Discourses upon the Existence and Attributes of God

3. How should we be induced from hence to promote the honour of this Sovereign? We should advance him as supreme, and all our actions should concur in his honour. We should return to his Glory, what we have received from his Sovereignty, and enjoy by his mercy: He that is the superior of all, ought to be the end of all. This is the harmony of the Creation, that which is of an inferior nature, is ordered to the service of that which is of a more excellent nature, thus water and earth, that have a lower being, are employed for the honour and beauty of the plants of the earth, who are more excellent in having a principle of a growing life; These plants are again subservient to the beasts and birds, which exceed them in a principle of sense, which the others want; Those beasts and birds are ordered for the good of man, who is superior to them in a Principle of reason, and is invested with a Dominion over them; Man having God for his superior, ought as much to serve the glory of God, as other things are designed to be useful to man. Other Governments are intended for the good of the Community, the chief end is not the good of the Governors themselves; But God being every way Sovereign, the Sovereign being, giving being to all things, the Sovereign Ruler, giving order and preservation to all things, is also the end of all things, to whose glory and honour all things, all creatures are to be subservient. Rom. 11.36. For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things, to whom be glory for ever. Of him as the efficient cause, through him as the preserving cause, to him as the final cause; All our actions and thoughts ought to be adderest to his glory, our whole beings ought to be consecrated to his honour, though we should have no reward, but the honour of having been subservient to the end of our Creation; So much doth the excellency and Majesty of God, infinitely elevated above us, challenge of us. Subjects use to value the safety, honour and satisfaction of a good Prince above their own; David is accounted worth 10000 of the people, and some of his Courtiers thought themselves obliged to venture their lives for his satisfaction in so mean a thing, as a little water from the Well of Bethlehem. Doth not so great, so good a Sovereign as God, deserve the same affection from us?

3. How should we be induc'd from hence to promote the honour of this Soveraign? We should advance him as supream, and all our actions should concur in his honour. We should return to his Glory, what we have receiv'd from his Soveraignty, and enjoy by his mercy: He that is the superior of all, ought to be the end of all. This is the harmony of the Creation, that which is of an inferiour nature, is order'd to the service of that which is of a more excellent nature, thus water and earth, that have a lower being, are employ'd for the honour and beauty of the plants of the earth, who are more excellent in having a principle of a growing life; These plants are again subservient to the beasts and birds, which exceed them in a principle of sense, which the others want; Those beasts and birds are order'd for the good of man, who is superior to them in a Principle of reason, and is invested with a Dominion over them; Man having God for his superior, ought as much to serve the glory of God, as other things are design'd to be useful to man. Other Governments are intended for the good of the Community, the chief end is not the good of the Governours themselves; But God being every way Soveraign, the Soveraign being, giving being to all things, the Soveraign Ruler, giving order and preservation to all things, is also the end of all things, to whose glory and honour all things, all creatures are to be subservient.