who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no roots, but believe for a while, and in the time of temptation fall away. These certainly receive the seed of the word of God with joy, and believe; nor is faith lacking to them, but perseverance in faith. John 15: Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he will take it away. But he cannot be a branch who has not at some time lived in the vine; for branches are not ingrafted from elsewhere, but are born of the vine, and are born not dead, but living. So, then, the faithful are reborn in Christ, and when they are reborn, they are not dead, but living; and yet if, after they are reborn, they refuse to bear the fruit of good works, they wither, are cut off, and perish. By which not only Calvin, but also Martyr and Chemnitz are refuted. For the Lord not only says that the withering branch is to be separated from the vine, but adds: and they shall gather him up, and cast him into the fire, and he burneth. Therefore he who was at some time a branch in the vine — that is, a member in the body of Christ through living faith — can be cast into the eternal fire, to burn for ever. Matthew 24: And because iniquity shall abound, the charity of many shall grow cold. But he that shall persevere unto the end, he shall be saved. From this place we understand that not all the just persevere, and thereby that not all the just are saved. For that, “the charity shall grow cold,” plainly signifies the extinction of charity; otherwise it would not be opposed to persevering unto the end. 1 Corinthians 9: I chastise my body, and bring it into subjection, lest perhaps, when I have preached to others, I myself should become a reprobate. But the Calvinists with reason do not chastise their body, and have bidden farewell to the works of penance, because they are certain, with the certitude of faith, that they can by no reason become reprobate. Galatians 5: You are made void of Christ, you who are justified in the law; you are fallen from grace. How could they be made void of Christ, and fall from grace, if they had never truly been in Christ and in grace? 1 Timothy 1: Some concerning faith have made shipwreck. 1 Timothy 4: In the last times some shall depart from the faith. 1 Timothy 6: Which some coveting have erred from the faith. Hebrews 6: It is impossible for those who were once illuminated, have tasted also the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, have moreover tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come, and are fallen away, to be renewed again to penance, etc. What can here be said? Had they not true faith, who departed from faith? And how made they shipwreck who were never in a ship? Were they not truly justified, who, illuminated, had tasted the heavenly gift, and been made partakers of the Holy Ghost? And yet they fell away. And see how much difference there is between the sentence of Paul the Apostle and of Peter the pseudo-martyr: the latter says that those who have fallen away are most certainly to be renewed to penance; the former says that it is impossible — that is, most difficult and most rare — that they be renewed. For as the same Apostle says, chapter 10: If we sin wilfully after having received the knowledge of the truth, there is now left no sacrifice for sins, but a certain dreadful expectation of judgment, and the rage of a fire which shall consume the adversaries. 2 Peter 2: It had been better for them not to have known the way of justice than, after they have known it, to turn back from that holy commandment which was delivered to them. For that of the true proverb has happened to them: The dog is returned to his vomit, and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire. Could a true falling-away be more clearly explained? For he who returns to his vomit certainly had before vomited, and by vomiting purged his breast; and the washed sow would not be said to return to the wallowing in the mire, unless she had before gone out of it, and been truly washed.
Let us now come to the examples of those who, the Holy Spirit reporting it, lost faith or charity. And to begin from on high. First, the evil Angels, who, Scripture witnessing, sinned, and of Angels merited to become devils, certainly before they sinned had been just, as the holy Fathers gather from Isaias 14 and Ezechiel 28. Second, our first parents, made to the image and likeness of God, were adorned with faith and grace, even by the adversaries’ witness; and yet that they most grievously fell the adversaries cannot deny. Third, King Saul at the beginning was good and just, and yet not only sinned, but is even believed to be reprobate and damned. For this Scripture insinuates, 1 Kings 15 and 16; and Augustine openly asserts it, book 2 to Simplicianus, question 1; and before him Cyprian, book 1, epistle 5. Calvin indeed denies that Saul was ever truly just. But hear what the Holy Spirit says, in 1 Kings, chapter 9: Saul was a choice and goodly man, and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he; from his shoulders and upward he was higher than all the people. Here plainly is described a man excelling in soul and body; and since there was none among the children of Israel goodlier than he, if this man was not truly just, no one then would have been truly just in the whole people of God. Which it is certain to be false, since Samuel was still living, and many with him, prophets and sons of prophets. Fourth, King David by the consent of all was just, since God said of him: I have found David, a man according to my own heart, Acts 13. And yet who can deny that he truly fell from grace and justice, and, according to the adversaries who justify by faith alone, from faith? For the greatness of his sin the greatness of his penance testifies, by which he washed his bed every night, and watered his couch with his tears, Psalm 6. Fifth, Solomon was at some time truly just, and singularly loved by God. For 2 Kings 7 God says of him: I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. And chapter 12: He called his name Solomon, and the Lord loved him; and he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet, and called his name Amiable to the Lord, because the Lord loved him. Finally he was the son of David, a holy man; therefore, according to the doctrine of Calvin and Peter Martyr, he too was holy. But that this man in his old age fell from grace and justice Scripture testifies, which relates that he even most foully worshiped the idols of all his concubines. That he was plainly reprobate and damned St. Cyprian indicates, book 1, epistle 5; and after him St. Augustine, in book 22 against Faustus, chapter 88, in these words: “What shall I say of Solomon? Whom holy Scripture vehemently accuses and condemns, and mentions nothing at all of his penance, or of God’s indulgence toward him?” Sixth, St. Peter without doubt was just, when it was said to him by the Lord, Matthew 16, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona; and John 13, He that is washed needeth not but to wash his feet, but is clean wholly. And yet he sinned by denying Christ, and confirming the denial by perjury. But St. Augustine teaches, tractate 66 on John, that that sin of St. Peter was deadly, and reprehends the defenders of the Apostle, who dare to excuse the sin whose greatness he himself showed by most bitter weeping. Seventh, Simon Magus, converted by Philip, believed, and being baptized followed Philip, as Luke writes, Acts 8; and yet, made a heresiarch, he perished miserably. Calvin indeed says that he did not truly believe, but feigned faith. But we rather believe St. Luke, who says that he believed, and says this where he says that many others believed who remained in the faith; nor does he by any word indicate a simulation of Simon. Eighth, Judas the traitor, even if he were alone, would by his example stop all mouths. For that Judas was at some time just St. Jerome proves, in book 3 against the Pelagians, from those words of the Lord, John 17: Father, those whom thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost but the son of perdition. For if the Father gave him to the Son, certainly he was good; and if he perished from the flock, certainly before he perished he was numbered in the flock of Christ. But it is agreed that Judas was reprobate and damned, both from this place, where he is called the son of perdition, and from chapter 26 of Matthew, where the Lord says of Judas: It were better for that man if he had not been born. We have, then, eight examples, of which three — of Adam, David, and Peter — demonstrate that justice can both be lost and recovered; the other five — of Satan, Saul, Solomon, Simon, and Judas — indicate that some truly just can so fall from justice as to be believed, not without reason, to be numbered among the reprobate. And accordingly that justice is not always proper to the elect, but sometimes common with the reprobate.
To these testimonies and examples of divine Scripture can be added tradition and Ecclesiastical definition. For this very error the Church once condemned in Jovinian. For St. Jerome, book 2 against Jovinian, and St. Augustine, heresy 82, testify that one of his errors was that the just after baptism cannot sin; and if perhaps they sin, they had indeed been washed with water, but had by no means received the Spirit of grace. And so the error of Calvin was already, twelve hundred years ago, judged and condemned in Jovinian. Besides this public testimony of antiquity, in express words the same St. Augustine testifies, in the book On Rebuke and Grace, chapter 13: “It is to be believed that certain of the sons of perdition, not having received the gift of persevering unto the end, begin to live in the faith which works through love, and for some while live faithfully and justly, and afterward fall, and are not taken from this life before it happens to them.” And St. Gregory, book 34 of the Morals, chapter 32: “Who understands how one, brought forth from the womb of Mother Catholic, is at the term of his life swallowed by the whirlpool of error; but another consummates his life in Catholic piety, who, born in perfidy, had with his mother’s milk drunk in the poison of error?”
Let there be added, lastly, reasons. The first reason: faith which, according to the sentence of Calvin, immovably cleaves in the heart of a man once justified, is without doubt not an act, but a habit; for the act is not always in the heart of a justified man, as experience testifies; but a habit does not of necessity hinder a contrary act, as is clear from the nature and reason of all other habits, which incline to their act, but do not compel. He, then, who has the habit of faith will be able to do an act of infidelity. But according to the Scriptures, he who does an act of infidelity loses also the habit; for he is made simply an infidel and an enemy of God, and guilty of eternal death; and by the doctrine of the adversaries, by every sin justifying faith is shaken off, and the Holy Spirit is poured out of the heart. They will say, perhaps, that it is not of the nature of faith that it cleave immovably, but of the assistance and providence of God, who does not permit men once truly justified to fall into sin. But if it were so, why would they themselves say that all the works of the just are mortal sins? And where is that promise of God, that he will not permit the just to fall into sin? Does not Scripture teach the contrary in express words, when it says, When the just man turneth himself away from his justice, Ezechiel 18; and, If we deny him, he also will deny us, 2 Timothy 2; and the others which we cited above? The second reason: all infants through Baptism are truly justified, and receive faith, even by the testimony of the Lutherans; nay, even without Baptism, according to the opinion of Calvin, Peter Martyr, and Bucer, the children of the faithful are born holy. But who would believe that all the children of the faithful, or certainly all who in infancy are baptized, are predestined, and cannot sin according to Calvin, or cannot be damned according to Bucer and Martyr? Do we not see many baptized in infancy sin most grievously when they have grown up? Add that, if the paradox of these men were true, all Catholics who in infancy were baptized would be predestined to life, and could not perish; whom yet these men hold for members of Antichrist and infidels. The third reason: if faith cannot be lost, whence are there so many heretics in the world? For this is the difference between pagans and heretics, that the pagans never had faith, the heretics had and lost it. From your own selves (says the Apostle, Acts 20) shall arise men speaking perverse things. And 2 Timothy 2: Hymeneus and Philetus have erred from the truth. And Titus 3: A heretic avoid, knowing that he is subverted, etc. The fourth reason: if the just cannot sin, to what end so many admonitions and exhortations of the Apostles and Prophets, and of all the following Doctors of the Church, to the people of God, that they fear, that they beware, that they be solicitous? To what end did the Lord himself bid his Apostles and the whole Church pray: Forgive us our debts, lead us not into temptation, and deliver us from evil? To what end is the penance, absolution, and reconciliation of the lapsed defended against the Novatians, if the just cannot sin? The fifth reason: this opinion of Calvin, in part also of Bucer, Martyr, and Chemnitz, not only brings no certitude, but plainly induces despair; and accordingly is not only contrary to the true doctrine of the Catholics, but also to the very purpose and design of the heretics, who boast nothing more often than that they bring solid consolation to the consciences of men from the certitude of justification. For if present grace and true justification cannot be, unless one be certain of perseverance, so that he either certainly know that he will never fall, or that he will return to penance, how can it be that any of sound brain certainly hope that he is truly just, since of future events he can promise himself nothing certain but rashly? And since he sees himself and others daily fall into various sins, even against conscience? Boast not for tomorrow (says the Wise Man, Proverbs 27), for thou knowest not what the day to come may bring forth. And Ecclesiasticus 11: Praise not any man before death. And St. James, chapter 4: You know not what shall be on the morrow.
Show the Latin (Vives edition, OCR)
CAPUT XIV. Fidem , ac justitiam non esse propriam electo¬ rum , et semel habitam amitti posse. Venio ad errorem tertium, qui proprius est Calvini, qui docet in lib. 3. Instit. cap. 2. §. 41. Fidem et justitiam propriam esse electorum, et semel vere acceptam, non posse ulla ratione amitti, et qui eam viden¬ tur amittere, numquam vere habuisse. « So¬ los, inquit, electos semine incorruptibili Deus in perpetuum regenerat, ut numquam dispereat semen vitae in eorum cordibus in¬ situm». Et infra § 12. «Hoc, inquit, inte- rim tenendum est, quamvis exigua sit, ac debilis in electis fides ; quia tamen spiritus Dei certa illis arrha est, hac sigillum suae a- doptionis, numquam ex eorum cordibus de¬ leri posse ej,us sculpturam ». Et ibidem' af¬ firmat, plurimos decipi, qui fidem se habere putant, cum nihil habeant, nisi fidei umbram et simulacrum. Repugnant Calvino non solum Catholici, •sed etiam plerique Lutheranorum, et ipse etiam Petrus Martyr in comment. ad cap. 8. ad Rom. et Kemnitius in Examin. Concilii. Quamvis hi duo postremi etsi aperte doce¬ ant, posse justum interdum labi : tamen sentire videntur non posse fieri, quin ante mortem redeat ad fidem. Certe cogit error ille de fide praedestinationis, ut credant, nullum fidelem esse posse reprobum, nisi secum ipsi apertissime pugnare velint. Quo¬ modo enim ex fide certos esse dicerent om¬ nes fideles de sua praedestinatione, si cre¬ derent, fideles aliquos in aeternum posse perire ? Itaque hoc solum inter Calvinum et ipsos interesse videtur, quod Calvinus dicat, fi¬ dem non solum non esse nisi in electis, sed etiam addat, in electis esse plane immobili¬ ter : ipsi vero convicti argumentis fatean¬ tur, posse fidem ad tempus amitti, non ta¬ men ita, ut ante mortem non redeat. Refelli potest uterque error testimoniis et exemplis divinae Scripturae, definitione Ecclesiastica et ratione. Quod attinet ad Scripturae testimonia, tam multa et tam perspicua sunt, ut mirum sit, potuisse in mentes hominum ejusmodi er¬ rorem cadere. Ezechiel. xvm. Cum averterit se justus a justitia sua, et fecerit iniquitatem morietur in illa (1). Quid clarius ? Quomodo, quaeso, avertitur justus a justitia, si fide sola justificatur, et fides semel concepta extingui non potest ? Sed veniamus ad Evangelium. Luc. vili. Nam quod super petram ; qui cum gaudio su¬ scipiunt verbum , et hi radices non habent , sed ad tempus credunt , et in tempore tentationis recedunt (2). Isti certe suscipiunt semen verbi Dei cum gaudio, et credunt : neque deest illis fides, sed perseverantia in fide. Joannis xv. Omnem palmitem in me non ferentem fructum , tollet eum (3). At palmes esso non potest, qui aliquando non vixerit in vite ; non enim palmites aliunde inseruntur, sed nascuntur ex vite et non mortui, sed vivi nascuntur. Sic igitur fideles renascun¬ tur in Christo, et cum renascuntur, non mortui sunt, sed vivi : et tamen si postquam renati sunt, fructum bonorum operum ferre recusent, arescunt, praeciduntur et pereunt. Ex quo non solum Calvinus, sed etiam Mar¬ tyr et Kemnitius refutantur. Dominus enim non solum dicit, palmitem arescentem, se¬ parandum a vite, sed addit: et colligent eum , et in ignem mittent , et ardet. Potest igitur, qui aliquando palmes in vite, id est, mem¬ brum in corpore Christi per fidem vivam fuit, mitti in ignem aeternum, ut semper ar- deat. Matthaei 24. Et quoniam abundabit iniqui¬ tas refrigescet charitas multorum. Qui autem perseveraverit usque in finem , hic salvus erit (4). Ex hoc loco intelligimus, non omnes (I) Ezech. XVIII, 24.,— (2) Luc. VIII, — (3) Joan. XV, 2. — (4) Matth. XXIV, 12. CAPUT XIV. 287 justos perseverare, ac per hoc non omnes justos salvari. Illud eniin «(refrigescet cha- ritas) extinctioncm plane significat charita- tis, alioqui non opponeretur perseveranti se usque in finem. I ad Corinth. ix. Castigo corpus meum , et in servitutem redigo , ne forte cum aliis prae¬ dicaverim, ipse reprobus efficiar (i). At Cal- vinistse merito non castigant corpus suum, ct operibus poenitentiae valedixerunt, quia certi sunt certitudine fidei, se reprobos fieri nulla ratione posse. Galat. v. Evacuati estis a Christo , qui in lege justificamini , a gratia excidistis (2). Quomodo possent evacuari a Christo, et a gratia excidere, si in Christo et in gratia vere numquam fuissent ? I ad Timoth. i. Quidam circa fidem nau¬ fragaverunt I ad Timoth. iv (3). In novissi¬ mis diebus discedent quidam a fide. I ad Ti¬ moth. vi. Quam quidam appetentes errave¬ runt a fide. Hebr. vi. Impossibile est eos, qui semel sunt illuminati, gustaverunt etiam do¬ num coeleste , et participes facti sunt Spiritus- Sancti : gustaverunt nihilominus bonum Dei verbum, virtutesque sceculi venturi, et prolapsi sunt, renovari iterum ad poenitentiam etc. (3). Quid hic dici potest ? Non habuerunt veram fidem, qui discesserunt a fide ? Et quomodo naufragaverunt qui in navi numquam fue¬ runt ? Non vere justificati fuerant, qui illu¬ minati gustaverant donum coeleste, et parti¬ cipes facti erant Spiritus-Sancti ? et tamen prolapsi sunt. Et vide quantum intersit, inter sententiam Pauli Apostoli, et Petri pseudomartyris ; iste dicit, certissime renovandos ad poenitentiam qui prolapsi sunt; ille dicit, impossibile, hoc est, difficillimum et rarissimum esse, ut re¬ noventur. Nam ut idem ait cap. 10. Volun¬ tarie peccantibus nobis post acceptam noti¬ tiam veritatis, jam non relinquitur hostia pro peccato : terribilis autem quaedam expectatio judicii et ignis aemulatio , quae consumptura est adversarios. II Petri n, Melius erat illis non agnovisse viam justitiae, quam post agni¬ tionem retrorsum converti ab eo, quod illis traditum est sancto mandato. Contigit enim illis illud veri proverbii : Canis reversus ad suum vomitum, *jet sus lota in volutabro luti[ 4). Poterat ne clarius explicari vera prolapsio ? Nam qui revertitur ad suum vomitum, certe antea vomuerat, et vomendo pectus purga¬ verat; et sus lota non diceretur reverti ad volutabrum luti, nisi de illo antea exivisset et lota vere fuisset. Veniamus nunc ad exempla eorum, qui Spiritu -Sancto referente, fidem vel charitatem amiserunt. Atque ut alte incipiamus. Primo, Angeli mali, qui Scriptura teste peccaverunt, et ex Angelis diaboli fieri meruerunt, certe antequam peccarent justi fuerant, ut colli¬ gunt sancti Patres, ex cap. 1-4 Isaiae, et 28. Ezechiel. Secundo, primi nostri parentes ad imagi¬ nem et similitudinem Dei conditi fide et gra¬ tia ornati erant, etiam adversariis testibus, et tamen eos gravissime lapsos esse, adver¬ sarii negare non possunt. Tertio, Saul rex initio bonus et justus erat, et tamen non solum peccavit, sed etiam re¬ probus et damnatus creditur. Id enim insi¬ nuat Scriptura , I Regum xv et xvi. Et aperte asserit Augustinus lib. ii. ad Sirnpli- cian. qusest. 1. Et ante eum Cyprianus lib. 1. epist. 5. Negat quidem Calvinus Sau- lem fuisse unquam vere justum. Sed audi, quid Spirius-Sanctus dicat, in I lib. Reg. cap. ix. Erat Saul electus et bonus, et non erat vir de filiis Israel melior illo, ab humero et sursum eminebat super omnem populum (5). Hic plane describitur vir animo et corpore praestans : et cum nemo esset in filiis Israel melior illo, si non erat hic vere justus, nul¬ lus tunc fuisset in universo populo Dei vere justus. Quod falsum esse certum est, cum adhuc viveret Samuel, et multi cum eo Pro¬ phetae et Prophetarum filii. Quarto, David rex omnium consensu ju¬ stus fuit, cum de eo diceret Deus : Inveni Da¬ vid virum secundum cor meum, Actor xm. (6) Et tamen quis negare potest, eum vere a gratia et justitia, et, secundum adversarios, qui sola fide justificant, a fide excidisse? Magnitudinem enim peccati ejus testatur poenitentiae magnitudo, qua lavabat per sin¬ gulas noctes lectum suum, et lacrymis suis stratum suum rigabat Psal. vi. Quinto, Salomon fuit aliquando vere ju¬ stus, et a Deo singulariter dilectus. Nam II Reg. vii. dicit de eo Deus : Ego ero illi in patrem, et ipse erit mihi in filium. Et cap. xli: Vocavit nomen ejus Salomon, et Dominus di- lexit eum, misitque in manu Nathan Prophe- (I) l Cor. IX, 27. -(2) Gal. V, 4. — (3) I Tim. I, 19; ibid. IV, 1; ibid. VI, 10; Heb. VI, k. - (4) ibid. X, 26; II Pet.II, 21. - (5) I Reg. IX, 2. — (6) Act. XIII, 22. 288 LIBER III. tas, et vocavit nomen ejus Amabilis Domino , eo quocl Dominus diligeret eum (I). Denique fi¬ lius erat Davidis, hominis sancti, igitur secun¬ dum doctrinam Calvini et Petri Martyris, et ipse sanctus erat. Hunc autem virum in se¬ nectute a gratia et justitia excidisse, Scri¬ ptura testatur. Quce refert eum etiam idola omnium concubinarum suarum, turpissime coluisse. Eumdem plane reprobum, atque damnatum esse, indicat S. Cyprianus lib. 1. epist. 5. Et post eum S. Augustinus in lib. xxii. conti'a Faustum, cap. 88. his verbis : « De Salomone quid dicam? quem vehemen¬ ter arguit sancta Scriptura, atque condem¬ nat ; nihilque de poenitentia ejus, vel in eum indulgentia Dei omnino commemorat » ? Sexto, S. Petrus sine dubio justus erat, cum ei diceretur a Domino, Matth. xvi. Bea¬ tus «s Simon Bar Joan. Et Joan xm. Qui lo¬ tus est, non eget , nisi ut pedes lavet, sed est mundus totus (2) Et tamen peccavit negando Christum, et negationem perjurio confir¬ mando. Docet autem S. Augustinus, tract. 66. in Joan. peccatum illud sancti Petri fu¬ isse lethale, et reprehendit defensores Apo¬ stoli, qui audent excusare peccatum, cujus magnitudinem ipse idem amarissime fiendo monstravit. Septimo, Simon Magus, conversus a Phi¬ lippo credidit, et baptizatus Philippum se¬ quebatur; ut Lucas scribit Actor, vm. Et ta¬ men haeresiarcha factus misere periit. Dicit quidem Calvinus, eum non vere credidisse, sed fidem simulasse. At nos magis credimus S. Lucae, qui dicit, eum credidisse, et hoc dicit, ubi alios multos credidisse dicit, qui permanserunt in fide : nec ullo verbo indicat simulationem Simonis. Octavo, Judas proditor, etiamsi solus esset exemplo suo omnia ora obstrueret. Nam fuisse Judam aliquando justum, probat S. Hieronymus, in lib. m. adversus Pelagianos, ex illis verbis Domini Joan. xvn. Pater quos dedisti mihi custodivi, et nemo ex eis periit, nisi filius perditionis (3). Nam si Pater dedit illum filio, certe bonus erat : et si periit ex grege certe antequam periret, in Christi grege numerabatur. Constat autem Judam reprobum et damnatum esse, tum ex hoc loco, ubi dicitur : Filius perditionis : tum ex c. xxvi. Matthaei, ubi Dominus de Juda dicit; Melius erat ei, si na tus non fuisset homo ille (i). Habemus igitur octo exempla, quorum tria, Adami, Davidis, et Petri, demonstrant, justi¬ tiam posse et amitti et recuperari; alia quin¬ que Satanae', Saulis, Salomonis, Simonis et Judae indicant, posse aliquos vere justos ita excidere a justitia, ut inter reprobos nume¬ rari non sine ratione credantur. Proinde ju¬ stitiam non semper esse propriam electorum, sed cum reprobis aliquando communem. His testimoniis et exemplis divinae Scri¬ pturae addi potest traditio, ac definitio eccle¬ siastica. Nam eumdem hunc errorem olim in Joviniano damnavit Ecclesia. Testantur enim S. Hieronymus lib. n. advers. Jovinianum, et S. Augustinus haeres. 82. Unum ex erroribus ejus fuisse, justos post baptismum non posse peccare, etsi forte peccent, eos quidem fuisse lotos aqua : spiritum autem gratiae minime reeepisse. Itaque error Calvini jam ante mille et ducentos annos in Joviniano dijudica¬ tus et damnatus fuit. Praeter hoc publicum antiquitatis testimo* nium, disertis verbis idem testatur S. Augu¬ stinus, in lib. de corrept. et grat. cap. 13. « Credendum est », inquit, « quosdam de fi¬ liis perditionis non accepto dono perseveran¬ di usque in finem, in fide, quae per dilectio¬ nem operatur, incipere vivere, et aliquandiu fideliter et juste vivere, et postea cadere, ne¬ que de hac vita priusquam eis id contingat, auferri». Et S. Gregorius lib. xxx. Moral. cap. 32. «Quis», inquit, « intelligat, quod alius Catholicae matris ventre proditus, juxta vitae terminum erroris voragine devoratur, alius autem vitam suam in Catholica pietate consummat, qui ortus in perfidia, cum lacte matris hauserat virus erroris » ? Accedant ultimo rationes. Prima ratio : fides quae secundum Calvini sententiam , immobiliter haeret in corde hominis semel justificati, sine dubio non est actus, sed ha- hitus : actus enim non semper est in corde hominis justificati, ut experientia testatur: habitus autem non impedit ex necessitate actum contrarium, ut perspicuum est ex ra¬ tione et natura omnium aliorum habituum, qui inclinant ad suum actum, sed non co¬ gunt. Poterit igitur is, qui habet habitum fi¬ dei, facere actum infidelitatis. At secundum Scripturas, qui facit actum infidelitatis, per¬ dit etiam habitum ; nam efficitur simpliciter infidelis et inimicus Dei, et reus mortis ae- (1) lIReg. VII, 14 ; ibici, XII, 24. — (2) Matth. XVI, 17; Joan. XIII, 10. — (3) Joan. XVII, 12. (4) Matth. XXVI, 24. CAPUT XV. 289 ternae ; et ex doctrina adversariorum - per omne peccatum excutitur fides justificans, et effunditur ex corde Spiritus-Sanctus. Dicent fortasse, non esse ex natura fidei, quod immobiliter haereat, sed ex assistentia, et providentia Dei, qui non permittit homines semel vere justificatos labi in peccatum. At si ita esset, cur dicerent ipsi, omnia opera justorum esse peccata mortalia ? Et ubi est promissio ista Dei, quod non permittet justos labi in peccatum ? Nonne Scriptura contra¬ rium disertis verbis docet, cum ait : Cum averterit se justus a justitia sua. Ezechiel. xvill. et, Si negaverimus , et ille negabit nos. II Timoth. ii (I), et alia, quae supra citavi¬ mus ? Secunda ratio : infantes omnes per Bapti¬ smum vere justificantur, et fidem accipiunt etiam testimonio Lutheranorum, immo etiam sine Baptismo, ex sententia Calvini, et Petri Martyris, et Buceri, filii fidelium nascuntur sancti : At quis credat omnes filios fidelium, vel certe omnes, qui in infantia baptizantur, esse praedestinatos, et non posse peccare se¬ cundum Calvinum, vel non posse damnari secundum Bucerum et Martyrem? Nonne vi¬ demus multos in infantia baptizatos, cum adoleverint gravissime peccare ? Adde quod si verum esset paradoxum istorum, omnes Catholici, qui in infantia baptizati sunt, prae¬ destinati essent ad vitam, et perire non pos¬ sent: quos tamen isti pro membris Antichri- sti et infidelibus habent. Tertia ratio : si fides amitti non potest, unde tot sunt in mundo haeretici ? Hoc enim interest inter paganos et haireticos, quod pa¬ gani fidem numquam habuerunt, haeretici ha¬ buerunt et amiserunt. Ex vobis ipsis (inquit Apostolus Actor, xx). exurgent viri loquentcs perversa. Et II Timoth. ii. Hymenxus et Phi- letus a veritate exciderunt. Et adTit. m. Hx- reticwn devita , sciens quia subversus est etc (2). Quarta ratio : si justi peccare non possunt, quorsum tot admonitiones et cohortationes Apostolorum et Prophetarum, et omnium se¬ quentium Doctorum Ecclesiae ad populum Dei, ut timeant, ut caveant, ut solliciti sint? Quorsum ipse Dominus Apostolos suos et omnem Ecclesiam orare jussit: Dimitte nobis debita nostra, ne nos inducas in tentationem , et libera nos a malo ? Quorsum poenitentia, absolutio et reconciliatio lapsorum defendi¬ tur contra Novatianos, si justi peccare non possunt ? Quinta ratio : sententia ista Calvini, ex parte etiam Buceri, Martyris et Kemnitii, non solum certitudinem nullam adfert, sed plane desperationem inducit ; proinde non modo contraria est verse doctrina? Catholico¬ rum, sed etiam ipsorum haereticorum propo¬ sito et instituto, qui nihil saepius jactant, quam solidam consolationem se conscientiis hominum ex certitudine justificationis ad- ferre. Nam si praesens gratia et justificatio vera esse non potest, nisi quis certus sit de perseverantia, ita ut vel certo sciat se num¬ quam lapsurum, vel ad poenitentiam reditu¬ rum ; quomodo fieri potest, ut ullus sani ce¬ rebri certo speret, se vere justum esse, cum de futuris eventibus nihil sibi certi polliceri nisi temere possit ! Et cum videat quotidie se et alios in varia peccata, etiam contra con¬ scientiam labi ? Ne glomeris in crastinum (in¬ quit Sapiens Proverb. 27.) ignorans quid su¬ perventura pariat clies. Et Ecclcsiast. cap. xi. Ante mortem ne laudes quemquam. Et S. Ja- cobus cap. iv. Ignoratis quid erit in cra¬ stino (3).