Pastors Jim Thornton (Reformed Faith Presbyterian Church, Clarksville, TN), Patrick Hines (Bridwell Heights Presbyterian Church, Kingsport, TN), and Henry Johnson (Trinity Presbyterian Church, Tazwell, VA) tackle this chapter on today's program! CHAP. IX.—Of Free Will. I. GOD hath endued the will of man with that natural liberty, that it is neither forced, nor, by any absolute necessity of nature, determined to good, or evil (Matt. 17:12; James 1:14 14 but each man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed. ; Deut. 30:19). II. Man, in his state of innocency, had freedom and power to will and to do that which was good and well pleasing to God (Eccl. 7:29; Gen. 1:26); but yet, mutably, so that he might fall from it (Gen. 2:16-17; 3:6). III. Man, by his fall into a state of sin, hath wholly lost all ability of will to any spiritual good accompanying salvation (Rom. 5:6; 8:7; John 15:5 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit: for apart from me ye can do nothing. ): so as, a natural man, being altogether averse from that good (Rom. 3:10, 12), and dead in sin (Eph. 2:1, 5; Col. 2:13), is not able, by his own strength, to convert himself, or to prepare himself thereunto ( John 6:44 44 No man can come to me, except the Father that sent me draw him: and I will raise him up in the last day. , 65; Eph. 2:2-5; 1 Cor. 2:14; Titus 3:3-5 3 For we also once were foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. 4 But when the kindness of God our Saviour, and his love toward man, appeared, 5 not by works `done' in righteousness, which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy he saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, ). IV. When God converts a sinner, and translates him into the state of grace, He freeth him from his natural bondage under sin (Col. 1:13; John 8:34 34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Every one that committeth sin is the bondservant of sin. , 36); and, by His grace alone, enables him freely to will and to do that which is spiritually good (Phil. 2:13; Rom. 6:18, 22); 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 (Gal. 5:17; Rom. 7:15, 18-19, 21, 23). V. The will of man is made perfectly and immutably free to good alone in the state of glory only (Eph. 4:13; Heb. 12:23; 1 John 3:2 2 Beloved, now are we children of God, and it is not yet made manifest what we shall be. We know that, if he shall be manifested, we shall be like him; for we shall see him even as he is. ; Jude 24).