which Men do not naturally enjoy, and from Advantages they can have no Notion of, as long as they remain in a State of Nature. The Writers of theſe Books ſet out by examining, what Rules it would be proper, for their common Intereſt, Men ſhould agree to among themſelves; and then, without further Ceremony, they proceed to give the Name of natural Law to a Collection of theſe Rules, without any other Proof of ſuch a Collection's deſerving that Name, than the Advantage they find would reſult from an univerſal Compliance with it. This is, no doubt, a very eaſy Method of ſtriking out Definitions, and of explaining the Nature of Things by an almoſt arbitrary Fitneſs.
But as long as we remain unacquainted with the Conſtitution of Man, conſidered as juſt iſſuing from the Hands of Nature, it will be in vain for us to attempt to de-
