A Treatise of Justification, Book 8 · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX. Bellarmines dispute that good workes are meritorious ex condigno, not onelyonly ratione pacti, but also ratione operis, examined.
§. I.
IN the fourth place aDe justif. lib. 5. cap. 16.Bellarmine discourfeth how farre forth good workes are either meritorious, or are rewarded. Meritorious, whether ex condigno; and if so, whether ratione pacti solum, or ratione operis also. That good workes are meritorious ex condigno, which is the matter that hitherto hee hath proved, hee now maintaineth against Durandus: affirming, that his Assertion, as it is refuted by the common consent of all, almost Divines; so also by all the arguments which formerly hee hath used against us, to prove that the workes of the godly are truely and properly meritorious, which I desire the Reader to take notice of, because some draw-backs, who notwithstanding would seeme stiffe defenders of merits, doe beare the simple in hand, that it is but a Schoole-point to say that workes are meritorious either ex condigno, or ex congruo. When as in very trueth it is the received Doctrine of that Church, that the good workes of the godly are truely and properly meritorious of everlasting life. Now it is evident that meritum ex congruo, is not truely and properly meritorious.
§. II. In the next place, Bellarmi…e now taking it for granted thatWhether ratione pacti, or utriusque. good workes are meritorious ex condigno, hee bDe justif. lib. 5. cap. 17.disputeth whether they bee so ratione pacti tantum, or ratione operis tantum, or ratione utriusque: whereunto I answere, that they are not ex condigno, meritorious at all, as I have sufficiently proved before.
That they are condignely meritorious in respect of the worke it selfe onelyonly, and not in respect of the Promise or Covenant, was the opinion of Cardinall Cajetan, and of Dominicus à Soto. That they are condignely meritorious not ex ratione operis, but ex ra…ione pacti & acceptatiotis divinae, was the opinion of Scotus, and some other Schoolemen, and of Andreas Vega. But both these opinions Bellarmine rejecteth, and embraceth the third, that good workes are condignely meritorious not onelyonly ratione pacti, but also ratione operis. Howbeit, the former part of this Assertion seemeth to imply a contradiction. For that which is due ratione pacti gratuiti, cannot also bee due ratione operis ipsius, unlesse there bee an equall proportion betweene the worke and reward. If I promise to a Labourer in the vineyard for a dayes worke an hundred pounds, the summe is due in respect of the promise or covenant, but not deserved by the Labourer. Such or rather greater is the disproportion betweene our workes and the heavenly reward.
Besides, that which is due ratione pacti grat…iti, is freely and undeservedly bestowed: but the reward which is rendred to condigne merit is justly deserved.
§. III. And whereas cLib. 5. cap. 17. § Sed quamquam.Bellarmine propoundeth a distinction of eternall glory or happinesse, saying, that it may be considered either as it is an inheritance, or as it is a reward: and saith, as it is an inheritance it is due Eternall life considered as an inheritance and as a reward.to the persons of the faithfull by right of adoption, but as it is a reward it is due to their workes by promise or covenant: first I answere, that this distinction is unperfect, for eternall glory may be considered three waies, either as a free gift given unto us in d2 Tim. 1. 9.Christ before all secular times without respect of workes, and prepared eMatth. 25. 34.for us from the beginning of the world, or as the inheritance purchased by Christ, or as a reward of our piety. Secondly, this distinction contradicteth three of his assertions: first, the maine assertion, which in this plac… he laboureth to prove, viz. that the good workes of the godly doe condignely merit eternall life, even for the workes sake. For as it is our inheritance or as it is eternall life (which hee calleth the first degree of eternall glory) himselfe confesseth both here in the seventeenth Chapter, as also before in the fourteenth, that it is not rendred to the merit of our workes, but is due to the persons of the faithfull jure adoptionis, by the right of adoption, as they are the sonnes and heires of God; which right they have before they bring forth good workes, which (as hee truely saith) doth manifestly appeare in regenerated infants, which dye in their infancy. And therefore it is evident by Bellarmines owne confession, both in this place, and also in the fourteenth Chapter, that our heavenly inheritance (which is eternall life it selfe) is not merited by our workes, but is purchased by the merits of Christs our Saviour, and therefore is oneAs it is a reward. and the same to all that are saved. For as I have said heretofore, as the merit of Christ is equally imputed to all that beleeve, so the reward of Christs merit in respect of the substance, as it is the eternall inheritance or eternall life, shall equally be given to all that beleeve.
§. IV. Againe, as it is a reward, it is given ex pacto gratuito by a free promise, and therefore not merited by our workes, but according to the promise freely given, and not ratione operis, as deserved thereby. Secondly, in explication of this distinction Bellarmine saith, fDe justif. lib. 5. cap. 17. §. Sed quamquam. Ut haredit as, personae debetur jure adoptionis fine alio pacto: ut bravium debetur operibu… ex pacto. …t pratereacum varii fint gradus coeleftis gloriae, un… tantum debet…r person… jure adoptioni…, si…e alio pacto; reliqui debentur operibus ex promissione vel pacto.that whereas there are divers degrees of heavenly glory or happinesse; yet the first onelyonly which is our heavenly inheritance it selfe, or life eternall is due to the persons of the sonnes of God by right of adoption; the rest are due to workes by promise or covenant, which contradicteth two other assertions. For that which truely hee saith here and in the fourteenth Chapter, that the first degree which is our heavenly inheritance, or eternall life it selfe or salvation, is due to the persons of the faithfull by right of adoption, and not to their workes; confuteth that assertion of his in his twentieth Chapter, that eternall life even in respect of the first degree is rendred to the merit of good workes. And againe, that which he truely saith in his nineteenth Chapter that God doth reward good workes supra condignum, above their desert and that incomparabiliter & ineffabiliter, as he citeth there out ofgAd Monim. lib…. cap. 10. Fulgentius, confuteth that which here he laboureth to prove, good works doe condignely merit the rewards of heavenly happinesse, meaning thereby the degrees of eternall glory; and that not onelyonly ratione pacti, sed etiam ratione operis.
It is true that there bee divers degrees of heavenly glory, wherewith God doth crowne his children in merciemercy and loving kindnesse; neither is it to be doubted, but that to those whom God hath endued with greater measure of grace, causing them to bee more fruitfull of good workes; and making them more excellent instruments of his glory and of the good of his chosen, he will give them a greater measure of glory, crowning as I have said before, his greater graces with greater glory. For as all that beleeve in Christ are equally justified, but not all equally endued with grace: so all the faithfull shall bee equally saved, but not all equally made partakers of glory. And as the greater measure of grace is the free gift ofh1 Cor. 4. …. God, and not our merit: so is the greater measure of glory, wherewith he crowneth his greater graces wholly to bee ascribed to his grace and not to our merit.
§. V. Now let us briefly examine his seven arguments whichBellarmi… seven arg… ments. heeiDe justif. lib. 5. cap. 17. §. primò. bringeth to prove, that every good worke of the righteous in respect of the worke it selfe is condignely meritorious of eternall life. Briefly, I say, for they are not worthy to be stood upon, nor ye… indeed to be mentioned, but onelyonly to shew the weakenesse of the Popish cause, which admitteth no better proofes: which evidently appeareth by this, that our challenging Ie…uitkMal. …. when hee taketh upon him to prove the merit of condignity, contenteth himselfe with the very same arguments for want of better.
His first Reason, Because life eternall is grace for grace, Ioh. 1. 16. that is, the grace of reward for the grace of merits, or charity of our countrey for the charity of the way. But betweene grace and grace sine dubio, without doubt there is great likenesse and proportion. No doubt but there is some likenesse betweene grace and glory, for grace is gloria inchoata, glory is gratia consummata. But where is the equality on which condignity of merit should be grounded, and which hee propounded to prove, in the nextlOpera bona justoru… esse … vi…ae … ex con digno non solum ra…one pacti & acceptationis divinae, sede…iam rattone op… ris, ita ut in opere bono ex gratia praecedente sit quaedam praportio & …qualitas a … pr…mium … aterna. …. de justis lib. 5. c … 7. §. Ja… … words going before? And if both the worke bee grace, and the reward bee grace, how can there bee merit of condignity in the one to the other, that which is given foreign is not given foreign ▪ Rom. 4. 4. for debitum non est gratuitum. If eternall life bee gratia, gratis data, si gratis datur, then is not due by desert. And if the good worke also be grace, how can it deserve a reward, and so great a reward from him that gave it? For Bellarmine hath taught us in the beginning of this seventeenth Chapter, that if the worke bee much lesse than the promised reward, it should not be a merit of condignity in respect of the worke. If, saith hee, the Master of the vineyard should promise to a labourer for his dayes worke, not the day-peny, but an hundred crownes, and yet the heavenly reward given to a good worke doth incomparably surpasse the unequall proportion, that is, betweene an hundred crownes and a daies worke.
§. VI. In his second argument he trifleth egregiously. He saith,His second reason. there is a proportion betweene the fountaine and the river running from it. Grace is the fountaine, Ioh. 4. 14. and eternall life is the river which maketh glad the City of God, Psal. 46. 5. where according to the Latine it is thus read, Fluminis impetus laetificat Civitate… Dei, whichmExplan. in Psal. 45. Bellarmine himselfe expoundeth thus. Fluminis impetus laetificat Civi…taem Dei, i. Non timebit populus Dei quando turbabitur terra, ergo, &c. Literally the place is understood of the Brooke Kidron and of the city of Ierusalem. But if it must bee allegorized, then as by the fountaine grace is to be understood, according to that of Ioh. 4. 14. so by the river should be understood perseverance and increase of grace running to eternall life, as the sea, wherein the course of all rivers endeth. And therefore such as is the proportion of the fountaine to the sea, such is of grace or of a gracious worke to eternall life.
This was his first analogy; the second is no lesse ridiculous. Moreover, saith he, there is a proportion betweene the ascent and descent of water, for it doth ascend as high as it doth descend; and therefore the grace of the Spirit which descended from heaven will ascend as high. No doubt, if it be conveyed in a close conduit pipe.
§. VII. His third Reason, Eternall life is the day-peny of those that His third reason.labour in the vineyard, Matth. 20. But the day-peny is the just hire of the dayes labour. So is eternall life. The day-peny which was given to those that wrought but one houre doth signifie eternall life, which is thereby proved not to bee an hire rendred as due to equall labour, but as a free reward bestowed by the bounty of the Lord, who … may doe with his owne what he pleaseth. For if it were the just wages for the whole dayes labour, then he that wrought but one houre should have had but one twelfe part of the wages.
His fourth Reason, Seed in vertue physicall is equall to that thing wherof it is the seed, and containeth it; Grace is the seed, and eternall life that whereof it is the seed, therefore i… vertue morall Grace is equall to glory.
Answ. This argument is grounded upon a similitude of grace, and seed, which are not like in those things for which this comparison is brought. For neither is seede the meritorious cause of that whereof it is the seed, as hee supposeth grace to bee, nor grace the seminall cause of eternall life: for seed is the materiale principium. But grace, meaning grace inherent, is neither the materiale principium, nor the meritorious cause, nor any other cause of salvation, unles it be … sine qua non, which is no cause. Yea, but grac…, saith he, is called the seed of GOD, 1 Ioh. 3. 9. Answ. The seede of God properly is Gods word01 Pet. 1. 23. sowne in our hearts as the seede of our new and spiri…uall life in thisLuk. 8. 11. world. This seede conceived by the power of the Spirit is the grace of regeneration, as the materiale principium of our spirituall life, meant in that place of p1 Io…. …9.S. Iohn, which alwaies abideth in the childe of God, who being once borne of God, is never unborne againe. The fruits, in respect whereof it is called seed, are the fruits of a godly life. For the seed of Gods Word being sowne in our hearts, and there conceived and taking root, fructifieth and bringeth qLuk. 8. 15.forth increase, in some thirty, in some sixty, in some a… hundred fold. The grace of regeneration therefore is called seed in respect of the fruit of good works, which it bringeth forth in this life. And further, the doing of good workes is compared to sowing of seede, which hath relation to the great harvest, as also the committing of the dead bodies of the faithfull to the earth. For even as he that casteth his seed into the ground, doth it in hope r1 Cor. 9. 10.of increase at the next harvest, or as hee that committeth the dead body to the earth s1 Cor. 15. 36. 42.as seede, doth it in hope of increase at the great harvest: so hee which soweth in righteousnesse to the tGal. 6. 8.Spirit, shall of the Spirit reape everlasting life. And as the seed cast into the ground is not cast away, but is recompenced with increase at the harvest: And as the body, though sowne in corruption doth not perish, but riseth in u1 Cor. 15. 42.incorruption at the great harvest: so he that soweth the seed of good workes, though hee may seeme to cast them upon the waters, as *Eccl. 11. 1.Salomon speaketh, hee shall not lose thereby, but hee shall bee rewarded an xMat. 19. 29.hundred-fold, and at the great harvest hee shall inherit everlasting life. But as the increase in harvest is not to bee asscribed to the merit of the sower, but to the blessing of God; and as the raising of the dead body to incorruption y1 Cor. 15. 38.at the last day is not to bee attributed to the merit of committing it, as seed to the earth, but to the merit and power of CHRIST in whom z1 Cor. 15. 22.wee are made alive againe: so the reaping of everlasting life at the great harvest, is not to bee asscribed to our merit, but to the merit of Christ, who hath purchased it for us, and to the undeserved merciemercy of God, who crowneth his owne graces in us. So if wee sowe to our selves in righteousnesse, wee shall reape in merciemercy, as the aH…s. 10. 12.Prophet speaketh.
§ IX. His fifth argument concludeth nothing to the purpose.His fifth reason. Eternall life, saith hee, is a certaine supernaturall action in respect of the Object, and of the principles b…th efficient and formall: But merit, which consisteth in love, is also a supernaturall action in respect of the Object, and of the principles both efficient and formall: therefore they have aproportion betweene themselves, and the one leadeth to the other, as the right way to the end. Answ. I grant that the grace of sanctification is the right way to glorification, but no meritorious cause thereof. That there is a proportion of likenesse in the respects mentioned, but no proportion of equality. And that which hee speake…h of love, in which hee taketh for granted (w…ich wee deny) that merit doth consist, may bee verified not onelyonly of the love of God, but of faith, and hope, and the feare of God, and affiance in him, and other sanctifying graces which have rel…tion u…to God.
§ X. His six…h argument. It is God (in whom there is no want of power His sixth reason.or wise…ome to … what hee w…eth) who decreed to bring the Elect to life eternall, as the pr…ze, and as the crowne of justice, by their meri…. Therefore without doubt hee giveth them such merits, by which truely and properly and even ex condigno, they may merit the crowne. Answ. If God had decreed to bring us to eternall life by our merits: no doubt but hee would have provided for us such merits of our owne, as should truly and properly, that is, condignely merit the same. But God hath not provided such merits for us, as hath been before aboundantly proved, neither hath hee purposed by our merits (which indeed are none) to bring us to heaven, but onelyonly by the merits of Christ, which alone doe properly and condignely, yea, all-sufficiently and super-aboundantly merit e…ernall life for us.
§ XI. His eventh argument: Our merits depend upon the merits of His seventh reason.Christ, both because hee hath merited for us the virtue or power of meriting, and also because wee merit as the lively members of Christ, and by influence from him as our head, therefore they det…act from the glory of Christ, who say that our …erits are so unperfect, that they doe not merit ex condigno, but in respect of Gods acceptation. Answ. The power of meriting eternall life is proper and peculiar to Christ our head, and not communicable to his members, as I have h…retofore shewed. Neither doth it detract from his glory to say, that our workes are not meritorious: but on the contrary to give that to the members which is proper to the head. Neither did hee merit for good workes that they should be meritorious (which is an impudent fiction of these latter times.) Neither was it his purpose to save us by making us our owne saviours, but in his owne person bHeb. 1. 3. foreignto merit our salvation by his owne cRom. 5. 9. 19.obedience, both active and passive, which being in themselves most sufficient, our merits are needlesse.
And these were Bellarmines proofes against his owne good Catholikes. In the next place hee answereth their allegations, which with many more I have urged before dLib. 5. c. 18.and maintained.
§ XII. After hee hath disputed how farre forth good workes areOf the reward of good works. meritorious, and hath after his manner, proved them to merit ex condign…, and that also ratione operis: now he questioneth eLib. 5. c. 19.how farre forth good workes are rewarded. And hee telleth us, that it is the common and received opinion of divines, that good workes are rewarded by God supra condignum, and evill workes citra condig…um. To the former I subscribe: and from thence disprove the merit of condignity. For if the heavenly reward even in respect of the first degree doth incomparably and unspeakeably exceed the worth of our best workes, as hath beene proved; then that it selfe, because it is given supra condign…m, cannot bee merited ex condigno. To the latter also I subscribe, if it bee understood of the sinnes of the faithfull, in respect of the faithfull themselves. For the Lord doth not deale with us after our sinnes, nor reward us according to our iniquities, Psal. 103. 10. But in all his judgements he remembreth …ercie, Lam. 3. 33. Hab. 3. 2. and ever correcteth us under our deserts, Ezra. 9. 13. I say, in respect of themselves, for in respect of Christ our surety, hee exacted such a punishment, as did fully satisfie his justice for our sinnes. And therefore he never punisheth properly, that is, in ordine justitiae, by way of vengeance to satisfie his justice, the sinnes of the faithfull, which he hath punished in Christ: neither doth hee exact or expect any satisfaction from them for their sinnes, for which our Saviour Christ hath fully satisfied his justice. Notwithstanding, it cannot bee denied, but they are many times fPsal. 34. 19.afflicted, and the judgements of God inflicted upon them: but yet when wee are judged, g1 Cor. 11. 32.wee are not punished by way of vengeance, but wee are chastized of the Lord, that wee should not bee condemned with the world. Now if God from our Saviour hath exacted such a penalty, is satisfied for the sinnes of all the Elect; it may bee thought, that hee will exact from the wicked a lesse punishment, than will satisfie his justice. Some say, that God will not render to the wicked secundum rigorem justitiae, quos justè posset annihilare: but that also may bee questioned; seeing of those, who shall bee condemned, our Saviour saith, that it had beene better for them that they had not beene borne.
§ XIII. In the last place Bellarmine disputeth of the things whichThings merited. Lib. 5. c. 20. may bee merited, or as hee speaketh, quae cadunt sub meritum de condigno: and first hee saith, that the eternall life it selfe, the essentiall reward (which he calleth the first degree of heavenly glory, and which before hee said was due not to the merit of workes, but to the persons of the faithfull by right of adoption,) it selfe, I say, and not onelyonly the degrees thereof (which are incomparably and unspeakably supra condignum) may bee condignely merited. Secondly, the increase of justice is condignely merited by good workes: wee deny not, but that by the practice of pietie and exercise of good workes mens inherent righteousnesse is increased, according to that, Luk. 19. 26. habenti dabitur, to him that hath (that is, doth exercise his talents) it shall bee given, but that hee shall ex condign…, by his works merit his second justification, as they call it, and increase of justice, which is Gods Blessing upon them, wee have not learned out of the Scriptures; neither doe wee acknowledge that wee can by our best endeavours merit any good thing at the hands of God.
§ XIV. And thus you see how in the last part of this controversieThe Papists high opinion of their workes. which is concerning workes, the Papists have magnified, and as it were deified their owne workes, alleaging, not onelyonly that they are good, but purely and perfectly good, such as not onelyonly doe fully satisfie the law of God, but also supererrogate, and therefore such as doe not onelyonly justifie us before God, but also merit and deserve e…ernall life at his hands, and that truely and properly, that is, condignely; and that not onelyonly ratione pacti, but also ratione operis, that is, not onelyonly by Covenant, because God hath promised such a reward, but also for the dignity of the worke, which is in proportion equall to the reward: insomuch that it were unjustice in God, if he should not render heaven to their workes, which doe as properly deserve heaven, as the workes of the wicked deserve hell; and that by their workes they deserve not onelyonly eternall life it selfe, which they ca… the first degree of heavenly happinesse, but also the higher degrees of glory: and finally, which is a consequent of the premisses, that they may trust in their workes, as being true causes of salvation. All which assertions are insolent and Antichristian.
§ XV. But we, being in our selves most miserable sinners, say withOur estimation of workes. Da…iel, hDan. 9. 7, 8, 9.To thee, Lord, belongeth merciemercy and Iustice, but to us, shame and confusion of face: and therefore wee pray with David, iPsal. 14…. 2.Enter not into judgement with thy servants, O Lord, for no man living can bee justified in thy sight, namely, if thou enter into judgement with him. For if thou Lord kPsal. 130. 3.marke iniquities, who shall stand? If we should argue with God, we should not bee able to answere one lIob 9. 3.of a thousand: with Esay wee confesse, mEsai. 64. 6.that all our righteousnesses are as polluted clothes, as being stayned with the flesh, and therefore have cause to cry out with the Apostle, nRom. 7. 24…wretched men that wee are who shall deliver us from this body of death. But yet with the same Apostlc, oVers. 25.we thanke God through Iesus Christ our Lord; with David we professe that with the Lord pPsa. 130. 4, 7. 8.there is merciemercy and forgivenesse, that he may b… feared, and with him there is plentifull redemption, and hee shall redeeme the Israel of God from all their iniquities. Wee beleeve that Christ by his death hath satisfied for our sinnes, and by his obedience hath merited heaven for us; that hee died for our sinnes, qRom. 4. 2.and rose againe for our justification, that wee are justified by his rRom. 5. 9. 19.blood, and by his obedience we are constituted just: that hee is the end and complement of the Law for righteousnesse sRom. 10. 4.to all that beleeve in him; that of God he is made unto us t1 Cor. 1. 30, 31.wisedome for our vocation, righteousnesse for our justification, holinesse for our sanctification, and redemption for our glorification: that according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
And howsoever we doe teach, that those who are justified, are also sanctified; and that no man can bee assured of his justification without sanctification: though wee seriously urge, as our duety is, the necessitie of good workes, and of a godly life, protesting with the Apostle, uHeb. 12. 14.that without holinesse no man shall see God; though we teach that by our good workes wee are to make our Election, our vocation, our justification sure unto us: though wee acknowledge, that they are the evidence by which wee shall bee judged at the last day: though finally in the doctrine of sanctification we urge the necessity and profit of good workes as much as ever any other Christians, whether old or new: yet in the question of justification, if our workes or our inherent righteousnesse bee obtruded as the matter of our justification, and merit of salvation, then doe we loathe and abhorre them as polluted clouts, wee renounce them as things of no value, wee esteeme them (or at least, as Luther said the opinions of them) as losse: And contrariwise our whole affiance for our justification, and all our hope of salvation we doe entirely repose in the onelyonly mercies of God and merits of Christ ou… most perfect and all-sufficient Saviour, to whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit be all praise and glory for evermore.
Amen.
foreign.
End of the text · George Downame, A Treatise of Justification (1633)