Edwards' on Impeccability and Hardening - Arguments against the link between LFW and Responsibility
In part 3, scections III.I , III.II , and III.III , Edwards argues against the link between LFW and responsibility by appealing to divine impeccability as well as judicial hardening. He argues if God cannot sin, and a hardened man cannot do good, neither has freewill. But God is still worthy of praise and the hardened sinner is still to blame. So praise and blame to not require freewill. The response is fairly straight forward. We agree that God cannot sin, and that sinners, without grace, cannot choose good. But does this mean that neither has LFW ? No. Recall that LFW does not mean the ability to choose between good and evil. ( link ) God chooses between good alternatives and sinners, without softening grace, choose between evil options. Divine Impeccability Imagine you dig $20 out of your couch cushion. With that $20 you could A) give it to church, or B) buy your mom flowers If you were impeccable, you could not C) buy drugs to get high. But you could still choose between th...