A treatise of original sin ... proving that it is

Indeed when we do will, we are not compelled by the Grace of God, only we cannot will till the Grace of God enable us thereto; It is ⟨p. 323⟩not of him that willeth, but of God that showeth mercy; Neither are, we born of the will of man, but of God; It is grace then only that maketh us to will the good things tendered to us, though the will in eliciting of this is not compelled, but doth it freely, yea grace giveth this freedom to it, so that grace doth not destroy, but give liberty; And therefore Austin of old urged, That they denied Liberum arbitrium, who would not have it Liberatum; They cannot hold free-will in a true sense, that do not hold free and efficacious grace, which giveth the will all the strength it hath to what is good: Thus liberty, if it be the same with willingness, we have it not of our selves, till the grace of God bestow it upon us.

Indeed when we doe will, we are not compelled by the Grace of God, onely we cannot will till the Grace of God enable us thereto; It is ⟨p. 323⟩not of him that willeth, but of God that sheweth mercy; Neither are, we born of the will of man, but of God; It is grace then onely that maketh us to will the good things tendered to us, though the will in eliciting of this is not compelled, but doth it freely, yea grace giveth this freedome to it, so that grace doth not destroy, but give liberty; And therefore Austin of old urged, That they denied Liberum arbitrium, who would not have it Liberatum; They cannot hold free-will in a true sense, that doe not hold free and efficacious grace, which giveth the will all the strength it hath to what is good: Thus liberty, if it be the same with willingness, we have it not of our selves, till the grace of God bestow it upon us.

Fourthly, If liberty consist in having dominion and power over our actions, then also the will cannot be said to be free, as to do holy things; For although the will, when it doth will, is the subordinate cause under God of its own action, and as a cause, so also may be said to have dominion over it, yet because the actual willing of what is good, doth not arise or exist by the strength of the will, but by the grace of God, therefore it is that (in respect of good things) the will cannot be said to have the dominion over them. This Definition of liberty (viz.) [to have a dominion over our own actions,] is by Jansenius asserted to be the true and proper meaning of Augustine, that his judgement is, then the will is said to be free, when it hath dominion and power over what it doth; and if so, no wonder then the will be so often said to be captivated and enslaved, that it hath no freedom to what is holy; For what power can the will have over holy actions, when it is corrupted and defiled, that no holy thought, or holy motion is under the power of it. It was Ambrose his complaint of old, That Cor nostrum non est in nostrâ potestate; Our heart is not in our power, but sinful and evil workings of soul rise up in us, which we are no ways able to extinguish.