N05663:146

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 2 › Section 3: Whether any Event whatsoever, and Volition in particular, can come to pass without a Ca…

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:143–158 of 753

:143p. 45

If it were so, that Things only of one Kind, viz. Acts of the Will, seemed to come to pass of Themselves; but those of this Sort in general came into Being thus; and it were an Event that was continual, and that happened in a Course, wherever were capable Subjects of such Events; this very Thing would demonstrate that there was some Cause of them, which made such a Difference between this Event and others, and that they did not really happen contingently. For Contingence is blind, and does not pick and choose for a particular Sort of Events. Nothing has no Choice. This No-Cause, which causes no Existence, can't cause the Existence which comes to pass, to be of one particular Sort only, distinguished from all others. Thus, that only one Sort of Matter drops out of the Heavens, even Water, and that this comes so often, so constantly and plentifully, all over the World, in all Ages, shows that there is some Cause or Reason of the fa•ling of Water out of the Heavens; and that something besides mere Contingence has a Hand in the Matter.

If it were so, that Things only of one Kind, viz. Acts of the Will, seem'd to come to pass of Themselves; but those of this Sort in general came into Being thus; and it were an Event that was continual, and that happen'd in a Course, wherever were capable Subjects of such Events; this very Thing would demonstrate that there was some Cause of them, which made such a Difference between this Event and others, and that they did not really happen contingently. For Contingence is blind, and does not pick and choose for a particular Sort of Events. Nothing has no Choice. This No-Cause, which causes no Existence, can't cause the Existence which comes to pass, to be of one particular Sort only, distinguish'd from all others. Thus, that only one Sort of Matter drops out of the Heavens, even Water, and that this comes so often, so constantly and plentifully, all over the World, in all Ages, shows that there is some Cause or Reason of the fa•ling of Water out of the Heavens; and that something besides meer Contingence has a Hand in the Matter.

:144p. 45–46

If we should suppose Non-entity to be about to bring forth; and Things were coming into Existence, without any Cause or Antecedent, on which the Existence, or Kind or Manner of Existence depends; or which could at all determine whether the Things should be; Stones, or Stars, or Beasts, or

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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…

SECTION IV. Whether Volition can arise without a Cause, through the Activity of the Nature of the Soul.

SECTION V. Showing, that if the Things asserted in these Evasions should be supposed to be true, they are altogether impertinent, and can't help the Cause of Arminian Liberty; And how (this being the State of the Case) Arminian Writers are obliged to talk inconsistently.

SECTION V. Shewing, that if the Things asserted in these Evasions should be supposed to be true, they are altogether impertinent, and can't help the Cause of Arminian Liberty; And how (this being the State of the Case) Arminian Writers are obliged to talk inconsistently.

Transcription key

Reformers309

Puritans1,782

Westminster Assembly24

Evangelicals36

SECTION IV. Whether Volition can arise without a Cause, through the Activity of the Nature of the Soul.

SECTION V. Showing, that if the Things asserted in these Evasions should be supposed to be true, they are altogether impertinent, and can't help the Cause of Arminian Liberty; And how (this being the State of the Case) Arminian Writers are obliged to talk inconsistently.

SECTION V. Shewing, that if the Things asserted in these Evasions should be supposed to be true, they are altogether impertinent, and can't help the Cause of Arminian Liberty; And how (this being the State of the Case) Arminian Writers are obliged to talk inconsistently.

Transcription key