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for me; my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipt。
And why? I was grieved at the wicked; I doe also see the ungodly
in such prosperity。 And how bitterly did Job expostulate with
God; that being just; he should yet be afflicted with so many
calamities? God himselfe with open voyce resolved this difficulty
in the case of Job; and hath confirmed his Right by arguments
drawn not from Jobs sinne; but from his own power。 For Job and
his friends had argued so among themselves; that they would needs
make him guilty; because he was punisht; and he would reprove
their accusation by arguments fetcht from his own innocence: But
God when he had heard both him and them; refutes his
expostulation; not by condemning him of injustice; or any sin;
but by declaring his own power; Job。 38。 v。 4。 Where wast thou
(sayes he) when I laid the foundation of the earth; &c。 And for
his friends; God pronounces himself angry against them; Job。 42。
v。 7。 Because they had not spoken of him the thing that is right;
like his servant Job。 Agreeable to this is that speech of our
Saviours in the mans case who was born blind; when; his Disciples
asking him whether he or his Parents had sinned; that he was born
blind; he answered; John 9。 v。 3。 neither hath this man sinned;
nor his Parents; but that the works of God should be manifest in
him。 For though it be said; Rom。 5。 12。 That death entred into
the world by sinne; it followes not; but that God by his Right
might have made men subject to diseases; and death; although they
had never sinned; even as he hath made the other animalls
mortall; and sickly; although they cannot sinne。
VII。 Now if God have the Right of Soveraignty from his power;
it is manifest; that the obligation of yeelding him obedience
lyes on men by reason of their weaknesse; for that obligation
which rises from Contract; of which we have spoken in the second
Chapter; can have no place here; where the Right of Ruling (no
Covenant passing between) rises only from nature。 But there are
two Species of naturall obligation; one when liberty is taken
away by corporall impediments; according to which we say that
heaven and earth; and all Creatures; doe obey the common Lawes of
their Creation: The other when it is taken away by hope; or fear;
according to which the weaker despairing of his own power to
resist; cannot but yeeld to the stronger。 From this last kinde of
obligation; that is to say from fear; or conscience of our own
weaknesse (in respect of the divine power) it comes to passe;
that we are obliged to obey God in his naturall Kingdome; reason
dictating to all; acknowledging the divine power and providence;
that there is no kicking against the pricks。
(By reason of their weaknesse) If this shall seem hard to any
man; I desire him with a silent thought to consider; if there
were two Omnipotents; whether were bound to obey; I beleeve he
will confesse that neither is bound: if this be true; then it is
also true what I have set down; that men are subject unto God
because they are not omnipotent。 And truly our Saviour
admonishing Paul (who at that time was an enemy to the Church)
that he should not kick against the pricks; seems to require
obedience from him for this cause; because he had not Power
enough to resist。
VIII。 Because the word of God ruling by nature onely; is
supposed to be nothing else but right reason; and the Laws of
Kings can be known by their word only; its manifest that the Laws
of God ruling by nature alone; are onely the naturall Lawes;
namely those which we have set down in the second and third
Chapters; and deduced from the dictates of reason; Humility;
Equity; Justice; Mercy; and other Morall vertues befriending
Peace; which pertain to the discharge of the duties of men one
toward the other; and those which right reason shall dictate
besides; concerning the honour and worship of the Divine Majesty。
We need not repeat what those Naturall Laws; or Morall vertues
are; but we must see what honours; and what divine worship; that
is to say; what sacred Lawes; the same naturall reason doth
dictate。
IX。 Honour; to speak properly; is nothing else but an opinion
of anothers Power joyned with goodnesse; and to honour a man; is
the same with highly esteeming him; and so honour is not in the
Party honoured; but in the honourer。 Now three Passions do
necessarily follow honour thus placed in opinion; Love; which
referres to goodnesse; hope; and feare; which regard Power。 And
from these arise all outward actions; wherewith the powerfull are
appeased; and become Propitious; and which are the effects; and
therefore also the naturall signes of honour it selfe。 But the
word honour is transferred also to those outward effects of
honour; in which sense; we are said to honour him; of whose power
we testifie our selves; either in word; or deed; to have a very
great respect; insomuch as honour is the same with worship。 Now
WORSHIP is an outward act; the sign of inward honour。 and whom we
endeavour by our homage to appease; if they be; angry or
howsoever to make them favourable to us; we are said to worship。
X。 All signes of the mind are either words or deeds; and
therefore all worship consists either in words or deeds。 Now both
the one and the other are referred to three kindes; whereof the
first is Praise; or publique declaration of goodnesse; The
second; a publique declaration of Present Power; which is to
magnify megalunois; The third; is a publique declaration of
happinesse; or of Power; secure also for the future; which is
called; makariomos。 I say; that all kindes of honour may be
discerned; not in words only; but in deeds too。 But we then
praise; and celebrate in words; when we doe it by way of
Proposition; or Dogmatically; that is to say by Attributes; or
Titles; which may be termed praysing; and celebrating;
categorically; and plainly; as when we declare him whom we honour
to be liberall; strong; wise; And then; in deeds; when it is done
by consequence; or by hypothesis; or supposition; as by
Thanksgiving; which supposeth goodnesse; or by Obedience; which
supposeth Power。 or by Congratulation; which supposeth
happinesse;
XI。 Now whether we desire to praise a man in words; or deeds;
we shall find some things which signify honour with all men; such
as among attributes; are the generall words of vertues and
powers; which cannot be taken in ill sense; As Good; Faire;
Strong; Just; and the like; and among actions; Obedience;
Thanksgiving; Prayers; and others of that kinde; by which an
acknowledgement of vertue and power is ever understood: Others;
which signify honour; but with some; and scorne with others; or
else neither; such as in Attributes; are those words which
according to the diversity of opinions; are diversly referred to
vertues or vices; to honest or dishonest things; As that a man
slew his enemy; that he fled; that he is a Philosopher; or an
Orator; and the like; which with some are had in honour; with
others in contempt。 In deeds; such as depend on the custome of
the place; or prescriptions of civill Lawes; as in saluting to be
bareheaded; to put off the shoes; to bend the body。 to petit