Scotus Academicus, Tomus octavus: De Divino Gratiae Beneficio, et initium De Virtutibus Theologicis

The Council of Trent, Session 6, chapter 6, enumerates besides faith five other dispositions unto justification: all of which are wrought by acts of the will, and are: first, fear of the divine justice; secondly, hope of pardon from the divine mercy; thirdly, begun love of God as of the fountain of all justice⟦uncertain reading: OCR "omnis iustitia tontis"; cf. Trent "tamquam omnium fontem iustitiae"⟧; fourthly, hatred and detestation of sin; finally fifthly, the purpose of receiving baptism, if he to be justified be not yet baptized, or of doing penance and receiving sacramental absolution, if a new life is to be renewed, if after baptism he has fallen into sin. The words of the Council are these:

While sinners understand themselves to be such, they turn themselves from the fear of the divine justice, by which they are usefully shaken unto considering the mercy of God, and are raised up in hope, believing that God will be propitious to them on account of Christ; and they begin to love Him as of the fountain of all justice; and therefore they are moved against sins with some hatred and detestation, that is, with that force of penance which must be exercised before baptism; finally, while they propose to receive baptism, to begin a new life, and to keep the divine commandments.

Since, however, it is not the business of the present undertaking to dispute profoundly concerning these five virtues, but only to examine and resolve whether and how they are dispositions unto justification, hence we shall propose a few things concerning these five dispositions severally.

How the fear of the divine justice is a disposition unto justification. — In the words written above the Council of Trent established two things concerning fear.

One is, that we understand ourselves to be sinners; the other truly, that sinners are usefully shaken by the fear of the divine justice. The first raises no difficulty, for sinners alone ought to dread the divine justice, because the just, as long as they remain such, have nothing whereof they should dread God as avenger, according to that of Genesis 18: Wilt thou destroy the just with the wicked! Far be it from thee to do this thing, and to slay the just with the wicked, and for the just to be as the wicked; this is not thy doing, who judgest all the earth. The latter, however, is controverted between Lutherans and Catholics: for Luther, as is evident from the Bull of Leo X condemning his errors, taught that the fear whereby one fears God as avenger is a sin, and makes sinners worse: which assertion indeed the Council of Trent condemns as heretical, Session 6, Canon 8, in these words: if anyone shall say that the fear of hell, whereby we take refuge through grieving for sins in the mercy of God, or whereby we abstain from sin, is a sin, or makes sinners worse, let him be anathema. The Catholic assertion therefore is, that fear of God the avenger is salutary; which indeed is proved by various texts of Scripture. Proverbs 14: The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life. Ecclesiasticus 1: The fear of the Lord expelleth sin, and he who is without fear shall not be justified. Isaiah 26, according to the interpretation of the Seventy Interpreters: Of thy fear have we conceived, and brought forth the spirit of salvation. Hence men of every sort most zealous for the salvation of souls exhorted sinners to penance with the threat of punishments. So Moses, Deuteronomy 30, provokes the children of Israel to penance by setting forth the various plagues wherewith God, the avenger of crimes, was bound to chastise their sins, unless they should repent. So book 2 of Kings, chapter 12, Nathan urges David to penance with the threat of immense calamities. So St. John the Baptist compelled the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism with these words: Brood of vipers, who hath shown you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of penance.... for now the axe is laid to the root: every tree therefore that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be cut down, and cast into the fire. So Christ the Lord, Luke 12, says: I will show you whom you shall fear: fear him who, after he hath killed, hath power to cast into hell; and chapter 13: Except you do penance, you shall all likewise perish.

The same truth the holy Fathers constantly teach, first indeed St. Cyprian, who in the book ad Quirinum, chapter 2, says that fear is the foundation and firmament of hope and faith. To him the other Fathers subscribe, as elsewhere we have abundantly taught: most especially St. Augustine, who commends this fear in many places; particularly Epistle 120, where he says: Fear sent before into our heart drives out from it the habit of evil works, and preserves a place for charity, which when it comes like a mistress, fear withdraws that she may inhabit it. In the Tractate on the First Epistle of St. John, where after teaching that these words of the Apostle, Fear is not in charity, are not to be understood of charity begun, but of that of which the Apostle spoke immediately, Perfect charity casteth out fear, he subjoins: Therefore let fear begin, because the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord. Fear prepares as it were a place for charity: but when charity begins to inhabit it, fear is driven out which prepared a place for her: for as much as she grows, so much does it decrease: and as much as she becomes interior, so much is fear driven without: greater charity, less fear; less charity, greater fear: but if there is no fear at all, there is not that whereby charity may enter, as we see linen introduced by the needle, when anything is sewn, the needle enters first: but unless it go out, the linen does not follow; so fear first occupies the mind: but fear does not remain there, because it entered precisely that it might introduce charity. Book De catechizandis rudibus, chapter 5: Even upon the very severity of God, by which the hearts of mortals are shaken with most wholesome fear, charity is to be built. And afterwards: For very rarely indeed does it happen, nay truly never, that anyone comes wishing to become a Christian who has not been struck with some fear. And Enarration on Psalm 127: That fear, not yet chaste, fears the presence of the Lord, and punishments: it makes whatever good it does, it does from fear, not of losing that good, but of suffering that evil: it fears not lest it lose the embrace of its most beautiful spouse, but it fears lest it be cast into hell: this fear is good, it is useful. The same holds in St. Prosper, book De vocatione Gentium, chapter 27, and Isidore, De summo bono, chapter 8.

It must be observed nevertheless that this fear is not absolutely necessary unto justification; for one can be justified without that servile fear, though he cannot be justified without filial fear, which coincides with the love of God: yet it is most useful thereto: for man, acknowledging himself a sinner and God a just judge, either implicitly or formally fears God: by which fear it comes about that he entreats the divine mercy, and the grace whereby he may renew his life and receive himself unto better fruit.

You will say: Every disposition unto justification ought to be morally good: but that servile fear is not such: therefore that fear is not useful unto justification. —

I distinguish the minor: Servile fear, qua servile merely, or whereby sin is avoided only on account of the fear of punishment, so that if no punishment were to be inflicted, sin would not be avoided, nor would God be held in any honor or worship, I concede: servile fear, qua fear simply, I deny. There are therefore two things in fear, namely fear and servility: fear indeed is good: servility however can be evil; for it is good to fear hell, because hell is an evil, and it is good to flee an evil: but it is evil to fear it with the exclusion of the love of justice. — Hence easily are reconciled the opinions of St. Augustine concerning servile fear, which seem to fight among themselves; for he sometimes says servile fear is good, wholesome, useful, the beginning of conversion, and necessary thereto: sometimes however he seems to condemn the same fear, as when he says Epistle 141. ⟦uncertain reading⟧ Vainly thinks he to be victor over sin who through fear of punishment sins not, because although outwardly the affair of evil concupiscence is not fulfilled, that concupiscence itself within is an enemy: and who is found innocent before God, who wishes to do what is desired, if what is feared be withdrawn? By this he is guilty in his very will, who wishes to do what is not permitted to be done: but he himself does it not, because what he desires cannot be done with impunity, if it could be accomplished without punishment. Which he declares more briefly in book 2 ad Bonifac., chapter 9: When good is done through fear of punishment, not through love of justice, the good is not yet well done; nor is what seems done in act done in heart: when man wishes not to do it if he could with impunity. I pass over other similar opinions, whereby St. Augustine seems to depress servile fear, not simply because it is servile, but whenever it happens that that fear recalls from sin only through the mere fear of hell; so that sin would not be avoided were such fear of hell absent, even though God forbids it from another quarter, inasmuch as it offends His divine majesty.

How hope of pardon is a disposition unto justification. — It is established from Sacred Scripture that hope disposes unto justification: thus Psalm 36: He shall rescue them out of the hands of sinners, and save them, because they have hoped in him. Proverbs 24: He that hopeth in the Lord shall be saved. Hence Christ the Lord frequently exhorted sinners to hope and confidence, as to a disposition necessarily prerequisite unto grace: thus Matthew 9: Be of good heart, son, thy sins are forgiven thee. Whence the Apostle Romans 8 says: by hope we are saved. The reason is because since justification is not a human work, it must be awaited from God: therefore man cannot firmly endeavor to obtain remission of sins, unless he firmly hope that he shall obtain it. Wherefore although the object of hope be broad, yet in the business of justification it regards only the pardon of sins, and grace through the merits of Christ, unto exercising penance.

Is hope simply necessary unto justification? — I affirm: both from the prefaced texts of Scripture, whereby it stands that men are saved and sanctified by hope: then because the Council of Trent, Session 6, Canon 1, intimates this truth by defining that man cannot, without the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, believe, hope, love, or repent as he ought, that the grace of justification be conferred upon him; wherein it judges the act of hope to be of equal necessity unto justification with the act of faith and of charity, which no one doubts to be absolutely necessary: then finally, because Session 14, chapter 4, says that contrition, which was necessary at any time whatsoever for obtaining pardon of sins, includes trust in the divine mercy, which trust is most certainly an act of hope. Hence St. Ambrose, book 1. De poenitentia, chapter 1: No one can do penance unless he have hoped for indulgence.

What love of God is prerequisite unto justification. — Concerning the love of God necessary unto justification, the Council teaches three things: the first is, that they who are to be justified begin to love God; secondly, that they begin to love Him as of the fountain of all justice; finally thirdly, that therefore they are moved against sins with some hatred and detestation. Wherein it must first be observed that by these words, they begin to love, the Council signifies a begun love of God, abstracting from love perfect or imperfect, because outside the sacrament a begun imperfect love would not suffice: in the sacrament truly a begun perfect love is not absolutely necessary. The Council however speaks of a begun love of God, abstracting from justification which is wrought in the sacrament or outside the sacrament. — It must be observed secondly that that love of God is either the love of friendship, or of concupiscence. Indeed the love of friendship outside the sacrament, but of concupiscence or attrition together with the sacrament. For it is true that outside the sacrament an actual love of perfect friendship is required as a disposition unto justification: for the Council of Trent, Session 14,¹ chapter 1, speaking of contrition, which is the love of friendship, says: this motion of con-> trition was always at all times necessary for obtaining pardon of sins, and in man fallen after baptism it profits unto remission of sins only if it be joined with trust in the divine mercy, and with the purpose of performing the remaining things which are required for duly receiving this sacrament.

There the discourse is concerning perfect contrition, for this alone was at all times necessary unto justification, since attrition or imperfect contrition was not sufficient, nor consequently necessary at all times for obtaining pardon of sins; then because the same Council, Session 6, Can. 3, says, the motion of charity must be from the grace of God: therefore the motion of theological charity, like the motion of faith and hope, is a disposition unto the grace of justification. Finally because the same Council there in chapter ⟦illegible: chapter number⟧, declaring love to be necessary unto sanctifying grace, uses these words of Zachary to intimate this truth. Be converted to me, and I will be converted to you: but God outside the sacrament is not converted except to him who has perfect contrition: for those words were spoken to men at that time when attrition together with the sacrament was not a sufficient condition unto justification, because the sacraments were not yet instituted.

How penance disposes unto justification. — Concerning this disposition the Council teaches two things: the first indeed, that penance is hatred and detestation of sins on account of God, which indeed it defines against Luther, who asserted that penance is nothing else than a new life; the other, that this penance must be exercised by the infidel before he approach baptism, according to that of Acts 2: Do penance, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. That moreover this penance ought ordinarily to precede justification, speaking ordinarily, is gathered from Sacred Scripture. Thus Jeremias 18: If that nation shall have done penance from its evil which I have spoken against it, I also will repent over the evil which I thought to do to it. Ezechiel 18: When the wicked shall turn himself away from his impiety, he himself shall vivify his own soul. Ecclesiasticus 2: If we have not done penance, we shall fall into the hands of God. Luke 13: if you shall not have done penance, you shall all likewise perish. I said ordinarily, yet it can happen in some case, e. g. when someone is seized unto martyrdom, and sins do not occur to memory, who shall be justified by sole express love of God without formal, but only virtual contrition. For then he can think of the divine goodness, and love it, and then he does not expressly repent of his sins, because they do not occur to memory, as we said: therefore this one shall be justified without express contrition: it is evident, for God loves those who love Him. More on these things in the disputation concerning Charity.

How the purpose of receiving the Sacraments of baptism and penance, and of emending one's life and observing the precepts, is necessary unto justification. — I answer, that purpose indeed is necessary first with respect to baptism, because unless one be born again of water and the Holy Spirit, he shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Secondly with respect to the Sacrament of penance, because the same reason holds for penance for baptized sinners as for baptism for infidels: but the purpose of receiving baptism is necessary unto infidels that they may be justified: therefore, etc. Similarly with respect to a new life, and the observance of the commandments, according to that of Ezechiel 18. If the wicked shall do penance from all his sins which he hath wrought, and keep all my precepts, and do judgment and justice, living he shall live, and shall not die. Which words signify nothing else than an efficacious purpose of keeping the commandments and the observances thereof, unto which the wicked is bound while he exercises penance, and likewise the observance of laws and precepts, which are prescribed for acquiring or keeping justice. This purpose moreover ought not always to be explicit and express, but it suf- fices that sometimes it be virtual and implicit: namely while one elicits the act of the love of God above all things, whereby he is formally and proximately dispo- sed unto justification: for in that act there is contained only virtually the purpose of receiving the sacrament of baptism or of penance, and like- wise of keeping the commandments of God, and of avoiding all those things which can displease God.

You ask: whether upon the positing of those dispositions sanctifying grace always follows? — I answer, the dispositions assigned are in a twofold difference with respect to sanctifying grace: for some are remote, as faith, hope, fear; some proximate and ultimate, as the act of penitence and of perfect love of God. Of the remote there is no difficulty, for it is clear, that upon the positing of those dispositions sanctifying grace does not follow. Whence I answer 2., that upon the positing of the proximate and ultimate disposition it is probable that sanctifying grace be infused, both because the Council of Trent where, in the praised chapter 6, it explained the prepa- rations unto justification, begins the following chapter thus: This dispo- sition, or preparation, justification itself follows, etc. By which manner of speaking it seems to signify that immediately sanctifying grace is infused. Then because the same reason seems to hold of supernatural forms as of natural ones: but natural forms are induced into the subje- ct immediately once the ultimate disposition is posited: therefore the same must be said of sanctifying grace, qua supernatural form.

You ask 2. Whether the aforesaid dispositions ought to be actual, while an adult is justified? — I answer 1. That when a sinner is justi- fied outside the sacrament, the ultimate dispositions ought to be simultaneous, or in the same instant in which grace is infused, because while man is so justified no reason can be assigned why, once the ultimate disposition is posited, grace would not be infused; since, as we said just now, in the same way, proportion being preserved, one must reason of dispositions unto supernatural forms as unto natural ones: but natural forms are introduced in the same instant in which is the ultimate disposition unto them; otherwise for some instant the subject would exist without form; since the ultimate disposition, e. g. supreme heat unto the form of fire is incompatible with supreme cold, which is conservative of the form of water; and straightway once supreme heat is posited it is necessary that the form of water perish, and consequently the form of fire is induced; otherwise the subject would have no substantial form: therefore by equal reason, once the ultimate disposition unto sanctifying grace is posited, it is fitting that it be infused. I answer 2. That when an adult is justified through real reception of the sacrament, it is not necessary that the dispositions be actual in the same instant in which grace is infused, but it suffices that they have preceded and persevere virtually. Which indeed is proved: a virtual motion of free will is sufficient unto justification, which is wrought through real reception of the sacrament: therefore if the man to be justified shortly before the received Sacrament elicited the aforesaid acts of the dispositions, and did not revoke them, he will have been sufficiently prepared unto recei- ving the effect of the sacrament, namely sanctifying grace. Proof of the antecedent: that motion is sufficient unto justification, which from its nature suffices unto sin, and whereby man is understood to will something in human fashion, for no more liberty is required, that man be justified, than that he sin: but through the virtual motion of the will man is understood to will something in human fashion, and actually to sin through such virtual volition, if he first have done something whence sin follows infallibly and necessarily: therefore that virtual motion will be sufficient unto ju- stification. Next, man, while he receives the sacrament, can be distracted blamelessly, and quasi-naturally; but no reason appears why the sacrament would then not have its effect, since the recipient poses no obstacle. It stands moreover from the Council of Trent, Sess. b. Can. 6., that the sa- craments confer grace upon those not posing an obstacle: therefore he will receive that sanctifying grace. Finally, if it were necessary that those dispositions exist actually and persevere while grace is infused, it would fol- low that where the act of those dispositions was formed, if any distraction supervened, however slight, there would be mortal sin; for nothing impedes the effect of the sacrament, which is sanctifying grace, except mortal sin: since that grace is compatible with venial sin: but to assert this would be too harsh, and contrary to the frequent reception of the sacraments; for it would follow that all men would be anxious, while approaching the sacrament, whether they had received it rightly: since it is most quiet to have some wandering of mind supervene in the reception of the sacrament, wherein only so much diligence need be applied toward averting or repelling it as would be necessary. It is confirmed moreover from the common opinion of the Theologians teaching, that if any adult of sound reason shall have sought the sacrament of Baptism, and before its reception shall have fallen into insanity, nor does it stand that he revoked such a will, then Baptism ought to be administered to him, although he has no actual dispo- sition, but only a virtual one is presumed, just as also the sacrament of Extreme Unction is frequently administered to those who scarcely seem to have the use of reason.

You will say. God justifies no one, unless according to the condition of His nature: but the condition of man using reason is, that man concur actually unto his own justification through the motion of his free will: therefore the dispositions unto justifying grace ought to be in the same instant in which man is justi- fied. — I distinguish the minor: the condition of man using reason is, that he concur unto his justification, through an act, whether which is in the same instant, or which has preceded, and still perseveres virtually, I concede: which is ac- tual while that grace is infused, I deny: because man is held to concur unto the effect in his natural mode, when he concurs unto the preceding act not revo- ked, and still persevering virtually, as was said.

You will say. While man is justified outside the sacrament, it is necessary that the ultimate disposition be actual, while grace is infused: therefore the same must be said while he is justified through the reception of the sacrament. — I deny the consequence. and the reason of disparity is, that it does not appear why sanctifying grace would rather be infused after the positing of the ultimate disposition, while outside the sacrament man is justified, than that it be infused together with it: for then nothing else intervenes: but truly in the sacrament, after the ultimate disposition only persevering virtually, there supervenes the fecundity of the sacrament producing morally grace ex opere operato: therefore it is not the same reason.

Finally you ask: Whether the acts dispositional unto justification ought to be supernatural, and likewise proceed efficiently from the very habit of sanctifying grace itself? — I answer 1. All and singular the acts dispositional unto justification ought to be supernatural, and elicited from supernatural grace, which indeed is easily gathered from the Council of Trent, Session 6, Can. 3, where it is thus had: If anyone shall say that without the preceding inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and His aid, man can believe, hope, love, or repent, as he ought, that the grace of justification be conferred upon him, let him be anathema. Where these words, without the preceding inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and His aid, and as he ought, declare that those acts of disposition ought to proceed from supernatural preceding and ai- ding grace, in order that, those being posited, the grace of justification follow.

I answer 2. Those acts of disposition do not proceed efficiently from the very habit of sanctifying grace itself: both because dispositions are prior by nature to the very form unto which they dispose: but what is prior by nature to another cannot be efficiently from that other, which is prior by nature: therefore, etc. Then because the Council of Trent, Session 6, chapters 5 and 6, where it described the manner, whereby the adult is disposed unto justification, and had enumerated all those acts of disposition, thus begins the seventh chapter: This disposition, or preparation, justification itself follows: therefore the Coun- cil signifies the infusion of habitual grace to be posterior in real existence to those acts of disposition. Finally because the habit of grace either exists in the will of man in that prior moment in which the act of the love of God above all things, and of contrition for sins, is elicited, or is only afterwards infused: if the first; therefore man is priorly formally just, and in fact justified, than he has the aforesaid acts of love and contrition, because this justification is the formal effect of inherent grace: but it is ab- surd to say, that an adult sinner, who is justified outside the sa- crament, is truly just before he elicited the aforesaid acts of love and contrition. If the second; therefore those aforesaid acts, since they already pre-exist, do not proceed efficiently from such a habit of justifying grace.

You will say. If these things were true, it would follow that an adult man loves God first with perfect love, than God loves him: but this consequent is false: therefore also the antecedent. The major is evident: for if that love does not proceed from the habit of charity, and is anterior thereto, since God does not love man with supernatural love, except on account of justice and charity, it follows that that man loves God supernaturally first, than he is so loved by God. The minor is proved from that of 1. John 4: God, but because He first loved us. — I deny the minor: for it does not follow that man loves God perfectly and simply with supernatural love prior to being loved by God with corresponding love; for that act of love of God, ultimately dispositional unto the grace of justification, although it pro- ceeds from actual grace, is nevertheless not simply perfect in the genus supernatural, since it is elicited by a person who in that sign is not yet held to have the habit of charity; and straightway not yet to be simply in the supernatural state.