Council of Ephesus, 431

that it was done by the inspiration of God, and you have spoken truly and confidently. Therefore assuredly, because the good will is provided beforehand by the Lord [Prov. 8:35: LXX], and that the good may accomplish something, He Himself touches the hearts of His sons with paternal inspirations. For all that are moved by the Spirit of God, they are the Sons of God [Rom. 8:14]; so that we do not think that our free will is lacking; and we do not doubt that in each and every good movement of the human will, His help is more powerful."

135. Chapter 6. That God thus operates in the hearts of men and in the free will itself, so that a holy thought, a pious plan, and every motion of good will is from God, because we can do anything good through Him, without whom we can do nothing [John 15:5]. For to this profession the same teacher ZOSIMUS trained us, who, when he spoke ¹ to the bishops of the whole world concerning the assistance of divine grace, said: "What time therefore occurs in which we do not need His help? Accordingly in all acts, situations, thoughts, and movements He ought to be implored as helper and protector. Indeed, it is arrogant for human nature to take anything to itself since the Apostle declares: Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against princes and powers of this atmosphere, against the spirits of wickedness in high places [Eph. 6:12]. And thus He Himself said again: Unhappy man (that) I (am), who will free me from the body of this death? The grace of God through Jesus Christ our Lord [Rom. 7:24]. And again: By the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace in me has not been void; but I have labored more than all those; yet not I, but the grace with me [I Cor. 15:10]."

136. Chapter 7. Furthermore that which was determined in the decrees of the synod of Carthage,² we have embraced as the Apostolic See's own, namely, what was defined in the third chapter: "That whoever says that the grace of God, by which we are justified through Jesus Christ our Lord, has power only for the remission of sins which have already been committed, and not also for help, that they may not be committed, let him be anathema." [see n. 103].

137. And again in the fourth chapter: "That whoever says that the grace of God through Jesus Christ on this account alone helps us not to sin, that through it an understanding of the commands is revealed and opened to us, so that we know what we ought to strive after and what we ought to shun, but that through it [the power] is not also given to us to love and to be able to do that which we know ought to be done, let him be anathema. For since the Apostle says: Knowledge puffs up, but charity edifies [I Cor. 8:1]; it is very impious, for us to believe, that for that which puffs up, we have the grace of Christ, and for that which edifies, we have not,