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

1. The Terms, as used by Philosophers, are not very distinct and clear in their Meaning: few use them in a fixed determined Sense. On the contrary, their Meaning is very vogue and confused. Which is what commonly happens to the ⟨p. 210⟩Words used to signify Things intellectual and moral, and to express what Mr. Locke calls mixed Modes. If Men had a clear and distinct understanding of what is intended by these metaphysical Terms, they would be able more easily to compare them with their original and common Sense; and so would not be so easily cheated by them. The Minds of Men are so easily led into Delusion by no Sort of Terms in the World, as by Words of this Sort.

1. The Terms, as used by Philosophers, are not very distinct and clear in their Meaning: few use them in a fix'd determined Sense. On the contrary, their Meaning is very vogue and confused. Which is what commonly happens to the ⟨p. 210⟩Words used to signify Things intellectual and moral, and to express what Mr. Locke calls mixt Modes. If Men had a clear and distinct understanding of what is intended by these metaphysical Terms, they would be able more easily to compare them with their original and common Sense; and so would not be so easily cheated by them. The Minds of Men are so easily led into Delusion by no Sort of Terms in the World, as by Words of this Sort.

2. The Change of the Signification of the Terms is the more insensible, because the Things signified, tho' indeed very different, yet do in some generals agree. In Necessity, that which is vulgarly so called, there is a strong Connection between the Thing said to be necessary, and something antecedent to it, in the Order of Nature; so there is also in philosophical Necessity. And tho' in both Kinds of Necessity, the Connection can't be called by that Name, with Relation to an opposite Will or Endeavour, to which it is superior; which is the Case in vulgar Necessity; yet in both, the Connection is prior to Will and Endeavour, and so in some Respect superior. In both Kinds of Necessity there is a Foundation for some Certainty of the Proposition that affirms the Event.—The Terms used being the same, and the Things signified agreeing in these and some other general Circumstances, and the Expressions as used by Philosophers being not well defined, and so of obscure and loose Signification; hence Persons are not aware of the great Difference; and the Notions of Innocence or Faultlesness, which were so strongly associated with them, and were strictly united in their Minds, ever since they can remember, remain united with them still, as if the Union were altogether natural and necessary; and they that go about to make a Separation, seem to them to do great Violence even to Nature it self.