any courses of useful action. Society, in a word, would perish; mankind would perish; and the world would become at length a desert.
Beflecting on these things, it may be clearly seen, that, truly, as the poet affirms,
"Order is Heaven's first law;"
order is the first necessity of human existence, at least of men's existence in society: and without society there could be no proper human happiness, for man is essentially a social being, because he is formed to love and be loved: and he is so formed, because God is Love, and man was made in His likeness. Viewing the subject in this light, it will be seen that a primary end which the Divine Providence must have in relation human society, is to secure order. For attaining this end, there are more and there are leas desirable means: but when the better cannot be employed, the worse must be. It were by far the best means, that each individual should govern himself, keeping his own actions in good order, observing ever a due regard to the rights and the happiness of others. This is the most perfect order: this is the order of heaven; and was intended to be that of earth also, and would be, were men in a regenerate state: and such we may hope it will yet be, in a coming day. But where this cannot be attained,—where internal and self-restraints are wanting,—there must be outward restraints, and subjection to the law of force. Now this, unfortunately, is the state of all mankind, in a greater or less degree, at the present day: all men, in their present fallen condition, need some outward restraints. Hence the necessity for governments; men need to be ruled by laws of compulsory obligation.
