Collection of Discourses, Part 11 · Subpart 11
11 OF FREE WILL.
1 FReedome of wil in God & reaſonable creatures, is a faculty of chuſing or refuſing that which reaſon perſwadeth to be choſen or refuſed, of their owne proper motion, without any conſtraint.
2 And that is called free, which is indued with that facultie; the word arbitrium ſignifieth the wil it ſelfe, but ſuch a will as followeth or refuſeth the iudgement of the minde in chuſing: and therfore comprehēdeth both faculties, that is to ſay of vnderſtanding and will.
3 Free-wil therfore is a facultie or power of willing or nilling, chuſing or refuſing without conſtraint, of its owne proper motion or aptneſſe to either of both which the vnderſtanding telleth is to be choſen or refuſed.
4 Two things therfore there are, which are cō mō to that free wil which is in God, & that which is in reaſonable creatures: the firſt, that they doe al things with deliberation and counſel, or by helpe of the vnderſtanding, ſhewing the obiect: the ſecond, that the will of its owne accord and naturall force without conſtraint, willeth or nilleth that which the minde hath conceaved.
5 But the differences betweene that freedome which is in God, & that which is in the creatures are three: the firſt is in the vnderſtāding, becauſe God from al eternity doth moſt perfectly vnderſtand and beholde all things, neither can be ever be ignorant of any thing, or any way erre in iudgment: the ſecond is in the will, becauſe Gods wil is ruled, bowed, or dependeth of no other cauſe thē of it ſelfe: but the wils of Angels and men, are in ſuch ſort the cauſes of their owne actions and motions, that nevertheleſſe by the ſecret counſell of God, and his power and efficacie ever and everywhere preſent, they are mooved to the choice or refuſal of obiects, either immediately by God, or by inſtruments and meanes ſometimes good, ſometimes bad, ſuch as it beſt pleaſeth God to vſe: and it is impoſſible for them to do any thing without the eternall and immutable counſell of God. The thirde is both in the vnderſtanding, and alſo in the wil▪ becauſe God as he knoweth all things immutably, ſo alſo he hath decreed from everlaſting, & willeth immutably all thinges which are done as they are good, and permitteth them as they are ſins: but as in creatures the knowledg & iudgmēt of things is mutable, ſo alſo is their will.
6 This liberty in mē is loſt by ſin, but beginneth to be renued in ou… regeneratiō, & ſhal be perfectly reſtored in the life eternal. So that the 4. divers eſtates of mē which are diſtinguiſhed in time, doe make 4. degrees therof.
7 The firſt degree of liberty was in our nature before the fall,4. States of men. wherein our will was fit to perfourme her whole obedience to Gods law, yet not ſo confirmed, but that being tempted by the divell vvith ſome ſhew of good, it might fall from that obedience by its owne proper motion.
8 Yet becauſe the creatures per…iſting in obedience cannot be but by confirmation from God, mans will did yeeld vntounto temptation in deed willingly, but withal neceſſarily, and being fallen into ſinne, loſt that libertie vntounto God, which it had to make choiſe of evil or good, and being turned from retained only liberty or freedome to evil.
9 Therfore the ſecond degree of liberty is leaſt of al, which is nature decaied but not as yet regenerat, wherin though there be a wil fit to perform the external diſcipline of the law, yet becauſe it cannot ſo much as begin the internal & ſpirituall obedience, without which al external works, evē the beſt in ſhew are ſin, & condēned by God, the wil leaveth not to chuſe freely, but yet it cā chuſe nothing but ſin, becauſe of inherent corruption and turning away from God.
10 The third is in man renued but not as yet glorified, in whom the will vſeth her libertie & freedome, partly to wel doing, & partly to evil doing. For becauſe it is regenerate by the holy Ghoſt, it is againe inclined to obey God, but becauſe this regeneration is not yet perfect, there remaine yet ſome evil inclinatiōs: wherfore it begīneth indeed ſpiritual obediēce pleaſing god, but cānot perfit it in this life; but then and ſo farre it doth well, and perſevereth in that which is good, when & as far as it is guided and gouerned by the holy Ghoſt.
11. The fourth degree is the chiefeſt and moſt perfect in the life eternall, or after our glorification, wherin our will ſhall be able to vſe her liberty onelyonly to that which is good, and not to chooſe that which is evill, becauſe of our perfect knowledge & feruent louelove of God, & thorow inclinatiō to righteouſeneſſe and hatred of ſinne, and perpetuall direction of the holy Ghoſt.
12. This doctrine of free will muſt needes bee retained in the church, that ſo the cheifeſt & moſt perfect libertie and immutabilitie, effectinge all good in vsus, may be attributed onelyonly to God, as the firſt cauſe: all excuſe may be taken from ſinners; and to the end that being trewly humbled before God by knowledge of our miſerie & corruption, we may of him alone craue the preſeruation and perfiting of our ſaluation, and being cō victed by teſtimonies from God himſelfe, may the rather be mooued to faith and obedience to his worde.