r

David, who opens and no man shuts, who fouts and no man opens, nullo alio referente pandentur, they could be opened by no other." And in another place he fays, "The opening of the mouth is not in the power of man but of God; as Paul says, a great door, and effectual, is opened unto me, and there are many adverfaries, wherefore God is called he that opens." The whole work of converfion, repentance, fpiritual knowledge, are clearly ascribed by him to the power of God, and not man. He reprefents * man as being much in the fame cafe the poor woman was, whom Satan had bound eighteen years, fo that the could not look up to heaven, but always on the earth; fo man is bowed down, et fe erigere non poffit, and can't raise himself up, because he is bound by the Devil." On thefe words, I'll give them an heart to know me, he makes this remark. "This is like to that of the Apoftle, God is he that worketh in both to you will and to do; for not only our works, but our will, Dei nitatur auxilio, depends upon the help of God." And on those words, Turn thou me and I shall be turned, he has this note ; " We can't fulfil this that we repent, unless we lean on the help of God;

t

a Comment. in Joel. Tom. 6. p. 25. C. Comment. in Ifa. Tom. 5. p. 6. E. F. • Comment. in Hierem. Ib. p. 150. C. Ib. p. 158. I.

for

for after thou fhalt convert me, and I fhall be converted unto thee, then fhall I know that thou art the Lord my God, and that my errors and fins fhall not flay me; vide quantum fit auxilium Dei, et quam fragilis humana conditio, fee how great is the help of God, and how frail the condition of man; that we can't by any means fulfil this, that we repent, unless the Lord first convert us? And in another place ", having cited John vi. 44. thus defcants upon it; "When he fays, No man can come to me, he breaks the proud liberty of free will; for if ever he would come to Chrift, unless that is done which follows, except my heavenly Father-X draw him, nec quicquam cupiat et fruftra nitatur, he can defire nothing, and in vain be endeavours." And on thefe words, which he thus reads, I will give them thought and Jenfe, that they may know me, he argues ; "If thought and fenfe are given by God, and the understanding of the Lord Spring from him who is to be known, ubi eft liberi arbitrii tantum fuperba jactatio, where is the proud boafting of free will?" And having mentioned Pfal. lxxvii. 10. which he renders thus, Now have I begun; this is the change of the right hand of the most high, makes this remark on it *; "It is the lan

W

guage

guage of a righteous man, who after meditation in fleep, and diftrefs of conscience, at laft fays, now have I begun either to repent, or to enter into the light of knowledge; and this change from good to better, non mearum virium fed dexterae et potentiae Dei eft, is not owing to my own ftrength, but to the right hand and power of God." He frequently argues against the power of free will from this confideration, that upon a fuppofition of this there's no need of prayer; "For, fays he, if only the grace of God lies in this, that he hath made us endued with free will, with which we are content, nor do any longer ftand in need of his help, left if we should, our free will would be deftroyed; then we ought by no means to pray any longer, and thereby engage the goodness of God, that we may daily receive what being once received is in our power;" for "we pray in vain, adds he, if it is in our will to do what we will." Why should men pray for that from the Lord which they have in the power of their own free will?" He farther argues against the power of free will from the grace of God, and the help and affiftance which he affords to man; "where, fays he, there is grace there's no reward of works, but the free

Ad Ctefiph. adv. Pelag. p. 84. I. Adv. Pelag. 1. 1. p. 88. I. K. 1. 2. p. 95. E. F. G. p. 102. A. z Ad Demetriad. Tom. 1. p. 23. M.

13

gift of the donor; that the faying of the Apostle may be fulfilled, It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that fheweth mercy; and yet to will and nill is ours, but that which is ours, is not ours, fine Dei miferatione, without the mercy of God." And elsewhere he obferves, that "where there is grace and mercy, free will in part ceafes; for it is only by that that we will, defire, and give an affent to things that are liked; but it is in the power of the Lord that that which we defire, labour for, and endeavour after, we are able to fulfil, illius ope et auxilio, by his help and affiftance." And in another place he fays, "If not one, nor few, nor many, but all, are governed by their own will, ubi erit auxilium Dei, where will be the help of God? Then how do you explain Pfal.xxxvii. 23. Jer. x. 23. John iii. 27. 1 Cor. iv. 7, &c?" And Again, he afks, "Where are they that fay, that man may be governed by his own will? That fuch a power of free will is given, that the mercy and juftice of God are taken away? Let them be ashamed that fay fo." He allows of, and pleads for fuch a free will, as is confiftent with, and depends upon the grace and power of God;

a Adv. Pelag. 1. 3. Tom. 2. p. 101. A.

b Ib. 1. 1. p. 91. B. vid. etiam, Ep. ad Ctefiph. adv. Pelag. p. 84. B.

Comment. in Hierem. Tom. 5. P. 133. D. E.

P. 134. F.

་་ not

"not that, fays he, free will is taken away from man by the grace of God, but the liberty it felf, Dominum habere debeat adjutorem, ought to have God for its helper." He owns, that "it is ours to will and to run, but that our will and running may be accomplished, belongs to the mercy of God; and it is fo brought about, that in our willing and running, free will may be preserved, and in the confummation of our will and race, Dei cuncta potentiae relinquantur, all things may be left to the power of God." Yea, he argues, that the Pelagians, and not fuch as himself, destroyed free will; "they boast, fays he, up and down, that free will is deftroyed by us; when, on the contrary, they ought to obferve, that they deftroy the liberty of the will, who abuse it, contrary to the grace of the donor. Who destroys free will? He who always gives thanks to God, and whatsoever flows in his rivulet, he refers to the fountain? Or, he who fays, depart from me, for I am clean, I have no need of thee? Thou haft once given me freedom of will, that I may do what I will, why doft thou thruft in thy felf again, that I can do nothing unless thou compleatest thine own gifts in me?" Once more he ob

d Comment. in Ezech. Tom. 5. p. 196. K.

Adv. Pelag. 1. 1. 87. K.

f Ad Ctefiphont. adv. Pelag. p. 84. M.

ferves,