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

Mr. Locke ^*says, The Will signifies Nothing but a Power or Ability to prefer or choose. And in the foregoing Page says, The Word Preferring seems best to express the Act of Volition; But adds, that it does it not precisely; For (says he) tho' a Man would prefer Flying to Walking, yet who can say he ever wills it? But the Instance he mentions don't prove that there is any Thing else in Willing, but merely Preferring: For it should be considered what is the next and immediate Object of the Will, with respect to a Man's Walking, or any other external Action; which is not his being removed from one Place to another; on the Earth, or thro' the Air; these are remoter Objects of Preference; but such or such an immediate Exertion of himself. The Thing nextly chosen or preferred when a Man wills to walk, is not his being removed to such a Place where he would be, but such an Exertion and Motion of his Legs and Feet &c. in order to it. And his willing such an Alteration in his Body in the present Moment, is nothing else but his choosing or preferring such an Alteration in his Body at such a Moment, or his liking it better than the Forbearance of it. And God has so made and established the human Nature, the Soul being united to a Body in proper State, that the Soul preferring or choosing such an immediate Exertion or Alteration of the Body, such an Alteration instantaneously follows. There is nothing else ⟨p. 3⟩in the Actings of my Mind, that I am conscious of while I walk, but only my preferring or choosing, thro' successive Moments, that there should be such Alterations of my external Sensations and Motions; together with a concurring habitual Expectation that it will be so; having ever found by Experience, that on such an immediate Preference, such Sensations and Motions do actually instantaneously, & constantly arise. But it is not so in the Case of Flying: Tho' a Man may be said remotely to choose or prefer Flying; yet he don't choose or prefer, incline to or desire, under Circumstances in View, any immediate Exertion of the Members of his Body in order to it; because he has no Expectation that he should obtain the desired End by any such Exertion; and he don't prefer or incline to any bodily Exertion or Effort under this apprehended Circumstance, of it's being wholly in vain.

Mr. Locke ^*