Chapter 20.—The Question Answered. Justification is Grace Simply and Entirely, Eternal Life is Reward and Grace.

This question, then, seems to me to be by no means capable of solution, unless we understand that even those good works of ours, which are recompensed with eternal life, belong to the grace of God, because of what is said by the Lord Jesus: “Without me ye can do nothing.”145    John xv. 5. And the apostle himself, after saying, “By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast;”146    Eph. ii. 8, 9. saw, of course, the possibility that men would think from this statement that good works are not necessary to those who believe, but that faith alone suffices for them; and again, the possibility of men’s boasting of their good works, as if they were of themselves capable of performing them. To meet, therefore, these opinions on both sides, he immediately added, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”147    Eph. ii. 10. What is the purport of his saying, “Not of works, lest any man should boast,” while commending the grace of God? And then why does he afterwards, when giving a reason for using such words, say, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works”? Why, therefore, does it run, “Not of works, lest any man should boast”? Now, hear and understand. “Not of works” is spoken of the works which you suppose have their origin in yourself alone; but you have to think of works for which God has moulded (that is, has formed and created) you. For of these he says, “We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works.” Now he does not here speak of that creation which made us human beings, but of that in reference to which one said who was already in full manhood, “Create in me a clean heart, O God;”148    Ps. li. 12. concerning which also the apostle says, “Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God.”149    2 Cor. v. 17, 18. We are framed, therefore, that is, formed and created, “in the good works which” we have not ourselves prepared, but “God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” It follows, then, dearly beloved, beyond all doubt, that as your good life is nothing else than God’s grace, so also the eternal life which is the recompense of a good life is the grace of God; moreover it is given gratuitously, even as that is given gratuitously to which it is given. But that to which it is given is solely and simply grace; this therefore is also that which is given to it, because it is its reward;—grace is for grace, as if remuneration for righteousness; in order that it may be true, because it is true, that God “shall reward every man according to his works.”150    Matt. xvi. 27; Ps. lxii. 12; Rev. xxii. 12.

20. Ista ergo quaestio nullo modo mihi videtur posse dissolvi, nisi intelligamus et ipsa bona opera nostra quibus aeterna redditur vita, ad Dei gratiam pertinere, propter illud quod ait Dominus Jesus, Sine me nihil potestis facere (Joan. XV, 5). Et ipse Apostolus cum dixisset, Gratia salvi facti estis per fidem, et hoc non ex vobis, sed Dei donum est; non ex operibus, ne forte quis extollatur: vidit utique putare posse homines hoc ita dictum, quasi necessaria non sint opera bona credentibus, sed eis fides sola sufficiat; et rursus posse homines de bonis operibus extolli, velut ad ea facienda sibi ipsi sufficiant; mox itaque addidit. Ipsius enim sumus figmentum, creati in Christo Jesu in operibus bonis, quae praeparavit Deus, ut in illis ambulemus0893 (Ephes. II, 8-10). Quid est hoc, quod cum Dei gratiam commendans dixisset, non ex operibus, ne forte quis extollatur; cur hoc dixerit rationem reddens, Ipsius enim sumus, inquit, figmentum, creati in Christo Jesu in operibus bonis? Quomodo ergo, non ex operibus, ne forte quis extollatur? Sed audi, et intellige, non ex operibus dictum, tanquam tuis ex te ipso tibi existentibus, sed tanquam his in quibus te Deus finxit, id est formavit et creavit. Hoc enim ait, Ipsius sumus figmentum, creati in Christo Jesu in operibus bonis; non illa creatione qua homines facti sumus, sed ea de qua ille dicebat, qui utique jam homo erat, Cor mundum crea in me, Deus (Psal. L, 12); et de qua dicit Apostolus, Si qua igitur in Christo nova creatura, vetera transierunt; ecce facta sunt nova: omnia autem ex Deo (II Cor. V, 17, 18). Fingimur ergo, id est formamur et creamur in operibus bonis, quae, non praeparavimus nos, sed praeparavit Deus, ut in illis ambulemus. Itaque, charissimi , si vita bona nostra nihil aliud est quam Dei gratia, sine dubio et vita aeterna, quae bonae vitae redditur, Dei gratia est: et ipsa enim gratis datur, quia gratis data est illa cui datur. Sed illa cui datur, tantummodo gratia est: haec autem quae illi datur, quoniam praemium ejus est, gratia est pro gratia, tanquam merces pro justitia; ut verum sit, quoniam verum est, quia reddet unicuique Deus secundum opera ejus.