Chapter 45.—Scriptural Instances Wherein It is Proved that God Has Men’s Wills More in His Power Than They Themselves Have.

It is not, then, to be doubted that men’s wills cannot, so as to prevent His doing what he wills, withstand the will of God, “who hath done all things whatsoever He pleased in heaven and in earth,”158    Ps. cxxxv. 6. and who also “has done those things that are to come;”159    Isa. xlv. 11. since He does even concerning the wills themselves of men what He will, when He will. Unless, perchance (to mention some things among many), when God willed to give the kingdom to Saul, it was so in the power of the Israelites, as it certainly was placed in their will, either to subject themselves or not to the man in question, that they could even prevail to withstand God. God, however, did not do this, save by the will of the men themselves, because he beyond doubt had the most omnipotent power of inclining men’s hearts whither it pleased Him. For thus it is written: “And Samuel sent the people away, and every one went away unto his own place. And Saul went away to his house in Gibeah: and there went away with Saul mighty men, whose hearts the Lord touched. And pestilent children said, Who shall save us? This man? And they despised him, and brought him no presents.”160    1 Sam. x. 25 ff. Will any one say that any of those whose hearts the Lord touched to go with Saul would not have gone with him, or that any of those pestilent fellows, whose hearts He did not touch to do this, would have gone? Of David also, whom the Lord ordained to the kingdom in a more prosperous succession, we read thus: “And David continued to increase, and was magnified, and the Lord was with him.”161    1 Chron. xi. 9. This having been premised, it is said a little afterwards, “And the Spirit clothed Amasai, chief of the thirty, and he said, We are thine, O David, and we will be with thee, O son of Jesse: Peace, peace be unto thee, and peace be to thy helpers; because the Lord has helped thee.”162    1 Chron. xii. 18. Could he withstand the will of God, and not rather do the will of Him who wrought in his heart by His Spirit, with which he was clothed, to will, speak, and do thus? Moreover, a little afterwards the same Scripture says, “All these warlike men, setting the battle in array, came with a peaceful heart to Hebron to establish David over all Israel.”163    1 Chron. xii. 38. By their own will, certainly, they appointed David king. Who cannot see this? Who can deny it? For they did not do it under constraint or without good-will, since they did it with a peaceful heart. And yet He wrought this in them who worketh what He will in the hearts of men. For which reason the Scripture premised, “And David continued to increase, and was magnified, and the Lord Omnipotent was with him.” And thus the Lord Omnipotent, who was with him, induced these men to appoint him king. And how did He induce them? Did He constrain thereto by any bodily fetters? He wrought within; He held their hearts; He stirred their hearts, and drew them by their own wills, which He Himself wrought in them. If, then, when God wills to set up kings in the earth, He has the wills of men more in His power than they themselves have, who else causes rebuke to be wholesome and correction to result in the heart of him that is rebuked, that he may be established in the kingdom of heaven?

45. Non est itaque dubitandum, voluntati Dei, qui in coelo et in terra omnia quaecumque voluit fecit (Psal. CXXXIV, 6), et qui etiam illa quae futura sunt fecit (Isai. XLV, sec. LXX), humanas voluntates non posse resistere, quominus faciat ipse quod vult: quandoquidem etiam de ipsis hominum voluntatibus, quod vult, cum vult, facit. Nisi forte (ut ex multis aliqua commemorem) quando Deus voluit Saüli regnum dare, sic erat in potestate Israelitarum subdere se memorato viro, sive non subdere, quod utique in eorum erat positum voluntate, ut etiam Deo valerent resistere. Qui tamen hoc non fecit, nisi per ipsorum hominum voluntates, sine dubio habens humanorum cordium quo placeret inclinandorum omnipotentissimam potestatem. Sic enim scriptum est, Et dimisit Samuel populum, et abiit unusquisque in locum suum; et Saül abiit in domum suam in Gabaa; et abierunt potentes quorum tetigit Dominus corda cum Saüle. Et filii pestilentes dixerunt: Quis salvabit nos? hic ? Et inhonoraverunt eum, et non attulerunt ei munera (I Reg. X, 25-27). Numquid aliquis dicturus est, non iturum fuisse cum Saül, quemquam eorum, quorum tetigit corda Dominus ut irent cum illo; aut isse aliquem pestilentium, quorum ut hoc facerent corda non tetigit? Item de David, quem Dominus in regnum successu prosperiore constituit, ita legitur: Et ambulabat David proficiens, et magnificabatur, et Dominus erat cum illo (I Par. XI, 9). Hoc cum praemissum fuisset, paulo post dictum est: Et Spiritus induit Amasai principem friginta , et dixit: Tui sumus, o David, et tecum futuri, filiJesse. Pax, pax tibi, et pax adjutoribus tuis, quia auxiliatus est tibi Deus. Numquid iste posset adversari voluntati Dei, et non potius ejus facere voluntatem, qui in ejus corde operatus est per Spiritum suum quo indutus est, ut hoc vellet, diceret, et faceret ? Item paulo post ait eadem Scriptura: Omnes hi viri 0944bellatores, dirigentes aciem corde pacifico venerunt in Hebron, ut constituerent David super omnem Israel (I Par. XII, 18, 38). Sua voluntate utique isti constituerunt regem David. Quis non videat? quis hoc neget? Non enim hoc non ex animo, aut non ex bona voluntate fecerunt, quod fecerunt corde pacifico: et tamen hoc in eis egit, qui in cordibus hominum quod voluerit operatur. Propter quod praemisit Scriptura, Et ambulabat David proficiens, et magnificabatur, et Dominus omnipotens erat cum illo. Ac per hoc Dominus omnipotens qui erat cum illo, adduxit istos ut eum regem constituerent. Et quomodo adduxit? numquid corporalibus ullis vinculis alligavit? Intus egit, corda tenuit, corda movit, eosque voluntatibus eorum, quas ipse in illis operatus est, traxit. Si ergo cum voluerit reges in terra Deus constituere, magis habet in potestate voluntates hominum quam ipsi suas; quis alius facit ut salubris sit correptio, et fiat in correpti corde correctio, ut coelesti constituatur in regno?