Chapter X.
On the weakness of free will.
For Holy Scripture supports the freedom of the will where it says: "Keep thy heart with all diligence," [1784] but the Apostle indicates its weakness by saying "The Lord keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." [1785] David asserts the power of free will, where he says "I have inclined my heart to do Thy righteous acts," [1786] but the same man in like manner teaches us its weakness, by praying and saying, "Incline my heart unto Thy testimonies and not to covetousness:" [1787] Solomon also: "The Lord incline our hearts unto Himself that we may walk in all His ways and keep His commandments, and ordinances and judgments." [1788] The Psalmist denotes the power of our will, where he says: "Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips that they speak no guile," [1789] our prayer testifies to its weakness, when we say: "O Lord, set a watch before my mouth, and keep the door of my lips." [1790] The importance of our will is maintained by the Lord, when we find "Break the chains of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion:" [1791] of its weakness the prophet sings, when he says: "The Lord looseth them that are bound:" and "Thou hast broken my chains: To Thee will I offer the sacrifice of praise." [1792] We hear in the gospel the Lord summoning us to come speedily to Him by our free will: "Come unto Me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you," [1793] but the same Lord testifies to its weakness, by saying: "No man can come unto Me except the Father which sent Me draw him." [1794] The Apostle indicates our free will by saying: "So run that ye may obtain:" [1795] but to its weakness John Baptist bears witness where he says: "No man can receive anything of himself, except it be given him from above." [1796] We are commanded to keep our souls with all care, when the Prophet says: "Keep your souls," [1797] but by the same spirit another Prophet proclaims: "Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain." [1798] The Apostle writing to the Philippians, to show that their will is free, says "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling," but to point out its weakness, he adds: "For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure."
[1784] Prov. iv. 23.
[1785] Phil. iv. 7.
[1786] Ps. cxviii. (cxix.) 112.
[1787] Ib. ver. 36.
[1788] 1 Kings viii. 58.
[1789] Ps. xxxiii. (xxxiv.) 14.
[1790] Ps. cxl. (cxli.) 3.
[1791] Is. lii. 2.
[1792] Ps. cxlv (cxlvi.) 7; cxv. (cxvi.) 16, 17.
[1793] S. Matt. xi. 28.
[1794] S. John vi. 44.
[1795] 1 Cor. ix. 24.
[1796] S. John iii. 27.
[1797] Jer. xvii. 21.
[1798] Ps. cxxvi. (cxxvii.) 1.
[1799] Phil. ii. 12, 13.
Chapter XI.
Whether the grace of God precedes or follows our good will.
And so these are somehow mixed up and indiscriminately confused, so that among many persons, which depends on the other is involved in great questionings, i.e., does God have compassion upon us because we have shown the beginning of a good will, or does the beginning of a good will follow because God has had compassion upon us? For many believing each of these and asserting them more widely than is right are entangled in all kinds of opposite errors. For if we say that the beginning of free will is in our own power, what about Paul the persecutor, what about Matthew the publican, of whom the one was drawn to salvation while eager for bloodshed and the punishment of the innocent, the other for violence and rapine? But if we say that the beginning of our free will is always due to the inspiration of the grace of God, what about the faith of Zaccheus, or what are we to say of the goodness of the thief on the cross, who by their own desires brought violence to bear on the kingdom of heaven and so prevented the special leadings of their vocation? But if we attribute the performance of virtuous acts, and the execution of God's commands to our own will, how do we pray: "Strengthen, O God, what Thou hast wrought in us;" and "The work of our hands stablish Thou upon us?" [1800] We know that Balaam was brought to curse Israel, but we see that when he wished to curse he was not permitted to. Abimelech is preserved from touching Rebecca and so sinning against God. Joseph is sold by the envy of his brethren, in order to bring about the descent of the children of Israel into Egypt, and that while they were contemplating the death of their brother provision might be made for them against the famine to come: as Joseph shows when he makes himself known to his brethren and says: "Fear not, neither let it be grievous unto you that ye sold me into these parts: for for your salvation God sent me before you;" and below: "For God sent me before that ye might be preserved upon the earth and might have food whereby to live. Not by your design was I sent but by the will of God, who has made me a father to Pharaoh and lord of all his house, and chief over all the land of Egypt." And when his brethren were alarmed after the death of his father, he removed their suspicions and terror by saying: "Fear not: Can ye resist the will of God? You imagined evil against me but God turned it into good, that He might exalt me, as ye see at the present time, that He might save much people." [1801] And that this was brought about providentially the blessed David likewise declared saying in the hundred and fourth Psalm: "And He called for a dearth upon the land: and brake all the staff of bread. He sent a man before them: Joseph was sold for a slave." [1802] These two then; viz., the grace of God and free will seem opposed to each other, but really are in harmony, and we gather from the system of goodness that we ought to have both alike, lest if we withdraw one of them from man, we may seem to have broken the rule of the Church's faith: for when God sees us inclined to will what is good, He meets, guides, and strengthens us: for "At the voice of thy cry, as soon as He shall hear, He will answer thee;" and: "Call upon Me," He says, "in the day of tribulation and I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me." [1803] And again, if He finds that we are unwilling or have grown cold, He stirs our hearts with salutary exhortations, by which a good will is either renewed or formed in us.
[1800] Ps. lxvii. (lxviii.) 29; lxxxix. (xc.) 17.
[1801] Gen. xlv. 5-8; l. 19, 20.
[1802] Ps. civ. (cv.) 16, 17.
[1803] Is. xxx. 19; Ps. xlix. (l.) 15.