Page:A Philosophical Inquiry Concerning Human Liberty (3rd ed., 1735).djvu/45

 mit sin, think it at the instant of commission all things consider'd, a lesser evil; Otherwise it is impossible they should commit it: and he instances in St. denial of his Master, who, he says, ''judg'd that part most eligible which he chose; that is, judg'd the sin of denying his Master, at that present juncture, to be a less evil, than the danger of not denying him, and so chose it. Otherwise, if he had then actually thought it a greater evil, all that whereby it exceeded the other, he would have chosen gratis, and consequently have willed evil as evil'', which is impossible. And another acute Philosopher observes, that there are in France ''many new converts, who go to mass with great reluctance. They know they mortally offend God, but as each offence would cost them (suppose) two pistoles, and having reckon'd the charge, and finding that this fine, paid as often as there are festivals and Sundays would reduce them and their families to beg their bread, they conclude it is better to offend God than beg''.

In fine, tho' there is hardly any thing so absurd, but some ancient philosopher or other may be cited for it; yet, according to, none of them were so