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

But if there be any future Event, whose Existence is contingent, without all Necessity, the future Existence of that Event is absolutely without Evidence. If there be any Evidence of it, it must be one of these two Sorts, either Self-Evidence, or Proof; for there can be no other Sort of Evidence but one of these two; an evident Thing must be either evident in it self, or evident in something else; that is, evident by Connection with something else. But a future Thing, whose Existence is without all Necessity, can have neither of these Sorts of Evidence. It can't be Self-evident: For if it be, it may be now known by what is now to be seen in the Thing it self; either it's present Existence, or the Necessity of it's Nature: But both these are contrary to the Supposition. It is supposed, both that the Thing has no present Existence to be seen; and also that it is not of such a Nature as to be necessarily existent for the future: So that it's future Existence is not Self-evident. And secondly, neither is there ⟨p. 120⟩any Proof, or Evidence in any Thing else, or Evidence of Connection with something else that is evident; For this also is contrary to the Supposition. 'Tis supposed, that there is now Nothing existent, with which the future Existence of the contingent Event is connected. For such a Connection destroys its Contingence, and supposes Necessity. Thus 'tis demonstrated, that there is in the Nature of Things absolutely no Evidence at all of the future Existence of that Event, which is contingent, without all Necessity (if any such Event there be) neither Self-Evidence nor Proof. And therefore the Thing in Reality is not evident; and so can't be seen to be evident, or, which is the same Thing, can't be known.

Let us consider this in an Example. Suppose that five Thousand seven Hundred and sixty Years ago, there was no other Being but the divine Being; and then this World, or some particular Body or Spirit, all at once starts out of Nothing into Being, and takes on it self a particular Nature and Form; all in absolute Contingence, without any Concern of God, or any other Cause, in the Matter; without any Manner of Ground or Reason of it's Existence; or any Dependence upon, or Connection at all with any Thing foregoing: I say, that if this be supposed, there was no Evidence of that Event beforehand. There was no Evidence of it to be seen in the Thing it self; for the Thing it self, as yet, was not. And there was no Evidence of it to be seen in any Thing else; for Evidence in something else, is Connection with something else: But such Connection is contrary to the Supposition. There was no Evidence before, that this Thing would happen; for by the Supposition, there was no Reason why it should happen, rather than something else, or rather than Nothing. And if so, then all Things before were exactly equal, and the same, with Respect to that and other possible Things; there was no Preponderation, no superior Weight or Value; and therefore Nothing that could be of any Weight or Value to determine any Understanding. The Thing was absolutely without Evidence, and absolutely unknowable. An Increase of Understanding, or of the Capacity of Discerning, has no Tendency, and makes no Advance, to a discerning any Signs or Evidences of it, let it be increased never so much; yea, if it be increased infinitely. The increase of the Strength of Sight may have a Tendency to enable to discern the Evidence which is