Discourses upon the Existence and Attributes of God

2. 'Tis founded in his act of Creation. He is the Sovereign Lord, as he is the Almighty Creator. The relation of an entire Creator, induceth the relation of an absolute Lord; he that gives Being, Life, Motion, that is the sole cause of the being of a thing, which was before nothing, that hath nothing to concur with him, nothing to assist him, but by his sole power Commands it to stand up into being, is the unquestionable Lord and Proprietor of that thing, that hath no dependence but upon him. And by this act of Creation which extended to all things, he became universal Sovereign over all things. And those that wave the excellency of his Nature as the foundation of his Government, easily acknowledge the sufficiency of it upon his actual Creation. His Dominion of Jurisdiction results from Creation. When God himself makes an oration in defence of his Sovereignty, Job 38. His chief arguments are drawn from Creation, and Psal. 95.3, 5. The Lord is a great King above all Gods, the Sea is his, and he made it. And so the Apostle in his Sermon to the Athenians. As he made the World and all things therein, he is styled Lord of Heaven and Earth. Acts 17.24. His Dominion also of Property stands upon this Basis. Psal. 89.7. The Heavens are thine, the Earth also is thine, as for the World and the fullness thereof thou hast founded them. Upon this Title of forming Israel as a Creature, or rather as a Church, he demands their service to him as their Sovereign. Oh Jacob and Israel, thou art my Servant, I have formed thee, thou art my servant Oh Israel. Isaiah 44. 21. The Sovereignty of God naturally ariseth from the relation of all things to himself as their entire Creator, and their natural and inseparable dependence upon him in regard of their being, and well beings. It depends not upon the election of Men; God hath a natural Dominion over us as Creatures, before he hath a Dominion by consent over us as converts. As soon as ever any thing began to be a Creature, it was a vassal to God, as a Lord. Every man is acknowledged to have a right of possessing what he hath made, and a power of Dominion over what he hath framed. He may either cherish his own work, or dash it in pieces; he may either add a greater comeliness to it, or deface what he hath already imparted. He hath a right of property in it; no other man can without injury pilfer his own work from him.