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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.
and so, that God gives Virtue, Holiness and Conversion to Sinners, by an Influence which determines the Effect, in such a Manner, that the Effect will infallibly follow by a moral Necessity; which is what Calvinists mean by efficacious and irresistible Grace.
and so, that God gives Vertue, Holiness and Conversion to Sinners, by an Influence which determines the Effect, in such a Manner, that the Effect will infallibly follow by a moral Necessity; which is what Calvinists mean by efficacious and irresistible Grace.
The Things which have been said, do likewise answer the chief Objections against the Doctrine of God's universal and absolute Decree, and afford infallible Proof of that Doctrine • and of the Doctrine of absolute, eternal, personal Election in particular. The main Objections against these Doctrines are, that they infer a Necessity of the Volitions of moral Agents, and of the future moral State and Acts of Men; and so are not consistent with those eternal Rewards and Punishments, which are connected with Conversion and Impenitence; nor can be made to agree with the Reasonableness and Sincerity of the Precepts, Calls, Counsels, Warnings and Expostulations of the Word of God; or with the various Methods and Means of Grace, which God uses with Sinners, to bring 'em to Repentance; and the whole of that moral Government, which God exercises towards Mankind: And that they infer an Inconsistence between the secret and revealed Will of God; and make God the Author of Sin. But all these Things have been obviated in the preceding Discourse. And the certain Truth of these Doctrines, concerning God's eternal Purposes, will follow from what was just now observed concerning God's universal Providence; how it infallibly follows from what has been proved, that God orders all Events, and the Volitions of moral Agents amongst others, by such a decisive Disposal, that the Events are infallibly connected with his Disposal. For if God disposes all Events, so that the infallible Existence of the Events is decided by his Providence, then he doubtless thus orders and decides Things knowingly, and on Design. God don't do what he does, nor order what he orders, accidentally and unawares; either