clear himself from what was never laid to his Charge 2. That what was laid upon him was what he could not do without owning to know what he was sure he did not know For says he how the Doctrine of the Trinity has been always receiv'd in the Christian Church I confess my self ignorant Thus Mr. Lock in his Third Letter p. 7 9. To the former of which I say Suppose it was not objected that he did not favour the Doctrine of the Trinity yet if it was only insinuated this was a sufficient Reason why he should clear himself No Man should be silent in the case of such Insinuation Now Mr. Lock was not ignorant that this had been insinuated being so well acquainted with two Discourses one intituled Some Thoughts concerning the several Causes and Occasions of Atheism the other Socinianism Unmask'd both publish'd before that he was put in mind to clear himself The very Title of the latter doth insinuate it and if he would see it plainly objected he may consult p. 82. where are these words My next Charge against this Gentleman i. e. Mr. Lock was this that those Texts of Scripture which respect the Holy Trinity were either disregarded by him or were interpreted by him after the Antitrinitarian Mode And this he is so far from denying that he openly avows it By which he hath made it clear that he espouses that Doctrine of the Socinians Here it is plainly laid to his Charge and yet Mr. Lock did not think fit either in his Reply to this Socinianism Unmask'd nor any where else to clear himself by declaring to the World that he owns the Doctrine of the Trinity As to the latter that he is ignorant how the Doctrine of the Trinity has been always receiv'd in the Christian Church it is not to the purpose for it was not requir'd of him that he should declare his owning the Doctrine of the Trinity as it has been Always receiv'd in the Christian Church the word Always is Mr. Lock 's addition it was only mention'd that he should declare his owning it as it hath been receiv'd in the Christian Church and if he had only declar'd his owning it as it hath been receiv'd in the Church of England it would have been judg'd sufficient Therefore both these are apparently mere Shifts and Evasions 2. Mr. Lock gives the World just reason to suspect that he doth not favour the Doctrine of the Trinity by his disputing so largely and earnestly about the Terms Nature and Person and his ridiculing that which had been said for clearing the Sense or Signification of them This Dispute takes up no small part of his Third Letter see p. 253 c. and again p. 352 c. after that he had enlarg'd so much upon them in his two former Letters see his First Letter p. 148 c. and the Second Letter p. 98 c. Lastly In the Words that I have transcrib'd out of this Third Letter p. 224. he gives the World just cause to doubt that he is no Friend to this Doctrine The words are I do not here question the Truth of these Propositions There are three Persons in one Nature or There are two Natures and one Person nor deny that they may be drawn from the Scripture but I deny that these very Propositions are in express Words in my Bible For that is the only thing I deny here If Mr. Lock had said I do not question the Truth of these Propositions nor deny c. he might have given some Satisfaction But here is a dead Fly that makes his Ointment to send forth no good savour viz. the Word Here added and that twice He doth not Here question their Truth and that is the only thing he denies Here i.e. for this time and upon this occasion he did not think fit to express his questioning the one or denying the other but he doth not absolutely say that he doth not question or deny the one or other He saith For that is the only thing I deny here whereby I perceive that Mr. Lock has his priviledg'd Particles as he says that others have theirs for what the Particle For doth here I know not CHAP. XIII Of the Scriptures particularly of the Epistles also of the Interpretation of them THE Holy Scripture is to me and always will be the constant Guide of my Assent and I shall always hearken to it as containing infallible Truth relating to things of the highest Concernment And I shall presently condemn and quit any Opinion of mine as soon as I am shewn that it is contrary to any Revelation in the Holy Scripture Mr. Lock First Letter p. 226 227. Every true Christian is under an absolute and indispensible necessity by being the Subject of Christ to study the Scriptures with an unprejudiced mind according to that measure of Time Opportunity and Helps which he has that in those Sacred Writings be may find what his Lord and Master hath by himself or by the mouths of his Apostles requir'd of him either to be believ'd or done Second Vindicat. of the Reason of Christian. p. 446. I think it every Christian's Duty to read search and study the Holy Scriptures and make this their great Business Ibid. p. 201. All that we find in the Revelation of the New Testament being the declar'd Will and Mind of our Lord and Master the Messiah whom we have taken to be our King we are bound to receive as Right and Truth or else we are not his Subjects But it is still what we find in the Scripture what we sincerely seeking to know the Will of our Lord discover to be his Mind Where it is spoken plainly we cannot miss it where there is Obscurity either in the Expressions themselves or by reason of the seeming contrariety of other Passages there a fair Endeavour as much as our Circumstances will permit secures us from a guilty Disobedience to his Will or a sinsul Errour in Faith If he had requir'd more of us in those Points he would have declar'd his Will plainer to us Ibid. p. 76. The Holy Writers of the Epistles inspired from above writ nothing but Truth and in most places very weighty Truths to us now for the expounding clearing and confirming of the Christian Doctrine and establishing those in it who had embraced it But yet every Sentence of theirs must not be taken up and looked on as a Fundamental Article necessary to Salvation without an explicit Belief whereof no body could be a Member of Christ's Church here nor be admitted into his eternal Kingdom hereafter If all or most of the Truths declared in the Epistles were to be receiv'd and believ'd as Fundamental Articles what then became of those Christians who were fallen asleep as S. Paul witnesses in his first to the Corinthians many were before these things in the Epistles were revealed to them Most of the Epistles not being written till above twenty years after our Saviour's Ascension and some
after thirty Reasonah of Christian. p. 300. The Epistles resolving Doubts and reforming Mistakes are of great Advantage to our Knowledge and Practice I do not deny but the great Doctrines of the Christian Faith are drop'd here and there and scatter'd up and down in most of them But 't is not in the Epistles we are to learn what are the Fundamental Articles of Faith where they are promiscuously and without distinction mixed with other Truths We shall find and discern those great and necessary Points best in the Preaching of our Saviour and the Apostles to those who were yet Strangers and ignorant of the Faith to bring them in and convert them to it Ibid. p. 298. Many Doctrines proving and explaining and giving a farther light into the Gospel are published in the Epistles to the Corinthians and Thessalonians These are all of Divine Authority and none of them may be disbeliev'd by any one who is a Christian. Second Vindicat of Reason of Christian. p. 319. Generally and in necessary Points the Scriptures are to be understood in the plain direct meaning of the Words and Phrases such as they may be suppos'd to have had in the mouths of the Speakers Reasonab -of Christian. p. 2. He that will read the Epistles as he ought must observe what 't is in them is principally aim'd at find what is the Argument in hand and how managed he must look into the drift of the Discourse observe the Coherence and Connexion of the Parts and see how it is consistent with it self and other parts of Scripture The observing of this will best help us to the true meaning and mind of the Writer Ibid. p. 294. The Scripture gives light to its own meaning by one place compar'd with another Vindicat. of Reasonab of Christian. p. 22. Thus Mr. Lock OBSERVATIONS How happy would it be if Mr. Lock and I and all of us could presently condemn and quit any Opinion of ours so soon as it is shew'd that it is contrary to any part of Scripture I do not know any one that affirms that all or most of the Truths contain'd in the Epistles are Fundamental Articles so necessary that without an explicit Belief of them none can be a Member of Christ's Church here or admitted into his eternal Kingdom hereafter Mr. Lock without any necessity takes upon him to determine a Chronological Question and is very positive in his Determination Most of the Epistles says he were not written till above twenty years after our Saviour's Ascension and some after thirty But there are who refer our Lord's Ascension to his thirty third Year and the Date of the First and Second Epistles to the Corinthians to An. Dom. 53 that of the First to the Thessalonians to An. Dom. 49 making the Second to the Thessalonians to have been writ shortly after it the Date of S. Peter's First Epistle to An. Dom. 44 as there are who refer that of the First Epistle to the Corinthians and of both the Epistles to the Thessalonians to An. Dom. 50 so that according to them here are five Epistles of which it cannot be said that they were not written till above twenty years after our Saviour's Ascension If Mr. Lock say Suppose it were so that these five were not written above twenty years after the Ascension it is true still that most of the Epistles were not written till above twenty years after it I reply That a Person that is so positive should not barely say it but also prove it How knows he that there are not some other Epistles which were not written after twenty years after Christ's Ascension As to that which he adds That some were written after thirty years from our Saviour's Ascension it may be observ'd that he is so prudent as not to let us know what Epistles they are And farther the Martyrdom of S. Peter S. Paul and S. James is supposed by some not to have been after thirty years from our Lord's Ascension and their Epistles were certainly all writ before their Martyrdom and therefore it is impossible that their Epistles should be writ later then the thirtieth year after Christ's Ascension it being suppos'd that that their Martyrdom was not later then that year According to Jos. Scaliger the Martyrdom of the two great Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul was exactly thirty years after the Lord's Assension according to Syncellus nine and twenty according to Lydiat eight and twenty and S. James's Martyrdom according to all of them preceeded theirs so that if we follow the account of these three great Masters in Chronology the Epistle of S. James the two Epistles of S. Peter and those of S. Paul could not be writ after the thirtieth year from Christ's Ascension There remain the Epistles of S. John and S. Jude and how will Mr. Lock prove that those were writ after thirty years from our Saviour's Ascension One that spent much time and pains in the Study of the Chronology of the Old and New Testament says That among all the Apostolick Epistles there is none about whose time of writing we are so far to seek as about those of S. John If Mr. Lock say That there are who give other Accounts of the time of the writing the First Epistle of S. Peter and of those to the Corinthians and Thessalonians as also of the time of S. Peter's suffering and S. Paul's different from those that are given here of them I grant it but what can be inferr'd from this Disagreement of Expositors or Chronographers but the Uncertainty of the time of the Date of the Epistles which should caution Men not to be so positive in such things as too many are Many of the things which Mr. Lock saith of the Epistles may be apply'd also to the Gospels For instance All or most of the Truths contained in the Gospels are not to be look'd on as Fundamental Articles so necessary that without an explicit belief of them none can be admitted into Christ's Church here or his eternal Kingdom hereafter Also Fundamental Articles are promiscuously and without distinction mixed with other Truths in the Gospels So he that will read the Gospels as he ought must observe what 't is in them that is principally aim'd at find what is the Argument in hand and how managed must look into the drift of the Discourse observe the Coherence and Connexion of the Parts and see how it is consistent with it self and other parts of Scripture Finally There are some Fundamental Articles that are distinguish'd from other Truths in the Epistles As in Rom. 10. 9. If thou confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and believe with thy heart that God rais'd him from the dead thou shalt be saved So 1 Tim. 1. 15. It is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the World to save Sinners And so Heb. 11. 6. He that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them
the Worshipers of him ought to worship in Spirit S. John 4. 24. i. e. with their Minds or with application of Mind as Mr. Lock interprets it in his Reasonab of Christ. p. 286. which Minds are likewise spiritual immaterial Substances CHAP. XXVI Of Conscience Consideration and Freedom COnscience is nothing else but our own Opinion of our own Actions Mr. Lock Essay l. 1. c. 3. § 8. 'T is a Mistake to think that Men cannot change the displeasingness or Indifferency that is in Actions into Pleasure and Desire if they will do but what is in their Power A due Consideration will do it in some cases Any Action is render'd more or less pleasing only by the contemplation of the End and the being more or less persuaded of its tendency to it or necessary connexion with it This is certain that Morality establish'd upon its true Foundations cannot but determine the choice in any one that will but consider and he that will not be so much a rational Creature as to reflect seriously upon infinite Happiness and Misery must needs condemn himself as not making that use of his Understanding he should Ibid. l. 2. c. 21. § 69 79. By a due Consideration and examining any Good propos'd it is in our power to raise our Desires in a due proportion to the value of that Good whereby it may come to work upon the Will and be persued The Mind having in most cases as is evident dent in Experience a Power to suspend the Execution and Satisfaction of any of its Desires and so all one after another is at liberty to consider the Objects of them examine them on all sides and weigh them with others In this lies the Liberty Man has and from the not using it right comes all that variety of Mistakes Errours and Faults we run into in the Conduct of our Lives and our Endeavours after Happiness whilst we precipitate the Determination of our Wills and engage too soon before Examination Were we determined by any thing but the last Result of our Minds judging of the Good or Evil of any Action we were not free If we look upon those superiour Beings above us who enjoy perfect Happiness we shall have reason to judge they are more steadily determin'd in their choice of Good than we and yet we have no reason to think they are less happy or less free than we are Even the Freedom of the Almighty hinders not his being determin'd by what is best The constant desire of Happiness and the constraint it puts upon us to act for it no body I think accounts an Abridgment of Liberty or at least an Abridgment of Liberty to be complain'd of The suspending any particular Desire and keeping it from determining the Will and engaging us in Action is standing still where we are not sufficiently assur'd of the way Examination is the consulting a Guide the Determination of the Will upon Enquiry is following the direction of that Guide and he that hath a power to act or not to act according as such Determination directs is a free Agent such Determination abridges not that Power wherein Liberty consists The Care of our selves that we mistake not imaginary for real Happiness is the necessary Foundation of our Liberty and the stronger Ties we have to an unalterable Persuit of Happiness in general which is our greatest Good and which as such our Desires always follow the more are we free from any necessary Determination of our Will to any particular Action or from a necessary Compliance with our Desire set upon any particular and then appearing greater Good till we have duely examin'd whether it has a tendency to or be inconsistent with our real Happiness Let not any one say that he cannot govern his Passions nor hinder them from breaking out and carrying him into Action for what he can do before a Prince or a great Man he can do alone or in the presence of God if he will Ibid. § 46 47 48 49 50 51 53. God having reveal'd that there shall be a Day of Judgment I think that Foundation enough to conclude Men are free enough to he made answerable for their Actions and to receive according to what they have done The Third Letter p. 444. Thus Mr. Lock OBSERVATIONS When Mr. Lock writ his Essay he had not tied himself so strictly to use the Scripture-Language in speaking of matters of Religion as he had when he writ his Third Letter This appears as from other Instances so from his Definition or Description of Conscience If he had been so much for the using Scripture-Language then as he was afterward he would not have describ'd Conscience to be nothing else but our own Opinion of our own Actions He had spoke more consonantly to Scripture-Language if he had put the Word Knowledge or Testimony or Judgment instead of Opinion For according to Scripture Conscience is that within us which knows and also witnesses and judges of our Actions Conversations c. as it also judges of the Actions and Conversations of others 1. Knowledge is in Scripture attributed to the Heart or Conscience Thus Eccles. 7. 22. Thine own Heart knows that thou thy self hast cursed others The Vulgar reads Thy Conscience knows c. Heart is frequently put for Conscience see 1 Sam. 24. 5. and 2 Sam. 24. 10. and 1 Joh. 3. 19 20 21 c. The Hebrew Word which both the Seventy and also our Translation in the Margin renders Conscience Eccles. 10. 20. viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denotes Knowledge as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word which the Chaldee Paraphrast there useth also doth they both coming from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Curse not the King no not in thy thought so our Translation hath it in the Text but in the Margin instead of Thy Thought we have Thy Conscience and so the Meaning is Curse not the King though thou do it so secretly that none but thine own Heart or Conscience can know it And it is observable that Gen. 43. 22. where Joseph's Brethren say We know not who put our money in our sacks instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We know not the Vulgar hath Non est in nostra Conscientia 2. Conscience is frequently said in Scripture to bear witness My Conscience bearing me witness so the Apostle Rom. 9. 1. who also 2 Cor. 1. 12. speaks of the Testimony of his Conscience and Rom. 2. 15. says of the Heathens that their Conscience did bear witness 3. Judging is also attributed to the Heart or Conscience in Scripture Thus 1 John 3. 20. If our Heart i. e. our Conscience condemn us and so again If our Heart or Conscience condemn us not So S. Paul 1 Cor. 8. 7. Some with Conscience of an Idol to this hour eat of somewhat as offered to an Idol With Conscience of an Idol i. e. their Conscience judging that an Idol was something And so S. Peter If a man for Conscience toward God endure
grief 1 Pet. 2. 19. For Conscience toward God i. e. because his Conscience judgeth that he ought to obey God Thus we read of Conscience its knowing witnessing and judging but where will Mr. Lock find any thing that favours his Description viz. that it is nothing else but our Opinion c. In his Essay l. 4. c. 15. § 3. he makes Opinion to be the receiving a Proposition for true without certain Knowledge that it is so But Conscience both knows as we have seen and also certainly knows There is one indeed that is greater than our Consciences and knows all things and with such Certainty as that nothing can compare with him But that transcendent Certainty of the Divine Knowledge being excepted there is no Knowledge that can pretend to greater and more absolute Certainty than that of Conscience And therefore even according to Mr. Lock it is impossible that Conscience should be an Opinion But this is not the only Fault in Mr. Lock 's Description of Conscience It is says he our own Opinion of our own Actions as if Mens Consciences had to do only with Actions yea only with our own Actions But Conscience will not have its Authority or Jurisdiction confin'd within so narrow Limits It will sit as Judge not only upon Mens Actions but also upon their Speeches yea upon our Thoughts Affections Aims Purposes or Intentions and the Sincerity of them None of these is or can be hid from the Eye of Conscience which knows them all and is thereby qualified to be both Witness and Judge of them St. Paul Rom. 9. 1 2. appeals to his Conscience as witness of his speaking the Truth and of the great Affection he bare to his Country-men I say the Truth in Christ I lye not my Conscience bearing me witness that I have great Heaviness and continual Sorrow in my Heart c. And in like manner 2 Cor. 1. 12. he tells of his Conscience's bearing Testimony of his Conversation and Sincerity Our Rejoycing is this the Testimony of our Conscience that in Simplicity and godly Sincerity we have had our Conversation in the World I add That tho' Mr. Lock only mentions our own Actions yet it is apparent even from Scripture that Conscience also judgeth of the Actions and Conversations of others We commend our selves to every Man's Conscience says the Apostle 2 Cor. 4. 2. i. e. We endeavour to order our Speech Actions and Conversation so as that every Man's Conscience cannot but judge and think well of them So 2 Cor. 5. 11. We says he are made manifest to God and I trust that we are also made manifest in your Consciences q. d. God knows and is Witness of our sincere Purpose and I hope that your Consciences are also satisfied of it and ready to bear Testimony to it Add to these 1 Cor. 10. 28 29. If any Man say to you This is offer'd in Sacrifice to Idols eat not for his sake that shew'd it and for Conscience sake Conscience I say not thine own but the others for why is my Liberty judg'd of another Man's Conscience In this Case tho' I am satisfied in mine own Conscience that I am at liberty and may lawfully eat yet I must forbear for the sake of the other Man's Conscience For why should my Liberty be judged by another's Conscience i. e. Why should I use my Liberty and eat then when another Man's Conscience will judge that I have sinn'd in eating and entertain Jealousies or hard Thoughts of me This may suffice for Mr. Lock 's Description of Conscience He might have express'd himself more plainly than he has done when he says That Morality establish'd upon its true Foundations cannot but determine the Choice in any one who will but consider He hath not plainly told us what those true Foundations are but if he mean by them that infinite Happiness and Misery those Rewards and Punishments of another Life which he mentions in the Words following I would ask whether it be not rather the Consideration of those Foundations which so effectually determines the Choice than the Consideration of the Morality that is established upon them I the rather ask this Question because Mr. Lock in this very Place Essay l. 2. c. 21. § 70. says expresly That the Rewards and Punishments of another Life which the Almighty hath establish'd as the Enforcements of his Laws are of weight enough to determine the Choice against whatever Pleasure or Pain this Life can shew He speaks also of the Foundations of Morality in Essay l. 4. c. 3. § 18. but there likewise he doth not acquaint us what those Foundations are His Words are these The Idea of a Supreme Being Infinite in Power Goodness and Wisdom whose Workmanship we are and on whom we depend and the Idea of our selves as understanding rational Creatures being such as are clear in us would I suppose if duly considered and persued afford such Foundations of our Duty and Rules of Action as might place Morality amongst the Sciences capable of Demonstration wherein I doubt not but from Principles as incontestable as those of the Mathematicks by necessary Consequences the Measures of Right and Wrong might be made out Mr. Lock says in Essay l. 2. c. 21. § 48. Were we determin'd by any thing but the last Result of our own Minds judging of the good or evil of any Action we were not free Now if this be true that the last Result of our Mind judging of the good or evil of any Action determines us and nothing else how comes it that he affirms Ibid. § 31 33 34. That Uneasiness determines the Will and also takes so much Pains to prove it Ibid. § 36 37 38 39 40 I would know whether Uneasiness doth determine the Wills of those who enjoy complete Happiness as the Spirits of Just Men made perfect do Tho' I do not deny that too many Mens Desires and sensual Appetites causing uneasiness in them do determine them to act contrary to the last Result of their Minds judging the Action to be evil And so to use Mr. Lock 's Words Ibid. § 35. they are from time to time in the State of that unhappy Complainer Video meliora proboque deteriora sequor which Sentence is allow'd for â—rue and made good by constant Experience Therefore in the Heathen Poets we meet with many such Complaints The Words immediately preceding those Video meliora c. are these Sed trahit invitam nova vis aliudque Cupido Mens aliud suadet That unhappy Wretch viz. Medea complains that tho' her Mind saw and approv'd and persuaded her to the better yet the Vehemence of her Desire persuaded yea even hurried her to the worse and made her unwillingly follow it In like manner in Euripides's Medea Act 4. vers fin she complains that her Passion overcame her Reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yea we find the like Complaints in Holy Writ I delight in the Law of God after the inward Man
to be done wants the true Principle of Vertue and Industry This Temper therefore so contrary to unguided Nature is to be got betimes and this Habit as the true foundation of future Ability and Happiness is to be wrought into the Mind as early as may be and so to be confirm'd by all the Care and Ways imaginable Ibid. p. 37 38 46. Christ commands Self-denial and the exposing our selves to Suffering and Danger rather than to deny or disown him Reasonab of Christian. p. 224. As the foundation of Vertue there ought very early to be imprinted in the Minds of Children a true Notion of God as of the independent supreme Being Author and Maker of all things from whom we receive all our Good that loves us and gives us all things hears and sees every thing and does all manner of Good to those that love and obey him and consequent to it a Love and Reverence of him They must be taught also to pray to him The Lord's Prayer the Creeds and ten Commandments 't is necessary they should learn perfectly by heart The Knowledge of Vertue all along from the beginning in all the Instances they are capable of being taught them more by Practice than Rules I know not whether they should read any other Discourses of Morality but what they find in the Bible Of Education p. 157 158 185 220. Thus Mr. Lock OBSERVATIONS When Mr. Lock in Essay l. 2. c. 28. § 7. having nam'd three distinct Laws the Divine Law the Civil Law and the Law of Opinion or Reputation as he calls it says that by the first Men judge whether their Actions are Sins or Duties by the second whether they be criminal or innocent by the third whether they be Vertues or Vices doth he not plainly distinguish Sins and Duties from Vices and Vertues For 1. He makes Men to judge of Vices and Vertues by one Law of Sins and Duties by another 2. They judge by an infallible Rule of the one by a very fallible one of the other 3. Criminal and Innocent are plainly distinct from Sins and Duties and so we cannot but judge that according to Mr. Lock Vices and Vertues are distinct from both Now if so it might not be amiss if he would inform us where the Distinction between them lies for I have always thought that there is a very near Affinity as between Vice and Sin on the one hand so between Vertue and Duty on the other hand But tho' according to Mr. Lock Men do judge of Vertue and Vice by his Law of Opinion and Reputation yet he will not say that they ought to do so He tells us here § 11. that the Law of Nature ought to be the Rule of Vertue and Vice and expresses it more largely in his Epistle to the Reader The Law of Nature says he is that standing and unalterable Rule by which Men ought to judge of the moral Rectitude and Pravity of their Actions and accordingly denominate them Vertues or Vices But I had rather say that the Law which ought to be the Rule whereby Men judge of Sins and Duties ought also to be the Rule by which they are to judge of Vices and Vertues and that is the Divine Law which Mr. Lock himself being Judge comprehends more than the Law of Nature By the Divine Law says he here § 8. I mean that Law which God has set to the Actions of Men whether promulgated to them by the Light of Nature or the Voice of Revelation So say I the Law of God comprehending both the Law of Nature and his revealed Law is the Rule whereby Men ought to judge of Vertues and Vices But Mr. Lock will prove that his Law of Opinion or Reputation or as he also expresses it Approbation or Dislike Praise or Blame is the common measure of Vertue and Vice This says he will appear to any one who considers that every where Vertue and Praise Vice and Blame go together Vertue is every where that which is thought praise-worthy and nothing else but that which has the Allowance of publick Esteem is call'd Vertue Thus Mr. Lock here viz. l. 2. c. 28. § 11. But I would know whether he speaks of true and real or of reputed Vertue if of reputed it is not to the purpose since every one will grant without Proof that his Law of Reputation is the Rule of reputed Vertue and it signifies no more than this that that is reputed Vertue which is reputed such Besides how can it be worth the while to enquire after the Rule of reputed Vertue If on the other side he speak of true real Vertue I believe that no Man before him ever said that true Vertue and Praise every where went together Constant Experience may teach every Man the contrary It is very rarely that true Vertue hath met with such Entertainment in the World but on the other hand it would fill large Volumes if we could set down all the Instances of reproach'd and despis'd Vertue which the several Ages of the World have afforded Mr. Lock goes on and tells us that Vertue and Praise are so united that they are call'd often by the same name His Meaning is that Vertue is call'd often by the name of Praise but he gives us only two Instances of it The one is out of Virgil. AEneid l. 1. Sunt sua praemia laudi where laudi is by some interpreted virtuti by others factis laudabilibus or gestis bellicis but the whole Verse is this En Priamus sunt hic etiam sua praemia laudi and why may not laudi have here the usual Signification Certainly though I shall not be confident that it is the right Interpretation of the Verse yet if referring sua to Priamus I should construe it thus Lo Priamus here also are his rewards to his Praise I believe Mr. Lock would not find it very easie to confute it The other Instance is out of Cicero Tusc. Qu. l. 2. whose Words Mr. Lock hath transcrib'd but I shall do it more fully Nihil habet praestantius nihil quod magis expetat quam honestatem quam laudem quam dignitatem quam decus Hisce ego pluribus nominibus unam rem declarari volo sed utor ut quammaxime significem pluribus Volo autem dicere illud homini longe optimum esse quod ipsum sit optandum per se a virtute profectum vel in ipsa virtute situm sua sponte laudabile quod quidem citius dixerim solum quam summum bonum Thus Cicero who himself declares what that one thing is which he would signifie by all those Names viz. the chief or rather only Good which is praise-worthy and desirable for it self proceeds from Vertue or is placed in Vertue We need then no other Commentary but Tully's own That which he signifies by Honestatem Laudem Dignitatem Decus is the chief Good concerning which he would not determine whether it proceed from Vertue or consists in it It doth
difficult to be known And therefore this can be but a very uncertain Rule of Humane Practice and serve but very little to the Conduct of our Lives and is therefore very unfit to be assign'd as an innate practical Principle § 18. For let us consider this Proposition as to its meaning for it is the Sense and not sound that is and must be the Principle or common Notion viz. Vertue is the best Worship of God i. e. is most acceptable to him which is Vertue be taken as most commonly it is for those Actions which according to the different Opinions of several Countries are accounted laudable will be a Proposition so far from being certain that it will not be true If Vertue be taken for Actions conformable to God's Will or to the Rule prescribed by God which is the true and only Measure of Vertue when Vertue is us'd to signifie what is in its own Nature right and good then this Proposition That Vertue is the best Worship of God will be most true and certain but of very little use in Humane Life since it will amount to no more but this viz. That God is pleased with the doing of what he commands which a Man may certainly know to be true without knowing what it is that God doth command and so be as far from any Rule or Principle of his Actions as he was before And I think very few will take a Proposition which amounts to no more than this viz. That God is pleased with the doing of what he himself commands for an innate moral Principle writ on the Minds of all Men how true and certain soever it may be since it teaches so little Whosoever does so will have Reason to think Hundreds of Propositions innate Principles since there are many which have as good a Title as this to be receiv'd for such which no body yet ever put into that Rank of innate Principles § 19. Nor is the Fourth Proposition viz. Men must repent of their Sins much more instructive till what those Actions are that are meant by Sins are set down For the Word Peccata or Sins being put as it usually is to signifie in general ill Actions that will draw on Punishment upon the Doers what great Principle of Morality can that be to tell us we should be sorry and cease to do that which will bring Mischief upon us without knowing what those particular Actions are that will do so Indeed this is a very true Proposition and fit to be inculcated on and receiv'd by those who are suppos'd to have been taught what Actions in all kinds are Sins but neither this nor the former can be imagin'd to be innate Principles nor to be of any use if they were innate unless the particular Measures and Bounds of all Vertues and Vices were engraven in Mens Minds and were innate Principles also which I think is very much to be doubted And therefore I imagine it will scarce seem possible that God should engrave Principles in Mens Minds in Words of uncertain Signification such as are Vertues and Sins which amongst different Men stand for different things Nay it cannot be in Words at all which being in most of these Principles very general Names cannot be understood but by knowing the Particulars comprehended under them And in the practical Instances the Measures must be taken from the Knowledge of the Actions themselves and the Rules of them abstracted from Words and antecedent to the Knowledge of Names which Rules a Man must know what Language soever he chance to learn whether English or Japan or if he should learn no Language at all or never should understand the use of Words as happens in the Case of dumb and deaf Men. When it shall be made out that Men ignorant of Words or untaught by the Laws and Customs of their Country that it is part of the Worship of God not to kill another Man not to know more Women than one not to procure Abortion not to expose their Children not to take from another what is his tho' we want it our selves but on the contrary to relieve and supply his Wants and whenever we have done the contrary we ought to repent be sorry and resolve to do so no more When I say all Men shall be proved actually to know and allow all these and a thousand other such Rules all which come under these two general Words made use of above viz. Vertues and Sins there will be more Reason for admitting these and the like for common Notions and practical Principles yet after all universal Consent were there any in Moral Principles to Truths the Knowledge whereof might be attain'd otherwise would searce prove them to be innate which is all I contend for Thus far Mr. Lock and this is all that he answers to the Lord Herbert it remains that I briefly reply to it Ad. § 15. Here in his Text Mr. Lock speaks of the Lord Herbert's assigning innate Principles giving Marks of these innate Principles and saying so or so of them Also in his Margin he hath these Words Lord Herbert's innate Principles examined and the very same Words are found again in his Margin ad § 19. And yet I do not observe that the Lord Herbert either in his Treatise de Veritate or in that which he intitles Religio Laici doth as much as once mention either the Expression Innate Principles or the Word Innate nor doth Mr. Lock direct us to any Place in either of those Treatises where he doth mention them 'T is true that in his Treatise de Veritate there is frequent mention of Communes Notitiae and in his Religio Laici of Veritates Catholicae and we may suppose that Mr. Lock took these common Notions or Notices and Catholick Verities to be the same with his innate Principles In which if he be mistaken he both makes the Lord Herbert to say that which he doth not and withal while he goes about to prove that those Catholick Verities are not innate Principles he says nothing at all against that Honourable Person who never affirm'd them to be so If it be said that the Lord Herbert affirms these Catholick Verities to be written by God upon the Hearts of all Men which is the same with their being innate I answer that it is very true that he doth say more than once that they are in foro interno or in foro interiori descriptae in mente humana a Deo O. M. descriptae but I question whether it will be for Mr. Lock 's Advantage to say that the being written by God in the Heart and being innate are the same for it may endanger the Overthrow of all that he says concerning innate Principles and force him to quit his darling Opinion that there are none For if the Question be put whether there be any Principles written in the Hearts of Men St. Paul seems to resolve it affirmatively that there are Rom. 2. 14 15. When
seeing the Signification of the Terms of this Proposition is so certain it cannot but be a very certain Rule of Humane Practice and of excellent Use for the Conduct of the Lives of Men and very fit to be assign'd if not as an innate Practical Principle yet as a Practical Principle written in Mens Hearts which is as much as the Lord Herbert affirms Ad § 18. When the Truth of a Proposition is so clear that the Answerer cannot but see and acknowledge it the usual way is to add to it or leave some Words out or substitute others in the Place of them and so to mould it into another Form till he thinks that he can say something to it which may pass for a Confutation with the unwary Reader Mr. Lock thought it necessary to take this Course and so he here leaves out the Words join'd with Piety and represents the Proposition thus Vertue is the best Worship of God i. e. says he is most acceptable to him But this according to the Lord Herbert's Sense of the Word Vertue is most false for Vertue join'd with Piety is more acceptable to God than Vertue alone not having Piety its Associate is Let the Proposition then stand as it ought to do and as it is in the Lord Herbert Vertue join'd with Piety is the best Worship of God and let us see what Mr. Lock offers 1. If says he Vertue be taken for those Actions which according to the different Opinions of several Countries are accounted laudable the Proposition will not be true i. e. If Vertue be taken for that which is not Vertue the Proposition will not be true but if it be taken for that which really is Vertue and so the Lord Herbert took it as Mr. Lock knew very well it is most certainly true and confess'd by him a little before to be a clear Truth How vain then is it if not contradictious here to make a Supposition of its being taken in a Sense which would render the Proposition not true He says here that Vertue is most commonly taken for those Actions which according to the different Opinions of Countries are accounted laudable but he only says it he does not alledge as much as one Author who takes it so Withal if it was true that it is most commonly taken so yet it is not to the purpose since Mr. Lock knew that the Lord Herbert did not take it so 2. If says he Vertue be taken for Actions conformable to God's Will or to the Rule prescribed by God then this Proposition will be most true and certain And I do readily grant that it is here taken for Actions conformable to the Will of God and Rule prescrib'd by him but it is to be observ'd that in this Proposition it is distinguished from Piety and therefore as the Actions conformable to God's Will and the Rule prescrib'd by him which relate to God are comprehended under Piety so under Vertue are comprehended all other Actions that are conformable to the Divine Will and the Rule prescrib'd us whether they relate to our Duty towards our Neighbour or that toward our selves And this being manifestly the Sense of the Word which the Lord Herbert intended the Proposition Vertue joined with Piety is the best Worship of God must be acknowledged to be most true and certain But says Mr. Lock however true and certain it may be it is of very little use in Humane Life and therefore I think very few will take it for an innate moral Principle writ on the Hearts of all Men. To which I answer that if it depend upon this I must look upon Mr. Lock 's Cause as desperate for I am so far from granting that this Proposition is of very little use in Humane Life that contrariwise I positively assert that it is impossible that any general Rule should be of greater use than it is I challenge Mr. Lock to name any general Rule which is of greater Force to incite Men to the Study and Practice of true Piety and Vertue than this That Vertue join'd with Piety is the best Worship of God But what Reason doth Mr. Lock give of this his strange Assertion that the fore-mention'd Proposition is of very little use in Humane Life His Reason is as strange as his Assertion because it amounts to no more than this that God is pleas'd with the doing of what he commands To which I answer 1. Suppose this was true that it amounts to no more it would not follow that it is of very little use in Humane Life For ought not this that God is pleased with it be an especial Motive to and Enforcement of that great Duty of taking care to do God's Commandments 2. We may admire that Mr. Lock should say that it amounts to no more than this Doth this that it is the best Worship of God amount to no more than this that God is pleased with it Surely it can amount to no less than this that it is the Worship that best pleases him as also that by it we best express our inward Veneration of him our Belief of his Promises and Desire to please him and by it most honour him c. He that offereth Praise honoureth me Psal. 50. ult and so he that performeth any other Action of Piety or any vertuous Action honours or glorifies our Father which is in Heaven as also he provokes others and gives them an Occasion to glorifie him St. Matth. 5. 16. We see then that it amounts to much more than this that God is pleas'd with the doing that which he commands Mr. Lock adds A Man may certainly know this to be true viz. that God is pleas'd with the doing of what he commands without knowing what it is that God doth command and so be as far from any Rule or Principle of his Actions as he was before But whether this be true or no I am not at all concern'd to enquire it is certain that we cannot know this Proposition Vertue join'd with Piety is the best Worship of God to be true without knowing something of what it is that God commands for he commands the Practice of the very things express'd in it viz. Vertue and Piety yea these two are the greatest and weightiest things of the Law or if you will the two Commandments on which hang all the Law and the Prophets St. Matth. 22. 40. And we may observe that the Lord Herbert in his Appendix ad Sacerdotes de Religione Laici sets down this third common Notion or Proposition more largely thus Virtutem Pietatem una cum fide in Deum amoreque ejus intimo conjunctam esse praecipuam partem cultus Divini So that here is added express Mention of Faith in God and an hearty Love of him which are also things commanded by God Here is nothing more in this Section that deserves Consideration As to his Rhetorical Flight concerning Hundreds of Propositions it hath been touch'd upon before Ad