Free Will Alone Cannot Save

And from this it is clearly understood by those who measure the greatness of grace and the narrow limits of the human will, not by chattering words but by experience, that “the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor food to the wise, nor riches to the prudent, nor grace to the learned,” but that “all these are the work of one and the same Spirit, who gives to each one individually as he wills.” And so it is proved, not by a doubtful faith but by an experience that can, so to speak, be laid hold of, that God, the Father of all things, works all things in all without distinction, as the apostle says, like a most kind father and a most gracious physician. Now he puts into us the very beginnings of salvation, and gives to each the zeal of his free will. Now he grants the carrying out of the work and the perfecting of goodness. Now he saves people, even against their will and without their knowledge, from ruin close at hand and from a headlong fall. Now he provides them with occasions and opportunities of salvation, and wards off sudden and violent attacks from purposes that would bring death. He helps some who are already willing and running, while he draws others who are unwilling and resisting, and compels them to a good will. But when we do not always resist or remain stubbornly unwilling, everything is granted to us by God, and the main share in our salvation is to be credited not to the merit of our own works but to heavenly grace. We are taught this by the words of the Lord himself: “And you will remember your ways and all your wicked doings with which you have been defiled, and you will be displeased with yourselves in your own sight for all the wicked deeds you have committed. And you will know that I am the Lord, when I have done well by you for my own name’s sake, not according to your evil ways nor according to your wicked deeds, O house of Israel.” This is why all the catholic fathers, who have taught perfection of heart not by empty disputes over words but in deed and act, have laid it down as follows. The first stage of the divine gift is that each person is set on fire with the desire for everything good, but in such a way that the choice of free will is open to either side. The second stage of divine grace is that the practices of virtue already mentioned can be carried out, but in such a way that the powers of the will are not destroyed. The third stage also belongs to the gifts of God: that the goodness already gained is held fast by perseverance, and in such a way that liberty is not surrendered and does not become bondage. For the God of all must be held to work in all, so as to stir up, protect and strengthen, but not to take away the freedom of the will which he himself once gave. If, however, some more subtle conclusion of human argument and reasoning seems to oppose this interpretation, it should be avoided rather than brought forward to the destruction of the faith. For we do not gain faith from understanding, but understanding from faith, as it is written: “Unless you believe, you will not understand.” For how God works all things in us, and yet everything can be credited to free will, cannot be fully grasped by the human mind and reason. [a] The blessed Chaeremon strengthened us with this food, and so kept us from feeling the toil of so difficult a journey.