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

or, which is the same Thing, determined by a foregoing Act of free Choice. But if any of them shall see Cause to deny this, and say they hold no such Thing as that every Action is chosen, or determined by a foregoing Choice; but that the very first Exertion of Will only, undetermined by any pr•ceeding Act, is properly called Action; then I say, such a Man's Notion of Action implies Necessity; for what the Mind is the Subject of without the Determination of it's own previous Choice, it is the Subject of necessarily, as to any Hand that free Choice has in the Affair; and without any Ability the Mind has to prevent it, by any Will or Election of it's own: because by the Supposition it precludes all previous Acts of the Will or Choice in the Case, which might prevent it. So that it is again, in this other Way, implied in their Notion of Act, that it is both necessary and not necessary. Again, it belongs to their Notion of an Act, that it is no Effect of a pre-determining Bias or Preponderation, but springs immediately out of Indifference; and this implies that it can't be from foregoing Choice, which is foregoing Preponderation: if it be not habitual, but occasional, yet if it causes the Act, it is truly previous, efficacious and determining. And yet, at the same Time, 'tis essential to their Notion of an Act, that it is what the Agent is the Author of freely and voluntarily, and that is, by previous Choice and Design.

So that according to their Notion of an Act, considered with Regard to it's Consequences, these following▪ Things are all essential to it; viz. That it should be necessary, and not necessary; that it should be from a Cause, and no Cause; that it should be the Fruit of Choice and Design, and not the Fruit of Choice and Design; that it should be the Beginning of Motion or Exertion, and yet consequent on previous Exertion; that it should be before it is; that it should spring immediately out of Indifference and Equilibrium, and yet be the Effect of ⟨p. 201⟩Preponderation; that it should be self-originated, and also have it's Original from something else; that it is what the Mind causes it self, of it's own Will, and can produce or prevent, according to it's Choice or Pleasure, and yet what the Mind has no Power to prevent, it precluding all previous Choice in the Affair.