Again, he often useth such words as these: “The will willeth; the will suspendeth its act, (_Rid est_, the will willeth not); the understanding proposeth; the understanding understandeth.” Herein also lyeth the whole question. If they be true, I, if false, he is in error. Again, the whole question is decided, when this is decided, “Whether he that willingly permitteth a thing to be done, when without labour, danger, or diversion of mind, he might have hindered it, do not will the doing of it?” Again the whole question of free-will is included in this, “Whether the will determine itself?” Again, it is included in this, “Whether there be an universal grace, which particular men can take without a particular grace to take it?” Lastly, there be two questions; one, “Whether a man be free in such things as are within his power, to do what he will;” another, “Whether he be free to will.” Which is as much as to say (because will is appetite), it is one question, whether he be free to eat that has an appetite, and another, whether he be free to have an appetite? In the former, “whether a man be free to do what he will,” I agree with the Bishop. In the latter, “whether he be free to will,” I dissent from him. And, therefore, all the places of Scripture that he allegeth to prove that a man hath liberty to do what he will, are impertinent to the question. If he has not been able to distinguish between these two questions, he has not done well to meddle with either: if he has understood them, to bring arguments to prove that a man is free to do if he will, is to deal uningenuously and fraudulently with his readers. And thus much for the state of the question. ------- THE FOUNTAINS OF ARGUMENT IN THIS QUESTION. The arguments by which this question is disputed, are drawn from four fountains. 1. From _authorities_. 2. From _the inconveniences consequent to either opinion_. 3. From _the attributes of God_. 4. From _natural reason_. The _authorities_ are of two sorts, _divine_ and _human_. _Divine_ are those which are taken from the holy Scriptures. _Human_ also are of two sorts; one, the authorities of those men that are generally esteemed to have been learned, especially in this question, as the Fathers, Schoolmen, and old Philosophers: the other, are the vulgar and most commonly received opinions in the world. His reasons and places of Scripture I will answer the best I am able; but his human authorities I shall admit and receive as far as to Scripture and reason they be consonant, and no further.