Grace and Free Will (continued)
CHAPTER 31.
FREE WILL HAS ITS FUNCTION IN THE HEART’S CONVERSION;
BUT GRACE TOO HAS ITS FUNCTION
Lest, however, it should be thought that men themselves in this matter do nothing by free will, it is said in the Psalm, “Do not harden not your hearts;”Psa 95.8 and in Ezekiel himself, “Cast away from you all your transgressions which you have impiously committed against me; and make you a new heart and a new spirit; and keep all my commandments. For why will you die, O house of Israel, says the Lord? For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dies, says the Lord God: and turn and live.”Eze 18.31-32 We should remember that it is He who says, “Turn and live,” to whom it is said in prayer, “Turn us again, O God.” We should remember that He says, “Cast away from you all your transgressions,” when it is even He who justifies the ungodly. We should remember that He says, “Make you a new heart and a new spirit,” who also promises, “I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you.”Eze 36.26 How is it then, that He who says, “Make you,” also says, “I will give you”? Why does He command, if He is to give? Why does He give if man is to make, unless it is that He gives what He commands when He helps the one whom He commands, to obey? There is, however, always within us a free will—but it is not always good; for it is either free from righteousness when it serves sin—and then it is evil—or else it is free from sin when it serves righteousness—and then it is good. But the grace of God is always good; and by it, it comes to pass that a man is of a good will, though he was before of an evil one. By it also, it comes to pass that the very good will which has now begun to be, is enlarged, and made so great that it is able to fulfil the divine commandments which it wishes, once it firmly and perfectly wishes it. This is the purport of what the Scripture says: “If you will, you shall keep the commandments;”Sir 15.15 so that the man who wills but is not able, knows that he does not yet fully will; and he prays that he may have so great a will that it may suffice to keep the commandments. And thus indeed he receives assistance to perform what he is commanded. Then the will is of use when we have ability; just as ability is also of use when we have the will. For what does it profit us if we will what we are unable to do, or else do not will what we are able to do?