Chapter 47 [XXVII.]—The Law “Being Done by Nature” Means, Done by Nature as Restored by Grace.

Nor ought it to disturb us that the apostle described them as doing that which is contained in the law “by nature,”—not by the Spirit of God, not by faith, not by grace. For it is the Spirit of grace that does it, in order to restore in us the image of God, in which we were naturally created.237    Gen. i. 27. Sin, indeed, is contrary to nature, and it is grace that heals it,—on which account the prayer is offered to God, “Be merciful unto me: heal my soul; for I have sinned against Thee.”238    Ps. xli. 4. Therefore it is by nature that men do the things which are contained in the law;239    Rom. ii. 14. for they who do not, fail to do so by reason of their sinful defect. In consequence of this sinfulness, the law of God is erased out of their hearts; and therefore, when, the sin being healed, it is written there, the prescriptions of the law are done “by nature,”—not that by nature grace is denied, but rather by grace nature is repaired. For “by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men; in which all have sinned;” 240    Rom. v. 12. wherefore “there is no difference: they all come short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace.”241    Rom. iii. 22–24. By this grace there is written on the renewed inner man that righteousness which sin had blotted out; and this mercy comes upon the human race through our Lord Jesus Christ. “For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.”242    1 Tim. ii. 5.

Chapter 48.—The Image of God is Not Wholly Blotted Out in These Unbelievers; Venial Sins.

According to some, however, they who do by nature the things contained in the law must not be regarded as yet in the number of those whom Christ’s grace justifies, but rather as among those some of whose actions (although they are those of ungodly men, who do not truly and rightly worship the true God) we not only cannot blame, but even justly and rightly praise, since they have been done—so far as we read, or know, or hear—according to the rule of righteousness; though at the same time, were we to discuss the question with what motive they are done, they would hardly be found to be such as deserve the praise and defence which are due to righteous conduct.

CAPUT XXVII.

47. Legem fieri naturaliter, idem quod secundum naturam gratia reparatam. Nec moveat quod naturaliter eos dixit, quae legis sunt facere, non spiritu Dei, non fide, non gratia. Hoc enim agit spiritus gratiae, ut imaginem Dei, in qua naturaliter facti sumus, instauret in nobis. Vitium quippe contra naturam est, quod utique sanat gratia: propter quam Deo dicitur, Miserere mei, sana animam meam, quoniam peccavi tibi (Psal. XL, 5). Proinde naturaliter homines quae legis sunt faciunt: qui enim hoc non faciunt, vitio suo non faciunt . Quo vitio lex Dei est deleta de cordibus; ac per hoc, vitio sanato, cum illic scribitur, fiunt quae legis sunt naturaliter: non quod per naturam negata sit gratia, sed potius per gratiam reparata natura. Per unum quippe hominem peccatum intravit in mundum, et per peccatum mors; et ita in omnes homines pertransivit, in quo omnes peccaverunt (Rom. V, 12): et ideo quia non est distinctio, egent gloria Dei, justificati gratis per gratiam ipsius. Qua gratia in interiore homine renovato justitia scribitur, quam culpa deleverat: et haec misericordia super genus humanum per Christum Jesum Dominum nostrum. Unus enim Deus, unus et mediator Dei et hominum homo Christus Jesus (I Tim. II, 5).

48. Si autem hi qui naturaliter quae legis sunt faciunt, nondum sunt habendi in numero eorum quos Christi justificat gratia; sed in eorum potius, quorum etiam impiorum, nec Deum verum veraciter justeque colentium, quaedam tamen facta vel legimus, vel novimus, 0230 vel audimus, quae secundum justitiae regulam non solum vituperare non possumus, verum etiam merito recteque laudamus: quanquam si discutiantur quo fine fiant, vix inveniuntur quae justitiae debitam laudem defensionemve mereantur.