N05663:460
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 there is a great and unknown Deceit, arising from the Ambiguity of the Phrase, sincere Endeavours. Indeed there is a vast Indistinctness & Unfixedness in most, or at least very many of the Terms used to express Things pertaining to moral and spiritual Matters. Whence arise innumerable Mistakes, strong Prejudices, inextricable Confusion, and endless Controversy.
The Word sincere is most commonly used to signify something that is good: Men are habituated to understand by it the same as honest and upright ▪ which Terms excite an Idea of something good in the strictest and highest Sense; good in ⟨p. 175⟩the Sight of Him who sees not only the outward Appearance, but the Heart. And therefore Men think that if a Person be sincere, he will certainly be accepted. If it be said that any one is sincere in his Endeavours, this suggests to Men's Minds as much, as that his Heart and Will is good, that there is no Defect of Duty, as to virtuous Inclination; he honestly and uprightly desires and endeavours to do as he is required; and this leads 'em to suppose that it would be very hard and unreasonable to punish him, only because he is unsuccessful in his Endeavours, the Thing endeavoured being beyond his Power.—Whereas it ought to be observed, that the Word sincere has these different Significations.
The Word sincere is most commonly used to signify something that is good: Men are habituated to understand by it the same as honest and upright ▪ which Terms excite an Idea of something good in the strictest and highest Sense; good in ⟨p. 175⟩the Sight of Him who sees not only the outward Appearance, but the Heart. And therefore Men think that if a Person be sincere, he will certainly be accepted. If it be said that any one is sincere in his Endeavours, this suggests to Men's Minds as much, as that his Heart and Will is good, that there is no Defect of Duty, as to vertuous Inclination; he honestly and uprightly desires and endeavours to do as he is required; and this leads 'em to suppose that it would be very hard and unreasonable to punish him, only because he is unsuccessful in his Endeavours, the Thing endeavoured being beyond his Power.—Whereas it ought to be observed, that the Word sincere has these different Significations.