Attention of the Reader to what I have written. I am ready to own, that in this Matter I depend on the Reader's Courtesy. But only thus far I may have fome Colour for putting in a Claim; that if the Reader be difpofed to pass his Cenfure on what I have written, I may be fully and patiently heard, and well attended to, before I am condemned. However, this is what I would humbly ask of my Readers, together with the Prayers of all fincere Lovers of Truth, that I may have much of that Spirit which Chrift promised his Difciples, which guides into all Truth; and that the bleffed and powerful Influences of this Spirit would make Truth victorious in the World.
PART 1.
Wherein are explain'd various Terms and Things belongs
ing to the Subject of the ensuing Difcourfe.
SEC
ECT. I. Concerning the Nature of the Will.
Pag. 1, &c.
SECT. II. Concerning the Determination of the Will. 6
SECT. III. Concerning the Meaning of the Terms Necef-
18
fity, Impoffibility, Inability, &c. and of Contingence.
SECT. IV. Of the Distinction of natural and moral Ne-
ceffity and Inability.
SECT. V. Concerning the Notion of Liberty, and of
moral Agency.
28
38
Wherein it is confidered, Whether there is, or can be
any fuch Sort of FREEDOM OF WILL, as that wherein
Arminians place the Effence of the Liberty of all moral
Agents; and whether any fuch Thing ever was, or can
be conceived of.
SEC
ECT. I. Shewing the manifeft Inconfiftence of the
Arminian Notion of Liberty of Will, confifting in
the Will's felf-determining Power.
Pag. 44
SECT. II. Several fuppofed Ways of evading the foregoing
Reafoning confidered.
50
SECT. III. Whether any Event whatsoever, and Volition
in particular, can come to pass without a Caufe of its
Existence,
57
SECT. IV. Whether Volition can arife without a Caufe,
thro' the Activity of the Nature of the Soul.
66
SECT. V. Shewing that if the Things afferted in thefe
Evafions fhould be fuppofed to be true, they are alto-
gether Impertinent, and can't help the Caufe of Armi
nian Liberty; and how this being the State of the Cafe,
Arminian Writers are obliged to talk inconfiflently. 72
SECT. VI. Concerning the Will's determining in Things
which are perfectly indifferent, in the View of the
Mind.
78
SECT. VII. Concerning the Notion of Liberty of Will
confifting in Indifference.
88
SECT. VIII. Concerning the fuppofed Liberty of the Will,
as oppofite to all Neceffity.
102
SECT. IX. Of the Connection of the Acts of the Will
107
with the Dictates of the Understanding.
SECT. X. Volition neceffarily connected with the Influ-
ence of Motives; with particular Obfervations on the
great Inconfiftence of Mr. Chubb's Affertions and Rea-
fonings, about the Freedom of the Will.
117
SECT. XI. The Evidence of God's certain Foreknowledge of
the Volitions of moral Agents.
137
SECT. XII. God's certain Foreknowledge of the future Vo-
litions of moral Agents, inconfiftent with fuch a Con
tingence of thofe Volitions, as is without all Neceffity.
And infers a Neceffity of Volition, as much as an abfo-
lute Decree.
171
SECT. XIII. Whether we fuppofe the Volitions of moral
Agents to be connected with any Thing antecedent, or
not, yet they must be neceffary, in fuch a Senfe, as to
overthrow Arminian Liberty.
183
PART III.
Wherein is inquired, Whether any fuch Liberty of Will
as Arminians hold, be neceffary to moral Agency, Vir-
tue and Vice, Praife and Difpraife, &c.
SELC
ECT. I. God's moral Excellency neceffary, yet vir-
tuous and Praiseworthy.
Pag. 188
SECT. II. The Acts of the Will of the human Soul of
JESUS CHRIST neceffarily holy, yet virtuous, praise-worthy,
rewardable, &c.
194
SECT. III. The Cafe of fuch as are given up of God to Sin,
and of fallen Men in general, proves moral Neceffity
and Inability to be confiffent with Blame-worthiness. 213
SECT. IV. Command, and Obligation to Obedience, con-
222
fiftent with moral Inability to obey.
SECT. V. That Sincerity of Defires and Endeavours,
which is fuppofed to excufe in the Non-performance of
Things in themselves good, particularly confidered. 237
SECT. VI. Liberty of Indifference, not only not neceffary to
Virtue, but utterly inconfiftent with it and all, either
virtuous or vicious Habits or Inclinations, inconfiftent
with Arminian Notions of Liberty, and moral Agency.
249
SECT. VII. Arminian Notions of moral Agency incon-
fiftent with all Influence of Motive and Inducement, in
either virtuous or vicious Actions.
260
PART IV.
Wherein the chief Grounds of the Reafonings of Armi-
nians, in Support and Defence of their Notions of Li-
berty, moral Agency, &c. and against the oppofite
Doctrine, are confidered.
ECT. I. The Effence of the Virtue and Vice of the
Difpofitions of the Heart, and Acts of the Will,
lies not in their Causes, but their Nature.
269
SECT.
ment.
SECT. II. The Falfenefs and Inconfiftence of that metaphy-
fical Notion of Action and Agency, which feems to be
generally entertain'd by the Defenders of the foremen-
tion'd Notions of Liberty, moral Agency, &c. 278
SECT. III. The Reasons why fome think it contrary to
common Senfe, to fuppofe Things which are neceffary, to
be worthy of either Praife or Blame.
288
SECT. IV. It is agreeable to common Sense, and the natural
Notions of Mankind, to fuppofe moral Neceffity to be
confiftent with Praife and Blame, Reward and Punish-
297
SECT, V. Concerning those Objections, That this Scheme
of Neceffity renders all Means and Endeavours for the
avoiding of Sin or the obtaining Virtue and Holiness,
vain and to no Purpofe; and that it makes Men no
more than mere Machines, in Affairs of Morality and
Religion.
309
SECT. VI. Concerning that Objection against the Doctrine
which has been maintain'd, That it agrees with the
Stoical Doctrine of Fåte, and the Opinion of Mr. Hobbes.
319
SECT. VII. Concerning the Neceffity of the divine Will.
323
SECT. VIII. Some further Objections against the moral
Neceffity of God's Volitions, confidered.
335
SECT. IX. Concerning that Objection against the Doctrine
which has been maintain'd, That it makes God the
Author of Sin.
354
SECT. X. Concerning Sin's first Entrance into the World.
376
SECT. XI. Of a supposed Inconsistence of these Principles
with GOD's moral Character.
379
SECT. XII. Of a fuppofed Tendency of thefe Principles
to Atheism, and Licentiousness.
385
SECT. XIII. Concerning that Objection against the Rea-
foning by which the Calviniflic Doctrine is fupported,
That it is metaphysical and abftrufe.
392
The
CONCLUSION.
WH
THAT Treatment this Difcourfe may probably meet
with from fome Perfons.
400
Confequences concerning feveral Calvinistic Doctrines; fuch
as an univerfal, decifive Providence.
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