Such is the surpassing excellency of God,1 such the brightness of his Majesty, such the absolute supremacy of his Sovereignty, such the omnipotency of his power, such his all-sufficiency, as man compared to God isf but dust and ashes, gvile, hwretched and miserable: yeai All nations before him are as nothing, and they are counted to him less then nothing. What man is, he is of God. God is our Creator, we the work of his hands. He our Sovereign,6 we his subjects. Betwixt man and man there is no such difference. All, in relation to God the high Lord, are fellow servants. Though in a mutual relation one to another there be some differences, as betwixt Magistrates and Subjects, Masters and Servants, Parents and Children, yet are those differences but external, and temporal. External, in the affairs of this world, for outward order and government. (k In Jesus Christ all are one) Temporal, for the time of this world. (After this lifel the servant is free from his Master. mAll are as Angels,) yea all children of Adam, as in the points of their humiliation they are from the same mould, of the same corrupt nature, subject to the same infirmities, at length brought to the same end, so in the points of their exaltation, they are all (I speak* of the several sorts and kinds of men not of every particular person) they are all made after the same Image, redeemed by the same price, partakers of the same grace, and heirs of the same inheritance. If then God, the Creator of all, and Supreme Lord over all, who standeth in no need of any thing that man can do, nor can reap any benefit from man, who never wronged any, nor needeth forgiveness, if God forgive man,11 shall not man forgive man, one creature another, one fellow-servant another, man who needeth mans help, and may reap much good by mutual agreement and reconciliation with man, who oft wrongeth another, and needeth to be forgiven of others, shall not man forgive man, man that daily sinneth against God? As the difference betwixt God in relation to man, and man in relation to other men is beyond comparison: so also is the debt which man oweth to God, and that which one man oweth to another.12 In the Parable the debt due to the Lord is said to be ten thousand Talents: and the debt due to the servant, an hundred pence. Amongst men some difference ⟨p. 195⟩there is betwixt Talents and Pence:
Such is the surpassing excellencie of God,1 such the brightnesse of his Maiestie, such the absolute supremacie of his Soueraigntie, such the omnipotencie of his power, such his all-sufficiencie, as man compared to God isf but dust and ashes, gvile, hwretched and miserable: yeai All nations before him are as nothing, and they are counted to him lesse then nothing. What man is, he is of God. God is our Creator, we the worke of his hands. He our Soueraigne,6 we his subiects. Betwixt man and man there is no such difference. All, in relation to God the high Lord, are fellow seruants. Though in a mutuall relation one to another there be some differences, as betwixt Magistrates and Subiects, Maisters and Seruants, Parents and Children, yet are those differences but externall, and temporall. Externall, in the affaires of this world, for outward order and gouernement. (k In Iesus Christ all are one) Temporall, for the time of this world. (After this lifel the seruant is free from his Maister. mAll are as Angels,) yea all children of Adam, as in the points of their humiliation they are from the same mould, of the same corrupt nature, subiect to the same infirmities, at length brought to the same end, so in the points of their exaltation, they are all (I speake* of the seuerall sorts and kinds of men not of euery particular person) they are all made after the same Image, redeemed by the same price, partakers of the same grace, and heires of the same inheritance. If then God, the Creator of all, and Supreme Lord ouer all, who standeth in no need of any thing that man can do, nor can reape any benefit from man, who neuer wronged any, nor needeth forgiuenesse, if God forgiue man,11
- 1Infinite difference betwixt God and man.
- fGen. 18. 27.
- gJob 40. 4.Iob 40. 4.
- hReu. 3. 17.
- iIsa. 40. 17.
- 6Equality betwixt man and man.Equalitie betwixt man and man.
- kGal. 3. 28.
- lJob 3. 19.Iob 3. 19.
- mMat. 22. 30.
- *De generibus singulorum, non singulis generum. V• distinguit August. in E• chir. c. 103. & de correp. & Grat. c. 14.
- 11Ille qui nihil nos laesit, non vult se vindicare de nobis: & nos quarimus vindicari qui penè quotidie deum offendimus? Aug. Hom. 42. in l. 50. Hom.
- 12Mat. 18. 24, 28.
