Chap. 3 5. an Expoftion tern the Bookof Jo s. Verf. 7. 45 have fuch a one over us, bat he needs fl®t fuch as we areunder him. Earthly Mailers and Servants have need of one another ; Maflerskeep and maintain their Servants, and Servants are very helpfuland prof table to their Mailers. As a Servant needs a Maher to givehimmeat and drink, aparrel, and the conveniences of this life ; fo the Mailer needs the Servant, he needs his work, his labour, his hand , he cannot tell how to do his bufineffe with- out him ; Mafles cannot live comfortably without their Servants, much leffe honourably , they cannot keep their State and Degree amongfl men without Servants; and Servants need their Ma, fiers, theycannot fubfi{f, they cannot live, bet by wages, or the reward of their labour. God bath made fuch a tye, knit fuch a knot among the Creatures, that one, though a Superiour, (hould not defpife the other, though much his Inferiour, for both con- curre as parts, to the conflitutionof the whole, or general confti- tution of the world. But God is not a part, but the Principle, or Conflituter of the Univerfe, not at ail depending upon any part of ir. Ifa Servant fhould have need of his Maier, and not the Mailer of theServant, the Mailer would defpifehis Servant; but God bath fo ordered ir, that as the Servant needs the Mailer, fo the Mailerneeds theServant,while himfelf bath no need ofeither. God hath no need of our fervice, but we need his fervice, or him as our Lord and Mailer. It is an koneur to God that hebath foma- zy to ferve him, but it is hisgreatefi honour that he needs none to ferve him. Before there were either men or Angels, God had the fame honour and happireffe that now hehath, he is felf-fuffäcienr; it were a fhame and a dtfhonour to tom, Amidwe own him for God,who needed our good ; he cannot be our God , who needs our good. All Creaturesneed the help and good of one another;and the help or good of all Creaturescomes from God ; but God laimfelf is firong enough to help himfelf, and good enough tomake himfelf everlaflingly happy. There is nothing without him, but he can be happy without it ; there's no Creature, whether thing or per- fon, in Heaven or Earth, neceffary toGod, either as to his Being, or well-Being; And therefore we may fay,not only to the bell man onEarth, but to the moii glorious Angel in Heaven, as Elihs, to fob) what receiveth he ofthinehand? Secondly, If what we do, adds nothing to God, ifhe receive nothing byourmoll righteous fervices -then furely God thews wonderful
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=