This is the post #23 of the Calvin's Institutes summary series.
God's rule over the world is so complete that there is nothing that is beyond or above His control. What people will within their minds are not an exception. When people will good, it is only because God enables them by His grace. When people will evil, that is also under God's control, either by withdrawing His goodness from them or by giving them over to their wickedness as judgment. When people will something neutral, it is also under God's providential will. Satan and all the devils are also under God's control. All these, however, is not to say that God is the author of evil or that people (and Satan) will evil against their good will (so to speak), but they will evil because that's what they want. When we discuss whether the human will is free or not, we are not asking if people can do what we will, but rather, we mean whether people will freely. Even though people will without compulsion (for God's sovereign rule is deeper than that), all human beings (and the devils) will sinfully. Therefore, both in their choices and their inclinations, they are not free.
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