Theological Theses · §2599 · Louis Le Blanc de Beaulieu

Conclusion: no physical predetermination, so little difficulty over freedom

Thesis XVII. It is just as plain that, given their own principles, these doctors have little trouble reconciling the efficacy of grace with the freedom of human choice. They hold that grace does not physically predetermine the will to good and lays no necessity of acting well upon it.

A person, rather, is free either to let divine grace be efficacious, by doing through nature what divine wisdom requires of him beforehand so that grace may exercise its efficacy in him, or to set a barrier and hindrance in the way of that grace, by neglecting what grace does not usually act without, namely hearing God's word, studying it, and reflecting on it.

Latin

XVII. Nec minus evidens est Doctores illos, secundum principia a se posita, non multum laborare ut efficaciam gratiae cum arbitrii humani libertate concilient: quandoquidem statuunt voluntatem ad bonum per gratiam Physice non praedeterminari; nec ullam voluntati per gratiam bene agendi necessitatem imponi: sed hominem libere posse vel gratiae divinae efficaciam admittere, ea per naturam praestando, quae sapientia divina ab eo praeexigit, ut gratia suam in illo efficaciam exerat; vel obicem & impedimentum eidem gratiae ponere, ea negligendo sine quibus gratia in hominem agere non solet, nempe Dei verbum audire, scrutari, atque meditari.

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