Discourses upon the Existence and Attributes of God

as the acknowledgement of God's sovereignty is the first step to the practice of all the duties of a Creature, so the disowning his sovereignty, is the first spring of all the extravagances of a Creature. Every sin against the sovereign Law-giver is worthy of Death. The Transgression of this positive command deserved death, and procured it to spread it self over the face of the World. God's dominion cannot be despised, without meriting the greatest punishment.

as the acknowledgment of God's soveraignty is the first step to the practice of all the duties of a Creature, so the disowning his soveraignty, is the first spring of all the extravagancies of a Creature. Every sin against the soveraign Law-giver is worthy of Death. The Transgression of this positive command des•rved death, and procured it to spread it self over the face of the World. God's dominion cannot be despis'd, without meriting the greatest punishment.

1. Punishment necessarily follows upon the Doctrine of Sovereignty. 'Tis a faint and a feeble Sovereignty, that cannot preserve it self, and vindicate its own wrongs against rebellious subjects; The height of God's dominion infers a vengeance on the contemners of it, If God be an Eternal King, he is an Eternal Judge. Since sin unlinks the dependence between God the Sovereign, and man the subject, if God did not vindicate the rights of his Sovereignty, and the Authority of his Law, he would seem to despise his own dominion, be weary of it, and not act the part of a good Governor. But God is tender of his prerogative, and doth most bestir himself when men exalt themselves proudly against him. Exod. 18.11. In the thing wherein they dealt proudly, he will be above them. When Pharaoh thought himself a mate for God, and proudly rejected his commands, as if they had been the messages of some petty Arabian Lord, God rights his own Authority upon the life of his enemy by the ministry of the Red Sea. He turned a great King into a beast, to make him know, that the most high ruled in the Kingdoms of men.