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ON THE PREDESTINATION OF THE SAINTS TO PROSPER AND HILARY Introduction: The Opinions of Those in Provence E KNOW that the Apostle has said in the Epistle to the Philippians, "To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not wearisome, but to you is necessary."[ But the same Apostle, writing to the Galatians, when he saw that he had done enough among them by the ministry of his word to accomplish what he saw as necessary, said, "For the rest, let no one cause me difficulty," [PL 44.960] or, as it reads in most manuscripts, "Let no one be troublesome to me."2 Now I confess that it troubles me that the divine words in which the grace of God (which is in no way grace if it is given in accordance with our merits) is preached, words which are so many and so manifest, are not yielded to. Still, I love the zeal and fraternal affection, my most beloved sons Prosper and Hilary, [961] which makes you wish such persons not to be in error, so that after so many books and letters of mine on this subject, you would have me write on it again-I love it more than I can say, and yet I dare not say I love it as much as I ought. This is why I write again to you,3 and although I am now not with you, yet through you I continue to do what I believed I had already done sufficiently. (2) After having closely read your letters, I seem to see these brothers, on whose behalf you show such pious solicitude that they not adhere to the thought ofthe poet, "Each man has hope in himself,,,4 and thus incur that which is declared not poetiI . Phil 3.1. 2. Gal 6.17. Vg agrees with "most manuscripts": nemo mihi molestus sit. 3. Rescribo vobis: apparently a reference to a lost letter. 4. Vergil, Aeneid 11.309· 218 PREDESTINATION OF THE SAINTS 219 cally but prophetically, "Cursed be the man who places his hope in man,"s should be treated as the Apostle treats those to whom he said, "And if in anything you be otherwise minded, this also God will reveal to yoU.,,6 Certainly they still remain in the dark concerning the question of the predestination of the saints, but they have the source from which, if "in anything" in this matter they are "otherwise minded," God may reveal this also to them, if they walk in that to which they have come. Because of this, when the Apostle said, "If in anything you be otherwise minded, this also God will reveal to you," he added, "Nevertheless whereunto we have come, let us walk therein.,,7 Now those brothers ofours on whose behalf your devout charity is disturbed, "have come" to believe with the Church of Christ, that all humankind are liable to punishment for the sin of the first man, and that no one is delivered from this evil save through thejustice of the second man.sThey also "have come" to confess that men's wills are anticipated by the grace of God9 and to agree that each person can be sufficient to himself neither to begin nor to complete any good work.1o Therefore, these truths, to which they "have come" and which they hold fast, separate them considerably from the error of the Pelagians . And further, if they "walk in" them and if they pray to him who gives understanding, and if "in anything" about predestination they "are otherwise minded," this also he "will reveal to" them. But let us also expend upon them the affection of our love and the ministry of our word, according as he gives, to whom we have prayed, that we might say in these letters those things which are suitable and useful to them. For whence do we know whether perhaps our God wishes to accomplish this purpose through our service, in which we become their servant in the free love of Christ? 2.(3) Therefore we ought first to show that the faith by which we are Christians is a gift of God, if indeed we can do this any more painstakingly than we have already done in so many large volumes. But now I see that I must reply to those who contend 5·Jer 17·5· 7. Phil 3.16. g. Prosper, Ep. 225· 5. 6. Phil 3.15. 8. Prosper...

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