The reasons of the Christian religion the first part, of godliness, proving by natural…

The Eternal Wisdom and Goodness of God (that is, the Perfection of his Nature and Will) as related to a Possible, or future Kingdom, is denominated Justice: And this Justice some call the Eternal Law: But it is truly no Law, because it is the will of God in himself, and not as Rector; nor is it any signification of that Will, nor doth it suppose any governed subjects in being from Eternity; nor doth it make any duty to any from Eternity: But all the Laws which God maketh in time, (and consequently which men make, which are just and good) are but the Products of this Eternal Will and Justice.

And whereas some say, that there is an eternal truth in such Axioms as these [Thou shalt love God above all, and ⟨p. 70⟩do as thou wouldst be done by, and the good should be encouraged, and the bad punished, &c.] I answer, God formeth not Propositions; And therefore there were no such Propositions from Eternity: Nor was there any Creature to love God,¹ or to do Good or Evil, and be the subject of such Propositions: That Proposition therefore which was not from Eternity, was neither true nor false from Eternity; for non entis non sunt accidentia vel modi. But this is true, that from Eternity there were the grounds of the verity of such Propositions when they should after be: And that if there had been subjects from Eternity for such Propositions, and Intellects to frame them, they would have been of Eternal truth.

And whereas some say, that there is an eternall truth in such Axiomes as these [Thou shalt love God above all, and ⟨p. 70⟩do as thou would'st be done by, and the good should be incouraged, and the bad punished, &c.] I answer, God formeth not Propositions; And therefore there were no such Propositions from Eternity: Nor was there any Creature to love God,¹