Chapter 31 [XV.]—Free Will Has Its Function in the Heart’s Conversion; But Grace Too Has Its.

Lest, however, it should be thought that men themselves in this matter do nothing by free will, it is said in the Psalm, “Harden not your hearts;”197    Ps. xcv. 8. and in Ezekiel himself, “Cast away from you all your transgressions, which ye have impiously committed against me; and make you a new heart and a new spirit; and keep all my commandments. For why will ye die, O house of Israel, saith the Lord? for I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: and turn ye, and live.”198    Ezek. xviii. 31, 32. We should remember that it is He who says, “Turn ye and live,” to whom it is said in prayer, “Turn us again, O God.”199    Ps. lxxx. 3. We should remember that He says, “Cast away from you all your transgressions,” when it is even He who justifies the ungodly. We should remember that He says, “Make you a new heart and a new spirit,” who also promises, “I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit will I put within you.”200    Ezek. xxxvi. 26. How is it, then, that He who says, “Make you,” also says, “I will give you”? Why does He command, if He is to give? Why does He give if man is to make, except it be that He gives what He commands when He helps him to obey whom He commands? There is, however, always within us a free will,—but it is not always good; for it is either free from righteousness when it serves sin,—and then it is evil,—or else it is free from sin when it serves righteousness,—and then it is good. But the grace of God is always good; and by it it comes to pass that a man is of a good will, though he was before of an evil one. By it also it comes to pass that the very good will, which has now begun to be, is enlarged, and made so great that it is able to fulfil the divine commandments which it shall wish, when it shall once firmly and perfectly wish. This is the purport of what the Scripture says: “If thou wilt, thou shalt keep the commandments;”201    Ecclus. xv. 15. so that the man who wills but is not able knows that he does not yet fully will, and prays that he may have so great a will that it may suffice for keeping the commandments. And thus, indeed, he receives assistance to perform what he is commanded. Then is the will of use when we have ability; just as ability is also then of use when we have the will. For what does it profit us if we will what we are unable to do, or else do not will what we are able to do?

CAPUT XV.

31. Ne autem putetur, nihil ibi facere ipsos homines per liberum arbitrium, ideo in psalmo dicitur, Nolite obdurare corda vestra. Et per ipsum Ezechielem, Projicite a vobis omnes impietates vestras, quas impie egistis in me, et facite vobis cor novum et spiritum novum, et facite omnia mandata mea. Utquid moriemini, domus Israel, dicit Dominus? quia nolo mortem morientis, dicit Adonai Dominus, et convertiminiet vivetis (Ezech. XVIII, 31, 32). Meminerimus eum dicere, et convertimini et vivetis; cui dicitur, Converte nos, Deus (Psal. LXXIX, 4, et LXXXV, 5). Meminerimus eum dicere, Projicite a vobis omnes impietates vestras: cum ipse justificet impium (Rom. IV, 5). Meminerimus ipsum dicere, Facite vobis cor novum et spiritum novum; qui dicit, Dabo vobis cor novum, et spiritum novum dabo in vobis. Quomodo ergo qui dicit, Facite vobis; hoc dicit, Dabo vobis? Quare jubet, si ipse daturus est? Quare dat, si homo facturus est; nisi quia dat quod jubet, cum adjuvat ut faciat cui jubet? Semper est autem in nobis voluntas libera, sed non semper est bona. Aut enim a justitia libera est, quando servit peccato, et tunc est mala: aut a peccato libera est, quando servit justitiae, et tunc est bona. Gratia vero Dei semper est bona, et per hanc fit ut sit homo bonae voluntatis, qui prius fuit voluntatis malae. Per hanc etiam fit ut ipsa bona voluntas, 0900 quae jam esse coepit, augeatur, et tam magna fiat, ut possit implere divina mandata quae voluerit, cum valde perfecteque voluerit. Ad hoc enim valet quod scriptum est, Si volueris, servabis mandata (Eccli. XV, sec. LXX): ut homo qui voluerit et non potuerit, nondum se plene velle cognoscat, et oret ut habeat tantam voluntatem, quanta sufficit ad implenda mandata. Sic quippe adjuvatur, ut faciat quod jubetur. Tunc enim utile est velle, cum possumus; et tunc utile est posse, cum volumus: nam quid prodest, si quod non possumus volumus, aut quod possumus nolumus?