271. The reason why the wicked prosper the more the craftier they are is that God's order prescribes that each person should act from reason in what he does, and also by free choice. Unless therefore it was left to a person to act in freedom by the light of his reason, and if too the tricks which he devises by the use of his reason did not succeed, people could by no means be so disposed as to be able to receive everlasting life. For this is introduced into a person when he is in freedom and his reason is enlightened. No one can be forced to be good, because nothing done under compulsion sticks, since it is not the person's. What really becomes the person's is what he does of his free choice by the light of his reason. What he does by free choice is what he does of his own will or out of love, and the will or love is the real person. Even if people were forced to do what they do not want, their minds would still always tend towards what they want. Moreover, everyone strives after what is forbidden, and this for the unseen cause, that it is after freedom. From this it is plain that if people were not kept in freedom it would be impossible for them to acquire goodness.