Grace and Deeds

Quatuor sunt perturbationes, quibus genus vexatur humanum, duae praesentis, et duae futuri: duae bonorum, et duae malorum. Aegritudo, quae Graece dicitur λύπη, et gaudium, quod illi χάραν vel ἡδονὴν, vocant: quamquam ἡδονὴν voluptas a plerisque dicatur: alterum mali, alterum boni. Excedimusque mensuram, si gaudeamus super his, quae non debemus, divitiis, potentia, honoribus; inimicorum infelicitate, vel mortibus: aut e contrario praesentium malorum dolore cruciemur, adversis, exsiliis, paupertate, languore, et mortibus propinquorum, quod Apostolus fieri prohibet; et rursum si cupiamus ea quae arbitramur bona, haereditates, honores, prosperitates omnium rerum, et corporum sanitatem, et caetera quorum praesentia gaudio fruimur: et metuamus illa, quae putamus adversa; quibus ad perfectum carere juxta Stoicos, Zenonem videlicet, et Chrysippum, possibile est: juxta Peripateticos autem et difficile et impossibile est: cui sententiae omnis scripturae sanctae consentit auctoritas. Unde et Josephus Machabaeorum scriptor historiae, frangi et regi posse dixit perturbationes animi, non eradicari, et quinque Tusculanarum quaestionum Ciceronis libri, his disputationibus referti sunt. Pugnant enim, juxta Apostolum, adversum nos fragilitas corporis, et spiritalia nequitiae in coelestibus. Manifesta sunt, dicente eodem, opera carnis et opera spiritus, et haec sibi invicem adversantur, ut non quae volumus, illa faciamus. Si non quod volumus, facimus, sed quod nolumus, illud operamur: quomodo dicitis, Posse hominem sine peccato esse, si velit? Ecce Apostolus, omnesque credentes, quod volunt, implere non possunt. Charitas operit multitudinem peccatorum, non tam praeteritorum quam praesentium, ne ultra, Dei in nobis manente charitate, peccemus. Quamobrem de muliere peccatrice dicitur: Dimittuntur ei peccata multa, quoniam dilexit plurimum. Ex quo intelligimus non nostrae solum esse potestatis facere quod velimus, sed et Dei clementiae, si nostram adjuvetvoluntatem. Santus Hieronymus, Dialogus Adversus Pelagianos, Liber Secundus

There are four emotions which trouble the race of men, two of the present, two of the future; two to good, and two to evil. There is sorrow, called in Greek λύπη, and there is joy, in Greek χάραν or ἡδονὴν, although many translate the latter by pleasure; the one of which is referred to evil, the other to good. And we go beyond good measure if we rejoice over such things which we should not, such as riches, power, honours, the misfortune of enemies, or their death; or, on the other hand, if we are wracked with grief because of present evils, adversity, exile, poverty, infirmity, and the death of family, all of which is forbidden by the Apostle; and again likewise, if we desire those things which we judge to be good, inheritances, honours, prosperity in all things, health of body, and the like, in the possession of which we rejoice and find enjoyment, or if we fear those things which we deem adverse. And according to the Stoics, Zeno, that is to say, and Chrysippus, it is possible for a perfect man to be free of these emotions, yet with the Peripatetics it is difficult and even impossible to do so, an opinion which has the agreement of all Scripture. Hence Josephus, the writer of the history of the Maccabees, said that the emotions can be subdued and ruled but not eradicated, and the five books of Cicero's Tusculan Disputations refer to these disputes. According to the Apostle, the weakness of the body and spiritual hosts of wickedness fight against us in the heavenly places. 1 And the same man tells us that the works of the flesh and the works of the spirit are manifest, and that they are contrary to one another, 2 so that we do not do what we would. And if we do not what we would, but what we would not, how can you say that a man can be without sin if he chooses? You see that neither an Apostle, nor any believer can perform what he wishes.'Love covers a multitude of sins,' 3 not so much sins of the past as sins of the present, that we may not sin any more while the love of God abides in us. Wherefore it is said concerning the woman that was a sinner, 'Her sins, which, are many are forgiven her, for she loved much.' 4 And this shows us that doing what we wish does not depend on our own power alone, but upon the assistance which God in His mercy gives to our will. 5 Saint Jerome, Dialogue Against the Pelagians, Book 2 1 Ephes 6.12 2 Gal 5.19 3 1 Pet 4.8 4 Lk 7.47 5 1 Jn 1