fulness to his Will in all things, which whofoever doth, cannot fail of being at length eternally happy, because the most of his Precepts at least (as in Sect. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20. will be feen) are proper means in themfelves for procuring mans Felicity; which the performing of things wholly indifferent in their Nature, when enjoyned by God, (if any fuch there be) by facilitating of Obedience will be apt to further, in that a pliableness to obferve Commands in things neceffary will be promoted thereby. But if it were fo that Obedience were good for the meer Commands fake, without refpect had to the benefit intended to accrue to the fincere Obfervers of it, Difobedience would be equally finful in every finful Act whatfoever; whence a small stroke given in wrath would be as great a Crime as Parricide or Treafon; to rob a poor Man of all he has, would be a Fault as fmall, as to fteal a Penny from the richest Perfon; and to commit Adultery or Inceft would be no greater a fin, than a lafcivious Thought or Word, fince all fin without exception is abfolutely forbidden by God, and not one fingle Crime whatsoeever allowed to be committed. But if Difobedience to Gods Commands be therefore finful, finful, in that it causes a Want or Privation of fome good, or degree thereof, which is a Means conducible to Felicity, then is every fin greater or less than other, by how much the good whereof it deprives theSoul,is more or lefs available then other for bringing it to Blifs. And therefore although every Sin be a Tranfgreffion of the Law, yet inaf much as every Branch and Title of the Law is not of equal Virtue to further Mans Fe licity, 'tis clear that all Acts whereby the Law is tranfgreffed are not equally bad or finful. Object. 3. God by the fole Act of Creation, or making Man out of nothing to have an Existence or Being, obtained a So vereignty over him, by virtue of which he has a Right of Dominion, or a juft Power to lay what Commands he pleafes upon him. Whence it muft needs be that every Act of Difobedience to Gods Commands is a Wrong and Injury done unto him, although. the Performance of the Command would neither do him good, nor the omitting to do it procure him any harm. Solut. That God has a Right of Dominion over Man, or a juft Power to command him whatever he pleafes, is an undeniable Truth but the Ground thereof is not fole ly ly (as the Objection would make it) becaufe Man was created by God, and received his Being from him; but by reafon alfo that fuch is the unerrable Rectitude of his Understanding, and the abfolute Goodness of his Will that he cannot poffibly command him any thing, but what, if duly obferved, will infallibly procure his Good. For if God by the fole Act of Creation (abftracting from this, that he created Man from an end agreeable to his Nature, cèrtainly to be obtain'd, if he obeyed the Law of his Maker) had a Right to dispose of him after any manner whatsoever, without regard had to his Wifdom and Goodness, (which always determine his Will to.command that which is good for the Creature, feeing nothing can be fo, extrase, to himfelf) the Almighty would have been as Benign and merciful (being ever of neceffity the fame, Sect.1. Par.8.) as he now is, if fo be he had inflicted on all Mankind without any Demerit of theirs the most exquifite and endless Torments; because he would have been no lefs their Creator by doing that, then in fhewing the greatest Kindness imaginable. The truth of this Affertion, that God obtain'd not a Sovereignty over Man to command him any thing, whatfoe ver pleaseth him, upon the bare account of the Creation, may be fomewhat illuftrated, if we take into confideration the Right which Parents have to command their Chilt dren, who doubtlefs are not obliged to O, bedience upon this fole account, that they were begotten by them; for otherwife O bedience from Children to Parents would be due to be performed to them, however qualified, infomuch that neither extream Folly, nor raging Madness, nor any other thing whatfoever could incapacitate them juftly to exact at all times, and in all things, an entire Obfervance of all their Commands whatever they should be, because their Parental Right of Dominion and Authority over them would be in all Conditions the fame, if it only arofe and grew from this, that they were the Iffue of their Bodies but who ever was known to affert the Duty of fuch Obedience? The truth is, in whomfoever a Regular Power of commanding or giving Precepts to others according to the Principles and Dictates of Reafon justly refides, there are thofe three things previonfly required and prefumed to be in him. Firft, A Will and Defire to do them good. Secondly, An Understanding fufficient to judge what will (at leaft in probability) procure procure their good. Thirdly, A Power enabling him to encourage them to Obedi ence, by propofing a Benefit to be rationally expected by their obfervance of what he commands, and on the contrary to deter them from Difobedience by threatning Harm to befal them, if they refufe or negJect to do what is enjoyned. Whence appears a manifest Reason why God is always actively to be obeyed, but Human Powers are not fo. For God through the abfolute Purity of his Nature, has a ftedfaft unchangeable Mind and Will to do good 5 and by reafon of his infallible Wisdom, a constant Ability to know what is good; and in virtue of his Omnipotency, a lafting indeficient Power to benefit the due Obfer vers of his Commands, and to denuntiate Evil which will infallibly befall the Viola ters of them; whereas all Human Power's are at one time or other (or at least may be deftitute of fome one or more of the mentioned Qualifications, and thereupon may command what is repugnant to fome Moral Precept, and fo are not neceffarily to be actively complied with in every thing they give in Command; to fome Moral Precept, I fay, because though all Positive Divine Precepts, as well as Moral, are to be active ly |
