Discourses upon the Existence and Attributes of God

7. He may inflict what torments he pleases. Some say by this right of Sovereignty he may inflict what torments he pleaseth upon an innocent person; which indeed will not bear the nature of a punishment as an effect of Justice, without the supposal of a crime; but a torment, as an effect of that Sovereign right he hath over his Creature, which is as absolute over his work, as the Potters power is over his own Clay, Jerem. 18.6. Rom. 9.21.^* May not the Potter after his labour, either set his vessel up to adorn his House, or knock it in pieces, and fling it upon the Dunghill; separate it to some noble use, or condemn it to some sordid service. Is the right of God over his Creatures less than that of the Potter over his Vessel, since God contributed all to his Creature, but the Potter never made the Clay, which is the substance of the Vessel, nor the water which was necessary, to make it tractable, but only moulded the substance of it into such a shape? The Vessel that is framed, and the Potter that frames it differ only in Life, the body of the Potter whereby he executes his Authority, is of no better a mould than the Clay the matter of his Vessel; shall he have so absolute a power over that, which is so near him, and shall not God over that which is so infinitely distant from him? The Vessel perhaps might plead for its self, that it was once part of the Body of a man, and as good as the Potter himself; whereas no Creature can plead, it was part of God, and as good as God himself. Though there be no man in the World, but deserves affliction, yet the Scripture sometimes lays affliction upon the score of God's dominion, without any respect to the sin of the afflicted person. James 5.15. Speaking of a sick person, if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him, whereby is implied, that he might be struck into sickness by God without any respect to a particular sin, but in a way of Trial; and that his affliction sprung not from any exercise of Divine Justice, but from his absolute sovereignty. And so in the case of the blind man, when the Disciples asked, for what sin it was, whether for his own, or his Parents sin he was born blind, John 9.3