OF FREE-WILL.
WHEREAS God is a most free agent, and man was created to the image of God,* 1.1 yea and was furnished with liber∣tie of will, it seemeth to many not to agree that all the actions of mans will are gouerned by the vnchangeable pro∣uidence of God, & that the nature of men is so corrupted by the fall of our first parents, and O∣riginall sinne, that it is able to bring forth nothing but that which is euill and displeasing God, without the re∣newing 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 no∣thing more hardly, than that the glorie and original of all good should be transferred from men to God alone. Fur∣ther 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 & de∣bates concerning free-wil, while the olde diuines yeelding too much vnto the Philosophers swelling with a vain per∣swasion of wisedome and righteousnesse, and the latter as∣centing vnto the former, haue either spoke more magnifi∣cently 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