N05663:116
A careful and strict enquiry into the modern prevailing notions of that freedom of…
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]
printed by S. Kneeland, 1754
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.
Therefore, if the Will determines all its own free Acts, the Soul determines all the free Acts of the Will in the Exercise of a Power of Willing and Choosing; or, which is the same Thing, it determines them of Choice; it determines it's own Acts by choosing it's own Acts. If the Will determines the Will, then Choice orders and determines the Choice: and Acts of Choice are subject to the Decision, and follow the Conduct of other Acts of Choice. And therefore if the Will determines all it's own free Acts, then every free Act of Choice is determined by a preceding Act of Choice, choosing that Act. And if that preceding Act of the Will or Choice be also a free Act, then by these Principles, in this Act too, the Will is Self-determined; that is, this, in like Manner, is an Act that the Soul voluntarily chooses; or which is the same Thing, it is an Act determined still by a preceding Act of the Will, choosing that. And the like may again be observed of the last mentioned Act. Which brings us directly to a Contradiction: for it supposes an Act of the Will preceding the first Act in the whole Train, directing and determining the rest; or a free Act of the Will, before the first free Act of the Will. Or else we must come at last to an Act of the Will, determining the consequent Acts, wherein the Will is not self-determined, and so is not a free Act, in this Notion of Freedom: But if the first Act in the Train, determining and fixing the rest, be not free, none of them all can be free; as is manifest at first View, but shall be demonstrated presently.
Therefore, if the Will determines all its own free Acts, the Soul determines all the free Acts of the Will in the Exercise of a Power of Willing and Chusing; or, which is the same Thing, it determines them of Choice; it determines it's own Acts by chusing it's own Acts. If the Will determines the Will, then Choice orders and determines the Choice: and Acts of Choice are subject to the Decision, and follow the Conduct of other Acts of Choice. And therefore if the Will determines all it's own free Acts, then every free Act of Choice is determined by a preceeding Act of Choice, chusing that Act. And if that preceeding Act of the Will or Choice be also a free Act, then by these Principles, in this Act too, the Will is Self-determined; that is, this, in like Manner, is an Act that the Soul voluntarily chuses; or which is the same Thing, it is an Act determined still by a preceeding Act of the Will, chusing that. And the like may again be observed of the last mentioned Act. Which brings us directly to a Contradiction: for it supposes an Act of the Will preceeding the first Act in the whole Train, directing and determining the rest; or a free Act of the Will, before the first free Act of the Will. Or else we must come at last to an Act of the Will, determining the consequent Acts, wherein the Will is not self-determined, and so is not a free Act, in this Notion of Freedom: But if the first Act in the Train, determining and fixing the rest, be not free, none of them all can be free; as is manifest at first View, but shall be demonstrated presently.