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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 (a)
neither forced, nor by any necessity of nature determined to do good or
evil.
a Mat. 17.12. Jam. 1 14. Deut. 30.19.
2. Man in his state of innocency, had freedom, and power,
to will, and to do that (b) which
was good, and well-pleasing to God; but yet (c)
was mutable, so that he might fall from it.
b Eccl. 7.29.
3. Man by his fall into a state of sin hath wholly
lost (d) all ability of Will, to any
spiritual good accompanying salvation; so as a natural man, being altogether
averse from that good, (e) and dead
in Sin, is not able, by his own strength, to (f)
convert himself; or to prepare himself thereunto.
d Rom. 5.6. ch. 8.7.
4. When God converts a sinner, and translates him
into the state of Grace (g) he freeth
him from his natural bondage under sin, and by his grace alone, enables
him (h) freely to will, and to do
that which is spiritually good; yet so as that by reason of his (i)
remaining corruptions he doth not perfectly nor only will that which is
good; but doth also will that which is evil.
g Col. 1.13. Joh. 8.36.
5. The Will of Man is made (k)
perfectly, and immutably free to good alone, in the state of Glory only.
k Eph. 4.13.
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