CAREFUL AND STRICT INQUIRY INTO THE MODERN PREVAILING NOTIONS OF THAT FREEDOM OF WILL, WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO BE ESSENTIAL ΤΟ MORAL AGENCY, VIRTUE AND VICE, BY JONATHAN EDWARDS, A. M. · Rom. ix. 16. It is not of him that willeth. ALBANY : PRINTED FOR AND SOLD BY WHITING, BACKUS & WHITING, SOLD ALSO BY THEM AT THEIR STORES IN SCHENECTADY, UTICA AND CANANDAIGUA. THE PREFACE. MANY find much fault with the calling profeffing Christians, that differ one from another in fome matters of opinion, by diftin&t names; efpecially calling them by the names of particular men, who have diftinguished themselves as maintainers and promoters of those opinions; as the calling fome profeffing Chriftians Arminians. from Arminius; others Arians, from Arius; others Socinians, from Socinus, and the like. They think it unjuft in itself; as it seems to fuppofe and fuggeft, that the perfons marked out by these names, received thofe doctrines which they entertain, out of regard to, and reliance on, thofe men after whom they are named; as though they made them their rule; in the fame manner, as the followers of CHRIST are called Chriftians; after his name, whom they regard and depend upon, as their great Head and Rule. Whereas, this is an unjuft and groundless imputation on those that go under the fore-mentioned denominations. Thus (fay they) there is not the leaft ground to suppose that the chief Divines, who embrace the fcheme of doctrine which is, by many, called Arminianifm, believe it the more, because Arminius believed it: and that there is no reason to think any other, than that they fincerely and impartially ftudy the holy Scriptures, and enquire after the mind of Chrift, with as much judgment and fincerity, as any of those that call them by these names; that they feek after truth, and are not careful whether they think exactly as Arminius did; yea, that, in fome things, they actually differ from him. |