A Body of Practical Divinity

3. What Injustice is it in God to inflict a lesser Punishment, and prevent a greater? The best of God's Children have that in them which is meritorious of Hell: ⟨p. 52⟩Now I pray, doth God do them any wrong, if he useth only the Rod, where they have deserved the Scorpion? Is the Father unjust if he only corrects his Child, who hath deserved to be disinherited? If God deals so favourably with his Children, he only puts Wormwood in their Cup, whereas he might put Fire and Brimstone, they are rather to admire his Mercy, than complain of his Injustice.

Object. How can it stand with God's Justice, that all Men, being equally guilty by Nature, God should pass by one, and save another? why doth not he deal with all alike?

Resp. Rom. 9.14. Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. Job. 8.3. Doth the Almighty pervert justice? 1. God is not bound to give an account of his Actions to his Creatures. If none may say to a King, what dost thou? Eccles. 8.4. much less to God. It is sufficient, God is Lord paramount, he hath a Sovereign Power over his Creatures, therefore can do no Injustice, Rom. 9.21. Hath not the Potter power over the Clay, of the same Lump to make one Vessel to honour, and another unto dishonour? God hath a liberty •e•t in his own Breast to save one, and not another, and his Justice is not at al impeached or blemished. If two Men owe you Money, you may without any Injustice remit the Debt to one, and exact it of the other. If two Male-factors be condemned to die, the King may pardon one, and not the other. He is not unjust if he ets one suffer, because he offended the Law, nor if he save the other, because he will make use of his Prerogative as he is King. 2. Though some are saved, and others perish, yet there is no unrighteousness in God, because whoever perisheth, his destruction is of himself,