This post is an excerpt from the forthcoming book Rome Examined: Examination of the Decrees of the Council of Trent. In this concise distillation of Chemnitz’s magisterial critique, we present his scriptural case against Rome’s decrees on tradition, justification, the sacraments, and papal authority—one section at a time. (Find all the excerpts here: https://wolfmueller.co/category/rome-examined/)
Examination
It is imperative that the doctrine of free will stands firm in the church against all distortions and that it be correctly, rightly, and clearly developed from the true foundation of Scripture. For the teaching of Scripture concerning the entire conversion of man, repentance and faith, new obedience, the Spirit of grace and of prayer, the corruption of humanity that entered through sin, the benefits of the Son of God in the Holy Spirit, the appropriation of salvation and preservation of salvation, and the loss, growth, or regression in the gifts of salvation, can neither be rightly known nor be used in a holy manner if we do not take hold of the prophetic and apostolic sources for the pure teaching of this article and oppose every distortion in the church. All of history proves that an error in or a deviation from this sound scriptural doctrine with respect to free will brings the highest and most lamentable ruin into the essential points of heavenly doctrine along with it.
7:1:1: Various Related Questions Concerning Free Will
[1] The Tridentine decrees play word games with free will, attempt to confuse the reader, and unorderly and indistinctly blend their discussions into one another. We must first remove those pretenses from their word games so that we can clearly consider the true state of the question. For in so doing, discussion shall subsequently be made easier and more clear.
[2] First of all, here we are not addressing the soul’s powers according to the senses, but rather the mind and will of man.
[3] Second, if by free will one understands with Biel the general ability to will or the ability of the mind, then it is surely evident that this power of the soul is only tainted by original sin, but not completely destroyed. The one who would deny free will in this sense could just as well state that man is a souled essence without a soul!
[4] Third, free will strictly speaking designates the power of the mind and will, whereby it distinguishes itself from life that is without consciousness and without a will, for example, from merely natural processes and instinctive impulses. Now the distortion in the mind and the will of man introduced by original sin is not such that the mind and will have ceased to stir and move in the unregenerate man.
[5] Fourth, the will can, in some respects, desire or detest things which concern the senses and reason and can also impose certain actions for its external members or avert them. Thus, one customarily speaks of an external discipline among the unregenerate. Paul can therefore say in Philippians 3:6 that before his conversion he walked according to the Law blamelessly.
[7] Now the freedom which was lost through sin is the freedom of paradise, whose contents were complete righteousness and immortality. But free will is far from being destroyed in the sinner, for it is precisely through it that all people sin, those for whom sinning is a proper joy and delight.
Even in doing evil, one has a free will, he who plays with sin, or he in whom a secret or open tempter stokes the desire to sin.
Now truly miserable is the freedom to take pleasure in sin! To be able to sin belongs to free will, for without self-determination, one does not possess the capacity to sin. Anselm says, however, the capacity to be able to sin is neither freedom nor a component of freedom. Thus, Augustine writes, “Free will is bound and is capable for nothing other than to sin.”[1] (Ad Bonifacium bk. 3, ch. 8).
[8] Some have discussed whether the will of the unregenerate can actually be called free, that is, free unto sin and free with respect to sin.
This entire discussion ought to be restricted to this, namely that it is not proper to search for the cause and nature of sin among the ungodly in a violent force external to humanity. Rather, we ought to adhere to the word of James, “Let no one say when he is tempted that he is being tempted by God. For God is no tempter unto evil. God tempts no one” (James 1:13).
[9] Very difficult and complex is the consideration that what happens contrary to God’s will cannot happen apart from His will. Because God is not the effective cause of sin, Augustine states with edifying reserve that such takes place under God’s permission.[2] Even though God neither desires sin, nor supports it, nor effects it, He nevertheless determines its boundaries, to what extent He permits the ungodly to act, and when and where He will repress them.
Moreover, God often uses the most wicked intentions of the ungodly and their pernicious attacks for the good of the church and the godly. Sins are often even punishments for the sinner.
Nevertheless, this distinction remains firm and unshaken, that in the good works of the regenerate, not only is their nature supported by God, but their mind is enlightened by the Holy Spirit and their heart is renewed. In short, God causes them to will and do that which pleases Him. In other words, God wills, grants, effects, and supports the good works among the regenerate. This cannot and may not be said concerning sin.
7:1:2: The Essential State of the Question concerning Free Will
[1] The essential question in the dispute concerning free will is the about spiritual impulses and actions. Spiritual here refers to what pertains to the conversion of a person, to their faith, and to their piety, as it is present in God’s Word, in the Law and the Gospel, such as the knowledge of sin and its abhorrence, contrition, the fear of God, and furthermore what faith does in recognition, meditation, inquiring, appropriating, prayer, and so on.
[3] In conversion, certain impulses and movements must be present and occur, in which a certain inclination begins to take place in the mind, heart, and will.
[6] The question arises, however, whence one has the strength, power, and endowment to begin and carry out such impulses and movements. Is such power, might, and endowment so originally innate to the mind and will that it is possible when reading, hearing, and considering the Word of God to receive such movements without the Holy Spirit purely from the power of one’s nature—to speak scholastically—and to call forth such impulses in the mind, will, and heart, as they are necessary according to Scripture for contrition, faith, and new obedience?
7:2: The Position of the Tridentine Council concerning Free Will according to the Explanation of Andrada
[2] It is the view of the council, that in the human nature that has been corrupted by sin, already before its restoration through the Holy Spirit, there remains a natural power, might, and endowment for spiritual impulses and movements. But this power, as a consequence of sin, is partially bound and weakened. Therefore, in and of itself, without the grace of God, it is not able to perfectly begin or achieve anything good. Through grace, however, the bands are broken and the stiff power of nature becomes animated through grace to exercise itself in what is spiritual. Where it was weakened, it becomes strengthened. Where it was insufficient, new qualities flow in. Thus, there arises in the spiritual impulses and movements an effective cause by grace and by the natural powers of free will. Therefore, these two elements, grace and the natural powers, concurrently work together to begin and accomplish spiritual movements.
7:3: The Teaching of Scripture concerning Free Will
[1] Let the reader consider the following Scriptural testimonies: Romans 7:18: “In my flesh there dwells nothing good”; 1 Corinthians 2:14: “the natural person receives nothing from the Spirit of God”; John 15:5: “Without Me, You can do nothing.” These and many others very clearly show that unregenerate nature in and of itself does not have the power to work together with grace in order to begin and achieve spiritual impulses.
[3] The Scriptural passages which depict our deliverance, healing, enlightenment, restoration, and renewal do not even speak of it in passing. These do not give the impression that someone wants to free a man from chains who has the power to walk. Rather, we have such statements as “Create in me, O God, a clean heart, and give me a new, right spirit” (Psalm 51:10); “No one can come to me, but the one whom the Father draws” (John 6:44); “No one says ‘Jesus is Lord’ without the Holy Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:3).
[4] Thus, Scripture rather shows us our powerlessness, our degeneracy in the mind, will, and heart. And so it emphasizes the sole effectiveness of grace.
[5] The weight of these words ought to be pondered: the heart is hard (Romans 2:5); the is stone (Ezekiel 36:26); conceited (Psalm 5:9); indolent (Luke 24:25); crooked (Jeremiah 17:9); God softens it (2 Chronicles 34:27); the Lord opened her heart (Acts 16:14); He turns it (Luke 1:17); He circumcises it (Deuteronomy 30:6); He revives it (Isaiah 57:16); He takes the heart of stone away (Ezekiel 36:26); He gives a new heart (Ezekiel 11:19).
[6] From these and similar passages of Scripture, it is apparent that the doctrinal determination of the Council of Trent deviates from Scripture and even expressly contradicts it. For Scripture teaches that before our human nature, which is corrupt through sin, is renewed, it has by volition and action some powers in the matters which belong to the senses and to reason.
[7] But for the spiritual life and conduct, there is in the unregenerate man, from childhood on, no power, strength, efficacy, or ability. Instead of these, one finds in the corrupt man a resistance to what is good and an inclination to evil. But the Holy Spirit begins the work of renewal in this way. First, He puts that perverse essence to death. Then He works a new power and capacity in the heart and will by means of the Word, from which new spiritual movements proceed, that is, He effects new willing, ability, and action. To be sure, this renewal is not immediately complete, but rather begins in great weakness. Nevertheless, reason and will are not thereby inactive, but rather they have those new movements which must be exercised. This happens through meditation and prayer. But though these spiritual movements are still weak, they neither come forth and arise completely nor partially from natural powers but are gifts of the Holy Spirit. At the origin and beginning of this spiritual life reason and will simply contribute nothing from their natural ability.
[8] Therefore, the true and sound distinction of Augustine between effectual and cooperative grace must be thoroughly maintained in the church. Thus, this church father states in On Grace and Free Will, ch. 7, with the first chapter of Philippians in mind, “He who works in us to will at the beginning, is the same one who works in us to accomplish when we will.”[3]
7:4: Augustine’s View on Free Will and How It is Perverted by Andrada
[1] These words recently mentioned in the previous section are simple, clear, and true. Without a doubt, this is everywhere Augustine’s opinion. It is so enlightening that Andrada seeks to obscure it. In the little book which especially deals with this topic, Augustine connects grace and freedom. He writes, “Our consent must accompany God’s grace, so that our salvation is not something forced, but rather freely desired.”[4]
[2] Augustine clearly means that what God prescribes in His word can neither be begun nor completed if reason and the will are not active in it. For he says, “People do many things involuntarily. But no one can believe unless they will to. Only the will is able to will.” But does Augustine conclude from this that the reason and will of man can in and of themselves achieve that which God’s Word commands? Augustine does not do this at all.
[3] For in his writing about predestination, the same one states that it is erroneous to say that agreement with the preaching of the Gospel is our own work and impulse. Later, he remarks that believing and willing are both from God, but also both from ourselves; for without our willing, it would not be present. So he says in another place, “To the one who does not will, God comes first so that he may be willing; but the one who is willing, God accompanies, so that his willing is not for nothing.”[5]
[4] But the papists (Andrada invokes Augustine for support!) twist this to mean: Grace only arouses; the will can, however, consent from its own power. Meanwhile, Augustine clearly means precisely the opposite when he discusses this.
[5] In many places of Scripture, something is commanded of our will. If our will did not have the power to obey, it could seem as though God were playing a game with our misery. But in his writing on grace and freedom, Augustine writes concerning this, “The Pelagians think that they know something special when they say, ‘God would not command what He knows humanity is unable to do.’ Who would not have known that!”[6] But God commands what we are unable to do for this reason, so that we become aware of that for which we must pray. For from the Law with its commands and prohibitions does not come the knowledge of our virtue and might. Rather, from it we recognize all the more our sin and what kind of a creature we are. Yet the command is not given to us in vain. For grace is promised to us, which works in us both to will and to do. Through grace, it happens that the will of man, which was previously wicked, now becomes good. It is grace which makes this good will grow. That which God commands man in Scripture is that which He gives according to His goodness. It is demanded in order to show His gracious help.
7:5: That the Tridentine Decrees concerning Free Will are Intentionally Misleading
[1] The statements of the council play and shimmer with ambiguous words full of deception. Thus, they ask pedantic and equivocal questions as to whether free will has completely ceased and died on account of sin. Therefore, they added the second chapter on the natural ability among the heathen, in order to add in it that among such free will is indeed weakened, but by no means done away with. If this were to be understood in terms of the external discipline of natural reason, then there would be no dispute among us. But their understanding is that the natural powers of the will in beginning and performing spiritual work is indeed weakened and changed, but are nonetheless in no way absent in the unregenerate heathen or the Jews.
[2] This ambiguous game with the words “free will” is certainly not new. Long ago, the Pelagians have also played a game with the same. But the reader must pay attention to how Augustine answers this ambiguity. In On Grace and Free Will (bk. 1, ch. 15), he says, “Our will is always free, but not always good. Either it is free from righteousness, in which case it serves sin and is evil. Or it is free from sin, in which case it serves righteousness and is good. But it is grace which causes man to will what is good, when he formerly willed what is wicked.”[7]
[3] I am well aware that the expressions “enervation,” “impairment,” and “degradation” also appear at the Council of Orange, but in those decisions, with regard to that which concerns the way of salvation, all activity of our natural power is denied, and grace is adjudged.
But the Council of Trent hides its secret intention in those words. It is of the opinion that in the unregenerate there still remain some powers towards spiritual action, though they are very weakened and weighed down. From this the reader may discern from how subtly and ambiguously the Tridentine Council uses its words.
[4] It is further maintained from their side that because man must consent when receiving grace, that he is not completely inactive. To this we can offer a proper response with Augustine as follows: It could be understood in this way if we did not know the intention of why they speak in this manner. For this must be added: Where man is able or desires to autonomously decide upon, accept, or deal with conversion or spiritual matters, this is not completely nor partially from his own natural powers, rather, he has it from the One works both to will and to do.[8] When there is this elaboration, then there is no dispute, for it does stand firm that we desire to decide upon, accept, etc. But again, God works to will and to do.[9] For what do you have, that you have not received?
[5] But when our opponents eagerly endeavor to prove than man is able to reject the grace which is offered, that is unfortunately all too true. However, we teach thus: Where grace is embraced with desire, approval, and joy, this is a work and gift of the Holy Spirit.[10] But the fact that grace can be despised, rejected, and cast away has its reason in the wicked and perverse nature of our fleshly disposition.[11]
[6] Likewise, it is not completely clear when they claim that the free will aroused and moved by God shows active participation in that it accompanies the wakening call from God with its consent. Augustine distinguishes between operative and co-operative grace. Such a distinction must be unconditionally reproduced in definitive and comprehensive expressions. It has to do with whether free will, according to its natural powers, works together with God. However, it is not meant by this that where God works in us to will and to do that there is a certain natural power or vital force of the old man cooperating so that that willing or consent may be achieved. At the very least, Augustine says, “That we will, God works without us.”
[8] They also gossip that Luther says that man undergoes rebirth, renewal, or conversion completely passively. Admittedly, whoever is unfamiliar with the language of the scholastics might stumble at this phrase. One could get the impression that the idea is that conversion is worked by the Holy Spirit in such a way that in the will which is beginning to be renewed, absolutely no new movements are able to follow, even more, that this will is completely idle and inactive, and is dragged into the movement without any feeling and is carried away by it. This meaning, however, never occurred to our Luther.[12] Moreover, the Tridentine theologians familiar with scholastic use of language had doubtlessly well-understood what is meant by a passive manner. But they could not deny their joy in such quips.
The scholastics teach that a body, which, for example, receives a form, behaves, to the extent that it received it, passively. Now, there are some things which are excluded from such passivity, which also cooperate through their own inner activity in order to bring about the form. In such a case, this activity is not merely passive as the others which lack such participation in the activity. At the time, this was a conventional way of speaking that Luther applied to the doctrine of free will. To the extent that reason and the will are the components in which the Holy Spirit works conversion or renewal, those components behave passively in this regard, according to the scholastic way of speaking. Now the question arises: Do reason and the will in their sinful reality possess a power or ability to work with the Holy Spirit at the beginning of conversion? Because Scripture teaches that the power towards spiritual things is lost through sin, Luther employs the scholastic manner of speaking and thereby uses the expression of passivity. But he never taught that conversion occurs without the reflection of reason or without the approval of the will. Rather, Luther taught what Augustine expresses in this way: Those who are converted by God, are those whom He grasps by the movements of their will, and these movements of the will are those which He Himself has worked through the Holy Spirit.
Rightly understood, this way of speaking is not unbearable.
[1] “When, then, the Pelagians are pressed with these and such like testimonies and words of truth, not to deny original sin; not to say that the grace of God whereby we are justified is not given freely, but according to our merits; nor to say that in mortal man, however holy and well doing, there is so great righteousness that even after the washing of regeneration, until he finishes this life of his, forgiveness of sins is not necessary to him,—therefore when they are pressed not to make these three assertions, and by their means alienate men who believe them from the grace of the Saviour, and persuade the lifted-up unto pride to go headlong unto the judgment of the devil: they introduce the clouds of other questions in which their impiety—in the sight of men more simpleminded, whether that they are more slow or less instructed in the sacred writings—may be concealed. These are the misty questions of the praise of the creature, of the praise of marriage, of the praise of the law, of the praise of free will, of the praise of the saints; as if any one of our people were in the habit of disparaging those things, and not rather of announcing all things with due praises to the honour of the Creator and Saviour. But even the creature does not desire in such wise to be praised as to be unwilling to be healed. And the more marriage is to be praised, the less is to be attributed to it the shameful concupiscence of the flesh, which is not of the Father, but of the world; and which assuredly marriage found and did not make in men; because, moreover, it is actually in very many without marriage, and if nobody had sinned marriage itself might be without it. And the law, holy and just and good, is neither grace itself, nor is anything rightly done by it without grace; because the law is not given that it may give life, but it was added because of transgression, that it might conclude all persons convicted under sin, and that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. And the free will taken captive does not avail, except for sin; but for righteousness, unless divinely set free and aided, it does not avail.” – Augustine of Hippo, A Treatise Against Two Letters of the Pelagians, Book III, Chapter 24, NPNF1-05, link: https://ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf105/npnf105.xviii.v.xxiv.html
[2] “These are the great works of the Lord, sought out according to all His pleasure, and so wisely sought out, that when the intelligent creation, both angelic and human, sinned, doing not His will but their own, He used the very will of the creature which was working in opposition to the Creator’s will as an instrument for carrying out His will, the supremely Good thus turning to good account even what is evil, to the condemnation of those whom in His justice He has predestined to punishment, and to the salvation of those whom in His mercy He has predestined to grace. For, as far as relates to their own consciousness, these creatures did what God wished not to be done: but in view of God’s omnipotence, they could in no wise effect their purpose. For in the very fact that they acted in opposition to His will, His will concerning them was fulfilled. And hence it is that ‘the works of the Lord are great, sought out according to all His pleasure,’ because in a way unspeakably strange and wonderful, even what is done in opposition to His will does not defeat His will. For it would not be done did He not permit it (and of course His permission is not unwilling, but willing); nor would a Good Being permit evil to be done only that in His omnipotence He can turn evil into good.” – Augustine of Hippo, Enchiridion: The Handbook on Faith, Hope and Love, Chapter 100, NPNF1-03, link: https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/1302.htm
“It is true that wicked men do many things contrary to God’s will; but so great is His wisdom and power, that all things which seem adverse to His purpose do still tend towards those just and good ends and issues which He Himself has foreknown. And consequently, when God is said to change His will, as when, e.g., He becomes angry with those to whom He was gentle, it is rather they than He who are changed, and they find Him changed in so far as their experience of suffering at His hand is new, as the sun is changed to injured eyes, and becomes as it were fierce from being mild, and hurtful from being delightful, though in itself it remains the same as it was. That also is called the will of God which He does in the hearts of those who obey His commandments; and of this the apostle says, ‘For it is God that worketh in you both to will.’ As God’s ‘righteousness’ is used not only of the righteousness wherewith He Himself is righteous, but also of that which He produces in the man whom He justifies, so also that is called His law, which, though given by God, is rather the law of men. For certainly they were men to whom Jesus said, ‘It is written in your law,’ though in another place we read, ‘The law of his God is in his heart.’ According to this will which God works in men, He is said also to will what He Himself does not will, but causes His people to will; as He is said to know what He has caused those to know who were ignorant of it. For when the apostle says, ‘But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God,’ we cannot suppose that God there for the first time knew those who were foreknown by Him before the foundation of the world; but He is said to have known them then, because then He caused them to know. But I remember that I discussed these modes of expression in the preceding books. According to this will, then, by which we say that God wills what He causes to be willed by others, from whom the future is hidden, He wills many things which He does not perform. Thus His saints, inspired by His holy will, desire many things which never happen. They pray, e.g., for certain individuals—they pray in a pious and holy manner—but what they request He does not perform, though He Himself by His own Holy Spirit has wrought in them this will to pray. And consequently, when the saints, in conformity with God’s mind, will and pray that all men be saved, we can use this mode of expression: God wills and does not perform,—meaning that He who causes them to will these things Himself wills them. But if we speak of that will of His which is eternal as His foreknowledge, certainly He has already done all things in heaven and on earth that He has willed,—not only past and present things, but even things still future. But before the arrival of that time in which He has willed the occurrence of what He foreknew and arranged before all time, we say, It will happen when God wills. But if we are ignorant not only of the time in which it is to be, but even whether it shall be at all, we say, It will happen if God wills,—not because God will then have a new will which He had not before, but because that event, which from eternity has been prepared in His unchangeable will, shall then come to pass.” – Augustine of Hippo, City of God, Book XXII, Chapter 2, NPNF1-02, link: https://ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf102/npnf102.iv.XXII.2.html
[3] The work cited by Chemnitz is correct but he appears to have cited the wrong chapter (or modern numbering of the chapters is different from that which Chemnitz was working with):
“But yet, however small and imperfect his [i.e. Peter’s] love was, it was not wholly wanting when he said to the Lord, ‘I will lay down my life for Thy sake;’ for he supposed himself able to effect what he felt himself willing to do. And who was it that had begun to give him his love, however small, but He who prepares the will, and perfects by His co-operation what He initiates by His operation? Forasmuch as in beginning He works in us that we may have the will, and in perfecting works with us when we have the will. On which account the apostle says, ‘I am confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ’ (Philippians 1:6). He operates, therefore, without us, in order that we may will; but when we will, and so will that we may act, He co-operates with us. We can, however, ourselves do nothing to effect good works of piety without Him either working that we may will, or co-working when we will. Now, concerning His working that we may will, it is said: ‘It is God which worketh in you, even to will’ (Philippians 2:13). While of His co-working with us, when we will and act by willing, the apostle says, ‘We know that in all things there is co-working for good to them that love God’ (Romans 8:28).” – Augustine of Hippo, On Grace and Free Will, Chapter 33, NPNF1-05, link: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf105.xix.iv.xxxiii.html#fnf_xix.iv.xxxiii-p11.2
[4] I was unable to locate the exact citation Chemnitz mentions here, but I did find one which says the same sort of thing: “Since, then, with the heart man believeth on Christ, which no man assuredly does against his will, and since he that is drawn seems to be as if forced against his will, how are we to solve this question, ‘No man cometh unto me, except the Father that sent me draw him’? If he is drawn, saith some one, he comes unwillingly. If he comes unwillingly, then he believes not; but if he believes not, neither does he come. For we do not run to Christ on foot, but by believing; nor is it by a motion of the body, but by the inclination of the heart that we draw nigh to Him. […] Thence also He says here, if thou turn thy attention to it, ‘No man cometh to me except he whom the Father shall draw.’ Do not think that thou art drawn against thy will. The mind is drawn also by love. Nor ought we to be afraid, lest perchance we be censured in regard to this evangelic word of the Holy Scriptures by men who weigh words, but are far removed from things, most of all from divine things; and lest it be said to us, ‘How can I believe with the will if I am drawn?’ I say it is not enough to be drawn by the will; thou art drawn even by delight.” – Augustine of Hippo, Tractate XXVI (on John 6:41-59), §2-4, NPNF1-07, link: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf107.iii.xxvii.html
[5] I was unable to locate the exact citation Chemnitz mentions here, but I did find one which says the same sort of thing: “And what I said shortly afterwards: ‘For it is ours to believe and will, but His to give to those who believe and will, the power of doing good through the Holy Spirit through whom charity is poured forth in our hearts,’ is, indeed, true; but, by virtue of this rule, both are His, because He himself ‘prepares the will,’ and ours, also, because we do only what we will. For this reason, too, what I also said at a later time is certainly very true: ‘We cannot will if we are not called, and when, after the call, we have willed, our will and our course do not suffice if God does not give strength to the runners and lead whither He calls’; and then I added: ‘It is clear, therefore, that it is not of him who wills nor of him who runs, but of God showing mercy that we do good.’” – Augustine of Hippo, The Retractions, Book I, Chapter 22, §3, The Fathers of the Church: A New Translation, Vol. 60, pg. 99-100.
[6] “The Pelagians think that they know something great when they assert that ‘God would not command what He knew could not be done by man.’ Who can be ignorant of this? But God commands some things which we cannot do, in order that we may know what we ought to ask of Him. For this is faith itself, which obtains by prayer what the law commands. He, indeed, who said, ‘If thou wilt, thou shalt keep the commandments,’ did in the same book of Ecclesiasticus afterwards say, ‘Who shall give a watch before my mouth, and a seal of wisdom upon my lips, that I fall not suddenly thereby, and that my tongue destroy me not.’ Now he had certainly heard and received these commandments: ‘Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.’ Forasmuch, then, as what he said is true: ‘If thou wilt, thou shalt keep the commandments,’ why does he want a watch to be given before his mouth, like him who says in the Psalm, ‘Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth’? Why is he not satisfied with God’s commandment and his own will; since, if he has the will, he shall keep the commandments? How many of God’s commandments are directed against pride! He is quite aware of them; if he will, he may keep them. Why, therefore, does he shortly afterwards say, ‘O God, Father and God of my life, give me not a proud look’? The law had long ago said to him, ‘Thou shalt not covet;’ let him then only will, and do what he is bidden, because, if he has the will, he shall keep the commandments. Why, therefore, does he afterwards say, ‘Turn away from me concupiscence’? Against luxury, too, how many commandments has God enjoined! Let a man observe them; because, if he will, he may keep the commandments. But what means that cry to God, ‘Let not the greediness of the belly nor lust of the flesh take hold on me!’ Now, if we were to put this question to him personally, he would very rightly answer us and say, From that prayer of mine, in which I offer this particular petition to God, you may understand in what sense I said, ‘If thou wilt, thou mayest keep the commandments.’ For it is certain that we keep the commandments if we will; but because the will is prepared by the Lord, we must ask of Him for such a force of will as suffices to make us act by the willing. It is certain that it is we that will when we will, but it is He who makes us will what is good, of whom it is said (as he has just now expressed it), ‘The will is prepared by the Lord.’ Of the same Lord it is said, ‘The steps of a man are ordered by the Lord, and his way doth He will.’ Of the same Lord again it is said, ‘It is God who worketh in you, even to will!’ It is certain that it is we that act when we act; but it is He who makes us act, by applying efficacious powers to our will, who has said, ‘I will make you to walk in my statutes, and to observe my judgments, and to do them.’ When he says, ‘I will make you . . . to do them,’ what else does He say in fact than, ‘I will take away from you your heart of stone,’ from which used to arise your inability to act, ‘and I will give you a heart of flesh,’ in order that you may act? And what does this promise amount to but this: I will remove your hard heart, out of which you did not act, and I will give you an obedient heart, out of which you shall act? It is He who causes us to act, to whom the human suppliant says, ‘Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth.’ That is to say: Make or enable me, O Lord, to set a watch before my mouth,—a benefit which he had already obtained from God who thus described its influence: ‘I set a watch upon my mouth.’” – Augustine of Hippo, A Treatise on Grace and Free Will, Chapter 32, NPNF1-05, link: https://ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf105/npnf105.xix.iv.xxxii.html
[7] “There is, however, always within us a free will — but it is not always good; for it is either free from righteousness when it serves sin — and then it is evil — or else it is free from sin when it serves righteousness — and then it is good. But the grace of God is always good; and by it it comes to pass that a man is of a good will, though he was before of an evil one. By it also it comes to pass that the very good will, which has now begun to be, is enlarged, and made so great that it is able to fulfil the divine commandments which it shall wish, when it shall once firmly and perfectly wish.” – Augustine of Hippo, A Treatise on Grace and Free Will, Chapter 31, NPNF1-05, link: https://ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf105/npnf105.xix.iv.xxxi.html
“It is to be confessed, therefore, that we have free choice to do both evil and good; but in doing evil every one is free from righteousness and a servant of sin, while in doing good no one can be free, unless he have been made free by Him who said, ‘If the Son shall make you free, then you shall be free indeed.’ Neither is it thus, that when any one has been made free from the dominion of sin, he no longer needs the help of his Deliverer; but rather thus, that hearing from Him, ‘Without me you can do nothing,’ he himself also says to Him, ‘Be my helper! Forsake me not.’” – Augustine of Hippo, A Treatise on Rebuke and Grace, Chapter 2, NPNF1-05, link: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf105.xx.v.html
[8] “It is certain that it is we that act when we act; but it is He who makes us act, by applying efficacious powers to our will, who has said, ‘I will make you to walk in my statutes, and to observe my judgments, and to do them.’ When he says, ‘I will make you . . . to do them,’ what else does He say in fact than, ‘I will take away from you your heart of stone,’ from which used to arise your inability to act, ‘and I will give you a heart of flesh,’ in order that you may act? And what does this promise amount to but this: I will remove your hard heart, out of which you did not act, and I will give you an obedient heart, out of which you shall act? It is He who causes us to act, to whom the human suppliant says, ‘Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth.’ That is to say: Make or enable me, O Lord, to set a watch before my mouth,—a benefit which he had already obtained from God who thus described its influence: ‘I set a watch upon my mouth.’” – Augustine of Hippo, A Treatise on Grace and Free Will, Chapter 32, NPNF1-05, link: https://ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf105/npnf105.xix.iv.xxxii.html
“We therefore will, but God worketh in us to will also. We therefore work, but God worketh in us to work also for His good pleasure. This is profitable for us both to believe and to say,—this is pious, this is true, that our confession be lowly and submissive, and that all should be given to God. Thinking, we believe; thinking, we speak; thinking, we do whatever we do; but, in respect of what concerns the way of piety and the true worship of God, we are not sufficient to think anything as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God. For ‘our heart and our thoughts are not in our own power;’ whence the same Ambrose who says this says also: ‘But who is so blessed as in his heart always to rise upwards? And how can this be done without divine help? Assuredly, by no means. Finally,’ he says, ‘the same Scripture affirms above, Blessed is the man whose help is of Thee; O Lord, ascent is in his heart.’ Assuredly, Ambrose was not only enabled to say this by reading in the holy writings, but as of such a man is to be without doubt believed, he felt it also in his own heart. Therefore, as is said in the sacraments of believers, that we should lift up our hearts to the Lord, is God’s gift; for which gift they to whom this is said are admonished by the priest after this word to give thanks to our Lord God Himself; and they answer that it is ‘meet and right so to do.’ For, since our heart is not in our own power, but is lifted up by the divine help, so that it ascends and takes cognizance of those things which are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God, and, not those things that are upon the earth, to whom are thanks to be given for so great a gift as this unless to our Lord God who doeth this,—who in so great kindness has chosen us by delivering us from the abyss of this world, and has predestinated us before the foundation of the world?” – Augustine of Hippo, A Treatise on the Predestination of the Saints, Book I, Chapter 33, NPNF1-05, link: https://ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf105/npnf105.xxi.iii.xxxv.html
“But when men either come or return into the way of righteousness by means of rebuke, who is it that worketh salvation in their hearts but that God who giveth the increase, whoever plants and waters, and whoever labours on the fields or shrubs,—that God whom no man’s will resists when He wills to give salvation? For so to will or not to will is in the power of Him who willeth or willeth not, as not to hinder the divine will nor overcome the divine power. For even concerning those who do what He wills not, He Himself does what He will.” – Augustine of Hippo, A Treatise on Rebuke and Grace, Chapter 43, NPNF1-05, link: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf105.xx.xlvi.html
“Furthermore, who would be so impiously foolish as to say that God cannot turn the evil wills of men—as he willeth, when he willeth, and where he willeth—toward the good? But, when he acteth, he acteth through mercy; when he doth not act, it is through justice. For, ‘he hath mercy on whom he willeth; and whom he willeth, he hardeneth.’” – Augustine of Hippo, Enchiridion: Handbook on Faith, Hope and Love, Chapter XXV, NPNF1-03, link: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/augustine/enchiridion.chapter25.html
[9] “For God has not only given us the ability and aids it, but He further works in us ‘to will and to do.’ It is not because we do not will, or do not do, that we will and do nothing good, but because we are without His help. How can he say, ‘That we are able to do good is of God, but that we actually do it is of ourselves,’ when the apostle tells us that he ‘prays to God’ in behalf of those to whom he was writing, ‘that they should do no evil, but that they should do that which is good?’ His words are not, ‘We pray that ye be able to do nothing evil;’ but, ‘that ye do no evil.’ Neither does he say, ‘that ye be able to do good;’ but, ‘that ye do good.’ Forasmuch as it is written, ‘As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God,’ it follows that, in order that they may do that which is good, they must be led by Him who is good.” – Augustine of Hippo, On the Grace of Christ, Chapter 26, NPNF1-05, link: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf105.xv.iii.xxvi.html
[10] “In the Small Catechism of Dr. Luther it is thus written: I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Ghost has called me through the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, and sanctified and kept me in the true faith; even as He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith, etc. And in the explanation of the Second Petition of the Lord’s Prayer the following words occur: How is this done? When our Heavenly Father gives us His Holy Spirit, so that by His grace we believe His holy Word and live a godly life, etc. These testimonies state that by our own powers we cannot come to Christ, but God must give us His Holy Ghost, by whom we are enlightened, sanctified, and thus brought to Christ through faith, and kept with Him; and no mention is made either of our will or cooperation. […] Therefore it is teaching incorrectly to assert that unregenerate man has still so much power as to desire to receive the Gospel and to be comforted by it, and that thus the natural human will cooperates somewhat [in a manner] in conversion.” – The Formula of Concord: Solid Declaration, Article II, §40-42, 45, link: https://thebookofconcord.org/formula-of-concord-solid-declaration/article-ii/
“These treasures are offered us by the Holy Ghost in the promise of the holy Gospel; and faith alone is the only means by which we lay hold upon, accept, and apply, and appropriate them to ourselves. This faith is a gift of God, by which we truly learn to know Christ, our Redeemer, in the Word of the Gospel, and trust in Him, that for the sake of His obedience alone we have the forgiveness of sins by grace, are regarded as godly and righteous by God the father, and are eternally saved.” – The Formula of Concord: Solid Declaration, Article III, §10-11, link: https://thebookofconcord.org/formula-of-concord-solid-declaration/article-iii/
[11] “Moreover, the declaration that no one can come to Christ except the Father draw him, is right and true. However, the Father will not do this without means, but has ordained for this purpose His Word and Sacraments as ordinary means and instruments; and it is the will neither of the Father nor of the Son that a man should not hear or should despise the preaching of His Word, and wait for the drawing of the Father without the Word and Sacraments. For the Father draws indeed by the power of His Holy Ghost, however, according to His usual order [the order decreed and instituted by Himself], by the hearing of His holy, divine Word, as with a net, by which the elect are plucked from the jaws of the devil. Every poor sinner should therefore repair thereto [to holy preaching], hear it attentively, and not doubt the drawing of the Father. For the Holy Ghost will be with His Word in His power, and work by it; and that is the drawing of the Father. But the reason why not all who hear it believe, and some are therefore condemned the more deeply [eternally to severer punishments], is not because God had begrudged them their salvation; but it is their own fault, as they have heard the Word in such a manner as not to learn, but only to despise, blaspheme, and disgrace it, and have resisted the Holy Ghost, who through the Word wished to work in them, as was the case at the time of Christ with the Pharisees and their adherents. Hence the apostle distinguishes with especial care the work of God, who alone makes vessels of honor, and the work of the devil and of man, who by the instigation of the devil, and not of God, has made himself a vessel of dishonor. For thus it is written, Rom. 9:22f: God endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction, that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had afore prepared unto glory. Here, then, the apostle clearly says that God endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath, but does not say that He made them vessels of wrath; for if this had been His will, He would not have required any great long-suffering for it. The fault, however, that they are fitted for destruction belongs to the devil and to men themselves, and not to God.” – Formula of Concord: Solid Declaration, Article XI, §76-80, link: https://thebookofconcord.org/formula-of-concord-solid-declaration/article-xi/
[12] “But when man has been converted, and is thus enlightened, and his will is renewed, it is then that man wills what is good (so far as he is regenerate or a new man), and delights in the Law of God after the inward man, Rom. 7:22, and henceforth does good to such an extent and as long as he is impelled by God’s Spirit, as Paul says, Rom. 8:14: For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. And this impulse of the Holy Ghost is not a coactio, or coercion, but the converted man does good spontaneously, as David says, Ps. 110:4: Thy people shall be willing in the day of Thy power. And nevertheless that also [the strife of the flesh and spirit] remains in the regenerate of which St. Paul wrote, Rom. 7:22f : For I delight in the Law of God after the inward man; but I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. Also, v. 25: So, then, with my mind I myself serve the Law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin. Also, Gal. 5:17: For the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary the one to the other, so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. From this, then, it follows that as soon as the Holy Ghost, as has been said, through the Word and holy Sacraments, has begun in us this His work of regeneration and renewal, it is certain that through the power of the Holy Ghost we can and should cooperate, although still in great weakness. But this [that we cooperate] does not occur from our carnal natural powers, but from the new powers and gifts which the Holy Ghost has begun in us in conversion, as St. Paul expressly and earnestly exhorts that as workers together with Him we receive not the grace of God in vain, 2 Cor. 6:1. But this is to be understood in no other way than that the converted man does good to such an extent and so long as God by His Holy Spirit rules, guides, and leads him, and that as soon as God would withdraw His gracious hand from him, he could not for a moment persevere in obedience to God. But if this were understood thus [if any one would take the expression of St. Paul in this sense], that the converted man cooperates with the Holy Ghost in the manner as when two horses together draw a wagon, this could in no way be conceded without prejudice to the divine truth.” – The Formula of Concord: Solid Declaration, Article II, §63-66, link: https://thebookofconcord.org/formula-of-concord-solid-declaration/article-ii/
