Page:A Philosophical Inquiry Concerning Human Liberty (3rd ed., 1735).djvu/21

 preceding each action, that not one past action could possibly not have come to pass, or have been otherwise than it hath been; nor one future action can possibly not come to pass, or be otherwise than it shall be. He is a free Agent, if he is able, at any time under the circumstances and causes he then is, to do different things: or, in other words, if he is not unavoidably determin’d in every point of time by the circumstances he is in, and causes he is under, to do that one thing he does, and not possibly to do any other.

 I. This being a question of fact concerning what we ourselves do; we will first consider our own Experience; which if we can know, as sure we may, will certainly determine this matter. And because experience is urg’d with great triumph, by the patrons of Liberty, we will begin with a few general reflections concerning the argument of experience: and then we will proceed to our experience itself.

1. The vulgar, who are bred up to believe Liberty or Freedom, think themselves secure of success, constantly appealing to Experience for a proof of their 