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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 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.


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