On Exhortation To Chastity
Tertullian's defense of human free will and moral responsibility, arguing that blame for sin cannot be cast on God since humans possess genuine choice between good and evil. He defends human volition against fatalistic theology.
14 Chapters
Table of Contents
1
Chapter I.--Introduction. Virginity Classified Under Three Several Species.
2
Chapter II.--The Blame of Our Misdeeds Not to Be Cast Upon God The One Power Which Rests with Man is the Power of Volition.
3
Chapter III.--Of Indulgence and Pure Volition. The Question Illustrated.
4
Chapter IV.--Further Remarks Upon the Apostle's Language.
5
Chapter V.--Unity of Marriage Taught by Its First Institution, and by the Apostle's Application of that Primal Type to Christ and the Church.
6
Chapter VI.--The Objection from the Polygamy of the Patriarchs Answered.
7
Chapter VII.--Even the Old Discipline Was Not Without Precedents to Enforce Monogamy But in This as in Other Respects, the New Has Brought in a Higher Perfection.
8
Chapter VIII.--If It Be Granted that Second Marriage is Lawful, Yet All Things Lawful are Not Expedient.
9
Chapter IX.--Second Marriage a Species of Adultery, Marriage Itself Impugned, as Akin to Adultery.
10
Chapter X.--Application of the Subject. Advantages of Widowhood.
11
Chapter XI.--The More the Wives, the Greater the Distraction of the Spirit.
12
Chapter XII.--Excuses Commonly Urged in Defence of Second Marriage Their Futility, Especially in the Case of Christians, Pointed Out.
13
Chapter XIII.--Examples from Among the Heathen, as Well as from the Church, to Enforce the Foregoing Exhortation.
14
Elucidation.