Discourses upon the Existence and Attributes of God

1. There is a Law in the minds of men, which is a rule of good and evil. There is a Notion of Good and Evil in the Consciences of men, which is evident by those Laws which are common in all Countries, for the preserving human societies, the encouragement of Virtue, and discouragement of Vice; What Standard should they have for those Laws, but a common reason? The design of those Laws was to keep men within the bounds of Goodness, for mutual commerce, whence the Apostle calls the Heathen Magistrate a Minister of God for Good. Rom. 13.4. and the Gentiles do by nature the things contained in the Law, Rom. 2.14.

1. There is a Law in the minds of men, which is a rule of good and evil. There is a Notion of Good and Evil in the Consciences of men, which is evident by those Laws which are common in all Countries, for the preserving human societies, the encouragment of Vertue, and discouragement of Vice; What Standard should they have for those Laws, but a common reason? The designe of those Laws was to keep men within the bounds of Goodness, for mutual commerce, whence the Apostle calls the Heathen Magistrate a Minister of God for Good. Rom. 13.4. and the Gentiles do by nature the things contained in the Law, Rom. 2.14.

Man in the first instant of the use of reason, finds natural principles within himself, directing and choosing them; he finds a distinction between good and evil; how could this be if there were not some rule in him to try and distinguish good and evil? If there were not such a law and rule in man, he could not sin; for where there is no Law there is no transgression. If man were a Law to himself and his own will his Law, there could be no such thing as evil; whatsoever he willed would be good and agreeable to the Law; and no action could be accounted sinful: The worst act would be as commendable as the best. Every thing at mans appointment would be good or evil. If there were no such Law, how should men that are naturally inclined to evil disapprove of that which is unlovely, and approve of that good which