Early Church Fathers Scripture Index : Texts
Ecclesiasticus 15:15
There are 4 footnotes for this reference.
Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series 1, Volume 5, page 174, footnote 6 (Image)
Augustine: Anti-Pelagian Writings
A Treatise Concerning Man’s Perfection in Righteousness. (HTML)
The Ninth Passage. (HTML)
CCEL Footnote 1567 (In-Text, Margin)
... before thee, and good and evil: . . .choose thou life, that thou mayest live.’ So in the book of Solomon: ‘God from the beginning made man, and left him in the hand of His counsel; and He added for him commandments and precepts: if thou wilt—to perform acceptable faithfulness for the time to come, they shall save thee. He hath set fire and water before thee: stretch forth thine hand unto whether thou wilt. Before man are good and evil, and life and death; poverty and honour are from the Lord God.’[Ecclesiasticus 15:14-17] So again in Isaiah we read: ‘If ye be willing, and hearken unto me, ye shall eat the good of the land; but if ye be not willing, and hearken not to me, the sword shall devour you: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken this.’” Now with all their ...
Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series 1, Volume 5, page 175, footnote 3 (Image)
Augustine: Anti-Pelagian Writings
A Treatise Concerning Man’s Perfection in Righteousness. (HTML)
Specimens of Pelagian Exegesis. (HTML)
CCEL Footnote 1576 (In-Text, Margin)
Or again, because it is said, “The commandments, if thou wilt, shall save thee,”[Ecclesiasticus 15:15] —as if a man ought not to thank God, because he has a will to keep the commandments, since, if he wholly lacked the light of truth, it would not be possible for him to possess such a will. “Fire and water being set before him, a man stretches forth his hand towards which he pleases;” and yet higher is He who calls man to his higher vocation than any thought on man’s own part, inasmuch as the beginning of correction of the heart lies in faith, even as it ...
Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series 1, Volume 5, page 444, footnote 9 (Image)
Augustine: Anti-Pelagian Writings
A Treatise on Grace and Free Will. (HTML)
Abstract. (HTML)
Sinners are Convicted When Attempting to Excuse Themselves by Blaming God, Because They Have Free Will. (HTML)
CCEL Footnote 2958 (In-Text, Margin)
... that He hateth: nor do thou say, He hath caused me to err; for He hath no need of the sinful man. The Lord hateth all abomination, and they that fear God love it not. He Himself made man from the beginning, and left him in the hand of His counsel. If thou be willing, thou shalt keep His commandments, and perform true fidelity. He hath set fire and water before thee: stretch forth thine hand unto whether thou wilt. Before man is life and death, and whichsoever pleaseth him shall be given to him.”[Ecclesiasticus 15:11-17] Observe how very plainly is set before our view the free choice of the human will.
Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series 1, Volume 5, page 456, footnote 8 (Image)
Augustine: Anti-Pelagian Writings
A Treatise on Grace and Free Will. (HTML)
Abstract. (HTML)
Free Will Has Its Function in the Heart’s Conversion; But Grace Too Has Its. (HTML)
CCEL Footnote 3115 (In-Text, Margin)
... serves righteousness,—and then it is good. But the grace of God is always good; and by it it comes to pass that a man is of a good will, though he was before of an evil one. By it also it comes to pass that the very good will, which has now begun to be, is enlarged, and made so great that it is able to fulfil the divine commandments which it shall wish, when it shall once firmly and perfectly wish. This is the purport of what the Scripture says: “If thou wilt, thou shalt keep the commandments;”[Ecclesiasticus 15:15] so that the man who wills but is not able knows that he does not yet fully will, and prays that he may have so great a will that it may suffice for keeping the commandments. And thus, indeed, he receives assistance to perform what he is commanded. ...