as
a Christian, that very duty he was created for. "This people have I formed
for myself, they shall show forth my praise," Isa. xliii. 21. And this is
the showing forth of his praise, to follow forth the footsteps of God in
the word and in the world, and to ponder these paths of divine power and
goodness and wisdom, and to acknowledge him with our heart in all these.
He made many creatures on which his glory and praise is showed forth, and
he made this creature man to show forth that praise and that glory which
is showed forth in other creatures. O but this is a divine office! It is
strange how our hearts are carried forth towards base things, and busied
in many vain, impertinent, and base employments and scarce ever mind this
great one we were created for.

Certainly, this is the employment we were made for, to deduce all things
from God till we can again reduce all to him with glory, to bring all down
from his everlasting counsels, until we send all up to his eternal glory,
together with the sacrifice of our hearts, to behold all things to be of
him, that is, of his eternal counsel and decree.--to have their rise in the
bosom of that, and then, through him, to proceed out of the bosom of his
decree and purpose, by his power, _quasi obstetricante potentia_, and then
to return with all the promise and glory to his ever glorious name, "for
whom are all things." There is none but they will allow God some
government in the world. Some would have him as a king, commanding and
doing all by deputies and substitutes. Some would have his influence
general, like the sun's upon sublunary things, but how shallow are all
men's thoughts in regard of that which is? God has prepared, indeed, his
throne in the heavens. That is true, that his glory doth manifest itself
in some strange and majestic manner above, but the whole tenor of
Scripture shows that he is not shut up in heaven, but that he immediately
cares for, governs, and disposes all things in the world, for his kingdom
is over all. It is the weakness of kings, not their glory, that they have
need of deputies, it is his glory, not baseness, to look to the meanest of
his creatures. It is a poor resemblance and empty shadow that kings have
of him, he rules in the kingdoms of men, and to him belongs the dominion
and the glory. He deserves the name of a king, whose beck heaven and earth
obey. Can a king command that the sea flow not? Can a parliament act and
ordain that the sun ris