Jackson on Articles IX, X: Of Original or Birth-sin; Of Free-Will
Bernard C. Jackson, 1900
This page treats Articles IX, X together. Commentaries on Article IX: Rogers (1607)Ellis (1660)Burnet (1699)Beveridge (d. 1708)Welchman (1713)Practical Exposition (1716)Veneer (1725)Madan (1772)Hey (1796)Tomline (1799)Wilson (1821)Jones (1849)Trollope (1850)Browne (1850)Forbes (1867)Boultbee (1871)Maclear & Williams (1895)Green (1896)Gibson (1896)Jackson (1900)Bicknell (1919) · Article 9: text, context and Study
Article IX. Of Original or Birth-sin
Original Sin standeth not in the following of Adam, (as the Pelagians do vainly talk;) but it is the fault and corruption of the Nature of every man, that naturally is ingendered of the offspring of Adam; whereby man is very far gone from original righteousness, and is of his own nature inclined to evil, so that the flesh lusteth always contrary to the spirit; and therefore in every person born into this world, it deserveth God's wrath and damnation. And this infection of nature doth remain, yea in them that are regenerated; whereby the lust of the flesh, called in the Greek, "Phronema Sarkos", which some do expound the wisdom, some sensuality, some the affection, some the desire, of the flesh, is not subject to the Law of God. And although there is no condemnation for them that believe and are baptized, yet the Apostle doth confess, that concupiscence and lust hath of itself the nature of sin.
Text: Book of Common Prayer (1662)
Article X. Of Free-Will
The condition of Man after the fall of Adam is such, that he cannot turn and prepare himself, by his own natural strength and good works, to faith, and calling upon God: Wherefore we have no power to do good works pleasant and acceptable to God, without the grace of God by Christ preventing us, that we may have a good will, and working with us, when we have that good will.
Text: Book of Common Prayer (1662)
Cleaned OCR; [...] marks passages cut for illegibility. See the scan. Text: The Thirty-nine Articles: a short exposition, by Bernard C. Jackson (London: Church Book Room, 1900). Short notes on each Article. Cleaned OCR from the Internet Archive scan; passages too garbled to recover are marked [...]. Public domain.
(renatis).’? Though our condemnation is removed (Rom. viii., 1), an element of discord remains (Gal. v., 17), which, as a matter of fact, makes us both sinful and sinners. For ‘* concupiscence and lust hath of itself the nature of sin ’’ (James i, 14, 15).
Renatis, which occurs twice in the Article, is translated first ‘‘ regenerated ’’ and then ‘“‘ bap- tised ’’; but in the latter place the word is coupled with credentibus, ‘‘ believing’? (See Dr. Tait’s Outlines, p. 101).
ARTICLE X. Or FREE WILL.
This deals rather with the necessity of God’s grace than with free will. It begins by em- phasising man’s condition of spiritual helplessness consequent on the fall of Adam. ‘“‘ He cannot turn and prepare himself, by his own natural strength and good works, to faith, and calling upon God.’’ For this truth compare Rom. v., 6, and Eph. ii., 8. Then follows the doctrine of the necessity of divine grace. By “ the grace of God ’”’ is meant, not merely God’s unmerited favour as in Eph. ii., 8, but God’s active help. And this active help is given in two ways—“ pre- venting (i.e., going before) us, that we may have a good will, and working with us, when we have that good will.’’ This is exactly the teaching of Phil. ii., 12 and 13—‘‘ Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.”’
ArticLeE XI. OF THE JUSTIFICATION OF MAN.
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