promising: God is faithful, when he performeth that which he hath promised unto man. Let us hold him a most faithful debtor, because we have him a most merciful promiser. For we have not done him any pleasure, or lent any thing to him that we should hold him a debtor; seeing we have from himself whatsoever we do offer unto him, and it is from him whatsoever good we are. Wet have not given any thing therefore unto him, and yet we hold him a debtor. Whence a debtor? because he is a promiser. We say not unto God: Lord, pay that which thou hast received, but, pay that which thou hast promised? Be thou secure therefore. Hold him as a debtor, because thou hast believed in him as a promiser. God is faithful, who hath made himself our debtor, not by receiving any thing from us, but by promising so great things to us. For to men hath he promised divinity, to those that are mortal immortality, to sinners justification, to objects glorification. Whatsoever he promised, he promised to them that were unworthy; that it might not be promised as wages for works, but being grace, might according to the name be graciously and freely given: because that even this very thing, that one doth live justly (so far as a man can live justly) is not a matter of man's merit, but of the gift of God." Therefore, "In those things which we have

promisit homini. Teneamus fidelissimum debitorem, quia tenemus misericordissimum promissorem. Neque enim aliquid ei commodavimus, aut mutuum commendavimus, ut teneamus eum debitorem: cum ab illo habeamus quicquid illi offerimus, et ex illo sit quicquid boni sumus. August. in Psal. 32. conc. 4. Ergo non ei aliquid dedimus; et tenemus debitorem. Unde debitorem? Quia promissor est. Non dicimus Deo; Domine redde quod accepisti, sed redde quod promisisti. Id. ibid. et in Psal. 83.

u Securus ergo esto. in Psal. 83. circa finem.

Tene debitorem, quia credidisti in promissorem. Id.

w Fidelis Deus qui se nostrum debitorem fecit: non aliquid a nobis accipiendo, sed tanta nobis promittendo, &c. Promisit enim hominibus divinitatem, mortalibus immortalitatem, peccatoribus justificationem, abjectis glorificationem. Quicquid promisit, indignis promisit; ut non quasi operibus merces promitteretur, sed gratia a nomine suo gratis daretur: quia et hoc ipsum quod juste vivit, inquantum homo potest juste vivere, non meriti humani, sed beneficii est divini. Id. in Psal. 109. circa init.

* In his quæ jam habemus, laudemus, Deum largitorem: in his quæ nondum

already, let us praise God as the giver: in those things which as yet we have not, let us hold him our debtor. For he is become our debtor, not by receiving any thing from us, but by promising what it pleased him. For it is one thing to say to a man, Thou art debtor to me, because I have given to thee: and another thing to say, Thou art debtor to me, because thou hast promised me. When thou sayest, Thou art debtor to me, because I have given to thee: a benefit hath proceeded from thee, though lent, not given. But when thou sayest, Thou art debtor to me, because thou hast promised me: thou gavest nothing to him, and yet requirest of him. For the goodness of him that hath promised, will give it," &c.

"They salvation of men depends upon the sole mercy of God:" saith Theodoret," for we do not obtain it as the wages of our righteousness: but it is the gift of God's goodness. The crowns do excel the fights, the rewards are not to be compared with the labours: for the labour is small, but great is the gain that is hoped for. And therefore the apostle, called those things that are looked for, not wages, but glory ;" and "not wages but grace. For although a man should perform the greatest and most absolute righteousness, things eternal do not answer tem

habemus, teneamus debitorem. Debitor enim factus est, non aliquid a nobis accipiendo, sed quod ei placuit promittendo. Aliter enim dicimus homini, Debes mihi quia dedi tibi: et aliter dicimus, Debes mihi quia promisisti mihi. Quando dicis, Debes mihi quia dedi tibi; a te processit beneficium, sed mutuatum, non donatum. Quando autem dicis, Debes mihi quia promisisti mihi; ut nihil dedisti, et tamen exigis. Bonitas enim ejus qui promisit dabit, &c. Augustin. serm. 158. op. tom. 5. pag. 761.

* Ἡ τῶν ἀνθρώπων σωτηρία μόνης ἤρτηται τῆς θείας φιλανθρωπίας. οὔτε γὰρ μισθὸν δικαιοσύνης ταύτην καρπούμεθα, ἀλλὰ τῆς θείας ἐστὶν ȧyalóτηтos dupov. Theodoret. in Sophoni. cap. 3.

2 Superant certamina coronæ, non comparantur cum laboribus remunerationes labor enim parvus est, sed magnum lucrum speratur. Et propterea non mercedem sed gloriam vocavit ea quæ expectantur. Id. in Roman. cap. 8.

ver. 18.

a Rom. chap. 8. ver. 18.

b Ibid. chap. 6. ver. 23.

c Hic non dicit mercedem, sed gratiam. Etsi quis enim summam et absolutam justitiam præstiterit: temporalibus laboribus æterna in æquilibrio non respondent. Id. in Roman. 6. ult.

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poral labours in equal poise." The same for this point is taught by St. Cyril of Alexandria: that the crown which we are to receive, doth "much surpass the pains" which we take for it. And the author of the book of the calling of the Gentiles, attributed unto Prosper, observeth out of the parable, that God bestoweth eternal life on those that are called at the end of their days, as well as upon them that had laboured longer; "not as paying a price to their labour, but pouring out the riches of his goodness upon them whom he had chosen without works; that even they also who have sweat with much labour, and have received no more than the last, might understand, that they did receive a gift of grace, and not a due wages for their works."

This was the doctrine taught in the Church for the first five hundred years after Christ, which we find maintained also in the next five hundred: "If the King of heaven should regard my merit," saith Ennodius, bishop of Pavia, "either I should get little good, or great punishments; and judging of myself rightly, whither I could not come by merits, I would not tend in desire. But thanks be to him, who, that we may not be extolled, doth so cut off our offences, that he bringeth our hope unto better things." Our glorification, saith Fulgentius, "ish not

4 Πολὺ τοῦ στεφάνου τοὺς πόνους ὑπερανίσχοντος. Cyril. Alexandrin. homil. Paschal. 4.

e Matth. chap. 20. ver. 9.

Non labori pretium solvens, sed divitias bonitatis suæ in eos, quos sine operibus elegit, effundens: ut etiam hi qui in multo labore sudarunt, nec amplius quam novissimi acceperunt, intelligant donum se gratiæ, non operum accepisse mercedem. Prosp. de vocat. Gent. lib. 1. cap. 17.

8 Meritum meum regnator cœlestis si attenderet, aut exigua bona adipiscerer, aut magna supplicia; et mei idoneus æstimator, quo meritis pervenire non poteram, voto non tenderem. Sed gratias illi, qui delicta nostra sic ne extollamur resecat, ut spem ad lætiora (al. latiora) perducat. Ennod. Ticinens. lib. 2. epist. 10. ad Faust.

h Gratia autem etiam ipsa ideo non injuste dicitur, quia non solum donis suis Deus dona sua reddit: sed quia tantum etiam ibi gratia divinæ retributionis exuberat, ut incomparabiliter atque ineffabiliter omne meritum, quamvis bonæ et ex Deo datæ, humanæ voluntatis atque operationis excedat. Fulgent, ad Monimum, lib. 1. cap. 10.

unjustly called grace: not only because God doth bestow his own gifts upon his own gifts; but also because the grace of God's reward doth so much there abound, as that it exceedeth incomparably and unspeakably all the merit of the will and work of man, though good, and given from God." For "although we did sweat," saith he, who beareth the name of Eusebius Emissenus, or Gallicanus, "with all the labours of our soul and body, although we were exercised with all the strength of obedience: yet shall not we be able to recompence and offer any thing worthy in merit for the heavenly good things. The offices of this present life cannot be compared with the joys of the life eternal. Although our members be wearied with watchings; although our faces wax pale with fastings, yet the sufferings of this time will not be worthy to be compared with the future glory which shall be revealed in us. us knock therefore, dearly beloved, as much as we can, because we cannot as much as we ought: the future bliss may be acquired, but estimated it cannot be."

Let

"Albeit thou hadst good deeds equal in number to the stars," saith Agapetus the deacon, to the emperor Justinian, "yet shalt thou never go beyond the goodness of God. For whatsoever any man shall bring unto God, he doth but offer unto him his own things, out of his own store; and as one cannot outstrip his own shadow in the sun, which prevented him always, although he make never so much speed: so neither can men by their good doings

i Totis licet et animæ et corporis laboribus desudemus, totis licet obedientiæ viribus exerceamur: nihil tamen condignum merito pro cœlestibus bonis compensare et offerre valebimus. Non valent vitæ præsentis obsequia æternæ vitæ gaudiis comparari. Lassescant licet membra vigiliis; pallescant licet ora jejuniis : non erunt tamen condigna passiones hujus temporis ad futuram gloriam, quæ revelabitur in nobis. Pulsemus ergo, charissimi, in quantum possumus; quia non possumus quantum debemus: futura beatitudo acquiri potest, æstimari non potest. Euseb. Emiss. vel Gallican. ad Monachos, serm. 3.

* Ισάριθμα τοῖς ἄστροις ἂν κτήση κατορθώματα, οὐδέποτε νικήσεις τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀγαθότητα· ὅσα γὰρ ἄν τις προσενέγκῃ Θεῷ, ἐκ τῶν αὐτοῦ τὰ αὐτοῦ προσφέρει αὐτῷ· καὶ ὡς οὐκ ἔστιν ὑπερβῆναι τὴν ἰδίαν ἐν τῷ ἡλίῳ σκιὰν, προλαμβάνουσαν ἀεὶ καὶ τὸν λίαν ἐπειχόμενον, οὕτως οὐδὲ τὴν ἀνηπέρβλητον τοῦ Θεοῦ χρηστότητα ταῖς εὐποιΐαις ὑπερβήσονται ἄνθρωAgapet. Diacon. Parænes. ad Justinian. sect. 43.

παι

outstrip the unmatchable bounty of God." "All the rightteousness of man," saith Gregory," is convicted to be unrighteousness, if it be strictly judged. It needeth therefore prayer after righteousness, that that which being sifted might fail, by the mere pity of the judge might stand for good. Let him therefore say: Although I had any righteous thing I would not answer, but I would make supplication to my judge; as if he should more plainly confess, and say: Albeit I did grow up unto the work of virtue, I should be enabled unto life, not by merits, but by pardon." But you will say: "If this bliss of the saints be mercy, and is not obtained by merits, how shall that stand which is written, And thou shalt render unto every one according to his works? If it be rendered according to works, how shall it be accounted mercy? but it is one thing to render according to works, and another thing to render for the works themselves. For whence it is said, According to works, the quality itself of the work is understood, that whose works appear good, his reward may be glorious. For unto that blessed life, wherein we are to live with God, and by God, no labour can be equalled, no works compared: seeing the apostle saith: The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. "By the

Ut enim sæpe diximus: Omnis humana justitia, injustitia esse convincitur, si districte judicetur. Prece ergo post justitiam indiget; ut quæ succumbere discussa poterat, ex sola judicis pietate convalescat, &c. Dicat ergo: Qui etiamsi habuero quippiam justum non respondebo, sed meum judicem deprecabor. Ve'lut si apertius fateatur, dicens: Etsi ad opus virtutis excrevero, ad vitam non ex meritis, sed ex venia convalesco. Gregor. Moral. in Job, lib. 9. cap. 14.

Job, chap. 9. ver. 15.

* Quod si illa sanctorum felicitas misericordia est, et non meritis acquiritur : ubi erit quod scriptum est: Et tu reddes unicuique secundum opera sua? si secundum opera redditur, quomodo misericordia æstimabitur? Sed aliud est secundum opera reddere, et aliud propter ipsa opera reddere. In eo enim quod secundum opera dicitur, ipsa operum qualitas intelligitur; ut cujus apparuerint bona opera, ejus sit et retributio gloriosa. Illi namque beatæ vitæ in qua cum Deo, et de Deo vivitur, nullus potest æquari labor, nulla opera comparari: præsertim cum apostolus dicat: Non sunt condigne passiones hujus temporis ad futuram gloriam quæ revelabitur in nobis. Id. in Psal. Pœnitent. 7. ver. 9.

Per justitiam factorum nullus salvabitur, sed per solam justitiam fidei. Beda, in Psal. 77.