N05663:541
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.
Hence our Idea's of Excusableness or Faultlesness is tied to these Terms and Phrases by a strong Habit, which is begun in Childhood as soon as we begin to speak, and grows up with us, and is strengthened by constant Use and Custom, the Connection growing stronger and stronger.
Hence our Idea's of Excusableness or Faultlesness is tied to these Terms and Phrases by a strong Habit, which is begun in Childhood as soon as we begin to speak, and grows up with us, and is strengthned by constant Use and Custom, the Connection growing stronger and stronger.
The habitual Connection which is in Men's Minds between Blamelessness and those forementioned Terms, Must, cannot, unable, necessary, impossible, unavoidable &c. becomes very strong; because as soon as ever Men begin to use Reason and Speech, they have Occasion to excuse themselves, from the natural Necessity signified by these Terms, in numerous ⟨p. 209⟩Instances— I can't do it— I could not help it.—And all Mankind have constant and daily Occasion to use such Phrases in this Sense, to excuse themselves and others in almost all the Concerns of Life, with Respect to Disappointments, and Things that happen which concern and affect us and others, that are hurtful, or disagreeable to us or them, or Things desirable that we or others fail of.
The habitual Connection which is in Men's Minds between Blamelesness and those foremention'd Terms, Must, cannot, unable, necessary, impossible, unavoidable &c. becomes very strong; because as soon as ever Men begin to use Reason and Speech, they have Occasion to excuse themselves, from the natural Necessity signified by these Terms, in numerous ⟨p. 209⟩Instances— I can't do it— I could not help it.—And all Mankind have constant and daily Occasion to use such Phrases in this Sense, to excuse themselves and others in almost all the Concerns of Life, with Respect to Disappointments, and Things that happen which concern and affect us and others, that are hurtful, or disagreable to us or them, or Things desirable that we or others fail of.