4dr 1.56 Chap.; 3. An Expofition upon the Book of Jo L Verf. 3 formedit, why haft thou made me thus ? bath not thePotter power over the clay ? The Apoftle brings in this Argument as to mans eternal! Hate ; he mull no: lirive withGod about that. He mutt not fay, why doch God find fault with man ? Oman, who art thou that doft logic-kit thetawith God ? His abfolute power is his reafon why he difpoieth thus or thus of thee, or any man elfe. He will give thee no account why it is fo, but his own will to have it fo. For flume fit downe, flop thy mouth for ever, fpeaknot thus to God. If thou art, as thou canal not deny, a thingformed by God, then fay not why haft thou made me thus ? And as now thou firiveft with God about that which thou canft not underfland, fo at laft (though now thou doff not ) thou ihalt underfland that thou oughtefi, not to have firiven with him about it. And indeed if men have a mind to ftrive with God, they may find as many occafions for it in the doétrine of his conditional! decrees of forefeene faith, repentance, and perfevering bedience, as in his abfolute. We fball never want matter ofquarrelling with God, till we have learned limply, that is, graciouslyto fubmit. `Secondly, This truth flouldmikh more quiet our fpirits, and flop our (livings in reibrence toour temporall eflate. And that, Pita, As wrapt up in common with others. Did we confider the foveraigne power of God in ordering the affairs of Nations and Churches, we would glorifie him ina graciousfilence how- ever we fee things goe with them. The Scripture urgeth us often to this fixedneffe of mind in the midfl of all publick revolutions and changes upon this only account. Heare David(Pfal.46.9,1o.) Come behold the works of the Lord, (What works ? ruining works) what defolation he bathmade in theearth. God made arange work in the Worldat that time, Thofe countryes whichbefore were as the Garden of God, became like a defolate Wilderneffe ; whowas able to beare this with patience ? Yet theSpirit of God faith in the next words, it muff be patiently borne ; whenGod letsmen ftriveand warre withone another to a common confiii- on,yet no man may ftrive with God about it; and the reafon giv- enwhy-no man may,is only this( which is indeed all the reafon in theworld)He is God.So it follows in the Pfalme,Beflill andknow that IamGod ; As ifthe Lord had faid, not aword, donot flrive nor reply, whateveryou fee, holdyourpeace ; know that I being OA I giveno account of any of mymatters. Thus the Prophet cautions
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=