Book, Chapter

1001 II, 7|             if God wished that man to die, he could but die.~Anselm..
1002 II, 7|        this man should not be able to avoid death.~Boso. So I
1003 II, 7|            of his own power.~Boso. To your arguments I cannot
1004 II, 7|            mentioned always recurs to my mind: that, if he wished
1005 II, 7|           mind: that, if he wished to avoid death, he could no
1006 II, 7|        have been fixed that he was to die, for had it not been
1007 II, 7|        been true that he was about to die, faith in his coming
1008 II, 7|        died, that he was certainly to die?~Boso. Because this
1009 II, 7|           because he was certainly to die, and was on this account
1010 II, 7|          on this account certainly to die because it was his free
1011 II, 7|           clear that his inability to avoid death is nothing else
1012 II, 7|          else but his fixed choice to die.~Boso. This is so; but
1013 II, 7|            necessary thing for him to die.~Anselm.. You make a
1014 II, 7|            not forgetting my reply to the excuses you made at
1015 II, 7|        explain the subject, not as to learned men, but to me and
1016 II, 7|         not as to learned men, but to me and my fellow inquirers?
1017 II, 7|        inquirers? Suffer me, then, to question you as my slowness
1018 II, 7|            thus far, you may go on to settle all our childish
1019 II, 8|           said that it is improper to affirm of God that he does
1020 II, 8|          But his choice is subject to no necessity nor impossibility.
1021 II, 8|          impossibility is contrary to truth. Since, then, he does
1022 II, 8|           it is impossible for God to prevent a past action from
1023 II, 8|          has a fixed determination to do anything, though his
1024 II, 8|            design must be destined to an accomplishment before
1025 II, 8|     accomplishment before it comes to pass, yet there is no coercion
1026 II, 8|            he is concerned, either to do it or not to do it, for
1027 II, 8|             either to do it or not to do it, for his will is the
1028 II, 8|        that nothing can compel God to do the thing which is said
1029 II, 8|            the thing which is said to be impossible for him. We
1030 II, 8|          weakness does not pertain to the thing itself, but to
1031 II, 8|           to the thing itself, but to something else. Thus we
1032 II, 8|          Nobody can bind him." For to be able to be overcome is
1033 II, 8|          bind him." For to be able to be overcome is not power
1034 II, 8|        power but weakness, and not to be able to be overcome is
1035 II, 8|       weakness, and not to be able to be overcome is not weakness
1036 II, 8|          any such thing pertaining to him, but because it exists
1037 II, 8|    precisely as I said with regard to the affirmation that he
1038 II, 8|            For whatever is obliged to exist is also prevented
1039 II, 8|        that which is compelled not to exist is prevented from
1040 II, 8|          is impossible for a thing to exist which is under a necessity
1041 II, 8|            when we say with regard to God, that anything is necessary
1042 II, 8|            it is necessary for God to utter truth, and never to
1043 II, 8|          to utter truth, and never to lie, we only mean that such
1044 II, 8|         his unwavering disposition to maintain the truth that
1045 II, 8|        necessity nothing can avail to make him deviate from the
1046 II, 8|           any weakness with regard to preserving or choosing to
1047 II, 8|          to preserving or choosing to preserve his life, but we
1048 II, 8|    preserve his life, but we refer to the unchangeableness of
1049 II, 8|        than power if he could wish to lie, or deceive, or change
1050 II, 8|          one has freely determined to do some good action, and
1051 II, 8|             and afterwards goes on to complete it, though, if
1052 II, 8|           it, though, if unwilling to pay his vow, he could be
1053 II, 8|         vow, he could be compelled to do so, yet we must not say
1054 II, 8|       resolution. For we ought not to say that anything is done,
1055 II, 8|          if this is so with regard to man, much less can we speak
1056 II, 8|           or weakness in reference to God; for he does nothing
1057 II, 8|           nothing except according to his choice, and his will
1058 II, 8|  manifested what was inappropriate to the Divine. Finally, the
1059 II, 8|         never believed that he was to die, save of his own choice.
1060 II, 8|           And, if it perplexes you to have me say that it is necessary,
1061 II, 8|          because this was destined to take place, therefore her
1062 II, 8|           it was necessary for him to die of his single choice,
1063 II, 8|          it must be because it was to be. But such a necessity
1064 II, 8|            does not compel a thing to be, but only implies a necessity
1065 II, 8|          when the heavens are said to revolve, it is an antecedent
1066 II, 8|           it is impossible for you to speak and not to speak at
1067 II, 8|           for you to speak and not to speak at the same time,
1068 II, 8|          that some one compels you to speak. For the force of
1069 II, 8|           no necessity obliges you to speak. But wherever there
1070 II, 8|      subsequent necessity pertains to everything, so that we say:
1071 II, 8|           is, must be. Whatever is to be, of necessity will be.
1072 II, 8|         futuris"), and which seems to destroy any alternative
1073 II, 8|        destroy any alternative and to ascribe a necessity to all
1074 II, 8|         and to ascribe a necessity to all things. By this subsequent
1075 II, 8|       necessary, because they were to be, and they were to be
1076 II, 8|          were to be, and they were to be because they were, and
1077 II, 8|        they were; and, if you wish to know the real necessity
1078 II, 8|             because he wished them to be. But no necessity preceded
1079 II, 8|            again; for he had power to lay it down and to take
1080 II, 8|           power to lay it down and to take it again, as he himself
1081 II, 8|       proved that he was subjected to death by any necessity;
1082 II, 8|          importunity in urging you to make this explanation.~Anselm..
1083 II, 8|   transmitted by our first parents to all mankind, except this
1084 II, 8|           of the matter, and go on to complete our intended work.~
1085 II, 8|        promise you, but commend it to the will of God. But say
1086 II, 8|          But say now, what remains to be unravelled with regard
1087 II, 8|          be unravelled with regard to the question which you proposed
1088 II, 8|     restoring of mankind ought not to take place, and could not,
1089 II, 8|        debt, none but God was able to do it; so that he who does
1090 II, 8|           his own nature was bound to pay the debt, but could
1091 II, 8|           could not, might be able to do it in the person of God.
1092 II, 8|         shown the life of this man to have been so excellent and
1093 II, 8|       excellent and so glorious as to make ample satisfaction
1094 II, 8|            now, therefore, remains to be shown how that payment
1095 II, 8|           how that payment is made to God for the sins of men.~ ~
1096 II, 9|          How Christ's life is paid to God for the sins of men,
1097 II, 9|       ought not, or was not bound, to suffer. ~Anselm.. If he
1098 II, 9|              If he allowed himself to be slain for the sake of
1099 II, 9|           God himself, and is able to atone for all the sins of
1100 II, 9|        aside from the holiness due to God on account of personal
1101 II, 9|          except this one ever gave to God what he was not obliged
1102 II, 9|            what he was not obliged to lose, or paid a debt he
1103 II, 9|         owe. But he freely offered to the Father what there was
1104 II, 9|            one should not hesitate to give to God, for himself,
1105 II, 9|        should not hesitate to give to God, for himself, what he
1106 II, 9|           my wishes; but suffer me to make one inquiry, which
1107 II, 9| nevertheless, I find no easy thing to answer. You say that when
1108 II, 9|          say that he was not bound to do what was best to be done,
1109 II, 9|          bound to do what was best to be done, and what he knew
1110 II, 9|        knew would be more pleasing to God. How then can we affirm
1111 II, 9|            the thing which he knew to be best and most pleasing
1112 II, 9|          be best and most pleasing to God, and especially since
1113 II, 9|          may be said that he ought to do it; and if he takes the
1114 II, 9|      prefers celibacy, may be said to do as they ought. For no
1115 II, 9|     celibacy or marriage ought not to be chosen; but we say that
1116 II, 9|        these things, this he ought to do. And if a man preserves
1117 II, 9|    celibacy as a free gift offered to God, he looks for a reward.
1118 II, 9|    creature owes God what he knows to be the better choice, and
1119 II, 9|        choice, and what he is able to do, if you mean that he
1120 II, 9|           said, a man is not bound to celibacy as a debt, but
1121 II, 9|      celibacy as a debt, but ought to marry if be prefers it.
1122 II, 9|          it. And if you are unable to understand the use of this
1123 II, 9|            say that the poor ought to receive alms from the rich,
1124 II, 9|           mean that the rich ought to bestow alms upon the poor.
1125 II, 9|            also say that God ought to be exalted over all, not
1126 II, 9|           because all things ought to be subject to him. And he
1127 II, 9|         things ought to be subject to him. And he wishes that
1128 II, 9|         ought; for what God wishes to be ought to be. And, in
1129 II, 9|        what God wishes to be ought to be. And, in like manner,
1130 II, 9|           when any creature wishes to do a thing that is left
1131 II, 9|     disposal, we say that he ought to do it, for what he wishes
1132 II, 9|          do it, for what he wishes to be ought to be. So our Lord
1133 II, 9|         what he wishes to be ought to be. So our Lord Jesus, when
1134 II, 9|           wished, as we have said, to suffer death, ought to have
1135 II, 9|             to suffer death, ought to have done precisely what
1136 II, 9|           he did; because he ought to be what he wished, and was
1137 II, 9|          wished, and was not bound to do anything as a debt. As
1138 II, 9|        from all obligation, except to do as he chose. In like
1139 II, 9|            of his own right, so as to be complete in himself,
1140 II, 9|        have been under obligations to another, nor have need of
1141 II, 9|           giving anything in order to be repaid himself.~Boso.
1142 II, 9|            did not give himself up to die for the honor of God,
1143 II, 9|           proves, and yet he ought to have done what he did.~Anselm..
1144 II, 9|            honor certainly belongs to the whole Trinity; and,
1145 II, 9|           is, he gave his humanity to his divinity, which is one
1146 II, 9|        more definitely by clinging to the precise truth, yet we
1147 II, 9|          yet we may say, according to our custom, that the Son
1148 II, 9|            Son freely gave himself to the Father. For thus we
1149 II, 9|        understand the whole Deity, to whom as man he offered himself.
1150 II, 0|         understand you, yet I wish to get from you the close chain
1151 II, 0|        freely gave so great a gift to God.~Boso. I see that it
1152 II, 0|           necessary for the Father to reward the Son; else he
1153 II, 0|       either unjust in not wishing to do it, or weak in not being
1154 II, 0|          or weak in not being able to do it; but neither of these
1155 II, 0|           things can be attributed to God.~Anselm.. He who rewards
1156 II, 0|       claim upon him. But anterior to the great offering of the
1157 II, 0|          Son, all things belonging to the Father were his, nor
1158 II, 0|         one who needs nothing, and to whom no gift or release
1159 II, 0|            and yet there is no one to receive it.~Anselm.. But
1160 II, 0|           so deserved is not given to him or any one else, then
1161 II, 0|        Anselm.. Had the Son wished to give some one else what
1162 II, 0|         some one else what was due to him, could the Father rightfully
1163 II, 0|   rightfully prevent it, or refuse to give it to the other person?~
1164 II, 0|           it, or refuse to give it to the other person?~Boso.
1165 II, 0|      should be given by the Father to whomsoever the Son wished;
1166 II, 0|          the Son should be allowed to give away what is his own,
1167 II, 0|         example of suffering death to preserve holiness? For surely
1168 II, 0|         heart exults. For it seems to me that God can reject none
1169 II, 0|           can reject none who come to him in his name.~Anselm..
1170 II, 0|     Scriptures, I say, show us how to approach in order to share
1171 II, 0|           how to approach in order to share such favor, and how
1172 II, 0|            favor, and how we ought to live under it.~Boso. And
1173 II, 0|             For though God is said to have done what that man
1174 II, 0|          of descending from heaven to conquer the devil, nor of
1175 II, 0|            against him in holiness to free mankind. But God demanded
1176 II, 0|      holiness. As God owed nothing to the devil but punishment,
1177 II, 0|           demanded of man, he owed to God and not to the devil.~ ~
1178 II, 0|             he owed to God and not to the devil.~ ~
1179 II, 1|            God which appeared lost to you when we were considering
1180 II, 1|   consistent with his holiness, as to be incomparably above anything
1181 II, 1|           of the Father, addressed to the sinner doomed to eternal
1182 II, 1|     addressed to the sinner doomed to eternal torments and having
1183 II, 1|            inviting and leading us to faith in the Gospel. Or
1184 II, 1|          be more just than for him to remit all debt since he
1185 II, 2|           impossible for the devil to be reconciled. ~IF you carefully
1186 II, 2|            which you made inquiry, to be impossible. For, as man
1187 II, 2|          nature, so no angel ought to be saved by any other angel,
1188 II, 2|         there is another objection to their restoration, viz ,
1189 II, 2|             as they fell with none to plot their fall, so they
1190 II, 2|           they must rise with none to aid them; but this is impossible.
1191 II, 2|            they cannot be restored to their original dignity.
1192 II, 2|          simply by the power given to them from the first. And,
1193 II, 2|       redemption of our Lord ought to be extended even to the
1194 II, 2|          ought to be extended even to the fallen angels, he is
1195 II, 2|            I do not say this as if to deny that the virtue of
1196 II, 3|           which you have said seem to me reasonable and incontrovertible.
1197 II, 3|            we must acknowledge him to be true, so no one can dissent
1198 II, 3|           correction, I am willing to make the correction if it
1199 II, 3|           the truth, then ought we to attribute it, not to ourselves,
1200 II, 3|            we to attribute it, not to ourselves, but to God, who
1201 II, 3|          it, not to ourselves, but to God, who is blessed forever. -- ~