A Beam of Divine Glory, Part 1 · Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
Which ſhews wherein, in a peculiar manner, God is unchangeable.
HAving thus given you a general proof of God's Unchangeableneſs, our next Work ſhall be to conſider wherein he is unchangeable; by which we ſhall be both further enlightened and confirmed in this Truth; and withall, brought, I hope, into an acquaintance with the Life, Power, and ſweetneſs of it, at leaſt in ſome meaſure. God then is unchangeable, eſpecially in ſix things, all which do carry unexpreſſible Sweetneſs, as well as Glory in them, and ſhould be great encouragements to our Faith and Comfort. He is unchangeable;
1. In his Being and Eſſence.
2. In his Bleſſedneſs and Glory.
3. In his Council and Decree.
4. In his Kingdom and Rule.
5. In his Covenant and Promiſe.
6. In his Love and Grace to his People.
1. God is unchangeable in his Being and Eſſence.Deus ut in Eſſentia ſua conſideratur eſt actus purus, a quo omnia ſunt, & in quem omnia redeunt. Scharp. What the Being or Eſſence of God is, is not eaſy for us to conceive or apprehend; the Learned tell us, that the Eſſence or Being of God is, that one meer and pure Act whereby God is God; or thus, that God, in reſpect of his Eſſence, is one moſt pure and meer Act, from which all things are, and to which all things return; that is, which is the firſt Cauſe, and the laſt End of all things: but whatever the Eſſence or Being of God is, yet to be ſure he is therein unchangeable, he cannot be changed into another Eſſence or Being; nor can that which he hath, or rather is, be corrupted or decay: ſo much is held forth in my very Text. God therein ſtiling himſelf Jehovah. Which Name or Title of his notes, as the truth and abſoluteneſs, ſo the ſameneſs and unchangeableneſs of his Being: Thus Calvin and others note upon the place; and therefore do make that [I change not] to be but an Exegeſis, or ſomewhat added by way of explication of this Title Jehovah, which here God gives himſelf, I am Jehovah, I change not, q. d. I am an abſolute, independent, unchangeable Being in my ſelf, and one that gives Being to all the Creatures; and thus the Learned in the Hebrew Tongue do all expound this glorious Name of God, they tell us that this glorious Name of his, notes both his Being, and the unchangeableneſs of his Being; and when God, as in my Text, ſayes, I am Jehovah; he does in one word ſay, I am He, that great He, who have my Being in & of my ſelf, and do give Being to all the Creatures, and who in my Being was from all eternity, am now, and will be one and the ſame for ever. The ſame thing does God aſſert of himſelf in that other Name of his, Exod. 3.14. where he calls himſelf [I am]; God ſaid unto Moſes, I am that I am; and he ſaid, Thus ſhalt thou ſay unto the Children of Iſrael, I am hath ſent me unto you. I am what I am, or I will what I will be, it notes eternal and unchangeable Being in himſelf, and that he is now and will be for ever, that which he was before to Abraham, Iſaac, and Jacob. It notes (as a Learned Man obſerves) the Neceſſity, Dinotat in Deo eſſendi Neceſſitatem, Aeternitatem, Immutabilitatem, atque plenitudinem, & omnis Eſſentiae Fontem. Vatab. in loc. Ego ſum perpetuus Deus. Oleaſt.Eternity, Immutability, and infinite fulneſs of God's Being, and indeed the Fountain of all Being to be in him. It ſpeaks him to be perpetually God, and to his Name, Chriſt alludeth, when he aſſerts his own Divinity in Joh. 8.58. Before Abraham was, I am. So Pſal. 102.27. Thou art the ſame, ſayes the Pſalmiſt to God; or, which is more ſutable to the Hebrew, Thou art thy ſelf, alwayes thy ſelf. Thus God is unchangeable in his Being or Eſſence; and when I ſay he is unchangeable in his Being or Eſſence, I ſay he is unchangeable in all his Eſſential Properties, his Wiſdom, his Power, his Juſtice, his Holineſs, his Omniſcience, his All-ſufficiency, and the like. For pray mark,Multa eſt varia Dei attributa cum ejus unitate non pugnant, ſed omnia unam ſimpliciſſimam Dei eſſentiam ſignificant, imò ſunt ipſa Dei eſſentia. Sch. The Attributes or Properties of God are not in him diſtinguiſht, either from his Eſſence, or from one another really, but notionally or virtually; that is, they are not diſtinguiſhed at all in God, but are all one and the ſame perfection in him; they are indeed, as was noted in the beginning, the Divine Eſſence it ſelf; according to that general Rule, Whatever is in God, is God; they are diſtinguiſhed only in the manner of our underſtanding, which being unable to comprehend that infinite pure Act at once, do conceive thereof after the manner of many Acts; ſo that I ſay, when we affirm that God is unchangeable in his Being or Eſſence, we affirm that he is unchangeable in all his Attributes and Perfections, in his Holineſs, his Wiſdom, his Power, his Greatneſs, his Love, and the like. I'le cloſe this Head with a great Saying which I have read in Auſtine, Tu ſolus es Deus, id quod neque in melius neque in deterius commutari poteſt, quia ſolus ſimpliciter es, &c. Auguſt. Confeſſ. lib. 13. cap. 3.Thou (ſayes he to God) alone art God, that Being which cannot poſſibly be changed, either into a better or worſe Being, becauſe thou art a moſt ſimple Being; to whom, 'tis not one thing to live, and another thing to live bleſſedly, and that becauſe thou art thine own Bleſſedneſs; of which more in the next Particular.
2. God is unchangeable in his Bleſſedneſs and Glory: The Lord Jehovah is a Glorious and Bleſſed God, He is the Bleſſed, as well as the only Potentate, 1 Tim. 6.15. He is Bleſſed, and that not onelyonly Objectively, as he is the great Object of the Praiſes, Bleſſings, and Admirings of Men and Angels for ever; nor yet as he is the Spring and Fountain of all that bleſſedneſs which the one and the other of them do eternally enjoy; but Subjectively, being a God infinitely bleſſed and happy: God is the moſt happy and bleſſed Being, he is ſo bleſſed, that 'tis more then all the Creatures, whether Men or Angels, can do to add the leaſt tittle or iota to his bleſſedneſs: Hence we read, That their goodneſs extendeth not to him, Pſal. 16.2. And again, Can a Man be profitable unto God? And is it gain to him that thou makeſt thy wayes perfect? That is, 'Tis no profit, no gain to God, no addition to his happineſs or perfection, that we, or any, are or do ſo. See alſo Job 22.2, 3. and Chap. 35. 7, 8. If thou be righteous, What giveſt thou unto him? Or what receiveth he of thine hand? Thy wickedneſs may hurt a Man as thou art, and thy righteouſneſs may profit the Son of Man, but not God: As if he ſhould ſay, God is never the more happy or unhappy by any thing the Creature does or can do: 'Tis ture, the Saints and Angels both do love him, praiſe him, admire and adore him for ever; they caſt all their Crowns down at his Foot: But alas! this adds not one iota to his happineſs; No, He is exalted above all Bleſſing and Praiſe, Nehem. 9.5. Yea, 'tis a ſtopping, a condeſcenſion in him to take notice of theſe things, as you have it Pſalm 113.5, 6. And indeed, 'tis our happineſs, not God's, to love him, ſerve him, praiſe him, walk with him, and live to him. Who art thou Lord, (ſayes Aug.)Quid mihi es Domine, quid tibi ſum ipſe, ut amari te jubeas a me, & niſi faciam iraſcaris mihi, &c? Aug. and what am I that thou ſhouldeſt command me to love thee, that thou wilt accept of love from me, and threaten me with great miſeries unleſs I will love thee? He admires the condeſcention of God herein. Yea, ſuch is the bleſſedneſs of God, that he himſelf cannot add hereunto; God cannot make himſelf more bleſſed, happy, and perfect than he is; nothing can by infiniteneſs be added unto infiniteneſs: Now as he is thus bleſſed, ſo his bleſſedneſs is unchangeable; hence one of his names is, Over all, God bleſſed for evermore, Rom. 9.5. foreign, throughout all Ages, and to all Eternity: Alas! God makes his People unchangeably bleſſed; and he that makes others unchangeably bleſſed, is doubtleſs unchangeable in his own bleſſedneſs. But this will further appear, by conſidering a little what the bleſſedneſs of God is, and wherein it does lie; it lies wholly in that infinite delight, ſolace, and ſatisfaction which he hath in Himſelf, in the Viſion and Fruition of Himſelf, and thoſe infinite Glories and Perfections which are in him, and which he ſees and knows will be in him for ever. (Firſt,) God is an infinite Ocean of Sweetneſs, Perfection, and Glory; he has all Good and all Perfection in Him, as in its Fountain, Fulneſs, and Purity; as all the Lines in the Circumference do meet, and are united in the Center; ſo all Excellencies and Perfections do meet, and are united in God; and as God has all Excellencies and Perfections in him, ſo (Secondly) he perfectly underſtands his own infinite Perfections, contemplates them, and has an infinite delight, ſolace, and ſatisfaction in them; he is infinitely pleaſed and at reſt in himſelf, and in the viſion and fruition of his own Perfections, and this is his bleſſedneſs; hence he tells us, that he is God All-ſufficient; that is to ſay, for and to himſelf, as well as for and to his people, Gen. 17.1. I am God All-ſufficient, I am my own bleſſedneſs; and Abraham, I am thy bleſſedneſs, and I have enough for both. The truth is, all our happineſs lies in God, in the Knowledge and Injoyment of God; This is life eternal, to know thee the only true God, Joh. 17.3. And happy is the People whoſe God is the Lord, Pſal. 144.15.Bonus eſt qui fecit me, et ipſe eſt bonum meum, et ili exulto bonis omnibus meis. He that made me is good (ſayes Auſtin) and he is my good, my happineſs, and in him will I exult and rejoyce above all my other good things. And 'tis a great ſaying which he has to the ſame purpoſe elſe where;*Infoelix homo, qui ſeit illa omnia, te autem, neſcit Deus! beatus autem qui te ſcit etiamſi illa neſciat! qut vero et te, et illa novit, non propter illabeatiorem, ſeal propter te ſolum beatus. Aug. Ʋnhappy is that man (ſayes he) who knows all other things, but is ignorant of thee, O God; but bleſſed is he who knows thee, though he be ignorant of other things; but he that knows both thee and other things too, he is not the more happy becauſe he knows other things, but he is happy in thee only. Thus our happineſs lies in God, and the Viſion of him; and where ſhould his own happineſs lie but in himſelf? He that is the Spring and Fountain of our Happineſs, is an Everlaſting Fountain of Happineſs to himſelf;Tibi non eſt aliud vivere, aliud beate vivere, quia tua beatitudo, tu ipſe es. Aug. Thou thy ſelf (ſayes Auſtin) art thine own Happineſs. I'le cloſe this head with a great ſaying of a learned man; God (ſays he) is ſuch an infinitely perfect and happy Being that nothing can be added to him, nothing can be taken from him; he can want nothing out of himſelf; nor can he receive any thing but from himſelf; and he is infinitely ſufficient for and to himſelf, haveing all things in himſelf.
3. God is unchangeable in his Counſels and Decrees; We read in Scripture ſeveral times of the Counſels of God; Thy Counſels of old, are Faithfullneſs and Truth, Iſa. 25.1. and in Eph. 1.11. he is ſaid to work all things according to the Counſel of his own Will: and the ſame thing is elſe where mentioned under the notion, ſometimes of his Purpoſe, and ſometimes his Decree: and to underſtand this, you muſt know, that God, from all eternity, did as it were ſit in Council with his own Wiſdom, Juſtice, and Grace, and in that Council did abſolutely Decree and deternine the futurition, that is to ſay, the infallible future Being of whatever is beſides himſelf, unto the praiſe of his own Glory; for that is the Purpoſe, Counſel,Decretum Dei eſt definita ejus ſententia de rebus omnibus per omnipotentiam et ſecundum conſilium ſuum efficiendis. Ames. or Decree of God; 'tis his free, abſolute, and eternal determining of all things, which have been, are, or ſhall be, ſo as himſelf ſaw fitteſt to have them; or, it is that one, free, conſtant Act of God, whereby he hath abſolutely determined all things in a ſubſerviency to his own Glory: Now in this Counſel or Decree of his, he is unchangeable, and the ſame for ever; what he willeth, he willeth always, his willing of things being one pure Act, without any interuption or ſhadow of change; this the Scripture is full in, Pſal. 33.11. The Counſel of the Lord ſtandeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all Generations: ſo Prov. 19.21. There are many devices in a mans heart; nevertheleſs the Counſel of the Lord, that ſhall ſtand. Men may plot and fight againſt God and his Counſel, but yet it will ſtand, and that for ever: and you have this Truth aſſerted by God himſelf, you have it from his own Mouth, Iſa. 46.10. My Counſel ſhall ſtand (ſayes God) and I will do all my pleaſure, God derides the Counſels of Men that oppoſe Him and his People, telling them expreſly, that they ſhall not ſtand, Iſa. 8.10. But as for his own Counſel, that ſhall ſtand; hence alſo we read of the Immutability of his Counſel, Heb. 6.17.18. God willing more abundantly to ſhew unto the Heirs of Promiſe the immutability of his Counſel, confirmed it by an Oath; that by two immutable things, wherein it was impoſſible for God to lie, we might have ſtrong conſolation, &c. Mark, the immutability of his Counſel, and two immutable things wherein it was impoſſible for God to lie: that is, his Counſel and his Oath, and his Counſel confirmed by his Oath; confirmed, namely to our Faith; not in it ſelf, for his Counſel in it ſelf is as firm without as with his Oath; and his Oath is added, meerely as an Indulgence and Condeſcention to our weakneſs; therefore 'tis added, that we might have ſtrong conſolation; and 'tis to ſhew unto the Heirs of Promiſe, &c. And as his Counſels in general, ſo his particular Counſels concerning men's eternal Eſtates are alſo immutable:Hic et fundationis et obſignationis metaphora, propoſitum electionis ad vitam aeternam intelligitur, &c. Glaſſ. Rhet. Sac. The Foundation of God ſtandeth ſure, (ſayes the Apoſtle) having this Seal, the Lord knoweth who are his, 2 Tim. 2.19. By the Metaphor both of a Foundation and Seal. Here (as a learned Man obſerves upon the place) is to be underſtood God's Decree of Election unto eternal Life; and this ſtandeth ſure, (ſayes the Apoſtle) this changes, this varies not; and to the ſame purpoſe Calvin ſpeaks upon the place.Apoſtolus nos revocat ad Dei electionem, quam metaphorice appellat Fundamentum, firmam & ſtabilem ejus conſtantiam hoc nomine indicans. Calv. in Loc. The Apoſtle (ſayes he) calls us to look back upon the Election of God, which he ſtiles a Foundation, hereby ſhewing the firm and ſtable conſtancy or immutability of it: ſo Rom. 9.11. that the purpoſe of God according to Election might ſtand. God will have his own eternal purpoſe according to his Election ſtand, and ſtand it ſhall, and that for ever. Thus God is unchangeable in his Counſels: Alas! all his Counſels are free, wiſe, abſolute, powerful Counſels, and therefore they cannot change: And this Calvin takes to be a ſpecial part of the meaning of the Text; namely, God's unchangeableneſs in his Counſels; for thus he ſpeaks;Deus manet in ſuo propoſito, neque huc & illuc flectitur, quemadmodum Homines poenitent ſuſcepti conſilii, &c. Calv. God (ſayes he) remaines firm and ſtedfaſt in his own purpoſes, nor is he bended or varied this way, and that way, as men often-times repent of, and change their own Counſels, becauſe things come into their mind which they thought not of before; and ſo they wiſh that undone which they have done and do ſeek wayes of retracting their own Acts; and 'tis a ſaying I have read in Auſtin; God (ſayes he) changes his Works, Deus mut at Opera, non mutat Conſilium. Aug.not his Counſels. O let us reverence and adore God in this his unchangeableneſs!
4. God is unchangeable in his Kingdom and Rule: God has a Kingdom and Dominion over the whole World, which Kingdom and Dominion of his, is that abſolute Right and Power whereby he poſſeſſeth all things as his own, and alſo orders and diſpoſes of them as he pleaſes, ruling and governing the whole World according to the Counſel of his own Will, and in a ſubſerviency to his own moſt wiſe and holy ends; hence he is ſaid to be over all, Rom. 9.5. And above all, Eph. 4.6. to wit, in Kingdom, Power, and Dominion; he has a right to all, and he has the ordering and diſpoſe of all, both Perſons and Things, States and Kingdomes: He is the moſt High, that ruleth in the Kingdomes of Men, and gives them to whomſoever he will, Dan. 4.32. He workes all, and orders all in the Kingdom of Providence, as well as in the Kingdom of Grace, and that according to the Counſel of his own Will, Eph. 1.11. He rules and commands all; He hath prepared his Throne in the Heavens, and his Kingdom ruleth over all, In Coelis i. e, eminentiſſimè, ſplendidiſſime, potentiſſime, univerſaliſſimeque, gubernat omnia. Gojer.Pſal. 103.19. He doth whatſoever he pleaſes in Heaven and on Earth, in the Seas, and in all deep places, Pſal. 135.6. Now in this Kingdom and Dominion of his, he is unchangeable; it admits of neither ſtop nor period; he ruleth by his Power for ever, Pſal. 66.7. Thy Kingdom, O Lord, is an everlaſting Kingdom, a Kingdom of Ages, and thy Dominion endureth throughout all Generations, *Regnum tuum Aeternum durat, cum hominum regna morte ſaltem finiantur. Muſ. in loc.Pſal. 145.13. And I bleſſed the moſt High, (ſayes Nebuchadnezzar) whoſe Dominion is an everlaſting Dominion, and his Kingdom from Generation to Generation, Dan. 4.34. Ah ſirs, whatever men think, yet God governs the World, and his Dominion is over all; The Lord reigns (ſaith the Pſalmiſt) Pſal. 93.1. He hath reigned, He doth reign, and He will reign for ever: There is a day coming when all Rule, Authority, and Power ſhall be put down, and that once for all, even the Principality of the Angels themſelves (as Calvin obſerves) not excepted, 1 Cor. 15.24. But God reigns for ever and ever, and his Kingdom has no end: Thus he is unchangeable in his Kingdom and Rule in the World, which is a great encouragement to the People of God: O my Beloved, God governs the World now as well as heretofore; yea, and he governs it in our Nature now as well as heretofore, Joh. 5.27. He governs all by the Man Chriſt, who has a natural tender care of, and reſpect to his Church and People in all; let us therefore ſay with the Pſalmiſt, The Lord reigneth, let the people tremble; the Lord reigneth, let Sion rejoyce: God is not, God cannot be put by his Throne and Kingdom.
5. God is unchangeable in his Covenant and Promiſe, his Covenant and Promiſe with his People in Chriſt: God hath made a Covenant with his People in Chriſt, a Covenant of Peace, a Covenant of Grace, a Covenant of Love; a Covenant founded upon Grace, a Covenant full of Grace, a Covenant wholly made up of Grace and Love, from firſt to laſt, therefore called Grace, in the Abſtract, Rom. 6.14. a Full Covenant, a Rich Covenant, a Pretious Covenant, a Covenant made up of Rich, yea exceeding rich and pretious Promiſes, and filled with exceeding rich and pretious Treaſures, pretious Grace, pretious Peace, pretious Pardon, pretious Righteouſneſs, pretious Salvation; with a pretious God, a pretious Chriſt, a pretious Spirit, a pretious Heaven and Bleſsedneſs for ever: Now in this Covenant, and in all the pretious Promiſes of it, is God the Lord unchangeable: hence you have it ſo often called an Everlaſting Covenant, I will eſtabliſh my Covenant between me and thee (ſayes God to Abraham) for an Everlaſting Covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy Seed after thee, Gen. 17.7 Again, I will make an Everlaſting Covenant with them, (ſpeaking of his people) and I will not turn away from them to do them good, Jer. 32.40. and as an Everlaſting Covenant, ſo an Everlaſting and Sure Covenant; God hath made with me an Everlaſting Covenant (ſayes David) well-ordered in all things, and ſure, 2 Sam. 23.5. and again, Come and I will make with you an Everlaſting Covenant, even the Sure Mercies of David, Iſa. 55.3. Hence alſo 'tis called a Covenant of Salt, *Pactum Salis, q. d. incorruptum, ſtabile, & perpetuum. Vatab.Num. 18.19. that is, a firm, a durable, an unchangeable Covenant. Many other wayes does God ſet forth the immutability of his Covenant,Sal ſymbolum incorruptions, ideoque in foederibus ſanciendis uſurpatum, ad indicandum ea incorrupte & inviolate ſervanda eſſe. Bonfr. in loc. and that for the encouragement of our Faith and Comfort: how ſweet is that Word, and what a reſt may it be to Faith? Iſa. 54.9, 10. This is as the Waters of Noah unto me; for as I have ſworn that the waters of Noah ſhould no more go over the Earth, ſo have I ſworn, that I will no more be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee: For the Mountains ſhall depart, and the Hills be removed, but my kindneſs ſhall not depart from thee, neither ſhall the Covenant of my Peace be removed, ſaith the Lord, that hath mercy on thee. Pray obſerve, God had in the two foregoing verſes promiſed his Church and People, that, though for a ſmall moment he had forſaken them, yet with great Mercies he would gather them; and that though in a little wrath he had hid his face from them for a moment, yet with Everlaſting kindneſs he would have mercy on them, and here in theſe two verſes, he gives them a double ground of the aſſurance hereof; the one taken from his Oath, and the unchangeableneſs thereof, ver. 9. the other from his Covenant, and the unchangeableneſs thereof, ver. 10. For the Mountains ſhall depart, &c. as if he ſhould ſay, The Mountains and Hills may ſooner be removed than my Covenant; yea, the time will come when theſe ſhall be removed, but the time will never come that my Covenant ſhall fail or be removed. But what if his People ſin, what then? Why then, he will correct and chaſtiſe them for their ſin, but his Covenant he will keep firm and inviolable for ever notwithſtanding; For this you have a full and an expreſs Text, Pſal. 89.30, 31, 32, 33, 34. If his Children forſake my Law, and walk not in my Judgments; if they break my Statutes, and keep not my Commandments; then will I viſit their Tranſgreſſions with a Rod, and their Iniquities with ſtripes. Nevertheleſs (O gracious nevertheleſs!) my loveing-kindneſs will I not take from him, nor ſuffer my faithfulneſs to fail; my Covenant will I not braek, &c. We ſin, and break; and break, and ſin, and God chaſtiſes us, it may be, for our ſin, but yet ſtill his Covenant remaines firm and unchangeable. So 2 Tim. 2.13. If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful, he cannot deny himſelf: Oh, I have an unbelieving heart, and I ſhall, I fear, forfeit all; although thou haſt an unbelieving heart, yet God remains faithful. Thus God is unchangeable in his Covenant; Alas! his Covenant is built upon unchangeable Love, and ſeal'd with unchangeable Blood, and cannot therefore but be unchangeable: and as the Covenant, ſo all the Promiſes of the Covenant are ſure and unchangeable, they are all, yea, and Amen, in Chriſt, 2 Cor. 1.20. that is, they are all ſure, firm, unchangeable Promiſes, Promiſes that will certainly be made good: Men promiſe many times and change, but God promiſes and changes not; and this ſome conceive to be held forth in that Name of his, I am, Exod. 3.14. I am, that I am, or, I am what I was; or, I will be what I was; that is, as one expounds it,Eroquteram, i. e. ero factis qut eram in promiſſis. Alting. I will be in my Performances, what I was in my Promiſes: God makes good all his promiſes to a tittle: he that is Truth it ſelf, and Faithfulneſs it ſelf, cannot lie, cannot faile.Promiſſa tua ſunt Domine, quis falli timeat, cum promittit veritas. Aug. 'Tis a ſweet ſaying I have read in Auſtin, They are thy Promiſes, O Lord, and who need fear being deceived when Truth it ſelf promiſes? Oh, we need not fear, we need not queſtion, for God is true, God is faithful; Oh, how ſweet are the thoughts of an unchangeable Covenant; God has laid himſelf under bonds to his People, when he was infinitely free in himſelf; and under bonds to do great things for them, to pardon their iniquities, tranſgreſſions and ſins, to give them a new heart, and a new Spirit, to pour out his Spirit upon them; to cauſe them to walk in his Statutes and Judgements to do them; to write his Laws in their Hearts and put them into their inward parts; to cleanſe them from all their filthineſs and idols; to put his fear into their hearts that they ſhall never depart from him; and (which is all in one) to be a God unto them, and that they ſhall be his People; that is, he has laid himſelf under bonds, to be to them, and to do for them, what a God can be to, and do for them; and he is firm and unchangeable in all, and all ſhall aſſuredly have its accompliſhment in its ſeaſon. Oh, how ſweet is this? this was Davids death-bed Cordial, 2 Sam. 23.5. Although my Houſe be not ſo with God, yet he hath made with me an Everlaſting Covenant; and this is all my Salvation and all my Deſire; and indeed well it might, for what could David or any deſire more than is contained in God's Covenant, which has Heaven and Earth, God and the Creature, Time and Eternity, all in it? Oh, ſtudy this Covenant of God, and the unchangeableneſs of it, and you will find it an unchangeable Spring of Comfort to you. God himſelf found fault with the firſt Covenant, 'tis ſaid, and why? Why, becauſe it made no proviſion for his People againſt ſin; but you will be able to find no fault with this Covenant, this being well-ordered in all things, and ſure; as in the place laſt quoted you have it.
6. God is unchangeable in his Grace and Love to his People. God loves his People, and that with a choice and peculiar Love, a Love like that wherewith he loves Chriſt himſelf, Joh. 17.23. They are indeed the dearly beloved of his ſoul, as you have it Jer. 12.7. and in this Love of his towards them, he is unchangeable, alwayes the ſame, which I ſhall at once a little open, and evince unto you in three Propoſitions.
1. God is unchangeable in his Love it ſelf to his People, that being alwayes the ſame towards them; I have loved thee (ſayes God to his People) with an Everlaſting Love, Jer. 31.3. with a Love that is from everlaſting to everlaſting, without change or period; God's Love to his People is ſo firm and ſtable, that nothing whatever can poſſibly null or alter it, nothing can poſſibly caſt them out of his heart; if any thing could do it, it would be their ſinnings againſt him, and their breakings with him; but theſe do not, cannot do it, ſo he has told us, Pſal. 89.30, 31, 32, 33. If they ſin, I'le correct them for their ſin; but my loveing-kindneſs I will not take from them; or, (as ſome render it) I will not ſo much as interrupt my Love towards them; as if he ſhould ſay, though they ſin, yet I'le love them ſtill: God does not love the ſins of his People, no, he hates them, but he loves their perſons notwithſtanding their ſins: But what if afflictions and temptations be added to their ſins, and both the one and the other riſe high, will not this break off his Love from them? No, ſee that triumph of the Apoſtle upon this account Rom. 8. ult. Who ſhall ſeparate us from the Love of God? ſhall Tribulation, or Diſtreſs or Perſecution, and the like? Nay, in all theſe things we are more than Conquerers, through him that loved us; for I am perſwaded, that neither Death, nor Life, nor Angels, nor Principalityes, nor Powers, nor Things preſent, nor Things to come, nor Height nor Depth, nor any other Creature ſhall be able to ſeparate us from the love of God which is in Chriſt Jeſus our Lord. Here you ſee are afflictions and temptations added to ſins; yea, here are heights and depths of theſe things, but all cannot ſeparate God's People from his Love, nor caſt them out of his Heart. One I remember gives the ſum of the whole in this ſhort word;Ab aeterno dilexit, in aeternum diliget. Scult. in loc. God hath loved from eternity, and he will love to eternity. The truth is, could either ſins or ſufferings caſt us out of God's Heart, and ſeparate us from his Love; who then among the Saints could hope to continue in his Love, and upon his Heart? Beſides, in the place lately quoted, Iſa. 54.9.10. God ſayes expreſly, that though the Mountains ſhould be removed, yet his kindneſs to his People ſhould not be removed; no, that remains firm and ſtedfaſt for ever. True, God may poſſibly afflict his People, and that many wayes, and very ſorely; he may ſpeak againſt them as againſt Ephraim, Jer. 31.20. write againſt them, and that bitter things, as againſt Job, Job. 13.26. He may fight againſt them, as againſt thoſe, Iſa. 63.10. He may frown upon them, and let in his terrors into them, as he did upon and into Heman, Pſal. 88. ult. but yet ſtill he loves them, ſtill they are dear to him.
2. God is unchangeable in all the ſpecial ſaving Fruits and Effects of his Love to his People, Rom. 11.29. the Gifts and Calling of God are without repentance; that is, the Gifts of his effectual Calling, or his ſaving Gifts, ſuch as effectual Calling, and the like, ſhall never be repented of, never be recalled or reverſed by him; as they who receive thoſe Gifts will have no cauſe to repent, but to rejoice in them for ever; ſo God who gives them, will not repent that he gave them to them. God gives Chriſt, he gives Grace, he gives Peace, he gives Pardon, he gives Righteouſneſs, he gives Salvation, he gives eternal Life to his People, and all out of his love to them; and he never recalls or reverſes theſe Fruits and Effects of Love. You have another full Text for this, Jam. 1.17. Every good, and every perfect Gift is from Above, and cometh down from the Father of Lights, with whom is no variableneſs nor ſhadow of turning. Mark, haveing ſpoken of the perfect gifts of God; preſently he adds, with whom is no variableneſs; as if he ſhould ſay, as all good and ſaving Gifts come from God, ſo he is unchangeable in all: Indeed there are common Gifts, and Gifts of a meer outward Calling, which God, out of a common love and bounty, gives to men; and theſe many times he recalls, they not improving them: ſo the Talent was taken from the ſlothfull Servant, Mat. 25.28. and you know what Chriſt ſpeaks immediately thereupon, v. 29. Ʋnto every one that hath ſhall be given, and he ſhall have abundance; but from him that hath not, ſhall be taken away, even that which he hath: Pray obſerve, To him that hath ſhall be given; that is, who ever God hath beſtowed Gifts and Talents upon, and he improves them for God and his own Salvation, he ſhall have more Gifts and more Talents; he ſhall have an abundant encreaſe of theſe things; But from him that hath not, ſhall be taken away even that which he hath: Here ſeems to be a contradiction, Him that hath not, and yet what he has; the meaning in ſhort is this; That when God beſtowes ſuch and ſuch Gifts and Talents upon a perſon to be imployed for his Glory, and he does not ſo imploy them, he does not rightly uſe and improve them, what God hath beſtowed upon him ſhall be taken away: But 'tis otherwiſe with the ſaving Gifts and Fruits of God's ſpecial Love, theſe God never recalls; which is a ſweet contemplation. Soul! Hath God beſtowed ſome of his ſaving Gifts upon thee? then they are thine for ever: Has he given thee his Chriſt? he will never repent of it, never call him back again, but ſweet Jeſus is thine for ever: Has he given thee his Spirit? He will never repent of it, nor will he ever recall this bleſſed Gift from thee; the holy, good, and glorious Spirit is thine for ever: Has he given thee a new and ſpiritual Life? Has he given thee Grace, Pardon, Righteouſneſs, Juſtification, and the like? He will never repent of it; all theſe are thine for ever: O how ſweet is this to contemplate! thou mayeſt ſit down, and ſay, Chriſt is mine, the Comforter is mine, Life, Peace, Pardon, Righteouſneſs, Salvation are all mine, and that for ever.
3. God is unchangeable in the real deſigns and workings of his Love; I ſay, real, though not ſenſible; God's Love to his People may be ſuſpended and interrupted, as to the ſenſible influences and manifeſtations thereof, but yet even then 'tis active, and really at work for them, however the outward diſpenſation may vary; now ſmile, then frown; now lift up, then caſt down; now fill, then empty; now form light, then create darkneſs; yet in all ſtill he goes on in one even conſtant tenure of love towards them; in all, his love is at work for them and towards them, and he intends and deſigns them as much love in one as in the other, and accordingly firſt or laſt effects and accompliſhes it: and this is but agreeable to his Covenant with them and promiſe to them, Jer. 32.40. I'le make (ſayes he to his People) an Everlaſting Covenant with you, never to turn away from you to do you good. And, All things ſhall work together for good to them that Love God, Rom. 8.28. Whatever God does with us, however he ſeems to carry it towards us, yet ſtil he is doing us good, and acting his love towards us; We (as an Holy Man ſpeaks) are apt to think that God ſhews us love, when he doth ſome great thing for us; but (faith he) God is alwayes acting out his Love towards us, when he frowns, as well as when he ſmiles; when he withdraws, as well as when he approaches to us: In a word, Soul! whatever God does, there is love in it, and he deſigns thee love and good by it: Does he ſmile, give, fill, keep alive, draw near to thee? In all there is love, his ſpecial love works and runs through all; or, does he frown, take, empty, kill, hide his face? In all this there is love, yea, the the ſame ſpecial love of his, works in all, and runs through all; God is acting out his Love to thee in the one as well as in the other. O how ſweet is this! Death to the People of God, comes from the ſame Fountain of Love in God's heart that Life does.