Discourses upon the Existence and Attributes of God

5. The dominion of God is strengthened by the innumerable benefits, he bestows upon his Creatures. The benefits he confers upon us after Creation, are not the original ground of his dominion. A man hath not Authority over his Servant, from the kindness he shows to him, but his Authority commenceth before any act of kindness, and is founded upon a right of purchase, conquest, or compact. Dominion doth not depend upon mere benefits: Then Inferiors might have dominion over Superiors. A Peasant may save the Life of a Prince, to whom he was not subject; he hath not therefore a right to step up into his Throne, and give Laws to him. And Children that maintain their Parents in their poverty, might then acquire an Authority over them, which they can never climb to: Because the benefits they confer, cannot parallel the benefits they have received from the Authors of their Lives. The bounties of God to us add nothing to the intrinsic right of his natural dominion, they being the effects of that Sovereignty, as he is a Rewarder and Governor. As the benefits a Prince bestows upon his favourite increases not that right of Authority, which is inherent in the Crown; but strengthens that dominion, as it stands in relation to the receiver, by increasing the obligation of the favourite to an observance of him, not only as his natural Prince, but his gracious Benefactor. The beneficence of God adds, though not an original right of power, yet a foundation of a stronger upbraiding the Creature, if he walks in a violation and forgetfulness of those benefits, and pull in pieces the links of that ingenuous duty they call for; and an occasion of exercising of Justice in punishing the delinquent; which is a part of his Empire. Isaiah 1.2. Hear O Heavens, and give Ear O Earth, the Lord hath spoken, I have nourished Children, and they have rebelled against me. Thus the fundamental right as Creator, is made more indisputable by his relation as a Benefactor, and more as being so after a forfeiture of what ⟨p. 710⟩was enjoyed by Creation. The benefits of God are innumerable, and so magnificent, that they cannot meet with any compensation from the Creature: And therefore do necessarily require a submission from the Creature, and an acknowledgement of Divine Authority. But that benefit of Redemption doth add a stronger right of dominion to God:

5. The dominion of God is strengthened by the innumerable benefits, he bestows upon his Creatures. The benefits he conferrs upon us after Creation, are not the original ground of his dominion. A man hath not Authority over his Servant, from the kindness he shews to him, but his Authority commenceth before any act of kindness, and is founded upon a right of purchase, conquest, or compact. Dominion doth not depend upon meer benefits: Then Inferiors might have dominion over Superiors. A Peasant may save the Life of a Prince, to whom he was not subject; he hath not therefore a right to step up into his Throne, and give Laws to him. And Children that maintain their Parents in their poverty, might then acquire an Authority over them, which they can never climb to: Because the benefits they conferre, cannot parallel the benefits they have received from the Authors of their Lives. The bounties of God to us add nothing to the intrinsick right of his natural dominion, they being the effects of that Soveraignty, as he is a Rewarder and Governour. As the benefits a Prince bestows upon his favorite increases not that right of Authority, which is inherent in the Crown; but strengthens that dominion, as it stands in relation to the receiver, by increasing the obligation of the favorite to an observance of him, not only as his natural Prince, but his gracious Benefactor. The beneficence of God adds, though not an original right of power, yet a foundation of a stronger upbraiding the Creature, if he walks in a violation and forgetfulness of those benefits, and pull in peices the links of that ingenuous duty they call for; and an occasion of exercising of Justice in punishing the delinquent; which is a part of his Empire.