Chapter 82 [LXVIII.]--How to Exhort Men to Faith, Repentance, and Advancement.
If, therefore, we wish "to rouse and kindle cold and sluggish souls by Christian exhortations to lead righteous lives," [1343] we must first of all exhort them to that faith whereby they may become Christians, and be subjects of His name and authority, without whom they cannot be saved. If, however, they are already Christians but neglect to lead holy lives, they must be chastised with alarms and be aroused by the praises of reward,--in such a manner, indeed, that we must not forget to urge them to godly prayers as well as to virtuous actions, and furthermore to instruct them in such wholesome doctrine that they be induced thereby to return thanks for being able to accomplish any step in that holy life which they have entered upon, without difficulty, [1344] and whenever they do experience such "difficulty," that they then wrestle with God in most faithful and persistent prayer and ready works of mercy to obtain from Him facility. But provided they thus progress, I am not over-anxious as to the where and the when of their perfection in fulness of righteousness; only I solemnly assert, that wheresoever and whensoever they become perfect, it cannot be but by the grace of God through our Lord Jesus Christ. When, indeed, they have attained to the clear knowledge that they have no sin, let them not say they have sin, lest the truth be not in them; [1345] even as the truth is not in those persons who, though they have sin, yet say that they have it not.
[1343] This passage, and others in this and the following chapters, are marked as quotations, apparently cited from Pelagius by Augustin.
[1344] For the "difficulty," which is one of the penal consequences of sin, see last chapter, about its middle.
[1345] 1 John i. 8.
Chapter 83 [LXIX.]--God Enjoins No Impossibility, Because All Things are Possible and Easy to Love.
But "the precepts of the law are very good," if we use them lawfully. [1346] Indeed, by the very fact (of which we have the firmest conviction) "that the just and good God could not possibly have enjoined impossibilities," we are admonished both what to do in easy paths and what to ask for when they are difficult. Now all things are easy for love to effect, to which (and which alone) "Christ's burden is light," [1347] --or rather, it is itself alone the burden which is light. Accordingly it is said, "And His commandments are not grievous;" [1348] so that whoever finds them grievous must regard the inspired statement about their "not being grievous" as having been capable of only this meaning, that there may be a state of heart to which they are not burdensome, and he must pray for that disposition which he at present wants, so as to be able to fulfil all that is commanded him. And this is the purport of what is said to Israel in Deuteronomy, if understood in a godly, sacred, and spiritual sense, since the apostle, after quoting the passage, "The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth and in thy heart" [1349] (and, as the verse also has it, in thine hands, [1350] for in man's heart are his spiritual hands), adds in explanation, "This is the word of faith which we preach." [1351] No man, therefore, who "returns to the Lord his God," as he is there commanded, "with all his heart and with all his soul," [1352] will find God's commandment "grievous." How, indeed, can it be grievous, when it is the precept of love? Either, therefore, a man has not love, and then it is grievous; or he has love, and then it is not grievous. But he possesses love if he does what is there enjoined on Israel, by returning to the Lord his God with all his heart and with all his soul. "A new commandment," says He, "do I give unto you, that ye love one another;" [1353] and "He that loveth his neighbour hath fulfilled the law;" [1354] and again, "Love is the fulfilling of the law." [1355] In accordance with these sayings is that passage, "Had they trodden good paths, they would have found, indeed, the ways of righteousness easy." [1356] How then is it written, "Because of the words of Thy lips, I have kept the paths of difficulty," [1357] except it be that both statements are true: These paths are paths of difficulty to fear; but to love they are easy?
[1346] See 1 Tim. i. 8.
[1347] Matt. xi. 30.
[1348] 1 John v. 3.
[1349] Deut. xxx. 14, quoted Rom. x. 8.
[1350] According to the Septuagint, which adds after en te kardia sou the words kai en tais chersi sou. This was probably Pelagius' reading. Compare Quæstion. in Deuteron. Book v. 54.
[1351] Rom. x. 8.
[1352] Deut. xxx. 2.
[1353] John xiii. 34.
[1354] Rom. xiii. 8.
[1355] Rom. xiii. 10.
[1356] Prov. ii. 20.
[1357] Ps. xvii. 4.