Chapter 64 [XXXVI.]—When the Commandment to Love is Fulfilled.

But somebody will perhaps think that we lack nothing for the knowledge of righteousness, since the Lord, when He summarily and briefly expounded His word on earth, informed us that the whole law and the prophets depend on two commandments;373    Matt. xxii. 40. nor was He silent as to what these were, but declared them in the plainest words: “Thou shall love,” said He, “the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind;” and “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”374    Matt. xxii. 37, 39. What is more surely true than that, if these be fulfilled, all righteousness is fulfilled? But the man who sets his mind on this truth must also carefully attend to another,—in how many things we all of us offend,375    Jas. iii. 2. while we suppose that what we do is pleasant, or, at all events, not unpleasing, to God whom we love; and afterwards, having (through His inspired word, or else by being warned in some clear and certain way) learned what is not pleasing to Him, we pray to Him that He would forgive us on our repentance. The life of man is full of examples of this. But whence comes it that we fall short of knowing what is pleasing to Him, if it be not that He is to that extent unknown to us? “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face.”376    1 Cor. xiii. 12. Who, however, can make so bold, on arriving far enough, to say: “Then shall I know even as also I am known,”377    1 Cor. xiii. 12. as to think that they who shall see God will have no greater love towards Him than they have who now believe in Him? or that the one ought to be compared to the other, as if they were very near to each other? Now, if love increases just in proportion as our knowledge of its object becomes more intimate, of course we ought to believe that there is as much wanting now to the fulfilment of righteousness as there is defective in our love of it. A thing may indeed be known or believed, and yet not loved; but it is an impossibility that a thing can be loved which is neither known nor believed. But if the saints, in the exercise of their faith, could arrive at that great love, than which (as the Lord Himself testified) no greater can possibly be exhibited in the present life,—even to lay down their lives for the faith, or for their brethren,378    John xv. 13.—then after their pilgrimage here, in which their walk is by “faith,” when they shall have reached the “sight” of that final happiness379    2 Cor. v. 7. which we hope for, though as yet we see it not, and wait for in patience,380    Rom. viii. 23. then undoubtedly love itself shall be not only greater than that which we here experience, but far higher than all which we ask or think;381    Eph. iii. 20. and yet it cannot be possibly more than “with all our heart, and with all our soul, and with all our mind.” For there remains in us nothing which can be added to the whole; since, if anything did remain, there would not be the whole. Therefore the first commandment about righteousness, which bids us love the Lord with all our heart, and soul, and mind382    Matt. xxii. 37. (the next to which is, that we love our neighbour as ourselves), we shall completely fulfil in that life when we shall see face to face.383    1 Cor. xiii. 12. But even now this commandment is enjoined upon us, that we may be reminded what we ought by faith to require, and what we should in our hope look forward to, and, “forgetting the things which are behind, reach forth to the things which are before.”384    Phil. iii. 13. And thus, as it appears to me, that man has made a far advance, even in the present life, in the righteousness which is to be perfected hereafter, who has discovered by this very advance how very far removed he is from the completion of righteousness.

Chapter 65.—In What Sense a Sinless Righteousness in This Life Can Be Asserted.

Forasmuch, however, as an inferior righteousness may be said to be competent to this life, whereby the just man lives by faith385    Rom. i. 17. although absent from the Lord, and, therefore, walking by faith and not yet by sight,386    2 Cor. v. 7.—it may be without absurdity said, no doubt, in respect of it, that it is free from sin; for it ought not to be attributed to it as a fault, that it is not as yet sufficient for so great a love to God as is due to the final, complete, and perfect condition thereof. It is one thing to fail at present in attaining to the fulness of love, and another thing to be swayed by no lust. A man ought therefore to abstain from every unlawful desire, although he loves God now far less than it is possible to love Him when He becomes an object of sight; just as in matters connected with the bodily senses, the eye can receive no pleasure from any kind of darkness, although it may be unable to look with a firm sight amidst refulgent light. Only let us see to it that we so constitute the soul of man in this corruptible body, that, although it has not yet swallowed up and consumed the motions of earthly lust in that super-eminent perfection of the love of God, it nevertheless, in that inferior righteousness to which we have referred, gives no consent to the aforesaid lust for the purpose of effecting any unlawful thing. In respect, therefore, of that immortal life, the commandment is even now applicable: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might;”387    Deut. vi. 5. but in reference to the present life the following: “Let not sin reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.”388    Rom. vi. 12. To the one, again, belongs, “Thou shalt not covet;”389    Ex. xx. 17. to the other, “Thou shalt not go after thy lusts.”390    Ecclus. xviii. 30. To the one it appertains to seek for nothing more than to continue in its perfect state; to the other it belongs actively to do the duty committed to it, and to hope as its reward for the perfection of the future life,—so that in the one the just man may live forevermore in the sight of that happiness which in this life was his object of desire; in the other, he may live by that faith whereon rests his desire for the ultimate blessedness as its certain end. (These things being so, it will be sin in the man who lives by faith ever to consent to an unlawful delight,—by committing not only frightful deeds and crimes, but even trifling faults; sinful, if he lend an ear to a word that ought not to be listened to, or a tongue to a phrase which should not be uttered; sinful, if he entertains a thought in his heart in such a way as to wish that an evil pleasure were a lawful one, although known to be unlawful by the commandment,—for this amounts to a consent to sin, which would certainly be carried out in act, unless fear of punishment deterred.)391    The Benedictine editor is not satisfied with the place of the lines in the parenthesis. He would put them in an earlier position, perhaps before the clause beginning with, “Only let us see to it,” etc. Have such just men, while living by faith, no need to say: “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors?”392    Matt. vi. 12. And do they prove this to be wrong which is written, “In Thy sight shall no man living be justified?”393    Ps. cxliii. 2. and this: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us?”394    1 John i. 8. and, “There is no man that sinneth not;”395    1 Kings viii. 46. and again, “There is not on the earth a righteous man, who doeth good and sinneth not”396    Ecclus. vii. 21. (for both these statements are expressed in a general future sense,—“sinneth not,” “will not sin,”—not in the past time, “has not sinned”)?—and all other places of this purport contained in the Holy Scripture? Since, however, these passages cannot possibly be false, it plainly follows, to my mind, that whatever be the quality or extent of the righteousness which we may definitely ascribe to the present life, there is not a man living in it who is absolutely free from all sin; and that it is necessary for every one to give, that it may be given to him;397    Luke vi. 30, 38. and to forgive, that it may be forgiven him;398    Luke xi. 4. and whatever righteousness he has, not to presume that he has it of himself, but from the grace of God, who justifies him, and still to go on hungering and thirsting for righteousness399    Matt. v. 6. from Him who is the living bread,400    John vi. 51. and with whom is the fountain of life;401    Ps. xxxvi. 9. who works in His saints, whilst labouring amidst temptation in this life, their justification in such manner that He may still have somewhat to impart to them liberally when they ask, and something mercifully to forgive them when they confess.

Chapter 66.—Although Perfect Righteousness Be Not Found Here on Earth, It is Still Not Impossible.

But let objectors find, if they can, any man, while living under the weight of this corruption, in whom God has no longer anything to forgive; unless nevertheless they acknowledge that such an individual has been aided in the attainment of his good character not merely by the teaching of the law which God gave, but also by the infusion of the Spirit of grace—they will incur the charge of ungodliness itself, not of this or that particular sin. Of course they are not at all able to discover such a man, if they receive in a becoming manner the testimony of the divine writings. Still, for all that, it must not by any means be said that the possibility is lacking to God whereby the will of man can be so assisted, that there can be accomplished in every respect even now in a man, not that righteousness only which is of faith,402    Rom. x. 6. but that also in accordance with which we shall by and by have to live for ever in the very vision of God. For if he should now wish even that this corruptible in any particular man should put on incorruption,403    1 Cor. xv. 53. and to command him so to live among mortal men (not destined himself to die) that his old nature should be wholly and entirely withdrawn, and there should be no law in his members warring against the law of his mind,404    Rom. vii. 23.—moreover, that he should discover God to be everywhere present, as the saints shall hereafter know and behold Him,—who will madly venture to affirm that this is impossible? Men, however, ask why He does not do this; but they who raise the question consider not duly the fact that they are human. I am quite certain that, as nothing is impossible with God405    Luke i. 37. so also there is no iniquity with Him.406    Rom. ix. 14. Equally sure am I that He resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble.407    Jas. iv. 6. I know also that to him who had a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet him, lest he should be exalted above measure, it was said, when he besought God for its removal once, twice, nay thrice: “My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness.”408    2 Cor. xii. 7–9. There is, therefore, in the hidden depths of God’s judgments, a certain reason why every mouth even of the righteous should be shut in its own praise, and only opened for the praise of God. But what this certain reason is, who can search, who investigate, who know? So “unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? or who hath first given to Him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.”409    Rom. xi. 33–36.

CAPUT XXXVI.

64. Praeceptum dilectionis quando perfecte implebitur. Ignorantiae peccata. Justitia hujus vitae sine peccato qualis poni possit. Perfecta justitia etsi hic non inveniatur, non tamen impossibilis. Sed fortasse quispiam putaverit, nihil nobis deesse ad cognitionem justitiae, quod Dominus verbum consummans et brevians 0243 super terram (Isai. X, 23; Rom. IX, 28), dixit in duobus praeceptis totam Legem Prophetasque pendere; nec ea tacuit , sed verbis apertissimis prompsit, Diliges, inquit, Dominum Deum tuum ex toto corde tuo, et ex tota anima tua, et ex tota mente tua; et diliges proximum tuum tanquam te ipsum (Matth. XXII, 37-40). Quid verius, his impletis impleri omnino justitiam? Verumtamen qui hoc attendit, etiam illud attendat, quam in multis offendamus omnes (Jacobi III, 2), dum putamus Deo, quem diligimus, placere, vel non displicere quod facimus; et postea per Scripturam ejus, sive certa et perspicua ratione commoniti, cum didicerimus quod ei non placeat, poenitendo precamur ut ignoscat. Plena humana vita est documentis talibus. Unde autem minus novimus quid ei placeat, nisi quia et ipse minus notus est nobis? Videmus enim nunc per speculum in aenigmate, tunc autem facie ad faciem. Quis vero existimare audeat, cum eo ventum fuerit, quod ait, Ut cognoscam sicut et cognitus sum (I Cor. XIII, 12), tantam Dei dilectionem fore contemplatoribus ejus, quanta fidelibus nunc est: aut ullo modo hanc illi tanquam de proximo comparandam? Porro si quanto major notitia, tanto erit major dilectio; profecto nunc quantum deest dilectioni, tantum perficiendae justitiae deesse credendum est. Sciri enim aliquid vel credi, et tamen non diligi potest: diligi autem quod neque scitur neque creditur, non potest. At si credendo ad tantam dilectionem sancti pervenire potuerunt, qua certe majorem in hac vita esse non posse Dominus ipse testatus est, ut animam suam pro fide vel pro fratribus ponerent (Joan. XV, 13): cum ab hac peregrinatione in qua per fidem nunc ambulatur (II Cor. V, 7), perventum erit ad speciem, quam nondum visam speramus, et per patientiam exspectamus (Rom. VIII, 25), procul dubio et ipsa dilectio non solum supra quam hic habemus, sed longe supra quam petimus et intelligimus erit (Ephes. III, 20); nec ideo tamen plus esse poterit, quam ex toto corde, ex tota anima, ex tota mente. Neque enim restat in nobis aliquid quod addi possit ad totum; quia si restabit aliquid, illud non erit totum. Proinde hoc primum praeceptum justitiae, quo jubemur diligere Deum ex toto corde, et ex tota anima, et ex tota mente, cui est de proximo diligendo alterum consequens, in illa vita implebimus, cum videbimus facie ad faciem. Sed ideo nobis hoc etiam nunc praeceptum est, ut admoneremur, quid fide exposcere, quo spem praemittere, et obliviscendo quae retro sunt, in quae anteriora nos extendere debeamus (Philipp. III). Ac per hoc, quantum mihi videtur, in ea quae perficienda est justitia multum in hac vita ille profecit, qui quam longe sit a perfectione justitiae, proficiendo cognovit.

0244 65. Sed si dici potest quaedam justitia minor huic vitae competens, qua justus ex fide vivit (Rom. I, 17), quamvis peregrinus a Domino, et ideo per fidem ambulans, nondum per speciem: non absurde dicitur etiam ad istam pertinere ne peccet. Neque enim, id esse nondum potest tanta dilectio Dei, quanta illi cognitioni plenae perfectaeque debetur, jam culpae deputandum est. Aliud est enim totam nondum assequi charitatem, aliud nullam sequi cupiditatem. Quamobrem debet homo, quamvis longe minus amet Deum, quam eum potest amare conspectum, nihil tamen appetere illicitum: sicut etiam in his quae adjacent sensibus corporis, potest oculus nullis tenebris delectari, quamvis non possit in fulgentissima luce defigi. Verum ecce jam talem constituamus animam humanam in hoc corruptibili corpore, quae etsi nondum illa supereminentissima perfectione charitatis Dei omnes motus terrenae libidinis absorbuerit atque consumpserit, attamen in ista minore justitia ad illicitum aliquid operandum eidem libidini nulla inclinatione consentiat: ut ad illam vitam jam immortalem pertineat, Diliges Dominum Deum tuum ex toto corde tuo, et ex tota anima tua, et ex tota virtute tua (Deut. VI, 5); ad hanc autem, Non regnet peccatum in vestro mortali corpore ad obediendum desideriis ejus (Rom. VI, 12): ad illam, Non concupisces (Exod. XX, 17); ad istam, Post concupiscentias tuas non eas (Eccli. XVIII, 30): ad illam, nihil amplius quaerere, quam in ea perfectione persistere; ad istam, hoc quod agit in opere habere, et illius perfectionem pro mercede sperare: ut per illam justus sine fine vivat in specie, quam in ista desideravit; per hanc autem justus vivat ex fide, in qua illam certo fine desiderat. (His constitutis peccatum erit hominis ex fide viventis, aliquando alicui delectationi illicitae consentire: non tantum in illis horrendis facinoribus et flagitiis perpetrandis, verum etiam in levioribus; ut vel aurem alicui voci quae audienda non esset, vel linguam alicui quae dicenda non esset, accommodet; vel in ipso corde aliquid ita cogitet, ut mallet licitum quod male delectat, et per praeceptum scitur illicitum: etiam ista quippe consensio est ad peccatum, quae utique fieret, nisi poena terreret .) Tales justi ex fide viventes, non opus habent dicere, Dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris (Matth. VI, 12)? falsumque esse convincunt, quod scriptum est, Non justificabitur in conspectu tuo omnis 0245 vivens (Psal. CXLII, 2)? et illud, Si dixerimus quia peccatum non habemus, nosmetipsos decipimus, et veritas in nobis non est (I Joan. I, 8)? et illud, Quia non est homo qui non peccabit (III Reg. VIII, 46)? et illud, Non est justus in terra qui faciet bonum et non peccabit (Eccli. VII, 21)? (utrumque enim hoc testimonium non de praeterito dicit, id est, Peccavit; sed de futuro, id est, peccabit) et si qua alia in hanc sententiam sancta Scriptura commemorat? Sed quoniam haec falsa esse non possunt, illud esse consequens video, ut qualemlibet vel quantamlibet in hac vita potuerimus definire justitiam, nullus in ea sit hominum qui nullum habeat omnino peccatum; omnique homini sit necessarium dare ut detur illi, dimittere ut dimittatur illi (Luc. VI, 38, 37); et si quid habet justitiae, non de suo sibi esse praesumere, sed de gratia justificantis Dei, et adhuc tamen ab illo esurire et sitire justitiam (Matth. V, 6), qui est panis vivus (Joan. VI, 51), et apud quem est fons vitae (Psal. XXXV, 10): qui sic operatur justificationem in sanctis suis in hujus vitae tentatione laborantibus, ut tamen sit et quod petentibus largiter adjiciat, et quod confitentibus clementer ignoscat.

66. Sed inveniant isti, si possunt, aliquem sub onere corruptionis hujus viventem, cui jam non habeat Deus quod ignoscat: nisi tamen eum fateantur non doctrina legis datae , sed etiam infuso spiritu gratiae, ut talis esset, adjutum; non cujuscemodi peccati crimen sed ipsius impietatis incurrent. Sane quanquam talem, si testimonia illa divina competenter accipiant, prorsus invenire non possunt: nullo 0246 modo tamen dicendum, Deo deesse possibilitatem, qua voluntas sic adjuvetur humana, ut non solum justitia ista quae ex fide est (Rom. X, 6), omni ex parte modo perficiatur in homine, verum etiam illa secundum quam postea in aeternum in ipsa ejus contemplatione vivendum est. Quandoquidem si nunc velit in quoquam etiam hoc corruptibile induere incorruptionem (I Cor. XV, 53), atque hic inter homines morituros eum jubere vivere minime moriturum, ut tota penitus vetustate consumpta nulla lex in membris ejus repugnet legi mentis (Rom. VII, 23), Deumque ubique praesentem ita cognoscat, sicut sancti postea cognituri sunt, quis demens audeat affirmare, non posse? Sed quare non faciat, quaerunt homines: nec qui quaerunt, se attendunt esse homines. Scio quod sicut impossibilitas, ita et iniquitas non est apud Deum (Id. IX, 14). Et scio quod superbis resistit, humilibus autem dat gratiam (Jacobi IV, 6). Et scio quod illi, cui ne extolleretur datus erat stimulus carnis, Angelus satanae, qui eum colaphizaret, semel et iterum et tertio deprecanti dictum est, Sufficit tibi gratia mea; nam virtus in infirmitate perficitur (II Cor. XII, 7-9). Aliquid ergo est in abdito et profundo judiciorum Dei, ut etiam justorum omne os obstruatur in laude sua, et non aperiatur nisi in laudem Dei. Hoc autem aliquid quis possit scrutari, quis investigare, quis nosse? tam sunt inscrutabilia judicia ejus, et investigabiles viae ejus! Quis enim cognovit sensum Domini? aut quis consiliarius illi fuit? Aut quis prior dedit illi, et retribuetur ei? Quoniam ex ipso, et per ipsum, et in ipso sunt omnia; ipsi gloria in saecula saeculorum. Amen (Rom. XI, 33-36).