A brief disquisition of the law of nature according to the principles and method laid down in the Reverend Dr. Cumberland's (now Lord Bishop of Peterboroughs) Latin treatise on that subject : as also his confutations of Mr. Hobb's principles put into another method : with the Right Reverend author's approbation.

INTRODUCTION.

§. 1 THough perhaps it may not seem unnecessary, after so much as hath been said, to prove the cer∣tainty, and constant obligation of the Law of Nature, of endeavouring the Common Good of all Rational Bei••gs; more particularly to confute the Principles of Epicurus, and his Follower Mr. H. it being a true Maxim in other Sciences, as well as Geometry, Rectum est Index sui, & obliqui: Yet since those Au∣thors have not only poisoned the World with their pernicious Tenets, but have also endea∣voured to support them with the specious ap∣pearances of Reason and Argument; it may be expected, that we should say somewhat in

answer to these Reasons and Arguments Mr. H. the Reviver of those Principles in this Age, hath brought in his Book De Cive & Leviathan, to maintain and support them. And therefore I have thought fit to add some Considerations, and Confutations of them, as far as they contradict the Principles we have here laid down; and rather to put them here all together at the end, than in the Body of our Treatise of the Law of Nature; since there they would not only have interrupted the Co∣herence of the Discourse it self, but would have also disturbed, and taken off the minds of the ordinary Readers (for whom I chiefly in∣tend it) from a due consideration of the truth and connexion of the things therein contained. And therefore I have thought fit rather to cast them all together into a distinct part by them∣selves; since if you are Master of that former Part of this Discourse, you will easily perceive, not only the Falshood and Absurdity of Mr. H's Principles, but that it was from his Ignorance, or Inconsideration of this great Principle of the Common Good of Rational Beings, that he first fell into those Errors, and made pri∣vate Self-preservation not only the first mo∣tive (which had been true enough) but also the sole end of all Moral Actions, which is al∣together false, and below the dignity, not on∣ly of a Philosopher, but a Man. I have there∣fore

gone through all his Moral Principles in order; and as for his Politick ones, if these are false, they will need no other Confuta∣tion; and I have reduced them into certain Heads, or Propositions, and have truly gi∣ven you this Sum of Arguments, that no man may find fault with me for misrepresenting his Opinions.