48. The power to suspend the prosecution of any desire makes way for consideration.
There being in us a great
many uneasinesses, always soliciting and ready to determine the will, it is natural, as I have said, that the greatest
and most pressing should determine the will to the next action; and so it does for the most part, but not always.
For, the mind having in most cases, as is evident in experience, a power to suspend the execution and satisfaction
of any of its desires; and so all, one after another; is at liberty to consider the objects of them, examine them on all
sides, and weigh them with others. In this lies the liberty man has; and from the not using of it right comes all that
variety of mistakes, errors, and faults which we run into in the conduct of our lives, and our endeavours after
happiness; whilst we precipitate the determination of our wills, and engage too soon, before due examination. To
prevent this, we have a power to suspend the prosecution of this or that desire; as every one daily may experiment
in himself. This seems to me the source of all liberty; in this seems to consist that which is (as I think improperly)
called free-will. For, during this suspension of any desire, before the will be determined to action, and the action
(which follows that determination) done, we have opportunity to examine, view, and judge of the good or evil of
what we are going to do; and when, upon due examination, we have judged, we have done our duty, all that we
can, or ought to do, in pursuit of our happiness; and it is not a fault, but a perfection of our nature, to desire, will,
and act according to the last result of a fair examination.
