The Sum of Christian Religion 2, Part 1 · Subpart 6
OF FREE-WILL.
WHEREAS God is a moſt free agent, and man was created to the image of God,The cauſes of diuers controuerſies ariſen about free-will. 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 hauehave 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 hauehave riſen controuerſies & debates concerning free-wil, while the olde diuines yeelding too much vntounto the Philoſophers ſwelling with a vain perſwaſion of wiſedome and righteouſneſſe, and the latter aſcenting vntounto the former, hauehave either ſpoke more magnificently than they ought to hauehave done of the ſtrength and power of mans will, or hauehave endeuoured to arrogate that vntounto men, which is not found in them ſince the firſt fall. But let vsus 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 vntounto 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:The ſtate of the maine queſtion about free will. 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 vntounto 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 hauehave 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 eueryevery 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 vsus, and what.
5 The degrees of free wil.