CHAPTER 9

OF FREE-WILL

1 God hath endued the will of man with that natural liberty and power of acting upon choice that it is neither forced, nor by any absolute 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 which was good and well-pleasing to God; but yet mutably, so that he might fall from it.

3 Man by his fall into a state of sin, hath wholly lost all ability of will to any spiritual good accompanying salvation; so as a natural man being altogether averse from that good, and dead in sin, is not able by his own strength to convert himself, or to prepare himself thereunto.

4 When God converts a sinner, and translates him into the state of grace, he freeth him from his natural bondage under sin, and by his grace alone enables him freely to will and to do that which is spiritually good; yet so as that, by reason of his remaining corruption, 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 perfectly and immutably free to do good alone in the state of glory only.

Go to Chapter 10 – Of Effectual Calling

Go to Chapter 8 – Of Christ the Mediator

Go to Contents – The Savoy Declaration of Faith and Order 1658

Here is a sermon prepared by Mr Bradley for the Philippines Churches.  It is part of a series of commentary on each chapter of the Savoy Declaration.  We trust each one may also be helpful here in the UK