Discourses upon the Existence and Attributes of God

One of the Kings of this Country did very handsomely shame the flattery of his Courtiers, that cried him up as Lord of Sea and Land, by ordering his chair to be set on the Sand of the Sea shore, when the Tide was coming in, and commanding the waters not to touch his feet, which when they did without any regard to his Authority, he took occasion thereby to put his flatterers out of countenance, and instruct himself in a lesson of humility; See, saith he, how I rule all things, when so mean a thing as the water will not obey me. 'Tis a ridiculous pride that the Turk and Persian discover in their swelling Titles. What poor sovereigns are they, that cannot command a Cloud, give out an effectual order for a drop of Rain, in a time of drought, or cause the bottles of Heaven, to turn their mouth another way in a time of too much moisture. Yet their own Prerogatives are so much in their minds, that they jostle out all thoughts of the supreme Prerogative of God, and give thereby occasion to frequent Rebellions against him.

One of the Kings of this Country did very handsomly shame the flattery of his Courtiers, that cried him up as Lord of Sea and Land, by ordering his chair to be set on the Sand of the Sea shoar, when the Tide was coming in, and commanding the waters not to touch his feet, which when they did without any regard to his Authority, he took occasion thereby to put his flatterers out of countenance, and instruct himself in a lesson of humility; See, saith he, how I rule all things, when so mean a thing as the water will not obey me. 'Tis a ridiculous pride that the Turk and Persian discover in their swelling Titles. What poor soveraigns are they, that cannot command a Cloud, give out an effectual order for a drop of Rain, in a time of drought, or cause the bottles of Heaven, to turn their mouth another way in a time of too much moisture. Yet their own Prerogatives are so much in their minds, that they justle out all thoughts of the supream Prerogative of God, and give thereby occasion to frequent Rebellions against him.

2. In regard of Propriety. And this doctrine is no less an abatement of pride in the highest, as well as in the meanest, it lowers pride in point of Propriety, as well as in point of Authority.