Discourses upon the Existence and Attributes of God

3. The Sovereignty of God is contemned, when men prefer Obedience to mens Laws before Obedience to God. As God hath an undoubted right as the Law-giver and Ruler of the World, to enact Laws, without consulting the pleasure of men, or requiring their consent to the verifying, and establishing his Edicts, so are men obliged by their Allegiance, as subjects, to observe the Laws of their Creator, without consulting whither they be agreeable to the Laws of his revolted Creatures. To consult with Flesh and Blood, whither we should obey, is to Authorize Flesh and Blood above the purest and most sovereign spirit. When men will obey their superiors, without taking in the condition the Apostle prescribes to Servants. Col. 3.22. In singleness of heart fearing God; and post-pone the fear of God to the fear of man; 'tis to render God of less power with them than the drop of a Bucket, or dust of the Balance. When we out of fear of punishment will observe the Laws of Men against the Laws of God, 'tis like the Egyptians, to Worship a ravenous Crocodile instead of a Deity; when we submit to humane Laws, and stagger at Divine, 'tis to set man upon the Throne of God, and God at the footstool of man; to set man above, and God beneath, to make him the tail, and not the head, as God speaks in another case of Israel. Deut. 28.13. When we pay an outward observation to Divine Laws, because they are backed by the Laws of Man, and humane Authority is the motive of our observance, we subject Gods sovereignty to Mans Authority; what he hath from us, is more owing to the pleasure of men, than any value we have for the Empire of God. When men shall commit Murders, and imbrue their hands in blood by the order of a Grandee; when the worst sins shall be committed by the order of Papal dispensations; When the use of his Creatures, which God hath granted and sanctified, shall be abstained from for so many days in the week, and so many weeks in the year because of a Roman Edict; the Authority of man is acknowledged not only equal, but superior to that of God: The dominion of dust and clay is preferred before the undoubted right of the sovereign of the World: The Commands of God are made less than humane, and the orders of men more authoritative, than Divine, and a grand Rebels usurpation of Gods right is countenanced.

3. The Soveraignty of God is contemned, when men prefer Obedience to mens Laws before Obedience to God. As God hath an undoubted right as the Law-giver and Ruler of the World, to enact Laws, without consulting the pleasure of men, or requiring their consent to the verifying, and establishing his Edicts, so are men oblig'd by their Allegiance, as subjects, to observe the Laws of their Creator, without consulting whither they be agreeable to the Laws of his revolted Creatures. To consult with Flesh and Blood, whither we should obey, is to Authorize Flesh and Blood above the purest and most soveraign spirit. When men will obey their superiors, without taking in the condition the Apostle prescribes to Servants.