N05663:97

A careful and strict enquiry into the modern prevailing notions of that freedom of…

Name: A careful and strict enquiry into the modern prevailing notions of that freedom of…
Author: Jonathan Edwards

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]

Jonathan Edwards 1703–1758printed by S. Kneeland, 1754

[2], vi, [4], 294, [14] p. ; 20 cm. (8vo) · 127k words · Evans 7187

Title page: Princeton Theological Seminary Library copy, digitized by the Internet Archive (opens the Internet Archive in a new tab)

Part 1 › Section 4: Of the Distinction of natural and moral Necessity, and Inability.

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.

[ Earlier:94–109 of 753

:94p. 24–25

To give some Instances of this moral Inability.—A Woman of great Honour and Chastity may have a moral Inability to prostitute her self to her Slave. A Child of great Love and Duty to his Parents, may be unable to be willing to kill his Father. A very lascivious Man, in Case of certain Opportunities and Temptations, and in the Absence of such and such Restraints, may be unable to forbear gratifying his Lust. A Drunkard, under such and such Circumstances, may be unable to forbear taking of strong Drink. A very malicious Man may be unable to exert benevolent Acts to an Enemy, or to desire his Prosperity: Yea, some may be so under the Power of a vile Disposition, that they may be unable to love those who are most worthy of their Esteem & Affection. A strong Habit of Virtue and great Degree of Holiness may cause a moral Inability to love Wickedness in general, may render a ⟨p. 25⟩Man unable to take Complacence in wicked Persons or Things; or to choose a wicked Life, and prefer it to a virtuous Life. And on the other Hand, a great Degree of habitual Wickedness may lay a Man under an Inability to love and choose Holiness; and render him utterly unable to love an infinitely holy Being, or to choose and cleave to him as his chief Good.

To give some Instances of this moral Inability.—A Woman of great Honour and Chastity may have a moral Inability to prostitute her self to her Slave. A Child of great Love and Duty to his Parents, may be unable to be willing to kill his Father. A very lascivious Man, in Case of certain Opportunities and Temptations, and in the Absence of such and such Restraints, may be unable to forbear gratifying his Lust. A Drunkard, under such and such Circumstances, may be unable to forbear taking of strong Drink. A very malicious Man may be unable to exert benevolent Acts to an Enemy, or to desire his Prosperity: Yea, some may be so under the Power of a vile Disposition, that they may be unable to love those who are most worthy of their Esteem & Affection. A strong Habit of Virtue and great Degree of Holiness may cause a moral Inability to love Wickedness in general, may render a ⟨p. 25⟩Man unable to take Complacence in wicked Persons or Things; or to chuse a wicked Life, and prefer it to a vertuous Life. And on the other Hand, a great Degree of habitual Wickedness may lay a Man under an Inability to love and choose Holiness; and render him utterly unable to love an infinitely holy Being, or to choose and cleave to him as his chief Good.

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The book

Title as printed

Author

Jonathan Edwards 1703–1758

Printer

S. Kneeland

Year

1754

Size

[2], vi, [4], 294, [14] p. ; 20 cm. (8vo)

Words

127,416

Catalogue

Evans 7187

Text

Evans-TCP N05663

Passages

753

Sections

Title page

A careful and strict enquiry into the modern prevailing notions of that freedom of…

SECTION V. Concerning the Notion of Liberty, and of moral Agency.

PART II. Wherein it is considered whether there is or can be any such Sort of FREEDOM OF WILL, as that wherein Arminians place the Essence of the Liberty of all moral Agents; and whether any such Thing ever was or can be conceived of.

SECTION I. Showing the manifest Inconsistence of the Arminian Notion of Liberty of Will, consisting in the Will's self-determining Power.

SECTION I. Shewing the manifest Inconsistence of the Arminian Notion of Liberty of Will, consisting in the Will's self-determining Power.

Transcription key

Reformers309

Puritans1,782

Westminster Assembly24

Evangelicals36

SECTION V. Concerning the Notion of Liberty, and of moral Agency.

PART II. Wherein it is considered whether there is or can be any such Sort of FREEDOM OF WILL, as that wherein Arminians place the Essence of the Liberty of all moral Agents; and whether any such Thing ever was or can be conceived of.

SECTION I. Showing the manifest Inconsistence of the Arminian Notion of Liberty of Will, consisting in the Will's self-determining Power.

SECTION I. Shewing the manifest Inconsistence of the Arminian Notion of Liberty of Will, consisting in the Will's self-determining Power.

Transcription key