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Chapter 2Dil.1.2

Deus quantopere ab homine mereatur amari, ob bona tum corporis, tum animae. Quomodo ea agnoscenda et habenda citra donantis injuriam.

The Bodily Gifts That Summon Love

God's provision of bread, sun, and air to every person reveals the first grounds on which He deserves our love.

By these things it is plainly shown — and I plainly judge it to be shown — why God is to be loved; that is, the grounds on which he has earned our love. But if the faithless are blind to these things, it is nevertheless within God's power to put the ungrateful to shame on account of his countless benefits — benefits plainly given for the use and the senses of human beings. Who else, after all, provides food for every person who eats, light for every person who sees, and breath for every person who breathes? But it would be foolish to try to list them all — I have said not long ago that they are beyond counting. It is enough, by way of example, to have mentioned the chief ones: bread, the sun, and the air. By 'chief' I mean not the more excellent things but the more necessary — and these, to be sure, belong to the body.

The Soul's Threefold Dignity

The soul's higher goods—dignity as free will, self-knowledge as gift, and virtue as clinging to God—complete the grounds for loving God.

Let a person seek his higher goods in that part of himself where he has preeminence — that is, in the soul, where his dignity, knowledge, and virtue reside. By 'dignity' in the human person I mean free will — in which he has surely been given the capacity not only to excel over the rest of living creatures but also to rule over them. By 'knowledge' I mean the knowledge by which a person may recognize that very dignity within himself — and yet not as something that comes from himself. And so virtue is the means by which a person continually seeks the one from whom it comes — not halfheartedly — and, once they've found him, holds on firmly.1

The Twofold Nature of Every Gift

Each of the three goods—dignity, knowledge, and virtue—is twofold, and without knowledge and virtue even dignity becomes harmful rather than glorious.

And so each of these three goods appears to be twofold. Indeed, human dignity is shown not only by the prerogative of nature but also by the power of dominion — that the terror of man over all living creatures of the earth is decreed to hang over them.✦2 Knowledge too will be twofold, if we come to know that this dignity itself, or any other good in us, both exists in us and does not come from us. Furthermore, virtue itself will likewise be recognized as twofold, if we diligently seek the Author and, having found Him, cling to Him inseparably.3 Dignity, therefore, without knowledge is of no benefit; indeed, that very dignity even does harm if virtue is lacking — which reason declares, grounded in both.4 For what glory is there in possessing something you don't even know you possess? Moreover, to know what you have but to be ignorant that you have it not from yourself — that has glory, but not before God. But to the one who glories in himself, it is said by the Apostle: 'What do you have that you did not receive?'✦

True Glory and Vain Glory

Boasting as though one's gifts were self-originated is vain glory; true glory is to boast only in the Lord, who is truth itself.

But if you've received it, why do you boast as though you hadn't?✦ He doesn't simply say, 'Why do you boast?' But he adds 'as though you had not received it,' so that he may condemn as blameworthy not the person who boasts about what is held as a possession, but the person who boasts as though about what was never received. Glory of this kind is rightly called vain, since it surely lacks the solid foundation of truth. For this is how he distinguishes true glory from this kind: 'Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord,' that is, in truth.✦✦ For the Lord is truth indeed.✦

Three Dangers of Self-Ignorance

One must know both what one is and that one is not so by one's own power; otherwise ignorance leads either to beastly degradation or to arrogant self-assertion.

So you need to know two things: what you are, and that you are not what you are by your own power — lest you either boast not at all (because you know the truth) or boast emptily. In fact, if you have not known yourself, he says, go out after the flocks of your companions.✦ And indeed that is exactly what happens. Man was made in honor, yet because he does not understand the honor itself, such is his ignorance that he is deservedly compared to beasts — as it were, to certain companions in his present corruption and mortality.✦ And so it happens that the creature, not knowing itself, begins by the excellent gift of reason to be joined to the flocks of irrational beings — while, ignorant of its own glory within, it is drawn outward to conform itself to sensible things by its own curiosity, and is made one among the rest, because it understands that it has received nothing beyond what others have. Therefore this ignorance is greatly to be avoided — the kind by which we perhaps think less of ourselves than we should: but no less dangerous, indeed even more so, is the kind by which we attribute more to ourselves. This happens whenever we are deceived into thinking that whatever good is in us comes from us. But beyond both kinds of ignorance, that presumption must be shunned and deterred — the kind by which, knowing full well and being shrewd about it, you perhaps dare to seek your own glory from goods that are not yours; and though you are certain that you are not from yourself, you nonetheless do not fear to seize the honor that belongs to another. The first kind of ignorance has no glory in it; the second does have glory, but not before God.

Pride as Usurpation of Divine Glory

The third evil—knowingly seizing God's glory for oneself—is the gravest, for it not only ignores God but despises Him, joining the proud to demons.

Moreover, this third evil—which is now committed knowingly—usurps what belongs to God and sets itself against Him. In short, that former ignorance is so much worse than this latter arrogance—which appears graver and more dangerous—that through the one God is simply unknown, while through the other He is both unknown and despised. Indeed, the former is so much more base and detestable than the latter that through ignorance we are joined to brute beasts, and through arrogance we are joined to demons.5 Pride is, to be sure, the greatest sin and offense: to treat what has been given as though it were innate, and to usurp for oneself the glory of the benefit received.6

Virtue: The Fruit That Gives God the Glory

Without virtue, both worthiness and knowledge are perilous; the virtuous person confesses that all glory belongs to God's name alone.

For this reason, along with those two gifts—worthiness and knowledge—there is need also of virtue, which is the fruit of both, and through which the one who is the author and giver of all things may deservedly be sought out, held fast, and glorified in all things. Otherwise, knowing what is right and not doing it, a person will be severely beaten with many blows.✦ Why? Surely because the wicked servant refused to understand so as to act rightly; instead, he plotted iniquity on his own bed, since he knew for certain that the good things he possessed did not come from himself but from the gift of knowledge—and yet this impious slave tried to seize and even snatch for himself the glory that belongs to the goodness of the Lord.✦✦ It is clear, therefore, that without knowledge, worthiness is altogether useless, and that without virtue, knowledge is damnable. But the person of virtue—for whom neither knowledge remains ruinous nor worthiness unfruitful—cries out to God and openly confesses: 'Not to us, Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory.' This is what it means: We claim nothing for ourselves, O Lord, from knowledge, nothing for ourselves from worthiness; but we attribute the whole to your name, from whom the whole comes.

The Natural Law Sufficient to Demand Love of God

Even the unbeliever, knowing the goods of body and soul, is inexcusable if he fails to love God with all his being, for implanted justice cries out within.

Moreover, we've wandered almost too far from our purpose in trying to show that even those who don't know Christ are sufficiently warned by the natural law — by the perceived goods of body and soul — to love God for God's own sake and to love him in return.7 To briefly repeat what's been said on this point: who, even an unbeliever, would fail to recognize that those necessities mentioned above are provided for his body not by anyone else but by the One who gives food to all flesh in this mortal life — from whom, clearly, he subsists, from whom he sees, from whom he breathes — rather than by himself? The One who makes his sun rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous?✦89 Likewise, who — even the impious person — would suppose that the author of the dignity that shines in the soul is anyone other than the very One who speaks in Genesis: 'Let us make man in our image and likeness'?✦10 Who would suppose that the giver of knowledge is anyone other than the very same One who teaches man knowledge? Who, again, would think that a gift of virtue has been given to him from any other source, or would hope for it to be given, than from the hand of the Lord of virtues himself? God, therefore, deserves to be loved for his own sake, even by the unbeliever: although the unbeliever does not know Christ, he nevertheless knows himself. Accordingly, every unbeliever is inexcusable if he does not love the Lord his God with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his strength.11 The justice implanted within him — and not unknown to reason — cries out to him, because he ought to love the One to whom he owes his whole self, with his whole being, and he does not fail to recognize this.1213

The Impossibility of Self-Will Turned Wholly to God

By free will alone, no one can turn wholly to God without twisting divine gifts back toward self, for all seek their own and the human heart is inclined to evil.

But it is difficult — no, impossible — for anyone, by the power of his own free will, once he has received gifts from God, to turn his will wholly toward God and not instead twist those gifts back toward himself, keeping them as though they were his own. As it is written: "All seek what is their own"; and likewise: "The senses and thoughts of man are inclined toward evil."✦✦1415

Read the original Latin

Quibus haec palam sunt, palam arbitror esse et cur Deus diligendus sit: hoc est, unde diligi meruerit. Quod si infideles haec latent, Deo tamen in promptu est ingratos confundere super innumeris beneficiis suis, humano nimirum et usui praestitis, et sensui manifestis. Nempe quis alius administrat cibum omni vescenti, cernenti lucem, spiranti flatum? Sed stultum est velle modo enumerare quae innumera esse non longe ante praefatus sum: satis est ad exemplum praecipua protulisse, panem, solem et aerem. Praecipua dico, non quia excellentiora, sed quia necessariora; sunt quippe corporis. Quaerat enim homo eminentiora bona sua in ea parte sui, qua praeeminet sibi, hoc est in anima quae sunt dignitas, scientia, virtus. Dignitatem in homine liberum arbitrium dico: in quo ei nimirum datum est caeteris non solum praeeminere, sed et praesidere animantibus. Scientiam vero, qua eamdem in se dignitatem agnoscat, non a se tamen.

Porro virtutem, qua subinde ipsum a quo est, et inquirat non segniter, et teneat fortiter cum invenerit.

Itaque geminum unumquodque trium horum apparet. Dignitatem siquidem demonstrat humanam non solum naturae praerogativa, sed et potentia dominatus: quod terror hominis super cuncta animantia terrae imminere decernitur. Scientia quoque duplex erit, si hanc ipsam dignitatem, vel aliud quodque bonum in nobis, et nobis inesse, et a nobis non esse noverimus. Porro virtus et ipsa aeque bifaria cognoscetur, si auctorem consequenter inquirimus, inventoque inseparabiliter inhaeremus. Dignitas ergo sine scientia non prodest; illa vero etiam obest, si virtus defuerit: quod utrumque ratio declarat subjecta. Habere enim quod habere te nescias, quam gloriam habet? Porro nosse quod habeas, sed quia a te non habeas ignorare, habet gloriam, sed non apud Deum. Apud se autem glorianti dicitur ab Apostolo: Quid habes quod non accepisti?

si autem accepisti, quid gloriaris quasi non acceperis? Non ait simpliciter: Quid gloriaris? sed addit, quasi non acceperis, ut asserat reprehensibilem, non qui in habitis, sed qui tanquam in non acceptis gloriatur. Merito vana gloria nuncupatur hujusmodi, veritatis nimirum solido carens fundamento. Veram enim gloriam ab hac ita discernit: Qui gloriatur, ait, in Domino glorietur, hoc est in veritate. Veritas quippe Dominus est.

Utrumque ergo scias necesse est, et quid sis, et quod a te ipso non sis: ne aut omnino videlicet non glorieris, aut inaniter glorieris. Denique si non cognoveris, inquit, te ipsam, egredere post greges sodalium tuorum. Revera ita fit. Homo factus in honore, cum honorem ipsum non intelligit, talis suae ignorantiae merito comparatur pecoribus, velut quibusdam praesentis suae corruptionis et mortalitatis consortibus. Fit igitur ut sese non agnoscendo egregia rationis munere creatura, irrationabilium gregibus aggregari incipiat, dum ignara propriae gloriae, quae ab intus est, conformanda foris rebus sensibilibus, sua ipsius curiositate abducitur: efficiturque una de caeteris, quod se prae caeteris nihil accepisse intelligat. Itaque valde cavenda haec ignorantia, qua de nobis minus nobis forte sentimus: sed non minus, imo et plus illa qua plus nobis tribuimus: quod fit, si bonum quodcunque in nobis esse et a nobis decepti putemus. At vero super utramque ignorantiam declinanda et exsecranda illa praesumptio est, qua sciens et prudens forte audeas de bonis non tuis tuam quaerere gloriam: et quod certus es a te tibi non esse, inde tamen alterius rapere non verearis honorem. Prior equidem ignorantia gloriam non habet: posterior vero habet quidem, sed non apud Deum.

Caeterum hoc tertium malum quod jam scienter committitur, usurpat et contra Deum. In tantum denique ignorantia illa posteriori haec arrogantia gravior atque periculosior apparet, quo per illam quidem Deus nescitur, per istam et contemnitur: in tantum et priori deterior ac detestabilior, ut cum per illam pecoribus, per istam et daemonibus sociemur. Est quippe superbia et delictum maximum, uti datis tanquam innatis; et in acceptis beneficiis gloriam usurpare beneficii.

Quamobrem cum duabus istis, dignitate atque scientia, opus est et virtute, quae utriusque fructus est, per quam ille inquiritur ac tenetur, qui omnium auctor et dator merito glorificetur de omnibus. Alioquin sciens et non faciens digna, multis vapulabit. Quare? Utique quia noluit intelligere ut bene ageret: magis autem iniquitatem meditatus est in cubili suo, dum de bonis, quae a se non esse ex scientiae dono certissime comperit, boni Domini gloriam servus impius captare sibi, imo et raptare molitur. Liquet igitur et absque scientia dignitatem esse omnino inutilem, et scientiam absque virtute damnabilem. Verum homo virtutis, cui nec damnosa scientia, nec infructuosa dignitas manet, clamat Deo et ingenue confitetur: Non nobis, inquiens, Domine, non nobis, sed nomini tuo da gloriam. Hoc est: Nil nobis, o Domine, de scientia, nil nobis de dignitate tribuimus; sed tuo totum, a quo totum est, nomini deputamus.

Caeterum pene a proposito longe nimis digressi sumus, dum demonstrare satagimus, eos quoque qui Christum nesciunt, satis per legem naturalem ex perceptis bonis corporis animaeque moneri, quatenus Deum propter Deum et ipsi diligere debeant. Nam ut breviter, quae super hoc dicta sunt, iterentur: quis vel infidelis ignoret, suo corpori non ab alio in hac mortali vita supradicta illa necessaria ministrari, unde videlicet subsistat, unde videat, unde spiret, quam ab illo, qui dat escam omni carni; qui solem suum oriri facit super bonos et malos, et pluit super justos et injustos? Quis item vel impius putet alium ejus, quae in anima splendet, humanae dignitatis auctorem, praeter illum ipsum, qui in Genesi loquitur: Faciamus hominem ad imaginem et similitudinem nostram? Quis alium scientiae largitorem existimet, nisi aeque ipsum, qui docet hominem scientiam? Quis rursum munus sibi aliunde virtutis aut putet datum, aut speret dandum, quam de manu itidem Domini virtutum? Meretur ergo amari propter se ipsum Deus, et ab infideli: qui etsi nesciat Christum, scit tamen seipsum. Proinde inexcusabilis est omnis etiam infidelis, si non diligit Dominum Deum suum ex toto corde, tota anima, tota virtute sua. Clamat nempe intus ei innata, et non ignorata rationi justitia, quia ex toto se illum diligere debeat, cui se totum debere non ignorat.

Verum difficile, imo impossibile est, suis scilicet quempiam, liberive arbitrii viribus semel accepta a Deo, ad Dei ex toto convertere voluntatem; et non magis ad propriam retorquere, eaque sibi tanquam propria retinere, sicut scriptum est, Omnes quae sua sunt quaerunt: et item, Proni sunt sensus et cogitationes hominis in malum.

Scripture echoes

  1. ↩Gen.1.26-Gen.1.28;Gen.9.2 — Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." Gen.1.27 — So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Gen.1.28 — And God blessed them, and God said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.' Gen.9.2 — The fear and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth and upon every bird of the air, upon everything that creeps on the ground and all the fish of the sea; into your hand they are given.
  2. ↩1Cor.4.7 — For who makes you different? And what do you have that you did not receive? But if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you had not received it?
  3. ↩1Cor.4.7 — For who makes you different? And what do you have that you did not receive? But if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you had not received it?
  4. ↩1Cor.1.31;2Cor.10.17 — so that, as it is written, 'Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.' 2Cor.10.17 — But let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.
  5. ↩Jer.9.24 — Behold, days are coming — declares the LORD — and I will punish all who are circumcised only in the flesh.
  6. ↩John.14.6 — Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'
  7. ↩Song.1.7 — Tell me, whom my soul loves, where you pasture your flock, where you make it lie down at noon; for why should I be like one who wanders beside the flocks of your companions?
  8. ↩Ps.49.12 — Their inward thought is that their houses are forever, their dwelling places for generation after generation; they have called out over the lands by their own names.
  9. ↩Luke.12.47 — That servant who knew his master's will but did not prepare himself or act according to his will will receive many blows.
  10. ↩Ps.14.2;Ps.14.2 — The LORD looks down from heaven upon the children of man, to see if there is anyone who understands, who seeks after God. Ps.14.2 — The LORD looks down from heaven upon the children of man, to see if there is anyone who understands, who seeks after God.
  11. ↩Ps.6.7;Ps.36.4 — I am worn out with my groaning; I flood my bed every night, drenching my couch with my tears. Ps.36.4 — The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit; he has ceased to act wisely, to do good.
  12. ↩Matt.5.45 — so that you may become sons of your Father who is in heaven, for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.
  13. ↩Gen.1.26 — Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."
  14. ↩Phil.2.21 — For all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.
  15. ↩Gen.6.5;Gen.8.21 — And the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Gen.8.21 — The LORD smelled the pleasing aroma, and the LORD said in his heart, 'I will never again curse the ground on account of man, for the inclination of the heart of man is evil from his youth; nor will I ever again strike down every living thing as I have done.'

Notes

  1. 1 ↩The cum + subjunctive (invenerit) could be read as temporal ('when'), causal ('since'), or concessive ('even though'). Temporal is chosen as the default, but the other readings remain open.
  2. 2 ↩praerogativa: form ambiguous between nominative and ablative; rendered as nominative apposition with 'prerogative of nature.'
  3. 3 ↩inventoque: parsed as invento + -que (ablative absolute or temporal participle); rendered as 'having found Him.'
  4. 4 ↩subjecta: form ambiguous (ablative of means or nominative); rendered as 'grounded in both' to capture the sense of reason resting on the two preceding clauses.
  5. 5 ↩The ut + cum clause (ut cum per illam pecoribus…) is ambiguous between result and temporal/causal reading; rendered as result ('so much… that') following the in tantum… ut correlative pattern.
  6. 6 ↩beneficii (genitive) rendered as 'of the benefit'—the glory properly belongs to the Giver, not the receiver.
  7. 7 ↩diligere rendered 'to love' (lexeme policy: love); propter Deum et ipsi diligere — the two objects of love are coordinated by et: God for his own sake, and God himself in return.
  8. 8 ↩unde videlicet subsistat, unde videat, unde spiret — the three unde-clauses all refer back to the same divine source; rendered with parallel 'from whom' clauses for clarity.
  9. 9 ↩qui solem suum oriri facit super bonos et malos, et pluit super justos et injustos — candidate allusion to Matthew 5:45; resolution deferred to tx-08 Moses stage.
  10. 10 ↩Faciamus hominem ad imaginem et similitudinem nostram — candidate quotation from Genesis 1:26; resolution deferred to tx-08 Moses stage.
  11. 11 ↩ex toto corde, tota anima, tota virtute sua — candidate allusion to the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:5 / Matthew 22:37); resolution deferred to tx-08 Moses stage.
  12. 12 ↩rationi justitia — dative of reference: 'justice known to reason' or 'justice in accordance with reason.' Rendered as 'justice implanted within him — and not unknown to reason' to capture both the interior and rational dimensions.
  13. 13 ↩ex toto se illum diligere debeat, cui se totum debere non ignorat — the antecedent of cui is illum (God). The sense: 'because from his whole self he ought to love him to whom he owes his whole self.'
  14. 14 ↩The first quotation ("Omnes quae sua sunt quaerunt") echoes Philippians 2:21 (Vulgate). The second ("Proni sunt sensus et cogitationes hominis in malum") echoes Genesis 6:5 / Genesis 8:21 (Vulgate). Both are candidate allusions pending Moses resolution.
  15. 15 ↩liberive arbitrii rendered as 'free will' for the compound concept of free judgment/choice; the enclitic -ve links liberi to arbitrii.

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