39. When man, conscious of his failure to keep God's command, is
constantly urged by the Law to make payment of his debt and
confronted with nothing but the terrible wrath of God and eternal
condemnation, he cannot but sink into despair over his sins. Such is
the inevitable consequence where the Law alone is taught with a view
to attaining heaven thereby. The vanity of such trust in works is
illustrated in the case of the noted hermit mentioned in Vitae Patrum
(Lives of the Fathers). For over seventy years this hermit had led a
life of utmost austerity, and had many followers. When the hour of
death came he began to tremble, and for three days was in a state of
agony. His disciples came to comfort him, exhorting him to die in
peace since he had led so holy a life. But he replied: "Alas, I truly
have all my life served Christ and lived austerely; but God's
judgment greatly differs from that of men."
40. Note, this worthy man, despite the holiness of his life, has no
acquaintance with any article but that of the divine judgment
according to the Law. He knows not the comfort of Christ's Gospel.
After a long life spent in the attempt to keep God's commandments and
secure salvation, the Law now slays him through his own works. He is
compelled to exclaim: "Alas, who knows how God will look upon my
efforts? Who may stand before him?" That means, to forfeit heaven
through the verdict of his own conscience. The work he has wrought
and his holiness of life avail nothing. They merely push him deeper
into death, since he is without the solace of the Gospel, while
others, such as the thief on the cross and the publican, grasp the
comfort of the Gospel, the forgiveness of sins in Christ. Thus sin is
conquered; they escape the sentence of the Law, and pass through
death into life eternal.