Chapter 33.—Through Grace We Have Both the Knowledge of Good, and the Delight Which It Affords.

But when we pray Him to give us His help to do and accomplish righteousness, what else do we pray for than that He would open what was hidden, and impart sweetness to that which gave no pleasure? For even this very duty of praying to Him we have learned by His grace, whereas before it was hidden; and by His grace have come to love it, whereas before it gave us no pleasure,—so that “he who glorieth must glory not in himself, but in the Lord.” To be lifted up, indeed, to pride, is the result of men’s own will, not of the operation of God; for to such a thing God neither urges us nor helps us. There first occurs then in the will of man a certain desire of its own power, to become disobedient through pride. If it were not for this desire, indeed, there would be nothing difficult; and whenever man willed it, he might refuse without difficulty. There ensued, however, out of the penalty which was justly due such a defect, that henceforth it became difficult to be obedient unto righteousness; and unless this defect were overcome by assisting grace, no one would turn to holiness; nor unless it were healed by efficient grace would any one enjoy the peace of righteousness. But whose grace is it that conquers and heals, but His to whom the prayer is directed: “Convert us, O God of our salvation, and turn Thine anger away from us?”375    Ps. lxxxv. 4. And both if He does this, He does it in mercy, so that it is said of Him, “Not according to our sins hath He dealt with us, nor hath He recompensed us according to our iniquities;”376    Ps. ciii. 10. and when He refrains from doing this to any, it is in judgment that He refrains. And who shall say to Him, “What hast Thou done?” when with pious mind the saints sing to the praise of His mercy and judgment? Wherefore even in the case of His saints and faithful servants He applies to them a tardier cure in certain of their failings, in order that, while they are involved in these, a less pleasure than is sufficient for the fulfilling of righteousness in all its perfection may be experienced by them at any good they may achieve, whether hidden or manifest; so that in respect of His most perfect rule of equity and truth “no man living can be justified in His sight.”377    Ps. cxliii. 2. He does not in His own self, indeed, wish us to fall under condemnation, but that we should become humble; and He displays to us all the self-same grace of His own. Let us not, however, after we have attained facility in all things, suppose that to be our own which is really His; for that would be an error most antagonistic to religion and piety. Nor let us think that we should, because of His grace, continue in the same sins as of old; but against that very pride, on account of which we are humiliated in them, let us, above all things, both vigilantly strive and ardently pray Him, knowing at the same time that it is by His gift that we have the power thus to strive and thus to pray; so that in every case, while we look not at ourselves, but raise our hearts above, we may render thanks to the Lord our God, and whenever we glory, glory in Him alone.

33. Cum autem ab illo illius adjutorium deprecamur ad faciendam perficiendamque justitiam, quid aliud deprecamur, quam ut aperiat quod latebat, et suave faciat quod non delectabat? quia et hoc ab illo esse deprecandum, ejus gratia didicimus, dum antea lateret; ejus gratia dileximus, dum antea non delectaret: ut qui gloriatur, non in se, sed in Domino glorietur. Extolli quippe in superbiam, propriae voluntatis est hominum, non operis Dei: neque enim ad hoc eos compellit aut adjuvat Deus. Praecedit ergo in voluntate hominis appetitus quidam propriae potestatis, ut fiat inobediens per superbiam. Hic autem appetitus etiam si non esset, nihil molestum esset; et cum hoc voluit homo, sine difficultate noluisset: secutum est autem ex debita justa poena tale vitium, ut jam molestum esset obedire justitiae. Quod vitium nisi adjuvante gratia superetur, ad justitiam nemo convertitur; nisi operante gratia sanetur, justitiae pace nemo perfruitur. Cujus autem gratia vincitur et sanatur, nisi illius cui dicitur, Converte nos, Deus sanitatum nostrarum, et averte iram tuam a nobis (Psal. LXXXIV, 5)? Quod et si facit, misericordia facit, ut dicatur, Non secundum peccata nostra fecit nobis, neque secundum iniquitates nostras retribuit nobis (Psal. CII, 10). Et quibus non facit, judicio non facit. Et quis dicet illi, Quid fecisti, cui misericordia et judicium pia sanctorum mente cantatur? Idcirco etiam sanctos et fideles suos in aliquibus vitiis tardius sanat, ut in his eos minus quam implendae ex omni parte justitiae sufficit, delectet bonum, sive cum latet, sive cum etiam manifestum est: ut quantum pertinet ad integerrimam regulam veritatis ejus, non justificetur in conspectu ejus omnis vivens. Nec in eo ipso vult nos damnabiles esse, sed humiles, commendans nobis eamdem gratiam suam: ne facilitatem in omnibus assecuti, nostrum putemus esse quod ejus est; qui error multum est religioni pietatique contrarius. Nec ideo tamen in eisdem vitiis nobis permanendum esse 0171 existimemus, sed adversus ipsam maxime superbiam, propter quam in eis humiliamur, et nos vigilanter conemur, et ipsum deprecemur ardenter, simul intelligentes et quod sic conamur, et quod sic deprecamur, dono illius nos habere: ut in omnibus non ad nos respicientes, sed sursum cor habentes, Domino Deo nostro gratias agamus, et cum gloriamur, in illo gloriemur.