Vindiciae legis, or, A vindication of the moral law and the covenants, from the…Vindiciae legis, or, A vindication of the morall law and the covenants, from the…

6. All determination to one doth not take away that natural liberty. ¹This will further clear the truth: for it may be thought strange, that there should be this freedom of will in a man, and yet thus determined to one sin only; whereas it's plain, a determination to one kind of acts, good or evil, doth not take away liberty. God can only will that which is good, and so the Angels and Saints confirmed in happiness; yet they do this freely: and so the Devils will that which is wicked only. It's true, some exclaim at such passages, but that is only because they are prepossessed with a false opinion about liberty; for a determination to one may arise from perfection, as well as natural ⟨p. 90⟩imperfection. It is from Gods absolute perfection that he is determined to will only good; and when Adam did will to sin against God, it did not arise from the liberty of his will, but his mutability. There is a natural necessity, such which determineth a thing to one; and that is imperfection: but a necessity of immutability in that which is good, is a glorious perfection. The Learned speak of a three-fold liberty: 1. From misery, such as the Saints shall have in heaven. 2. From sin, to which ²is opposed that freedom to righteousness, of which our Saviour speaketh, Then are ye free indeed, when the Son hath made you free; and of which Austine, Tunc est liberum, quando liberatum. 3. From natural necessity, and thus also man, though he be necessarily carried on to sin, yet it is not by a natural necessity, as beasts are, but there is Reason and Will in him when he doth thus transgress: only you must take notice, that this determination of our Will only to sin, is the loss of that perfection we had in Adam, and doth not arise from the primaeve constitution of the will, but by Adams fall, and so is merely accidental to it.

6. All determination to one doth not take away that naturall liberty. ¹This will further cleere the truth: for it may be thought strange, that there should be this freedome of will in a man, and yet thus determined to one sin onely; whereas it's plaine, a determination to one kind of acts, good or evill, doth not take away liberty. God can onely will that which is good, and so the Angels and Saints confirmed in happinesse; yet they doe this freely: and so the Divels will that which is wicked onely. It's true, some exclaime at such passages, but that is onely because they are prepossessed with a false opinion about liberty; for a determination to one may arise from perfection, as well as naturall