An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty-eighth, thirty-ninth, fortieth, forty-first, and forty-second,…

Secondly, The Scripture useth such questions when man is over-bold with, or not enough in the fear of God (which is the case here in the Text) If any man intrench upon the prerogative of God, he is like to hear of it, with a Who art thou? The Apostle (Rom. 9.20.) by way of prevention, represents man so bold with God, as to darken his counsel, even his eternal counsel, ⟨p. 30⟩by words without knowledge; Thou wilt say then unto me, why doth he yet find fault? who hath resisted his will? When God, to show his unquestionable Sovereignty, saith, Jacob have I loved, and Esau have I hated: I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy; Then man begins to complain of God, and thinks he hath cause for it: But saith the Apostle, Who art thou that repliest against God? shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, why hast thou made me thus? When-ever man give occasion to say, that he fears man too much, or God too little; he is like to hear these rebuking and humbling questions, Who is this, or, Who art thou? Many have too high thoughts of others, and most of themselves, as if they were (as we say) some-body, that is, more than any-body, as if they were of some greater worth, or had some greater worthiness, than their neighbours. Now, whosoever have too high thoughts either of others or of themselves, they always have too low thoughts of God; and therefore God, to show them their vanity, that all men are but emptiness, yea very nothingness compared with him, makes the best of men strike sail, or, God shoots down their top-sail, with such questions as these, Who are you? and, who is this?

Secondly, The Scripture useth such questions when man is over-bold with, or not enough in the fear of God (which is the case here in the Text) If any man intrench upon the prerogative of God, he is like to hear of it, with a Who art thou? The Apostle (Rom. 9.20.) by way of prevention, represents man so bold with God, as to darken his counsel, even his eternal counsel, ⟨p. 30⟩by words without knowledge; Thou wilt say then unto me, why doth he yet find fault? who hath resisted his will? When God, to shew his unquestionable Sovereignty, saith, Jacob have I loved, and Esau have I hated: I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy; Then man begins to complain of God, and thinks he hath cause for it: But saith the Apostle, Who art thou that repliest against God? shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, why hast thou made me thus? When-ever man give occasion to say, that he fears man too much, or God too little; he is like to hear these rebuking and humbling questions, Who is this, or, Who art thou? Many have too high thoughts of others, and most of themselves, as if they were (as we say) some-body, that is, more than any-body, as if they were of some greater worth, or had some greater worthiness, than their neighbours. Now, whosoever have too hign thoughts either of others or of themselves, they alwayes have too low thoughts of God; and therefore God, to shew them their vanity, that all men are but emptiness, yea very nothingness compared with him, makes the best of men strike sail, or, God shoots down their top-sail, with such questions as these, Who are you? and, who is this?