A careful and strict enquiry into the modern prevailing notions of that freedom of…

This being the true State of the Arminian Notion of Liberty, it hence comes to pass, that the Writers that defend it are forced into gross Inconsistencies, in what they say upon this Subject. To instance in Dr. Whitby; he in his Discourse on the Freedom of the Will, ^*opposes the Opinion of the Calvinists, who place Man's Liberty only in a Power of doing what He will, as that wherein they plainly agree with Mr. Hobbes. And yet he himself mentions the very same Notion of Liberty, as the Dictate of the Sense and common Reason of Mankind, and a Rule laid down by the Light of Nature; viz. That Liberty is a Power of acting from our Selves, or DOING WHAT WE WILL. ^†This is indeed, as he says, a Thing agreeable to the Sense and common Reason of Mankind; and therefore 'tis not so much to be wondered at, that he unawares acknowledges it against himself: For if Liberty don't consist in this, what else can be devised that it should consist in? If it be said, as Dr. Whitby elsewhere insists, That it don't only consist in Liberty of doing what we will, but also a Liberty of willing without Necessity; still the Question returns, What does that Liberty of willing without Necessity consist in, but in a Power of willing as we please, without being impeded by a contrary Necessity? or in other Words, A Liberty for the Soul in it's willing to act according to it's own Choice? Yea, this very Thing the same Author seems to allow, and suppose again and again, in the Use he makes of Sayings of the Fathers, whom he quotes as his Vouchers. Thus he cites these Words of Origen, which he produces as a Testimony on his Side; ^‖The Soul acts By HER OWN CHOICE, and it is free for her to incline to whatever Part SHE WILL. And those Words of Justin Martyr; ^‡The Doctrine of the Christians is this, That Nothing is done or suffered according to Fate, but that every Man doth Good or Evil ACCORDING TO HIS OWN FREE CHOICE. And from Eusebius, these Words; ^†If Fate be established, Philosophy and Piety are overthrown. — All these Things depending upon the Necessity introduced by the Stars, ⟨p. 54⟩