Discourses upon the Existence and Attributes of God

He rules by Law, he is a Lawgiver, as well as a King, Isaiah 33.22. It had been repugnant to the nature of a rational Creature, to be ruled otherwise; to be governed as a beast, this had been to frustrate those Faculties of Will and Understanding, which had been given him. To conclude this; when we say, God can do this or that, or command this or that his Authority is not bounded, and limited properly. Who can reasonably detract from his Almightiness, because he cannot do any thing, which savours of weakness; and what detracting is it from his Authority, that he cannot do any thing unseemly for the dignity of his nature? 'Tis rather from the infiniteness of his Righteousness than the straitness of his Authority; at most it is but a voluntary bounding his dominion by the Law of his own Holiness.

He rules by Law, he is a Lawgiver, as well as a King, Isaiah 33.22. It had been repugnant to the nature of a rational Creature, to be ruled otherwise; to be govern'd as a beast, this had been to frustrate those Faculties of Will and Understanding, which had been given him. To conclude this; when we say, God can do this or that, or command this or that his Authority is not bounded, and limited properly. Who can reasonably detract from his Almightiness, because he cannot do any thing, which savors of weakness; and what detracting is it from his Authority, that he cannot do any thing unseemly for the dignity of his nature? 'Tis rather from the infiniteness of his Righteousness than the straitness of his Authority; at most it is but a voluntary bounding his dominion by the Law of his own Holiness.

3. His Sovereignty is managed according to the rule of Goodness. Some Potentates there have been in the World, that have loved to suck the blood, and drink the tears of their Subjects, that would rule more by fear than love,^* like Clearchus the Tyrant of Heraclia, who bore the figure of a Thunderbolt instead of a Sceptre, and named his Son Thunder; thereby to Tutor him, to terrify his Subjects. But as Gods Throne is a Throne of Holiness, so it is a Throne of Grace.