Divine Providence (Dick and Pulsford) n. 87

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87. V. BY MEANS OF THESE TWO FACULTIES MAN CAN BE SO FAR REFORMED AND REGENERATED AS HE CAN BE LED BY MEANS OF THEM TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT EVERYTHING TRUE AND GOOD THAT HE THINKS AND DOES IS FROM THE LORD, AND NOT FROM HIMSELF. It has just been stated above what reformation and regeneration are, and also that man is reformed and regenerated by means of the two faculties, rationality and liberty; and since this is done by means of these faculties something further will now be said concerning them. It is from rationality that man has the power to understand, and from liberty that he has the power to will, in both cases as if from himself. Nevertheless, a man cannot from freedom will what is good and consequently do it according to reason unless he is regenerate. A wicked man is only able to will evil from freedom and to do it according to thought which by confirmation he makes to appear rational. For evil can be confirmed as easily as good; but it is confirmed by means of fallacies and appearances, and these when confirmed become falsities; and when evil has been confirmed it appears to be rational.


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