Louis Le Blanc on the Relationship between Good Works and Eternal Life Theses 7-12
Theses Theologicae [...] (London, 1683), pgs. 589-90
7. And this is the reason why the faithful, zealous for good works, are said to work out their salvation, Phil 2: “with fear and trembling,” Paul says, “you shall work out your salvation.” For that reason, Paul, writing to the Corinthians as well, attributes to those afflictions which the faithful patiently suffer for Christ, that these afflictions work eternal glory in us: “and our light tribulation, which is of the present moment, works in us beyond measure a sublime and eternal weight of glory, not contemplating the things which are seen, but those which are unseen.” 2 Cor. 4.
8. For although the good works of the faithful do not properly or on their own effect their eternal salvation and glory, yet rightly they are said to bring it about because they are the means aiming and leading to it, and which, from God’s ordination and promise, eternal life and glory necessarily and infallibly follow. Therefore, although the theologians of the Reformed schools rightly deny that good works are properly called causes of salvation, given that they do not immediately and on their own attain the effect of salvation itself, nevertheless, in a wider and less proper sense, they are able to be called efficient causes of salvation, namely insofar as everything which, by whatever means, works and concurs to some effect is called an efficient cause, as John Davenant explains the Protestant view in his De Justitia Habituali et Actuali, ch. 32: “Bellarmine's affirmation, when laying out his opinion, that good works are necessary to salvation on the ground of efficacy, is true, if he takes efficiency broadly, for all that which in any way operates and concurs to the effect of salvation; it is false, if he understands such an efficacy as either implies merit, which is to be derived from the righteousness of Christ alone; or such as is apprehensive, which pertains to the power of faith alone; or such as is properly efficient, that is, capable of itself to effect salvation; in which sense God alone is the efficient cause of our salvation.” And afterwards, “We do not deny efficacy altogether to good works in relation to salvation, but meritorious efficacy, or efficacy properly so understood: namely, such as reaches or produces the effect itself of salvation: but efficacy taken in a broad sense, that is to say, as working something preceding the effect of salvation, we willingly grant to spring from good works.”
9. But in order that we might be better able to conceive of the relation between good works and eternal life, it is fitting to consider the various similitudes which Sacred Scripture uses to explain it. First, for instance, Scripture compares good works to the act of sowing and eternal life to reaping, or to produce which is thence harvested. Paul says, “For that which a person sows, this he also reaps. For, the one who sows to the flesh will reap from the flesh corruption. But the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit (Gal. 6). This is similar to what is written in Psalm 126: “They who sow in tears will reap in exultation.” And Psalm 58: “Certainly there is a reward for the righteous.” Since just as he who puts seed into the ground, with time established by God and nature, harvests fitting fruit from it, so they who are zealous for piety and righteousness do not work in vain, but patiently await the fulfillment of the divine promise sometime afterward, whence, at last in the life to come, the crop of glory and the greatest happiness sprouts to them.
10. Additionally, eternal life is frequently compared to a reward and crown, but good works are compared to running or a fight. So, Paul writing to Timothy says, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished my run, I have kept the faith. Therefore, there is a crown of righteousness laid up for me, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will return to me on that day.” And in his first Epistle to the Corinthians: “Do you not know that those who run in a race all indeed run, but only one receives the prize? So, run in order that you may obtain it. And every person who competes in a contest keeps himself from all other things. And they do that in order to receive a corruptible crown, but we fight for an incorruptible one.” In other words, just as the person who competes in a contest is not crowned unless he has genuinely fought, so also no person ought to promise to himself blessed and immortal life from God unless he fights against his own lusts and makes his flesh obedient to God. And moreover, just as certain prizes had been established by those who had instituted the games for the men who were conquering others in a contest or in the gymnasium, so also life and eternal glory is the prize, according to God’s law and promise, which certainly awaits all those who seriously and sincerely exercise themselves in good works.
11. But Scripture especially speaks of good works as a certain duty and work imposed by God; it speaks of eternal life and glory as a reward promised by God, and which will be compensated by God for that work. So, Christ addressing those who suffer persecution on account of righteousness says, “rejoice and exalt because your reward is great in heaven” (Matt. 5). And the Psalmist considers that reward when he says that in the keeping of the divine judgements there is great reward (Ps. 19). And Solomon also in Proverbs says, “to the one who sows righteousness is a sure reward.” Therefore, Paul writing to the Corinthians says every person will receive his own reward according to his own labor (1 Cor. 3).
12. Again, when holy Scripture calls eternal life a reward for good works, it uses the word “reward” not strictly or properly; but in a looser sense, and somewhat improperly—insofar as it signifies everything whatsoever which, according to an agreement [pactum], is recompensed for some work or labor. In order to understand this, it must be observed that for something to be properly called a “reward,” two things are always required. First, that there be a proportion between work and reward—and not any proportion whatsoever, but some equal proportion. Then, that the reward is an obligation for the labor by strict justice and from justice, properly understood. But neither of these is true in the case of good works and eternal life.