Chapter 23 [XXI.]—Why God Prescribes What He Knows Cannot Be Observed.

We must not deny that God commands that we ought to be so perfect in doing righteousness, as to have no sin at all. Now that cannot be sin, whatever it may be, unless God has enjoined that it shall not be. Why then, they ask, does He command what He knows no man living will perform? In this manner it may also be asked, Why He commanded the first human beings, who were only two, what He knew they would not obey? For it must not be pretended that He issued that command, that some of us might obey it, if they did not; for, that they should not partake of the fruit of the particular tree, God commanded them, and none besides. Because, as He knew what amount of righteousness they would fail to perform, so did He also know what righteous measures He meant Himself to adopt concerning them. In the same way, then, He orders all men to commit no sin, although He knows beforehand that no man will fulfil the command; in order that He may, in the case of all who impiously and condemnably despise His precepts, Himself do what is just in their condemnation; and, in the case of all who while obediently and piously pressing on in his precepts, though failing to observe to the utmost all things which He has enjoined, do yet forgive others as they wish to to be forgiven themselves, Himself do what is good in their cleansing. For how can forgiveness be bestowed by God’s mercy on the forgiving, when there is no sin? or how prohibition fail to be given by the justice of God, when there is sin?

CAPUT XVI.

23. Cur Deus praecipit quod scit non observandum. Neque negandum est hoc Deum jubere, ita nos in facienda justitia esse debere perfectos, ut nullum habeamus omnino peccatum. Nam nec peccatum erit, si quid erit, si non divinitus jubetur ut non sit. Cur ergo jubet, inquiunt, quod scit nullum hominum esse facturum? Hoc modo etiam dici potest, cur primis illis hominibus jusserit, qui duo soli erant, quod sciebat eos non esse facturos? Neque enim dicendum est, ideo jussisse, ut nostrum aliquis id faceret, si illi non facerent: hoc enim, ne de illa scilicet arbore cibum sumerent, nonnisi illis solis Deus jussit; quia sicut sciebat quid justitiae facturi non erant, ita etiam sciebat quid justitiae de illis erat ipse facturus. Eo modo ergo jubet omnibus hominibus ut non faciant ullum peccatum, quamvis sit praescius neminem hoc impleturum, ut quicumque impie ac damnabiliter ejus praecepta contempserint, ipse faciat in eorum damnatione quod justum est: quicumque autem in ejus praeceptis obedienter et pie proficientes, nec tamen omnia quae praecepit implentes, sicut sibi dimitti volunt, sic aliis peccata dimiserint, ipse faciat in eorum mundatione quod bonum est. Quomodo enim dimittenti dimittitur per Dei misericordiam, si peccatum non est? aut quomodo non vetatur per Dei justitiam, si peccatum est?