{"collection":"chr","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/chr/ecf/105/1050282.htm","path":"chr/ecf/105/1050282.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/chr/ecf/105/1050282.htm","text":"Chapter 35 [XXXI.]\u2014Why God Does Not Immediately Cure Pride Itself. The Secret and Insidious Growth of Pride. Preventing and Subsequent Grace.\nBut I would indeed so treat these topics, as to confess myself ignorant of God\u2019s deeper counsel, why He does not at once heal the very principle of pride, which lies in wait for man\u2019s heart even in deeds rightly done; and for the cure of which pious souls, with tears and strong crying, beseech Him that He would stretch forth His right hand and help their endeavours to overcome it, and somehow tread and crush it under foot. Now when a man has felt glad that he has even by some good work overcome pride, from the very joy he lifts up his head and says: \u201cBehold, I live; why do you triumph? Nay, I live because you triumph.\u201d Premature, however, this forwardness of his to triumph over pride may perhaps be, as if it were now vanquished, whereas its last shadow is to be swallowed up, as I suppose, in that noontide which is promised in the scripture which says, \u201cHe shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday;\u201d 1214 provided that be done which was written in the preceding verse: \u201cCommit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass,\u201d 1215 \u2014not, as some suppose, that they themselves bring it to pass. Now, when he said, \u201cAnd He shall bring it to pass,\u201d he evidently had none other in mind but those who say, We ourselves bring it to pass; that is to say, we ourselves justify our own selves. In this matter, no doubt, we do ourselves, too, work; but we are fellow-workers with Him who does the work, because His mercy anticipates us. He anticipates us, however, that we may be healed; but then He will also follow us, that being healed we may grow healthy and strong. He anticipates us that we may be called; He will follow us that we may be glorified. He anticipates us that we may lead godly lives; He will follow us that we may always live with Him, because without Him we can do nothing. 1216 Now the Scriptures refer to both these operations of grace. There is both this: \u201cThe God of my mercy shall anticipate me,\u201d 1217 and again this: \u201cThy mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.\u201d 1218 Let us therefore unveil to Him our life by confession, not praise it with a vindication. For if it is not His way, but our own, beyond doubt it is not the right one. Let us therefore reveal this by making our confession to Him; for however much we may endeavour to conceal it, it is not hid from Him. It is a good thing to confess unto the Lord.","title":"Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Vol. V: A Treatise on Nat...","type":"page"}