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NO, as neither that Greek word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which is of it owne power: yet neuerthelesse the thing expressed by those words, is found in the holy Scriptures, wherein in stead of these words they vse the word 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.
It is attributed to God the Creator, and to the reasonable crea∣ture, that is, to spirits and man.
To God and to the blessed spirits (after their confirmation) is attributed free-will onely to good, which is true libertie, as Paul also saith, 2. Cor. 3.17. Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is libertie. Now God himselfe is the spirit, and the spirit doth especially raigne in the blessed celestiall spirits.
2. To men not regenerate, as also to euill spirits is attributed freewill onely to euill, and not vnto good too: for they are not able to do, no not to thinke any good of themseluesa 1.4. Which free-will ought rather to be called slauish wil, because Christ saith, Ioh. 8.34.
He that committeth sinne is the seruant of sinneb 1.5: yet it is called freewill vnto euill, because euery sinne is voluntaryc 1.6. And the will vnlesse it worke freely, were no will but nilling.
3. To man regenerate is attributed freewill to goodd 1.7, but onely in part, because it consisteth as yet partly of the spirit, partly of sinful flesh, and it hath not as yet ful, perfect, and free wil to good, which it haue one day in the glorie to comee 1.8.
4. To Adam before the fall is attributed freewill, which was fle∣xible or mutable, as well to good as to euill, which difference is es∣pecially to be obserued.
Because there was nothing in man inwardly or outwardly, wherby he shold be compelled to wil & to do either euil or good: therefore Ecclesiastes cap. 7.30. God created man right: but they (to wit, Adā and Eue) followed many deuises. And Syracides or Iesus the son of Syrach: God created man frō the beginning, and left him to the choice of his owne counsell: cap. 15.10.14. Now let vs speake of the powers of freewill.
To performe al those things which did agree vnto his nature. For he was able to performe the workes of nature, as to eate, to drinke, to rest, to sleepe, to walk: and political works, as to maintaine peace, to gouerne a family: and religious workes or workes of piety, either inward, as to loue God, to beleeue in God, to cal vpon God; or out∣ward, as the exercises of religion in teaching & offring sacrifice, &c.
He did, whereby namely he might be preserued in that his inte∣gritie of nature, and might be furthered to those actions. (Euen a•• a true and liuing vine, indued with her natural vertues for the bringing forth of wine, hath yet need of the outward help of the raine & also of the sun, preseruing and mouing her natural powers, and furdering her for the effecting of the worke of nature.) For the proposition of Christ is euerlasting, Ioh. 15.5. Without me ye can do nothing. And Col. 1.17. Christ is before all things, and all things are preserued by him. In him we liue, we moue, and haue our being, saith Paul, Act. 17.28.
Such a one, wherby if he would he was able to liue holily, yet not whereby he would perpetually and constantly cleaue to God: for
if he had receiued this grace, without doubt he had perseuered. So saith Austine in his book de corrept. & gratia, cap. 11. He had receiued power if he would, but he had not wil to do that he could: that is, Adam had receiued grace whereby he was able if he would not to sin, but he had not receiued grace wherby he would not, nor could not sin.
Who art thou that disputest with God? Rom. 9.20. But yet there be reasons wherefore he made him such a one.
1. Because to be immutable, is proper to God alonea 1.9.
2. That man could not sinne, is reserued in the heauens.
3. As Augustine answereth, he would first shew what mans free will was able to do, and then what the benefites of his grace could do, and the iudgement of iustice. For if he had created man such a one as could not sinne, then certainly no man should haue sinned, and no man should haue needed the grace of Christ whereby he might be deliuered, neither should man haue bene punished for sinne which he should not haue committed. And so by this meanes there should haue bene place neither for grace nor iustice: but it was by no means fit that we shold be ignorant both how great the grace of God is in Christ, and also how iust a iudge God is in the world.
God forbid, because he sinned freely, when he had power not to haue sinned, and so did willingly bring destruction vpon himselfe. But in that God did not giue grace not to sin, it was for the greater good of man, and the more cleare glory of God. The first wil was to be able not to sinne: The last shall be not to be able to sin, saith Augustine.
That hence we may learne that God was no way the author of sin; but in that Adam sinned, this came from his owne free wil (because he had power not to sin if he would, and no man did either compell him or inforce him by any necessitie that he shold wil euil) and ther∣fore that he was without all excuse. Againe, that we might vnder∣stand that our estate in heauen shall be much more surer and excel∣lenter then was Adams in Paradise, and therefore we haue recoue∣uered far more in Christ then we lost in Adam. For by that free will which the first man had, he brought destruction vpon himselfe and his posteritie: but by this which man shal fully obtaine by Christ, he shal liue for euer, and shal subiect and conforme himselfe to the will of God alone.
Partly a mortal, because he might die, as the euent sheweda 1.10; partly immortal, because he might not haue died, namely, if he had obeyed God. This is collected out of Gods threatning, What day soeuer thou eatest, thou shalt die the death, Gen. 2.17. to wit, by the losse of grace, by the seperation of the soule, by depriuation of glory. But the chil∣dren of the resurrection cannot sin any more, nor die. Luk. 20.36.
That it could die it had it from the condition of nature, for it was taken out of the watery earth, and therefore of the foure elements and of the foure humors hauing an inward possibility to corruption, according to that Thou art dust, Gen. 3.19. and therefore by nature mortall.
But in that it was immortall, or had power not to die, it was not from the constitution of nature, but by the benefit of grace, because God had graunted this grace to man that he had power not to die, if he would haue obeyed his commaundements. For if God gaue this vertue to the clothes and shooes of the Israelites, that in the space of fortie yeares they were not worneb 1.11: It is no maruell if he should haue giuen man power, obeying him, that he should haue enioyed a certaine estate wherin he should haue liued til he was old without failing.
He could not, because that the prouidence of God and the cu∣stodie of Angels did watch against all hurtfull thingsc 1.12.
Against the want of meats he had giuē him sundry fruits of treesd 1.13.
Against diseases arising of the distemperature of the humors, and the torments of the mind, there was giuen vnto him originall righ∣teousnes, which did withstand al disorder, and made the bodie sub∣iect to the soule, and cherished ioy in the heart.
Against old age was giuen the tree of life, and the translation of man vnto the state of glorie.
It did auaile: for therefore it was called the tree of life, by a me∣tonymie of the effect, Gen. 2.9. or else by a sacramental significati∣on of Christ, in whom was lifea 1.14, and who is our life.b 1.15
Some there be who thinke that it did of it selfe, or by it owne force which God had put into it, or by the inspiration of a secret healthsomnesse profite man against all weaknesses, diseases, and old age, and preserue him so as he should neuer die, if he vsed it at certaine times, as the words of the Lord seeme to imply this, Gen. 3.22. Now also least peraduenture he reach forth his hand and take also of the tree of life and liue for euer.
Others hold that it was onely a sacrament of grace, whereby man might haue liued for euer if he had perseuered in the comman∣dements of God: and in that respect to be auailable to immortality, so farre forth as the sacraments do auaile to the enioying of that whereof they be sacraments, which opinion we also subscribe to.
He had, for to this purpose God planted trees in Paradise: and Gen. 2.16. it is said, that he gaue man euery herbe for meate, and the fruite of the tree, that by the eating of these he might preserue the gift of immortalitie.
Besides also man was made a liuing soule, as other liuing crea∣tures, but without necessitie of dying.
No: but he should in the end haue remoued into heauen, indeed without death (which is the dissolution of the soule from the body) but yet not without some change, such as the Apostle speaketh of, 1. Cor. 15.51. shall be in the bodies of the elect, who shall be then liuing in the comming of the Lord, they shall remoue hence into heauen.
The errour of the Pelagians, who affirmed that man should haue died although he had neuer sinned against those speeches, Gen. 2.17. and 3.3. Rom. 5.12. and 1. Cor. 15.21.
Te penes arbi∣trium nostrae vitae{que} necis{que}.
Omnia nutu, arbitrio{que} Dei aguntur.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
Gen. 8.21. 2. Corinth 3.5. Ephes. ••.1.
Rom. 6.17. 2. Pet. 2.19.
Iob. 15.16.
Phil. 2.13. Heb. 13.21.
Rom. 7.15. &c. Gal. 5.17
Num. 23.19. Mal. 3.6.
Rom. 5.12. 1. Cor. 15.21.
Deut. 29.5.
Psal. 91.1. & 121.3.5.6.7.8
Gen. 1.29. & 2.16. & 3.2
Ioh. 1.4.
Col. 3.4.