Chapter 34.—The Aid Without Which a Thing Does Not Come to Pass, and the Aid with Which a Thing Comes to Pass.

Moreover, the aids themselves are to be distinguished. The aid without which a thing does not come to pass is one thing, and the aid by which a thing comes to pass is another. For without food we cannot live; and yet although food should be at hand, it would not cause a man to live who should will to die. Therefore the aid of food is that without which it does not come to pass that we live, not that by which it comes to pass that we live. But, indeed, when the blessedness which a man has not is given him, he becomes at once blessed. For the aid is not only that without which that does not happen, but also with which that does happen for the sake of which it is given. Wherefore this is an assistance both by which it comes to pass, and without which it does not come to pass; because, on the one hand, if blessedness should be given to a man, he becomes at once blessed; and, on the other, if it should never be given he will never be so. But food does not of necessity cause a man to live, and yet without it he cannot live. Therefore to the first man, who, in that good in which he had been made upright, had received the ability not to sin, the ability not to die, the ability not to forsake that good itself, was given the aid of perseverance,—not that by which it should be brought about that he should persevere, but that without which he could not of free will persevere. But now to the saints predestinated to the kingdom of God by God’s grace, the aid of perseverance that is given is not such as the former, but such that to them perseverance itself is bestowed; not only so that without that gift they cannot persevere, but, moreover, so that by means of this gift they cannot help persevering. For not only did He say, “Without me ye can do nothing,”121    John xv. 5. but He also said, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain.”122    John xv. 16. By which words He showed that He had given them not only righteousness, but perseverance therein. For when Christ thus ordained them that they should go and bring forth fruit, and that their fruit should remain, who would dare to say, It shall not remain? Who would dare to say, Perchance it will not remain? “For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance;”123    Rom. xi. 29. but the calling is of those who are called according to the purpose. When Christ intercedes, therefore, on behalf of these, that their faith should not fail, doubtless it will not fail unto the end. And thus it shall persevere even unto the end; nor shall the end of this life find it anything but continuing.

34. Itemque ipsa adjutoria distinguenda sunt. Aliud est adjutorium sine quo aliquid non fit, et aliud est adjutorium quo aliquid fit. Nam sine alimentis non 0937 possumus vivere, nec tamen cum adfuerint alimenta, eis fit ut vivat qui mori voluerit. Ergo adjutorium alimentorum est sine quo non fit, non quo fit ut vivamus. At vero beatitudo quam non habet homo, cum data fuerit, continuo fit beatus. Adjutorium est enim non solum sine quo non fit, verum etiam quo fit propter quod datur. Quapropter hoc adjutorium et quo fit est, et sine quo non fit: quia et si data fuerit homini beatitudo, continuo fit beatus; et si data nunquam fuerit, nunquam erit. Alimenta vero non consequenter faciunt ut homo vivat: sed tamen sine illis non potest vivere. Primo itaque homini, qui in eo bono quo factus fuerat rectus acceperat posse non peccare, posse non mori, posse ipsum bonum non deserere, datum est adjutorium perseverantiae, non quo fieret ut perseveraret, sed sine quo per liberum arbitrium perseverare non posset. Nunc vero sanctis in regnum Dei per gratiam Dei praedestinatis non tale adjutorium perseverantiae datur, sed tale ut eis perseverantia ipsa donetur; non solum ut sine isto dono perseverantes esse non possint, verum etiam ut per hoc donum non nisi perseverantes sint. Non solum enim dixit, Sine me nihil potestis facere: verum etiam dixit, Non vos me elegistis; sed ego elegi vos, et posui vos, ut eatis, et fructum afferatis, et fructus vester maneat (Joan. XV, 5, 16). Quibus verbis eis non solum justitiam, verum etiam in illa perseverantiam se dedisse monstravit. Christo enim sic eos ponente ut eant, et fructum afferant, et fructus eorum maneat, quis audeat dicere, Non manebit ? quis audeat dicere, Forsitan non manebit? Sine poenitentia sunt enim dona et vocatio Dei (Rom. XI, 29): sed vocatio eorum qui secundum propositum vocati sunt. Pro his igitur interpellante Christo ne deficiat fides eorum, sine dubio non deficiet usque in finem: ac per hoc perseverabit usque in finem, nec eam nisi manentem vitae hujus inveniet finis.