where S. Paul contrasts the newness of the Spirit with the oldness of the letter, and insists on the ineffectiveness of all moral ideals to win the love of the natural man. Nothing could liberate from the body of this moral death except the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ (§ 25).

Without that Grace moral enlightenment is unavailing. I acknowledge the beauty of the ideal but I do not obey it. The consequence is that 'He that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow': not through any fault of the moral Law, but through his own infirmity, in the absence of the grace of the Holy Spirit. No act is good unless it is the product of love. And love is a gift of the Spirit (§ 26).

This Doctrine of Grace is the peculiar distinction of Christianity. It lay concealed in the Older Covenant. It is revealed in the New (§ 27).

For where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. By the Spirit we are enabled to delight in goodness, whereas the natural man takes pleasure in sin (§ 28).

Thus the difference between the two principles of instruction and of Grace may be described by saying that the former is external and the latter is within (§ 29).1

The moral ideal is external to us, with its formidable threatenings. The Grace of the Spirit is the inward operation of the Spirit of love upon the heart. The one forinsecus terrificat.' The other intrinsecus justificat' (§ 30).

1 Lex extrinsecus posita est, qua injusti terrerentur: hic intrinsicus data est, qua justificarentur.

Thus while the moral Law is a ministration of condemnation and a ministration of death, the Grace of Christ is a ministration of the Spirit and a ministration of righteousness (§ 31).

Here then is the essence of the Christian religion on the subject of reconciliation of man with God. We are not accepted for our own acquirements, but for what the Grace of God effects within us. And without that Grace acceptance is impossible (§ 32).

Repeating the idea very briefly Law is given in order that Grace may be sought: Grace is given in order that Law may be fulfilled (§ 34).

Or once again, at somewhat greater length, yet quite concisely, the whole idea is summed up by saying that the Old Covenant is contrasted with the New in this respect; that the one is a Law written in tables, the other a Law written in the heart; that the one is an external warning and the other an inward delight; that the one is the letter which kills and the other the Spirit which gives life; that God does not only aid us to do good by external precepts but by inwardly increasing our moral power; and that the distinctly Christian element consists in love which is actually imparted by the Holy Spirit who is given unto us (§ 42).

DIVISION 4

The Bearing of this Doctrine on Pagan Virtues

(§§ 43-49)

Having shown the relation of the Religion of Grace to Judaism, Augustine proceeds to show its bearing on the Gentiles. For S. Paul speaks of the

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Gentiles, or Pagan world, doing by nature the things contained in the Law' (Rom. ii. 14).

This raises a difficulty with regard to the Christian doctrine concerning Grace. For Pagans are here said to obey the moral Law By nature'. S. Paul does not say that they do so by the Spirit of God or by grace. But if the Pagan world had the law written in its heart and obeyed it by nature, what superiority remains in being under the Dispensation of Grace?

Augustine answers that these Pagans to whom S. Paul refers are either those who have been brought under Christian influence, or those who are still in a pre-Christian state.

1. If the former interpretation be correct, as he himself believes, then what the Gentiles do by nature is not meant as excluding Grace. The reference is to nature repaired by Grace (§ 44).

Hence S. Paul says that men are justified' freely.' By 'freely' he means that works do not precede justification. If Divine acceptance of Pagans were a reward of their merit, grace would be no more grace (§ 45).

In this case the distinction between converted Gentiles and converted Jews lies in the fact that the former do not come to Christ, like the latter, through a Law and a Covenant already sent them. The distinction does not consist in the Gentile fulfilling by nature the Divine ideal in which the Jew had failed (§ 46).

When S. Paul speaks of Gentiles doing the things of the law, that is fulfilling the moral ideal, By nature,' where we should have expected him to say

by grace, or by the Spirit of God, there is nothing contrary in this to our first interpretation. For certainly S. Paul taught that the Spirit of Grace is the Agent in all moral good, and that He restores in man the Divine Image in which we were naturally created (§ 47).

2. If however we adopt the second interpretation of the passage, and understand S. Paul when he speaks of doing by nature the things of the Law as referring to Pagans who do not yet believe in Christ, then it must be remembered that the Divine Image is not altogether effaced in the unregenerate human being. Nature even in its unregenerate condition is not absolutely corrupt. Even the least sanctified human being does some things which harmonize with the law of God. He exhibits certain good works in a life which is not good.

It must be remembered here that Augustine has already laid it down that no action is good which is not the product of love toward God. So that he allows a certain moral excellence to conduct which, judged from the spiritual or religious point of view, is altogether inferior. But the Christian test of actions is their reference to God and Christ: that is, the Spirit by which they are prompted.

Judged from this lofty spiritual standpoint, it must be said that the natural man, the Pagan, possesses by nature a power within him to perceive what is right, and in certain cases to fulfil it. But this doing by nature the things of the law is a very different thing indeed from the godliness which raises the soul into the life which is blessed and eternal. Consequently

these virtues of the natural man, while they have a certain relative excellence, have no reconciling justifying and saving power. Apart from grace, human beings differ in the degree of their sinfulness.

But there is no reconciliation with God nor renewal except through the one Mediator and His gift of Grace (§ 48).

DIVISION 5

The Relation of Grace to Redemption (§§ 50-51)

The great principle is declared by S. Paul that if righteousness comes by the law, if perfection is acquired by the independent response of our will apart from Divine support, then Christ died in vain (Gal. ii. 21). But if Christ's Death secured Redemption, and His Ascension enabled him to impart gifts to men, then Christ is the source from Whom Grace is derived. Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth (Rom. x.

4).

Hence the necessity of faith in Christ. For by faith we plead for Redemption. By faith we flee to the mercy of God that He may give us power to do what He orders us to do.

DIVISION 6

The Relation of Grace to Freewill (§ 52)

Augustine is concerned to balance in right proportion the different elements of Christian doctrine. His strong insistence on the doctrine of Grace raises the problem of its relation to the human will. Accordingly he teaches that Grace does not exclude