summons to attend the general council of Ephesus, which his rank as a mere African bishop did not entitle him to. 4. That the West with the See Apostolic of Rome did pronounce in his favour. 5. That Thorndike goes against tradition, when he presses Scriptures clearly directed against apostasy, as Heb. vi. 4-8. x. 26-29, as if they bore against all mortal sin after baptism. And 6. that, when urged by the language of S. John and S. Paul, he concludes they, "being assured of their own adoption, presumed the like of others," (c. xxxi. §. 10) that is, dealt in compliments! "They were then in good, but because they continued not in it, that is, persevered not in it unto the end, they were not,' he saith, 'of us,' even when they were with us; that is, they were not of the number of GoD's children, even when they were in the children's faith: since they who are truly His children are foreknown and predestinated to be conformed to the likeness of His SON, and have been called according to His purpose that they might be chosen. For the son of promise perisheth not, but the son of perdition." "We call them then Elect and Disciples of CHRIST and Children of God, because they are to be so called, whom being regenerated we behold living piously. But then are they truly what they are called, if they shall have continued in that on account of which they are so called. But if they have not perseverance, that is, continue not in that which they have begun to be, they are not truly called that which they are called and are not: for this they are not in His presence, to Whom is known what they will be, that is, from (being) good evil."

*S. John xvii. 12. S. Aug. Ibid. p. 761.

Ibid. c. 9, §. 22, p. 762.-A question occurs in connection with this section, which is answered with a profusion of Mediaval fancy by Honorius of Autun. "Sed cum Deus hæc ita ab initio disposuerit, et omnia ita non evenire inevitabile sit, ad quid ultimum judicium restabit? Sicut pictor, cum singulos colores posuerit, unumquemque in suo loco, prout visum fuerit, ad ultimum nigro colore cuncta discriminat, ut totius picturæ or

k

When

natus melius clarescat; ita Deus, dum omnem varietatem sui operis prout vult disposuerit, ad extremum reprobos ab electis, ut nigrum a pretioso colore, segregat; ut de nigredine illorum supplicii splendidior fiat claritudo istorum gaudii. Denique Patriarchæ et Prophetæ pro viridi colore, Apostoli pro aëreo, Martyres pro rubeo, Confessores pro croceo, Monachi pro purpureo, Virgines pro albo, continentes pro grisco, uxorati pro ferrugineo, peccatores pro nigro, in pictura Dei accipiuntur; quæ omnia ordo An

our hearts fail us for fear in contemplating the number of the lost, it may be well to remember that we are ignorant of the relations of our race with other portions of God's universe; that taking into account the infinite orders of spirits and reasonable animals which possibly inhabit the fixed stars (every one of which is a sun to its own satellites), we may justly hope that the sum of felicity far exceeds that of misery; and that the conclusion of the tale which is now being unfolded to 'principalities and powers in heavenly places' will be such as to provoke their jubilation. (See Leibniz, Théodicée, versus finem.-Causa Dei Asserta, §§. 57-59).

§. 5. "No man is to be said with certainty to belong to the calling of GOD which is without repentance, unless when he hath departed out of this world; but in this life, which is a trial upon earth,m let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.'"n "For which of the Faithful, as long as we live in this mortal life, may presume that he is in the number of the Predestinated? Since this must needs be hidden here, where elation is to be so avoided, that so great an Apostle (as Paul) was even buffeted by an angel of Satan, lest he should be exalted above measure." "And yet this Predestination, which is explained openly enough, even in the words of the Gospel, hindered not the LORD from saying on account of beginning, 'Ye believe in GOD, believe also in Me;' and on account of persevering, that men ought always to pray and not to faint.' For they to whom. it is granted, hear this and do it: but they, to whom it is not given, do it not, whether they hear or whether they do not hear. For it is given unto you,' He saith, 'to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.' Whereof the one belongs to the mercy, the other to the judgment of Him, to Whom our soul saith, 'I will sing of mercy and judgment: unto Thee, O LORD, will I

r

sing."" s "As to reasons for being silent about it, it would be long to search for them all; of which however this is one, lest we should make those who do not understand worse, while we desire to make those who do understand more instructed; who (were we to be silent about such a subject.) would be less informed indeed, but not become worse. But when the real state of the case is this, that when we say it he who cannot take it becomes worse, yet when we are silent he who can take it becomes so, what are we to do? Ought not the truth rather to be told, that he who can may take it than be passed over in silence, so that not only both persons may not take it, but also he that is intelligent be himself the worse? who if he were to hear and receive the doctrine, more also would learn by his means. For the more capable he is of learning, the more fit he is to teach others. The enemy of grace is urgent by all means, that it be believed to be given according to our merits, and so grace be no longer grace; and are we unwilling to say that which we can say with the witness of Scripture? For we fear, you see, lest, when we speak, he who cannot receive the truth be offended; and are we not afraid, lest, when we are silent, he who can receive the truth be taken by falsehood?"t "When these and such like things are said either to a few Christians or to the multitude of the Church, why do we fear to preach, as Holy Scripture preaches it, the Predestination of the Saints and very Grace of GOD, that is, which is not given according to our merits? Is it in truth to be feared, lest Man should then despair of himself, when his hope is shown to be placed in GOD; but should not despair, if proud and unhappy he place it in himself?"u "To us then who know not who is or is not the son of peace, it pertains to make no exception and to distinguish no one, but to wish all to be saved, to whom we preach this peace. For neither is it to be feared lest we lose it, if he to whom we preach is not the son of peace, we being ignorant thereof; for it will return to us, that is, that preaching will profit us, not him; but if the peace we preach

Ps. ci. 1.-De Dono Perseverantiæ, c. 14, §. 35, p. 840.

Ibid. c. 16, §. 40, p. 843. "Ibid. c. 22, §. 62, p. 855.

"At least

rests on him, it will profit both us and him."▾ let him who hath not received reject it: provided however, he who receives it take and drink, drink and live. For as piety is to be preached, that GOD may be rightly worshipped by him who hath ears to hear; as charity is to be preached, that GOD and our neighbour may be loved by him who hath ears to hear; so also is this Predestination of GOD's benefits to be preached, that he who hath ears to hear may glory, not in himself, but in the LORD." If, as Augustine saith, "we know not who is or is not the son of peace," we may be allowed to incline to the prevailing sentiment within the Church of Rome, which in regard to persons outside her Communion, and even heathens rightly employing their natural lights, measures them not by the rule of explicit Faith; but trusts that the love of GOD on their part may have had the effect of effacing sin even without sacramental means, provided there be no wilful or conscious disregard of the same. Such was the mind of S. Francis Xavier and of S. Francis De Sales. (Leibniz, Théodicée Pt. I. §§. 95, 6.) Leibniz, whose conspicuous merit and clear reasoning puts him in the first rank of thinkers, dwells on the probability of GOD's imparting an extraordinary light in their last agony to those who, to the last not Christians, have yet according to their opportunities "feared Him and worked righteousness." (Acts x. 35.)

But where no proof can be supplied by Revelation or experience, I prefer citing as a probable indication the mysterious transaction hinted at by S. Peter, where he saith that CHRIST "preached unto the spirits in prison," whose disobedience had been in the days of Noe; (1 Peter iii. 19.) and the practice, referred to by S. Paul, of baptizing for the dead. For I am convinced, 1. that the mysterious interpretation of those passages is the true one; and 2. that the analogy of the gradual discipline of the Elect in this life applies to the case we are supposing; and that such analogy is better met by a purgatorian theory of a reconciliation after death than by one that fixes the transaction at a fleeting instant of time and in the extremity of dissolution.

De Dono Perseverant. c. 20,

▾ De Corrept. et Gratia, c. 15, §. 46, p. 776.

§. 51, p. 950.

350

The Description of Jus tification.

CHAPTER XX.

OF JUSTIFICATION, AND OF BAPTISMAL REGENERATION.

§. 1. HAVING treated of Predestination as the preparation and designment of GoD's benefits to His Elect, and of Election as the act whereby GoD discriminates certain of His creatures to be the recipients of those bounties, we come now to that act, whereby He applies in time to His Elect the remission of sins and earnest of glory purchased for them by CHRIST JESUS. That act is termed Justification. "No one can be justified except by union with CHRIST, Who is the cause of our justification.": "Every gift of good works is a Divine preparation, nor is any one justified by his own virtue, since grace is to every man the beginning of righteousness, and the fountain of merit." "I think," writes Cardinal Contarini, "that it is Christianly said, that we should rest, as on a sure support, on the righteousness of CHRIST bestowed on us, not on grace inherent in us. For this our righteousness is inchoate and imperfect, which cannot save us from offending in many things and sinning continually, and therefore need we daily ask that our debts be forgiven us. Therefore in the sight of GOD we cannot because of this our righteousness be accounted righteous, as it becomes the sons of GOD to be good and holy: but the righteousness of CHRIST hath been bestowed on us, a true and perfect righteousness, which is entirely pleasing in the sight of GOD, wherein is nothing that may offend Him. On this alone sure and steadfast righteousness therefore are we to rest, and because of it alone to believe that we are justified before GOD, that is, ac