Having dispatched the duties we are more especially obliged to, with regard to Gods wisdom, goodness, power; I shall now treat concerning such other duties, as refer more particularly to his Dominion and superiority over us, his right to command and govern us, which are comprehended under the general name of Obedience.
The Habit of which may be described to consist, in such a submissive frame of spirit, whereby a man doth always devote and resign up himself unto the disposal of his maker, being ready in every condition, to do or suffer that which he apprehends to be most reasonable and acceptable, and whereby he may best express his love and subjection.
By which description it may appear, that this Obedience is of two kinds Active. Passive.
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Active. Which consists in a readiness of mind to do what God shall injoin.
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Passive. In an acquiescence of mind under what he shall inflict. Both which do necessarily flow from the apprehension of Gods dominion over us, his right to govern and dispose of us as he pleaseth. Obedience, in the true notion of it, being nothing else but that homage which we owe to such as are in a superior relation, who have a right to command us. Every relation of superiority and dominion being a distinct engagement to subjection; whether Oeconomical, as that betwixt Parent and Child; Political, as betwixt Magistrate and Subject; Moral, as betwixt Benefactor and Beneficiary; or lastly, that which is Natural, which above all other things gives the highest title to dominion, as that betwixt the Maker and his Work, the first Cause and that which he bestows being upon. And God by all these Titles, and many more, may justly challenge dominion over us.
Under this first kind of Obedience, styled Active, are comprehended these three particulars: 1. A knowledg of, and an acquaintance with those Laws which we are to observe. 2. A consent to them, or an approbation of them. 3. A conformity to them.
- An acquaintance with the Laws of God; whether discovered to us by Revelation (the principles of nature obliging us, to observe and submit to all things which we have reason to believe do proceed from God); or by natural light, abstracting from Scripture and revelation, as the substance of that which we call the Moral law is. Now though such persons only, are under the obligation of those Laws which depend upon revelation, to whom a revelation is made and sufficiently proposed; because Promulgation is essential to a Law: Yet the Moral Law being discoverable by natural light, to every man, who will but excite the principles of his own reason, and apply them to their due consequences; therefore there must be an obligation upon all men, who have but the use of their reason, to know these Moral Laws; and the ignorance of them must be an inexcusable sin. Ignorantia juris can be no plea in this case, because the Law is written in every mans heart by nature, and the ignorance of mankind, as to any part of it, hath been wilfully contracted.
The duties concerning natural worship, our adoration of the Deity by affiance, love, reverence, praying to him, expecting mercies from him, returning to him our thanks and acknowledgments, being reverent and solemn in all our addresses towards him, our thoughts and speeches of him, and of the things that refer to his service, may be evidently inferred from those natural notions, which we have concerning the excellencies of his Nature, and our own dependance upon him.
The duties which concern the promoting of our own and our neighbours wellfare, that mutual justice, charity, helpfulness, which we are to exercise towards one another; these may each of them be deduced from that common principle of self-love, whereby every one doth naturally seek his own well-fare and preservation. We are all of us desirous that others should be just to us, ready to help us, and do good to us; and because ‘tis a principle of the highest equity and reason, that we should be willing to do to others, as we desire and think them obliged to deal with us, this must therefore oblige us to the same acts of charity and helpfulness towards them. Now the drawing out of these general rules, and fitting them to particular cases; a studious and inquisitive endeavour, to find out what our Masters will is, in several relations and circumstances, this I call the duty of knowing the Commandments. And ‘tis necessary, that they should be thus distinctly known, before a man can keep them.
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A consent to them, or approbation of them, as being haly, just, and good. (Rom. 7. 12) Which will necessarily follow from a true notion of the ground and reason of them, and must necessarily precede a genuine obedience and conformity to them. He that looks upon them as fetters and bonds, doth rather indure them out of necessity, than obey them out of choice and love. I consent to the Law, that it is good, saith (Rom. 7. 16) the Apostle, that is, I do in my judgment own the fitness and reasonableness of the things therein injoined, as being the most proper means to advance the perfection of our natures. The law of the Lord is (Psal. 19. 7) perfect (saith the Psalmist); not only formaliter, in it self, but also effectivè as to us, it makes us to be so. And in another place, Thy law is the truth, namely, such as it ought to be. There is a congruity1 betwixt our well-beings, and the nature of the things enjoined. And it is this conviction alone, that must beget in us, a love of it, and a delight to practise it. He that harbours any prejudice in his mind against the ways of God, as if they were unprofitable, or unequal, can never submit to them willingly, but out of a constraint; he may look upon them as his task and burden, but not as his joy and delight. Our external submission to the Law, can never be kindly and regular· till our minds be cast into the same mould with it, and framed unto a suitableness and conformity to it. And such a temper doth, in the judgment of Seneca, render the mind truly great and noble, Hic est magnus animus qui se Deo tradidit.2 And in another place, In regno nati sumus, Deo parere libertas est. Such a man hath a truly great and generous mind, who can resign up himself to Gods disposal. The greatest liberty is to submit to the Laws of our Soveraign. His service is perfect freedom.
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An observance of them, and conformity to them in our lives. This is the end both of the Commandments themselves, and likewise of our knowleldg and approbation of them, namely, the practice of holiness and virtue in the conduct of our lives; whereby we are to be advanced unto that state of happiness, wherein the perfection of our natures, and our resemblance of the Deity doth consist.