For it is impossible to fulfill the law through the flesh, by which the proud, being ignorant of God's righteousness—that is, the righteousness which is from God for man that he may be righteous—and wishing to establish their own, as though the law could be fulfilled by their free will not divinely assisted, are not subject to the righteousness of God: therefore the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in those who walk not according to the flesh—that is, according to a man ignorant of God's righteousness—but who walk according to the spirit. 'In which it was weakened through the flesh.' It was weakened through concupiscences, that is, through carnal desires: therefore the law was not fulfilled, because there was not yet the charity of that very righteousness, which by an inward delight would hold the mind fast, lest it be dragged toward sin by delight in temporal things.
Therefore the law was weakened through the flesh: that is, it did not make righteous those who were given over to the flesh. 'God sending His Son in the likeness.' He took on flesh like that of other men, but without sin: because He was born neither of concupiscence nor of intercourse, but of a virgin. He does this against Photinus, who denies that the Son existed before the virgin's childbearing. 'Of sinful flesh.' It was not flesh of sin, because it was not born of carnal delight: yet there was in it the likeness of sinful flesh, because it was mortal flesh. 'And by sin He condemned sin.' And from the flesh, which in us formerly served sin, He conquered sin by not sinning: as if someone from among the barbarians should conquer barbarians.
The sacrifices which under the law they offered for sin were called by the name of sin, though they themselves knew no sin: so also the flesh of sin, which was offered for our sins, received the name of sin. Some say that from the sin of the Jews, who killed the Lord, He condemned the sin of the devil by which he had entangled man: as it is written to the Hebrews, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death. And rightly is death called sin, since it is agreed that it was begotten of sin. Some say that from the sin of the Jews, who had crucified Him, it came to pass that He shed His blood for the remission of sins. 'In the flesh.'
In that very flesh He conquered sin, in order that He might reform by His grace the nature which had been good by its creation and was corrupted by transgression, so that by His help it might be able to conquer sin: which nature had first been so made that it could refrain from sinning if it willed. But this was before the transgression, as I said: for now, through the grace of God, it is able either to avoid sin or to conquer it; yet in such a way that it always implores the Latin—rather, God—as its helper. 'That the justification of the law might be fulfilled in us.' Here he calls either grace itself 'law,' or certainly that justification of the law which was made manifest by the spirit hidden within the letter:
so that, since among those in whom the flesh was alive and resisting the justification of the law could not be fulfilled, it might be fulfilled in us who, by Christ's help, mortify the flesh with its vices. The precepts of the law are fulfilled through charity, which could not be fulfilled through fear. 'Who walk not according to the flesh': who conduct ourselves. 'But according to the spirit.' The flesh is made of earth, but the spirit is given by God. Each of these therefore desires the things whence it comes: the flesh, earthly things; the spirit, heavenly things. If therefore the spirit overcomes the flesh, heavenly things are wrought; but if it consents, earthly things will prevail. But who walks according to the spirit, except him who is led by the Spirit of God? 'For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God.' 'For those who.'
One man consists of spirit and flesh: when therefore he walks according to the flesh, he is flesh; when according to the spirit, he is spirit. 'They are according to the flesh.' The works of the flesh are manifest. 'They mind the things of the flesh.' They covet earthly and carnal goods as the highest goods. 'But those who are according to the spirit mind the things of the spirit,' that is, divine things. For God is spirit: whoever does not resist the will of God minds the things of the spirit. 'For the prudence of the flesh is death.' Prudence is named from foreseeing. Elsewhere he himself says that it is human prudence to return injury for injury. Such prudence therefore prepares death by transgressing the precept. Therefore it is the prudence of the flesh that each one should wish to avenge himself.
But the prudence of the spirit is not to render evil for evil: when the soul desires lower things, it is said to have the prudence of the flesh; when higher things, the prudence of the spirit. Not because the prudence of the flesh is a substance with which the soul is clothed or unclothed; but it is an affection of the soul itself, which will altogether cease to exist when it has turned itself wholly to higher things. 'But the prudence of the spirit is life and peace.' The prudence of the spirit both has peace in the present, by not rendering evil for evil, and for eternity merits eternal life, on account of obedience and peace, while by its patience it does not allow sin to increase. 'Because the wisdom of the flesh.' Not the flesh, but the carnal act. 'Is enmity against God.' For everything that is not subject to God is an enemy:
and whoever wishes to avenge himself exceeds even the measure of the old law: not because he can do any harm to God, but he harms himself. 'For it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can it be.' He said 'impossible' precisely so that in this way he might call them back from the enticements and luxury of the flesh: as if we should say, injustice cannot be just; as though it were said: Snow does not warm, nor indeed can it: for as long as it is snow, it does not warm; but it can be melted, it can even boil so as to warm, but when it does this, it is no longer snow. So too it is called the prudence of the flesh when it covets worldly things instead of heavenly ones: but when it begins to desire heavenly things, it ceases to be the prudence of the flesh. 'But those who are in the flesh.'
From this it is proved that he did not speak of the substance of the flesh. 'Cannot please God.' Because it cannot come to pass that those who live carnally and acquiesce in the desires of the flesh should not sin. 'But you are not in the flesh,' that is, in carnal desires, but in spiritual ones. 'But in the spirit.' In spiritual action they live spiritually who have the Spirit of God: in those the Spirit of God dwells in whom His fruit has appeared, as he says to the Galatians, 'the fruit of the Spirit.' 'If indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.' He who loves his enemies will understand that the Holy Spirit proceeds both from the substance of the Father and also from that of the Son:
because he who has His Spirit is of one and the same substance. And therefore, just as He is called the Spirit of the Father, so also of the Son. And therefore He said in the Gospel, 'He will receive of Mine.' 'If anyone,' he says, 'does not have the Spirit of God': that is, so as to pray for his persecutors, to love his enemies, to imitate Him in all things, as the apostle Peter says: 'Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example,' etc. For He Himself says to the disciples: 'You do not know of what spirit you are'—these were of His spirit, because they lived in faith, and hope, and charity. 'But if Christ.' If we always imitate Christ. The body, as though dead, even if it resists, does not conquer, as David says: 'But I, as a deaf man, did not hear; and Thou wilt hear me, O Lord my God.'
'Is in you,' by His grace. 'The body indeed.' The spirit lives and gives life, that we may do righteousness; but the flesh is dead, so that they may not be overcome by it. Not only is this sought, that the flesh should die, but also that the spirit should be quickened. At the same time note that the life of the soul is righteousness: it is fitting therefore that we not only cease from carnal things, but also do spiritual things. 'Is dead because of sin.' He calls the body dead as long as it is such that the neediness of bodily things troubles the soul, and by certain motions solicits and disturbs it. For sin is therefore called concupiscence, because it came about by the desert of sin: just as we speak of anyone's 'hand' in Scripture, because the hand made it. 'But the spirit lives because of justification.'
Here is described that man who lives under grace, and does not yet have perfect peace, which is to come by the resurrection and transformation of the body. For as long as we are in this life, there is no lack of either titillation or delight: for although he who lives under grace and with his mind serves the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin, does not yield. 'But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you'—of Him who raised Jesus Christ from the dead. If you so present yourselves as to be worthy for the Holy Spirit to dwell in, God will not allow the temple of His Spirit to perish: but just as He raised Jesus from the dead, so He has also quickened us. 'He will quicken your mortal bodies, because of His Spirit dwelling in you.'
When your mortal bodies are therefore quickened, not only will there be no consent to sinning, but not even the very concupiscence of the flesh to which one might consent. 'Therefore, brethren, we are debtors.' All this he does to show that the old law is not necessary for the faithful, since it was given for the carnal and for sinners. 'Not to the flesh, that we should live according to the flesh': that is, we are no longer subject to carnal habit. 'For if you live according to the flesh, you shall die.' If according to the reason set forth above, namely that carnal men cannot keep righteousness. 'But if by the Spirit you mortify the deeds of the flesh, you shall live.' He explains what he meant above by 'flesh,' namely, if by spiritual acts you subject the works of the flesh.
'For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God.' As many as are governed by the grace of God and the Holy Spirit. You do well then, if you are moved by Him; on the contrary, the sons of the devil are moved by his spirit, who sins from the beginning. 'For you have not received the spirit of bondage again in fear.' The Jews received a spirit in fear, which compelled them to bondage: because he who fears is a slave; but he who loves is a son: as it is written: 'A slave fears his master, and a son loves his father. If I am a father, where is my honor? If a master, where is my fear?' Therefore, as those who were unwilling to work righteousness out of love are compelled by fear and necessity, we on the contrary ought to do all things voluntarily, out of love, as sons.
'But you have received the spirit of the adoption of the sons of God.' We are then adopted when we are reborn through baptism: for before we were children of wrath; and if children of wrath, where is the fidelity of nature? 'In which we cry, Abba, Father.' He who calls upon a father shows himself to be a son. In all things therefore he ought to imitate the father, lest for a name unworthily usurped he be subject to a greater punishment. 'Crying,' that is, making us cry. 'The Spirit Himself bears witness to our spirit that we are sons.' It is a testimony of adoption that we have the Spirit, through whom we thus pray. So great a gift no one could receive except through the grace of the Son, which is the pledge, that is, the gift of the Holy Spirit. 'But if sons, then heirs indeed of God, but joint-heirs of Christ.'
He who by grace is made a son will merit to be an heir, and to become truly a joint-heir with the Son. 'If indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.' If we suffer with Him, this is patience, and also perseverance: because if we set before our eyes the gifts of God, which He endured for us who were impious, with such a helper we ought not to fear to suffer for Him, that we may be glorified together, as Saint John says: 'Now we are the sons of God; when He shall appear, we shall be like Him.' 'For I reckon that the sufferings of this time are not worthy to be compared with the future glory that shall be revealed in us.' What can a man suffer worthy of heavenly glory, even if that life were such as this present one now is? Whatever he suffers from death is no more than what even for his sins
was previously deserving. But now sins are both forgiven, and then eternal life will be given, and the splendor of the sun, etc. He shows the reward, so that death may more easily be despised, so that one may more safely come to Him. For we know men—what is worse—of their own accord to have crept up to the beasts for the sake of gold. This we ought to do, with God as helper, in tribulations for the Lord's sake: which, though they be temporal, bestow eternal salvation. If he says this, what of us? 'For the expectation of the creature awaits the revelation of the sons of God.' 'For the creature was made subject to vanity.' Some wish to understand the creature as Adam and Eve, whom the serpent, by the hope of divinity, subjected to vanity, and made to be subject to corruption though unwilling:
that is, not of themselves, because sinning they were condemned by a just judgment; because they themselves (they say) will be freed from the bondage of corruption. But by 'every creature' they say all men are meant, because up to the coming of Christ they were righteous, since they too have not yet received, but await in hope. 'And not only they, but we ourselves also,' in whom these things are fulfilled, still hope, we to whom it was said: 'Many prophets and righteous men desired to see the things which you see, and did not see them.' Therefore he says: 'They await the revelation of the sons of God'; all things will be thus for as long as there is resurrection; afterwards they will cease from activity, and be changed, according to the Scriptures. 'For it was made subject to vanity,' that is, to men who have vanished, whom other men serve.
Whatever has an end is vain in comparison with eternal life. 'Vanity (he says) of vanities, all is vanity.' Do not think that it has bestowed anything upon you, since it has given even perishable and worldly things. 'Not willing, but by reason of Him who subjected it, in hope.' Not of its own accord. Others say the angels, because they too are creatures, await that men be changed into the dignity of angels. 'Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption, into the liberty of the glory of the sons of God.' Those who wish to understand this of the creation of the world say this: When the sons of God are to be glorified, then the creation itself also will become free from bondage: because it too feels toil, just as land continually sown becomes barren.
'For we know that every creature groans and is in travail until now.' Those things which can groan, groan on account of excessive toil: because more is demanded of them than they can bear. But those things which have no sense, how do they groan? Unless perhaps they groan on account of our iniquities, just as at the Passion of the Lord the sun fled, because it could not bear to look upon the impiety of the Jews. 'And not only it, but we ourselves also, having the first-fruits of the spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, awaiting the adoption.' Not only the creature, which has no receptacle of the spirit, or carnal men; but even we who have known the joy of the time to come, grieve that we labor here longer. Likewise, in another way:
Not only the angels, who are more kindly disposed toward us, grieve over those who persevere in offenses; but we also who have the Holy Spirit groan over such people. 'The redemption of our body.' The resurrection of Christ is the redemption of our body. Or: we await the glorification in the future resurrection of our body: that this corruptible may put on incorruption. This little chapter is obscure, says Augustine, because it does not sufficiently appear what he now calls 'creature.' Now according to catholic teaching 'creature' is said of whatever God the Father has made and established, through His only-begotten Son, in the unity of the Holy Spirit. Therefore not only our bodies, but also our souls—that is, under the name of spirit—are contained under 'creature.'
But it is said thus: 'The creature itself shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the sons of God': as though we were not creatures, but sons of God, into the liberty of whose glory the creature that was made shall be delivered from bondage. Likewise he says: 'For we know that every creature groans and grieves until now. Not only it, but we ourselves also,' as though we were one thing, and every creature another. The whole chapter therefore must be considered piece by piece. 'For I reckon (he says) that the sufferings of this time are not worthy to be compared with the future glory that shall be revealed in us.' This is clear: for he had said above: 'But if by the Spirit you mortify the deeds of the flesh, you shall live.'
Which cannot happen without hardship, for which patience is necessary. To this pertains also what he said a little before: 'If indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.' Therefore what he says: 'For the expectation of the creature awaits the revelation of the sons of God,' I think he means this: For this very thing which grieves in us, when we mortify the deeds of the flesh—that is, when we hunger, or thirst through abstinence; while we bridle the delight of intercourse through chastity; when we endure the lacerations of injuries and the stings of insults through patience; while, neglecting and casting off our pleasures, we labor for the fruit of Mother Church:
whatever in us grieves in this and suchlike wearing-down is 'creature,' for both body and soul grieve, which are certainly creature, and it awaits the revelation of the sons of God—that is, it awaits when there shall appear what has been called. For since the only-begotten Son of God cannot be called a creature, seeing that through Him were made all things which God made, we are distinctly called 'creature' before that manifest glory; and we are distinctly called 'sons of God,' although we merit this by adoption. For that Only-begotten is Son by nature.
Therefore 'the expectation of the creature,' that is, our expectation, 'awaits the revelation of the sons of God'—that is, it awaits when there shall appear what has been promised, when in reality shall be made manifest what we now are in hope; for we are the sons of God, and it has not yet appeared what we shall be. 'For we know that when He shall appear, we shall be like Him: because we shall see Him as He is.' This is the revelation of the sons of God, which now the expectation of the creature awaits. For that the creature awaits the revelation of another nature—since it is not a creature, but that very one which now is such as it is—awaits when it shall be such as it is to be. As if it were said:
With the work set before the painter, the colors laid ready to hand and prepared for his work, the expectation of the colors awaits the revelation and manifestation of the image: not because they will then be others, or will not be colors, but only that they will then have a different dignity. 'For the creature was made subject to vanity': this is that saying: 'Vanity of vanities, and all is vanity. What abundance has a man in all his labor with which he labors under the sun?'—to whom it was said: 'In labor shalt thou eat bread?' 'For the creature was made subject to vanity not of its own accord.' Well is it added: 'Not of its own accord'; for man indeed sinned of his own accord, but was not condemned of his own accord. Sin therefore was voluntary, to act against the precept of truth; but the punishment of sin is to be made subject to falsehood.
Therefore not of its own accord was the creature made subject to vanity, but by reason of Him who subjected it in hope—that is, by reason of righteousness and clemency: who neither left sin unpunished, nor willed the sinner to be incurable. 'Because the creature itself also,' that is, man himself, when, having lost the seal of the image on account of sin, he remained only a creature—that creature, then, that is, that which is not yet called the perfect form of the sons, but is only called 'creature,' shall be delivered from the bondage of destruction. Therefore what he says, 'and it also shall be delivered,' gives us to understand: it also, just as we—that is, we must not despair even of those who are not yet called sons of God, because they have not yet believed, but are only creature:
because they too are creature, and shall be delivered from the bondage of destruction, just as we also who are already sons of God, although it has not yet appeared what we shall be. It shall therefore be delivered from the bondage of destruction into the liberty of the glory of the sons of God: that is, they themselves shall be free from being slaves, and glorious from being dead, in that perfect life which the sons of God shall have. 'For we know that every creature groans and grieves until now.' Every creature is numbered in man: not because all the angels, and the supereminent virtues and powers, heaven, earth and sea, and all things in them, are in him; but because every creature is partly spiritual, partly animal, partly corporeal: as He says in the Gospel: 'Preach the Gospel to every creature.'
And to the Colossians: 'In the hope of the Gospel, which was preached in every creature that is under heaven.' That we may consider this from the lower things: corporeal creation is shown by place; but the animal quickens corporeal things; the animal governs, and then governs well when it subjects itself to God to be governed. But when it transgresses His precepts, it is entangled in labors and hardships by those very things which it could have governed. He therefore who lives by the body is called a carnal or an animal man: carnal, because he pursues carnal things; but animal, because he is carried away by the dissolute wantonness of his soul, which the spirit does not govern, nor restrain within the bounds of the natural order, because it too does not submit itself to God to be governed.
But he who by the spirit governs the soul, and through the soul the body—which he cannot do unless he himself also has the Lord as his director: since, just as the man cannot be the head of the woman, so Christ is the head of the man—is called spiritual, because even so his life is now passed with some hardship; but afterwards he will suffer none. And since the highest angels live spiritually, but the lowest animally, but the beasts and all cattle carnally, while the body does not live but is quickened, every creature is in man, because he both understands by spirit, and perceives by soul, and moves locally by body. Every creature therefore groans and grieves in man:
for he did not say 'the whole,' but 'every,' as if someone should say that all men who are unharmed see the sun, but do not see with their whole selves, because they see only with their eyes. So in man is every creature, who both understands, and lives, and has a body; but not the whole creature is in him, because there are besides him both angels, who understand, and live, and are; and cattle, which live and are; and bodies, which merely are: since to live itself is more than not to live, and to understand itself is more than to live without understanding. When therefore wretched man groans and grieves, every creature groans together and grieves.
But he rightly said 'until now,' because even if there are already some in Abraham's bosom, and that thief established in paradise had ceased to grieve on the day he believed; nevertheless until now every creature groans together and grieves, because in those who are not yet delivered there is the 'every' through spirit and body and soul. 'And not only,' he says, 'does every creature groan together and grieve, but we ourselves also.' That is: not only in man do body, and soul, and spirit grieve together from the difficulties of the body; but we ourselves also, apart from our bodies, groan together within our very selves. And well did he say: 'Having the first-fruits of the spirit,' that is, those whose spirit has already been offered to God as a sacrifice, and has been laid hold of in the divine fire of charity.
These are the first-fruits of man, because truth first takes possession of our spirit, so that through this the rest may be laid hold of; or because we first received the spirit at the very coming of redemption. Therefore he already has the first-fruits offered to God who says: 'With the mind I serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.' And he who says: 'God, to whom is my speaking in my spirit.' And of whom it is said: 'The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.' But since he still says: 'Wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?' and still elsewhere it is said: 'He will quicken even your mortal bodies, and because of His Spirit remaining in you': it is not yet a holocaust; but it will be, when death shall be swallowed up in victory, when it shall be said to it: 'Where is thy strife, O death?'
'Where, O death, is thy sting?' Now therefore, he says, not only does every creature—that is, together with the body—but we ourselves, having the first-fruits of the Spirit—that is, we souls, because we have offered our minds as first-fruits to God—groan within ourselves: that is, apart from the body, awaiting the adoption, the redemption of our body: that is, so that the body itself also, receiving the benefit of the adoption of sons by which we have been called, may show us wholly delivered, all our troubles being passed, to be sons of God on every side. 'For by hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is not hope.' Then therefore will that be a reality, which now is hope, when it shall appear that we are like Him, since we shall see Him as He is.
If this chapter is opened up in this manner, as it has been treated, we shall not fall into those difficulties by which very many men are compelled to say that all the angels and sublime virtues are in grief and groaning before we are wholly delivered: because it is said, 'Every creature groans together and grieves.' For although they help us according to their sublimity, while they obey God, who deigned to send His only Son for us; nevertheless they are to be believed to do this without groaning and grief, lest they be thought wretched, and Lazarus—of our number—who already rests in Abraham's bosom, be more blessed: especially since he said that the same creature, which groans and grieves, was made subject to vanity:
which it is impious to believe of the highest and most excellent creatures among the virtues and powers. Then he said it was delivered from the bondage of destruction, into which we cannot believe those to have fallen who lead a most blessed life in the heavens. Yet nothing must be rashly affirmed, and the divine words must be handled again and again with pious diligence: lest perhaps, when 'it groans and grieves, and is made subject to vanity,' it might be able to be understood in some other way, so that concerning the highest angels—as long as, by the Lord's command, they do not succor our weakness—it might not be possible to reckon it. But whether that exposition which we have carried out, or another of this chapter be brought forward, this only must be guarded against, that it neither violate nor wound the catholic faith: