Common Places, Discourses 1 · Discourse 1 · Section 2
Certeine clauſes or ſentences concerning Free will.
Thoſe things, which are ſet foorth to be knowne as touching frée will, are no light matters, but they are of verie great importance. For ſo manie of vsus, as are renewed by the grace of Chriſt, well knowing the féebleneſſe and infirmitie of fréewill, will not become proud, neither will we extoll our ſelues by the power thereof. Nay rather, we will be the more earneſtlie kindled to craue the helpe of God. And when we ſhall procéed further, and ſhall vnderſtand, out of how manie euils and dangers we be deliuered; we will be the more earneſtlie mooued to giuegive thanks to our deliuerer. Moreouer, the honour thereof will be attributed vntounto God, to whoſe goodneſſe, merciemercy, and liberalitie, dooth redound whatſoeuer ſhall be adiudged in our power and abilitie. This did the apoſtle chéeflie require, 1. Cor. 1, 31. 2. Cor. 10, 17.that Wee ſhould not glorie, but ſhould yeeld the whole vntounto God. But in giuing vntounto frée will ſo much as is required of ſome, both frée iuſtification is brought into doubt, and frée election and predeſtination cannot conſiſt.
A definition of free will.Liberum arbitrium is a certeine power of the will, the which while it followeth the part knowing, dooth of his owne accord either refuſe, or deſire ſome thing.
It is affirmed to be a power of the will: but that is, ſo far foorth as foreign, or frée choiſe is drawne out of it.
The Maiſter of the ſentences, in the ſecond booke, diſtinction 25. ſaith; that It is a power of the reaſon and of the will, whereby is choſen that which is good, when grace aſſiſteth; or euill, when grace faileth.
A diſtinction of the obiects.The things, vntounto which the will is carried, be of two kinds. Some are ſubiected vntounto the ſenſe and reaſon; but ſome doo excéed our capacitie, as being diuine and ſupernaturall.
A diſtinction of the ſtates of men.Alſo the ſtates and conditions of men are diſtinguiſhed. Some be not as yet renewed, but are ſtill ſtrangers from Chriſt; but others are regenerate.
The freedome of them that be not regenerate. The firſt propoſition.Men not yet regenerate, hauehave partlie a frée will towards thoſe things, which are ſubiect to ſenſe and reaſon, and which excéed not our capacitie; and partlie they hauehave not. They hauehave it, bicauſe it is in our power to walke, to ſtand, to ſit, to ſtudie, to buy and ſell, to trauell into ſtrange countries, &c. And oftentimes reaſon may reſtreine the outward motions, or elſe ſtirre them vp. Partlie they hauehave not frée will; bicauſe oftentimes there is ſtirred vp ſo great a perturbation, & ſo manie aſſaults, that it is not in the power of reaſon to reſtreine them; as are men that be angrie, they tremble, they are diſquieted. Somtimes they cannot remooue from their place, and with too much feare being abaſhed, they cannot but flie awaie: euen as the Chanaanits were not able to ſtand againſt the Iſraelites. Alſo the firſt motions are not in our power.
By this fréedome [of will] which we grant, men are able to doo thoſe things, which are agréeable with the ciuill and economicall lawes. Wherfore the ciuill and morall ſciences remaine without impeachment, and the authoritie of a magiſtrate is not hindered, but eſtabliſhed. Alſo, they are able to doo manie outward things, which may ſéeme to agrée with the lawe of God, as hypocrits doo: but in verie déed, ſuch dooings are not according to the lawe of God. For Gods lawe requireth faith, good inwaed motions, and that this be doone with all the heart, with all the ſoule, and with all the ſtrength.
To grant the fréedome now declared, I am led by experience, which hath teſtimonie out of the holie ſcriptures. Rom. 1, 18.Paule to the Romans ſpeaketh of wicked men, and them that were not regenerate: yet dooth he attribute vntounto them, that they could hauehave knowne God by his creatures. Alſo he granted, that they did knowe manie iuſt, right, and honeſt things. Paule himſelfe, Rom. 2, 1. and 14. Gal. 1, 14.being not regenerate, profited in the Iewiſh religion aboue his companions; ſo as he liued vnblameable. And there be extant manie notable examples of the Ethniks.
This fréedome, The difficulties which are a let vntounto free will.which I grant as touching morall and economicall things, ſuffereth great difficulties. In reaſon there is darkneſſe, in the will no ſmall infirmitie. And whereas there is a perpetuall conflict betwéene the part that belongeth to reaſon, and the groſſer powers of the mind; wounds muſt néeds be giuen, and oftentimes reaſon is ouercome: wherevnto commeth the infirmitie of the bodie. And if ſo be it be ſpoken of the regenerate; Gal. 5, 17.(The ſpirit ſtriueth againſt the fleſh, and the fleſh againſt the ſpirit, ſo as yee doo not thoſe things that ye would: Rom. 7, 23. Ibidem. 19.and if ſo be that They perceiue a lawe in their members rebelling againſt the lawe of the mind: and if They doo not the good, which they would, but the euill which they hate;) how much more hath this place in them that be not regenerate?
We adde, that while they be not regenerate, there is a certeine neceſſitie of ſinning: not ſuch a neceſſitie, as the will is thereby conſtreined to will anie thing vnwillinglie (for that cannot be:) but a neceſſitie, whereby they cannot otherwiſe doo, while they continue in that ſtate. For thoſe things that they doo, ſéeing they doo them not by faith, they muſt needs be ſinnes: for, Rom. 14, 23.Whatſoeuer is not of faith, is ſinne. And ſéeing they be as yet euill trées, Matth. 7, 27.they cannot beare other than euill fruit. And, Gen. 8, 21.The thoughts & imagination of mans heart is euill, euen from his childhood. Rom. 8, 7.The wiſedome of the fleſh is enimitie againſt God, it is not ſubiect to the lawe of God, neither indeed can it be. And while they be thus, they doo not louelove GOD aboue all things. Wherefore, ſince they doo not referre vntounto him all the actions which they doo, they muſt néeds be ſinnes.
Herewithall adde, that He which ſinneth, Iohn. 8, 34.is (as Chriſt ſaid) the ſeruant of ſinne. And vntounto the Romans; His ſeruants you are, Rom. 6, 16to whom ye hauehave giuen your ſelues to obeie. And then ſhall you be free indeed, when the ſonne ſhall make you free. Peter alſo ſaid; that Euerie man is become the ſeruant of him, of whom he is ouercome. Wherefore in this ſtate, while men be without Chriſt, they are not trulie frée.
Another difficultie ariſeth by the diuell, 1. Pet. 5, 8.who alwaies ſéeketh whom he may deuoure: bicauſe he, being a ſtrong armed man, Matt. 12, 29.deteineth them that be his, till there come one ſtronger than he. And vntounto Timothie it is alſo ſaid, 2 Tim. 2, 26.that He at his owne pleaſure withholdeth captiue, thoſe that reſiſt the faith. Wherefore this fréedome before declared I doo admit, but yet impaired by reaſon of great difficulties.
Another ſubiection alſo might be added; that God vſeth our minds as inſtruments, to performe the counſels of his prouidence; Prou. 21, 1.For the hart of the king is in the hand of GOD, he inclineth it what waie ſoeuer he will. As in Ezechiel, God directed Nabuchad-nezar rather againſt Ieruſalem, Ezec. 21, 21than againſt the Moabites, or Ammonites; when as otherwiſe, Nabuchad-nezar himſelfe was in a doubt. And the prophets ſaie, that theſe monarchs be in the hand of God as a ſawe and ſtaffe. Eſaie. 10, 5.But bicauſe this vſe vſed by God [towards them] taketh not awaie the fréedome, which I hauehave ſet downe; neither dooth violence to the will of men, or conſtreineth it: therefore it remaineth ſafe, as I hauehave deliuered the ſame. For the things, which theſe men doo, they doo them willinglie at the becke of God.
The ſecond propoſition.But I ſaie, that theſe men, which be not regenerat, are not frée as touching ſpirituall things: as is, Freedome in ſpirituall things.to beléeue in Chriſt, to hope, to louelove God aboue all things, in faith to obeie the lawe of God, but be vnable. And that theſe men ſhould will and receiue theſe things, it behooueth that the holie Ghoſt be preſent thereto, who by the word either outward or inward, or both togither, may lighten the mind, incourage the will, warne, exhort, and perſuade.
But whether this be ſufficient, ſome affirme; but I denie: bicauſe, vnleſſe that theſe powers be amended and healed, we ſhall not imbrace, nor take hold of thoſe diuine things. Neither is it in our power to be content with thoſe things, which are propounded vntounto vsus. Wherefore, it is néedfull, that by the holie Ghoſt the vnderſtanding be indued with a ſpeciall light, and that the will be confirmed, leaſt it be drawne aſide, and giuegive place to commodities, or to wrong opinions; whereby it is withdrawne from ſpirituall things. This being doone, the mind conſenteth to the words and promiſes of GOD, and of ſuch a conſent or faith followeth iuſtification, by the merciemercy of God through Chriſt: vntounto which conſent the mind behaueth it ſelfe actiuelie, ſith it is we that both will and conſent, when we beléeue thoſe things that are propounded. But vntounto that efficacie and power of the holie Ghoſt, whereby our mind is prepared, changed, and diſpoſed, the mind commeth therewith paſſiuelie: for it receiueth thoſe things, and they be in it by the ſpirit of GOD. This ſhould not ſéeme an abſurd thing, Iohn. 6, 44.ſéeing the ſcriptures ſaie; that Wee are drawne by the father vntounto Chriſt: but drawing ſignifieth a paſſion, and a certeine diſpoſition. Alſo GOD ſtandeth at the doore and knocketh, Apoc. 3, 20.and thoſe knockings be doone in the mind, and are receiued.
This efficacie (I ſaie) of the holie Ghoſt dooth incline the mind and our harts to the words of God, and to the imbracing of the promiſes. The power and efficacie of the holie GhoſtAnd yet by this efficacie of the ſpirit, is not either forced or inferred violence vntounto minds; ſo as that, which they will, they will it againſt their will, or beléeue vnwillinglie: but with a pleaſant and gentle perſuaſion, it maketh willing of vnwilling; and it is ſo far from corrupting or defiling the will, as it rather maketh perfect the ſame. Phil. 2, 13.And this is it that God worketh in vsus both to will and to performe: otherwiſe; All men hauehave not faith. For they, 2. Theſ. 2, 3which are not ſo prepared, doo not beléeue. And the ſcripture dooth plainlie enough teſtifie, that the will is prepared of the Lord: and vndoubtedlie, that is to put an indeuour of vertue into them which wreſtle euen from the beginning.
This change of our mind, when of euill it is made good, ſtandeth in this; that our hart, otherwiſe ſtonie, be made ſoft, and become a fleſhie hart: as GOD promiſed by Ezechiel, Ezec. 36, 26that we may become eaſie to learne diuine things. Wherefore Salomon praied God, 3. King. 3, 9.that he would giuegive him a hearing or vnderſtanding hart; ſignifieng, that his hart, by reaſon of nature corrupted, did wa… deafe vntounto diuine things. Iohn. 6, 45.This is to become inſtructed by God, this is to heare of the father and learne, Matth. 13, 9and To hauehave eares to heare; without which, we ſéeing ſhall not ſée, and hearing ſhall not heare. 1. Cor. 2, 9.For ſuch are theſe diuine and celeſtiall things; As eie cannot ſee, eare cannot heare, neither can there aſcend into the hart of man thoſe things, Ibidem. 14which God hath prepared for them that louelove him. The naturall man perceiueth not thoſe things, which bee of GOD. We are not ſufficient of our ſelues to thinke anie thing, as of our ſelues, 2. Cor, 3, 5.our ſufficiencie is of God. Vnleſſe our mind be thus prepared and healed, we will flie from diuine things, as Adam did: we perſecute and hate, Gen 3, 8.as Paule did.
Herevpon we praie; Acts. 9, 1. Pſa. 119, 34 Pſa. 119, 18. Eph. 1, 18.GiueGive mee vnderſtanding, that I may learne thy commandements! Open thou mine eies! And Paule vntounto the Epheſians wiſhed their eies to be opened, that they might ſée what ſhould be the hope of their calling. Dauid; Pſa. 119, 36.Incline my hart vntounto thy teſtimonies! A cleane hart create in me, ô God! Pſa. 5…, 12.God opened the hart of the woman that ſold purple, Acts. 16, 14.that ſhe might giuegive eare vntounto thoſe things that were ſpoken. Thoſe, whoſe hart GOD had touched, followed Saule. 1. Sa. 10, 26 Epheſ. 2, 8.By grace you are ſaued through faith, and that not of your ſelues. Here is denied our working togither, as touching that healing. Alſo vntounto the Epheſians; Epheſ. 1, 19.We beleeue, according to the working of his mightie power, which he wrought in Chriſt, when he raiſed him vp from the dead. Ephe. 2, 1.When we were dead in treſpaſſes and ſinnes, hee quickened vsus with Chriſt. The dead hauehave no power to prepare them ſelues, nor yet to regenerate themſelues. We hauehave our preparation of GOD, otherwiſe we might glorie of the ſame; 1. Cor 4, 7.What haſt thou that thou haſt not receiued? For who ſeparateth thee? Some man might ſaie; Frée will ſeparateth me. We praie for the infidels, that God will open their heart; Iohn. 6, 44No man commeth vntounto me, except my father drawe him. But he that is ſaid to be drawne, it is ſhewed, that he was vnwilling before, otherwiſe he ſéemeth not to be drawne, but rather to be led. Wherefore, he that is drawne was at the firſt vnwilling, but in that change, of vnwilling he is become willing: afterward, he willinglie and of his owne accord followeth the drawing. Neither (to ſhew this by the waie) muſt it be vnderſtood (as ſome doo thinke) that all men be drawne, bicauſe the circumſtance of the text will not ſuffer that. For a reaſon was yéelded, whie they which murmured, ſhould depart; and whie the apoſtles ſhould tarrie ſtill, and cleane vntounto Chriſt? Namelie, bicauſe theſe were drawne, and the other were not.
Rom. 9, 20.We are towards God, as is claie: but the potter not onelie faſhioneth the claie, but he ſofteneth and tempereth it. Ibidem, 16,It is neither in him that willeth, nor in him that runneth, but in God that ſheweth merciemercy. Here is the whole attributed vntounto God, eſpeciallie as touching predeſtination, and that firſt healing of the mind, which is doone by the holie Ghoſt, through the word of God. Heſt. 14, 13.God turned the hart of king Aſſuerus from féerceneſſe vntounto good will towards Heſter: he gaue vntounto Saule an other hart.
Two kinds of calling.Here there be two kinds of calling: for ſome be ſo called, as they be in ſome wiſe lightened with the outward preaching, they be earneſtlie mooued with ſome certeine ſuggeſtions, they be perſuaded; and they hauehave ſome ſtirring vp thervnto. Others verelie there be, who (beſides that which I hauehave ſpoken) are prepared, they are made gentle, they willinglie giuegive care, of vnwilling they become willing, their ſtonie heart is taken awaie, it is changed and healed. The firſt kind is named calling abſolutelie: the ſecond is calling according to the purpoſe. Paule ſaith; Rom. 8, 29.Whom he hath called, thoſe alſo he hath iuſtified. This calling hath alwaies faith and iuſtification ioined with it, and it dependeth of election: Ibidem.for Paule ſaith; Whom he hath predeſtinated, them alſo hath he called. And in the ſecond epiſtle to Timothie; 2. Tim. 1, ….Who hath called vsus with his holie calling, not according to our works, but according to his owne purpoſe and grace, which was giuen vntounto vsus through Chriſt Ieſus, before the times eternall. Behold, he ſaith; that this calling is conformed to the eternall predeſtination. Herevnto alſo belongeth that ſaieng; Rom. 11, 29.The gifts and calling of God are without repentance. But of that firſt kind it is ſaid; Manie are called, but few be choſen.Matt. 20, 16
Theſe kinds of callings God diſtributeth as he will: for with his owne he may doo what ſéemeth good to him, without iniurie to anie man. But Is thine eie euill, bicauſe I am good? Matt. 20, 15May I not doo with mine owne what I will? Verie well ſaid Auguſtine: Whie this man is drawne, and not that, iudge not thou, if thou wilt not erre. And GOD, if he would, might hauehave healed the mind of Eſau, as he did of Iacob. Rom. 9, 11.But to Iacob he would giuegive, to Eſau he would not. And in Deuteronomie, the 29. chapter it is written; Neither did God giuegive vntounto you a heart to vnderſtand, and eies to ſee, and eares to heare, euen vntounto this preſent daie.
They that be thus prepared by God, are they, to whom he hath giuen power to be made the ſonnes of God: for they, being healed, doo beléeue, and are borne of God. And ſo often as the fathers, eſpeciallie Auguſtine, ſéeme to attribute anie thing vntounto frée will, as touching theſe ſpirituall and celeſtiall things; that muſt be vnderſtood of frée will healed, changed, and alredie prepared. If it be demanded, whether we can reſiſt the calling of God? I ſaie that we can, and that ſometime at the beginning we ſtriue againſt it for a while. And after we be regenerate, we doo ſometimes againſt the calling of God, and doubtleſſe doo fall, and that gréenouſlie, as did Peter and Dauid. Matt. 26, 69. 2. Sam. 11, 2And when as God hath fullie purpoſed to change ſome man, and of vnwilling to make him willing; his will is altogither framed, and that without violence. Wherefore it is ſaid vntounto Paule; Acts. 9, 5,It is hard for thee to kicke againſt pricks.
But and if an effectuall calling be not giuen to all men, it will ſéeme that God hath not done vntounto all men ſo much as was ſufficient to ſaluation. This I grant: for the ſcripture alſo ſaith; Matt. 11, 11that The men of Tyre and Sidon would hauehave repented in aſhes and ſackcloth, if in them had beene doone thoſe things, which were doone in Chorazim and Bethſaida. Wherefore God did not grant vntounto them thoſe things, which he knew might hauehave béene ſufficient to mooue them to repentance. Experience teſtifieth, that manie ages paſſed ouer, wherein the word of God was not preached to the Ethniks: and manie places are in new India, the which euen vntounto theſe daies hauehave heard nothing at all of ſaluation through Chriſt. Yea and the apoſtles, in the 16. of the Acts, were forbidden to preach in Aſia, and to go into Bithynia. Wherefore we, vntounto whom it is giuen, ought ſpeciallie to giuegive thanks vntounto God.
That there be ſome things doone in our mind by God, without expecting our conſent & will, there is no doubt: for faith, and diuers gifts of the holie Ghoſt are infuſed into vsus by GOD, wherein our former conſent is not required. God, by this change of his, dooth not take from vsus [the power] to vnderſtand; but giueth vsus to vnderſtand rightlie: he taketh not from vsus [the power] to will, but giueth vsus to will well: he himſelfe conuerteth and healeth vsus. But when we be renewed, our ſelues alſo are ſaid to conuert vsus, and more and more to wax perfect: as by and by ſhall be ſaid.
The third propoſition.Men renewed vntounto ſpirituall works, which may pleaſe God, hauehave a frée mind, that they may at the leaſt-wiſe performe thoſe things with a certeine new obedience. Wherefore they are able to knowe, iudge, & chooſe ſpirituall things, and after a ſort to doo them: bicauſe they be not méere men, but men of God. They be ingraffed in Chriſt, they be his members, and are made partakers of his fréedome. To theſe it is ſaid, Phil. 2, 12.that They worke their ſaluation with feare and trembling. Theſe be no longer ſeruants, but fréends, Iohn. 15, 15.and therefore they hauehave knowne thoſe things that be of God; they hauehave a fleſhie, not a ſtonie hart; Iere. 31, 33.they hauehave the lawes of God written in their harts, Rom. 8, 14.they are led by the ſpirit of God, and they can ſtir vp the grace which they hauehave in them; 2. Tim. 16.they can applie themſelues vntounto better ſpirituall gifts. Gen. 22, 19▪So the worke of Abraham is praiſed by God. Phil. 4, 18.The almes of the Philippians were an odour that ſmelleth ſwéete. Séeing they be good trées, Matt. 7, 17.they can bring foorth good fruit; and their worke ſhall be commended in the daie of iudgement.
Matt. 25, 35.They are come to that paſſe, as they may be called perfect, 2. Tim 3, 17.& prepared to euerie good worke: yet ſo neuertheles, as in eueryevery good worke, which they doo, they hauehave not onlie néed of the generall influence of God, but alſo of the ſpeciall helpe of the holie Ghoſt. And yet in this libertie recouered, Rom. 7, 23.they are not ſo renewed; but that They feele ſome lawe in their members contrarie to the lawe of the mind, Ibidem. 19.that they doo not the euill which they hate; that they ſo fulfill the lawe, as the lawe requireth; Gal. 5, 17.that there is not a ſtriuing betwéene the fleſh and the ſpirit, and ſuch a ſtriuing, as they doo not that which they would. Neither are they ſo frée, Rom. 7, 25.but that In mind they ſerue the lawe of God, but in fleſh the lawe of ſinne. Alſo the euents and ſucceſſes are not in their owne power. Gréeuous faults alſo doo happen betwéene whiles; neither are they frée from ſin. Iohn ſaith; Iohn. 1, 10.If we ſhall ſaie that we hauehave no ſin, we deceiue our ſelues, and the truth is not in vsus. Iames ſaith; Iames 3, 2.In manie things we ſinne all.
But yet this is the difference betwéene the wieked, and the regenerate; that the wicked doo delight themſelues in ſinnes, they ſorrowe not; naie rather, they be occupied in them willinglie, and of their owne accord. But the regenerat doo lament, ſorrowe, ſigh, moorne, and perpetuallie crie; Forgiue vsus our treſpaſſes. And ſéeing they hauehave the firſt fruits of the ſpirit, they wiſh that their laſt houre were come. And thus much of free will.