N05663:106

A careful and strict enquiry into the modern prevailing notions of that freedom of…

Name: A careful and strict enquiry into the modern prevailing notions of that freedom of…
Author: Jonathan Edwards

A careful and strict enquiry into the modern prevailing notions of that freedom of will, which is supposed to be essential to moral agency, virtue and vice, reward and punishment, praise and blame. By Jonathan Edwards, A.M. Pastor of the church in Stockbridge. ; [One line from Romans]A careful and strict enquiry into the modern prevailing notions of that freedom of will, which is supposed to be essential to moral agency, vertue and vice, reward and punishment, praise and blame. By Jonathan Edwards, A.M. Pastor of the church in Stockbridge. ; [One line from Romans]

Jonathan Edwards 1703–1758printed by S. Kneeland, 1754

[2], vi, [4], 294, [14] p. ; 20 cm. (8vo) · 127k words · Evans 7187

Title page: Princeton Theological Seminary Library copy, digitized by the Internet Archive (opens the Internet Archive in a new tab)

Part 1 › Section 5: Concerning the Notion of Liberty, and of moral Agency.

Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.

[ Earlier:103–118 of 753

:103p. 28–29

What has been said may be sufficient to show what is meant by Liberty, according to the common Notions of Mankind, and in the usual & primary Acceptation of the Word: Put the Word, as used by Arminians, Pelagians & others, who oppose the Calvinist•, has an entirely different Signification.— These several Things belong to their Notion of Liberty. ⟨p. 29⟩1. That it consists in a Self-determining Power in the Will, or a certain Sovereignty the Will has over it self, and it's own Acts, whereby it determines it's own Volitions; so as not to be dependent in it's Determinations, on any Cause without it self, nor determined by any Thing prior to it's own Acts. 2. Indifference belongs to Liberty in their Notion of it, or that the Mind, previous to the Act of Volition be, in iquilibrio. 3. Contingence is another Thing that belongs and is essential to it; not in the common Acceptation of the Word, as that has been already explained, but as opposed to all Necessity, or any fixed & certain Connection with some previous Ground or Reason of it's Existence. They suppose the Essence of Liberty so much to consist in these Things, that unless the Will of Man be free in this Sense, he has no real Freedom, how much soever he may be at Liberty to act according to his Will.

What has been said may be sufficient to shew what is meant by Liberty, according to the common Notions of Mankind, and in the usual & primary Acceptation of the Word: Put the Word, as used by Arminians, Pelagians & others, who oppose the Calvinist•, has an entirely different Signification.— These several Things belong to their Notion of Liberty. ⟨p. 29⟩1. That it consists in a Self-determining Power in the Will, or a certain Sovereignty the Will has over it self, and it's own Acts, whereby it determines it's own Volitions; so as not to be dependent in it's Determinations, on any Cause without it self, nor determined by any Thing prior to it's own Acts. 2. Indifference belongs to Liberty in their Notion of it, or that the Mind, previous to the Act of Volition be, in iquilibrio. 3. Contingence is another Thing that belongs and is essential to it; not in the common Acceptation of the Word, as that has been already explain'd, but as opposed to all Necessity, or any fixed & certain Connection with some previous Ground or Reason of it's Existence. They suppose the Essence of Liberty so much to consist in these Things, that unless the Will of Man be free in this Sense, he has no real Freedom, how much soever he may be at Liberty to act according to his Will.

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The book

Title as printed

Author

Jonathan Edwards 1703–1758

Printer

S. Kneeland

Year

1754

Size

[2], vi, [4], 294, [14] p. ; 20 cm. (8vo)

Words

127,416

Catalogue

Evans 7187

Text

Evans-TCP N05663

Passages

753

Sections

Title page

A careful and strict enquiry into the modern prevailing notions of that freedom of…

PART II. Wherein it is considered whether there is or can be any such Sort of FREEDOM OF WILL, as that wherein Arminians place the Essence of the Liberty of all moral Agents; and whether any such Thing ever was or can be conceived of.

SECTION I. Showing the manifest Inconsistence of the Arminian Notion of Liberty of Will, consisting in the Will's self-determining Power.

SECTION I. Shewing the manifest Inconsistence of the Arminian Notion of Liberty of Will, consisting in the Will's self-determining Power.

SECTION II. Several supposed Ways of evading the foregoing Reasoning, considered.

Transcription key

Reformers309

Puritans1,782

Westminster Assembly24

Evangelicals36

PART II. Wherein it is considered whether there is or can be any such Sort of FREEDOM OF WILL, as that wherein Arminians place the Essence of the Liberty of all moral Agents; and whether any such Thing ever was or can be conceived of.

SECTION I. Showing the manifest Inconsistence of the Arminian Notion of Liberty of Will, consisting in the Will's self-determining Power.

SECTION I. Shewing the manifest Inconsistence of the Arminian Notion of Liberty of Will, consisting in the Will's self-determining Power.

SECTION II. Several supposed Ways of evading the foregoing Reasoning, considered.

Transcription key