"It is in vain that you misrepresent me and try to convince the
ignorant that I condemn free-will. Let him who condemns it be himself condemned.
We have been created endowed with free-will; still it is not this which
distinguishes us from the brutes. For human free-will, as I said, depends upon
the help of God and needs His aid moment by moment, a thing which you and yours
do not choose to admit. Your position is that once a man has free-will he no
longer needs the help of God. It is true that freedom of the will brings with it
freedom of decision. Still man does not act immediately on his free-will but
requires God's aid who Himself needs no aid."
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"But when we are concerned with grace and mercy, free-will is in
part void; in part, I say, for so much depends upon it, that we wish and desire,
and give assent to the course we choose. But it depends on God whether we have
the power in His strength and with His help to perform what we desire, and to
bring to effect our toil and effort." |