Annotatio CLXVII
”Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven,” etc. — Psalm 31:1
Augustine Augustine, in the preface of this psalm, seems to favor the Lutherans, asserting that all works preceding faith are evil, and that all the actions and thoughts of unbelievers are sins.1 For thus he reasons: “Let no one reckon his good works before faith: because where faith was not, the good was not; for the intention makes the good work, but faith directs the intention.” And again below he adds: “Believe in him who justifies the impious, that thy good works may be [truly] good works: for I would not call those [works] good which do not proceed from a good root.” And again, after a few [words], he subjoins: “Before the grace of faith thou didst nothing of good, and remission of sins shall be given to thee. Let thy works be attended to, and all shall be found evil; if God gave to those works what is due to them, he would surely damn [them]. For the wages of sin is death: but thou wast found in evil works.” Finally, concluding at the end of the preface, he says: “And if thou seem to do good things — yet, because thou doest [them] without faith, they are not even to be called good.” Thus far Augustine’s words, cited by John Calvin in the tenth chapter of the Institutes, for the confirmation of his impious doctrine, by which he teaches that all works, however good, are sins. The Master of the Sentences, book 2, distinction 41, noticing this passage, says that Augustine here called that an “evil work” which is invalid and useless for the merit of eternal life.2 For although, before faith, all the virtues of unbelievers — measured according to the rule of right reason — are good for living well in the present life, yet for obtaining the beatitude of the future life, without faith (which directs the intention), they are so unfit that they ought rather to be called evil than good. Consult Annotation 235 of book 6.