The Reasons of the Christian Religion Part 1, Part 1 · Chapter 10
CHAP. X. Of GOD's particular Laws as known in Nature.
THe true nature of a Law I have opened before.Though Cicero's books de legibus, be uſually read by us when we are boyes, they are worthy the peruſal of the wiſeſt men, and fit for the edification and pleaſure of the learned. It is not neceſſary that it be written nor ſpoken; but that it be in general any apt [ſignification of the Will of the Rector to his ſubjects, inſtituting what ſhall be due from them and to them, for the ends of Government.] Therefore whatſoever is a ſignification of Gods will to man, appointing us our duty, and telling us what benefit ſhall be ours upon the performance, and what loſs or hurt ſhall befall us, if we ſin, is a Law of God.
§. 1. A Law being the Rectors Inſtrument of Governing, there can be no Law where there is no Government: And therefore, that which ſome call, The eternal Law, is indeed no Law at all; But it is the Principle of all juſt Laws.
The Eternal Wiſdom and Goodneſs of God (that is, the Perfection of his Nature and Will) as related to a Poſſible, or future Kingdom, is denominated Juſtice: And this Juſtice ſome call the Eternal Law: But it is truly no Law, becauſe it is the will of God in himſelf, and not as Rector; nor is it any ſignification of that Will, nor doth it ſuppoſe any governed ſubjects in being from Eternity; nor doth it make any duty to any from Eternity: But all the Laws which God maketh in time, (and conſequently which men make, which are juſt and good) are but the Products of this Eternal Will and Juſtice.
And whereas ſome ſay, that there is an eternall truth in ſuch Axiomes as theſe [Thou ſhalt love God above all, and do as thou would'ſt be done by, and the good ſhould be incouraged, and the bad puniſhed, &c.] I anſwer, God formeth not Propoſitions; And therefore there were no ſuch Propoſitions from Eternity: Nor was there any Creature to love God,Quod (de magiſtratu loquitur) cum dico legem, a me dici nihil aliud intelligi volo quàm imperium, ſine quo nec domus ulla, nec civitas, &c. Id. de leg. 3. init. or to do Good or Evil, and be the ſubject of ſuch Propoſitions: That Propoſition therefore which was not from Eternity, was neither true nor falſe from Eternity; for non entis non ſunt accidentia vel modi. But this is true, that from Eternity there were the grounds of the verity of ſuch Propoſitions when they ſhould after be: And that if there had been ſubjects from Eternity for ſuch Propoſitions, and Intellects to frame them, they would have been of Eternal truth.
§. 2. At the ſame time of his Creation that God made Man his ſubject, he alſo made him ſome Laws, to govern him.
For, ſubjection being a general obligation to obedience, would ſignifie nothing, if there were no particular duties to be the matter of that obedience. Elſe Man ſhould owe God no obedience, from the beginning, but be Lawleſs; for where there is no Law, there is no Obedience: (Taking a Law in the true comprehenſive ſenſe, as I here do.)
§. 3. All the objective ſignifications in natura rerum, within us or without us, of the Will of God, concerning our Duty, reward or puniſhment, are the True Law of Nature, in the primary proper ſenſe.
§. 4. Therefore it is falſly defined by all Writers, who make it conſiſt in certain axioms (as ſome ſay) born in us, or written on our hearts from our birth; (as others ſay) diſpoſitively there.
It is true, that there is in the nature of Mans Soul a certain aptitude to underſtand certain Truths, as ſoon as they are revealed, that is, as ſoon as the very Natura rerum is obſerved: And it is true, that this diſpoſition is brought to actual knowledge, as ſoon as the minde comes to actual conſideration of the things. But it is not true that there is any actual knowledge of any Principles born in Man: Nor is it true, that the ſaid Diſpoſition to know is truly a Law; nor yet that the actual knowledge following it, is a Law: But the diſpoſition may be called a Law Metonymically, as being the aptitude of the faculties to receive and obey a Law; as the Light of the Eye, which is the potentia & diſpoſitio videndi, may be called [the Light of the Sun] but unhanſomly: And the ſubſequent actual knowledge of Principles, may be called the Law of Nature metonymically, as being the perception of it, and an effect of it: as actual ſight may be called, the Light of the Sun, and as actual knowledge of the Kings Laws, may be called His Laws within us, that is, the effect of them, or the Reception of them: But this is far from propriety of ſpeech.
That the inward axiomes as known are not Laws, is evident, 1. Becauſe a Law is in genere objectivo, and this is in genere actionum: A Law is in genere ſignorum; but this is the diſcerning of the ſign: A Law is the will of the Rector ſignified: this is his will known: A Law is Obligatory: this is the perception of an Obligation. A Law maketh duty: but this is the knowledge of a duty made. 2. The Law is not in our power to change or abrogate: But a mans inward diſpoſitions and perceptions are much in his power, to encreaſe or diminiſh, or obliterate: Every man that is wilfully ſenſual and wicked, may do much to blot out the Law of Nature, which is ſaid to be written on his heart; But wickedneſs cannot alter or obliterare the Law of God: If this were Gods Law which is upon the heart, when a ſinner hath blotted it out, he is diſobliged from duty and puniſhment: For where there is no Law, there is no duty or tranſgreſſion. But no ſinner can ſo diſoblige himſelf by altering his Makers Laws: 3. Elſe there would be as many Laws of Nature, not only as there are men, but as there are diverſity of perceptions: But Gods Law is not ſo uncertain and multiform a thing. 4. And if Mans diſpoſition or actual knowledge be Gods Law, it may be alſo called Mans Law: And ſo the Kings Law, ſhould be the Subjects perception of it.
It is therefore moſt evident, that the true Law of Nature is another thing: (And is it not then a matter of admiration, that ſo many ſagacious, accurate Schoolmen, Philoſophers,Omnis lex inventum ſane & donum eſt Deorum. Decretum vero hominum prudentum— Demoſt. cont. Ariſ. or. 1. Lawyers, and Divines, ſhould for ſo long time go on in ſuch falſe definitions of it!) The whole World belongeth to the Law of Nature, ſo far as it ſignifieth to us the will of God, about our duty, and reward, and puniſhment: The World is as Gods Statute Book: The foreſaid natural aptitude, maketh us fit to read and practiſe it. The Law of Nature is as the external Light of the Sun; and the ſaid natural diſpoſition, is as the viſive faculty to make uſe of it. Yet much of the Law of Nature is within us too: But it is there only in genere objectivo, & ſigni: Mans own Nature, his Reaſon, Free will, and Executive power, are the moſt notable ſigns of his duty to God; To which all Mercies, Judgements, and other ſignifying means belong.
§. 5. The way that God doth by Nature oblige us, is by laying ſuch fundamenta from which our duty ſhall naturally reſult, as from the ſignification of his Will.
Communis lex nunquam immutatur, cum ſecundum naturam ſit: jus verò ſcriptum ſaepius. Ariſtot. 1. Rhet. ad Theod. c 4.§. 6. Theſe fundamenta are ſome of them unalterable (while we have a being,) and ſome of them alterable: And therefore ſome Laws of Nature are alterable, and ſome unalterable accordingly.
As for inſtance, Man is made a Rational free Agent; and God is unchangeably his Rightfull Governour, of infinite Power,Diogenes (in Laert.) congregatis ad ſe plurimis exprobravit, quod ad inepta ſtudioſè concurrerent; ad ea vero quae gravia & utilia, negligenter convenirent: Dicebatque de fodiendo & calcitrando certare homines, ut autem boni & probi fierent curare neminem. Muſicos in jus vocabat, quod cum lyrae chordas congruè aptarent, animi mores inconcinnos haberent. Mathematicos carpebat, quod Solem & Lunam & ſydera intuentes, quae ante pedes erant negligerent. Oratores item, quod ſtuderent juſta dicere, non autem & facere. Avaros quo que quod pecuniam vituperarent, ac ſummè diligerent: & eos qui juſtos, quod pecunias contemnerent laudabant, pecunioſos verò imitari ſatagebant. Stomachabatur eis qui pro bona valetudine ſacra facerent, inter ſacrificia contra ſanitatem coenarent. Servos mirabatur, qui cum edaces dominos cernerent, nihil diriperent ciborum.— Dicebat manus ad amicos non complicatis digitis extendi oportere. Wiſdom and Goodneſs: Therefore the nature of God and Man (in via) thus compared are the fundamentum from whence conſtantly reſulteth our indiſpenſable duty to love him, truſt him, fear him, and obey him: But if our being, or reaſon, or free-will, which are our eſſential Capacities ceaſe, our obligations ceaſe ceſſante fundamento. God hath made Man a ſociable Creature; and while he is in ſociety, the Law of Nature obligeth him to many things, which he hath no obligation to, when the ſociety is diſſolved: As when a Parent, Childe, Wife, or Neighbour dieth, all our duties to them ceaſe. Nature by the poſition of many circumſtances, hath made Inceſt ordinarily a thing producing manifold evils, and a ſin againſt God: And yet Nature ſo placed the children of Adam, in other circumſtances, that the ſaid Nature made that their duty (to marry one another) which in others would have been an unnatural thing: Nature forbiddeth Parents to murder their children: But when God the abſolute Lord of life, would that way try Abrahams obedience, when he was ſure that he had a ſupernatural command, even Nature obliged him to obey it. Nature forbiddeth men to rob each other of their proper goods. But when the Owner of all things, had given the Iſraelites the Egyptians goods, and changed the propriety, the fundamentum of their former natural obligation ceaſed. Changes in natura rerum, which are the foundation of our obligation, may make changes in the obligations, which before were natural. But ſo far as Nature, that Nature which foundeth duty is the ſame, the duty remaineth ſtill the ſame: The contrary would be a plain contradiction.
§. 7. The Authoritas Imperantis is the formall object of all obedience: and ſo all our duty is formally duty to God as our Supream, or to Men as his Officers: But as to the Material object, our Natural duties are either, I. Towards God: II. To our ſelves: III. To others.
§. 8. I. The prime duties of the Law of Nature are towards God, and are our full conſent to the three Relations, (of which two are mentioned before): To be Gods Rational Creatures, and not obliged to take him heartily for our Abſolute Owner and Ruler, is a Contradiction in Nature.
§. 9. Mans Nature being what it is, Laertius ſaith of the Magi, that they do Deorum cultui vacare; ſigna ſtatuaſ que reprehendere; & eorum imprimis qui Mares eſſe Deos & foeminas, dicunt, errores improbare. Signa & ſtatuas ex diſciplinae inſtituto è medio tuliſſe. Qui & revicturos homines, immortaleſ que futuros, dicunt, & univerſa illorum precationibus conſiſtere. Pleri que & Judaeos ab his duxiſſe originem tradunt. Laert. pag. 4, 5, 6.and Related thus to God, and Gods Nature and Relations being as afore deſcribed, Man is naturally obliged to take God to be what he is in all his Attributes forementioned (cap. 5.) and to ſuit his will, and affections to God accordingly: that is, to take him to be omnipotent, omniſcient, and moſt good, moſt faithfull, and moſt juſt, &c. and to believe him, ſeek him, truſt him, love him, fear him, obey him, meditate on him, to honour him, and preferre him before all the World; and this with all our Heart and might, and to take our chiefeſt pleaſure in it.
All this ſo evidently reſulteth from the Nature of God and Man compared, that I cannot perceive that it needeth proof or illuſtration.
§. 10. It is a contradiction to Nature, that any of this duty proper to God, may be given to any other, and that any Creature or Idol of our Imagination ſhould be eſteemed, loved, truſted, obeyed, or honoured as God.
For that were falſhood in us, injury to God, and abuſe of the Creature.
§. 11. Nature requireth, that Man having the gift of ſpeech from God, ſhould imploy his Tongue in the Praiſe and ſervice of his Maker.
This plainly reſulteth, from our own Nature, and the uſe of the Tongue, compared with, or related to Gods Nature and perfections, with his propriety in us, and all that's ours, and his Government of us.
§. 12. Seeing Man liveth in totall dependance upon God, and in continual receivings from him, Nature obligeth him to uſe his heart and tongue in holy deſires expreſs'd and exerciſed in Prayer, and in returning thanks to his great Benefactor, (of which more anon.)
For though God know all our ſins and wants already, yet the Tongue is fitted to confeſs our ſins, and to expreſs our deſires: And by confeſsing and expreſſing, a twofold capacity for mercy accreweth to us: That is, 1. Our own Humiliation is excited and increaſed by the ſaid Confeſſions; and our Deſires, and Love, and Hope, excited and increaſed by our own Petitions, (the tongue having a power to reflect back on the heart, and the exerciſe of all good affections being the means of their increaſe.) 2. And a perſon that is found in the actual exerciſe of Repentance and holy Deſire, and Love, is morally, and in point of Juſtice, a much fitter recipient for pardon, and acceptance, and other bleſſings, than another is: And it being proved by Nature, that Prayer, Confeſſion and Thankſgiving, hath ſo much uſefulneſs to our good, and to our further duty, Nature will tell us, that the tongue and heart ſhould be thus imployed. And therefore Nature teacheth all men in the World, that believe there is a God, to confeſs their ſins to him, and call upon him in their diſtreſs, and to give him thanks for their receivings.
§. 13. Seeing Societies as ſuch are totally dependent upon God, and mens gifts are communicative, and Solemnities are operative: Nature teacheth us, that God ought to be ſolemnly acknowledged, Pietas eſt ſcientia colendi numinis: inquit Aemilius in Plutarch.worſhipped, and honoured, both in Families, and in more ſolemn appointed aſſemblies.
It greatly affecteth our own hearts to praiſe God in great and ſolemn Aſſemblies: Many Hearts are like many pieces of Wood or Coals, which flame up greatly when ſet together,Nulla Pietas eſt erga Deos, nifi honeſta de numine Deorum ac Mente opinio ſit. Cicer. pro Planc. which none of them alone would do. And it is a fuller ſignification of Honour to God, when his Creatures do purpoſely aſſemble for his ſolemn and moſt reverent Praiſe and Worſhip. And therefore Nature ſhewing us the reaſons of it, doth make it to be our duty.
§. 14. Nature telleth us, De Diis ita ut ſunt loquere. Bias in Laert.that it is evil to cheriſh falſe opinions of God, or to propagate ſuch to others; to ſlander or blaſpheme him, to forget him, deſpiſe him, or neglect him, Equidem is qui de Diis talia commentus eſt, an Philoſophus appellandus ſit neſcio, (inquit Laert. de Orpheo, p. 3.) Videant certè qui ita volunt quo ſit cenſendus nomine, qui Diis cuncta hominum vitia, & quae rarò à turpibus quibuſ que & flagitioſis geruntur, adſcribit— Fulmine interiſſe cognoſcitur. Laert. Proem.to contemn his Judgements, or abuſe his Mercies; to reſiſt his inſtructions, precepts, or ſanctifying motions: And that we ſhould alwayes live as in his ſight, and to bend all our powers entirely to pleaſe him, and to think and ſpeak no otherwiſe of him, nor otherwiſe behave our ſelves before him, than as beſeemeth us to the infinite, moſt bleſſed, and holy God.
§. 15. Nature telleth us, that in Controverſies between Man and Man, it is a rational means for ending ſtrife, to appeal to God the Judge of all, by ſolemn Oaths, where proof is wanting: And that it is a hainous crime to do this falſly, making him the Patron of a lie, or to uſe his name raſhly, unreverently, prophanely, or in vain.
All this being both againſt the Nature of God, and of our ſpeech, and of humane ſociety, is paſt all doubt unnatural evil.
§. 16. Nature telleth us, Lege Laert. de Magis.that God ſhould be worſhipped heartily, ſincerely, ſpiritually, and alſo decently and reverently, Cicero de nat. Deor. lib. 1. p. 46. ſaith, That Poſſidonius believed that Epicurus thought that there was no God; and therefore, not according to his judgement, but in ſcorn, deſcribeth God like a man careleſs, idle, &c. which he would not have done, if he had thought that there was a God indeed.both with ſoul and body, as being the Lord of both.
§. 17. It telleth us alſo, that he muſt not be worſhipped with ſin or cruelty, or by toyiſh, childiſh, ludicrous manner of Worſhip, which ſignifie a minde that is not ſerious, or which tend to breed a low eſteem of him; or which are any way contrary to his Nature, or his will.
§. 18. Nature telleth us, that ſuch as are endued with an eminent degree of holy wiſdom, ſhould be Teachers of others, for obedience to God, and their ſalvation.
As the Soul is more worth than the Body, and its welfare more regardable, ſo charity to the Soul is as Natural a duty as to the body: which cannot better be exerciſed, than in communicating holy wiſdom, and inſtructing men in the matters of higheſt everlaſting conſequence.
Impellimur naturâ ut prodeſſe velimus quamplurimis, imprimiſque docendo, rationibuſque prudentiae tradendis. Itaque non facile eſt invenire, qui quod ſciat, ipſe non tradat alteri. Ita non ſolum ad diſcendum propenſi ſumus, verum etiam ad docendum. Cic. 2. de fin.§. 19. Yea, Nature teacheth, that ſo great a work ſhould not be done ſlightly and occaſionally only, as on the by, but that it ſhould be a work of ſtated office, which tried men ſhould be regularly called to, for the more ſure and univerſal edification of Mankind.
Nature telleth us, that the greateſt works, of greateſt conſequence, ſhould be done with the greateſt skill and care; and that it is likeſt to be ſo done when it is made a ſet Office, intruſted in the hands of tried men: for it is not many that have ſuch extraordinary endowments: and if unfit perſons manage ſo great a work, they will marr it, and miſs the end: and that which a man taketh for his Office, he is liker to take care of,Deſcriptionem ſacerdotum nullum juſtae Religionis genus praetermittit: Nam ſunt ad placandos Deos alii conſtituti, qui ſacris praeſint ſolennibus: ad interpretanda alii praedicta vatum; neque multorum ne eſſet infinitum, neque ut ca ipſa quae ſuſcepta publicè eſſent, quiſquam extra collegium noſſet. Cic. de leg. l. 2. p. 241. than that which he thinks belongeth no more to him than others: and how neceſſary Order is in all matters of weight, the experience of all Governments, Societies and Perſons may ſoon convince us.
§. 20. Nature telleth us alſo, that it is the duty of ſuch Teachers to be very diligent, ſerious, and plain, and of Learners to be thankful, willing, ſtudious, reſpectful, and rationally-obedient, as remembring the great importance of the work.
For in vain is the labour of the Teachers, if the Learners will not do their part: the Receiver hath the chief benefit, and therefore the greateſt part of the duty, which muſt do moſt to the ſucceſs.
§. 21. Nature telleth men, that they ſhould not live looſely and ungoverned, but in the order of governed Societies, for the better attainment of the ends of their Creation, (as is proved before.)
§. 22. Nature telleth us, that Governours ſhould be the moſt wiſe, and pious, and juſt, and merciful, and diligent, and exemplary, laying out themſelves for the publick good, and the pleaſing of the univerſal Sovereign.
§. 23. It teacheth us alſo, that Subjects muſt be faithful to their Governours, Autoritate nutuque legum docemur domitas habere libidines, coercere omnes cupiditates, noſtra tueri, ab alienis mentes, oculos, manus abſtinere. Cic. 1. de Or.and muſt honour and obey them, in ſubordination to God.
§. 24. Nature telleth us, that it is the Parents duty, with ſpecial love and diligence, to educate their children in the knowledge, fear, and obedience of God; providing for their bodies, but preferring their ſouls.
§. 25. And that children muſt love, honour and obey their Parents; willingly and thankfully receiving their inſtructions and commands.
§. 26. Nature alſo telleth us, Nihil intereſt utrum vir bonus ſceleſtum ſpoliaverit, an bonum improbus: nec utrum bonus an malus adulteratus ſit: ſed lex damni ſolum ſpectat diſſimilitudinem, utiturque pro paribus, ſi alter violavit, alter violatus eſt. Ariſtot. Ethic. 5. c. 4.that thus the Relations of Husband and Wife ſhould be ſanctified to the higheſt ends of life; and alſo the Relation of Maſter and Servant: and that our callings and labours in the world ſhould be managed in pure obedience to God, and to our ultimate end.
§. 27. Nature teacheth all men to love one another, as ſervants of the ſame God, and members of the ſame univerſal Kingdom, and creatures of the ſame ſpecifick nature.
There is ſomewhat amiable in every man, for there is ſomething of God in every man, and therefore ſomething that it is our duty to love: And that according to the excellency of man's nature, which ſheweth more of God than other inferiour creatures do;Vide Plutarchi Roman. quaeſt. 65. and alſo according to their additional virtues. Lovelineſs commandeth love, and love maketh lovely. This, with all the reſt afore-mentioned,Temperantia libidinum inimica eſt. Cic. are ſo plain, that to prove them is but to be tedious.
§. 28. Nature telleth us, that we ſhould deal juſtly with all, When an Adulterer asked Thales whether he ſhould make a vow? he anſwered him, Adultery is as bad as perjury: intimating, that he that made no conſcience of adultery, would make none of perjury. Laert. Cyrus is praiſed by Plutarch, de curioſit. that would not ſee Panthaea: and they are by him reproved that caſt a wanton eye at women in coaches as they paſs by, and look out at windows to have a full view of them, and yet think that they commit no fault: ſuffering a curious eye and a wandering mind to ſlide and run every way.giving to every one his due, and doing to them as we would be done by.
§. 29. Particularly it telleth us, that we muſt do nothing injuriouſly againſt the life, or health, or liberty of our neighbour, but do our beſt for their preſervation and comfort.
§. 30. Man being ſo noble a creature, and his education ſo neceſſary to his welfare, and promiſcuous unregulated generation tending ſo manifeſtly to confuſion, ill education, diviſions and corruption of mankind; and unbridled exerciſe of luſt tending to the abaſement of reaſon, and corruption of body and mind, Nature telleth us, that carnal copulation ſhould be very ſtrictly regulated, and kept within the bounds of lawful marriage; and that the contract of marriage muſt be faithfully kept, and no one defile his neighbours bed, nor wrong another's chaſtity, or their own, in thought, word, or deed.
This propoſition, though Boars underſtand it not, is proved in the annexed reaſons: Nothing would tend more to houſhold diviſions and ill education, and the utter degenerating and undoing of mankind than ungoverned copulation. No one would know his own children, if luſt were not bounded by ſtrict and certain Laws; and then none would love them, nor provide for them; nor would they have any certain ingenuous education. Women would become moſt contemptible and miſerable, as ſoon as beauty faded, and luſt was ſatisfied; and ſo one halfe of mankind made calamitous, and unfitted to educate their own children: and ruine and depravation of nature could not be avoided. They that think their choiceſt Plants and Flowers fit for the incloſure of a Garden, and carefulleſt culture, weeding and defence, ſhould not think their children ſhould be educated or planted in the Wilderneſs. It is not unobſervable, that all flying Fowls do know their Mates, and live by couples, and uſe copulation with no other: and that the Beaſts and more terreſtrial Fowl do copulate but only ſo oft as is neceſſary to generation. And ſhall Man be worſe than Beaſts?
§. 31. Nature bindeth us, not to violate the propriety of our neighbour, in any thing that is his, by fraud, theft, or robbery, or any other means, but to preſerve and promote his juſt commodity as our own.
§. 32. Government and Juſtice being ſo neceſſary to the order and welfare of the world, Nature teacheth us that bribery, fraud, Ariſtotle, Ethic. 4. ſaith, Every lie is evil, and to be avoided. The Roman Laws againſt perjury and falſe witneſs and bribery, tell us what nature ſaith thereabout. Read in Lamprid. how vehement Alexander Severus was againſt bribery. Fundamentum juſtitiae eſt fides, id eſt, dictorum conventorumque conſtantia & veritas. Cicer.falſe-witneſs, and all means that pervert Juſtice muſt be avoided, and equity promoted among all.
§. 33. The Tongue of Man being made to be the Index of his mind, and humane converſe being maintained by humane credibility and confidence; Nature telleth us, that Lying is a crime, which is contrary to the nature and ſocieties of Mankind.
§. 34. And Nature telleth us, that it is unjuſt and criminal to ſlander or injuriouſly defame our neighbour, by railing, reviling, or malicious reports; and that we ought to be regardful of his honour as of our own.
§. 35. Nature telleth us, that, both in obedience to God, the juſt diſpoſer of all, and for our own quietneſs and our neighbours peace, we ſhould all be contented with our proper place and due condition and eſtate, and not to envy the proſperity of our neighbour, nor covetouſly draw from him to enrich ourſelves.
Becauſe God's will and intereſt is above our own, and the publick welfare to be preferred before any private perſons; and therefore all are to live quietly and contentedly in their proper places, contributing to the common good.
§. 36. Nature teacheth us, De altero temere affirmare periculoſum eſt, propter occultas hominum voluntates multipliceſque naturas. Cic.that it is our duty to love humane Nature in our enemies, and pity others in their infirmities and miſeries, and to forgive all pardonable failings, and not to ſeek revenge and right our ſelves by our brothers ruine: but to be charitable to the poor and miſerable, and do our beſt to ſuccour them, and help them out of their diſtreſs.
All theſe are our undeniable duties to GOD and our Neighbours.
§. 37. Nature alſo telleth us, that every man, as a rational lover of himſelf, ſhould have a ſpecial care of his own felicity, A man that loved his belly, deſiring to be admitted into Cato's family, Cato anſwered, Non poſſum cum tali vivere, cujus palatum plus ſapit, quàm cerebrum. Eraſm. Nullus mihi per otium dies exit. Partem noctium ſtudiis vendico, non vaco ſomno ſed ſuccumbo. Senec. What mean you to make your priſon ſo ſtrong, ſaid Plato to one that pampered his body. Ficin. in vit. Plat. Vires corporis ſunt vires carceris, inquit Petrarch. l. 1. dial. 5. Cato homo virtuti ſimillimus-qui nunquam recte fecit ut facere videretur, ſed quia aliter facere non poterat: cuique id ſolum viſum eſt rationem habere; quod haberet juſtitiam. Velleius Pater. l. 2. Magna pars libertatis eſt, bene moratus venter. Senec. Plato ſaith, God is the temperate man's Law, and Pleaſure the intemperate man's. Temperantia voluptatibus imperat: alias odit atque abigit: alias diſpenſat & ad ſanum modum dirigit: nec unquam ad illas propter ipſas venit. Sen. Scit optimum eſſe modum cupidorum, non quantum velis, ſed quantum debeas ſumere. Senec. Animis tenduntur infidiae— ab ea quae penitus in omni ſenſu implicata infidit imitatrix boni, voluptas, malorum autem mater omnium: cujus blanditiis corrupti, quae naturâ bona ſunt, quia dulcedine hac & ſcabia carent, non cernimus ſatis. Cic. de leg. 1. p. 226.and know wherein it doth conſiſt, and uſe all prudent diligence to attain it, and make it ſure.
§. 38. Nature telleth us, that it is the duty of all men to keep Reaſon clear, and their Wills conformable to its right apprehenſions, and to keep up a conſtant Government over their Thoughts, Affections, Paſſions, Senſes, Appetite, Words and Actions, conforming them to our Makers Laws.
§. 39. Nature telleth us, that all our Time ſhould be ſpent to the Ends of our Creation, and all our Mercies improved to thoſe Ends, and all things in the world be eſtimated by them, and uſed as Means conducing to them.
§. 40. Nature commandeth us to keep our Bodies in ſobriety, temperance and chaſtity, and not be inordinate or irregular in eating, drinking, luſt, ſleep, idleneſs, apparel, recreation, or any lower things.
§. 41. It commandeth us alſo watchfully and reſolutely to avoid or reſiſt all temptations which would draw us to any of theſe ſins.
§. 42. And it teacheth us patiently to bear our croſſes, and improve our trials to our benefit, and ſee that they breed not any ſinful diſtempers in our Minds or Lives.
Ampliat aetatis ſpatium ſibi vir bonus; hoc eſt, vivere bis, vitâ poſſe priore frui. Martial.§. 43. And Nature telleth us, that this obedient pleaſing of our Maker, and holy, righteous, charitable and ſober living, ſhould be our greateſt pleaſure and delight: and that we ſhould thus ſpend our lives even to the laſt; waiting patiently in peaceful joyful hopes for the bleſſed end, which our righteous Governour hath allotted for our reward.
As a ſummary of what the light of Nature may teach man, ſee the Stoicks Ethicks collected by Barlaam; (much of which may be found in Seneca, and is confeſſed and praiſed by Cicero, though he chide them for their new words and ſchiſm) where you will ſee, that the Stoicks were wiſer and better men, than the Epicureans would have men believe. Oculos vigiliâ fatigatos cadenteſque in opere detinco— Malè mihi eſſe malo, quam molliter: ſi mollis es, paulatim effeminatur animus, atque in ſimilitudinem otii ſui & pigritiae, in quâ jacet, ſolvitur. Dormio minimum, & breviſſimo ſomno utor: ſatis eſt mihi vigilare defiiſſe, Aliquando dormiſſe ſcio, aliquando ſuſpicor. Senec.All this is evidently legible in nature, to any man that hath not loſt his reaſon, or refuſeth not conſiderately to uſe it. And he that will read but Antonine, Epictetus and Plutarch, (who are full of ſuch precepts, that I refer you to the whole Books inſtead of particular citations) may ſee, that he who will deny a life of Piety, Juſtice and Temperance, to be the duty and rectitude of Man, muſt renounce his reaſon and natural light, as well as ſupernatural revelation.
§. 44. Reaſon alſo teacheth us, that when the corruptions, ſluggiſhneſs, or appetite of the fleſh, reſiſteth or draweth back from any of this duty, or tempteth us to any ſin, Reaſon muſt rebuke it, and hold the reins, and keep its government, and not ſuffer the fleſh to bear it down, and to prevail.