The Institution of Christian Religion

With such bondage of sin therefore as Will is detained, it can §5not ones move it self to goodness, much less apply it self. For such moving is the beginning of turning to God, which in Scriptures is wholly imputed to the grace of God.¹ As Jeremiah prayeth to the Lord to turn him, if he will have him turned. Whereupon the Prophet in the same chapter, describing the spiritual redemption of the faithful people, sayeth that they were redeemed out of the hand of a stronger, meaning with how straight fetters a sinner is bound so long as being forsaken of the Lord, he liveth under the yoke of the Devil. Yet Will still remaineth, which with most bent affection is both inclined and hasteth to sin. For man was not deprived of Will when he did caste him self into this necessity, but of the soundness of Will. And Bernard saith not unaptly, which teacheth that to Will ys• in us all: but to Will good is a profiting, to will ill is a default: and therefore simply to will, is the work of man: to will evil, of corrupt nature: to will well, of grace. Now whereas I say, that will put from liberty is by necessity drawn or led into evil, it is marvel if that should seem a hard speech unto any man, which neither hath any absurdity in it, nor varieth from the use of holy men: But it offendeth them that can make no difference between necessity compulsion. But yt a man ask them, is not God of necessity good? is not the devil of necessity evil? what can they answer? ⟨image 99⟩For so is goodness knit with Gods divinity, that it is no more of necessary that he be God then that he be good. And the devil is by his fall so estranged from partaking of goodness, that he can do nothing but evil. But now if any robber of God do bark against this and say, that God deserveth small praise for his goodness, which is compelled to keep: shall not this be a ready answer to him, that it cometh to pass by his infinite goodness and not by violent impulsion, that he can not do evil. Therefore if this, that it is of necessity that God do well, do not hinder the free will of God in doing well, if the devil which can not do but evil yet willingly sinneth, who shall then say that a man doth therefore less willingly sin for this that he is subject to necessity of sinning.