Chapter 12. That, to the End We May Be Fully Persuaded of the Free Justification, We Must Lift Up Our Minds to the Judgment Seat of God

Although it appears by most evident testimonies, that all these things are true, yet we shall not clearly perceive how necessary they be, until we have set before our eyes those things that ought to be the grounds of all this disputation. First therefore let us remember this, that we purpose not to speak of the righteousness of a worldly judicial court, but of the heavenly judgment seat: that we should not measure by our own small portion, by what uprightness of works God's judgment may be satisfied. But it is marvelous to see with what rashness and boldness it is commonly debated. Indeed it is to be seen how none do more boldly or with fuller mouths (as the saying is) prattle of the righteousness of works, than they that are either monstrously sick of open outward diseases, or be ready to burst with inward vices. That comes to pass because they think not upon the righteousness of God, of which if they had ever so little feeling, they would never make so great a mockery of it. And truly it is out of measure lightly regarded, when it is not acknowledged to be such and so perfect that nothing be imputed to it but every way whole and absolute, and defiled with no uncleanness: such as never was and never shall be able to be found in man. It is indeed easy and ready for every man in schools to talk vainly upon the worthiness of works to justify men. But when they come into the sight of God, such dalliances must avoid, because there is earnest doing used, and no trifling strife about words. To this, to this I say, we must apply our mind, if we will profitably inquire of true righteousness, how we may answer the heavenly judge when he calls us to account. Let us think him to be a judge, not such a one as our own understandings do of themselves imagine: but such a one as he is painted out in the Scripture, with whose brightness the stars shall be darkened, by whose strength the hills do melt away, by whose wrath the earth is shaken, by whose wisdom the wise are taken in their subtlety, by whose purity all things are proved impure, whose righteousness the Angels are not able to bear, which makes the innocent not innocent, whose vengeance when it is once kindled pierces to the bottom of hell. If he (I say) sit to examine men's doings, who shall appear assured before his throne? Who shall dwell with a devouring fire? says the Prophet. Who shall abide with continual burnings? He that walks in righteousness and speaks truth, etc. But let such a one come forth, whatever he be. But that answer makes, that none comes forth. For this terrible saying sounds to the contrary: Lord if you mark iniquities, Lord, who shall abide it? Truly all must needs immediately perish, as it is written in another place: Shall man be justified if he be compared with God, or shall he be purer than his maker? Behold they that serve him are not faithful, and he has found perverseness in his Angels. How much more shall they that dwell in houses of clay, and that have an earthly foundation, be consumed with moths? They shall be cut down from the morning to the evening. Behold among his Saints there is none faithful, and the heavens are not clean in his sight: how much more is man abominable and unprofitable, which drinks iniquity as water? I grant indeed that in the book of Job, is mention made of a righteousness that is higher than the keeping of the law. And it is good to understand this distinction: because although a man did satisfy the law, yet he could not so stand to the trial of that righteousness that passes all senses. Therefore although Job be clear in his own conscience, yet he is amazed, and not able to speak, because he sees that very angelic holiness can not appease God, if he exactly weigh their works. But I therefore will at this time pass over that righteousness which I have spoken of, because it is incomprehensible: but only this I say, that if our life be examined by the rule of the written law, we are more than senseless if so many curses with which the Lord has willed us to be awakened do not torment us with horrible fear, and among other this general curse, Cursed is every one that does not abide in all the things that are written in this book. Finally all this discourse shall be but unsavory and cold, unless every man yield himself guilty before the heavenly judge, and willingly throw down and abase himself, being careful how he may be acquitted.

To this, to this I say, we should have lifted up our eyes, to learn rather to tremble for fear, than vainly to rejoice. It is indeed easy so long as the comparison extends no further than men, for every man to think himself to have somewhat which others ought not to despise. But when we rise up to have respect to God, then suddenly that confidence falls to the ground and comes to nothing. And in the same case altogether is our soul in respect of God, as man's body is in respect of the heavens. For the sight of the eye, so long as it continues in viewing things that lie near to it, does show of what piercing force it is, but if it be once directed up to the sun, then being dazzled and dulled with the too great brightness thereof, it feels no less feebleness of itself in beholding of the sun, than it perceived strength in beholding inferior things. Therefore let us not deceive ourselves with vain confidence, although we count ourselves either equal or superior to other men: but that is nothing to God, by whose will this knowledge is to be tried. But if our wildness can not be tamed with these admonitions, he will answer to us as he said to the Pharisees: you are they that justify yourselves before men: but that which is high to men is abominable to God. Now go your way and proudly boast of your righteousness among men, while God from heaven abhors it. But what say the servants of God that are truly instructed with his Spirit? Enter not into judgment with your servant, because every living man shall not be justified in your sight. Another says, although in somewhat diverse meaning. Man can not be righteous with God: if he will contend with him, he shall not be able to answer one for a thousand. Here we now plainly hear what is the righteousness of God, even such as can be satisfied with no works of men, to whom when it examines us of a thousand offenses, we can not purge ourselves of one. Such a righteousness had that same chosen instrument of God Paul conceived, when he professed that he knew himself guilty in nothing, but that he was not thereby justified.

And not only such examples are in the holy Scriptures, but also all godly writers do show that they were always of this mind. So Augustine says: All the godly that groan under this burden of corruptible flesh, and in this weakness of life, have this only hope that we have one mediator Jesus Christ the righteous, and he is the appeasement for our sins. What says he? If this be their only hope, where is the confidence of works? For when he calls it only, he leaves none other. And Bernard says: And indeed where is safe and steadfast rest and assurance for the weak, but in the wounds of the Savior? And so much the surer I dwell therein as he is mightier to save. The world rages, the body burdens, the devil lies in wait I fall not, because I am built upon the sure rock. I have sinned a grievous sin my conscience is troubled, but it shall not be overly troubled, because I shall remember the wounds of the Lord. And hereupon afterward he concludes: Therefore my merit is the Lord's taking of mercy, I am not utterly without merit, so long as he is not without mercies. But if the mercies of the Lord are many, then I also have as many merits. Shall I sing my own righteousness? Lord I will remember only your righteousness. For that is also my righteousness, for he is made to me righteousness of God. Again in another place: This is the whole merit of man, if he put his whole hope in him that saves whole man. Likewise where retaining peace to himself he leaves the glory to God. To you (says he) let glory remain undiminished: it shall be well with me, if I have peace. I forswear glory altogether, lest if I wrongfully take upon me that which is not my own, I lose also that which is offered me. And more plainly in another place he says: Why should the church be careful of merits, which has a surer and safer way to glory upon the purpose of God? So there is no cause why you should ask, by what merits we hope for good things, especially when you hear in the Prophet, I will do it, not for your sakes, but for my own sake, says the Lord. It suffices for merit, to know that merits suffice not. But as it suffices for merit not to presume of merits, so to be without merits suffices for judgment. Whereas he freely uses this word merits for good works, we must therein bear with the custom. But in the end his purpose was to make hypocrites afraid, that wildly range with licentiousness of sinning against the grace of God. As afterward he expounds himself, saying: Happy is the Church that neither lacks merits without presumption, nor presumption without merits. It has whereupon to presume, but not merits. It has merits, but to deserve not to presume. Is not the very not presuming a deserving? Therefore it presumes so much the more boldly, because it presumes not, having large matter to glory upon, even the many mercies of the Lord.

This is the truth. The exercised consciences perceive this to be the only sanctuary of safety, wherein they may safely rest themselves when they have to do with the judgment of God. For if the stars that seemed most bright in the night season lose their brightness at the sight of the sun, what do we think shall become even of the rarest innocence of man, when it shall be compared with the purity of God? For that shall be a most severe examination, that shall pierce into the most hidden thoughts of the heart, and (as Paul says) shall reveal the secrets of darkness, and disclose the hidden things of the heart, which shall compel the lurking and unwilling conscience to utter all things that are now fallen out of remembrance. The Devil our accuser will press us, who is privy to all the wicked deeds that he has moved us to do. There the outward pompous shows of good works which now only are esteemed shall nothing profit us. Only the purity of will shall be required. Therefore the hypocrisy, not only by which every man knowing himself guilty before God desires to boast himself before men, but also by which every man deceives himself before God (as we are all inclined to flatter ourselves) shall fall down confounded, however proud it now may be with more than drunken [reconstructed: boldness]. They that bend not their wit to such a sight may indeed for a short time sweetly and pleasantly frame a righteousness to themselves, but it is such a righteousness as shall by and by be shaken away from them at the judgment of God — like great riches heaped up in a dream that vanish away from men when they awake. But they that shall earnestly, as it were in the sight of God, inquire of the true rule of righteousness, shall certainly find that all the works of men, if they be judged by their own worthiness, are nothing but defilements and filthiness; that that which among the common people is accounted righteousness is before God mere wickedness; that that which is judged purity is uncleanness; that that which is reckoned glory is but shame.

From this beholding of the perfection of God, let it not grieve us to descend to look upon ourselves without flattery or blind affection of love. For it is no marvel if we be all so blind in this behalf, for as much as none of us is aware of the pestilent tenderness toward himself which (as the Scripture cries out) naturally sticks fast in us all. To every man (says Solomon) his own way is right in his own eyes. Again: all the ways of man seem clean in his own eyes. But what? Is he acquitted by this blindness? No. But (as he further says in the same place) the Lord weighs the hearts — that is to say, while man flatters himself by reason of the outward visor of righteousness that he bears in resemblance, in the meantime the Lord with his balance examines the hidden uncleanness of the heart. Therefore since we so nothing profit with such flatteries, let us not willfully mock ourselves to our own destruction. But that we may try ourselves rightly, we must necessarily call back our conscience to the judgment seat of God. For we altogether need his light to disclose the secret foldings of our perverseness, which otherwise lie too deeply hidden. For then, and never until then, we shall clearly perceive what is meant hereby: that man being rottenness and a worm, abominable and vain, who drinks wickedness as water, is far from being justified before God. For who should make that clean that is conceived of unclean seed? Not one man. Then shall we also find by experience that which Job said of himself: If I will go about to show myself innocent, my own mouth shall condemn me; if I will show myself righteous, it will prove me wicked. For that is not meant of one age only, but of all ages, which the Prophet in old time complained of Israel — that all went astray like sheep, that every one turned aside to his own way. For he there comprehends all them to whom the grace of redemption should come. And the rigorousness of this examination ought to proceed so far, until it subdues us, so that we be fully thrown down with it all, and by that means prepare us to receive the grace of Christ. For he is deceived who thinks himself able to receive the enjoying of this grace, until he has first thrown down all haughtiness of mind. This is a known saying: that God confounds the proud, and gives grace to the humble.

But what way is there to humble ourselves, but that we, being altogether needy and empty, should give place to the mercy of God? For I do not call it humility, if we think that we have anything remaining with us. And until now they have taught a very hurtful hypocrisy, that have joined these two things together, that we must think humbly of ourselves before God, and that we must make some account of our own righteousness. For if we confess to God contrary to our own thinking, we do wickedly lie to him: but we cannot think as we ought, but that by and by all that seems glorious in us must be trodden under foot. Therefore when you hear in the Prophet, that there is prepared salvation for the humble people, and abasement for the eyes of the wicked: first think, that there is no entry open to salvation, until you have laid away all pride and taken to you perfect humility: then, that the same humility is not a certain modesty whereby you give over to the Lord a hair's breadth of your own right, as they are called humble before men that do neither presumptuously advance themselves, nor reproachfully triumph over others, although they stand upon some estimation of their own excellence: but an unfeigned submission of a mind thrown down with feeling of his own misery and neediness. For it is so described each where in the word of God. When the Lord says thus in Zephaniah: I will take away out of you him that outrageously rejoices, and I will leave in the midst of you the afflicted man, and the poor man, and they shall trust in the Lord: does he not there plainly show who are humble? Even they that lie afflicted with knowledge of their own poverty. On the other side he calls the proud, outrageous rejoicers, because men joying in prosperity are wont to rejoice without measure. But to the humble whom he purposes to save, he leaves nothing but to trust in the Lord. And likewise it is said in Isaiah: Whom shall I look to, but to the poor and contrite in spirit, and him that fears my words? Again: The high and excellent, that inhabits eternity, his name is holy, that dwells on high, and in the holy place, and with the contrite and humble spirit, to quicken the spirit of the humble and the heart of the contrite. When you so often hear the name of contrition, understand thereby the wound of the heart, that suffers not a man thrown down on the ground to rise again. With such contrition ought your heart to be wounded, if you will according to the saying of God be advanced with the humble. If that be not done, you shall be brought low with the mighty hand of God to your shame and disgrace.

And our best Schoolmaster, thinking it not enough to show it out in words, has also set out to us in a parable the image of true humility as in a painted table. For he brings forth a publican that standing afar off, not daring to lift up his eyes to heaven, with much knocking his breast prays in this wise: Lord be merciful to me a sinner. Let us not think these to be tokens of feigned modesty, that he dare not look up to heaven, nor to come nearer, that with knocking his breast he confesses himself a sinner: but let us know that they are testimonies of inward affection. On the other side he sets the Pharisee, who thanks God that he is not of the common sort of men, either an oppressor, or an unrighteous man, or an adulterer, because he fasted twice on the Sabbath, and gave tithes of all that he possessed. He does with open confession acknowledge that the righteousness which he has is the gift of God: but because he stands in confidence that he is righteous, he departs from God unfavored and in hatred. The publican by acknowledging of his own wickedness is justified. Hereby we may see, how great is the estimation of our humbling ourselves before God: so that the heart cannot be open to receive his mercy, unless it be first void of all opinion of his own worthiness. When this opinion has possessed the place, it shuts up the way for God's mercy to enter. And that no man should doubt hereof, Christ was sent of his father into the earth with this commission, to bring glad tidings to the poor, to heal the contrite in heart, to preach liberty to the captive, and deliverance to them that were shut up in prison, and to comfort them that mourn: to give them glory for ashes, oil for mourning, the robe of praise for the spirit of sorrow. According to this commission, he calls none but them that labor and are laden to take part of his liberality. And in another place he says: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.

Therefore if we will give place to the calling of Christ, let all arrogance and carelessness depart far away from us. Arrogance grows of a foolish persuasion of our own righteousness, when a man thinks himself to have somewhat, by the deserving of which he may be commended before God, carelessness may be even without any persuasion of works. For many sinners, because being drunk with sweetness of vices they think not upon the judgment of God, lie as it were senselessly amazed with a disease of drowsiness, that they aspire not to the mercy offered them. But we must no less shake off such dull sluggishness, than we must cast away all vain confidence of ourselves, that we may without encumbrance hasten to Christ, that we being empty and hungry may be filled with his good things. For we shall never sufficiently have trust in him, unless we utterly distrust ourselves, we shall never sufficiently raise up our courages in him, unless they be first thrown down in ourselves. We shall never sufficiently have consolation in him, unless we be first desolate in ourselves. Therefore we are then fit to take hold of and obtain the favor of God, casting away all trust of ourselves, but trusting upon the only assuredness of his goodness, when (as Augustine says) forgetting our own deservings, we embrace the gifts of Christ. Because if he sought deservings in us, we should not come to his gifts. With this Bernard very well accords, comparing proud men to unfaithful servants, that arrogantly claim anything, be it never so little, to their own deservings: because they do wrongfully keep to themselves the praise of grace passing by them, as if a wall would say that it brings forth the sunbeam which it receives through a window. But, not to tarry longer hereupon, let us take a short but a general and sure rule, that he is prepared to take part of the fruits of God's mercy, that has utterly emptied himself, I will not say of righteousness, which is none at all, but of the vain and windy image of righteousness. Because every man so much hinders his receiving of the liberality of God as he rests in himself.

Although the most clear testimonies prove all these things to be true, we will not fully understand how necessary they are until we set before our eyes the foundations on which this entire discussion rests. First, let us remember that we are not speaking of the righteousness of a human court of law but of the heavenly judgment seat — and that we must not measure by our own small standard what degree of upright conduct can satisfy God's judgment. But it is astonishing to see how carelessly and boldly people ordinarily discuss this subject. Indeed, it can be observed that none speak more boldly or more confidently about the righteousness of works than those who are either openly riddled with outward vices or about to burst with hidden ones. This happens because they are not thinking about the righteousness of God — of which, if they had even the smallest sense, they would never make such light of it. And truly, righteousness is treated far too lightly when it is not recognized as so perfect that nothing less than what is wholly complete and absolute — untainted by any impurity — can meet its standard. Such righteousness never has existed and never will be found in any human being. It is easy enough for anyone to hold forth in classrooms about the worthiness of works to justify people. But when they come before God, all such games must stop — because there, serious business is done, and there is no room for verbal sparring. To this — to this, I say — we must direct our minds if we want to truly inquire into real righteousness: how we will be able to answer the heavenly Judge when He calls us to account. Let us think of Him as a judge not as our own imagination pictures Him, but as He is portrayed in Scripture: by whose brightness the stars go dark, before whose power the mountains melt, by whose wrath the earth trembles, by whose wisdom the wise are caught in their own cunning, by whose purity all things are proved impure — whose righteousness even the angels cannot bear, before whom the innocent are found guilty, and whose vengeance, once kindled, reaches to the depths of hell. If He, I say, sits to examine human conduct, who will appear assured before His throne? 'Who among us can live with the devouring fire?' asks the prophet. 'Who among us can live with continual burning?' 'He who walks righteously and speaks truth,' and so on. Let such a person step forward, whoever he may be. But that answer means no one steps forward. For this terrifying word speaks to the contrary: 'Lord, if You should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?' All must immediately perish, as it is written elsewhere: 'Can a man be righteous before God? Can a mortal be pure before his Maker? Behold, He puts no trust in His servants, and He charges His angels with error — how much more those who dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust? They are crushed before the moth. From morning to evening they are broken to pieces.' 'Behold, He puts no trust in His holy ones, and the heavens are not pure in His sight — how much less one who is abominable and corrupt, man, who drinks iniquity like water?' I acknowledge that the book of Job mentions a righteousness that goes even beyond the keeping of the law. And it is useful to understand this distinction: even if a person were to satisfy the law, he still could not stand the test of that righteousness which surpasses all human comprehension. Therefore, though Job was clear in his own conscience, he was struck silent and overwhelmed — because he saw that even angelic holiness cannot satisfy God when He examines works with strict exactness. But I will set aside that incomprehensible righteousness for now and say only this: if our life is examined by the standard of the written law, we are more than senseless if the many curses by which the Lord intends to awaken us do not fill us with dread — especially this general curse: 'Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in this book.' In the end, all of this discussion will be cold and hollow unless every person acknowledges himself guilty before the heavenly Judge, willingly humbles and lowers himself, and is earnestly concerned about how he may be acquitted.

To this — to this, I say — we should have lifted our eyes, to learn to tremble with fear rather than to rejoice in vain confidence. So long as the comparison extends no further than other people, it is easy for everyone to think they have something others should not despise. But the moment we look upward to God, that confidence instantly collapses and comes to nothing. Our soul's condition before God is altogether like the human eye's condition before the sun. The eye, as long as it is looking at nearby things, shows its sharpness and power. But when it is turned toward the sun, it is dazzled and dimmed by the overwhelming brightness and feels its own weakness in looking at the sun just as keenly as it felt its strength in looking at lesser things. Therefore let us not deceive ourselves with empty confidence just because we consider ourselves equal to or better than other people — that counts for nothing before God, whose standard alone matters. But if our stubbornness cannot be tamed by these warnings, He will say to us what He said to the Pharisees: 'You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God.' Go ahead, then, and boast proudly of your righteousness before people — while God in heaven abhors it. But what do the servants of God who are truly taught by His Spirit say? 'Do not enter into judgment with Your servant, for in Your sight no living man is righteous.' Another says, in somewhat different terms: 'A man cannot be in the right before God. If he contends with Him, he cannot answer Him once out of a thousand times.' Here we plainly hear what the righteousness of God is: a standard that no human works can satisfy, and before which, when it charges us with a thousand offenses, we cannot clear ourselves of even one. Such a righteousness was what God's chosen instrument Paul had grasped, when he declared that he was aware of nothing against himself — and yet acknowledged that this did not justify him.

Not only do such examples appear throughout holy Scripture, but all godly writers show that they were always of the same mind. So Augustine says: 'All the godly who groan under the burden of this corruptible flesh and in the weakness of this life have only this hope — that we have one Mediator, Jesus Christ the righteous, and He is the appeasement for our sins.' What does he say? If this is their only hope, where is confidence in works? By calling it the only hope, he leaves no room for any other. Bernard says: 'Where is safe and firm rest and assurance for the weak, except in the wounds of the Savior? I dwell there all the more securely because He is mightier to save. The world rages, the body burdens, the devil lies in wait — I do not fall, because I am built upon the sure rock. I have committed a grievous sin, and my conscience is troubled — but it will not be overwhelmed, for I will remember the wounds of the Lord.' And he then concludes: 'Therefore my merit is the Lord's mercy. I am not entirely without merit, so long as He is not without mercies. But if the mercies of the Lord are many, then I too have many merits. Shall I sing of my own righteousness? Lord, I will remember only Your righteousness — for that is also my righteousness, since He was made righteousness for me from God.' Again, in another place: 'This is the whole merit of man — to place his whole hope in Him who saves the whole man.' Likewise, reserving peace for himself and ascribing glory to God, he says: 'To You let glory remain untouched. It will be well with me if I have peace. I renounce all glory altogether, lest by wrongly claiming what is not mine, I also lose what is offered me.' And more plainly in another place: 'Why should the church concern itself with merits, when it has a surer and safer road to glory in the purpose of God? There is no reason to ask by what merits we hope for good things — especially when you hear the prophet declare: I will do it not for your sakes but for My own sake, says the Lord. It is enough for merit to know that merits are not enough. And as it is enough for merit not to presume on merits, so to have no merits is enough under judgment.' When Bernard freely uses the word 'merits' in place of 'good works,' we should allow for that customary usage. His ultimate purpose was to put fear into hypocrites who carelessly abuse the grace of God with a license to sin. He explains himself afterward by saying: 'Happy is the church that lacks neither merits without presumption nor presumption without merits. She has grounds for confidence, but not merits. She has merits, but deserves not to presume. Is not the very refusal to presume itself a kind of deserving? Therefore she presumes all the more boldly precisely because she does not presume, having great cause for glory in the abundant mercies of the Lord.'

This is the truth. Consciences that have been truly exercised perceive that this is the only safe refuge in which they may rest when they have to do with God's judgment. For if the stars that seem brightest in the night lose their brightness at the sight of the sun, what will become even of the rarest human innocence when it is compared with the purity of God? That examination will be most severe — piercing into the most hidden thoughts of the heart, revealing the secrets of darkness, and exposing the hidden things of the heart, as Paul says, compelling even the reluctant and unwilling conscience to bring forth everything now fallen from memory. The devil, our accuser, who has intimate knowledge of every wicked deed he has moved us to commit, will press hard against us. There, the outward show of good works that people currently prize will be of no use. Only purity of will shall be required. All hypocrisy — not only that by which a person who knows himself guilty before God seeks to boast before others, but also that by which every person deceives himself before God, as we are all inclined to flatter ourselves — will collapse in confusion, however proudly it now struts about with more than drunken boldness. Those who do not bend their minds to such a view may indeed for a short time pleasantly fashion a righteousness for themselves — but it is a righteousness that will be instantly swept away at God's judgment, like great riches accumulated in a dream that vanish when the dreamer wakes. But those who honestly inquire, as though standing before God, into the true standard of righteousness, will find that all human works, judged by their own worthiness, are nothing but defilements and filth; that what the common people call righteousness is before God mere wickedness; that what is counted purity is uncleanness; and that what is reckoned glory is nothing but shame.

From this view of God's perfection, let us not hesitate to look at ourselves without flattery or blind self-love. It is no surprise that we are all so blind in this area, since none of us recognizes the dangerous self-indulgence that -- as Scripture declares -- naturally clings to all of us. Solomon says: "Every person's way is right in their own eyes." Again: "All a person's ways seem clean to them." But what of it? Are they acquitted by this blindness? No. As Solomon goes on to say: "But the Lord weighs the hearts." In other words, while a person flatters themselves because of the outward mask of righteousness they present, the Lord meanwhile examines the hidden filthiness of the heart with His own scales. Therefore, since such self-flattery does us no good, let us not willfully deceive ourselves to our own destruction. To examine ourselves properly, we must bring our conscience before God's judgment seat. We absolutely need His light to expose the hidden folds of our perverseness, which otherwise lie too deeply concealed. Then, and only then, will we clearly understand what it means: that human beings, being corruption and worms, are abominable and worthless, drinking in wickedness like water, and are far from being justified before God. For who could make clean what is conceived from an unclean source? Not one. Then we will also discover by experience what Job said about himself: "If I tried to prove myself innocent, my own mouth would condemn me. If I tried to show myself righteous, it would prove me guilty." The prophet's complaint about Israel was not limited to one era but applies to all generations: that everyone went astray like sheep, each turning to their own way. He includes in this all those to whom the grace of redemption would come. This rigorous self-examination should continue until it humbles us, bringing us so low that we are completely cast down -- and by that means prepared to receive the grace of Christ. Anyone who thinks they can receive the enjoyment of this grace without first laying aside all pride of mind is deceived. This is a well-known saying: God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.

But what way is there to humble ourselves except that we, being completely needy and empty, give place to God's mercy? I do not call it humility if we think we still have something left. Until now, teachers have promoted a very harmful hypocrisy by combining two things that do not belong together: that we should think humbly of ourselves before God while also giving some weight to our own righteousness. If we confess to God something we do not actually believe, we wickedly lie to Him. But we cannot think as we ought without immediately trampling underfoot everything that seems glorious about us. So when you hear in the prophet that salvation is prepared for the humble and that the eyes of the proud will be brought low, first understand that there is no entrance to salvation until you have laid aside all pride and embraced genuine humility. Then understand that this humility is not a token gesture where you give up a small fraction of your claim -- like those who are considered humble among people because they do not arrogantly promote themselves or scornfully triumph over others, yet still maintain a high opinion of their own worth. True humility is the sincere submission of a mind that is struck down by a real sense of its own misery and neediness. This is how Scripture consistently describes it. When the Lord says through Zephaniah: "I will remove from you those who rejoice proudly, and I will leave in your midst a humble and poor people, and they will trust in the Lord" -- does He not clearly show who the humble are? They are those who lie crushed under the knowledge of their own poverty. On the other hand, He calls the proud "those who rejoice arrogantly," because people who prosper tend to celebrate beyond measure. But to the humble whom He purposes to save, He leaves nothing except trusting in the Lord. Isaiah says the same: "Whom will I look to? To the poor and contrite in spirit, to the one who trembles at My word." Again: "The High and Exalted One, who inhabits eternity and whose name is Holy, who dwells on high and in the holy place, also dwells with the contrite and humble in spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble and the heart of the contrite." When you hear the word "contrite" so often, understand it as a wound of the heart that will not let a person who is thrown down on the ground get back up. Your heart must be wounded with this kind of contrition if you want to be lifted up with the humble, as God promises. If that does not happen, you will be brought low by God's mighty hand -- to your shame and disgrace.

Our best Teacher, not content to show this with words, also presented in a parable the image of true humility, like a picture on display. He brings forward a tax collector who stands far off, not daring to lift his eyes to heaven, beating his breast with much grief, and praying: "Lord, be merciful to me, a sinner." Let us not think these are signs of pretended modesty -- that he did not dare to look up to heaven, that he would not come closer, that he confessed himself a sinner while beating his breast. Rather, we should recognize them as testimonies of genuine inward conviction. On the other side, He sets the Pharisee, who thanks God that he is not like other people -- not an oppressor, not unrighteous, not an adulterer -- because he fasted twice a week and gave tithes of everything he owned. Through open confession, he acknowledges that the righteousness he has is God's gift. But because he stands in confidence of his own righteousness, he leaves God's presence unfavored and despised. The tax collector, by acknowledging his own wickedness, is justified. We can see from this how highly God values our humbling ourselves before Him. The heart cannot be opened to receive His mercy unless it is first emptied of all opinion of its own worthiness. When such an opinion occupies the heart, it blocks the way for God's mercy to enter. To ensure no one would doubt this, Christ was sent by His Father to earth with this commission: to bring glad tidings to the poor, to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom to the captives and release to the imprisoned, to comfort those who mourn, to give them beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and the garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. In keeping with this commission, He invites only those who labor and are burdened to share in His generosity. And in another place He says: "I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

Therefore, if we want to respond to Christ's invitation, all arrogance and complacency must be put far away from us. Arrogance grows from a foolish confidence in our own righteousness, when a person thinks they have something that earns commendation before God. Complacency can exist even without any confidence in works. Many sinners, drunk on the sweetness of their vices and giving no thought to God's judgment, lie in a kind of senseless stupor, like a disease of drowsiness. They make no effort toward the mercy offered to them. We must shake off this dull sluggishness just as much as we must cast away all vain self-confidence, so that without hindrance we may hurry to Christ. Being empty and hungry, we may be filled with His good things. We will never sufficiently trust in Him unless we utterly distrust ourselves. We will never sufficiently lift our hearts in Him unless they are first brought low in ourselves. We will never find sufficient comfort in Him unless we are first stripped of comfort in ourselves. We are therefore ready to take hold of God's favor and obtain it when we cast away all trust in ourselves and trust only in the assurance of His goodness. As Augustine says: forgetting our own merits, we embrace the gifts of Christ. Because if He sought merits in us, we would not come to His gifts. Bernard agrees perfectly, comparing proud people to unfaithful servants who arrogantly claim credit for any blessing that merely passes through their hands. They wrongly keep for themselves the praise of grace that flows through them, like a wall that would claim it produces the sunbeam it receives through a window. But rather than linger on this point, let us take a short but sure rule: the person who is ready to share in the fruits of God's mercy is the one who has utterly emptied themselves -- I will not say of righteousness, which is nonexistent, but of the empty, inflated image of righteousness. Every person hinders God's generosity to the extent that they rest in themselves.