Chapter XII.--(29.) The Second Passage. Who May Be Said to Abstain from Every Evil Thing.
"They are in the habit of next quoting," says he, "the passage: Every man is a liar.'" [1486] But here again he offers no solution of words which are quoted against himself even by himself; all he does is to mention other apparently opposite passages before persons who are unacquainted with the sacred Scriptures, and thus to cast the word of God into conflict. This is what he says: "We tell them in answer, how in the book of Numbers it is said, Man is true.' [1487] While of holy Job this eulogy is read: There was a certain man in the land of Ausis, whose name was Job; that man was true, blameless, righteous, and godly, abstaining from every evil thing.'" [1488] I am surprised that he has brought forward this passage, which says that Job "abstained from every evil thing," wishing it to mean "abstained from every sin;" because he has argued already [1489] that sin is not a thing, but an act. Let him recollect that, even if it is an act, it may still be called a thing. That man, however, abstains from every evil thing, who either never consents to the sin, which is always with him, or, if sometimes hard pressed by it, is never oppressed by it; just as the wrestling champion, who, although he is sometimes caught in a fierce grapple, does not for all that lose the prowess which constitutes him the better man. We read, indeed, of a man without blame, of one without accusation; but we never read of one without sin, except the Son of man, who is also the only-begotten Son of God.
[1486] Ps. cxv. 2.
[1487] If this refer to Num. xxiv. 3, 15 (as the editions mark it), the quotation is most inexact. The Septuagint words o anthropos o alethinos oron is not a proposition equal to "homo verax," as an antithesis to the proposition "omnis homo mendax."
[1488] Job i. 1.
[1489] See above, ii.(4).
(30.) "Every Man is a Liar," Owing to Himself Alone; But "Every Man is True," By Help Only of the Grace of God.
"Moreover," says he, "in Job himself it is said: And he maintained the miracle of a true man.' [1490] Again we read in Solomon, touching wisdom: Men that are liars cannot remember her, but men of truth shall be found in her.' [1491] Again in the Apocalypse: And in their mouth was found no guile, for they are without fault.'" [1492] To all these statements we reply with a reminder to our opponents, of how a man may be called true, through the grace and truth of God, who is in himself without doubt a liar. Whence it is said: "Every man is a liar." [1493] As for the passage also which he has quoted in reference to Wisdom, when it is said, "Men of truth shall be found in her," we must observe that it is undoubtedly not "in her," but in themselves that men shall be found liars. Just as in another passage: "Ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord," [1494] --when he said, "Ye were darkness," he did not add, "in the Lord;" but after saying, "Ye are now light," he expressly added the phrase, "in the Lord," for they could not possibly be "light" in themselves; in order that "he who glorieth may glory in the Lord." [1495] The "faultless" ones, indeed, in the Apocalypse, are so called because "no guile was found in their mouth." [1496] They did not say they had no sin: if they had said this, they would deceive themselves, and the truth would not be in them; [1497] and if the truth were not in them, guile and untruth would be found in their mouth. If, however, to avoid envy, they said they were not without sin, although they were sinless, then this very insincerity would be a lie, and the character given of them would be untrue: "In their mouth was found no guile." Hence indeed "they are without fault;" for as they have forgiven those who have done them wrong, so are they purified by God's forgiveness of themselves. Observe now how we have to the best of our power explained in what sense the quotations he has in his own behalf advanced ought to be understood. But how the passage, "Every man is a liar," is to be interpreted, he on his part has altogether omitted to explain; nor is an explanation within his power, without a correction of the error which makes him believe that man can be true without the help of God's grace, and merely by virtue of his own free will.
[1490] Job xvii. 8.
[1491] Ecclus. xv. 8.
[1492] Rev. xiv. 5.
[1493] Ps. cxv. 2.
[1494] Eph. v. 8.
[1495] 1 Cor. i. 31.
[1496] Rev. xiv. 5.
[1497] 1 John i. 8.
Chapter XIII.--(31.) The Third Passage. It is One Thing to Depart, and Another Thing to Have Departed, from All Sin. "There is None that Doeth Good,"--Of Whom This is to Be Understood.
He has likewise propounded another question, as we shall proceed to show, but has failed to solve it; nay, he has rather rendered it more difficult, by first stating the testimony that had been quoted against him: "There is none that doeth good, no, not one;" [1498] and then resorting to seemingly contrary passages to show that there are persons who do good. This he succeeded, no doubt, in doing. It is, however, one thing for a man not to do good, and another thing not to be without sin, although he at the same time may do many good things. The passages, therefore, which he adduces are not really contrary to the statement that no person is without sin in this life. He does not, for his own part, explain in what sense it is declared that "there is none that doeth good, no, not one." These are his words: "Holy David indeed says, Hope thou in the Lord and be doing good.'" [1499] But this is a precept, and not an accomplished fact; and such a precept as is never kept by those of whom it is said, "There is none that doeth good, no, not one." He adds: "Holy Tobit also said, Fear not, my son, that we have to endure poverty; we shall have many blessings if we fear God, and depart from all sin, and do that which is good.'" [1500] Most true indeed it is, that man shall have many blessings when he shall have departed from all sin. Then no evil shall betide him; nor shall he have need of the prayer, "Deliver us from evil." [1501] Although even now every man who progresses, advancing ever with an upright purpose, departs from all sin, and becomes further removed from it as he approaches nearer to the fulness and perfection of the righteous state; because even concupiscence itself, which is sin dwelling in our flesh, never ceases to diminish in those who are making progress, although it still remains in their mortal members. It is one thing, therefore, to depart from all sin,--a process which is even now in operation,--and another thing to have departed from all sin, which shall happen in the state of future perfection. But still, even he who has departed already from evil, and is continuing to do so, must be allowed to be a doer of good. How then is it said, in the passage which he has quoted and left unsolved, "There is none that doeth good, no, not one," unless that the Psalmist there censures some one nation, amongst whom there was not a man that did good, wishing to remain "children of men," and not sons of God, by whose grace man becomes good, in order to do good? For we must suppose the Psalmist here to mean that "good" which he describes in the context, saying, "God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God." [1502] Such good then as this, seeking after God, there was not a man found who pursued it, no, not one; but this was in that class of men which is predestinated to destruction. [1503] It was upon such that God looked down in His foreknowledge, and passed sentence.
[1498] Ps. xiv. 3.
[1499] Ps. xxxvii. 3.
[1500] Tobit iv. 21.
[1501] Matt. vi. 13.
[1502] Ps. xiv. 2.
[1503] On this passage Fulgentius remarks (Ad Monimum, i. 5): "In no other sense do I suppose that passage of St. Augustin should be taken, in which he affirms that there are certain persons predestinated to destruction than in regard to their punishment, not their sin: not to the evil which they unrighteously commit, but to the punishment which they shall righteously suffer; not to the sin on account of which they either do not receive, or else lose, the benefit of the first resurrection, but to the retribution which their own personal iniquity evilly incurs, and the divine justice righteously inflicts."