Proverbs 8: 22, 24, 32, 35
The Lord possessed me in the beginning of His ways, before He made anything, from the beginning. I was set up from eternity, and of old, before the earth was made. The depths were not as yet, and I was already conceived Now, therefore, ye children, hear me: blessed are they that keep my ways. Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not. Blessed is the man that heareth me, and that watcheth daily at my gates; and waiteth at the posts of my doors. He that shall find me, shall find life, and shall have salvation from the Lord.
Haydock
Ver 22. Possessed. As Christ was with God, equal to him in eternity. Jo. i. Sept. “created,” which many of the Fathers explain of the word incarnate, (see Corn. a Lapide. Bossuet) or he hath “placed me,” (S. Athan. iii. con. Arian. Euseb.) a pattern of all virtues. The Sept. generally render kana, “possessed,” as Aquila does here. C.
Ver 24. Conceived. Having yet manifested none of my works. Since the creation, wisdom only seeks to communicate itself to us. C.
Ver 35. Lord. Wisdom, or Jesus Christ, is our salvation, happiness, and life. Sept. “and the will is prepared by the Lord.” S. Aug. often quotes this to prove the necessity of preventing grace. Ep. ccxvii. and clxxxvi. C.
Denzinger
50: The Trinity and the Incarnation
ST. DIONYSIUS 259-268 Fragment from epistle (2) against the Tritheists and Sabellians, about the year 260
But why should I treat further about these matters with you, man full of the Spirit, and especially who understand what absurdities follow from that opinion which asserts that the Son was made? It seems to me that the leaders of this belief did not consider these at all, and thus have completely strayed from the truth, when they explain differently from what the divine and prophetic Scripture wishes, the passage: “The Lord created man in the beginning of his ways” [Prov. 8:22: LXX]. Certainly there is not, as you know, only one meaning of the word “created.” For in this passage “created” is the same as “he set him over works made by Him,” made, I say, by the Son Himself.
134: The Grace of God
COUNCIL OF EPHESUS 431 The Catalog or the Authoritative Statements of the Past Bishops of the Holy See Concerning the Grace of God
Chapter 5. That all the zeal and all the works and merits of the saints ought to be referred to the glory and praise of God; because no one pleases Him with anything except with that which He Himself has given. To this view the regular authority of the Pope ZOSIMUS of blessed memory directs us, when, writing to the bishops of the whole world, he says:* “We, however, by the inspiration of God (for all good things must be assigned to their author, whence they derive their origin) have referred all things to the conscience of our brothers and co-bishops.” However, the African bishops honored with such great praise this discourse radiating with the light of sincerest truth, that they wrote thus to the same man: “That statement indeed, which you made in the letter, that you caused to be sent to all the provinces, saying: ‘We nevertheless by the inspiration of God, etc.,’ we have accepted the words thus: that you, as it were moving swiftly with the drawn sword of truth have cut off those who extol the freedom of the human will in opposition to the help of God. For you have done nothing with free will except refer all things to the conscience of our lowliness. And yet you have faithfully and wisely seen that it was done by the inspiration of God, and you have spoken truly and confidently. Therefore assuredly, becausethe 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 mote powerful.”
177: Original Sin, Grace, Predestination
ST. FELIX III 526-530 COUNCIL OF ORANGE II 529 Confirmed by Boniface II (against the Semipelagians)
Can. 4. If anyone contends that in order that we may be cleansed from sin, God waits for our good will, but does not acknowledge that even the wish to be purged is produced in us through the infusion and operation of the Holy Spirit, he opposes the Holy Spirit Himself, who says through Solomon: “Good will is prepared by the Lord” [Prov. 8:35: LXX], and the Apostle who beneficially says: “It is God, who works in us both to will and to accomplish according to his good will” [Phil. 2:13].