Chapter XII.

The peace and grace of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are one, so also is Their charity one, which showed itself chiefly in the redemption of man. Their communion with man is also one.

126. Therefore since the calling is one, the grace is also one. Lastly, it is written: “Grace unto you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.”160    Rom. i. 7. You see, then, that we are told that the grace of the Father and the Son is one, and the peace of the Father and the Son is one, but this grace and peace is the fruit of the Spirit, as the Apostle taught us himself, saying: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience.”161    Gal. v. 22. And peace is good and necessary that no one be troubled with doubtful disputations, nor be shaken by the storm of bodily passions, but that his affections may remain quietly disposed as to the worship of God, with simplicity of faith and tranquillity of mind.

127. As to peace we have proved the point; but as to grace the prophet Zechariah says, that God promised to pour upon Jerusalem the spirit of grace and mercy,162    Zech. xii. 10. and the Apostle Peter says: “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the grace of the Holy Spirit.”163    Acts ii. 38. So grace comes also of the Holy Spirit as of the Father and the Son. For how can there be grace without the Spirit, since all divine grace is in the Spirit?

128. Nor do we read only of the peace and grace of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, but also, faithful Emperor, of the love and communion. For of love it has been said: “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God.”164    2 Cor. xiii. 14. We have heard of the love of the Father. The same love which is the Father’s is also the Son’s. For He Himself said: “He that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him.”165    S. John xiv. 21. And what is the love of the Son, but that He offered Himself for us, and redeemed us with His own blood.166    Eph. v. 2. But the same love is in the Father, for it is written: “God so loved the world, that He gave His Only-begotten Son.”167    S. John iii. 16.

129. So, then, the Father gave the Son, and the Son gave Himself. Love is preserved and due affection is not wronged, for affection is not wronged where there is no distress in the giving up. He gave one Who was willing, He gave One Who offered Himself, the Father did not give the Son to punishment but to grace. If you enquire into the merit of the deed, enquire into the description of the affection. The vessel of election shows plainly the unity of this divine love, because both the Father gave the Son and the Son gave Himself. The Father gave, Who “spared not His own Son, but gave Him up for us all.”168    Rom. viii. 32. And of the Son he also says: “Who gave Himself for me.”169    Gal. ii. 20. “Gave Himself,” he says. If it be of grace, what do I find fault with. If it be that He suffered wrong, I owe the more.

130. But learn that in like manner as the Father gave the Son, and the Son gave Himself, so, too, the Holy Spirit gave Him. For it is written: “Then was Jesus led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.”170    S. Matt. iv. 1. So, too, the loving Spirit gave the Son of God. For as the love of the Father and the Son is one, so, too, we have shown that this love of God is shed abroad by the Holy Spirit, and is the fruit of the Holy Spirit, because “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience.”171    Gal. v. 22.

131. And that there is communion between the Father and the Son is plain, for it is written: “And our communion is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.”172    1 John i. 3. And in another place: “The communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”173    2 Cor. xiii. 14. If, then, the peace of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is one, the grace one, the love one, and the communion one, the working is certainly one, and where the working is one, certainly the power cannot be divided nor the substance separated. For, if so, how could the grace of the same working agree?

CAPUT XII.

Patris et Filii et Spiritus sancti unam esse pacem atque gratiam: similiter unam charitatem, quae maxime in hominum redemptione apparuit: unam denique trium communicationem.

126. [Alias cap. XI.] Ergo cum una vocatio sit, una etiam gratia est. Denique scriptum est: Gratia vobis et pax a Deo patre nostro et Domino Jesu Christo (Rom. I, 7). Ecce habemus quia Patris et Filii una est gratia, et Patris et Filii una est pax: sed haec gratia et pax fructus est Spiritus, sicut ipse Apostolus docuit dicens: Fructus autem Spiritus est charitas, gaudium, pax, patientia (Galat. V, 22). Et bona pax et necessaria, ut nemo disputationum turbetur incertis, neque passionum 0734B corporalium tempestate quatiatur: sed simplicitate fidei, et tranquillitate mentis quietus circa Dei cultum perseveret affectus.

127. De pace probavimus: de gratia autem propheta Zacharias dicit, quia promisit Deus effundere in Jerusalem Spiritum gratiae et misericordiae (Zach. XII, 10); et apostolus Petrus dicit: Poenitentiam agite, et baptizetur unusquisque vestrum in nomine Domini Jesu Christi, in remissionem peccatorum; et accipietis gratiam Spiritus sancti (Act. II, 38). Ergo sicut Patris et Filii, ita et Spiritus sancti gratia est. Quomodo enim sine Spiritu potest esse gratia, cum gratia divina omnis in Spiritu sancto sit?

128. [Alias cap. XII.] Nec solum pacem et gratiam legimus Patris et Filii et Spiritus sancti; sed 0734C etiam charitatem, et communionem, fidelis Auguste. De charitate enim dictum est: Gratia Domini nostri Jesu Christi, et charitas Dei (II Cor. XIII, 13). Accepimus charitatem Patris. Eadem charitas quae Patris, etiam Filii est. Ipse enim dixit: Qui me diligit, diligetur a Patre meo, et ego diligam eum (Joan. XIV, 21). Quae est enim charitas Filii, nisi quia se pro nobis obtulit, et suo sanguine nos redemit (Ephes. V, 2)? Eadem autem charitas et in Patre est, quia scriptum est: Sic enim dilexit Deus mundum, ut Filium suum unigenitum daret (Joan. III, 16).

129. Tradidit ergo Pater Filium, et Filius ipse 627 se tradidit. Servatur charitas, nec laeditur pietas; nulla est enim pietatis injuria, ubi nulla est traditionis aerumna. Tradidit volentem, tradidit offerentem, 0734D non utique ad poenam Pater Filium, sed ad gratiam. Si discutis facti meritum, interroga pietatis vocabulum. Vas electionis unitatem hanc divinae charitatis evidenter ostendit; quia et Pater tradidit Filium, et Filius ipse se tradidit. Pater tradidit, qui Filio proprio non pepercit, sed pro nobis omnibus tradidit illum (Rom. VIII, 32). De Filio quoque dicit: Qui se tradidit pro me (Galat. II, 20). Tradidit, inquit. Si gratiae, quid arguo? si injuriae, plus debeo.

130. Sed sicut Pater tradidit Filium, et Filius ipse se tradidit, accipe quia et Spiritus eum tradidit. 0735A Scriptum est enim: Tunc Jesus ductus est in desertum ab Spiritu, ut tentaretur a diabolo (Matth. IV, 1). Ergo et Spiritus diligens tradidit Dei Filium. Sicut enim una est charitas Patris et Filii, ita hanc charitatem Dei supra effundi per Spiritum sanctum (Rom. V, 5), et fructum esse sancti Spiritus declaravimus; quia fructus est Spiritus charitas, gaudium, pax, patientia (Galat. V, 22).

131. [Alias cap. XIII.] Communicationem autem et Patris et Filii esse manifestum est, quia scriptum est: Et communicatio nostra cum Patre, et Filio ejus Jesu Christo (I Joan. I, 3); et alibi: Communicatio Spiritus sancti cum omnibus vobis (II Cor. XIII, 13). Si igitur una pax, una gratia, una charitas, una communicatio est Patris et Filii et Spiritus sancti; una 0735B certe operatio est: et ubi una operatio est, utique non potest virtus esse divisa, et discreta substantia. Nam quomodo operationis ejusdem gratia conveniret?