Chapter 35.—There is a Greater Freedom Now in the Saints Than There Was Before in Adam.

Certainly a greater liberty is necessary in the face of so many and so great temptations, which had no existence in Paradise,—a liberty fortified and confirmed by the gift of perseverance, so that this world, with all its loves, its fears, its errors, may be overcome: the martyrdoms of the saints have taught this. In fine, he [Adam], not only with nobody to make him afraid, but, moreover, in spite of the authority of God’s fear, using free will, did not stand in such a state of happiness, in such a facility124    The original is in tanti peccandi facilitate. Of course, non must be inserted, but the translator ventures to conjecture facultate instead of facilitate. of [not] sinning. But these [the saints], I say, not under the fear of the world, but in spite of the rage of the world lest they should stand, stood firm in the faith; while he could see the good things present which he was going to forsake, they could not see the good things future which they were going to receive. Whence is this, save by the gift of Him from whom they obtained mercy to be faithful; from whom they received the spirit, not of fear, whereby they would yield to the persecutors, but of power, and of love, and of continence, in which they could overcome all threatenings, all seductions, all torments? To him, therefore, without any sin, was given the free will with which he was created; and he made it to serve sin. But although the will of these had been the servant of sin, it was delivered by Him who said, “If the Son shall make you free, then shall ye be free indeed.”125    John viii. 36. And by that grace they receive so great a freedom, that although as long as they live here they are fighting against sinful lusts, and some sins creep upon them unawares, on account of which they daily say, “Forgive us our debts,”126    Matt. vi. 12. yet they do not any more obey the sin which is unto death, of which the Apostle John says, “There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.”127    1 John v. 16. Concerning which sin (since it is not expressed) many and different notions may be entertained. I, however, say, that sin is to forsake even unto death the faith which worketh by love. This sin they no longer serve who are not in the first condition, as Adam, free; but are freed by the grace of God through the second Adam, and by that deliverance have that free will which enables them to serve God, not that by which they may be made captive by the devil. From being made free from sin they have become the servants of righteousness,128    Rom. vi. 18. in which they will stand till the end, by the gift to them of perseverance from Him who foreknew them, and predestinated them, and called them according to His purpose, and justified them, and glorified them, since He has even already formed those things that are to come which He promised concerning them. And when He promised, “Abraham believed Him, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.”129    Rom. iv. 3, and 20, 21. For “he gave glory to God, most fully believing,” as it is written, “that what He has promised He is able also to perform.”130    Rom. iv. 3, and 20, 21.

35. Major quippe libertas est necessaria adversus tot et tantas tentationes , quae in paradiso non fuerunt, dono perseverantiae munita atque firmata, ut cum omnibus amoribus, terroribus, erroribus suis vincatur hic mundus: hoc sanctorum martyria docuerunt. Denique ille et terrente nullo, et insuper contra Dei terrentis imperium libero usus arbitrio, non stetit in tanta felicitate, in tanta non peccandi facilitate: isti autem, non dico terrente mundo, sed saeviente ne starent, steterunt in fide; cum videret ille bona praesentia quae fuerat relicturus, isti futura quae accepturi fuerant non viderent. Unde hoc, nisi donante illo, a quo misericordiam consecuti sunt ut fideles essent (I Cor. VII, 25), a quo acceperunt spiritum, non timoris, quo persequentibus cederent, sed 0938 virtutis et charitatis et continentiae (II Tim. I, 7), quo cuncta minantia, cuncta invitantia, cuncta cruciantia superarent? Illi ergo sine peccato ullo data est, cum qua conditus est, voluntas libera, et eam fecit servire peccato: horum vero cum fuisset voluntas serva peccati, liberata est per illum qui dixit, Si vos Filius liberaverit, tunc vere liberi eritis (Joan. VIII, 36). Et accipiunt tantam per istam gratiam libertatem, ut quamvis, quamdiu hic vivunt, pugnent contra concupiscentias peccatorum, eisque nonnulla subrepant, propter quae dicant quotidie, Dimitte nobis debita nostra (Matth. VI, 12); non tamen ultra serviant peccato quod est ad mortem, de quo dicit Joannes apostolus, Est peccatum ad mortem; non pro illo dico ut roget (I Joan. V, 16). De quo peccato (quoniam non expressum est) possunt multa et diversa sentiri: ego autem dico id esse peccatum, fidem quae per dilectionem operatur, deserere usque ad mortem. Huic peccato ultra non serviunt, non prima conditione, sicut ille, liberi; sed per secundum Adam Dei gratia liberati, et ista liberatione habentes liberum arbitrium quo serviant Deo, non quo captiventur a diabolo. Liberati enim a peccato servi facti sunt justitiae (Rom. VI, 18), in qua stabunt usque in finem, donante sibi illo perseverantiam, qui eos praescivit, et praedestinavit, et secundum propositum vocavit, et justificavit, et glorificavit; quoniam illa quae de his promisit, etiam futura jam fecit: cui promittenti credidit Abraham, et deputatum est illi ad justitiam. Dedit enim gloriam Deo, plenissime credens, sicut scriptum est, quia quae promisit, potens est et facere.