Discourses upon the Existence and Attributes of God

1. This Goodness appears, in prescribing Rules for it. The Moral Law consists but of Ten Precepts, and there are more of them ordered for the support of Humane Society, than for the adoration and honour of himself;^* Four for the Rights of God, and Six for the Rights of Man, and his security in his Authority, Relations, Life, Goods, and Reputation; Superiors not to be dishonoured, Life not to be invaded, Chastity not to be stained, Goods not to be filched, Good Name not to be cracked by False-witness, nor any thing belonging to our Neighbour to be coveted: And in the whole Scripture, not only that which was Calculated for the Jews, but compiled for the whole World, he hath sixth Rules for the ordering all Relations; Magistrates, and Subjects, ⟨p. 650⟩Parents and Children, Husbands and Wives, Masters and Servants, Rich and Poor find their distinct Qualifications and Duties. There would be a Paradisical State, if Men had a goodness to observe, what God hath had a goodness to order, for the strengthening the Sinews of Humane Society: The World would not groan under oppressing Tyrants, nor Princes tremble under discontented Subjects, or mighty Rebels: Children would not be provoked to anger by the unreasonableness of their Parents, nor Parents sink under grief by the Rebellion of their Children: Masters would not tyrannize over the meanest of their Servants, nor Servants invade the authority of their Masters.

1. This Goodness appears, in prescribing Rules for it. The Moral Law consists but of Ten Precepts, and there are more of them order'd for the support of Humane Society, than for the adoration and honour of himself;^* Four for the Rights of God, and Six for the Rights of Man, and his security in his Authority, Relations, Life, Goods, and Reputation; Superiours not to be dishonoured, Life not to be invaded, Chastity not to be stain'd, Goods not to be filcht, Good Name not to be crackt by False-witness, nor any thing belonging to our Neighbour to be coveted: And in the whole Scripture, not only that which was Calculated for the Jews, but compil'd for the whole World, he hath fixt Rules for the ordering all Relations; Magistrates, and Subjects, ⟨p. 650⟩