Chapter 11 [VI.]—That Some Men are Elected is of God’s Mercy.

“Many hear the word of truth; but some believe, while others contradict. Therefore, the former will to believe; the latter do not will.” Who does not know this? Who can deny this? But since in some the will is prepared by the Lord, in others it is not prepared, we must assuredly be able to distinguish what comes from God’s mercy, and what from His judgment. “What Israel sought for,” says the apostle, “he hath not obtained, but the election hath obtained it; and the rest were blinded, as it is written, God gave to them the spirit of compunction,—eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear, even to this day. And David said, Let their table be made a snare, a retribution, and a stumblingblock to them; let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see; and bow down their back always.”46    Rom. xi. 7. Here is mercy and judgment,—mercy towards the election which has obtained the righteousness of God, but judgment to the rest which have been blinded. And yet the former, because they willed,47    According to the Vatican mss. is read, “The former who willed,” and below, “The latter who willed not.” believed; the latter, because they did not will believed not. Therefore mercy and judgment were manifested in the very wills themselves. Certainly such an election is of grace, not at all of merits. For he had before said, “So, therefore, even at this present time, the remnant has been saved by the election of grace. And if by grace, now it is no more of works; otherwise grace is no more grace.”48    Rom. xi. 5. Therefore the election obtained what it obtained gratuitously; there preceded none of those things which they might first give, and it should be given to them again. He saved them for nothing. But to the rest who were blinded, as is there plainly declared, it was done in recompense. “All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth.”49    Ps. xxv. 10. But His ways are unsearchable. Therefore the mercy by which He freely delivers, and the truth by which He righteously judges, are equally unsearchable.

CAPUT VI.

11. «Multi audiunt verbum veritatis: sed alii credunt, alii contradicunt. Volunt ergo isti credere, nolunt autem illi.» Quis hoc ignoret? quis hoc neget? Sed cum aliis praeparetur, aliis non praeparetur voluntas a Domino; discernendum est 0969 utique quid veniat de misericordia ejus, quid de judicio. Quod quaerebat Israel, ait Apostolus, hoc non est consecutus: electio autem consecuta est: caeteri vero excaecati sunt, sicut scriptum est, Dedit illis Deus spiritum compunctionis, oculos ut non videant, et aures ut non audiant, usque in hodiernum diem. Et David dicit, Fiat mensa eorum in laqueum et in retributionem et in scandalum illis: obscurentur oculi eorum ne videant, et dorsum eorum semper incurva. Ecce misericordia et judicium: misericordia in electionem quae consecuta est justitiam Dei; judicium vero in caeteros qui excaecati sunt: et tamen illi quia voluerunt , crediderunt; illi quia noluerunt, non crediderunt. Misericordia igitur et judicium in ipsis voluntatibus facta sunt. Electio quippe ista gratiae est, non utique meritorum. Superius enim dixerat, Sic ergo et in hoc tempore, reliquiae per electionem gratiae salvae factae sunt. Si autem gratia, jam non ex operibus; alioquin gratia jam non est gratia (Rom. XI, 5-10). Gratis ergo consecuta est, quod consecuta est electio: non praecessit eorum aliquid, quod priores darent, et retribueretur illis: pro nihilo salvos fecit eos . Caeteris autem qui excaecati sunt, sicut ibi non tacitum est, in retributione factum est. Universae viae Domini misericordia et veritas (Psal. XXIV, 10). Investigabiles sunt autem viae ejus (Rom. XI, 33). Investigabiles igitur sunt, et misericordia qua gratis liberat, et veritas qua juste judicat.