1883 Haydock Douay Rheims Bible
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| Proverbs 16:1 | It *is the part of man to prepare the soul: and of the Lord to govern the tongue. Proverbs 16:9. | It is the part of man, etc. That is, a man should prepare in his heart and soul what he is to say; but after all, it must be the Lord that must govern his tongue, to speak to the purpose. Not that we can think any thing of good without God's grace: but after that we have (with God's grace) thought and prepared within our souls what we would speak; if God does not govern our tongue, we shall not succeed in what we speak. (Challoner) --- He will put into our mouths what we have to say to persecutors, Luke 21:14. He often causes us to utter the reverse of what we intended, as Balaam did, Numbers xxiii. (Menochius) --- The fairest prospects miscarry without God's blessing. The enemies of grace would infer from this text, that the beginning of salvation depends on free-will. But St. Augustine (con. 2. epist. Pelag. 2:8.) has solidly refuted them, and Solomon does not mean that man acts alone, Proverbs 8:35., (Septuagint) John 15:5., and 2 Corinthians 3:5. "Man," says St. Augustine, "does no good things, which God does not cause him to perform." (Calmet) --- The Scripture cannot contradict itself. A fresh grace is requisite to execute what God has enabled us to devise, ver. 9. (Worthington) |