# David Scott: The law and liberty



## Reformed Covenanter (May 5, 2021)

Liberty, or human right, in its most exalted sense, consists in being maintained in the possession of whatever is secured to man by the Divine law. I do not say, whatever may be secured by the constitution and laws of a country, because these may be most unrighteous. The law of God is the standard by which all right must be tried; and in accordance with which constitutions of civil government and laws ought to be made.

No man can have a right to do what he pleases. This would not be liberty but licentiousness, and instead of promoting the happiness of a people would most certainly destroy it. The pleasure and the will of the powerful few would then be gratified at the expense of society generally, as has always been the case in despotic governments; and such must always be the case, where the Bible principles of civil government are set aside, however liberal the form of government may be. The moment that these principles are departed from, that moment a nation enters upon dangerous ground, and no human wisdom or foresight can possibly balance the machinery of government, so as to prevent encroachments on the rights of one part or other of the nation. Despotism on the one hand or anarchy on the other, must be the result.

For the reference, see David Scott: The law and liberty.


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