A has appeared after the trial shall merit the crown of life meant for those who love God, prepared by God.
From these things we recognize that, according to the virtues of each, a crown can be bestowed by God—to some the crown of justice, to others that of incorruptibility and right faith. But it is fitting that, besides these crowns, another crown also be conferred upon those who hope and endure for the future, the substance of which is the Lord Himself. Above these, another is set aside for those enjoying the Lord and experiencing the delights of paradise, and drinking from the torrent of God’s delights. The examples of the aforementioned crowns are these: "There is laid up," he says, "for me the crown of justice"; and again: "You shall receive the incorruptible crown of glory"; and likewise: "In that day the Lord of Hosts shall be a crown of hope"; and again: "The crown of delights shall protect you." Concerning which crown it must be considered whether it is the very one of which it was said, "The crown of graces," or another. For just as he who enjoys the crown of delights, and who has the grace of God cooperating, receives the crown of graces, so he who practices justice and correctly pursues those things which are to be understood, or he who seeks perfect glory, merits the crown of justice and glory. B Thus, he who does not despise the endurance of temptations, being insistent even upon death itself, shall receive the crown of eternal life, for which he has despised the joys of this temporal life. It must be asked whether the substance of the crown of life which God prepared for those who love Him is such that it cannot be subjected to the magnitude of the majesty of sight and hearing, nor has it ascended into the sheer intellect of any man.
VERS. 17. *Every best gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights.*
He calls God the Father of intelligible lights—that is, of rational illuminators—from whom, as from the giver of things, he says heavenly gifts come to men; which, because they are beneficial, he calls the best gifts; and because they are full and without defect, he calls them perfect gifts, C unhesitatingly. And how can some say, regarding this expression, that only those things which are better belong to God, and not also those which are judged troublesome and sad? We must set down that passage where Scripture says: "He has brought evils upon them"; and that: "Evils have descended from the Lord upon the gates of Jerusalem"; and similar things. From these and other examples of this kind, the opinion is recognized that both pleasant and sad things come to men from the judgment of God. Since, therefore, all things are attributed to the providence of God, it was nevertheless consequent that he who was inviting to patience and the perfection of virtue should have a better remembrance, while everyone who strives to live according to virtue deserves not sad things, but rather the best gifts and perfect endowments.
But another, more subtly observing the Scriptures, says that a better administration takes place by the preceding will of God, while adverse things, on account of a certain utility, are destined by accident.
CAP. II, VERS. 26. *For as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.*
Since just as the spirit adhering to the body vivifies it, and works, coupled to faith, procure its being alive, it must be considered that faith should be had with works worthy of virtue, so that it may exist not dead, but alive; for even he who has an animate body wishes to have it not dead, but alive, through the society of the spirit. It must be noted, of course, that since faith is dead apart from works, it is no longer even faith; for a dead man is not a man. But how do some, saying that the spirit is the cause by which the body lives, claim it to be more honorable than the body, and therefore consequently claim that works are more honorable than faith, as if they were what vivifies it? Being more studious, as it seems to me, to explain: for not, as they undoubtedly claim the spirit to be better than the body, are the works of faith to be preferred without hesitation, when man is saved by grace, not from works, but from faith; unless perhaps this also be in question, that faith, which lives with its own works, saves, as if it were another kind of works, beyond which salvation comes from faith; but there are no works which are observed under the shadow of the law. D
CAP. III, VERS. 2. *If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man: he is able also with a bridle to lead about the whole body.*
Since the word is twofold, one part pertaining to sense, the other to the effective reason of utterance, they are to be taken according to the discourse of the mind. For whoever does not offend in internal sense...
A regarding such matters—that is, in teaching—when someone teaches concerning things which must be done and understood, if he has the truth of understanding regarding these things, then he has a word that is inoffensive. For it is not to be thought that these things were said concerning the sin of the uttered word, which some call solecisms and barbarisms. Unless, perhaps, someone might say that everyone possesses an inoffensive word in speech when he brings it forth irreproachable and without fault, even if he seems to say something empty, or laughable, or injurious, because he has spoken according to the rule of art. But because we do not say without consideration that the whole body has been taken for its passions and operations, note what is written, verse 5: "For the tongue, being a small member, boasteth great things." By accusing the speech, he is discerned to be accusing the tongue on its behalf, as though it were guilty and speaking other empty things. And since these things are so in that body, it follows that we must also understand such things concerning the whole body.
CAP. IV, VERS. 2, 3. "Ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts." Since the exposition of the Savior is true, who says: "Ask, and it shall be given to you"—which He also makes credible when He says: "Every one that asketh receiveth"—it is agreeable to inquire how some, while praying, are not heard so as to receive the things they requested for themselves through their petition. To these it must be said that he who comes by the congruent way to ask, leaving behind nothing of those things which pertain to obtaining what he desires, receives all that he asked to be given to him. But if anyone appears to ask outside the intention of the given petition, such a one is believed neither to be asking in a due manner nor, therefore, to receive what he asks. Is that which is said not false: "Every one that asketh receiveth?" For when the teacher says: "Everyone who comes to me for the sake of doctrines shall have the disciplines thereof," to come to the teacher is to be understood as being about the things themselves, that is, that he may also have a desire for the doctrines, that he may exercise and meditate upon them, and with total intention look toward those things which are being spoken by the master. B And such a man will perceive the discipline which the master promised to give. If anyone else has approached the teacher, not doing what has been aforementioned, but only so that he may be seen by him, and that he may see him, wishing to make the promise of the doctor false, it must be said to him: You have not approached him as he invited, but otherwise, and only to see him. For by making the epistle more manifest, and saying that those who seem to ask and do not receive are undoubtedly asking amiss, he says they have clung to empty lusts. Because, however, some insist, saying: Why do those who ask for knowledge and the perception of virtue not receive? It must be said to them: how is it that they themselves do not ask for the sake of the good things themselves being received, but that through them they may be praised: for it is the love of lust to want to acquire praises. Whence it is not given even to them, because they wish to possess what they seek in order to consume it upon their lusts.
VERS. 4. "Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world, is the enemy of God."
Since wickedness provides for the friendships of the world, while virtue acquires the charity of God, since virtue and wickedness cannot coexist. C "For he who, by sinning, loves the world, is shown to be an enemy of God; likewise also he who, through piety, confirms his friendships with God, is immediately found to be an adversary of the world. Therefore, as it is impossible to serve God and mammon, so it is to be a friend of God and the world at the same time."
Finally, Jesus coming, in order to make the friends of God obedient to Him, sent a sword and division upon the earth. For His word and doctrine divides and detaches from earthly and material things, through these preparing that there may be enmities toward the world and unity toward God: these are the friendships toward Him. Wherefore also He gives peace, not as the world gives to one who loves it: for that one, through the peace which it gives, invites the lovers of lust to bodily acts, and makes them passible; but Jesus, offering peace, constitutes them friends of God, loving Him with their whole heart. By the world, however, we must understand the bodily desires and the conversation of this world. D