N05663:478
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.
The same Thing follows from their Doctrine concerning the Inconsistence of Necessity with Liberty, Praise, Dispraise, &c. None will deny, that Bias and Inclination may be so strong as to be invincible, and leave no Possibility of the Will's determining contrary to it; and so be attended with Necessity. This Dr. Whitby allows concerning the Will of God, Angels and glorified Saints, with Respect to Good; and the Will of Devils with Respect to Evil. Therefore if Necessity be inconsistent with Liberty; then when fixed Inclination is to such a Degree of Strength, it utterly excludes all Virtue, Vice, Praise ⟨p. 182⟩or Blame. And if so, then the nearer Habits are to this Strength, the more do they impede Liberty, and so diminish Praise and Blame. If very strong Habits destroy Liberty, the lesser Ones proportionably hinder it, according to their Degree of Strength. And therefore it will follow, that then is the Act most virtuous or vicious, when performed without any Inclination or habitual Bias at all; because it is then performed with most Liberty.
The same Thing follows from their Doctrine concerning the Inconsistence of Necessity with Liberty, Praise, Dispraise, &c. None will deny, that Bias and Inclination may be so strong as to be invincible, and leave no Possibility of the Will's determining contrary to it; and so be attended with Necessity. This Dr. Whitby allows concerning the Will of God, Angels and glorified Saints, with Respect to Good; and the Will of Devils with Respect to Evil. Therefore if Necessity be inconsistent with Liberty; then when fix'd Inclination is to such a Degree of Strength, it utterly excludes all Vertue, Vice, Praise ⟨p. 182⟩or Blame. And if so, then the nearer Habits are to this Strength, the more do they impede Liberty, and so diminish Praise and Blame. If very strong Habits destroy Liberty, the lesser Ones proportionably hinder it, according to their Degree of Strength. And therefore it will follow, that then is the Act most vertuous or vicious, when performed without any Inclination or habitual Bias at all; because it is then performed with most Liberty.