Grace And Baptism

Si bene intendas animum, aperte copiosque cognosces, quomodo per sanctarum paginas scripturarum nunc asseratur gratiae virtus, nunc humanae voluntatis adsensus. Fragilitatem arbitrii demonstramus, cum ad Deum dicimus: Pone, Domine, custodiam ori meo et ostium circumstantiae labiis meis. Item iubet sermo divinus, ut aliquid vigor possit arbitrii, dum ad hominem dicit: cohibe linguam tuam a malo et labia tua loquantur dolum. Arbitrium commendat sapientiae sermo, cum dicit: omni custodia serva cor tuum. Sed Apostolus sine divino adiutorio hoc fieri non posse manifestat, cum dicit: Dominus custodiat corda vestra et intellegentias vestras in Christo Iesu. Asserit Propheta voluntatis propriae facultatem de semet ipso dicens: Inclinavi cor meum ad faciendas iustificationes tuas. Sed nihil de solis eius viribus intellegit praesumendum, cum proclamat ad Deum: Inclina, inquit, cor meum in testimonia tua et non in avaritiam. Propter liberum arbitrium indicitur nobis: rectos cursus fac pedibus tuis et vias tuas dirige. Sed nos ad gratiam confugientes pro infirmitatis conscientia supplicamus: dirige in conspectu tuo viam meam, et: perfice gressus meos in semitis tuis. Imperat nobis, qui propriae voluntatis generali dispensatione ius tribuit: inluminate vobis lumen scientiae. Pro eo vero, quod totum ad auctorem gratiae referendum est, legimus: qui docet hominem scientiam, vel: Dominus inluminat caecos, et iterum: inlumina oculos meos, ne umquam obdormiant in mortem, et: beatus homo, quem tu erudieris, Domine, et de lege tua docueris eum. Apostolus arbitrii praedictor libertatem eius ita incitat dicens: custodite animas vestras, sed misericordiam Dei protestatur ita commemorans: Dominus custodiat introitum tuum et exitum tuum. Per hace itaque, quibus modo arbitrii libertas adseritur, modo caelestis largitas demonstratur, nunc homo de concessis viribus admonetur, ne de sola gratia speret otiosus, nunc de gratia sperare praecipitur, ne de solo sit labore securus. De dicis: si praedestinatio non est, cur in parvulis alii baptizantur, alii sine baptismi sanctificatione rapiuntur? Serpentiae fraudis est ad tenebrosas cavernas relicta luce transfugere, cum per omnia volumina sacrae litterae evidenter liberum loquantur arbitrium. Quid rationis est, ut interrogare velis occulata, cum sollicitudini tuae plenissime videas respondere manifesta? Quid utilitatis est certa omittere et incerta consulere, de quibus nihil invenis catholica lectione conscriptum? Non intellegis, quod in veritatis iniuriam perscrutaris, quidquid veritas scire te noluit? Materiam de liberi arbitrii ratione proponis et ad discutiendum infantiae statum pernicioso errore delaberis, in quo nullum penitus vestigium liberi arbitrii, nullum apparere potest propriae voluntatis indicium. Sanctus Faustus Reiensis, De Gratia, XIII Source: Migne PL 58.806c-807b

If you have good care for your soul, openly and richly you will know how through the pages of Sacred Scripture now is asserted the power of grace and now there is approval of the human will. We demonstrate the weakness of the will when we say to God, 'Place, O Lord, a guard on my mouth and a gate around my lips.' 1 Again the Divine word commands that there is some strength in the will when it says to man: 'Guard your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking wickedness.' 2 The word of wisdom commends the will when it says: 'With every guard protect your heart.' 3 But the holy Apostle shows that this is not possible without the Divine help: 'The Lord guard your heart and your understanding in Jesus Christ.' 4 The Prophet asserts the ability of one's own will when he says concerning himself: 'I have turned my heart to the doing of your righteousness.' 5 But let it not be presumed he understands he refers to his own ability alone, when he proclaims to God: 'Incline my heart to your testimonies and not to avarice.' 6 Concerning the freedom of the will it is indicated to us: 'Make right the paths for your feet and direct your ways.' 7 But we, flying to grace by awareness of our weakness, pray: 'Direct my way into your sight.' 8 And: 'Perfect my steps on your paths.' 9 He commands us, who has given the law of the general dispostion of the free will: 'Illuminate yourself with the light of wisdom.' 10 However, that to Him who is the author of grace all must be referred, we read: 'He who teaches men knowledge,' 11 or 'The Lord enlightens the blind,' 12 and again, 'Illuminate my eyes lest I ever slumber in death,' 13 and 'Blessed the man whom you instruct, O Lord and concerning your law you teach him.' 11The Apostle exhorts the freedom of the will, when he says: 'Guard your souls.' 14 But he bears witness to the mercy of God when he recalls: 'The Lord guard your coming in and your going out.' 15 By these things, then, both the freedom of the will is established and the help of heaven demonstrated. Now a man is exhorted concerning his given abilities, lest he fruitlessly hope for grace alone, and now for grace he is commanded to hope, lest he be secure in his own efforts. Concerning your words: 'If there is no predestination why are some baptized in infancy and without the sanctification of baptism taken away?' It is the deceit of the serpent to flee to dark caverns abandoning the light, when in every volume of sacred letters the freedom of the will is openly told. What is the reason you wish to enquire into hidden things, when with great care you should look to give answer concerning things which are revealed? What use in passing over certain things to investigate things uncertain, concerning which we find nothing written in catholic works? Do you not understand that you investigate to harm to the truth whatever truth does not wish you to know? You propose the matter of the freedom of the will and tumble into the wicked error of the state of lost infants, in which there is no trace at all of the free will, nor is there able to appear any sign of the will. Saint Faustus of Riez, On Grace, 13 1 Ps 140.3 2 Ps 33.14 3 Prov 4.23 4 Phil 4.7 5 Ps 118.112 6 Ps 118.36 7 Ps 5.9; 16.5 8 Ps 93.10, 9 Ps 145.8 10 Ps 12.5 11 Ps 93.12 12  Ps 145.8 13 Ps 13.4 14 Jerem 17.21 15 Ps 120.8