Chapter 11.—The Pelagians Understand that the Law Itself is God’s Grace.

But those enemies of grace never endeavour to lay more secret snares for more vehement opposition to that same grace than when they praise the law, which, without doubt, is worthy to be praised.276    See On the Grace of Christ, ch. 8, and following. Because, by their different modes of speaking, and by variety of words in all their arguments, they wish the law to be understood as “grace”—that, to wit, we may have from the Lord God the help of knowledge, whereby we may know those things which have to be done,—not the inspiration of love, that, when known, we may do them with a holy love, which is properly grace. For the knowledge of the law without love puffeth up, does not edify, according to the same apostle, who most openly says, “Knowledge puffeth up, but love edifieth.”277    1 Cor. viii. 1. Which saying is like to that in which it is said, “The letter killeth, the spirit maketh alive.”278    2 Cor. iii. 6. For “Knowledge puffeth up,” corresponds to “The letter killeth:” and, “Love edifieth,” to “The spirit maketh alive;” because “the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who is given unto us.”279    Rom. v. 5. Therefore the knowledge of the law makes a proud transgressor; but, by the gift of charity, he delights to be a doer of the law. We do not then make void the law through faith, but we establish the law,280    Rom. iii. 31. which by terrifying leads to faith. Thus certainly the law worketh wrath, that the mercy of God may bestow grace on the sinner, frightened and turned to the fulfilment of the righteousness of the law through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is that wisdom of God of which it is written, “She carries law and mercy on her tongue,”281    Prov. iii. 16.—law whereby she frightens, mercy by which she may help,—law by His servant, mercy by Himself,—the law, as it were, in the staff which Elisha282    2 Kings iv. 29 sq. sent to raise up the son of the widow, and it failed to raise him up, “For if a law had been given which could have given life, righteousness would altogether have been by the law,”283    Gal. iii. 21. but mercy, as it were, in Elisha himself, who, wearing the figure of Christ, by giving life to the dead was joined in the signification of the great sacrament, as it were, of the New Testament.

11. Nusquam autem isti inimici gratiae ad eamdem gratiam vehementius oppugnandam occultiores moliuntur insidias, quam ubi legem laudant, quae sine dubitatione laudanda est. Legem quippe diversis locutionum modis et varietate verborum in omnibus disputationibus suis volunt intelligi gratiam, ut scilicet a Domino Deo adjutorium cognitionis habeamus, quo ea quae facienda sunt noverimus; non inspirationem dilectionis, ut cognita sancto amore faciamus, quae proprie gratia est. Nam scientia legis sine charitate inflat, non aedificat, secundum eumdem apostolum apertissime dicentem, Scientia inflat, charitas vero aedificat (I Cor. VIII, 1). Quae sententia similis est ei, qua dictum est, Littera occidit, spiritus vivificat (II Cor. III, 6). Quale est enim, Scientia inflat; tale est, Littera occidit: et quale est, charitas aedificat; tale est, Spiritus vivificat; quia charitas Dei diffusa est in cordibus nostris per Spiritum sanctum, qui datus est nobis (Rom. V, 5). Cognitio itaque legis facit superbum praevaricatorem: per donum autem charitatis delectat legis esse factorem. Non ergo legem evacuamus per fidem, sed legem statuimus (Id. III, 31): quae terrendo ducit ad fidem. Ideo quippe lex iram operatur (Id. IV, 15), ut territo atque converso ad justitiam legis implendam, Dei misericordia gratiam largiatur , per Jesum Christum Dominum nostrum: qui est Dei sapientia (I Cor. I, 30), de qua scriptum est, Legem et misericordiam in lingua portat (Prov. III, sec. LXX): legem, qua terreat; misericordiam, qua subveniat: legem per servum, misericordiam per se ipsum: legem tanquam in baculo, quem misit Elisaeus ad filium viduae suscitandum, et non resurrexit; Si enim data esset lex, quae posset vivificare, omnino ex lege esset justitia (Galat. III, 21); misericordiam vero tanquam in ipso Elisaeo, qui figuram Christi gerens, mortuo vivificando magni sacramenti velut Novi Testamenti significatione conjunctus est (IV Reg. IV, 29-35).