I have not here assumed any thing concerning the _Freedom_ of _Mans Will_, unless what all Men do Experience in themselves, and is most evident by the Light of Nature. Neither see I any Reason, Why he should say that this is Contradictious to any former Position. Perhaps there may be Many, who respecting _Gods predisposal_ of Things cannot Comprehend, How their _Freedom_ of _Will_ Consists there-with, but yet there is no Man who, respecting himself only, does not find by Experience, That ’tis one and the same Thing to be _Willing_, and to be _Free_. But ’tis no Place to Enquire what the Opinion of others may be in this Matter. OBJECT. XIII. * _As for Example, When lately I set my self to examine Whether any Thing Do Exist, and found, that from my setting my self to examine such a Thing, it evidently follows, That I my self Exist, I could not but Judge, what I so clearly understood, to be true, not that I was forced thereto by any outward Impulse, but because a strong Propension in my Will did follow this Great Light in my Understanding, so that I believed it so much the more Freely and Willingly, by how much the Less indifferent I was thereunto._ This expression, _Great Light in the Understanding_, is _Metaphorical_, and therefore not to be used in Argumentation; And every one, that Doubts not of his Opinion, Pretends such a _Light_, and has no less a _Propension_ in his _Will_ to Affirm what he doubts not, than He that _really_ and _truely_ knows a Thing. Wherefore this _Light_ may be the cause of _Defending_ and _Holding_ an Opinion _Obstinately_, but never of _knowing_ an Opinion _Truly_. Moreover not only the _Knowledge_ of _Truth_, but _Belief_ or _Giving Assent_, are not the _Acts_ of the _Will_; for Whatever is _proved_ by _strong Arguments_, or _Credibly_ told, we Believe whether we will or no. ’Tis true, To _Affirm_ or _Deny_ Propositions, to _Defend_ or _Oppose_ Propositions, are the _Acts_ of the _Will_; but it does not from thence Follow that the _Internal Assent_ depends on the _Will_. Wherefore the following Conclusion (_so that in the abuse of our Freedom of Will that Privation consists which Constitutes Error_) is not fully Demonstrated. ANSWER. ’Tis not much _matter_, Whether this expression, _Great Light_, be _Argumentative_ or not, so it be explicative, as really it is, For all men know, that by _light in the understanding_ is meant _clearness_ of _knowledge_, which every one has not, that _thinks_ he has; and this hinders not but this _light_ in the _Understanding_ may be very different from an _obstinate Opinion_ taken up without _clear perception_. But when ’tis here said, _That we assent to things clearly perceived whether we will or no_, ’tis the same, as if it were said, _that willing or nilling, we desire Good clearly known_; whereas the word _Nilling_, finds no room in such Expressions, for it implies, that we will and nill the same thing. OBJECT XIV.