ESSAY IX. 451 inference whatsoever, it is because I am sure of my conscious- ness of the premises, and of my consciousness that I derive this inference from them. My consciousness of these premises there- fore is a prior ground of assurance, and the foundation of all mycertainty of the inferences. Let a thousand reasons there- fore be laid before me, to prove that I am nothing but an engine, my own inward present consciousness of this proposition, that I have thoughts, that I have reasoning powers, and that I have a will and free choice, is a full evidence to me that these are false reasonings, and deceitful arguments : I know and am assured, by what I feel every moment, that I have a spirit within me ca- pable of knowing God, and of honouring and dishonouring my Maker, of chusing good or evil, of practising vice or virtue; and that I hereby am bound to approve myself to the Almighty Being that made and governs me, who will reward me in some future state or other, according to my behaviour in this. And as I can certainly determine this truth, with regard to my own nature, so when I see creatures round about me of the very same species with myself, I justly infer the same truth con- cerning them also ; I conclude with assurance, that they are not mere engines, but have such reasonable and immortal spirits in them, as I find in myself. It is this inference of similar and equal causes from similar and equal effects that makes a great part of the science of mankind. Besides, I daily hear men discoursing with me on any sub- ject, and giving as regular and reasonable answers to my enqui- ries, as I do to theirs ; I feel within myself, it is impossible for me do this without thinking, without the careful exercise of my intellectual and reasoning faculties superior to all the powers of mechanism ; and thence I infer it is as impossible for them to practise the same discourse or conversation, without the powers of a rational and intelligent spirit, which in its own nature is neither material nor mortal. Let the question therefore which relates to brute creatures be determined to any side, it does not at all affect the nature, the reason or the religion of mankind. It is beyond all doubt that man is a creature which has an intel- ligent mind to govern the machine of his body, that man has knowledge, and judgment, and free choice; and unless he ap- prove his conduct to the eyes of his Creator and his Judge in this state of mortality and trial, he exposes himself to the just vengeance of God in his future and immortal state. It is certain, that the all-wise and' all-righteous Governor of intelligent creatures, will not appoint the very same fate and period to the pious and the profane; neither his wisdom, his equity, nor his goodness, will suffer him to deal out the same blessings and the same events in every state of existence, to those who have loved him with all their souls, and those who have ff
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