Chap. XXL ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. 307 



ceafing energy ; and even the human mind partakes fo far of Divi- 

 nity, as to be conftantly active. Further, I fay that the adion of every 

 mind is, by its nature and efl'ence, determined in a certain way, fo 

 that it cannot adl otherwife ; which is faymg no more than, that every 

 thing muR ad: according to its nature. And, indeed, it is impoflible 

 to conceive how any thing fhould- adl in another manner. 1 hat the 

 mind of the Deity is always neceffarily determined both to ivill 

 and to do what is beft, is, as I have obferved, admitted by all philofo- 

 phers and divines ; the reaion of which is no other than, that his na- 

 ture is unchangeable and invariably fuch ; and he muft necc-flarily acfl 

 according to his nature. And, for the fame reafon, man mufl ad ac- 

 cording to what feems to him beft ; for that is his nature. Thele po- 

 rtions, if they had been fairly ftated to the Dodor, 1 am perfuaded he 

 would have agreed to. Nor would he, I believe, have denied that our 

 tefolutions and adions, though voluntary, are the neceflary confe- 

 quence of the judgment of the mind : So that I am perfuaded what 

 difference there is betwixt the Dodor and me, is more in words than 

 in reality. 



But, whether I agree wnth the Dodorornot, I totally difagree with the 

 late author above mentioned, who, as I have obferved, puts an end to 

 all fcience of mind, by difiingulfhing fenfations and ideas no other- 

 wife than by the greater or lefs livelmefs of the impreffion they make 

 upon the mind. And accordingly, in treating this fubjed of liberty 

 and ncLeffity^ he makes no differeiice betwixt ideas and fenfations^ be- 

 twixt Jenfe and intelkSi, appetite and it'/V/, betwixt material neceflity, 

 by whicli any body is moved contrary to its natural tendency by ^a- 

 ternal force, and that internal neceffity by which the mind is determi- 

 ned. And, as he proceeds in this manner, it is no wonder that his 

 conclufion is, that there is no fuch thing as liberty of nxnll or aHion^ 

 and that we are nothing but a kind of automates^ or machines, merely 

 pafTive, and aded upon by external impulfe, 

 — — -Ut nervis mobile lignum. 



Q^q 2 One 



