N05663:424
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 3 › Section 4: Command, and Obligation to Obedience, consistent with moral Inability to obey.
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.
Corol. 2. It also follows from what has been observed, That if there be any Sort of Act, or Exertion of the Soul, prior to all free Acts of the Will or Acts of Choice in the Case, directing and determining what the Acts of the Will shall be; that Act or Exertion of the Soul can't properly be subject to any Command or Precept, in any Respect whatsoever, either directly or indirectly, immediately or remotely. Such Acts can't be subject to Commands directly, because they are no Acts of the Will; being by the Supposition prior to all Acts of the Will, determining and giving Rise to all it's Acts: They not being Acts of the Will, there can be in them no Consent to, or Compliance with any Command. Neither can they be subject to Command or Precept indirectly or remotely; for they are not so much as the Effects or Consequences of the Will, being prior to all its Acts. So that if there be any Obedience in that original Act of the Soul, determining all Volitions, it is an Act of Obedience wherein the Will has no Concern at all; it preceding every Act of Will. And therefore, if the Soul either obeys or disobeys in this Act, it is wholly involuntarily; there is no willing Obedience or Rebellion, no Compliance or Opposition of the Will in the Affair: and what Sort of Obedience or Rebellion is this!
Corol. 2. It also follows from what has been observed, That if there be any Sort of Act, or Exertion of the Soul, prior to all free Acts of the Will or Acts of Choice in the Case, directing and determining what the Acts of the Will shall be; that Act or Exertion of the Soul can't properly be subject to any Command or Precept, in any Respect whatsoever, either directly or indirectly, immediately or remotely. Such Acts can't be subject to Commands directly, because they are no Acts of the Will; being by the Supposition prior to all Acts of the Will, determining and giving Rise to all it's Acts: They not being Acts of the Will, there can be in them no Consent to, or Compliance with any Command. Neither can they be subject to Command or Precept indirectly or remotely; for they are not so much as the Effects or Consequences of the Will, being prior to all its Acts. So that if there be any Obedience in that original Act of the Soul, determining all Volitions, it is an Act of Obedience wherein the Will has no Concern at all; it preceeding every Act of Will. And therefore, if the Soul either obeys or disobeys in this Act, it is wholly involuntarily; there is no willing Obedience or Rebellion, no Compliance or Opposition of the Will in the Affair: and what Sort of Obedience or Rebellion is this!