De natura et gratia libri III, cum Apologia contra Catharinum

First the holy Synod declares that, for the doctrine of justification to be rightly and sincerely understood, it is necessary that each person recognize and confess that, since all men lost innocence in the transgression of Adam and became unclean, and, as the Apostle says, children of wrath by nature, as was set out in the decree on original sin, they were so far servants of sin and under the power of the devil and of death that not only the Gentiles by the force of nature, but not even the Jews by the very letter of the law of Moses could be freed from it or rise, although free will in them was by no means extinguished, but was weakened and inclined in its powers.

Whence it came about that the heavenly Father, the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation, sent his Son Jesus Christ, declared and promised to many holy Fathers both before the law and in the time of the law, when that blessed fullness of time came, to men, so that he might both redeem the Jews who were under the law and bring the Gentiles, who were not pursuing justice, to lay hold of justice, and that all might receive adoption as sons. Him God set forth as a propitiation through faith in his blood for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

But even if he died for all, not all nevertheless receive the benefit of his death, but only those to whom the merit of his passion is communicated. For just as in truth men, unless they were born propagated from the seed of Adam, would not be born unjust, since by that propagation, while they are conceived through him, they contract their own injustice; so, unless they were reborn in Christ, they would never be justified, since by that rebirth, through the merit of his passion, the grace by which they are made just is bestowed on them. For this benefit the Apostle exhorts us always to give thanks to the Father, who has made us worthy to share the lot of the saints in light, and has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption and the remission of sins.

By these words a description of the justification of the wicked is suggested, namely that it is a translation from that state in which man is born a son of the first Adam into the state of grace and of the adoption of the sons of God through the second Adam, Jesus Christ our Savior. And this translation, after the gospel has been promulgated, cannot take place without the washing of regeneration or the desire for it, as it is written, Unless one is born again of water and the Holy Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

It declares furthermore that the beginning of justification itself in adults must be taken from the prevenient grace of God through Jesus Christ, that is, from his calling: by which they are called when none of their merits exist, so that those who had turned away from God through sins may, through his arousing and assisting grace, be disposed to convert themselves to their own justification by freely assenting to and cooperating with that same grace, in such a way that, when God touches the heart of man through the illumination of the Holy Spirit, neither does man himself do nothing at all, receiving that inspiration, since he can also reject it, nor yet can he move toward justice before him without the grace of God, but can do so by his own free will. Hence, when it is said in the sacred writings, Turn to me, and I will turn to you, we are reminded of our liberty, when we answer, Turn us, O Lord, to you, and we shall be turned. We confess that we are prevented by the grace of God.

They are disposed to that same justice, moreover, when, aroused and assisted by divine grace, conceiving faith from hearing, they are freely moved toward God, believing those things to be true which have been divinely revealed and promised. And especially that the wicked is justified by God through his grace, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, and when, understanding themselves to be sinners, from fear of divine justice, by which they are profitably shaken, turning to consider the mercy of God, they are raised to hope, trusting that God will be propitious to them for the sake of Christ, and they begin to love him as the fountain of all justice, and are therefore moved against sins by a certain hatred and detestation, that is, by that repentance which must be performed before baptism. Finally, when they purpose to receive baptism, to begin a new life, and to keep the divine commandments. Of this disposition it is written, He who draws near to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder to those who seek him, and, Son, be of good cheer, your sins are forgiven you, and, The fear of the Lord drives out sin, and, Do penance, and, Let each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus for the remission of your sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, and, Going therefore, teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe whatever I have commanded you. Finally, prepare your hearts for the Lord.

This disposition or preparation is followed by justification itself, which is not the remission of sins alone, but also the sanctification and renewal of the inner man through the voluntary reception of grace and of gifts, whereby man from unjust becomes just, and from an enemy a friend, so that he may be an heir according to the hope of eternal life. The causes of this justification are: the final cause indeed the glory of God and of Christ, and eternal life; the efficient cause truly the merciful God, who freely washes and sanctifies, sealing and anointing with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the pledge of our inheritance. The meritorious cause however is his most beloved only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who, when we were enemies, on account of the exceeding charity with which he loved us, merited justification for us by his most holy passion on the wood of the cross, and satisfied God the Father for us; the instrumental cause likewise the sacrament of baptism, which is the sacrament of faith, without which no one has ever obtained justification. Finally, the unique formal cause is the justice of God, not that by which he himself is just, but that by which he makes us just: namely, that by which, gifted by him, we are renewed in the spirit of our mind, and are not only reputed, but are truly named and are just: receiving justice in ourselves, each one according to his own measure, which the Holy Spirit distributes to each as he wills, and according to each one's own disposition and cooperation. For although no one can be just unless the merits of the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ are communicated to him, this nevertheless happens in the justification of the impious when, by the merit of that same most holy passion, through the Holy Spirit, the charity of God is poured into the hearts of those who are justified, and cleaves to them. Hence in justification itself, together with the remission of sins, man receives all these things infused at once through Jesus Christ, to whom he is joined: faith, hope, and charity. For faith, unless hope and charity be added to it, neither unites one perfectly with Christ, nor makes him a living member of his body. For which reason it is most truly said that faith without works is dead and idle, and that in Christ Jesus neither circumcision avails anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith which works through charity. This faith, before the sacrament of baptism, from the tradition of the Apostles, the catechumens ask of the Church when they ask for the faith that bestows eternal life, which faith without hope and charity cannot bestow. Hence they immediately hear the word of Christ, If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments. Therefore, receiving true and Christian justice, they are commanded, as soon as they are reborn, to preserve it, as a first garment in place of that which Adam by his disobedience lost for himself and for us, given to them through Christ Jesus, pure and spotless, so that they may bear it before the tribunal of our Lord Jesus Christ and have eternal life.

But when the Apostle says that a man is justified by faith, and freely, those words are to be understood in that sense which the perpetual consensus of the catholic Church has held and expressed: namely, that we are said to be justified by faith for this reason, because faith is the beginning of human salvation, the foundation and root of all justification, without which it is impossible to please God and to arrive at the fellowship of his sons. But we are said to be justified freely for this reason, because none of those things which precede justification, whether faith or works, merits the grace of justification itself: for if it is of works, then it is not of grace; otherwise, as the same Apostle says, grace is now not grace.

But although it is necessary to believe that sins are not forgiven, nor have ever been forgiven, except freely by divine mercy on account of Christ, nevertheless it must not be said that no one is forgiven or has been forgiven who boasts of confidence and certainty of the remission of his sins and rests in that alone, since among heretics and schismatics this vain confidence, far removed from all piety, can exist, and indeed in our own time does exist and is preached with great contention against the Catholic Church; but neither must it be asserted that those who have been truly justified ought to establish with themselves, without any doubt at all, that they are justified, and that no one is absolved from sins and justified unless he believes with certainty and most firmly that he is absolved and justified, and that absolution and justification are accomplished by this faith alone, as if one who does not believe this doubts the promises of God and the efficacy of the death and resurrection of Christ. For as no pious person ought to doubt the mercy of God, the merit of Christ, or the virtue and efficacy of the sacraments, so anyone, when he looks at himself and his own weakness and indisposition, can fear and be afraid about his own grace, since no one can know with the certainty of faith, to which falsity cannot be subject, that he has obtained the grace of God.

Thus therefore those who are justified, and made friends of God and members of his household, going from virtue to virtue, are renewed (as the Apostle says) from day to day, that is, by mortifying the members of their flesh and exhibiting them as weapons of justice unto sanctification through the observance of the commandments of God and of the Church, in the very justice received through the grace of Christ, with faith cooperating with good works, they grow and are more justified, as it is written, He who is just, let him be justified still: and again, Do not fear to be justified even unto death: and again, You see that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. But this increase of justice the holy Church seeks when she prays, Give us, Lord, an increase of faith, hope, and charity.

But let no one, however justified, think himself free from the observance of the commandments. Let no one use that rash expression, forbidden by the Fathers under anathema, that the commandments of God are impossible for a justified man to observe. For God does not command what is impossible, but by commanding he warns us both to do what you can and to ask for what you cannot, and he helps you so that you can, whose commandments are not burdensome, whose yoke is sweet and whose burden is light. For those who are sons of God love Christ; but those who love him (as he himself testifies) keep his words. This indeed, with divine help, they can accomplish. For although in this mortal life, however holy and just they are, they sometimes fall into light and daily sins, which are also called venial, they do not therefore cease to be just. For that voice of the just is both humble and true: Forgive us our debts. Whence it comes about that the just themselves ought to feel themselves the more bound to walk in the way of justice, the more, now freed from sin and made servants of God, living soberly, justly and piously, they can perfect it through Christ Jesus, through whom they have obtained access to this grace. For God does not abandon those once justified by his grace, unless he is first abandoned by them. And so no one ought to flatter himself in faith alone, thinking that by faith alone he has been made an heir and will obtain the inheritance, even if he does not suffer with Christ so as also to be glorified with him. For Christ himself also (as the Apostle says), although he was the Son of God, learned obedience from the things he suffered; and being made perfect, he became the cause of eternal salvation to all who obey him. Therefore the Apostle himself warns the justified, saying: Do you not know that those who run in the stadium all indeed run, but one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. I therefore so run, not as if into uncertainty; I so fight, not as if beating the air; but I chastise my body and bring it into subjection, lest perhaps, when I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected. Likewise the prince of the Apostles Peter: Be zealous to make your calling and election certain through good works. For by doing these you will never sin. Hence it is clear that those who say that the just man sins at least venially in every good work, or (what is more intolerable) that he deserves eternal punishments, are opposed to the doctrine of the orthodox religion. And so too are those who hold that the just sin in all their works, if in those works, by stirring up their own sloth and exhorting themselves to run in the stadium, they also look to an eternal reward, so that God may be glorified above all—since it is written, I have inclined my heart to do your justifications for the sake of recompense, and the Apostle says of Moses that he was looking to the reward.