Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? The objection (as Hodge says) is rounded on ignorance or misapprehension of the relation between God and His sinful creatures. It supposes that He is under obligation to extend His grace to all, whereas He is under obligation to none. All are sinners, and have forfeited every claim to His mercy; it is therefore perfectly competent to God to spare one and not another, to make one vessel to honour and another to dishonour. He, as a sovereign Creator, has the same right over them that a potter has over the clay. But it is to be borne in mind that Paul does not here speak of God's right over His creatures as creatures, but as sinful creatures; as He himself clearly intimates in the next verses. It is the cavil of a sinful creature against his Creator that he is answering, and he does so by showing that God is under no obligation to give His grace to any, but is as sovereign as in fashioning the clay.' But, Second, 'There is nothing unjust in such sovereignty.'