N05663:127
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
Part 2 › Section 2: Several supposed Ways of evading the foregoing Reasoning, considered.
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.
If it should be said, That altho' it be true, if the Soul determines it's own Volitions, it must be active in so doing, and the Determination it self must be an Act; yet there is no Need of supposing this Act to be prior to the Volition determined; But the Will or Soul determines the Act of the Will in Willing; It determines it's own Volition, in the very Act of Volition; It directs and limits the Act of the Will, causing it to be so and not otherwise, in exerting the Act, without any preceding Act to exert that. If any should say after this Manner, they must mean one of these three Things: Either, (1.) That the determining Act, tho' it be before the Act determined in the Order of Nature, yet is not before it in the Order of Time. Or (2) That the determining Act is not before the Act determined, either in the Order of Time or Nature, nor is truly distinct from it; But that the Soul's determining the Act of Volition is the same Thing with it's exerting the Act of Volition: The Mind's exerting such a particular Act, is it's causing and determining the Act. Or, (3.) That Volition has no Cause, and is no Effect; but comes into Existence, with such a particular Determination, without any Ground or Reason of it's Existence and Determination▪ — I shall consider these distinctly.
If it should be said, That altho' it be true, if the Soul determines it's own Volitions, it must be active in so doing, and the Determination it self must be an Act; yet there is no Need of supposing this Act to be prior to the Volition determined; But the Will or Soul determines the Act of the Will in Willing; It determines it's own Volition, in the very Act of Volition; It directs and limits the Act of the Will, causing it to be so and not otherwise, in exerting the Act, without any preceeding Act to exert that. If any should say after this Manner, they must mean one of these three Things: Either, (1.) That the determining Act, tho' it be before the Act determined in the Order of Nature, yet is not before it in the Order of Time. Or (2) That the determining Act is not before the Act determined, either in the Order of Time or Nature, nor is truly distinct from it; But that the Soul's determining the Act of Volition is the same Thing with it's exerting the Act of Volition: The Mind's exerting such a particular Act, is it's causing and determining the Act. Or, (3.) That Volition has no Cause, and is no Effect; but comes into Existence, with such a particular Determination, without any Ground or Reason of it's Existence and Determination▪ — I shall consider these distinctly.