Sermons on the Song of Songs

But some of you may wish to ask me of whom do I speak. I am speaking of myself. I am that sinner, that outlaw, that impious one. I am a sinner because I have sinned. I am an outlaw because by my will I persist in acting against the law. For my own will is that “law in my members fighting against” the divine law. And since the law of the Lord is the “law of my mind,” according to what is written, “The law of God is in his heart,” by consequence, to myself also my own will is found in opposition, “which is the greatest iniquity.” For to whom shall I not be evil if I am evil to myself? As is said in Ecclesiastes, “He that is evil to himself, to whom will he be good?” I confess that I am not good, because I have nothing good abiding in me. Nevertheless I will console myself, since St. Paul himself has made the same acknowledgment, saying, “I know that there dwelleth not in me that which is good.” Yet he specifies what he means by the words “in me,” adding, by way of explanation, “that is to say, in my flesh,” to which he denies any good on account of the opposing law therein abiding. For he has another law in his mind, and a better one. Surely the law of God is a good law. Bat if he be evil because of the evil law, how can it be denied that he is good on account of the good law? Perhaps, however, it will be said that the evil law which exists in his flesh is his own, and therefore he is evil by reason of this evil law; but that the good law, being less his own, does not similarly make him good. This is not true. For the law of his God is in his mind, and it is in his mind in such a manner as to be also the law of his mind. I have the testimony of the Apostle for this, who says, “I see another law in my members, fighting against the law of my mind.” Shall it be said that what belongs to his flesh is his own, but that what belongs to his mind is not his own? In my opinion, the latter is even more his own than the former. And why should I not think so, since the same inspired teacher declares so? For whereas with his mind he serves the law of God and with his flesh the law of sin, he clearly insinuates which of these, viz., the law of God or the law of sin, he acknowledges to be the more his own, when he reputes the evil law in his flesh so foreign to him that he can say, “Now then it is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me.” And perhaps it was for this reason the law which he found in his members was expressely called another law, because, namely, he regarded it as something alien and adventitious. Therefore I will venture to go even farther and to say, surely without rashness, that St. Paul is no longer evil on account of the evil law which he has in his flesh, but is rather good by reason of the good law which dwelleth in his mind. How can he be otherwise than good himself who “consents to the law of God because it is good”? He also indeed confesses that he serves the “law of sin,” yet he does so not with his mind but only with his flesh. Now since he serves the law of God with his mind, and the “law of sin” with his flesh, I leave it for you to decide, my brethren, as to which should be the more particularly imputed to St. Paul. As for myself, I have been easily convinced that that which belonged to his mind was more truly his own than what appertained to his flesh. Nor is this conviction confined to me, since, as I have remarked, it was also entertained by the Apostle himself, who says, “If then I do that which I will not.… it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.”

So much must suffice on this subject of liberty. In the little book which I composed on Grace and Free Will you will perhaps find the questions concerning the Image and the likeness treated somewhat differently, yet without any real contradiction of what I have been saying now. You have read that work, and you have heard this sermon. I submit both to your judgment: choose that which you find the more pleasing. And it you have found anything else which gives you more satisfaction than either, I rejoice at it, and shall rejoice. But however this may be, remember what I have now said concerning the soul’s three characteristics of simplicity, immortality, and liberty, which formed the three principal points of to-day’s discourse. And I think that this much at the least is now clearly evident to you, namely, that the soul, by reason of her natural and ennobling likeness to the Word, which shines out so conspicuously in the characteristics referred to, has a very close affinity to Him who is the Bridegroom of the Church, Jesus Christ Our Lord, Who is over all things, God blessed for ever. Amen.