Ye will say, as the Pelagians did, wherefore then doth Christ say, Be ye Perfect?1 Wherefore doth S. Paul say, As many of us, as be Perfect? &c. Hereto S. Hierome answereth thus: Quid ergo sapimus? imo quid sapere debemus, qui Perfecti non sumus? Imperfectos nos esse Confiteri, & nondum comprehendisse, nec dun acccepisse. Haec est hominis vera Sapientia, imperfectum esse se nosse. Atque, ut ita loquar, Cunctorum in Carne Justorum Imperfecta Perfectio est: What then do we think, or what ought we to think, that be not Perfect? We ought to Confess, that we are Unperfect, and that we have not yet gotten, nor taken (that Perfection) that is required. This is the true wisdom of a Man, to know him self to be Unperfect. And, as I might say, the Perfection of all Just men living ⟨p. 318⟩in the Pleashe is Unperfect.2 Again he saith, Justi appellantur, non quòd omni Vitio careant,3 sed quòd Maiori part Virtutum commendentur: They are called Just men, not for that they be void of all manner Sin, but for that they are furnished with the greater part of Virtues. So likewise saith S. Augustine, Virtus, quae nunc est in homine Justo, hactenus Perfecta nominatur, ut ad eius Perfectionem pertineat etiam ipsius Imperfectionis, & in Veritate agnitio, & in humilitate Confessio: The Virtue, that is now in a just man, so far forth is called Perfect, that it pertaineth to the Perfection thereof, both in truth to know, and in humility to Confess, that it is Unperfect. Again he saithe, Omnia mandata facta deputantur,4 quando, quicquid non fit, ignoscitur: Al the Commandments of God are accounted to be done, when that thing, that is not down, is forgiven. To conclude, he saith, Multùm in hac vita ille profecit, qui quàm longè sit à Perfection Justitiae, proficiendo cognovit: He hath much profited in this life, that by his profiting hath learned, how far he is from the Perfection of Righteousness.
Ye wil saie, as the Pelagians did, wherefore then doothe Christe saie, Be ye Perfite?1 Wherefore doothe S. Paule saie, As many of vs, as be Perfite? &c. Hereto S. Hierome answeareth thus: Quid ergo sapimus? imo quid sapere debemus, qui Perfecti non sumus? Imperfectos nos esse Confiteri, & nondum comprehendisse, nec dun acccepisse. Haec est hominis vera Sapientia, imperfectum esse se nosse. Atque, vt ita loquar, Cunctorum in Carne Iustorum Imperfecta Perfectio est: VVhat then doo wee thinke, or what ought wee to thinke, that be not Perfite? Wee ought to Confesse, that vvee are Vnperfite, and that wee haue not yet gotten, nor taken (that Perfection) that is required. This is the true wisedome of a Man, to knowe him selfe to be Vnperfite. And, as I might saie, the Perfection of al Iuste menne liuinge ⟨p. 318⟩in the Pleashe is Vnperfite.2 Againe he saithe, Iusti appellantur, non quòd omni Vitio careant,3 sed quòd Maiori parte Virtutum commendentur: They are called Juste menne, not for that they be voide of al manner Sinne, but for that they are furnisshed with the greatter parte of Vertues. So likewise saithe S. Augustine, Virtus, quae nunc est in homine Iusto, hactenus Perfecta nominatur, vt ad eius Perfectionem pertineat etiam ipsius Imperfectionis, & in Veritate agnitio, & in humilitate Confessio: The Vertue, that is nowe in a iuste man, so farre foorthe is called Perfite, that it perteineth to the Perfection thereof, bothe in truthe to knovve, and in humilitie to Confesse, that it is Vnperfite. Againe he saithe, Omnia mandata facta deputantur,4 quando, quicquid non fit, ignoscitur: Al the Commaundementes of God are accoumpted to be donne, when that thinge, that is not downe, is forgeeuen. To conclude, he saithe, Multùm in hac vita ille profecit, qui quàm longè sit à Perfectione Iustitiae, proficiendo cognouit: He hathe mutche profited in this life, that by his profitinge hathe learned, howe farre he is from the Perfection of Righteousenesse.
- 1Matthae. 5. Philip. 3. Hieronym. Aduersus Pelagian Lib. 1.
- 2Unperfect Perfection.Vnperfite Perfectiō.
- 3Hieronym ad C•esiphont. Augustin. ad Bonifacium Li 3. Cap. 7.
- 4Augustin. Retracta. li. 1. ca. 19. Augustin. De Spiritu, & Litera, Cap. 35.
