Chapter 19 [X]—In What Respects Predestination and Grace Differ.

Moreover, that which I said, “That the salvation of this religion has never been lacking to him who was worthy of it, and that he to whom it was lacking was not worthy,”—if it be discussed and it be asked whence any man can be worthy, there are not wanting those who say—by human will. But we say, by divine grace or predestination. Further, between grace and predestination there is only this difference, that predestination is the preparation for grace, while grace is the donation itself. When, therefore the apostle says, “Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus in good works,”72    Eph. ii. 9, 10. it is grace; but what follows—“which God hath prepared that we should walk in them”—is predestination, which cannot exist without foreknowledge, although foreknowledge may exist without predestination; because God foreknew by predestination those things which He was about to do, whence it was said, “He made those things that shall be.”73    Isa. xlv. 11. Moreover, He is able to foreknow even those things which He does not Himself do,—as all sins whatever. Because, although there are some which are in such wise sins as that they are also the penalties of sins, whence it is said, “God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient,”74    Rom. i. 28. it is not in such a case the sin that is God’s, but the judgment. Therefore God’s predestination of good is, as I have said, the preparation of grace; which grace is the effect of that predestination. Therefore when God promised to Abraham in his seed the faith of the nations, saying, “I have established thee a father of many nations,”75    Gen. xvii. 5. whence the apostle says, “Therefore it is of faith, that the promise, according to grace, might be established to all the seed,”76    Rom. iv. 16. He promised not from the power of our will but from His own predestination. For He promised what He Himself would do, not what men would do. Because, although men do those good things which pertain to God’s worship, He Himself makes them to do what He has commanded; it is not they that cause Him to do what He has promised. Otherwise the fulfilment of God’s promises would not be in the power of God, but in that of men; and thus what was promised by God to Abraham would be given to Abraham by men themselves. Abraham, however, did not believe thus, but “he believed, giving glory to God, that what He promised He is able also to do.”77    Rom. iv. 21. He does not say, “to foretell”—he does not say, “to foreknow;” for He can foretell and foreknow the doings of strangers also; but he says, “He is able also to do;” and thus he is speaking not of the doings of others, but of His own.

CAPUT X.

19. Item quod dixi, «Salutem religionis hujus nulli unquam defuisse qui dignus fuit, et dignum non fuisse cui defuit;» si discutiatur et quaeratur unde quisque sit dignus, non desunt qui dicant, voluntate humana: nos autem dicimus, gratia vel praedestinatione divina. Inter gratiam porro et praedestinationem hoc tantum interest, quod praedestinatio est gratiae praeparatio, gratia vero jam ipsa donatio. Quod itaque ait Apostolus, Non ex operibus, ne forte quis extollatur: ipsius enim sumus 0975 figmentum, creati in Christo Jesu in operibus bonis; gratia est: quod autem sequitur, quae praeparavit Deus, ut in illis ambulemus (Ephes. II, 9, 10); praedestinatio est, quae sine praescientia non potest esse: potest autem esse sine praedestinatione praescientia. Praedestinatione quippe Deus ea praescivit, quae fuerat ipse facturus: unde dictum est, Fecit quae futura sunt (Isai. XLV, sec. LXX). Praescire autem potens est etiam quae ipse non facit; sicut quaecumque peccata: quia etsi sunt quaedam, quae ita peccata sunt, ut poenae sint etiam peccatorum, unde dictum est, Tradidit illos Deus in reprobam mentem, ut faciant quae non conveniunt (Rom. I, 28); non ibi peccatum Dei est, sed judicium. Quocirca praedestinatio Dei quae in bono est, gratiae est, ut dixi, praeparatio: gratia vero est ipsius praedestinationis effectus. Quando ergo promisit Deus Abrahae in semine ejus fidem gentium, dicens, Patrem multarum gentium posui te; unde dicit Apostolus, Ideo ex fide, ut secundum gratiam firma sit promissio omni semini (Gen. XVII, 4, 5): non de nostrae voluntatis potestate, sed de sua praedestinatione promisit. Promisit enim quod ipse facturus fuerat, non quod homines. Quia etsi faciunt homines bona quae pertinent ad colendum Deum; ipse facit ut illi faciant quae praecepit, non illi faciunt ut ipse faciat quod promisit: alioquin ut Dei promissa compleantur, non in Dei, sed in hominum est potestate, et quod a Domino promissum est, ab ipsis redditur Abrahae. Non autem sic credidit Abraham, sed credidit dans gloriam Deo, quoniam quae promisit, potens est et facere (Rom. IV, 16-21): non ait, Praedicere; non ait, Praescire; nam et aliena facta potest praedicere atque praescire: sed ait, potens est et facere; ac per hoc facta, non aliena, sed sua.