N05663:293
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 11: The Evidence of GOD's certain Foreknowledge of the Volitions of moral Agents.
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.
4. Unless God foreknows the future Acts of moral Agents, all the Prophecies we have in Scripture concerning the great Antichristian Apostasy; the Rise, Reign, wicked Qualities and Deeds of the Man of Sin, and his Instruments and Adherents; the Extent and long Continuance of his Dominion, his Influence on the Minds of Princes and others, to corrupt them, and draw them away to Idolatry, and other foul Vices; his great and cruel Persecutions; the Behaviour of the Saints under these great Temptations, &c. &c. I say, unless the Volitions of moral Agents are foreseen, all these Prophecies are uttered without knowing the Things foretold.
4. Unless God foreknows the future Acts of moral Agents, all the Prophecies we have in Scripture concerning the great Antichristian Apostacy; the Rise, Reign, wicked Qualities and Deeds of the Man of Sin, and his Instruments and Adherents; the Extent and long Continuance of his Dominion, his Influence on the Minds of Princes and others, to corrupt them, and draw them away to Idolatry, and other foul Vices; his great and cruel Persecutions; the Behaviour of the Saints under these great Temptations, &c. &c. I say, unless the Volitions of moral Agents are foreseen, all these Prophecies are uttered without knowing the Things foretold.
The Predictions relating to this great Apostasy are all of a moral Nature, relating to Men's Virtues and Vices, and their Exercises, Fruits and Consequences, and Events depending on them; and are very particular; and most of them often repeated, with many precise Characteristics, Descriptions, and Limitations of Qualities, Conduct, Influence, Effects, Extent, Duration, Periods, Circumstances, final Issue, &c. which it would be very long to mention particularly. And to suppose, all these are predicted by God without any certain Knowledge of the future moral Behaviour of free Agents, would be to the utmost Degree absurd.
The Predictions relating to this great Apostacy are all of a moral Nature, relating to Men's Vertues and Vices, and their Exercises, Fruits and Consequences, and Events depending on them; and are very particular; and most of them often repeated, with many precise Characteristicks, Descriptions, and Limitations of Qualities, Conduct, Influence, Effects, Extent, Duration, Periods, Circumstances, final Issue, &c. which it would be very long to mention particularly. And to suppose, all these are predicted by God without any certain Knowledge of the future moral Behaviour of free Agents, would be to the utmost Degree absurd.