Chapter 7 [VI.]—Four Questions on the Perfection of Righteousness: (1.) Whether a Man Can Be Without Sin in This Life.

Now those who aver that a man can exist in this life without sin, must not be immediately opposed with incautious rashness; for if we should deny the possibility, we should derogate both from the free will of man, who in his wish desires it, and from the power or mercy of God, who by His help effects it. But it is one question, whether he could exist; and another question, whether he does exist. Again, it is one question, if he does not exist when he could exist, why he does not exist; and another question, whether such a man as had never sinned at all, not only is in existence, but also could ever have existed, or can ever exist. Now, if in the order of this fourfold set of interrogative propositions, I were asked, [1st,] Whether it be possible for a man in this life to be without sin? I should allow the possibility, through the grace of God and the man’s own free will; not doubting that the free will itself is ascribable to God’s grace, in other words, to the gifts of God,—not only as to its existence, but also as to its being good, that is, to its conversion to doing the commandments of God. Thus it is that God’s grace not only shows what ought to be done, but also helps to the possibility of doing what it shows. “What indeed have we that we have not received?”266    1 Cor. iv. 7. Whence also Jeremiah says: “I know, O Lord, that the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man to walk and direct his steps.”267    Jer. x. 23. Accordingly, when in the Psalms one says to God, “Thou hast commanded me to keep Thy precepts diligently,”268    Ps. cxix. 4. he at once adds not a word of confidence concerning himself but a wish to be able to keep these precepts: “O that my ways,” says he, “were directed to keep Thy statutes! Then should I not be ashamed, when I have respect to all Thy commandments?269    Ps. cxix. 5, 6. Now who ever wishes for what he has already so in his own power, that he requires no further help for attaining it? To whom, however, he directs his wish,—not to fortune, or fate, or some one else besides God,—he shows with sufficient clearness in the following words, where he says: “Order my steps in Thy word; and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.”270    Ps. cxix. 133. From the thraldom of this execrable dominion they are liberated, to whom the Lord Jesus gave power to become the sons of God.271    John i. 12. From so horrible a domination were they to be freed, to whom He says, “If the Son shall make you free, then shall ye be free indeed.”272    John viii. 36. From these and many other like testimonies, I cannot doubt that God has laid no impossible command on man; and that, by God’s aid and help, nothing is impossible, by which is wrought what He commands. In this way may a man, if he pleases, be without sin by the assistance of God.

CAPUT VI.

7. Quatuor de justitiae perfectione quaestiones. Prima quaestio, an homo sine peccato possit esse in hac vita. Nam qui dicunt esse posse in hac vita hominem sine peccato, non est eis continuo incauta temeritate obsistendum. Si enim esse posse negaverimus, et hominis libero arbitrio, qui hoc volendo appetit, et Dei virtuti vel misericordiae, qui hoc adjuvando efficit, derogabimus. Sed alia quaestio est, utrum esse possit; alia, utrum sit; alia, si non est cum possit esse, cur non sit; alia utrum qui omnino nunquam ullum peccatum habuerit, non solum quisquam sit, verum etiam potuerit aliquando esse vel possit. In hac quadripartita propositione quaestionum si a me quaeratur, utrum homo sine peccato possit esse in hac vita; confitebor posse per Dei gratiam et liberum ejus arbitrium: ipsum quoque liberum arbitrium ad Dei gratiam, hoc est, ad Dei dona pertinere non ambigens, nec tantum ut sit, verum etiam ut bonum sit, id est, ad facienda mandata Domini convertatur; atque ita Dei gratia non solum ostendat quid faciendum sit, sed adjuvet etiam ut possit fieri quod ostenderit, Quid enim habemus quod non accepimus (I Cor. IV, 7)? Unde et Jeremias dicit: Scio, Domine, quia non est in homine via ejus, nec viri est ut ambulet et dirigat gressus suos (Jerem. X, 23). Hinc et in Psalmis cum quidam dixisset Deo, Tu praecepisti mandata tua custodiri nimis; continuo non de se praesumpsit, sed optavit ut faceret: Utinam, inquit, dirigantur viae meae ad custodiendas justificationes tuas: tunc non confundar, dum inspicio in omnia mandata tua. Quis autem optat quod in potestate sic habet, ut ad faciendum nullo indigeat adjumento? A quo autem id optet, quia non a fortuna, vel a fato, vel a quolibet alio praeter Deum, in consequentibus satis ostendens: Itinera mea, inquit, dirige secundum verbum tuum, et non dominetur mihi omnis iniquitas (Psal. CXVIII, 4, 5, 6, 133). Ab hujus exsecrandae dominationis servitute liberantur, quibus Dominus Jesus [eum recipientibus ], dedit potestatem filios Dei fieri (Joan. I, 12). Ab ista horrenda dominatione liberandi fuerant, quibus dicit, Si vos Filius liberaverit, tunc vere liberi eritis (Id. VIII, 36). His atque hujusmodi aliis innumerabilibus testimoniis dubitare non possum, nec Deum aliquid impossibile homini praecepisse, nec Deo ad opitulandum et adjuvandum, quo fiat quod jubet, impossibile aliquid esse. Ac per hoc potest homo, si velit, esse sine peccato, adjutus a Deo.