N05663:81
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.
These Things may be sufficient for the explaining of the Terms Necessary and Necessity, as Terms of Art, and as often used by Metaphysicians, and controversial Writers in Divinity, in a Sense diverse from, and more extensive than their original Meaning, in common Language, which was before explained.
These Things may be sufficient for the explaining of the Terms Necessary and Necessity, as Terms of Art, and as often used by Metaphysicians, and controversial Writers in Divinity, in a Sense diverse from, and more extensive than their original Meaning, in common Language, which was before explain'd.
What has been said to show the Meaning of the Terms Necessary and Necessity, may be sufficient for the Explaining of the opposite Terms, Impossible and Impossibility. For there is no Difference, but only the latter are negative, and the former positive. Impossibility is the same as negative Necessity, or a Necessity that a Thing should not be. And it is used as a Term of Art in a like Diversity from the original and vulgar Meaning, with Necessity.
What has been said to shew the Meaning of the Terms Necessary and Necessity, may be sufficient for the Explaining of the opposite Terms, Impossible and Impossibility. For there is no Difference, but only the latter are negative, and the former positive. Impossibility is the same as negative Necessity, or a Necessity that a Thing should not be. And it is used as a Term of Art in a like Diversity from the original and vulgar Meaning, with Necessity.
The same may be observed concerning the Words Unable, and Inability. It has been observed, that these Terms, in their original and common Use, have Relation to Will and Endeavour, as supposable in the Case, and as insufficient for the bringing to pass the Thing willed and endeavoured. But as these Terms are often used by Philosophers and Divines, especially Writers on Controversies about Free-Will, they are used in a quite different, and far more extensive Sense and are applied to many Cases wherein no Will or Endeavour