but he was never called the friend of God, except after he had believed. And every work of his was made perfect according to faith. Through faith he left his parents, through faith he left his native country, his place of residence, and his home. As therefore he was justified, be ye also justified."-p. 74. "Even if you have no faith, or have but little faith, the Lord is merciful, and assists you, if you repent. Only say yourself, with a proper feeling, 'Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief (c). If you think that you believe, but have not yet the perfection of faith, you must say with the Apostles, 'Lord, increase our faith (d).' For you have something from yourself, but you receive much from him."-p. 76. "Does not Jesus himself say, ' For this cause speak I to them in parables; that seeing they might not see (e): Did he wish them not to see, because he hated them? or because they were unworthy, since they closed their own eyes (ƒ)?' For where there is voluntary wickedness, there too is withholding of grace: For unto every one that hath, shall be given; but from him that hath not, (c) Mark, c. 9. v. 24. (e) Luke, c. 8. v. Io. A A (d) Luke, c. 17. v. 5. (f) Matt. c. 13. v. 15. not, shall be taken away even that which he seemeth to have' (g)."—p. 105. "The glory of the Cross enlightened those who were blind through ignorance, loosed all who were bound by their sins, and redeemed the whole human race. And wonder not that the whole world was redeemed; for it was not a mere man, but the only begotten Son of God, who died for that purpose. The sin indeed of one man, Adam, was able to bring death upon the world. 'But if by the offence of one man, death reigned over the world (h),' how shall not life rather reign by the righteousness of one? And if by the eating of the tree they were cast out of Paradise, shall not those who believe, more easily enter into Paradise through the tree of Jesus? If the first man, formed out of the earth, brought universal death, does not he who formed him out of the earth, being himself the life (i), bring everlasting life?" p. 183. "Since death came by one man, life also came by one man; by one man, namely the Saviour, who voluntarily submitted to death. For remember what he said, I have power to lay down my life, and I have power to take it again.' (g) Luke, c. 8. v. 18. (h) Rom. c. 5. v. 17. (i) John, c. 14. v. 6. again (k).' But he endured these things, having come for the salvation of all men."—p. 196. HILARY—A. D. 354. "Gop, not because he wanted his assistance in any thing, but because he is good, created man to be a partaker of his blessedness, and formed him a rational animal with life and sense, for the purpose of bestowing his eternity upon him. And this is absolutely understood from his words; 'And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God. require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul; to keep the commandments of thy Lord, and his statutes which I command thee this day for thy good (1)?' God requires no obedience of us but that of innocence, and religion, and faith. He requires that he may be beloved by us, not himself deriving any advantage from our love of him, but ourselves, who love him, being benefited by this love. For he requires to be beloved and obeyed for our good, that we may be thought worthy of the gift of his blessedness, and his goodness, through the merit of his love and obedience. But the use of goodness, like the brightness of the sun, or the light (k) John, c. 10. v. 18. (7) Deut. c. 10. v. 12, 13. ness. light of fire, or the smell of juices, does not profit the giver, but him who uses it. What, therefore, we are, is rather our own gain, than his who formed us what we are; because God, not grudging his own eternal goodness, takes us into the perception and use of his own blessed goodBut he who is perfect and good used his goodness towards us, and his blessedness, not without reason and method. For he permitted to every one of us the liberty of life and sense, not fixing necessity either way, so that the law should compel every one to be by nature good or bad; but he who had benevolently created us to enjoy his blessedness, appointed us a qualification for it, through the merit of an innocent and honest life. For what honour and reward could the necessity of goodness deserve, when a certain force, interwoven in our nature, would not suffer us to be bad? Goodness therefore is permitted to the will; that the will of goodness might obtain to itself a reward; and that there might be a gain and enjoyment of this eternal blessedness froin merit, and not an indiscriminate necessity by law. And though he invited us to the will of goodness, that is, to live well and honestly, by the hope of deserving and experiencing his goodness, yet he added a punishment for shunning and despising it; so that when he had left us a liberty of of will to deserve goodness, because a necessity of nature did not admit of desert, the terror of punishment threatened on the other hand proved this very liberty. And thus liberty was permitted for the deserving of reward, with a due regard to equity and justice; and the power of liberty is, through the goodness of God, restrained by the fear communicated to us; that the hope of deserving might admonish us to a good will, and the punishment of appointed revenge might dissuade us from a bad will."--p. 34. 66 6 My trust is in the tender mercy of God for ever and ever (m).' For even those very works of righteousness will not be sufficient for the deserving of perfect bliss, unless the mercy of God also does not consider the faults of human changes and motions in this will of righteousness. Henee that saying of the Prophet, Thy loving kindness is better than the life itself (n).' Because although the life of just men is to be proved through the working of righteousness, yet it will obtain more merit through the mercy of God. For after this life, it is profitable to eternal life, and the mercy of God so far rewards the working of righteousness, that, compassionating the will of righteousness, it grants that every just person should |