Bellarmine · De Controversiis · On Justification · Book V: On the Merits of Works
Chapter 7: How far confidence can be placed in merits is explained
Our translation, from the Latin of the Opera Omnia (Paris: Vivès, 1870–74), vol. VI, De Justificatione, Book V. 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).
To the preceding controversy are joined two briefer little questions: one, on confidence in merits; the other, on the regard of the reward. As to the first, the heretics of our time contend that no confidence at all can be placed in merits. Which opinion they are compelled to defend, if they will persist in that error, that all the works of the just are mortal sins. But above all John Calvin is tragically moved against this confidence in merits. For in book 3 of the Institutes, chapter 2, in the last section, reproving Peter Lombard, because he wrote that hope is begotten in us from the grace of God and from preceding merits: “Who,” says he, “would not deservedly execrate such beasts? O master worthy of such disciples as he found in the insane schools of wranglers.” Then, chapter 12, sections 3 and 4, he teaches of set purpose that no confidence is to be placed in one’s own merits. The error plainly contrary to this John Wycliffe taught, following Pelagius, as Thomas Waldensis witnesses, volume 3, chapter 7. But the Catholic Church enters upon a middle way, which teaches that the chief hope and confidence is to be placed in God, yet that some also can be placed in merits. But that the whole matter may be more plainly explained, it is to be known that confidence is nothing else than hope confirmed and perfected, as St. Thomas teaches, 2a 2ae, question 129, article 6. Which even profane writers have handed down. For thus speaks Seneca, epistle 16 to Lucilius: “Of thee I have hope, not yet confidence.” It is to be known also that it is one thing for confidence to be born of merits, another for confidence to be placed in merits. For it can come to pass that one place little, and almost no, confidence in his own merits, because he knows not certainly whether he has true merits, and yet abound in true and great merits, and that from them the greatest confidence toward God arise in him. From which distinction the whole question can be resolved, and the various testimonies of the Scriptures and Fathers reconciled. Therefore in three propositions we shall comprehend our opinion.
First proposition: “The confidence of the saints, which they place in God, is born not of faith alone, but also of good merits; and therefore with the highest zeal merits are to be sought, that we may be able to have confidence before God.” This proposition is placed directly against Calvin, and can easily be proved from the Scriptures and Fathers. Tobias 4: Alms shall be a great confidence before the most high God to all them that give it. Job 11: If thou wilt put away from thee the iniquity that is in thy hand, and let not injustice remain in thy tabernacle, then mayest thou lift up thy face without spot, and thou shalt be steadfast, and shalt not fear; the misery also thou shalt forget, and shalt secure sleep. Romans 5: Tribulation worketh patience, and patience trial, and trial hope. 1 Timothy 3: They that have ministered well shall purchase to themselves a good degree, and much confidence, etc. Hebrews 10: You had compassion on them that were in bands, and took with joy the being stripped of your own goods. Do not therefore lose your confidence. 1 John 3: If our heart do not reprehend us, we have confidence toward God. To these most plain testimonies of Scripture can be added these testimonies of the holy Fathers. St. Cyprian, in the sermon On Alms, near the end: “A noble and divine thing, dearest brethren, is the work of salvation, a great solace of believers, a wholesome safeguard of our security, a defense of hope, a protection of faith, a medicine of sin.” St. John Chrysostom, homily 2 on the second to the Corinthians: “We pray that after Baptism you may have also an honorable life; thou, on the contrary, strivest, and dost everything, to depart hence without a good life. But we wish that from good deeds thou mayest have confidence.” The author of the Imperfect Work, homily 13 on Matthew, not far from the beginning: “As oil kindles the light of the lamp, so also good works excite the faith of the heart, and give confidence to the soul.” St. Ambrose, in the commentary on chapter 17 of Luke: “From faith, charity; from charity, hope; and again they revolve into themselves in a certain holy circuit.” The same (if indeed the same), on chapter 3 of the second to the Corinthians: “Now there is need that confidence grow in us, gained by good acts.” St. Augustine, in the preface on Psalm 31: “He hopes who bears a good conscience; but whom an evil conscience pricks, he draws himself back from hope, and hopes for himself nothing but damnation. That therefore he may hope for the kingdom, let him have a good conscience, let him believe and work.” The same, in sermon 16 on the words of the Apostle: “What hope is there, save from some goodness of conscience?” To these is added also a reason. For since God has promised the crown of life to them that love him, as St. James says, chapter 1, the attainment of glory hangs on two things: on the fidelity of God, who performs what he has promised, and on our works; for we must love not in word and in tongue, but in deed and in truth, as St. John says in his first epistle, chapter 3. Wherefore, as hope would not be certain if we indeed worked well, but God remained not faithful, so neither can it be certain, if God indeed be faithful, but we work not well, nor love in deed and in truth. Hope, therefore, and thereby also confidence, is born not only of the grace of God promising, but also of merits and works, as Peter Lombard rightly taught, book 3 of the Sentences, distinction 26. But perhaps someone will object that to these things which have been said there seems to be repugnant what St. Augustine, tract 83 on John, and Peter Lombard, in book 2 of the Sentences, distinction 23, say — that hope is prior to charity, and can subsist without it, but that charity, on the contrary, cannot be without hope. For if these be true, that cannot be true which was said above, that hope is born of charity and good works. But the answer is easy. For (as St. Ambrose rightly says) hope arises from charity, and from hope itself arises charity. For the love of beatitude, as of a thing suitable to us, precedes all hope. For that is not hoped for which is not loved, as Augustine teaches in the Enchiridion, chapter 117. And so in a man not yet reconciled the first motion toward salvation is of faith; thence follows the love and desire of beatitude, now known through faith; after the love, or desire, of beatitude, follows in a man the hope of obtaining the same beatitude; but that hope regards beatitude not immediately, but mediately. For he who has not yet returned into grace with God, nor has any good merits, cannot immediately hope for beatitude. For that would be not hope, but presumption, as Augustine says in the places cited above; but he hopes for reconciliation, and that through the mercy of God he shall have good merits, and through these at length come to beatitude. After this hope, which the theologians call unformed, follows true charity and good working. Thence hope is strengthened, and begins to be called confidence, which regards beatitude immediately.
Let now the second proposition be: “In good merits, which are known to be truly such, some confidence can be placed, provided pride be avoided.” This proposition too can be confirmed by examples of divine Scripture. For we read in the book of Esdras, chapter 5, that Nehemias, a holy man, enumerating his good works, said to God: Remember me, O my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people. Likewise David saying, Psalm 17: And the Lord will reward me according to my justice, because I have kept the ways of the Lord. And Ezechias praying in Isaias, chapter 38: I beseech thee, O Lord, remember, I pray thee, how I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And holy Esther praying thus, chapter 14: Thou knowest my necessity, that I abhor the sign of my pride and glory, which is upon my head in the days of my show, and detest it as a menstruous rag, and wear it not in the days of my silence; and that I have not eaten at Aman’s table, nor hath the king’s banquet pleased me, and that I have not drunk the wine of the libations; and that thy handmaid hath never been glad since I was brought hither unto this present day, but in thee, O Lord God of Abraham. O God, mighty above all, hear the voice of them that have no other hope, and deliver us from the hand of the wicked. Finally the Apostle saying: I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith; as to the rest, there is laid up for me a crown of justice. To these examples can be added others from the testimonies of the Fathers. For St. Jerome writes, in the life of Paul the first hermit, that the same Paul, near to death, said: “My course being finished, there remains for me a crown of justice.” And in the life of Hilarion the same Jerome relates that Hilarion said: “Go forth, my soul, go forth; why fearest thou? nearly seventy years hast thou served Christ, and dost thou fear death?” Sulpicius too writes that St. Martin, at his departure, to the devil standing by, said with great confidence: “Why standest thou here, bloody beast? thou shalt find nothing deadly in me; the bosom of Abraham shall receive me.” Finally St. Bonaventure writes that these were the last words of St. Francis: “Bring my soul out of prison, that I may confess to thy name. The just wait for me, until thou reward me.” By so many and so great examples it sufficiently appears that some confidence can be reposed in good merits. But I added, “provided pride be avoided.” For if anyone should so trust in his own merits as to believe that he has them from himself, not from the grace of God, or should despise others in comparison of himself, or think that he has greater merits than in truth he has, he would be not so much raised into hope as cast headlong into the pit of pride. But that some hope can be placed in merits, if they be true merits, and it be done soberly, can be proved also by this reason: because, as the mercy of God, so also good merits, are a true cause of salvation; and it is lawful to trust in every true cause which is known to be fit for obtaining the end desired and hoped for. For even in bodily things a sick man rightly trusts not only in the art and industry of the physician, but also in the virtue and efficacy of the medicines. Nor is this to trust in one’s own virtue, but in God and his grace, whose gifts are all good merits.
Let the third proposition be: “On account of the uncertainty of one’s own justice, and the danger of vainglory, it is safest to repose all confidence in the sole mercy and goodness of God.” I explain the proposition. For it is not so to be taken as though a man ought not with all his powers to strive after good works, or ought not to trust in them, as though they were not true justice, or could not sustain the judgment of God; but this only we say, that it is safer in a manner to forget the merits already gotten, and to look to the sole mercy of God: both because no one, without revelation, can certainly know that he has true merits, or that he will persevere in them unto the end; and because nothing is easier, in this place of temptation, than for pride to be begotten from the consideration of good works. The proposition, therefore, is proved by those testimonies which the adversaries are wont to bring against the merits of works. For that which Daniel says, chapter 9, We do not present our prayers before thy face in our justifications, but in thy great mercies; and that which the Lord himself admonishes, Luke 17, When you shall have done all these things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants — this only prove what we say, that it is safe to place confidence in the sole mercy of God, and not in our works. Which the public prayers also, which the Catholic Church is wont to pour forth at the altar, testify. For in the collect of the Sunday which is called Sexagesima the Church thus prays: “O God, who seest that we trust not in any action of ours,” etc. Likewise in the secret collect of the second Sunday of Advent: “Where no supports of merits are at hand, succor us with thy defenses.” Likewise in the canon after the consecration: “Into whose fellowship do thou admit us, we beseech thee, not weighing our merit, but granting pardon.” Like things are read everywhere in the Fathers. St. John Chrysostom, homily 21 on Genesis, about the middle: “We ought to have the hope of salvation in virtue and in right deeds; nay, not even in them to think much of ourselves, but then to be the more humble and modest, when we are able to heap up great riches of virtues. For so shall we both guard the riches gathered, and conciliate to ourselves the grace of God. For therefore also did Christ say to his disciples: When you shall have done all these things, say, We are unprofitable servants.” Likewise homily 3 on that, “The heart of Ozias was lifted up,” near the beginning: “Nothing so begets pride as a good conscience, unless we watch. Whence also Christ, knowing that after good deeds this disease assails us, said to his disciples: When you shall have done all things, say, We are unprofitable servants.” Likewise homily 3 on Matthew: “Ask not again for thy wage, that thou mayest receive thy wage. Confess thyself to be saved by grace, that he may confess himself thy debtor — and now not for thy works only, but also for this equanimity. For when we have done some things nobly, we have him our debtor for the deeds well done; but when we think that we have wrought nothing, we merit yet more excellently, even for such a disposition, than for the very works we have done. And so to have thought least of oneself is as great a thing as to have done the greatest things.” St. Ambrose, as Paulinus writes in his life, is said to have spoken thus at his death to the citizens of Milan: “I have not so lived that I am ashamed to live among you; nor do I fear to die, because we have a good Lord.” Which words St. Augustine (as Possidius relates in his life) was wont vehemently to admire and praise; for he affirmed that Ambrose therefore said, “Nor do I fear to die, because we have a good Lord,” lest he should be thought to have presumed, over-confident of his own most purified manners. For Ambrose, knowing the scrutiny of the divine equity, trusted more in the good Lord than in his own merits. St. Augustine too, book 3 against Cresconius, chapter 80: “For the esteem of men, who know me, there is a great abundance of witnesses at hand; but for the sight of God, only my conscience — which, though I bear it undismayed against your accusations, yet I dare not justify myself under the eyes of the Almighty, and I look rather for the overflowing largeness of his mercy than for the supreme scrutiny of the judge.” St. Gregory, book 9 of the Morals, chapter 17: “If we know the good things which we do, we are led to elation; if we know them not, we keep them not at all. For who would not somewhat pride himself on the consciousness of his own virtue? or who again would guard the good which he knows not? But against both, what remains, save that the right things which we do, knowing, we know not — that we both esteem them right, and yet least — so that both the knowledge of rectitude may make the soul watchful, and the esteem of our own smallness may not lift it into swelling?” St. Bernard, sermon 9 on the Psalm “He that dwelleth”: “Let another put forth his merit, let him boast that he bears the burden of the day and the heats; for me, to cleave to God is good, to place in the Lord God my hope.” Likewise on the Canticles, sermon 68: “A pernicious poverty is the penury of merits; but presumption of spirit is deceitful riches. And therefore, Give me neither riches nor poverty, O Lord, says the Wise Man. Happy the Church to which neither merits without presumption, nor presumption without merits, is wanting. She has merits, but for meriting, not for presuming.” The same, in epistle 42, writes that it is most useful before God not to put forth one’s justice, but to ask mercy. And in epistle 310, which he dictated when set almost in death itself: “Pray the Savior,” says he, “that he defer not now my timely departure, but keep it; take care to fence with your vows my heel, bare of merits.” Where St. Bernard, from the consciousness of a good life, desires that his death be not longer deferred; and yet so little did he trust in his merits that he thought himself bare of merits. Finally, to these is added a manifest reason. For either a man has true merits, or he has them not. If he has them not, he is perniciously deceived, and seduces himself, while he trusts in false merits. For these are, with St. Bernard, the deceitful riches, which hinder the true. But if he has them, he loses nothing thereby, that he himself regards them not, and trusts in God alone. For God knows them well, and regards them, nor suffers them to be unrewarded, as St. John Chrysostom finely teaches, homily 38 to the people of Antioch. We have therefore how far confidence is, or is not, to be placed in good merits.
Show the Latin (Vives edition, OCR)
CAPUT VI. Quatenus fiducia in mentis collocari possit , exponitur. Controversiae superiori conjunctae sunt duae quaestiunculae bi'eviores. Una, de fidu¬ cia meritorum; Altera j de intuitu merce¬ dis. Quod attinet ad primam, Haeretici nostri temporis, nullam omnino fiduciam in meri¬ tis constitui posse contendunt. Quam sen¬ tentiam coguntur defendere, si velint in illo errore persistere, quod omnia opera justo¬ rum sint peccata mortalia. Sed in primis Joanncs Calvinus adversus hanc fiduciam meritorum tragice commo¬ vetur. Nam in lib. in: Instit. cap. 2. §. ult. reprehendens Petrum Lombardum, quod scripserit, spem gigni in nobis ex gratia Dei, et meritis praecedentibus : « Quis, inquit, non merito tales bestias exeeretur? o magi¬ strum talibus dignum discipulis, quales in insanis rabularum Scholis nactus est ». Deinde, cap. 12. §. 3. et 4. ex instituto docet, nullam in propriis meritis fiduciam esse lo¬ candam. Errorem huic plane contrarium docuit Joannes Wicleffus, Pelagium secutus, ut testatur ThomasWaldensis tom. 3. cap. 7. Sed catholica Ecclesia mediam viam in¬ greditur, qua) praecipuam quidem spem et fiduciam in Deo ponendam esse ; aliquam tamen etiam in meritis poni posse docet. Sed ut res tota planius explicetur, sciendum est, fiduciam nihil esse aliud, nisi spem confir¬ matam atque perfectam, ut sanctus Thomas docet in 2. 2. qutest. 129. art. 0. Quod etiam profani Scriptores tradiderunt. Sic enim lo¬ quitur Seneca in epistol. 16. ad Lucilium. « De te spem habeo, nondum fiduciam » . Sciendum est etiam, aliud esse fiduciam nasci ex meritis, aliud fiduciam esse ponen¬ dam in meritis. Potest enim fieri, ut quis exiguam, ac pene nullam fiduciam in meritis propriis constituat, eo quod non certo sciat, an habeat vera merita, et tamen veris, ma- gnisque meritis abundet, et ex illis fiducia in ipso erga Deum maxima oriatur. Ex qua di¬ stinctione tota quiestio absolvi, et variae Scri¬ pturarum, ac Patrum testimonia conciliari poterunt. Igitur tribus propositionibus no¬ stram sententiam complectemur. Prima propositio. « Fiducia Sanctorum, quam in Deo constituunt, non ex fide sola, sed etiam ex bonis meritis nascitur, atque ideo summo studio merita quamenda sunt, ut apud Deum fiduciam habere possimus ». lla)c propositio directe contra Calvinum ponitur, et ex Scripturis et Patribus facile probari potest. Tob. iv. Fiducia magna erit coram summo Deo eleemosyna, omnibus facien¬ tibus eam. Job xi. Si iniquitatem, qux est in manu tua, abstuleris, et non manserit in taber- (0 11 Tini. IV, 8; Heb. VI, 10. 338 LIBER V. liaculo tuo injustitia , tunc levare potens fa¬ ciem tuam , habebis fiduciam proposita spe, et defossus securus dormies. Ad Roman. v. Tribulatio patientiam operatur , patientia vero probationem , probatio vero spem. I ad Ti- moth. m. Qui bene ministraverit, gradum bo¬ num sibi acquiret, et inultam fiduciam, etc. Ad Hebr. x. Vinctis compassi estis, et rapinam bonorum vestrorum cum gaudio suscepistis. 'No¬ lite itaque amittere confidentiam vestram. I Joan. m. Si cor nostrum non reprehenderit nos, fiduciam habemus ad Deum (4). Ilis aper¬ tissimis Scriptura; testimoniis addi possunt luee testimonia sanctorum Patrum. Sanctus Cyprianus in serm. de eleemosyna, circa finem : « Praeclara », inquit, « et di¬ vina res, Fratres carissimi, salutaris opera¬ tio, solatium grande credentium, securitatis nostrae salubre praesidium , munimentum spei, tutela, fidei medela peccati » . Sanctus Joannes Chrysostomus homil. 2. in posteriorem ad Corinthios : « Nos », inquit, oramus, ut post Baptismum etiam vitam ho¬ nestam habeatis : tu contra studes, nihilque non facis, ut hinc migres absque bona vita. At nos optamus, ut ex benefactis habeas fi¬ duciam ». Auctor operis imperfecti homil. 13. in Matth. non procul ab initio : « Sicut oleum » , inquit, « accendit lumen lucernae, ita et bona opera excitant fidem cordis, et dant confi¬ dentiam animae » . Sanctus Ambrosius in comment. ad cap. xvii. Lucae : « Ex fide », inquit, « charitas, ex charitate spes, et rursus in se sancto quo¬ dam circuitu revolvuntur ». Idem (si tamen idem) in cap. iii. posterioris ad Corinthios : « Nunc», inquit, « opus est, ut crescat in nobis fiducia bonis actibus comparata » . Sanctus Augustinus praefatione in Psalm. xxxi. « Ille sperat qui bonam conscientiam gerit : quem vero pungit mala conscientia, retrahit se a spe, et non sibi sperat nisi dam¬ nationem. Ut ergo speret regnum, habeat bonam conscientiam, credat et operetur ». Idem in serm. 16. de verbis Apostoli : « Quae spes », inquit, « est nisi de aliqua conscien¬ tiae bonitate » ? His accedit etiam ratio, nam cum promi¬ serit Deus coronam vitae diligentibus se, ut dicit sanctus Jacobus cap. i. ex duobus pen¬ det adeptio gloriae ; ex fidelitate Dei, qui praestat quod promisit, et ex operibus nostris: diligere enim oportet, non verbo ct lingua, sed opere et veritate, ut ait sanctus Joannes in epistol. I. cap. 3. proinde sicut spes certa non esset, si nos bene operaremur, sed Deus fidelis non permaneret, ita nec certa esse potest, si Deus quidem fidelis sit, sed nos non bene operemur, nec diligamus opere et ve¬ ritate. Spes igitur, ac per hoc etiam fiducia, non solum ex gratia Dei promittentis, sed etiam ex meritis et operibus nascitur, ut recte docuit Petrus Lombardus lib. m. Sent. di- stin. 26. Sed forte objiciet aliquis, quod bis, quae dicta sunt, repugnare videatur, quod sanctus Augustinus tract. 83. in Joannem, et Petrus Lombardus in 2. Sentent. dist. 23. dicunt, spem priorem esse charitate, et sine ea posse consistere, contra autem charitatemsine spe esse non posse. Nam si haec vera sint , illud verum esse non poterit, quod supra dictum est, spem ex charitate et bonis ope¬ ribus nasci. Sed facilis est responsio. Nam (ut recte ait sanctus Ambrosius) spes oritur ex charitate, et ex ipsa spe oritur charitas. Amor enim beatitudinis, ut rei nobis convenientis, spem omnem praicedit. Non enim speratur, quod non amatur, ut Augustinus docet in Enchi- rid. cap. 117. Itaque in homine nondum conciliato pri¬ mus motus ad salutem est fidei, inde sequi¬ tur amor, et desiderium beatitudinis, per fi¬ dem jam cognita; : post amorem, sive cupi¬ ditatem beatitudinis, sequitur in homine spes consequenda; ejusdem beatitudinis : sed ea spes non immediate, sed mediate beatitudi- nem respicit. Non enim qui nondum cum Deo in gratiam rediit, nec habet ulla bona merita, immediate beatitudinem sperare po¬ test. Ista enim non spes, sed praesumptio es¬ set, ut Augustinus dicit in locis supra citatis : sed sperat reconciliationem, et bona merita per Dei misericordiam se habiturum, et per haec tandem ad beatitudinem perventurum. Post hanc spem, quam Theologi vocant in¬ formem, sequitur vera charitas, et operatio bona. Inde autem roboratur spes et fiducia incipit appellari, qua; immediate beatitudi¬ nem respicit. Sit jam altera propositio : « In bonis me¬ ritis, qua; vere talia esse compeitum sit, fi¬ ducia aliqua collocari potest, modo superbia caveatur » . (i) Job. IV, 12; Job. XI, 14; Kom. V, 3; ITim. III, 13; Hcb.X, 34; I Joan. HI, 21. CAPUT VII. m llaec quoque propositio exemplis divinae Scripturae confirmari potest. Legimus enim in h. lib. Esdrae, cap. v. Nehemiam virum sanctum, enumerantem opera sua bona, et dicentem Deo : Memento mei Domine in bono secundum omnia , quae feci populo huic. Item Davidem dicentem in Psalm. xvii. Et re¬ tribuet trahi Dominus secundum justitiam meam / quia custodivi vias ejus. Et Ezechiam oran¬ tem apud Isaiam, cap. xxxvm. Obsecro Do¬ mine memento , quxso , quomodo ambulaverim coram te in veritate ; et in corde perfecto, et quod bonum est in oculis tuis fecerim. Et san¬ ctam Esther ita orantem cap. xiv. Tu scis necessitatem meam , quod abominer signum su¬ perbiae et gloriae meae , quod est super caput meum in diebus ostentationis meae, et detester illud, sicut pannum menstruata’ : et non portem in diebus silentii mei ; et quod non comederim in mensa Aman, nec mihi placuerit convivium regis, et non biberim vinum libaminum ;* et numquam laetata sit ancilla tua, ex quo huc translata sum usque in praesentem diem, nisi in te Domine Deus A br aliam, Deus fortis su¬ per omnes, exaudi vocem eorum, qui nullam aliam spem habent, et libera nos de manu in¬ iquorum (i). Denique Apostolum dicentem : Bonum cerlumen certavi, cursum consummavi, fidem servavi, in reliquo reposita est mihi co¬ rona justitiae. His exemplis addi possunt alia ex testimo¬ niis Patrum. Scribit enim S. Hieronymus in vita Pauli primi Eremitae, eumdem Paulum morti propinquum dixisse : Peracto cursu su- perest mihi corona justitiae. In vita vero Hila- rionis refert idem Hieronymus; dixisse Hila- rionem : « Egredere anima mea, egredere, quid times? septuaginta prope annis servisti Christo, et mortem times » ? Scribit quoque Sulpitius, S. Martinum in exitu diabolo astanti, magna cum fiducia dixisse : « Quid hic astas, cruenta bestia? nihil in me funeste reperies. Abrahae me sinus excipiet ». Deni¬ que S. Bonaventura scribit, illa fuisse verba extrema S. Francisci : « Educ de custodia animam meam ad confitendum nomini tuo. Me expectant justi, donec retribuas mihi >). His tot, ac tantis exemplis satis apparet in bonis meritis nonnullam fiduciam reponi posse : addidi autem : « Modo superbia ca- .veatur ». Quoniam si quis in propriis meritis ita confideret, ut ea se a se, non ex gratia Dei habere crederet, vel ceeteros prte se de¬ spiceret, aut majora se merita habere exi¬ stimaret, quam re vera haberet ; is non tam in spem erigeretur, quam in superbia-; bara¬ thrum praecipitaretur. Posse autem in meritis spem aliquam poni, si vera sint merita, et sobrie id fiat, probari, potest hac etiam ratione, quoniam sicut mi¬ sericordia Dei, ita etiam bona merita sunt vera salutis causa ; licet autem confidere in omni vera causa, quee ad finem optatum et speratum consequendum, cognoscatur ido¬ nea. Nam et in rebus corporalibus aegrotus recte confidit non solum in arte, et industria medici, sed etiam in medicamentorum vir¬ tute et efficacia. Neque hoc est confidere in propria virtute, sed in Deo, et ejus gratia, cujus sunt munera omnia bona merita. Sit tertia propositio : « Propter incerlitu- dinem propriae justitia}, et periculum inanis gloriae tutissimum est, fiduciam totam in sola Dei misericordia et benignitate reponere ». Explico propositionem, non enim ita acci¬ pienda est, quasi non sit homini totis viribus studendum operibus bonis, aut non sit in eis confidendum, quasi non sint vera justitia, aut judicium Dei sustinere non possint, sed hoc solum dicimus tutius esse, meritorum jam partorum, quodammodo oblivisci, et in solam misericordiam Dei respicere ; tum quia nemo absque revelatione certo scire po¬ test, se habere vera merita, aut in eis in fi¬ nem usque perseveraturum ; tum quia nihil est facilius in hoc loco tenlationis, quam su¬ perbiam ex consideratione bonorum operum gigni. Probatur igitur propositio testimoniis illis qucC adversarii contra merita operum ad- ferre solent. Nam quod ait Daniel cap. ix. Non in justificationibus nostris prosternimus preces nostras ante faciem tuam , sed in misera¬ tionibus tuis multis. Et quod ipse Dominus admonet, Luc. xvii. Cum feceritis haec omnia qux praecepta sunt vobis, dicite, servi inutiles sumus (2); hoc solum probant, quod nos dici¬ mus, tutum esse in sola misericordia Dei, et non in operibus nostris fiduciam collocare. Quod etiam testantur publica} preces quas Ecclesia catholica ad altare fundere solet. Nam in collecta Dominicse, qute sexagesima dicitur, sic orat Ecclesia : «< Deus, qui con¬ spicis, quia ex nulla nostra actione confidi¬ mus etc. ». Item in collecta secreta Dominic. 2. Adventus : « Ubi nulla suppe.unt suffra- (1) II Esd. V, 19; Psal. XVII, ‘25; Isai. XXXVIll, 3; Est. XIV, 10.— (2) Dan. IX, 18; Luc. XVII, 10. 360 LlIiEll V. gia meritorum, tuis nobis succurro i>racsi- diis ». Item ia canone post consecrationem : «Intra quorum nos consortium non aestima¬ tor meriti, sed veniae quaesumus largitor ad¬ mitte » . Similia passim leguntur in Patribus, S. Joannes Chrysostomus horni!. 21. in Genes, aut. med. «Oportet», inquit, «in virtute, et recte tactis spem salutis habere, immo ne¬ que in illis multum de se sentire, sed tunc magis humilem et modestum esse, cum ma¬ gnas virtutum divitias congerere possumus. Sic enim et ipsi collectas divitias custodiemus et gratiam Dei nobis conciliabimus. Enim vero propter hoc ct Christus discipulis dicebat : Cum feceritis haec omnia, dicite, servi inutiles sumus ». Item homil. 3. in illud : « Elatum est cor Oziae », sub initium : « Nihil », inquit « periri degignit superbiam, ut bona conscien¬ tia, nisi advigilemus. Unde et Christus sciens quod post benefacta nos hic morbus adoritur dicebat discipulis, cum omnia feceritis, di¬ cite, servi inutiles sumus ». Item homil. 3. in Matth. «Noli», inquit, « mercedem re¬ poscere, ut accipias mercedem. Tu salvari te per gratiam confitere, ut sc ille tibi debito¬ rem fateatur ; nec modo pro operibus tuis, sed etiam pro hac aequanimitate. Quando enim aliqua praeclare fecerimus, habemus eum debitorem ob res bene gestas : quando vero nihil arbitramur nos operatos, egregium amplius etiam ob talem meremur affectum , quam propter opera ipsa, quae fecimus. Mi¬ nimum itaque de se sensisse, tam magnum est, quam maximas res fecisse » . Sanctus Ambrosius, ut in ejus vita scribit Paulinus, sub mortem ita locutus fertur ad cives Mediolanenses : « Non sic vixi, ut me pudeat inter vos vivere : nec mori timeo, quia bonum Domitium habemus ». Qua) verba sanctus Augustinus (ut in ejus vita Possidonius refert) vehementer mirari et lau¬ dare solebat ; ideo siquidem Ambrosium di¬ xisse affirmabat : « Nec mori timeo, quia bonum Dominum habemus », ne crederetur praefidens de suis purgatissimis moribus prae¬ sumpsisse. Sciens enim Ambrosius examen aequitatis divinae, magis de bono Domino, quam de suis meritis confidebat. Ipse quoque sanctus Augustinus lib. m. contra Cresconium, cap. 80. « Ad existima¬ tionem », inquit, « hominum magna testium qui me noverunt, suppetit copia: ad Dei vero conspectum sola conscientia, quam contra vestras criminationes, cum intrepidam ge¬ ram; uou me tamen sub oculis omnipotentis justificare audeo, magisque ab iilo effluen¬ tem misericordiae largitatem, quam judicis summum examen expecto ». Sanctus Gregorius lib. ix. Moralium cap. 17. « Si scimus », inquit, « bona quae agimus ad elationem ducimur ; si nescimus minime servamus. Quis enim aut de virtutis suae con¬ scientia’ non quuiitulumeiimque superbiat? aut quis rursum bonum se custodiat, quod ignorat ; sed contra utraque quid superest, nisi ut recta quae agimus sciendo nesciamus, ut lnec et recta aestimemus, ct minima, qua¬ tenus et ad custodiam sensificet animam scientia rectitudinis, ct in tumorem non ele¬ vet aestimatio minorationis ». S. Dernardus serui. 9. in Psalm. « Qui ha- 1 bitat: Praetendat,, inquit, alter meritam, sus¬ tinere se jactet pondus diei, et aestus; mi¬ lii adhaerere Deo bonum est, ponere in Do¬ mino Deo spem meam ». item in Cant. serm. 68. « Perniciosa paupertas penuria merito¬ rum: praesumptio autem spiritus fallaces di¬ vitiae. Et ideo divitias et paupertatem ne de¬ deris mihi, Domine, ait Sapiens : Fcelix Ec. clesiai cui ncc merita sine praesumptione, nce praesumptio absque meritis deest. Habet me¬ rita, sed ad promerendum, non ad praesu¬ mendum». Idem in epist. 42. scribit, utilis¬ simum esse coram Deo, non justitiam prae¬ tendero, sed misericordiam postulare. Et in epist. 310. quam in ipsa pene morte consti¬ tutus dictavit :« orate», inquit, «Salvatorem, ut tempestivum jam exitum non differat, sed custodiat: curate munire votis calcaneum nudum meritis ». Ubi sanctus Dernardus ex conscientia bona) vitae optat, non differri diu¬ tius mortem suam ; ct tamen adeo non con¬ fidebat in meritis, ut existimaret, se nudum esse meritis. Denique, his accedit ratio manifesta. Vel enim habet homo vera merita, vel non ha¬ bet ; si non habet, perniciose fallitur, seque ipse seducit, dum in falsis meritis confidit. Ista) enim sunt fallaces divitia) apud S. Pcr- nardum, qua) veras impediunt. Si vero habet, nihil perdit ex co, quod ipse ea non intuetur et in solo Deo confidit. Deus enim ea bene novit, et intuetur, nce i r rem une rata esse patitur, ut pulchre docet S. Joannes Ghrvso- stomus hom.38. ad populum Antiochenum. Ilabenms igitur quatenus in horiis meritis fidendum, aut non fidendum esse videatur. gapOt vm. 361