To Florus 1.134

That pride wished to remain idle and cover its laziness with an appearance of necessity, so as to protest against the Gospel's reception of the nations. It therefore hears: “Even if matters were as you imagine, you should nevertheless petition God, not stir up a revolt.” With these words Paul checks the man's wickedness. Seizing upon ambiguous language, that man tried to attribute to divine necessity the difference in deserts that comes from the character of the will. He wanted to establish that one of two things must follow: either the nations do not enter into fellowship in the promise, or, if God is permitted to admit them, the tasks of free will are abolished.

But this did not suffice for the issue. Such a teacher could not commend God's authority while leaving his justice undefended. Most consistently, then, Paul adds that vessels made for dishonor and those made for honor receive this as the wages of their own will: “If God, wishing to show his wrath and make his power known with great patience in vessels of wrath completed for destruction, and to make known the riches of his glory in vessels of mercy which he prepared for glory, whom he also called, namely us, not only from Jews but also from the nations” (Romans 9:22–24). Here he certainly clears up what the previous debate had concealed: God brings wrath only upon vessels completed for destruction, while glory is given to those prepared for it. By whom such vessels are prepared to receive the things we have named, the apostle's own words disclose: “In a great house there are not only gold and silver vessels but also wooden and earthenware ones, some for honor and some for dishonor. If, then, anyone cleanses himself from these, he will be a vessel sanctified for honor, useful to the Lord, prepared for every good work” (2 Timothy 2:20–21).