First, With respect to our eternal state (for about that we are apt to call God to account.) O what strivings are there in the hearts of men about Gods absolute sovereignty in electing of some and rejecting of others. The Apostle is much upon it (Rom. 9.) where having represented the Lord speaking thus by Moses (vers. 15.) I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion: He presently prevents an Objection, or the strife of man with God about that saying, (vers. 19.) Thou wilt say then, why doth he yet find fault? (As if men might find fault with God, if he in that case should find fault with them?) for who hath resisted his will? This is mans plea against the sovereign will of God. But what saith the Lord by the Apostle to such a pleader? we have his reproof of him for an answer in the next verse, Nay but O man, who art thou that replyest against God? shall the thing formed say to him that ⟨p. 256⟩formed it, why hast thou made me thus? hath not the Potter power over the clay? The Apostle brings in this Argument as to mans eternal state; he must not strive with God about that. He must not say, why doth God find fault with man? O man, who art thou that dost logic it thus with God? His absolute power is his reason why he disposeth thus or thus of thee, or any man else. He will give thee no account why it is so, but his own will to have it so. For shame sit down, stop thy mouth for ever, speak not thus to God. If thou art, as thou canst not deny, a thing formed by God, then say not why hast thou made me thus? And as now thou strivest with God about that which thou canst not understand, so at last (though now thou dost not) thou shalt understand that thou oughtest not to have striven with him about it. And indeed if men have a mind to strive with God, they may find as many occasions for it in the doctrine of his conditional decrees of foreseen faith, repentance, and persevering obedience, as in his absolute. We shall never want matter of quarrelling with God, till we have learned simply, that is, graciously to submit.
First, With respect to our eternall state (for about that we are apt to call God to account.) O what strivings are there in the hearts of men about Gods absolute soveraignty in electing of some and rejecting of others. The Apostle is much upon it (Rom. 9.) where having represented the Lord speaking thus by Moses (vers. 15.) I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion: He presently prevents an Objection, or the strife of man with God about that saying, (vers. 19.) Thou wilt say then, why doth he yet find fault? (As if men might find fault with God, if he in that case should find fault with them?) for who hath resisted his will? This is mans plea against the soveraigne will of God. But what saith the Lord by the Apostle to such a pleader? we have his reproof of him for an answer in the next verse, Nay but O man, who art thou that replyest against God? shall the thing formed say to him that ⟨p. 256⟩formed it, why hast thou made me thus? hath not the Potter power over the clay? The Apostle brings in this Argument as to mans eternall state; he must not strive with God about that. He must not say, why doth God find fault with man? O man, who art thou that dost logick it thus with God? His absolute power is his reason why he disposeth thus or thus of thee, or any man else. He will give thee no account why it is so, but his own will to have it so. For shame sit downe, stop thy mouth for ever, speak not thus to God. If thou art, as thou canst not deny, a thing formed by God, then say not why hast thou made me thus? And as now thou strivest with God about that which thou canst not understand, so at last (though now thou dost not) thou shalt understand that thou oughtest not to have striven with him about it. And indeed if men have a mind to strive with God, they may find as many occasions for it in the doctrine of his conditionall decrees of foreseene faith, repentance, and persevering obedience, as in his absolute. We shall never want matter of quarrelling with God, till we have learned simply, that is, graciously to submit.
