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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.
And in Isai. l. 5—9. we have the Messiah expressing his Assurance, that God would help Him, by so opening his Ear, or inclining his Heart to God's Commandments, that He should not be rebellious, but should persevere, and not apostatise, or turn his Back: That through God's Help, He should be immovable, in a Way of Obedience, under the great Trials of Reproach and Suffering he should meet with; setting his Face like a Flint: So that He knew He should not be ashamed, or frustrated in his Design; and finally should be approved and justified, as having done his Work faithfully. The Lord hath opened mine Ear; so that I was not rebellious, neither turned away my Back: I gave my Back to the Smiters, and my Cheeks to them that plucked off the Hair; I hid not my Face from Shame and Spitting. For the Lord God will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my Face as a Flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed. He is near that justifieth me: who will contend with me? Let us stand together. Who is mine Adversary? Let him come near to me. Behold the Lord God will help me: who is He that shall condemn me! Lo, they shall all was old as a Garment, the Moth shall eat them up.
2. The same Thing is evident from all the Promises which God made to the Messiah, of his future Glory, Kingdom and Success, in his Office and Character of a Mediator: which Glory could not have been obtained, if his Holiness had failed, and he had been guilty of Sin. God's absolute Promise of any Things makes the Things promised necessary, and their failing to take Place absolutely impossible: and in like Manner it makes those Things necessary, on which the Thing promised depends, and without which it can't take Effect. Therefore it appears, that it was utterly impossible that Christ's Holiness should fail, from such absolute Promises as those, Psal. cx.4. The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a Priest forever, after the Order of Melchizedek. And from every other Promise in that Psalm, contained in each Verse of it. And