Chapter 33 [XVII.]—A Good Will May Be Small and Weak; An Ample Will, Great Love. Operating and Co-operating Grace.

He, therefore, who wishes to do God’s commandment, but is unable, already possesses a good will, but as yet a small and weak one; he will, however, become able when he shall have acquired a great and robust will. When the martyrs did the great commandments which they obeyed, they acted by a great will,—that is, with great love. Of this love the Lord Himself thus speaks: “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” 217    John xv. 13. In accordance with this, the apostle also says, “He that loveth his neighbour hath fulfilled the law. For this: Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.218    Lev. xix. 18. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.”219    Rom. xiii. 8–10. This love the Apostle Peter did not yet possess, when he for fear thrice denied the Lord.220    Matt. xxvi. 69–75. “There is no fear in love,” says the Evangelist John in his first Epistle, “but perfect love casteth out fear.”221    1 John iv. 18. But yet, however small and imperfect his love was, it was not wholly wanting when he said to the Lord, “I will lay down my life for Thy sake;”222    John xiii. 37. for he supposed himself able to effect what he felt himself willing to do. And who was it that had begun to give him his love, however small, but He who prepares the will, and perfects by His co-operation what He initiates by His operation? Forasmuch as in beginning He works in us that we may have the will, and in perfecting works with us when we have the will.223    Compare Art. X. of the Church of England. On which account the apostle says, “I am confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”224    Phil. i. 6. He operates, therefore, without us, in order that we may will; but when we will, and so will that we may act, He co-operates with us. We can, however, ourselves do nothing to effect good works of piety without Him either working that we may will, or co-working when we will. Now, concerning His working that we may will, it is said: “It is God which worketh in you, even to will.”225    Phil. ii. 13. While of His co-working with us, when we will and act by willing, the apostle says, “We know that in all things there is co-working for good to them that love God.”226    Rom. viii. 28. The Latin indefinite passive co-operatur invited this turn in the usage of the passage. What does this phrase, “all things,” mean, but the terrible and cruel sufferings which affect our condition? That burden, indeed, of Christ, which is heavy for our infirmity, becomes light to love. For to such did the Lord say that His burden was light,227    Matt. xi. 30. as Peter was when he suffered for Christ, not as he was when he denied Him.

CAPUT XVII.

33. Qui ergo vult facere Dei mandatum et non potest, jam quidem habet voluntatem bonam, sed adhuc parvam et invalidam: poterit autem, cum magnam habuerit et robustam. Quando enim martyres magna illa mandata fecerunt, magna utique voluntate, hoc est, magna charitate fecerunt: de qua charitate ipse Dominus ait, Majorem hac charitatem nemo habet, quam ut animam suam ponatpro amicis suis (Joan. XV, 13). Unde et Apostolus dicit, Qui enim diligit proximum, legem implevit: nam, Non adulterabis, Non homicidium facies, Non furaberis, Non concupisces, et si quod est aliud mandatum, in hoc sermone recapitulatur, Diliges proximum tuum tanquam te ipsum. Dilectio proximi malum non operatur: plenitudo ergo legis, dilectio (Rom. XIII, 8-10). Ipsam charitatem apostolus Petrus nondum habuit, quando timore Dominum ter negavit (Matth. XXVI, 69-75). Timor enim non est in charitate, sicut ait Joannes evangelista in Epistola sua; sed perfecta charitas foras mittit timorem (I Joan. IV, 18). Et tamen quamvis parva et imperfecta, non deerat, quando dicebat Domino, Animam meam pro te ponam (Joan. XIII, 37): putabat enim se posse, quod se velle sentiebat. Et quis istam etsi parvam dare coeperat charitatem, nisi ille qui praeparat voluntatem, et cooperando perficit, quod operando incipit? Quoniam ipse ut velimus operatur incipiens, qui volentibus cooperatur perficiens. Propter quod ait Apostolus: Certus sum quoniam qui operatur in vobis opus bonum, perficiet usque in diem Christi Jesu (Philipp. I, 6). Ut ergo velimus, sine nobis operatur; cum autem volumus, et sic volumus ut faciamus, nobiscum cooperatur: tamen sine illo vel operante ut velimus, vel cooperante cum volumus, ad bona pietatis opera nihil valemus. De operante illo ut velimus, dictum est: Deus est enim qui operatur in vobis et velle. De cooperante autem cum jam volumus et volendo facimus: Scimus, inquit, quoniam diligentibus Deum omnia cooperatur in bonum (Rom. VIII, 28). Quid est, omnia, nisi et ipsas terribiles saevasque passiones? Sarcina quippe illa Christi, quae infirmitati gravis est, levis efficitur charitati. Talibus enim Dominus dixit esse suam sarcinam levem (Matth. XI, 30), qualis Petrus fuit quando passus est pro Christo, non qualis fuit quando negavit Christum.