The riches of Gods love unto the vessels of mercy, consistent with his absolute…The riches of Gods love unto the vessells of mercy, consistent with his absolute…

First in all this there is no difference between us excepting that this power is said to be wrought in man by supernatural grace. For we say with Austin Deo credere, & ab amore temporalium ad divina ¹praecepta servanda se convertere, omnes possunt si velint. All men can believe God, if they will; and from the love of temporal things convert themselves to the keeping of God's commandments if they will. For all the moment of inclining a man to works of morality lieth in the will of man. And therefore mark what follows in Austin, Sed praeparatur voluntas à Domino (supple ut velit) tantumque augetur munere charitatis ut possit. But the will is prepared by the Lord (to wit to make it willing) and so much augmented by the gift of charity as to make it able. And I prove, that look what I supply is according unto Austin ²interpreting that of the Apostle, neque volentis, neque currentis, sed miserentis Dei; it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth but of God that showeth mercy. For he shows; that the whole both to will and run, is to be ascribed unto God, qui hominis voluntatem bonam & praeparat adjuvandam, & adjuvat praeparatam; who both prepares the good will of man that after he may help it, and helps it being once prepared; where plainly man swilling that, which is good, is made the fruit of God's preparing it; but because there is in man a will of the flesh, resisting this will of the spirit; therefore there is need not of grace preparing only, but of grace adjuvant and helping also, to enable it to do what it hath a will unto, whence immediately followeth, running as well as willing. And these two graces praeparant, and adjuvant, are afterward called by the names of grace prevenient, and subsequent, thus; Nolentem praevenit ut velit, volentem subsequitur ne frustra velit. Him that is unwilling the Lord preventeth to make him willing, and willing he followeth him that he may not will in vain. And that this double grace is required by reason of the reluctancy between the flesh and the Spirit, I prove out of the same Austin writing thus, Prima gratiâ est, ³quâ fit ut habeat homo justitiam si velit; secunda ergo plus potest, quâ etiam fit ut velit, & tantum velit tantoque ardore diligat, ut carnis voluntatem contraria concupiscentem voluntate spiritus vincat.