Mercy magnified on a penitent prodigal, or, A brief discourse

4. If he please to damn him everlastingly, to harden his heart against him, yet even this also hath he truly deserved; and it is at his liberty whether he will do otherwise with him yea or no, Dan. 9. 8. He hath but that which doth properly belong to him, it is but his wages, Rom. 6. 23. Thus, though the poor creature is loth to be damned, and earnestly deprecates it, and cannot think of it without trembling and amazement; yet he yields this to God, that he may with all equity do it, and if he do, he shall for ever have cause to be silent, and nor in the least to complain against him as unjust.

2. He submits himself to the Sovereignty of God; acknowledging it to be his prerogative, to dispense himself to his creatures at his pleasure. And hence,

2. He submits himself to the Soveraignty of God; acknowledging it to be his prerogative, to dispense himself to his creatures at his pleasure. And hence,

1. He owns and yields himself to be at the Sovereign dispose of God, being one of his creatures, and he may appoint him to what he ⟨p. 254⟩will, without wrong: If the Potter may order his mass of clay (though his fellow creature) to make vessels of the same lump, for several uses, some honourable, some dishonourable; much more may God dispose of him, who gave being to the lump it self of which he was made,