An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding, Volume 1: MDCXC, Based on the 2nd Edition, Books 1 and 2Locke, John
Philosophy
An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding, Volume 1: MDCXC, Based on the 2nd Edition, Books 1 and 2
Locke, John
Knowledge, Theory of -- Early works to 1800
From what has been said, I think we may safely conclude that whatever
practical rule is in any place generally and with allowance broken,
cannot be supposed innate; it being impossible that men should, without
shame or fear, confidently and serenely, break a rule which they could
not but evidently know that God had set up, and would certainly punish
the breach of, (which they must, if it were innate,) to a degree to
make it a very ill bargain to the transgressor. Without such a
knowledge as this, a man can never be certain that anything is his
duty. Ignorance or doubt of the law, hopes to escape the knowledge or
power of the law-maker, or the like, may make men give way to a present
appetite; but let any one see the fault, and the rod by it, and with
the transgression, a fire ready to punish it; a pleasure tempting, and
the hand of the Almighty visibly held up and prepared to take
vengeance, (for this must be the case where any duty is imprinted on
the mind,) and then tell me whether it be possible for people with such
a prospect, such a certain knowledge as this, wantonly, and without
scruple, to offend against a law which they carry about them in
indelible characters, and that stares them in the face whilst they are
breaking it? Whether men, at the same time that they feel in themselves
the imprinted edicts of an Omnipotent Law-maker, can, with assurance
and gaiety, slight and trample underfoot his most sacred injunctions?
And lastly, whether it be possible that whilst a man thus openly bids
defiance to this innate law and supreme Lawgiver, all the bystanders,
yea, even the governors and rulers of the people, full of the same
sense both of the law and Law-maker, should silently connive, without
testifying their dislike or laying the least blame on it? Principles of
actions indeed there are lodged in men’s appetites; but these are so
far from being innate moral principles, that if they were left to their
full swing they would carry men to the overturning of all morality.
Moral laws are set as a curb and restraint to these exorbitant desires,
which they cannot be but by rewards and punishments that will
overbalance the satisfaction any one shall propose to himself in the
breach of the law. If, therefore, anything be imprinted on the minds of
all men as a law, all men must have a certain and unavoidable knowledge
that certain and unavoidable punishment will attend the breach of it.
For if men can be ignorant or doubtful of what is innate, innate
principles are insisted on, and urged to no purpose; truth and
certainty (the things pretended) are not at all secured by them; but
men are in the same uncertain floating estate with as without them. An
evident indubitable knowledge of unavoidable punishment, great enough
to make the transgression very uneligible, must accompany an innate
law; unless with an innate law they can suppose an innate Gospel too. I
would not here be mistaken, as if, because I deny an innate law I
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