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.

c Gen. 3.6

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.

e Eph. 2.1.5.

f Tit. 3 3,4,5. Joh. 6.44.

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.

h Phil. 2.13.

i Rom. 7.15.18,19 21.23.

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.