Human nature in its fourfold state ... In several practical discourses

Fifthly, Consider the necessity of human laws, fenced with terrors and severities; to which we may apply what the apostle says, 1 Tim. i. 9. That the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, &c. Man was made for society: and God himself said of the first man, when he had created him, that it was not meet that he should be alone: yet the case is such now, that, in society, he must be hedged in with thorns. And that from hence we may the better see the corruption of man's nature, consider, (1.) Every man naturally loves to be at full liberty himself; to have his own will for his law; and if he would follow his natural inclinations, would vote himself out of the reach of all laws, divine and human. And hence some (the power of whose hands has been answerable to their natural inclination) have indeed made themselves absolute, and above laws; agreeable to man's monstrous design at first, to be as gods, Gen. iii. 5. Yet, (2.) There is no man that would willingly adventure to live in a lawless society: and therefore, even pirates and robbers have laws among themselves, tho' the whole society cast off all respect to law and right. Thus men discover themselves to be conscious of the corruption of nature; not daring to trust one another, but upon security. (3.) How dangerous soever it is to break through' the hedge: yet the violence of lust makes many adventure daily to run the risk. They will not only sacrifice their credit and conscience, which last is highly esteemed in the world; but for the pleasure of a few moments, immediately succeeded with terror from within, they will lay themselves open to a violent death by the laws of the land wherein they live. (4.) The laws are often made to yield to men's lusts. Sometimes whole societies run into such extravagances, that like a company of prisoners, they break off their fetters, and put their guards to flight; and the voice of laws cannot be heard for the noise of arms. And seldom is there a time wherein ⟨p. 40⟩there are not some persons so great and daring, that the laws dare not look their impetuous lusts in the face; which made David say in the case of Joab, who had murdered Abner, Th•se men, the son• of Zeruiah, be too hard for me, 2 Sam iii. 39 Lusts sometimes grow too strong for laws, so that the law is slacked, as the pulse of a dying man,