ARTICLE XVII. — OF CHRIST’S RETURN TO JUDGMENT.

Our churches also teach, that at the end of the world, Christ will appear for judgment; that he will raise all the dead; that he will bestow upon the pious and elect eternal life and endless joys, but will condemn wicked men and devils to be punished without end.

ARTICLE XVIII. — OF FREE WILL.

Concerning free will our churches teach, that the human will possesses some liberty for the performance of civil duties, and for the choice of those things lying within the control of reason.  But it does not possess the power, without the influence of the Holy Spirit, of being just before God, or yielding spiritual obedience:  for the natural man receiveth not the things which are of the Spirit of God:  but this is accomplished in the heart, when the Holy Spirit is received through the word.

The same is declared by Augustine in so many words:  “We confess that all men have a free will, which possesses the judgment of reason, by which they cannot indeed, without the divine aid, either begin or certainly accomplish what is becoming in things relating to God; but only in ‘outward’ [Note 6] works of the present life, as well good as evil.  In good works, I say, which arise from our natural goodness, such as to choose to labor in the field, to eat and drink, to choose to have a friend, to have clothing, to build a house, to take a wife, to feed cattle, to learn various and useful arts, or to do any good thing relative to this life; all which things, however, do not exist without the divine government; yea, they exist and begin to be from Him and through Him.  And in evil works (men have a free will), such as to choose to worship an idol, to will to commit murder,” &c.

It is not possible by the mere powers of nature, without the aid of the Holy Spirit, to love God above all things, and to do his commands according to their intrinsic design.  For, although nature may be able, after a certain manner, to perform external actions, such as to abstain from theft, from murder, &c., yet it cannot perform the inner motions, such as the fear of God, faith in God, chastity, patience, &c.

ARTICLE XIX. — OF THE AUTHOR OF SIN.

On this subject they teach, that, although God is the Creator and Preserver of nature, the cause of sin must be sought in the depraved will of the devil and of wicked men, which, when destitute of divine aid, turns itself away from God:  agreeably to the declaration of Christ, “When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own.” — JOHN viii. 44.

ARTICLE XX. — OF GOOD WORKS.