〈◊〉 whereby an invincible Propension to the Things of this World is contracted He confirms the Notion by the Doctrine of Plato and Empedocles The whole Discourse is excellent from Page 252 to p. 272. The Substance of it is collected by the Learned Bishop of Worcester and applied to the present Argument with exquisite Force and Accuracy and therefore supersedes the necessity of another Citation See Orig. Sac. Lib. 3. Cap. 3. From all this it 's indisputably evident the Learned Heathen World were highly sensible of a State of Degeneracy and tho' the greatest part were in the Dark as to its Rise or Original yet some of the most Curious had preserved something of the Footsteps of it However they were all highly sensible of its dismal Effects and Mischiefs But now Revealed Religion has abundantly unfolded this Mystery by assuring us that a Native Depravity was contracted thro' the Transgression of of our First Parents I know the Deist Socinian and the Author of the Reasonableness of Christianity look upon this Doctrine to be a piece of Cant or Jargon formed by the Priests those wary Guardians of their own Creeds and profitable Inventions as this Author has it But as for the Deist the general Sense of Mankind and the Doctrines of Philosophers are considerable Arguments to render the reveal'd Accounts of it highly probable And therefore unless he were able to disprove the Truth and Authority of Revelation on the same Foot that we overturn any other forged History I 'm perswaded unbiassed Reason will pronounce his Notions impudent Calumnies or Detractions As for the Author 's of the Reasonableness of Christianity endeavouring to undermine the Corruption of Human Nature upon Adam's Transgression See p. 6. he might have consider'd that it was always the prevailing Doctrine of the Christian Church That it is made an Article of the Establish'd Church of England of which he would perswade the World he 's a sound and Orthodox Member and to which Article he has actually submitted And tho' the Word of God has no where in express Terms told us that this natural Depravity is the Seeds of Adam's Transgression yet there are sufficient Authorities of Scripture whence we may infer it by a clear and convincing Consequence We can prove that the Descendents of Adam were undoubtedly affected in the same manner with that of their Parent and both by a Spiritual as well as a Temporal Death I mean such a Death at least as in the Language of Scripture implies a disabling of the Faculties of the Mind as well as a Dissolution of the Animal and Spiritual Principles In a word it may fairly be inferred that that carnal Principles that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that prevails in the whole Off-spring of Adam whereby we are as it were sold under Sin or that reigning Law in our Members that brings us into Captivity to the Law of Sin so that when we would do Good Evil is present with us is the Effect of Adam's Transgression The Body of this Death was undoubtedly derived thorough his Loins on all his Descendents and the Seeds and Principles of a higher Death were certainly transmitted even tho' eternal Death were not formally imputed by making him the Representative of Mankind since these Seeds and Principles in the Language of the Apostle would at least work in our Members to bring forth Fruit unto Death Rom 7. v. 5. I know the great Artifice to which our Adversaries have recourse to blast the Credit of this Doctrine is either to oppose it to the Justice of God or Harangue upon the Impossibilities of it Because God has not clearly revealed and we cannot fully comprehend how such a Depravity is contracted much less propagated But certainly it was never the Business or Design of Revelation to communicate the Manner of the Divine Transactions no more than to Authorize us to reject 'em because we cannot comprehend the manner of ' em It was never a Rule of Revelation to make our own Faculties of Perception in comprehending the Nature of Things or in reconciling 'em to the scanty Notions we have conceived of another Revealed Truth the Standard Test or Measure of Faith And therefore to reject the clearest Evidence of Original Corruption because we cannot comprehend how 't is contracted or because the Notions of Infinite Justice tho' formed by our selves as we think must suffer by it is Base and Unwarrantable But however that our Adversaries may want the Advantage of this Pretence I mean that Original Corruption can no way be accounted for I shall attempt something to demonstrate how it may be Contracted and Transmitted And first This will easily be accounted for from the Nature of Original Corruption It 's already concluded That Original Corruption consists in the Exorbitance of the Animal Part or acts as a Law in our Members warring against the Law of our Minds contending for an opposite Interest to the Laws of right Reason or the true Interests of Human Nature Now that this Irregularity may be the Effect of Adam's Transgression there are two or three Circumstances that render it more highly probable For first Tho' the Violation of a positive Law contains but a simple Act of his Obedience yet it certainly implies a horrid Violence committed upon all the Powers of Human Nature When the Tempter displayed his Wiles and formed his deluding Perswasives it certainly threw the unwary Offender into the greatest Agonies and Convulsions It must rase those convincing Apprehensions of the Majesty and Authority of God it must suppress the Dread of Divine Punishments it must break thro' all the Guards and Powers of Conscience and Fences of Duty it must alienate the whole Frame of the Soul take off those Desires and Propensions that engaged us in the Observance of God's Commands and those Satisfactions that result from the Observance of ' em In a word it must extinguish all the Powers of Divine Love suppress those Flights of Zeal in exercising the Mind and Thoughts in Divine Contemplations the Glories and Perfections of our Maker and in pursuing such Things as will render us remarkably like him So that this Grand Act of Disobedience must contain a Complication of impious Debates and Resolutions before it was committed For certainly the Powers of Nature being so exquisitely fitted for an Obediential Temper and the Soul so deeply possessed with a Sense of the uninterrupted Favours and Bounties of God flowing from his frequent Intercourses and Communications the Devil must play his Temptations a considerable time before he could promise himself success The Passions and Propensions of Human Nature must not only be taken off from serving their great Creator but turned a quite contrary way they must be strongly disposed in gratifying the Lust of the Eye the Lust of the Flesh and Pride of Life And now who cannot discern the Growth or Production of carnal Exorbitances and consequently the Establishment of Original Corruption It 's concluded that this single
model the Creator as well as the Creature and give new Faculties new Passions and new Beings before the Matter of the Laws of Nature can be changed Thus we have advanc'd a considerable way in the Proof of a Law of Nature since it appears we are acted by a uniforn Principle within that is able to furnish us with the Subject-matter of Laws or Rules of Action § 5. But now since the Subject-matter of Laws is fixt and determined the last Requisite to give any thing the Character of a Law is to establish it upon a competent Authority whereby the Counsels and Dictates of Reason are advanced into indispensable Rules of Action It 's certain Reason is the sovereign Principle of the Man and consequently if she pleases may pass an Obligation upon all her own Decrees as far as concerns the particular Person where she presides But she cannot pass an Obligation upon other Persons without some binding Authority that presides over her and them too and consequently cannot establish a Law of Nature which carries an Obligation that extends to the whole Species this supposes an Authority superiour to that of particular Persons Again the natural Conveniences and Inconveniences of things may engage us to embrace and pursue particular Dictates of Reason but these Dictates of Reason may not be a binding and indispensable Rule of Action so as to render us criminal in case we do not pursue and imbrace them which is the Purport and Business of all Laws And therefore before these Dictates of Reason are to be received as true and proper Laws we must prove that they are imposed by a competent Authority an Authority that has a Right to impose a Rule of Action upon us an Authority that has a Right to impose the Dictates of Reason as a Rule of Action and that this Authority has actually imposed 'em as Laws and consequently the Non-observance of 'em must bring Guilt and Punishment upon us These are all Positions that must appear in the workings of Natural Reason before any Dictates of Reason can pass for Laws of Nature Now this will abundantly appear by placing the Authority of Laws of Nature in the Author of Nature for tho' that which we call Reason or Conscience is the Law-giver that immediately prescribes determines and fixes the Obligation of our Actions yet this is but a delegated Authority derived from the Author of Nature the very Author of Reason and Conscience and our very Beings too So that Reason acts by the Authority of a Vicegerent but the Original Sovereignty derives from God or the Author of Nature Natural Reason and Conscience is but a Law-giver like Moses that delivered the Law to the People but the original Authority is seated within the Cloud of Glory and the Divine Nature whose Face no Mortal can behold and live That there is a God and an Author of Nature the consideration of ourselves will abundantly evince and the Right of God's Authority in imposing Laws and particularly in assigning Reason and Conscience a power of giving Laws cannot be disputed For he that gave us our Being may rightfully assign the Laws of our Being Therefore we sufficiently prove the Authority of Laws of Nature if we can prove that God as our Creator has appointed certain Dictates of Reason for an indispensable Rule of Action to Mankind And certainly this is a Position almost Self-evident for it follows from the bare Allowance and Consideration of the Author of Nature If Natural Reason assures us that God made us and not we ourselves we must conclude that we have the Strokes and Lineaments of Infinite Wisdom set forth in us For the Works of Nature and Providence are no less an effect of Infinite Wisdom than Power For in Wisdom hath he made them all And if it was Infinite Wisdom that induced a Creator to give us such a peculiar Model whereby we are distinguished from the rest of his Creatures the same Infinite Wisdom must intend we should act and govern ourselves by it The Intention of the Law-giver is as much express'd by reasonable Creatures acting upon Dictates of Reason as by the Powers and Tendences of Inanimate Beings pursuing the Course and Order of Nature He hath given Laws to the Waves of the Sea that they may not pass and to the Sun that knoweth his going down Psal 104. v. 18 19. And shall not Man the Glory of his Maker and the proper Subject of a free and valuable Obedience be obliged by the Laws of his Creation and make that the Rule of Action which Infinite Wisdom has made the Mark or Characteristick of his Being whereby he is distinguished from the inferiour Classes of the Creation as well as Evidences of his Creator's Honour and Glory In a word since God perpetually acts by the Dictates of Infinite Wisdom and Goodness his own Institutions or Ordinances are an indisputable Evidence of his most sacred Will and Pleasure and the Laws of all his Creatures are as amply recorded in that Frame and Constitution he has given 'em being all as much bound to act by 'em as if he had recorded 'em on Tables of Stone For 't is a Record engraved on Nature and consequently will be preserved as long as Nature has a Being These are Notices that offer ' emselves to the first Dawnings of Reason or at least flow in upon an Assent to this fundamental Truth that we are the Product or Workmanship of an All-wise and Almighty Creator § 6. But further the Authority of Laws of Nature is evident from the Ends and Designs of Created Nature And 1st As Natural Reason instructs us That there is a wise and intelligent Author of Nature even the Author of that very Faculty we call Reason which suggests thus much to us we must conclude that he neither gave Being to that nor any thing else without annexing some special Ends and Designs to it If therefore to pursue the Dictates of reasonable Creatures can only secure those Ends for which we were created reasonable Creatures the Dictates of Reason must carry the Authority and Obligation of Laws in 'em But now should we pronounce one special End of Man's Creation to be the Manifestation of his Honour and Glory and particularly the Exemplification of his Wisdom and Power it 's manifest the only way to answer this Design is to exert those surprising Faculties God has bestowed Again If God did create Man a reasonable Being to make him capable of Happiness and put him into a condition of attaining it It 's certain he designed him for Happiness by implanting such incessant Desires after it and its certain there is no way of attaining Happiness but by pursuing the strict Dictates of Reason Happiness can consist in nothing but the perfection of our Natures or in a resemblance of their primitive Model and the great Original they represent And it 's Reason alone and a course of Action advanced upon it that can exhibit this Happiness
Reason are justly stiled Laws of Nature Again they are Laws of Nature because they immediately fall in with some peculiar Propensions wrought off with the original Frame and Constitution of our Natures It 's visible there are certain Instincts or Impulses in Nature which seem to exert ' emselves upon particular Actions that cannot well be resolved into the elaborate Workings of Reason for they seem to have engaged the Passions by a kind of influential Impulse before the Action can well be scanned by any deliberate Reasonings and certainly nothing strikes the Passions sooner than those Actions that are prescrib'd by Laws of Nature Thus the receipt of Benefits creates a speedy exultation the cherishing of our own Off-spring leaves a vigorous Complacency and the most grateful Applauses and Satisfactions And truly these are Things that have discovered ' emselves so early where Nature has not been new moulded by contrary Habits or Education that I do not question but they have given a Foundation to pronounce Laws of Nature natural Instincts or Innate Doctrines or Principles To conclude this Argument Another distinguishing Characteristick of Laws of Nature from Civil Laws arises from the exercise of Reason in the discovery of ' em It 's on all hands allowed that Reason is the immediate Directory in Civil Laws as well as Laws of Nature But yet Reason acts in a very different manner For the Foundation of Laws of Nature being the common exigencies necessities or condition of Mankind as Men or such an Order of Beings Reason can easily fix such Rules as will extend to the whole Species so as to carry a binding Authority over ' em But the Foundation of Civil Laws being only some particular Emergencies to be considered with regard to some particular Circumstances of Time Place Persons and the like Reason cannot determin any thing absolutely or six a general Rule or indeed declare what is fit and convenient in every Community and consequently Civil Laws can only be the Deductions of Reason in Civil Governours with regard to the State and Condition of their People or Government where they preside CHAP. VI. Reflections on Mr. Lock 's Arguments against Innate Ideas or Practical Principles and the true Controversy determined § 1. HAving thus assigned the principal Characteristicks of Laws of Nature we may in a few Words determine whether there be any practical Principles which are truly Innate But before I shall conclude any thing I shall take liberty to make some few Returns to the Arguments of a late Author on this Subject Mr. Lock 's Essay concerning Human Vnderstanding And first concerning Universal Consent It 's indisputably evident that Universal Consent does not prove any Ideas or practical Principles to be Innate Because an Universal Consent may prevail partly from that Self-evidence that naturally results from particular Things or Actions when presented to the Minds of Men and partly from the Frame and Condition of Human Nature whereby we are forcibly prompted to the disquisition of ' em But yet we are not willing wholly to discard the Argument because tho' Universal Consent may not prove the Doctrine of Innate Ideas yet it 's certainly a considerable Argument of a Law of Nature And tho' the Author of this Essay has done all he could to ruine the Credit and Authority of it yet I hope I have proved there is such a thing as Universal Consent established upon a very firm and clear Foundation But further the remaining Arguments of this Author are chiefly advanced against Innate Ideas but they appear with equal force against Innate practical Principles And therefore I shall remark a little on that which he seems to fix the greatest weight on and that is a Necessity of Perception even in a State of Infancy for to him it seems a Contradiction or hardly intelligible that Truths should be imprinted on the Soul which it perceives or understands not Sect. 5. p. 5. See pag. 13. Sect. 27. But certainly he cannot mean a Necessity of actual Perception For the Finite Nature of a Human Mind will not in the same Instant suffer many Objects to be received under an actual View and common experience informs us that a great many Impressions or Ideas are lodged in the Memory without being revived it may be for a succession of Years And truly I can see no reason why native Inscriptions may not remain without being actually attended to as well as written Laws or acquir'd Ideas It 's well known those that contend for Innate Ideas or Principles do not think they discover ' emselves without the Exercise of our natural Powers and Faculties and some of those external Means and Instruments that are necessary to acquired Knowledge In a word they always suppose a due Attention and Application of Mind even to the Exercise of Reflection And truly since acquired Impressions that are laid up in the Memory are scarce ever revived but by an accidental Occurrence of some present Object these native Inscriptions if any such may not be perceived till their respective Objects are presented to the Mind to exert its Powers and Faculties upon Something like this our Exercitations on written Laws seem to resemble when we never apprehend the full Force and Purport of a Law till some special Case or Instance offers itself to induce an Application And thus the want of Perception in Infants may be fairly accounted for as well as from the infant Indispositions of the Animal part For the Organs being for ought we know at first not so well fitted to convey the Images of outward Objects and consequently fix any Impressions or establish any clear Perceptions no wonder if native Inscriptions lie dormant This Author allows there 's a time when a Human Soul begins to Think or exercise any of its natural Powers and Faculties and native Inscriptions cannot occur or be perceived before we begin to Think yea rather if they are to be revived by the Exercise of the Mind upon outward Things or Objects that are peculiar to 'em we can scarce expect 'em among our infant Thoughts or mental Exercitations as long as we are so constantly entertained by the Inventions of Nurses and Parents Thus far there seems to be no necessity for discarding innate Ideas or practical Principles and consequently if it appears that the Doctrine serves any real Purposes of Religion I see nothing advanced by this Author that demonstrates the Absurdity of it § 2. But yet for all this if it be allowed that Probabilities may determine our Judgments in this Matter the Doctrine of Innate Ideas is rather to be rejected than retain'd It 's abundantly concluded That Man is under an establisht Method of attaining the right knowledge of Good and Evil the Frame and Order of Things within and without with the exercise of his own Faculties upon 'em will present him with a Scheme of Moral Duty and a true Measure of Action and that too as clearly as if it was impressed on the
endeavour to represent wherein the precise Nature of a rightful Dominion Obligation or Obedience with respect to God and his Laws consists And I shall enlarge something more freely upon it because all delegated Right of Dominion and Obedience entirely depends upon it Thus if we suppose civil Government founded in Compact the Right of Dominion and Obedience must rest upon the Authority of Compacts as 't is a Law of Nature and an indispensable Duty to Observe and keep 'em but the observance of 'em cannot be an indispensable Duty but by some Right and Authority lodged in the Author of Nature that pronounces 'em such Thus if civil Government takes its Rise from a Paternal Right Conquest Immemorial Prescription or Possession the Right of Dominion or Obedience invested in the civil Power must rest on the Authority of some Divine Law either natural or revealed ratifying or confirming their Claims or Titles and the Authority of this Law must rest on some Right which God challenges to impose such a Law so that the Authority of every sort of rightful earthly Power is founded in a Divine Right in vertue of which it is stiled the Ordinance of God since all their Right of Dominion or Authority derives from a Supereminent Right in God Now this is an absolute Demonstration of the Absurdity of the Hobbists Notion that Matters of Religion receive their Obligation from the State or civil Power and consequently induce an absolute Obedience This puts an eternal Silence to the Dispute Whether we are to yield an Obedience to the Laws of the State before the Laws of God or whether the Laws of the State are to be obeyed against the Laws of God For certainly since God is the Fountain of all Power and Authority the Duties of Religion are ultimately determined by God as well as receive their Obligation from God so that the civil Power that derives all Authority from God can only exert a Power in matters of Religion where God has not interposed or placed it in other hands but it 's the greatest Absurdity in Nature to pretend a supereminent Power to that of God when the whole any Man can pretend to immediately derives from God But to return First then the true Original of God's Right of Dominion or Right of Obliging us undoubtedly results from his creative and preserving Power That that Being which by an absolute independent Power gives Being to another has a Right to give Laws or fix the Measures and Rules of his Being seems to be a Maxim that carries a kind of Self-evidence in it I 'm sure it 's the very Argument advanced in the Sacred Canon Rom. 9.20 21. Nay but O Man who art thou that repliest against God shall the thing formed say to him that formed it why hast thou made me thus Hath not the Potter power over the Clay of the same lump to make one Vessel unto Honor and another unto Dishonor It 's well known the Design of the Argument is to represent a supereminent Right in God even such as might justly authorise him to assign those Allotments to Mankind which his infinite Goodness would never suffer him to execute and consequently it must demonstrate a Right of giving Laws to those Creatures to whom he gave a Being But to pursue the Argument upon the Reasons of it It 's on all Hands allowed that a Right of Dominion is founded in Property and the more absolute the Property is the more unquestionable is the Right of Dominion That Property is the Foundation of Obedience or a Right of Obliging both in respect of God and Men this Author freely owns in another place pag. 126. And yet he labours to wave it in the place before us as will appear more fully by and by His Concessions are these All the Reasons and Grounds of our Obedience to Men and of their Right of Obliging us are Power Goodness and Property But God has all these Titles to our Obedience in the highest degree possible for by giving us our entire Being and every thing that belongs to our Nature 't is plain that he has a greater Property in us by this Act of Creation or Production than can accrue to any Man by Conquest Purchase Covenant or any other way whereby Men come to have a Propriety in one another I think the Argument is carried so full and clear that it seems not capable of an Improvement It 's certain there is no Property so absolute as that which results from a creative preserving Power For Creation makes the Property absolute independent and unborrowed every Spring and Movement every Power or Faculty every Interest or Happiness either actually possess'd or capable of being enjoy'd is an absolute Property of a Creator for all that is within or without us when he first set us forth into the World was originally wrapped up and in time issued forth of his infinite Power and Wisdom the whole Stock of Materials came out from him and when 't is all returned back he has but his own And is it not lawful to do what one will with his own Subordinate Proprietors indeed may be limited as to the exercise or use of what they have a Propriety in but an absolute independent Proprietor is to account to no one We may therefore in the Language of our Saviour expostulate who shall give unto him that which is thus his own Luke 16.12 Again a preserving Power especially such as is peculiar to God seems to advance or at least corroborate the Propriety he challenges in us As our Beings took their rise from another and were formed by the Hands of an Almighty Creator we are by a necessity of Nature or the origiginal Frame and Condition of our Nature Beings perpetually dependent so that Reason as well as Revelation instructs us that in him we live move and have our Beings He did not form and bespeak us into Being and after the finishing Stroke put us wholly out of his Hands with an intrinsick Power of Self-subsistence but the same Power concurs to continue our Beings that was required to form us into Being for every Breath of Life even our very Soul and that Reason which seems to give us Authority to act for ourselves nay the whole Cargo of Happiness and every Span and Minute of it perpetually hangs on the preserving Power of a mighty Creator So that we may Expostulate in the Language of an Apostle What hast thou that thou didst not receive 1 Cor. 4.7 Especially since we have received nothing but what carries appearance of having not received it in as much as it still rests on the preserving Power of the Donor Now what can establish a Right of Dominion or a Right of Obliging if a Property so absolute so independent so inseparable and so peculiar as this will not do it Not only the uncontroverted Notions of Mankind but the first Workings of Reason will subscribe to it Can Reason disown that Right by which it
us actually to obey not wherein the Right or Duty of Obedience is fixed and therefore tho' Rewards and Punishments are the true and proper Motives to secure a rational Obedience yet the Right of Obedience may rest upon a distinct Foundation Now I have a President before me I may at least with leave of this Author suppose something out of the Way as well as he to prove the truth of the Assertion suppose a Man created to infinite and irreversible Happiness though God has no longer a Power of contributing or adding to his Happiness yet I hope this Author in this Case will not deny God's Right of Sovereignty and Dominion over him as his Creature In one word I have proved That the Devils in Hell are or will be in a State of irreversible and infinite Misery and though for this Reason they can be acted with no Inclinations of Obedience yet they must still believe or acknowledge the Sovereignty of their Creator and tremble I presume I have now in some Measure fixed the Foundation of God's Sovereignty and Dominion over us and tho' I have used some Liberty in rejecting the Opinions of others yet I hope I may fairly account for it For the Notions I have contended for are founded on things that fall in with the established Sentiments of Mankind such as are properly founded in a creative preserving Power and consequently they must command a Submission and Obedience upon the clearest Convictions of Reason and as long as the Arguments suggested are cogent and satisfactory it is not Prudence to leave the common Road and put things of Moment and Importance upon an Issue that it may be wants Evidence or at least contradicts some received Truths or Notions But now an Enquiry of this Nature has been made I cannot dismiss the Argument without adoring our Great and Good God Creator and Sovereign For who is like unto the Lord our God who dwelleth on High and yet humbleth Himself to behold the things that are in Heaven and in the Earth Psalm 113. ver 5 6. Tho' God is invested with such an absolute Sovereignty over the Sons of Men yet he has graciously condescended to consider their Infirmities Wants and Necessities It 's already concluded that the Laws he originally gave to Mankind are adapted to the great Ends and Interests of our Nature they are not only contrived to preserve its Frame from Violence and Ruin but to advance and secure that Happiness its capable of receiving They are contrived not so much to represent the Authority of an absolute Creator as to establish the Happiness of his Creatures whatever Right of Dominion God may challenge to impose those Laws he has given us it 's manifest they carry their own Arguments of Obedience along with ' em He has not bound us with the Cords of Fear but Love indeed they have the highest Overtures of Love to recommend 'em Love not only for the exceeding Recompence of Reward that is annexed to the observance of 'em but Love that is contained in the very Frame of 'em even Love as dear and valuable to us as the Love of Ourselves and our own Happiness since they are the direct and immediate Instruments of Happiness so that were God destitute of a Right of imposing Laws or even a Power of contributing further to our Happiness by fresh Rewards the Nature and Tendency of those Laws he has actually imposed if not obstructed by very debauched Propensions is sufficient to secure an Obedience to him CHAP. IX Of the Certainty of Rewards and Punishments under a State of Nature § 1. INdeed I have already touched upon this Argument in the Disquisition of a Law of Nature but in order to the establishing a Scheme of Natural Religion I think myself obliged to enlarge a little further upon it And first I shall not Appeal to the Argument of Natural Conscience warranted by Revelation itself in as much as it contains an Absolving or Condemning Faculty in it and consequently must be acted with a Sense of Rewards and Punishments the immediate Spring or Appendage of such Powers or Faculties This will be considered on another Subject To proceed then It 's already concluded That the Dictates of Natural Reason are true and proper Laws established in a rightful and competent Authority that is in one word they are the Commands of a Sovereign Power and Authority over the whole Off-spring of Mankind And 't is already concluded that Rewards and Punishments I mean such as are lodged in the Hands of the Legislator not the natural Effects of the Action arising from the Observation or Violation of the Law are at least the necessary Appendages or Concomitants of a Law I will not run into the nice and tedious Disputes of the Schools and examine whether Rewards and Punishments are so much of the Nature or Essence of a Law that it loses the denomination of a Law without them This must be allowed by those that place the Obligation of a Law purely in a Power of Rewarding or Punishing But this has been disputed already and therefore I 'm inclined to the Negative But however it cannot be denied but Rewards are an inseparable Property of a Law adding Perfection to it and a Prerogative peculiar to every Legislator For certainly no one can be a rightful Legislator without a Right to despense Rewards and Punishments They declare and signifie a binding Authority and no one can pass for a rightful Legislator without a Right to oblige or require Obedience Herein a Law distinguishes it self from Counsel or Exhortation Again they contribute to the Perfection of a Law since the Ends and Intentions of it cannot be secured without ' em This is absolutely necessary where the Persons that yield an Obedience are acted by contrary Dispositions and Propensions and consequently they may justly be esteemed inseparable Properties of a Law I will not dispute the Power or Prerogative of Heaven whether God could not rightfully enjoyn a Law without annexing suitable Rewards and Punishments but whosoever compares the Laws he has enjoyned with the Propensions of Human Nature will be apt to impeach his infinite Wisdom for not annexing suitable Rewards as well as Punishments since without 'em it 's morally impossible to enforce the Observance of such Laws Indeed Rewards and Punishments are so much a Property of a Law that God thought fit to usher the first positive Law he gave to Mankind into the World by annexing 'em to it In the Day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die Gen. 2.17 As if he intended to imprint a Sense of Rewards and Punishments in the Original Idea of a Law In a word they are so much the Property of a Law that where-ever there is the Face of Government and Laws enacted Rewards and Punishments are esteemed the unquestionable Prerogatives of the legislative Power The whole Off-spring of Mankind that were ever under the Conduct of a Law are acted with such a deep
Sense of 'em that a Right of Punishment is never disputed tho' the Penalty is not expresly annexed Thus far then at least we are advanced unless we can deny a Sovereign Creator a Right of exercising a legislative Power we must allow him a Right of executing Punishments upon the Violation of his Laws as well as a Power of rewarding the Observance of them § 2. But now the Certainty of Divine Punishments as well as Rewards pursuing all his Laws even Laws of Nature is evinced from indisputable Authorities Few will be forward to dispute the Certainty of Rewards and therefore I shall consider it purely with respect to Punishments And 1st That God will dispence certain Punishments upon the Violation of any Law of Nature follows from the general Ends and Intentions of all Law-givers especially the Supreme Divine Law-giver that gave Being to every Soul that is capable of receiving a Law as well as Laws to govern them by Now no Law-giver can ever give Laws to others without designing for some special Ends and Purposes to have them executed and observed Without this it's absurd for a Law-giver to engage in enacting Laws or trouble his Subjects with the Burden that arises from the Imposition of them In a word it 's to act in vain or to no purpose an Imputation that cannot without Horror and Blasphemy be charged upon God who is always governed by the unchangeable Dictate of infinite Wisdom Therefore since we must conclude that the Sovereign Lord of all the World is acted with the deepest concern to have his Laws executed since Punishment is the best Expedient to enforce the Execution of 'em and since Punishment is due upon the Violation of 'em it must follow that Punishment will attend the Violation of ' em § 3. But 2dly The Certainty of Punishment discovers itself from the Nature of these Laws with relation to those Beings to whom they are given Now it 's already concluded That Laws of Nature arise from the established Frame and Condition of our Beings and Concenter with the prime Ends and Interests of ' em The Observance of Laws of Nature bring natural Rewards along with 'em sufficient to recommend 'em to the Choices of reasoning Beings and the Violation of 'em implies a Renuntiation not only of the common Rules of Prudence but Self-preservation the necessary Instinct of sensitive unthinking Beings And therefore when Laws of Nature are violated there seems no Room or Foundation left to excite or work upon infinite Mercy Indeed did God act like an Egyptian Task-master and not only require Brick without Straw but continue the Tail upon the greatest Sweat and Drudgery merely to exert an absolute Sovereignty and Dominion he might sometimes be melted into Compassion when a poor Vassal happens to fall short of the Line of Duty but now the Violation of them implies the highest Aggravations of Folly and resolved Iniquity and therefore we cannot imagine that any thing can induce an infinitely wise Creator to suspend any Punishments he can justly execute § 4. But 3dly Let us consider the Nature of the Command with respect to God that gave them Now certainly since it is concluded That Laws of Nature or Dictates of Nature take their Rise from the Author of Nature they are not only established according to the original Frame of created Nature but according to the infinite Purity and Holiness of God They are the express Image of his Person and the Brightness of that infinite Mind with whom there is no Shadow of Darkness or Impurity On this Account the Violation of Laws of Nature is not only an Affront committed against the Majesty and Sovereign Authority of God but a gross Aspersion upon his infinite Purity and Holiness and consequently it must engage him in the deepest Resentments So that Punishment is now no more an Act of Sovereignty but an Act of Justice to wipe off the Dirt that is by this means cast upon his infinite Purity If He 's of purer Eyes than to behold much less to cohabit with Iniquity certainly he must be armed with the highest Resentments even such as will answer the Character he has given of himself for our God is a consuming Fire And therefore though his infinite Love and Mercy might sometimes engage him to remit the Punishment that is due to the Violation of a known Law yet his infinite Justice will not suffer him till he has satisfied the Demands of his infinite Purity and Holiness In one word whosoever seriously surveys the Actions of the Almighty will plainly discover how directly all his Laws result from the whole Circle of his Divine Attributes and therefore it 's a senseless Project to set up his Mercy against his Justice Purity and Goodness and thereupon promise our selves an Exemption from Punishment It 's evident therefore that Laws of Nature as well as all other Laws are guarded with Punishments suitable to the Nature of ' em And if God is not concerned to vindicate his Authority he 'll certainly be concerned to vindicate his infinite Purity and Goodness and therefore we may conclude tho' Hand joyn in Hand the Disobedient shall not go unpunished I will not pretend to fix a Standard of Punishment for Offences committed against Laws of Nature I mean with respect to the Nature Degrees or Continuance of them for tho' there are a great many Arguments that might suggest very considerable Discoveries in these matters yet I think they were in a great measure Secrets lodged in the Hands of God till he thought fit to reveal himself in Cases of this Nature this being the proper Business of Revelation It 's sufficient to Believers and Christians that he has now done it beyond all dispute or cavil Again I will not pretend to conclude every particular Soul that acts against Laws of Nature under the Vengeance of Heaven Punishment no doubt will be proportioned according to the means of Information and there may be certain Cases in a State of Nature where invincible Ignorance may be a Plea at the Bar of Justice to particular Persons but yet the Actions of Men are intricate and Humane Knowledge shallow and of a narrow compass and therefore we must leave these as Secrets to the Discerner of Spirits and that Candle of the Lord I mean every Man 's particular Conscience It 's sufficient that the Violations of Laws of Nature antecedent to Revelation render Mankind obnoxious to Punishments and that all the Reason in the World instructs us God will infallibly inflict them And therefore it 's the Concern of Mankind either to live in the Observance of 'em or to appear with a more substantial Defence than I can think of lest they bring themselves into an irreversible State of Condemnation CHAP. X. Of the Original of Parental Duty Love and Affection and filial Reverence and Duty § 1. IT was not my Design to descend to Particulars no more than to present the World with an exact List or
Truth and Divinity of the Sacred Oracles must own it as such since we find it expresly assigned as an Argument of the Duty Hearken unto thy Father that begat thee Prov. 23. ver 22. But then when we consider that we did not only take our Rise from the Loins of a Parent but drew all our Blessings thro' his Care and Inspection and that God by a special Decree enjoyned it upon 'em as an indispensable Duty it 's an evident Confirmation of the fundamental Title that of Generation and an unquestionable Argument that God intended to induce indispensable Obligations of Obedience upon it And truly he that considers and allows God's Right of Dominion to be founded in his creative preserving Power must allow a subordinate Right of Dominion in him whom he has made the immediate Instrument and Substitute for displaying the Glory and Wonders of it Thus far I presume it 's abundantly evident that the Obligations of Filial Duty and Obedience rest upon an unquestionable Foundation That which remains is to consider the Extent of 'em and this will best be performed by applying 'em to the first Parent of Mankind from whom the Notion will present itself as it lies in its original Model And certainly we may in the first place affirm That Filial Duty and Obedience doth not barely consist in any external Ceremonies or Instances of Respect nor even those that terminate in Obligations to succour and relieve a Parent under Want or Distress but it extends to the Regulation of our Lives and Actions by Commands and Laws in all the Parts and Instances of Human Life § 4. From what has already been offered I think it may with force of Reason be affirmed That the first Parent of Mankind is by God invested with a Sovereign Power over his Off-spring to prescribe Laws for the Conduct of their Lives and Actions in all Cases and Emergencies pursuant to the Laws of God whether natural or revealed or where God has no way interposed to the contrary And pursuant to this it 's an uncontroverted Truth that the Patriarchs rightfully exercised the Priestly Function till God interposed by a positive Institution and constituted a standing Order of Men to wait on his Altar this is so agreeable to the Divine Will that though private Persons cannot preside in the public Worship of God without an Intrusion of the Priestly Office yet every Parent by Divine Designation and Appointment is still a kind of Priest within the District of his own Family And certainly if a Paternal or Patriarchal Power originally includes a Priestly Power I can see no Reason to dispute the Authority of a Kingly Power And agreeable to this History assures us that the Kings of Egypt as well as other Governments originally exercised a Sacerdotal as well as Civil Jurisdiction But to proceed The Business or Design and Authority of the supreme Power or in a word of all those delegated Powers which God hath or ever will establish among Mankind is to prescribe Laws for the Regulation of our Lives and Actions in all Cases and Emergences And if Government and positive Human Laws by the Laws of Nature and the Frame of our Beings are absolutely necessary to the Conduct of Mankind in a State of Nature as well as Grace we have all the Reason in the World to conclude that this Power and Authority was originally lodged in the paternal Power of Adam over his own Off-spring It 's certain the Prerogatives of the Supreme Power do not extend to the wresting away real Rights and Immunities which the Laws of Nature or Revelation give us for their original Institution is to advance the Wellfare and Happiness of Mankind by securing and enforcing the observance of them and therefore since it is indisputably concluded that an authoritative Power is lodged in the Fatherhood there is no Obstruction in the Nature of the Thing but the Paternal Power of Adam might extend to the imposing such Laws as are fitted to answer these Ends and Purposes Indeed God's making Government necessary seems to advance his Paternal Power to all the Rights and Prerogatives of it unless he had established it upon another Foundation by some express Law for God having created the Off-spring of Adam with the strongest Propensions of Obedience to him as a Father God having established an Obedience upon the same Principles upon which he challenges our Obedience we must conclude that a Right of Obedience accrews to Adam as a Father in all those Cases wherein God has made it necessary for Mankind to be governed by Laws And since God has made it necessary for the Off-spring of Adam and in them the Off-spring of Mankind even by the highest Necessity that of Nature and Existence to live by Society and to be governed by Laws in order to the enforcement of the Laws of God whether Natural or Revealed and in them in order to the Security of the Wellfare and Happiness of Mankind the Paternal Power of Adam must originally extend to all the Prerogatives of delegated Power so that by vertue of his Characters which God brought him into the World under he 's to all Intents and Purposes God's immediate Vice-gerent unless some positive and express Law had signified the contrary In a word a Necessity arising from the Frame and Order of Nature is in a State of Nature the proper Evidence for Divine Designation and Appointment or indeed for any Law of Nature and therefore since Civil Government is thus far necessary Reason will dictate God's Intentions in placing it that is according to the Order of Nature or where he has placed the principal Marks of Authority or Supremacy Indeed the Notion is founded on Arguments so clear and convincing that natural Reason dictates an Allegiance as forcibly from a Paternal Power as that of Compact tho' there were nothing in the Nature of the former that interferes with the Hypothesis of the latter for an Allegiance which derives from Compact must rest upon the Authority of Compact whereby it becomes indispensably binding to all the Ends and Purposes of Civil Government And I think natural Reason upon the received Laws of the Creation as clearly fixes an Allegiance in the Paternal Power as a Law of God and Nature as it pronounces the Maintainance of such Compacts a Law of God or Nature But then if upon Matter of Fact or the revealed Methods of the Creation there is any thing repugnant to such a Compact the Authority of a Paternal Allegiance cannot be rejected Now we profess and believe that Adam was the Father of Mankind for even the Woman of whom the rest of his Progeny was to be Born by an Omnipotent Power issued forth of him and since it 's concluded That for this Reason as well as for the Offices of his Paternal Function a real Superiority as well as a Right of Allegiance is derived to him we must conclude that his Off-spring could not challenge a Right of Compact any
way derogatory to that Preheminence and Superiority which the Laws of God and Nature had thus placed him in In a word it 's manifest his Age his Knowledge and Experience gave him a civil Preheminence over his Off-spring and if we add this to his Paternal Rights Reason will force us to acknowledge an Authoritative Superiority Here is not a bare Priority in Time or Place or for Order or external Ceremony but a Priority or rather Superiority in Power and Authority Now all this loudly exposes the Conceit of an original State of Equality without which there can be no Colour or Foundation for an original Contract Indeed this is a Conjecture so vain and groundless that the Divine Methods in Peopling the World by Descent and not by a Multitude at once is sufficient to shake the Credit of it And certainly nothing but the wild Supposition which Mr. Hobbs has begged to advance his Hypothesis is contradicted by Matter of Fact I mean a Multitude of Men by Divine Appointment sprung up like Mushrooms or an open Renunciation of the History of the Creation can assert the Doctrine of a natural Equality But to consider the Argument of Compact a little further It 's certain Compact is no further valid than it is materially or intrinsically good and therefore no one can rightfully enter into Compact to resign up or cancel any Laws of God or Nature or in a word any further than it is consistent with the true Ends of Government and thus far the Necessity of Government without any Injury to natural Liberty seems to place its Power and Authority in the Person in whom the very Order of Nature as well some peculiar Marks of Sovereignty have apparently fixed it CHAP. XI Reflections on some Passages in Mr. Lock 's Essay of Human Vnderstanding and a Treatise of Government Part 2. § 1. ANd first Mr. Lock having fixed the Original of what the World generally calls Principles though never so remote from Reason in the Power of Education whereby they are rivetted in the Mind before the Memory begins to keep a Register of their Actions he observes Men from hence conclude That those Propositions of whose Knowledge they can find in ' emselves no Original were certainly the Impress of God and Nature upon their Minds and not taught them by any one else This he endeavours to illustrate by the Instance of Filial Reverence These says he they entertain and submit to as many do to their Parents with Veneration not because it is Natural nor do Children do it where they are not so taught but because having been always so educated and having no Remembrance of the beginning of this Respect they think it is natural Essay B. 1. Cap. 3. § 23. I will not peremptorily limit the Words to a Sense which they seem to express If Mr. Lock by the Term Natural intends so as Native Inscriptions are then I can readily grant that a Filial Veneration is not in this Sense Natural But if he affirms that it is not Natural as Laws of Nature are which he seems to do when he tells us that Children would not pay any Veneration were they not so taught then he must pardon me if I cannot joyn with him in the Notion for I hope I have sufficiently proved that Children are naturally endowed with as strong Propensions of Filial Reverence and Respect as those in Parents of Parental Tenderness and Compassion and that the bare Perception of the Idea or Term Parent would naturally Actuate these native Propensions in such a manner as to command not only Solemn Reverence and Respect but Filial Obedience had not Education or ill Example suggested something to the contrary Indeed I 'm perswaded a great deal of Filial Reverence and Duty is worn off by those Devolutions which the Reasons and Necessities of civil Government have made in the chiefest Branches of Parental Power otherwise I question not but a Sense of the highest Veneration and Duty would constantly possess the Minds of Men as no doubt it did under the first Government where the Supreme Power was both Parent and Sovereign § 2. But to consider the Positions of another Treatise I presume well known to Mr. Lock And first in order to overturn the Parental Power as it extends to Government This Gentleman as well as Mr. Hobbs tho' both in a different Way thinks he has gain'd the Field by proving that the Mother is an equal Sharer in that Power which accrews to a Father as a Parent He proves it from both Testaments particularly Exod. 20.12 and Eph. 6.1 and the Remark is Had but this one thing been well considered without looking any deeper into the Matter it might perhaps have kept Men from running into those gross Mistakes they have made about Parents Two Treatises of Government Part 2. Cap. 6. § 52 53. Now in Answer to this I will not deny but the Word of God enjoyns Duty and Obedience to both Parents but he cannot be ignorant but it must be assigned to the Mother only in a Subordinate manner for else I would fain know how with any colour of Truth or Reason he expounds these Passages Thy Desire shall be to thine Husband and he shall rule over thee Gen. 3.16 Wives submit yourselves unto your own Husbands as unto the Lord for the Husband is the Head of the Wife even as Christ is the Head of the Church Therefore as the Church is subject unto Christ so let the Wives be unto their own Husbands in every thing Eph. 5.22 c. St. Peter is as large on the same Argument to whom I shall refer him Eph. 1.3 So that it 's evident the revealed Law gives a supereminent Power to the Father even as a Father as well as a Husband since the Wife is to obey in all things and consequently to give place to his Authority in laying his just Command upon his Children But further the natural Frame of Man not only in respect of Strength and Vigour of Body but Courage and Resolution of Mind seems to give him so much Superiority and Preheminence as by the Dictates of Natural Reason is sufficient to establish a supereminent Power and Authority to that of the Woman I 'm sure the holy Spirit draws the Character not unlike this when the Woman is stil'd The weaker Vessel But now in the present Argument we are to have recourse to Matter of Fact by considering the Method God took in the Production of the Woman for the Dispute being whether de facto the Paternal Power of Adam was Supereminent to that of the Woman It 's abundantly concluded if it be made appear from the established Methods of the Creation and the Argument is the same in the Original of Government for this is to be taken from Matter of Fact especially as long as 't is recorded and transmitted upon unquestionable Authority and when once the Original of Government is fixed the Succession of Governments will easily be accounted
for without Projecting an imaginary State of Nature and Equality and original Compact upon it It is not my Business now to draw the Scheme but if this Author will not be content without it he shall have it upon Demand and therefore it 's unpardonable Arrogance in those that receive the Story of the Creation to erect a Scheme without any regard to it or rather such as is highly inconsistent with the plain Doctrines of it But to return the Records of the Creation assure us That the Woman or Mother of Mankind took her Being from the Man God did not think fit to give her an Original Independent of the Man by an immediate Creation from common Matter but made her a Debtor to the Man by forming her of his Flesh and Blood and therefore if this is allowed natural Reason will pronounce it a Mark of natural Subjection and consequently assign her no more than a subordinate Authority I 'm sure the holy Spirit remarks as much where we are expresly told The Head of the Woman is the Man and that He is the Image and Glory of God but the Woman is the Glory of the Man for the Man is not made of the Woman but the Woman of the Man neither is the Man created for the Woman but the Woman for the Man 1 Cor. 11.3 7 8 9. But further If a natural Subjection does not Result from the Laws of Creation we may find it establish'd by a Positive Law For thy Desire shall be to thy Husband and he shall Rule over thee Gen. 3.16 Indeed it deserves our Notice to observe how this Author labours to droll away the Import of the Text by exposing Adam's Monarchy being in the next Verse in his own Language Condemned to be a Day-labourer for Life Pa. 1. Cap. 5. § 44 45. But who sees not thro' the Weakness of the Harangue for after all his Tricks and Insinuations he 's not able to prove that God has not placed the Woman in a State of Subjection tho' it be interpreted as part of her Punishment and consequently established a supereminent Power and Authority in Adam tho' he wanted not his Punishment in being condemned to reap the Blessings of this Life even of Government itself in continual Sweat and Labour Here is not a supereminent Power established in Compact but conferred by God himself Indeed it 's indisputably evident all those Rights of Dominion that were invested in Adam even that which results from his Conjugal Estate was conferred by God for tho' God was pleased to leave the Conjugal Estate of his Descendents to be established upon voluntary Contracts he thought fit to make his an immediate Grant as well as the Authority of it But then tho' the entring into a State of Matrimony now is a pure Compact yet the Authority that derives upon the Husband from it is by no means a piece of Compact this is established by God alone in the first Institution of Matrimony and enforced by After-laws The Sum of all is this The Rights of Parental Jurisdiction considered in the Nature of the Thing itself had been in common to our first Parents had not God signified the contrary by giving the Woman a Being from the Man and assigning him a supereminent Power by an express Law and since this is abundantly evinced I hope an imaginary State of Equality or Freedom shall not hinder God from limiting his own Ordinances at Pleasure and consequently the Rights of the Paternal Power are indisputably invested in the Fatherhood Here is the main Effort of our Adversaries for the only Artifice to strip the Fatherhood of all civil Jurisdiction was to clog the Notion with Absurdities by contending for a joynt Jurisdiction in the Mother upon the Foundations of the Parental Power and therefore this being set aside there is nothing left that is of force to Discard any of those Prerogatives that have hitherto been assigned But to proceed He tells us that the Parental and Political Power are so perfectly Distinct and Separate and Built upon so different Foundations and given to so different Ends that every Subject that is a Father has as much a Paternal Power over his Children as the Prince has over his Ib. § 7. But it 's manifest the Argument is concerning Paternal and Political Power as it was in the original Institution of ' em And it 's already granted that Paternal and Political Power as exercised in the present Governments of the World are visibly distinguished but it cannot be an Argument they were so in their Original The present Governments of the World rest upon different Foundations from what Government did in its Original and yet it does not follow that their Foundation was an original Compact from a perfect State of Nature or Equality for I defie this Author to prove that there was ever any Body of Men regularly and de jure in such a State since the Creation unless Manumitted by the Civil Power Again the Exercise of the Paternal Power in private Families that are the Descendents of Adam is vastly different from what it was in the Original for God having made Government necessary to the Support of Mankind it was absolutely necessary that that part of the Paternal Power which consists in Governing by Laws should devolve from Under-families upon Adam and consequently in After-governments it must still remain in the Father of each respective Government or in other Terms in the Governing Power But notwithstanding all this the commanding Power and Authority which has been abundantly asserted to be in the original Rights of the Paternal Power by the Laws of God and the Reasons of the thing still remains in private Parents or Fathers where the Civil Power has not expresly interposed or where it 's necessary it should exert itself in the Conduct of Humane Life But to demonstrate from eternal Distinction of Paternal from Political Government he in another place presents us with an Instance of a Stranger 's coming into a Family who should Kill one of the Patriarch's Children upon which he allows the Patriarch a Power to put him to Death and yet he says it's impossible he should do it by Vertue of any Paternal Authority Ib. § 74. Now for my part I 'm so far from discerning any Impossibility that I cannot fathom the Consequence of the Argument For certainly unless he would beg the Question or pronounce it Impossible that a Paternal Power should imploy a Coercive Power in it within the Districts of its Government over all those that disturb the Peace of it why may not the Power of Capital Punishments be attributed to a Paternal Power without a Consent or Deputation from those Children that are the principal Members of it Though he cannot punish the Stranger as his own Off-spring yet if a Political Power branches itself from a Paternal Power as has been sufficiently proved I hope no one can deny but there is such Powers lodged in it as are
therefore the Inference is Recorded Go and tell the Men of Judah and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem Will ye not receive Instruction to hearken to my Words The Words of Jonadab the Son of Rechab that he commanded his Sons are performed for unto this Day they drink no Wine but obey their Father's Commandment Notwithstanding I have spoken unto you rising up early and speaking but ye hearkned not unto me v. 13 14. And now how can any Man dispute the Perpetuity of a Commanding Paternal Power Has not God himself drawn the Parallel If his Commanding Power is not Temporary neither is that of the Parent The Nature of the Command might have engaged a powerful Advocate against it the Freedoms and Immunities of a reasonable Being but yet the Conscience of so just a Superior bearing so awful a Character as that of a Father commands an immediate Submission Indeed this single Instance represents it as a Doctrine universally received and in those Ages undisputed and therefore I presume it will be a Task of some difficulty for this Author to produce a Dispensation much more a Repeal under the Gospel OEconomy But I proceed to consider the Arguments already advanced to support the Notion and I find the main and principal Argument is formed from the Nature and Reason of Paternal Authority for the Author expresly resolves the commanding Power into a help to the weakness and imperfections of their Nonage a Discipline necessary to their Education but when they are once arrived to the Enfranchisement of the Years of Discretion the Father's Empire then ceases Sect. 65. But let us consider this in the Instance already given that of our first Parent I would demand of this Gentleman whether after Years of Discretion a Discipline of Civil Commands and Laws were not absolutely necessary for the Conduct of our Lives and Actions yet as necessary as a commanding Discipline to a Child's Education If therefore Civil Government from the beginning was necessary even for Adult Persons this Discipline must be so too and then let Reason determine whether this commanding Authoritative Power or this Discipline of giving Laws and Commands was not Appropriate to Adam in whom God had invested all deligated Power and Authority and that too under the higest marks of Sovereignty and Dominion I 'm perswaded an unbiassed Person would pronounce such a Title unquestionable when there is no express Law that declares the contrary Again he tells us The Power which Parents have over their Children arises from that Duty which is incumbent on them to take care of their Off-spring during the imperfect State of Childhood See Sect. 58. But I am perswaded I have with good Evidence fixed it on a distinct Foundation Parental Duty indeed is a substantial Reason that God should Establish a Right of Dominion but it is no Argument that he has Established it on this Foundation no I have proved the contrary But admit we that a Parental Right of Dominion was founded in the Duties of a Parent yet if Parental Duty be perpetual a Parental Right of Dominion must be so too Indeed to give colour to this uncouth Notion he Suggests that that part of Parental Duty which consists in Education ceases when the business of Education is over he means when Nonage ceases Sect. 69. But certainly if Instruction or Commands are at any time necessary and not superseded by a higher Power it 's the Indispensible Duty of the Father to enjoyn them and the Duty of Children to embrace them I presume Christianity will instruct every believing Father that a Child's Age or Abilities can never exempt him from giving such Counsels and Precepts if he stands in need of them as may induce him to live in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord. Upon the whole then the Commands of private Parents after Nonage are for the most part superseded by the ample provisions of the Civil Power in all Regular Governments and in like manner the power of Punishments is justly taken away upon that Interest or Property which the Government challenges in all its Members but yet if any thing is omitted in the Civil Power necessary to the Conduct of the Child's Life I am perswaded the Parent is not only to administer Counsel but lay his Commands and the Child is indispensibly obliged to yield a Consciencious Obedience upon a just Deference to the Parents's Character and Authority This is to obey as unto God and Christ and not unto Men. This Author freely confesses that the Duty of Piety expressed not only in Acts of Reverence and Respect but in supporting and defending the Persons of our Parents is perpetual and I am perswaded there can be no Just Reason assigned why a Reverential Obedience to just and reasonable Commands is not perpetual too it is indeed replyed that the former Results from the Laws of Gratitude founded in Benefit so inexpressible that the one can never be Cancelled nor the other Compensated but I hope it is proved they are founded in something besides that serves to perpetuate an Obligation and since a commanding Power has the same Authority and Foundation I cannot conceive why an Obedience to the Commands of Parents should not be perpetual where God seems to have made such Commands necessary to the Conduct of Humane Life Thus far here 's no Foundation given for the Suggestion this Author has made in extending the Gospel Precept to a commanding Power as if by virtue of it a Parent should pretend to treat an Adult Son still as a Boy Sect. 68. For the necessity of such commands is superseded by the circumstances of Age and Personal Abilities and tho it is reasonable to conclude that a Commanding Power remains yet it ought at all times to be exercised according to the necessity and reason of things In a word the principal Duties of Parents and Children appear from the nature of the things to be in their Original Institution perpetual and therefore before this Author had pronounced them Temporary he should have considered whether it was not to make the Commandments of God of none effect to support his vain and groundless Traditions such as a State of Freedom Equality and original Contract § 4. To consider the State of Freedom which is affirmed to be as absolute as that of the Father The only Reason and Argument assigned for this Freedom is in his own Language this The Freedom then of Man and liberty of Acting according to his own Will is grounded on his having Reason which is able to instruct him in that Law he is to govern himself by and make him know how far he is left to the freedom of his own Will Sect. 63. Now I am content to put the Notion on this issue with a small matter added to it If Man at a certain period is endued with a sufficiency of Reason to instruct him in that Law he is to govern himself by and make him know how far he is left to
Nature unless the Government has actually required an Oath of Fidelity If this be true as the case now stands in the English Government where Oaths of Allegiance are only required but upon Special Occasions and where pursuant to our Law in some cases he has fixed the term of Nonage at Twenty One he must necessarily bring a Majority of Effective Men within a State of Nature and therefore tho upon his Principles a Right doth not accrue to the Possessions of an Established Government yet in case an Established Government does not think fit to treat them as Men in a State of Nature or happens to exercise the least shadow of Rigour or Severity upon them they are according to rule his own I mean the proper Executioners of Laws of Nature and consequently they have Right of War not only against their Common but Natural Parents And truely I do not see but a Project of this nature might prove extreamly successful for pursuant to this Learned Hypothesis a Body of Rich Male-Contents that have not entred into an express Allegiance have power to sell their real Possessions and when this is done they are to all intents and purposes in a State of Nature and consequently are prepared upon the first Alarm to become Generals to worthy Mobile and invade their Neighbours Possessions with Thousands and ten Thousands Oh! Blessed Politicks to be the spawn of One that is called into the Counsels of a Government Eats its Bread and enjoys places of Trust as well as Profit I am certain I have represented the Notion with all imaginable fairness and tho the Absurdities that are lodged in it may pass for a sufficient Confutation yet I shall offer something further upon it And first it is on all Hands agreed that Persons as well as Things may become a Property and Property in the Judgment of the Learned establisheth a Right of Dominion Consent at least renders Persons or free Agents as much a Property as necessary Agents Now the dispute is whether free Agents may not become a Property any other way than by Consent It 's observable he resolves the Foundation of Property into Labour so that whatever is the effect of Labour and Industry or has Labour mixed with it becomes a Property See Chap. 5. Sect. 27 45. II. Part. Now it 's manifest not only the Education and Subsistence of Miners but of thousands of Persons that have not expresly Subscribed to any Government is carried on by the Labour Care and Conduct of the Government as well as that of their natural Parents and therefore Reason does not suggest any thing to me why they are not from their very Infancy to be esteemed a Property of the Government and consequently a kind of Allegiance as it were grows up with them to the Government as well as to their Natural Parents It 's true it is a Property highly distinct from that in Brutes for the one seems to be absolute whereas the other must be limited that is to Rational Ends and Purposes In this Sense a free Agent may be a Property of the Supreme Power as well as that of Terra firma in another But now since the Civil Power challengeth a Property it cannot be otherwise than by vertue of the Character it self I mean that of a Governing Power and consequently the Property that accrews from it must Establish a Right of Obedience pursuant to it In a word the Governing Power challenges a Right of Labour and Assistance in order to maintain the Strength and Grandeur of the Community and consequently the Supreme Power must be invested with Authority to impose Laws for the regulation and exacting of this Labour and Industry This is a truth so unquestionable that all Established Governments constantly challenge such Services as every Home-born Subject is capable of yielding and exercise Jurisdiction over them with as full Power as if they had actually Subscribed to its Authority This they esteem an undoubted Prerogative notwithstanding any Pretences to a State of Freedom after Nonage From all this it appears how unjust this Author's Position is in Authorizing all those that have not entered into an express Allegiance to desert a Government at pleasure for if the Laws and Measures of Property advanced by this Author give the Supreme Power a Right of Dominion over every Home-born Subject antecedent to all Subscriptions as I think has been abundantly evinced the Subject cannot rightfully withdraw himself from his Native Country without Special License from the Government I know this is a Question controverted by Grotius Pufendorf and others and they generally agree that they cannot rightfully withdraw Gregatim because it must destroy the Foundations of Government but Pufendorf argues well that if one particular Person has a right to withdraw a Second and Third must have so too and consequently a multitude or Body of Men either jointly or separately But however it is universally allowed that Governments may prescribe Laws in this Affair and certainly if a Government can without the express consent of these pretended Free-Born Persons rightfully bind them by Laws I think the Government has a Right of Allegiance Antecedent to Law for no Government can pretend a Power of binding by Law especially contrary to a Fundamental Natural Right where an Antecedent Right of Dominion is wanting without Compact or Consent This is current Doctrine at least with our Author the Man for Original contract In a word the Sum of what has been hitherto offered by the Learned is taken from the practices of particular Governments rather than from the Nature or Reason of the thing Indeed it cannot be denied but that particular Persons have withdrawn from their Native Country but it is to be interpreted by Permission or Connivance not by a Right of Natural Freedom for there can no just Reason be assigned why Persons as well as Things may not become a property of the Government or why a Property is not acquired in both pursuant to their proper Ends and Uses by the same Laws and Measures so that the Labour and Conduct of the Government in preserving and supporting our Persons may render us a Property of it to all the true ends and purposes of Government in a rational way or manner as much as the Occupation or quiet Enjoyment of any tract of Land render it a branch of its Dominions Thus far I question not but the Government has a Right or Property in the Labour and Service of every adult Native as truly as in the product of the Ground or the Riches and Treasures of a Country and therefore it 's absurd to imagine that any one can rightfully withdraw his Person much less his Effects or Treasure and commit himself and them to another Government whether new or old As for this Author he 's so highly sensible how much the number of Subjects contributes to the Trade Riches Strength and Glory of a Nation that were the question formally put and argued in
enim virtus est non quae relinqueret naturam sed quae tueretur Ib. Lib. 4. § 15. In homine Summa omnis Animi est in Animo Rationis ex qua virtus est quae Rationis Absolutio definitur Ib. Lib. 5. § 14. Virtus eadem in homine ac Deo est est autem Virtus nihil aliud quam perfecta ad Summum perducta natura est igitur homini cum Deo similitudo Lib. de Leg. § 8. So that Vertue was never esteemed that precarious Thing this Author has Suggested the publick Reputation of any Action was never the measure of Vertue but Right Reason and the Frame Ends and Interests of our Beings else it 's impossible Vertue in Men should be the same with Vertue in God and Men to resemble God in it as this Author excellently expresses himself From all this it 's manifest that Vertue was rather esteemed the Standard or Measure of Praise than Praise of Vertue and that Honour or Praise was never extolled or appealed to but as it is the Product of Vertue and a kind of reward to it Thus much this Author could not be Ignorant of when the Moralist explains the very passage he has cited almost with the same Breath and makes it a description of the chiefest Humane Good that consists in Vertue or is attained by it Quod ipsum sit optandum per se à Virtute profectum vel in ipsâ virtute situm suâ sponte laudabile Tusc Quaest lib. 2. § 20. If this will not content him I shall refer him to another passage that speaks out what I have already asserted and will instruct him that Vertue is the Measure of Praise not Praise of Vertue Omnis honos omnis admiratio omne studium ad virtutem ad eas actiones quae virtuti sunt consentaneae refertur Eaque omnia quae aut ita in animis sunt aut ita geruntur uno nomine honesta dicuntur Lib. 5 de Fin. § 21. This if I mistake not is to define Honour by Vertue not Vertue by Honour or Reputation as Mr. Lock would have it Upon the whole then I presume it appears that this Law of Opinion has no more foundation in the received principles of Morality than there 's necessity for the invention that it practises as much injustice upon the ancient Advocates for Morality as it discovers Impertinence or Evil design in the Author and in a Word it 's so miserably destitute of Solid Argument or Principle to support it that nothing but the fashionable Immoralities of a degenerate Age can assert its truth or Authority CHAP. XVI Of the Nature of Conscience in General I Shall not much enlarge on the Notion of Conscience which imports the knowledge of the Line of Duty and a directing Power or Faculty to consider the Nature of those Actions we are about to execute by applying 'em to the Line of Duty This is a truth so well known that no one can dispute it that allows the use of Reason or make us creatures that can act by a Law or are capable of being Governed by it The principal enquiry then is concerning Conscience with respect to past Actions And first it's a truth I presume universally agreed upon that Man is endued with a Power of Retaining and reflecting on his own actions The retentive Faculty is abundantly maintained upon the Power of Memory and the Power of Reflection is founded in the very Power of Reason For to Reflect and Animadvert upon our thoughts is undoubtedly an Act of Reason and Thought And therefore as Man acts upon Thought Deliberation and Argument he cannot but be conscious that he thinks deliberates and argues and consequently that he acts pursuant to it Indeed I presume to think deliberate and Act and to consider or know that we think deliberate or act thus and thus are two distinct acts of the Mind but whether we think and deliberate and reflect upon our Thoughts in the same or different Moments is no way prejudicial to the Doctrine of Consciousness To proceed then as we can reflect so we can animadvert upon the nature of past Actions for those very faculties that enable us to deliberate and judge of the Nature of an Action before it is executed will enable us to pass as clear if not much better judgment upon it after 't is over For then we view it in all its Aspects Circumstantials and Appendages Now certainly Conscience contains both these Powers in it I mean a Power of Recollecting and a Power of Animadverting on the Nature of our past Actions for without such inspecting Powers it 's impossible there can be any such thing as Conscience But then that which gives us the principal and formal Notion of Conscience is a Power of trying the Nature of our Actions by some Law or Rule of Action Whatever the Nature of Moral Good and Evil may be I mean whether it consists in the conformity of our Actions to a Law or Rule or their disagreement from it certain I am the Acts or Powers of Conscience imply the examination of an Action with reference to a Law or indispensable Rule of Action whereby it carries the appearance of a Duty or not a Duty For Conscience undoubtedly implies a Condemning and absolving Faculty in it and these are exercised with respect to Duty and Duty arises from the Obligation of a Law So that Conscience is undoubtedly the measure of our Actions by a Law Indeed this is so much the formal Notion of Conscience that it runs thro' all the instances and exercitations of Consciences for they are no otherwise distinguished than by the different Laws that Regulate them as from a Law of Nature Law of Revelation or Civil Polity But then in order to the passing an Absolution or Censure on our Actions and our selves for them by a Rule there must be a Power of Acting Conformable to this Law or Rule for without this the Action with its Effects and Consequences cannot be imputed to us This is implyed in the very notion of a Law being a Rule proposed to Rational Creatures that have a Power to Act or not Act on Rational Motives and Convictions so that Conscience contains a great many different movements or workings in it First A Power of Retaining Secondly A Power of Animadverting or Reflecting on past Actions Thirdly A Power of applying and comparing them with a Law or Rule Fourthly A Power of discerning the Truth Goodness or Equity of the Rule Fifthly The Obligation and Authority of it and Lastly A Power of ascribing the Action to our selves by acknowledging a Power of Acting in Conformity to this Rule whereby the Good or Evil Guilt or Merit of the Action may be some way imputed to us So that Conscience may be justly defined to be the Judgment we pass upon our own Actions whether past or present as scanned and measured by a Law But now tho' a Law in general is assigned for
the measure of Conscience it cannot be imagined that every thing we fansie or are pleased to assign for the mark or scope of our Actions must pass for the true Law or Measure of Conscience It 's certain Custom Education Example or the Reputation of an Action gained by Numbers and a Loose Degenerous Age cannot be a Law or Measure of Conscience No the Passions Prejudices or By-interests of particular Persons the Superstitious Fears Enthusiasm or Diabolical Suggestions of too many may as well challenge the Character of Laws as any that have yet been mentioned But to determine this matter in a few words If we enquire into the true measure of Conscience according to its Original Frame it 's certain the Law of God whether Natural or Reveal'd is to be esteemed the only proper measure For none but a Sovereign Creator can be the Lord of Conscience all other Powers and Authorities being only special Deputations from him and that Duty and Obligation that results from their Laws rest upon a Divine Deputation that gives being to their Character as well as Authority CHAP. XVII Reflections on Mr. Lock 's Description of Conscience THE Nature of Conscience being thus stated I cannot but reflect a little on Mr. Lock 's Account of Conscience when he tells us That it is nothing else but our own Opinion of our own Actions and this Opinion sounded in a Perswasion however got as from Education Company or the Customs of a Country See Lib. 1. Chap. 3. § 8. This to speak the least I think is a very loose and imperfect Definition of Conscience And to say 'T is nothing else but an Opinion however got seems to Suggest as if God had Instituted no fixed Rule of Conscience but that it is to be resolved into little else but Custom Company and Education In a word it 's a Description calculated purely for an Erroneous Conscience that has no other Foundation but present Convictions whether true or false I will not deny but that an erroneous vitiated Conscience is in a large sence stiled Conscience and that Custom or Education may give being to such a Conscience but then it 's in Scripture distinguished by the Denominations of a weak or defiled Conscience I will grant that it is a measure of Action to those that labour under it because as God has formed us Reasonable Creatures we are to Act upon Rational Motives and Convictions He has given us no other measure of Action as Men and therefore the present Light or Convictions we are under are the immediate Springs and Principles of Action for to Act Blindfold or without Reason or in contradiction to it must overturn the Frame of our Beings and the Practice of all Moral Vertue But yet God has set a sufficient mark upon an erroneous Conscience by charging Sin on the Error where-ever a Man can be charged with Neglect as to the means of Information On this Account St. Paul assures us that the impure or those that are under an erroneous Conscience are Polluted as well in Mind as Conscience Tit. 1 15. So that an erroneous Conscience being never a direct Rule at least not any of God's Forming nay being a Rule occasioned by our selves that enhances our Guilt rather than Merit it is not but in a very improper and extended Sence to pass under the Denomination of Conscience at least without some distinguishing Characteristick annexed that the Divine Oeconomy of Conscience may not suffer by it I am sure it is Conscience founded on the true Law or Rule of Conscience according to the Divine Establishment of it that this Author should have Animadverted on as a proof of Innate Ideas not a Fictitious Conscience And certainly it is a very imperfect account of such a Conscience to affirm that in the true and proper Sence of it it is nothing but our own Opinion of our own Actions tho got by Custom Company or Education certainly the Foundation of Conscience ought not to have been omitted which arises from the Conformity of our Actions to the proper Rule or Law of Conscience the Law of God CHAP. XVIII Of the Foundation and Authority of Natural Conscience in the original Oeconomy of it HAving offered thus much concerning the Nature of Conscience we may easily represent the Foundation and Authority of natural Conscience By Natural Conscience I mean a Conscience that exerts it self in a State of Nature antecedent to a State of Revelation And certainly there 's a Conscience Established by God upon an unalterable Foundation even in this State For it 's already concluded that Man in his Original Frame is capable of Acting by certain Established Rules It 's concluded that these Rules are discovered to him as the special Institution of God binding them upon him as his proper Laws and indispensible Measures of Action It 's concluded that God has Created him with a Power of applying all his Actions to a Rule and a Power of Judging whether his Actions accord with or deviate from this Rule and a Power of adjudging himself accountable to God for the violation of this Rule and consequently a necessity of acquitting or condemning himself by this Rule In a Word it 's concluded that these Rules are eternal and unalterable being founded in the Original Frame Ends and Interests of Created Nature therefore since these are Truths established upon the clearest Evidence and Convictions there 's a natural Conscience resulting from the Frame of our Beings and founded upon the most uniform and unalterable Measures and Principles It 's visible God has framed us as exquisitely apprehensive of the violation of the Line of Duty and of being accountable to him for it as sensible of Torment and Misery So that the workings of Conscience can never be destroyed they will unavoidably break in upon us at one time or other and fill us with Horror and Confusion Tho' it cannot be denied but that Habit and Custom may engender a false Light or Sense of Things and consequently a false conscience either by mistaking the Nature and Composition of our Actions or the Rules of 'em by making a false application or a false Rule yet it 's concluded there 's a Conscience Established in the Original Frame or Nature of Things and tho' it may for some time be suppressed or stifled yet we can never secure it from returning upon us CHAP. XIX The Truth and certainty of Conscience Demonstrated against the Latitudinarian and Unbeliever NOw certainly if what has been already asserted carries force and evidence in it there needs nothing more to discover the falsehood not to say Senseless Impudence of a prevailing position That Conscience is nothing else but certain Superstitious Fears contracted and rivetted by the Power of Education for it 's visible the Laws of Conscience are an Institution of God himself as certain and unalterable as the distinctions of Good and Evil nay as certain and unalterable as the Frame and Order of Nature It 's
THE Grounds and Foundation OF Natural Religion DISCOVER'D IN THE Principal BRANCHES of it in Opposition to the Prevailing NOTIONS of the Modern Scepticks and Latitudinarians WITH An INTRODUCTION concerning the Necessity of REVEALED RELIGION By Tho. Beconsall B. D. and Fellow of Brasenose Colledge in Oxford LONDON Printed by W.O. for George West Bookseller in Oxford MDCXCVIII TO THE READER IT was not without some Reluctancy that I determin'd with myself to commit my Thoughts upon the following Subject to the Public I 'm sensible a new Author is like a strange Bird stray'd from his Company and consequently not only liable to be peck'd at by the whole Flight of Criticks but exposed to their most exquisite Cruelties rather than Wit or Judgment Indeed the first Adventures of this kind will receive Advantages from few even among the Learned Order since the softest the gravest Censures are That the World is already too full of Books that rather serve to distract our Thoughts than inform our Judgments or improve our Knowledge That the Press is the Parent of more Impertinences or crude and empty Notions than useful Truths and consequently serve to detain an unadvised Reader upon the Surface whilst a few well-chosen Authors would let him into the Marrow and Quintessence of Learning These are indeed unquestionable Truths and perhaps this Adventure may serve to confirm ' em But this is not all for it 's observable some Men of Figure and Station on every turn discover their Aversions by their Wishes They could heartily wish that the present Disputes or Controversies might fall having no Prospect of any good Effects or Advantages by ' em I must confess these are Admonitions that should be attended to with Caution to prevent any Man from being over-hasty in Commencing Author But yet if we consider the Industry Insolence and Boldness of our Adversaries the open Attacks of some Authors and the Artificial Insinuations of Others And in a word the united Zeal of these Persons to Unhinge and Demolish without Proposing the least Model to succeed their Ruins I can see no reason why those that are Advocates for Truth and Guardians of an Established Church should suffer Controversie to fall by allowing them to empty their Gall and Filth without Opposition or Controul It 's very certain that the Notions now so current and industriously propagated are the whole Stock or Cargo of Infidelity and Irreligion of Error Prejudice or Disgust that have been hatched and nursed in private for a whole Age together and are now vented by the Liberty of the Press and therefore those that discountenance the Assailment of such pernicious Adversaries seem to establish a new and unheard of Indulgence which no one but Criminals must have the least Benefit of It 's well known the Conceits of Error and Boldness of Irreligion are such That the most crude and frothy Performance not replied to must pass for Vnanswerable And this gives Credit and Authority to the Industry of an Adversary in propagating his Notions and by this means the weakest and most uncouth Suggestions are by tract of Time rivetted in an injudicious Reader when an early Reply had caused 'em to be rejected with Scorn and Contempt From these Considerations the Labours and Endeavours of the Members of our Church may be sufficiently vindicated and I hope in some measure lay a Foundation for an Apology to my present Undertaking I have here endeavoured to represent the Foundation and Mesures of Natural Religion being an Expedient not only to induce a Sense of Religion but to prepare the Mind for an Assent to Revealed Religion the Complement and Perfection of it I 'm sensible there are several eminent Hands have been engaged on the Subject but having few of the prevailing Principles of this Age to contend with they have not fallen in with my main Design which was to calculate a Scheme of Natural Religion in Opposition to ' em I thought myself obliged to Animadvert on some Authors not only where they seem to overturn the fundamantal Principles of Morality but where they have advanced Arguments or Insinuations that carry a manifest Tendency that way This Design I presume will easily obtain a favourable Construction since 't is well known That an artificial Insinuation or a pernicious Argument advanced by a Side-wind carries a more fatal Influence than bold and peremptory Positions and Assertions I must confess the Author of the Essay of Humane Vnderstanding discovers such a reserved Way of Writing in all his Performances that I 'm perswaded he Designs more than he as yet thinks it seasonable to Express And therefore I have used him with more Freedom to oblige him to place some Assertions in a better Light and express his Meaning more fully if not his Intentions I have differed in my Opinion from two excellent Discourses * Conference with a Theist Part 2. The Certainty and Necessity of Religion in General but I hope my Reader will find nothing but a Difference in Opinion determined by a Thread of Argument Besides 't is in Matters that do not affect the main Design of either of the Discourses that stand firm and unshaken established upon the clearest Arguments and Conclusions Thus much I thought myself obliged to Remark because I never intended to Detract from the Character these Authors have justly merited or lessen the Reputation or Esteem of such useful Performances And now give me leave to conclude with a few Periods with reference to myself and the following Discourse I have here delivered my Thoughts form'd in the midst of a great many Avocations I have acted with all imaginable Sincerity in the pursuit of Truth and resigned up my Judgment to nothing but that Light or those Notices which were gained by the fairest and most direct Methods of Information I 'm as yet perswaded I have represented every thing according to the precise Lines of Truth but if I have any where miscarried I can safely declare 't is without Design as much as without Prejudice against any I have opposed My great Aim was not only to recover discarded Notions but a Sense of Religion by establishing it upon its true Foundations not only to silence Infidelity but to remove that Scepticism those Doubts and Hesitations that prevail concerning the most important Points of Natural Religion But these are Effects too great to be accomplished without the Concurrence of Heavenly Influences We may Wish and Pray for 'em but we must commit the Success of 'em to the FATHER of Grace and Mercy There must be some more than ordinary Effusions of Grace to engage Men in the Use and Exercise of those Means which God has established for the Discovery of the Divine Will something to take off the Contempt of those Ordinances which God has appointed for the Attainment of this End something that will Correct those unjust but prevailing Prejudices against an Order of Men established by God in his Church whereby they are rendred as
despicable for want of Honesty as Sense This is the Work of Heaven God is able as well as faithful to accomplish it in his own good time If the following Papers fall into the Hands of Men of these Sentiments I can assure them they 'll find nothing of the Imaginary Arts or Mystery of Priestcraft nothing of any designing Leader nothing peculiar to the wary Guardians of Creeds and Profitable Inventions so often hinted by the late Author of the Reasonableness of Christianity But if any thing offers itself that cannot well be digested I shall freely embrace a fair and pertinent Answer and endeavour to make such Returns as I hope may at last beget full Convicton on both sides THE CONTENTS OF The Introduction OF the State of Man before the Fall § 1. Of Original Corruption the Nature Rise and Propagation of it § 2. The Necessity of Revelation asserted with respect to our Attainments in Knowledge § 3 4. From the Defects of Natural Religion § 5. In reference to Practice § 6. From the Necessity of a Mediator § 7. The Deists Objection answered § 8. THE CONTENTS of the BOOK A Law of Nature antecedent to Revelation Chap. 1. Proved from Scripture § 1. That Man naturaly Thinks and Reasons § 2. That Man Thinks and Reasons in a fixed determinate Way § 3. The Subject-matter of Laws of Nature discoverable by Natural Reason § 4. The Divine Authority of Laws of Nature discoverable by Natural Reason § 5. Proved from the Divine Attributes and Perfections § 5. From the Ends and Designs of Created Beings § 6. From those natural Rewards and Punishments that flow from 'em § 7. From Scripture § 8. Objections answered Chap. 2. Of the true Origin of Error § 1 2. Of the Argument of Vniversal Consent the Nature Validity and Extent of it Chap. 3. Reflections on what Mr. Lock has offered against it § 1. Reflections on some Passages in the Conference with a Theist Chap. 4. Of the Distinction of Laws of Nature from Positive or Written Laws Chap. 5. Where the Nature of 'em is more fully represented § 1. Reflections on Mr. Lock 's Arguments against Innate Ideas or Practical Principles and the Controversie determined Chap. 6. Of the different Degrees of the Evidence of Laws of Nature Chap. 7. Of the Foundation of God's Right of Dominion and our Duty of Allegiance as a Law-giver Chap. 8. A Right of Obliging distinguished from a Power of Obliging § 1. A Right of Obliging does not consist in a Power of Contributing to our Happiness or Misery § 2. All Right of Dominion derives from God § 3. God's Right of Dominion primarily founded in his creative and preserving Power § 4. Objections answered § 5. The Certainty of Rewards and Punishments Chap. 9. That God has a Right to Reward and Punish § 1. The Certainty proved from the general End and Intention of all Law-givers § 2. From the Nature of God's Laws and Man to whom they are given § 3. And the Nature of God that gave them § 4. Of the Original of a Parental Duty Love and Affection and Filial Reverence and Duty Chap. 10. The Affection of Brutes towards their own Off-spring not the Work of Reason but of certain Animal Sensations § 1. The Springs of Paternal Affection ib. Filial Reverence and Duty founded in the Act of Generation as well as Preserving Power § 2. Founded in the same Principles with Paternal Affection § 3. A Paternal Power originally includes a Kingly Power § 4. Reflections on some Passages in Mr. Lock 's Essay of Humane Vnderstanding and a Treatise of Government in 2 Parts Chap. 11. The Power of a Mother no Objection against the Civil Jurisdiction of the Paternal Power § 2. The Commanding Power of the Parent not Temporary § 3. Maturity did not place the Sons of Adam in an unlimited State of Freedom § 4. Natural Freedom not inconsistent with Civil Government ib. The Absurdities against this Author's Hypothesis represented § 5 6. Natural Allegiance asserted § 6. No Body of Men since the Creation regularly and de jure in a State of Nature such as this Author supposes Of the Nature of Moral Good and Evil Chap. 12. The Subject-matter and formal Reasons of Moral Good § 1 2. Of the true Measures of Moral Goodness Chap. 13. Pleasure whether of Body or Mind not the Measure of Moral Goodness § 1. The Conformity of Actions to the Ends of Society not the Measure of moral Goodness § 3. Conformity of Actions to a Law abstracting from the Intrinsick Rectitude of it not the Measure of Moral Goodness § 3. The original Frame Ends and Interests of our Beings the true Measure of Moral Goodness § 4. Of the eternal and unalterable Distinctions of Moral Goodness Chap. 14. Reflections on Mr. Lock 's Law of Fashion Chap. 15. His Design not barely to enumerate Moral Ideas § 1. No Necessity for assigning a Law of Fashion § 2. The true Notion of Vertue and Vice by him Mis-represented § 3. Of the Nature of Conscience in general Chap. 16. Reflections on Mr. Lock 's Description of Conscience Chap. 17. Of the Foundation and Authority of Conscience in the Original O Economy of it Chap. 18. The Truth and Certainty of Natural Conscience demonstrated against the Latitudinarian and Vnbeliever Chap. 19. The Vneasiness of Mind under Sickness or the Approaches of Death resolved into the Gripes and Convulsions of Conscience Chap. 20. Of the Evidence of future Rewards and Punishments from the Presages of Natural Conscience Chap. 21. How far Conscience shall be a Measure of the Divine Justice in the Distribution of Future Punishments Chap. 22. Some further Remarks on Mr. Lock 's Notions on this Argument § 2. The Conclusion THE INTRODUCTION Concerning the Necessity of REVELATION IT may perhaps seem a very improper Entertainment to the Christian World to establish a Line of Duty from the Records of the Book of Nature when we enjoy a more sure Word of Prophecy or Form of sound Doctrine which is able to make us wise unto Salvation or to delineate the Features of Moral Good and Evil when Life and Immortality are brought to light through the Gospel or in a word to dwell on the Infant-principles of Religion when we may go on unto Perfection But certainly the Spirit and Temper peculiar to the Age we live in is abundantly sufficient to suggest an Apology Are we not professedly Attack'd as to the Truth and Authority of Revelation and the Whole of Religion resolved into a Set of Moral Rules and Maxims And tho' others as yet cannot Discard all Revealed Truths yet they act as if they were Advocates for the Cause whilst they allow no other Rise or Original to Moral Rules and Maxims than Custom Education and a few unaccountable Traditions These are Mens Proceedings which seem to be embarked in the same Design viz. The Subversion of all Religion Our holy Religion is by this means stript of its most convincing Arguments for
8. omit 28 p. 254. In the Preface stand r. stands In the Introduction omit Men p. 2. l. 8. omit his p. 8. l 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 13. Agreeably r. agreeable p. 14. l. 8. Author's r. Author p. 16. l. 11. Principles r. Principle p. 17. l. 8. omit to after and submitted r. subscribed p. 16. l. 20 21. or r. and l. 5. omit more l. 13. His Obedience r. Disobedience l. 16. p. 19. Omit all after we p. 22. l. 9. Or r. on p. 24. l. 10. They r. Men p. 27. l. 9. Sic r. Cic p. 36. l. 25. Weight r. height p. 38. l. 4. Omit the after of p. 44. l. 20. THE Grounds and Foundation OF Natural Religion ASSERTED CHAP. I. A Law of Nature antecedent to Revelation AND first for the Divine Authority of a Law of Nature antecedent to Revelation I shall appeal to the Voice of Scripture as an Argument to those that own the Truth and Divinity of it For when the Gentiles which have not the Law do by Nature the Things contained in the Law these having not the Law are a Law unto themselves which shew the Work of the Law written in their Hearts their Conscience also bearing Witness and their Thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another Rom. 2.15 16. It 's manifest when our Apostle tells us of a Gentile Law engraven on the Heart here is a Law distinguished from a Law of Revelation For the Gentiles having not the Law no doubt the revealed Law of God and particularly the Jewish Law are a Law unto themselves It was not a Law that rested on Patriarchal Revelations or a Law given by Inspiration but a Law engraven on the Heart peculiar to Heathens or Men in a pure State of Nature and consequently no revealed Law For by virtue of it they did by Nature not Grace the things contained in the Law that is upon the Evidence and Convictions of Natural Reason not on the Authority of any external Revelations For whilst the Gentiles did by Nature the things contained in the Law they shew the Work of the Law written in their Hearts that is they had a Rule of Action implanted in the very Frame and Constitution of their Natures which answered to all the Designs and Intentions of a Law or rather carried in it all the Properties as well as Force and Efficacy of a Law For the Work and Business of a Law is to prescribe between Good and Evil Just and Unjust to direct us in the precise Line of Duty and enforce the Observance of it by suitable Rewards and Punishments and if the Gentiles have this by Nature they are in a strict and proper Sense a Law unto themselves even without the concurrence of Revelation Indeed the Apostle elegantly represents the Force and Authority as well as Sanction of the Law when he tells us that Conscience gives testimony to this Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and as it were confirms and ratifies it as a Law or Rule of Action which answers to the first Office of Conscience by the Learned called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Sanction follows from the second Office of Conscience call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which consists in the Application of our Actions to the Rule and passing Sentence upon ourselves for it and their Thoughts mean while accusing or excusing one another From the words it's manifest there is a Law of Nature or a Rule of Action given by God by which he at least originally design'd to govern Mankind antecedent to all positive Laws whether Divine or Humane Nay it 's not only a Law designed for Man in his original Frame but a Law that maintains its Force and Authority even in the lapsed State of Mankind For it 's manifest the Apostle speaks of the Gentiles as they then lay and all the World too in a depraved corrupted State They were undoubtedly under a Law tho' without any revealed Law and that too under the highest force and efficacy of it For the Apostle expresly determines the case For as many of the Gentile World as have sinned without Law shall also perish without Law v. 12. However thus far it is indisputably evident that the Heathen World was under a Law or an Indispensable Rule of Action or Duty and we are abundantly assur'd that it was distinct from any revealed Law since Scripture in other places expresly fixes the Duties of Natural Religion in an evidence that results from the Works of Providence the Dictates of Natural Reason not in any revealed Traditions Thus St. Paul and his Associate speaking of the Gentile State Nevertheless he left not himself without Witness no doubt sufficient to instruct them in their Duty in that he did good and gave us Rain from Heaven and fruitful Seasons filling our Hearts with Food and Gladness Acts 14. v. 17. And again The Wrath of Heaven is revealed against all ungodliness because that which may be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto them For the invisible things of him from the Creation of the World are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made Rom. 1.18 19 20. I know the learned Dr. Hammond appropriates this latter Passage to the Gnosticks but against the whole current of Commentators And indeed the Context both before and after carries such peculiar Characters in it as renders it absurd to fix it upon any but the Heathen World If so it 's evident they are the things that are made and Rain and fruitful Seasons that are Witnesses and shew forth to us that which may be known of God or the lines of Natural Religion So that the Works of Nature and Providence are our Instructors not the Voice of Revelation Here 's not the least Hint of any Traditional Conveyances the Works of Nature carry an Evidence in them but they are the Reflections of Natural Reason upon them that draw the Conclusion and form a Duty from them so that whatever Difficulties or Impossibilities some Men may suggest from the Imperfections and Weaknesses of Natural Reason in decyphering a Law of Nature it 's evident the Sacred Oracles have given it no other Foundation or Original And this is Conviction sufficient to silence all other Arguments in those that subscribe to the Truth and Divinity of them And for those that reject it I shall pursuant
to the Mind of our Apostle endeavour to prove a Law of Nature implanted in the Minds of Men as Rational Beings and consequently originally design'd as a perpetual Standard and Measure of their Actions This I shall endeavour to perform 1st By proving that Man is naturally a Thinking Reasoning Being 2dly That Man naturally Thinks and Reasons in a fixt determinate way 3dly That by the exercise of Reason and the condition of his Nature he can discern the Subject-matter of the Laws of Nature And 4thly That he discovers it as the Subject-matter of a true and proper Law established on a competent Authority by discerning and receiving it as the Command of God § 2. And 1st That Man is by Nature a Thinking Reasoning Being Indeed that an Order of Rational Creatures can of ' emselves exert the Powers of Reason seems to be a Proposition that carries its own Evidence in the Terms of it And to imagine a Creation of Rational Powers and Faculties and that too ascribed to an infinitely wise Creator and yet deny an inherent Power of exerting ' emselves seems to reflect the highest Folly and Disgrace upon the Contrivance For it either represents Infinite Power and Wisdom displaying ' emselves as we say in vain or to no purpose or labouring under the greatest Imperfections It represents the great Exemplar of a Creative Power to be little else than a sensless unactive sort of Machin whose Efforts entirely depend on foreign Impulses and the express Image and Representative of a glorious Creator in one sense to be of a baser Alloy than the unthinking Brutes that perish Since these in their original Frame were made to exert those Powers and Faculties God thought fit to impart to ' em But Man must by no means act like himself or display any of his Natural Powers and Faculties unless he has the good Fortune to be Born under the Influence of a skilful Tutor and a polish'd Education But certainly this is a Conjecture void of any shadow of Reason For whosoever considers the Activity of the Souls of Men a Truth I think of universal allowance and approbation cannot imagine that Men even in this State shou'd not be capable of perceiving discerning comparing or thinking at all But that we may proceed with greater Clearness in these Matters let us endeavour to strip Mankind of all the Embelishments of Education and turn 'em into the pure Garb of Nature and thereupon let us for once suppose a Set of Men sprung up like Mushrooms in an instant and placed in an unpeopled Island in their full growth and vigor Some perhaps in this case are so fond of attributing the whole Product of Humane Knowledge to the Business of Education that they would deny them the Power of exerting one Faculty peculiar to a Rational Being without it But certainly this is a Notion highly improbable if we consider that the great Reason why our Infant State discovers such faint Glimpses of Thought or Reason is not so much from any native Obstructions in the Mind or an Indisposition of her Faculties in receiving and forming Idea's but from unknown Indispositions of the Animal Part. For the Souls of Men being to act through Flesh and Blood or Material Vehicles no wonder if they do not exert ' emselves till these are throughly fix'd and setled that is before they arrive at a due state of Maturity or a suitable Disposition or Temperament And therefore were Men to enter upon the World under an exact Disposition of the Animal Part it 's highly probable the Faculties of the Rational Part wou'd exert ' emselves with wonderful vigour and expedition Indeed it must be confess'd that Idea's will be collected and Principles setled at a much slower rate where they are only gain'd by a Man's single Observation and Experience than where the Instructions of Parents and Tutors contribute to the Improvement By this Means the Observations and Attainments of past Ages are presented in an established Method and Order and added to our own Experience and consequently the growth of Idea's will be more quick clear and lasting But yet when the Organs of Sense are rightly fixed and disposed and the Mind lies under no real Incumbrances or Eclipses it 's ridiculous to imagin that it cannot exert itself by its own native Light and Activity in all its Powers and Faculties and we may as well affirm that a Man would not walk or perform any other indifferent Actions as a sensitive Creature without Instruction as affirm that he cou'd not think and exert all the Powers of Reason without special Inspiration Revelation or Instruction It 's visible there are certain Springs or Movements implanted in the Frame of Nature that serve to put all Native Powers and Faculties into their proper Motions And therefore we must conclude that a Rational Soul or a Soul framed for Reason must act agreeably to its original Frame and discover itself in all the Functions of Thought and Reason It 's certain the great Law of Self-preservation a quick and piercing Sense of Pleasure and Pain and the incessant Desires of Ease and Happiness which strictly speaking are rather Natural Instincts implanted in all Sensitive Beings than Laws peculiar to Free Agents will serve as forcible Springs to every Native Power or Faculty and furnish 'em with suitable Objects as well as prompt 'em to exert upon 'em and consequently if Rational Faculties in their Original Frame are fitted for Thought and Reason they will by an Intrinsick Impulse exert in all the Parts and Offices of ' em And therefore to have recourse to the Instance already given we may justly conclude that meer Salvages wou'd not only fall to Thinking but after a few Interviews form Signs and Words and Language apply ' emselves to the setling of all the Instruments of Reason and Knowledge I 'm perswaded few will deny that Man by his Natural Powers cou'd form Words and Language and Words necessarily suppose Idea's and Thoughts To conclude this Argument then As Man by a Law of his Creator is peculiarly fitted with Organs for Speech and Language so is he endued with Faculties of Reason and since he 's capable of exerting the one in all its Designs and Functions we may justly allow him the same Abilities in exerting the other and in one word it derogates from the Wisdom of God to endue a Creature with Noble Powers and Faculties and not put him into a condition to exert ' em Therefore we may conclude that as Man by a native Endowment can see and hear and speak he can likewise think and reason which is the First General proposed in order to establish a Law of Nature § 3. I proceed to the Second which is to prove That we think and reason in a fix'd and determinate way And certainly this is a Truth so clear and evident that it does not admit of any colour of dispute For otherwise I cannot conceive why we may not question the Perception
in its true Lineaments and Proportions In a Word Were Happiness carried no further than the welfare of the Animal Part It 's certain that Temperance that Friendship that Generosity and that Justice which Natural Reason from the very frame and condition of our Natures suggests and prescribes are the only Instruments for securing it therefore we must conclude since an All-wise and Almighty Creator could not act Blindfold since he assigned every Order of Creatures peculiar Ends and establish'd a general End from all of 'em and since an All-wise Creator must be concerned to have those Ends answered which he hath assign'd Reason must be a Rule and a Standard of Action in all Reasonable Creatures without which the Ends and Designs of Reasonable Creatures cannot be attain'd And thus we have the Intention of the Law-giver evinced from the Ends and Designs of reasonable Creatures § 7. There is one Argument more that proves the Obligation and Authority of Laws of Nature and certain Dictates of Reason to be such and that is From the consideration of Rewards and Punishments that flow from ' em It 's well known that Rewards and Punishments are an inseparable Appendage of a Law and where we are not only directed by a lawful Authority that this or that thing is to be done but Rewards are annexed to the doing of it and Punishments to the omission of it or at least doing the contrary there the Authority is expressed and represented and consequently the thing directed is proposed as a Law or Rule of Action But now it 's already concluded that those Dictates of Reason which necessarily arise from the Frame and Condition of our Natures carry inseparable Rewards in 'em and the Violation of 'em entails inseparable Mischiefs or Punishments upon us and therefore such Dictates of Reason do as evidently declare the Intention of the Law-giver and the Obligation of Laws as if we were told it by an audible Voice from Heaven And thus we have asserted the Authority of Laws of Nature being the last Requisite assigned for the Proof of ' em And truly there are so many Arguments suggest it that we may as well deny that we can Think by Nature as be ignorant of the Authority of Laws of Nature § 8. But after all that has been said concerning the Authority of Laws of Nature some perhaps will imagine that the Arguments already suggested are rather the Improvements of Reason under a State of Revelation and the Discipline of a civilized Education than the Discoveries of Reason in a pure State of Nature I must confess it is difficult to distinguish the pure Efforts of Natural Reason from those Improvements she receives from Revelation and a polished Education but certainly we may appeal to Revelation itself for the Authority of Laws of Nature and particularly that the Dictates of Natural Reason are to be the Measure and Standard of our Actions For first Conscience we know is the Result and Decree of Reason and this is advanc'd to such an absolute Sovereignty in the Christian Institution that we cannot reject the Instructions of an erroneous Conscience without entailing Sin and Guilt upon us For even to Heathens and Unbelievers Whatsoever is not of Faith is Sin and certainly it amounts to a Demonstration That if God has given no other Rule to Reasonable Beings but Reason to act by we must conclude that Reason must be the Standard of Action and consequently every one is under an Indispensable Obligation of pursuing it unless we can imagine we are not to exert Actions peculiar to our Nature or that God has not as industriously distinguished the Actions of Men from those of Brutes as their Souls and Shape too In a word whosoever owns the Truth and Authority of the Christian Institutions must discern the Truth and Authority of Laws of Nature for he may plainly read both in the great End and Design of Christianity for the whole OEconomy of Grace consists in restoring the OEconomy of Nature and renewing that Image of our Minds in which we were created or which is the same thing in the Apostle's Language In being renewed in Knowledge after the Image of him that created him Col. 3.10 In a word Christianity is the putting on the New Man which after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness and the putting on the New Man is the putting on the first Man that was formed after the Image of God in Righteousness and true Holiness therefore we must conclude that Model which God impress'd on our Nature was design'd to be a Law and a Rule or Standard to our Actions and consequently the Powers of Natural Reason wou'd have thought it to be a Law had Revelation never interposed in the Matter Thus we have proved that there is a Law of Nature even in all the Circumstances and Formalities of a Law it 's a Law distinct from the Law of Revelation since it arises and is discovered to us by pure Dint of Natural Reason it 's a true and proper Law for it contains the Matter and Form of a proper Law the Subject-matter is fix'd and determin'd It has the Form of a Law because it determines what is to be done and that too upon a just and competent Authority and when all this is granted it gives us the Sanctions of a Law I mean Rewards and Punishments For if Reason dictates certain indispensable Rules of Action from the Authority Will and Pleasure of a Sovereign Creator Reason must besides those natural Rewards and Punishments that accompany the Observance of such Rules at least acknowledge That the Non-observance of 'em must bring Guilt and Punishment upon us And therefore I see nothing wanting notwithstanding Mr. Hobbs's Notions of a Law to give it the Title and Denomination of a proper Law For it 's as much Vox imperantis and as truly promulg'd as if it had been recorded in Writing or engraved on Tables of Brass CHAP. II. Objections Answered IT now only remains that something be offered to take off the Force of those Objections that are advanced against this Hypothesis of a Law of Nature exclusive of Revelation The Sum of which is in a few words this Whatsoever has been hitherto attributed to the Powers of Natural Reason seems to exist no where but in the Imaginations of Speculative Men. For not only the Lives and Opinions of Heathen Nations but of the most eminent Moralists and Phylosophers have overturned the Scheme and passed off the Stage of the World under the Conduct of quite opposite Notions This is an Objection that will fall in with other parts of this Discourse and consequently will require something of a Return under each respective Head but that I may lay a Foundation for a clear and distinct Answer I shall take liberty to make a few Remarks upon the Origin of Error § 1. And first it 's a very unquestionable Truth that the Errors of Mankind are originally founded in vicious Habits or
Immoralities or to speak in other Terms the Seeds of this kind of Corruption are certainly lodged in the Propensions and Habits of the Animal Part. For that which has such an Ascendent over us to command us to Act in favour of it will infallibly influence our Judgments This is so obvious that in wilful Enormities I mean such as were first committed against the Convictions of the Mind the Power of Animal Propensions Assiduity of Practice and a kind of Natural Intimacy or Familiarity resulting from it has at last engaged Reason itself to appear as an Advocate for it and very often it makes such elaborate Researches for Arguments to support the Cause that at last it declares for the Justice and Innocence of it and asserts it upon Principle and inward Conviction I am perswaded and can without breach of Charity or Justice affirm That the Growth of the foulest Heresies in the Christian World is to be placed in this Original Men have so long given the full Reins to Pride Ambition Covetousness or other vitious Lusts and Propensions that they have called in their whole Stock of Parts and Learning and made Converts to their Judgments to support them or revenge their Disappointments And now upon this Bottom we may silence all Objections brought from the absurd and Heterodox Opinions of certain Moralists and Philosophers For it 's highly probable they were at first but exquisite Apologies to Patronize importunate Passions and confirm'd Practices and consequently can be no real Prejudices to a Law of Nature Indeed the impure Doctrine of the Gnosticks may be as well admitted a just Plea against the Truth and Purity of Christianity and the Evidences for both as some few lewd Doctrines of Philosophers against the Certainty of a Law of Nature upon the Evidences of Natural Reason § 2. But to enlarge a little on this part of the Objection it 's well known that the foulest and most absurd Opinions charged on particular Philosophers are by others recorded as an eternal Mark of Infamy and Reproach due to 'em and consequently they are by no means a just Balance to the substantial Reasonings of others in deciphering Laws of Nature We might add to all this how unjust a Measure the Practices of Mankind is of their real Notices of Moral Good an Argument too fatally demonstrated under a Christian Dispensation and consequently tho' the Generality of Philosophers liv'd in Opposition to Laws of Nature and some few taught contrary to 'em yet it 's no just Consequence to place Laws of Nature above the Researches of Natural Reason I am perswaded some of the Instances presented in a late Conference * See Conference with a Theist Part 2. p. 56 to p. 64. do not fall under the Character of prime Laws of Nature and consequently do not reach the Author's Design It 's very well known Plato's Model for Peopling his Common-wealth was not by a Community of Women without Limitations from the Civil Power But for the precise Limitations in this matter as well as the manner of Worshiping God whether by Sacrifices and corporeal Representations I presume it 's the business of Revealed Religion to fix and determine As for his Instance of Masculine Venery Zeno and his Followers pronounced it indifferent I presume it was a previous Practice that had made it appear so And yet St. Paul speaks of some of these unnatural Whoredoms as things scarce named among the Gentiles 1 Cor. 5.1 But it were highly to be wished that some Nations in the Confines of Christendom had wholly escaped the Contagion so that if such vile Practices in a State of Nature may be an Argument against Laws of Nature antecedent to Revelation it will be of Force against written Revelations Since Laws of Nature founded in the Dictates of natural Reason may be as easily violated as any written Law Certainly such avowed Practices may with greater force of Reason be allowed against a Law that pretends to no higher Authority than Revelation or supported by Tradition Lastly As for the Grecian Piece of Cruelty in exposing Children to the Mercy of Beasts and Travellers without remorse I presume the Practice was not frequent because it must be the Concern and Interest of every Government to suppress it But it 's well known the Christian World is not wholly freed from such Monsters who I am afraid are acted by no other Dread but what the Apprehensions of a Discovery and the Penalties of the Law extort from them However this is an Instance so absolutely repugnant to the common Bowels of Humanity that it as effectually disproves those Earnings which natural Instinct discovers in the whole Order of Brutes towards their own Off-spring as that natural Reason discovers the same Earnings to be a point of Duty to Mankind In one word the Cruelties of Heathens is no more an Argument that natural Reason doth not teach the contrary than the Barbarity of some particular Christians an Argument that Christianity does not exhort to Bowels of Compassion and a Parental Care towards their own Off-spring But to return A second Cause of Error is certain Prejudices or Prepossessions imprinted on the Mind by Example and Education The Cause and Origin of Error already given presents us with the Propensions and Bias of Humane Nature and consequently how liable the World is to be overspread with Error At least Matter of Fact informs us how wide the Actions of Men deviate from the Line of Duty so that it may truly be said of the Heathen World That the Imaginations of their Hearts is to do Evil continually Certainly then where a Contagion extends itself not only to the Judgments but Practices of Mankind and not only corrupt Principles but vitious Examples prevail in Parents Guardians and Tutors the Minds of their Descendents will be deeply impregnated with pernicious Prejudices and Prepossessions They are implanted among the first and earliest Impressions even before the Powers of Reason exert themselves This I am confident is the Case of the uncultivated Regions of Mankind And certainly when Reason comes to exert it self under such a fatal Bias no wonder if she often falls into very gross Miscarriages And yet this is the inevitable Portion of Mankind that are brought forth in a State of Impotence as well in Mind as Body and can hardly arrive to any Growth in Reason before they arrive to a Maturity in Body But now these things being laid together and admitted it 's very unjust to reject the Divine Oeconomy of Laws of Nature antecedent to Revelation because the unavoidable Prepossessions of some Men have carried them besides the Mark so as to contradict the general Lines of Duty For it 's apparent were Men to enter the World in the Strength and Power of Reason without the Clog and Encumbrance of antecedent Prepossessions as in the Instance already given See Chap. 1. Sect. 2. It 's impossible but the Fundamental Line of Duty must present it self to the
of Good and Evil. The Mistake I think is obvious from a very few Considerations tho' God has implanted Faculties of Reason which if rightly exercised and applied will discern Things as they really are and pronounce certain Matters or Things indispensable Rules of Action Yet since there 's a fatal Bias on our Natures and these Faculties do not Act necessarily nor are Things always duly presented to their View nor do they yield a due Attention to 'em Notions may be impressed that may almost overturn the very Frame of Nature or destroy the natural Appearances of Good and Evil Vice and Vertue and therefore Men may by the Bias of Education Custom and irregular Appetites come to espouse the most horrid Impieties for Heroick Vertues may practise the grossest Enormities not only with Approbation but an Opinion of Merit I 'm sure Christianity supposes little less when we are assured of Seared Consciences when the Mind or Vnderstandings as well as Consciences may be defiled Tit. 1.3 when the Understanding may be darkned to that degree as to be past Feeling and to give us up to work all Vncleanness with greediness And in a word when we are instructed that Men may be abandoned by God and consequently may be given up to walk in the Vanity of their Minds to vile Affections and to work all Vncleanness This may be the Case of private Persons and of publick Societies too and no doubt it is the Case of the miserable Indians at this Day as it was once of the Seven Nations And when such invincible Ignorance and Impiety has over-spread a Land and is become an established Rule of Life to Parents Governours and Tutors it must without some distinguishing Overtures of Grace be entailed and transmitted to Posterity But yet for all this the Argument of Universal Consent as to Laws of Nature and established Rules of Morality cannot justly be Arrained we may as well question Man to be a Reasonable Creature at least on the Authority of Universal Consent because there are some Fools and Ideots or a Creature of Symetry and Proportion because there are some Monsters in the World as argue against an Universal Consent because the Barbarity of some Nations contradict it It 's true Mr. Lock endeavours to take off the force of the Argument since he seems to call the Judgment of other Nations that have preserved the great Lines of Laws of Nature the private Perswasions of a Party whilst we esteem 'em the only Dictates of Right Reason B. 1. Cap. 3. § 20. But I hope those vile Practices he has transcribed from those that only retain the Figure of Men are not to pass for the Dictates of Right Reason nor they the Men of Right Reason And consequently their Votes or Opinions are not to be received against that Universal Consent we contend for for certainly when we appeal to Universal Consent we cannot be supposed to appeal to Monsters Apostates Reprobates or Devils and yet there may be whole Nations that will fall under one of these Characters Again It 's possible that natural Powers and Faculties may be so far abused as to lose their native Vigour and Activity so that Men may live in a State of Inconsideration and Thoughtlessness and become as Ignorant and Careless of every Thing but what the Example and Custom of their Country suggests as the unthinking Brute that perisheth And this may be the case of Tribes of Men as well as private Persons and no doubt is the case of the uncultivated Negro's and therefore it would be highly absurd to take in their Judgments and Opinions to make up that Universal Consent we contend for § 2. Upon the whole then when we have recourse to Universal Consent for the Proof of a Law of Nature it only implies an Appeal to those Nations or People that in the Judgment of improved Reason have passed under the Character of Polished or Civilized or that have been justly supposed in some measure to have exerted those Powers and Faculties in Thought and Observation which God has implanted in the original Frame and Constitution of Mankind And certainly we have always had the joynt Consent of such Nations for most of those Rules and Precepts which in the strictest Sense are esteemed Laws of Nature I 'm sure they have signified or declared it in the most unquestionable Way or Manner Inasmuch as they have been selected for the general Subject of civil Laws and the Practice of 'em enforced by certain civil Penalties or Sanctions And certainly this is the strongest Argument or Presumption for Laws of Nature that may be since we cannot imagine why distinct Nations and Societies of Men established upon different Maxims and Rules of Policy as well as Models of Government should conspire in the Subject-matter of so many Laws unless they were by the Light of Reason discoverable to Mankind as indispensable Rules of Action And thus I hope I have satisfied the Demands of all reasonable Enquirers in proving a Law of Nature antecedent to Revelation or positive Humane Laws CHAP. IV. Reflections on some Passages in the Conference with a Theist Part 2. § 1. HAving in some measure drawn the Line and laid the Foundation of natural Religion or Laws of Nature antecedent to Revelation I cannot but discover my Dissatisfactions with the Opinion of a late Author that places the Whole of natural Religion in the Authority of Revelation that will allow it no other Original but Revelation and no other Means of Conveyance and Preservation but Oral Tradition See Conference with a Theist Part 2. Page 32. 36. Indeed this seems to be a Notion advanced without well considering the Nature Probability or Consequences of it For first the manner of its Conveyance by Oral Tradition which this Author was forced to admit of seems to expose it as a groundless Conjecture I know he endeavours to remove the Force of this Argument by telling us That the Duties that pass under the Characters of Laws of Nature are so natural to the Vnderstanding so easie to be embraced by it and upon Proposal seem so to be extreamly Vseful to Mankind that they must be assented to and can never be mistaken or forgot p. 36. And consequently there was not the least necessity of any written Records But certainly this is a Confession which if well considered should have directed him to the very Notion he labours to expose For if Laws of Nature are so natural and obvious to the Understanding that they must be assented to he might very well have allowed that their extream Usefulness to Mankind would have prompted and enabled Reason to have made the Discovery without borrowing the whole from Revelation Certainly if Reason by its own intrinsic Light and Activity could not go thus far he must suppose the Souls of Men tho' God's express Image and Representative to be the most imperfect impotent Parts of the Creation But then that Laws of Nature are not so easily assented
Improbabilities in transmitting a Body of Laws through all Parts of the Habitable World by Oral Traditions as are sufficient to ruine the Credit of the Hypothesis and when this is done the Latudinarian has the greatest Advantage given him to resolve the Whole of Natural Religion into Custom and Education These are Considerations so obvious and clear as might have given an early Check to the Notion unless more cogent Arguments and Authorities had discovered themselves than have been hitherto produced However now I presume they may obtain their due Effect and though they have been offered with a great deal of Freedom yet I hope this will not obstruct their Admission where they carry an Evidence sufficient to make way for it CHAP. V. Of the Distinction of Laws of Nature from Positive or Written Laws and whether they are Innate § 1. I Proceed in the next place to fix the Distinction of Laws of Nature from Positive or Written Laws and consider whether they are Innate or no. And first The Distinction of Laws of Nature from Laws which in the strictest Sense pass under the Name of Revealed is clearly visible For in Laws of Nature as well the Subject matter as the Authority of the Law or the Mind and Intention of the Law-giver upon it are discoverable by the Powers and Faculties of Natural Reason Whereas in Revealed Laws I mean such as in the highest Sense are stiled Revealed both the Subject-matter and Intention of the Law-giver entirely depend on the express Will and Pleasure of God If there 's any Difficulty then it will consist in fixing the precise Distinction between them and Human Laws For its certain both are to be esteemed the Deductions and Decrees of Right Reason But I think they are chiefly to be distinguished from the Subject-matter of them It 's indeed the Work of Natural Reason to discover and fix the Subject-matter of these Laws but the Subject-matter of Laws of Nature is often vastly different from that of Civil Laws For the Subject-matter of Laws of Nature arising from the original Frame and Condition of our Natures and for the most part immediately conducing to our very Beings or Subsistence rather than Well-being or civil Happiness it seems to carry a natural and intrinsic Goodness and consequently an irresistible Force and Efficacy in it abstracting from the Authority or Injunctions of a Law-giver But now the Subject-matter of Civil Laws being chiefly the Circumstantials or Instruments of the improved Happiness of particular Societies and calculated for the particular Genius and Tempers of Men under different Climates as well as the particular Turns and Periods of Kingdoms and Governments it often carries no Intrinsick Goodness in it but is justly to be rank'd among Things indifferent till the Pleasure and Authority of the Law-giver passes upon it Again the Subject-matter of Civil Laws is extreamly variable whereas that of Laws of Nature seems to be perpetual and unalterable For since the Subject-matter of Laws of Nature results from the primitive Frame and Order of created Nature or indeed from the original Frame of Humane Nature as it stands encompassed with common Wants and Necessities it must necessarily be adapted to the whole Off-spring of Mankind and consequently be as perpetual as universal But now the Subject-matter of Humane Laws being only the Circumstantials of civil Happiness advanced as a fit and proper Instrument to attain it in particular Communities and Societies of Men it must needs be precarious and changeable it 's often calculated for particular Events and Emergencies and consequently is as various as the different Aspects or Revolutions of Kingdoms It 's an Instrument often advanced for a particular and temporary End and Design and it 's well known there may be Twenty Instruments of equal force to attain it and consequently the Subject-matter of Humane Laws is often no otherwise fix'd and determin'd than by the arbitrary Decree or Sentence of the Law-giver But further in order to establish a true Distinction of Laws of Nature from positive Humane Laws let us consider what it is that seems to give 'em the Denomination of Laws of Nature and represents 'em as Innate Rules or Principles And First since it is concluded that they result or take their rise from the very Frame and Constitution of created Nature insomuch that God having established the Frame and Order of Things these Laws without any positive Command must follow upon it and consequently in one Act seems to have established both they may be justly esteemed Laws of Nature And this may be one principal Reason why they carry the appearance of Innate Principles and in the sacred Canon are represented to us as such In this Sense I 'm sure they are sufficiently distinguish'd from Humane Laws since they are so far from taking their rise in the Frame and Constitution of Nature that they are at best but remote Deductions from Laws of Nature or rather certain temporary Rules and Provisions of Reason advanced upon particular Emergencies in conformity to Laws of Nature or at least an arbitrary enforcement of Laws of Nature by positive Rewards and Punishments But further that which in reality gives them the appearance of Innate Principles and the denomination of Laws of Nature is the evidence and perspicuity of ' em For since it is concluded that Laws of Nature result from the very Frame and Order of Nature from that state and condition of Things wherein we were born and whereby we subsist they must undoubtedly discover ' emselves to the Minds of Men even tho' they were lodged in the most simple and unimproved State of Nature For as long as we allow Mankind to be Thinking Reasoning Beings the desire of Self-preservation will direct 'em to those Laws without the observance of which they can hardly pretend to subsist much less be happy In a word they are Laws of Nature because they are Impressions that are stamped on the Mind from the most importunate cravings and exigencies of Nature and they carry the appearance of Innate Principles because they are certainly some of the first Suggestions that accompany a Mind after its arrived to a State of Thinking and left to consult the Safety and Preservation of the whole Man I say they are certainly some of the first Suggestions that would naturally offer ' emselves to the Minds of Men. For tho' Mankind is brought forth in Impotence and their Mind cultivated by Education as their Bodies are cherished by Food and Raiment till they arrive to a competent Strength and Vigor and consequently Names and Words and Ideas of the most trite Objects of Sense are instilled by the Instructions of Nurses and Parents yet could we suppose Men turned out into the World in a State of Maturity without the Bias of Education upon 'em I do not question but the very Frame and Condition of their Beings together with the Desire of Self-preservation would give 'em a speedy View of those Laws which for this
Mind with the first Lineaments of its Being And therefore there seems to be no visible Necessity for having Recourse to Innate Ideas or Inscriptions And certainly if Innate Ideas are serviceable to Mankind they must be so in order to supply the Defects of Reason and consequently they seem to be exempt from the Disquisitions of Reason For if Innate Ideas are to be examined and judged on by the Workings of Reason Reason itself I mean the Decrees and Deductions of it will answer all the Ends and Designs of a reasonable Being as effectually as if a Digest of Laws were originally recorded on the Mind If this be true as I think it 's in some measure demonstrated to be the Doctrine of Innate Principles must be laid aside since we cannot conceive that a wise Creator should establish any Ordinance without some special Ends and Uses annexed to it I mean such as are not served any other way If it be said that Reason exercises no Jurisdiction in this Affair then I 'm afraid Innate Inscriptions will rather endamage than advance Religion and Morality For then every one will be apt to obtrude his own Fancies and wild Suggestions for native Inscriptions and consequently Mankind must be exposed to all the Extravagancies of Enthusiasm in the Oeconomy of Nature as well as that of Grace so that whatsoever any one has the boldness to affirm or fancy to be written on the Heart must immediately pass an Obligation on all Mens Actions and the Finger of God shall be pleaded to the Subversion of the common Principles of Morality as the Spirit of God has been to the Subversion of the Peace and Unity of the Church When all things then are thus fairly laid together we may with greater appearance of Reason conclude That our Ideas and Principles are acquired as well as the more remote Deductions of Science and that 't is their intimate Agreement with the Ends and Interests or common Frame and Necessity of our Nature that gives 'em the appearance of native Impressions In a word then tho' the sacred Language seems to favour the Notion yet it may be justly resolved into Metaphor or Figure and import no more than an Allusion to the general Custom of promulging Laws in Tables or Writing Inasmuch as God has originally endued us with Powers and Faculties to discover a Rule of Action and Law to Govern ourselves by in the common Exigences of Human Nature as clearly as if he had Engraven it on Tables of Stone CHAP. VII Of the different Degrees of the Evidence of Laws of Nature IT will easily be granted that Laws of Nature carry a different Evidence in proportion to the Subject-matter of 'em and the several Workings of Reason in the Disquisition of ' em Some Laws discover ' emselves by a single Consequence or a short train of Consequences whilst others rest upon an Evidence that is wrought by several Gradations or a large Series of Consequences or Deductions The primary Laws of Nature are those which represent the principal Duties we owe to God or those which concern our own Persons or the Persons of our Neighbours For those that arise from our own or our Neighbours Property are certainly more elaborate and remote I shall illustrate these Observations by a single Instance in each of ' em And first To Reverence and Worship the Supreme Being which we call God is certainly a Fundamental Law of Nature because it necessarily arises from that Relation we bear to God For the most obvious Notion of a God and a bare Assent to this single Proposition that God is our Creator and we his Creatures from whom all that we have or belongs to us is immediately derived must by a direct and immediate Consequence demonstrate that we are obliged to empty our Souls before him in the most solemn Acts of Homage and Reverence Indeed as for the manner of Divine Worship tho' Natural Reason by a train of Arguments might determine it so as to be some way acceptable to God yet to establish it in Perfection is certainly the business of Revealed Religion But that God is to be Worshipped is a Duty lodged in the most simple Workings of Reason Again That God has enjoyned Temperance as a Duty arises not only from the prime and most obvious Ends of our Being but from the Doctrine of Self-preservation and the necessary Methods of Subsistence so that allowing the clear Dictates of Reason in the Mind of our great Creator to be a Rule of Duty a single Inference will demonstrate Temperance to be a Duty Again as to those Laws which concern the Person of our Neighbours such I mean as prohibit Murder or other Violations of their Persons it 's visible the Consideration of the Methods of our Subsistence whereby we are necessitated to rely on the Succours of our Fellow-creatures will instruct us that God did not allow us to assassinate and destroy 'em the very Suggestions of Self-preservation will oblige us to make the Conclusion Again the Consideration of being Fellow-creatures and a peculiar of a Sovereign Creator and as such under his immediate Conduct and Disposal will instruct us that we have no right to their Lives without a special Commission from him Lastly The early Discoveries which we find in ourselves of Love Tenderness and Compassion and the Earnings which are implanted towards our own Flesh and Blood will direct us that God intended we should place a certain Measure of these native Passions and Propensions on those that are descended from us or are compounded of the same Ingredients and formed in the same Mould and consequently he could never authorize us to commit Violence or Cruelties on their Persons so absurd is the Hypothesis of the Leviathan that projects a State of Nature to be an absolute State of War But to proceed to the last Instance that of outward Goods and Possessions which engages the principal Laws and Measures of Justice Thus to Steal is no doubt a Violation of natural Justice and consequently a Violation of a Law of Nature but yet this rests on the Force and Authority of a Law antecedent to it I mean that of Property and consequently it implies several Conclusions or Deductions before we discover the Authority or Obligation of it Thus to detain or invade a Neighbour's Property contrary to Compact is certainly an Act of Violence done to a Law of Nature but yet it demands a Proof of the Obligations of Compact or voluntary Promises as well as of the Authority of Property before the Law can be decyphered It cannot be denyed but these are Laws of Nature because natural Reason by close Researches and regular Conclusions may discover their Obligations I 'm sure it can be no Objection that they result from voluntary Intercourses and Transactions among Mankind I mean Compacts or Bargains for the Necessities of Nature dictating such Transactions is a sufficient Indication of their Divine Authority and Obligation and consequently whatever
immediately Results from 'em must obtain the same Authority and Obligation as well as Character But yet it 's manifest when Laws of Nature are to be supported by a Train of Consequences the Evidence is not so direct and convincing because in these Cases the Mind is more fatally exposed to Miscarriages Upon the whole then it appears that Laws of Nature rest upon very different Degrees of Evidence And now thus much being agreed and concluded it may by these Measures be more exactly discerned which are to be esteemed Laws of Nature and which not so which Fundamental or de primo Dictamine Naturae and which not so and consequently the Necessity of forming a compleat Scheme of Laws of Nature seems to be wholly superseeded CHAP. VIII Of the Foundation of God's Right of Dominion and our Duty of Allegiance as a Law-giver § 1. HAving asserted the Authority of Laws of Nature by fixing it in the Author of Nature it naturally directs me to enquire into the Original and Foundation of those Obligations we owe to God or how we are obliged to the Observance of his Laws But before I proceed to a direct Determination of this Matter I shall make some Returns to what I find in a late excellent Discourse concerning the Power and Right of Obliging and particularly as applied to God He labours to prove that the Right and Power of Obliging is the same especially with respect to God and therefore after a great many Arguments concludes From all which it follows that whereever there is a Right of Obliging and where there is an absolute uncontroulable Power of Obliging there is for that very reason a Right also See The Certainty and Necessity of Religion in general Page 100. Whether these Assertions are true or no will appear by and by First I cannot but Premise that Right and Power happening to accompany each other in the Exercise of 'em no more than Heat and Light in the Sun is no Argument that they are not two distinct things conceived under two distinct Ideas or Notions Secondly Tho' a Right and Power of Obliging are both eternally invested in God yet it 's no more an Argument that they imply the same thing than that the Attributes of Infinite Power and Justice are the same Nay further tho' a Right of Obliging may by a Train of Consequences follow from a Power of Obliging or on the contrary a Power of Obliging from a Right of Obliging yet it 's no more an Argument of their Identity than that a rational Soul and Thought are the same because a rational Soul implies a Power of Thinking And therefore tho' an absolute uncontroulable Power may infer a Right of Obliging so that for that very Reason there may be a Right of Obliging yet they may be as distinct as Power and Truth But to consider both in their received and established Ideas or Notions Now certainly were we to appeal not only to the best Moralists but to the common Sense of Mankind they would unanimously concur in two different Descriptions And I 'm perswaded they differ as much as a Raparee or Tyrant from a lawful Prince as much as doing a thing Rightfully or upon a just Authority and doing a thing by Violence For Violence argues a Power of Punishing as well as a rightful Execution of Punishment both indeed attain the same end that is engage an Obedience but upon different Measures and Principles A Power of Obliging in the strict Notion of it is only concerned for securing an Obedience without considering the Justice or Injustice of the Action but a Right of Obliging implies an Obedience established on a just Authority or Foundation if there be any such thing as Justice distinct from Power In a word A Right of Obliging implies the Title of a Superior to Obedience and consequently a Title to enforce it by suitable Rewards and Punishments but a Power of Obliging neither implies a Title to the one nor other Thus an Usurper may have as absolute a Command of Rewards and Punishments to oblige or secure an Obedience as the most rightful Sovereign yet he certainly wants an Authority to enforce an Obedience by the Weight and Terror of Punishment and if he doth enforce it he exercises Power but not Right Again A rightful Sovereign may retain a Title to an Obedience and to the Exercise of Rewards and Punishments to enforce it but he may want a Power to exert his Right as in the Case of Rebellion or general Defection The Notion is clear and indisputable when applied to the civil Power on Earth and it carries the same Evidence and Force in it when applied to the absolute independent Power of Heaven For tho' Power and Right by reason of the infinite Perfections of the Divine Nature are Inseparable in God and in Man not so yet the Ideas or Notions of Right and Power whether in God or Men are formed upon the same Measures and Principles yea as much as the Notions of Justice Reason or Purity allowing Infinity and Perfection in God which cannot be given to Men. § 2. Having thus far asserted the Distinction of a Right of Obliging from a Power of Obliging I shall proceed a little further and consider whether the Right of Obliging as a true and proper Law-giver consists in nothing else but in a Power of contributing to our Happiness or Misery by special Rewards or Punishments Thus much seems to be asserted in the Discourse already cited for we are told That no one has a Right or Power of Obliging another to act such a particular Way he prescribes any further than he has a Power of contributing to the Happiness or Misery of that Being he so Prescribes to and that God can no otherwise induce an Obligation upon Men to Obey him than by making 'em know that he has it in his Power to render them Happy or Miserable Page 95. But certainly that a Right of Obliging as a Law-giver does not consist in a Power of Rewarding and Punishing is evident from uncontroulable Arguments As first It cannot be denied but an Equal that can challenge no Right of Dominion over us may upon some special Circumstances be invested with such a Power of Rewarding and Punishing as to engage us to Pursue and Imbrace what he dictates to us and yet such a Power does not give him any Right of Dominion over us or induce an Obligation of obeying him as a proper Superiour A Friend may propose Rewards to determine us to any particular Way in Matters of Counsel or Interest and yet not induce a binding Authority upon us like that of a Law A Friend or Neighbour may by Rewards or Favours be empowered to contribute so highly to our Happiness as to induce not only Obligations of Gratitude but the Exercise of other social Vertues and yet they do not establish a Right of Sovereign Authority upon us In a word A Robber Usurper Assassin or the Devil himself may have
sufficient to secure the Ends of Government and consequently a Coercive Power to Punish any from within or without that invade the Peace of it But 3dly To support his own Hypothesis and avoid the Political Authority of the Paternal Power he affirms That tho' the Duties of Honour and Respect are Eternal yet the commanding Power is Temporary and ceases with Nonage or Minority See § 64 67 69 c. That when this Power expires Children are in as absolute a State of Freedom as the Father and that too not only in respect to the Father's Authority but of the Civil Government This is the Substance of several Sections and it 's very visible that his chiefest Arguments are raised upon Paternal Power as 't is exercis'd under the established Governments of the World which is a Fallacy already detected But to make some Returns according to Method and Order The Duty of Children I 'm persuaded in the full Extent of it is of eternal Obligation where 't is not superseeded by a higher Law that of Society upon which account alone as is already observed part of it by the Reason and Necessity of Things devolves upon the Supreme Power Indeed if what has been asserted carries Evidence and Truth in it the Duty of Children must be Eternal It has been abundantly proved That the Ground or Foundation of Filial Duty and Obedience is Eternal viz. That of Generation and an unchangeable Affection resulting from it And if the Ground of Obligation is eternal the Duty must be so too But to proceed the Word of God seems express in this Matter for we are not only enjoyned to Honour but Obey our Parents Now it 's well known Obedience supposes a decretory Power or commanding Authority and the Precept not being given under any Limitations that make it Temporary I cannot discern by what Authority this Gentleman pronounces it Temporary Indeed I cannot imagine how any one that receives the Holy Scriptures for the Word of God can safely pronounce the Duty of Filial Obedience Temporary for we there find it established and enforced upon such ample Provisions that we must believe God designed to perpetuate the Obligations of it The time would fail me to collect all the Passages that manifestly favour this Notion I shall therefore touch on a few that are very remarkable And first the Power of Blessing and Cursing exercised by the Patriarchs is a considerable Evidence of the Perpetuity of the Duty It 's well known the Patriarchs constantly exercised this Power and their Descendents as conscienciously acknowledged it It was a Sense of this Power that made Jacob Expostulate before he embraced his Mother's Expedient My Father peradvanture will feel me and I shall be to him as a Deceiver and I shall bring a Curse upon me and not a Blessing Gen. 27. v. 12. It 's certain the Patriarchs challenged an indisputable Right to exercise this Power for tho' Jacob had obtained the Blessing by an ungenerous Artifice or Stratagem yet Isaac thought himself obliged to confirm it I have blessed him yea and he shall be blessed v. 33. A most convincing Argument truly that this Right of Blessing and Cursing was founded in a Divine Original and certainly there needs nothing more to demonstrate the Divine Will and Pleasure than the inseparable Effects and Consequences of his Power since we find that the Blessings or Curses of Parents as infallibly pursued their Children as they were dispensed Thus the Blessing of Isaac attended Jacob and the Curses of Noah pursued his Son Canaan Cursed be Canaan a Servant of Servants shall he be unto his Brethren Gen. 9. v. 25. Now certainly a Provision of such special Powers can carry no less a Design in it than the perpetuating of a Filial Reverence and Duty If God had not design'd to establish an Immortal Power and Authority in the Parent why should he confer such distinguishing Marks of Sovereignty and Dominion Can we imagin that such a tremendous Power was exerted purely to secure an Obedience during Minority and a ceremonious Reverence afterwards exclusive of a commanding Authority No certainly this is a Conjecture that runs counter to all the Accounts of Time for the Obedience of Children in the first Ages of the World was as remarkable as the Parents Commands after a State of Maturity and indeed it could proceed from nothing less than a just Sense of an indeleble Character and Authority as well as Power to enforce it But further the Duty and Obedience of Children is so far from being any wise Temporary that God has given his own express Promises to perpetuate the Obligation St. Paul has long since observ'd that Children obey your Parents is the first Commandment with Promise Ephes 6.1 2. And certainly where the Sanction is peculiar or extraordinary the Obligation of the Command must bear a proportion to it and where God has discover'd himself so eminently solicitous to enforce the Duty by special Rewards as well as Punishments we may conclude he intended to perpetuate it Thus far the Suffrage of Scripture seems clear and indisputable But if all this will not convince I shall refer this Author to the Story of Jonadab the Son of Rechab out of the very Mouth of the Prophet The Command or Prohibition was against drinking of Wine as well as building of Houses which seems to be an Abridgment of the Natural Liberties of Mankind and consequently if the Commanding Power of Parents ceases with Nonage it may very well do so in Cases of this Nature But instead of this we find the Obligation asserted by a Complication of Arguments Jonadab advances the Command by virtue of a Parental Power and Authority Ye shall drink no Wine neither ye nor your Sons for ever that ye may live many Days where ye be Strangers Jer. 35. v. 6 7. The very Commandment with Promise And the Rechabites were possessed with as deep a Sense of its Obligation for when the Prophet by the Command of God tryed their Fidelity the only Argument of their Non-compliance was the Command of their Father Jonadab and the Prospect of Inheriting the Blessing annexed to the Command Thus have we obeyed the Voice of Jonadab our Father and done all that Jonadab our Father commanded us v. 8 9. But this is not all for the Obligation of the Command is not only recognised by Men even those that were immediately concerned in it but by God himself for he does not only annex the Promise of the Command to the Observance of it Because ye have obeyed the Commandment of Jonadab your Father and kept all his Precepts Therefore Jonadab the Son of Rechab shall not want a Man to stand before me for ever v. 18 19. But expresly represents that eternal Obedience that is due to his Commands by it for this was God's Design in obliging the Prophet to try the Rechabites Constancy and Perseverance by setting Cups and Pots full of Wine before them and commanding them to Drink and
first it must contain all the principles of a free Action Secondly The Springs and Principles of Freedom are to move in conjunction with the natural Frame and interests of the things themselves and consequently a Moral Good always presupposes and includes a Natural Good I 'm sensible here are others that are not content with this portion of Moral Good and therefore they add a third Ingredient from whence it chiefly takes its denomination For they define it to be the Conformity of an Action to a Rule or Decree of a Law-giver and consequently it includes first a principle of Freedom secondly a Natural Goodness or an intrinsick Rectitude of the Action in all its relations and thirdly the binding Authority of a Law that engages us to embrace it from the Will and Pleasure of a Law-giver But now if the Authority of a Law-giver be the true measure of Moral Goodness it makes a Moral Law or Duty and a Moral Good to be the same thing whereas a Moral Law or Duty seems to be the Complement of a Moral Good The one is a choice of things from their relation and consent to Moral ends and purposes the other from a binding Authority superadded to them In Moral Duties the Law-giver is to prescribe in Conformity to these ends and the Moral Agent is to choose and determine himself by them in Conformity to the Will and Authority of the Law-giver but a Moral Good seems to be only the choice of a Natural Good without considering it as the Command or Appointment of a Sovereign Authority But the denominations of things are often Arbitrary and may be extended or lessened without any injury to Truth as long as the Latitude of such denominations is fixed and agreed upon and therefore we ought not to be concerned at any Terms of Art or Modes of Expression as long as there 's an Agreement in the nature of things CHAP. XIII Of the true measures of Moral Goodness § 1. IN order to a further display of the nature of Moral Goodness it will not be improper nor useless to consider the true measure of Moral Goodness And first I think Pleasure whether of Body or Mind cannot be any true measure of Moral Goodness Thus much the Observations already made on a Vitiated Mind abundantly evince For certainly a Vitiated Mind and Conscience may conceive an undisturbed Satisfaction and delight in the foulest Enormities and yet it 's absurd to pronounce 'em Moral Goods For notwithstanding any pleasure of Mind that accompanies them they are still to be ranked among Moral Evils Indeed I cannot conceive how Pleasure and Pain can be the measure of Natural Good for the Mind may certainly lie under wrong apprehensions of things and consequently conceive a pleasure and satisfaction in real Evils and therefore it seems to be highly improper to pronounce Pleasure the true and only measure of Natural much more of Moral Good No certainly the true measure of Natural Good is to be taken from the Original Frame and Constitution or ends and interests of things and the exact Agreement or Adapting of them to each other pursuant to it When things are thus adapted no doubt but a true pleasure of Mind results from them for God has so graciously adapted things to our Welfare and Happiness and Established such a strict Harmony and Agreement between us and every Natural Good that concerns us that there 's a powerful Pleasure flows from it at least according to the Original Oeconomy or Frame of things but yet Pleasure seems to be a consequent rather than a measure or constituent Principle of Natural Good especially since there may arise this Pleasure of Mind when the true ends and interests of things are perverted witness the case of an Erroneous Judgment or Conscience and therefore I think a late Author has not well expressed himself when he tells us That things are Good and Evil only in Reference to Pleasure and Pain Essay concerning Human Understanding Cap. 20. Sect. 2. or as he more fully delivers himself in another place Good and Evil are nothing but Pleasure and Pain or that which occasions or produces Pleasure or Pain in us Book 2. Cap. 28. Sect. 5. § 2. Secondly The conformity of our Actions to a Law abstracting from the Intrinsick rectitude of the Subject matter of it cannot be the true measure of Moral Good As the forecited Author too apparently suggests when he tells us Moral Good and Evil is only the conformity or disagreement of our Voluntary Actions to some Law whereby Good and Evil is drawn on us from the Will and Power of the Law-maker Lib. 2. Cap. 28. § 5. If this definition is designed thus far certainly the best Argument against such a position is one by this Author advanced on another Occasion He Labours to prove that the foulest Enormities have obtained in whole Nations and Societies of Men upon a Law of Fashion Opinion or Reputation but certainly the conformity of an Action to such a Law can by no Means give it the Character or Denomination of Moral Good This must indeed destroy all real Distinction between Good and Evil and render the moral endowments of the Mind as Arbitrary and Precarious as the outward Dress of the Body It 's true an Action performed by a voluntary Agent in Confomity to a Rule is undoubtedly a Moral Action But it does not hereby necessarily become a Moral Good unless the Rule be good or the Intrinsick matter of the Action be so For without these Limitations it may be as much a Moral Evil as if it interfered with an Established Rule So that I cannot but dissent from Mr. Lock when he places the Notion of Moral Good and Evil in the conformity or disagreement of a Voluntary Action to a Rule tho' it be no more than a Rule or Law of Fashion I grant it Establisheth the Idea of a Moral Action but a Moral Action is either good or bad and therefore the Idea of Moral Goodness cannot rest upon the conformity of an Action to such a Rule but on the Intrinsick Goodness of the Action or Rectitude of such a Rule § 3. But to proceed There are others who place the foundation of Moral Good in the Conformity of Moral Actions to our Rational Natures as fitted for Society and consequently proportion the degrees of Moral Good as they serve more or less the ends of Society Indeed it cannot be denyed but that the Great and Wise God hath given us a being and Nature not only peculiarly framed for Society but to be supported by it and consequently whatever accords with the Rational Nature of Man born to Society is undoubtly a Moral Good but 't is visible Man in his Original Frame bears a threefold Relation to wit Frame in Relation to God his own Being and that of his Neighbours from whence arises a threefold Moral Good Now the Agreement of Actions to our Rational Natures as created for Society may present us with
an Idea of those Moral Goods that respect our Being in it self or as it stands supported by Society but it cannot give us an Idea of Moral Good with respect to God our Creator and consequently this Notion cannot be an adequate measure of Moral Goodness § 4. Having said thus much Negatively it remains that we endeavour to State it in a positive way or determine what is the true and adequate measure of Moral Goodness And first it 's universally allowed that Moral Good implies a Relation in the Nature of it It 's a good in respect of something else and consequently there must be some fixed Standard to examine and state the Proportions it bears to it and this Standard may not improperly be called a measure of Moral Goodness Again Moral Good which we are now concerned with respects the Actions of Men and since the Actions of Men with respect to a Threefold Relation which we bear towards God our own Beings and our fellow Creatures pass under three several Denominations the measure of Moral Good must extend to each of ' em With Submission then I presume the proper measure of Moral Good must be taken from the Original Frame Ends and Interests of our Beings we are acted by invincible propensions I mean those of self preservation and desire of happiness that will engage us to examine and consider 'em and the experiment will furnish us with a measure to determine the Goodness of all our actions in our several intercourses with God our own Beings or our fellow Creatures It 's certain there can no action be truly Morally Good but what is conformable to our Original Frame and the prime Ends and Interest of our Beings and what is really thus conformable is really and truly Morally Good and consequently the Frame Ends and Interest of our Being must be a proper Standard of Moral Goodness God has been graciously pleased to give us a Being like himself the great exemplar of all Perfection and Goodness and he has annexed such Ends and Interests to it as will lay a Foundation for Actions that result from his blessed Nature so that the whole line of Moral Duty is by the Laws of our Creation made to consist in Actions that are peculiarly consonant to our Natural Frame in all its Capacities and Relations The Features and Complexion of every duty are taken from our selves and by a Physical Efficiency add Glory Strength and Beauty to us and therefore nothing can be so true a measure of Moral Goodness as the pure Frame Ends and Interests of our Beings As for those that place Moral Goodness in the conformity of our Actions to a Law it 's certain that the Truth and Authority of this Law where Revelation is wanting must first be tryed by the Frame Ends and Interests of our Beings Reason can make an estimate no other way and consequently all other measures of Moral Goodness must at last resolve into this CHAP. XIV Of the Eternal and Unalterable distinctions of Moral Goodness FRom what has been laid down and Concluded it 's evident there 's an unalterable distinction between Good and Evil. Now certainly whereinsoever we fix the Notion of Moral Good whether 't is the imbracing of a Natural Good by Rational motives and convictions arising from the Intrinsick Nature of the Thing the proper Springs of a free Agent or whether 't is in pursuance to the Will and Authority of a Lawgiver it 's abundantly concluded the Lines of Moral Good are fixed and unalterable For it 's manifest that Moral Good always includes a Natural Good and Natural Good is evidently Established in the frame of Created Nature and consequently if the frame of Nature is unalterable Moral Good must be so too Nay we may advance further yet the great creator of all things tho' in himself the most absolute and free Agent yet was governed by the dictates of his own Infinite Wisdom and Goodness and consequently the whole frame of created Nature is Established according to the model of the divine perfections If therefore Natural Good necessarily results from the Natural frame of Things and their subserviency and agreements with each other and Moral Good necessarily includes a Natural Good in it Moral as well as Natural Goodness is as unalterable as the divine Perfections and consequently is in the highest sence eternal and unalterable From hence we way observe how monstrously absurd is that position advanced by a set of Men who first outlived all Moral Good before they thought of the Notion that there 's no distinction between Good and Evil that all the Impressions of the Mind are to be resolved into mere Habits Established in Example or Education and consequently the Good and Evil of all Actions besides that which results from the Determination of positive Laws whether Humane or Divine is nothing else but a Law of Fashion or Opinion It 's abundantly concluded God has given us a peculiar Frame and thereby Established certain Ends and Interests suitable to it And consequently what really accords with the true Ends and Interests of our Being is that we call a Natural Good and what directly clashes and interseres with them is a Natural Evil. It 's concluded God has endued us with powers and faculties that if duely exerted will discover to us the true Frame Ends and Interests of our Natures and how all external things affect 'em and are more or less Subservient to 'em and after this he has endued us with a power to chuse and pursue what is truly Subservient to these ends The very frame and condition of our Natures as they are to be supported with outward succours and conveniencies and the sense of pleasure and pain stampt upon our Natures and the desire of the one and satisfaction in enjoying it and the dread of the other and the uneasiness in suffering it are proper and effectual Springs to set all our natural Powers on work and fix 'em on their proper Ends and Objects and all this proves a moral Capacity to pursue and embrace that which we call Moral Good and unless our Natural Powers and Faculties are regulated by the Laws and Principles of natural Good it 's impossible the Action should obtain the Character of moral Good It must be confessed that the biass of Animal sensations or pleasures is so impetuous in corrupted nature that it often hurries us on to the pursuit of every thing that strikes a present Relish without considering whether it accords with the true Ends and Interests of our Beings at least in that measure or manner we seek to enjoy them Again it 's possible the Mind by force of Habit as well as power of Education and the Fashion of a Country may be sunk so deep into Carnality and so tinged with brutal Enjoyments as to be not only disabled from making the least Enquiry into the true Ends and Interests of its Being but to receive an undisturbed Satisfaction in the practice of
'em so that they may appear as natural as the most regulated Acts of Morality yet this does by no means destroy the Foundations of moral Good for it is nothing else but a kind of Spiritual Disease and consequently we may as well say there was originally no true Foundations for Health because the Body is over-run with a Disease as deny the Foundations of Morality because our Native Capacities are habitually Vitiated and Corrupted CHAP. XV. Reflections on Mr. Lock 's Law of Fashion § 9. HAving offered thus much upon the Nature and Distinction of Moral Goodness I cannot dismiss the Argument without bestowing a few Remarks on the Author of the Essay concerning Humane Understanding upon his advancing a Law of Fashion or Opinion among the Rules or Measures of Moral Goodness I shall not conceal what he has said in Vindication of himself against Mr. Lowde See his Ep. to the Reader Ed. 2. I was there not laying down Moral Rules but shewing the Original and Nature of Moral Ideas and enumerating the Rules Men make use of in Moral Relations whether those Rules were true or false Now certainly tho' the principal Design of this Chapter might be what this Author expresses yet an Impartial Reader could not have believed but there was a professed Design too to represent the true rules or measures of Moral Good had he not expresly declared the contrary And for all this I think a man must have a great deal of Charity to alter his Belief notwithstanding this extorted Declaration And to justify my Opinion I shall appeal to that very Section which he refers to for his Vindication Sect. 4. Chap. 28. B. 2. speaking of Moral Duties or Actions viz. Gratitude c. he concludes It is not enough to have clear and distinct Ideas of them and to know what Names belong to such and such Combinations of Ideas as make up the complex Idea belonging to such a Name we have a further and greater Concernment and that is to know whether such Actions so made up are morally Good or Bad. Now truly if the great concernment be to know or discover whether certain Actions are Morally Good or Bad the true Nature of Moral Good must be fixed for if it be not material whether the Rule or Measure be true or false I would fain know what Light we have given of Moral Good or how we shall judge whether any particular action is Morally Good or Bad. Thus far there 's a design to six the true measures of Moral Goodness and we are the more induced to believe it because the very next Section presents us with a professed description of Morally Good and Evil pursuant to the description he had before given of Good and Evil. Morally Good and Evil then is only the Conformity or Disagreement of our Voluntary Actions to some Law whereby Good and Evil is drawn upon us from the Will and Power of the Law-maker Here 's a standing definition of Moral Good and Evil and this Author must own that a definition of Things such as Good and Evil is a discovery of the precise Nature of 'em as they are in themselves and consequently it must imply a discovery of the true measures of Morally Good and Bad. To proceed then the Nature of Morally Good and Bad is here made to consist in the conformity of Voluntary Actions to some Law and therefore it 's requisite an Account should be given of the several Rules or Laws of Moral Goodness whereby we may view it in its several Species or kinds This Mr. Lock performs in the Section immediately following Of these Moral Rules and Laws to which Men generally Refer and by which they judge of the Rectitude or Pravity of their Actions there seems to me to be three sorts with their different Enforcements or Rewards and Punishments so that we see he industriously represents 'em in all the formalities of Laws and gives 'em their proper and peculiar Sanctions that they may obtain the Authority and Character of Laws Upon this he proceeds to establish the several Species of Moral Good and having enlarged very much upon the third Species of Moral Good that of Virtue and Vice he gives us to understand his Intentions by the very Title of his Thirteenth Section These three Laws are Rules of Moral Good and Evil and Sect 14. he expresly tells us That by taking the Rule from the Fashion of the Country the Mind hath a notion of Moral Goodness or Evil which is the conformity or not conformity of any action to that Rule Now what is all this but to describe the real Nature of Moral Goodness in its true measures as well as kinds It 's evident it was the Business of Sect. 5. and the rest Branches from it by the Laws of method and order nay it 's expressed in the very Conclusion Sect. 14. and therefore we cannot without robbing Mr. Lock of the Character he has justly merited of being a Master of Reason but conclude that all this was in pursuance to his Great Concernment Sect. 4. That is to know whether such actions so made up are morally Good or Bad. But further to take off all this Mr. Lock appeals to Sect. 15.20 Whereas the latter only affirms that we have a notion of Moral Relation whether the Rule be true or false and this I think no body can deny but yet I hope I have proved that the notion of all Moral Goodness depends on the truth of the Rule not on the conformity of an Action to a Rule whether true or false The former affirms that the Idea or Notion of Moral Goodness arises from the conformity of an Action to one of his three Rules but I hope I have proved that they only represent the Idea of a Moral Action not of Moral Goodness which indispensibly requires the truth and goodness of the Rule Lastly in vindication of himself he produces his own Authorities for the eternal and unalterable nature of Virtue by fixing it in the Will or Commands of God Book 1. Chap. 3. Sect. 6. and 18. But yet we were at a loss to know whether he designed the revealed Will and positive Commands of God or his Will discovered by the Light of Reason had he not told us in a second Edition That by the Divine Law he meant as well a Law promulged by the Light of Reason as the voice of Revelation Book 2. Chap. 28. Sect. 8. If the Commands or Will of God are only those we receive from Revelation or the positive Will of God the first Edition of this Essay suggesting nothing to the contrary then Moral Good and evil Antecedent to Revelation is not Eternal and Unalterable but may be founded on a Law of fashion as a true measure of Moral Good for as this Author observes the natural conveniences and inconveniences of things themselves may determine our choices without making 'em the inviolable Rules of Practice See Sect. 6. Book 1. Chap. 3. and Sect.
6.2 Chap. 28. So that however his second Thoughts stand affected I can see nothing in his first to induce a belief that he did not intend to state the several measures of Moral Goodness and consequently assign a Law of opinion for one of them I have hitherto asserted nothing but from Arguments which Mr. Lock 's own Words have furnished me with and if I have carried him beyond his Intentions I 'm perswaded the remarks are justifiable whilst the old expressions remain to propagate the Infection at least in every incautious Reader that has not perused his Preface for certainly since in the entrance of this Essay he has brought the foulest Enormities under the Character of a Law of Fashion or Opinion Book 1. Chap. 3. Sect. 9 10 11. he either ought to have cancelled most of those passages I have cited or at least expresly declared that a Law of Opinion was never to be admitted a measure of Moral Good unless the Opinion is exactly consonant to truth or the nature of things nor a rule of Action but as it corresponds with the Law of Nature or revealed Religion § 2. Having said thus much give me leave to offer something concerning the necessity of advancing such a Law Now certainly in order to the Description of Moral Goodness or the several Branches of it there 's not the least necessity for bringing a Law of Fashion into the List I hope I may without Arrogance or Presumption conclude from what has been already offered that Moral Goodness is indisputably founded on the Truth or Goodness of the Rule or the intrinsick Goodness of the things themselves and that neither the Sentiments or Opinions of Men nor the Fashion of a Country without these Requisites can give 'em so much as the bare Denominations of Moral Goodness and therefore that a Law of Fashion should be advanced as a Rule to represent the Nature of Moral Goodness can never be fairly accounted for It 's certain the Law of Nature or at least the Law of Revelation in conjunction with it is the only measure of Moral Goodness Insomuch that a Law of Fashion interfering with one or both of 'em is not only destitute of every grain of Moral Goodness but cannot cancel one grain of sin or guilt when followed in opposition to either This is the case of Duels or any other fashionable Enormities for Laws of Nature as well as revealed Laws when duly promulged are justly presumed to be the known fundamental Rules of Humane Actions and the fashion or publick reputation of an Action can add nothing towards its innocence And therefore what necessity is there for inserting a Law of Fashion among the Rules or Measures of Moral Goodness unless it were designed to establish something of Credit or Authority to it things no sooner suggested than embraced in an Age of Liberty and therefore this Author should no sooner have mentioned such a Rule than represented the unwarrantableness of it In a word this Author might have considered that he had given the grossest immortalities the Authority of Laws of Fashion and consequently that such Laws are very unfit representatives of the Ideas of Moral Goodness certainly it had been as allowable and necessary to have brought an avowed Immorality into the List given it the Character and Authority of a Law and pronounced it a measure of Virtue or Moral Rectitude or Goodness or at least a Branch of it But truly this is a method that rather confounds than establishes the Ideas of Moral Goodness or instructs us to know whether such Actions so made up are morally Good or Bad. Indeed had he condescended to an old Distinction of Good and Evil and pronounced Moral Good or Evil either apparent or real and Vertue and Vice reputed or real then he had put himself under a necessity of enlarging very plentifully upon a Law of Fashion and abundantly freed himself from Censure and Reflection especially upon an express Declaration of the unwarrantableness of such a Law when destitute of real intrinsick Goodness or Innocence but till this is done I hope 't is no crime to pronounce Mr. Lock 's Law of Fashion as it now stands Recorded both dangerous and unnecessary § 3. But further besides the danger and frivolousness of the attempt this Author seems to have grosly mis-represented the old received Notions of Virtue and Vice brought disgrace upon the Ancient Moralists or Philosophers and established a Law upon sanctions peculiar to it that were never esteemed so And first it cannot be denied but that Custom and Example have always been very prevailing Arguments to influence the Judgments as well as practice of Mankind and when Practice is not only universal but pursued abetted and encouraged by Authority it will presently be received into the judgments of Men as an indisputable Rule of Action and when 't is thus received it becomes a Law or Rule of Action and thus Custom and Example accidentally contribute to the establishing a Rule as they gradually new model the Judgment and serve to create a real perswasion of the intrinsick goodness of any particular Action but yet I can scarce believe that Custom publick Reputation or the Fashion of a Countrey were ever assigned by the intelligent part of Mankind for the measure of the Rectitude of a Rule much less for a true and proper Rule of Action no an Opinion of the Intrinsick Rectitude of things has been ingendered by Habit or Custom and the fashionable practices of an Age and then the Action has been pursued and embraced with as much Heat and Eagerness as if it were endued with an Intrinsick Goodness and were to be ranked under the Title of Moral Goodness And therefore this Author has offered Violence to the notions of Mankind and particularly of the Ancient Moralists and Philosophers in pronouncing the Fashion of a Countrey to be a Law and founding Virtue and Vice upon it For first it can be no Law on this Author 's own principles since it wants a peculiar Sanction to enforce it It 's well known Praise Honour or Reputation is by no means peculiar to a Law of Fashion for 't is the reward that attends all sorts of Moral Goodness or a Collateral Motive contrived by divine designation to enforce the practice of it 2dly Vertue and Vice among the Learned was never measured by the Reputation it bears in the World but by an Intrinsick Moral Rectitude This I could evince were it necessary from the whole tribe of Heathen Moralists who always fixed the Notion in its Agreements with the dictates of right Reason and the Original Frame Ends and Interests of our Natures I shall at this time content my self with some Authorities from that Learned Moralist he has cited to support his own Opinion Thus he agrees to these great Truths in a Multitude of passages Virtutis hoc proprium earum rerum quae secundum Naturam sunt habere delectum Lib. 3. de Fin. Sect. 4. Quaesita