When you read the Free Willers online, they seem to think their babbling on surpasses the
actual record of true men of God:
Council of Orange, 529 AD
“CANON 5. If anyone says that not only the increase of faith but also its
beginning and the very desire for faith, by which we believe in Him who
justifies the ungodly and comes to the regeneration of holy baptism — if
anyone says that this belongs to us by nature and not by a gift of grace, that
is, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit amending our will and turning it from
unbelief to faith and from godlessness to godliness, it is proof that he is
opposed to the teaching of the Apostles, for blessed Paul says, “And I am
sure that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the
day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). And again, “For by grace you have
been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God”
(Ephesians 2:8). For those who state that the faith by which we believe in
God is natural make all who are separated from the Church of Christ by
definition in some measure believers.”
https://reformedontheweb.com/councils/the-canons-of-the-council-of-orange.pdf
Martin Luther in his Bondage of the Will – Published 1525 (Calvin’s Institutes 1536 1st Ed)
“And it is this very state of the truth, that of necessity proves "Free will" to be nothing at all; seeing that, the love and hatred of God towards men is immutable and eternal; existing, not only before there was any merit or work of "Free-will," but before the worlds were made; and that, all things take place in us from necessity, accordingly as He loved or loved not from all eternity. So that, not the love of God only, but even the manner of His love imposes on us necessity. Here then it may be seen, how much its invented ways of escape profit the Diatribe; for the more it attempts to get away from the truth, the more it runs upon it; with so little success does it fight against it!” Sec. 101
And
"...man, before he is regenerated into the new creation of the kingdom of the Spirit, does nothing and endeavours nothing towards his new creation into that kingdom, and after he is re-created does nothing and endeavours nothing towards his perseverance in that kingdom; but the Spirit alone effects both in us, regenerating us and preserving us when regenerated, without ourselves; as James saith, "Of His own will begat He us by the word of His power, that we should be a kind of first-fruits of His creatures,"—(Jas. i. 18)" Section 131
he_Will.pdf
1644 First London Confession of Baptsts - My choice of Confession
“XXII. That faith is the (Eph. 2:8; John 6:29; 4:10; Phil. 1:29; Gal. 5:22) gift of God wrought in the hearts of the elect by the Spirit of God, whereby they come to see, know, and believe the truth of the (John 17:17; Heb. 4:11-12; John 6:63) Scriptures, and not only so, but the excellency of them above all other writing and things in the world, as they hold forth the glory of God in His attributes, the excellency of Christ in His nature and offices, and the power of the fullness of the Spirit in His workings and operations; and thereupon are enabled to cast the weight of their souls upon this truth thus believed.”
Microsoft Word - 1st london 1644 ed.doc
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