Chapter X.—(21.) To Whom God’s Commandments are Grievous; And to Whom, Not. Why Scripture Says that God’s Commandments are Not Grievous; A Commandment is a Proof of the Freedom Of Man’s Will; Prayer is a Proof of Grace.

He next quotes passages to show that God’s commandments are not grievous. But who can be ignorant of the fact that, since the generic commandment is love (for “the end of the commandment is love,”80    1 Tim. i. 8. and “love is the fulfilling of the law”81    Rom. xiii. 10.), whatever is accomplished by the operation of love, and not of fear, is not grievous? They, however, are oppressed by the commandments of God, who try to fulfil them by fearing. “But perfect love casteth out fear;”82    1 John iv. 18. and, in respect of the burden of the commandment, it not only takes off the pressure of its heavy weight, but it actually lifts it up as if on wings. In order, however, that this love may be possessed, even as far as it can possibly be possessed in the body of this death, the determination of will avails but little, unless it be helped by God’s grace through our Lord Jesus Christ. For as it must again and again be stated, it is “shed abroad in our hearts,” not by our own selves, but “by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”83    Rom. v. 5. And for no other reason does Holy Scripture insist on the truth that God’s commandments are not grievous, than this, that the soul which finds them grievous may understand that it has not yet received those resources which make the Lord’s commandments to be such as they are commended to us as being, even gentle and pleasant; and that it may pray with groaning of the will to obtain the gift of facility. For the man who says, “Let my heart be blameless;” 84    Ps. cxix. 80. and, “Order Thou my steps according to Thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me;”85    Ps. cxix. 133. and, “Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven;”86    Matt. vi. 10. and, “Lead us not into temptation;”87    Matt. vi. 13. and other prayers of a like purport, which it would be too long to particularize, does in effect offer up a prayer for ability to keep God’s commandments. Neither, indeed, on the one hand, would any injunctions be laid upon us to keep them, if our own will had nothing to do in the matter; nor, on the other hand, would there be any room for prayer, if our will were alone sufficient. God’s commandments, therefore, are commended to us as being not grievous, in order that he to whom they are grievous may understand that he has not as yet received the gift which removes their grievousness; and that he may not think that he is really performing them, when he so keeps them that they are grievous to him. For it is a cheerful giver whom God loves.88    2 Cor. ix. 7. Nevertheless, when a man finds God’s commandments grievous, let him not be broken down by despair; let him rather oblige himself to seek, to ask, and to knock.

CAPUT X.

21. Deinde iste adhibet testimonia, quibus ostendat, non esse gravia divina praecepta. Quis autem nesciat, cum praeceptum sit generale charitas (quia finis praecepti est charitas [I Tim. I, 5], et plenitudo legis est charitas [Rom. XIII, 10]), non esse grave quod diligendo fit, non timendo? Laborant autem in Dei praeceptis, qui ea timendo conantur implere: sed perfecta charitas foras mittit timorem (I Joan. IV, 18), et facit praecepti sarcinam , non solum non prementem onere ponderum, verum etiam sublevantem vice pennarum. Quae tamen charitas ut habeatur, etiam tanta quanta in corpore mortis hujus haberi potest, parum est nostrae voluntatis arbitrium, nisi adjuvet gratia Dei per Jesum Christum Dominum nostrum (Rom. VII, 24, 25). Diffunditur quippe in cordibus nostris, quod saepe dicendum est, non per nos ipsos, sed per Spiritum sanctum qui datus est nobis (Id. V, 5). Nec aliam ob causam Scriptura commemorat non 0303 esse gravia divina praecepta, nisi ut anima quae illa gravia sentit, intelligat se nondum accepisse vires, quibus talia sint praecepta Domini qualia commendantur, levia scilicet atque suavia, et oret gemitu voluntatis, ut impetret donum facilitatis . Qui enim dicit, Fiat cor meum immaculatum; et, Itinera mea dirige secundum verbum tuum, et ne dominetur mihi omnis iniquitas (Psal. CXVIII, 80, 133); et, Fiat voluntas tua, sicut in coelo et in terra; et, Ne nos inferas in tentationem (Matth. VI, 10 et 13); et caetera hujusmodi quae commemorare longum est, hoc utique orat, ut praecepta Dei faciat: quae ut fierent, nec juberetur, si nihil ibi nostra voluntas ageret; nec oraretur, si sola sufficeret. Commendantur ergo non esse gravia, ut cui gravia sunt, intelligat nondum se accepisse donum, quo gravia non sint; nec arbitretur ea se perficere, quando ita facit, ut gravia sint. Hilarem enim datorem diligit Deus (II Cor. IX, 7). Nec tamen, cum ea gravia sentit, desperando frangatur: sed ad quaerendum, petendum, pulsandumque cogatur.