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.
And because the best of men do frequently fall short of that obedience, which is due to the Laws of God; therefore in case of transgression, natural light doth direct men to repentance, which is an hearty sorrow for our neglects and violations of the Divine Law, accompanied with a firm and effectual purpose and resolution of amendment for the future. Which though it do suppose the Commandments of God not to have been duly observed, yet is it the only remedy left in such cases.
Some have questioned, whether there be any obligation upon us for this, by the light of nature; partly, because the Stoicks deny it; and partly, because reason will tell a man that it cannot afford any compensation to Divine justice. To which I should say, That the Stoicks indeed do deny this, because it implies passion, which their wise man must be without; yet they will admit a man to be displeased with himself for any error or mistake, which is much the same thing with sorrow, though under another name. And though this be not enough to satisfie infinite justice, yet it is that which reason doth oblige us to. We expect from those who offend us, that they should profess their sorrow and shame, beg pardon, and promise amendment. And the men of Nineveh did upon a Natural principle betake themselves to this remedy, and with good success, though they were doubtful of it, Who can tell if God (Ion. 3. 9) will turn and repent?
This conformity to the Law of God requires a twofold condition, Universality. Regularity.
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Universality; both as to the time, and the duties themselves; without any such picking and chusing amongst them, as may bend the Laws to make them suitable to our own interests and humours.
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Regularity; in the due proportioning of our love, and zeal, and observance, according to that difference which there is in the true nature and consequence of the things themselves; preferring mercy and obedience, before sacrifice; and the weighty matters of the Law, before tything of mint and cummin; righteousness and peace, before meat and drink. ‘Tis true, the least commandment is not to be neglected, as having stamped upon it the autority of the great God: But then we are to consider, that the same autority by which that is injoined, doth oblige us to prefer other things before it. So that a man doth disobey in doing a good thing, when upon that account he neglects what is far better. And the mistake of men about this, is the true cause of that which we call Superstition which is one of the opposites to Religion, and so destructive to the true nature of it. Men being apt to think themselves priviledged for their neglects and failings in some greater matters, by their zeal about lesser things.
Now nothing will contribute more to banish this Superstition out of the world, than a sober enquiry into the nature and causes of things, whereby we may be able to take a just estimate of their evidence and importance, and consequently to proportion our zeal about them.
I mention this the rather, because it hath been by some objected, that humane Learning and Philosophy doth much indispose men for this humble submission to Divine Laws, by framing their minds to other notions and inclinations than what are agreeable to Religion.
But that this is a false and groundless prejudice, may be made very evident; The true knowledg of the nature of things, being amongst natural helps, one of the most effectual to keep men off from those two extremes of Religion, Superstition and Prophaneness.
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For Superstition; this doth properly consist in a misapprehension of things, placing Religion in such things as they ought not for the matter, or in such a degree as they ought not for the measure; which proceeds from ignorance.
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For Prophaneness; this doth consist in a neglect or irreverence towards sacred things and duties, when such matters as ought to have our highest esteem, are rendered vile and common. And this likewise doth proceed from ignorance of the true nature of things. Now one of the best remedies against this, is the study of Philosophy, and a skill in nature, which will be apt to beget in men, a veneration for the God of nature. And therefore to those Nations who have been destitute of Revelation, the same persons have been both their Philosophers and their Priests; those who had most skill in one kind of knowledg, being thought most fit to instruct and direct men in the other. And if we consult the stories of other places and times, we shall constantly find those Nations most solemn and devout in their worship, who have been most civilized and most philosophical. And on the contrary, those other Nations in America and Africa, whom Navigators report to be most destitute of Religion, are withall most brutish and barbarous as to other Arts and knowledg.
It cannot be denyed indeed, but that a slight superficial knowledg of things, will render a man obnoxious either to Superstition, or to Atheistical thoughts; especially if joined with a proud mind and vicious inclinations. He that hath made some little progress in natural enquiries, and gotten some smattering in the phrases of any Theory, whereby (as he conceives) he can solve some of the common Phaenomena, may be apt to think, that all the rest will prove as easie as his first beginning seems to be; and that he shall be able to give an account of all things: But they that penetrate more deeply into the nature of things, and do not look upon second causes, as being single and scattered, but upon the whole chain of them as linked together, will in the plainest things, such as are counted most obvious, acknowledg their own ignorance, and a Divine power; and so become more modest and humblé in their thoughts and carriage. Such inquisitive persons will easily discern (as a noble Author hath well expressed it) that the highest link of Natures Chain is fastened to Jupiter’s Chair.
This (notwithstanding it be a digression) I thought fit to say, by way of vindication and answer to those prejudices, which some men have raised against humane Learning and the study of Philosophy, as if this were apt to dispose men unto Atheistical principles and practices. Whereas a sober enquiry into the nature of things, a diligent perusal of this volume of the world, doth of it self naturally tend to make men regular in their minds and conversations, and to keep them off from those two opposites of Religion, Superstition and Prophaneness.
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