God Compared to a Potter

We are the clay, and thou are Potter; and we all are the work of thy hand. Isaiah 64:8But now, ! "#, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our $otter; and we all are the work of thy hand. %ath not the $otter $ower o&er the clay, "o'ans (:)*%ath not the $otter $ower o&er the clay, of the sa'e lu'$ to 'ake one &essel unto honour, and another unto dishonour+ ,ccordin- to the usual 'ethod of scri$ture 'eta$hors, we find the !ord .od set forth under the 'eta$horial notion of a Potter, which shall /e illustrated in the ensuin- $arallel. METAPHOR PARALLEL

, Potter is an artificer, an arti0an or work'an, one skilful to work in earth, or .od is the 1aker of all 'en and thin-s that e&er were, to for' and 'ake $ots, and other &essels or shall /e. of clay. .od created or $re$ared the earth, the clay, /efore he for'ed 'an, and out of it was he 'ade: ,nd the , Potter $re$ares his clay or 'atter first, ! "# .od for'ed 'an of the dust of the -round, of which he intends to 'ake his &essels; .enesis ):2,nd the ! "# .od for'ed 'an of the and when he hath 'ade it fit, and ready dust of the -round, and /reathed into his nostrils the for the wheel, he -oes to work. /reath of life; and 'an /eca'e a li&in- soul. 7nown unto .od are all his works fro' the /e-inninof the world. ,cts *8:*87nown unto .od are all his works fro' the /e-innin- of the world. %e contri&ed in his eternal counsel, what a kind of creature he would 'ake 'an; nay, at the ti'e of his for'ation, he declared what a rare &essel he should /e: , Potter $ro3ects /efore4hand, what kind ,nd .od said, !et us 'ake 'an in our i'a-e, after of &essel he will 'ake of such clay; he our likeness: and let the' ha&e do'inion o&er the fish hath the for' and fashion of it in his of the sea, and o&er the fowl of the air, and o&er the 'ind, /efore he -oes to work; nay, 5and cattle, and o&er all the earth, and o&er e&ery cree$init 'ay /e6 'akes known what a &essel he thin- that cree$eth u$on the earth. .enesis *:)6,nd will 'ake. .od said, !et us 'ake 'an in our i'a-e, after our likeness: and let the' ha&e do'inion o&er the fish of the sea, and o&er the fowl of the air, and o&er the cattle, and o&er all the earth, and o&er e&ery cree$inthin- that cree$eth u$on the earth. , Potter 'akes &essels of di&ers sorts .od 'akes &essels of di&ers sorts and si0es; all 'en and si0es, and for se&eral uses; so'e are are not of the like stature and /eauty in their first

for 'ore honoura/le and no/le ser&ices than others.

, Potter takes -reat care of the &essels he hath 'ade, and /estowed his la/our and $ains u$on, that they 'ay not /e /roken; for they are /rittle ware, and he is -reatly offended with such as stri&e to dash the' to $ieces.

for'ation; neither are they so, as they are 'ade or for'ed anew in 9hrist :esus; for so'e &essels are desi-ned /y the -reat Potter to contain the -olden oil, and soul4enrichin- treasure, for the e'$tyin- of the' unto others. .od takes -reat care of those $ots or &essels he hath 'ade, nay, twice 'ade, or for'ed for hi'self: he -i&es a char-e concernin- the', and re/ukes kin-s for their sakes; ;ayin-, <ouch not 'ine anointed, and do 'y $ro$hets no har'. * 9hronicles *6:));ayin-, <ouch not 'ine anointed, and do 'y $ro$hets no har'. . <he de&il and wicked 'en shall one day -o to wreck, for that &iolence offered to those curious &essels that .od hath $re$ared to -lory: But he that trou/leth you shall /ear his 3ud-'ent, whosoe&er he /e. .alatians 8:*=I ha&e confidence in you throu-h the !ord, that ye will /e none otherwise 'inded: /ut he that trou/leth you shall /ear his 3ud-'ent, whosoe&er he /e.