7.—The Same Continued.

As for the passage from the psalm, “He loved cursing, and it shall come upon him; and he willed not blessing, so it shall be far removed from him,”9    Ps. cix. 18. which he quoted in the same book of Chapters, as if to prove that “all men are ruled by their own will,” who can be ignorant that this is a fault not of nature as God created it, but of human will which departed from God? The fact indeed is, that even if he had not loved cursing, and had willed blessing, he would in this very case, too, deny that his will had received any assistance from God; in his ingratitude and impiety, moreover, he would submit himself to be ruled by himself, until he found out by his penalties that, sunk as he was into ruin, without God to govern him he was utterly unable to direct his own self. In like manner, from the passage which he quoted in the same book under the same head, “He hath set fire and water before thee; stretch forth thy hand unto whether thou wilt; before man are good and evil, life and death, and whichever he liketh shall be given to him,”10    Ecclus. xv. 16, 17. it is manifest that, if he applies his hand to fire, and if evil and death please him, his human will effects all this; but if, on the contrary, he loves goodness and life, not alone does his will accomplish the happy choice, but it is assisted by divine grace. The eye indeed is sufficient for itself, for not seeing, that is, for darkness; but for seeing, it is in its own light not sufficient for itself unless the assistance of a clear external light is rendered to it. God forbid, however, that they who are “the called according to His purpose, whom He also foreknew, and predestinated to be conformed to the likeness of His Son,”11    Rom. viii. 29. should be given up to their own desire to perish. This is suffered only by “the vessels of wrath,”12    Rom. ix. 22. who are perfected for perdition; in whose very destruction, indeed, God “makes known the riches of His glory on the vessels of His mercy.”13    Rom. ix. 23. Now it is on this account that, after saying, “He is my God, His mercy shall go before me,”14    Ps. lix. 10. he immediately adds, “My God will show me vengeance upon my enemies.”15    Ps. lix. 10. That therefore happens to them which is mentioned in Scripture, “God gave them up to the lusts of their own heart.”16    Rom. i. 24. This, however, does not happen to the predestinated, who are ruled by the Spirit of God, for not in vain is their cry: “Deliver me not, O Lord, to the sinner, according to my desire.”17    Ps. cxl. 8. With regard, indeed, to the evil lusts which assail them, their prayer has ever assumed some such shape as this: “Take away from me the concupiscence of the belly; and let not the desire of lust take hold of me.”18    Ecclus. xxiii. 5, 6. Upon those whom He governs as His subjects does God bestow this gift; but not upon those who think themselves capable of governing themselves, and who, in the stiff-necked confidence of their own will, disdain to have Him as their ruler.

7. Nam et illud quod posuit de Psalmo in eodem Capitulorum libro, ut quasi probaret, «Omnes voluntate propria regi,» Dilexit maledictum, et veniet ei; et noluit benedictionem, et elongabitur ab eo (Psal. CVIII, 18): quis nesciat hoc vitium esse, non naturae, sicut eam condidit Deus, sed voluntatis humanae, quae recessit a Deo? Verumtamen si non dilexisset maledictionem, et voluisset benedictionem, et in 0324 hoc ipso voluntatem suam divina gratia negaret adjutam; ingratus atque impius sibi regendus dimitteretur, ut sine rectore Deo praecipitatus, non se a se ipso regi potuisse, poenis experiretur. Sic etiam in illo testimonio, quod in eodem libro eidem titulo subdidit, Apposuit tibi aquam et ignem; ad quod vis porrige manum tuam: ante hominem bonum et malum, vita et mors; quod placuerit ei, dabitur illi (Eccli. XV, 17 et 18): manifestum est, quod si ad ignem manum mittit, et malum ac mors ei placet, id voluntas hominis operatur; si autem bonum et vitam diligit, non solum voluntas id agit, sed divinitus adjuvatur. Sufficit enim sibi oculus ad non videndum, hoc est, ad tenebras: ad videndum vero lumine suo non sibi sufficit, nisi illi extrinsecus adjutorium clari luminis praebeatur. Absit autem ut ii qui secundum propositum vocati sunt, quos praescivit, et praedestinavit conformes imaginis Filii sui (Rom. VIII, 29), suo, ut pereant, desiderio dimittantur . Hoc enim patiuntur vasa irae, quae perfecta sunt ad perditionem: in quorum etiam ipsa perditione notas facit Deus divitias gloriae suae in vasa misericordiae suae (Id. IX, 22, 23). Propter hoc enim, cum dixisset, Deus meus, misericordia ejus praeveniet me; continuo subjecit, Deus meus demonstravit mihi in inimicis meis (Psal. LVIII, 11, 12). Illis ergo fit quod scriptum est, Tradidit illos Deus in desideria cordis eorum (Rom. I, 24). Non autem fit praedestinatis, quos regit Spiritus Dei; quoniam non inanis est vox eorum: Ne tradas me, Domine, a desiderio meo peccatori (Psal. CXXXIX, 9). Quandoquidem et contra ipsa desideria sic oratum est, ut diceretur, Aufer a me concupiscentias ventris, et desiderium concubitus ne apprehendat me (Eccli. XXIII, 6). Praestat hoc Deus illis quos subditos regit; non autem illis qui se idoneos ad se ipsos regendos putant, et praefidenti cervice propriae voluntatis illum dedignantur habere rectorem.