Dr. Hammond. sect. 17.
Nay, 'tis already past question, that Mr. J. in his first argument against my dictate (as he calls it) saith, that the light and law of nature is also a rule of 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and so not onely custome: And if so, then custome is a rule of decency also, and not only the law and light of nature, and where 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and not the light of nature is the rule, there the omission of that doth not necessarily inferre indecency. And of such decency a∣lone it is evident that I spake, on the head of Uniformity (and could not speak sense, if I spake, either of any other, or of the generall notion of decency, which is competible to any other) and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 thence it follows demonstratively that of that decency of which I spake (though not of that, of which it is certain I spake not) still custome is the onely rule of decency.
This therefore I hope may serve in answer to his first charge, that of my timidity, that I dared not say what I said not; together with a view of his concession of the truth of what I did say, and the wary limitation of that concession.
Jeanes.
1. I called your assertion, viz. Custome is the onely rule of decencie, a dictate, and shall call it so still, untill you can prove it, and when you bring any solid proof of it, abstracted from your 〈◊〉〈◊〉, for limitations I cannot call them, I shall be contented to be your vassal.
2 You seem to 〈◊〉〈◊〉, that in the things you speak of, custome, and not the light of nature is the role, but this is very false; for custome is mensura pas∣siva, as well as activa: When it is a rule of decency, it is first measured and re∣gulated