Institutions of Christian religion framed out of Gods word, and the writings of the best diuines, methodically handled by questions and answers, fit for all such as desire to know, or practise the will of God. Written in Latin by William Bucanus Professor of Diuinitie in the Vniuersitie of Lausanna. And published in English by Robert Hill, Bachelor in Diuinitie, and Fellow of Saint Iohns Colledge in Cambridge, for the benefit of our English nation, to which is added in the end the practise of papists against Protestant princes.

What are we to vnderstand by this word Free-will?

There be some which vnderstand it to be a free facultie to do any thing as well good as euill, because in good authors it signifieth a power: as in that of Ouid, You haue power both of our life and death.* 1.1

The Schoole doctors vnderstand by will, the iudgement of the minde; by free, the will it selfe; as though free-will should signifie iudgement, which being made of the minde, the will either chuseth or refuseth. But the word free is an adiectiue, and not a substantiue, and it is an epithite or attribute added to the word will.

Therefore to speake properly, freewill doth not signifie a facultie of doing good or euill, or else the libertie of the iudgement, but ra∣ther facultie of willing or nilling any thing, or else the free plea∣sure of the will, which followeth the deliberation of the reason or of the mind and the consultation: or a freewil, whereby the wil doth either will or not will, chuse or refuse those things which be ob∣iected of the mind or vnderstanding: and it is not onely of the ends but also of the meanes.

So Latine authors vse the word will, as Cicero in the oration for Sextus Roscius, All things are done by the becke and will of God: that is,* 1.2 they be ruled by the will of God. Aristotle called it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, free election of the mind. The Greeke fathers more boldly 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, hauing power of it selfe, for it signifieth a thing* 1.3 masterlesse, which is subiect to the power of no other, can be let or hindered by none, which agreeth to no creature.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Te penes arbi∣trium nostrae vitae{que} necis{que}.
• * 1.2

  Omnia nutu, arbitrio{que} Dei aguntur.
• * 1.3

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.