A Methodical System of Universal Law

Heineccius's theory of natural law was in many ways an independent development situated both temporally and philosophically between the earlier natural law tradition of Samuel Pufendorf and Christian Thomasius, and the later theories of Christian Wolff, writes of co-editor Peter Schröder. "While Heineccius was influenced by Pufendorf, and to a lesser extent by Thomasius, his natural law theory differs in various crucial aspects. Most importantly, Heineccius did not derive the law of nature from human qualities or human nature, as Pufendorf attempted with his concept of sociability. Heineccius thought that the law of nature was entirely derived from the will of God." Heineccius's Methodical System was first printed in 1737. George Turnbull's translation of 1742 was one of the first to be made and was issued twice. Turnbull (1698-1748) was a key figure in the Scottish Enlightenment. His extensive commentaries on the text present a comprehensive overview of the sophisticated and wide-ranging European discourse on natural law, while his appended Discourse is a work of independent importance in moral thought.