1. For just as here, in comparison with those who live justly, anyone is called perfect—because the just man does the precepts, but the perfect man transcends the precepts—so the same man, set beside those absolutely perfect who are to be in the blessed life, is not, so to speak, perfectly perfect; for even though all his iniquity is forgiven him, his weakness is not yet healed but is being healed; and therefore, even though he does not sin, so as to be truly perfect, he can nonetheless sin: because, not yet healed with all weakness consumed; and through this, where, cleansed from all sin, he will not be able to sin, there he will be perfectly sound and supremely perfect.
But here, however great the excellence of holiness by which one may stand out, however great the eminence of perfection by which one may excel, he can indeed become perfect according to the measure of this life; yet he is not so secure of his perfection that he ought not to be anxious about a fall: and assuredly where there is anxiety, there is no absolute blessedness. Which is by no means to be believed perfect, if it has not been secure; nor will it be secure, unless eternal security has consumed all anxiety. Wherefore those who are called blessed in this life are blessed by the hope of future blessedness; but in the reality itself they are to be blessed not here, but in that life:
because there the blessedness of all the blessed will be perfect, where human nature, perfectly beatified, is to see the glory of its Creator and its own, and will cleave to him without any failing of its blessedness.