God, as the Creator of all things, has an unlimited right over all —
[It was of his own good pleasure that he created the world at all : there was nothing that had any claim upon him to call it into existence. "When he had formed the chaos, no part of matter had any claim above the rest : that which was left inert had no reason to complain that it was not endued with vegeta- tive power; nor vegetables, that they were not enriched with animal life ; nor animals, that they were not possessed of reason ; nor our first parents, that they were created inferior to angels. Nothing had any claim upon its Maker. He had the same right over all as " the potter has over the clay, to make one vessel to honour, and another to dishonour ;" nor could any presume to say, " Why hast thou made me thusf?" If this then be true, what claim can man have upon his Maker now ? If he had none when innocent, has he acquired any by his fall? Does a loyal subject acquire new rights by rising in rebellion against his prince ?]
As the Lord and Governor of all things too, he may dispose of them as he sees fit —
[An earthly monarch does not consider himself account- able to his subjects for disposing of that which is properly, and in all respects, his own. He obliges those who are the objects of his favour, but does no injury to those who participate his bounty only in a less degree. Indeed every individual thinks himself at liberty to bestow or withhold his gifts, according as his inclination or judgment may dictate. And shall we deny to God what we concede to men? Shall we bind Him by a law from which we ourselves are free ? If any one were to blame us for using our own discretion in conferring obligations, we should ask without hesitation, " Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own5?" Shall we then presume to negative that question when put to us by the Governor of the Universe ?
Let this idea be well fixed in our minds, that God has a right to bestow his blessing on whom he will ; and it will root out that arrogance which is the characteristic of fallen man : it will bring us to the footstool of the Deity, and constrain us to say, " Let him do what seemeth him good : " "I was dumb, because thou didst it."]
We cannot doubt but that God possesses this right, since it is clear,
II. That he actually exercises it —
f Rom. ix. 20, 21. s Matt. xx. 15.