Doctrine of the WillChapter XVIIReading editionChapter navigation119 reading sectionsGo to chapterChoose a chapter…Front matterDEDICATORY PREFACE.Chapter I · IMPORTANCE OF THE SUBJECT.TRUE AND FALSE METHODS OF INQUIRY.COMMON FAULT.PROPER METHOD OF REASONING FROM REVELATION TO THE SYSTEM OF MENTAL PHILOSOPHY THEREIN PRE-SUPPOSED.ERRORS OF METHOD.Chapter IICLASSIFICATION VERIFIED.Chapter IIISEC. I. TERMS DEFINED.CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ABOVE DEFINITIONS.MOTIVE DEFINED.SEC. II. LIBERTY, AS OPPOSED TO NECESSITY, THE CHARACTERISTIC OF THE WILL.OBJECTIONS TO THE DOCTRINE OF NECESSITY.DOCTRINE OF LIBERTY—DIRECT ARGUMENT.OBJECTION IN BAR OF AN APPEAL TO CONSCIOUSNESS.DOCTRINE OF LIBERTY ARGUED FROM THE EXISTENCE OF THE IDEA OF LIBERTY IN ALL MINDS.THE DOCTRINE OF LIBERTY, THE DOCTRINE OF THE BIBLE.SEC. 3. VIEWS OF NECESSITARIANS.NECESSITY AS HELD BY NECESSITARIANS.THE TERM, CERTAINTY, AS USED BY NECESSITARIANS.SINFUL INCLINATIONS.NECESSARIAN DOCTRINE OF LIBERTY.GROUND WHICH NECESSITARIANS ARE BOUND TO TAKE IN RESPECT TO THE DOCTRINE OF ABILITY.DOCTRINE OF NECESSITY, AS REGARDED BY NECESSITARIANS OF DIFFERENT SCHOOLS.Chapter IVSTRONGEST MOTIVE—REASONING IN A CIRCLE.Chapter VSECTION I.PHRASE DEFINED.MEANING OF THIS PHRASE ACCORDING TO EDWARDS.THE WILL NOT ALWAYS AS THE DICTATES OF THE INTELLIGENCE.THE WILL NOT ALWAYS AS THE STRONGEST DESIRE.THE WILL NOT ALWAYS AS THE INTELLIGENCE AND SENSIBILITY COMBINED.NECESSITARIAN ARGUMENT.MOTIVES CAUSE ACTS OF WILL, IN WHAT SENSE.OBJECTION—PARTICULAR VOLITION, HOW ACCOUNTED FOR.FACTS LIKE THE ABOVE WRONGLY ACCOUNTED FOR.CHOOSING BETWEEN OBJECTS KNOWN TO BE EQUAL—HOW TREATED BY NECESSITARIANS.PALPABLE MISTAKE.Chapter VIDANGER IN REASONING FROM THE MANNER IN WHICH WE FOREKNOW EVENTS TO THAT OF DIVINE PRESCIENCE.MISTAKE RESPECTING THE DIVINE PRESCIENCE.SINGULAR INCONSISTENCY OF NECESSITARIANS.NECESSITARIAN OBJECTION TO THE ABOVE ARGUMENT.Chapter VIIGODS PURPOSES CONSISTENT WITH THE LIBERTY OF CREATURES.SENSES IN WHICH GOD PURPOSED MORAL GOOD AND EVIL.DEATH OF THE INCORRIGIBLE PREORDAINED BUT NOT WILLED.GOD NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEATH OF THE INCORRIGIBLE.SIN A MYSTERY.CONCLUSION FROM THE ABOVE.Chapter VIIISECTION I.SEC. II. DOGMAS IN THEOLOGY.MEN NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SIN OF THEIR PROGENITORS.CONSTITUTIONAL ILL-DESERT.PRESENT IMPOSSIBILITIES REQUIRED.Chapter IXSINCERITY, AND NOT INTENSITY, THE TRUE STANDARD.Chapter XOBJECTIONS.AN ACT OF WILL MAY RESULT FROM A VARIETY OF MOTIVES.LOVING WITH GREATER INTENSITY AT ONE TIME THAN ANOTHER.MOMENTARY REVOLUTIONS OF CHARACTER.Chapter XITHOSE WHO ARE OR ARE NOT TRULY VIRTUOUS, HOW DISTINGUISHED.SELFISHNESS AND BENEVOLENCE.COMMON MISTAKE.DEFECTIVE FORMS OF VIRTUE.SEC. II. TEST OF CONFORMITY TO MORAL PRINCIPLE.COMMON MISTAKE.LOVE AS REQUIRED BY THE MORAL LAW.IDENTITY OF CHARACTER AMONG ALL BEINGS MORALLY VIRTUOUS.Chapter XIISECTION I.ACTION OF THE WILL IN THE DIRECTION OF THE NATURAL PROPENSITIES.—EMOTION, DESIRE, AND WISH DEFINED.ANGER, PRIDE, AMBITION, &c.RELIGIOUS AFFECTIONS.SCRIPTURE TESTIMONY.REPENTANCE.LOVE.OF FAITH.SEC. II. GENERAL TOPICS SUGGESTED BY THE TRUTH ILLUSTRATED IN THE PRECEDING SECTION.CONVICTIONS, FEELINGS AND EXTERNAL ACTIONS—WHY REQUIRED, OR PROHIBITED.OUR RESPONSIBILITY IN RESPECT TO SUCH PHENOMENA.FEELINGS HOW CONTROLLED BY THE WILL.RELATION OF FAITH TO OTHER EXERCISES MORALLY RIGHT.Chapter XIIIMEN OFTEN VOLUNTARY IN THEIR OPINIONS.ERROR NOT FROM THE INTELLIGENCE, BUT THE WILL.PRIMARY FACULTIES CANNOT ERR.SO OF THE SECONDARY FACULTIES.ERROR, WHERE FOUND.—ASSUMPTION.PRE-JUDGMENTS.INTELLECT NOT DECEIVED IN PRE-JUDGMENTS.THE MIND HOW INFLUENCED BY PRE-JUDGMENTS.INFLUENCES WHICH INDUCE FALSE ASSUMPTIONS.CASES IN WHICH WE ARE APPARENTLY, THOUGH NOT REALLY, MISLED BY THE INTELLIGENCE.Chapter XIV · LIBERTY OF WILL AS OPPOSED TO MORAL SERVITUDE.MISTAKE OF GERMAN METAPHYSICIANS.MORAL SERVITUDE OF THE RACE.Chapter XV · COMMON IMPRESSION.SPIRIT OF DEPENDENCE DEFINED.DOCTRINE OF NECESSITY TENDS NOT TO INDUCE THE SPIRIT OF DEPENDENCE.GOD CONTROLS ALL INFLUENCES UNDER WHICH CREATURES DO ACT.DEPENDENCE ON ACCOUNT OF THE MORAL SERVITUDE OF THE WILL.Chapter XVI · ELEMENT OF WILL IN FORMATION OF CHARACTER. CHARACTER COMMONLY HOW ACCOUNTED FOR.THE VOLUNTARY ELEMENT TO BE TAKEN INTO THE ACCOUNT.AN EXAMPLE IN ILLUSTRATION.DIVERSITIES OF CHARACTER.Chapter XVIIOBJECTION. THE WILL HAS ITS LAWS.OBJECTION. GOD DETHRONED FROM HIS SUPREMACY, IF THE DOCTRINE OF LIBERTY IS TRUE.OBJECTION. GREAT AND GOOD MEN HAVE HELD THE DOCTRINE OF NECESSITY.LAST RESORT.WILLING, AND AIMING TO PERFORM IMPOSSIBILITIES.THOUGHT AT PARTING.Previous chapter ←DIVERSITIES OF CHARACTER.Next chapter →OBJECTION. THE WILL HAS ITS LAWS.All chapters and sections (119)Opening pagesFront matterOther sectionsDEDICATORY PREFACE.Chapters1Other sectionsTRUE AND FALSE METHODS OF INQUIRY.COMMON FAULT.PROPER METHOD OF REASONING FROM REVELATION TO THE SYSTEM OF MENTAL PHILOSOPHY THEREIN PRE-SUPPOSED.ERRORS OF METHOD.Chapters2Other sectionsCLASSIFICATION VERIFIED.Chapters3Other sectionsSEC. I. TERMS DEFINED.CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ABOVE DEFINITIONS.MOTIVE DEFINED.SEC. II. LIBERTY, AS OPPOSED TO NECESSITY, THE CHARACTERISTIC OF THE WILL.OBJECTIONS TO THE DOCTRINE OF NECESSITY.DOCTRINE OF LIBERTY—DIRECT ARGUMENT.OBJECTION IN BAR OF AN APPEAL TO CONSCIOUSNESS.DOCTRINE OF LIBERTY ARGUED FROM THE EXISTENCE OF THE IDEA OF LIBERTY IN ALL MINDS.THE DOCTRINE OF LIBERTY, THE DOCTRINE OF THE BIBLE.SEC. 3. VIEWS OF NECESSITARIANS.NECESSITY AS HELD BY NECESSITARIANS.THE TERM, CERTAINTY, AS USED BY NECESSITARIANS.SINFUL INCLINATIONS.NECESSARIAN DOCTRINE OF LIBERTY.GROUND WHICH NECESSITARIANS ARE BOUND TO TAKE IN RESPECT TO THE DOCTRINE OF ABILITY.DOCTRINE OF NECESSITY, AS REGARDED BY NECESSITARIANS OF DIFFERENT SCHOOLS.Chapters4Other sectionsSTRONGEST MOTIVE—REASONING IN A CIRCLE.Chapters5Other sectionsSECTION I.PHRASE DEFINED.MEANING OF THIS PHRASE ACCORDING TO EDWARDS.THE WILL NOT ALWAYS AS THE DICTATES OF THE INTELLIGENCE.THE WILL NOT ALWAYS AS THE STRONGEST DESIRE.THE WILL NOT ALWAYS AS THE INTELLIGENCE AND SENSIBILITY COMBINED.NECESSITARIAN ARGUMENT.MOTIVES CAUSE ACTS OF WILL, IN WHAT SENSE.OBJECTION—PARTICULAR VOLITION, HOW ACCOUNTED FOR.FACTS LIKE THE ABOVE WRONGLY ACCOUNTED FOR.CHOOSING BETWEEN OBJECTS KNOWN TO BE EQUAL—HOW TREATED BY NECESSITARIANS.PALPABLE MISTAKE.Chapters6Other sectionsDANGER IN REASONING FROM THE MANNER IN WHICH WE FOREKNOW EVENTS TO THAT OF DIVINE PRESCIENCE.MISTAKE RESPECTING THE DIVINE PRESCIENCE.SINGULAR INCONSISTENCY OF NECESSITARIANS.NECESSITARIAN OBJECTION TO THE ABOVE ARGUMENT.Chapters7Other sectionsGODS PURPOSES CONSISTENT WITH THE LIBERTY OF CREATURES.SENSES IN WHICH GOD PURPOSED MORAL GOOD AND EVIL.DEATH OF THE INCORRIGIBLE PREORDAINED BUT NOT WILLED.GOD NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEATH OF THE INCORRIGIBLE.SIN A MYSTERY.CONCLUSION FROM THE ABOVE.Chapters8Other sectionsSECTION I.SEC. II. DOGMAS IN THEOLOGY.MEN NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SIN OF THEIR PROGENITORS.CONSTITUTIONAL ILL-DESERT.PRESENT IMPOSSIBILITIES REQUIRED.Chapters9Other sectionsSINCERITY, AND NOT INTENSITY, THE TRUE STANDARD.Chapters10Other sectionsOBJECTIONS.AN ACT OF WILL MAY RESULT FROM A VARIETY OF MOTIVES.LOVING WITH GREATER INTENSITY AT ONE TIME THAN ANOTHER.MOMENTARY REVOLUTIONS OF CHARACTER.Chapters11Other sectionsTHOSE WHO ARE OR ARE NOT TRULY VIRTUOUS, HOW DISTINGUISHED.SELFISHNESS AND BENEVOLENCE.COMMON MISTAKE.DEFECTIVE FORMS OF VIRTUE.SEC. II. TEST OF CONFORMITY TO MORAL PRINCIPLE.COMMON MISTAKE.LOVE AS REQUIRED BY THE MORAL LAW.IDENTITY OF CHARACTER AMONG ALL BEINGS MORALLY VIRTUOUS.Chapters12Other sectionsSECTION I.ACTION OF THE WILL IN THE DIRECTION OF THE NATURAL PROPENSITIES.—EMOTION, DESIRE, AND WISH DEFINED.ANGER, PRIDE, AMBITION, &c.RELIGIOUS AFFECTIONS.SCRIPTURE TESTIMONY.REPENTANCE.LOVE.OF FAITH.SEC. II. GENERAL TOPICS SUGGESTED BY THE TRUTH ILLUSTRATED IN THE PRECEDING SECTION.CONVICTIONS, FEELINGS AND EXTERNAL ACTIONS—WHY REQUIRED, OR PROHIBITED.OUR RESPONSIBILITY IN RESPECT TO SUCH PHENOMENA.FEELINGS HOW CONTROLLED BY THE WILL.RELATION OF FAITH TO OTHER EXERCISES MORALLY RIGHT.Chapters13Other sectionsMEN OFTEN VOLUNTARY IN THEIR OPINIONS.ERROR NOT FROM THE INTELLIGENCE, BUT THE WILL.PRIMARY FACULTIES CANNOT ERR.SO OF THE SECONDARY FACULTIES.ERROR, WHERE FOUND.—ASSUMPTION.PRE-JUDGMENTS.INTELLECT NOT DECEIVED IN PRE-JUDGMENTS.THE MIND HOW INFLUENCED BY PRE-JUDGMENTS.INFLUENCES WHICH INDUCE FALSE ASSUMPTIONS.CASES IN WHICH WE ARE APPARENTLY, THOUGH NOT REALLY, MISLED BY THE INTELLIGENCE.Chapters14Other sectionsMISTAKE OF GERMAN METAPHYSICIANS.MORAL SERVITUDE OF THE RACE.Chapters15Other sectionsSPIRIT OF DEPENDENCE DEFINED.DOCTRINE OF NECESSITY TENDS NOT TO INDUCE THE SPIRIT OF DEPENDENCE.GOD CONTROLS ALL INFLUENCES UNDER WHICH CREATURES DO ACT.DEPENDENCE ON ACCOUNT OF THE MORAL SERVITUDE OF THE WILL.Chapters16Other sectionsTHE VOLUNTARY ELEMENT TO BE TAKEN INTO THE ACCOUNT.AN EXAMPLE IN ILLUSTRATION.DIVERSITIES OF CHARACTER.Chapters17Other sectionsOBJECTION. THE WILL HAS ITS LAWS.OBJECTION. GOD DETHRONED FROM HIS SUPREMACY, IF THE DOCTRINE OF LIBERTY IS TRUE.OBJECTION. GREAT AND GOOD MEN HAVE HELD THE DOCTRINE OF NECESSITY.LAST RESORT.WILLING, AND AIMING TO PERFORM IMPOSSIBILITIES.THOUGHT AT PARTING.CONCLUDING REFLECTIONS.◇A few reflections of a general nature will conclude this Treatise.◇← DIVERSITIES OF CHARACTER.OBJECTION. THE WILL HAS ITS LAWS. →