1. It appears in the violence it offers to the nature of man, compelling them unto sins, fully contrary to all the principles of the reasonable nature wherewith they are endued from God. Every creature of God hath in its
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creation, a law of operation implanted in it, which is the rule of all that proceedeth from it, of all that it doth of its own accord. So the fire ascends upwards, bodies that are weighty and heavy descend ; the water flows, each accord- ing to the principles of their nature, which give them the law of their operation. That which hinders them in their operation is force and violence, as that which hinders a stone from descending, or the fire from going upwards. That which forceth them to move contrary to the law of their nature, as a stone to go upwards, or the fire to de- scend, is in its kind the greatest violence, of which the degrees are endless. Now that which should take a great millstone, and fling it upwards into the air, all would acknowledge to be a matter of wonderful force, power, and efficacy.
Man also hath his law of operation and working con- created with him. And this may be considered two ways ; either, first, as it is "common to him with other creatures; or as peculiar, with reference unto that special end for which he was made. Some things are, I say, in this law of nature common to man with other creatures ; as to nourish their young, to live quietly with them of the same kind and race with them ; to seek and follow after that which is good for them in that state and condition wherein they are created. These are things which all brute living creatures have in the law of their nature, as man also hath.
But now besides these things, man being created in an especial manner to give glory to God by rational and moral obedience, and so to obtain a reward in the enjoyment of him; there are many things in the law of his creation, that are peculiar to him ; as to love God above all, to seek the enjoyment of him as his chiefest good and last end, to inquire after his mind and will, and to yield obe- dience, and the like. All which are part of the law of his nature.
Now these things are not distinguished so, as though a man might perform the actions of the law of his nature which are common to him with other creatures, merely from the prin- ciples of his nature, as they do ; but the law of his depend- ance upon God, and doing all things in obedience unto him, passeth on them all also. He can never be considered as a
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mere creature, but as a creature made for the glory of God by rational moral obedience ; rational, because by him chosen, and performed with reason ; and moral, because regulated by a law whereunto reason doth attend.
For instance ; it is common to man with other creatures, to take care for the nourishing of his children, of the young helpless ones that receive their being by him. There is im- planted in him, in the principles of his nature, concreated with them, a love and care for them ; so is it with other living creatures. Now let other creatures answer this instinct and inclination, and be not hardened against them like the foolish ostrich, unto whom God hath not implanted this natural wisdom. Job xxxix. 16, 17. they fully answer the law of their creation. With man it is not so ; it is not enough for him to answer the instinct and secret impulse and inclination of his nature and kind, as in the nourishing of his children ; but he must do it also in subjection to God, and obey him therein, and doing it unto his glory ; the law of moral obedience passing over all his whole being, and all his operations; but in these things lie, as it were, the whole of a man, namely, in the things which are implanted in his nature as a creature, common to him with all other living creatures, seconded by the command or will of God, as he is a creature capable of yielding moral obedience, and doing all things for his glory.
That then which shall drive and compel a man to trans- gress this law of his nature, which is not only as to throw millstones upward, to drive beasts from taking care of their young, to take from cattle of the same kind the herding of themselves in quietness, but, moreover, to cast off what lies in him, his fundamental dependance on God, as a creature made to yield him obedience, must needs be esteemed of great force and efficacy.
Now this is frequently done by indwelling sin in persons unregenerate. Let us take some few instances.
(1.) There is nothing that is more deeply inlaid in the principles of the natures of all living creatures, and so of man himself, than a love unto, and a care for, the preservation and nourishing of their young; many brute creatures will die for them; some feed them with their own flesh and blood ; all deprive themselves of that food which nature directs Ihem