The ply with it is the willing work of God. liberty to co-operate is his gift.'-And is not the inclination to do it also his gift? 1 1 Many quotations are made from the fathers, on the subject of co-operation, which are often incongruous with each other. Some maintain that the beginning is from man, and exclude co-operation till we are willing of ourselves.2 Others (if not the same persons) suppose the beginning to be from God, but the continuance from man.3 But I see no advantage to the cause of our opponents, likely to arise from quotations which are directly opposite to their own systems, or concessions; and I consider it as lost labour to take further notice of them. Let us however, advert more distinctly to the words of our Article. 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.'4' Gratia 'Dei (quæ per Christum est,) nos preveniente ut ' velimus, et co-operante dum volumus.' 6 The very expression of the tenth Article... plainly shews, that we also work.'' The grace ' of God prevents us Christians; that is, it goes 'before, it gives the first spring and rise to our ' endeavours, that we may have a good will.' The 'words in the Latin copy of the Articles are 'dum volumus, while we will; which still more 'clearly shew that the grace of God and the will of man act together at the same moment.'"Thus good works are not attributed by our church 'to the sole operation of divine grace, but to the 'joint and contemporaneous operation of divine grace and human agency. It is acknowledged 'that man has not the disposition, and consequently not the ability, to do what in the sight of God is good, till he is influenced by the Holy Spirit: but this influence of the Spirit is not 'irresistible; it does not solely of itself produce good works.'1 Previous to the first spring and rise of our ' endeavours,' which is given by divine grace, what is there in man, which can co-operate: He cannot act voluntarily till he has a willing mind : or how can preveniente (coming before) consist with ⚫ contemporaneous,' if meant precisely of the same thing-The attentive reader cannot but observe, that all, which is grounded on this Article, is taken from the last clause; and we object to the inference, as far as that clause is concerned. The expression preventing, or coming before us, 'that we may have a good will,' (preveniente ut velimus) precedes in the Article, the working with us when we have that good will' (co-operante dum volumus.) And this settles the question at once with all who simply adhere to the Article itself."Who maketh "thee to differ from another? and what hast thou 1 Ref. 60, 61. "that thou didst not receive? Now, if thou didst "receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst "not received it?" From these, and many more passages of a like nature, it is plain, that in the ' promulgation of the gospel God "was found of 'them that sought him not, and heard of them that called not upon him ;" that is, he prevented them by his favour, while there were no previous I dispositions in them to invite it, much less to ' merit it. From this it may be inferred, that the ' like method should be used with relation to particular persons.' God prevents us, that we may will;' here is no co-operation on our part; he co-operates while we are willing.' It is not said we co-operate with him, but he co-operates with us. "The words seem further to indicate, that the grace of God will be withdrawn if we cease to 'will conformably to its suggestions.' 2 Co-operation certainly must in that case cease, for there will remain nothing in us with which grace can co-operate: so that the same grace is needful to preserve, as to produce "the willing "mind." Even when willing, we need something beyond mere assistance. Only the necessity of a 'preventing and a co-operating grace, is asserted, against the Semi-pelagians and the Pelagians.' Here preventing grace is clearly distinguished from co-operating grace: yet the writer was not a Calvinist. I would here just observe, that while I make some remarks on his Lordship's statement, I can Bishop Burnet on Article x. p. 166. Oxf. 1805 'Bishop Burnet on Art. x. p. 160. * Ref. 61. meet with nothing so friendly to our sentiments, nothing so approximating to Calvinism, in all the quotations from Clemens Alexandrinus, Origen, Chrysostom, and others, in the subsequent part of the work.—Does not every reader perceive how exactly our Article states the apostle's doctrine ? "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who worketh in you "both to will (ut velitis) and to do:" that is dum “vultis.1 "We are his workmanship, (roinua, "Rom. i. 20.) created in Christ Jesus to good "works"-here can be no co-operation: for who " can co-operate with God in creation?" which "God hath before ordained that we should walk "in them:"2 here are our activity and diligence; yet not without the grace of God assisting them. Indeed, his Lordship seems to admit this in one place. God, first knocks at the door of our 'hearts by his preventing grace, without which we have no desire to open unto Christ: and then he helps us, by his adjuvant or assistant grace, that "we may be able to open.'3 This ascribes our willingness to preventing grace alone; and our co-operation with his adjuvant grace alone is maintained." May the God of peace-make you per"fect in every good work to do his will, working "in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ." 4 'The grace of Christ, ' or the Holy Ghost by him given, doth take away the stony heart, and giveth a heart of ' flesh: although those that have no will to good 'Phil. ii. 12, 13. ' Ref. 46. 2 Eph. ii. 10. 6 things, he maketh them to will, and those that 'would evil things, he maketh them not to will the same; yet nevertheless he enforceth not the 'will; and therefore no man, when he sinneth, can excuse himself as not worthy to be blamed, or condemned, by alleging that he sinned un'willingly, or by compulsion.'1 But how does the liturgy expound the article? -We humbly beseech thee, that, as by thy spe'cial grace preventing us, thou dost put into our 'minds good desires; so by thy continual help, 'we may bring the same to good effect.' 2 Here the good desires are ascribed to special grace' preventing us,' and 'putting them into our minds;' then the continual help' is prayed for, in order to bring these good desires to good effect. And what are these good desires, except a willing mind to repent, to believe, and to obey?-Again, O Lord, 'from whom all good things do come, grant unto thy humble servants, that, by thy holy inspira'tion, they may both think those things that be good, and by thy merciful guiding may perform 'the same.'3 Co-operation is not generally understood to belong to inspiration.-The language of our Homilies has before been adduced; and I need not dwell on it. I shall, therefore, conclude the section with a few quotations from the Articles of other reformed churches. "Though man is endued with a will, by which he is 'moved to this or that, yet, as this is wholly captive ' under sin, it has altogether no liberty to desire 1 Article xii. King Edward's Articles. 3 2 Collect for Easter Sunday. ' Collect 5. Sun. after Easter. |