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" For
AND THEIR REFUTATION. 165
to will is present with me, but to accomplish that which is
good I find not" (Romans, vii, 18). The meaning of the Apostle
is this, that he, being then justified, had the Grace to desire
what was good, but to it perfect was not his work, but the work
of God ; but he does not say that he had from himself the
desire of doing good. The same answer applies to what is said
of Cornelius, because, although he obtained his conversion to the
Faith by his prayers, still these prayers were accompanied by
preventing grace.
7. They object, secondly, what Christ " He that
says in St. Mark
believeth and is baptized shall be saved."
(xvi, 16) :
Here they say one thing is required, that is Faith ; another is
promised, salvation. Therefore, what is required is in the power
of man ; what is promised is in the power of God. We answer,
with St. Augustin (1).
"
St. Paul," sayrs the Holy Doctor,
"
writes : If by the Spirit you mortify the deeds of the flesh,
you
are saved.
"
(Rom. viii, 13). Here one thing is required,
the mortification of the flesh ; another tiling is promised, that is>
eternal life. Now, if the argument of the Semipelagians was
worth anything, that what is required is in our power, without
the assistance of Grace, it would follow, that without Grace we
have it in our power to conquer our passions ;
but this, the Saint
says,
"
is the damnable error of the Pelagians." He then gives
a direct answer to the Semipelagians, and tells them that it is
not in our power to give what is required of us, without Grace,
but with Grace it is, and he then concludes : Sicut ergo, quainvis
donum Dei sit facta carnis mortificare, exigitur tamcn a nobis
proposito praemio vita? ; ita donum Dei est Fides, quamvis et
ipsa, dum dicitur, si credideris, salvus eris, proposito prgemio
salutis exigatur a nobis. Ideo enim ha3c et nobis prsecipiuntur,
et dona Dei esse monstrantur, ut intelligatur, quod et nos ea
faciamus, et Deus facit ut ilia faciamus."
8. They object, thirdly, that God, in a thousand passages in
the Scriptures, exhorts us to pray and seek, if we wish to receive
Grace; therefore, they say it is in our power to pray at all
events, and if the working out of our salvation and faith is not
in our own hands, still the desire of believing and being saved is
(I) St. Aug. /. de Dono. pcrsev. c. 23,