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
〈◊〉 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
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
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
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
the Council of Trade and his Preferments as well as Judgment engaged upon it I 'm perswaded he would think himself obliged to declare against his former Sentiments In one Word it 's evident these are positions that without a Law that enjoyns an Universal explicit Allegiance must render every Government highly precarious for if a single Person can challenge a Right of withdrawing then may a Second and a Third and so on to a Body or Multitude and by this Means a Nation may not only be dispeopled at pleasure and consequently drained of her Riches and Treasure but her own natural Subjects may become her most formidable Enemies And now having offered what is sufficient to expose the conceipt of natural Freedom I think I have abundantly evinced what was before asserted That there cannot be a Body of Men regularly and de jure in such a State of Nature as this Author has projected For tho' we should allow the first Government to be formed upon compact from a State of Nature yet if Subjects are naturally a property of a Government it 's impossible there should be a Body of Men in a perfect State of Nature without a total dissolution of particular Governments for as for the Independant State of Supreme Powers produced as an Instance by this Author he knows very well it proves nothing to his design or purpose that is a body of Men in a State of nature from which a Government is formed upon the Force and Authority of a joint compact 2dly This Notion of a State of Freedom being so clearly confuted by that property which every Government challenges in all the Subjects of it as well as every Father in their Children I think it adds to the strength of former Arguments in asserting the Civil Prerogatives of the Paternal Power as it lay in the original For Adam being not only the Great Parent of Mankind but the sole proprietary of Off-Springs without any Collateral much less Superior Power to defaulk from any of his Prerogatives if Government by the Laws of Providence was truly serviceable or rather necessary the very Station as well as Character he bare is sufficient to give him a right of Dominion and Sovereignty And thus far I hope I have in some measure stated the Foundations of Civil Government pursuant to the Established Laws of the Creation and certainly when all Arguments and Circumstances are fairly laid together there 's no just ground or colour for Original Compact Here 's a manifest Power and trust but it seems to be the immediate Ordinance and Appointment of God arising from the Established Frame and order of Things Not an Arbitrary Deputation or Commission issuing forth of the hands of the People that were born and formed for Government and Educated and nursed up under the Wings of it I have proved it from the nature of the Thing and the Laws of Providence and were we to enquire into the Original of Governments upon matter of Fact we shall find them invested in the Paternal Power indeed this Author is forced to confess as much and then I think not upon a Tacit consent or compact as he would have it no the frame of Nature directs us to another foundation And now I must own the Argument has carried me much further than I designed but I think the injuries which these Notions offer to the Authority of Civil Governours as ell as Masters of Families will dictate an Apology I have studiously avoided all Applications lest I should give him a Handle to make use of a Common Artifice against me by resolving my Resentments into disloyalty towards our present Sovereign but this is an Imputation so unjust that all that know me are I question not sufficiently prepared to wipe it off For tho' I cannot entertain such an Opinion of Original Contract as to be forward to place all my Loyalty upon it yet I hope there are others as well as my self can find out principles that will maintain as true fealty and Allegiance towards his present Majesty as that can suggest or create CHAP. XII Of the Nature of Moral Good and Evil. HAving thus laid the Foundations of the Law of Nature and represented it in all its Formalities and Appendages I proceed in the next place to consider the nature and distinction of Moral Good and Evil. And first That we may describe the nature of Moral Good with greater clearness it will be requisite to consider not only the Subject Matter but the Formal Reasons of it § 1. And first The subject Matter of Moral Good undoubtedly arises from the natural frame and constitution of Things As things in their Original Nature correspond or agree with the Primitive ends and Interests of each other so they carry in them a Natural or Physical goodness Thus in the case of Temperance a moderate use of Meats and Drinks undoubtedly preserves the Mind as well as Body in all its ends and uses and consequently it is no doubt a Natural or Physical good to the whole Man And this I would call the subject matter of Moral Good so that all Moral Good being founded in the Original Frame and Constitution of things it always implies a Physical or Natural Good in it But § 2. Secondly For the formal Reasons of Moral Good I conceive they are principally two The first is whereby it seems to be immediately distinguished from a Natural Good and that is as it proceeds from the choices of a free Agent And Secondly As these choices are Regulated according to the Original Frame Nature and Order of things Thus in the case of Meats and Drinks an unthinking Brute may no doubt receive such a portion of both as is exactly accommodated to the Ends and Interests of such an Animal But yet since this is done purely by a necessary principle or natural Instinct it cannot derive to it self the denomination of a Moral Action but now when the moderate use of Meats and Drinks is defined upon a mature consideration of the ends and Interests of our beings and we make 'em the measure of our choices and embrace 'em as such the Action obtains a new denomination for 't is certainly a Moral Action and consequently a Moral Good in as much as it moves upon the measures and principles of a Natural Good It 's certain every action that is founded in rational Motives and Convictions or that rests on certain Faculties which we are empowered to exert or not exert in the disquisition of its Nature is to be esteemed a moral action because the consequences of it are to be imputed to us And if our choices and determinations are Regulated according to the true nature of the thing and the Primitive Ends and Interests of our Beings it may justly be esteemed a moral Good but if we choose and determine contrary to these measures and principles it will undoubtedly pass under the character of a moral Evil so that Moral Good manifestly includes two things
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
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
Action Who can therefore dispute the Necessity of a Revealed Dispensation when Mankind is reduced to such forlorn and dismal Circumstances any more than suppress and disown the surprizing Graces and Mercies of it § 5. Bur further we may demonstrate the Necessity of Revelation from certain Defects in Natural Religion that are only to be supplyed by Revelation and by this means we shall confirm and strengthen the preceding Arguments And first the Necessity of Revelation discovers it self in the Notion and Worship of a GOD It 's well known though the Consideration of our own Frame and of those things without us may by the Light of natural Reason induce the Belief of a God and at least give us an imperfect Idea of his excellent Nature yet certainly the latter is not to be attained but by Men of Thought and Observation The unthinking Vulgar are ready to resemble the Godhead by Gold or Silver or Stone graven by Art and Man's Device But after the nicest Discoveries that natural Reason can pretend to we can no where find the Godhead represented in its true Graces and Perfections but in the Book of Revelation Again tho' Natural Reason must dictate that God is to be worshipped yet to calculate the precise Way and Manner of it seems to exceed the Sphere of its Activity To worship God in a spiritual Manner by Prayer and Thanksgiving seems extremely reasonable because highly consonant to his blessed Nature but yet had Revelation been silent Reason that is so much immersed in Sense and sensible Objects would never have carryed us much above the gross and scandalous Ways and Rites of Heathen Worship The whole World in these Cases lay in Ignorance and Superstition and therefore the Purity and Honour of God seems to induce a kind of Necessity or Obligation on him to make a Reform by a revealed Dispensation It 's his Prerogative to determine what Worship his Creatures shall pay him and the actual Determination of it is the Business of Revelation Again The Necessity of Revelation is abundantly expressed in the Enforcements of Divine Laws For tho' natural Reason might inform us that Rewards and Punishments are the inseparable Consequents of the Observance or Violation of Laws yet it can never pretend to state the Nature or Measure of 'em and yet this seems absolutely necessary to a due Enforcement of Laws to secure an Obedience agreeable to the general Intention of ' em It 's the Prerogative of every Law-giver to assign proper Rewards and Punishments and if the Supreme Law-giver of Mankind has not done it in a State of Nature it 's highly necessary he should do it under a State of Revelation Lastly I would fain know whether natural Reason can make a compleat and convincing Discovery of the History of the Creation or that of the Fall and the dismal Consequences of it of the Order of Spirits and particularly of the Malevolence of the wicked One and his Associates of the Nature of the Soul and its Immortality and of the Nature and Certainty of a Future State These are certainly Things of the highest Importance in the Affairs of Religion and tho' natural Reason and a nice Thread of Thought might advance a great many noble Speculations yet we find the Learned discoursing of some of 'em as a kind of happy Presages rather than establish'd Truths Nescio quomodo inhaeret in mentibus quasi Saeculorum quoddam Augurium futurorum Sic. Tusc Quaest Lib. 1. Tit. 4. p. 350. And certainly nothing besides the special Communications of Heaven could settle such weighty Points of Philosophy These alone were only able to silence the Eternal Disputes and Distractions of the Heathen Schools The World view'd 'em but thro' a Glass darkly but Revelation presents 'em Face to Face The World in these Cases was like the Men of Sodom struck with Blindness and groping for the Door the Key of Knowledge They are the Beams of Christianity that are only powerful enough at once to melt off the Scales and convey a full Ray of Light into the Soul It 's a Peculiar of the Christian Institution to display the Nature and Certainty of a future and exceeding Recompence of Reward and bring Life and Immortality to Light through the Gospel It 's another Peculiar to present Mankind with a true Landskip of ' emselves and the Miseries of their former Condition to display the indefatigable Attacks of the Prince of the Power of the Air the Spirit that worketh powerfully in the Children of Disobedience and the true Methods of fencing against him Are not these Discoveries of the highest Importance Are they not indispensably necessary to render us Favourites of Heaven to secure Peace and Safety in this World and to conduct us to the Regions of Happiness in another If these things are so to dispute the Necessity of Revelation is a greater Argument of the Iniquity of our Will than Judgments since it is not want of Evidence or Conviction but the weight of Baseness and Ingratitude that obliges us to reproach and quarrel with our Great Creator for his inestimable Mercies § But further another Argument of the Necessity of Revelation will arise from the Mischiefs which the Fall has brought on Mankind in reference to Practice Indeed here an Original Corruption does sufficiently signalize it self here it discovers its Strength and Authority in a very remarkable manner For it 's the general Complaint of Mankind that the Animal Propensions weigh down the Soul to that degree that she is not able to pursue those Duties which she plainly discovers to be such The most exalted Heathen Moralists the most improved Asceticks always confessed their Impotence in Matters of Practice they freely acknowledged that their Actions fell infinitely short of their Informations or the Line of Duty The Orator has long since observ'd That the wisest Sages among the Greeks as well as Latins could discourse and write upon Virtue after a magnificent Manner tho' they shamefully miscarried where it was to be reduced to Practice Quibus cum facere non-possent loqui tamen scribere honeste magnifice licebat Cic. Orat. pro. Coelio p. 448. Ed. Lond. So that it was not the Knavery of Priests in filling the Heads of their People with false Notions of the Deity and their Worship with foolish Rites or in excluding Reason from having any thing to do with Religion that obstructed the Progress of Virtue as a late Author on every turn has suggested See Reasonableness of Christianity p. 257 264. but the Corruptions of Human Nature that rendred the best Rules and Instructions almost useless But now since Mankind seems to be placed under moral Impossibilities of acting pursuant to the Lines of Duty it 's absolutely necessary such Provisions should be made as might put them into a Condition to bring their Actions in some Measure up to the Line of Duty And certainly nothing less can secure so great a Work than a written Code and those Methods
first workings of Reason and the prime Laws of Nature would be as legible to the Eye of the Mind as they would be to the outward Senses when graved on Tables of Stone But now as the Case stands I mean with regard to a degenerate State the Objections before us prove no more than the Miscarriages of Reason but do not overturn that Frame or Model which God hath established So that Reason in her Enquiries after a Law of Nature appears to be placed under great Difficulties but yet Laws of Nature may for all this be the Product and Workings of natural Reason CHAP. III. Of the Argument of Vniversal Consent HAving now in some measure Answered what I proposed which was to prove a Law of Nature antecedent to Revelation and rescued the Hypothesis from the Objections that threatned it before I dismiss this Argument I shall offer something in reference to what a late Author has advanced against the Argument of Universal Consent under colour of exploding innate Ideas or practical Principles but will serve as well against a Law of Nature § 1. And first it 's very observable This Gentleman has industriously amassed together all the Filth and Off-scouring of a reprobate Mind and a defiled Conscience and of a People that seem'd to be abandoned by God and consequently nursed up in a universal Impiety He has sent us to all the Creeks and Corners of Barbarity under the Verge of Heaven to see Rapes Murders and the vilest Incests practised with universal Approbation and Allowance yea rather with an Opinion of Vertue and Merit to see whole Nations or Tribes of Men living without God in the World without any Foot-steps of Worship or so much as a Name for God Lock 's Humane Vnderstanding B. 1. Cap. 3. § 9. And upon all this concludes That there is scarce that Principle of Morality to be named or Rule of Vertue to be thought on those only excepted that are absolutely necessary to hold Society together which commonly too are neglected betwixt distinct Societies which is not somewhere or other slighted and condemned by the general Fashion of whole Societies of Men governed by practical Opinions and Rules of living quite opposite to others § 10. And the Argument drawn from all this is levelled against universal Consent and innate Principles For thus the Author § 9. Where then are those innate Principles of Justice Piety Gratitude Equity Chastity or where is that universal Consent that assures us there are such inbred Rules And certainly the Argument carries the same Force against a Law of Nature and the eternal Distinctions of Good and Evil For may not the Latitudinarian in Triumph demand Where is that universal Consent that assures us there are Laws of Nature or indispensable established Rules of Morality Nay to have recourse to his Methods of Arguing since contrary practical Principles are asserted by whole Nations as the avowed Rules of Living since Remorse in some attends the vilest Enormities whilst others think they merit by 'em may not we expostulate Where are those natural Measures of Right and Wrong those natural Distinctions of Good and Evil See § 9 10 11. Certainly these are Deductions as strong and cogent as those against innate Principles I am sure they will pass for such in the Judgment of some Men that caress Mr. Lock 's Doctrine concerning Innate Ideas since he is not content to explode all innate practical Principles but assigns no other Foundation or Original besides Custom Education the Superstition of a Nurse or the Authority of an Old Woman See § 22 23 26. This Author in a Letter to the Learned Bishop of Worcester observes That the Foundation of all Religion and genuine Morality being established in the Belief of a God no Arguments that are made use of to work the Perswasion of a God should be invalidated page 113 114. And certainly Reason should have obliged him to have used the same Caution not only in invalidating Arguments that are advanced to prove a Law of Nature the true ground of Morality but in advancing Arguments that do not more directly destroy the Doctrine of innate Ideas than a Law of Nature It 's true were the Doctrine of innate Ideas or practical Principles no way to be disproved but by exposing the Conceipt of universal Consent the Method had been very pardonable but this Author confesses that were the Argument admitted it proves no Idea or Principle to be innate B. 1. Cap. 2. § 3. And therefore I am afraid he was acted by no good Design to muster up all his Forces against an Argument that does him no Disservice especially when his Methods of attacking it are more fatal against the whole Body of Morality But to make some Returns to these Harangues I shall not now consider how far practical Principles may be said to be innate this will fall in its proper place but I think we have no reason to cashier the Argument of universal Consent which if there is any such thing must be a considerable Evidence of a Law of Nature and the irreconcilable Distinctions of Good and Evil. And first I think Mr. Lock needed not to have sent us to Africa and the Indies to the most rude and uncultivated Parts of the World to explode the Doctrine of an universal Consent as to Chastity Humanity and other moral Vertues For the sacred Canon if he will allow it to be Authentick would have furnished him with national Enormities that were as much the Fashion of their Countries and the approved Rules of Living as any he has produced Did not the seven Nations practise the vilest Incests was it not a piece of Devotion to sacrifice there Off-spring to Moloch See Rev. 18. Ezek. 23. and in a word to practise a thousand Abominations As for particular Nations that had not so much as a Name of God if in reality there were any such I think they were not more remarkable than those that had not God in all their Thoughts And when the vilest Immoralities are produced with a national Esteem and Approbation I think they are not worse than those St. Paul has charged the Heathen World with in more places than one who being past Feeling have given themselves over to Lasciviousness to work all Vncleanness with greediness See Ephes 4. v. 18 19. Rom. 1. v. 20 25. and yet I think there can be no just Authority against an Universal Consent as to Laws of Nature or Practical Principles If this were so Universal Consent may be as well rejected in the Proof of Rational Faculties or at least in the Establishment of Reason and Truth upon any certain Foundation and consequently they are to be resolved into meer Chance or Fortune for the Contradictions recorded by St. Paul to the plain Rules of Morality are as absolute Contradictions to the Allowance or Supposition of Rational Faculties and the natural Frame and Foundation of Reason as they are to Laws of Nature or the natural Features
to or can never be mistaken or forgot I should have thought his own Remarks upon the Lives and Doctrines of Philosophers and in a word on the Manners and Notions of the Heathen World had been a sufficient Confutation Most of these we must suppose received something from his imaginary Line of Tradition and therefore since he has made 'em so basely to pervert the Rules of it he might have justly concluded that Providence who knew well what was in Man must have judged it necessary to have inculcated Laws of Nature either by frequent Visions or committed them to Writing as well as the other parts of his revealed Will. And therefore his own Objection seems to stand good against him on his own Principles That Tradition is not so proper a means to convey Morality by to Mankind because of its liableness to Corruption and that it would have been more sensibly vitiated than we find it is had it descended by this Method And truly the Objection carries force in it for were Humane Reason so desperately Impotent as the Picture he seems to have presented the World with represents I cannot conceive what Service a few blind Oral Traditions would have done to preserve the least Footsteps of Morality But to examine the Truth of the Conjecture under the Instance he has given that of the Indian Indeed it 's very notorious the Regions of the Indian World are reduced to the lowest Ebb of Humanity and lodged under the grossest Cloud of Ignorance there being not much left but Humane Shape to introduce a Thinking Mind to believe they are endued with Humane Souls But as for those small Remains of Morality were they to submit to a strict Examination I 'm perswaded we should hardly find them Resolving 'em into the Advice or Commands of their Fathers and Grandfathers or pretending a Succession from the great Parent of Mankind Adam This is certainly an Account as unknown and unthought of as native Inscriptions or a Rationale founded in a large train of Consequences But yet tho' 't is ridiculous to imagin that such illiterate Mortals should resolve every Term or Notion into its Simple Ideas especially such as a late Author has projected yet I do not question but they would offer at something from the Intrinsic Nature of the things themselves that would determine and engage their Choices something that would in some measure bespeak them Men and Reasonable Creatures I will grant that Opinion as well as Practice may be often established upon Custom and publick Example without accounting for the Nature or Reason of the Things themselves But then Custom conducts us to some Original that is not very remote where we may find it established on the highest Convictions and Evidences of Reason and it may be no less than what are sufficient to establish a Law of Nature But it seems highly absurd that the whole Body of Laws of Nature or the indispensable Rules of Action to Mankind should rest upon no other Foundation but a few Instructions delivered to our First Parents and these transmitted thro' all the Periods of Time and all the Revolutions of States and Kingdoms into all the Corners of the Earth upon the volutary Reports of those that lived before us As for the Case of the poor Indians I 'm abundantly satisfied they are so little sensible of any Conveyance of this Nature and such insuperable Obstructions against the Success or Preservation of it that they might on this account justly plead invincible Ignorance to every Law of Nature and consequently free ' emselves from that severe Sentence of Perishing without Law because they really Sinned without the least Apprehension or Conscience of a Law Thus far as to the Improbability of the Conveyance by Oral Tradition § 2. I shall in the second place offer something as to the Truth of the Position that Laws of Nature take their Rise from Revelation And first I think it manifestly contradicts the revealed Canon And for this I shall refer this Reverend Author to the Arguments I have advanced from Scripture and particularly to the Passage he has cited and my Explication pursuant to the whole Body of Commentators and the best Modern Divines upon it Indeed he would make the World believe he has taken off the Force of it and established his own Notion by a parallel Text of Scripture And these Words which I command thee this Day shall be in thine Heart and thou shalt Teach them diligently to thy Children c. Deut. 6. v. 6 7. Whereas it 's manifest the holy Spirit speaks of Laws Revealed and Recorded and the writing in the Heart implies nothing but a treasuring 'em up in the Mind a Commitment of them to the Memory and in a Word nothing but what the blessed Mother of our Lord did on another Occasion when she laid up his heavenly Sayings in her Heart It expresses a Duty incumbent upon us to commit the Laws of God to our Minds and Consciences to rivet 'em in our Hearts and Affections so to Meditate upon them that we may perform and keep them and instruct others in them But the Epistle to the Romans expresses a quite different thing It expresses a Law distinct from a Revealed Law and fixes the Distinction in the different manner of Promulgation on the Tables of the Heart so that if 't is not done by native Inscriptions it must by natural Powers and Faculties But further the Canon of Scripture does not only pronounce this Notion false and groundless but I presume it has been in some measure demonstrated to be so For if Man is originally endued with such Faculties as by a native Activity can exert ' emselves in the Discovery of Laws of Nature there can be no Foundation for erecting an uncertain Scheme of Oral Tradition § 3. But to proceed to the Consequences of this Position And first It 's very well known the Patrons of this Notion directly overturn the received Distinctions of Natural from Revealed Religion and Natural from Positive Laws The Distinction was always founded in the different Origin of these Laws The latter being given by special Revelation but the former discovered by the Workings of Natural Reason But now both must derive from Revelation and consequently there can be no other Distinction but what may be among written Revealed Laws in as much as one Revealed Law or Precept in its Intrinsic Nature may be better adapted to the View and Perception of Humane Understanding than others or at least no other Distinction but what lies between Oral and Written Traditions But to conclude this Argument This Notion seems to shake or overturn the eternal Distinctions of Moral Good and Evil founded in the very Frame and Nature of Things together with the OEconomy of Natural Conscience For it 's manifest it weakens the Authority of Natural Religion by placing such important Laws and Precepts upon the slender Credit of Oral Traditions Indeed there are so many Difficulties 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