Chapter 4.—Continuation of the Preceding.

But why do we not in opposition to this, rather hear the words, “Who hath first given to Him and it shall be recompensed to him again? since of Him, and through Him, and in Him, are all things.”11    Rom. xi. 35. And from whom, then, is that very beginning of our faith if not from Him? For this is not excepted when other things are spoken of as of Him; but “of Him, and through Him, and in Him, are all things.” But who can say that he who has already begun to believe deserves nothing from Him in whom he has believed? Whence it results that, to him who already deserves, other things are said to be added by a divine retribution, and thus that God’s grace is given according to our merits. And this assertion when put before him, Pelagius himself condemned, that he might not be condemned. Whoever, then, wishes on every side to avoid this condemnable opinion, let him understand that what the apostle says is said with entire truthfulness, “Unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake.”12    Phil. i. 29. He shows that both are the gifts of God, because he said that both were given. And he does not say, “to believe on Him more fully and perfectly,” but, “to believe on Him.” Neither does he say that he himself had obtained mercy to be more faithful, but “to be faithful,”13    1 Cor. vii. 25. because he knew that he had not first given the beginning of his faith to God, and had its increase given back to him again by Him; but that he had been made faithful by God, who also had made him an apostle. For the beginnings of his faith are recorded, and they are very well known by being read in the church on an occasion calculated to distinguish them:14    The Acts of the Apostles were read during Easter. how, being turned away from the faith which he was destroying, and being vehemently opposed to it, he was suddenly by a more powerful grace converted to it, by the conversion of Him, to whom as One who would do this very thing it was said by the prophet, “Thou wilt turn and quicken us;”15    Ps. lxxxv. 6. so that not only from one who refused to believe he was made a willing believer, but, moreover, from being a persecutor, he suffered persecution in defence of that faith which he persecuted. Because it was given him by Christ “not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake.”

4. Sed contra haec cur non potius audimus: Quis prior dedit ei, et retribuetur illi? quoniam ex ipso, et per ipsum, et in ipso sunt omnia (Rom. XI, 35, 36)? Et ipsum igitur initium fidei nostrae, ex quo, nisi ex ipso est? Neque enim hoc excepto ex ipso sunt caetera: sed ex ipso, et per ipsum, et in ipso sunt omnia. Quis autem dicat eum qui jam coepit credere, ab illo in quem credidit nihil mereri? Unde fit ut jam merenti caetera dicantur addi retributione divina; ac per hoc gratiam Dei secundum merita nostra dari: quod objectum sibi Pelagius, ne damnaretur, ipse damnavit. Quisquis igitur hanc damnabilem vult ex omni parte vitare sententiam, veraciter intelligat dictum, quod Apostolus ait: Vobis donatum est pro Christo, non solum ut credatis in eum, verum etiam ut patiamini pro eo (Philipp. I, 29). Utrumque ostendit Dei donum, quia utrumque dixit esse donatum. Nec ait, Ut plenius et perfectius credatis in eum; sed, ut credatis in eum. Nec se ipsum misericordiam consecutum dixit, ut fidelior, sed ut fidelis esset (I Cor. VII, 25). quia sciebat non se initium fidei suae priorem dedisse Deo, et retributum sibi ab illo ejus augmentum; sed ab eo se factum fidelem, a quo et apostolus factus est. Nam scripta sunt etiam fidei ejus initia (Act. IX), suntque ecclesiastica celebri lectione notissima . Aversus quippe a fide quam vastabat, eique vehementer adversus, repente est ad illam gratia potentiore conversus; convertente illo cui hoc ipsum facturo per prophetam dictum est, Tu convertens vivificabis nos (Psal. LXXXIV, 7): ut non solum ex nolente fieret volens credere; verum etiam ex persecutore persecutionem in ejus fidei, quam persequebatur, defensione pateretur. Donatum quippe illi erat a Christo, non solum ut crederet in eum, verum etiam ut pateretur pro eo.