Of Free.will. of the PERSON, ufually called,. largely , Liberum Arbitrium, or Free-choice : which is, r. That noman can be compelled to moral good orevil again( his Will. 2. Noman can deferve Rewards or Punifhments of God, againft hisWill. 3. No man can be happy again( his Will, nor unhappy unlefs it be theCaufe. XIV. All this that I have hithertonamed is butmansnatural liberty as a man, which all men have, and is part of' that common natural Image of God , which differenceth us from Bruits, and is mentioned Gen. 9. 6. XV. Betides this there is a political or civil Liberty , according to whichno Manor Angel bath power to command us to fin againft God, ór tocal} awayour Innocencyor Happinefs, or undo ourSouls. XVI. And God as ourGovernour doth not only give allmen leave and liberty tobe holy, but offereth them Life, andgiveth every manhis choice whether hewill repentand live, or refufe Grace and perifh ; And much more then Liberty he giveth them, by Commands, Threatnings, Promífes, Mercies, Means, Helps,Intreaties, AtHi&ions, &c. urging them to repent and live. XVII. And thispolitical Liberty containetha freedomfrom all punifh- ment fromGod, to thofe thatcauee it not by wilful fin : And more than fo, a certainty of the Rewardof Glory. XVIII. Betides thefe fore-mentioned Liberties natural and political, there is alto an ethical ormoral Liberty from finful Habitsand A1ás: And of that wehold, that every man is delivered from thefe finful Habits and Aéts, fofar ashe hath and ufeth Gods Grace: And fo that the lanâi- lied are delivered from the reignorfervitude offin. XIX. And wehold that yet the habits of Grace do not necelfitate this or that particular aEt of Obedience or Love, but it is too poffible to fin by Omillion or Commiflionnotwith(anding thefe habits. XX. And we hold that the ordinary habitsof Vice in the wicked do not abfolutelynedeffitate them to thisor that finful Commif lon inpartI,-' cucar, at lea( not tovery many fins, but that it is poffible for them to do fome Duties, and forbear many fins, notwith(andingOriginal and fu,, peradded pravity. XXI. I add to the XI. Seer. beforeas an inftance, that mans Will is not by any natural neceffity, determined towill its ownfelicity by the comparareeletling AG# of the Will ; but hath Power and Liberty to refufe ornillit. This many will think (range, but I am fore that it is true: Foi man was made and redeemed, and is fan&ified for a higher 'End than. his own felicity ; yea more than one, even the Glory and Pleafing of God, and the common Good. And reafon telleth me undoubtedly that I ought to love that heft which is be(in it felt, and that if my anni -1 hilation would conduce to the Caving orhappinefs of the World, or of oneKingdom, or of thoufands of Perlons, I ought to confent to it for. filch ends ; yea were it but tokeep the Earth from perithing, and the Sun from beingufelefs to this World. And though God in mercy hath founited my felicity with his ¿Glory and the commonGood, that there never will be ufe for Inch an option or choice, yet it followeth not thence that l may not fay, that hypothetically (if I wereput to it) fuch . a thing ispofsible and wouldbe due. And as Fax/ laid, z could with my felf accurfifromChri., formy Brethrenfake, the yetis (notI do nüfh it, but would this fayethem, I could with it, becaufe the falvationof thou- lands, and their Service toGod, is better than ours;) even fo may we. Annihilation is inconfifent with Felicity: But Annihilation might and M fhould 81
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