Man, by his fall into a state of sin, has wholly lost all ability of will to any spiritual good accompanying salvation: so as, a natural man, being altogether averse from that good, and dead in sin, is not able, by his own strength, to convert himself, or to prepare himself thereunto.
Fallen man retains his freedom; he is able to choose and act upon his choices. What he lost in the fall was his ability to will the good. He is free to will and do the good but cannot--his fallen nature will not permit it. Recall what was said in chapter VI, paragraph 4: "[U]tterly indisposed, diasabled, and made opposite to all good, and wholly inclined to all evil." The natural man (man in his current fallen state) cannot will any spiritual good accompanying salvation--none seeks after God, none are able to subject themselves to the law of God, and none can please God (see Romans 3). All are dead in trespasses and sins, as Paul says in Ephesians 2. Furthermore, fallen man lacks the spiritual wherewithal to effect his own conversion. A dead man does not breathe.
Tomorrow: The breath of new life.
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