A Beam of Divine Glory, Part 1 · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI.
Several doctrinal Corollaries or Deductions from the conſideration of God's Unchangeableneſs.
HAving thus far aſſerted, opened, and vindicated the Unchangeableneſs of God, our next work ſhall be to deduce ſome uſeful Corollaries or Concluſions thence; and indeed many things of weight, and very momentous to us, may be drawn from what has been ſaid. As,
1. See here the Glorious Excellency and Perfection of God, and that he is infinitely diſtinguiſht from all the creatures in Dignity and Glory. God, my Beloved, is every way above, and diſtinguiſht from the creatures; He is the excellent Glory, 2 Pet. 1.17. and there is hardly any thing wherein his Glorious Excellency and Perfection does more brightly, illuſtriouſly, and tranſcendently appear, and ſhine forth, than in his Unchangeableneſs. The Creatures are all changeable, one way or other, the Heavens and the Earth, with all the furniture of the one and the other, are changeable; they ſhall periſh, yea, all of them ſhall wax old like a Garment, and be changed as a Veſture, Pſal. 102.26. The day is coming, wherein all theſe ſhall be diſſolved, 2 Pet. 3.10, 11. Men alſo they are changeable, they indeed are Changeableneſs it ſelf, as it were, they are changeable in their Nature, and changeable in their Condition; changeable in their Spirits, and changeable in their Wayes; changeable in their Counſels, and changeable in their Comforts; changeable in all they are; unſtable as water, as 'tis ſaid of Reuben, Gen. 49.4. Great Men are changeable, Pſal. 62.9. Yea, good Men are changeable, the beſt Men are changeable, the beſt Men at their beſt in this world are changeable, Verily, every man at his beſt eſtate is altogether vanity; (that is, ſubject to change) Pſal. 39.5. Men are not to day what they were yeſterday, nor will they be to morrow what they are to day; yea, Men are to day, and to morrow they are not; ſo changeable are they. Yea, the Angels, the Bleſſed Angels themſelves are changeable; God puts no truſt in his Saints, and his Angels, he charges with folly, Job 4.18. that is, with poſſible, though not actual, folly, with change and folly in their Nature, though not in their Condition: there is, my Beloved, a peccability in the very Angels, I mean, in their Nature: The beſt of Creatures, in themſelves, are ſubject to the worſt of changes; the glorious Angels are in their Nature capable of ſinning; indeed, in their Condition they are not, being confirmed in, both all Holineſs and all Happineſs, by the grace of the Second Covenant, but in their Nature they are: Hence that ſaying of one of the School-men;Cuicunque Creaturae hoc convenit, ut peccare non poſſit, hoc habet ex dono gratiae, non ex conditione naturae, Aquin. Whatever Creature there is that is impeccable, and cannot ſin, he has not this from himſelf, or in his Nature, but from the Gift of free Grace. Thus all the Creatures are changeable, but God is unchangeable, he is for ever the ſame. And O how glorious does this ſpeak him to be! And how does it diſtinguiſh him from all the Creatures in Perfection and Glory? The truth is, this is a glorious Excellency and Perfection in it ſelf, and this puts a luſtre and glory upon the Excellencies & Perfections of God; for, this (as one ſpeaks) is an Attribute, which like the ſilken ſtring through the Chain of Pearl, runs through all the reſt, and puts a glory upon all. God's Holineſs would not be half ſo glorious, were it not unchangeable Holineſs; his Love would not be half ſo ſweet, were it not unchangeable Love; his Juſtice and Wrath would not be half ſo terrible, were it not unchangeable Juſtice and Wrath: Indeed, what were any of all his Attributes in compariſon, were they not unchangeable? O! let us learn to ſee and adore God in this glorious Excellency and Perfection of his.
2. From the conſideration of God's Unchangeableneſs, we conclude the tranſcendent excellency of Spiritual Things beyond Carnal, Heavenly things beyond Earthly; and accordingly we ſhould prize and purſue the one and the other. This take for an eternal Rule, That the nearer things come to God, and the more they reſemble him, and partake of him, the more excellent and deſirable they are. Indeed, as God is the Fountain, ſo he is the Meaſure and Standard of all true Worth and Excellency; and here is nothing that has any real worth or excellency in it, any further then it reſembles him, and partakes of him. Now, what things do moſt reſemble God and partake of God? are they Spiritual, or Carnal; Heavenly, or Earthly? ſurely Spiritual and Heavenly Things; God is unchangeable, and ſo in their kind are theſe: as for Carnal and Earthly things, they are fading and changeable, the beſt of them are Treaſures which moth and ruſt doth corrupt, and which Theives do break through and ſteal, Mat. 6.19. They are all fadeing, dying, tranſient things: The World paſſeth away, (ſayes Saint John) 1 Joh. 2.17. that is, fleeting and periſhing. 'Tis a good Obſervation which Calvin has upon theſe words,*Quia in mundo nihil eſt niſi caducum, et quaſi momentaneum; ex eo colligit quam male & miſere ſibi conſulant, qui hic ſibi faelicitatem conſtituunt praeſertim quum al beatam aeternae vitae gloriam nos Deus vocet. Calv. Becauſe (ſayes he) in the World there is nothing but what is fading, and as it were, but for a moment; the Apoſtle thence concludes, how ill they conſult and provide for themſelves, who carve out to themſelves their happineſs here, eſpecially when God calls us to the bleſſed Glory of eternal Life; and 'tis as if he ſhould ſay, The true happineſs which God offers to his Children is eternal, and therefore moſt unworthy is it in us to incumber our ſelves with this World; which, together with all its good things, will anon vaniſh away. Pray let us lay this Obſervation to heart, The world paſſeth away; that is, Riches, Honours, and Pleaſures, they all fade and change, are ſhort-lived: Alas! how ſoon many times do Riches change into Poverty, Pleaſure into Pain, Honour into Diſgrace and Contempt, Friends into Enemies, Fulneſs into Want? there is no ſtability in any of theſe things, they are ſubject to change every moment: but now Spiritual and Heavenly Things they are laſting and durable, they are Treaſures which neither moth nor ruſt doth corrupt, nor can Theives break through and ſteal them, Mat. 6.20. The Riches of this World are uncertain Riches, vaniſhing, diſappearing Riches, 1 Tim. 6.17. but the Riches of Heaven, and the Covenant of God's Love, are certain, durable, and abiding Riches. Grace is a durable Thing, the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt is a durable, unchangeable Thing; Pardon, Juſtification, Acceptation with God through that Righteouſneſs, are durable Things; Union and Communion with God through Chriſt, theſe are unchangeable, theſe live and laſt for ever, where attained; and being ſo, they do come nearer God, they more reſemble him and partake more of him than Carnal and Earthly Things do, and ſo are more excellent than they, and ſhould be accordingly prized by us. O, my Beloved, there is more true worth and excellency in one dram of Grace, one beam of Holineſs, one hint of the Pardon of ſin, one ſight of God's reconciled Face, one imbrace in the boſom of his Love, than there is in a World of Carual Comforts and Contentments; and accordingly we ſhould prize and affect them, our eye and heart ſhould be taken off from the one, and fixt upon the other. But alas! alas! we are apt to dote upon theſe changeable things here below: O how fond are we of, and how paſſionately for the moſt part are we carried out after Carnal, Earthly ſenſible Things? But how cold are we in our love to, and purſuits after Things Spiritual and Heavenly? as if indeed Earthly and not Heavenly things were the only things of weight and moment; whereas indeed the one hath no worth, no glory in them in compariſon of the Glory which excelleth: Let us therefore with the holy Apoſtle, not look at the things which are ſeen, but at the things which are not ſeen; for the things which are ſeen, are temporal; but the things which are not ſeen, are eternal, 2 Cor. 4.18. Mark, the Apoſtle did not think Carnal and Earthly Things worth a caſt of his eye, becauſe they are temporal, changeable; but Spiritual Things, which are durable and eternal, theſe he counted worthy of his eye, his heart, and all. O, let us meaſure the worth of things by their reſemblance to God, and what they do partake of him.
3. Behold here, as in a Glaſs, the notorious folly and madneſs of ſuch as prefer the Creature before God, in their choice and affections, placing their happineſs in it, and not in him. Many (not one, or two, or a few, but many) ſay, Who will ſhew us any good? and what good is it they would have ſhewn them? Corn, Wine, Oyle, Pſal. 4.6. Creature-good, ſenſible-good, good to feed and fill a ſenſual Appetite; and indeed, this is the good which the moſt of men prefer in their choice and affections before God, placing the reſt and happineſs of their Souls therein: The generality of men have high thoughts of the Creature, and low thoughts of God; great affections for the Creature, and ſmall affections for God; 'Tis but here and there one that does truly and indeed carry his happineſs above the road of Creatures, and place it in God: Take the moſt of men, and 'tis the Creature they love, 'tis the Creature they prize, 'tis the Creature they chooſe, and 'tis the Creature they take up their reſt and happineſs in; as for God, they will have none of him; as God complained of them of old, Iſrael would none of me, Pſal. 81.11. In a word, God and the Creatures, ſhare the hearts and affections of the whole World between them; God tenders himſelf to men as the reſt and happineſs of their Souls, and accordingly to be loved, to be prized, to be choſen, to be delighted in by them; on the other hand, the Creatures they tender themſelves to men in like manner, and both plead for acceptation; and which I pray carrys it, God or the Creature? Truly the Creature with the moſt: Alas! we are carnal, and ſenſual, and do naturally incline to carnal and ſenſual things, imbracing them to the neglect of God, and ſo the Creature is preferred before God: Oh what folly and madneſs is this! to prefer the Creature before God in our choice and affections, is not only to prefer emptineſs before fulneſs, nothingneſs before ſufficiency; but 'tis alſo to prefer vanity before immutability, and variableneſs before unchangeableneſs; and Oh, what folly, what madneſs is this! to prefer the Creature before God in our choice and affections, is to prefer a broken Ciſtern that can hold no Water, before a Fountain of Living Waters. So God himſelf ſpeaks of it, and withal brands it for a black and horrid evil, Jer. 2.12, 13. an evil which he calls upon the Heavens to be aſtoniſht at, and the Earth to be horribly afraid becauſe of. O, my Beloved, to prefer a Ciſtern before a Fountain; a poor, narrow, ſcanty, borrowed Good, before a full, ample, original, all-ſufficient Good; a drop before an Ocean of Goodneſs and ſweetneſs, this is great folly; but to prefer a broken Ciſtern, and a broken Ciſtern that can hold no Water, before a Fountain of Living Waters, fleeting nothingneſs before unchangeable fulneſs, this is greater folly, folly even to madneſs; and yet this is the folly of the moſt of men. Carnal men are often in Scripture called Fools, and their folly appears in nothing more than this; Namely, their preferring changeable Creatures, before an unchangeable God; and indeed, than this what greater folly can there be? In Luk. 12.19. we read of one that talked to his Soul, ſaying, Soul, eat, drink, and be merry; for thou haſt much goods laid up for thee for many years, take thine eaſe: Pray mark, he had never a word of God in his mouth, and (as we may ſafely conclude) never a thought of God in his heart; but he was wholly taken up with his Barnes, and Goods, and Treaſures; and yet he bids his Soul to take its eaſe, to ſit down at reſt; God was as nothing with him, and the Creature was all: Well, what title does Chriſt give him? does he give him the title of a wiſe Man? No, Thou fool (ſays he) Chriſt calls him fool, as well he might; for what greater folly than this, to be wholly taken up with periſhing Creatures and neglect and forget an unchangeable God? yea, and to bid his Soul take its eaſe too, becauſe he abounded with Creature-injoyments: Indeed, had he ſaid, Soul, take thine eaſe, be merry, thou haſt Heavenly Treaſures laid up in abundance for thee; God is thine, Chriſt is thine, the Bleſſed Spirit, the Comforter is thine, Heaven, and Eternal Life is thine, this had been ſomething like; but to have his heart taken up with carnal things altogether, preferring them before God, and to bid his Soul to reſt and be merry upon the account of theſe, this is folly with a witneſs; and who deſerves the name of a Fool, if he did not? What ſhall I ſay? this, namely to prefer the Creature before God, is ſuch folly, as will at laſt expoſe to ſhame and contempt for ever all that are guilty of it, and ſuch are even hung up in Chains for the higheſt inſtances of folly and madneſs: Lo (ſayes the Pſalmiſt) this is the man that made not God his Strength, but truſted in the abundance of his Riches, &c. q. d. Conſi erate quam miſer nunc ſit qui antea tam foclix crat. Piſcat. in loc. Videte quis ſit illius exitus. Muſc. in loc.Pſal. 52.7. Lo, this is the man that preferred the Creature before God, that made Riches, not God, his Portion; this is that Fool, that very Fool, that mad Man; yea, and whoever they are that do this, they will at laſt (though perhaps too late) ſee and find themſelves to be Fools: At his end (ſayes the Prophet concerning ſuch an one) he ſhall be a Fool, Jer. 17.11. at his end he ſhall be a fool! what, was he a wiſe man in his beginning and progreſs? No, he was a Fool all along; Yet though he was a Fool, he thought himſelf wiſe: but at laſt he ſhall ſee his folly, he ſhall find that he was a very fool indeed, and O how will the ſight of ſuch folly then vex and torment him? O Sirs, when you ſhall ſee your ſelves lanching forth into an unchangeable ſtate, as ſhortly you will, how will you then condemn your ſelves of folly, for preferring changeable Creatures before an unchangeable God? Let me therefore ſpeak to each of you, as in Prov. 23.5. Wilt thou ſet thine eyes upon that which is not? Riches make to themſelves wings, &c. Ceaſe from thine own wiſdom, labour not to be rich: Men think it to be their higheſt wiſdom to get Riches; but, ſirs, know aſſuredly, this is folly; the onelyonly wiſdom, is to make ſure of God, and get an intereſt in God, Riches are not, but God alwayes is, and he is the ſame for ever.
4. From God's Unchangeableneſs we infer the abſolute neceſſity of a change in ſinners, if ever they be happy, if ever they be ſaved. My Beloved, if ever ſinners be ſaved, and made eternally happy, there muſt be a change either in God or them; now in God there can be no change, the change thereof muſt be in them: 'Tis a rational and undenyable way of arguing, for a ſinner to argue and ſay, God is unchangeable; and becauſe God is unchangeable, I muſt change or periſh, change or die, change or be miſerable for ever: For pray mark, God never did, and he never will ſave any man in his ſins, he is in Chriſt infinitely willing, ready, and able to ſave men from their ſins; he ſent and ſeal'd his Son on purpoſe to ſave men from their ſins, and accordingly gave him a Name ſutable hereunto, even Jeſus, which ſigniſies a Saviour, Thou ſhalt call his Name Jeſus, for he ſhall ſave his people from their ſins, Mar. 1.21. But he never did, and unleſs he ſhould change he never will, ſave any in their ſins, without a change therefore in us and upon us, we are undone for ever. But a little further, yet to let you ſee the force of this inference, and the rationality of ſuch an arguing, that ſo it may fall with the greater weight and conviction upon all our Souls; be pleaſed to conſider that 'tis utterly repugnant to, and inconſiſtent with, the Word, Nature, Counſel, and Oath of God, to ſave ſinners without a change; for all theſe are abſolutely and expreſly againſt the happineſs and ſalvation of unchanged Souls, Souls remaining ſtill in their ſins, ſtill in their natural ſtate.
1. The Word of God is againſt the happineſs and Salvation of unchanged Souls; the Word of God ſayes expreſly, that without a change, men may not, ſhall not, cannot be ſaved; The Word of God ſays, the wicked ſhall be turned into Hell, and all that forget God, Pſal. 9.17. The Word of God ſays, that into the Holy City there ſhall in no wiſe enter any thing that defileth or worketh abomination, Rev. 21.27. The Word of God ſayes, that the unrighteous ſhall not inherit the Kingdom of God, 1 Cor. 6.9. The Word of God ſayes, that without holineſs no man ſhall ſee God, Heb. 12.14. And leſt all this ſhould be thought to concern onelyonly profane and licentious ones, let me add, the Word of God ſayes, that fleſh and blood, that is, men in their natural eſtate, cannot enter into the Kingdom of God, 1 Cor. 15.50. Yea, the Word of God ſayes, and that with an emphaſis, that except a man be born again, unleſs he be regenerated by the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, Joh. 3.3.5. Verily, verily, (ſayes Chriſt) except a man be born again, &c. and again Verily, verily, he aſſerts it over and over, which notes among other things, as the weight of the Truth aſſerted, ſo our difficulty and averſneſs to believe it, and bow to it: Thus the Word of God is againſt this thing.
2. The Nature of God is againſt the happineſs and ſalvation of unchanged Souls; the nature of God is infinitely pure and holy, and will not admit of ſinners, to dwell with him: Thou art not a God that hath pleaſure in wickedneſs, (ſaith the Pſalmiſt) neither ſhall evil dwell with thee, Pſal. 5.4. The fooliſh (and ſuch are all men by nature) ſhall not ſtand in thy ſight; thou hateſt all the workers of iniquity, v. 5. So Heb. 1.13. Thou art of purer eyes then to behold evil, and canſt not look on iniquity; that is, without loathing and deteſtation: God's Nature is holy, yea, 'tis Holineſs it ſelf, and he can as ſoon ceaſe to be God, as ceaſe to be holy; his Nature is infinitely contrary to all ſin, and he infinitely, neceſſarily, and eternally hates all ſin; ſin indeed is ſtrictly and properly the onelyonly Object of God's hatred: His love is et out upon many Objects, but ſin is the only Object of his hatred, and is not the nature of this God againſt the ſalvation of unchanged ſinners? God muſt firſt ceaſe to be infinitely holy, and ſo to be God, e're ſinners remaining in their unchanged ſtate can be ſaved.
3. The Counſel of God is againſt the ſalvation of unchanged Souls; the Law of the Counſel of God is, That we muſt be holy, if ever we will be happy; that we muſt be called, juſtified, and ſanctified, if ever we be glorified; ſo you find in that golden Chain, (as tis called) Rom. 8.29, 30. Whom he did foreknow, he alſo did predeſtinate to be conformed unto the Image of his Son. Moreover, whom he did predeſtinate, them he alſo called; and whom he called, them he alſo juſtified; and whom he juſtified, them he alſo glorified. Mark, the Counſel, or as 'tis here called, the fore-knowledge of God, tells us, we muſt be changed, called, and juſtified, if ever we be glorified. So expreſly, 2 Theſ. 2.13. God hath choſen us to ſalvation: But how? is there no need of a change? Yes, he has ſo choſen us, as calls for a change, He hath choſen us to ſalvation, through the ſanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the Truth: Yea, the Counſel of God aims at holineſs, and deſigns us primarily unto holineſs; He hath choſen us that we ſhould be holy, Eph. 1.4, 5. God muſt change all his Counſels which have been of old, or ſinners muſt be changed, if ever they be ſaved.
4. The Oath of God is againſt the ſalvation of unchanged ſinners: God's Oath is gone out of his mouth, that no unbelieving, unchanged ones ſhall ever enter into his Reſt: So I ſware in my wrath, they ſhall not enter into my Reſt, Heb. 3.11. Thus God's Word, his Nature, his Counſel, his Oath, are all againſt the happineſs and Salvation of unchanged ſinners; and God muſt change in all, if ever they be ſaved without a change: But God can change in neither, the change muſt be in them; God being unchangeable, they muſt change or die, change or periſh; and there muſt be a double change paſs upon them, or they cannot be ſaved, a change of their eſtate, and a change of their image; a change of their ſtate in juſtification by the Blood of Chriſt, and a change of their Image in Regeneration and Sanctification by the Spirit of Chriſt; and without both theſe they are undone for ever.
1. There muſt be a change of their ſtate in juſtification through Chriſt's Blood, if ever they be ſaved. When a poor Soul is juſtified freely by Grace, through the redemption that is in Jeſus, as the Apoſtle expreſſes it, Rom. 3.24. when his ſins are once pardoned, and his perſon accepted with God by the imputation of Chriſts perfect righteouſneſs to him, through believing, then is his ſtate changed, and this change of ſtate ſinners muſt paſs under, or God being unchangeable, they cannot be ſaved; they muſt, through the Blood and Righteouſneſs of Chriſt applyed and appropriated in a way of believing, get their ſins pardoned, and their perſons accepted; they muſt get all Guilt removed, and all Debts paid, or they cannot poſſibly be ſaved; this is frequently mentioned in Scripture, Rom. 5.1. Being juſtified by Faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt: Again, v. 9. Being juſtified through his Blood, we ſhall be ſaved from wrath by him: Again, verſ. 17, 18, 19. If by one mans offence death reigned by one, much more they which receive abundance of Grace, and of the Gift of Righteouſneſs ſhall reign in life by one, Jeſus Chriſt: Therefore as by the offence of one, judgment came upon all men to condemnation; ſo by the obedience of one ſhall many be made righteous. Still you ſee juſtification through the Blood and Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, is neceſſary unto Life and Salvation. So Eph. 1.6, 7. God hath made us accepted in the Beloved, in whom we have redemption through his Blood, even the forgiveneſs ſins: The like is held forth, 1 Cor. 6.10. Rom. 8.30. Oh, without pardon and juſtification through the Blood of Chriſt, there is no Life, no Salvation to be expected for ſinners: Unpardoned ſin will ſurely damn, and no pardon is to be had for ſinners but in and by Chriſt, and union with Chriſt, through believing. When once a Soul is pardoned and juſtified by Chriſt, through believing, then he is paſſed from Death to Life, as you have it, Job. 5.24. but till then he remains in Death, and under Death and Condemnation.
2. There muſt be a change of their Image in Regeneration and Sanctification by the Spirit of Chriſt. When a ſinner is new born, born of Water, and of the Spirit, as Chriſt's expreſſion is, when he is made a new Creature, old things being paſt away with him, and all things being become new, as the Apoſtle phraſes it, 2 Cor. 5.17. when he is created in Chriſt Jeſus, and has a ſound Work of Grace wrought and carried on in him by the Spirit of Chriſt, then is his Image changed, and ſuch a change of Image muſt ſinners paſs under, or they cannot be ſaved: God never did, and never will ſave an unrenewed Soul, his unchangeableneſs will not admit of the ſalvation of ſuch an one; And indeed the Scripture is full in it, Job. 3.3, 5. Verily, verily, (ſaies Chriſt to Nicodemus) except a man be born again, he cannot ſee the Kingdom of God: And again, verſ. 5. Verily, verily, (ſayes he) except a man be born of Water, and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. You ſee this is what Chriſt aſſerts, and that over and over, and with the higheſt aſſeverations imaginable: Hence alſo Heaven is ſaid to be the Inberitance of Saints, Col. 1.12. and of ſanctified Ones, Acts 26.18. Hence the Corinthians are ſaid to be ſanctified as well as juſtified, and ſo made capable of inheriting the Kingdom of God, 1 Cor. 6.10, 11. and Tit. 3.5. God is ſaid, according to his mercy to ſave us, by the waſhing of Regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghoſt. Thus there muſt a change of Image as well as State paſs upon us, or we cannot be ſaved; and that becauſe God is unchangeable: Oh, how ſhould we all therefore look after this change? Soul, aſſure thy ſelf, 'tis not thy civility and morality, how much ſoever raiſed and refined; 'tis not thy external reformations; 'tis not thy conforming thy ſelf to the outward Rules and Laws of Duty, and the like, that will ſave thee, or avail thee any thing as to eternal Life; unleſ; thou comeſt under this double change, of which thou haſt heard. Paul, I am confident, could compare with thee for morality & external conformity to the Law, when yet he was in a loſt eſtate; and afterwards coming to faith in Chriſt, he ſees cauſe to account all but as loſs and dung, Phil. 3. begin. And he that came to Chriſt, (of whom we read in Mat. 19.16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22.) had certainly attained to a great degree of morality, and external conformity to the Law, who yet was lacking, and ſo far lacking, as that, for any thing we find, he fell eternally ſhort of Heaven and Salvation. Oh, there muſt a change, a change of State, and a change of Image paſs upon us, or our morality will leave us at laſt to periſh: Let us therefore mind this change: Am I changed or no? Changed I muſt be, and that with a great change, with a change of State, and a change of perſon, or I cannot be ſaved; have I therefore any acquaintance with ſuch a change? O, my Beloved, let unchangeneſs in God ingage us all to look out after a change in us; God will not change to ſave any of us all, he is willing to change us that we may be ſaved, but he himſelf will not change to ſave any of us.
5. Again, from what has been declared touching God's Unchangeableneſs, we conclude and infer the infinite ſweetneſs of his Love, and the infinit bitterneſs of his Wrath, and ſo the exceeding happineſs of ſuch as are intereſted in the one, and the extream miſery of ſuch as fall under the other. Sinners ſlight God's Love, preferring Creature-love before it; and they diſregard his Wrath, wilfully provoking it againſt themſelves; but if they will view the one and the other, in the Glaſs of his Unchangeableneſs, they will find that there is more ſweetneſs in the one, than that it ſhould be ſlighted; and more terribleneſs in the other, than that it ſhould be diſregarded.
1. From God's Unchangeableneſs, we conclude and infer the infinite ſweetneſs of his Love, and ſo the happineſs of them that are intereſted in it. God has a people whom he loves, and his Love to them is a free love, a rich Love, a peculiar Love, a Love of ſingular eminency and perfection in all reſpects: But that which indeed crowns all, and puts an infinite ſweetneſs into it is this, that 'tis an Unchangeable Love, a Love that never fades, never varies: True, his Love may be, and ſometimes is, vailed and clouded; but though it be vailed, yet 'tis not varied; though it be ſometimes clouded, yet 'tis never changed: Love, under a Vail or Cloud, is Love. The Sun may be under a Cloud, yea, there may be an eclipſe upon it for a time, which may keep it out of our view, and deprive us of the comfortable influences and ſhinings of it for a ſeaſon; but yet even then the Sun is in being, and after a while it will ſhine again, and that as ſweetly, brightly, and comfortably, as ever. So there may be a Vail, a Cloud, an eclipſe, as it were, upon God's Love, ſuch as may deprive us for a time of the comfortable views, ſhinings, and influences of it: but yet, even then 'tis Love, and ſweet Love too, and after a while it will ſhine and ſhew it ſelf again. 'Tis a ſweet Word which you have Pſal. 30.5. His anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a right, but joy comes in the morning. in his favour is life. Vitam momento opponit, benevolentia qua ſuos complectitur Deus, durat per emnem vitam & Deus favorem ſuum prorogat in longum tempus. Mol.Life here (as a judicious Interpreter obſerves) is oppoſed to a moment, mentioned in the beginning of the verſe; and ſo the ſenſe is, that that Love wherewith God loves his People laſts throughout all life, it lives and laſts for ever, 'tis a durable abiding love: So Iſa. 54.8. In a little wrath I bid my face from thee, for a moment; (ſayes God to his Church) but with everlaſting kindneſs will I have mercy on thee. Thus, I ſay, though God's Love to his People may be vailed, yet 'tis never varyed; 'tis a conſtant Love, and Oh how ſweet does this ſpeak his Love to be, and how happy are they that are intereſted in it? Oh, to be beloved by an Unchangeable God, with an Unchangeable Love, this is ſweet indeed! The Creatures Love has little worth or ſweetneſs in it, and that not only becauſe of its weakneſs and emptineſs, but alſo becauſe of its changeableneſs: Alas! the Creature loves to day, and hates to morrow; Oh, but now God's Love is another manner of Love, a Love that has fulneſs and firmneſs, ſufficiency and immutability both in it; and accordingly muſt needs be infinitely ſweet and deſirable: Well therefore might David admiringly cry out as he did, Pſal. 36.7. How excellent or how precious is thy loving-kindneſs, O Lord? and as in Pſal. 63.3. Thy loving-kindneſs is better than life: 'Tis before all lives; one dram of it is to be preferred before many Worlds of Creatureinjoyments. God's Love, it is all good, all comfort, all happineſs in its fountain-fulneſs and purity; it is an eternal never-failing ſpring of ſweetneſs, an unvariable fountain of delight; in it there is Grace, all Grace; Peace, all Peace; Joy, all Joy; Satisfaction, all Satisfaction; Reſt and Solace, all Reſt and Solace: O Soul, look upon the love of thy God to thee, look upon it, and in it thou wilt ſee unſearchable Riches, unmeaſurable Fulneſs, unfathomable Depths, and (which crowns all) eternal Unchangeableneſs; and Oh how happy wilt thou therein ſee thy ſelf! With what full conſolation of Spirit mayeſt thou ſit down and ſay, God loves me, and he loves me unchangeably. Friends change, outward comforts change, I my ſelf change; but God's Love to me changes not, I am for ever upon his heart, nor can either Men or Devils, ſins or ſorrows caſt me out of it. True, he ſometimes afflicts me, but yet he loves me; he ſometimes frowns upon me, but yet he loves me; he ſometimes ſeems to ſlay me, he breaks me with breach upon breach, but yet he loves me; he confines me to a ſick Chamber, he layes me upon a ſick Bed, he ſeems to reſolve to lay me in the Duſt, but yet he loves me; yea, all this is in love: I break with him, and depart from him, I am ſinning againſt him every day and hour; but yet he loves me, he loves me notwithſtanding all, his Love cannot be broken off from me, and after a while I ſhall bathe in the Fountain thereof for ever. Oh ſweet! who would not long for this Love? He loves me unchangeably, and he will therefore cleanſe me, purifie me, pardon me, make me perfectly holy: He loves me, and he will love me, till he has lodged me in his own Preſence and Boſom above, and there he will love me for ever.
2. From God's Unchangeableſs we conclude and infer the infinite bitterneſs of his Wrath, and the extream miſery of all ſuch as fall under the weight thereof. God's Love is not more ſweet than his Wrath is bitter, his Love is not more deſirable than his Wrath is formidable, and that becauſe he is an Unchangeable God; and oh how miſerable muſt they be that do fall under this Wrath. In Iſa. 10.6. we read of the People of God's Wrath: there are ſome then that are properly the People of God's Wrath, they are Children of Wrath, Heirs of Wrath; and Wrath, yea God's Wrath, will be their portion for ever; ſuch are all finally impenitent and unbelieving Ones, all who live and die in their impenitency and unbelief; and oh how extreamly miſerable muſt they be! God's Wrath is a great Wrath, a fierce Wrath, a ſore Wrath, a powerful Wrath, an irreſiſtible Wrath, a burning, conſuming, and devouring Wrath; So the Scripture ſpeaks of it: all which ſpeaks the exceeding bitterneſs and terribleneſs of it, and the extream miſery of ſuch as fall under it; but that which adds even infinitely to all is this, that 'tis eternal and unchangeable Wrath, Wrath that abides for ever: Hence 'tis ſet forth in Scripture by unquenchable fire, Mat. 3.12. God's Wrath is called Fire, becauſe of its exceeding heat and fierceneſs, being of a conſuming and devouring nature; and 'tis called unquenchable Fire, becauſe 'tis durable and unchangeable, it being what admits of no more change or period than his Love does; and to fall under this unquenchable fire, under the revelation of this eternal, unchangeable Wrath; oh how ſad, how miſerable muſt this be? Solomon tells us, that the Wrath of a King, is as the roaring of a Lyon, Prov. 19.12. and what then, and how terrible is the Wrath of God; to whoſe Wrath, the wrath of all the Kings on the Earth is as nothing? We are afraid ſometimes of Man's Wrath, yea, ſo afraid of it, as to ſuffer our ſelves to be driven from our duty by it: But, my Beloved, what is the Wrath of a Man to the Wrath God; What is the Wrath of a changeable Man, to the Wrath of an Unchangeable God? let me ſay to each Soul of you, as God by the Prophet to them, Iſa. 51, 12.13. Who art thou that thou ſhouldeſt be afraid of a man that ſhall die, (a changeable Creature) and forgetteſt the Lord thy Maker? 'Tis but a little while and Man and his Wrath both ſhall change and die, but God and his Wrath will live for ever: O, learn to fear and tremble at his Wrath, and beware how for a little fading, changeable delight in ſin, you throw your ſelves under unchangeable wrath and fury: Poor ſinner, thou makeſt light of God's Wrath, as if it were an inconſiderable thing; witneſs thy wilful and daily provoaking of it againſt thee by ſin; witneſs thy inſenſibleneſs of and under the tokens and revelations of it; witneſs thy neglect of Chriſt, and of making thy peace with God by him, and the like: but Soul, view it in the Glaſs of his infinite Unchangeableneſs, and then ſee whether it be a thing to be made light of or no; the Saints they tremble but in the apprehenſion of it; Who knows he power of thine Anger? ſays Moſes, Pſal. 90.11. They ſigh, they bleed, they groan, yea, they die, and are even diſtracted under a little temporal ſprinklings and droppings of it, Pſal. 88.15.16. yea they dread and tremble many times at but the revelation of it againſt others; I was afraid, (ſayes Moſes) of the anger and hot diſpleaſure, wherewith the Lord was wrath againſt you, to deſtroy you, Deut. 9.19. Moſes could contemn the Wrath of man, yea of Man whoſe Wrath of all men is moſt terrible, the Wrath of a King, Heb. 11.27. but yet he trembles at the Wrath of God, when 'twas provoaked againſt others; thus the Saints tremble at God's Wrath: yea more, the Devils themſelves do dread and tremble at God's Wrath; the Devils believe and tremble, Jam. 2.19. they believe there is a God, and they tremble at the apprehenſion of the Wrath of that God. And ſinner, whoever thou art, how light ſoever thou mayeſt now make of God's Wrath, yet know that there is a time coming, when thou and the ſtouteſt ſinners in the World muſt and will tremble at it. See that one text, Iſa. 33.14. The ſinners in Sion are afraid, fearfulneſs hath ſurprized the hypocrite: Why, what is the matter? Verily nothing but the ſight and apprehenſion of God's Wrath and Vengeance coming upon them; ſo much the following words ſhew; Who among us ſhall dwell with devouring fire? Who amongſt us ſhall dwell with everlaſting burnings? They ſaw God's Wrath to be as a devouring fire; they ſaw the terror of it in the Glaſs of God's Unchangeableneſs, and therefore call it everlaſting burnings; and this filled them with dread and trembling. Take one place more, Rev. 6.15, 16, 17. in verſ. 16, 17. We find ſome crying out to the mountains and rocks, to fall on them, and hide them from the face of him that ſitteth upon the throne, and from the Wrath of the Lamb; For (ſay they) the great day of his Wrath is come, and who ſhall be able to ſtand? Well, but who are they that thus cry out? Surely they are onelyonly a company of low-ſpirited Creatures, thinkeſt thou, they are only ſome Women and Children, or ſome baſe cowardly Ones, that never had the Spirit and Courage of Men: No Soul, they are no ſuch Perſons, they are the Kings of the Earth, and the great Men, and the rich Men, and the chief Captains, and the mighty Men, and every bond-man and every free-men; all ſorts of Men, Men of the higheſt place, the higheſt eſtates, the higheſt courage and valour, as well as others; theſe all are ſaid to hide themſelves in the Dens and in the Rocks of the Mountains, and call unto the Mountaines and Rocks, ſaying, Fall on us. Oh, but we ſhall fall heavy; no matter, fall on us; but to what purpoſe? Why, to hide us from the Wrath of God; why, what is the matter, are you afraid of the Wrath of God? Time was you ſlighted and diſregarded it, as an inconſiderable thing, and do you ſo dread it now, and tremble at it now, that you cry to us, Rocks and Mountains to fall on you, to hide you from it? Oh yes, good Rocks, good Mountains, fall on us, you will lie light and eaſie upon us in compariſon of what the Wrath of God will do. How? Why ſhould you think ſo? You had other thoughts of God's Wrath a while agoe, why do you ſo dread it and tremble at it now? O, becauſe the great day of his Wrath is come, and none can ſtand before it, ſay they: We lookt on this Wrath, a while agoe, at a diſtance, and then it ſeemed a light thing; but now the day, yea, the great day of his Wrath is come, and there is no ſtanding for us: while we lookt at it at a diſtance, we could ſtand before it, and make light of it; yea, in ſome leſſer dayes of Wrath we have born up well enough; but now his Wrath is come near us, yea, and the fulneſs and fierceneſs of it is breaking forth againſt us; now we ſee this Wrath to be more dreadful and formidable, and that we can never ſtand up either under it or againſt it: Say ye ſo, reply the Rocks and Mountains, then no wonder you cry to us to hide you from it; but truly 'tis more then we can do for you, you muſt now bear and graple with that wrath for ever, as to any relief we can afford you in the caſe. O ſinner! when the great day of God's Wrath ſhall come, then, if not before, thou alſo wilt tremble at his Wrath: Indeed now wouldeſt thou ſee it, and tremble at it, thou mighteſt cry to a Rock that could and would hide thee from it, provided thou getteſt into it; I mean Chriſt, that Rock of Ages, he being imbraced by Faith, and thy Soul having union with him, would hide and ſecure thee againſt the Wrath of God for ever; but if thou wilt go on to make light of this Wrath, and to provoke it daily againſt thee by ſin, thou wilt at laſt ſink under the weight and burthen thereof for ever.
6. In the Glaſs of God's Unchangeableneſs, we ſee the true reaſon why the beſt of us all are not conſumed, and accordingly let us give the glory of it, where 'tis due. Beloved, why are you, and I, and others, not conſumed? True, we meet with ſome afflictions, and are exerciſed with ſome diſticulties now and then, but why are we not utterly conſumed and deſtroyed? Verily, 'tis not becauſe we are able to ſave our ſelves, nor is it becauſe we deſerve that God ſhould ſave us, but 'tis purely and ſolely becauſe our God is unchangeable: This account the Text it ſelf gives of it; I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye Sons of Jacob are not conſumed: All our ſecurity lies in God's Immutability, we periſh not, becauſe he changes not: Pray give me leave a little to be free with you and my ſelf; Why are we not conſumed with an external conſumption? We are ſorely broken many of us, 'tis true, we are broken in our Eſtates, in our Healths, in our Comforts, in our Relations, but why are we not utterly deſtroyed? Why are we alive? Why have we any one comfort about us? Yea more, why are we not conſumed with an eternal conſumption? Why are the beſt of us all not in Hell? Why are we not ſtated in an eternity of woe and miſery? Why are we not now roaring and ſweltering under the Wrath of God? Why are we not Companions with Devils and damned Spirits in everlaſting burnings? Is it becauſe our ſins are few and ſmall, and have not deſerved it? No ſurely; Why then is it? Becauſe our God is unchangeable, unchangeable in Being, Counſel, Covenant, and Love. Oh! my Beloved, if we ſeriouſly conſider what we are, and how we have carryed it; what our ſins and provocations have been, and how high they riſe againſt the bleſſed God, and the like, we may well wonder we are out of Hell, that we have a being any where on this ſide the Pit of Perdition; nor can we reſolve it into any other cauſe but God's Unchangeableneſs: Let me therefore entreat you to conſider things a little, that you may give glory where 'tis due.
1. Conſider what you are, I mean, as to your nature and the depravedneſs of it: You are a meer lump and maſs of ſin, Enemyes, yea, enmity it ſelf againſt God and Chriſt, Rom. 8.7. your heart is a meer Sink, a Fountain, an Abyſſe of ſin and wickedneſs againſt God: The heart is deceiful above all things, and deſperately wicked; who can know it? None but God can look to the bottom of that ſin, wickedneſs, and deceit that is in your heart, Jer. 17.9. O the aboundings of ſin that are found in the beſt of us! Oh, the pride, the paſſion; the earthlineſs, the ſenſuality, the uncleanneſs, the unbelief, the hypocriſie, the atheiſme, the diſregard of God, the averſion from all good, that dwells, works, wars, and oftentimes prevails and predominates in the hearts of the beſt Saints, while here! O, the riſings of ſin, and oh the aboundings of iniquity, that are found among us!
2. Conſider what you have done, and how you have carried it God-ward: If you ſeriouſly conſider things, you will find, I fear, that you have done, and to this day do, little elſe but ſin againſt the Lord: You have deſpiſed his Goodneſs, abuſed his Love, violated his Laws, trampled upon his Authority, grieved his Spirit, wounded his Son, darkned his Glory, and oftentimes ſtruck even at his very Crown and Being; yea, and this has been your manner from your youth, (as God charged them of old, Jer. 22.21.) there is not that day, nor ſcarcely that hour, wherein you have not, and do not ſin againſt God: often have you made him ſerve with your ſins, and wearied him with your iniquities, as thoſe Iſa. 43.24. Your lives have been lives of ſin for the moſt part againſt God.
3. Conſider what black and horrid aggravations your fins are cloathed with; Are not your ſins, my Beloved, of a ſcarlet dye, and crimſon tincture? Are they not heightened with many black and crying aggravations? have they not, at leaſt many of them, been committed againſt much love, much light, much mercy, many motions of the Spirit, many checks of Conſcience, many bonds and obligations to Duty, many ſignal and eminent appearances of God to you, and for you; many taſtes, many ſealings of his Love, and the like? what ſhall I ſay? ſuch every way are our ſins, yea the ſins of the beſt of us all, that we cannot poſſibly look to the further end of them. Who can underſtand his Errors, (ſayes holy David? Pſal. 19.12.) David was an holy Man, a Man after God's own Heart, and yet he cryes out, Who can underſtand his Errors? His ſins were beyond ſearch or underſtanding; and if his were ſo, what are ours? Truly, my Beloved, our ſins in the number, nature, and aggravations of them, are beyond our reach, and well may we all with him cry out, Who can underſtand his Errors?
4. Conſider what an infinite evil and demerit there is in every ſin, even the leaſt ſin? As you are guilty of ſo much ſin, and your ſins clothed many of them with ſo many and ſuch crying aggravations, ſo you muſt know that there is evil enough in the leaſt ſin to damn you eternally, ſhould God render the deſert thereof to you: The wages of ſm is death, (ſayes the Apoſtle) Rom. 6.23. Mark, he ſpeaks of ſin indefinitely, every ſin, the leaſt ſin; and, ſayes he, the wages, that which is due to it, is death: Every ſin is an offence againſt God, 'tis infinitely contrary to his Purity and Holineſs, his Will and Glory, his Life and Being; 'tis univerſally contrary to him, and ſo muſt needs have an inconceiveable evil and demerit in it: Every offence (ſayes a learned Man) againſt the chief good, Omnis offencio ſummi boni meruit ſummam poenam, eternam creaturae deſtructionem. Urſin.even the eternal deſtruction of the Creature. O Sirs, we little think the evil there is in a vain thought, an idle word, an unholy, irregular action: we little think the evil the leaſt ſin carries in it.
5. Conſider how much God hates ſin: ſin is even infinitely odious and abominable to him, God is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity, to wit, without loathing and deteſtation, Hab. 1.13. and he is once and again in Scripture repreſented as a God hating ſin; ſin indeed is infinitely odious in his ſight. Now let us weigh theſe things, and lay them together, and then we ſhall ſee that it can be nothing elſe that keeps us from deſtruction, but God's Unchangeableneſs, to which therefore we ſhould give the glory: 'Tis the Grace and Love of God that firſt brings us into a condition of Life and Salvation, and 'tis the Unchangeableneſs of God that keeps us there. Truly, when ſome of us reflect a little upon our ſelves, and conſider what we are, and have been in our Spirits and carriages God-ward; how much we have provoked him, what frequent forfeitures we have made, and do make of our Lives, Souls, and all, we ſee infinite cauſe to wonder that we are alive, that the flames of divine Wrath had not long ſince kindled upon us, and the revenges of divine Juſtice broken out againſt us; and bleſſed be God, that we are out of Hell. O, that ſuch a proud, ſuch a ſtubborn, ſuch a ſtiff-necked people, as we are, ſhould yet live! that perſons of ſo many and high provocations againſt God, as thou Reader, and I are guilty of, ſhould yet have a being out of Hell! This is ſolely from the unchangeableneſs of God: And my Beloved, we do not rightly conſider the matter, if we do not ſee, and acknowledge it to be ſo. O bleſſed be God for his unchangeableneſs! had not God been unchangeable, where had I now been? I had now been ſhut up in the infernal Pit; I had now been a companion with Devils and damned Spirits; I had now been ſeparated from God for ever; and how miſerable then had I been? O, my Soul, adore the Unchangeable One, and bleſs him for his unchangeable Counſel, his unchangeable Covenant, his unchangeable Love.