Human will and divine mercy

Meaning

The contrast is between God’s gracious will, on which the art rests, and the seeker’s willing or longing, which does not command it. Divine mercy assists and furthers the undertaking. The same semantic field of will therefore has unequal subjects: a shared word does not imply equal powers. The English’s “Neither willing nor desiring” preserves the double exclusion, while the next sentence still directs the seeker to fervent believing prayer. Human action is not abolished, but its efficacy is dependent. Reading the passage as a promise that intense desire earns the gift would reverse its stated argument.