Discourses upon the Existence and Attributes of God

His Empire reaches over the Malignity of Devils, as well as the nature of Beasts. The Lions out of the Den, as well as those in the Den, are bridled by him in favour of his Daniel's. His Dominion is above that of Principalities and Powers, their Decrees are at his Mercy, whither they shall stand or fall; he hath a vote above their stiffest resolves. His single word I will, or I forbid outweighs the most resolute purposes of all the Mighty Nimrods of the Earth in their rendezvouses, and Cabals, in their Associations and Counsels. Isaiah 8.9, 10. Associate your selves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces, take Counsel together, and it shall come to nought. When the Enemy shall come in like a flood, with a violent and irresistible force, intending nothing but ravage and desolation, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against them, Isaiah 59.19. shall give a sudden ⟨p. 745⟩check and damp their Spirits, and put them to a stand. When Laban furiously pursued Jacob with an intent to do him an ill turn, God gave him a Command to do otherwise, Gen. 31.24. Would Laban have respected that command any more, than he did the light of Nature, when he Worshipped Idols, had not God exercised his Authority, in inclining his will to observe it, or laying restraints upon his natural inclinations, or denying his concourse to the acting those ill intentions, he had entertained? The stilling the principles of commotion in men, and the noise of the Sea, are arguments of the Divine Dominion, neither the one, nor the other, is in the power of the most sovereign Prince without Divine assistance. As no Prince can command a calm to a raging Sea, so no Prince can order stillness to a tumultuous people; they are both put together as equally parts of the Divine prerogative, Psal. 65.7. Which stills the noise of the Sea, and tumult of the People. And David owns Gods sovereignty more than his own, in subduing the people under him, Psal. 18.47. In this his Empire is illustrious,