Creator. Therefore it is not permitted to the soul to escape pay- (continued)
igS AUGUSTINE! EARLIER WRITINGS
should be defiled by having the uncomeliness of sin without the comeliness of penalty. What is now not punished openly is reserved for future judgment, that the misery imposed may become manifest and be most sharply felt. He who is not awake is asleep. In the same way, he who does not do what he ought immediately suffers what he ought. For such is the happiness of doing justly that no one can depart from it without immediately finding misery. In all deficiencies the things which are defective have not received power to last longer, if they have no guilt. Likewise there is no guilt if they are what they are because they did not receive power to have an ampler existence. Or they may be unwilling to be what they have been given power to be if they would; and because they have the power to be good there is guilt if they will not.
45. God owes nothing to any man, for he gives everything gratuitously. If anyone says God owes him something for his merits, God did not even owe him existence. Nothing could be owing to one who did not yet exist. And what merit is there in turning to him from whom you derive existence, that you may be made better by him from whom you derive existence? \Vhy do you ask him for anything as if you were demanding repayment of a debt? If you were unwilling to turn to him, the loss would not be his but yours. For without him you would be nothing, and from him you derive such existence as you have; but on condition that, unless you turn to him, you must pay him back the existence you have from him, and become, not indeed nothing, but miserable. All things owe him, first, their existence so far as they are natural things, and secondly, that they can become better if they wish, receiving additional gifts if they wish them and being what they ought to be. No man is guilty because he has not received this or that power. But because he does not do as he ought he is justly held guilty. Obligation arises if he has received free will and sufficient power.
46. No blame attaches to the Creator if any of his creatures does not do what he ought. Indeed, that the wrong-doer suffers as he ought redounds to the praise of the Creator. In the very act of blaming anyone for not doing as he ought, he is praised to whom the debt is owed. Ifyou are praised for seeing what you ought to do, and you only see it in him who is unchangeable truth, how much more is he to be praised who has taught you what you ought to wish, has given you the power to do it, and has not allowed you to refuse to do it with impunity? If "oughtness" depends upon what has been given, and man has been so