Chapter VII.
How it lies in our own power to choose whether to remain
under the grace of the gospel or under the terror of the law.
Wherefore
it lies today
in our own power whether we choose to live under the grace of the
gospel or under the terrors of the law: for each man must incline to
one side or the other in accordance with the character of his actions,
for either the grace of Christ welcomes those who go beyond the law, or
else the law keeps its hold over the weaker ones as those who are its
debtors and within its clutches. For one who is guilty as regards the
precepts of the law will never be able to attain to the perfection of
the gospel, even though he idly boasts that he is a Christian and freed
by the Lord’s grace: for we must not only regard as still under
the law the man who refuses to fulfil what the law enjoins, but the man
as well who is satisfied with the mere observance of what the law
commands, and who never brings forth fruits worthy of his vocation and
the grace of Christ, where it is not said: “Thou shalt offer to
the Lord thy God thy tithes and firstfruits;” but: “Go and
sell all that thou hast and give to the poor, and come follow
Me;”
2176
where, owing to
the grandeur of perfection, to the request of the disciple there is not
granted even the very short space of an hour in which to bury his
father,
2177
as the offices
of human charity are outweighed by the virtue of Divine
love.
2176
Exod. xxii. 29; S. Matt. xix. 21
.
2177
Cf. S.
Matt. viii. 21
,
sq
.