N05663:27
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.
If any think 'tis a more perfect Definition of the Will, to say, that it is that by which the Soul either chooses or refuses; I am content with it: tho' I think that 'tis enough to say, It's that by which the Soul chooses: For in every Act of Will whatsoever, the Mind chooses one Thing rather than another; it chooses something rather than the Contrary, or rather than the Want or Non-Existence of that Thing. So in every Act of Refusal, the Mind chooses the Absence of the Thing refused; The Positive and the Negative are set before the Mind for it's Choice, and it chooses the Negative; and the Mind's making it's Choice in that Case is properly the Act of the Will: The Will's determining between the two is a voluntary determining; but that is the same Thing as making a Choice. So that whatever Names we call the Act of the Will by, Choosing, Refusing, Approving, Disapproving, Liking, Disliking, Embracing, Rejecting, Determining, Directing, Commanding, Forbidding, Inclining or being averse, a being pleased or displeased with; all may be reduced to this of Choosing. For the Soul to act voluntarily, is evermore to act electively.
If any think 'tis a more perfect Definition of the Will, to say, that it is that by which the Soul either chuses or refuses; I am content with it: tho' I think that 'tis enough to say, It's that by which the Soul chuses: For in every Act of Will whatsoever, the Mind chuses one Thing rather than another; it chuses something rather than the Contrary, or rather than the Want or Non-Existence of that Thing. So in every Act of Refusal, the Mind chuses the Absence of the Thing refused; The Positive and the Negative are set before the Mind for it's Choice, and it chuses the Negative; and the Mind's making it's Choice in that Case is properly the Act of the Will: The Will's determining between the two is a voluntary determining; but that is the same Thing as making a Choice. So that whatever Names we call the Act of the Will by, Chusing, Refusing, Approving, Disapproving, Liking, Disliking, Embracing, Rejecting, Determining, Directing, Commanding, Forbidding, Inclining or being averse, a being pleased or displeas'd with; all may be reduced to this of Chusing. For the Soul to act voluntarily, is evermore to act electively.
Mr. Locke