The divine life in three treatises

4. Moreover our Walking with God includeth our subjection to his Authority, and our taking His Wisdom and Will to be our Guide, and his Laws in Nature and Scripture for our Rule: you must not walk with him as his Equals, but as his Subjects: nor give him the honour of an ordinary superior, but of the universal King: In our doubts he must resolve us; and in our straits we must ask counsel of the Lord: [Lord, what wouldst thou have me to do] is one of the first words of a penitent soul, Act. 9. 6. When sensual worldlings do first ask the flesh, or those that can do it hurt or good, what they would have them be or do. None of Christs true Subjects, do call any man Father or Master on earth, but in subordination to their highest Lord, Matth. 23. The Authority of God doth awe them and govern them more than the fear of the greatest upon earth. Indeed they know no power but Gods, and that which he committeth unto man. And therefore they can obey no man against God, what ever it cost them: but under God they are most readily and faithfully subject to their Governors, not merely as to men that have power to hurt them if they disobey; but as to the officers of the Lord, whose Authority they discern and reverence in them: But when they have to do with the enemies of Christ, who usurp a power which he never gave them, against his Kingdom and the souls of men, they think it easy to resolve the question, whether it be better to obey God or men? As the commands of a rebellious Constable or other fellow-subject are of no authority against the Kings Commands; so the commands of all the men on earth, are of so small authority with them against the Laws of God, that they fully approve of the ready and resolute answer of those Witnesses, Dan. 3. 16, 17, 18. [We are not careful to answer thee in this matter: If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us, &c. But if not, be it known unto thee ⟨p. 166⟩O King that we will not serve thy gods nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.] Worldlings are ruled by their fleshly interest, and wisdom, and self-will, and by the will of man so far as it doth comport with these: By these you may handle them and lead them up and down the world: By these doth Satan hold them in captivity. But believers feel themselves in subjection to a higher Lord and better Law, which they faithfully though imperfectly observe: