Questions 8–9

Whereas God is a most free agent, and man was created to the image of God,¹ yea and was furnished with libertie of will, it seemeth to many not to agree that all the actions of mans will are gouerned by the vnchangeable prouidence of God, & that the nature of men is so corrupted by the fall of our first parents, and Originall sinne, that it is able to bring forth nothing but that which is euill and displeasing God, without the renewing and especiall benefite of the holy Ghost. For neither do they acknowledge that for liberty, which is tied to any necessity; neither seemeth it that wee shoulde graunt the whole libertie of the will to haue beene lost by sin; because also after the fal there are left in men some prints and steps of Gods image, and the blame and crime of sinne cannot be laid on men, except the will be free. To this is added the pride of mans wit, which admitteth nothing more hardly, than that the glorie and original of all good should be transferred from men to God alone. Further also the notable vertues of men not regenerated: and lastly the iudgement of our sense and reason, which doth not marke without the light of Gods woorde the secret gouernement of Gods prouidence in humane actions.

Wherefore hereupon haue risen controuersies & debates concerning free-wil, while the olde diuines yeelding too much vnto the Philosophers swelling with a vain perswasion of wisedome and righteousnesse, and the latter ascenting vnto the former, haue either spoke more magnificently than they ought to haue done of the strength and power of mans will, or haue endeuoured to arrogate that vnto men, which is not found in them since the first fall. But let vs remember that this doctrin of free wil, is a view and contemplation not of mens ability and excellencie, but of their weaknes and misery; which is therefore to bee ioined with the doctrine of the creation and fall of man, that wee knowing the more from what top of dignity and felicity, into how deepe a gulfe of ignominie and misery we are cast by sinne, may not more deepely plunge our selues by a vaine confidence of our owne strength vnto euils, but may incline to a true humility and thankfulnesse towards God, and bee of him reuiued, quickned and healed.

For, that the scope of this disputation may be knowen, and the vse thereof perceiued:² we must vnderstand that the principal question in it is this, Whether as man auerted himselfe from God, and corrupted himself, so of the other side he be able by his owne strength to returne to God, and to receiue grace offered by God, and to amend himselfe: And further, whether the will of man be the first and principal cause why others are conuerted, others persist in their sins, and as wel of the conuerted as not conuerted others are more, others lesse good or euil, and in a woord doe either good or euill, some after one maner, some after another. To this question the aduersaries, Pelagians, and the like, make answere, That so much grace is both giuen of God, and left by nature to al men, that they are able to returne vnto God and obey him; neither ought we to seeke any other cause before or aboue mans wil, for which others receiue or retaine, others refuse or cast awaie diuine succour and aide in auoiding sinne, and do after this or that manner order and institute their counsailes aad actions.

Contrariwise, we haue learned out of the sacred scripture: That albeit by nature so much of God and his wil is knowen to all, as maie suffice for taking away all excuse from them of sin: and although it be manifest that many woorks morally good may be done euen of the vnregenerate, and the wil doth in them freely make choise either of good or euil: yet no work pleasing to God can be vndertaken, or perfourmed by any man, without regeneration and the especial grace of the holy spirit: neither can more or lesse good be in any mans counsailes or actions, than God of his free and purposed goodnes to euery one doth cause in them: neither any other way can the wil of any creature be inclined, than whither it shal seeme good to the eternall and good counsel of God: And yet all the actions of the created wil, both good and bad, are wrought freelie.

The chiefe questions here to be obserued are fiue.

1 Of the word, liberty, or freedome.
2 What is the liberty of the wil.
3 What is common, and what diuerse in the liberty of will, which is in God, in Angels, and man.
4 Whether there be any liberty in vs, and what.
5 The degrees of free wil.

1 Of the word, Liberty

³ THere is one kind of liberty from bond and misery. And this signifieth a relation or respect, that is the power or right, or ordering either of person or thing, made either by ones wil or by nature, to deale at his owne arbiterment or motion according to honest Lawes, or order agreeable to his nature, and to enioy commodities conuenient for him without inhibition or impediment, & not to sustaine the defects & burdens or encomberances which are not proper to his nature. So is God most free, because he is bound to no man. So the Romanes and the Iewes were free, that is, stoode not charged with such gouernementes & burdens, which a mā might want without any swaruing from iustice. So are we made free by Christ from the anger of God, and euerlasting death, & leuitical ceremonies. So a Citie, field, house is free from seruitude, danger, or any burden. So a birde is free in the aire. Wherefore vnder libertie in this sense is comprehended, as a special vnder his generall, ciuill libertie, which is a right or ability for a man to doe and dispose of himselfe and his affaires at his owne pleasure, according to honest and good lawes. Wherefore this libertie is opposed to bondage and seruitude. Of this there is no question in this place: because it is a greed vpon, that we are all the seruantes of God; for we are all obliged by his Lawe, either to obey him, or to suffer punishment, if we do not obey: neither is it put in our wil or pleasure, to obey, or not to obey; to suffer, or not to suffer punishment. For our will, will many things freely, the liberty of performing whereof notwithstanding wee haue not, either some prohibition, or other impediment hindering vs from it.

2 What is the liberty of will

There is another libertie, of will, which is a power, right, or ability proper vnto a reasonable nature, to will any thing, to choose or refuse any obiect, represented vnto it by the vnderstanding, and to mooue it selfe (by an internall cause of motion, that is, which hath in it selfe a cause of moouing it selfe) by her owne proper motion, (beeing apt to will or not to will, and beeing without an externall cause) without anie constraint or violent impulsion from any external cause, the nature of the wil remaining still entire and free to doe this or that, or also to suspend, forbear and differre any action. These sixe thinges therefore concurre to constitute and make the libertie of wil.

1 An obiect, whether that be any end proposed,⁴ which still is considered as good, or the meanes, whereby the end is come vnto. 2. The mind knowing and vnderstanding the obiect. 3. The will alike and equally apt to choose or refuse the obiect represented vnto it. 4. The will dooing one of the two vpon former deliberation. 5. Doing it of her selfe, or hauing the cause and beginning of her motion internall and without her: and this is to doe by her owne and proper motion. 6. Not being constrained by any external agent.

Furthermore, that which is endewed with this facultie or abilitie, is called free, that is, dooing as it selfe will without constraint. For that is saide to bee a free agent,⁵ which, whether it bee mooued of it selfe onely, or also of some externall cause, yet notwithstanding hath such an internall cause of the action which proceedeth from it, as thereby both it is apt to this motion; and it selfe moueth while it is moued, that is, is moued by an inward cause to doe after this or that manner, suffering no force or constraint thereto of anie externall agent. Wherefore an agent doeth not cease to bee free and voluntarie, albeit it bee mooued of an externall cause, so as it bee not constrained, and haue in it selfe not onelie a Passiue, but also an Actiue Originall and cause of the action which it woorketh. Nowe that which is voluntary is opposed to that which is violent or constrained,⁶ but not to that which is necessary. For God and the blessed Angels are necessarily and alwaies good, yet not constrainedly, but with most free will. For that is said to be constrained, which hath only an externall beginning and cause of motion, and not also an internal, wherby it may also moue it selfe to do on this or that manner. Wherefore the difference betweene constrained and necessary is to be obserued, as also between contingent, and free. Constrained is in respect of necessary, as a special in respect of his general. For whatsoeuer is cōstrained is necessary, but not whatsoeuer is necessary is constrained. So⁷ Contingent in respect of free is as a generall in respect of his speciall. For whatsoeuer is free is contingēt, but not al that is contingent is free. And as that which is constrained may be also contingent, but cannot bee either free or voluntary: So that which is necessary may be voluntary, or free: & contrariwise, that which is voluntary may be necessarie, but cannot be constrained.

Moreouer free Arbiterment differeth from the libertie or freedome of will. Arbiterment is as the⁸ concrete, & signifieth the will it selfe, but, as it chuseth or refuseth a thing, the iudgement of the vnderstanding going before. Wherefore it comprehendeth both faculties or powers, to witte, both the iudgement of the minde or vnderstanding of the obiect, and the will either receiuing or refusing it. Nowe freenesse or libertie is as it were the abstract, that is, the qualitie or maner of doing, proper vnto the will. Free arbiterment therefore is a facultie or power of receiuing or refusing, (without constraint, by proper motion & aptitude to either part) that which the vnderstanding aduiseth to bee chosen or refused. Or, it is the iudgement it selfe and wil in a creature endewed with reason, choosing or refusing any obiect represented vnto it by the vnderstanding. And this faculty or power of the soul is called Arbiterment, in respect of the mind, shewing vnto the will an obiect to be chosen or refused: And it is called free in respect of the will. 1. Because the will doth of her owne accorde followe the iudgement of the mind and vnderstanding. 2. Because it is by nature equallie fit to receiue or refuse. 3. Because it mooueth it selfe by her owne proper motion, either hauing within it selfe, or rather being it selfe the beginning and cause of her own motion, to choose or refuse any thing that is obiect vnto it. 4. Because in this election or reiection it suffereth no impediment, and no force or constraint of anie externall agent, whether that bee God, or the diuel, or men, or anie thing else whatsoeuer.

And this is it, which they say, to do any thing vpon deliberation or aduisement going before. which manner of dooing is proper vnto the will. For this is the difference betweene a nature agent, and a voluntarie;⁹ that the naturall cause is ordained or appointed, or fit and apt to one certaine manner of woorking, neither can it forbeare working, if the obiect be present whereon it should woorke: as fire cannot but burne a bodie put vnto it, if it bee of such matter as wil take fire. But the will is able and apt to choose or refuse contrarie or diuers obiects, or to forbeare and differ the choise thereof: as a man may haue a will to walke, or not to walke, or may differ his wil of walking. To doe therefore anie thing with free arbiterment and will, is, to doe vpon a fore-deliberation, according to the will of god, sometimes simplie, and sometimes in some respect onelie: and against it also sometimes in some respect, but neuer simplie against it. For the libertie of woorking is not taken away in any creature, if God be said so to rule & bend their wills, that they be not inclined any other way than whither god will haue them inclined, either simply or in some sort. But free arbiterment is a faculty or power of working vpon deliberation, and without constraint, or rather the very wil it selfe so woorking.

Wherefore if the name of free arbiterment be so taken & expounded, as hath beene said;¹⁰ albeit it be not vsed in the Scriptures, yet maie it be tolerated & borne-with: because both the description thereof, such as was euen nowe deliuered, agreeeth with the Scripture, and the auncient writers haue also vsed the same name. But if it be taken for such a will of free working, which excludeth all action and woorking of the first cause guiding, inuiting, and bending the creatures wils, whither it selfe listeth, such a free arbiterment cannot bee admitted. For example sake: Abimelecke abstaining from Rebecca, and the Iewes crucifieng Christ, both did it with free arbiterment: because those forealeaged conditions, which make free arbiterment, did agree vnto both: neither yet could they at that present doe otherwise than they did, God so guiding & directing the ir wils.

3 What is like or common, and what diuerse or different in the libertie of will, which is in god, in Angels, and man

¹¹THese two things are common to God, and reasonable creatures, that is, Angels & men, that they doe things vpon deliberation and aduise, and will without coaction those things which they haue considered and thought of: that is, Their wil being by nature fit to will the contrary or diuerse from that which it doth wil, or also to differre & forbear the action, doth incline to the other part of it owne accord, and by a proper force which is within it. For it is said of God, Psal. 115. He hath done all things, which hee would. And of men, Mat. 23. Hierusalem, how often would I haue gathered thy children, and ye would not?

¹²But the differences also of this liberty in God and in the creatures are to be considered. The first is, in the vnderstanding. God vnderstandeth and knoweth all thinges of himselfe perfectly and perpetually; neither can any ignorance of any thing, or any error of iudgemēt, fal into God at any time. But the creatures know neither of themselues, neither all things, neither the same at all times, but at such time, and so much, as is reuealed vnto them. Who hath knowen the mind of the Lord? Of that daie and houre knoweth us man. God giueth vnderstanding. Neither is there any thing which is not manifest in his sight. He illighteneth euery creature. To behold all things which are infinite, requireth infinite power and wisedome, which is proper to God alone. Mention is here made of the vnderstanding, because a thing not vnderstood is not either desired or refused.¹³ The second difference is in the will. The wil of God is gouerned or moued, or depending of no other cause, but of it selfe. The wils of Angels and men are so the causes of their actions, that neuerthelesse they are carried by the secret counsell of God, & his power and efficacie, which is euerie-where present, to the choosing or refusing of any obiect: and that either immediately by God, or mediately by instrumentes, some good, some bad, which it seemeth good vnto God to vse, so that it is impossible for them to doe any thing beside the eternall decree and counsail of God. And therefore the woorde 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that is, to be absolutely his owne, at his owne will, and in his owne power, agreeth most properly vnto God, who perfectly and simply is his owne, and at his owne will. But of the creatures, more rightly is vsed 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that is, voluntarie and free, which worde the Apostle vseth to Philemon, vers. 14. Heb. 10.26. 1. Pet. 5.2.

That God is the first cause of his actions,¹⁴ the Scripture doth declare. He hath done whatsoeuer he would. Who according to his wil worketh in the army of heauen, and in the inhabitants of the earth. But that the wils and counsailes of the creatures depend of God who is aboue them, these and the like speeches doe proue. The Lord shal send his Angell before thee. Go and gather the Elders of Israel together. Him being deliuered by the determinate counsel and fore-knowledge of God yee haue slaine. I know that through ignorance ye did it. and, But God hath fulfilled these things: and, Herode and Pontius Pilate gathered thēselues together: to do whatsoeuer thine hand, and thy counsel had determined before, to be done. By these and the like places it is manifest, that all second causes, as they were created of God, so are they ruled of him as their first, supreme & soueraign cause. But the wil of God dependeth on no one of the creatures, because then a second cause should be put before the first cause. And as God hath not any efficient, so neither hath he any mouing or inclining cause without him. Moreouer God so ruleth and guideth the wil of his creature, that he doth not draw or enforce it, but bend and encline it, that is by obiectes represented to the mind he effectually moueth, affecteth, and allureth the wil to wil that which then the mind iudgeth good, and refuse that which seemeth euil: so that the wil it selfe also vpon deliberatiō going before, & a voluntary assent folowing chooseth that, which God wil & sheweth to be chosen.

3 It appertaineth as well to the vnderstanding as vnto the will, that God as he vnchangeably knoweth all things,¹⁵ so also hath determined from euerlasting, and will vnchangeablie al thinges which are done, as they are good, & permitteth them, as they are sins. Now as the creatures notions and iudgements of thinges, so also their willes are chaungeable, so that they will that, which before they would not, and will not that, which before they woulde. For seeing that al the counsels of God are most good, most iust, and most wise, he neuer disliketh, correcteth, or changeth them, as often-times men doe, when as they doe perceiue themselues to haue determined anie thing vnaduisedly before. Neither doth God depend on their second causes, either motions, actions, or mutations, or doth aduise according to them, as doth the creature: but himselfe beeing the first cause, al the actions of al creatures depend on him. For he doth not, as men, take aduise concerning the end, by viewe of meanes or things antecedent leading thereunto, but according vnto his decree concerning the end & consequent he doth decree & ordaine the means & antecedents: that is, God woorketh not thereafter as hee seeth the second causes to woorke, but he causeth or permitteth the second causes so to worke, as he himselfe hath decreed and purposed to woorke. Hither appertaine those sayings, Num. 23. God is not as man, that he shoulde lie. Mal. 3. I am the Lord, and change not.

¹⁶Obiection. Hee that can not change his counsaile and purpose, hath not free-will. But God cannot change his counsail and purpose, which he hath once appointed. Therefore his will is not free. First we deny the Maior. For not he, which doth not change his purpose which hee hath once appointed, hath not liberty of wil, but he which could not purpose any other thing beeing let by some external cause. But the liberty of god consisteth not in the change of his wil or purpose, but in this, that God will all thinges whatsoeuer hee will, altogether with his will, and of himselfe, and could haue hadde otherwise decreed, or not decreed all thinges, which hee decreed from euerlasting of the creation, preseruation and gouernment of things, according to these sayings, Matthew, 19. Luk. 18. With men this is impossible, but with God al thinges are possible. These and the like sayings shew, that God hath so appointed from euerlasting with himselfe the creation of things, and the gathering & sauing of his church, not, as if he could not haue not don this, or not haue appointed it otherwise, but because so it seemed good to him: neither must men seeke anie superior cause thā his wil of al his diuine works which he exerciseth in his creatures; neither is there any other necessitie to be found in them, than which dependeth of the most free appointment of god himselfe. For as to resolue of such a purpose as is to be changed, so also to change it either to better or to worse, is rather seruitude or bondage, than freedoome and libertie: For it proceedeth of ignorance or impotencie. For they change their counsels and purposes, who either or in taking them, or are not able to perfourme the counsaile which they haue taken. But to resolue of such a purpose, as might alike either haue beene decreed or not decreed, and which after it is decreed, is neither changed nor to be changed at any time, this is perfect and diuine libertie. Nowe God whatsoeuer he hath decreed, could either not haue decreed it at al, or haue decreed it otherwise. And that he changeth not that which he hath once decreed, the perfectnes of his nature, euen his infinit wisedome and goodnesse is cause thereof. For most wisely and rightlie doth he decree all thinges, & constantlie persisteth in that which is good & right. Wherfore the immutability in god doth aswell not diminish his libertie, as his immortalitie, & other things which are proper vnto his diuinitie.

Secondly if any man vrge, that it is a point of liberty, not onlie to resolue of anie aduise what he will, but after he hath resolued to bee able either to followe it, or to change it: we vnderstand by those things which haue beene alreadie spoken, that this doth agree to the creatures, which may or in their purposes, and therefore stand in need of changes & alterations: but not to god, who can neuer er, and therefore requireth no change of his purpose. Lastly, if they reply, That not to be able to alter a purpose once vndertaken is a defect of abilitie or power, & therefore against the libertie of God: we answere that the antecedent of this reply is true, if the change of it be impossible by reason of some impediment, comming from some external cause, or by reason of defect of nature, or ability: but the antecedent is most false, if the impossibilitie of change proceed from a perfection of that nature, which is not changed, & from a wisedome and rightnesse of that purpose which is vnchangeable, and from a perseuerance and constancy of the will in that which is good and right, after which sort it is apparant to be in God.

¹⁷But against that, where it was said, that the wils of all creatures are so guided by God, that neither they are able to will, what hee from euerlasting hath not decreed, neither not to will, what hee hath decreed for them to will: more question is vsed to bee made. 1 That which is ruled by the vnchangeable will of God, doth not woorcke freelie; The will of Angels and men is ruled by the vnchangeable will of God. Therefore either it hath no libertie, or the choise which it maketh is not tied to the will of God. Answere wee make to the maior by a distinction. It is not a free agent which is so ruled by God, as it hath no deliberation and election of his owne. But that which GOD so ruleth, as hee sheweth the obiect vnto the vnderstanding, and by it effectuallie mooueth and affecteth the will to choose it; that dooth notwithstanding freelie woorke, albeit it bee inclined, at the becke and will of GOD, whither hee will haue it. For to woorcke freely in the creatures, is not to woorcke without anie ones gouernment, but with deliberation, and with a proper and selfe-motion of the will, although this motion be elsewhence raised & ruled. Wherefore it is not the immutabilitie and operation of the diuine will and prouidence, which is against this libertie, but a priuation and constrainte of iudgement, which is an impulsion or a motion proceeding not from an inwarde cause or facultie, but onely from an outwarde cause, beside or against the nature of that which is mooued. Nowe such an impulsion falleth not into the will: but God moueth it, leading and bringing it on as it were by obiects, to choose that which he will. For the facultie or abilitie and power of the will cannot be brought into act, that is, to shewe and expresse it selfe, without an obiect; and, We are, liue and mooue in God, Acts. 17. But to bee mooued of no other cause but of himselfe onelie,¹⁸ this is exceeding and infinite perfection and libertie, agreeing to God alone, which the creature cannot desire, much-lesse arrogate and challenge vnto it selfe, without notorious blasphemie.

Further it maie easilie be shewed, that the necessitie or immutabilitie, which ariseth not from constraint, but from the nature of the will, or from the commotion of it stirred by other causes to choose or refuse an obiect thought of by the mind, doth not at al withstand or hinder the libertie of will.

First, because this necessitie doth not take awaie,¹⁹ but effectuateth and preserueth the iudgement of the minde, & free or voluntarie assent of the will, in asmuch as god doth cause & woorke in men both the notions, and election of obiects.

Secondly, Because God, albeit hee is by nature, that is, by exceeding and absolute necessitie good, and hath begotten his sonne, and had his holie spirite from all eternitie: yet will he, not by a constrained, but most free-will, be, liue, be blessed and good, haue his sonne and holie spirite, and will all his purposes and works to be good and iust, although it be impossible that hee shoulde will anie thing contrarie to these which hee hath already determined. If then this absolute necessitie of willing things, in God, doth not take awaie euen the greatest libertie; there is no doubt but that necessitie, which is but onelie conditionall, that is, according to the decree and gouernment of god, doth not take awaie that libertie, which agreeth vnto the creatures, that is, iudgement and election free and voluntarie.

Thirdly,²⁰ The holie Angels and blessed men in the celestiall life, euen by our aduersaries owne confession, are endued with greater libertie of will, than we are in this life. But they necessarily wil those things onelie which are right and iust, and hate and abhorre all thinges whatsoeuer are euill and vniust; because they are made such of god, and so established by him, and are so illuminated and guided by the holy ghost, that they cannot otherwise will or work: neither by this necessitie of willing those thinges which are good and pleasing to god, is the liberty of will taken away or diminished in them, but rather is encreased, and confirmed, as who with al willingnesse choose and doe those thinges onely which are iust.

Fourthly, It is shewed by many testimonies of scripture,²¹ that the wils & voluntary actions of good and wicked men, which our aduersaries mantaine to be and to haue beene free, and we also, according to the right meaning of this worde Libertie, do willinglie confesse, are so guided by the secret and vnchangeable purpose of god, that they neither can nor could either doe or be otherwise. Wherefore either so many manifest places of scripture must be denied, or openly corrupted; or it must be graunted, that one and the same action of the will is free & contingent in respect of the will, and necessary in respect of Gods gouernment.

²²Fiftly, it is declared by manie places of scripture, that all contigent effectes doe retaine their contingencie, which they haue from the nature of their causes, although they bee done by the vnchaungeable determination of the purpose or prouidence of God. But all voluntarie effectes or motions are contingent, in respect of the will, which by nature was like able to haue doone the plaine contrarie vnto them. They therefore retaine their contingencie, that is, their libertie (for this is the contingencie of the actions of the will) although they be so determined of by gods wil, that there can be no other.

The reason of the Maior in this argument is, for that GOD so mooueth the second causes, and by them bringeth to passe what hee will, that in the meane season by his prouidence hee dooth not destroy or abolish their nature, which hee gaue them at their creation, but rather preserueth, and nourisheth it; so that as concerning their nature, some woorcke contingently, some necessarily, although in respect of the libertie of Gods purpose, all woorke contingently, and in respect of the vnchaungeablenesse of his decreee, all woork necessarily so as they doe. For when GOD by the rising of the Sunne lighteneth the woorlde, he maketh not the Sunne so, as if beeing risen it did not necessarily lighten, or were apt by nature not to lighten: and yet is it in the power of God, either to chaunge the nature of the Sunne, or, that remaining as it is, not to lighten the woorlde: as hee shewed in Aegypt, and at the passion of Christ. In like manner, when the Quailes light at the Tentes of the Israelites, and the Rauens carrie meate to Elias, and one Sparrowe falleth on the ground, GOD doth not make the nature of these liuing creatures such, as coulde not bee carried else-where: and yet that they can haue no other motion than that which they haue, by reason of the will of God interposed and comming betweene, the Scripture plainly affirmeth. Whereof it is manifest, that as in other thinges which work contingently, their contingency, so in the wil the liberty which is giuen it of God, is not taken away but rather preserued by gods gouernment.

Nowe then, if our aduersaries in their argument vnderstand that Liberty which consisteth in the deliberation of the minde, and free assent of the wil, wee doe not onely graunt, but also better mainetaine than they, the liberty of will in all actions thereof: and so the Maior of their argument shall bee false, to witte, that those things which are done by the vnchaungeable decree of God, are not done by the free will of men and Angels. For this libertie the prouidence of God doth so not hinder but rather establish and confirme, that without this that liberty cannot so much as be: for God both keepeth his order which he appointed at the creation by his perpetuall efficacy and operation, and doth inspire into all by his vertue true notions and right election. But if they challenge a libertie vnto the creatures depending of no other cause whereby it is guided, wee denie their whole argument, as knowing such a liberty of creatures to stand against the whole Scripture, and that it only agreeth vnto God. For him alone doe al things serue: In him we liue and moue, and haue our being: he giueth vnto al not only life or power of mouing themselues, but euen breathing too, that is, very mouing it selfe.

To the same tendeth this Obiection also. If the will,²³ when it is conuerted of GOD, or turned and inclined to other Obiectes, cannot with-stand; it is euen meere passiue, and so woorcketh not at all. But this consequence deceiueth them, because there is not a sufficient enumeration, in the Antecedent, of those actions which the will may haue, when it is mooued of GOD. For it is able not only to withstand God mouing it, but also of it owne proper motion to assent and obey him. And when it doth this, it is not idle, neither doth it onely suffer, or is mooued, but it selfe exerciseth and mooueth her owne actions. And yet this is to bee vnderstoode of the actions of the wil, not of the new qualities or inclinations which it hath to obey God. For these the wil receiueth not by her owne operation, but by the working of the holy Ghost.

²⁴Thirdly they say: That which withstandeth the will of God, is not guided by it: But the will of men in manie actions withstandeth the will of God: It is not therefore alwaies guided by the will of God. But the consequence heere faileth, because there are foure termes. For the Maior is true, if both the reuealed and the secret will of God bee vnderstood, so that simplie and in all respects it bee withstood, and that bee doone, which simply and by no meanes it would haue done: that which is impossible to come to passe, because of the omnipotency and liberty of God. But in the Minor the will of God must bee vnderstoode, as it is reuealed. For the secret decrees of Gods will and prouidence are euer ratified, and are perfourmed in all, euen in those, who most of all withstand Gods commandements. Neither yet are there contrarie wils in god. For nothing is found in his secret purposes which disagreeth with his nature reuealed in his woord: And God openeth vnto vs in his Law, what he approueth and liketh, and what agreeth with his nature and the order of his mind: but he doth not promise or reueal, how much grace he wil or purposeth to giue to euery one to obey his commandements.

²⁵Fourthly, as touching this Obiection: If all motions euen of wicked willes are raised and ruled by the will of God, and manie of these disagree from the Lawe of God, and are sinnes: god seemeth to be made the causer of sinnes: The aunswere is, that it is a paralogisme of the accident. For they disagree from the law, not as they are ordained by, or proceed from the wil of god (for thus far they agree very wel with the iustice and Law of God) but as they are done by men, or Diuels: and that by reason of this defect; because either they doe not know the will of god when they doe it, or are not moued by the sight & knowledge therof to do it; that is, they doe it not to that end, that they maie obey God, who will so haue it. For whatsoeuer is doone to this ende, it disagreeth not from the Lawe: seeing the Law doth not but with this condition either commaund or forbid any thing, if God hath not commanded a man to doe otherwise. So doth the Lawe of God forbidde to kill anie man, except whome God hath commaunded anie to kil. Who then killeth a man, God not commaunding it, hee out of doubt doth, and offendeth against the Lawe. Neither doth God dissent from himselfe or his law, when he wil haue some thing done either by his reueiled, or secret will, otherwise than according to the generall rule prescribed by himselfe in his Law. For hee hath such endes and causes of all his purposes, as that they cannot but most exactlie agree with his nature and iustice.

Fifthly they obiect: Libertie which is guided of another can not be an image of that liberty which dependeth of no other, which is in god. But the liberty of mans will, is the image of the liberty, which is in god. Therefore the liberty of mans will dependeth not or is not guided by the will of god. We denie the Maior. For seeing that euerie thing which is like is not the same with that vnto which it is like, to conceiue in some sort the libertie of God, it is enough that reasonable creatures doe woorke vpon deliberation and free election of will, albeit this election in the creatures is both guided by themselues and another, in God by no other than by his owne diuine wisedome. The image of a thing is not the thing it selfe: and the inequality of degrees taketh not awaie the image, as neither the likenesse and similitude of some partes taketh awaie the dissimilitude of others. Wherefore the libertie of reasonable creatures both is gouerned of God, and is notwithstanding a certaine image of the libertie which is in God, because it chooseth thinges once knowen vnto it by her own and free or voluntary motion. For as of other faculties or properties, so also of libertie it is impossible that the degrees should bee equall in God and his creatures: whereas all thinges are infinite in God, and finite in his creatures. Seeing therefore wisedome, righteousnesse, strēgth, in the creatures is the image of the vnmeasurable wisedom, righteousnes & power which is in god: a portion also of liberty agreeable and competent for the creatures may be the image of the liberty which is in God.

²⁶Sixtly, they say, If the creature cannot but doe that which God wil haue done, and cannot do, what god will not haue done, the wil hath no actiue force, but is wholy passiue, especially in our conuersion, which is the work of god: Likewise there is no vse of laws, doctrine, discipline, exhortation, threatnings, punishments, examples, promises, and lastly of our study and endeuour. Wee denie the consequence: Because the first or principal cause beeing put, the second or instrumentall cause is not thereby taken away. For as god lightneth the world, & doth quicken the earth, bringeth foorth corne, nourisheth liuing creatures, & yet are not the instruments of gods working idle, as the sun, the raine, the earth, husbandmen, & food: So god conuerteth men, ruleth their purposes, wils, & actions, that is, teacheth & moueth them to approue & chuse what he wil, by laws, by magistrats, by doctrine, by rewards, by punishments, and lastly by their owne wil, which al he vseth as instruments, not as if he could not without these illighten the mind with notions, and incline the wil: but because it so seemeeh good to him to exercise his power by these.

²⁷If they reply, That that wold necessarily come to passe so, which is don, & euen without them, & therefore they are in vain vsed: we deny the antecedent. For although god were able to moue mens wils without these, and if he had so decreed to doe, men doubtles should doe without these, what now they do beeing mooued by these: yet whereas god hath once so decreed the effects, as he hath also appointed their secōd instrumentall and impulsiue causes: that verily shal be doone which god wil haue done, but yet not without middle and second causes, by whose means and working comming betweene and interposed, god wil bring his purposes and decrees to passe. Luk. 11. Hee wil giue his holy spirite to those who aske him. Rom. 8.10. Whom he hath predestinated, them hath he also called. If they reply again: Although it be grāted that these are not in vaine in those in whom god wil shew his force and be effectual by them: yet in others who are not moued by them, ther is no vse of them: we answere, 1. Although there were no vse: yet because that is not knowen vnto vs, whom god wil mooue, or not moue, we are to labour in teaching and vrging all, and to commit the euent and fruit of our labour to God, 2. Tim. 4. Preach the word, bee instant in season &c. Ezech. 3. If thou warn the wicked, & he turne not from his wickednes, he shall die in his iniquitie, but thou hast deliuered thy soule. Secondly we aunswere, the consequence followeth not from the denial of one particular, to the denial of the generall, or from a not sufficient enumeration. For although many obey not teaching & admonitions, neither are moued with rewards and punishments: yet this vse is great, that by this meanes their naughtines and stubbornnes is opened, and so the iustice of God made more manifest in their punishment: Joh. 15. If I had not done workes among them which none other man did, they had not had sinne. Rom. 1. God hath shewed it vnto them, to the intent, that they might be without excuse. 2. Cor. 2. We are to God the sweete sauour of Christ in them that are saued, and them who perish. Seauenthly: Heb. 9. Externall Discipline is called the righteousnes of the flesh: Therefore it dependeth on mans will. The consequence of this reason is to bee denied, which doth not holde from the position or putting of the second cause, to the remouing of the first cause. For as it foloweth not, the Sun causeth day, therefore God doth not: so neither doth this folow: the vnregenerate performe outwarde Discipline, therefore they doe it, god not causing it in them nor ruling and directing them.

8 Obiection. They alleage testimonies also,²⁸ which confirme that men doe euill or good with freewill. As Exod. 35. The children of Israell offered free gifts vnto the Lord. Deut. 30. I haue set before thee life & death, good & euil, blessing & cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may liue. But in these & al the like places only that liberty of mans will is affirmed, which hath beene spoken of before, that is, that the will obeieth or withstandeth the precedent iudgemēt of the vnderstanding with free and voluntarie motion without any constraint: but the gouernement of god is not at all remoued from voluntarie actions. For it was shewed before, that this liberty of will doth not stand against that necessitie which by the prouidence of God doth accompanie it.

9 Obiect.²⁹ They bring forth testimonies also in which necessitie is remoued & taken away from voluntarie actions. Leuit. 22. Of these ye shal offer willingly. Act. 5. Whils it remained, appertained it not to thee? And after it was solde, was it not in thine owne power? 1. Cor. 7. vers. 37. Hee that standeth firme in his hart, that hee hath no necessitie, but hath power ouer his owne will &c. 2. Cor. 9. As euery man wisheth in his heart, so let him giue. 1. Pet. 5. Feede the flocke of God, caring for it not by constraint, but willingly. But these sayinges speake of obligation or binding, which somtimes is signified by the name of necessity, as the freeing from any bond by the name of libertie; as Leuit. 22. Act. 5. partly of coaction, or constraint, as 2. Cor. 9. and 1. Pet. 5. or also of neede, as 1. Cor. 7. which yet may be referred to obligation or bonde, by which the Parentes are bounde to haue regard of the infirmitie of their children. So also the power of will in the same place signifieth the right or power of determining any thing, no obligation or bond hindering it. But the remouing of any obligation or coaction doth not at all take away the vnchaungeablenes of voluntary actions, which vnchangeablenes hangeth on the decree of God. For as well his will, who is not bound, neither by any neede or want constrained, is guided and moued by the purpose and counsell of Gods prouidence; as his whom either bond or neede constraineth to resolue of any purpose. Wherefore the scripture denieth not, that the will is moued and ruled by God, when it is not driuen by bonde or want or feare to doe any thing: for there are besides these many other reasons and causes by which God can moue it either to will or not to will.

³⁰10 Obiection. They bring places of scripture, which testifie that men will or doe somewhat, God bidding and willing otherwise. Ierem 7. Because I haue called you, and ye haue not answered, I will doe vnto this house, as I haue done to Sylo. Mat. 23. Hierusalem, Hierusalem, how often would I haue gathered thy children, euen as the hen gathereth her chickens vnder her winges, and ye would not? If then they did that, which God would not; their actions did depend onely of their owne will, and not of Gods. Anwere. It is a fallacie concluding that which is in some sort so, to be in all respects and simply so. For God will not the actions of sinners, as they are sinnes: But hee wil them, as they are punishmentes of sinnes, and the execution of his iust iudgement. Wherefore this consequence holdeth not: God will not the actions of the wicked, as they are sins. Therefore simply he will not haue them to be done, but they depend onely on the will of the wicked. For if God simply would them not, they could by no meanes be done. And except there were somewhat in them, which did agree with his iustice and nature: he would not by reason of his goodnes infinite and passing measure suffer them to be done.

If they reply, That God woulde thinges contrarie to those which men doe, as it is saide, How often woulde I haue gathered thee, and therefore it is done onely by the will of men, whatsoeuer men doe, the same answere serueth: that God would the obedience of all his reasonable creatures towardes his lawe as concerning his commanding and approouing it. For he requireth it of all, and bindeth all to it, and approoueth it in all, as being agreeable to his nature and puritie: but neither will he alwaies it, nor in all, as concerning his working and grace, whereby they who are directed and guided doe that which God approoueth and requireth. Deut. 29. The Lord hath not giuen you an heart to perceiue, and eies to see, and eares to heare, vnto this day.

4 Whether there be anie libertie in vs, and what it is

That there is libertie of will in men, it is proued, 1.³¹ Because man was made to the image of God. And free-will is part of the image of God. 2. By places of scripture. Let vs make man in our image, according to our likenes. God made man from the beginning, and left man in the hand of his counsel. 3. By the definition of that libertie, which agreeth to man. For man worketh vpon deliberatiō, that is, freely, knowing, desiring, and refusing this or that obiect. And because the definition agreeth vnto man: therefore also doth the thing which is defined agree vnto him.

1 Obiect. If there be in man libertie of will,³² the doctrine of original sinne is ouerthrowen: for these are contrarie, not to be able to obey God, and to haue libertie of will. Aunswere. They are not contrarie: because we haue libertie to wil and do good, onely in part, to wit, as we are regenerated by the holy spirite, but not in whole, and full, neither in that degree, in which before the fall we had it, and shall haue it in the life to come. Againe, although the vnregenerate are onely able to wil those thinges which are euil; yet they will them vpon deliberation, without constraint, euen by their owne proper and inward motion: and therefore freely.

³³2 Obiect. He that hath not ability to choose as well good as bad, hath not free will and arbiterment, But man hath not ability to choose as well good as euil. Therefore he hath not free will. Answ. The Maior consisteth of a bad definition of free will. For the liberty of reasonable creatures consisteth in the iudgement and deliberation of the mind or vnderstanding, and in the free assent of the will, not in a power to will as well good as euill, or contrarie. The good Angels by reason of the wisedome and rightnes of their iudgement, and of the great and constant propension or readinesse of their will to that, which they knowe to bee good and right, cannot will euill and vniust thinges, but onely thinges good and honest; and yet notwithstanding they most freely choose and doe those thinges which are iust. Right so, men by reason of their inbred ignoraunce, and corrupt iudgement of those thinges which are to be done, and of the ende, as also by reason of the stubbornnes and frowardnes of their will, can will onely those thinges which are euill: which also they followe and pursue with exceeding willingnes and pleasure, vntill they are regenerated by Gods spirite.

3 Obiection. That is free, which is ruled of none other but of it selfe onely;³⁴ or which is bound to none. Mens will is not ruled of it selfe onely, but of another, and is bound to the law: therefore it is not free. Aunswere. The Maior is true, if it bee meant of that libertie which is in God, but false being meant of mans libertie. For, man to be ruled of none, is not libertie, but a shamefull barbaritie, and a wretched slauerie. But the true libertie of the creature is, to bee subiect vnto honest and iust lawes, and to obey them: It is a power of liuing as thou wilt, according vnto the law of God.

4 Obiection. That which is a seruaunt and in bondage is not free. But our will is a seruaunt and in bondage. Therefore our will is not free. Aunswere. There is an ambiguity in this reason, or it affirmeth that to bee simplie so, which is but in some respect & sort so; or the conclusion fetcheth in more, than was in the premisses. That which is in bondage, is not free, that is, not in that respect or consideration, as it is in bondage. Our arbiterment or will is in bondage, to wit, vnder sinne. Therefore it is not free, that is, from sinne, which it is not able to shake off by any force which it self hath, except it bee freed and deliuered by the grace of God. But hereof it foloweth not: therefore simply no way it is free. For it is free, as touching the obiects represented vnto it by the vnderstanding: because it chooseth or refuseth them being once knowen, or suspendeth and forbeareth her action, by her owne and proper motion, without constraint. The summe of all is: We graunt the conclusion, if free bee taken for that, which hath abilitie to do those things which are good and pleasing to God: for so farre is it in seruitude vnder sinne, and hath power onely to sinne: but wee denie the whole, if free bee taken for voluntarie, or deliberatiue, which chooseth the obiectes represented vnto it by voluntarie motion, not constrained or forced thereto by any externall agent.

5 There are foure degrees of freewill

It may easily be vnderstood by the degrees of the liberty of mans will, what the libertie it selfe is. Now there are fower degrees of that libertie which is in man, which are distinguished according to the diuers states or conditions of mans nature.

The first degree of libertie was in man not yet fallen,³⁵ before sinne; euen that power and abilitie giuen vnto man from aboue, by which the mind was lightned with the perfect & certaine knowledge of God & his diuine will, whereby the will also by the proper inclination thereof and free motion did yeeld perfect obedience vnto the knowen will of God. But yet the wil was not so confirmed in this inclination & knowledge, but that it could decline & defect from that obedience by her owne proper and free motion, if hope or shewe of any good to come by defecting were offered vnto it. Or shorter thus. Before the fall it was such a power in man, as that he was able to will and yeeld perfect obedience, to be cōformable to god, & to make choice of that cōformity: And further was able if he listed to forsake that conformity. Or to be yet shorter.³⁶ Before the fall there was a fitnes and aptitude in man to choose good or euill: and man was perfectly conformed to god, because hee was made to the Image of God. Again, All things which God made were very good. Now that there was in our first Parentes some weakenes ioined with perfect knowledge and obedience of God, which might bee ouercome by the greatnes and force of some temptation,³⁷ the euent it selfe doth euidently inough declare. And that by the especial purpose of god there was not so much grace bestowed vpon our first Parentes, as thereby they were not able to be seduced by the tentation of Satan, and bee moued to sinne: the Apostle witnesseth Rom. 11. when he saith: God hath shut vp al in vnbeleefe, that he might haue mercie on all. Likewise Rom. 9. saying, That the vessels of wrath are prepared of god to destruction; he sheweth, that god therefore suffered mankind to fall, because it seemed good to him not onelie to declare his mercy towards his chosen, but his anger also, and power and iustice, in punishing the reprobate. Furthermore, whereas nothing is done, without the euerlasting & most good purpose & counsel of god; the fall also of our first Parents may be so much the lesse exempted from it, by how much the more god had precisely & exactly determined from euerlasting, concerning his chiefe work, euen mankind, what he would haue done. Lastly, the creature can by no meanes retaine that righteousnes, and conformitie with God, except God who gaue it, keep it, neither can he leese it, if god will haue it kept: according to these sayings. James. 1. Euerie good giuing, and euerie perfect gift is from aboue, and commeth downe from the father of lights. Iohn. 1. In it was life, and the life was the light of men: which lighteth euery man that commeth into the world. Psalm. 51. Take not away thy holy spirite from me. Psalm. 104. If thou hide thy face, they are troubled. 2. Tim. 2. The foundation of god remaineth sure and hath this seale, The Lord knoweth, who are his. And of our confirmation and establishment in the life to come, Math. 22. In the resurrection they are as the Angels of god in heauen. As then man could not haue fallen, except god had withdrawen his hand, and not so forceably and effectually affected his will, & ruled it in temptation: so neither could he persist in integrity, when hee was tempted, except god had sustained and confirmed him, euen as hee confirmed the blessed Angels, that they shoulde not defect and fall away together with the other Apostataes. Seeing therefore such was the first mans estate, from which he wittingly and willingly fell; the crime and fault of sinne neither can nor ought to be laid on God, but on man only, albeit notwithstanding he fell by the eternal counsell and will of God.

Humane reason fansiyng her owne wit, in deriuing the blame of sinne from herselfe,³⁸ when shee heareth these thinges, is troubled and keepeth a stirre, and faineth many absurdities to folow, except such a libertie of doing well or euil be giuen to man, that his perseuerance or falling depend of his own will alone. First, that God was the cause of that first sinne, and by consequent, of all other sinnes, as which came all of the first fall: Likewise, that he was the cause of the sinne of the Diuel seducing man: especiallie seeing the first sinne is not to bee accounted a punishment, as other sinnes: for no sin had gone before,³⁹ which should be punished with that sinne: and therefore seeing God coulde not will that as a punishment, he may seem to haue willed it as a sinne. But although there be nothing to the contrarie why sinne may not be the punishment euen of it selfe: whereas in the same action both the creature depriuing himselfe of that conformitie which he had with God might sinne, and god depriuing him of that good, which hee of his owne accorde casteth away, might punish, as it is said of couetousnes, Syrach. 14. There is nothing worse than when one enuieth himselfe: and this is a rewarde of his wickednes: Yet notwithstanding there are other ends besides punishment, for which it was conuenient for God to will the action both of the Diuell, & of man. God woulde the temptation of man which was done by the Diuell, as a tryal of man, by which it might be made manifest,⁴⁰ whether hee woulde perseuere in true pietie towardes God: Euen as God himselfe doth tempt Abraham immediatly, when hee commaundeth him to doe that, which yet hee woulde not haue done. God would that assent of man, by which he did yeelde vnto the Diuell, against the will of God as a manifestation of the weakenesse and feeblenesse of the creature, which cannot keepe the giftes wherewith hee was adorned by God, without Gods especiall instinct and aide. Likewise, He woulde haue this done, as an occasion or a waie to manifest his iustice and seueritie in punishing, and his mercie in sauing sinners. As Exod. 9. Rom. 9. Nowe God respecting and willing these thinges in that perswasion and enticement of Satan, and in mans assenting and yeelding thereunto: did notwithstanding all this while hate the sinne of both, and therefore did not wil it, neither cause it, but iustly permitted and suffered it to be done. For first, whatsoeuer things God doth, they are alwaies iust. 2. He was not bounde vnto man to preserue and confirme him in goodnes. 3. He would haue man to be tempted and to fall, that he might trie mans perseuerance in true pietie towards God. 4. That he might manifest the weakenes of the creature. 5. That this fall might be an occasion and way, to manifest Gods iustice and mercie. These things very well agree with the nature and law of God. Now that they say, That man did not fall of his owne free will, except he had equall power as well to persist in obedience as to fal: the consequence is not of force, because they reason from an ill definition of mans libertie, which they imagine cannot stand, if it be determined and ruled by God. But the whole scripture witnesseth that it sufficeth for the libertie of the creature, if the will be inclinable of it selfe to the contrarie, of that which it chooseth, and doth of it owne accord choose that which the minde either liketh or disliketh.

And hence also is that dissolued, that they say, that man is not iustlie punished of God, if he coulde not auoide his fall. For he that sinneth willingly, or doth drawe on himselfe the necessitie of sinning, is iustly punished, his owne conscience accusing him: neither is it vniust that hee is forsaken of God, and depriued of the grace of the holy ghost, who wittingly and willingly casteth it away, and that hee suffer the punishment of this his ingratitude and contempt of God, although he cannot, God forsaking him, doe otherwise. For none is forsaken of God, except he be willing to be forsaken. As Math. 18. It must needes bee that offences shall come, but woe be vnto that man, by whom the offence commeth.

At length they say, that God is made cruell, enuious, and far from bountie and mercie,⁴¹ if hee did not bestow that grace vpon man without which he knew man could not stand or cōsist in temptation; & yet would haue him tempted of the Diuel. But these and the like tauntinges and reprochinges of the woorkes and iudgementes of God, out of doubt are ioyned with great impietie, because they ouerturne that grounde and principle, which is the first degree & step to godlines & reuerence towards God, that is, that whatsoeuer God doth, it is good and iust, & not disagreeing from his nature and lawe, whether the reason thereof bee knowen vnto vs, or vnknowen. Wherefore this aunswere should suffice, that it disagreeth not from the mercie and goodnesse of god, whatsoeuer hee doth. But there is not want also of other answers. As, that that deniall of grace doth not disagree, but verie well agreeth with the mercie and bountie of god, when god will haue this to bee an occasion of bestowing a greater grace and benefite: as it is apparant in the fall and restoring of man. Againe, that that is not disagreeing from mercie, or any other vertue, which doth appertaine to the manifesting of the glorie of the chiefe good, which is god. For although it bee mercy not to reioyce in the ruine or destruction of his creature; yet mercie ought not to fight with iustice. Now it is iust, that more regarde shoulde bee had of the chiefe good, that is, god, both by himselfe and by others, than of all the creatures: Wherefore very well doe agree together in god his mercie which will not the death of a sinner, and his iustice which suffereth mankinde to fall, that by his fall the seueritie and goodnesse of god may appeare.

The second degree is in man fallen into sinne,⁴² and being vnregenerate. In this state the will verily doth worke freely: but yet is carried to euill onely, and can doe nought else but sinne, except it bee regenerated by the holy ghost. Or shorter; It is the fitnes & pronenesse in man after his fall, beeing vnregenerate, to choose onely euill. The reason is, because men by the first Parentes fall, are destitute of the true knowledge of god, and of all inclination to obey him. Therefore no actions of the vnregenerate, be they neuer so notable, can please god, seeing they are not referred to this end, that god may bee honored by their obedience. This blindnes and corruption of mans nature doth the scripture liuely depaint out in very many places. Al the thoughts of man are euil.⁴³ We are not able of our selues to think any good thing. We were by nature the sons of wrath. Can the black Moore change his skin? Then may ye also doe good, that are accustomed to doe euil. An euil tree cannot bring forth good fruit. Wherfore the wil & ability to do good works, is no more in the vnregenerats power than their creation.

⁴⁴This libertie of the vnregenerate is the most wretched seruitude of sinne, and very death in sinnes, whereof the scripture treateth in many places: as John. 8.34. Whosoeuer committeth sinne is the seruant of sinne. Rom. 6.16. Know yee not that to whomsoeuer ye giue your selues as seruants to obey, his seruants ye are to whom ye obey, whether it be of sinne vnto death, or of obedience vnto righteousnes? 2. Pet. 2 19. Promising vnto them libertie, & are themselues seruants of corruption.

⁴⁵1 Obiection. Nothing more easie, saith Erasmus, than to keepe a mans hands from stealing. Againe, Socrates, Aristides, & manie others haue shewed and exercised manie vertues. Therefore they had free will to good before regeneration. Aunswere. 1. This is an ill definition of a good worke and of free wil to good, which is a power of yeelding obedience pleasing to God. The vnregenerat steale within by their lust and desire, though not by outwarde fact. That the vnregenerate contain their hands, that is, obserue outward Disciplin, this is also Gods benefite, who by his generall prouidence gouerneth also the heartes of the wicked, and bridleth their inbred wickednes, that it breake not forth and effect that which it would. But hereof it foloweth not that it is easie to begin inwarde obedience, or that to contain their hands from stealing is simply a good worke.⁴⁶ Neither are those good works before God, that is, pleasing vnto God, which haue not ioined with them faith and inward obedience. But faith and inwarde obedience coulde not be in them, because they were not regenerated.

Replie. 1. The workes of the law are good: Heathen men did the workes of the lawe: therefore the workes of heathen men were good. And by consequence, heathen men also or vnregenerate, haue libertie of doing good. Wee answere to the Maior by a distinction: The works of the law are good; true, by themselues: but they are made ill by an accident, & so are these workes of the lawe made ill by an accident, of the vnregenerate: because they are not done by them for that ende and after that sort which God commanded.

⁴⁷Replie 2. There remain also manie true notions in the minds of the vnregenerat, concerning god, and his will, & the right ordering of their life. Wherefore the will working according to these notions and the direction of true reason, doth not sinne, but worketh well. Answere, first, Those legal notions whether they belong to the first, or to the second table of the Decalog, they are not perfect and sufficient: And therefore God cannot bee rightly worshipped according to these remaines or reliques of spirituall light, except there come thereunto the knowledge of God and his diuine will out of the word of God which is deliuered vnto the Church. Further, Men not brought vp in the Church doe patch manie false thinges with these true imprinted notions of nature, and doe heape sinnes vpon errors. Thirdly, Such is the frowardnes of the will and affections euen against the iudgement of rightlie informed and ruled reason, that they obeie not so much as those naturall notions, much lesse those which are to be adioined out of the woord of god. Whence also are those complaints euen of the heathen: I see the better and I like them, but I follow the worse; & that accusation of the Apostle, Rom. 1.18. The wrath of god is reueiled from heauen against all vngodlines and vnrighteousnes of men, which withhold the truth in vnrighteousnes: wherefore those notions without the grace of the holy ghost doe not ingender true godlines in them.

2 Obiection. God commendeth vs for good workes.⁴⁸ Therefore good workes are in our power and will. Answere. This is a fallacie concluding of that which is no cause, as if it were a cause. God commendeth our good workes, not because they are or can bee performed of vs, without our renewing by the holy ghost; but because they are agreeable vnto his lawe, and good, and pleasing vnto him: yea because they are his owne giftes and effectes in vs; and wee his instrumentes vnto whom hee communicateth himselfe and his blessinges: according as it is saide Romans. 8. Whom he predestinate, them also he called.

Replie. Who doth not in such sort worke well, as that it is in his owne power to doe either well or ill, hee deserueth neither commendation nor reward: but those good things which men doe are not in their power and arbiterment, therefore they deserue not either commendation or rewardes for their vertues. Aunswere. If the question bee of desert, wee graunt the whole Argument. For it is true, that no creature can deserue or merite ought at gods hand; neither ought the praise or commendation or glorie bee giuen to vs, as if the good which wee doe were of our selues, it beeing god who worketh whatsoeuer is good in all. But if they saie that neither rewarde nor commendation is iustly giuen; more is in the conclusion, than was in the premisses. For God, to testifie that righteousnesse pleaseth him, and to shewe forth more and more his bountie and goodnesse, doth adorne it with free rewardes.

⁴⁹3 Obiection. What God doth wishe and will to bee done of vs, that wee are able to performe by our selues: but God doth wishe and will our conuersion, and our good workes: Deutronom. 32.29. Luke. 19.42. Therefore wee are able to performe them by our selues: And so consequently, wee neede not the operation and working of the holy Ghost.

Answere. This reason is a fallacie deceiuing by the ambiguitie of the word Wish. For in the Maior proposition it is taken, as it vseth properly to signifie: in the Minor, not so. God is saide to wish, by a figure of speache, called Anthropopathie, making God to be affected after the order of men; and therefore the kinde of affirmation is diuers in the Maior, and in the Minor. But God is said to wish, in two respectes. First, In respect of his commaunding and inuiting. Secondly, In respect of his loue towardes his creatures, and in respect of the torment of them that perish, but not in respect of the execution of his iustice. Replie. 1. He that inuiteth others, & is delighted with their wel doing, it foloweth thereof, that their wel dooing is in their owne power, & not in his who inuiteth them. But God inuiteth vs, and is delighted with our well dooing: Therefore it is in our selues to doe well. Aunswere. Wee denie the Minor; because it is not inough, that God inuiteth vs: but our will also to doe well must bee adioyned, which wee cannot haue but from god onely. God therefore doth wish our conuersion, and doth inuite all vnto it, that is, hee requireth obedience towardes his lawe of all, hee liketh it in all, and for the loue which hee beareth vnto his creature hee wisheth nothing more, than that all performe it, and all bee saued: but yet a will to performe it, they onely haue, whom god doth regenerate by his spirite. Deutronom. 29.2. Yee haue seene all that the Lord did before your eies: yet the Lorde hath not giuen you an heart to perceiue, and eies to see, and eares to heare vnto this daie. Reply. 2. Hee that commandeth thinges vnpossible to bee done is vniust. GOD commaundeth such obedience, as is vnpossible to be doone. Therefore hee is vniust. Aunswere. The Maior is to be distinguished. He is vniust that commaundeth thinges vnpossible, except himselfe first gaue an abilitie to perfourme those thinges which hee commaunded: and Secondly, except hee, who is commaunded to perfourme them, hath lost that ability through his owne fault: Lastly, except there bee some other endes and vses of the commaundementes besides his obedience, who is commaunded. But God had made man such a one as was able to perfourme that obedience, which hee requireth of him. Wherefore man by his owne fault and folly leesing, and of his owne accord casting away this ability, God neuertheles hath not therefore lost his right to require obedience of him, beeing dewe, and by him owed vnto GOD his creator: But rather hee doth in right require it of all: First, in respect of his glorie: because hee is iust, and therefore doth of right require no lesse nowe, than before Adams fall, our conformity and correspondence with the whole Lawe. Secondly, that wee may subiect and submit our selues vnto God, and implore and craue his grace, when wee see him of right to require that of vs, which thorough our owne fault we are not able to perfourme. Reply. 3. But not we, but Adam, receiued and lost this abilitie of perfourming obedience vnto GOD. Therefore the Law is not vnpossible vnto vs thorough our owne fault. Aunswere. Adam, as hee receiued this ability for himselfe and his posterity, so he lost it from both.

Wherefore God doth in right depriue both Adam and his posterity of his giftes and gtaces: Euen as a noble man by his disobedience leeseth a Lorde-shippe in fee graunted him of the Prince, not onelie from himselfe,⁵⁰ but also from his posterity: neither doeth the Prince any iniurie to his Children, if hee restore not vnto them the Lorde-shippe lost by their Fathers fault and disobedience. And if hee doe restore it, hee doeth it of free grace and mercy. Reply. 4. But yet, hee that commaundeth thinges vnpossible, doeth in vaine commaund them, which is neither the part of a wise man, nor of a iust. GOD in requiring good woorkes of those, who through the corruption of their own nature haue no liberty or abilitie to doe them, commandeth things vnpossible: Therefore hee commandeth them in vain. Answere. The Maior is false, if it be meant of him, who in commanding things impossible doth withall make some able to perfourme them; and who hath also other causes which hee respecteth in commaunding them, besides the doing of that which he commaundeth. But God doth so require obedience, which vnto the vnregenerate is vnpossible to performe, that in requiring it hee doth withall make it possible in his chosen to be perfourmed. For in these by exhortation and precepts he woorketh, 1. That they giue vnto him the praise of iustice and righteousnes. 2. That they acknowledge their owne weaknes and impotency. 3. That they know hat they ought chiefly to aske of God, euen remission of sins, and the grace of the holy ghost, for the alone satisfaction of Christ. 4. That they being reconciled vnto god, and renued by the holie ghost, receiue power and ability to obey god according to his whole Law, here in part and beginning, and in the life to come fully and perfectly. Wherefore the requiring of an impossible obedience, is in respect of the elect a great benefit: because it is the waie to receiue a possibility. Now in the reprobate, God, in commanding them that which they shal not be able to doe, hath besides other vses also these.

1 That they maie at leastwise obserue outwarde order and discipline 2. that their wickednes and stubburnnes may be opened. 3. That they maie be left excuseles, & the iustice of god in punishing them made more conspicuous and manifest. Wherefore god doth not in vaine require those things of the reprobate which they by their own power cannot perform. Reply. 5. But God seemeth to bee cruell, who proposeth commaundementes, whereby some, being destitute of grace to obey, maie bee the more hardned and more grieuouslie condemned. Answere. He is not cruell First, because he is not delited with the frowardnes, destruction and torment of the wicked. Secondly, because hee doth not owe that gace vnto anie: so that if he had suffered al mankind to perish, he could not therefore haue been accused of cruelty. Thirdly, because in his iust iudgement, willing to shewe in some, both the weakenes of the creature, and also his iustice and power in punishing sinne, he leaueth them in sinne and destruction, into which he permitted them to run. Rom. 9. And hereby we easily vnderstand, in what sense those common sayings of Hierom are to be taken, Let him bee accursed, who saith, that God commandeth things vnpossible: And, Let him be accursed, who saith, that the Law is possible without grace. For it is vnpossible to the vnregenerate: it is possible, as concerning perfect obedience to man not yet fallen, or wholy restored: but to the regenerate which are not yet glorified & wholy restored, it is possible, by the imputation of Christes satisfaction, and by the inchoation or beginning of newnes of life, which is wrought by the holy ghost in them, in this life.

4 Obiection. That which cannot bee auoided is not sinne.⁵¹ The vnregenerate cannot auoid sinne. Therefore their woorks are not to be accounted sinnes. Aunswere. Wee deny the Maior. For it is enough to make it sinne, if it bee voluntary. And how much the more necessarily men sinne, with so much the greater wil they sinne. They cannot therefore pretend necessity to cloake their fault. This doth the example of the Diuel proue, who sinneth so much the more grieuously how much the more necessarily he sinneth, wittingly and willingly striuing against God, and contumeliously despiting him. But they doe vainly and wickedly cauil, That the iustice of God doth not impute those sinnes to the Diuel, which he necessarily doth commit after his corruption: Likewise, That the Diuel is now finally and without hope of pardon cast away of god, but men haue power yet in this life either to persist in sinne, or to forsake it, and therefore those actions onely of theirs are sinnes, in which sinne cannot be auoided. For God is wrath with all sins of men & Diuels, and punisheth all sinnes with eternall paines, or with equiualent punishment vnto eternal. Neither doth therefore necessary and ineuitable or vnauoidable sinne cease to be sinne, for that there is or is not hope of obtaining recouery and pardon. For whatsoeuer is committed against the law of God, that is sinne, whether it can be auoided, or not auoided, whether he who sinneth forsaketh his sin, or persisteth in it.

5 Obiection. They who cannot but sinne,⁵² are vniustly punished. But the vnregenerate cannot but sinne. Therefore God doth vniustly punish them. Aunswere. They who necessarilie sin, are vniustly punished, except that necessity come voluntarily, and by their own wil. But men haue drawen vpon them that necessity voluntarily, in the first parentes, and themselues also doe willingly sinne. Therefore God doth iustly punish them.

6 Obiection. They who haue not equall and like abilitie to choose good or euill, must needes be either all good or all euill. The vnregenerate haue not like abilitie to choose good or euill, but onelie libertie to choose euill. Therefore they must needes bee all alike euill. Answere. If the argument bee vnderstood of humane nature, as it is without the grace of the holie spirite, it is wholy to bee graunted: for it is certaine that all men before regeneration are alike and equally estranged from faith and conuersion, yea neither would they obserue outward discipline and behauiour, except God bridled them, that they should not commit outrages. Gen. 20. I kept thee, that thou shouldest not sin against me. But if they conclude, that all must needes continue alike euill, when the holie spirit moueth and inclineth their harts and minds to conuersion, there is more in the conclusion, than in the former propositions. For as it is vnpossible that they should be cōuerted whom God mooueth not, so is it not onely possible, but also necessary, that they whom he voutsafeth the grace of regeneratiō, shold be cōuerted. Joh. 6.37. Al that the father giueth me, shall come vnto me. Reply. It is said, Hose. 13. Thy destruction cōmeth of thy selfe Israel. Isa. 59.2. Your iniquities haue separated between you & your god. Therfore the cause of this difference, that some are cōuerted, & some not; is in the wil of mā, & not in the bestowing or withdrawing of Gods grace: that is, before the grace of regeneration is bestowed, so are some better than others, as that they take that grace which others refuse. But Hose as addeth an answere. In me onlie is thy helpe. Hee sheweth that our safetie doth so depend of God, that we cannot haue it without his singular mercy & grace: wherefore destruction commeth of those that perish, as concerning the merit of punishment: but this taketh not away the superiour cause, that is Gods reprobation. For the last cause taketh not away the first cause. The same is aunswered to that of Isa. Sinnes separate the chosen from God for a time, the reprobate for euer; but yet the diuine purpose and counsel of God going before, by which God decreed to adioine those vnto him, or to cast them from him, whom it seemed good to him so to deale with. Rom. 9.18. He hath mercie on whom he wil, and whom he will he hardeneth.

7 Obiection. Hee that hath not libertie to doe good,⁵³ and eschewe euil, is in vaine pressed with precepts and doctrine: but the vnregenerate haue not libertie to doe good woorkes and omit euill: therefore obedience is in vaine commanded them. Answere. The Maior is to be denied, for when god doth suffer his wil to bee denounced to the wicked, either hee doth together lighten them and moue them within by his spirite to obay his voice, or pricketh them with the prickes of conscience, either to obserue externall order and discipline, or not so much to persecute the knowen trueth; or he doth discouer their hypocrisie & madnes in oppugning it, or hee maketh manifest their weakenesse and ignoraunce, and at length maketh them inexcusable in this life and in the last iudgement. Reply. 1 Whose conuersion and obedience dependeth of the grace of god, hee hath no neede of exhortations and precepts. But in them also who are conuerted, their conuersion dependeth of grace. Therefore precepts are vaine and needelesse. Wee make answere to the Maior, by a distinction. If conuersion depend of grace, so that the spirite doth not adioine doctrine as an instrument, whereby to teach their mindes, and mooue their heartes; let this verily bee graunted: although as it hath beene before saide, there remaine as yet other vses of Doctrine. But when it hath pleased God by this instrument both to lighten and mooue or incline mens mindes to faith and obedience, the Maior is false. For it is written, Romanes 1. The ghospell is the power of God vnto saluation to euerie one that beleeueth.

2 Reply. It is not mercie, but crueltie to propound precepts and Doctrine to those, who are denied the grace of obeieng, and who are by it more hardened, and more grieuouslie condemned. God therefore doeth not this who is exceeding mercifull. Wee deny againe the Maior. 1 Because Gods exceeding mercy doth not take awaie his iustice. 2 Because he so will haue them to bee made inexcusable by the preaching of his heauenlie Doctrine, as that in the meane season, he reioyceth not at their destruction, and punishment: But for the manifestation of his iustice, (whereof that greater regard shoulde bee had than of all the creatures, euen Gods iustice it selfe requireth) hee will that which otherwise hee abhorreth in his mercy and goodnes towardes all creatures, as Ezechiel saith, 21. I wil not the death of him that dieth.

⁵⁴8 Obiection. He that prepareth himselfe to receiue grace by which he maie doe good works, he now doth woorkes, pleasing to God: But men prepare themselues to receiue grace. Therefore also before regeneration they doe works pleasing to god. We deny the Maior: which yet these places seeme to proue. 1. Sam. 7. Prepare your hart vnto the Lord. Act. 10. The praiers and almes of Cornelius before he was taught and baptized of Peter, come vp into remembrance before god. But in these and the like places to prepare, or to haue in readines, or to confirme the hart, is not to doe works before the conuersion, by which god maie bee inuited to bestowe the grace of regeneration vpon men: but it signifieth that a readie and firme will of obeying god and persisting in true godlinesse is shewed of those which are already regenerated and conuerted. For the people of Israell had repented when Samuell said this vnto them. For there goeth before in the same place, al the house of Israel lamented and followed the Lord: Likewise Cornelius before he was taught of Peter that Iesus was the Messias, is said to haue beene then godly and seruing god, and so calling and inuocating on him, that his praiers pleased God and were heard.

⁵⁵9 Obiection. The workes which are not in our power to performe, are not our workes, neither are truly and properly said to be done by vs: But good woorks are said to bee ours, and to be done by vs: Therefore it is in our wil to do them, or not to do them. We deny the Maior. For they are not therefore said to be ours or to be done by vs, bicause they are of our selues: but because God worketh them in vs, as in the subiect, and by vs as instruments, and that so, as our wil doth them of her owne proper motion, although not except it be renewed, raised, and guided by the holy ghost. For beeing regenerated and moued by him we are not idle, but he working in vs we our selues also woorke wel, and that freely without constraint. For by regeneration the wil is not taken away, but corrected, as which before would onely that which is euil, will now that which is good. Eph. 2.10. We are his workmanshippe created in Christ Jesus vnto good works which god hath ordained that we should walk in them.

10 Obiection.⁵⁶ He that is holpen by another in conuersion and in beginning good workes, doth somewhat of them himselfe, before he is holpen. For he that hath help beginneth the action. God helpeth vs, wherefore it is of our selues to begin good works. The Minor is proued. Marc. 9. I beleeue Lord; but help my vnbeliefe. Rom. 8. The spirit helpeth our infirmity. Aunswere. Nothing cā folow in conclusiō of mere particular propositions. For the Maior here is not vniuersall, seeing not onely he may help who beginneth a work, but he also in whom it is begun and accomplished by another. Now so doth god help vs, that himselfe doth first breede and engender in vs true knowledge of him, and an inclination to obey him, and the beginninges of good motions, & doth encrease also and perfect the same begun by him. But he is therefore said to help vs, because he doth so work in vs, that we are not idle but work while he worketh: and yet we are able no more to persist, or to bring it to an end, without him, than to begin it. And therefore we being inclined, moued, and gouerned by him, wil also our selues of our owne accord, and are able to work wel, and do work wel, that is, because God worketh good things not onlie IN vs, but also BY vs as ioint workers with him. Phil. 1.6. he that hath begun this good work in you wil perfourme it vntil the daie of Jesus Christ. & 2. 13. It is god who worketh in you both the wil & the deed, euen of his good pleasure. Reply. The beginning, & proceeding & accomplishment of conuersion is the free work & gift of god. Therefore mans wil when he is conuerted doth nothing, but is meere passiue. There should bee no vse also (as hath bin said before) of lawes, discipline, doctrine, exhortations and such like. Answere. We deny the consequence of this reason: because the reason proceedeth from the putting of the first cause, to the remouing of the second or instrumētal cause. Again it is a mere fallacy cōcluding that to be simply so, which is but in some respect so. For first, the wil as also the whole man renued, is both the subiect and instrument cooperating and iointly woorking of his conuersion, that is, is conuerted of god, and doth conuert himselfe. For the action of god conuerting & inclining the wil goeth before the assent of the will, not in time, but in nature only. Secondly the holy ghost regenerating & cōuerting vs, woorketh in vs both new qualities, in receiuing wherof we are mere passiue & work not our selues (For we cānot make to ourselues a fleshy hart of a stony,⁵⁷ & God worketh in vs euen to wil) & also new actions, in working which we are both passiue and actiue. For we being regenerated by gods spirit are not stocks but ioint workers with him, because we are made of vnwilling & vnfit to good, willing & fit, & able to do good. Thirdly the holy ghost worketh this regeneration not without precepts, doctrin, & other means, but by thē: because it so pleased him. Wherfore they cānot be neglected without shewing an impious & wicked contēpt of god himself. But here especially our aduersaries wil reply again, that indeed we cannot be cōuerted to god, except his grace preuent vs, & moue vs to cōuersion: but this grace preuēting those who are to be conuerted, is so far giuē to al, as it is in thēselues, or in their own power to vse it or refuse it, that is, to be turned from, or to persist in sin. And then at length, they who haue vsed rightly that first & vniuersal grace preuēting al men, that is, haue by their libertie applied thēselues to chuse that good, vnto the chusing whereof they are sollicited, but yet not effectually moued of god. Vnto these is giuen also the subsequent, & ioint-working grace, so that what they could not haue performed without this, this now cōming between, they may do, that is, may truly turn vnto god & perseuere. This they proue by sentēces of scripture which seem to hang the grace of god vpon the condition of mans wil. Zac. 1. Turn to me, & I wil turn to you, Isa. 1.19. If ye cōsent, ye shal eat the good things of the earth. Ier. 7. I called you & ye answered not. But it is certainly manifest out of the Scripture, that neither anie man can be cōuerted, except the holy ghost be giuen him, neither is he giuen to al men of god, but to those only whō he of his free mercy vouchsafeth this benefite, so that the cause is not to be sought in mē, but in god alone, why these rather thā they, beleeue gods voice & ar turned vnto him: & therfore al truly might be cōuerted as cōcerning the liberty & power of god, & the chāgeable nature of mans wil, but not, both in respect of the auerting of their nature frō god, & of that in-bred corruption in al which may indeed betakē away by god, but cānot without his working, be laid aside or put off by vs, & also in respect of the vnchangeable decree of god, wherby god hath determined to leaue some in sin & destructiō, into which he hath permitted them to fal: & therefore either not to lighten their minds with his knowlege, or not to renu their harts & wils with new inclinations or powers; nor effectually to moue thē to yeeld obedience to the known truth. Neither do the testimonies teach otherwise which the aduersaries ale age. God willeth vs to turne to him, that he may turn to vs, that is, may turne away & mitigate our punishments, & bestowe his benefits vpon vs; not as if our cōuersion were in our own power, but because he wil effectuat & confirm these precepts & commandements in the harts of his chosen. Hee promiseth good things to those who wil obey him, not as if it were in our power to wil obedience, but because he wil stir vp by his promises that wil in vs. He chargeth the stubburn with their wickednesse, not as if it were in their owne power to put it off, but because he wil by accusing their wilful stubburnnes take away al excuse from them when he iudgeth them.

Again they vrge,⁵⁸ Although no man can bee conuerted to doe wel without grace, yet not only the consequent gifts & benefits of god, but the first grace also of his holy spirit whereby we are conuerted, al who are willing may haue, seeing god promiseth that he wil giue to al, that wil. As Isay. 1. Apoc. 3. Isay. 31. Al ye that thirst, come to the waters. But al may wil. Therfore al may be conuerted. We deny the Minor. Reply. The wil of receiuing goeth before the receiuing it selfe. Therfore they who as yet haue not grace, may haue wil to receiue it. We deny the Antecedent as cōcerning the grace of conuersiō. For no man can desire this, except he haue the beginning of it in him. For it is god who worketh in vs, both to wil and to doe. Wherefore the wil of beleeuing and repenting is the very beginning of faith and conuersion, the which whosoeuer haue true and vnfeigned, it is encreased and perfected in them, as it is saide;⁵⁹ Hee that hath begunne this good woorke in you will perfourme it

11 Obiection. They gather also and collect these sayinges which promise Gods bounty with a condition of our obedience. As, If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandements. Likewise, Do this, & thou shalt liue. Out of these, thus they reason, A promise which hath adioined an vnpossible condition is vnprofitable and mocketh him, vnto whom it is made. But Gods promises haue an impossible condition. Therefore they are all vncertaine, yea neuer to be perfourmed, and nothing but a mockerie. Aunswere. First wee deny the Maior. For the promise euen in those, who receiue it not, hath this vse, that it may bee made manifest, that God doth not reioice at the destruction of any, and that hee is iust in punishing, when as he doth so inuite thē vnto him, who through their ingratitude contemne and refuse gods promises. Secondly we distinguish: that vnto them indeed the promise is vnprofitable, to whom the condition adioined is neuer made possible through faith and grace of iustification by Christ, and of regeneration by the holy Ghost. But so it is made possible vnto the elect. Wherefore God deludeth nether, but earnestly declareth to both of them, what they ought to be; vnto whom he giueth euerlasting life, and how vnwoorthy they are of Gods benefites, and shall neuer bee partakers of them, vnlesse by the free mercy of God, they be exempted from destructiō: further also he allureth more and more and confirmeth the faithful to yeeld obedience. Lastly they cite also other sayings which seeme to place conuersion and good-woorks in the will of men; Psal. 119. I haue applied my heart to fulfil thy statutes. 1. Ioh. 5. verse 18. He that is begotten of god keepeth himselfe. These & the like sayings attribute the woorke of god vnto men: first because they are not only the obiect, but the instrumēt also of gods woorking which the holy spirite exerciseth in them. Then, because they are such an instrument, which being renewed and moued by the holy spirit; doth also it selfe woorke together and mooue it selfe. For there is not one effect ascribed vnto the holie ghost, and another to mans will, but the same to both: vnto the holie ghost as the principal cause, vnto mans will as a secondarie and instrumentall cause.

⁶⁰ The third degree of libertie, belongeth to man in this life, as he is regenerated, but not yet glorified, or in whom regeneration is begun, but not accomplished or perfected. In this state the will vseth her libertie not onely to worke euill, as in the second degree, but partly to doe ill, and partly to do well. And this is to be vnderstood two waies: First, that some works of the regenerate are good and pleasing to God, which are done of them according to Gods commandement, but some euil & displeasing to god, which they do contrary to the commaundement of God: which is manifest by the infinit fallings of holy men. Secondly, that euen those good works which the conuerted doe in this life, albeit they please God by reason of Christes satisfaction imputed vnto them, yet are they not perfectly good, that is, agreeable to Gods law, but vnperfect, & stained with many sins: & therefore they cannot if they be beheld without Christ, stand in iudgement & escape damnation.⁶¹ The cause for which the wil beginneth to work well, is this: because by the singular grace or benefite of the holy spirit mans nature is renewed by the word of God, there is kindled in the mind a new light & knowlege of god, in the hart new affections, in the wil new inclinations, agreeing with the Lawe of God, and the will is forcibly and effectually mooued to doe according to these notions and inclinations, and so it recouereth both the power of willing that which God approueth, and the vse of that power, and beginneth to bee conformed and agreeable to God, and to obey him. Deut. 30.6. The Lord thy God wil circumcise thy hart & the hart of thy seed, that thou maiest loue the lord thy god with al thine heart. Ezec. 36.26. A new hart wil I giue you, and a newe spirit wil I put within you, and I wil take away the stony hart out of your body, and I wil giue you an heart of flesh, and I wil put my spirit within you, and cause you to walke in my statutes. Act. 16. The Lord opened the hart of Lidia, that she should attend to those things which were spoke of Paul. 2. Cor. 3. Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is libertie.⁶² The causes for which the will vseth her libertie not onely to the choosing of good, but of euill also, are in number two. The first, for that in this life the renewing of our nature is not perfect, neither as concerning the knowledge of GOD, neither as concerning our inclinations to obey GOD: and therefore in the best men, while they liue here, remaine stil many and great sinnes both originall and others. The Second, for that the regenerate bee not alwaies ruled by the holy spirite, but are sometimes for a time forsaken of GOD, eyther for to try, or to chastise, or humble them, but yet are recalled to repentaunce, that they perish not. Of the first cause it is said, Rom. 7. I knowe that in me, that is, in my flesh dwelleth no good thing: for to wil is present with mee, but I finde no meanes to performe that which is good. Marc. 9. I beeleue Lord, but help thou my vnbeliefe. Of the second cause it is said Psa. 51. Take not away thy holy spirit from mee. Isaiah 63.17. O Lord, why hast thou made vs to erre from thy wayes, and hardned our heart from thy fear? Returne for thy seruaunts sake. 1. Kings. 8.57. The Lorde our God bee with vs that hee forsake vs not, neither leaue vs. Therefore the regenerate man in this life doth alwaies goe either forwarde or backewarde: neuer continueth in the same state.

Hence are deduced these 2. conclusions: first, as man corrupted, before he be regenerated can not begin new obedience pleasing & acceptable vnto: God So he that is regenerated in this life, although he beginne to obey God, that is, hath some inclination and purpose to obey God according to all his commaundementes and that vnfained, though yet weak and strugling with euil inclinationes, affectiones, and desires, and therefore there shine in his life and manners a desire of pietie towardes God and his neighbour: yet can hee not yeeld whole and perfect obedience to God: because neither his knowledge, nor his loue of God is so great and so syncere, as the law of God requireth, and therefore is not such righteousnes as may stande before God, according to that saying, Psal. 143.2. Enter not into iudgement with thy seruaunt, for in thy sight shall none that liueth be iustified. The second: They who are ōcuerted can no farder retein good inclinations, neither thoughts and affections, and a good purpose, to perseuere and go forwarde therein, than as the holy spirit worketh and preserueth these in them: for if he guide and rule them, they iudge and doe aright: but if he forsake them, they are blinde, they wander, slip and fall away: yet so, that they perish not, but repent and are saued, if so bee they were euer truely conuerted. 1. Cor. 4. What hast thou, that thou hast not receiued? If thou hast receiued it, why reioicest thou as if thou haddest not receiued it? Philip. 1. I am perswaded that hee who hath begun this good worke in you, will performe it vntill the daie of Jesus Christ. Phil. 2.13. It is God that worketh in you both the wil and the deed, euen of his good pleasure. Ioh. 15. Without me you can doe nothing. 1. Cor. 1.8. Who shall also confirme you vnto the end that yee maie bee blamelesse in the day of our Lorde Jesus Christ. 1. Cor. 10.13. GOD is faithfull which will not suffer you to be tēpted aboue that you be able, but wil euen giue the issue with the tētation, that yee may be able to bear it. 1. Pet. 1.5. You are kept by the power of God through faith to saluation.⁶³

This doctrine, that the regenerate neither perfectly nor continually can obey God, and that as the beginning so the continuance of our conuersion dependeth of God; is confirmed, besides these testimonies, by euidēt reasons; as, that we receiue all good things from God, Iames 1. much more then these good things which are the greatest of all, that is our conformity with God, and perseuerance therein.

2 Againe: Nothing can be done besides the eternal decree of God. But the good works, which the conuerted doe, God from euerlasting did decree; Ephes. 2.10. We are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus vnto good works, which God hath ordained that wee should walk in them: Ier. 1.5. Before I formed thee in the womb, I knew thee, & before thou camest out of the womb, I sanctified thee. wherfore they are able to do neither more nor lesse of such workes, than God hath decred to worke in thē by his spirit.

3 Againe: The gifts of the holy spirit are not in the wil and power of men, but in the power of the spirit who dispenseth them. 1. Cor. 12.11. All these things worketh euen the selfesame spirite, distributing to euery man seuerallie as he will. Eph. 4.7. Vnto euery one of vs is giuen grace, according to the measure of the gift of Christ. 2. Thessal. 3.2. All men haue not faith. Nowe perseueraunce in true godlines, and a will and desire to perseuere, and the crauing of the confirmation, strengthning and aide of the holie spirite, are no lesse the gift of the holie spirit, than regeneration it felfe, and faith, and conuersion, as hath bin shewed before. Wherefore to perseuere in faith and conuersion, is no more in our power, than to beleeue, and to be conuerted.

4 Againe: In whose power and arbiterment our perseuerance is, he is the preseruation of our safety. But God, and not we, is the autor and preseruer of our safety. Iohn 10. No man shall plucke my sheepe out of my hand: Therefore our perseueraunce is not in our owne power and arbiterment, but in Gods.

5 Lastly, As our conuersion, so also our perseueraunce is the free gift of GOD: that is, As God findeth no cause in vs why to conuert vs: so neither findeth he cause in vs, whereby hee should bee mooued to keepe vs beeing conuerted, that wee doe not defect or fal. For neither is there cause in vs why hee should more keepe vs from falling away, than our parentes in Paradise: Neither is the chiefe cause in the Saintes themselues, why God should defend some rather than some against tentations and sinnes, as Samuel and Iosaphat, rather than Sampson and Dauid. But if to perseuere were in our power, or not to perseuere, then the cause of this diuersity should bee in vs. Wherefore perseuerance in godlinesse, and absteining from sin is not to be ascribed to our selues, but to the mercy of God.

But against the former sentence, to witte, that euen the best woorckes of the Saintes in this life are not perfectly good: and therefore are not able to stande in the iudgement of God and to please God, but by the imputation of Christs satisfaction, the papists oppose themselues.

1 Obiection. The woorks of Christ and the holie spirit, saie they, cannot be impure, and not please God. The good workes of the regenerate, Christ worketh in them by his spirit: wherefore it is necessarie and must needes be that they are pure and perfect, and please God euen as they are considered in themselues. For God cannot condemne his owne woorkes, although he examine them according to the rigor of his iudgement. We answere to the Maior: The workes of God are pure and woorthy no reprehension,⁶⁴ as they are the woorkes of God, and such as God woorketh: but not as they are depraued by the creatures: neither are they alwaies pure, which are not the workes of God only, but the creatures also. For these, as they are of God, are voide of all fault: but as they are doone by the creatures, they are good also and without reprehension, if the creature, by which God worketh them, be perfectly conformable to the will of GOD; but impure and vnperfect, and according to the sentence of the Lawe subiect to damnation, if the creature, by which God woorketh thē, be corrupt & vitious, that is, depraued by the not knowing of God, and by auerting from God.

2 Obiection. God cannot condemne the members of his Sonne. Rom. 8.⁶⁵ There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. The regenerate are the members of Christ. Therefore euen as they are considered in themselues, they and their woorkes cannot bee condemned in the iudgement of God. Answere. There is more in the conclusion than in the premisses. For this onely followeth, That the Saintes cannot bee condemned: but this commeth in respect of Christ his satisfaction imputed to them, not in respect of their owne obedience, which pleaseth GOD: not because it perfectly agreeth with the Lawe, but because the defectes, and faultes which cleaue vnto it, are pardoned through Christ.

3 Obiection.⁶⁶ Christ in iudgement will render vnto euerie one according to his woorkes. But the seueritie of Gods iustice dooth not render good according to woorkes which are not perfectlie good. Wherefore the woorkes of Sainctes are so perfect, as that they can not bee condemned in the iudgement of God. Wee aunswere vnto the Maior: The iustice of GOD dooth not render good, but according vnto perfect woorkes, if hee iudge legallie, according to the couenaunt of perfect obedience towardes the Lawe. But hee rendereth good also, according to imperfect woorkes, and such as deserue damnation, except the sinne that cleaueth vnto them be pardoned, when as hee iudgeth according to the gospell, that is, not according to the couenaunt of woorkes, or our owne obedience, which shoulde satisfie the Lawe, but according to the couenaunt of faith, or of the righteousnesse of Christ applied vnto vs by faith: and yet according to workes, as according to the tokens, or testimonies of faith, from which they proceede, and which they, as effectes thereof, doe shewe to bee in men.

4 Obiection. The Scripture in manie places ascribeth perfection of good woorkes to Saintes, euen in this life, and saith that they are perfect, and did walke with their whole and perfect heart before God. Psalme 119. I haue sought thee with my whole heart: and in the same Psalme, Blessed are they that keepe his testimonies, and seeke him with their whole heart. Genes. 6. Noah was a iust and vpright man in his time. 2. Chron. 15.17. The heart of Asa was perfect in all his daies. Matth. 5.⁶⁷ Bee yee perfect, as your father, in heauen is perfect. Answere. First these and the like speeches speake of that perfection which is not of degrees, but of partes, or of the integritie and syncerity of the obedience begun in them. Perfection of degrees, or obedience perfect in degrees, is that which hath not onely all the parts of obedience, but that degree also, which the law requireth in vs. Such a perfection haue not the regenerate in this life: They haue indeede all the partes of obedience begun in them, but yet weakely, so that they are here daily more and more perfected, but attaine not to the chiefe and due degree thereof vntill they inioy the life to come. The perfection of partes is the integrity of obedience, or whole obedience, begun according to the whole law: or, it is a desire and endeuor to obay God, and withstand corrupt lustes, according not to some only, but to al the commandements of his lawe. The perfection of securitie, is a desire or studie of obedience and godlinesse, not fained, but true and earnest, albeit somewhat bee wanting to the partes, as touching the degree. This perfection, to wit, both the integritie and syncerity of obedience, is in al the regenerate. For vnto them is it proper, to submit themselues to the commaundementes of God, euen to all without exception, and to beginne in this life all the partes of true godlinesse, or obedience. This is called also the iustice of a good conscience, because it is a necessarie effect of faith, and pleaseth God through Christ.

And albeit in all men, euen in the most holy, much hypocrisie remaineth, as it is saide, Euerie man is a lyer: yet there is a great difference betweene them, who are wholy hypocrites, and please themselues in their hypocrisie, hauing no beginning or feeling of true godlinesse in their hearts, and those, who acknowledging and bewailing the remnantes of hypocrisie which are in them, haue withal the beginnings of true faith and conuersion vnto God. Those hypocrites are condemned of GOD: these are receiued into fauour, not for this beginning of obedience in them, but for the perfect obedience of Christ which is imputed vnto them. And therefore to this declaration or exposition, another is also to be added: That they who are conuerted are perfect in the sight of God, not onely in respect of the partes of true Godlinesse, which all are begunne in them, but also in respect of the degrees of the true and perfect righteousnesse of Christ imputed vnto them: As it is said, Coloss. 2.10. Yee are compleate in him. Heb. 10.14. With one offering hath he consecrated for euer them that are sanctified. But they reply, that the perfection also of degrees is attributed vnto the Saintes in the Scripture. 1. Corint. 2. vers. 6. Wee speak wisedome among them that are perfect. 1. Cor. 14. Be perfect in vnderstanding. Eph. 4. vers. 13. Till we all meete together in the vnity of faith and knowledge of the Sonne of God, vnto a perfect man, and vnto the measure of the age, of the fulnesse of Christ. But these places also doe not call them perfect, in respect of the Law of God, that is, in respect of that degree of knowledge and obedience which the Law requireth in vs: but in respect of the weaker, who haue lesse light and certainty and readines, confirmed by vse and exercise to obey God, to resist carnall lustes, and to bear the crosse. For so is this perfection expounded, Heb. 5. and Ephes. 4.14. That we be no more children, wandering and carried about with euerie wind of doctrine. Philip. 3.12. Not as though I had alreadie attained to it, or were already perfect. They oppose against these aunsweres a place out of 1. John 4. vers. 17. Herein is the loue perfect in vs, that we should haue boldnesse in the daie of iudgement for as he is, euen so are we in this woorld. There is no feare in Loue, but perfect Loue casteth out feare, for feare hath painfulnesse: and hee that feareth is not perfect in Loue. But Saint Iohn meaneth not that our Loue towardes GOD, but Gods Loue towards vs is perfect, that is, declared and fully knowen vnto vs by the effects or benefites of GOD bestowed vpon vs in Christ;⁶⁸ or as Saint Paul speaketh, Roman. 5. Where hee saith, that the Loue of GOD shed abroad in our heartes, by the holy Ghost, is the cause, why wee doe without feare, and with bouldnesse expect the day of iudgement: And of this mercy and free Loue of GOD towards vs hee signifieth, that by this token or testimonie wee are assured, because in this life wee are refourmed by the holy spirite to his image. For by our regeneration wee are assured of our iustification, not as by the cause, of the effect, but as by the effect, of the cause. Nowe though regeneration be not perfect in this life, yet if it bee indeede begun, it sufficeth for the confirmation and proouing of the truth of our faith vnto our consciences. And these very words, which S. Iohn addeth: Loue casteth out fear; shew that Loue is not yet perfect in vs, because wee are not perfectly deliuered in this life from fear of the wrath and iudgement of God, and eternal punishment. For these two contrary motions are now together in the godly, euen the fear and loue of God in remisse and low degrees, their feare decreasing, and their loue and comfort or ioy in God encreasing, vntill ioy get the conquest, and perfectly cast out all trembling in the life to come, when GOD shall wipe away euery teare.

⁶⁹Obiection. John. 3.21. He that doth truth, commeth to the light, that his deedes might bee made manifest, that they are wrought according to God. 1. Iohn 3.20. If our heart condemne vs not, then haue wee boldenes toward God. Psalm. 119. I haue not declined from thy Lawe. Therefore the good woorckes of the regenerate maie bee alleadged and stand in Gods iudgement as perfectlie aunswerable vnto his Lawe. Aunswere. These and the like sayinges doe not challenge to the Godly in this life perfect fulfilling of the Law; but the vprightnes of a good conscience, without which faith can not consist or stand: as neither can a good conscience, without faith. As it is saide, 1. Timot. 1.18. Fight a good fight, hauing Faith and a good conscience. And Roman. 5.1. Then beeing iustified by Faith, wee haue peace towarde GOD thorough our Lorde Jesus Christ. For a good conscience is a certaine knowledge, that wee haue faith and a purpose to obey GOD according to all his commaundements, and that wee and our obedience, though maimed and scarce begunne, please GOD; not for that it satisfieth his Lawe, but because those sinnes and defectes which remayne in vs are for-giuen vs for the satisfaction of Christ which is imputed vnto vs. For as newe obedience is begunne by Faith, so by Faith also it pleaseth GOD. Wherefore the Godly slacke not to bring foorth their life into the light, neither shake and shiuer they at the tribunal of Christ, but comfort themselues with the conscience, or inward knowledge thereof.

Obiection. 2. Pet. 1.10. Giue diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if yee doe these thinges, yee shal neuer fall. 1. Iohn. 3. Whosoeuer is borne of GOD, sinneth not. Aunswere. These sentences in times past the Pelegians also and Catharistes, and nowe the Anabaptistes abuse, to establish perfection of new obedience in the regenerate: but to fall and to commit or doe sinne, signifieth in those places of Peter and Iohn, to haue Raigning-sinne, and to yeelde vnto it, and perseuere in it: and in this sort the regenerate sin not. But that there remain notwithstanding remnants of sins and defectes in them, is expresly shewed, 1. Ioh. 1.8. If wee say we haue no sin, the truth is not in vs.

Obiection. Mat. 6 Luk. 11.⁷⁰ The light of the bodie is the eie: if then thine eie be single, thy whole bodie shal be light: hereof they gather, that the mindes of the regenerate are so purged in this life, that the whole heap and multitude of their workes is light and pure, that is, perfectly aunswerable to the Law. But seeing the speech of Christ is conditionall, it is manifest that neither the Antecedent, nor consequent, but onely the sequele thereof is affirmed: and that the Antecedent also beeing supposed, the consequent is no otherwise put, than is the Antecedent. Wherefore Christ doth not affirme by this similitude of the eye guiding the body, that the mindes of men are lightsome, and so all their actions to bee well directed, and without sinne, but rather hee accuseth the frowardnes of men, who goe about to oppresse and put out euen that light which is left them by nature, and doe withhold the truth, as S. Paul speaketh, in vnrighteousnesse, and therefore are wholie that is, in all their actions, darke, corrupt, and worthy of damnation. Furthermore, the purity of actions can bee but so far supposed, as the purity and light of mens minds is supposed. For the light of nature beeing supposed, actions morally good follow: spirituall light supposed, actions also spiritually good, or good woorkes follow: imperfect illightening supposed, imperfect obedience; perfect illightening supposed, perfect obedience also followeth. Seeing then in this life perfect light and knowledge of God and his will & as much as the law of God requireth, is not kindled in the regenerate, but is differred vntill the life to come. 1. Cor. 13. For we knowe in part, and we prophesie in part; but when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shalbe abolished: Therefore neither in other parts perfect conformity with the Lawe can bee in this life; yet neuerthesse euen nowe concerning imputation of perfect puritie it is true, that the godly are pure and without sinne in the sight of God, when hee beholdeth them in Christ, which is then when the light of faith is kindled in their hartes.

So also that, Ephes. 5. is to be taken: Christ gaue himselfe for the Church, that hee might sanctifie it, and clense it by the washing of water through the woorde, that hee might make it vnto himselfe a glorious Church, not hauing spotte, or wrinckle, or anie such thing; but that it should bee holie and without blame. For the Baptisme of water by reason of the woorde of promise adioined signifieth and sealeth to the faithfull a clensing by the blood of Christ, which is most perfect, and presenteth vs in this life vnblameable before God: and a clensing by his spirit which is begun in this life, and perfected in the life to come, and therefore cannot pacifie and quiet our consciences.

There are also obiections against the second part of the former Doctrine, concerning the third degree of libertie, by which obiections they contend that it is in the power of the regenerate, either to perseuere in righteousnesse, or to depart from it.

They who haue liberty, say they, to choose good, haue liberty to perseuere. The regenerate haue libertie to choose good. 2. Cor. 3. Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is libertie. Therefore they haue power to perseuere.

Aunswere. If the conclusion of this reason bee rightly meant, the whole reason may be graunted, to wit, that the regenerate haue so far forth libertie to perseuere, as they are lightened and guided by the holie ghost.

For the libertie which they haue to choose good dependeth vpon his working and motion. But if it be meant that the godly haue this libertie either alwaies, or so, that their perseueraunce dependeth of themselues; there will bee more found in the conclusion, than was in the premisses; and that for two causes. First, Because they haue libertie alwaies to perseuere, who are neuer destituted of the guiding of the holie spirite: which shalbee in the life to come. Secondly, Because euen their libertie also to good, who are neuer forsaken of the holie spirite, yet dependeth not of themselues, but of God.

But here they replie:⁷¹ He that is not forsaken of the holie Ghost, except himselfe first withstand the motion of the holie ghost, hath alwaies the aide and assistaunce of the holie Ghost readie, that hee maie persist in that good which hee purposeth. But the godlie are not forsaken of the holie Ghost, vnlesse themselues first withstand him: therefore they haue alwaies the assistance of the holie Ghost readie, that they may perseuere. But hee who hath this hath in his owne power to perseuere, or to decline: because the cause is in his owne will alone why hee doth either obeie or resist the spirite mouing him.

When wee denie the Minor of this reason they prooue it thus. The iustice of GOD doth not inflict punishment, but on those who sinne: but to bee forsaken of the holie Ghost, is a punishment of sinne, and vnthankefulnesse: Therefore no man is forsaken of the holie Ghost, but who hath first deserued that forsaking through his owne stubbornes. The aunswere hereto is double. Fisst, the Argument may be graunted, as concerning the regenerate. For in them, as long as they are in this life, there is alwaies so much remaining of sinne, as they deserue not onely temporall, but eternall desertion and forsaking: and although, because the sinne which remaineth in them is forgiuen them for Christ, therefore they are freed from euerlasting punishment▪ yet are they not free from chastisementes, so long as the remnaunts of sinne abide in them.

There is therefore in respect of their sinnes also alwaies most iust cause why sometimes for a season God woulde bereaue them of the grace and guiding of his spirite. As, it is in the second of Samuel the twentie and fourth Chapter: And the wrath of the Lord was again kindled against Israell, and hee mooued Dauid against them, in that hee saide, Goe and number Israell and Juda.

⁷²Secondly, we answere to the Minor, that euery forsaking is not a punishment, or done to that end as to punish: but sometimes also for tryall, that is, for to make knowen and open the weakenes euen of the best and holiest both to themselues and others, that they may learne that they cannot for one instant or moment stand against the tentations & assaults of Satan, if they be not presently sustained and ruled by the conduct of the holy spirite; and that so they may be made more watchful, and more earnest to cal hereafter for the assistance of the holy spirite, & to beware of relapses & fallinges. Lastly, that both in this life, & in the world to come they may the better know and set forth their own vnworthines, and the mercie of God towardes them, who hath reclaimed and recalled them out of so many & grieuous sinnes vnto himselfe, and hauing deserued a thousand times death and destruction, hath not yet suffered them to perish. For these causes it is saide, 2. Cor. 12. Least I shoulde bee exalted out of measure through the abundance of reuelations, there was giuen vnto me a pricke in the flesh. And Rom. 11. God hath shut vp all in vnbeliefe, that he might haue mercie of all.

Against this they say; That God doth promise the assistance of his holy spirite to all that aske it. But this is generall onely concerning finall perseueraunce, but not so as touching continual perseuerance. For God promiseth no where that he will so guide his saints by his spirite in this life, that they shall neuer fall.

By this which hath beene said, that obiection also vanisheth to nothing, when they say, That the conuerted, seeing they haue in their owne power to depart from that which is right, and to resist, haue also perseueraunce in their owne power. For although hee constraineth not or violently draweth their wils, but maketh them of rebels, and enimies, willingly & of their owne accorde to become the sonnes of God; and as concerning mens wils in this life, there is nothing more prone than they to euill: yet as touching the counsel, purpose and working of God, euidence of truth constraineth euen the aduersaries themselues to confesse, that it cannot be, but that the wil of man must then obey, when God according to his euerlasting counsels hath decreed forcibly to moue & incline it either to conuersion, or to perseuerance. Neither doth this immutabilitie and efficacie of Gods purpose take away the libertie of will, in the conuerted, but rather increaseth & preserueth it; and how much the more effectually God moueth it, with so much the greater propension, and readines it both will and doth good, which the example of the blessed Angels cōfirmeth. This is also more friuolous, that they say, That the godly are made careles and slouthfull, and the desire to perseuere is diminished in them, if they heare that their perseueraunce dependeth of the grace of the holy spirite alone. For we may very well inuert this and returne it vpon our aduersaries: seeing nothing doth more giue an edge vnto the saints and those who are indeed godly, to a desire and indeuour to beware of falling, and to a daily and earnest calling vpon God, than if they knowe, that they cannot so much as one moment stand against the tentations of the Diuel and their fleshe, except by the vertue and instinct of the holy spirite they bee withdrawen from euill, and bee forceably moued to good: but contrariwise that opinion as experience teacheth, maketh men careles and lesse minding to beware of sin, by which men imagine that it is in their owne power, to depart from god, listening a while and yeelding to their owne lusts, and to returne againe to God, as oft as themselues thinke good so to doe. Now if so bee this sentence concerning true perseuerance depending of the grace of the holy spirite, breed in the reprobate and prophane men a carelesnesse and contempt of God; it is both foolish and iniurious, to iudge of the elect and godly by their humour, or for their frowardnes to hide and smoother the truth. Lastly, against the defectes of libertie in the second and third state or degree of man they obiect after this sort: If whole conuersion and perseuerance doe so depend of Gods will, and doe the worke of God in men, that neither they can haue it, in whom hee doth not worke it; neither they cannot but haue it, in whom he will worke it: that then not onely the libertie, but all the action and operation of the will is taken away, and there remaineth onely that it bee constrained and suffer: which is against the scripture, experience, the inward strife and combate of the godlie, and our owne confession. But we answere, that the will is not therefore idle when as it doth not resist the spirit forciblie mouing it. For to assent also & obey is an actiō of the wil.⁷³ But when they reply, That we make that obediēce of the wil in conuersiō & perseuerāce wholy the worke of god, & so leaue nothing to the wil, what to doe: they run into an other paralogism of consequēt, wheras they remoue the working of the second or instrumental cause, for that the first cause or principal agēt is put. For that which is so wholy the work of god in mā that man is only as the subiect, in which god worketh; in that we grant that the wil is only passiue & suffreth, & doth work nothing: as in imprinting or working, or maintaining in the will & heart newe qualities or inclinations. But that which is so the worke of god, that the will of man is not only the obiect, but the instrument also of gods working, & an agent by it own force giuen it of god in producing an effect; in that the wil is not only passiue, but both actiue & passiue, for as much as it is to this end moued of the spirite to worke, that it self might do that, which God wil worke by it: which also so commeth to passe in all the good actions of the will; euen as in ill actions also, when it is incited either by the Diuel or other causes, it self is not in the mean season idle. Wherefore in Ezechiel it is added, 36. I wil cause you to walke in my Statutes, and yee shall keepe my Judgements, and doe them.

⁷⁴ The fourth degree of libertie is in man perfectlie regenerated after his glorification, or after this life. In this libertie the will shalbe only free to choose good, and not to choose euill: & this shalbe the perfect libertie of our wil, by which we shall not only not sin, but shall abhorre nothing more than sin, & also shal not be able to sin anie more. The reasons hereof are these. Because in the mind shal shine the perfect knowledge of god & his will, in the wil & heart a most perfect & exceeding inclination to obeie god, an exceeding loue of god, & a ioy resting in god, & an agreeablenes or conformitie with god. Wherefore no place shalbe for ignorance, for errour, or any doubting of God, yea or for the least stubbornes against God. Lastly, That conformitie in the elect, of all their inward powers and faculties with God, and the effectuall guiding of the holie Ghost shalbee continued to all eternitie. For the blessed Saints are neuer forsaken, but continuallie ruled by the holie Ghost in all their actions, in the celestiall life. For which cause it cannot possiblie bee, that any motions or actions of man there shoulde once swarue from rightnesse. And therefore it is said, Math. 22. They are as the Angels of god in heauen.⁷⁵ Neither by this meanes is the libertie of will taken away, or diminished, but is truely confirmed and perfected in the blessed Angels & men: for as much as both the vnderstanding is free from al error, ignorance, and doubtfulnes, and lightened with the perfect knowledge of god; and the heart and wil free from all stubbornes, and without all soliciting or suggestiō to withstand god, is carried with an exceeding loue of god, and an alacrity to obey the knowen will of god. And hence it appeareth also how much more excellent our state shalbe, than was Adams before his fall. Adam truely before his fall was perfectly conformed to god, but he could wil both good & euil, and therefore had some infirmity ioined with his excellent gifts; euē a power to depart from god & leese his gifts: that is, he was changeablie good. But we shall not be able but to will good onely. And as the wicked are onely carried to euill, because they are wicked: so shal we also only loue & chuse good, because we shalbe good. It shalbe then impossible for vs to will any euill: Because wee shalbee preserued by gods grace in that perfect liberty of wil, that is, we shalbe vnchangeably good.

It is necessary that this doctrine Of the similitude and difference of free-will which is in god, and his creatures,⁷⁶ and in diuers states and degrees of mans nature, deliuered hitherto out of the scripture, should be manifest & knowen in the Church for many & waighty causes: 1. That this glorie may be giuen to god, that he alone is the most free agent, whose libertie and wisedome dependeth of no other: and that all the creatures are subiect to his gouernement. 2. That we may remember, that they who wittinglie and willinglie sin, or haue cast themselues into a necessitie of sinning, are not at al excused: and so not god, but their own wils declining of their own accord from gods commandements, to be the cause of their sins. 3. That we may know, god alone to be of himself & vnchangeably good, & the fountain of goodnes: but no creature to be able neither to haue, nor to keep more goodnes, than god of his free goodnes wil work & keep in him, & therefore we must desire it of him, & ascribe it receiued to him. 4. That we knowing god to be a most free gouernor of al things, may confesse that he is able for his glory & our safety, to change those things which seeme most vnchangeable. 5. That wee knowing from what excellencie of our nature wee haue fallen by our owne fault, may the more deplore and bewaile our vnthankefulnes; and magnifie Gods mercie, who aduaunceth and lifteth vs vp euen to a greater excellencie. 6. That knowing the miserie, and naughtines of our nature and disposition, if once god forsake vs, we may be humbled in his sight, and ardentlie desire to wade and come out of these euils. 7. That hauing knowledge of that libertie, into the which the sonne of god restoreth vs, wee may the more desire his benefites, and be thankefull vnto him for them 8. That knowing we are by the mercie of god alone seuered from them that perish, that we rather than they might bee conuerted; wee bee not lifted vp with an opinion of our owne goodnes or wisedome, but ascribe the whole benefite of our iustification and saluation, not to anie cause appearing in vs, but to the mercie of god alone. 9. That acknowledging the weakenes and corruption which remaineth euen in vs regenerated, we may seeke for iustification in Christ alone, and may withstand those euils. 10. That knowing our selues not to be able to stand against tentations without the singular assistance of the holie spirite, we may ardently and dailie desire to bee preserued and guided by god. 11. That vnderstanding that we are not preserued against our wils, but with our wils, we may wrastle with tentations, & indeuour to make our calling and election sure. 12. That vnderstanding the counsaile of god concerning the conuerting of men by the doctrine of the gospel, and ministerie of the Church, we may imbrace earnestlie and desirouslie the vse thereof.

Footnotes

1. The causes of diuers controuersies arisen about free-will. ↩

2. The state of the maine question about free will. ↩

3. Libertie from bond & misery. ↩

4. Six things required to liberty of will. ↩

5. What is said to be a free agent. ↩

6. That which is voluntarie may be necessary but not constrained. Necessarie is more general than constrained, & therfore agreeth to more than doth Constrained ↩

7. Contingēcie is opposed to Necessitie: and those things are saide to be done contingently, which are not necessarily don, but might in respect of their owne nature as well not haue beene doone ↩

8. The concrete is that which signifieth the subiect together with some accident or qualitie or essence in the subiect: As arbiterment signifieth not wil only, which is the subiect, but wil choosing or refusing, which is an accident of the will. The abstract is the accident or quality or essēce in it selfe, which doth not withall in signification implie the subiect. ↩

9. The difference betweene a naturall agent and a voluntarie. ↩

10. The name of free arbitermēt may be tolerated in the Church, though it be not vsed in the scriptures. ↩

11. Common to men and Angels with God, to wil a thing without constraint. ↩

12. The differences of our liberty of wil, and Gods. 1 God knoweth al things of himselfe, perfectly, perpetually. ↩

13. 2 His will dependeth of none but himselfe: ours of him. ↩

14. God the first cause both of his owne actions and ours. Psal. 115.3. Dan. 4.52. Gen. 29.7. Exod. 3.16. Act. 2.23. and 3 17. &c. and 4.17 &c. ↩

15. 3 God determined all things which he will from euerlasting and wil them vnchangeablie▪ we determine what we will in time, & many times change from that which we first determine. ↩

16. The vnchangeablenes of Gods purpose taketh not away the libertie of his will. ↩

17. Gods directing of out wil taketh not away the li bertie thereof. ↩

18. Necessity taketh not away liberty of will in vs. ↩

19. This necessitie proceedeth frō Gods woorking in vs, which rather preserueth this libertie. Absolute necessity doth not take awaie in God greater libertie: muchlesse can a lesse absolute necessity take away a lesse liberty in vs. ↩

20. Angels & saints in heauen haue greater liberty of will, and yet greater necessity. ↩

21. Many paces of Scripture cōfirm the necessity of those actions, the liberty of which yet both we and our aduersaries acknowledge. ↩

22. Contingent effects leese not their contingencie by reason of any necessitie imported by Gods decree. The same is to be saide of the effectes of the will which are in respect therof contingent, that is, free, and might as well not bee doone as be done. ↩

23. The will worketh togither with God, & is not mere passiue. ↩

24. The will of man withstanding the reueiled will of God is yet guided by his secret wil, & therefore resisting doth not resist. ↩

25. God though the mouer of wicked wils, yet not the mouer of the wickednes of the wils. ↩

26. The will is not idle or mere passiue when God worketh by it, no more than the sun, raine and such like instrumentes of Gods operation. ↩

27. Albeit God was able to haue wrought what he would without the will, yet because he will worke by the wil, the working of the will is not in vaine. ↩

28. How the scriptures admit libertie of will. ↩

29. What necessitie the scripture remoueth from voluntarie actions. ↩

30. How in scriptures God is said not to will that which yet he will. ↩

31. Gen 1.26. Eccl. 15.14. & 15. ↩

32. The doctrine of Originall sinne not ouerthrowen by that libertie which we hold to be in man. ↩

33. Abilitie to choose as well good as bad, is not necessarily ioined with free-will. ↩

34. The will of man is seruant to sin, and yet inclineth to sinne freely. ↩

35. The first degree of libertie in man before his fall. ↩

36. Man before his fall had perfect libertie either to continue good: or to fall. ↩

37. Man though most free, yet not so strong but he might fall, God not assisting him. ↩

38. The causes of humane reason refuted which lay the fault of the first sinne on God. ↩

39. How the first sinne might be a punishment vnto t selfe, & to that end permitted of God. ↩

40. Other endes and causes why God would the action, though not the sinne both of Satan and Adam. ↩

41. Gods denial of grace no crueltie, but a way to greater mercie. ↩

42. The second degree of libertie after the fall, in man not regenerate. ↩

43. Psalme. 59.11. 2. Cor. 3.5. Ephe. 2.3. Iere. 13.23. Math 7.18. ↩

44. The libertie which is in man now after his fall, and not yet regenerated and recouered, is the very bondage of sinne. ↩

45. Free will to outward good action without an inward faith and obedience, is not freewill to good. ↩

46. The outward actions good in themselues, are made euill by want of an inward faith. ↩

47. The remnants of spirituall life in the vnregenerat are not sufficient to make their workes good. ↩

48. The praise and commendation which is giuen of God to our good workes doth not proue that they proceed from our selues, but rather are his giftes. ↩

49. How God is said to wish our conuersion and good workes; and yet they not thereby proued to be in our power. ↩

50. God commaunding thinges vnpossible, doth yet commaund them for good causes and to good ends. ↩

51. The ineuitablenes of an ill action doth not take away sinfulnes from it. ↩

52. They who necessarily sinne are not vniustly punished, be- ↩

53. The woorde of god not without good cause declared to the vnregenerate. ↩

54. 4 Readines of minde to receiue grace is not before conuersion but after. ↩

55. Albeit good woorks are said to be ours, yet it followeth not that we are authors of them, but the instruments whereby the author worketh them. ↩

56. God helpeth vs in working, and yet beginneth our working in vs. ↩

57. No generall preuenting grace in vs which wee haue in our owne power to vse or refuse: but the special grace of the spirite onelie worketh in vs conuersion, the want whereof causeth our continuance in sinne. ↩

58. The will of receiuing Gods grace goeth not before faith & conuersion, but is part and the beginning thereof. ↩

59. Gods promises, not vnprofitable though made with an vnpossible condition to the vnregenerate, which yet is made possible to the regenerat by Christ. ↩

60. The third degree of libertie in man regenerated ↩

61. The cause of the renewing and beginning of this liberty in man to good, is the spirit working by the wil. ↩

62. Why the will in the regenerate vseth liberty not onely to good, but to euil also. ↩

63. Reasons to proue the former doctrine, ↩

64. The good works of the regenerat are not perfect so long as thēselues who work iointly with the spirit, are not perfect. ↩

65. The imperfections of the regenerate and their workes ar blotted out and pardoned in Christ. ↩

66. How Christ wil render vnto euerie one according to his woorkes. ↩

67. In what sense the Scriptures sometimes ascribe perfection of workes to the regenerate in this life. ↩

68. Our regeneration & newnes of life doth assure vs of our iustification, as being an effect thereof. ↩

69. Diuers places of Scripture to be vnderstood of the vprightnesse of a good conscience, not of anie perfect fulfilling of the Law in the godly. ↩

70. The similitude which is vsed by Christ calling the ey the light of the bodie, doth not inforce the lightsomnes of the minde. ↩

71. The regenerate deserue the departure of gods spirit from them through their manifold sinnes, which yet the merit of Christ, and his power preserueth in them. ↩

72. Euery forsaking or rather sleeping as it were of the holy ghost in the regenerat is not a punishment, neither done to that end. ↩

73. The working of the instrumentall cause, which is our will, is not taken away, when we put the working of the principal cause, which is God. ↩

74. The fourth degree of libertie is in man perfectlie regenerated after his glorification. ↩

75. This last degree of libertie after mans glorification greater than the first before his fall, because this excludeth all possibility of falling, the other did not. ↩

76. The vse of this doctrine concerning the diuersities of libertie which is in God and in man, and of the diuerse degrees of mans libertie. ↩