Free Will?

Does the human race have free will?

Adam and Eve were created with free- will; the ability to chose between right and wrong. This is illustrated in the narrative by the character of the gates guarding the city of Mansoul. On page 3 we read

“The wall of the town was well built, yea, so fast and firm was it knit and compact together, that had it not been for the townsmen themselves, it could not have been shaken or broken for ever.

For here lay the excellent wisdom of him that builded Mansoul, that the walls could never be broken down, nor hurt, by the most mighty adverse potentate, unless the townsmen gave consent thereto.

This famous town of Mansoul had five gates, in at which to come, out at which to go, and these were made likewise answerable to the walls; to wit impregnable, and such as could never be opened nor forced, but by the will and leave of those within”.

Sadly the townsmen of Mansoul exercised their free-will and allowed Diabolus to enter the eargate. On page 14 we read

“Now these being dead (Captain resistance and Lord Innocence) what do the rest of the townsfolk but as men that had found a fool’s paradise, they presently, as afore was hinted, fall to prove the truth of the giant’s words; and first they did as Ill-pause had taught them; they looked, they considered, they were taken with the forbidden fruit; they took thereof, and did eat; and having eaten, they became immediately drunken therewith. So they opened the gates, both Ear-gate and eye-gate, and let in Diabolus.”.


At the fall mankind became enslaved to Satan and lost its free-will. Now when Emmanuel comes to redeem the city of Mansoul human kind is unable to exercise free will to allow Emmanuel to enter the Eyegate, Eargate, or any other gate. Emmanuel can only enter the city by force. He has to smash the gates to smithereens in order to gain entry. He uses siege engines and sling shots to break the wood in the gates in order to enter. Bunyan writes in the margin notes (p 31) “The will engaged against the Gospel, Good thoughts must be kept out of the town of Mansoul”. And on P 32 “All good thoughts and words in the town are to be suppressed”. When we first hear the gospel, we cannot believe it. We cannot believe that God created the world or that Christ is the son of God. We refuse to believe that we are sinners. We think that our “good deeds” will get us to heaven. These thoughts will prevent Christ entering our souls and saving us.

The forced entry into Mansoul is on page 103. “But after three or four notable charges by the Prince and his noble captains, Ear-gate was broken open, and the bars and bolts wherewith it was used to be fast shut up against the prince were broken into a thousand pieces”. Emmanuel has by-passed the human will and entered the city by his own strength. We are reminded of Romans 5 v 6 “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly”. It is significant that Emmanuel first enters by the Ear-gate. “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? …So they faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God?”. (Romans 10 v 13 to 18). If you have not yet received salvation, continue hearing the word of God from The Bible, and from preaching and ask Emmanuel himself to beak down the walls of prejudice and antipathy to enter your soul.

Once Emmanuel has entered the city of Mansoul, does mankind’s free-will return? No! A Christian is now not a slave to Satan but a slave to the Lord Jesus Christ. On page 103 we read “ Well, when the prince’s forces had broken open the gate, himself came up and did set his throne in it”. We become like the apostle Paul who describes himself in Romas 1 v1 “Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ…”. If we have become Christians we are Christ’s servant. We wish to obey Him and live lives of sacrifice to him, as described in Matthew 10. Especially think of Matt 10 v 38 “And he that taketh not his cross and followeth after me is not worthy of me”. If we are not yet willing to make Christ the Lord of our lives, we have yet to receive the gift of salvation. Continue to ask Christ for this gift. It is the Father’s good pleasure to give us the kingdom (Luke 12 v 32).

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