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Chapter 13GratL.1.13

Merita hominis mera esse Dei munera.

Free Choice Condemned or Saved

Free choice is either justly condemned or mercifully saved, since human effort toward good is futile without grace, while human inclination toward evil is deeply prone without it, and any merits must be traced to God rather than to ourselves.

For this reason, what is called free choice in a creature is either justly condemned — since no external force is brought to bear on it toward sin — or mercifully saved, since no virtue of its own suffices for righteousness. Now in all of this, the reader should consider that the case of original sin is altogether excluded from the discussion. Furthermore, neither should the cause of damnation be sought outside free choice itself, since it does not condemn except by one's own fault; nor should the merits of salvation be credited to it, since mercy alone saves. For its efforts toward good are both futile if they are not helped by grace, and nonexistent if they are not stirred up by it. But toward evil, as Scripture says, the senses and thoughts of man are prone,✦ (Gen. VIII, 21).✦ Therefore, merits should not be thought to descend to it from itself, as has been said, but rather from above, from the Father of lights — that is, if among the best gifts and perfect endowments, those very things through which eternal salvation is gained are deservedly counted as merits.✦

Merits and Rewards as Gifts

God has graciously divided his gifts into present merits and future rewards, so that our sanctification through the Spirit is itself a gift by which we merit adoption and eternal life, and Christ alone is our salvation and the way to it.

Our God and King, before the ages, when he worked salvation in the midst of the earth, divided the gifts he gave to human beings into merits and rewards: so that what is present, through our free possession, would in the meantime become our merits, and what is future, through his free promise, we would expect — or rather, claim as what is owed. Paul, recalling both: "You have your fruit," he says, "unto sanctification, but the end is eternal life" (Rom.✦ VI, 22); and again: "We ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan within ourselves as we wait for the adoption as children of God" (Rom.✦ VIII, 23): by "firstfruits of the Spirit" he means sanctification — that is, the virtues by which we are sanctified in the present time by the Spirit, so that we may by merit attain the adoption.✦ Again in the Gospel, the same things are promised to the one who renounces this age, where it is said: "He will receive a hundredfold, and will possess eternal life" (Matt.✦ XIX, 29). So then, salvation does not belong to free choice, but to the Lord; indeed, he himself is salvation, and he himself is the way to salvation, who says: "I am the salvation of the people" (Ps.✦ XXXIV, 3); of whom it is also testified: "I am the way" (John.✦

No One Is Good but God

Christ made himself the way so that no flesh might glory, for no one does good and no one is good except God alone, so that God's gifts become our works and rewards, and he uses creatures in mercy for the benefit of others.

Romans 14:6. He made himself the way, though he was himself our salvation and our life, so that all flesh might not glory. If, then, the good things of the way are merits, just as the salvation and life of our homeland are, and it is true what David says, 'There is no one who does good, not even one' (Psalm 13:3) — that is, the one of whom it is also said, 'No one is good except God alone' (Mark 10:18). Without a doubt, God's gifts are both our works and his rewards; and he who made himself indebted for them has also made us deserve them through them. Yet to establish these merits, he deigns to employ the services of creatures — not ones he needs, but ones that through this, or by whom, others may benefit.

God Working Through Creatures

God works salvation through creatures in different ways: without their knowledge, against their will, or with their willing consent, and Paul attributes all his own labor not to himself but to the grace of God with him.

So God works the salvation of those whose names are in the book of life — sometimes through a creature without it, sometimes through a creature against it, sometimes through a creature with it.✦ Many things that bring people healing come about through an insensible creature, and likewise through an irrational one — which is why I said 'without it,' since it cannot, lacking understanding, be either aware or conscious. God also brings about many things that serve the salvation of many people through the wicked — whether human beings or angels — but since they are unwilling, it works against them. For while they intend to harm, they help others — the useful action benefits others as much as the twisted intention harms themselves. Moreover, the ones through whom and with whom God works are good — whether angels or people — who both do and will what God wills. For those who consent in will to the good they accomplish in deed share fully in the work that God carries out through them. That is why Paul, after recounting the many good things God had done through him, said: 'Not I, but the grace of God with me' (1 Cor. 15:10).✦ (1 Cor. 15:10).

Paul as Partner in Grace

Paul says 'the grace of God with me' rather than 'through me,' understanding himself not merely as a minister but as a partner in the divine work through willing consent.

He could have said, "Through me," but because that wouldn't have been enough, he chose instead to say, "With me" — understanding himself to be not merely a minister of the work through its outward effect, but also, in a certain sense, a partner of the One who was at work, through his willing consent.✦1

Three Operations, Three Kinds of Merit

God works in three ways: without creatures, against them, or with them, and only the last yields good merits, since irrational creatures cannot consent to good or evil and stones cannot even perceive.

Now let's look at what each creature can merit through its own ministry, measured by the threefold operation of God that we've laid out. And that operation through which, and without which, whatever is done is done — what can it merit? What can that operation against which something is done, except wrath? And what can that operation with which something is done, except grace? In the first operation, then, no merits are acquired; in the second, evil merits; in the last, good merits. For cattle, since whatever good or evil is done through them, don't merit anything good or anything evil. They don't have the capacity to consent to good or evil. And stones have far less, since they don't even perceive anything.

God's Instruments and Helpers

Evil agents earn only punishment, while good agents who consent in will to God's work are promised a crown, and God uses irrational creatures as tools, wicked ones as rods of discipline, and willing helpers as fellow soldiers who will be abundantly rewarded.

Moreover, when the devil or an evil man is vigorous and watchful in his reasoning, he does indeed earn something — but only punishment, because he stands apart from the good. Paul, however — who preaches the gospel willingly, lest the dispensation entrusted to him be his alone against his will (I Cor. II, 17); and all who think likewise — since they indeed obey from the consent of the will — are confident that a crown of justice is laid up for them.✦ God therefore uses the irrational and likewise the insensible creature for the salvation of his own — as a beast of burden or an instrument — which, once the work is done, will be nowhere. He uses the rational but malevolent creature as a rod of discipline, which, once the son is corrected, He will throw into the fire as a useless branch.✦ He uses both angels and men of good will as fellow soldiers and helpers of his own, whom, once the victory is won, He will reward most abundantly. And finally, Paul boldly declares about himself and those like him: 'For we are God's helpers' (I Tim. III, 9).✦

Co-Workers with the Holy Spirit

God has graciously established rewards for human beings and planned to work good through them and with them, so that by willing consent we become God's helpers, co-workers with the Holy Spirit, and meriters of the kingdom.

There, then, God has graciously established rewards for the human person, and has graciously planned to work some good through that person and together with that person. From this we presume that we are God's helpers, co-workers with the Holy Spirit, and meriters of the kingdom — because by our willing consent we are joined to the divine will.2

Read the original Latin

Quamobrem id quod in creatura dicitur liberum arbitrium, aut juste profecto damnatur, dum ei ad peccatum nulla vi praejudicetur extrinseca: aut misericorditer salvatur, cui ad justitiam nulla virtus sufficit sua. Sane in his omnibus cogitet lector 620 originalis peccati prorsus excipi rationem. De caetero, libero arbitrio nec extra ipsum quaeratur damnationis causa, quod jam non damnat nisi propria culpa; nec ab ipso salutis merita, quod sola salvat misericordia. Cujus quippe conatus ad bonum, et cassi sunt, si a gratia non adjuventur; et nulli, si non excitentur. Caeterum in malum, dicente Scriptura, Proni sunt sensus et cogitationes hominis (Gen. VIII, 21) . Proinde non ei a se, ut dictum est, sed desursum potius a Patre luminum descendere merita putentur: si tamen inter data optima et dona perfecta, ipsa merito per quae salus aeterna conquiritur, merita deputentur.

Deus namque rex noster ante saecula, cum operatus est salutem in medio terrae, dona sua quae dedit hominibus, in merita divisit et praemia: ut et praesentia per liberam possessionem nostra interim fierent merita, et futura per gratuitam sponsionem exspectaremus, imo expeteremus ut debita. Utraque Paulus commemorans: Habetis, inquit, fructum vestrum in sanctificationem, finem vero vitam aeternam (Rom. VI, 22) : item: Et nos ipsi, ait, primitias spiritus habentes, ingemiscimus adoptionem exspectantes filiorum Dei (Rom. VIII, 23) ; primitias spiritus vocans sanctificationem, id est virtutes, quibus in praesentiarum sanctificamur a spiritu, ut merito consequamur adoptionem. Rursum in Evangelio, eadem saeculo abrenuntianti promittuntur, ubi dicitur: Centuplum accipiet, et vitam aeternam possidebit (Matth. XIX, 29) . Itaque non liberi arbitrii, sed Domini est salus; imo ipse salus, ipse et via est ad salutem, qui ait: Salus populi ego sum (Psal. XXXIV, 3) : qui item perhibet: Ego sum via (Joan.

XIV, 6) . Se fecit viam, qui et salus erat et vita, ut non glorietur omnis caro. Si ergo bona viae sunt merita, sicut et patriae salus et vita, et verum est quod ait David: Non est qui faciat bonum, non est usque ad unum (Psal. XIII, 3) , illum videlicet unum de quo item dicitur: Nemo bonus, nisi solus Deus (Marc. X, 18) : Dei sunt procul dubio munera tam nostra opera, quam ejus praemia; et qui se fecit debitorem in illis, fecit et nos promeritores ex his. Ad quae tamen condenda merita dignatur sibi adhibere creaturarum ministeria, non quibus egeat, sed quibus per hoc, vel de quibus prosit.

Operatur ergo illorum salutem, quorum nomina sunt in libro vitae, aliquando per creaturam sine ipsa, aliquando per creaturam contra ipsam, aliquando per creaturam cum ipsa. Multa profecto fiunt hominibus salubria per insensibilem, et item per irrationalem creaturam: quae idcirco dixi fieri sine ipsa, quod non queat, intellectu carens, esse vel conscia. Multa quoque multorum saluti utilia facit Deus per malos, sive homines, sive angelos: sed quoniam invitos, ideo contra ipsos. Nam, dum nocere cupientes juvant, quantum aliis valet utilis actio, tantum ipsis perversa nocet intentio. Porro per quos et cum quibus operatur Deus, boni sunt vel angeli, vel homines, qui quod vult Deus, et agunt pariter, et volunt. Qui enim bono, quod opere complent, voluntate consentiunt, opus omnino quod per eos Deus explicat, ipsis communicat. Unde Paulus, cum bona plurima, quae Deus per ipsum fecerat, enarrasset: Non autem ego, ait, sed gratia Dei mecum (I Cor. XV, 10) .

Potuit dicere: Per me, sed quia minus erat, maluit dicere, mecum: praesumens se non solum operis esse ministrum per effectum; sed et operantis quodammodo socium per consensum.

Videamus nunc secundum triplicem Dei operationem, quam posuimus, quid creatura quaeque pro suo ministerio mereatur. Et illa quidem, per quam, et sine qua fit quod fit, quid mereri potest? quid illa contra quam fit, nisi iram? quid et cum qua fit, nisi gratiam? In prima itaque nulla, in sequenti mala, in ultima bona merita conquiruntur. Nec enim pecudes, 621 cum per eas bonum aut malum quodcunque fit, boni quidpiam merentur, aut mali. Non habent quippe unde bono malove consentiant. Multo autem minus lapides; cum nec sentiant.

Caeterum diabolus, vel homo malus, cum vigeant et vigilent ratione, jam quidem merentur, sed nonnisi poenam, pro eo quod a bono dissentiant. Paulus autem, qui volens evangelizat, ne, si invitus, dispensatio ei tantum credita sit (I Cor. II, 17) ; et quicunque similiter sapiunt: quoniam quidem ex consensu voluntatis obediunt, repositam sibi esse confidunt coronam justitiae. Utitur ergo Deus in salutem suorum irrationabili, et item insensibili creatura, tanquam jumento vel instrumento, quae jam expleto opere nusquam erunt. Utitur creatura rationali, sed malevola, quasi disciplinae virga, quam, correcto filio, in ignem projiciet tanquam sarmentum inutile. Utitur et angelis et hominibus bonae voluntatis, tanquam commilitionibus et coadjutoribus suis, quos peracta victoria amplissime munerabit. Denique et Paulus de se, suisque similibus, audacter pronuntiat: Coadjutores enim Dei sumus (I Id. III, 9) .

Ibi itaque Deus homini benigne merita constituit, ubi per ipsum, et cum ipso, boni quidpiam operari dignanter instituit. Hinc coadjutores Dei, cooperatores Spiritus sancti, promeritores regni nos esse praesumimus, quod per consensum utique voluntarium divinae voluntati conjungimur.

Scripture echoes

  1. ↩Gen.8.21 — The LORD smelled the pleasing aroma, and the LORD said in his heart, 'I will never again curse the ground on account of man, for the inclination of the heart of man is evil from his youth; nor will I ever again strike down every living thing as I have done.'
  2. ↩Gen.8.21 — The LORD smelled the pleasing aroma, and the LORD said in his heart, 'I will never again curse the ground on account of man, for the inclination of the heart of man is evil from his youth; nor will I ever again strike down every living thing as I have done.'
  3. ↩Jas.1.17 — Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
  4. ↩Rom.6.22 — But now, having been set free from sin and having become slaves to God, you have your fruit unto sanctification, and the end is eternal life.
  5. ↩Rom.8.23 — Not only that, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
  6. ↩Rom.8.23 — Not only that, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
  7. ↩Matt.19.29 — And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my name's sake will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.
  8. ↩Ps.71.2 — In your righteousness, rescue me and deliver me; incline your ear to me and save me.
  9. ↩John.14.6 — Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'
  10. ↩Phil.4.3;Rev.20.12 — Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, for they labored with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life. Rev.20.12 — And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to their works.
  11. ↩1Cor.15.10 — But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain; but I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that is with me.
  12. ↩1Cor.15.10 — But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain; but I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that is with me.
  13. ↩2Tim.2.17;2Tim.4.8 — and their word will spread like gangrene; among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 2Tim.4.8 — From now on, there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that day — and not only to me, but also to all who have loved his appearing.
  14. ↩John.15.6 — If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown out like a branch, and is dried up; and they gather them, and throw them into the fire, and it is burned.
  15. ↩1Tim.3.9 — holding the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.

Notes

  1. 1 ↩The distinction between minister (one who serves the work) and socius/partner (one who shares in the worker's own action through consent) is theologically significant: it shows how human cooperation with grace elevates the person beyond mere instrumentality.
  2. 2 ↩promeritores is a rare form; rendered 'meriters' in the sense of those who receive merit or earn a share in the kingdom through cooperative grace.

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