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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.
TO suppose such a Freedom of Will, as Arminians talk of, to be requisite to Virtue and Vice, is many Ways contrary to common Sense.
TO suppose such a Freedom of Will, as Arminians talk of, to be requisite to Vertue and Vice, is many Ways contrary to common Sense.
If Indifference belongs to Liberty of Will, as Arminians suppose, and it be essential to a virtuous Action that it be performed in a State of Liberty, as they also suppose; it will follow, that it is essential to a virtuous Action that it be performed in a State of Indifference: And if it be performed in a State of Indifference, then doubtless it must be performed in the Time of Indifference. And so it will follow, that in order to the Virtuousness of an Act, the Heart must be indifferent in the Time of the Performance of that Act, and the more indifferent and cold the Heart is with Relation to the Act which is performed, so much the better; because the Act is performed with so much the greater Liberty. But is this agreeable to the Light of Nature? Is it agreeable to the Notions which Mankind, in all Ages, have of Virtue, that it lies in that which is contrary to Indifference, even in the Tendency and Inclination of the Heart to virtuous Action; and that the stronger the Inclination, and so the further from Indifference, the more virtuous the Heart, and so much the more praise-worthy the Act which proceeds from it?
If Indifference belongs to Liberty of Will, as Arminians suppose, and it be essential to a vertuous Action that it be performed in a State of Liberty, as they also suppose; it will follow, that it is essential to a vertuous Action that it be performed in a State of Indifference: And if it be performed in a State of Indifference, then doubtless it must be performed in the Time of Indifference. And so it will follow, that in order to the Vertuousness of an Act, the Heart must be indifferent in the Time of the Performance of that Act, and the more indifferent and cold the Heart is with Relation to the Act which is performed, so much the better; because the Act is performed with so much the greater Liberty. But is this agreable to the Light of Nature? Is it agreable to the Notions which Mankind, in all Ages, have of Vertue, that it lies in that which is contrary to Indifference, even in the Tendency and Inclination of the Heart to vertuous Action; and that the stronger the Inclination, and so the further from Indifference, the more vertuous the Heart, and so much the more praise-worthy the Act which proceeds from it?