but it borroweth all from the Sunne; nor the soule bor∣rowes any life from the body, but the bodies life is from the soule, so is it betweene God and all his creatures. No Monarch in the world, Emperour or King, is or can be so absolute and independing as the soueraigne King of the worlde is; for they cannot subsist without their people, (as a King in royall authority) who by their mul∣titude, strength, and riches, doe maintaine the safetie of their Kings and Rulers, & by their submission do honor them: but God had no neede of his creatures, he did and can for euer haue subsifted, and beene perfect and al-suf∣ficient to himselfe, and of himselfe without them: and so not they without him, of whome they haue being, when they were not; and all thinges when they had nothing. This made Iob to say, that as mans wickednesse hurt not God, so his goodnesse did not profit him. And Dauid, Psal. 16, 2. that his goodnes or liberality did not extend to God, but to the Saints, which were of excellent Ver∣tue, it might doe them some good, and none can giue God any thing. Whereas God calles for our affections, Giue me thy heart, Prou. 23. and for our goods, Offer thy substance vnto God, and hee looketh for our-thankes and praises, Render vnto me praises, Psal. 50, 14. Wee are to know that we giue God nothing, but what hee first gaue vs. Also by our giftes he may be honored, but can∣not be enriched, being an infinite perfection. And lastly, in our gifts to him, wee expresse our dutie, but make him no debter; for we owe vnto him more then wee do or bee.
Silas.
First, it serues for instruction, to teach that God cannot do wrong, or offer iniustice to any, seeing he is in debt to none, and might do with his owne what he would: therefore, though he haue no mercy on Cain, Ismael, Esau, Saul, Achab, Iudas, or others, yet heerein is he not vniust, for hee oweth them nothing: nay, had