James Otis: LEADER OF THE SONS OF LIBERTY; ATTORNEY & JURIST; MENTOR OF JOHN HANCOCK AND SAMUEL ADAMS.
"There can be no prescriptions old enough to supersede the law of nature, and the grant of Almighty God, who had given all men a right to be free. Government springs from the necessities of our nature, and has an everlasting foundation in the unchangeable will of God. The first principle and great end of government being to provide for the best good of all the people, this can be done only by a supreme legislature and executive, ultimately in the people, or the whole community, where God has placed it." - James Otis. "The Rights of British Colonies” (1764).
James Otis in writing these words was expecting his readers to understand good government could only be achieved through the revealed will of God, both natural and written. What is revealed in his statements is a profound theological understanding of the Christian faith and its necessity for good government aimed toward freedom. The phrase he used "the law of nature" was not an obscure understanding during his time. For us to understand his intended communication, we must understand it from his own time and from the context of how his hearers would have heard it. We find the concept embodied in the Declaration of Independence, "WHEN in the Course of human Events, it becomes necessary for one People to dissolve the Political Bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the Powers of the Earth, the separate and equal Station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent Respect to the Opinions of Mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the Separation."
One aspect of this law of nature is that it was understood by early Americans to be revealed by God in two ways in nature and in the Bible. It was understood that the very nature of man's conscience reached for this law, however, because that nature was now fallen, it was necessary for God's written law to be revealed. The Law of nature as defined by one law dictionary states: "The law of nature is that which God, the sovereign of the universe, has prescribed to all men, not by any formal promulgation, but by the internal dictate of reason alone. It is discovered by a just consideration of the agreeableness or disagreeableness of human actions to the nature of man; and it comprehends all the duties which we owe either to the Supreme Being, to ourselves, or to our neighbors; as reverence to God, self-defense, temperance, honor to our parents, benevolence to all, a strict adherence to our engagements, gratitude, and the like." Because this natural reason possessed by man was corrupted and no longer trustworthy, it was necessary to rely on God's revealed Word for guidance and assurance. The Law of Nature as written in the Bible and spoken by Christ consists of two great commandments—to love God and love one's neighbor. This is the foundation of all good Government. You see Otis reference both in his statement above, "Government springs from the necessities of our nature, and has an everlasting foundation in the unchangeable will of God." It is in the nature of man to desire these things [Romans 2:14 ERV(14) Those who are not Jews don't have the law. But when they naturally do what the law commands without even knowing the law, then they are their own law. This is true even though they don't have the written law.] and he depends upon the unchangeable will of God or the revealed Word of God for his direction and guidance to it.
This understanding was articulated with great clarity by John Adams when stating: "All men are equally bound by the laws of nature, or to speak more properly, the laws of the Creator. They are imprinted by the finger of God on the heart of man. Thou shall do no injury to thy neighbor, is the voice of nature and reason, and it is confirmed by written revelation." - John Adams, 1792.
James Wilson, United States Supreme Court Justice would also reflect Otis's understanding of the term when he stated: "The law of nature and the law of revelation are both divine. They flow, though in different channels, from the same adorable source. It is, indeed, preposterous, to separate them from each other. The object of both is to discover the will of God and both are necessary for the accomplishment of that end." - James Wilson, Lectures on Law, 120.
This aspect of the formation of the American experience is greatly fought against, and much has been written to deny its existence. Great effort has been put forth if not to rewrite its history, at the very least to ignore its influence and simply disregard it. James Otis viewed his world through the Christian worldview of his time. This can be somewhat misleading to us today as Christian doctrine has become so diluted it could mean almost anything. However, the Christianity James Otis embraced was fresh out of the Reformation and the light that had emerged out of the darkness of that time. It was a time of return to Historic Christianity and it was changing everything. As we continue to look at these men from America's founding we will discover their enduring faith and commitment to the truth of God's revealed Word. We will do so by listening to their own words and observing their own actions. We will find, like us, they were flawed in many ways, but enabled by God's grace to walk and fulfill their purpose in giving us this great experience of freedom. They were men chosen for their time, may we be the same in ours. They were men changed by the Gospel, may we be as well.
The principles of their ideas of government reflected their understanding of the nature of man and his frailty. They understood men must be governed by the Gospel from within or from the law without. They formed a government with protections in different branches to restrain him from his own political ambitions, then placed in its constitutions a framework for the promulgation of the Gospel to the support and strength of its society. They gave this to society and then for their own salvation put their trust in Christ alone, expecting no merit or reward for any work of their own hand.
"On the mercy of my Redeemer I rely for salvation and on His merits; not on the works I have done in obedience to His precepts." - Charles Carroll, Signer of the Declaration of Independence. Charles Carroll to Charles W. Wharton, Esq., on September 27, 1825, from Doughoragen, Maryland.
May the grace of God be with each of you,
David
