CHAP. IX.

Of Free Will.

1. God hath indued the Will of Man, with that natural liberty, and power of acting upon choice; that it is ¹⁶⁹¹⁶⁹ Mat. 17.12. Jam. 1 14. Deut. 30.19.neither forced, nor by any necessity of nature determined to do good or evil.

2. Man in his state of innocency, had freedom, and power, to will, and to do that ¹⁷⁰¹⁷⁰Eccl. 7.29.which was good, and well-pleasing to God; but yet ¹⁷¹¹⁷¹ Gen. 3.6.was mutable, so that he might fall from it.

3. Man by his fall into a state of sin hath wholly lost ¹⁷²¹⁷² Rom. 5.6. ch. 8.7.all ability of Will, to any spiritual good accompanying salvation; so as a natural man, being altogether averse from that good, ¹⁷³¹⁷³Eph. 2.1.5.and dead in Sin, is not able, by his own strength, to ¹⁷⁴¹⁷⁴ Tit. 3 3,4,5. Joh. 6.44.convert himself; or to prepare himself thereunto.

4. When God converts a sinner, and translates him into the state of Grace ¹⁷⁵¹⁷⁵Col. 1.13. Joh. 8.36.he freeth him from his natural bondage under sin, and by his grace alone, enables him ¹⁷⁶¹⁷⁶ Phil. 2.13.freely to will, and to do that which is spiritually good; yet so as that by reason of his ¹⁷⁷¹⁷⁷Rom. 7.15.18,19 21.23.remaining corruptions he doth not perfectly nor only will that which is good; but doth also will that which is evil.

5. The Will of Man is made ¹⁷⁸¹⁷⁸ Eph. 4.13.perfectly, and immutably free to good alone, in the state of Glory only.