Question VIII: Whether hope arises from merits

Calvin, with impious mouth, lib. 3. Instit. cap. 2. §. last, against the Master and St. Bonaventure and others saying that Hope is begotten in us from the grace of God and merits, thus barks deeply: Who would not deservedly execrate such beasts? O a Master worthy of Tartarean disciples!

But Wicleph taught an error plainly contrary to this, following Pelagius. Bellarmine reports them lib. 5. de Iustificatione, cap. 7.

The Catholic Church teaches indeed that the principal Hope and confidence is to be placed in the grace of God; yet also some in merits from grace.

I assert first, that the confidence of the Saints is born also from good merits.

It is proved first by St. Bonaventure from the Scriptures, Rom. 5. Tribulation worketh patience; and patience trial; and trial hope; And hope confoundeth not. Thus the same Apostle speaks also 1 Timot. 3. They who have ministered well shall acquire to themselves a good degree, and much confidence. Hebr. 10. You had compassion on them that were in bonds, and took with joy the spoiling of your goods. Do not therefore lose your confidence. Thus Tobias 4. Great confidence shall there be before the most high God for them who do alms. Iob. 11. If thou shalt take away the iniquity that is in thy hand; and if iniquity remain not in thy tabernacle: then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot: and thou shalt have confidence, hope being set before thee, and shalt be buried in peace and shalt sleep secure.

This is confirmed by examples Psal. 17. Most holy David says: And the Lord will reward me according to my justice. The Holy Doctor observes this in the Commentary, that merit arises from faith, hope, and charity, but again hope, or confidence, from merit, by which charity also is increased.

The same Holy Doctor shows in the Bibliis, cap. 16. from other prayers of the Saints, of Ezechias: I beseech thee, O Lord, remember, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth; Isaie 38. Hester, cap. 14. Thou knowest my necessity, that I abhor the sign of pride, etc. Hear the voices of those who have no other hope, and deliver us.

It is proved also from the Fathers, by Cyprian serm. de eleemosyna: A splendid and Divine thing, a saving work, a bulwark of hope, etc.

Other Fathers have similar things with St. Bonav. lib. 2. Pharetrae, cap. 49. St. Gregory homil. 40. in Evang. on that of Luke 16. Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of iniquity, where he says: If the heavenly patrimony is purchased by almsdeeds, the poor are to be entreated as patrons. See others there.

The Holy Doctor reports others in the same book cap. 24. thus St. Gregory, lib. 10. Moral. cap. 12. The firmer Hope in God rises, the heavier things for him each one has endured. St. Bernard. de diligendo Deo, cap. 14. From the faith of the precepts arises the hope of pardon, etc. You have very many testimonies in the same Book of the Seraphic Doctor, and the following.

It is proved second by the Holy Doctor from the definition of hope. It is the expectation of beatitude from grace and merits.

It is proved third by the argument which Bellarmine uses. From faith we have the promises of God, given to those who keep the law and love God, as is established by very many testimonies of Scripture, as I shall soon relate; Therefore our hope, just as it is from faith, is certain; but faith proposes the promises of God from works through grace; what difficulty therefore is there that we can hence hope?

I shall add the Example of the Seraphic Father St. Francis, whose last words were, as St. Bonav. reports and Bellarmine weighs: Bring my soul out of prison, that it may confess to thy name: the just await me, until thou reward me. The same Jerome reports of St. Hilarion, and Sulpitius of Saint Martin.

Truly those things which the adversaries oppose prove only that, on account of the uncertainty of our own justice and the danger of vain glory, we should rest safely in the bosom of the mercy of God.

That indicates that saying of Luke 17. When you shall have done all these things, say: we are unprofitable servants, as St. Bonav. observes in the Commentary, where he also gives other reasons why we ought thus to humble ourselves.

The first is, because the price by which we render our works precious and worthy of eternal life is not our own arbitrium; but grace, which was bought with a great price, namely the blood of Christ, as is said 1 Cor. 6. and 1 Peter 1. therefore we have all merits from the grace of God. Therefore he here reports that of James 1. Every best gift is from above. See ad 1. here.

Second, because whatever we give to God contributes nothing to him, Psal. 15. I said to the Lord: Thou art my God, for thou hast no need of my goods.

Third, because whatever we do is nothing compared with that which we are bound to do, Psal. 115. What shall I render to the Lord for all the things that he hath rendered to me.

Fourth, because what we work and suffer is not equal to the reward, Rom. 8. The sufferings of this time are not worthy to be compared with the future glory, etc. Therefore he observes that the twenty-four Seniores Apoc. 4. cried out, casting their crowns before the throne of God and of the Lamb: Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour, and Daniel. cap. 9. Confusion of face is ours, O our kings, who have sinned. But to thee, O Lord, mercy and propitiation. See the Holy Doctor.

From these also you have that which I proved quaest. 5. ad 6. ultimam, that it is lawful to work with the intention and hope of reward. For God so promised it, Matth. 4. Do penance; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand: Matth. 5. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven, etc. Hence John took the beginning of his preaching, Matth. 3. Hence Christ commanded the Apostles to begin the preaching Matth. 10. and therefore, 1 Corinth. 9. He who ploughs ought to plough in Hope: and he who threshes, in the hope of receiving fruit. See Bellarmine lib. 5. de Iustificatione, cap. 8.

From which it appears that Calvin, lib. 3. Instit. cap. 6. §. 3. and cap. 18., was scrupulously depraved to fear hence to begin sermons: Rather shall I say, he impiously lay in ambush against vital works.

But that you may perceive in what way the Hope of glory arises from merits, since merits suppose hope, and indeed even charity; The Holy Doctor observes in the body, that Hope sometimes names the habit of virtue; sometimes names the act; sometimes names the state; sometimes the term, or object. The virtue, which is a habit, does not arise from merits; but on the contrary, merits arise from it. The act of hope arises from the regard of merits; for no one hopes for beatitude except he who has served God, or who proposes to serve. Hope, as it names the state, has its origin from preceding and concomitant merits, and in this way the Apostle speaks Rom. 5. Tribulation worketh patience: and patience trial; and trial hope, where the Gloss has, certitudinem spei. But according as hope signifies the thing hoped for, it arises from preceding merits; and in this way the objection related is solved, and the other which the Holy Doctor adds: Just as despair arises only from demerits, so Hope from the merits alone of our will.

The Holy Doctor answers by denying the parity, because evil is from us only, since it is a defect; But the meritorious good, since it is a supernatural good, is from the grace elevating, as is said Iacob. 1.

Finally he notes lastly, that to hope from merits ought to be without elation; lest one say: Our own high hand, and not God, hath done all these things, Deuter. 32. and lest you say: For my justice the Lord hath brought me in, etc. But with humility; and in this way it was lawful for the Apostle, 1 Corinth. 15. More abundantly than they all I have laboured: yet not I, but the grace of God with me. Thus he admonishes Dan. cap. 9. Not in our justifications do we cast down our prayers. And the Church: O God, who seest that we trust in no action of ours: mercifully grant, that against all adversities we may be fortified by the protection of the Doctor of the Gentiles. And rightly the Doctor of the Gentiles is adduced in this, as I said.

The same the Holy Fathers admonish, Chrysostomus homil. 21. in Genes. and homil. 3. in id: Elatum est cor Oziae, and homil. 3. in Matth. August. lib. 3. cont. Cresconium, cap. 80. Bernardus serm. 9. in Psal. Qui habitat.

Hence St. Ambrose with Paulinus: I have not so lived that I should be ashamed to live among you, nor do I fear to die, because we have a good Lord. Which words St. August. was accustomed to praise and admire, as Possidonius and Ribadeneira in his life report.