444 of Converfén, or7urning untoGod. Saer.IX. thepotter can mat his veffel on thewheels , ife.4;. bow excellent) God ors ors defcribed in his majefly and greatnefs, holding all the world in his hand, vs homonidum, as Tertullian, as a man doth a birds neft ; yea, all thenationsof the worldare but a drop, but asfmall duff, as nothing, yea lets then nothing : Oh what little caufe have men to miff in,greatnel, power, forces, fenced cities and thong places,whenthey arebut as fo much duff, when God breatheth on them I and it is as impo(lible for any earthly poweror greatnefs to fubfilt and keepfrom mine; when Ged is angry., as dull to lie frill in theair,when a ftormy wind cloth arife : Well then might teremycryout, 3er.;o. whoWould notfear the ; Ó King of the Nations? Let usnot then account any thing great but God ; we are clay, and he is the potter : And as it may difcourage, when we are a (ireful people, though overflowing in all external mercies ; fo it may incourage a people when converted, though in a defolate confution, for God canmake this rude clay,a gloriousveffel ofhonor ; he canmake dry bones tobecome living men: Here as his Sovereignty extolled in this phrafe. 3, Thirdly, Itargueth, that Godcanfuddenly and quickly 6ring'judgementsupan Men : Gods Wonderful worksof his wrath, are not onely feen in the matter he doth, but alto in the manner : On a fudden, in a moment calamities rife be- fore any man thought or looked for them; even as the Church faith; When he turnedtheir captivity, they were at menin a dream, Pfah; 26.5. fo when hebrings their captivity alto : Hence you have the expreffion in this Cha pter, rlt What infrant I fpeak, toa land topull it down, or build it tip : He can do thofe things in aninfran;, which humane power could not produceinmany years. I create lightand darknefs, Creatiofit in infranti they fay ; God makes the deluge of his wrathto overflow in aninflant : Thus heoverthrew Sodom and Gomorrha ona fudden; and that wonderful workof God, in bringing dead bodies out of the grave to appear before his Tribunal, will be in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, t Cor.; 5.5a. fo that when God is faid tofrarne evil a ainfra people, it implied; that be canbring this in a moment, on a fudden, beforemen think it poffible. How often doth the Prophet tell them, Thattheir miferies /hall come upon them at travelupona Woman with childe : Oh how fhould thismake every wicked man fpeedilyturn from his evil ways, forGod can bring his judgements on thee in a moment; thou mayefl have no time, no (pace to bewail thy tins, but his anger will confume thee in the twinklingofaneye; yet how fecurelydo men live in open rebellion again(' God ? how do they put far off from them theevil day? They put it far off in their thoughts, when God puts it very near in reality uponthem: Could men eat and drink, and rife up to play, if, theydid confider how obnoxious they are to the (harp arrows of God, which may be fhot into their hearts every hour? whocan tell thee what evilthe next day, the next night, thenext hour, may bring upon thee? 4. Fourthly, Godsframingof evil, at the Potter dothbi1 clay, doth denote anim- pofbiliry to refsff, and to efcape, his judgements: Can the clay refufe the Potters hand ? no more can wicked men Gods Government, whereby he punifheth wicked menfor their fins : There is no running fromGod, If thou gettefl into heaven or hell, asthePfalmift faith, his right hañd will finde thee out, Pfah; 39.S. God tells Lucifer, that is Nebuchadne.ear, Though he build-hù Hefts in the clouds, yet he Will pull him down: He that efcaped the Lyon, the Bear Would devour him; and he that efcaped the Bear, the Serpent outof the Wall Wouldfling him, Amos 5. s9. If then God prepare and frame evil againft thee, its not all thepolicy or power in theworld can fecure thee. Who art thou, O piece of clay, O mortal man, dull and allies, that thoufhouldit beableto fleefromGods anger, when it purfueth thee ? 5. Fifthly, "Isitargueth irrefiflablenefe,fo a necegis). offnbmitting andyielding to him; Not to t'stiveorrepine athis chaftifements: Thus the Scripture often, 4111 the potfheard rife up again( the Potter, andflty, why made( thou mefo? Rom.
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