us." unexpectedly, confuse our mind and soul, and draw them in a different direction from that which you have proposed to yourself; they recall you to worldly things, they interpose things of time, they suggest voluptuous things, they inweave enticing things, and in the very moment when we are seeking to elevate our mind, we are for the most part filled with vain thoughts and cast down to earthly things." " Therefore it is not in the power of men, but in that of God, that men have power to become sons of God." Because they receive it from Him who gives pious thoughts to the human heart, by which it has faith, which worketh by love; for the receiving and keeping of which benefit, and for carrying it on perseveringly unto the end, we are not sufficient to think anything as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God, in whose power is our heart and our thoughts. it that to some who have in good faith worshipped Him He has not given to persevere to the end?" Why except because he does not speak falsely who says, "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, doubtless they would have continued with Are there, then, two natures of men? By no means. If there were two natures there would not be any grace, for there would be given a gratuitous deliverance to none if it were paid as a debt to nature. But it seems to men that all who appear good believers ought to receive perseverance to the end. But God has judged it to be better to mingle some who would not persevere with a certain number of His saints, so that those for whom security from temptation in this life is not desirable may not be secure. For that which the apostle says, checks many from mischievous elation: "Wherefore let him who seems to stand take heed lest he fall."2 But he who falls, falls by his own will, and he who stands, stands by God's will. "For God is able to make him stand; "3 therefore he is not Therefore, of two infants, equally bound by able to make himself stand, but God. Neverthe- original sin, why the one is taken and the other less, it is good not to be high-minded, but to left; and of two wicked men of already mature fear. Moreover, it is in his own thought that years, why this one should be so called as to every one either falls or stands. Now, as the follow Him that calleth, while that one is either apostle says, and as I have mentioned in my not called at all, or is not called in such a manformer treatise, "We are not sufficient to think ner, - the judgments of God are unsearchable. anything of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of But of two pious men, why to the one should be God."4 Following whom also the blessed Am-given perseverance unto the end, and to the brose ventures to say, "For our heart is not in our own power, nor are our thoughts." And this everybody who is humbly and truly pious feels to be most true. CHAP. 21 [IX.] INSTANCES OF THE UNSEARCH ABLE JUDGMENTS OF GOD. other it should not be given, God's judgments are even more unsearchable. Yet to believers it ought to be a most certain fact that the former is of the predestinated, the latter is not. "For if they had been of us," says one of the predes CHAP. 20.— AMBROSE ON GOD'S CONTROL OVER tinated, who had drunk this secret from the MEN'S THOUGHTS. And when Ambrose said this, he was speaking in that treatise which he wrote concerning Flight from the World, wherein he taught that this world was to be fled not by the body, but by the heart, which he argued could not be done except by God's help. For he says: "We hear frequent discourse concerning fleeing from this world, and I would that the mind was as careful and solicitous as the discourse is easy; but what is worse, the enticement of earthly lusts constantly creeps in, and the pouring out of vanities takes possession of the mind; so that what you desire to avoid, this you think of and consider in your mind. And this is difficult for a man to beware of, but impossible to get rid of. Finally, the prophet bears witness that it is a matter of wish rather than of accomplishment, when he says, 'Incline my heart to Thy testimonies, and not to covetousness.' 5 For our heart and our thoughts are not in our own power, and these, poured forth breast of the Lord, "certainly they would have continued with us." What, I ask, is the meaning of, "They were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would certainly have continued with us"? Were not both created by Godboth born of Adam — both made from the earth, and given from Him who said, "I have created all breath," souls of one and the same nature? Lastly, had not both been called, and followed Him that called them? and had not both become, from wicked men, justified men, and both been renewed by the laver of regeneration? But if he were to hear this who beyond all doubt knew what he was saying, he might answer and say: These things are true. In respect of all these things, they were of us. Nevertheless, in respect of a certain other distinction, they were not of us, for if they had been of us, they certainly would have continued with us. What then is this distinction? God's books lie 6 Ambrose, On Flight from the World, ch. 1. open, let us not turn away our view; the divine Scripture cries aloud, let us give it a hearing. They were not of them, because they had not been "called according to the purpose;" they had not been chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world; they had not gained a lot in Him; they had not been predestinated according to His purpose who worketh all things. For if they had been this, they would have been of them, and without doubt they would have continued with them. CHAP. 22.—IT IS AN ABSURDITY TO SAY THAT THE DEAD WILL BE JUDGED FOR SINS WHICH THEY WOULD HAVE COMMITTED IF THEY HAD LIVED. wherein I answered some six questions of the Pagans, yet without prejudice of other matters which the wise can inquire into? This indeed I said, as you know, when it was asked why Christ came after so long a time: "that at those times and in those places in which His gospel was not preached, He foreknew that all men would, in regard of His preaching, be such as many were in His bodily presence, — people, namely, who would not believe on Him, even though the dead were raised by Him." Moreover, a little after in the same book, and on the same question, I say, "What wonder, if Christ knew in former ages that the world was so filled with unbelievers, that He was, with reason, unFor not to say how possible it may be for God willing for His gospel to be preached to them to convert the wills of men averse and opposed whom He foreknew to be such as would not beto His faith, and to operate on their hearts so lieve either His words or His miracles"? Certhat they yield to no adversities, and are over- tainly we cannot say this of Tyre and Sidon; come by no temptation so as to depart from and in their case we recognise that those divine Him, since He also can do what the apostle judgments had reference to those causes of presays, namely, not allow them to be tempted above destination, without prejudice to which hidden that which they are able; not, then, to say this, causes I said that I was then answering such God foreknowing that they would fall, was cer- questions as those. Certainly it is easy to accuse tainly able to take them away from this life be- the unbelief of the Jews, arising as it did from fore that fall should occur. Are we to return to their free will, since they refused to believe in that point of still arguing how absurdly it is said such great wonders done among themselves. that dead men are judged even for those sins And this the Lord, reproaching them, declares which God foreknew that they would have com- when He says, "Woe unto thee, Chorazin and mitted if they had lived? which is so abhorrent Bethsaida, because if the mighty works had been to the feelings of Christians, or even of human done in Tyre and Sidon which have been done beings, that one is even ashamed to rebut it. in you, they would long ago have repented in Why should it not be said that even the gospel dust and ashes." 2 But can we say that even itself has been preached, with so much labour the Tyrians and Sidonians would have refused and sufferings of the saints, in vain, or is even to believe such mighty works done among them, still preached in vain, if men could be judged, or would not have believed them if they had even without hearing the gospel, according to been done, when the Lord Himself bears witness the contumacy or obedience which God fore- to them that they would have repented with knew that they would have had if they had heard great humility if those signs of divine power had it? Tyre and Sidon would not have been con- been done among them? And yet in the day demned, although more slightly than those cities of judgment they will be punished; although in which, although they did not believe, wonder- with a less punishment than those cities which ful works were done by Christ the Lord; because would not believe the mighty works done in if they had been done in them, they would have them. For the Lord goes on to say, "Neverrepented in dust and ashes, as the utterances of theless, I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable the Truth declare, in which words of His the for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than Lord Jesus shows to us the loftier mystery of for you.' 193 Therefore the former shall be punpredestination. ished with greater severity, the latter with less ; but yet they shall be punished. Again, if the dead are judged even in respect of deeds which they would have done if they had lived, assuredly since these would have been believers if the gospel had been preached to them with so great For if we are asked why such miracles were miracles, they certainly ought not to be pundone among those who, when they saw them, ished; but they will be punished. It is therewould not believe them, and were not done fore false that the dead are judged in respect among those who would have believed them if also of those things which they would have done they had seen them, what shall we answer? if the gospel had reached them when they were Shall we say what I have said in that book' CHAP. 23. WHY FOR THE PEOPLE OF TYRE AND 1 Epistle 102, question 2; see the first volume of this series, p. 418. 2 Luke x. 13. 3 Matt. xi. 22. alive. And if this is false, there is no ground from the faith, as, if they had come to it, He for saying, concerning infants who perish because foresaw they would have done. Although if they die without baptism, that this happens in it be said, "Why was it not provided that they their case deservedly, because God foreknew that should rather believe, and this gift should be beif they should live and the gospel should be stowed on them, that before they forsook the faith preached to them, they would hear it with un- they should depart from this life"? I am ignorant belief. It remains, therefore, that they are kept what reply can be made. For he who says that bound by original sin alone, and for this alone to those who would forsake their faith it would they go into condemnation; and we see that in have been granted, as a kindness, that they others in the same case this is not remitted, ex- should not begin to have what, by a more serious cept by the gratuitous grace of God in regen- impiety, they would subsequently forsake, suferation; and that, by His secret yet righteous ficiently indicates that a man is not judged by judgment - because there is no unrighteousness that which it is foreknown he would have done with God that some, who even after baptism ill, if by any act of kindness he may be prevented will perish by evil living, are yet kept in this from doing it. Therefore it is an advantage also life until they perish, who would not have per- to him who is taken away, lest wickedness should ished if bodily death had forestalled their lapse alter his understanding. But why this advaninto sin, and so come to their help. Because no tage should not have been given to the Tyrians dead man is judged by the good or evil things and Sidonians, that they might believe and be which he would have done if he had not died, taken away, lest wickedness should alter their otherwise the Tyrians and Sidonians would not understanding, he perhaps might answer who have suffered the penalties according to what was pleased in such a way to solve the above they did; but rather according to those things question; but, as far as concerns what I am disthat they would have done, if those evangelical cussing, I see it to be enough that, even accordmighty works had been done in them, they would ing to that very opinion, men are shown not to have obtained salvation by great repentance, and be judged in respect of those things which they by the faith of Christ. have not done, even although they may have been foreseen as certain to have done them. However, as I have said, let us think shame even to refute this opinion, whereby sins are supposed to be punished in people who die or have died because they have been foreknown as certain to do them if they had lived; lest we also may seem to have thought it to be of some importance, although we would rather repress it by argument than pass it over in silence. CHAP. 24 [X.]—IT MAY BE OBJECTED THAT THE SEQUENTLY LAPSED FROM THEIR FAITH. A certain catholic disputant of no mean reputation so expounded this passage of the gospel as to say, that the Lord foreknew that the Tyrians and Sidonians would have afterwards departed from the faith, although they had believed the miracles done among them; and that in mercy He did not work those miracles there, because they would have been liable to severer punishment if they had forsaken the faith which they had once held, than if they had at no time held it. In which opinion of a learned and exceedingly acute man, why am I now concerned to say what is still reasonably to be asked, when even this opinion serves me for the purpose at which I aim? For if the Lord in His mercy did not do mighty works among them, since by these works they might possibly become believers, so that they might not be more severely punished when they should subsequently become unbelievers, as He foreknew that they would, it is sufficiently and plainly shown that no dead person is judged for those sins which He foreknew that he would have done, if in some manner he were not helped not to do them; just as Christ is said to have come to the aid of the Tyrians and Sidonians, if that opinion be true, who He would rather should not come to the faith at all, than that by a much greater wickedness they should depart | Accordingly, as says the apostle, "It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy,' "who both comes to the help of such infants as He will, although they neither will nor run, since He chose them in Christ before the foundation of the world as those to whom He intended to give His grace freely, — that is, with no merits of theirs, either of faith or of works, preceding; and does not come to the help of those who are more mature, although He foresaw that they would believe His miracles if they should be done among them, because He wills not to come to their help, since in His predestination He, secretly indeed, but yet righteously, has otherwise determined concerning them. For "there is no unrighteousness with God; "2 but "His judgments are unsearchable, and His ways are past finding out; all the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth." 3 long, in a case which, as opposed to such perverse men, I could not have the assistance of the authority of the sacred Scriptures. And I was able, as I actually did, whether anything CHAP. 27. - REFERENCE TO THE RETRACTA- Therefore the mercy is past finding out by which He has mercy on whom He will, no merits of his own preceding; and the truth is unsearchable by which He hardeneth whom He will, even although his merits may have preceded, but of the divine testimonies might be true or not, merits for the most part common to him with seeing that I did not definitely introduce them the man on whom He has mercy. As of two into the argument, nevertheless, by certain twins, of which one is taken and the other left, reasoning, to conclude that God in all things is the end is unequal, while the deserts are com- to be praised, without any necessity of believing, mon, yet in these the one is in such wise de- as they would have us, that there are two colivered by God's great goodness, that the other eternal, confounded substances of good and evil. is condemned by, no injustice of God's. For is there unrighteousness with God? Away with the thought! but His ways are past finding out. Therefore let us believe in His mercy in the case of those who are delivered, and in His truth in the case of those who are punished, without any hesitation; and let us not endeavour to look into that which is inscrutable, nor to trace that which cannot be found out. Because out of the mouth of babes and sucklings He perfects His praise,' so that what we see in those whose deliverance is preceded by no good deservings of theirs, and in those whose condemnation is only preceded by original sin, common alike to both, this we by no means shrink from as occurring in the case of grown-up people, that is, because we do not think either that grace is given to any one according to his own merits, or that any one is punished except for his own merits, whether they are alike who are delivered and who are punished, or have unequal degrees of evil; so that he who thinketh he standeth may take heed lest he fall, and he who glorieth may glory not in himself, but in the Lord. CHAP. 26. THE MANICHEANS DO NOT RECEIVE ALL THE BOOKS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT, AND OF THE NEW ONLY THOSE THAT THEY CHOOSE. But wherefore is "the case of infants not allowed," as you write, "to be alleged as an example for their elders," by men who do not hesitate to affirm against the Pelagians that there is original sin, which entered by one man into the world, and that from one all have gone into condemnation? This, the Manicheans, too, do not receive, who not only reject all the Scriptures of the Old Testament as of authority, but even receive those which belong to the New Testament in such a manner as that each man, by his own prerogative as it were, or rather by his own sacrilege, takes what he likes, and rejects what he does not like, in opposition to whom I treated in my writings on Free Will, whence they think that they have a ground of objection against me. I have been unwilling to deal plainly with the very laborious questions that occurred, lest my work should become too Finally, in the first book of the Retractations,3 which work of mine you have not yet read, when I had come to the reconsidering of those same books, that is, on the subject of Free Will, I thus spoke : "In these books," I say, "many things were so discussed that on the occurring of some questions which either I was not able to elucidate, or which required a long discussion at once, they were so deferred as that from either side, or from all sides, of those questions in which what was most in harmony with the truth did not appear, yet my reasoning might be conclusive for this, namely, that whichever of them might be true, God might be believed, or even be shown, to be worthy of praise. Because that discussion was undertaken for the sake of those who deny that the origin of evil is derived from the free choice of the will, and contend that God, — if He be so, as the Creator of all natures, is worthy of blame; desiring in that manner, according to the error of their impiety (for they are Manicheans), to introduce a certain immutable nature of evil co-eternal with God." Also, after a little time, in another place I say: "Then it was said, From this misery, most righteously inflicted on sinners, God's grace delivers, because man of his own accord, that is, by free will, could fall, but could not also rise. To this misery of just condemnation belong the ignorance and the difficulty which every man suffers from the beginning of his birth, and no one is delivered from that evil except by the grace of God. And this misery the Pelagians will not have to descend from a just condemnation, because they deny original sin; although even if the ignorance and difficulty were the natural beginnings of man, God would not even thus deserve to be reproached, but to be praised, as I have argued in the same third book.+ Which argument must be regarded as against the Manicheans, who do not receive the holy Scriptures of the Old Testament, in which original sin is narrated; and whatever thence is read in the apostolic epistles, they contend was introduced 3 Retractations, Book i. ch. 9. 4 Retractations, Book i. ch. 20. CHAP. 29.-GOD'S TRUE GRACE COULD BE DE FENDED EVEN IF THERE WERE NO ORIGINAL SIN, with a detestable impudence by the corrupters righteous in the punishment of others; both good of the Scriptures, assuming that it was not said in respect of all, because it is good when that by the apostles. But against the Pelagians that which is due is rendered, and righteous in respect must be maintained which both Scriptures com- of all, since that which is not due is given withmend, as they profess to receive them." These out wrong to any one. things I said in my first book of Retractations, when I was reconsidering the books on Free Will. Nor, indeed, were these things all that were said by me there about these books, but there were many others also, which I thought it would be tedious to insert in this work for you, and not necessary; and this I think you also will judge when you have read all. Although, therefore, in the third book on Free Will I have in such wise argued concerning infants, that even if what the Pelagians say were true, that ignorance and difficulty, without which no man is born, are elements, not punishments, of our nature, still the Manicheans would be overcome, who will have it that the two natures, to wit, of good and evil, are co-eternal. Is, therefore, the faith to be called in question or forsaken, which the catholic Church maintains against those very Pelagians, asserting as she does that it is original sin, the guilt of which, contracted by generation, must be remitted by regeneration? And if they confess this with us, so that we may at once, in this matter of the Pelagians, destroy error, why do they think that it must be doubted that God can deliver even infants, to whom He gives His grace by the sacrament of baptism, from the power of darkness, and translate them into the kingdom of the Son of His love? 1 In the fact, therefore, that He gives that grace to some, and does not give it to others, why will they not sing to the Lord His mercy and judgment? Why, however, is it given to these, rather than to those, - who has known the mind of the Lord? who is able to look into unsearchable things? who to trace out that which is past finding out? - 2 CHAP. 28 [XII.] - GOD'S GOODNESS AND RIGHT EOUSNESS SHOWN IN ALL. It is therefore settled that God's grace is not given according to the deserts of the recipients, but according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise and glory of His own grace; so that he who glorieth may by no means glory in himself, but in the Lord, who gives to those men to whom He will, because He is merciful, what if, however, He does not give, He is righteous and He does not give to whom He will not, that He may make known the riches of His glory to the vessels of mercy.3 For by giving to some what they do not deserve, He has certainly willed that His grace should be gratuitous, and thus genuine grace; by not giving to all, He has shown what all deserve. Good in His goodness to some, But God's grace, that is, true grace without merits, is maintained, even if infants, when baptized, according to the view of the Pelagians, are not plucked out of the power of darkness, because they are held guilty of no sin, as the Pelagians think, but are only transferred into the Lord's kingdom: for even thus, without any good merits, the kingdom is given to those to whom it is given; and without any evil merits it is not given to them to whom it is not given. And this we are in the habit of saying in opposition to the same Pelagians, when they object to us that we attribute God's grace to fate, when we say that it is given not in respect to our merits. For they themselves rather attribute God's grace to fate in the case of infants, if they say that when there is no merit it is fate. Certainly, even according to the Pelagians themselves, no merits can be found in infants to cause that some of them should be admitted into the kingdom, and others should be alienated from the kingdom. But now, just as in order to show that God's grace is not given according to our merits, I preferred to maintain this truth in accordance with both opinions, both in accordance with our own, to wit, who say that infants are bound by original sin, and according to that of the Pelagians, who deny that there is original sin, and yet I cannot on that account doubt that infants have what He can pardon them who saves His people from their sins: so in the third book on Free Will, according to both views, I have withstood the Manicheans, whether ignorance and difficulty be punishments or elements of nature without which no man is born; and yet I hold one of these views. There, moreover, it is sufficiently evidently declared by me, that that is not the nature of man as he was ordained, but his punishment as condemned. |