ten of the word of God's grace, which promiseth justification and salvation to those that believe; from hence, I say, it doth not at all follow that God should be unrighteous, or unjust, as, it is like, my countrymen the Jews will pretend. They are apt to think, that, if God should estimate Abraham's seed, and justify men by believing, rejecting from these privileges the strict and zealous observers of his own law, he should be unrighteous and unjust. But I desire they will please to understand, that I am as far from teaching any doctrine whatsoever, whereby God should be rendered unrighteous, as themselves; yea, every such doctrine as this is the abhorring of my soul. But, that there is no reflection in the least of any unrighteousness in God in my doctrine of justification by faith, and not by the works of the law, is evident from the mouth of God himself.

15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. For, doth he not assume and claim to himself a liberty, or right of power, to justify and save who or what manner of persons himself pleaseth, in saying unto Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy ?" &c. Doubtless God claimeth unto himself no liberty or power in one kind or other, but only that which is most equitable, righteous, and just. "Shall not the Judge of all the earth," saith Abraham, “do right?" and, so, speak right? Therefore, if God be at liberty to accept, justify, and save, who and what manner of persons he pleaseth, and, consequently, to reject what manner of persons he pleaseth, he cannot be unrighteous or unjust in showing the "mercy" of justification, and so the grace of salvation, upon those who believe, or in denying these privileges to those that seek after them by the works of the law.

16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. From hence it clearly followeth, that justification, that is, the law or terms of justification, do not proceed from, are not permitted to be nominated, appointed, or made by men, though never so forward or desirous of being justified, though never so zealous in pursuing justification; but the right of enacting this

law, and of prescribing these terms, unquestionably appertaineth unto God; and this for this reason, and upon this account, namely, because it is and was in his power, whether any person whatsoever of mankind should ever have been justified, or no, by one means or other. For, as he that freely foundeth a hospital or alms-house out of his own proper estate, and endoweth it with revenue and means for the relief of those that are helpless and poor, hath in equity the right and power of making what laws he pleaseth concerning the persons that shall be admitted to partake in the benefit and comfort of either of these houses, as how they shall be qualified in order to their admission, how regulated after their admission, &c.; at least, there is no colour of reason, that the persons themselves, who stand in need of, and accordingly desire, the benefit of such charitable foundations should prescribe laws for their own admission and government; in like manner, God, of his free grace, mercy, and bounty, affording the blessed opportunity of justification unto the sinful and lost world of mankind, hath a most equitable right and power, and claims and exerciseth it accordingly, to nominate, ordain, and appoint what laws, terms, and conditions himself pleaseth and judgeth meet, for all those to be subject unto, who desire part and fellowship in this great and blessed business of justification, before they come to enjoy it. And it is a most preposterous thing to imagine or conceive, that he should suffer or permit men themselves, who are sinful and vile, and stand in the utmost necessity to partake of his bounty in that royal blessing of justification, to make their own terms, how they will be justified.

17 For the Scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for

this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might show my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.

And as there is no "unrighteousness" in God's showing mercy, the mercy of justification, and so of salvation, on whom he pleaseth, and, consequently, not in justifying those who believe, so neither is there any whit more "unrighteousness" in his rejecting, condemning, and destroying whom, or what manner of persons, he pleaseth; and, consequently, not in his

rejecting and destroying impenitent, unbelieving, and obdurate sinners. For himself, as we are informed from the Scriptures, plainly told Pharaoh, by Moses his servant, that whereas, by his frequent rebellions against him, in detaining his people in bondage, contrary to many express orders and commands from him to let them go, and these seconded by many terrible signs and wonders, time after time, he deserved to have been cut off by death, as many of his subjects, partakers in the same rebellions with him, had been, yet he had, upon a special design, respited him from destruction hitherto, namely, that in case he should still stand it out in stubbornness and rebellion against him, and not relent to the dismission of his people, by all that goodness and patience which had already in part been showed, and should yet further to a degree be showed unto him, he might show the dreadfulness of his power in his destruction, and so cause the knowledge of his great and fearful name to be spread far and near throughout the world. By this admonitory and minatory address unto Pharaoh, God plainly declares that he is at liberty, and hath a right of power, to reject from his grace and favour, and to destroy who, and what kind of persons, he pleaseth; and particularly that that sort or kind of persons whom he is pleased thus to reject and destroy are stubborn and obdurate unbelievers.

18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have

mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.

Now, then, what from the words lately recited, spoken by God unto Moses, on the one hand, and what from the message now mentioned, sent unto Pharaoh, on the other hand, it clearly followeth, that God hath a liberty, or right of power, which he accordingly exerciseth both ways, as well of showing mercy, justifying, and saving, who, and what manner of persons, he pleaseth, as of rejecting, punishing, and destroying, in like manner, whom he pleaseth; and, consequently, that there is no unrighteousness" in him, when he doeth either.

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19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?

If things be thus between God, and his creature man, namely, that he hardeneth, punisheth, and rejecteth, whom he pleaseth, and at his will; it may be that some, out of froward

ness, or ignorance, or both, will demand: “ How cometh it to pass that he so frequently complains of, and reproveth, those whom he hath hardened and rejected, considering that they are in no capacity to reform or amend any thing that is blameworthy either in their hearts or ways, or to recover themselves from under their present misery, inasmuch as that will of his, by which they are hardened or rejected, cannot be resisted, or the effects of it dissolved or disannulled by men? Are such things meet matter of reproof, which the persons reproved are in no condition or possibility to help or amend ?”

20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest

against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?

For answer to this demand, whosoever thou art that makest it, if thou beest but a man, I cannot but demand another thing of thee : Tell me whether it be meet, or indeed tolerable, that thou, being a poor, weak, ignorant, and sinful creature, dwelling in a house of clay, and who must shortly appear before the dreadful tribunal of Jesus Christ, to receive judgment for all thy thoughts, words, and works, shouldest enter a quarrelsome and froward contest against the most glorious, most holy, most righteous, and only wise God, before whom the pillars and powers both of heaven and earth tremble, who is able in the twinkling of an eye to crush and destroy thee, about either the righteousness or wisdom of his ways? If he doth reprove, complain of, and find fault with those whom he hath hardened or rejected, oughtest not thou to reverence him, and presume both wisdom and righteousness in this his way, although thou, through thy present ignorance and profaneness of heart, art not able to comprehend them? For, let me yet once more ask thee, is it in the least degree reasonable or comely, that when a workman hath given being to any thing made by him, in such or such a form, that this thing should expostulate with him about the shape or form wherein he hath made it, or complain of him for making it in this form, and not rather in some other; especially considering that that thing which the workman hath made in one form could not possibly have been made by him in another; inasmuch as it had been another thing, and not

that which now it is, if it had been made in another form. No more reason is there, nay, much less reason there is, why sinful men who, by sinning against God, have forfeited their very beings a thousand times, should contend with him about his proceedings with them, or about the terms of that being which he, notwithstanding those many forfeitures, is graciously pleased to vouchsafe unto them; especially considering, that God, his infinite wisdom and justice on the one hand, and their folly and sinfulness on the other hand, considered, cannot grant them any being at all upon better terms than that which he now vouchsafed unto them.

21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?

And let me ask thee, O man, yet once more, the more throughly to convince thee of the unreasonableness of thy contest against God about his dealings by thee, having now imbased thyself by sinning, and so art become obnoxious unto his displeasure; let me, I say, ask thee, Dost thou, or any other man of common reason and understanding, deny unto an ordinary potter a lawfulness of power over his clay, the vileness of the material on the one hand, and his civil right and propriety in it on the other hand, considered, as if he might not without the violation of any principle of reason, justice, or equity, of the same parcel or lump of it, make one vessel for services not only necessary but also comely and honourable, another for employments less creditable and seemly?

22 [And] What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:

23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory to the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory?

And if God shall please, for the manifestation of his most dreadful avenging power upon men prodigiously sinful, on the one hand, and on the other hand, to administer a ground of