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# Title: An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding (shelfmarks Leibn. Marg. 38; ZEN Leibn. Marg. 38)
# Folio 158, page id 778263916:0174
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Moral Kelations.
o that Rule. It vould be in vain for one intelligene BeinE, 10 set a
Rule to the ACrions of anocher, it hehad ic noc in his Porver, to reward
and punistr the compliance with, or deriation trom his Rule, by
Lome Crood and Pvil, that is not the natural produet and conlequence
osthe Action ic selt. For that beins a natural Convenience, or TnConve
nience, ould operate oF it selFrichout a Lar. This, iF Imistatie nor, is
the true nature oF aII Law, properly (0 called.
5. 7. The Laus chat Men generally reser their Actions to, to judge ot
their Rectitude, or Obliquier, scem to me to bethese threc. 1. ThC
Divine LaW. 2. TheCivil LaW. 3. The philosophicat T. aWV, iF I may 50
CalIT. By the Relation they bear tothe tirA ot chele, we judse rrhecher
our Actions are Sins, or Duries; by the second, Whecher chey beCriminal,
or Innocene; and by the chird, Whecher ther by Virtues or Vices.
5. 8. First, Thac COD has sivena Lar to Mankind, P chint, there
is no body (o brutisti as to deny. He has a Ristt todo ic, ne are hus
Creatures: FIc has Croodnels and Wildom to direet our Actions to that
erhich is best: and he has Porver to entorce by Remard and Punistiments,
oF intinite eight and duration, in another Lile: tor no body can talceus
Out OF his hands. By comparino chemtothis LaW, ic is, that nien judoe
of the most considerable Moral 600d Or F vit oF their ActiOnS; that is.
Whetheras Duties, or Sins, ther are like to procure them happinels, ormi
sery, trom thehands ot the ALMIOHTY.
5. 9. TheCivil CaWr, the Rule set by the Commonwealel, to the ACti
ons olthose who velons toir, is another Rule, to which Men reter cheir
Actions, to judse whether thes De criminal, or no. This Law no body
overlools: the Revards and Puniiments chat entorce it, beins readu at
trand and suitable to ehe Porver that makres ic, wtrieh is the Force oF the
Commonmealch, which is ensagedro protect the Lires, Liberries, and
Poltersions, Otthose who live accordins to its LaWS, and haS pOreE 1O
calle aras Tite, Liberty, orCoods, trom lim who dilobers: Wrhich is che
punistment of Ofences committed against this LaW.
5. F0. Thirali, The chird, Which P CaII the philosophicat Lav, not becaule
Philosophers makre it, but because thes have most bulied chemlelres to en
quire alter it, and talk about it, is the L. aW oF Verrue, and Pice; Wrhick thougH
it be more talked ot, possibly, than cither of the ocher, yet hor it comes to
De ectablised with such Authorit as it has, to distinguittr and denominate
Fhe ACtions ofMen; and whatare the true measuresot it, perhaps, is ROc
(o generally takennotice ol. To comprehend chis ariote, re must consi-
der, that Menuniting into Politick Socieries, thoucli ther have resigned
ux torhe Publick che disposino of aII their torce; (0 that ther cannot em-
ploy it acainst any sello-Cicizen, any tarther than the LaW or their Coun.
ery directs: vet thes retain Cill the Porrer of Thinkins wellor ill; appro-
vins or disapprovins the Actions ofthole thes live amonolt, and converse
Wich. IFtheretore we examine it riphe, we Mall And, that the measure ot
evhiat is everywrhere called and elteemed Verrue and Vice, is this appro-
bation or distitre, praise or blame, wrtrich, by a secret and tacit Consent,
establisres it self in the severat Societies, Tribes, and Clubs ot Men in the
Worid: Wwherebr several Actions come to find Credit or Dilgrace a-
monsst them, accordins tothe sudement, Maxims, or Factions ot thac
PlacC.
D. TF. That this is the common measure o etne anaraC, WIII aPPLaL
to anr one, vho considers, that thovoh chat passes for Vice in one Coun.
ery, Wrhich is counted a Vertue in another, vet everr-Wrhere Vertue and
Praise, Vice and Blame, SO LOBCthe. Vertuie is erery. ihiere chat mhiet
BC