[XXIII.] For he goes on to say: “Whosoever makes a right use of this” (that is, rightly uses his freedom of will), “does so entirely surrender himself to God, and does so completely mortify his own will, that he is able to say with the apostle, ‘Nevertheless it is already not I that live, but Christ liveth in me;’58    Gal. ii. 20. and ‘He placeth his heart in the hand of God, so that He turneth it whithersoever He willeth.’”59    Prov. xxi. 1. Great indeed is the help of the grace of God, so that He turns our heart in whatever direction He pleases. But according to this writer’s foolish opinion, however great the help may be, we deserve it all at the moment when, without any assistance beyond the liberty of our will, we hasten to the Lord, desire His guidance and direction, suspend our own will entirely on His, and by close adherence to Him become one spirit with Him. Now all these vast courses of goodness we (according to him) accomplish, forsooth, simply by the freedom of our own free will; and by reason of such antecedent merits we so secure His grace, that He turns our heart which way soever He pleases. Well, now, how is that grace which is not gratuitously conferred? How can it be grace, if it is given in payment of a debt? How can that be true which the apostle says, “It is not of yourselves, but it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast;” 60    Eph. ii. 8, 9. and again, “If it is of grace, then is it no more of works, otherwise grace is no more grace:”61    Rom. xi. 6. how, I repeat, can this be true, if such meritorious works precede as to procure for us the bestowal of grace? Surely, under the circumstances, there can be no gratuitous gift, but only the recompense of a due reward. Is it the case, then, that in order to find their way to the help of God, men run to God without God’s help? And in order that we may receive God’s help while cleaving to Him, do we without His help cleave to God? What greater gift, or even what similar gift, could grace itself bestow upon any man, if he has already without grace been able to make himself one spirit with the Lord by no other power than that of his own free will?

CAPUT XXIII.

Sequitur enim et dicit, «Qua qui bene utitur,» id est, arbitrii libertate qui bene utitur, «ita se,» inquit, «totum tradit Deo omnemque suam mortificat voluntatem, ut cum Apostolo possit dicere, Vivo autem jam non ego, vivit autem in me Christus (Galat. II, 20): ponitque cor suum in manu Dei, ut illud quo voluerit , ipse declinet» (Prov. XXI, 1). Magnum profecto adjutorium divinae gratiae, ut cor nostrum quo voluerit Deus, ipse declinet. Sed hoc tam magnum adjutorium, sicut iste desipit, tunc meremur, cum sine ullo adjutorio nonnisi de arbitrii libertate ad Dominum currimus, ab eo nos regi cupimus, voluntatem nostram ex ejus voluntate suspendimus, eique adhaerendo jugiter, unus cum illo efficimur spiritus. Haec scilicet tam ingentia bona, nonnisi de arbitrii, secundum istum, efficimus libertate, ut his praecedentibus meritis sic ejus gratiam consequamur, ut cor nostrum quo voluerit ipse declinet. Quomodo est ergo gratia, si non gratis datur? quomodo est gratia, si ex debito redditur? Quomodo verum dicit Apostolus, Non ex vobis, sed Dei donum est; non ex operibus, ne forte quis extollatur (Ephes. II, 8, 9): et iterum, Si autem gratia, inquit, jam non ex operibus; alioquin gratia jam non est gratia (Rom. XI, 6)? Quomodo, inquam, hoc verum est, si opera tanta praecedunt, quae nobis adipiscendae gratiae meritum faciant, quo nobis non donetur gratuito, sed reddatur ex debito? Ergone ut perveniatur ad adjutorium Dei, ad Deum curritur sine adjutorio Dei; et ut Deo adhaerentes adjuvemur a Deo, a Deo non adjuti adhaeremus Deo? Quid homini majus, quidve tale poterit gratia ipsa praestare, si jam sine illa unus cum Domino spiritus effici potuit, nonnisi de arbitrii libertate?