Augustinus, Traktaten over het evangelie naar Johannes.

Traktaat 3 (1, 15-18)

“De wet is door Mozes gegeven, genade en waarheid door Jezus Christus gekomen” (1, 17)

Behold, for this end Christ came, that He might redeem those who were under the law; that
now we may not be under the law, but under grace. Who, then, gave the law? He gave the law
who gave likewise grace; but the law He sent by a servant, with grace He Himself came
down. And in what manner were men made under the law? By not fulfilling the law. For he
who fulfills the law is not under the law, but with the law; but he who is under the law is not
raised up, but pressed down by the law. All men, therefore, being placed under the law, are by
the law made guilty; and for this purpose it is over their head, that it may show sins, not take
them away. The law then commands, the Giver of the law showeth pity in that which the law
commands. Men, endeavoring by their own strength to fulfill that which the law commands,
fell by their own rash and headstrong presumption; and not with the law, but under the law,
became guilty: and since by their own strength they were unable to fulfill the law, and were
become guilty under the law, they implored the aid of the Deliverer; and the guilt which the
law brought caused sickness to the proud. The sickness of the proud became the confession of
the humble. Now the sick confess that they are sick; let the physician come to heal the sick
(2).

But if you covet bodily rewards from God, thou art still under the law, and therefore thou
shalt not fulfill the law. For when thou seest those temporal things granted to those who
offend God, thy steps falter, and thou sayest to thyself: Behold, I worship God, daily I run to
church, my knees are worn with prayers, and yet I am constantly sick: there are men who
commit murders, who are guilty of robberies, and yet they exult and have abundance; it is
well with them. Was it such things that thou soughtest from God? Surely thou didst belong to
grace. If, therefore, God gave to thee grace, because He gave freely, love freely. Do not for
the sake of reward love God; let Him be the reward. Let thy soul say, “One thing have I
desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the
days of my life, that I may behold the beauty of the Lord.” Do not fear that thine enjoyment
will fail through satiety: such will be that enjoyment of beauty that it will ever be present to
thee, and thou shalt never be satisfied; indeed thou shalt be always satisfied, and yet never
satisfied. For if I shall say that thou shalt not be satisfied, it will mean famine; and if I shall
say thou shalt be satisfied, I fear satiety: where neither satiety nor famine are, I know not what
to say; but God has that which He can manifest to those who know not how to express it, yet
believe that they shall receive (21).

Traktaat 4 (1, 19-33)