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.

ƲƲhat thinke you then of the free will of man before his conuersion?

I thinke it is altogether wicked and euill, for the soule though it remaine whole in the essence thereof with her powers the wil & vnderstanding, yet the strength & ability of these powers vnto any spirituall good, is lost. For the vnderstanding is plainely blinde in heauenly matters, destitute of the true knowledge of God, and of the wholsome vnderstanding of the word, according to Dauids saying. Psal. 14.3.a 1.1 There is not a man that vnderstandeth. And of Paul, 1. Cor. 2.14. The naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God. And Rom, 8.7. The wisdome of the flesh is enemy to God, for it is not subiect to the law of God, neither indeed can be. And Ephe. 4, 23. he biddeth vs be renued in the spirit of our mind, by the spirit of the mind, vnderstāding the principal part of the whol. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 as the Philosphers terme it. The wil is altogether turned away from God, Psa. 53.3. There is none that seeketh God, they are al gone astray.

3 Our strength and endeuors are taken quite away, they altoge∣ther become vnprofitable, in the same Psalmeb 1.2. And 1. Cor. 12.3. No man can say that Iesus is the Lord, but by the holy ghost. And 1. Cor 3.5. We are not sufficient of our selues to thinke any good thing. And Phil. 2.13. It is God who worketh in vs both to will and to do.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Rom. 3.11
• b 1.2

  Rom. 3.3.