Chapter 17.—The Faith that He Kept Was the Free Gift of God.

His last clause runs thus: “I have kept the faith.” But he who says this is the same who declares in another passage, “I have obtained mercy that I might be faithful.”132    1 Cor. vii. 25. He does not say, “I obtained mercy because I was faithful,” but “in order that I might be faithful,” thus showing that even faith itself cannot be had without God’s mercy, and that it is the gift of God. This he very expressly teaches us when he says, “For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.”133    Eph. ii. 8. They might possibly say, “We received grace because we believed;” as if they would attribute the faith to themselves, and the grace to God. Therefore, the apostle having said, “Ye are saved through faith,” added,” And that not of yourselves, but it is the gift of God.” And again, lest they should say they deserved so great a gift by their works, he immediately added, “Not of works, lest any man should boast.”134    Eph. ii. 9. Not that he denied good works, or emptied them of their value, when he says that God renders to every man according to his works;135    Rom. ii. 6. but because works proceed from faith, and not faith from works. Therefore it is from Him that we have works of righteousness, from whom comes also faith itself, concerning which it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”136    Habak. ii. 4.

17. Postremo dixit, Fidem servavi; sed ille hoc dixit, qui alibi ait, Misericordiam consecutus sum, ut fidelis essem (I Cor. VII, 25). Non enim dixit, Misericordiam consecutus sum, quia fidelis eram; sed, ut fidelis essem: hinc ostendens etiam ipsam fidem haberi nisi Deo miserante non posse, et esse donum Dei. Quod apertissime docet, dicens, Gratia salvi facti estis per fidem, et hoc non ex vobis, sed Dei donum est. Possent enim dicere, Ideo accepimus gratiam, quia credidimus ; tanquam sibi fidem tribuentes, gratiam Deo: propter hoc Apostolus cum dixisset, per fidem; et hoc, inquit, non ex vobis, sed Dei donum est. Rursus, ne dicerent suis operibus se donum tale meruisse, continuo subjecit, Non ex operibus, ne forte 0892 quis extollatur (Ephes. II, 8, 9). Non quia negavit aut evacuavit opera bona, cum dicat Deum unicuique reddere secundum opera ejus (Rom. II, 6): sed quia opera sunt ex fide, non ex operibus fides; ac per hoc ab illo sunt nobis opera justitiae, a quo est ipsa fides, de qua dictum est, Justus ex fide vivit (Habac. II, 4).