27. Further to manifest this, we may inquire what is necessary unto any duty of obedience towards God, to evince it to be a re- quisite of the law of our creation. And here our diligence is re- quired; for it must be said again expressly, what was before inti- mated, that it isa childish mistake to imagine that whatever is required by the law of nature is easily discernible, and always known to all. Some of its directions it may be are so, especially such as are inculcated on the minds of men by their common inte- rest and advantage. Such are “neminem ledere,” and “jus suum cuique tribuere.” But it is far from being true that all the dictates of the law of nature and requisites of right reason are evident and incapable of controversy, as they would have been unto man had he continued in his integrity, Many things there are between men themselves, concerning which, after all helps and advantages, and a _ continued observation of the course of the world unto this day, it is still disputed what is the sense of the law of nature about them, and wherein or how far they belong unto it. The law of nations among themselves with respect unto one another, on which is founded the
352 OF THE CAUSES OF THE SABBATH. [ EXERC. III.
peace and order of mankind, is nothing but the law of nature, as it hath been expressed in instances, by the customs and usages of them who are supposed to have most diligently attended ‘unto its direc- tions. And how many differences, never to be determined by com- mon consent, there are in and about these things, is known; for there are degrees of evidence in the things that are of natural light. And many things that are so are yet in practice accompanied with the consideration of positive laws, as also of civil usages and customs amongst men. And it is not easy to distinguish in many obser- vances what is of the law of nature, and what of law positive, or of useful custom. But of these things we have discoursed before in general. We are now to inquire what is requisite to warrant the ascription of any thing unto this law.
28. And, (1.) It is required that it be congruous unto the law of nature, and all the other known principles of it. Unto us it may be enjoined by law positive, or be otherwise made necessary for us to observe; but it must in itself, or materially, hold a good corre- spondency with all the known instances of the law of our creation, and this manifested with satisfying evidence, before its assignation thereunto. It is of natural light that we should obey God in all his commands; but this doth not cause every command of God to be- long to the law of nature. It is, as was said, moreover required thereunto, that it be in itself, and the subject-matter of it, congruous unto the principles of that law, whereof there is nothing in things merely arbitrary and positive, setting aside that general notion that God is to be obeyed in all his laws, which belongs not to this ques- tion. Now, when this congruity unto the law of nature or right reason, in the matter of any law or command, is discovered and made evident, it will greatly direct the mind in its inquiry after its whole nature, and manifest what is superadded unto it by positive command. And this will not be denied unto the Sabbath, its com- mand and observation. Let the ends of it before laid down be con- sidered, and let them be compared with any other guidances or directions which we have by natural light concerning our living to God, and there will not only a harmony appear amongst them, but also that they contribute help and assistance to one another towards the same ultimate end.
29. (2.) It is required that it have a general principle in the light of nature and dictates of right reason, from whence it may be educed, or which it will necessarily follow upon, supposing that principle rightly and duly improved. It is not enough that it be at agreement, that it no way interfere with other principles; it must also have one of its own, from whence it doth naturally arise. So doth the second commandment of the decalogue belong to the law
ia
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of nature. Its principle lieth in that acknowledgment of the being of God which is required in the first; for therein is God manifested to be of that nature, to be such a being, that it is, and must be, an absurd, unreasonable, foolish, and impious thing in itself, implying a renunciation of the former acknowledgment, to make any images or limited representations of his being, or to adore him any way otherwise than himself hath declared. So is it here also. The separation of a stated time unto the solemn worship of God is so fixed on the mind of man, by its own inbred-light, as that it cannot be omitted without open sin against it in those who have not utterly sinned away all the efficacy of that light itself. However, that this is required of us by the law of our creation may be proved against all contradiction. Hence, whatever guiding, directing, determining, positive law may ensue or be superadded, about the limitation of this time so to be separated, it being only the application of this natural and moral principle, as to some circumstance of it, it hinders not but that the law itself concerning it is of the law of nature, and moral; for the original power unto obligation of such a superadded law lies in the natural principle before mentioned.