The vanity of this mortal life, or, Of man, considered only in his present…

And it is apparent this faculty hath the privilege of determining it self; so as to be exempt from the necessitating influence of any thing foreign to it. Upon the supposal whereof, the managery of all humane affairs, all Treaties between man and man, to induce a consent to this or that; The whole frame of government, all Legislation and distribution of public Justice do depend. For take away this supposition, and these will presently appear most absurd, and unjust. With what solemnity are applications and addresses made to the Will of man upon all occasions? How is it courted and solicited and sued unto? But how absurd were it so to treat the other Creatures, that act by a necessity of Nature in all they do? to make supplications to the Wind, or propound articles to a Brute? And how unjust, to determine and inflict severe penalties for unavoidable and necessitated actions and omissions?

And it is apparent this faculty hath the priviledg of determining it self; so as to be exempt from the necessitating influence of any thing forreign to it. Upon the supposal whereof, the managery of all humane affairs, all Treaties between man and man, to induce a consent to this or that; The whole frame of government, all Legislation and distribution of publick Justice do depend. For take away this supposition, and these will presently appear most absurd, and unjust. With what solemnity are applications and addresses made to the Will of man upon all occasions? How is it courted and solicited and sued unto? But how absurd were it so to treat the other Creatures, that act by a necessity of Nature in all they do? to make supplications to the Wind, or propound articles to a Brute? And how unjust, to determine and inflict severe penalties for unavoidable and necessitated actions and omissions?

These things occur to our first notice, upon any (a more sudden and cursory) view of the nature of man. ⟨p. 28⟩And what should hinder, but we may infer from these that there is further in his nature,