CHAP. IV. Of the Divine Law.

THE word Law taken absolutely, sig∣nifies, That, according to which e∣very individual, or all, or some, of the in∣dividuals of the same Species, do Act by one and the same determinate Rule, and that Rule depends either upon the necessi∣ty of Nature, or the Will and Pleasure of Men: the Law which depends upon the necessity of Nature, is that which ne∣cessarily follows from the very Nature or Definition of any thing; and the Law which depends upon the Pleasure of Men, and is more properly called Law, is that which Men for the greater safety and be∣nefit of Life, or for other Causes do pre∣scribe to themselves and others, (for Ex∣ample) that all Bodies when they hit or dash against other less Bodies, do loose so Page  83 much of their own Motion, as they im∣part to those other less Bodies, is the Uni∣versal Law of all Bodies, which follows from the necessity of Nature: so likewise when a Man remembers one thing, he is presently mindful of another like it, or as soon as he sees them together, is a Law which necessarily follows from Human Na∣ture; but that Men voluntarily part with, or are compell'd to part with that Right, which every one hath by Nature, and ob∣lige themselves to a certain Rule and Manner of living, depends upon the Will and Pleasure of Men; and tho' it be ab∣solutely granted, that all things by the U∣niversal Laws of Nature, are ordain'd to be, and Operate, according to a certain and determinate Rule; yet I say those Laws do depend upon the Pleasure of Men. First, because Man as he is a great part of Nature makes and constitutes a part of the Power of Nature, and therefore those things which follow from the ne∣cessity of Human Nature (that is from Nature it self as we conceive it regulated by Human Nature) tho' they follow ne∣cessarily, yet they follow from Human Power; wherefore the Sanction of those Laws may very well be said to depend up∣on the Will of Men, because it so de∣pends upon the Power of Mans Mind, that Page  84 the Mind of Man as it apprehends things under the Notion of true or false, may ne∣vertheless be clearly understood, without those Universal Laws; but not without the Law of necessity as I have defined it. Secondly, I have said those Universal Laws of nature, depend upon the Pleasure of Men, because we ought to define and ex∣plain things by their next and immediate causes, and that Universal consideration of Fate and the chaining together of causes, can no way help us in the forming and or∣dering our thoughts concerning particular things, (that is) we know not how things are ordered and tyed together, so that it is better, yea absolutely necessary, for the benefit of Life, to consider things as they are possible, and so much of Law consider'd absolutely.

But because the name of Law, by Tran∣slation, is apply'd to natural things, and commonly by Law, nothing else is meant but a command, which Men may, or may not perform, so that it confines human Power to bounds and limits, beyond which it might go, and yet commands nothing which it is not able to do, therefore Law more particularly defined, is that rule and manner of living, which Men for some end prescribe to themselves or to o∣thers: but because very few know the true Page  85 end of Laws, and Men being for the most part incapable of Understanding it, do not live according to the dictates of reason, therefore Law-givers, that they might e∣qually bind all, have wisely establisht an end very different, from that which ne∣cessarily follows from the Nature of Laws (namely) by propounding to those who keep the Law, that which they most love, and by threatning the breakers of the Law, with that which they most fear; and so endeavor, as far as 'tis possible, to rule the multitude, as a Horse is govern'd with a Bridle; so that Law in its common ac∣ceptation, is that rule of living, which by the Power of others is prescribed to Men, and consequently that they who obey Laws are said to live under Law, and may be called Servants or Subjects, he that giveth to every one his due because he is a∣fraid of the gallows, is under the Power of another, and being compell'd by the fear of punishment to do what he doth, cannot be called just, but he that giveth to every one his due, because he knows the necessity and the true end and reason of Laws, what he doth is free and voluntary, and he may therefore be deservedly cal∣led a just Man: which I suppose to be St. Pauls meaning, when he said, they that lived under the Law could not be justi∣fy'd Page  86 fy'd by the Law, for justice as it is com∣monly defined, is a constant Voluntary resolution of rendring to every Man that which is his due, and therefore Solomon Prov. chap. 20. v. 15. saith, it is joy to the just to do judgment but the wicked fear. See∣ing then Law is nothing else but a rule of living, which Men for some end prescribe to themselves or to others, the Law may therefore be distinguisht into human and divine, by Mans Law we understand that rule of living which secures life and the weal public, but the Divine Law hath re∣spect only to our cheifest good, that is the true knowledge and love of God: the rea∣son why I call this Law Divine, is in re∣spect of the Nature of our cheifest good, which I will with all possible brevity and plainess declare.

Whereas our better part is our under∣derstanding, it is certain if we seek our own good, we ought cheifly to endeavour as much as is possible, the perfecting our in∣tellect; because in the perfection of that consists our cheifest happiness; and since all our knowledge and certainty which removes all doubt, depends only upon the knowledge of God, because nothing can be, or be known without God, and be∣cause we may doubt of all things, while we have no clear and distinct Idea of God, Page  87 it follows that our perfection, and cheifest happiness, depends only upon the know∣ledge of God. Moreover, since nothing can either exist, or be known, without God, it is certain that all things in Nature, in re∣spect of their essence and perfection, do imply and express the Notion of God, and consequently the more we know natural things, the greater and more perfect knowledge we acquire of God; because the knowledge of an effect by its Cause, is nothing else, but knowing the true Na∣ture and Property of the cause; so that by how much the more we know natural things, so much the more perfectly do we know the being of God, who is the cause of all things; and all our knowledge (that is) our cheifest happiness, doth not only depend, upon, but wholly consists in, the knowledge of God: which consequence is made good, by a Mans becomming more or less perfect, according to the Nature and perfection of the thing he most loves, and so on the contrary. He therefore is most perfect, who pertakes most of the highest Beatitude, and who above all things, loves and is most delighted with the intellectual knowledge of God, who is the most perfect of all beings. Hitherto then our cheifest good and happiness, still returns into the knowledge of God, the Page  88 end then of all human actions, so far as we have an Idea of him being God; the means which this end requires, may be called the commands of God, because they are as it were prescribed by God existing in our minds; and the rule of living which respecteth this end, may be called the divine Law; but what those means are, and what that manner of living is which this end re∣quires, how the best Goverments and Men in living one with another should pursue this end, is a Subject for moral Philosophy to handle, my present business is only to speak in general of the Law divine.

If then the love of God be Man's chei∣fest felicity and beatitude, and the ulti∣mate end and scope of all Mens actions; it follows, that he only keeps Gods Law, whose care is to love God, not for fear of punishment, or for the love of any o∣ther thing, as Pleasure, Wealth, Fame, &c. but only because he knows God; or be∣cause he knows that the knowledge and love of God is the cheifest good the; summ then and cheif precept of the Divine Law, is to love God as our cheifest good, not as we have already said, for fear of some Evil or Punishment, nor for the love of any other thing in which we take delight. But tho' the Notion of a God dictate to us, that God is our cheifest good, and that Page  89 the knowledge and love of God, is the end to which all our Actions ought to be directed; yet the carnal Man cannot understand these things, and they seem vanity to him, because he hath too low and narrow a knowledge of God, and be∣cause also in this cheifest good which con∣sists only in speculation and purity of the mind, he finds nothing that he can handle, eat, or wherewith to gratify the Flesh, with which he is most pleased: but they that know there is nothing more excellent then reason, and a clear understanding, will esteem them the most solid of all Plea∣sures. We have now shewn in what cheifly the Divine Law consists, and what are human Laws, namely all those which are directed to another end, unless they were establisht by divine Revelation; for under this consideration, things also as we have already shewn, are attributed to God; and in this sense the Law of Moses, tho' it were not Universal but accomodated to the disposition and preservation of one particular People, may be called the Law of God or the Divine Law; seeing we believe it given by pro∣phetical Revelation: So that now if we consider the natural Divine Law, as we have explain'd it, we shall find it to be Universal and common to all Mankind; Page  90 since we have derived it from human Na∣ture in general. Secondly, that it doth not require the belief of Histories whatever they be, since this Divine natural Law, is understood only in consideration of human Nature, and we may as well conceive it in any other Man as in Adam, and as well in a Man who lives a solitary, as in one that leads a social Life, nor can the belief of Histories tho' true, give us the know∣ledge, or consequently the Love of God; for the Love of God proceeds from the knowledge of God, and the knowledge of God, must be derived from common notions in themselves certain and known, so that the belief of History, is far from being a means absolutely necessary to the attainment of our cheifest good; but tho' the belief of Histories cannot give us the knowledge and Love of God, yet we grant reading of them to be very useful in respect of civil Life, for the more we know and observe Mens manners and con∣ditions, of which their Actions are the best evidence; with the greater caution may we live amongst them, and the better may we suite our Lives and Actions to their dispositions so far as is reasonable. Thirdly, this natural Divine Law requires no Cere∣monies, (that is) Actions in themselves in∣different, and are only good in respect Page  91 of their institution, or because they represent some good necessary to our well being; or rather Actions whereof our under∣standing doth not comprehend the reason; for natural light requires nothing but what that light can attain to, and only that which it discovers to us can be our good and the way to our happiness: those which are good only by precept and institution, or because they are representatives of some good, they cannot perfect our under∣standing, they are but meer shadows, and and cannot be reckon'd amongst those Actions which are the Off-spring and Fruits of our knowledge and sound judgment; which to prove more at large, is not here necessary. Fourthly, the highest reward of the Divine Law, is the Law it self; namely to know God, and to love him freely and continually with the whole heart; and the penalty of the Law, is the loss of that knowledge and love, the Bondage of the Flesh, and an inconstant Fluctuating Mind. These things thus considered, we are now to inquire first, whether by natural light, we can conceive and know God as a Law-giver and Prince prescribing Laws to Men? Secondly, what the Scripture saith of this natural light and Law? Thirdly to what end Ceremonies were instituted? Fourthly, of what concern it is to know and believe Page  92 the Sacred Histories. Of the two first par∣ticulars, we will treat in this, and of the two last in the following Chapter. What we are to conclude concerning the first particular, may be easily deduced from the Nature of Gods will, which is distin∣guisht from Gods knowledge, only in re∣spect of our reason (that is) the will and knowledge of God, are in themselves one and the same thing, nor are they distin∣guisht but in reference to the thoughts we form of Gods knowledge (for example) when we consider that the Nature of a Triangle is from all eternity contain'd in the Divine Nature, as an eternal Truth, then we say God hath the Idea of a Tri∣angle, or understandeth the Nature of a Triangle; but when afterwards we con∣sider that the Nature of a Triangle, is so contain'd in the Divine Nature not in re∣spect of the necessity of the essence and Nature of a Triangle, but in respect only of the necessity of the divine nature, yea that the necessity of the essence and Pro∣perties of a Triangle as they are conceived to be eternal Verities depend only upon the necessity of the divine nature and knowledge of God, and not upon the na∣ture of the Triangle, then that which we have called Gods knowledge we call Gods Will and decree, therefore in relation to Page  93 God, we say one and the same thing when we say that God knew, or that God willed and decreed that three Angles of a Tri∣angle, should be equal to two right Ang∣les. Whence it follows that Gods affirma∣tions and negations, must always imply eternal necessity and verity, if then (for example) God said to Adam, that he would not have him eat of the Tree of Good and Evil, it would imply a contradiction that Adam should be able to eat of it, and it was impossible that Adam should eat of it, if that divine decree did imply eternal verity and necessity, but because the Scrip∣ture saith, that God did command Adam, that he should not eat of that Tree, and yet notwithstanding he did eat of it, it must necessarily be said, that God only revealed to Adam the Evil that would follow upon it, but did not re∣veal the necessity of the Evil's following, whence it came to pass, that Adam under∣stood that Revelation, not as an eternal verity and necessary Truth, but as a Law or Or∣dinance, upon which Gain or Loss was to follow, not in respect of the Necessity and Nature of the Action done, but only in respect of the Absolute Will and Command of a Prince. The Revelation therefore in respect of Adam only, and only for want of Knowledge in him, was a Law, and Page  94 God a Law-giver and Prince. For the like defect of Knowledge, was the Decalogue a Law to the Iews, because they knew not the Being of God to be an Eternal Verity; therefore, that which was revealed to them in the Decalogue, namely that there was a God, and that he only was to be worship∣ed, was received by them as a Law, but had God spoken to them immediately, and not by Corporeal means, they had taken it for an Eternal Verity and not for a Law, and what we say of Adam and the Israe∣lites, may be said of all the Prophets, who writ Laws in the Name of God, that they did not rightly understand God's Decrees to be Eternal Verities. (For Example) Moses by Revelation or by Principles re∣vealed to him, understood the means whereby the People of Israel might be best united, in a particular Place of the World, form a Common-wealth, and erect a Go∣vernment, and also the best way to com∣pel that People to obedience; but yet he did not know, nor was it revealed to him, that those means, or that Way was best, neither that from the common Obedience of the People, in such a Climate of the World, that end would necessarily follow, to which those means were directed; and therefore all those things were not under∣stood by him as Eternal Verities, but as Page  95 Precepts and Institutions, which he pre∣scribed as the Laws of God, and this was the Reason, that he imagined God, was a Governour, a Lawgiver, a King merciful and Just, when all these are only the Atri∣butes of Human Nature, and not any Part of the Divine Nature: but tho' we say this of the Prophets, who writ Laws in the Name of God, we ought not to say the same of Christ, for though he seemed to write Laws in the Name of God, we are to believe, that he understood things truly and perfectly, for Christ was not so much a Prophet, as he was the Mouth of God, for God by the Mind of Christ (as we have shewn in the first Chapter) did reveal some things to Mankind, as he did before by Angels, (that is a Created Voice.) And by Visions; wherefore it would be altoge∣ther Irrational to think, that God accom∣modated his revelations to the Opinions of Christ, as that God fitted heretofore his re∣velations to the Opnions of the Visions, and of the Angels (that is created Voices) that he might communicate the things, which were to be revealed to the Prophets, then which nothing can be more absurd, espe∣cially since Christ was not sent to the Iews only, but to all Mankind: so that it was not sufficient his Mind should be fitted to the Opinion of the Iews, but to the Opi∣nions Page  96 and Documents general to all Man∣kind, that is those Notions which were com∣mon and True; and from communicating himself immediately to Christ, or to his un∣derstanding, and not as he did to the Pro∣phets by words and Signs, nothing else can be concluded, but that Christ did truly perceive and understand those things which were revealed; for then a thing is clear∣ly understood, when it is clearly and mental∣ly perceived without the help of Words and Signs. Christ therefore understood things truly and plainly, and if ever he pre∣scribed them as Laws, he did it because the People were ignorant and obstinate, and acting God's Part, applyed himself to the Nature and Dispofition of the People, and therefore tho' he spoke somewhat plainer then the rest of the Prophets, yet sometimes he spoke Obscurely and by Parables, es∣pecially when he spoke to them, to whom it was not given to know the Kingdom of Heaven, Mat. chap. 13. v. 11. But with∣out doubt, all things which he taught those, to whom it was given to know the Miste∣ries of the Kingdom of Heaven, he taught them as Eternal Verities, and did not pre∣scribe them as Laws, and in this confidera∣tion, he freed them from the Bondage of the Law, and yet nevertheless did the more confirm it, and deeply ingrave it on Page  97 their Hearts, which Paul seems to declare in the 7th. chap. of his Epist. to the Romans, v. 6th. But now we are delivered from the Law, that being dead wherein we were held, that we should serve in Newness of Spirit, and not in the Oldness of the Letter, and in chap. 3. v. 8. Therefore we conclude, that a Man is justified by Faith without the Deeds of the Law. But neither doth Paul speak very clearly, for he saith, Rom. chap. 3. v. 5. I speak as a Man, which he expresly saith, when he calls God just and righteous, and without doubt because of the Frailty of the Flesh, he supposeth Mercy, Grace and An∣ger to be in God, applying his Discourses to the understanding of the Common People as may be seen in his first Epistle to the Co∣rinthians chap. 3. v. 1, 2. Brethren, I could not speak unto you as Spiritual, but as unto Car∣nal Men. Rom. chap. 8. v. 18. He declareth that the Mercy and Wrath of God doth not depend upon Mens Works, but on his own Will. Moreover no Man is justified by the Works of the Law, but only by Faith, Rom. chap. 3. v. 28. And by Faith nothing is meant, but a full consent of the Mind. Last∣ly, Paul declares that no Body is Blessed who hath not in him the Mind of Christ, Rom. chap. 8. v. 9. Now if any Man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his; by which Mind and Spirit, he may understand Page  98 the Laws of God to be Eternal Verities. We conclude therefore, that God was de∣scribed as a Prince and Law-giver, and sti∣led Just and Merciful, only in regard to the Capacity of the Vulgar, and their want of Knowledge, but that God from the ne∣cessity and perfection of his Nature, doth act and govern all things, and his Will and Decrees are Eternal Verities, and imply Eternal Necessity, which is the thing I pur∣posed in the first Place to explain, and prove, passing now to the Second Particu∣lar, let us run through the whole Scripture, and see what it saith of this Natural Light and Divine Law. The first thing we meet with, is, the History of the first Man, where we are told, God commanded Adam, he should not eat of the Fruit of the Tree of good and evil, which seems to signify, that God commanded Adam, to do and seek after God, under the Notion of good, and not as it is contrary to evil: that is, to seek after good for good's sake, and not for fear of evil; for he that doth-good as we have already said, upon the account of knowing and lov∣ing what is good, doth it with a free and constant mind, but he that is compell'd by the fear of evil, is forced by punishment, acts like a Slave, and lives under the command of another; and therefore that one thing which God commanded Adam, compre∣hends Page  99 all the Divine Natural Law, and per∣fectly agrees with the Dictates of Natu∣ral Reason, now would it be a difficult matter from this very Principle, to unfold the whole History or Parable of the first Man; but I pass it by, because I am not certain whether my Explication will agree with the Writers meaning, and because many will have the History to be no Para∣ble, but a plain and simple Narration: it will therefore be better to make use of o∣ther Places of Scripture, those especially, of which he was Author, who in Strength of natural Knowledge exceeded the wis∣est of his Age, and whose sayings, the Peo∣ple counted as Sacred as they did those of the Prophets, I mean Solomon, whose Pro∣phesy and Piety is not so much commended in Scripture, as his Wisdom and Prudence; he in his Proverbs calls Human Under∣standing, the Fountain of Life, and pla∣ceth misfortune only in Folly; for he saith, chap. 16. v. 22. Vnderstanding is a well-spring of Life to him that hath it, but the Pu∣nishment of Fools is their folly. Where we are to note, that by the word Life, in the Hebrew is signified, happy Life, as appears Deut. chap. 30. v. 10. I have set before thee Life and Death, Blessing and Cursing, there∣fore chuse Life. And he therefore deriveth the happiness of Life from Knowledge, and Page  100 Punishment from the want of it, which ex∣Presly agrees with what we observed in the fourth Place, concerning the Divine Na∣tural Law: but that this Fountain of Life the Understanding, prescribeth Laws to the Wise, is proved by Prov. chap. 13. v. 14. The Law of the Wise is a Fountain of Life, that is as appears by the fore-cited Text, the Understanding and Knowledge. More∣over, chap. 3. v. 13. 'Tis said in express Terms, that Uuderstanding and Wisdom make a man happy, and give him the true peace of mind. Happy is the Man tbat find∣eth Wisdom, and the Man that getteth Vnder∣standing. And v. 16, 17. Length of days is in her right Hand, and in her left Riches and Honour, her ways are ways of Righteous∣ness, and all her Paths (which Wisdom points out) are Peace. In the Opinion of Solomon then, only Wise men live quietly and happily, not as the wicked, whose minds are disturbed and tost to and fro with contrary Passions and Affections: So that as Isaiah saith chap. 47. v. 20, 21. The wicked are like the troubled Sea, that cannot rest, there is no Peace to the wicked. Lastly, in the Proverbs that which clearly con∣firms this Opinion, is what he saith, chap. 2. v. 3. If thou criest after Knowledge, and lift∣est up thy Voice for Vnderstanding, then v. 5. Thou shalt understand the fear of the Lord, Page  101 and find the Knowledge of God. (or rather the Love of God, for the Hebrew word Iadah signifies both,) for Verse the 6th. (which observe well) The Lord giveth Wisdom, out of his Mouth cometh Knowledge and Wisdom. Which words clearly declare, First, that only Understanding and Wis∣dom teach us to fear God Prudently, (i e) to serve him truly, and to worship him rightly. Next, that Wisdom and Know∣ledge flow from the Mouth of God, and are given by God; that is, our Under∣standing and Wisdom depends upon, pro∣ceeds from, and is only perfected by, the Idea or Knowledge of God: Solomon goes on, and in the 9th Verse shews, that in, and from, this Knowledge, is continued and derived the Science of true Morality and Policy; Then shalt thou understand Righ∣teousness, Iudgment and Equity, yea every good thing. And Verse the 10th When Wisdom shall enter into thy Heart, and Knowledge is pleasant to thy Soul, Verse the 11th. Dis∣cretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee. All which Expressions plainly agree with natural Knowledge, which teach∣eth us Morality and true Vertue; after we have gained the Knowledge of things, and tasted the Excellency of Understand∣ing. The Happiness and Tranquility, there∣fore of a Man, that improves his natural Page  102 Reason and Knowledge, doth not in Solo∣mon's Opinion chiefly depend upon For∣tune; (that is God's external Assistance) but upon his own internal Vertue and Fa∣culties (that is God's internal aid) be∣cause by watching, working, and well con∣sidering, he preserveth himself. Lastly, that place of St. Paul. Rom. chap. 1st. v. 20. Is very worthy of our Notice, where (ac∣cording to Tremelius's version of the Siriack Text) he saith, The invisible things of God, from the Creation of the World, are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his external Power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse. By which words he maketh it evident, that all men by the Light of natural Reason and Knowledge, may understand the Power of God, and his Eternal Divinity, by which they may be able to know and conjecture, what they are to seek and pursue, and what they are to avoid; and so concludes, that all are without excuse, and cannot pretend Igno∣rance, which they might very vvell, if he spoke of Supernatural Knovvledge, and of the Bodily passion and resurrection of Christ; therefore he goes on in the 24th Verse and says, God gave them up to uncleanness, through the Lust of their own Hearts, describing to the end of the Chapter, the Vices of Igno∣rance; which Vices, he declares to be the Page  103 punishment of Ignorance, agreeing with that Proverb of Solomon mentioned Chap. 16. v. 22. The punishment of Fools is their folly. So that it is no wonder, Paul says evil doers are inexcusable, for as every Man sows, so shall he reap. Evil unless Wisdom prevent, necessarily brings forth evil; the Scripture therefore expresly com∣mends natural Knowledge, and the Divine Natural Law, so that I have done with what I intend to treat of in this Chapter.