Vel intelligendum est secundum electionem, id est quantum ad electos ex illo populo, sicut supra dictum est, electio consecuta est. Si autem sunt Domino charissimi, rationabile est quod a Deo salventur, secundum illud Is. LXIV, 4: oculus non vidit, Deus, absque te quae praeparasti, et cetera. Or it can mean as touching the election, i.e., as regards those elected from that people, salvation was obtained. For if they are dear to God, it is reasonable that they be saved by God: the eye has not seen, O God, besides you, what things you have prepared for them that wait for you (Isa 64:4). 924. Deinde cum dicit sine poenitentia enim sunt, etc., excludit obviationem. 924. Then when he says, for the gifts and the calling, he excludes an objection. Posset enim aliquis obviando dicere quod Iudaei, et si olim fuerint charissimi propter patres, tamen inimicitia, quam contra Evangelium exercent, prohibet ne in futurum salventur. Sed hoc Apostolus falsum esse asserit, dicens sine poenitentia enim sunt, scilicet dona et vocatio Dei, quasi dicat: quod Deus aliquid aliquibus donet, vel aliquos vocet, hoc est sine poenitentia, quia de hoc Deum non poenitet, secundum illud I Reg. c. XV, 29: triumphator in Israel non parcet, nec poenitudine flectetur. Ps. CIX, 5: iuravit Dominus, et non poenitebit eum. For someone might claim that even though the Jews were formerly beloved on account of their forefathers, nevertheless the hostility they exert against the Gospel prevents them from being saved in the future. But the Apostle asserts that this is false, saying: for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. As if to say: that God gives something to certain ones or calls certain ones is without repentance, because God does not change his mind: the triumpher in Israel will not spare, and will not be moved to repentance (1 Sam 15:29); the Lord has sworn and will not change his mind (Ps 110:4). 925. Sed videtur falsum. Dicit enim Dominus Gen. VI, 6: poenitet me fecisse hominem. Et Ier. XVIII, 9 s.: loquar de gente et de regno, ut aedificem et plantem illud. Si fecerit malum in oculis meis, poenitentiam agam super bonum quod locutus sum ut facerem ei. 925. However, this seems false, for the Lord says: it repents me that I made man (Gen 6:7) and if that nation against which I have spoken shall repent of their evil, I also will repent of the evil that I thought to do to them (Jer 18:8). Sed dicendum est quod sicut Dominus irasci dicitur, non propter hoc quod in eo sit commotio irae sed quia ad modum irati se habet quantum ad punitionis effectum, ita quandoque poenitere dicitur, non quasi in eo sit poenitentiae commutatio sed quia ad modum poenitentis se habet dum mutat quod fecerat. The answer is that just as God is said to grow angry, not because the emotion of anger is in him but because he is related to the effect of punishments after the manner of an angry man, so he is said to repent, not because the change involved in repentance is in him but because he changes what he had done after the manner of one who repents. 926. Sed adhuc videtur hoc quod dona et vocatio non sint sine poenitentia, quia dona divinitus concessa, frequenter amittuntur, secundum illud Matth. XXV, 28: tollite itaque ab eo talentum, et date ei qui habet decem talenta. Vocatio enim Dei etiam quandoque mutari videtur, cum scriptum sit Matth. XXII, 14: multi sunt vocati, pauci vero electi. 926. Nevertheless, it does seem that God’s gifts are not without repentance, because they are frequently lost, as in Matthew: take the talent from him and give it to him that has ten talents (Matt 25:28). Furthermore, God’s call seems to be changed sometimes, since it is written: many are called but few are chosen (Matt 22:14). Sed dicendum est quod donum hic accipitur pro promissione, quae fit secundum Dei praescientiam vel praedestinationem. Vocatio autem hic accipitur pro electione, quia propter certitudinem utriusque, quod Deus promittit, iam quodammodo dat: et quos elegit, iam quodammodo vocat. Et tamen ipsum temporale Dei donum et temporalis vocatio, non irritatur per mutationem Dei quasi poenitentis sed per mutationem hominis, qui gratiam Dei abiicit, secundum illud Hebr. XII, v. 15: contemplantes ne quis desit gratiae Dei. But it should be noted that gift is taken here for a promise made according to God’s foreknowledge or predestination, and calling is taken for election. Because both are so certain, whatever God promises is as good as given and whomever he elects is somehow already called. Such temporal gifts and callings are not voided by a change in God, as though he repented of them, but by a change in man who casts them off: take heed lest anyone be wanting in the grace of God (Heb 12:15). 927. Potest etiam quod hic dicitur aliter intelligi, ut dicamus quod dona Dei quae dantur in baptismo et vocatio qua baptizatus vocatur ad gratiam, sunt sine poenitentia hominis baptizati, quod quidem hic inducitur, ne aliquis desperet de futura Iudaeorum salute, propter hoc quod non videntur de peccato suo poenitere. 927. This passage can also be taken to mean that God’s gifts which are bestowed in baptism, and the calling by which the baptized person is called, exist without the repentance of the baptized person. Furthermore, it was introduced to counteract any despair about the future salvation of the Jews, since they do not seem to repent of their sin. Sed contra hoc quod dicitur, est quod Petrus dicit Act. II, 38: poenitentiam agite, et baptizetur unusquisque vestrum. But against this interpretation are the words of Peter: repent and be baptized every one of you (Acts 2:38). Sed dicendum est quod duplex est poenitentia: interior et exterior. Interior quidem consistit in contritione cordis, qua quis dolet de peccatis praeteritis, et talis poenitentia requiritur a baptizato, quia, ut Augustinus dicit in libro de Poenitentia: nemo suae voluntatis arbiter constitutus, potest novam vitam inchoare, nisi poeniteat eum veteris vitae, alioquin fictus ad baptismum accedit. This can be answered by recalling that repentance is of two kinds: interior and exterior. Interior repentance consists in the heart’s contrition by which one is sorry for past sins. Such repentance is required of the baptized, because, as Augustine says: no one who is arbiter of his own will can begin the new life, unless he repents of the old life; otherwise, he would approach dissembling. Exterior vero poenitentia consistit in exteriori satisfactione quae a baptizato non requiritur, quia per gratiam baptismalem liberatur homo non solum a culpa sed etiam a tota poena per virtutem passionis Christi, qui pro peccatis omnium satisfecit, sicut supra VI, 3 dictum est: quicumque baptizati sumus in Christo Iesu, in morte ipsius baptizati sumus. Unde dicitur Tit. III, 5 s.: per lavacrum regenerationis et renovationis Spiritus Sancti, quem effudit in nos abunde. But exterior repentance consists in making satisfaction outwardly, and this is not required of the baptized person, because by baptismal grace man is freed not only of guilt but of all penalty, in virtue of the passion of Christ who satisfied for the sins of all: all we who are baptized in Christ Jesus are baptized in his death (Rom 6:3); by the washing of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit which he poured out upon us richly (Titus 3:5). 928. Sed cum claves Ecclesiae et omnia alia sacramenta in virtute passionis Christi operentur, videtur quod pari ratione omnia alia sacramenta liberent hominem a culpa et a tota poena. 928. But since the keys of the Church and all the other sacraments work by the power of Christ’s passion, it seems that by the same reasoning all the other sacraments should liberate man from guilt and from all punishment. Sed dicendum est, quod passio Christi operatur in baptismo per modum cuiusdam generationis, quae requirit ut homo totaliter priori vitae moriatur, ad hoc ut novam vitam accipiat. Et ideo tollitur in baptismo totus reatus poenae, qui pertinet ad vetustatem prioris vitae. Sed in aliis sacramentis operatur virtus passionis Christi per modum sanationis ut in poenitentia. Sanatio autem non requirit, ut statim omnes infirmitatis reliquiae auferantur. Et eadem ratio est in aliis sacramentis. But the answer is that Christ’s passion works in baptism in the manner of a generation, which requires that a man die completely to his former life to receive a new life. And because the debt of punishment belongs to the oldness of the former life, it is taken away in baptism. But in the other sacraments Christ’s passion works in the manner of a cleansing, as in the sacrament of penance. But a cleansing does not require that right away every remnant of weakness be taken away. And the same argument applies to the other sacraments. 929. Sed cum confessio peccatorum pertineat ad exteriorem poenitentiam, quaeri potest utrum a baptizato confessio peccatorum requiratur: et videtur quod sic. Dicitur enim Matth. III, 6, quod baptizabantur homines a Ioanne, confitentes peccata sua. 929. But since the confession of sins is relevant for exterior repentance, one could ask whether confession of sins is required at baptism. And it seems that it is, because Matthew says that men were baptized by John, confessing their sins (Matt 3:6). Sed dicendum est quod baptismus Ioannis erat baptismus poenitentiae, quia scilicet accipiendo illum baptismum quodammodo se profitebantur poenitentiam accepturos de peccato suo et ideo conveniens erat ut confiterentur, ut secundum modum peccati eis poenitentia statueretur. Sed baptismus Christi est baptismus remissionis omnium peccatorum, ita quod non restat baptizato aliqua satisfactio pro peccatis praeteritis, propter quod nulla est confessionis vocalis necessitas. Ad hoc enim necessaria est confessio in sacramento poenitentiae, ut sacerdos per potestatem clavium convenienter poenitentem solvat vel liget. But the answer is that John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance, namely because by receiving that baptism they declared that they would undertake penance for their sins, and so it was fitting that they should confess so that penance could be meted out to them in accord with the nature of their sins. But Christ’s baptism is a baptism for the remission of all sins, such that the baptized person no longer owes any satisfaction for his past sins, and for this reason there is no need for vocal confession. The reason confession is necessary in the sacrament of penance is so that the priest can, by the power of the keys, fittingly loose or bind the penitent. 930. Deinde cum dicit sicut enim aliquando, etc., assignat rationem futurae salutis Iudaeorum post eorum incredulitatem. 930. Then when he says, for as you also, he gives the reason for the future salvation of the Jews after their unbelief. Et primo ponit similitudinem inter utriusque populi salutem; First, he shows a similarity between the salvation of both people; secundo huius similitudinis causam ostendit, ibi conclusit enim Deus, et cetera. second, the cause of this similarity, at for God has concluded. 931. Dicit ergo primo: ita dico quod omnis Israel salvus fiet, quamvis nunc sint inimici. Sicut enim et vos, gentiles, aliquando non credidistis Deo. Eph. II, 12: eratis illo tempore sine Deo in hoc mundo; nunc autem misericordiam consecuti estis, infra c. XV, 9: gentes autem super misericordia honorare Deum. Os. II, 23: miserebor eius quae fuit absque misericordia. Et hoc propter eorum incredulitatem, quae scilicet fuit occasio vestrae salutis, ut supra dictum est. 931. First, therefore, he says: so I say that Israel will be saved, although they are now enemies. For as you also, gentiles, in times past did not believe God: you were once without God in the world (Eph 2:12); but now have obtained mercy: the gentiles are to glorify God for his mercy (Rom 15:9); I will have mercy on him who was without mercy (Hos 2:23). And this was through their unbelief, which was the occasion of your salvation, as was said above. Ita et isti, scilicet Iudaei, nunc, scilicet tempore gratiae, non crediderunt, scilicet Christo. Io. VIII, 43: quare non creditis mihi? Et hoc est quod subdit in vestram misericordiam, id est in gratiam Christi, per quam misericordiam consecuti estis. Tit. III, v. 5: secundum suam misericordiam salvos nos fecit. Vel non crediderunt ut per hoc pervenirent in vestram misericordiam. Vel non crediderunt, quod in vestram misericordiam occasionaliter cessit, ut et ipsi quandoque misericordiam consequantur. Is. XIV, v. 1: miserebitur Dominus Iacob. So these also, i.e., the Jews, now, i.e., in the time of grace, have not believed, namely, in Christ: why do you not believe in me? (John 8:46). And this is what he adds: for your mercy, i.e., in Christ’s grace, by which you have obtained mercy: you have saved us according to your mercy (Titus 3:5). Or they have not believed so that they might enter into your mercy. Or they have not believed, which turned out to be the occasion of the mercy shown to you, that they also at some time may obtain mercy: the Lord will have compassion on Jacob (Isa 14:1). 932. Deinde, cum dicit conclusit enim, etc., assignat rationem huius similitudinis, quia scilicet Deus voluit, ut sua misericordia in omnibus locum haberet. Et hoc est quod subdit conclusit enim Deus, id est concludi permisit, omnia, id est omne hominum genus, tam Iudaeos quam gentiles, in incredulitate, sicut in quadam catena erroris. Sap. XVII, 7: una catena tenebrarum omnes erant colligati. Ut omnium misereatur, id est ut in omni genere hominum sua misericordia locum habeat. Sap. XI, 24: misereris omnium, Domine. Quod quidem non est extendendum ad daemones secundum errorem Origenis, nec etiam quantum ad omnes homines singillatim, sed ad omnia genera hominum. Fit enim hic distributio pro generibus singulorum et non pro singulis generum. Ideo autem Deus vult omnes per suam misericordiam salvari, ut ex hoc humilientur et suam salutem non sibi, sed Deo adscribant. Os. c. XIII, 9: perditio tua in te, Israel, tantummodo ex me auxilium tuum. Supra III, 19: ut omne os obstruatur, et subditus fiat omnis mundus Deo. 932. Then, when he says for God has concluded, he assigns the reason for this similarity, namely that God has willed to have mercy on all. And this is what he adds, for God has concluded, i.e., permitted to be concluded, all, i.e., every race of men, both Jews and gentiles, in unbelief, as in a certain bond of error: all were fettered with the bonds of darkness (Wis 17:2). That he may have mercy on all, i.e., that he may have mercy on every race of men: but you have mercy upon all (Wis 17:24). This does not extend to the demons in accord with the error of Origen, nor even to all men individually, but to every race of men. For the distribution is made according to races of individuals and not according to individuals of races. But God wills all to be saved by his mercy, so that they might be humbled by this and ascribe their salvation not to themselves but to God: destruction is your own, O Israel: your help is only in me (Hos 13:9); that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may be made subject to God (Rom 3:19). Lectio 5 Lecture 5 Sapientia incomprehensibilia Dei The incomprehensible wisdom of God ^11:33 O altitudo divitiarum sapientiae, et scientiae Dei: quam incomprehensibilia sunt judicia ejus, et investigabiles viae ejus! [n. 933] ^11:33 O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God! How incomprehensible are his judgments, and how unsearchable his ways! [n. 933] ^11:34 Quis enim cognovit sensum Domini? aut quis consiliarius ejus fuit? [n. 938] ^11:34 For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counsellor? [n. 938] ^11:35 aut quis prior dedit illi, et retribuetur ei? [n. 940] ^11:35 Or who has first given to him, and recompense shall be made him? [n. 940] ^11:36 Quoniam ex ipso, et per ipsum, et in ipso sunt omnia: ipsi gloria in saecula. Amen. [n. 942] ^11:36 For from him, and through him, and in him, are all things: to him be glory for ever. Amen. [n. 942] 933. Supra Apostolus conatus fuit assignare rationem divinorum iudiciorum quibus tam gentes, quam Iudaei post incredulitatem misericordiam consequuntur, nunc, quasi ad haec investiganda se insufficientem recognoscens, exclamando divinam excellentiam admiratur. 933. Above the Apostle endeavored to assign a reason for the divine judgments, by which gentiles and Jews obtain mercy after unbelief; now he recognizes his inadequacy for such an investigation and exclaims his admiration of the divine excellence. Et primo admiratur divinam excellentiam; First, he extols the divine excellence; secundo probat quod dixerat, ibi quis enim cognovit, et cetera. second, he proves what he says, at for who has known. Circa primum duo facit. In regard to the first he does two things: Primo admiratur excellentiam divinae sapientiae secundum se consideratae; first, he extols the divine wisdom in itself; secundo per comparationem ad nos, ibi quam incomprehensibilia, et cetera. second, in relation to us, at how incomprehensible. 934. Excellentiam divinae cognitionis admiratur. Primo quantum ad altitudinem, dicens O altitudo. Eccle. VII, 25: alta profunditas, quis inveniet eam? Ier. XVII, 12: solium gloriae altitudinis a principio. 934. He extols the excellence of divine knowledge: first, as to its depth, saying: O the depth: it is a great depth. Who shall find it out? (Eccl 7:25); a glorious throne set on high from the beginning (Jer 17:12). Haec autem altitudo attenditur quantum ad tria. Uno quidem modo quantum ad rem cognitam, inquantum scilicet Deus seipsum perfecte cognoscit. Eccli. XXIV, 5: ego in altissimis habito. Alio modo quantum ad modum cognoscendi, inquantum scilicet per seipsum omnia cognoscit. Ps. CI, 20: prospexit de excelso sancto suo, Dominus de caelo in terram aspexit. Tertio quantum ad certitudinem cognitionis. Eccli. XXIII, 28: oculi Domini multo plus lucidiores sunt super solem. This depth is considered in regard to three things: first, in regard to the thing known, inasmuch as God knows himself perfectly: I dwell in the highest places (Sir 24:7); second, in regard to the manner of knowing, inasmuch as he knows all things through himself: the Lord looked down from his holy height, from heaven the Lord looked at the earth (Ps 102:19); third, in regard to the certainty of his knowledge: the eyes of the Lord are far brighter than the sun (Sir 23:28). 935. Secundo admiratur excellentiam divinae cognitionis quantum ad eius plenitudinem, cum dicit divitiarum. Is. XXXIII, 6: divitiae salutis sapientia et scientia. 935. Second, he extols the excellence of divine knowledge in regard to its fullness when he says: of the riches. Abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge (Isa 33:6).