A Treatise of Justification, Book 5 · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII. Bellarmines proofes, that Chàrity is perfect, disproved.
De iustis. l. 2. c. 7. § Denique de.§. I.
THere remaineth Charity, which he would prove to beeHis first reason that ch…rity is perfect, from the testimony of Augustine. perfect, not in all, and that in their first justification (which he ought to prove, or else he proveth nothing) but in som men in some part of their life after their first justification: and this he proveth, first by the testimonies of Augustine, and after by authority of Scripture Out of Augustines booke de natura & gratia aAug de Nat. & Gr. cap. 42., hee citeth two testimonies; the former in these words, ipsa charitas est verissima, plenissima, perfectissimáque justitia: which Augustine doth not speake of Charity when it is infused in the act of justification, nor of Charity in generall, but of that perfect Charity whereunto nothing may bee added which hee confesseth to bee the truest, the fullest, the perfectest justice. The latter in these words, bIbid. cap. 70.perfecta Charitas, perfecta justitia est: perfect Charity is perfect righteousnesse; which wee deny not. But that no man in this life doth attaine to perfect Charity; Augustine, though he would not in that booke dispute of the possibility thereof (because God if he please is able to bestow perfect justice, and to make men free from all sinne) yet in other places hee doth plainely and fully teach: as first Charity cEpist. 29. ad Hieronym.in some is greater, in some lesse (and therefore not perfect in all that are jus…ified) in others none at all, but the most full and compleat which now cannot be increased, is in no man so long as hee liveth here. Now, so long as it may be increased, assuredly that which is lesse than it ought to be, is a fault. By reason of which default, there is not a righteous man upon the earth that doeth good and sinneth not: for which default no man living shall be justified before God: for which, if we shall say that we have not sinne, we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us: for which, though we be never so good proficients, we must of necessity say, forgive us our debts. And in another place: dTract. 41 in Ioan.In part there is liberty, in part bondage: as yet, no entire, no pure, no full liberty. And after; let not sinne reigne in your mortall bodyes, &c. he doth not say let it not be, but let it not reigne. As long as thou livest, sinne must needs be in thy members, onelyonly let the kingdome be taken from it.
§. II. To this purpose a multitude of Testimonies might bee citedAug l…b de perfectione iustitiae. out his Booke, De perfectione justitiae, which hee wrote against Caelestius the Pelagian, who held that men may attaine to perfection in this life. I will content my self with a few. Tunc erit plena justitia, quando plena sanitas, quando plena charitas, plenitudo enim legis charitas. Tunc autem plena charitas, quando videbimus cum sicui… est.—Charitas plena & perfecta tunc erit, cum videbimus facie ad faciem. The eHaec est nunc nostra iustitia qua currimus, esur…entes ad pe…fectionem plenitudmem que justitiae, ut ea poste… saturemur.righteousnesse which we have here in our pilgrimage is to hunger and thirst after righteousnesse, that hereafter we may be filled.—Quotquot ergo perfecti hoc sapiamus. id est, quotquot perfectè currimus hoc sapiamus, quòd nondum perfecti sumus, ut illic perficiamur quo perfectè adhuc currimus: ut cum venerit quod perfectum est, quod ex parte est destruatur, id est, non jam ex parte sit sed toto. quia fidei & spei res ipsa, non quae credatur, & speretur, sed quae videatur teneaturque succedet: charitas a. quae in his tribus major est, non auferatur sed augeatur & impleatur, contemplata quod credebat, & quod sperabat indepta. In qua plenitudine charitatis praeceptum illud implebitur, Diliges Dominum Deum tuum ex toto corde, &c. Nam cùm est adhuc aliquid carnalis concupiscentiae, quod vel continendo frenetur, non omnimodò ex tota anima diligitur Deus. So much of Augustine.Testimonies of Scripture alleadged by Bellarmine, first, Ioh. 15. 13.
§. III. Divine Testimonies (saith he) we meet with every where. For first, our Lord saith. Greater charity hath no man than this, that a man lay downe his life for his friends, Ioh. 15. 13. but it is evident, that very many, that is, to say, all the Martyrs, hauehave attained to this perfection of charity.
Answ. So to lay downe a mans life for others, as Christ did lay down his for us, is the perfection of Charity, But the love of Martyrs, though great, commeth farre short of this perfection. For as fin Ioan. 15.Cardinall Tolet hath well observed upon this text, the quantity or measure of charity may bee considered three wayes;
By way of
Estimation or appreciation.
Intension.
Extension.
In all which respects the love of Christ doth farre surpasse the love ofChrists love greater than that of Martyrs by way of appreciation. Martyrs. First, by way of appreciation: because he gave that for us, which is more and of greater value, than what is given by Martyrs. First, because of the dignity of his person. For hee being the great gTit. 2. 13. 14,God and our Saviour gave himselfe for us, and therefore gave for us a greater gift, than all the Martyrs put together can give. Secondly, because where Martyrs give their bodies only, that they may save their owne soules: Christ gave himselfe, that is both body and soule for us, that hee might redeeme both our bodies and soules: which both hee did assume, that hee might give both for us: not onelyonly in his body suffering death even the death of the Crosse, but in his soule undergoing, as our surety, the wrath of God for us; the feare whereof brought him into that agony which made him sweat drops of bloud, and the sence of it upon the Crosse made him cry out, My God my God, why hast thou forsaken me? being for a time, in his owne sence, as a man separated from God, which separation from God is the death of the soule. Now that Christ did thus farre give his soule as well as his body for us, divers of the Fathers, especially those which confute the heresie of the Apollinarists (who denied that Christ had an humane soule) doe teach. Cyrill saith, hDe recta fide ad Theodosiam.that Christ gave his flesh a price of ransome for the flesh of all, and his soule likewise a price of ransome for the soules of all. Theodoret, iforeign dialog. 3. foreign.the good Shepheard gave his body and soule for his sheep, who have both body and soule. And againe, the nature of men consisteth of body and soule, both which being lost by sinne our Lord having taken upon him both, foreign for our bodies hee gave his body, and for our soules also his soule. Irenaeus, kAdvers. haeres. lib. 5.that Christ redeeming us by his bloud, that is, by the sufferings of his manhood, gave his soule for our soules, and his flesh for our our flesh: Ambrose lDe … ▪ Do …nicae Sacram c. 6.the Divinity of the Word was not offered in sacrifice for that which hee had put on: he offered in himselfe▪ and hee put on that which before hee had not, that is, his whole manhood. For Christ our Priest both God and man upon the Altar of his Deity (for it is the Altar which sanctifieth the sacrifice) did offer his whole manhood consisting both of body and soule as a whole burnt offering for us. Wheras therefore in the Doctrine of redemption mention is made either of his body alone▪ as Col. 1.22. 1 Pet. 2.24. or of his soule onelyonly, as Esa. 53. 10, that his soule was made an offering for sinne, and in this place, Ioh. 15. 12. greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay downe foreign, animam suam, his soule for his friends: wee are, by a Synechdoche, to understand the whole manhood, that is, himselfe, as hee was man. Now it is a greater love for a man to give both body and soule for another, than to give his body onelyonly.
§. IV. Secondly, in respect of intension, it argueth greater love,Christs love greatet than that of Martyrs by way of intension. when a man is willing, of his owne accord, and desirous to lay downe his life for others: than when necessity is laid upon him. Christ was willing mLuk 9. 51.of his owne accord yea and earnestly desirous (for so he saith, nLuk. 22. 15.foreign) to lay downe his life for us. Martyrs doe not, yea ought not, ordina…ily, offer themselves to death, for, qu… amat periculum peribit in eo; and our Saviour hath taught them, when they are persecuted in one city to flee to another. But they are and ought to bee willing to lay down their lives rather than deny The Truth. Our Saviour prophecying of Saint Peters Martyrdome, Iohn 21. 18. saith, when thou wast young, thou diddest gird thy selfe and walke whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. Againe, when a man doth lay downe his life freely, as Christ did, without either tye of duty, or expectation of recompence, it argueth greater love, than what is so done out of duety, as that if hee did it not, hee should sinne; and so lose his soule oMat. 10. 39. 16. 25. Mar. 8. 35.by seeking to save his life; or out of love to himselfe, to lay downe his life to save his owne soule, which is the common case of Marty…s.
§. V. Thirdly, in respect of extension: his love is greater that layethChrists love greater than that of Martyrs in respect of extension. downe his life not onelyonly for his friends and well willers, and such as have beene good unto him: for pe…adventure for such, as the Apostle saith. Rom. 5. 7. some, though hardly, would adventure to dye, (and some few examples in that kind wee read of) but also for sinners and for his enemies, who though they doe not love him, yet are beloved of him, and therefore in respect of his affection are his friends, as beloved of him, though in respect of their affection, enemies. Thus our Saviour having loved us, commendeth his love towards us, Rom. 5. that when we were sinners, verse 8. and by our sinnes enemies, vers. 10. hee dyed for us. But Martyrs when they dye for others, they lay downe their lives not for their enemies but for their brethren in Christ, 1 Iohn 3. 16.
§. VI. His second proofe is out of 1 Ioh. 2. 5. Hee that keepeth theHis second proofe. 1 Ioh. 2. 5 Word of God, in him verily the love of God is perfected. But that the Word of God may be kept, the same Apostle in the same Epistle teacheth, 1 Ioh. 5. 3. and his Commandements are not grievous unto us. Answ. The keeping of the Commandements being an effect and fruit of Love, Charity is said to bee perfected by it, that is, perfectly knowne, as a good Tree by his fruit▪ and as Faith is said, Iam. 2. 22. to bee made perfect by good workes: and as Gods strength is perfected in our weakenesse p2 Cor. 12. 9.for hereby men are knowne to love God, if they keepe his Commandements, Exod. 20. 6. Iohn 14. 15. 1 Iohn. 5. 3. If any man say hee loveth God, q1 Iohn 2. 3, 4.and keepeth not his Commandements, he is a lyar, that is to say an hypocrite, whose love is not sincere and foreign, but fained and counterfeit. Now they are said to keepe Gods Commandements, not who perfectly fulfill them, for such keepers of the Law are no where to be found; but such as keepe them with their soule, Psal. 119. 167. or with their whole heart, Psal. 119. 34. that is with a sincere and upright heart. They therefore who have an upright desire, an unfained purpose, a sincere endevour to walke in the obedience of all Gods Commandements, are said to keepe them. This studium piet…tis is the perfection of a Christian in this life; which whosoever hath attained unto, is most willing and ready to acknowledge his imperfection.His third proofe Eccl. 47. 8.
§. VII. His third proofe is out of such places as speake of performing of duties, as namely of loving God, with the whole heart, as Ec…l. 47. 8 David praised the Lord with his whole heart, and loved him that made him. Deut. 30. 6. this perfection of Charity is promised: the Lord will circumcise thine heart and the heart of thy seed, that thou maist love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soule. Answ. By that phrase, as I have said, nothing else is meant, but the integriry and uprightnesse of heart. David praised God with his whole heart, that is Psal. 119. 7. with uprightnesse of heart: hee served God with his whole heart, that is, he walked before him in truth and uprightnesse of heart, 1 King. 3. 6.
§. VIII. In the fourth and last place hee produceth those placesHis fourth proofe. Places which mention perfection. wherein mention is made of perfection, as Mat. 5. 48. Be you perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect. The Apostle acknowledgeth himselfe and some others to be perfect. 1 Cor. 2. 6. wee speake wisedome among those that are perfect. Phil. 3. 15. so many of us therefore as are perfect, &c. Now saith he, it is evident that perfection … in Ch…rity, for asmuch Answer generall.as it is the bond of perfection. Col. 3. 14. Answ. First, in generall to all such places, by distinguishing perfection: for there is a perfection in respect of parts, and so an infant having all his parts, is a perfect man. And such are all upright persons, who walke in all Gods Commandements, making Conscience of all their wayes: and there is a perfection in respect of degree, which no man attaineth unto in this life. Againe, there is an absolute perfection, which none attaine unto here; and a relative perfection in relation and comparison to others: so those who are adulti growne men in religion, are called perfecti, in respect of babes. Thirdly, there is a perfection legall, which in respect both of parts and degrees is absolutely conformable to the Law, which is the perfect rule of righteousnesse. Of this, there is no example, but Christ himselfe: and there is a perfection evangelicall, commended in the covenant of Grace, which consisteth not in the perfect and totall performance, but in the integrity and uprightnesse of the heart, that is, in the sincere desire, unfained purpose and upright endevour aspiring towards perfection, which in the Scriptures in many places goeth under the name of perfection, as I have shewed else where; so that what is done with an upright heart, is said to bee done with a perfect heart, and with the whole heart, and the man who is upright, though subject to many imperfectious, is called perfect.
§. IX. To the places in particular I answer, and first to that Matth. Answer particular to Mat. 5. 48.5. verse last: which, according to the wicked Doctrine of the Papists, is not a precept of Charity, but a counsell of perfection; which doth not belong to all that are justified, bu… is peculiar to those, who professe themselves to live in a state of perfection. I call it wicked, because as appeareth, verse 45. our Saviour requireth this perfection, as a necessary duty to be performed of all the Sonnes of God, who are to imitate the unpartiall bounty of God their heavenly Father in do…ng good both to good and bad, which in this conclusion, in Matthew is termed to be perfect, and in Luk. 6. 36. to bee mercifull, as our Father is mercifull. But though wee imitate this unpartiall bounty of God; yet it doth not thereupon follow, that wee have attained to the perfection thereof.
§. X, In the other two places, by men perfect are understood adul…i Answer to 1 Cor. 2. 6. Phil. 3. 15.growne men, opposed to younglings and infants: who must be sedde with milke, being not capable of strong meat: for every one that useth milke is unexpert in the word of righteousnesse, for he is foreign a babe: but strong meate (which 1 Cor. 2. 6. is called wisedome) belongeth to them that are foreign adulti, who are come to yeres of difcretion, evensuch as by reason of use have their senses excercised to discerne both good and bad, where foreign and foreign are opposed: so 1 Cor. 14. 20. bee not foreign children in understanding, howbeit in malice be yee foreign but in understadning be foreign that is, adulti, such as are come to yeres of discretion & understanding. Not that any in this life (wherein we are alwaies in our foreign that is, our growing age, wherein we are to be renewed from day to day) doe attaine to that ripenesse of age and stature, or to that perfection of growth, as that we should not need to grow any more. For, as the Apostle sheweth in the next place, viz. Phil. 3. 15. which Bellarmine had cited against himselfe, if hee had recited the whole verse, andPhil. 3. much more if the whole qv. 12. 13, 14, 15context: wherein the Apostle confesseth of himselfe, that hee had not attained to perfection, but that hee did strive and preasse towards it: and thereupon inferreth, verse 15. Let us therfore, so many as are perfect, bee thus minded, that is, as wee heard before out of Augustine, rDe perfect. iustit.let us bee of this mind, that we are not yet perfect, but still should strive towards perfection. And whereas the Apostle, Col. 3. 14. calleth charity the bond of perfection; his meaning is, that it is the most perfect bond, which is among men to unite them together: for according to the Hebrew phrase (which is usuall in the writings of the Apostle) vi…culum perfectionis is vinculum perfectissimum, qu… plures inter se colligantur: for it is not foreign but foreign, that is, as Cajetan speaketh vinculum conjungens amantes, or as B. sIn paraphrasi.Iustinian, perfectissimum quoddam vinculum.
§. XI. From these weake premises Bellarmine inferreth a stout conclusion.Bellarmines conclusion. If, saith he, we may have perfect Faith, Hope, and Charity, and consequently perfect inherent justice; in vaine d… the hereticks g…e about to prove imputation of righteousnesse, as though by no other meanes we could bee simply and absolutely just. I answere, though in some part of our life, after wee have beene good proficients in Christianity, wee might seeme to attaine to that perfection whereof hee dreameth; yet this would not prove that wee are justified by a perfect righteousnesse inherent. For that which Papists call their first justification, being the justification, of a sinner (whereof this question is to bee understood) is of Incipients, such as bee infants in age, or at least in religion who are farre from the perfection of inherent justice. But if in no part of this life wee cannot attaine to the perfection of justice, then must the imputation of Christs righteousnesse bee acknowledged to bee so necessary to justification, as that without it wee cannot bee justified.