2. He was enabled to choose any thing that was good. Freedom is not seated in the understanding; therefore the description saith. He chooseth good; which is an act of the will. The will can embrace nothing, but what the understanding presents unto it, 'tis true; but it is as true, that the liberty of freedom lies mainly in the will: For example, when a ⟨p. 120⟩man hath disputed what a duty is, and hath concluded it, he presents this unto the will, which either allows or rejects it; so that still the choice lieth in the will. It is easy to convince a mans understanding, all the difficulty is in the will: The will saith obstinately, I will not hear upon that ear. If the Judge be unjust, he will have the Jury bring in a verdict according to his mind. When the understanding hath observed what is true, and tells the heart, You must not do thus or thus; the will saith, I must have another verdict: so that the root of liberty is mainly in the will. Deut. 30.19. I have set life and death before you, choose life, &c. That is, the blessings are many if you ⟨p. 121⟩obey; the curses are many, if you disobey: therefore choose the good way. Act. 5.4. Was it not in thy power, &c? as if he should say, It was in thy choice to have given, or not to have given. I add, that the will of Adam could choose any good, whether natural, moral, or heavenly; the two former remains in us, but Adam was further enabled to choose holy things. There was no command, but he was able to obey, nor no truth but he was able to choose. Good is the food of the will, Adam was able to digest any good with full content: and herein mainly consists liberty, for a man to choose that which is good: It is no liberty for a man to be carried on headily to evil. Men ⟨p. 122⟩esteem none so free, as they that choose what they list. I will choose bad as well as good, saith one; I will profane an holy-day as well as sanctify it; but this is not free-will, to be hurried on to evil. In 2. Pet. 2.19. the false Apostles would give a man free liberty to do any thing, and yet go to heaven, as the Text saith,1 promising liberty when t••y themselves are the servants of sin. There is no such slavery under heaven, as to be slave to sin: but for a man to have a sovereign uncontrolled power, to be carried to that which is good truly and spiritually, this is liberty.
2. Hee was enabled to chuse any thing that was good. Freedome is not seated in the understanding; therefore the description saith. He chuseth good; which is an act of the will. The will can imbrace nothing, but what the understanding presents unto it, 'tis true; but it is as true, that the liberty of freedome lyes mainely in the will: For example, when a ⟨p. 120⟩man hath disputed what a duty is, and hath concluded it, he presents this unto the will, which either allowes or rejects it; so that still the choice lyeth in the will. It is easie to convince a mans understanding, all the difficulty is in the will: The will saith obstinately, I will not heare upon that eare. If the Judge be unjust, hee will have the Jury bring in a verdict according to his minde. When the understanding hath observed what is true, and tells the heart, You must not doe thus or thus; the will saith, I must have another verdict: so that the root of liberty is mainely in the will. Deut. 30.19. I have set life and death before you, chuse life, &c. That is, the blessings are many if you ⟨p. 121⟩obey; the curses are many, if you disobey: therefore chuse the good way. Act. 5.4. Was it not in thy power, &c? as if he should say, It was in thy choice to have given, or not to have given. I adde, that the will of Adam could chuse any good, whether naturall, morall, or heavenly; the two former remaines in us, but Adam was further enabled to chuse holy things. There was no command, but hee was able to obey, nor no truth but hee was able to chuse. Good is the food of the will, Adam was able to disgest any good with full content: and herein mainely consists liberty, for a man to chuse that which is good: It is no liberty for a man to be carried on headily to evill. Men ⟨p. 122⟩esteeme none so free, as they that chuse what they list. I will chuse bad as well as good, saith one; I will profane an holy-day as well as sanctifie it; but this is not free-will, to be hurried on to evill. In 2. Pet. 2.19. the false Apostles would give a man free liberty to doe any thing, and yet goe to heaven, as the Text saith,1 promising liberty when t••y themselves are the servants of sinne. There is no such slavery under heaven, as to be slave to sinne: but for a man to have a soveraigne uncontrolled power, to be carried to that which is good truely and spiritually, this is liberty.
- 12 Pet. 2.19
