Read Romans. It's all there.
"Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth." -- Romans 9:18
Paul anticipated your questions and further explains...
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? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? 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: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?" -- Romans 9:19-24"Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?
If you mean this in reply somehow to my questions to Blogger, I've read it. And I still don't come up with a cruel and capricious God.