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Jan.y. 7th 1816 [1817]
I have been reading Rev. Jonathan Edwards
[Jonathan
Edwards (1703-1758)] on the will. I do not wonder that persons previously biased
in favour of Calvinism by education, and strongly
inclining to it, from interest, should be captivated by the
ingenious subtlety of his arguments. He strongly contends
for the moral necessity of all actions, both virtuous and
vicious, from the inseparable connection of motives and
volition, and from the moral inability of every man,
to do otherwise than he does. He, however, maintains, in
theory, the freedom of man, in doing as he pleases. The
moving cause, of this moral inability, he studiously
conceals from his reason; but, by tracing his principles to
their source, it will be found that the first cause of this
capital defect of our will, originates immediately from Adam
and he sinned, and thereby brought this moral inability upon
his posterity from the same necessity, that an effect
follows its cause, namely, because God determined he should.
If, indeed, we had brought this inability upon ourselves, by our own voluntary act, unnecessarily performed, we might
then be reasonably and justly responsible, for all the
wickedness, resulting from such inability to good. But this
is not so, even upon his own hypothesis. How then can we be
justly accountable for acting under the influence of
invincible inclination, which is entailed upon us totally indepent [independent] of our own act of choice? Choosing
good or evil, under such circumstances, is no more an [sic] free
act, than the circulation of the blood, through the arteries
and veins. For this supposed choice, is entirely under the
controlling influence of extraneous motives, and
preponderating causes, which are as totally independent of
our volitions as was that adamic sin, which is supposed to
be the immediate, operating cause of our present
disinclination, (moral inability) to good. So that,
while this system of Mr Edwards, professes to allow man the
dignity of the rational, free, moral agent, yet, when rightly
understood, it fully reduces him to the level of inert
matter, totally incapably acting, especially in the first
volition of his mind, until he is propelled either by the
influence of an external motive, or by the immediate
operation of an Almighty energy. This
being the case, how can rational responsibility be attached
to man? If God see fit to hide the motive to good, from the
sinner's mind, or refuse to influence him by his own
immediate agency, how can he choose the good, and refuse the
evil? Indeed, I consider the whole book, but an abortive
attempt, to render Calvinism tolerable; to make it appear
consistent with the moral attribution of God, and the just
responsibility of man. The ingenuity of its author, will not
be questioned; and if his respectable abilities had been
brought to bear upon the solid anvil of truth, his sparkling
genius would have shed a luster far more bright, than what
they have in this attempt, to drain the ditch of error from
the stagnant waters which have been flowing into it, ever
since the days of Augustine. Which The third and
four years of my travels on the Rhinebeck district
[1815-1816], we had some very promising revivals of
religion. The pure doctrines of the gospel shone with
peculiar luster, and many were captivated with their divine
beauty and excellence. Places, where before our preachers had
no access, were visited by them, doors were opened for
preaching and were filled with attentive hearers. — And
although we felt ourselves under obligation to preach
pointedly against the distinguished tenets of Hopkinsianism,
nevertheless prejudice gradually declined, and our doctrines
met with a more favourable reception than formerly. In many
instances the presbyterian meeting houses were opened,
without our request, and filled with hearers. I firmly
believe that, if prudent measures are pursued, with
Christian candor, fortitude and perseverance, New England
will yet be the glory of the Church; for primitive purity
and simplicity. The habits, the prepossessions, and the
education of the people, are all favourable to Christianity;
and if that strong bias which they now so generally have for
the peculiarities of Calvinism, were once removed, a window
would be opened for the light of evangelical truth to pour
into their understanding; conversions would soon be
multiplied; pure and undefiled religion would rapidly and
extensively spread among them.
The
Christian affection which the people very generally
manifested towards me, has bound them strongly to my heart.
I certainly laboured with delight among them; and was
happyly [sic] united to the Preachers who were in the
District.
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