More proofs of infants church-membership and consequently their right to baptism, or, A second…

And these do not properly constitute duty, because it was constituted before; but the nature and power of the act ⟨p. 48⟩is the same with that which doth constitute it, and therefore doth confirm the constitution, and again oblige us to what we were obliged to before. For obligations to one and the same duty may be multiplied. 3. Some take the word [law] in so restrained a sense as to exclude verbal or particular precepts, especially directed but to one; or a few men; and will only call that a law which is written, or at least a well known custom obliging a whole society in a stated way. These be the most eminent sort of laws: but to say that the rest are no laws, is vain and groundless, against the true general definition of a Law, and justly rejected by the wisest Politicians. That which we are now to enquire after, is a precept, or the commanding part of a law, which is [a sign of Gods will obliging us to duty,] of which signs there are materially several sorts, as 1. by a voice, that's evidently of God: 2. by writing: 3. by visible works or effects: 4. by secret impresses, as by inspiration, which is a law only to him that hath them.

And these do not properly constitute duty, because it was constituted before; but the nature and power of the act ⟨p. 48⟩is the same with that which doth constitute it, and therefore doth confirm the constitution, and again oblige us to what we were obliged to before. For obligations to one and the same duty may be multiplied. 3. Some take the word [law] in so restrained a sence as to exclude verbal or particular precepts, especially directed but to one; or a few men; and will only call that a law which is written, or at least a well known custom obliging a whole society in a stated way. These be the most eminent sort of laws: but to say that the rest are no laws, is vain and groundless, against the true general definition of a Law, and justly rejected by the wisest Politicians. That which we are now to enquire after, is a precept, or the commanding part of a law, which is [a sign of Gods will obliging us to duty,] of which signs there are materially several sorts, as 1. by a voice, that's evidently of God: 2. by writing: 3. by visible works or effects: 4. by secret impresses, as by inspiration, which is a law only to him that hath them.