Grace and Free Will (continued)
CHAPTER 6.
GOD’S GRACE IS TO BE MAINTAINED AGAINST THE PELAGIANS;
THE PELAGIAN HERESY IS NOT AN OLD ONE
However, it is to be feared lest all these and similar testimonies of Holy Scripture (and undoubtedly there are a great many of them), in maintaining free will, be understood in such a way as to leave no room for God’s assistance and grace in leading a godly life, and a good conversation,6 to which the eternal reward is due; and lest poor wretched man, when he leads a good life and performs good works (or rather thinks that he leads a good life and performs good works), should dare to glory in himself and not in the Lord, and to put his hope of righteous living in himself alone — so as to be followed by the prophet Jeremiah’s malediction when he says, “Cursed is the man who has hope in man, and makes strong the flesh of his arm, and whose heart departs from the Lord.”Jer 17.5 Understand this passage of the prophet, my brethren, I pray you. Because the prophet did not say, “Cursed is the man who has hope in his own self,” it might seem to some that the passage, “Cursed is the man who has hope in man,” was spoken to prevent man having hope in any other man but himself. Therefore, in order to show that his admonition to man was not to have hope in himself: after saying, “Cursed is the man who has hope in man,” he immediately added, “and makes strong the flesh of his arm.” He used the word “arm” to designate power in operation. The term “flesh,” however, must be understood to mean human frailty. And therefore the one who makes strong the flesh of his arm, supposes that a power which is frail and weak (that is, human) is sufficient for him to perform good works; and therefore he does not put his hope in God for help. This is the reason why he subjoined the further clause, “And whose heart departs from the Lord.” This is the character of Pelagian heresy, which is not an ancient one, but has only lately come into existence. Against this system of error there was first a good deal of discussion; then, as the ultimate resource, it was referred to sundry episcopal councils, the proceedings of which, not indeed in every instance, but in some, I have dispatched to you for your perusal. In order, then, to perform good works, let us not have hope in man, making strong the flesh of our arm; nor let our heart ever depart from the Lord; but let us say to him, “Be my helper; do not forsake me, nor despise me, O God of my salvation.”Psa 27.9