Chapter 1 (112)
128 | THE SENTENCES, BOOK 3
for forgiveness.—But since sins are not forgiven to any adult, unless he have charity, it follows that one who does not love his enemy nonetheless has charity. But how, then, is every man understood by the term 'neighbour' in that commandment: Love your neighbour as yourself?® For if every man is a 'neighbour,' then so is an enemy; and so we are commanded to love our enemies. And because that precept is a general one, it is commanded to all that they love all, even their enemies.
5. Some, who wish to hold simply what is said here, interpret that precept and say that to love all men, even an enemy, is given as a commandment to those who are perfect, but as a counsel to those who are less so; but it is a precept [for all] to love those who have done them no evil, and not to hate their enemies.—But it is better to understand that it is commanded to all by that commandment to love all, even their enemies; this is the sense supported by the authorities set out above and by many others."
6. But that text of Augustine set out immediately above'® is understood to speak of perfect charity, which pertains only to the perfect, who not only perfectly love and do good to their friends, but also to their enemies. This perfection of love 'is not for such a multitude as are heard when they say the Lord's prayer.' And this is indeed a great thing and of a most excellent goodness, namely to love one's enemy perfectly. And so, when he says that 'the words of that promise are fulfilled by a man who has not yet made progress to the point of loving his enemy,' it is to be taken in regard to perfect love.
DISTINCTION XXXI
Chapter 1 (112) 1. WHETHER CHARITY, ONCE HAD, MAY BE LOST. Nor is it to be passed over that some assert that charity, once it is had by someone, cannot fall away, and that no one who is to be damned ever has it. And they defend this view with authorities.
2. The Apostle says: Charity shall never fall away.'—AUGUSTINE, TO COUNT JULIAN. Augustine too says: "Charity which can fail was never true."-—ON PSALM 103. Also: "Charity is the fountain entirely reserved for the good, and the stranger has no share in it. Strangers are all those
"Mt. 22, 39: Mk 12,31, "In dist. 27-28.
Above, n2.
NT Cotsi3, 8:
"Rather, Paulinus of Aquileia, Liber exhortationis de salutaribus documentis, c7.
Distinction XXXI | 129 who will hear: / do not know you."** Of this fountain, Scripture says: The fountain of living water is to be yours alone, and no stranger is to share it with you.' But if strangers are those who will hear those words, it follows that those who are to be damned do not share in this fountain.
3. AUGUSTINE. Also Augustine, in On the Epistle of John: "Is charity rooted there? Rest assured: nothing evil can come of that."°—GREGORY.
Also Gregory, in his Moralia: "Love is as strong as death.' For love is compared to the power of death, in that in the mind which it has once taken hold of, it wholly kills to the love of the world."*—AUGUSTINE.
Also Augustine, in On the Epistle of John: "Charity is the invisible unction which, in whomsoever it may be, shall be as a root to him; even in the burning sun, it cannot wither. It is nourished by the sun's warmth, not withered."
4. BEDE. Also Bede, in On John: "We must also investigate how it was a special sign for recognizing the Son of God that the Spirit descended and remained over him. Why is it a great thing for the Son of God that the Spirit is understood to remain in him? It must also be noted that the Spirit remained always in the Lord; but in the saints, for so long as they bear a mortal body, the Spirit in part is always in them, but in part leaves them only to come back again. For he remains with them in order that they may strive after good works; but he also recedes from them for a time, so that they do not always have the power of curing the sick, raising the dead, casting out demons, and prophesying. And so he always remains so that they may always be able to have the virtues by which to live wonderfully; he also comes for a time in such a way that, by the signs of miracles, the saints may appear to others as radiant as they are inwardly."'®
5. GREGORY, ON EZECHIEL. Also Gregory: "The Spirit remains ever in the hearts of the saints, according to some virtues; according to some other virtues, he comes for a time and withdraws for a time. With regard to those virtues without which it is impossible to attain to life, he remains always in the hearts of his elect; but with regard to those by which the power of holiness is made manifest, as in the working of miracles, he is at times present, and at times he withdraws."''—AMBROSE. Also Ambrose:
"It is a fictitious charity that departs in adversity."""
2Mt. 7-223; "Augustine, Sermo 1, n9.
°Cf. Prov. 5, 17-18.
°Augustine, /n I Ioannis 4, 12-16, tr. 8 n9.
7Canticle 8, 6.
'Gregory, Moralia, bk 10 c21 n39.
*Augustine, /n I Ioannis 2, 27, tr. 3 n12.
'Pseudo-Bede, /n Joannem 1, 33.
"Gregory, In Ezechielem, bk | hom. 5 n11.
"More accurately, ordinary gloss, on 2 Cor. 6, 6; cf. Ambrosiaster, on the same place.
130 | THE SENTENCES, BOOK 3
6. These statements appear to indicate that charity, once had, is not lost. But some leapt to the aforementioned rash conclusion, saying that charity is not had by those who are to be damned, and that it cannot be lost by anyone who ever had it.
7. Both reason and authority defeat these people. For some are good for a time, who afterwards become evil, and vice versa. And so Christ says that the names of some were written'' in the book of life, who nonetheless afterwards went back;'* but he calls them written not according to foreknowledge, but according to the present justice which they served, because at that time they were worthy of that good which those who are written according to foreknowledge are going to have-—AMBROSE, ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS. Hence Ambrose: "To some, grace is given in use, as to Saul, Judas, and those disciples to whom the Lord said: See, your names are written in the heavens,'* and afterwards they went back."°
But he said this because of the justice which they were serving, because they were good. Frequently, there are some who are at first evil, who afterwards will become good; and at times some are at first good, who afterwards will become and remain evil,"'' according to which they are said to be written in the book of life, and then to be expunged from it.
8. DETERMINATION OF THE AFORESAID AUTHORITIES. But the fact that the Apostle says: Charity shall never fall away, does not at all support their view. It is to show the dignity of charity that he says that it does not fall away, because it shall exist here and in the future; but faith and hope shall be made void, as will knowledge.'*—Also, when it is said that 'charity which can fail was never true,' it does not refer to the essence of charity, but to its efficacy, because a charity which fails does not make a man truly blessed and does not lead to the true good.—'But strangers, that is, those to be damned, have no share in this fountain': that is, in the end, because they do not persevere.
9. But this and the other things which have been said of charity can be understood about perfect charity, which only the perfect have. Once that is had, it is not lost; but the beginnings of charity at times grow, at times fail. For there are beginnings, progress, and perfection of this virtue.
These degrees will be clear to one who understands that parable: Such is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the earth, and should sleep, and rise, and the seed should spring, and grow, etc.'? And Cr Lee Low O:
In, OFe PU, 10n203 Jn: Ox0ds ''Ambrosiaster, /n Epistolas s. Pauli, Rom. 9, 11-13.
'SCf. 1 Cor. 13, 8-10; see below, c2.
Mk. 4, 26-27.