356 An Expofation upon Chap:9. lfai. 4S7 Pra.ci5.6. Hzod.;9.7. Job x2. o. Leak 125; i:ph.r r . T r M.What may bethereafon of this Po- ¿bine? S t L. Firft, becaufe God himfelf being moft juft, his will is the highefl and moft perfè& rule of all righteouf- neffe; inlòmuch that whatfoever it be that is once known to be willed of God,muft without all queftion and dif- pute be held for moft upright and juft, andcannot be but a moft grievous fin to quarrel with him,' or to anfwer him again. T r M. What ufe is to be made of this firfi Dolïrine? S t L. Firft, it ferveth to ftop the moat hes of all fuch as cavil at the do- ¿trine of Gods moft free predeftination, whereas God exprefly faith ; That he fheweth mercy where he wil, and fhew- eth not mercy where he will not : there wicked men contend with God, and charge him to be cruel and tyrannical, when they hear it taught out of Scrip- ture, that for his meer will fake God cloth reprobate fome,forgetting them- felves to beunmatches with God, and pullingupon themfelves worthily that woe threatned to things formed which ftrive with their Former,Efai.59,9. Se- condly,from hence are reproved fuch as miftake any of Gods works; as their own eflate or condition of life, or of the weather, or fuch like works of God; as they which fuppofe and flick not to (peak, that it had been better for them that they had been made rich, or of more ftrength, &c. What is this, but for the thing formed to pick quar- rel], or prefcribe lawes to the Maker? Thirdly, here is a warning unto all the I children of God, to hold themfelves content in all things, with that which pleafeth God, do it never fo much ex- ceed their reafon, or croffe their af- fe &ions; adoring with reverence and humilityfuch judgements of his,as they are not able to conceive the true caufes; after the example of yob, Chapter firft, and ofDavid, 2 Sam. 15.23. T s M. What other Dottrine are:we to gather out ofthe 2 i. verfe? S r L. That the power and right that God hath over men (as touching their final ends,) is abfolute and tindepen- dent, without any refpe& at all to any thing, or merit in man good or bad, either to their fin a &ual or original ; or to their holineffe, faith, and good works. For albeit it is molt true, that goodworks are loved ofGod, and free- ly rewarded in heaven ; and there are never any ¿condemned in hell, but for their Gns,either of birth (as in Infants) or of life too (as in men of years:) which is enough to clear God of inju- ftice and cruelty, that he never executes any juftice upon his creature,but for his foregoing iniquities : yet the Apofile when he looks back to the high and foveraign caufe of Gods decree tou- ching mans final eftate: he fetteth down none other but the abfolute power and will ofGod, that he may appoint of every man as he pleafeth,for God cloth whatfoever he pleafeth, both in heaven and earth. T i M. HOW may this DoEirine be gather- edfrom this Text? S r L. The very Text giveth power to the Potter,to put upon the pot what form and ufe he will; with as good, yea and much better reafon it ftandeth, that the like power be afcribed unto God ; the reafon is, becaufe there is no proportion between God and a Potter, who is by infinite degrees inferior to God. Secondly, the Potter hath the clay made to his hands, but Gods hand made all men ; and therefore his right over men is tar greater then can be the Potters over the pot which is only for- med, and not created by him. For as touching God, his right is fuch and fo abfolute, that he might have made man, or not have made him,having made him upright, he might have brought him to nothing, as he made him of nothing; and all being corrupt in Adam,he might have reprobated and refufed all without any wrong,nay moft juftly.Concerning all which, none could have controlled him, fithence he did all this, not of any necef ity of his nature,but out of the li- berty of his will, and abfoluteneffe of his power; which as it is unrefifiible,fo it is uncontrollable by f tti, and blood, yea
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