government, so that 'tis very suitable and connatural to it to be regulated by a law; to be guided and commanded by one that is infinitely more wise and intelligent than itself is. Insomuch that the most bright and eminent creatures, even angelical beings and glorified souls, are subject to a Law, though with such a happy privilege as that they cannot violate and transgress it; whereas the very dregs of entity, the most ignoble beings, are most incapable of a Law; for sensitive beings cannot reach or aspire to so great a perfection, as to be wrought upon in such an illuminative way as a Law is; they are not drawn with these cords of men, with these moral engagements.

There is some good so proportionable and nutrimental to the being of man, and some evil so venomous and destructive to his nature, that the God of Nature does sufficiently antidote and fortify him against the one, and does maintain and sweeten his essence with the other. The law of nature is a streaming out of light from the Candle of the Lord, powerfully discovering such a deformity in some evil, as that an intellectual eye must needs abhor it; and such a commanding beauty in some good, as that a rational being must needs be enamored with it; and so plainly showing that God stampt and sealed the one with his command, and branded the other with his disliking. Chrysostom calls it a radical and fundamental knowledge, planted in the being of man, budding and blossoming in first principles, flourishing and bringing forth fruit, spreading itself into the fair and goodly branches of Morality,

under the shadow of which the soul may sit with much complacency and delight. There's no need of Oratory to allure men to it; you need not heap up arguments to convince them of it; no need of an Interpreter to acquaint them with it; no need of the mind's spinning, or toiling, or sweating, for the attaining of it; it grows spontaneously, it bubbles up freely, it shines out cheerfully and pleasantly; it was so visible that the most infant age of the world could spell it out, and read it without a Teacher. 'Twas long extant before Moses was born, before Aaron rung his golden bells, before there was Prophet or Judge in Israel. Men had a Bible of God's own printing, they had this Scripture of God within them. By this Adam and Eve discovered their own folly and nakedness; this Candle flamed in Cain's conscience, and this law was proclaimed in his heart with as much terror as 'twas published from Mount Sinai.

This Royal Law of Nature was never shut up in a paper-prison, was never confined or limited to any outward surface; but it was bravely situated in the Centre of a Rational Being, always keeping the Soul company, guarding it, and guiding it; ruling all its Subjects, (every obedient Action,) with a Sceptre of Gold, and crushing in pieces all its enemies, (breaking every rebellious Action,) with a rod of iron. This Law, which is the Queen of Angelical and human Beings, does so rule and dispose of them, as to bring about Justice, with a most high and powerful, and yet with a most soft and delicate hand.

Reason, as 'tis now, does not bind in its own name, but

in the name of its Supreme Lord and Sovereign, by whom Reason lives, and moves, and has its being.

For if only a creature should bind itself to the observation of this law, it must also inflict upon itself such a punishment as is answerable to the violation of it; but no such being would be willing or able to punish itself in so high a measure as such a transgression would meritoriously require; so that it must be accountable to some other legislative power, which will vindicate its own commands, and will by this means engage a Creature to be more mindful of its own happiness than otherwise it would be.

For though some of the gallanter Heathen can brave out sometimes, that the very turpitude of such an action is punishment enough, and the very beauty of goodness an abundant reward and compensation, yet all this, and more than this, did not efficaciously prevail with them for their due conformity and full obedience to Nature's Law; such a single cord as this will be easily broken.

But before these natural Analogies and Antipathies can rise up to the height and perfection of a Law, there must come a command from some Superior Powers, from whence will spring a moral obligation also. Therefore God himself has published this his Royal command, and proclaimed it by that principle of Reason which he has planted in the being of Man; which does fully convince him of the righteousness and goodness and necessity of this law, and of the validity and authority of this law, as it comes from the mind of the Creator. ib.

The Extent of the Law of Nature.· All the fresh springs of Common and Fountain Notions are in the Soul of Man for the watering of his Essence, for the refreshing of this heavenly Plant, this inclosed being, this garden of God. And though the wickednesses of man may stop the pleasant Motion, the clear and Crystalline progress of the Fountain, they cannot hinder the first risings, the bubbling endeavors of it. They may pull off Nature's leaves, and pluck off her fruit, and chop off her branches, but yet the root of it is eternal, the foundation of it is inviolable.

And you must not, nor cannot, think that Nature's Law is confined and contracted within the compass of two or three common Notions; but Reason, as with one foot it fixes a Centre, so with the other it measures and spreads out a circumference; it draws several conclusions, which do all meet and crowd into these first and Central Principles. As in those Noble Mathematical Sciences there are, not only some Axiomata, which are granted as soon as they are asked, if not before; but there are also whole heaps of firm and immovable Demonstrations that are built upon them; so Nature has some postulata which Seneca calls præsumptiones, others anticipationes Animi, which she knows a Rational being will presently and willingly yield unto; and by virtue of these it does engage and oblige it to all such commands as shall by just result, by genuine production, by kindly and evident derivation, flow from these. For men must not only look upon the capital letters of this written Law, but they must read

the whole context and coherence of it; they must look to every jot and apex of it, for heaven and earth shall sooner pass away, than one jot or tittle of this Law shall vanish.

They must not only 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 only skim off the Cream of first Principles, but whatsoever sweetness comes streaming from the breast of Nature, they must feed upon it, they may be nourished with it.

Reason does not only crop off 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 posy, for the refreshment of itself and others.

Thus all Morality has been called nothing but a collection and bundling up of natural Precepts. The Moralists did but enlarge the fringes of Nature's garment; they are so many Commentators and Expositors upon Nature's Law. Thus Nature's Law is frequently called the Moral Law.

And first Notions would be most barren inefficacious speculations, unless they did thus increase and multiply, and bring forth fruit with the blessing of heaven upon them. So that there is a necessary connection between first principles and just conclusions. He that questions the Conclusion, must needs also strike at the Principle. Nay, if we look to the Notion of a Law, there is more of that to be seen in these more particular determinations,