It is clear from all this^[1] that there are two kinds of perfections in holy Scripture, and two kinds of justices and two kinds of fears. The first kind of perfection, and its comparable truth, and perfect justice and fear, which is the beginning of wisdom, are compatible with the virtues of God; but the second kind of perfection, which befits not only human beings but also every living creature, and our weakness, according to what is said in the Psalms: In your sight no one living shall be justified, is the kind of justice that is called perfect, not in comparison with God but according to the knowledge of God. Job, Zachariah and Elizabeth are called just, according to this latter type of perfection, which can change on occasions into injustice, and not according to the former type, which can never change, of which it is said, I am God, and I change not.^[2]

Atticus:^[1] From this^[2] it is clear that people are called righteous and said to be without fault; but that, if negligence comes over them, they may fall. [It is also clear] that a person always occupies a middle place, so that he may slip from the height of virtue into vice or may rise from vice to virtue. He is never safe but must dread shipwreck even in fair weather. Therefore, a person cannot be without sin. Solomon says, There is not a righteous person on earth that does good and sins not.^[3] Likewise in the book of Kings [2 Chronicles]: There is no one that sins not.^[4] So, also, the blessed David says, Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from hidden faults, and keep back your servant from presumptuous sins.^[5] And again, Enter not into judgment with your servant, for in your sight shall no one living be justified. Holy Scripture is full of passages to the same effect.

And so, my glory and my life, God of my heart, I will lay aside for a while all the good deeds that my mother did. For them I thank you, but now I pray to you for her sins. Hear me through your Son, who hung on the cross and now sits at your right hand and pleads for us,^[1] for he is the true medicine of our wounds. I know that my mother always acted with mercy and that she forgave others with all her heart when they trespassed against her. Forgive her too, O Lord, if ever she trespassed against you in all the long years of her life after baptism. Forgive her, I beseech you; do not call her to account.^[2] Let your mercy give your judgment an honorable welcome,^[3] for your words are true and you have promised mercy to the merciful. If they are merciful, it is by your gift; and you will show pity on those whom you pity; you will show mercy where you are merciful.^[4]

And now, to summarize briefly and comprehensively the idea I have of the virtue that belongs to right living: that virtue is charity by means of which we love what we should love. This is greater in some, less in others, lacking in still others; its fullest measure, beyond which there is no increase, is found in no one as long as he lives the life of a human being. As long as it is subject to increase, the defect by which it is less than it ought to be is accounted as vice; by reason of this vice there is no just person on earth who will do good and sin not;^[1] because of this vice, no one living shall be justified in the sight of God; because of this vice, If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us;^[2] because of it, also, however much progress we have made, we still have to say, Forgive us our debts,^[3] even though in baptism all our words, deeds, thoughts have been forgiven. Therefore, he who sees rightly sees where and when and whence that perfection is to be hoped for, to which no addition is possible. But, if there were no commandments, there would certainly be no norm by which a person might look into himself and see what he should avoid, what he should strive after, what he should rejoice in, what he should pray for. Commandments, then, are highly useful, if only because free will is thereby given the opportunity of doing greater honor to the grace of God.

Whether in this world there has ever been or could be anyone living so just a life as to be entirely without sin can be a subject of some discussion among true and pious Christians. Nevertheless, if anyone doubts that such a person surely can exist after this life, he lacks good sense. But, for my part, I do not wish to argue the point even as it concerns this life. For although it appears to me that one cannot understand otherwise the passage of Scripture that reads, In your sight no one living shall be justified, and other similar passages, still I would that it were possible to show either that such testimonies could be understood more favorably or that a complete and perfect justice, to which it would be impossible to add anything, had in the past been realized in someone while he lived in this body, is presently being realized and will be realized in the future. But even so, there are far more who, while not doubting it is necessary for them up to the last day of their life to say, Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors,^[1] still confess that in Christ and his promises they have a true, certain and firm hope. At all events, there is no other way than the helping grace of the Savior, Christ crucified, and the gift of his Spirit, by which any persons, whoever they be, can arrive at absolute perfection or by which anyone can attain the slightest progress to true and holy justice—whoever denies this, I question whether he can be counted in the number of true Christians of any sort.

In another way tears flow, proceeding without any consciousness of deadly sin, yet still from the fear of hell and an awareness of that terrible judgment. With such terror, the prophet was struck and prayed to God, saying: Do not enter into judgment with your servant, for in your sight shall no one living be justified.

But if someone asks why God predicted all the things predestined and still did not promise all the predestined things, we answer that it cannot be called a promise unless when it is predicted that something is going to be done, what is done can be of use to the one to whom it is promised. What is promised is always something of a gift but not always something of a judgment, since the gift of what is promised always brings happiness while the severity of a judgment sometimes saddens.

As the prophet, fearing something of this sort, pours out his prayer to God: Do not enter into judgment with your servant, for no one living is righteous before you. For he knew that all would have to be restrained by the equal chain of punishment unless God, in those whom he willed, made mercy surpass judgment. Justification and glorification that do not exist in a human being from a human being, but from God, have been both predicted and promised because they were to be of great benefit to the saints.

Let that foe^[1] of yours upbraid you,^[2] but do you not upbraid him. Regard his words as a training ground in which to exercise philosophy. If you have not been pierced, you are still unwounded, and, if your spirit suffers some injury, confine the hurt within yourself; for the psalmist says, my heart within me is troubled, that is, he gave no outward expression of his feelings but repressed them, as a wave that breaks against the shore and subsides. Quiet your heart, I beg you, when it howls and rages. Make your passions honor your reason, as an unruly boy respects the presence of a venerable man.

Put two people together; one wants to go to the show, the other to church. They are joined in body, separated by their desires. The first is like the salt water, the second appears as dry land. How can we prove that this land is dry, which signifies people desiring good things? The psalmist says to God, My soul is like land without water to you. My soul has thirsted for you; it is thirsty, it is dry, it is segregated from the waters of the sea. It must not bother about not yet being segregated in the body; its desire has already made the separation. Some desire God, others desire the world.

It can be proved, too, that just as the Father is good and the Son is good, so the Holy Spirit is good. Of the Father, the Only-Begotten speaks in the Gospel: One there is who is good, that is God.^[1] Of himself he says, I am the good Shepherd.^[2] So, too, of the Holy Spirit, David in his psalms says to the Lord, Your good spirit shall lead me into the right land. Just as it is said of the Son, The word of the Lord is right,^[3] so of the Holy Spirit it is said, Renew a right spirit within [me].^[4]

Let us entreat the help of the grace of this Spirit in all our actions, dearly beloved. Let us all, individually and collectively, say to the Lord, Let your good Spirit lead me in the right way. And so it will come to pass that the one who came down on the apostles and declared to them the things that were to come may disclose also to our minds the joys of the life to come. May he kindly set us on fire to seek these joys, with the cooperation of the one who is accustomed both to promise and to give him to his faithful, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever. Amen.