Full Idea
To say that, in creation, God gave bodies a law for acting means nothing, unless, at the same time, he gave them something by means of which it could happen that the law is followed.
Gist of Idea
God's laws would be meaningless without internal powers for following them
Source
Gottfried Leibniz (On Body and Force, Against the Cartesians [1702], p.253)
Book Reference
Leibniz,Gottfried: 'Philosophical Essays', ed/tr. Arlew,R /Garber,D [Hackett 1989], p.253
A Reaction
This is the beginning of the modern rebellion against the medieval view of laws as imposed from outside on passive matter. Unfortunately for Leibniz, once you have postulated active internal powers, the external laws become redundant.