Bellarmine · De Controversiis · On Justification · Book IV: On the Justice of Works
Chapter 15: That the works of the just are not sins, but justice, is proved from the divine writings
Our translation, from the Latin of the Opera Omnia (Paris: Vivès, 1870–74), vol. VI, De Justificatione, Book IV. 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).
Now we must come to the other head of this controversy on the truth of actual justice, in which it was to be proved that the good works of the just are not sins, but truly just, so that they can even be called actual justice. The first testimony, then, to prove this is taken from the book of Job, chapter 1: In all these things Job sinned not with his lips, nor spoke he any foolish thing against God. Where Scripture gives testimony to holy Job, that in so great an occasion of impatience he sinned not even with a word. And lest perhaps the Lutherans wish to imitate certain Rabbis, who say that Job sinned not with his lips, but yet sinned in heart, let us hear God himself thus speaking to Satan, in chapter 2: Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a simple and upright man, and departing from evil, and still keeping his innocence? Certainly, if he kept his innocence, and if he departed from evil, he had sinned neither with tongue nor with heart. Add that, since Satan sought nothing else by all his temptations than to induce Job to sin, but contrariwise God permitted all those trials that the patience and virtue of the holy man might be shown, if Job had sinned, God himself would in a manner have been overcome by Satan. Wherefore it is certain that that work of the patience of St. Job was stained by no sin, and that the Lutherans, who deny it, fight on the side of the devil against God.
The second testimony can be taken in the words of David. Psalm 7: Judge me, O Lord, according to my justice, and according to my innocence in me. Psalm 16: Hear, O Lord, my justice. Let my judgment come forth from thy countenance; let thy eyes behold the things that are equitable. Thou hast proved my heart, and visited it by night, thou hast tried me by fire, and iniquity hath not been found in me. Psalm 17: The Lord will reward me according to my justice, and according to the cleanness of my hands he will reward me; because I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not done wickedly against my God. Psalm 25: Judge me, O Lord, for I have walked in my innocence. Psalm 118: I have done judgment and justice; let not the proud calumniate me. In these places David not only judged that his works ought to be adorned with the name of justice, but also trusted that they could stand in the judgment of God; otherwise, asking to be judged according to his justice, he would have sought damnation instead of absolution. Therefore David believed that a man could, with the grace of God, do works truly just. Nor does the response of Philip and Calvin satisfy, who say that David wished not in these places to affirm that his works were absolutely just, but by comparison to the works of his adversaries, and not even that absolutely, but for some uncertain cause. This response, I say, does not satisfy, since the words of David are general, and especially those: Because I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not done wickedly against my God. Likewise: I have restrained my feet from every evil way. Likewise: I have done judgment and justice; thou hast tried me by fire, and iniquity hath not been found in me.
The third testimony, Matthew 6: If thy eye be single, thy whole body shall be lightsome. And Luke 11: If then thy whole body be lightsome, having no part of darkness, the whole shall be lightsome, and as a bright lamp shall enlighten thee. In this place is described a work perfectly good — namely, which is good of its kind, and from the intention, and from the other circumstances. For the single eye is the right intention; the lightsome body is the good work, of which it is said, Matthew 5, So let your light shine, that they may see your good works, etc. But such a work the Lord pronounces to be wholly lightsome, and to have no part of darkness. But if that work were a mortal sin of its own nature, as the Lutherans say, it would have a great part of darkness, nay would be wholly dark, as the Lord there says of a work that is befouled by an evil intention. For as an evil intention, so any other vice renders a work evil, though of its kind it were good. The fourth testimony, from the Apostle, 1 Corinthians 3: If any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble, every man’s work, of what sort it is, the fire shall try. If any man’s work abide, which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward; if any man’s work burn, he shall suffer loss, etc. In which place it is indicated that there are certain works built upon the foundation of true faith so good that they have no vice at all. For this first shows the comparison to gold, silver, precious stones; then that those works are said to abide in the fire of the divine judgment, and to receive a reward. For certainly sins can neither be called gold, nor would they subsist in the fire of the divine judgment, nor receive a reward, but punishment and torment. The fifth testimony, from James, chapter 3: In many things we all offend. Why, I ask, did he not say, “in all things we all offend”? For if all the works of the just are mortal sins, certainly not only in many, but even in all, we offend. But he knew what he said. For in the second chapter he had distinguished good works from sins, saying: If you fulfil the royal law, according to the scriptures, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, you do well; but if you have respect to persons, you commit sin, being reproved by the law as transgressors.
The sixth testimony is taken from those places which exhort a man not to sin. Psalm 4: Be angry, and sin not. Isaias 1: Cease to do perversely, learn to do well. John 8: Now sin no more. 1 Corinthians 15: Awake, ye just, and sin not. 2 Peter 1: Labour, that by good works you may make sure your calling and election; for doing these things you shall not sin at any time. 1 John 2: These things I write to you, that you may not sin. For to what do these exhortations or admonitions pertain, if in every work, however good, we cannot but sin? The seventh testimony is taken from those places which teach that the works of the just please God. Malachias 3: The sacrifice of Juda and of Jerusalem shall please the Lord, as in the days of old, and in the ancient years. Wisdom 9: Wisdom shall keep me by her power, and my works shall be acceptable. Acts 10: He that feareth God, and worketh justice, is acceptable to him. 1 Peter 2: Offering up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God. Philippians 4: I am filled, having received from Epaphroditus the things you sent, an odor of sweetness, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. But nothing can please God save what is truly good and pure from all vice, as even Calvin himself confesses, book 3 of the Institutes, chapter 12, section 1. But as to what the same Calvin says, that works of this kind please God not by reason of their own worth, but because God by indulgence washes the foulness of the works, it is altogether absurd, unless perhaps he would have the justice of Christ imputed not only to sinners, but also to the very sins — which can in no way be. For if one say that God pardons faults, will not to punish, does not impute them, it will easily be understood; but that the very sin, by indulgence, becomes a sacrifice pleasing to God for an odor of sweetness — who at last will understand? The eighth testimony, from those places which absolutely name the works of the just good works. Matthew 5: So let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. 1 Timothy 6: Charge the rich not to be highminded, to be rich in good works. Titus 3: Let them be careful to excel in good works, who believe in God. Ephesians 2: For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus in good works, which God hath prepared that we should walk in them. But if all the works of the just were mortal sins, they ought rather to be called evil than good. For, as the Theologians gather from Dionysius, chapter 4 On the Divine Names, a work is called evil absolutely from any vice whatever; it is not called good absolutely, unless it be entirely good. How, then, does Scripture absolutely preach good works, if they are not good save in a certain respect, but absolutely and simply evil? It is altogether necessary that either the Holy Spirit be deceived in this part, or Luther and Calvin err. But which of these is truer I leave to the sectaries themselves to judge.
Show the Latin (Vives edition, OCR)
CAPUT XV. Justorum operae non esse peccata, sed justitiam, probatur ex divinis litteris. Nunc veniendum est ad alterum caput hujus controversiae de veritate justitiae a- (1) Matth. V, 18. 328 LIBER IV. ctualis, in quo probandum erat, opera bona justorum non esse peccata, sed vere justa, ut etiam justitia actualis dici possint. Primum igitur testimonium ad hoc pro¬ bandum sumitur ex libro Job cap. i. In om¬ nibus his non peccavit Job labiis suis, nec stul¬ tum aliquid contra Deum locutus est (1). Ubi Scriptura reddit testimoniumsancti Job, quod in tanta occasione impatientiae, ne verbo quidem peccaverit, ac ne forte Lutherani Rabbinos quosdam imitari velint, qui dicunt, Job non peccasse libiis, tamen corde pec¬ casse ; audiamus Deum ipsum in 2. capite ita loquentem ad Satanam : Numquid consi¬ derasti servum meum Job, quod non sil illi si¬ milis in terra, vir simplex, et rectus , et rece¬ dens a malo, et. adhuc retinens innocentiam (1)? Certe si innocentiam retinebat, et si a malo recedebat, neque lingua, neque corde pec¬ caverat. Adde quod cum Satan nihil aliud quaere¬ ret tot suis tentationibus, nisi Job ad peccan¬ dum inducere, contra autem Deus illa omnia tentamenta permitteret, ut patientia et vir¬ tus sancti viri demonstraretur, si Job pec- casset, Deus ipse quodammodo a Satana su¬ peratus fuisset. Quare certum est, opus illud patientiae S. Job nullo peccato macu¬ latum fuisse, et Lutheranos, qui id ne¬ gant, a partibus diaboli contra Deum pu¬ gnare. Secundum testimonium sumi potest in verbis Davidis Psal, vir. Judica me Domine secundum justitiam meam, et secundum inno¬ centiam meam super me. Psalm. xvi. Exaudi Domine justitiam meam. De vultu tuo jigli- cium meum prodeat. Oculi tui videant aequita¬ tem. Probasti cor meum , et visitasti nocte, igne me examinasti, et non est inventa in me iniquitas. Psalm. xvn. Retribuet mihi Domi¬ nus secundum justitiam meam, et secundum puritatem manuum mearum retribuet mihi, quia custodivi vias Domini, nec impie gessi a Deo meo. Psalm. xxv. Judica me, Domine, quoniam ego in innocentia mea ingressus sum. Psalm. cxyiii. Feci judicium, et justitiam, non calumnienlur me superbi (2). In his locis David non solum opera sua justitiae nomine ornanda censebat, sed etiam confidebat ea jn judicio Dei posse consistere, alioqui pe¬ tens judicari secundum justitiam suam, da- minationem pro absolutione quaesii esset. Igi¬ tur David credebat posse hominem cum Dei gratia facere opera vere justa. Neque vero satisfacit Philippi et Calvini responsio, qui dicunt Davidem non velle in his locis affirmare, opera sua fuisse absolute justa, sed per comparationem ad opera ad¬ versariorum suorum, nec id etiam absolute, sed incerta aliqua causa. Hmc, inquam, re¬ sponsio non satisfacit, quoniam verba Davi¬ dis generalia sunt, atque illa praesertim : Quia custodivi vias Domini, nec impie gessi a Deo meo. Item : Ab omni via mala prohibui pedes meos. Item : Feci judicium et justitiam, Igne me examinasti, et non est inventa in me iniquitas. Tertium testimonium, Matth. vi. Si oculus tuus simplex fuerit, totum corpus tuum luci¬ dum erit. Et Luc xi. Si ergo corpus tuum lu¬ endum fuerit, non habens aliquam partem tenebrarum , erit lucidum totum , et sicut lucerna fulgoris illuminabit te. Hoc loco describitur opus perfecte bonum , quod videlicet sit bonum ex genere suo, et ex intentione, aliisque circumstantiis. Nam oculus simplex, est intentio recta ; corpus lucidum, est opus bonum, de quo dicitur Matth. v. Sic luceat lux vestra, ut videant opera vestra bona elc. (3). Tale autem opus pronunciat Dominus esse lucidum to¬ tum, nec ullam habere partem tenebrarum. At si illud opus peccatum esset mortale na¬ tura sua ut Lutherani dicunt, magnam par¬ tem haberet tenebrarum, immo esset tene¬ brosum totum, ut Dominus ibidem dicit de opere quod mala intentione foedatur. Sicut enim mala intentio, ita quodlibet aliud vi¬ tium reddit opus malum, quamvis ex genere suo bonum esset. Quartum testimonium ex Apostolo in priore ad Corinth. cap. iii. Si quis superae¬ dificat supra fundamentum hoc, aurum, ar¬ gentum, lapides pretiosos, ligna fccnum, stipu¬ lam, uniuscujusque opus quale sit, ignis proba¬ bit. Si cujus opus manserit, quod superxdi/ica- vit , mercedem accipiet, si cujus opus arserit, de¬ trimentum patietur, etc. (4). Quoloco indican¬ tur esse quaidam opera supra fundamentum vera; fidei asdificata adeo bona, ut nihil om¬ nino habeant vitii. Id enim primum ostendit comparatio ad aurum, argentum, lapides pretiosos. Deinde quod illa opera in igne divini ju¬ ri) Job. I, 22; Job. II, 3. -(2) Psal. VI!, 9; ibid XVI, ?; ibid. XVII, 2! ; ibid. XXV. I: ibid. CXVIlb 121. — (3) Matth, VI, 21; Luc. XI, 34. — (4)Mat. V, 16: l Gor. III, 12. CAPUT XVI. 3:21) dicii manere dicantur, et mercedem acci¬ pere. Certe enim peccata nec aurum dici possunt, nec in divini judicii igne subsiste¬ rent, nec mercedem, sed poenam, suppli- ciurnque perciperent. Quintum testimonium ex Jacobo cap. m. In multis offendimus omnes (1). Quare, quaeso, non dixit, in omnibus offendimus omnes ? Nam si omnia opera justorum sunt peccata mortalia, certe non tantum in multis, sed etiam in omnibus offendimus, sed noverat ipse quid diceret. Nam capite secundo dis¬ tinxerat opera bona a peccatis dicens : Si legem perficitis regalem secundum Scripturas, diliges proximum tuum sicut teipsum , bene facitis : si autem personas accipitis, peccatum operamini, redarguti a lege quasi trangresso- res (2). Sextum testimonium sumitur ex illis locis, quae hortantur hominem ad non peccandum, Psalm.iv. Irascimini, et nolite peccare. Isaise. i. Quiescite agere perverse, discite bene facere. Joan. vili. Noli amplius peccare. I ad Co- rinth. xv. Evigilate justi, et nolite peccare, ii. Petri, i. Satagite ut per bona opera certam vestram vocationem et electionem faciatis : haec enim facientes non peccabitis aliquando. I Joan. ii. Hxc scribo vobis ut non peccetis (3). Quorsum enim pertinent hae cohortationes, vel admonitiones, si in omni opere, quan¬ tumvis bono, nori possumus non peccare ? Septimum testimonium sumitur ex illis lo¬ cis, quai docent opera justorum placere Deo ; Malach. m. Placebit Deo sacrificium Juda et Hierusalem, sicut dies saeculi et sicut anni an¬ tiqui. Sapient, ix. Sapientia custodiet me in potentia sua, et accepta erunt opera mea. Ac¬ tor x. Qui timet Deum, et operatur justitiam, acceptus est illi. I Petri ii. Offerentes spiritua¬ les hostias acccptabiles Deo. Philippens. iv. Repletus sum acceptis ab Epaphrodito, quic misistis in odorem suavitatis hostiam acceptam , placentem Deo (4). Atqui Deo nihil placere ' potest, nisi quod est vere bonum et purum ab omni vitio, ut ipse etiam Calvinus fatetur lib. m. Institut. cap. 12, §. 1. Quod vero idem Calvinus ait, placere Deo ejusmodi opera, non ratione propriae digni¬ tatis, sed quia Deus per indulgentiam lavat operum foeditatem, omnino est absurdum, nisi forte non solum peccatoribus imputari velit Christi justitiam, sed ipsis etiam pecca¬ tis, quod nullo modo fieri potest. Nam si quis dixerit, Deum ignoscere culpas, non velle punire, non imputare, facile intelligetur ; at ipsum peccatum per indulgentiam fieri ho¬ stiam placentem Deo in odorem suavitatis, quis tandem intelliget ? Octavum testimonium ex locis illis, quse ab¬ solute justorum opera opera bona nominant, Matth. v. Sic luceat lux vestra coram homi¬ nibus, ut vide ant opera vestra bona, et glorifi¬ cent patrem vestrum, qui in coelis est. I ad Ti- moth. vi. Divitibus praecipe non superbe sa- pere, divites fieri in operibus bonis. Tit. m. Curent operibus bonis , praeesse , qui credunt Deo. Ephes. ii. Ipsius enim sumus factura, cre¬ ati in Christo Jesu in operibus bonis, quae prx- paravit Deus, ut in illis ambulemus (3). At si opera omnia justorum essent peccata mortalia, dicenda essent potius mala, quam bona. Nam ut ex Dionysio in cap. 4. de divi¬ nis nominibus Theologi colligunt, malum di¬ citur opus absolute, cx quocumque vitio bo¬ num non dicitur absolute, nisi integre sit bo¬ num. Quomodo igitur Scriptura praxlicat ab¬ solute opera bona, si non sunt bona, nisi se¬ cundum quid, sed absolute et simpliciter mala ? Omnino necesse est, ut vel Spiritus sanctus in hac parte fallatur, vel Lutherus et Calvinus erret. Utrum autem horum sit verius, ipsismet sectariis judicandum relin¬ quo.