The Essential Augustine (continued)
DIMENSIONS OF GRACE 187 unless it had been sustained by the Creator's power. After the fall, however, a more abundant exercise of God's mercy was required, because the will itself had to be freed from the bondage in which it was held by sin and death. And the will owes its freedom in no degree to itself bui solely to the grace of God, which comes by faith in Jesus Christ; so that the very will through which we accept all the other gifts of God which lead us on to His eternal gift, is itself prepared of the Lord, as the Scripture says. [Prov. 16:1]
GRACE AND GOOD WORKS*
Supposing you are hoping for a right reward, I 6. mean eternal life, but not from the Lord God through Jesus Christ, through whom alone eternal life is given, but you think you can attain to eternal life by means of the host of heaven, the sun and moon, the powers of air and sea, of earth and stars? You are godless. Believe in Him who justifies the ungodly, so that your good works may really be good works, For I should not call them good as long as they do not proceed from a right foundation. How does the matter stand? Either you look for temporal life from God the Eternal, or you look for eternal life from the devils; in either case, you are ungodly. Put your faith right, set your faith in order, set your life in order; and now if you have sound feet, go straight ahead without anxiety; run, you are on the right road; the faster you run the sooner you will get there. But possibly you are a little lame. At least do not turn back from the road; you will arrive, even if rather late; do not stand still, do not retrace your steps, do not wander off the track.
What then? Who are the blessed? Not those in 7. whom God has not found sin; for He has found it in all men, For all have sinned and do need the glory of God. [Rom. 3:23] Therefore if sin is found in all, it follows that none are blessed but those whose sins are forgiven. Now this the apostle pointed out in these words: Abraham believed God, and it was reputed to him unto justice. Now to him that worketh—that is, who trusts to works, and affirms that by virtue of them he received the grace of faith—the reward is not reckoned according to grace, but according to * On Psalm 31, Serm. 2, 6-8; trans. ACW 30, 72-74.