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. "GOD, 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 statuteswhich I command thee this day for thy good (7)?' 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. 1o. v. 18. (1) Deut. c. 10. v. 12, 13. 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 goodness. But 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 from 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. Hence 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 (m) Ps. 52. v. 9. (n) Ps. 63. v. 4. should be partaker of his eternity also. Therefore the trust in his tender mercy is for ever and ever; but the confession only in this life, not for ever and ever. For the confession of sins is only during this life, while every one is left to his own will, and has the power of confession through the permission of life. For when we depart out of this life, we depart at the same time from the right of will. For then according to the merit of the past will, the law already fixed, either of rest or of punishment, receives the will of those who depart out of the body. And that the will at that time is not free, but necessary, the Prophet shews when he says, I have no will in those days (o).' For when the liberty of the will ceases, the effect also of the will, if there be any, will cease. the rich man, wishing to pass to Abraham, is not allowed, because of the gulf which is between them, when however he might have been in Abraham's bosom by the liberty of his will." p. 81. For Here it is expressly declared, that a person who in Scripture is represented as suffering punishment in the world to come, had it in his power to avoid that punishment; which is utterly irreconcileable (o)" Non occurrit nobis unde hunc locum eruerit Hilarius, nisi forte, Mal. 1. 10. pro iv uv, legerit, év uégaus." Note in Bened. Ed. ἡμέραις.” |