calls, et quem vult religiofum facit, and whom be pleafes he makes religious, and could if he would, of perfons not devoted to him, make them devoted;" and fo he does, when i feems good in his fight. Thus Ambrofe, fpeaking of the Spirit of God, fays "Who, when he pleafes, into whom he pleafes, and as many as he pleafes, and as much as he pleafes, he infpires by his own proper will; therefore he fills with his grace whom he pleafes, and as much as he pleases;" he himself is not filled, he gives, he does not receive perfection, he fanctifies, but he bo Shimfelf is not fanctified." And in another place he fays, "The grace of the Lord is given not as from merit of reward, fed quafi ex voluntate, but as of will, according to 1 Cor. xii. 11, as he will, he fays, not as is due;" wherefore there's no room nor reafon for boafting in the creature. "Let no man, fays Ambrofe, boaft," that he has a pure heart, but he that glories let him glory in the Lord; qui fanctis fuis cor mundum creare dignatus eft, who vouchsafes to treate a clean heart in his faints." And as is elfewhere obferved by him "Whether thou art number'd among the angels, thou oughteft always to fpeak in juftification of God, m In Symbol. Apoft. c. 4. p. 90. * De exhort. ad Virgin. p. 437-1 In Pf. 118. Jod. p. 966. b. Samech, 1012, 1013. > .1 and and the glory which thou haft obtained, thou shouldft not arrogate to thine own merits, fed divinae mifericordiae femper adfcribas, but always afcribe it to divine mercy; left it should be faid to thee, as in 1 Cor. iv. 7. for every creature, whatfoever good things it hath, it receives from Chrift, who is the author of the whole creation." NUMB. XIX. MARCUS EREMITA. A.D. 390. Mark Ark the Eremite afcribes every good thing to God as the author of it; he denies that he can be prevented by any works of men, or that his grace is given in proportion to them, but affirms, that falvation is entirely of grace. "Firft of all, fays he", we certainly know, that God is the author, both beginning, middle and end, of all good. Moreover, it is impoffible, that we should do any good thing, or believe, but by Christ Jefus and the Holy Spirit."? Again, "The author and beginning of all virtue is God, as the fun is of daily light; as often as ye do any virtuous action remember him who faid, without me ye can do no-, thing." In another place he affirms', that "a man's own work does not fave him, but he who gives the power of working therefore never think, that, praeveniffe Dominum in virtute, thou hajt prevented the Lord by thy virtue, according to his judgment, who fays, it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." And elsewhere he obferves, that "what is given by grace we ought not now to meafure according to the manner and merit of preceding weakness, fince then grace would not be grace; but believing in God almighty, let us come to him with an heart fingle, and void of care, who, through faith, bestows the communication of the Spirit, non ex proportione operum naturae, not in proportion to the works of nature; for he says, have not received the Spirit by the works of the law, but by the bearing of faith." And 'tis a conclufion of this writer's ", that" the falvation of them that are faved arifes from grace, not from nature;" wherefore he advifes, "Not to feek the perfection of the law in human virtues, for no man is found perfect in them, feeing the perfection of the law is hid in the crofs of Christ." ye Ib. p. 50. 9 lb. p. 49.4. r Ib. capitula de temperantia, p. 104. NUMB, NUMB. XX. JOANNES CHRYSOSTOMUS. A. D. 390. Chryfoftom, in many places, freely owns, that our calling, faith, will, and power to do good, are to be afcribed to the grace and power of God, and the energy of the Spirit; "Not you labouring, fays he', have found God, but living in error, a upas ewrowavalo, he himself bath drawn you out." i. e. of a state of fin and mifery. Again, fays he", "To be called and to be cleanfed are of grace; and he that is called and cloathed with a pure garment should continue to keep fo: Diligence belongs to them that are called; for fince to be called, εκ απο της αξίας γερονεν, αλλά από της χαρα is not of merit, but of grace, therefore fomething ought to be returned for that grace." Again", "Thou haft nothing of thine own but what thou haft received from God Not thine are thofe good deeds, a TMs T OE's Jaen, but are owing to the grace of God. Shouldft thou name faith, this is from calling; fhouldst thou mention remiffion of fins, or gifts, or the teaching word, thou Comment. in Gal. 4. 9. Tom. 3. p. 744. "In Matt. 22. Homil. 69. Tom. 2. p. 438. haft haft received all from thence." Hence, fays he elsewhere, we should reckon nothing ours, caxy ǹ auận ʼn m5i5 8n nueléogy, Seeing faith it felf is not ours, but rather God's. Hear Paul saying, And this not of our felves, it is the gift of God. And in another place he obferves, that " the Apoftle does not fay, veffels of well-doing, nor veffels of liberty, but vessels of mercy, thewing, cố 70 7 15 78 Os, that the whole is of God." Upon Phil. ii. 13. he has this note, και προθυμίαν αυ & ημιν δίδωσι και εργασίαν, and be himself gives the readiness of mind,.i.e. to do good, and the doing of it it felf." He afferts a, that "a man brings nothing to the aforefaid things, meaning ordinances, and the adminiftration of them, αλλα το παν της τε Des duranews ep2oves, but all is the work of God's power." Yea, he affirms, that "it is impoffible that a man fhould be able to have converfation with God, he means in prayer, or to pray unto him, aveU THS EVEp¬ JANE TE TIEμel, without the energy of the Spirit." × In A&t. Homil. 30. Tom. 4. p. 783. 7 In Rom. 9. 23. Homil. 19, Tom, 3, p. 144. * In 1 Cor. 3. r, z. Homil. 8. Tom. 3. p. 291. NUMB |
