An Elegant and Learned Discourse of the Light of Nature. Nathaniel Culverwell

goodness and perfection being so intrinsecal and essential to it: but it was a binding determination in reference to the creature, which yet in respect of all irrational beings, did only fortiter inclinare [strongly incline], but in respect of Rationals, it does formaliter obligare¹⁸ [formally bind].

      By this great and glorious Law every good action was commanded, and all evill was discountenanc’d, and forbidden from everlasting. According to this righteous Law all rewards and punishments were distributed in the eternal thoughts of God. At the command of this Law all created beings took their several ranks and stations, and put themselves in such operations as were best agreeable and conformable to their beings. By this Law all essences were ordained to their ends by most happy and convenient means. The life and vigour of this Law sprang from the will of God himself; from the voluntary decree of that eternal Law-giver, minding the publike welfare of being; who when there were heaps of varieties and possibilities in his own most glorious thoughts, when he could have made such or such worlds in this or that manner, in this or that time, with such & such species, that should have had more or fewer individuals, as he pleased, with such operations as he would allow unto them; he did then select and pitch upon this way and method in which we see things now constituted; and did binde all things according to their several capacities to an exact and accurate observation of it.

      So that by this you see how those eternal ideas in the minde of God, and this [37] eternal Law do differ. I speak now of Ideas not in a Platonical sence, but in a Scholastical, (unlesse they both agree, as some would have them.) For Idea est possibilium, Lex tantum futurorum [an idea relates to the possible, a law only to the future], God had before him the picture of every possibility, yet he did not intend to binde a possibility, but only a futurity. Besides, Ideas they were situated only in the understanding of God; whereas a Law has force and efficacy from his will; according to that much commended saying, In Coelesti & Angelica curia voluntas Dei Lex est¹⁹ [in the heavenly and angelic court the will of God is law]. And then an Idea does magis respicere artificem [relate more to the author], it stayes there where first it was; but a Law does potius respicere subditum [relate more to an inferior], it calls for the obedience of another, as Suarez does very well difference them.²⁰

      Neither yet is this eternal Law the same with the providence of God, though that be eternal also. But as Aquinas speaks, Lex se habet ad providentiam, sicut principium generale ad particulares conclusiones [the law has the same relation to providence, as a general principle to particular conclusions]; or, if you will, Sicut principia prima practica ad prudentiam²¹ [as practical first principles to prudence]; his meaning is this, that Providence is a more punctual and particular application of this binding rule, and is not the Law it self but the superintending power, which looks to the execution and accomplishment of it; or as the most acute Suarez has it, Lex dicit jus in communi constitutum, providentia dicit curam quae de singulis actibus haberi debet²² [law refers to a rule of right established in common, providence to the care which should be exercised about individual acts].

      Besides, a Law in its strict and peculiar notion, does only reach to rational beings; whereas Providence does extend and spread it self over all. But that which vexes the Schoolmen most, is this, that they having required promulgation as a necessary condition to the existence of a Law, yet they cannot very easily shew how this eternal Law, should be publisht from everlasting.²³ But the most satisfactory account that can be given to that, is this, that other Law-givers being very voluble and mutable before their minde and will be fully and openly declared, they may have a purpose indeed, but it cannot be esteem’d a Law. But in God there being no variablenes nor shadow of turning,²⁴ this his Law has a binding vertue as soon as it has a being, yet so as that it does not actually and formally oblige a creature till it be made known unto it: either by some revelation from God himself which is possible only, and extraordinary; or else by the mediation of some other Law, of the Law of Nature, which is the usual and constant way that God takes for the promulgation of this his eternal Law. For that νόμος γραπτὸς,²⁵ that sacred Manuscript, which is writ by the finger of God himself in the heart of man, is a plain transcript of this original Law, so far [38] as it concerns mans welfare. And this you see does most directly bring me to search out the Law of Nature.