According to the principles of theologians themselves, man, in his
present state of corruption, can do nothing but evil, since, without
divine grace, he is never able to do good. Now, if the nature of
man, left to itself, or destitute of divine aid, necessarily determines
him to evil, or renders him incapable of good, what becomes of the
free-will of man? According to such principles, man can neither merit
nor demerit. By rewarding man for the good he does, God would only
reward himself; by punishing man for the evil he does, God would
punish him for not giving him grace, without which he could not
possibly do better.


80. Theologians repeatedly tell us, that man is free, while all
their principles conspire to destroy his liberty. By endeavouring
to justify the Divinity, they in reality accuse him of the blackest
injustice. They suppose, that without grace, man is necessitated
to do evil. They affirm, that God will punish him, because God has
not given him grace to do good!

Little reflection will suffice to convince us, that man is necessitated
in all his actions, that his free will is a chimera, even in the
system of theologians. Does it depend upon man to be born of such
or such parents? Does it depend upon man to imbibe or not to imbibe
the opinions of his parents or instructors? If I had been born of
idolatrous or Mahometan parents, would it have depended upon me to
become a Christian? Yet, divines gravely assure us, that a just God
will damn without pity all those, to whom he has not given grace to
know the Christian religion!

Man's birth is wholly independent of his choice. He is not asked