Exercitations concerning the name, original, nature, use, and continuance of a day of sacred…

§. 12 First, The Law of Nature, is a constant and perfect Law. It must be so, because it is the Fountain and Rule of all other Laws whatever. For they are but Deductions from it, and Applications of it. Now unto a complete Law it is required, not only that it be instructive, but also that it have a binding force, or be coactive. That is, it ⟨p. 138⟩doth not only teach, guide, and direct what is to be done, persuading by the Reason of the things themselves which it requires; but also it must have Authority to exact Obedience; so far as that those who are under the power of it, can give themselves no Dispensation from its Observance. But thus it is not with these Dictates of Reason. They go no farther than Direction and Persuasion. And these always have, and always will have a respect unto Occasions, Emergencies, and Circumstances. When these fall under any Alterations, they will put Reason on New Considerations of what it ought to determine with respect unto them. And this the Nature of an Universal Law will not admit. Whatever then men determine by Reason, they may alter on new considerations, such as occasioned their Original Determination. I do not extend this unto all Instances of Natural Light, but to some only, which sufficeth to demonstrate, that the unalterable Law of Nature doth not consist in these Dictates of Reason only. Suppose men do coalesce into any Civil Society, on the mere Dictates of Reason, that it is meet and best for them so to do; If this be the Supreme Reason thereof, no obligation ariseth from thence to preserve the Society so entered into, but what is liable unto a Dissolution from contrary considerations. If it be said, that Reason dictates and commands in the Name of God, whence an indissoluble Obligation attends it; it will be answered, that this introduceth a new Respect, which is not formally included in the Nature of Reason it self. Let a man indeed use, and improve his own Reason without prejudice; let him collect what ⟨p. 139⟩Resolutions, Determinations, Instructions, Laws, have proceeded from the Reason of other men; it will both exceedingly advance his Understanding, and enable him to judge of many things that are congruous to the Light and Law of Nature. But to suppose the Law of Nature to consist in a System or Collection of such Instances and Observations, is altogether unwarrantable.

§. 12 First, The Law of Nature, is a constant and perfect Law. It must be so, because it is the Fountain and Rule of all other Laws whatever. For they are but Deductions from it, and Applications of it. Now unto a compleat Law it is required, not only that it be instructive, but also that it have a binding force, or be coactive. That is, it