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Creatour. Neither is it any eclipse, or diminution of the Liberty of that first Being, co say, that there is some evil so foul, and illfavour'd, as chat it cannot but be forbidden by him; and that there is some good so fair, and eminenc,as that be cannot buţ com. mandit.

For, as the Schoolmen observe, Divina voluntas, licèt fimpliciter libera fit ad extra, ex fuppofitione tamen unius. Actaj liberi, poteft necellitari ad alium.

Though the Will of God be compleatly free in respect of all his looks,and glances towards the Creature, yet notwithstanding, upon the voluntary, and free precedency of one At, we may justly conceive him neceflitated to another, by virtue of that indissoluble connexion, and cončacenation between these two Afts, which does in a manner knit, and unite them into one.

Thus God has an absolute liberty, and choice, whether he will make a promise, or no; but, if he has made it, he cannot but fulfilit. Thus he is perfe&ly free, whether he will reveal bis mind, or no; but, if he will reveal it, he cannot but speak truth, and ma: nifeft it as it is.

God had the very same liberty, whether he would create a World, or no; but, if he will create it, and keep it in its comelinesse, and proportion, he must then have a vigilant, and provi. dential eye over it ; and, if he will provide for it, he cannot buc have a perfect, and indefe&tive Prividence agreeable to bis own wisdom, and goodness, and Being so that if he will create such a Being, as Man, such a Rational Creature, furnish'd with sufficient knowledg to discern between some good, and evill; and, if he will Supply it with a proportionable concourse in its operations, he cannot chen but probibic Juch acts as are intrinfecally prejudicial, and detrimental to the Being of it: neicher can he but command such acts, as are necessary to its preservation, and welfare.

God therefore, when from all Eternity in bis own glorious Thoughts he contriv'd the Bling of Man, he did also with his piercing eye see into all conveniences and disconveniences, which would be in reference to such a Being, and by his eternal Law did restrain, and decermine it to such acts, as should be advantageous to it, which in his wise Oeconomy, and dispenfation, be publish'd to man by the voice of Reason, by the mediation of this Natural Law.

Whence

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Whence it is, that every violation of this Law is not onely an injury to man's being; but ultra nativam rei malitiam, (as the Schole's Speak) 'cis also a virtual, and interpretative contempt of that Supreme Lab.giver; who, out of so much wisdom, love, and goodwille did thus bind man to his own happinesse.

So much chen, as man does start aside, and apost atize from this Law; to so much misery, and punishment does he expose himself.

Though it be not necessary, that the Candle of Nature should discover the full extent, and measure of that Punishment, which is due to the breakers of this Law; for to the nature of Punishment non requiritur,ut pracognita fit poena, sed ut fiat actus dignus tali pænd. The Lawyers, and Schoolmen both will acknowledge this Principle.

For, as Suarez has it, Sequitur reatus ex intrinseca conditione culpa; ita ut, licèt pana per Legem non fit determinara, arbitrio samen competentis Iudicis puniri poffit. Yet the Lighe of Nature will reveal, and disclose thus much; That a Being totally depen dent upon another, esentially subordinate, and subject to it, must also be account able to it for every provocation, and rebellion; And, for the violacion of so good a Law, which he has set it, and for the singing against such admirable Providence, and Justice, as shines out upon it, must be lyable to such a Punishment, as that glorious Lavo.giver shall judge fit for such an offence ; who is so full of Justice, as that he cannot, and so great in Goodnefe, as that he will not punish a Creature above ics desert,

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CHAP. VII.

The Extent of the Law Nature,

Here are stamp`d, and printed upon the thç Being of Man,

some clear, and undelible Principles, fome first, and Alphabetical Notions; by putting together of which is can spell out the Law of Nature. There's scatrer'd in the Soul of man some seeds of Light,which

fill ic wich a vigorous pregnancy, with a multiplying fruitfulness, so that it brings førch a numerous, and sparkling pofterity of sex condary Notions, which make for the crowning, and encompalling of the Soul with happinesse.

All the fresh Springs of Common, and Fountain-Notions are in the Sunl of Man, for the warring of bis Elence, for the refreshing of this beavenly Plans, this Arbor inversa, cbis enclosed-Being, this Garden of God..

And, though the wickedness of man may stop the pleasant Motion, the clear, and Chrystalline progress of the Fountain; yet they cannot binder the first rifings, the bubbling endeavours of it. They may pull off Natures leaves

, and pluck off her fruits, and chop off her branches, but yet the root of it is eternal, the foundation of it is inviolable.

Now chele first, and Radical principles are winded up in some such short bottoms as these: Bonum eft appetendum, malum eft fugiendum; Beatitudo eft quarenda; Quod tibi fieri non vis, alteri ne feceris. And Reason ibus a'o ro'knot too póxor, incubando fuper hac ova, by warming, and brooding upon these first, and Oval Prine çiples of her own laying, it being it self quicken'd with an hea, venly vigour,does thus hatch the Law of Nature.

For, you must not, nor cannot think that Natures Law is confin'd, and contracted within the compasle of two or three come mon Notions ; but Reason, as with one foot it fixes a Center, so with the other it measures, and spreads out a Circumference, it draws several Conclufons, which do all meer,and croud into these first, and Central Principles. As in those Noble Marhematical Sciences there are not onely fome first airhuara, which are granted as soon as they are askid, if not before, but there are also whole heaps of firm, and immoveable Demonstrations, that are built upon them: in the very fame manner, Nature has some Postulata; some segnutess, (which Seneca renders Prafumptiones, which og thers call Anticipationes Animi,) which she knows a Rational Being will presently, and willingly yield unto; and therefore, by vircue of these, it does engage, and oblige it to all such commands, as shall by just result, by genuine production, by kindly and evident derivacion flow from these.

For men must not onely look upon the Capit al Letters of this Ného regresbut shey mult read the whole context , and cohe

rence of it; they must look to every jot, and Apex of it: for Heaven and Earth (ball sooner pass away, thin one to, or Title of this Law fall vanish.

They must not onely gaze upon two,or three Principles of the first Magnitude, but they must take notice of the lesser Celestial Sporades: for these also have their light, and influence,

They must not onely skim off the Cream of first Principles: but whatsoever fweetness comes streaming from the Dug of Nature, they must feed upon it, they may be nourish'd with it.

Reason does not onely crop of the tops of first Notions, but does so gather all the Flowers in Nature's Garden, as that it can bind them together in a pleasant Poly for the refreshment of itself and others.

Thus, as a Noble Author of our own does well observe, Tota ferè Ethica eft Notitia communis: All Morality is nothing, but a collection, and bundling up of Natural Precepts. The Muralists did buc sonatúrey gurex heez , enlarge the fringes of Natures Garment : they are so many, Commentatours, and Expositours upon Nature's Law. This was his meaning,that stild Moral Philosophy, si cei mai am spampa dengapia ; that Philosophy , which is for the

. maintaining, and edifying of Humane Nature. Thus Nature's Law is frequently calls the Moral Law. But the Schoolmen in their rougher Language make these several ranks, and distribution, of Natural Precepts. Ta mõte kaza pusty

. First, chere come in the front Princpia Generalia, (as some call them) per je nota: ni, Honeftum eft faciendum; Pravam vitandum." Then follow next Principia particularia, eo magis determinatas ut, fustitia eft servanda; Deus eft colendusi Vivendum eft temperatė. At length come up in the rear, Conclufiches evidenter illata, que tamen coge nosci nequeunt nifi per discur]4m; ut, Mendacium, Furtum, & fic milia prava ele. Thele, though they may seem somewhat more remote, yet being fetchd from clear, and unquestionable Premisses, they have Nature's Seal upon them; and are thus far facred, so as to have the usual priviledge of a Conclusion, to be untouch'd, and undeniable,

For though that learned Authour, whom I mention'd not long before, do justly take notice of this, that Discourse is the usual in. let to Errour, and cog ofçen gives an open admission, and courteous entertainment to such falfities, as come disguisd in a Syl

logistical

logistical form, which by their fequacions windings", "and gradual infinuations, twinéabout some weak understandings: yec, in the rature of the thing is feli, 'ris as impossible to collect an Errour out of a Truth as 'tis to gather the blackest Night, out of the fairejt Sunshine, or the foulest wickedness out of the purest gcodness. A Conclusion therefore, that's built upon the Sand, you may very well exped its fall; but that, which is built upon the Rock, is impregnable, and immoveable: for, if tbe Law of Nature should not extend it self so far, as to oblige men to an accurate observation of that which is a remove, or two distant from 'first Principles, 'cwould chen prove extremely defective in some fuch Precepts, as do most intimaçély, and intensely conduce co the welfare; and advantage of an Intelle&tual Being.

And these first Notions would be mot barren, inefficacious Spe. culations, unless they did thus increase, and multiply, and bring forth fruit with the bleffing of Heaven upon them.

So that there is a necessary connexisn,and concatenation between first Principles and such conclufions. For, as Suarez bas it, Veritas Principii continetur in Conclusione: fo that he, that questions the Conclusion, must needs also strike at the Principle. Nay, if we look to the notion of a Lavo, there is more of char to be feen in these more particular Limitations, then in those more universal Notions; for Lex eft proxima Regula operationum. But now Pars riculars are nearer to existence, and operation, then Universals: and in this respect do more immediately stear, and direct the motions of such a Being. The one is the bending of the Bow; but the other is the shooting of the Arrow.

Suarez does fully decermine this in fuch words as chese, Hec omnia Præcepta (he means boch Principles & Conclusions) prodeunt à Deo, Auctore Nature; - tendunt ad eundem finem, nimirum ad. debitam conservacionėm, a natinalem perfeitsonim, feu felicitatem Humana Natura

This Law of Nature, as it is thus branch'd forch, does bind in foro Conscientia: for as cbac Noble Author, (whom I more then once commended before) speaks very well in this: Natural Conscience, 'uis Centrum Notitiarum communium, and tis a kind of Sensus communis in respect of.che inward Faculties, as that other is in respect of the outward Senses. Tis the competent Indge of this Law of Nature: 'cis the natural Pulfe of the Soul,

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