What would we say or a father who, we are assured, watches without relaxation over the welfare of his feeble and unforeseeing children, and who, however, would leave them at liberty to go astray in the midst of rocks, precipices, and waters; who would prevent them but rarely from following their disordered appetites; who would permit them to handle, without precaution, deadly arms, at the risk of wounding themselves severely?  What would we think of this same father, if, instead of blaming himself for the harm which would have happened to his poor children, he should punish them for their faults in the most cruel way?  We would say, with reason, that this father is a fool, who joins injustice to foolishness.  A God who punishes the faults which He could have prevented, is a being who lacks wisdom, goodness, and equity.  A God of foresight would prevent evil, and in this way would be saved the trouble of punishing it.  A good God would not punish weaknesses which He knows to be inherent in human nature.  A just God, if He has made man, would not punish him for not being strong enough to resist his desires.  To punish weakness, is the most unjust tyranny.  Is it not calumniating a just God, to say that He punishes men for their faults, even in the present life?  How would He punish beings whom He alone could correct, and who, as long as they had not received grace, can not act otherwise than they do?

According to the principles of theologians themselves, man, in his actual state of corruption, can do nothing but evil, for without Divine grace he has not the strength to do good.  Moreover, if man’s nature, abandoned to itself, of destitute of Divine help, inclines him necessarily to evil, or renders him incapable of doing good, what becomes of his free will?  According to such principles, man can merit neither reward nor punishment; in rewarding man for the good he does, God would but recompense Himself; in punishing man for the evil he does, God punishes him for not having been given the grace, without which it was impossible for him to do better.

LXXX.—­FREE WILL IS AN IDLE FANCY.

Theologians tell and repeat to us that man is free, while all their teachings conspire to destroy his liberty.  Trying to justify Divinity, they accuse him really of the blackest injustice.  They suppose that, without grace, man is compelled to do evil:  and they maintain that God will punish him for not having been given the grace to do good!  With a little reflection, we will be obliged to see that man in all things acts by compulsion, and that his free will is a chimera, even according to the theological system.  Does it depend upon man whether or not he shall be born of such or such parents?  Does it depend upon man to accept or not to accept the opinions of his parents and of his teachers?  If I were born of idolatrous or Mohammedan parents, would it have depended upon me to become a Christian?  However, grave Doctors of Divinity assure us that a just God will damn without mercy all those to whom He has not given the grace to know the religion of the Christians.