Gods Love to Man and Mans Duty Towards God, Part 1 · Section 5
Sect. 5. PROP. V. It is evident and undeniable, that ſundry … Gods Laws (compriſed in that which … called the Law of Nature) are of Mora… perpetual right, and equity, commandin… what cannot but be mans duty, requirin… ſuch things, as have an unchangeable goodneſs and comlineſs in them. Forbiddin… ſuch things as have an unchangeable horri… neſs and odiouſneſs in them. Some thing are good, and ſome things are evil in thei… own Nature, and therefore are ſo perpetually, invariably, neceſſarily; that it is impoſſible that a righteous and holy God ſhoul… not command the one, and prohibit, an… condemn the other: Such precepts (as ſom… well obſerve) depend on Gods righteou… Nature, rather than on his Soveraign Wil…
THerefore upon the Queſtion, whether God a… any time hath diſpenſed with the Law o… Nature, or with any purely Moral precept, I ſhoul… incline to thoſe that ſay (notwithſtanding thoſe Inſtances that are brought ſeemingly contrary) Th… Law of Nature was not diſpenſed with, no chang… in the Law; only their was a change in the matt… or Object, and that immutatio materiae made b… God not as Legiſlator, but as Dominus, as Proprietor, or Owner. That when God commanded Abraham to Sacrifice his Son, he might do it from the abſolute Dominion he hath over all mens lives; and if Abraham had Sacrificed him upon God's command, it had not been Murder. but the higheſt Act of Obedience. The Iſraelites taking away the Aegyptians Gods; when God had altered the property of them, (as Lord and Judge proceeding againſt the Aegyptians in juſtice, as againſt Delinquents that had forfeited the ſame, and making over (by his free donation) the right and title to them to his people; I ſay the Iſraelites poſſeſſing themſelves of what was no longer the Aegyptians, but indeed their own, by Gods diſpoſition and free gift) this cannot be accounted Theft. And may it not be thought, that according to an Equitable construction of the Law: Such Inſtances, or Caſes as theſe, were no more prohibited, than works of Piety, Mercy, and Neceſſity are forbidden (in the Law) on the Sabbath …ay (compare Exod. 20.10. with Matth. 12.5.7.)
Thus the Matter, or Object, about which the Law was converſant, may be changed, when yet …he Law it ſelf, is not changed, but as obliging as …ver.
Again, ſome commands there are in the Morall Law, the very matter whereof is unalterable (the foundation never ceaſing or changing) as ſome In…ance in the Three firſt Commandments of the De…alogue. Thus it is Man's duty for ever to fear, love, …elieve, ſerve, honour God. Thus it cannot but …e horrid wickedneſs, for any one to blaſpheme, or …ontemn God; to doubt of his truth, power, &c. …ow this is of Immutable Equity, that what is Morally good, and cannot be otherwiſe, ſhould be commanded, and the reaſonable creature bound to it that what is morally evil, and cannot but be evil ſhould be forbidden. And to affirm that God may ceaſe to command, or approve of what is ſo intrinſecally, neceſſarily, everlastingly evil, is to ſet u… his abſolute Soveraignty in ſuch wiſe, as to just… out his infinite goodneſs, purity, and holineſs; tha… is, to ſet his glorious Attributes at variance on… with another. But certainly the Judges, and Rector of all the world can do, and command nothing but that which is right. Plutarch had rather me… ſhould have ſaid, Nullum eſſe Plutarchum, qua… malum eſſe Plutarchum; That there was no ſuc… man as Plutarch, than that Plutarch was a wicke… man; and ſo he held it worſe, De Deo male ſentir… quam Deum eſſe negare, to entertain any wicke… opinion of God, than to deny God. This is (n… doubt) a very monstrous conception of him, to imagine that he ſhould not will, and command vertu… and holineſs; or that he ſhould not utterly diſallow of vice and wickedneſs. 'Tis part of the Charg… brought in againſt the wicked, Pſal. 20.21. Tho… thoughteſt that I was altogether ſuch a one as th… ſelf: But (ſayes the holy one) I will reprove rhe… for it, Well therefore let this be laid down, as a… everlasting truth, that there are ſome things whic… God can no more deny to be Man's duty, than h… can deny himſelf. There are ſome precepts of u… alterable force, and obligation, never to be repeale… abrogated, or diſpenſed with. The Lord can n… more diſpenſe with mens acknowledging, loving reverenceing Him, that theſe ſhould not be the duty, and the contrary ſinful and damnable in the own Nature, than he can deny his own Divine goodneſs, and infinite perfection; ſo he can no more approve of what is evil in it ſelf, than he can do evil, or be evil; he can no more approve of mens lying and deceit, than he can lye, or deceive men Himſelf. He can no more approve of Atheiſm, Prophaneneſs, Hypocriſie, Pride, Envy, Malice, Covetouſneſs, and the like; than he can change, or ceaſe to be what he is, an holy God of purer eyes than to behold iniquity.