N05663:238
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.
But if every Act of the Will is excited by a Motive, then that Motive is the Cause or the Act of the Will. If the Acts of the Will are excited by Motives, then Motives are the Causes of their being excited; or, which is the same Thing, the Cause of their being put forth into Act and Existence. And if so, the Existence of the Acts of the Will is properly the Effect of their Motives. Motives do Nothing as Motives or Inducements, but by their Influence; and so much as is done by their Influence, is the Effect of them. For that is t•e Notion of an Effect, something that is brought to pass by the Influence of another Thing.
But if every Act of the Will is excited by a Motive, then th•t Motive is the Cause or the Act of the Will. If the Acts of the Will are excited by Motives, then Motives are the Causes of their being excited; or, which is the same Thing, the Cause of their being put forth into Act and Existence. And if so, the Existence of the Acts of the Will is properly the Effect of their Motives. Motives do Nothing as Motives or Inducements, but by their Influence; and so much as is done by their Influence, is the Effect of them. For that is t•e Notion of an Effect, something that is bro't to pass by the Influence of another Thing.
And […] Volitions are properly the Effects of their Motives, then th•y […] necessarily connected with their Motives. Every […] being, as was proved before, necessarily […] that which is the proper Ground and Reason […]. Thus it is manifest, that Volition is necessary, ⟨p. 85⟩and is not from any Self-determining Power in the Will: The Volition which is caused by previous Motive and Inducement, is not caused by the Will exercising a sovereign Power over it self, to determine, cause and excite Volitions in it self. This is not consistent with the Will's acting in a State of Indifference and Equilibrium, to determine it self to a Preference; for the Way in which Motives operate, is by biassing the Will, and giving it a certain Inclination or Preponderation one Way.