Bellarmine · De Controversiis · On the Sacrament of Penance · Book IV: On Satisfaction
Chapter 8: It Is Proved from the Scriptures That Satisfaction Can Be Made to God for Temporal Punishment, the Guilt Being Forgiven
Our translation, from the Latin of the Opera Omnia (Paris: Vivès, 1870–74), vol. III, De Sacramento Poenitentiae, Book IV, the fourth general controversy on the sacraments. 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).
The first testimony of Scripture, then, can be that which is had in Isaiah, chapter 1, where the Lord promises a full and perfect remission of sins as a certain reward to those who have not only washed and cleansed themselves through contrition, but have also exercised themselves in good works of mercy. But of this place we shall say more in chapter 15, in the solution of the third argument of John Calvin. The second testimony is had in Daniel 4: “Redeem thy sins with alms.” And Proverbs 16: “By mercy and truth iniquity is redeemed.” For here we have the word redemption, which is equivalent to the word satisfaction, which Luther denied to be found in the divine letters. For certainly redemption pertains to justice no less than satisfaction; and if it were absurd to say that satisfaction is made for sins by our works, it would be much more absurd to say that sins are redeemed by our works; as the heretics themselves also bear it more grievously if we wish to be called in some part redeemers than satisfiers. Since therefore Scripture in more than one place hands down in express words that sins are redeemed by our works, surely what we say, that satisfaction is made for sins by our works, does not depart from the usage of Scripture. But how Calvin’s exposition is refuted we showed in chapter 3. But perhaps someone will object that Daniel did not say, “Redeem with alms the punishments due to thee,” but, “Redeem thy sins with alms”; therefore that he spoke of the redemption of guilt, which we ourselves confess is not a true and proper redemption. I answer: in the sacred letters the name of sin is very often taken for punishment, or the guilt of punishment; as Genesis 43, “Unless I bring the boy back, I shall be guilty of sin against thee for ever”; Deuteronomy 5, “Rendering the iniquity of the fathers upon the children”; 3 Kings 1, “I and my son Solomon shall be sinners.” And in this way can be taken what we adduced from Proverbs: “By mercy and truth iniquity is redeemed.” But the place of Daniel is accustomed to be expounded in two ways. In one way, so that by sin is understood guilt, or enmity with God; and then by those words is signified that a penitent man can through alms appease God from congruity, and obtain from him the grace of reconciliation. From which interpretation it follows that, if the works of a man not yet justified, yet done with the special help of God, avail so much for reconciliation that from congruity they are said to redeem guilt, much more do the works of a just man, done from the indwelling Spirit, avail so much for expiating temporal punishment that from condignity they are said to redeem the punishment. In another way those words are expounded by some, so that by sin the punishment alone is understood. But because Nabuchodonosor was impious, and needed the remission not only of punishment but also of guilt, therefore those authors would have the sentence of Daniel to be truncated, and other words to be understood, by which Daniel had exhorted the king to do penance and seek reconciliation, and then at last added about expiating the punishment, “Redeem thy sins with alms.” But the commentary will be full if we understand the words of Daniel of the perfect remission of sin as to guilt and punishment, so that the exhortation is to great and frequent alms, by which the king may first be disposed to reconciliation, and then also redeem the punishment from condignity; as that place of Luke 11 seems to be understood, “Give alms, and behold all things are clean unto you.” In which manner Saint Cyprian also speaks in the sermon On the Lapsed, where he requires works of penance by which first the pardon of sins may be obtained, then also the crown of glory acquired.
The third testimony is placed in those words of the precursor, “Bring forth fruits worthy of penance,” Luke 3; which testimony the adversaries do not rightly expound of newness of life and the observance of the divine law. For to bring forth fruit worthy of penance is to work in that manner which befits him who professes Penance; but he who professes penance for having wronged someone not only ceases from wronging, and not only takes care for the future not to commit anything against him, but also repairs the damage, compensates the injury, corrects and amends the evil deeds. And in this manner the ancients expounded that place. Saint Gregory, homily 20 on the Gospels: “It is one thing,” he says, “to bring forth fruit of Penance, another to bring forth fruit worthy of Penance. For that we may speak of fruits worthy of penance, it must be known that whoever has not committed unlawful things, to him it is rightly granted that he use lawful things, and so do works of piety that yet, if he will, he does not leave the things which are of the world. But if anyone has fallen into the fault of fornication, or perhaps, what is graver, into adultery, he ought so much the more to cut off lawful things from himself as he remembers that he has perpetrated unlawful things also.” See the same, book 6, chapter 2, on the first of Kings, where, since he requires three things for Penance, the conversion of the mind, the confession of the mouth and the vengeance of the sin, this third he confirms from the testimony brought by us on the worthy fruits of Penance. Bede, book 1 on Luke, chapter 3, repeats the words of Gregory already cited. The same Bede also on Psalm 4: “Offer,” he says, “the sacrifice of justice; as if he said: I so say that you be angry at past sins that you offer a sacrifice, that is, mortify your own vices, by bringing forth worthy fruits of Penance, namely afflicting yourselves for each as much as a worthy Penance demands, which will be a sacrifice of justice.” Peter Damian, in sermon 2 on Saint Andrew: “Do not flatter yourself if, when you have gravely sinned, a lighter penance is dictated by a mild or a dissembling man, since whatever you have done less here must be finished in the purgatorial fires; because the Most High seeks worthy fruits of Penance.” Christian Druthmar on chapter 3 of Matthew: “To bring forth fruit worthy of Penance,” he says, “is to punish past evils with weeping, and to act contrary to them, and to redeem evil deeds with alms.” Isychius, book 4 on Leviticus, chapter 11: “These,” he says, “have necessary works, which by virtues and zeal of action avail to blot out sins; for which reason John the Baptist said to the people of the Jews, Bring forth fruit worthy of Penance”; and a little below, explaining what those works, or fruits of Penance, are, he says that they are prayer, entire alms, vigils, sackcloth, fasting, tears. Saint John Chrysostom, homily 10 on Matthew, expounding this very place: “Bring forth,” he says, “fruits worthy of Penance. But in what manner shall we be able to bear fruit? If indeed we do things contrary to our sins. For example, have you seized what was another’s? begin now to give away your own. Have you fornicated for a long time? suspend yourself also from the lawful use of marriage, and meditate perpetual continence by the chastity of a few days. Have you done injury to anyone, either by deed or by word? return words of blessing to those who curse you; and strive to appease those who strike you now by services, now even by benefits; for it will not suffice for the health of a wounded man only to pull the darts out of his body, but also to apply remedies to the wounds. Did you before flow with delights and drunkenness? compensate both by fasting and the drinking of water.” Pacian, in letter 3 to Sympronian: “You see,” he says, “fruit required in the branches, that is, the good works of Penance. You see the branches purged; which are the detriments of the flesh, the losses of gladness, the losses of patrimony, the labours of life, which are properly the acts of penitents.” These Fathers certainly require not only newness of life and obedience to the law, that they may be reckoned worthy fruits of Penance, but also that we abstain from lawful things, that we do works which avail to blot out sins, that we punish evil deeds with laborious works, that we redeem crimes with good works, that we cure the wounds of vices with the medicine of abstinence, that we compensate surfeit and drunkenness (as Chrysostom speaks) with the drinking of water and fasting. Lastly Pacian defines the detriments of the flesh, the losses of gladness, the losses of patrimony and the labours of life, that is, fasts, weeping, alms poured out and the other asperities of life, which otherwise no law commands, to be the worthy fruits of penance. But they could not rightly be called worthy fruits unless they really sufficed to compensate the injury, if not to equality of quantity, at least to equality of proportion, and according to the acceptance of him who had been wronged.
The fourth testimony is had in 2 Corinthians 7, where blessed Paul, among the other good fruits of the holy sorrow which works Penance unto steadfast salvation, sets vengeance. Nor does it matter much whether the Apostle speaks of the vengeance which he who does Penance takes of himself, or of that which is enjoined by another; for it is enough for us that punishments are approved by the Apostle which are found in Penance under the name of vengeance. For vengeance looks to the past, and pertains to justice, and is nothing else than what we call Satisfaction; for each one takes vengeance of his sins for the fear of God, or willingly admits that enjoined by a priest, for this reason, that he may compensate by that means the injury done to God. And although Calvin, as we noted above, in many places denies that any punishment for our sins is exacted of us, yet in book 3 of the Institutes, chapter 3, section 15, treating this place of the Apostle, he speaks thus: “The last is vengeance; for the more severe we are on ourselves, and with the sharper censure we hold inquiry on our sins, so much the more ought we to hope God propitious and merciful. And certainly it cannot be but that the soul, struck with the horror of the divine judgement, takes up the part of an avenger in exacting punishment of itself.” In which place he openly grants that the apostle Paul speaks of a punishment which is undertaken by the penitent under the name of vengeance. The fifth testimony is gathered from Leviticus, chapters 4, 5 and 6, where sacrifices of different price are commanded according to the estimation and measure of the offence. And that those sacrifices were a compensation and satisfaction for expiating the guilt of temporal punishment will be proved in chapter 15, in the answer to the arguments of Calvin, in the solution of the fifth argument. Hither can be brought all those places of Scripture which teach that the works of just men are meritorious of eternal life. For if the works of the just have such force that they truly and properly merit eternal life, it can in no way be denied that they can also be efficacious for making satisfaction for the guilt of temporal punishment; since eternal glory is far greater than the remission of temporal punishment. Certainly among men, if someone had wronged his king, and then, restored to friendship, so bore himself that by the merit of his works he was admitted into the fellowship of the kingdom, who would doubt that the same by his services towards the king could easily redeem a pecuniary debt? The testimonies of Scripture for the merits of eternal life occur everywhere; but two will suffice us in this place. One is Matthew 20: “Call the labourers and pay them their hire”; in which place both the word hire, and the name of labourers, and the bargain with the labourers for a penny a day, do not permit us to expound this place otherwise than of merits properly so called, to which a hire is due from justice; and the daily penny, which in that place is set down for the hire, the Fathers by common consent teach to be eternal life. See Ambrose, book 7 on Luke, chapter 60; Jerome, book 2 against Jovinian; Augustine, the book On Holy Virginity, chapter 26; Gregory, book 4 of the Morals, chapter 42; Chrysostom and others on this place of Matthew. The other testimony is 2 Timothy 4: “There is laid up for me a crown of justice, which the Lord the just judge will render to me in that day; and not only to me, but to them also that love his coming.” Certainly a crown of justice, which is rendered by a just judge, signifies a true and proper hire of labours and merits. But of these things thus far; for of the merits of works we shall discourse more fully in their place.
Show the Latin (Vives edition, OCR)
CAPUT VIII.
Ex Scripluris probalur, Deo satisfleri, posse pro
poena temporali, culpa dimissa.
Primum igitur Scriplurae leslimonium cssc po-
tesl, quod habclur Isaiac cap. 1. ubi Doniinus pro-
mitlil remissioncm plcnam ac perfeclain pcccalo-
rum quasi praemium quoddam, iis qui non lantum
laverint ac mundaverinl se per conlritionem, sed
cliam in bonis opcribus misericordiae se excrcue-
rint. Sed de lioc loco plura dicemus cap.lo. in so-
lulione tertii argumenti Joannis Calvini.
Allcrum teslimoniiim habeturDaniel 4. />f?cca/ft
nim ex rigore justiliae, duo rcqmrit: utsalisfiatex lua eleemosynis redime. El Proverb. Ki. Miseri-
propriis: et ad aequalilalcm, nulla vidclicel prae-
veniente, aul inlcrcedente gralia cjus, eui debetur
Satisfiiclio.Nos aulem neque filiquid habemus.quod
Uei non sil. netpie possumus ulln gcnere bonoris
adaequare injuriam. quam Deo fecimus: cum in-
iiiri;ie mensura aeslimelur ex dignilale Dei, quae
infinila esl; mensura honoris, qucm iili impemii-
inus, aeslimclur ex dignilale noslra, quae csL fiiii-
la ac perexigua. Nihiiominus lamen accedenle gra-
tia Dei, earpie mulliplici, vere possumus alnpio
modo ex propriis. et ad aequalilalem, ac per hoc
jusle et ex condigno satisfaccre.
Primum enim accedit gratia justificalionis, per
qiiam eniciuuir filii Dei, membra Christi, babilacu-
l;i Spirilus s;incti: el hac r;ilione, o[)era noslra, ut
a Spirilu Christi in nobis habilanle procedunl,quan-
d;un liabenl infinilalem.ac per lioc etiiim qu;inihim
aequalilalem cum injuria, qiia Deuin peccando af-
feceramiis.
cordia et veritale redimitur iniquitas. llic eiiim
haberaus vocem redemplionis, quae aequivalel vo-
ci satisfaclionis, qunm Lnllicrus in divinis lileris
inveniri negabal. Certe enim non minus ad jusii-
tiam perlinel redemplio, quam salisfaclio: et si ab-
surduin essel diccre.noslris opcribus salislieri pro
peccalis; mullo esscl absurdius diccre. noslris o-
pcribus rcdimi peccata: quemadinodum ijisi eliain
haerelici gravius ferunt, si dici velimus aliqua ex
p;irle redcmpiores, qiiam salisfadores. Ciim igilur
Scriplur;i noM uno in loco diserlis vcrbis lrad;il,
noslris operibus redimi pcccala, profeclo non ab-
horrel ab usu Scripliirae quod nos dicimus,noslris
operibus satisfieri pro peccalis. Quennidmoduni
aulein rcfellalur Calvini cxiiosilio cap. ^. oslcn-
diinus.
Scd forlasse olijiciel aliqnis, non dixisse Danie-
lem, Poenns libi debilas eleemosynis rcdime: scd,
Peccata tuaeJeemosijnisredime,\)ro\i\(\o loquulmu
Accedit lursus alia gratia, dum Deus qui noslra esse de redcmplione cul[);ie; qiiam nos ipsi l'ale-
OTunia sibi jure vendic;ire posscl, non omnia,(]u;ie
faceie possumiis. imper;il, sed cerla (luaedam o-
pera dumlaxal: alia vero permulta, non imperat,
serl snaihd, alqne ad ca f;icierid;i horlalur ut lib. 2.
de uionarhis copiose osIcndiiniis.Ex (pi;i Dei bciii-
g.riit;ile illml eouscquiliir, ut li;ibeamus opera pro-
priii el indcbilii, quibus pro in.juriii salislaciauiiis:
quiimqiiam e;i est benigiiiliis Dei.ul cti;im quae mu-
iier;i ipsius sunl, noslr;i (!sse uieril;i p;ili;itur, cl
quae de manii cjus acccpiinus.sibi donari libenter
iidiniihil.
Accedit Praelcrca ;ili;i gr;ilia.!N'am Deus ciim nos
ad amiciti;im siiam per rcconciliiilioncin iterum re-
cipil; ;i poenii, (uijus debitores eramus, aeternila-
lcm aulcrl.ac dc iietcriiii lemporiilcm lacil. ll;i igi-
lur iiilclligimus, pcr noslr;i ojiera Douiino siilislie-
ri, non ex rigore jusliliiie, scd griilia ipsius eaque
mulliplici praecedenlc et coniilanlc, abiue id no-
mur non esse veriim el propriam rcdemptioncm,
licspondeo: In sacris lilcris nomeii pccciili sao
pcnumero accipi pro pocna, sivc pocnae realu. iit
Gen. 13. ?Hisi reduxero puerum. ero peccalireus
iu le omni tempore Dcuteron. j. Beddens iniqv.i-
tatem pairum in (Uios. .3. Ucgum. 1. Ivrimus eqo,
el (iUus meus Salomon peccatores; El lioc iiiodo
acci|)i pnlesl illiid iidduximiis ex Provcrbiis: Mise-
ricordia et veritate redimitur iniquitas.
Lorus auUun Daniclis diiobns niodis exponi so-
lel. Ihio niodo iil pcr pccciilum intclligalur ciilp;i,
siv(! inimiciliii cuni Dco: el lunc signiliciiliir illis
vcrbis. posse hoinincm poenilcntcm pcr clccmo-
syiias placare Deum ex congruo, iilque ab co gra-
liiim r(;conciIialioiiis impctr;ire. Ex (jiiii iiilciprcl;i-
tioue id sequilur. ut si oper;i hominis iiondum jn-
stilicari, lameii cum auxilio Dci speciiili fiicla l;iri-
tum valcnl ad reconciliationcm, iil cx congruo di-
l-'i
I)K POEiMTi:i\TIA
canlur redimore culpain: fuullo tnagis opera IioMii-
nis justi, ox Spiritu iiiliabilaiUe faola, lanluiii va-
I«Mnt ad fvpi.milaiii potMiam lfm|>oraIem,ul ex con-
(lijjno dicanlur rciliiiuTi! potMiaiii.
AIio moilo exponiintiir a nonnullis ea verba. iil
pcr peocatnin *ola poena inlclIij^Mlin-. Sed (|uia .\a-
burliodonosor iinpius eral, el iion sohiin poiMiae,
sed fliain riilpae rcmissioneni indip;ebal, idcirco
auctores illi vulonl. senlenliam Danielis essc liiul-
cnni. ac sn[)inl('Ilij:i alia viMba.qiiibiis ad agiMidam
pocniUMiiiam, el tiuaeiendam reconcilialionem Da-
nicl regem sit coliorlalus, ac lum demum addiderit
de c\|)ianda poena: Pcccata tua clccmosi/nis rcdi-
me. C.aeleruni plenus commeiilarius eril si vcrba
Danielis inlcllipamiis ile perrccla remissioiie pec-
cali qnoad culpam cl pocnam: ila iil coliorlalio sit
•,\i\ mai^nas el Iretpienles elecmosynas. qnibns pri-
inuin disponalur re\ ad roooncilialionem , dciiide
eliam poenam ex condi|ino redinial ; qiiemadmo-
dum inlelligendus csse videtnr locus ille Luc. 1 1.
Ihitc clccmosiinam, ct ecce omnia munda sunt
sunl lobis. .Vd qutMU inoduin eliam loqnilur s. Cy-
prianus in serm. de lapsis. ubi opera poenilenliae
re(]uirit. quibus primnin viMiia pecoaloruin impe-
trcliir, demile cliain corona gloriae acqiiiralur.
Terlium lcslimonium posilum est in illis verbis
praeoiirsoris: Facitc fruclus dipnos poeniicnliae,
Luc. 3. quod leslimonium adversarii iion recle cx-
ponunl de novilale vitae, et observalione legis di-
vinae. Nam facere fructum dignum poenitenliae ,
cst oporari co ■nodo. quo decet eum qui Poenilen-
tiam proGletur: qui aulcm poenilcnliani profilelur
quod aliqiiem laeserit. non solum cessal a laeden-
do, nec solum cavet in futurum ne quid in eum
commillal. sed cliam damnuin resarcit , compen-
s-.it injuriam, male facta coriigil elemendat.
Atque in hunc modum locum istum vcleres ex-
posuerunl. S. Grogorius Iiomil. 20. in evang. A-
liud.\n\}uH.cil fructum facere Poenilenliae.aliud
di()num Foenitentiae fructumfacere. Vl eniin de
dif]nis pocnilcnliae fructibus loquamur , scien-
dum cst. quodquisquis ilUcita non comjnisil ,
liuic jure conccditur, ul licitis ulalur, sicque o-
pera pielatis facialM lamen sivolueril, ea quae
mundi sunl non rclinquai. Al. si quis in fornica-
tioni^ culpam. vel forlassis. quod gravius csl. in
adullcrium lapsus est. ianto a se licila dcbct ab-
scindcre. quanlo se meminit et illicita perpe-
trasse. Vide euiidom lib. (i. cap, 2. in primum Re-
gum.ubi cum Iria ad Poenilenliam requiral.menlis
conversionem. oris confessionem et peccali vin-
diclam: hoc tertium , ex teslimonio a nobis allalo
de dignis Poenilenliae fruclibns conGnnat.
Beda lib. I. in Luc. cap.2. repelil verba Grego-
rii jain cilala. Idem etiam Ceda in psalm. 4. Sa-
r.rificatc. inquit, sacrificium justiliae, quasi di-
cat: Ila dico ut irascamini praeteritis peccalis ,
ul sacrifLcelis sacrificium. idest, mortificelis pro-
pria vilia ve.^tra, faciendo difpios fructus Poeni-
tenliac, lanlum scilicet pro sinrjulis vos affWjen-
tes. quanlum diqnaexpetil Poenitenlia, quod e-
ril sacrilicium justitiae,
Pelrus Damiani in scrm. 2. de s. Andrea:iVe tibi
olandiaris, si graviter peccanti, levior poeniten-
tia a viansuelo, vcl a dissimulante dictatur.cuvi
in purgaloriis ignitms pcrliciendum sil.quidquid
liic miniis fcccris: qnia dignos Pocnitcnliae fru-
clus quacrit Altissimus.
Glinslianus Druilimarus iii t ap. .3. iMaKh. Fru-
c/i/.»i. iniiuil , dignuin Pocnitcntiae facere, csl
practcrila mala {lclibus punirc, ct iHrnae cuntra-
rio agcrc, et malc commissa elccmoi:ijnis rcdi-
mere.
Isiohius lib. 4. in Levil. cap. II. Jlacc, inquit ,
opcra ncccssaria habcl, quac virtutibus, et aclio-
nisstudio valcant delc.re peccala: proptcr quod
Joanncs Baptifila populo Judaeorum dicebat.Fa-
cilc fruclum dignum Poenilenliac.ol paulo iiilra,
explioans quae siiit isla opera, sive fiuctus Pooni-
lenliae, dicil esse oralionem intejiiam cleeinosy-
nain, vigilias, sacoum, jt;junium, lachrymas.
Scnclus Joannes chrysoslomus homil. 10. in
Mallhaeum, cxponens hiinc ipsum looum: Facile,
inquit, fructris dignos Poenitcntiae. Quo aulem
modo fruclificare polerimus? si utiquc peccalis
advcrsa faciamus: Verbi gratia, alicna rapuisli?
incipe donare jani propria ; longo es temporc
fornicalus? a legilimo quoque usu suspendere
conjugii. ac perpeluam conl.incntia,m sicpius
paiicorum dierum castilate meditare: injuriam ,
vel opere cuiquam, vel sernione fecisli? refcr be-
ncdictionis verba conmciis: ct pcrculientes te,
nunc officiis,nunc etiam beneflciis placare con-
tcnde; ncque cnim vidnerato sufficiet ad salu-
tom. tantummodo spicuia de corpore evellcre.sed
eliam remedia adliibere vulneribus. Deliciis an-
tea et temulentia diffluebat? jejunio et aquae
polu utrumque compensa.
Pacianus in episl. 3. ad Sympronianum: Yides.
inquit, in sarmentis fruclum requiri, idest, bona
opera Poenilentiae. Yides sarmenta purgari :
quac sunl dctrimenta carnis damna laetiiiae ,
damna patrimonii, vilae labores, qui actus pro-
prie poenitentium sunt.
Hi certePalres non solum vilae novitatem , el
legis obedientlam requirunl, utdigni fruclus Poe-
niientiae censeantur,sed eliam ul a licilis nos abs-
lineamus, ut opera faciamus; quae valeant delere
peccata, ut male facta laboriosis operibus punia-
mus, ut scelera bonis operibus redimamus, ul vi-
liorum plagas abslinenliae medicina curemus, ul
crapulam et ebrietatem (ut Chrysostomus loquilur)
aquae polu ac jejunio compensemus.Denique Pa-
cianus, delrimenia carnis damna laeliliae, damna
palrimonii ct vilae labores, idest, jejunia, fletus ,
eleemosynas profusas et caeleras vitae asperita-
tes, quas alioqui nulla lex impcral, fructus digiios
poenilenliae esse dennil. Digni aulem frucius re-
cle dici non possenl,nisi re vera sufficerent ad in-
juriam compensandam , si non ad acqualilalem
quantilatis, saltem ad aequalitalem proporlionis ,
el juxla acceptalionem ejus qui fueral laesus.
Ouartum teslimonium habetur 2. Corinih. 7. ubi
b. Paiilus inter alios bonos fruotus sanctae trisli-
liae, quae Poenilentiam in salulem stabilem ope-
ralur, ponit vindictam. Neque multum refert an
Aposlolus loqualur de vindicta, quam is, qui Poe-
nitentiam agit, de scipso sumit, an de ea, quae in-
LllU:il OLAUTUS
72a
jiinsilur !il) alio: salis cnim nnbis osl, prnlmri ob
Aposloln pocnns. (|iii)n vinfiicliu'. noniino invcniiiii-
lur in Poenilcnlia. Vindicla cnini ad praclcriluni
respicil. el ad jusliliani pcrlinct, neque aliud esl,
nisi id qnod nos diciinus Salistiiclionem : idco e-
nim suniil unusquisque dc pccciilis suis pro iinio-
re Dci vindicliun. vel a Siicerdole injuncl;un iibcn-
ler adniiUit,ul injuriam Deo laclain ea ralione com-
pensci.
El quamvis Calvinus. iit supra nolavimus, mul-
tis in locis negel. ullam poenam pro pecciitis no-
slris exigi a nobis; lamen lib. 3. Inslit. ciip. .3. §
Ij. linnc locuin Aposloli Iractans, ila loquilur :
Poslycnia esl vindicla: quo o.nim severiores in
nos sumus el acriore censura quneslionem ha-
bemus de jjeccatis noslris. eo sperare debemus
niarjis propHium. ac misericordem Deum. El
cerle fieri non polesl. quin anima divinijudicii
horrore perculsa, parles ullionis in exigenda de
sepioena occupct. Quo loco apcrte concedil. ;ipo-
sioluni Piiulum loqui de poena, quae vindiclae no-
mine a poenilenle suscipilur.
Ouintum leslimonium colligitor ex Levit. cap.
4, 5. et (). ubi sacriGcia divcrsi prelii. pro acsli-
nialione ac mensura delicli imperantur. Fuisse au-
tem ea sacrificiacompensalionem iic satisfaclionem
pro realu poenae temporalis expiando. probabitur
cap. 1j. in responsione ad argumenta Calvini, in
solut. 5. argunienti.
Huc adferri possunt illa omnia Scriplurae loca,
quae docent, opera bominum juslorum. meriloria
essc vitae aelernae. Nam si opera juslorum eam
vim biibent. nt vilam aeternam vere cl propric nic-
reanlur: nullo modo negari polcst. quin eliam ef-
ficacia esse possint ad salisfacicndum pro realu
poenae temporalis:siquidem longe majus csl glo-
ria aelerna, quam poenae temporalis rcmissio.
Cerle inter bomines, si quis regem suum injuria
affecisset, ac dcindc in amiciliam restilulus, ila sc
gererel, ut merilo operum suorum in socielalem
rcgni admillerclnr: qnis ;imbigcrc(.cundem olliciis
erga regein, pecuniariuni dcbitum facile possc re-
dimere?
Scriplurae leslimonia pro merilis vilae aelcrnae
passim occurrunl: scd duo nobis boc loco sulli-
eienl. Alterum esl ^liitlb. 20. Voca opcrarios el
redde illis niercedem, quo loco, el vox mcrcedis,
el nomen opcrarioriim, ct p;ictum cnm operiiriis
ex den:irio diurno.non perniitliinl nos ;ililer liunc
locuin cxponere, quam de merilis proprie dictis,
qiiibus ex jusliti;i mcrccs dcbelur: denarinm aii-
lem diurniim. qiii eo loco pro mcrcede ponitiir,
commuiii consensu Piilres docenl esse vilam ae-
ternam. Vide Ambrosium lib. 7. in Lucam c.ip.()0.
llieroriymnm lib. 2. in ,lovini;innm. Auguslinum
lib. de siincla Virginilale. cap. 2(). (iregorium lib.
4. Mor;iliiiin. caj). 42. Clirysoslonium, et abos in
hunc locum Matlbaei.
Alterum lestininnium esl 2. Tiinolli. 4. licposila
esl mihi corona jusliliae, (juam rcddc.l inihi in
illa die juslus judex, non solani aulcm mihi,sed
cl ii'o, qui dHiijuul advenluni cjus, cerle coron;!
jnsliliac. quae redditiir a jiislo iiidice. ver;ini el
propriam l;il)oruni.nieiilorunique nicrcedeni signi-
IJei-iakmi.m V(iI. III.
ficat. Sed de his liac(cnus:nam de mcrilis operuin
suo loco fusius dissercmus.