Epitome, Article II: Of the Free Will

p. 496 Statement of the Controversy

Since the will of man is found in four dissimilar states, namely: 1. Before the fall; 2. Since the fall; 3. After regeneration; p. 497 4. After resurrection of the body, the chief question is only concerning the will and ability of man in the second state, namely, what powers, in spiritual things, he has, from himself, since the fall of our first parents, and before regeneration, and whether, from his own powers, before he has been born again by God’s Spirit, he be able to dispose and prepare himself for God’s grace, and to accept [and apprehend] or not, the grace offered through the Holy Ghost in the Word and holy [divinely-instituted] sacraments.

Parallel passages: Augsburg Confession, xviii.; Apology, xviii.; Small cald Articles, Part III., Art. i.; Sol. Dec., ii.

p. 497 Affirmative

The pure doctrine concerning this article, according to God’s Word.

1. Concerning this subject, our doctrine, faith and confession is, that, in spiritual things, the understanding and reason of man are [altogether] blind, and, from their own powers, understand nothing, as it is written (1 Cor. 2:14): “The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him; neither can he know them, because he is examined concerning spiritual things.”

2. Likewise we believe, teach and confess that the will of unregenerate man is not only turned away from God, but also has become an enemy of God, so that it has inclination and desire for that which is evil and contrary to God, as it is written (Gen. 8:21): “The imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth.” Also (Rom. 8:7): “The carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the Law of God, neither indeed can be.” Yea, as unable as a dead body is to quicken and restore itself to bodily, earthly life, just so unable is man, who by sin is spiritually dead, to raise himself to spiritual life, as it is written (Eph. 2:5): “Even when we were dead in sins, he hath quickened us together with Christ;” (2 Cor. 3:5): “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything good, as of ourselves, but that we are sufficient is of God.”

3. Yet God the Holy Ghost effects conversion, not without means; but uses for this purpose the preaching and hearing of God’s Word,¹ as it is written (Rom. 1:16): “The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.” Also (Rom. 10:17): “Faith cometh by hearing of the Word of God.” And it is God’s will that his Word should be heard, and that man’s ears should not be closed.² With this Word the Holy Ghost is present, and opens hearts, so that they, as p. 498 Lydia, in Acts are attentive to it, and are thus converted through the grace and power of the Holy Ghost, whose work alone the conversion of man is. For, without his grace, and if he do not grant the increase, our willing and running, our planting, sowing and watering, all are nothing, as Christ says (John 15:5): “Without me, ye can do nothing.” In these short words he denies to the free will all power, and ascribes everything to God’s grace, in order that no one may boast before God: 1 Cor. 1: [2 Cor. 12:; Jer. 9:23].

¹ Cf. Augsburg Confession, v.: 4.

² Ps. 95. 7, 8; Heb. 3:7. Apology, xiii., 13; xxiv., 70; Smalcald Articles, Part III., Art. viii., § 3 sqq.; Sol. Dec., 597.

p. 498 Negative

Contrary false doctrine

We therefore reject and condemn all the following errors, as contrary to the standard of God’s Word:

1. The host [insane dogma] of philosophers who are called Stoics, as also of the Manichæans, who taught that everything that happens must have happened so, and could not have happened otherwise, and that everything that man does, even in outward things, he does by necessity, and that he is coerced to evil works and deeds, as inchastity, robbery, murder, theft and the like.¹

¹ Of the Stoics, Chrysippus especially taught this doctrine of necessity. Cf. Cicero de fato, c. 17 sq. The Manichæans are erroneously said to have denied all moral liberty. See Epistle of Secundus the Manichæan to Augustine, § 2.

2. We reject also the gross error of the Pelagians, who taught that man by his own powers, without the grace of the Holy Ghost, can turn himself to God, believe the Gospel, be obedient in heart to God’s Law, and thus merit the forgiveness of sins and eternal life.

3. We reject also the error of the Semi-Pelagians,² who teach that man, by his own powers, can make a beginning of his conversion, but without the grace of the Holy Ghost cannot complete it.

² Massilians.

4. Also when it is taught³ that, although man by his free will before regeneration, is too weak to make a beginning, and, by his own powers, to turn himself to God, and in heart to be obedient to God; yet, if the Holy Ghost, by the preaching of the Word, have made a beginning, and offered therein his grace, then the will of man, from its own natural powers, to a certain extent, although feebly, can add, help and co-operate therewith,⁴ can qualify and prepare itself for grace,⁵ and embrace and accept it, and believe the Gospel.

³ By Synergists. Cf. Sol. Dec.

⁴ Asserted by Strigel in Weimar Disputation.

⁵ Formula of Erasmus. employed by Melanchthon in Loci Theol. Ed. 548.

p. 499 5. Also that man, after he has been born again, can perfectly observe and completely fulfil God’s Law, and that this fulfilling is our righteousness before God, by which we merit eternal life.¹

¹ Doctrine of Papists and monks (cf. Sol. Dec. ii.: 79); also of Schwenkfeldians, Sol. Dec., xii.: 33.

6. Also that we condemn the error of the Enthusiasts,\* who imagine that God, without means, without the hearing of God’s Word, also without the use of the holy sacraments, draws men to himself, and enlightens, justifies and saves them.²

² The error of the Anabaptists and Schwenkfeldians. Cf. Augsburg Confession, Art. v.: 4; Formula of Concord, Ep. xii.: 22 sqq.; Sol. Dec., xii.: 30 sqq.

\* Enthusiasts are those who expect the illumination of the Spirit [celestial revelation] without the preaching of God’s Word.

7. Also that in conversion and regeneration God entirely exterminates the substance and essence of the old Adam, and especially the rational soul, and, in this conversion and regeneration, creates a new soul out of nothing.³

³ Error of the Flacians.

8. Also, when the following expressions are employed with out explanation, viz. that the will of man, before, in, and after conversion, resists the Holy Ghost, and that the Holy Ghost is given to those who resist him intentionally and persistently; “for,” as Augustine says, “in conversion God changes the unwilling into willing, and dwells in the willing.”

As to the expressions of ancient and modern church teachers, when it is said: Deus trahit, sed volentem trahit, i. e. “God draws, but he draws the willing,” and Hominis voluntas in conversione non est otiosa sed agit aliquid, i. e. “In conversion the will of man is not idle, but effects something,”⁴ we maintain that, inasmuch as these expressions have been introduced for confirming the false opinion concerning the powers of the natural free will in man’s conversion, against the doctrine concerning God’s grace, they are not in harmony with the form of sound doctrine, and therefore, when we speak of conversion to God, should be avoided.

⁴ Expressions of Chrysostom, the Scholastics and Melanchthon.

But, on the other hand, it is correctly said that, in conversion God, through the drawing of the Holy Ghost, changes stubborn and unwilling into willing men, and that after such conversion, in the daily exercise of repentance, the regenerate will of man is not idle, but also co-operates in all the deeds of the Holy Ghost, which he works through us.

9. Also what Dr. Luther has written, viz. that man’s will is in his conversion purely passive,⁵ i. e. it does nothing whatever, p. 500 is to be understood in respect of divine grace in kindling new motions, i. e. when God’s Spirit, through the heard Word or the use of the holy sacrament, lays hold upon man’s will, and works [in man] the new birth and conversion. For if [after] the Holy Ghost has wrought and accomplished this, and man’s will has been changed and renewed alone by his divine power and working, then the new will of man is an instrument and organ of God the Holy Ghost, so that he not only accepts grace, but also, in the works which follow, co-operates with the Holy Ghost.

⁵ Cf. Sol. Dec., ii.: 89.

Therefore, before the conversion of man, there are only two efficient causes,¹ namely, the Holy Ghost and the Word of God, as the instrument of the Holy Ghost, whereby he works conversion. To this Word man ought to listen, nevertheless it is not from his own powers, but only through the grace and working of the Holy Ghost, that he can believe and accept it.

¹ Melanchthon had added a third cause: “A will assenting to and not resisting God’s Word.” See Examen Ordinandorum, p. 36 (edition of 1556) Cf. Sol. Dec., ii.: 90.