Hence Christians ought necessarily to yield obedience to their civil
officers and laws; unless they should command something sinful; in
which case it is a duty to obey God rather than man. Acts v. 29.
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.
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