Chapter 27 [XIV.]—Grace Effects the Fulfilment of the Law, the Deliverance of Nature, and the Suppression of Sin’s Dominion.

It has, however, been shown to demonstration that instead of really maintaining free will, they have only inflated a theory of it, which, having no stability, has fallen to the ground. Neither the knowledge of God’s law, nor nature, nor the mere remission of sins is that grace which is given to us through our Lord Jesus Christ; but it is this very grace which accomplishes the fulfilment of the law, and the liberation of nature, and the removal of the dominion of sin. Being, therefore, convicted on these points, they resort to another expedient, and endeavour to show in some way or other that the grace of God is given us according to our merits. For they say: “Granted that it is not given to us according to the merits of good works, inasmuch as it is through it that we do any good thing, still it is given to us according to the merits of a good will; for,” say they, “the good will of him who prays precedes his prayer, even as the will of the believer preceded his faith, so that according to these merits the grace of God who hears, follows.”

CAPUT XIV.

27. Sed cum fuerint convicti, non defensores, sed inflatores et praecipitatores liberi arbitrii, quia neque scientia divinae legis, neque natura, neque sola remissio peccatorum est illa gratia, quae per Jesum Christum Dominum nostrum datur, sed ipsa facit ut lex impleatur, ut natura liberetur, ne peccatum dominetur: cum ergo in his convicti fuerint, ad hoc se convertunt, ut quocumque modo conentur ostendere gratiam Dei secundum merita nostra dari. Dicunt enim: «Etsi non datur secundum merita bonorum operum, quia per ipsam bene operamur; tamen secundum merita bonae voluntatis datur: quia bona voluntas,» inquiunt, «praecedit orantis, quam praecessit voluntas credentis, ut secundum haec merita gratia sequatur exaudientis Dei.»