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Dist. 31

Book III: On the Incarnation of the Word · Distinction 31

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DISTINCTIO XXXI.

Cap. I. Si caritas semel habita amittatur.

Illud quoque non est praetereundum, quod quidam asserunt, caritatem semel habitam ab aliquo non posse excidere, nullumque damnandum hanc aliquando habere; qui hanc traditionem subditis muniunt testimoniis. Apostolus1 ait: Caritas nunquam excidit. Augustinus etiam inquit: «Caritas, quae deseri potest, nunquam vera fuit». Item: «Caritas est fons proprius ac singularis bonorum, cui non communicat alienus.

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Alieni sunt omnes qui audituri sunt: Non novi vos. De hoc fonte Scriptura ait: Fons aquae vivae sit tibi proprius, et nemo alienus communicet tibi». Si autem alieni sunt qui audituri sunt illam vocem; non ergo huic fonti communicant damnandi. Item, Augustinus super Epistolam Ioannis2: «Radicata est caritas; securus esto, nihil mali procedere potest». Item, Gregorius in Moralibus: «Valida est ut mors dilectio. Virtuti enim mortis dilectio comparatur, quia nimirum mentem, quam semel ceperit, a dilectione mundi funditus occidit». Item, Augustinus super Epistolam Ioannis3: «Unctio invisibilis caritas est, quae, in quocumque fuerit, radix illi erit, quae ardente sole arescere non potest: nutritur calore solis, non arescit». Item, Beda super Ioannem: «Quaerendum est, quomodo speciale Filii Dei agnoscendi signum fuerit, quod super eum descenderit et manserit Spiritus. Quid magni est Filio Dei, quod in ipso manere Spiritus astruatur? Notandum, quod semper in Domino manserit Spiritus, in Sanctis vero, quamdiu mortale corpus gestaverint, partim semper maneat, partim rediturus secedat. Manet autem apud eos, ut bonis insistant actibus; recedit vero ad tempus, ne semper infirmos curandi, mortuos suscitandi, daemones eiiciendi, vel etiam prophetandi habeant facultatem. Manet ergo semper, ut possint habere virtutes et mirabiliter ipsi vivant; venit ad tempus, ut etiam aliis per miraculorum signa, quales sint intus, effulgeant». Item, Gregorius4: «In Sanctorum cordibus secundum quasdam virtutes semper manet Spiritus, secundum quasdam recessurus venit et venturus recedit. In his virtutibus, sine quibus ad vitam non pervenitur, in electorum suorum cordibus permanet; in his vero, per quas sanctitatis virtus ostenditur, ut in exhibitione miraculorum, aliquando adest, aliquando se subtrahit». Item, Ambrosius5: «Ficta caritas est, quae in adversitate deserit».

Haec innuere videntur, quod caritas semel habita non amittatur. Ideo quidam in praetaxatam prosilierunt audaciam, dicentes, caritatem a damnandis non haberi, nec a quoquam habitam posse amitti; quos ratio vincit et auctoritas. Quidam enim ad tempus sunt boni, qui postea fiunt mali, et e converso. Unde quorundam nomina Christus6 dicit scripta in libro vitae, qui tamen postea abierunt retro. Sed scripta dicit non secundum praescientiam, sed secundum praesentem iustitiam, cui deserviebant, quia digni erant tunc illo bono, quod habituri sunt praescripti secundum praescientiam. Unde Ambrosius7: «Quibusdam gratia data est in usum, ut Sauli, Iudae et illis discipulis, quibus Dominus dixit: Ecce, nomina vestra scripta sunt in caelis, et post abierunt retro. Sed hoc dixit propter iustitiam, cui deserviebant, quia boni erant. Frequenter enim ante sunt mali qui futuri sunt boni, et aliquoties prius sunt boni qui futuri sunt et permansuri mali»; secundum quod dicuntur scribi in libro vitae et deleri.

Quod vero Apostolus ait: Caritas nunquam excidit, nullatenus pro illis facit. Dignitatem enim caritatis ostendens, dicit, eam non excidere, quia hic et in futuro erit; sed fides et spes evacuabuntur et scientia. — Item, quod dicitur caritas nunquam fuisse vera, quae deseri potest, non ad essentiam caritatis refertur, sed ad efficientiam, quia non efficit caritas, quae deseritur, hominem vere beatum nec perducit ad verum bonum. — Huic etiam fonti alieni, id est damnandi, non communicant, scilicet in fine, quia non perseverant. — Potest tamen hoc et cetera, quae de caritate dicta sunt, de perfecta intelligi, quam soli perfecti habent, quae semel habita non amittitur; exordia vero caritatis aliquando crescunt, aliquando deficiunt8. Sunt enim virtutis exordia et profectus et perfectio, quos gradus ille discernit, qui parabolam illam intelligit: Sic est regnum Dei, quemadmodum si iactet homo semen in terra et dormiat, et exurgat semen et germinet et crescat etc. Si ergo perfecta caritas sic radicata est, ut amitti nequeat, incipiens tamen et provecta amitti potest et saepe amittitur; sed dum habetur, non sinit habentem criminaliter peccare. Quod Augustinus9 ostendit inquiens: «Quia radix omnium malorum est cupiditas, et radix omnium bonorum est caritas; simul ambae esse non possunt: nisi una radicitus evulsa fuerit, alia plantari non potest. Sine causa conatur aliquis ramos incidere, si radicem non contendit evellere».

Cap. II. Quare fides, spes, scientia dicuntur evacuari, et non caritas, cum et ipsa sit ex parte.

Advertendum etiam est, quomodo fides, spes et scientia dicantur evacuari10, quia ex parte sunt, et non caritas, cum et ipsa ex parte sit. Ex parte enim, id est imperfecte, diligimus, sicut ex parte scimus, ut ait Hesychius super Leviticum11. Cum igitur omne quod ex parte est, evacuetur; cur caritas excipitur, quae dicitur nunquam excidere? Caritas quidem etiam ex parte est, ut saepe Sancti docent, quia ex parte diligimus nunc; et ideo ipsa evacuabitur, in quantum ex parte est, quia tolletur imperfectio, et addetur perfectio; remanebitque ipsa aucta et actus eius et modus diligendi, ut diligas Deum propter se ex toto corde et proximum tuum sicut te ipsum, sed imperfectionis modus eliminabitur. Fides vero et spes penitus evacuabuntur; scientia vero secundum actum et modum suum, qui nunc est, non secundum sui essentiam tolletur. Ipsa enim virtus scientiae remanebit, sed alium tenebit usum et modum.

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Cap. III. Si Christus ordinem diligendi servavit, quem nos.

Nunc iam superest investigare, si Christus, secundum quod homo, ordinem diligendi praescriptum12 servaverit. Quod si est, omnem hominem sicut se ipsum dilexit. Omnibus ergo vitam optavit, omnesque salvos fieri voluit; sed non omnes salvi sunt: et ita non est factum quod optavit. — Sed non est ignorandum, in eo fuisse caritatem iuxta modum patriae, non viae, eumque ordinem diligendi implesse, qui servatur in patria, non in via. Qui enim in patria sunt, id est iam beatificati sunt, adeo iustitiae Dei addicti sunt, ut nihil eis placeat, nisi quod Deo placet; ac per hoc illorum tantum salutem diligunt et13 volunt, quos Deus salvari vult, eosque solos sicut se diligunt. Ita et Christus electos tantum sicut se dilexit eorumque salutem optavit.

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English Translation

DISTINCTION XXXI.

Chapter I. Whether charity once had is lost.

This too is not to be passed over, that some assert that charity once had by anyone cannot fall away, and that no one to be damned ever has it; and they fortify this tradition for their subjects with testimonies. The Apostle1 says: Charity never fails. Augustine also says: «Charity which can be deserted was never true». Likewise: «Charity is the proper and singular fount of the good, in which no stranger shares.

The strangers are all those who shall hear: I never knew you. Of this fount Scripture says: Let the fount of living water be your own, and let no stranger share it with you». But if those who shall hear that voice are strangers, then the damned do not share in this fount. Likewise, Augustine on the Epistle of John2: «Charity is rooted; be secure, nothing evil can proceed». Likewise, Gregory in the Morals: «Love is strong as death. For love is compared to the strength of death, because, namely, the mind which it has once seized it utterly slays as to the love of the world». Likewise, Augustine on the Epistle of John3: «The invisible anointing is charity, which, in whomever it shall be, will be a root for him, which cannot wither under the burning sun: it is nourished by the heat of the sun, it does not wither». Likewise, Bede on John: «It must be asked how it was a special sign for recognizing the Son of God, that the Spirit descended upon him and remained. What great thing is it for the Son of God, that the Spirit be affirmed to remain in him? It is to be noted that the Spirit remained ever in the Lord, but in the Saints, so long as they bear a mortal body, it partly ever remains, and partly withdraws to return. It remains with them, that they may persist in good acts; but it withdraws for a time, lest they should always have the faculty of healing the sick, raising the dead, casting out demons, or even prophesying. It remains ever, therefore, that they may have the virtues and may themselves live wondrously; it comes for a time, that they may shine forth to others also, by the signs of miracles, as to what they are within». Likewise, Gregory4: «In the hearts of the Saints, according to certain virtues the Spirit ever remains, according to certain ones it comes about to withdraw and withdraws about to come. In those virtues, without which life is not attained, it remains permanently in the hearts of his elect; but in those by which the power of sanctity is shown, as in the working of miracles, it is sometimes present, sometimes withdraws itself». Likewise, Ambrose5: «That charity is feigned which deserts in adversity».

These things seem to suggest that charity once had is not lost. Hence some have leapt into the aforementioned audacity, saying that charity is not had by the damned, nor, once had by anyone, can it be lost; whom reason and authority overcome. For some are good for a time, who afterward become evil, and conversely. Hence the names of some Christ6 says are written in the book of life, who nevertheless afterward went back. But he says they are written not according to foreknowledge, but according to the present righteousness to which they were devoted, because they were then worthy of that good, which the foreknown shall have according to foreknowledge. Hence Ambrose7: «To some grace was given for use, as to Saul, to Judas, and to those disciples to whom the Lord said: Behold, your names are written in heaven, and afterward they went back. But he said this on account of the righteousness to which they were devoted, because they were good. For frequently those are evil beforehand who are to be good, and sometimes those are good beforehand who are to be and to remain evil»; according to which they are said to be written in the book of life and blotted out.

But what the Apostle says — Charity never fails — in no way makes for them. For, showing the dignity of charity, he says that it does not fail, because it will be both here and in the future; but faith and hope will be done away, and knowledge. — Likewise, what is said — that the charity which can be deserted was never true — is not referred to the essence of charity, but to its efficacy, because the charity which is deserted does not make a man truly blessed nor lead him to the true good. — To this fount also strangers, that is, the damned, do not share, namely at the end, because they do not persevere. — Yet this and the rest that have been said of charity can be understood of perfect charity, which the perfect alone have, which once had is not lost; but the beginnings of charity sometimes grow, sometimes fail8. For there are beginnings of virtue, and progress, and perfection, which degrees he discerns who understands that parable: The kingdom of God is as if a man should cast seed into the earth, and should sleep, and the seed should spring up and grow etc. If therefore perfect charity is so rooted that it cannot be lost, yet the beginning and the advanced can be lost and are often lost; but while it is held, it does not allow its possessor to sin criminally. This Augustine9 shows, saying: «Because the root of all evils is cupidity, and the root of all goods is charity; both cannot be together: unless the one be plucked out by the root, the other cannot be planted. In vain does anyone strive to cut the branches, if he does not strive to pluck out the root».

Chapter II. Why faith, hope, and knowledge are said to be done away, and not charity, although it too is in part.

It must also be observed how faith, hope, and knowledge are said to be done away10, because they are in part, and not charity, although it too is in part. For in part, that is, imperfectly, we love, just as in part we know, as Hesychius on Leviticus11 says. Since therefore everything that is in part is done away; why is charity excepted, which is said never to fail? Charity indeed too is in part, as the Saints often teach, because we love in part now; and therefore it itself will be done away, insofar as it is in part, because the imperfection will be removed, and perfection added; and it itself will remain, increased, and its act and the manner of loving, so that you love God for his own sake with your whole heart and your neighbor as yourself, but the manner of imperfection will be eliminated. Faith indeed and hope will be done away utterly; but knowledge, according to its act and manner which now is, not according to its essence, will be taken away. For the virtue of knowledge itself will remain, but will hold another use and manner.

Chapter III. Whether Christ kept the order of loving which we [must keep].

Now it remains to investigate whether Christ, as he was man, kept the prescribed12 order of loving. And if so, he loved every man as himself. He therefore wished life for all, and willed all to be saved; but not all are saved: and so what he wished was not done. — But it must not be ignored that there was in him charity according to the manner of the fatherland, not of the way, and that he fulfilled that order of loving which is kept in the fatherland, not in the way. For those who are in the fatherland, that is, are already beatified, are so devoted to the justice of God that nothing pleases them except what pleases God; and through this they love and13 will the salvation of those only whom God wills to be saved, and these alone they love as themselves. So too Christ loved the elect only as himself and wished their salvation.

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Apparatus Criticus
  1. Epist. 1. Cor. 13, 8. In quo loco codd. ABDE et ed. 1 excidet pro excidit. — Locus Augustini (inter opera eius) est de Salutaribus Documentis ad quend. comitem, c. 7. Seq. locus est Enarrat. in Ps. 103. serm. 1. n. 9, in quo citatur Matth. 7, 23, et Prov. 5, 16. 17. — Haec et fere omnia testimonia, quae sequuntur, leguntur etiam in Decreto Gratiani, de Poenit. dist. 2.
    First Epistle to the Corinthians 13:8. In which passage codices ABDE and edition 1 read excidet (shall fall) for excidit (fails). — The passage of Augustine (among his works) is from On Salutary Documents to a certain count, c. 7. The following passage is from the Commentary on Psalm 103, sermon 1, n. 9, in which Matthew 7:23 and Proverbs 5:16–17 are cited. — These and almost all the testimonies which follow are read also in the Decree of Gratian, On Penance, dist. 2.
  2. Tract. 8. n. 9. — Gregorii locus est X. Moral. c. 21. n. 39, et alluditur ibi ad Cant. 8, 6.
    Tractate 8, n. 9. — The passage of Gregory is Morals, book X, c. 21, n. 39, and there allusion is made to Canticles 8:6.
  3. Tract. 3. n. 12. Locus Bedae est in Evang. Ioan. 1, 33. — Pro Notandum, quod codd. ABDE cum pluribus edd. Notandumque quod [alii quia], sed originale Bedae: Notandum ergo quod; deinde pro et mirabiliter codd., excepto C (qui habet et ut) et pluribus edd., ut mirabiliter.
    Tractate 3, n. 12. The passage of Bede is in the Gospel of John 1:33. — For Notandum, quod (it is to be noted, that) codices ABDE with several editions read Notandumque quod [others quia], but the original of Bede has: Notandum ergo quod; then for et mirabiliter (and wondrously) the codices, except C (which has et ut) and several editions, read ut mirabiliter.
  4. Libr. I. in Ezech. hom. 5. n. 11; cfr. II. Moral. c. 56. n. 91.
    Book I on Ezekiel, homily 5, n. 11; cf. Morals, book II, c. 56, n. 91.
  5. In II. Epist. ad Cor. 6, 6. (inter eius opera). — Paulo inferius pro Haec... videntur edd. 1, 8 Hoc... videtur. Cod. Erf. Hae auctoritates, annotat vero: Alii: Haec.
    On the Second Epistle to the Corinthians 6:6 (among his works). — A little below, for Haec... videntur (these things... seem) editions 1, 8 read Hoc... videtur (this... seems). The Erfurt codex reads Hae auctoritates (these authorities), but notes: others read Haec.
  6. Respicitur Luc. 10, 20; Ioan. 6, 67. — Inferius pro praescripti codd. CDE et ed. 1 scripti.
    Reference is made to Luke 10:20; John 6:67. — Below, for praescripti (foreknown) codices CDE and edition 1 read scripti (written).
  7. In Rom. 9, 13. 14, sed prima verba leguntur tantum in Glossa. De Saul cfr. I. Reg. 11, 6; de Iuda Luc. 10, 20. — Pro secundum quod plures edd. propter quod.
    On Romans 9:13–14, but the first words are read only in the Gloss. On Saul cf. 1 Kings 11:6; on Judas Luke 10:20. — For secundum quod (according to which) several editions read propter quod (on account of which).
  8. Quae sequuntur contracta sunt ex Gregor. II. in Ezech. hom. 3. n. 1. 3. — Parabola memorata legitur Marc. 4, 26. — Pro Si ergo edd. 1, 8 bene Etsi ergo.
    What follows is condensed from Gregory, book II on Ezekiel, homily 3, nn. 1, 3. — The parable mentioned is read in Mark 4:26. — For Si ergo (if therefore) editions 1, 8 rightly read Etsi ergo (although therefore).
  9. Serm. 270. (in appendice; alias 8. inter quinquaginta Homil.) n. 1. — Locus Scripturae est I. Tim. 6, 10.
    Sermon 270 (in the appendix; otherwise 8 among the fifty Homilies) n. 1. — The scriptural passage is 1 Timothy 6:10.
  10. Epist. 1. Cor. 13, 8.
    First Epistle to the Corinthians 13:8.
  11. Cap. 2, 2, apud Lyranum in Glossa. Ipse Hesychius ibi de cognitione Dei in patria ait: «Quae eam quae nunc est, non ut contrariam destruit, sed partem eam minimam esse, per suam plenitudinem monstrat». Deinde citat. I. Cor. 13, 9.
    Chapter 2:2, in Lyra in the Gloss. Hesychius himself there says of the knowledge of God in the fatherland: «Which does not destroy that which now is as contrary to it, but shows by its own fullness that it is a least part of it». Then he cites 1 Corinthians 13:9.
  12. Cfr. supra d. XXIX. — Infra alluditur ad I. Tim. 2, 4. — Pro salvi sunt Vat. et edd. 4, 6, 9 salvi fiunt.
    Cf. above, dist. XXIX. — Below, allusion is made to 1 Timothy 2:4. — For salvi sunt (are saved) the Vatican edition and editions 4, 6, 9 read salvi fiunt (are made saved).
  13. Edd. 1, 8 et codd. DE omittunt diligunt et; deinde pro vult edd. 1, 8 voluit.
    Editions 1, 8 and codices DE omit diligunt et (they love and); then for vult (wills) editions 1, 8 read voluit (willed). ---
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