Chapter 4 Section 20.

- Joannes Chrysostomus

The
CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH.
Part 4
Chapter 4—Of Efficacious Grace

Section 20—Joannes Chrysostomus. A.D. 390.

Chrysostom, in many places, freely owns, that our calling, faith, will, and power to do good, are to be ascribed to the
grace and power of God, and the energy of the Spirit; Not you laboring, says he,[1] have found God, but living in
error, autoV de umaV epepiasato, he himself hath drawn you out; that is, of a state of sin and misery. Again, says he,[2] To
be called and to be cleansed are of grace; and he that is called and clothed with a pure garment should continue to
keep so. Diligence belongs to them that are called; for since to be called, ouk apo tes axias gegonen alla apo tes
charitos, is not of merit, but of grace, therefore something ought to be returned for that grace. Again,[3] Thou hast
nothing of thine own but what thou hast received from God: not thine are those good deeds, alla tes tou Theou
charitos, but are owing to the grace of God. Shouldest thou name faith, this is from calling; shouldest thou mention
remission of sins, or gifts, or the teaching word, thou hast received all from thence. Hence says he elsewhere,[4] we
should reckon nothing ours, opouge kai auti e pistis ouk emeteron, seeing faith itself is not ours, but rather Gods. Hear
Paul saying, and this not of ourselves, it is the gift of God. And in another place he observes, [5] that the apostle does
not say, vessels of well doing, nor vessels of liberty, but vessels of mercy; showing oti to pan este tou Theou, that the
whole is of God. Upon Philippians 2:13, he has this note,[6] kai prothumian autos emin didosi kai ergasian, and he
himself gives the readiness of mind; that is, to do good, and the doing of it itself. He asserts,[7] that a man brings
nothing to the aforesaid things, meaning ordinances, and the administration of them, alla to pan tes tou Theou
dunameos ergon esti, but all is the work of God’s power. Yea, he affirms,[8] that it is impossible that a man should be
able to have conversation with God, he means in prayer, or to pray unto him, aneu tes energeias tou Pneumatos,
without the energy of the Spirit.

ENDNOTES:

[1] Comment. In Galatians 4:9, tom. 3. p. 744.

[2] In Matthew 22. hom. 69, tom. 2, p. 438.

[3] In 1 Corinthians 4:7, hom 2. 12, tom. 3, p. 313; 314.

[4] Act. homil. 30, tom. 4. p. 788.

[5] In Romans 9:23, homil. 19, tom. 3, p. 144.

[6] Homil. 8, tom. 4. p 46.

[7] In 1 Corinthians 3:1, 2, homil. 8, tom. 3, p. 291.

[8] De Precatione, hom. 2. tom. 4. p. 759.

http://www.pbministries.org/books/gill/Cause_of_God_and_Truth/Part%204/chapter4/chap04_section20.htm[11/2/2010 10:44:06 AM]