Chapter 3: The Nature of Man

The Article mentions two ways in which God’s grace acts:

(1) By ‘preventing us that we may have a good will’ – usually called ‘prevenient grace’ which goes before (Latin preavenire) or ‘prevents’ us,^[1] to give us a good will. The term 'prevenient' was probably suggested by the Latin of Psalm 59:10, ‘The God of my mercy will prevent me.’ We need the prompting of God even to desire to do what is right, and this truth is emphasized often in the Bible^[2] and in the Prayer Book.^[3]

^[1]Hence it does not mean ‘hinder’.

^[2]Jn. 6:44, 15:5 (R. V.); Acts 16:14; Eph. 2:8; Phil. 2:13 (R. V.).

^[3]Epiphany I, Easter Day, Trinity IX, XVII.


	The Nature of Man
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Title Contents Preface Introduction Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Appendix A Appendix B Appendix C Site Search: powered by FreeFind Copyright & Credit	The Article mentions two ways in which God’s grace acts: (1) By ‘preventing us that we may have a good will’ – usually called ‘prevenient grace’ which goes before (Latin preavenire) or ‘prevents’ us,^[1] to give us a good will. The term 'prevenient' was probably suggested by the Latin of Psalm 59:10, ‘The God of my mercy will prevent me.’ We need the prompting of God even to desire to do what is right, and this truth is emphasized often in the Bible^[2] and in the Prayer Book.^[3] ^[1]Hence it does not mean ‘hinder’. ^[2]Jn. 6:44, 15:5 (R. V.); Acts 16:14; Eph. 2:8; Phil. 2:13 (R. V.). ^[3]Epiphany I, Easter Day, Trinity IX, XVII.
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