Annotation CXCVII, On predestination and reprobation (Psalm 108:18)

Annotatio CXCVII

”He loved cursing, and it shall come to him; and he would not [have] blessing, and it shall be put far from him.” — Psalm 108:18

Arnobius, in the commentaries on the Psalms, brought forward these things to the exposition of this little verse:¹ “He loved the cursing of Adam, which is taken away through Christ — ‘and it shall come to him’; he would not [have] the blessing which is brought through Christ — ‘and it shall surely be put far from him.’ Note that it happened from [free] choice that he would not [have it]” — on account of the heresy which says that God predestined some to blessing, others to cursing; for here [the man] is proved to have the cursing from his own choice [love], and by [his own] unwillingness not to have the reward of his blessing. There are [some] who think that these [words] in a certain manner censure the opinion of Augustine, and of all the schoolmen theologians, concerning eternal predestination and reprobation. See below, Annotation 251 of book 6.