Jonathan Edwards Center at Yale University

PROPOSALS for Printing by Subscription, in one Volume Octavo,
A Treatise Intitled,

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 Punish-

ment, Praise and Blame.

W HEREIN are examined the main Foundations of the whole Arminian Scheme, as opposed to the Doctrines main-

tain’d by those that are called Calvinistic Divines, and the main Grounds of the pretended Demonstrations in which

the Defenders of that Scheme have so long gloried & vaunted themselves, insulting those of a contrary Perswasion.

The particular Arguments and Reasonings of their Authors who have been most celebrated, and esteem’d their greatest

Masters of Reason, are humbly, yet with careful Exactness enquired into, with their chief Objections and Exclamations

against Calvinists ; and particularly their boasted Arguments from Common Sense , and their Pretences that Calvinistic

Doctrines are supported by Nothing but abstruse, scholastic and metaphysical Subtilties and Distinctions, and unintelli-

gible Jargon, contrary to the plain Dictates of Reason, and the natural Notions of Mankind.

In this Discourse, Endeavours are used particularly to shew the Nature of human Will , and the Manner of its De-

termination ; the true Foundation and Essence of that moral Agency which renders Men the proper Subjects of moral

Government, Commands, Counsels, Invitations, Perswasions, Promises, Threatnings, Praise, Dispraise and Retribution,

according to the common Sense of Mankind, and the most demonstrable Evidence; shewing the palpable Absurdity of

the modern Notions of these Things, their manifold Inconsistence with themselves, and with common Sense.

Among many other Things here treated of, the following Particulars are distinctly handled ------ The Nature of

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Necessity and Contingence, Ability and Inability ; The Nature of Liberty ; How these Terms are used by Philosophers,

and how in common Speech ; The Distinction of natural and moral Ability , Inability and Necessity ; The Nature of

physical, unintelligible and inconsistent Notions of them. The Nature of GOD’s Fore-knowledge; The Evidence of

his certain Fore-knowledge of all future Events; Whether infallible Prescience don’t infer a Necessity of the Volitions of

moral Agents, as much as such a Decree as Calvinists suppose; The Nature of the Liberty of the divine Being, and that

of the Man C hrist J esus , and their Consequences ; The Consequences of such an Inability of fallen Man as Arminians

confess ; What Inability properly renders Persons not the Subjects of Precept, Exhortation, Invitation, &c. and what

not, with the Reasons ; The Nature of Sincerity of Will and Endeavour; What Excuses in the Non-performance of a

good Thing required, and what not; Concerning the Agreement of the Doctrine of Calvinists with the Stoical Fate and

Hobbistical Necessity ; The Grand Objection against the Calvinistic Scheme, that it makes GOD the Author of Sin; The

Nature of the divine Sovereignty in disposing Events, and how it reaches the Acts of moral Agents, with the Reasons;

The Cavils of Arminians concerning the Distinction Calvinists suppose between GOD’s secret and revealed Will, and con-

cerning the Calvinistic Doctrines being against the moral Perfections of GOD, and their Tendency to Libertinism and

Infidelity ; Concerning the Way of Arminians proving their Opinions, and confuting the Calvinists by Scripture, &c. &c.