Had we a perfect knowledge of our Duty, and no aversion to the practice of it, there would be no need of Law to instruct, or to perswade us; in this case more especially, if we had no Law, we should be a Law unto our selves: but forasmuch as we have Propensions towards Evil, as well as Good, and according to the Apostle the Flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the [Gal.5.17.] Spirit against the Flesh, and these are contrary the one to the other; it was necessary that he who knew our frame should insert such Laws, as might rightly determine our choice amidst such different Inclinations, and direct, and excite us to walk in the way we should go.
It is not, it cannot be, fit that Man, much less that fallen Man, should be left altogether in the hands of his own Counsel, or be given over to his own heart's lusts, or suffer'd without controul to follow his own Imaginations. Alas! such is the gegeneracy of human nature, that taking a view of it from its ruins, and not from its original beauty, it might well give ocasion to that ill-natured Philosopher to conclude, "That a state of nature is a state of war; and the condition of every man too much like that of Ishmael, of whom it [Gen.16.12.] is said, his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him>
Among the many things that are the objects of choice some are naturally good, and others naturally evil, that is, some contribute to the Perfection and happiness of our nature, and others to the corruption and misery of it; the persuit of the former is Moral Good, the persuit of the latter is Moral Evil: and the Law of nature directs us in the prosecution of the one, and in the avoidance of the other; a Law aiming at the perfection of our nature, and promoting our own happiness, and the happiness of those who are of the same kind with us.
This Law is written originally in every man's heart, that is, there are, as it were, interwoven in his Constitution such Principles, as incline him to consult his own true Good, and the good of his Fello-Creatures, in which his own is involv'd. As a Rational and Sociable Creature he may, in a multitude of cases, plainly perceive what is advantagious, or injurious to himself or others; and the Laws of self-Preservation, and a regular self-love onn one side, and Justice and Honour, Compassion and Charity on the other, oblige him to follow that which is Good, both towards himself and towards all Men: and the pleasure arising from good actions, and the shame and fear arising from bad, and the many present and future conveniences, or inconveniences attending the one, or the other, are properly the natural Sanctions of those Laws, as being rewards or punishments consequent in the nature of things upon our observance, or non-observance of them.
But because this Law of nature is a Light shining in a dark place, and thro' the corruption of our Understandings, and the perversness of our Wills, it is not sufficient to guide our feet into the ways of peace; it has pleas'd God to shew thee, O man, what is Good, and by express declarations of his Will, by the force of reveal'd Religion as well as Natural, by Moses and the Prophets, by Christ and his Apostles, to oblige thee to doe justly, to live mercy, and to walk humbly with they God.
These Laws therefore well deserve the character of Holy, Just, and Good; they are in their design, but as so [Rom.7.13.] many fences to our happiness, so many Guardian Angels, as it were, to keep the way of the Tree of Life; they are only ncessary checks upon the irregular appetites and passions of men, and checks upon them no farther than they are mischievous to themselves or others: so that in this sense we may clearly understand those words of the Apostle, the Law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless, and disobedient, for the ungodly, I Tim.1.9.] and for Sinners, for unholy and prophane, the Law being most properly said to be made for him, upon whom it is the greatest restraint, or who needs it most.
Forasmuch then as the Laws of God in their general aim intend only to curb the exorbitant thoughts, words and works of men, thoughts, words and works, that are prejudicial to the good of man, and the glory of God; and Sin, which is the transgression of the Law,"/i> is always attended with punishment, and natural is the genuine fruit of Moral Evil; insomuch that every one will find to be true what God by the Prophet threatned Israel, that his own Iniquity should correct him; correct [Jer.2.19.] him sometimes with shame and horror, sometimes with pains and aches of body, sometimes with wast of estate, loss of good name, and in the issue with a reprobate mind, nay sometimes with temporal Judgments, and without Repentance with eternal damnation: certainly that Law is Good, whose end is to guard us against these evils, and by the cords of a man, by love to our selves, to our own ease, peace, and safety, to draw us into the ways of Righteousness and Salvation.
By all which we may discern the necessity and usefulness of the Laws of God, and on these accounts we may pronounce of them, what God upon a review [Gen.1.31.] pronounc'd of all his works, Behold they are very Good.
But by what I have said concerning the Laws of God, and their directive and coercive power, it will perhaps be thought that there is no need of any other. I shall therefore proceed to consider