The Institution of Christian Religion

Hereby appeareth, that the grace of God (as the word is taken when we speak of regeneration) is the rule of the spirit, to direct and govern the will of man. And it can not govern it, unless it correct it, reform it, and renew it (from whence we say that the beginning of regeneration is, that that which ours might be destroyed) and unless it move it, stir it, drive it forward, carry it and hold it. Whereupon we do truly say, that all the doings that proceed from it, are wholly the only work of the same grace. In the mean time we deny not that it is very true that Augustine teacheth, that will is not destroyed by grace, but rather repaired. For both these things do stand very well together: that mens will be said to be restored, when the faultiness and perverseness thereof being reformed, it is directed to the true rule of justice: and also that a new will be said to be created in man, forasmuch as it is so defiled and corrupted, that it needeth utterly to put on a new nature. Now is there no cause to the contrary, but that we may well be said to do the same thing that the spirit of God doth in us, although our own will do of it self give us toward it nothing at all, that may be severed from his grace. And therefore we must keep that in mind, which we have else where alleged out of Augustine, that some do in vain travail to find in the will of man some good thing that is properly her own. For what so ever mixture men study to bring from the strength of free will to the grace of God, it is nothing but a corrupting of it, as if a man would delay wine with dirty and bitter water. But although what so ever good is in the will of man, it proceedeth from the mere instinct of the holy ghost, yet because it is naturally planted in us to will, it is not without cause said, that we do those things whereof God challengeth the praise to him self. First, because it is ours what so ever by his goodness he worketh in us, so that we understand it to be not of our selves: and then because the mind is ours, the will is ours, the endeavour is ours, which are by him directed to good.

Hereby appereth, that the grace of God (as the word is takē when we speake of regeneration) is the rule of the spirit, to direct and gouerne the will of manne. And it can not gouerne it, vnlesse it correct it, reforme it, and renewe it (from whense we saye that the beginnyng of regeneration is, that that which oures might be destroyed) and vnlesse it moue it, stirre it, dryue it forward, carry it and hold it. Whereupon we do truely saye, that al the doynges that procede from it, are wholly the only worke of the same grace. In the meane time we denie not that it is very true that Augustine teacheth, that will is not destroyed by grace, but rather repayred. For bothe these thinges doe stand very well together: that mens will be sayd to be restored, when the faultinesse and peruersenesse thereof beyng reformed, it is directed to the true rule of iustice: and also that a newe will be sayde to be created in manne, for asmuch as it is so defiled and corrupted, that it needeth vtterly to put on a newe nature. Nowe is there no cause to the contrarie, but that we maye well be sayde to doe the same thyng that the spirit of God doth in vs, although our owne will do of it self geue vs toward it nothing at all, that may be seuered from his grace. And therefore we muste kepe that in minde, which we haue els where alledged out of Augustine, that some do in vayne trauayle to finde in the will of manne some good thinge that is proprely her owne. For what so euer mixture men studie to brynge from the strength of free will to the grace of God, it is nothing but a corruptyng of it, as if a manne would delay wine with dirty and bitter water. But although what so euer good is in the will of manne, it procedeth from the mere instincte of the holy ghoste, yet bicause it is naturally planted in vs to will, it is not whythout cause sayd, that we do those thinges whereof God chalengeth the prayse to him selfe. Firste, bycause it is oures what so euer by his goodnesse he worketh in vs, so that we vnderstand it to be not of our selues: and then bycause the minde is oures, the will is oures, the endeuour is oures, whiche are by him directed to good.