13. [XII.]—Grace Causes Us to Do.

To him, therefore, who is reluctant to endure the troublesome process, whereby this vaunting disposition is restrained, before he attains to the ultimate and highest perfection of charity, it is most properly said, “My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness,”27    2 Cor. xii. 9.—in weakness, that is, not of the flesh only, as this man supposes, but both of the flesh and of the mind; because the mind, too, was, in comparison of that last stage of complete perfection, weak, and to it also was assigned, in order to check its elation, that messenger of Satan, the thorn in the flesh; although it was very strong, in contrast with the carnal or animal faculties, which as yet understand not the things of the Spirit of God.28    1 Cor. ii. 14. Inasmuch, then, as strength is made perfect in weakness, whoever does not own himself to be weak, is not in the way to be perfected. This grace, however, by which strength is perfected in weakness, conducts all who are predestinated and called according to the divine purpose29    Rom. viii. 28, 30. to the state of the highest perfection and glory. By such grace it is effected, not only that we discover what ought to be done, but also that we do what we have discovered,—not only that we believe what ought to be loved, but also that we love what we have believed.

CAPUT XII.

13. Ideoque nolenti perpeti molestiam, qua ejus cohiberetur elatio, antequam esset in eo charitatis ultima et summa perfectio, rectissime dicitur, Sufficit tibi gratia mea; nam virtus in infirmitate perficitur: in infirmitate scilicet, non ut ille putat, «carnis tantum;» sed et carnis et animi: quia et animus erat in comparatione summae illius perfectionis infirmus, cui, ne extolleretur , proinde stimulus carnis, angelus satanae intelligebatur datus: quamvis esset in carnalium vel animalium, nondum percipientium quae sunt Spiritus Dei (I Cor. II, 14), comparatione, firmissimus. Quocirca si virtus in infirmitate perficitur, quisquis se non fatetur infirmum, non perficitur. Haec autem gratia qua virtus in infirmitate perficitur, praedestinatos et secundum propositum vocatos (Rom. VIII, 28) ad summam perfectionem glorificationemque perducit. Qua gratia agitur, non solum ut facienda noverimus, verum etiam ut cognita faciamus; nec solum ut diligenda credamus, verum etiam ut credita diligamus.