Chapter 21 [IX.]—Eternal Life is “Grace for Grace.”

Perhaps you ask whether we ever read in the Sacred Scriptures of “grace for grace.” Well you possess the Gospel according to John, which is perfectly clear in its very great light. Here John the Baptist says of Christ: “Of His fulness have we all received, even grace for grace.”151    John i. 16. So that out of His fulness we have received, according to our humble measure, our particles of ability as it were for leading good lives—“according as God hath dealt to every man his measure of faith;”152    Rom. xii. 3. because “every man hath his proper gift of God; one after this manner, and another after that.”153    1 Cor. vii. 7. And this is grace. But, over and above this, we shall also receive “grace for grace,” when we shall have awarded to us eternal life, of which the apostle said: “The grace of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord,”154    Rom. vi. 23. having just said that “the wages of sin is death.” Deservedly did he call it “wages,” because everlasting death is awarded as its proper due to diabolical service. Now, when it was in his power to say, and rightly to say: “But the wages of righteousness is eternal life,” he yet preferred to say: “The grace of God is eternal life;” in order that we may hence understand that God does not, for any merits of our own, but from His own divine compassion, prolong our existence to everlasting life. Even as the Psalmist says to his soul, “Who crowneth thee with mercy and compassion.”155    Ps. ciii. 4. Well, now, is not a crown given as the reward of good deeds? It is, however, only because He works good works in good men, of whom it is said, “It is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure,”156    Phil. ii. 13. that the Psalm has it, as just now quoted: “He crowneth thee with mercy and compassion,” since it is through His mercy that we perform the good deeds to which the crown is awarded. It is not, however, to be for a moment supposed, because he said, “It is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his own good pleasure,” that free will is taken away. If this, indeed, had been his meaning, he would not have said just before, “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”157    Phil. ii. 12. For when the command is given “to work,” their free will is addressed; and when it is added, “with fear and trembling,” they are warned against boasting of their good deeds as if they were their own, by attributing to themselves the performance of anything good. It is pretty much as if the apostle had this question put to him: “Why did you use the phrase, ‘with fear and trembling’?” And as if he answered the inquiry of his examiners by telling them, “For it is God which worketh in you.” Because if you fear and tremble, you do not boast of your good works—as if they were your own, since it is God who works within you.

CAPUT IX.

21. Utrum autem legerimus in Libris sanctis, gratiam pro gratia, forsitan quaeritis. Sed habetis Evangelium secundum Joannem tanta luce clarissimum, ubi Joannes Baptista de Domino Christo dicit, Nos autem ex plenitudine ejus accepimus, et gratiam pro gratia (Joan. I, 16). Ex ejus itaque plenitudine accepimus pro modulo nostro tanquam particulas nostras ut bene vivamus, sicut Deus partitus est mensuram fidei (Rom. XII, 3); quia unusquisque proprium donum habet a Deo, alius sic, alius autem sic (I Cor. VII, 7); et ipsa est gratia: sed insuper accipiemus et gratiam pro gratia, quando nobis vita aeterna reddetur, de qua dixit Apostolus, Gratia autem Dei vita aeterna in Christo Jesu Domino nostro: cum prius dixisset, Stipendium peccati, mors. Merito enim stipendium, quia militiae diabolicae mors aeterna tanquam debitum redditur. Ubi cum posset dicere, et recte dicere, Stipendium autem justitiae vita aeterna; maluit dicere, Gratia autem Dei, vita aeterna: ut hinc intelligeremus, non pro meritis nostris Deum nos ad aeternam vitam, sed pro sua miseratione perducere. De quo in Psalmo dicit homo ejus animae suae: Qui coronat te in miseratione et misericordia (Psal. CII, 4). Numquid non corona bonis operibus redditur? Sed quia ipsa bona opera ille in bonis operatur , de quo dictum est, Deus est enim qui operatur in vobis et velle et operari, pro bona voluntate; ideo dixit Psalmus, Coronat te in miseratione et misericordia: quia ejus miseratione bona operamur, quibus corona redditur. 0894 Non enim, quia dixit, Deus est enim qui operatur in vobis et velle et operari, pro bona voluntate, ideo liberum arbitrium abstulisse putandus est. Quod si ita esset, non superius dixisset, Cum timore et tremore vestram ipsorum salutem operamini (Philipp. II, 13, 12). Quando enim jubetur ut operentur, liberum eorum convenitur arbitrium: sed ideo cum timore et tremore; ne sibi tribuendo quod bene operantur, de bonis tanquam suis extollantur operibus. Tanquam ergo interrogaretur Apostolus, et diceretur ei, Quare dixisti, Cum timore et tremore? horum verborum rationem reddidit dicens, Deus est enim qui operatur in vobis. Si enim timetis et tremitis, non extollimini tanquam de vestris operibus bonis, quia Deus est qui operatur in vobis.