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21. Whence is this monstrous thing? And why is it? Let Thy
mercy shine on me, that I may inquire, if so be the hiding-places of
man's punishment, and the darkest contritions of the sons of Adam,
may perhaps answer me. Whence is this monstrous thing? and why is
it? The mind commands the body, and it obeys forthwith; the mind
commands itself, and is resisted. The mind commands the hand to be
moved, and such readiness is there that the command is scarce to be
distinguished from the obedience. Yet the mind is mind, and the hand
is body. The mind commands the mind to will, and yet, though it be
itself, it obeyeth not. Whence this monstrous thing? and why is it?
I repeat, it commands itself to will, and would not give the command
unless it willed; yet is not that done which it commandeth. But it
willeth not entirely; therefore it commandeth not entirely. For so
far forth it commandeth, as it willeth; and so far forth is the thing
commanded not done, as it willeth not. For the will commandeth that
there be a will; not another, but itself. But it doth not
command entirely, therefore that is not which it commandeth. For were
it entire, it would not even command it to be, because it would
already be. It is, therefore, no monstrous thing partly to will,
partly to be unwilling, but an infirmity of the mind, that it doth not
wholly rise, sustained by truth, pressed down by custom. And so
there are two wills, because one of them is not entire; and the one is
supplied with what the other needs.
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