1. “My Son, pay diligent heed to the motions of Nature and of Grace, because they move in a very contrary and subtle manner, and are hardly distinguished save by a spiritual and inwardly enlightened man. All men indeed seek good, and make pretence of something good in all that they say or do; and thus under the appearance of good many are deceived.
2. “Nature is deceitful and draws away, ensnares, and deceives many, and always has self for her end; but Grace walks in simplicity and turns away from every appearance of evil, makes no false pretenses, and does all entirely for the sake of God, in whom also she finally rests.
3. “Nature is very unwilling to die, and to be pressed down, and to be overcome, and to be in subjection, and to bear the yoke readily; but Grace studies self-mortification, resists sensuality, seeks to be subdued, longs to be conquered, and wills not to use her own liberty. She loves to be held by discipline, and not to have authority over any, but always to live, to remain, to have her being under God, and for God’s sake is ready to be humbly subject to every ordinance of man.
4. “Nature labors for her own advantage, and considers what profit she may gain from another; but Grace considers more, not what may be useful and convenient to self, but what may be profitable to the many.
5. “Nature willingly receives honor and reverence; but Grace faithfully ascribes all honor and glory to God.
6. “Nature fears confusion and contempt, but Grace rejoices to suffer shame for the name of Jesus.
7. “Nature loves ease and bodily quiet; Grace cannot be unemployed, but gladly embraces labor.
8. “Nature seeks to possess things curious and attractive, and abhors those which are rough and cheap; Grace is delighted with things simple and humble, despises not those which are rough, nor refuses to be clothed with old garments.
9. “Nature has regard to things temporal, rejoices in earthly lucre, is made sad by loss, vexed by any little injurious word; but Grace reaches after things eternal, cleaves not to those which are temporal, is not perturbed by losses, nor embittered by any hard words, because she has placed her treasure and joy in heaven where nought perishes.
10. “Nature is covetous, and receives more willingly than she gives, loves things that are personal and private to herself; while Grace is kind and generous, avoids selfishness, is contented with a little, believes that it is more blessed to give than to receive.
11. “Nature inclines you to created things, to your own flesh, to vanities and dissipation; but Grace draws to God and to virtues, renounces creatures, flees from the world, hates the desires of the flesh, restrains vagaries, blushes to be seen in public.
12. “Nature is glad to receive some outward solace in which the senses may have delight; but Grace seeks to be comforted in God alone, and to have delight in the chief good above all visible things.
13. “Nature does everything for her own gain and profit, can do nothing as a free favor, but hopes to attain something as good or better, or some praise or favor for her benefits; and she loves that her own deeds and gifts should be highly valued; but Grace seeks nothing temporal, nor requires any other gift of reward than God alone; neither longs she for more of temporal necessities than such as may suffice for the attaining of eternal life.
14. “Nature rejoices in many friends and kinsfolk, she boasts of noble place and noble birth, she smiles on the powerful, flatters the rich, applauds those who are like herself; but Grace loves even her enemies, and is not lifted up by the multitude of friends, sets no store upon high place or high birth, unless there be greater virtue therewith; favors the poor man more than the rich, has more sympathy with the innocent than with the powerful; rejoices with the truthful, not with the liar; always exhorts the good to strive after better gifts of grace, and to become by holiness like unto the Son of God.
15. “Nature quickly complains of poverty and of trouble; Grace bears want with constancy.
16. “Nature looks upon all things in reference to herself; strives and argues for self; but Grace brings back all things to God from whom they came at the beginning; ascribes no good to herself nor arrogantly presumes; is not contentious, nor prefers her own opinion to others, but in every sense and understanding submits herself to the Eternal wisdom and the Divine judgment.
17. “Nature is eager to know secrets and to hear new things; she loves to appear abroad, and to make experience of many things through the senses; she desires to be acknowledged and to do those things which win praise and admiration; but Grace cares not to gather up new or curious things, because all this springs from the old corruption, whereas there is nothing new or lasting upon earth. So she teaches to restrain the senses, to shun vain complacency and ostentation, to hide humbly those things which merit praise and real admiration, and from everything and in all knowledge to seek after useful fruit, and the praise and honor of God. She desires not to receive praise for herself or her own, but longes that God be blessed in all His gifts, who out of unmingled love bestows all things.”
18. This Grace is a supernatural light, and a certain special gift of God, and the proper mark of the elect, and the pledge of eternal salvation; it exalts a man from earthly things to love those that are heavenly; and it makes the carnal man spiritual. So far therefore as Nature is utterly pressed down and overcome, so far is greater Grace bestowed and the inner man is daily created anew by fresh visitations, after the image of God.
IMAGE: Eric Enstrom, Grace (c. 1918)
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