(41.) Specimens of Pelagian Exegesis.

But I beg of you to see what kind of objection, after all, he makes, that to him who “willeth and runneth” there is no necessity for God’s mercy, which actually anticipates him in order that he may run,—because, forsooth, the apostle says concerning a certain person, “Let him do what he will,”206    1 Cor. vii. 36.—in the matter, as I suppose, which he goes on to treat, when he says, “He sinneth not, let him marry!”207    1 Cor. vii. 36. As if indeed it should be regarded as a great matter to be willing to marry, when the subject is a laboured discussion concerning the assistance of God’s grace, or that it is of any great advantage to will it, unless God’s providence, which governs all things, joins together the man and the woman. Or, in the case of the apostle’s writing to Philemon, that “his kindness should not be as it were of necessity, but voluntary,”—as if any good act could indeed be voluntary otherwise than by God’s “working in us both to will and to do of His own good pleasure.”208    Phil. ii. 13. Or, when the Scripture says in Deuteronomy, “Life and death hath He set before man and good and evil,” and admonishes him “to choose life;” as if, forsooth, this very admonition did not come from God’s mercy, or as if there were any advantage in choosing life, unless God inspired love to make such a choice, and gave the possession of it when chosen, concerning which it is said: “For anger is in His indignation, and in His pleasure is life.”209    Ps. xxx. 5.

Or again, because it is said, “The commandments, if thou wilt, shall save thee,”210    Ecclus. xv. 15.—as if a man ought not to thank God, because he has a will to keep the commandments, since, if he wholly lacked the light of truth, it would not be possible for him to possess such a will. “Fire and water being set before him, a man stretches forth his hand towards which he pleases;”211    Ecclus. xv. 16. and yet higher is He who calls man to his higher vocation than any thought on man’s own part, inasmuch as the beginning of correction of the heart lies in faith, even as it is written, “Thou shalt come, and pass on from the beginning of faith.”212    Cant. iv. 8. Every one makes his choice of good, “according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith;”213    Rom. xii. 3. and as the Prince of faith says, “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him.”214    John vi. 44. And that He spake this in reference to the faith which believes in Him, He subsequently explains with sufficient clearness, when He says: “The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life; yet there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray Him. And He said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.” 215    John vi. 62–65.

41. Videte tamen, obsecro, quale sit, ideo volenti et currenti misericordiam Dei non esse necessariam, quae illum etiam praevenit, ut curreret, quia de quodam ait Apostolus, Quod vult faciat: ibi, ut arbitror, ubi sequitur et dicit, Non peccat, si nubat. Quasi pro magno habendum sit, velle nubere, ubi de adjutorio divinae misericordiae operosius disputatur. Aut vero etiam ibi prodest aliquid velle, nisi Deus providentia, qua gubernat omnia, marem feminamque conjungat. Aut quoniam ad Philemonem scripsit Apostolus, Ut non quasi ex necessitate bonum ejus esset, sed voluntarium: quasi aliter sit voluntarium bonum, nisi cum Deus operatur in nobis et velle et operari, pro bona voluntate (Philipp. II, 13). Aut quia in Deuteronomio scriptum est, Vitam et mortem dedit ante faciem hominis, bonum et malum; et admonuit ut eligeret vitam: quasi et ipsa admonitio non de misericordia veniat; vel aliquid prodesset eligere vitam, nisi Deus eligendi charitatem inspiraret, et electam habere praestaret: de quo dictum est, Quoniam ira in indignatione ejus, et vita in voluntate ejus (Psal. XXIX, 6). Aut quia dictum est, Si voles praecepta, servabunt te: quasi non debeat Deo agere gratias, quia praecepta voluit, qui desertus omni lumine veritatis haec velle non posset. Positis ante hominem igne et aqua, quo vult quidem porrigit manum, sed altior est qui vocat altius quam omnis humana cogitatio: quandoquidem initium corrigendi cor fides est, sicut scriptum est, Venies, et pertransies ab initio fidei (Cant. IV, sec. LXX); et quisque ita eligit bonum, sicut unicuique Deus partitus est mensuram fidei (Rom. XII, 3); et, Nemo potest ad me venire, ait Princeps fidei, nisi Pater qui misit me, traxerit eum. Quod de fide dictum esse qua in eum creditur, satis evidenter postea explanat, ubi dicit: Verba quae ego locutus sum vobis, spiritus et vita sunt; sed quidam sunt ex vobis qui non credunt. Sciebat enim ab initio Jesus, qui essent credentes, et quis eum traditurus esset; et dicebat, Propterea dixi vobis, quia 0315 nemo potest ad me venire, nisi fuerit ei datum a Patre meo (Joan. VI, 44, 64, 65, 66).