Bellarmine · De Controversiis · On Justification · Book IV: On the Justice of Works
Chapter 20: Objections from the Scriptures against the truth of actual justice are solved
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).
It remains at last that we briefly dissolve the objections of the heretics, by which they endeavor to prove that all our works are sins. First, then, Calvin objects that of Psalm 31: Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. For David, when he said this, had regard not to one moment of time, in which a man is justified through Baptism, but to the whole life of the just. Accordingly it follows that the whole life of the just needs remission — which would not be, unless we sinned perpetually and in all our works. I answer: as true as the words of David are, so false is the gloss of Calvin. For if the whole life of the just, and all their works, were befouled with sins, whence would the same David say, Psalm 1, Blessed is the man who hath not walked in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stood in the way of sinners, nor sat in the chair of pestilence; but his will is in the law of the Lord? And in Psalm 100, I will sing, and I will understand in the unspotted way, when thou shalt come to me. I walked in the innocence of my heart, in the midst of my house. I did not set before my eyes any unjust thing. The perverse heart did not cleave to me; walking in the unspotted way, he served me. And the like, which he everywhere repeats? Certainly these do not cohere well with what Calvin says, that the whole life of the just, on David’s testimony, is nothing but sin. David speaks, then, in Psalm 31, of the beginning of justification, or of the first justification, through which sins are remitted and charity is infused, that by it, the heart being enlarged, we may be able to run the way of the commandments.
Second, all the adversaries object that of Psalm 142: Enter not into judgment with thy servant, for in thy sight no man living shall be justified. I answer: a triple explanation of this place is indicated by the Fathers. The first is St. Augustine’s, in the commentary on this place, where he says that a man cannot be justified before God, since of himself he has no justice, but if he have any, he has it from God. “Who,” says Augustine, “wish to enter into judgment with him, but those who, being ignorant of the justice of God, will to establish their own?” The sentence of David, then, is this: Enter not into judgment with thy servant — that is, judge me not by those things which I have of myself; for so no man living shall be justified in thy sight. And therefore a little before he had said, In thy truth hear me in thy justice — that is, in the justice which, that I might have it, thou gavest. The other exposition is of the same Augustine in the book On the Perfection of Justice, of Jerome in the epistle to Ctesiphon, and of Gregory in the commentary on this Psalm, which is the last of the penitential, who refer this place to venial sins, without which we cannot be in this life. But it does not follow that all our works are sins, even though we cannot live without sin. For with good works are mingled certain evil works, which, though light and daily, yet are not unjustly punished in the judgment of God. The sentence of the Psalm, then, taken in this second way, will be this: Enter not into judgment with thy servant — that is, I desire not to contend with thee; I confess myself a sinner, and pray pardon. For not I alone, but every man too, sins at some time, nor is there any so just as not sometimes to slip and err. The third exposition is of Hilary, Jerome, Arnobius, Euthymius, and others on this Psalm, and of St. Bernard, sermon 5 on the words of Isaias, who say that the sentence of David is that a man cannot be justified if he be compared to God — not that there is not in a just man true justice, if it be absolutely considered, but because so great is the purity and sublimity of the justice of God that all the justice of men and Angels, compared with it, seems to be injustice. Just as the stars too are most bright in themselves, yet before the Sun straightway grow dark. And this is what we read in Job, chapter 4: Shall man be justified in comparison of God? And chapter 9: Truly I know it is so, and that man cannot be justified compared with God. Which place Augustine, treating in the book to Orosius, against the Priscillianists and Origenists, chapter 10: “If, in comparison of the justice of God, not even the holy Angels in heaven be said to be just, the sentence seems to me not unfitting; not because, that they might be so, they fell from justice, but because they are made, and are not God, and cannot have so much of spiritual light as he has by whom they are made. For there is the highest justice where is the highest wisdom; and this is God, of whom it is said, ‘to the only wise God.’” And below: “By whose participation they are just, in comparison of him they are not just.”
Third, they object that of Ecclesiastes 7: There is not a just man upon earth, that doth good, and sinneth not. I answer: the Wise Man signifies not, as Luther seems to think, that a just man sins while he does good, but that no one is so just as always to do good; for all sin at some time, according to that of Proverbs 24: The just man falleth seven times, and riseth again. Where the just man is not said to fall at every step, but to fall sometimes; nor is he said always to fall, but sometimes to fall, sometimes to rise again — unless indeed with the Lutherans to rise again too be to fall. See St. Jerome explaining these places, both in the commentary on Ecclesiastes and in book 1 against the Pelagians, and in the epistle to Ctesiphon.
Fourth, they object that of Isaias 64: We are all become as one unclean, and all our justices as the rag of a menstruous woman. Here the heretics plainly think to triumph; for this place they ever have in their mouth, when yet it pertains nothing to the matter, for three reasons. First, since without doubt Isaias speaks not of just men, but of notable sinners, on account of whose crimes the city and the whole land were to be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon. For that Isaias speaks in the person of men of this kind, wicked men, is clear, first, since a little before he had said: Behold, thou art angry, and we have sinned — that is (as Cyril expounds), thou hast been wroth because thou hast forsaken us; and we, forsaken, could not resist. But the just are not forsaken by God, seeing he forsakes not unless he be first forsaken. He speaks, then, not of the just, but of the impious. Second, it is clear from the following words: There is none that calleth upon thy name, that riseth up and taketh hold of thee. But the just call upon God, and the very saint who was just calls upon him in this same chapter. Isaias, then, speaks in the person of the impious, of whom he says both that they were become as unclean, and that all their justices were as a filthy rag. Third, since he speaks not of all the works of those impious, as if all were sins, but only of the works in those things which they themselves thought to be justice, as sacrifices, new moons, etc. For those very impious could do many works which were neither in any way meritorious with God, nor sins, but morally good, as we have taught elsewhere; and therefore Isaias says not that all works are as a filthy rag, but that all justices are as a filthy rag — for he calls justices certain instituted works in which they chiefly placed justice. Nor ought it to move us that Isaias seems to speak so generally as to comprehend all men. For it is the manner of Scripture to speak of many as if of all: All flesh, says Moses, Genesis 6, had corrupted its way; and yet in the same place he calls Noe a just and perfect man. And the Apostle Paul, 1 Corinthians 1, calls all the Corinthians sanctified in Christ Jesus, and such that nothing is lacking to them in any grace, and foretells that they will be confirmed by God unto the end without crime; and yet, chapter 3, he calls them all carnal, and says: As unto little ones in Christ, I gave you milk to drink, not meat; for you were not able as yet, but neither indeed are you now able. For he praises all on account of certain among them who were laudable, and blames all on account of certain who among them were worthy of blame. See Augustine, book On the Unity of the Church, chapter 14, where he diligently observes this manner of holy Scripture. And this is the first reason why the testimony of Isaias makes nothing to the matter. The other reason is that, even though Isaias spoke of all — that is, of the whole forsaken people — yet he spoke not of all for all time, but only for that time in which they were to be delivered into captivity to the Babylonians on account of their crimes. And that all their works, even those which they thought just, were then displeasing to God does not prove that all works of all men are always sins. For it does not follow, if at some time the whole people was evil, that at every other time it was evil, and that all their works were always evil. The third reason is that Isaias speaks not of all the works of those impious, as if all were sins, but only of the works in those things which they thought to be justice, as sacrifices, new moons, and the like — in which they chiefly placed justice.
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CAPUT XX. Solvuntur objectiones ex Scripturis, contra veritatem justitiae actualis. Superest tandem, ut objectiones haeretico¬ rum, quibus illi probare nituntur, omnia opera nostra esse peccata, breviter dilua¬ mus. Primum igitur objicit Calvinus illud Psal. xxxi. Beati quorum remissae sunt iniquitates, et quorum tecta sunt peccata (7). David enim cum haec diceret, non ad' unum temporis momentum, quo homo per Baptismum ju¬ stificatur, sed ad totam vitam justorum re¬ spiciebat. Proinde sequitur, ut tota vita ju¬ storum remissione indigeat, quod non fieret, nisi perpetuo, et in omnibus operibus pec¬ caremus. Respondeo : Quam vera sunt verba Davi- dis, tam falsa est glossa Calvini. Nam si tota vita justorum, et omnia ipsorum opera pec¬ catis sordescerent, unde diceret idem David in Psalm. i. Beatus vir, qui non abiit in con¬ silio impiorum , et in via peccatorum non ste¬ tit, et m cathedra pestilentiae non sedit, sed in - (4) Psal. CXI, 3. 9. — (5; Joan, XIV. / ! ■ ■ , V (1) Rom. VI, 19. - (2) II Cor. VII, 1. - (3) II Cor. IX, 10. 23. — (6)Apo. XXII. \\. - (7) Psal. XXXT, 1. CAPUT XX. 33“ lege Domini voluntas ejus. Et in Psalm. ev. Psallam , et intelligam in via immaculata , quando venies ad me. Perambulabam in inno¬ centia cordis mei , in medio domus mete. Non proponebam ante oculos meos rem injustam. Non adhaesit mihi cor pravum, ambulans in via immaculata , hic mihi ministrabat (1). Et similia, quae passim repetit ? Certe htec non bene cohaerent cum eo, quod dicit -Calvinus, totam vitam justorum, ex testimonio Davi- dis, nihil esse nisi peccatum. Loquitur igitur David in Psalm. xxxi. de initio justilicationis, sive de piima justificatione, per quam re¬ mittuntur peccata, et infunditur charitas, ut per eam corde dilatato per viam mandato¬ rum currere valeamus. Secundo objiciunt adversarii omnes, illud Ps. cxi.ii. Non intres in judicium cum servo tuo, quia non justificabitur in conspectu tuo omnis vivens (2). Respondeo : Triplex hujus loci explicatio a Patribus indicatur. Prima est S. Augustini in commentario hujus loci, ubi dicit, homi¬ nem coram Deo justificari non posse, quo¬ niam ex se justitiam nullam habet, sed si quam habet, ex Deo habet. « Qui cum illo, inquit, Augustinus, volunt intrare in judi¬ cium, nisi qui ignorantes Dei justitiam, suam volunt constituere » ? Sententia igitur Davi- dis haic est. Non intres in judicium cum ser¬ vo tuo, id est, noli me judicare ex his, qute ex me habeo. Sic enim non justificabitur in conspectu tuo omnis vivens. Et ideo paulo ante dixerat. In veritate tua exaudi me in tua justitia : id est, in justitia, quam ut ha¬ berem, tu dedisti. Altera expositio est ejusdem Augustini in libro de perfectione justitiae. Hieronymi in epistol. ad Gtesiphontem , et Gregorii in commentario hujus Psalmi, qui est postre¬ mus ex poenitentialibus, qui referunt hunc locum ad peccata venialia, sine quibus in hac vita esse non possumus. Non autem se¬ quitur, ut omnia nostra opera sint peccata, etiamsi absque peccato vivere non possimus. Miscentur enim operibus bonis opera quas¬ dam mala, qufe tametsi levia, et quotidiana sint, tamen in judicio Dei non injuste pu¬ niuntur. Igitur sententia Psalmi hoc secundo modo accepti, haec erit, Non intres in judi¬ cium cum servo tuo, id est, non cupio te- eum contendere, confiteor me peccatorem, et veniam oro. Nam non ego solus, Sed et¬ iam omnis homo aliquando- peccat, nec est ullus ita justus, qui non aliquando labatur, et erret. Tertia expositio est Hilarii, Hieronymi, Arnobii, Euthymii, et aliorum in hunc Psal¬ mum, et S.Bernardi serra. 5. de verbis Isaiae, qui dicunt, sententiam Davidis esse, non posse hominem justificari, si comparetur ad Deum, non quod non sit in homine justo vera justitia, si absolute consideretur, sed quia tanta est puritas, et sublimitas justitiae Dei, ut omnis hominum, et Angelorum ju¬ stitia, cum ea comparata, injustitia esse vi¬ deatur. Sicut etiam stellae clarissimae sunt in se ; tamen coram Sole continuo tenebrescunt. Atque hoc est, quod in Job legimus, cap. iv. A umquid homo Dei comparatione justifi¬ cabitur ? Et cap. ix. Vere scio, quod ita sit , et quod non justificabitur homo compositus Deo (3). Quem locum tractans Augustinus libro ad Orosium, contra Priscillianistas, et Origenistas, cap. 10. «In comparatione ju¬ stitiae Dei, si nec sancti in coelis Angeli justi esse dicantur, non mihi videtur importuna sententia; non quia ut hoc essent, a justitia lapsi sunt, sed quia facti sunt, et Deus non sunt, tantumque spiritalis luminis habere non possunt, quantum habet ille, a quo fa¬ cti sunt. Ibi enim summa justitia, ubi sum- . ma sapientia : et hoc Deus est, de quo di¬ ctum est, soli sapienti Deo. Et infra : Cujus participatione justi sunt, ejus comparatione nec justi sunt ». Tertio, objiciunt illud Ecclesiastie vil. Non est homo justus, qui faciat bonum, et non pec¬ cet (4). Respondeo : Non significat Sapiens ut Lu- therus existimare videtur, hominem justum peccare, dum bonum facit : sed neminem esse tam justum, qui semper bonum faciat : omnes enim aliquando peccant, juxta illud Proverbiorum xxiv. Septies in die cadit jus¬ tus, et resurgit (3). Ubi non dicitur justus ad singulos passus cadere, sed aliquoties cade¬ re, nec dicitur semper cadere, sed aliquan¬ do cadere, aliquando resurgere : nisi etiam resurgere apud Lutheranos sit cadere. Vide S. Hieronymum, heee loca explicantem, tum in commentario Ecclesiastee, tum in lib. J. adversus Pelagianos et in epist. ad Ctesi- phontem. (1) Psal. I, ljtbid. CV, 1. — i2) Ps. CXLII, % - (3) Job. IV, 17; ibid. IX, 2.- (4) Eccl. VII, 21.— (5) Pi-ov. XXIV. 16. LlBKR IV. ' Qu a r to $ 'obj i cidrrt illo d lsai ©■ tixi tf.1 Tmi' siimus iil idimundi omnes 'nos, e/ ^tias? parmntt- mMskrimt&p-umyers# jiistiiixlnoMtWlAji a>' : r Respondeo : Hic plane triumphare sibi vi-b- dertfcitf'htarbtion Hunc enim locum Scmper in ore habent' : euift -tdrrien iid rem nihil-per' tiriSatj !pf§pter :tF§s rationes. Primo j 1 quo¬ niam siner dubio mm toqmtur Isaias de justis hami'riibifSV"Sed de'- insignibus peccatoribus, obqdbrum scelera tradenda; erat civrtagpet tettus peptrtus- iti’ ^irtana- regis Babylonim; Quod enim loquatur Isaias1 in persona ejus- md<li hominurn- - sceleratarum, patet primo, quoniam i^aultt- -ante dix&rgb v Ecce t u imius- etyet’'peccaeiiniisf i(k-e>?ik, ■ ut Gyrillos -exponit, qu^PHfdratU^esV : deseruisth' nhS-,; deserti- au- tesa-resistere-UfbndpotuimusvAtjustfcnonde-- seniutej1 a Beof qrrjppe qui non deserit/ nisi prius deseratur. Non igitur deijustis, sed de. irirpiisdoquituri- Quod- si ^-'-exponas : E cee tu- . irettus les^4t ipe&cMimtis , :i d mst , 4 dorijtu. jta tus e4p qaia-peeeavimiis, in idemreoklo-t sentem-. tiasuBeus euimmon irascitur justis, sedtegita eoenm pegeata^ et uoh amputat^ ut adversa- . rii ‘volunti-Ioqiiitub igitur Isaias impiis, quibus Dhud irascitur j Pun-dq justis, qttarum peetfataudfesimulsfrjs Bobl sin p boa t}naa iaqsl Secuud<^npatet ex -verbis sequentibus. Nm?. es&qti&%iMc& noirten ihm$Wffij est quT -qaa*: striy&t, eiieneat Ki justi Deum invocaut,:- et-ipse-fsaks, qui justus nirafc,-.- in huc ipso ca- pitb.^um iavofcat, eCJ%flippus iin-Apalogia CnniesSionis- Augustanae valde gloriatur, quod propter Lutheri doctrinam. didicerit:, popblusmxdroere opera fi dei,-- et , maxime in preeibos-De qira frequenten ‘in vodando. lio v» quitur igitur Isaias in persona impiQrupv.;. ' noni tupecsdqacs uay ■ vel-ali oanifri pactorum,; idEdrtippnpBrav justorum; 5-eiipturk -ubiqudj laudat, ;et dicit, -esse Bea placita, et accepta in iadaiiemo sua vitatisy « utpsupra probatum-; eirtpet m-rhpc- ipso .capite dicit Isaias a-Oxxmr idste^ lacitmti^.ei facienti .justitiam i\ immfr tuis vedBttfcvbmiuy f^;(2)rNoiEigitor: loquitur dei operibus j pstorum, cum -dicit, . justitium- ess©;quasi: pannum; menstruat©^:; nisi- quis i ka desipiat, ut. existimet,, Deo place re smsdesm et:pannum menstruat©. ad illo,. qui, fapts:est; totius. puritatis, acceptari in. odorem suqvi.- talisdii ni mu-S ,ov .xie-ilood oncluommco ni iN-eque movere nos debet., quod jsaias lo-.-, qui videatur ita generatim, ut omnps;h.omih: nes comprehendat. Est enim iste Scripturae — 1-2 ,HV .foatf ilj —.2 ,21 .hi di ;Vi ,71 .dol (U; - pl) lsai. LXIV. 6. — (2) lsai. LXIV, 5. - (3) Gen. mos; ut loqUatiir ' de multis j quasi de hinni-' bus : Oifttfis earo inquit (Moses, Gett. yt:)em^ rnpemt viant' stiain (3)yEt4antau -ibidem ;>vo~ _ cat-Noe virum justam, atque perfectUtn-. Et Apostolus Paulus Bad^Ajorin tli r-i>. vocat om* , nes Gorinthios sanctrflcatos in Christo Jesu, et tales; Ut nihil eis desit in ulla gratia, -et- praedicit forey ut confirmentur a Beo usque; in -finem; sine crimiue. Et; tamen cap, >itiv om-1 nes' vocat carnales/- et dicit1: Tamquam pd>^ vulis in Christo lac- wbis pptum dedi, non **ih cam, nondum, enirk pdtenatis, . sdd. n(5c nimd - quidem potestis^ adk&eiMimmi:nni@sj$t&(4i)i.i'-- (Aeterum laudat omnes propter quosdam, qui apud eos;landabiles :-;eranfc, u^tuperat lOittnes- propter quosdam, qui apud; eosdem vitupe¬ ratione, digni. orant...Vidje Auguistitmddib^de unitate Eedosijepcap. xuv ubi hunc marem' Scriptuxm sacrai diligentar observat. Atque haec est prima ratio cur testimonium : lsai»i ad;.;rem.;aon;|aOiatUni miqhT : oabaoqaafl Altera ratio est, nquobiam; etianasi- loque-;; retur IsaiOsi dei OmniMs,jid; resti,-, destotodUoii populo, ;-tam_en; non laquOhatjir;:dfei.oxnuibii»ja pro o mn i ,te mp o re, sed; s oln ni: pa-oieo: tempoi-.. rOrigumtradendi ecartt.prnptai?: summBlipsotp r ut»;; saeierpi: in captiyitatgm: iRab}iloni*km« i 1 dmiiroipatet $$ sequentibus- vej-bis.l i Ciaitai. sanpUjfHi . factet. <$&»; .facta-, esty:jfi^^s((k$i'4^ol0a.-^f,:'4an^s.$a9of^a- tianhnid%tr^.i,ctrqlorifC: nostrae^ ubj laudave- r^nt- faipMfMftO&tl&ts i facta est jn^e^mtionem ignis* et&miv fesid&abUtfamtmversa sunt m;;7taic»';(aji:-5Jen autem sequitur, si quodam ternpore totus populus fuit ; i»alus, ut omni alio tempore fuerit malus, ct omnia opera ipsorum, semper fpgrint mala. Terttaratip estj;; quoniam non solum non 'loquftux Isaigs; de justis, sed de impiis, et de impus pro. certo, quodam tempore, sed etiam npn taquitur de omnibus operibus illorum impigrum,, quasi otnnia; essent peccata, sed tairtum de.Qpejnbus in.is, quae ipsi justitias es§e. putabant, .u^sttcrificia, neomenias etc. pptergntjenim . illi. ipsi wnpii multa opera fa- ce^q, r, qu^tcO^.lHbtf meritoria apud Degm, : neque pcccata^pcd bona moraliter, ut.qlibi; docuimus • ^f idep non dicit Isaias, omnia opera; q^e.j veluf pannum menstrua- taeii s?4, ; otq^s j^fqti^ §^§§i ;quasi pannum mensfruafaej^-pcat.enim jqstitrt18 opera quae- dajft -q4; tf^tituta, in quibus illi prfficipue justitiam constituebant, quaj - .2 .ll.IZ3.a7 (£j — .t ,W.bidi \I, 12. - (4) I Cor. III, 1. — j§> lsai. LX1Y, 10. Jf