N05663:191
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 7: Concerning the Notion of Liberty of Will consisting in Indifference.
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.
This is grossly absurd; for the Strength of the Will. […] it •e never so great, does not at all enable it to a•t one Way, and not the contrary Way, both at the same Tim• ▪ […] gives it no such Sov•reign•• and Command, •s to […] ⟨p. 66⟩self to prefer and not to prefer at the same Time, or to choose contrary to it's own present Choice.
This is grosly absur'd; for the Strength of the Will. 〈…〉 it •e never so great, does not at all enable it to a•t one Way, and not the contrary Way, both at the same Tim• ▪ 〈…〉 gives it no such Sov•reign•• and Command, •s to 〈…〉 ⟨p. 66⟩self to prefer and not to prefer at the same Time, or to chuse contrary to it's own present Choice.
Therefore, if there be the least Degree of antecedent Preponderation of the Will, it must be perfectly abolished, before the Will can be at Liberty to determine it self the contrary Way. And if the Will determines it self the same Way, it was not a free Determination, because the Will is not wholly at Liberty in so doing: It's Determination is not altogether from it self, but it was partly determined before, in it's prior Inclination: And all the Freedom the Will exercises in the Case, is in an Increase of Inclination, which it gives it self, over and above what it had by foregoing Bias; so much is from it self, and so much is from perfect Indifference. For tho' the Will had a previous Tendency that Way, yet as to that additional Degree of Inclination, it had no Tendency. Therefore the previous Tendency is of no Consideration, with Respect to the Act wherein the Will is free. So that it comes to the same Thing which was said at first, that as to the Act of the Will, wherein the Will is free, there must be perfect Indifference, or Equilibrium.