Discourses upon the Existence and Attributes of God

whom he thought to be God, though yet robbing the true God of his Authority; and so much was signified by their names, Nebuchadnezzar, Evil-Merodach, Belshazzar, Nebo, Merodach, Bel, being the Chaldean Idols, and the names signifying Lord of wealth, giver of riches, and the like. When we behave our selves proudly towards others, and imagine our selves greater than our Maker ever meant us; When we would give Laws to others, and expect the most submissive observances from them, as if God had resigned his Authority to us, and made us in his stead the rightful Monarchs of the World. To disdain that any creature should be above us, is to disdain God's Sovereign disposition of men, and consequently his own superiority over us. A proud man would govern all, and would not have God his Sovereign, but his Subject; to over-value our selves, is to under-value God.

whom he thought to be God, though yet robbing the true God of his Authority; and so much was signified by their names, Nebuchadnezzar, Evil-Merodach, Belshazzar, Nebo, Merodach, Bel, being the Chaldean Idols, and the names signifying Lord of wealth, giver of riches, and the like. When we behave our selves proudly towards others, and imagine our selves greater than our Maker ever meant us; When we would give Laws to others, and expect the most submissive observances from them, as if God had resign'd his Authority to us, and made us in his stead the rightful Monarchs of the World. To disdain that any creature should be above us, is to disdain God's Soveraign disposition of men, and consequently his own superiority over us. A proud man would govern all, and would not have God his Soveraign, but his Subject; to over-value our selves, is to under-value God.

5. Slight and careless worship of God is another contempt of his Sovereignty. A Prince is contemned, not only by a neglect of those reverential postures which are due to him, but in a reproachful and scornful way of paying them. To behave our selves uncomely or immodestly before a Prince is a dis-esteem of Majesty. Sovereignty requires awe in every address, where this is wanting there is a dis-respect of Authority. We contemn God's Dominion when we give him the service of the Lip, the Hand, the Knee, and deny him that of the Heart; as they in Ezekiel,