N05663:664
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.
There is no Inconsistence in supposing, that God may hate a Thing as it is in it self, and considered simply as Evil, and ⟨p. 263⟩yet that it may be his Will it should come to pass, considering all Consequences. I believe, there is no Person of good Understanding, who will venture to say, he is certain that it is impossible it should be best, taking in the whole Compass and Extent of Existence, and all Consequences in the endless Series of Events, that there should be such a Thing as moral Evil in the World. *And if so, it will certainly follow, ⟨p. 264⟩that an infinitely wise Being, who always chooses what is best, must choose that there should be such a Thing. And if so, then such a Choice is not an Evil, but a wise and holy Choice. And if so, then that Providence which is agreeable to such a Choice, is a wise and holy Providence. Men do will Sin as Sin, and so are the Authors and Actors of it: They love it as Sin, and for evil Ends and Purposes. God don't will Sin as Sin, or for the sake of any Thing evil; tho' it be his Pleasure so to order Things, that He permitting, Sin will come to pass; for the sake of the great Good that by his Disposal shall be the Consequence. His willing to order Things so that Evil should come to pass, for the sake of the contrary Good, is no Argument that He don't hate Evil, as Evil: And if so, then it is no Reason why he mayn't reasonably forbid Evil as Evil, and punish it as such.
There is no Inconsistence in supposing, that God may hate a Thing as it is in it self, and considered simply as Evil, and ⟨p. 263⟩yet that it may be his Will it should come to pass, considering all Consequences. I believe, there is no Person of good Understanding, who will venture to say, he is certain that it is impossible it should be best, taking in the whole Compass and Extent of Existence, and all Consequences in the endless Series of Events, that there should be such a Thing as moral Evil in the World. *And if so, it will certainly follow, ⟨p. 264⟩