Tomline on Article X: Of Free-Will

Every one must be conscious that he possesses Free-will, and that he is a free-agent, that is, that he is capable of considering and reflecting upon the objects which are presented to his mind, and of acting, in such cases as are possi- ble, according to the determination of his will. And indeed, without this free-agency, actions cannot be morally good or bad ; nor can the agents be responsible for their conduct. But Z cm,p J todu. into o„ na. b, the fall of Adam has so weakened our mental powers, has given such force to our passions, and such pervrseness to our wills, that a man

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The most pious of those who lived under the Mosaic dispensation, often acknowledge the necessity of extraordinary assistance from God : David prays to God ” to open his eyes, to guide and direct him (a) ;” ’^ to create in him a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within him (bj.” And Solomon says, that *’ God di- recteth men’s paths, and giveth grace to the lowly (c)J^ Even we, whose minds are enli^t- ened by the pure precepts of the Gospel, and in- fluenced by the motives which it suggests, must still be convinced of our weakness and depravity, and confess that we have no power to do

THAT GOOD-WILL. The ucccssity of dlviuc gTRCe to strengthen and r^ulate our wills, and to co- operate with our endeavours after righteousness, is clearly asserted in the New Testament : *^ They that are in the flesh cannot please God (dy — ” Abide in me,” says our Saviour, ’^ and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit

of

(a) Psalm 119. v. 18, 33 & 35.

(b) Psalm 51. V. 10. (c) Prov, c. 3. v. 6.

(d) Rom. c. 8. V. 8.

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of itself, except it abide in the vine, no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, and ye are the branches ; he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit ; for without me ye can do nothing (e)” — ” No man can come to me, except the Father, which hath sent me, draw him (f).” — No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost […] It is God that worketh in you, both to* will and to do of his good pleasure […] Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves, but our suffi- ciency is of God (i)y — ” We do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit hdpeth our infirmities (k)r—We are said to be ” led by the Spirit (I);’ and ” to walk in the Spirit (m)” — These texts sufficiently prove that we stand in need both of a preventing and of a co-operating grace ; or, in the words of the Article, that we have no power to do good

-WORKS PLEASANT AND ACCEPTABLE TO COD,

The

(e) John, c. 15. y. 4 & 5. (f) John, c. 6. v. 44. (g) 1 Cor. e. 12. V. 3. (h) Phil. c. 2. v. 13. (i) 2 Cor. c. 3. V. 5. (k) Rom. c. 8. v. 26.

(1) Rom. c. 8. ▼. 14. (m) Gal. c. 5. v. 16 & 25.

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The doctrine of this Article we find asserted in many of the antient fathers, and particularly in Ambrose, who, in speaking of the effects of the fall, uses these words: ” Thence was de- rived mortality, and no less a multitude of mi- series than of crimes. Faith being lost, hope being abandoned, the understanding blinded, and the will made captive, no one found in himsdf the means of repairing these things. Without the worship of the true God, even that which seems to be virtue is. sin ; nor can any one please God without God. But whom does he please who does not please God, except himself and Satan ? The nature, therefore, which was good, is made bad by habit: man would not return, unless God turned him (wj.”— And Cyprian says, We pray day and night that the sanctification and enlivening, which springs from the grace of God, may be preserved by his protection.” — Dr. NichoUs, after quoting many authorities to shew that the doctrine of divine grace always prevailed in the catholic church, adds, ’ I have spent, perhaps, more time in these Testimonies than was absolutely necessary ; but whatev I have done is to shew that the doctrine of divine grace is so essential a doctrine of Christianity, that not only the Holy Scriptures and the primitive fathers assert it, but likewise that

the (n) Amb. d« Voc. Gent. lib. i. cap 3.

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the Christians could not in any age maintain their religion without it, it being necessaty, not only for the discharge of Christian duties, but for the performance of our ordinary devotions.” And this seems to have been the opinion of the compilers of our most excellent liturgy, in many parts (o) of which both a preventing and a co- operating grace is unequivocally acknowledged.

This assistance of divine grace is not incon-/ sistent with the free-agency of men ; it does not place them under an irresistible restraint, or compel them t6 act contrary to their wiB. Thou^ human nature is greatly depraved, yet every good disposition is not totally extin- guished, nor is all power of ri^t action entirely annihilated. Men may, therefore, make some spontaneous, though feeble, attempt to act conformably to their duty, which will be pro- moted and rendered effectual by the co-opera- tion of God’s grace ; or the grace of God may 80 far prevent our actual endeavours, as to awaken and dispose us to our duty ; but yet, not in such a degree that we cannot withstand its influence. In either case our own exertions are

necessary (o) Particularly in the second collect for the Evening Service ; in the fourth collect at the end of the Communion Service; in the collect for Easter- day ; in the collect for. the fifth Sunday after Easter ; in the collects for the thirds ninths seventeenth, nine- teenth, and twenty-fiflh, Sundays after Trinity.

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necessary to enable as to work but our own sal- vation, but our stffficiency for that purpose is from God. It is, however, impossible to ascertain the precise boundary between our natural efforts and the divine assistance, whether that assistance be considered as a co-operating or a preventing grace. Without destroying our character as free and accountable beings, God may be mercifrdly pleased to counteract the depravity of our hearts by the suggestions of his. spirit, but still it remains with us to choose whether we will listen to those suestions, or ob ey the lusts of the flesh. It beccHnes us to speak with humility and dif* iidence concerning the extent of divine grace: we only ow, in general, that God will not sub- ject us to greater temptations and trials than we are able to bear. If we cherish our good dispo- sitions, and feel a sincere desire to be virtuous, we may rest assured that he will, by the commu- nication of his grace, help our infirmities, invi- gorate our resolutions, and supply our defects. The promises that V’ if we draw nigh to God, God will draw nigh tp us, and pour out his spirit upon us (p) ; ” and that ” he will give his Holy Spirit to every one that asketh him (q) ; ” im- ply that God is ever ready to forard our progress and continuance in well-doing through

the

(p) James, 0.4. v. 8. Acts, o. 2. r. 17. (q) Luke, «. 11. T. 13.

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the powerful, though invisible, operation of his spirit: ^’ The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not teli whence it cometh and whither it goeth; so is every one that is bom of the Spirit (r)” The joint agency of God and man, in the work of human salvation, is pointed out in the following passage: ^’ Let us work out our own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God that worketh in us, both to will and to do of his good pleasure (s) ; ” and therefore we may assure our- selves that free-will and grace are not incom- patible, though the mode and d^ee of their co-operation be utterly inexplicable.

The doctrine of this Article has been the sub- ject of much dispute among Christians; some sects contend for the irresistible impulses of grace, and others reject the idea of any influence of the divine spirit upon the human mind. The former opinion seems irreconcileable with the free- agency of man, and the latter contradicts the authority of Scripture ; ” And therefore, let us neither ascribe nothing to free-will, nor too much; let us not with the defenders of irre- sistible grace, deny free-will, or make it of no i^ect, not only before, but even under, grace ; nor let us suffer the efficacy of saving grace, on the other hand, to be swallowed up in the strength

and

(r) John, c. 3. v. 8. ($) Phil. c. 2. v. 12 & 13.

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and freedom of our ills ; but allowing the go- vernment or superiority to the grace of God, let the will of man be admitted to be its handmaid, but such an one as is free, and freely obeys ; by which, when it is freely excited by the admoni- tions of preventing grace, when it is prepared as to its affections, strengthened and assisted as to its powers and faculties, a man freely and wil- lingly co-operates with God, that the grace of God be not received in vain […] All men are also to be admonished, and chiefly preachers, that in this high matter, they, looking on both sides, so temper and moderate themsdves, that they neither so preach the grace of God that they take away thereby free-wiD, nor on the other side so extol free will, that injury be done to the grace of God fw.”—” Thus do the doctrine of divine grace, and the doctrine of fr-ee-will or human liberty, unite and conspire, in a friendly manner, to our everlasting good. The first is adapted to excite in us gratitude, faith, and humility ; the second to awaken our caution and quicken our diligence (Ji).

(t) Veneer.

(u) Necessary Doctrine ; supposed to be writtea by Archbishop Cranmer. (x) Jortin.

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