God's Unchangeableness
The next attribute is God's unchangeableness (Malachi 3:6). I am Jehovah, I change not. 1. God is unchangeable in his nature. 2. In his decree.
First, unchangeable in his nature: 1. There is no eclipse of his brightness. 2. No period put to his being.
1. No eclipse of his brightness: His essence shines with a fixed luster (James 1:17). With whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. (Psalm 102:27) You are the same. All created things are full of vicissitude. 1. Princes and emperors are subject to mutation. Sehostris, an Egyptian prince, having subdued divers kings in war, made them draw like horses in his chariot, as if he intended to turn them to grass, as God did King Nebuchadnezzar. The crown has many successors. 2. Kingdoms have their eclipses and convulsions: What is become of the glory of Athens? the pomp of Troy? Iam seges est ubi Troja fuit. Kingdoms though they have a head of gold, yet feet of clay. 3. The heavens change (Psalm 102:25-26). As a vesture shall you change them, and they shall be changed. The matter of the elements as it is more pure, so more firm and solid; the heavens are the most ancient records where God has written his glory with a sun-beam; yet these shall change, though I do not think they shall be destroyed as to their substance, yet they shall be changed as to their qualities: They shall melt with fervent heat (2 Peter 3:12), and so be more refined and purified. Thus the heavens shall be changed, but not he who dwells in Heaven: With him is no variableness or shadow of turning. 4. The best saints have their eclipses and changes: look upon a Christian in his spiritual estate, and he is full of variation: though the seed of grace does not die, yet the beauty and activity of it does often wither. A Christian has his aguish fits in religion, sometimes his faith is at a high tide, sometimes low ebb, sometimes his love flames, and at another time like fire hid in the embers, and he has lost his first love. How strong was David's grace at one time (2 Samuel 22:3). The God of my rock, in him will I trust. At another time, I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul. What Christian can say he does not find a change in his graces: that the bow of his faith does never unbend, the strings of his viol do never slacken. Sure we shall never meet with such Christians till we meet them in Heaven. But God is without any shadow of turning. 5. The angels were subject to change, they were created holy, but mutable (Jude 1:6). The angels which kept not their first estate. Those morning-stars of heaven were falling stars. But God's glory shines with a fixed brightness: In God there is nothing looks like a change, no better or worse, no better in him, because then he were not perfect, nor worse in him, for then he should cease to be perfect: He is immutably holy, immutably good; There is no shadow of change in him.
Objection. Christ who is God, assumed the human nature, here was a change.
Response. If indeed the divine nature had been converted into the human, or the human into the divine, here had been a change; but not so. The human nature was distinct from the divine, therefore there was no change. As suppose a cloud cover the sun, this makes no change in the body of the sun; so though the divine nature be covered with the human, this makes no change in the divine nature.
Second, there is no period put to his being (1 Timothy 1:16). Who only has immortality. The Godhead cannot die: 1. An infinite essence cannot be changed into a finite, but God is infinite. 2. He is eternal, therefore he is not mortal — to be eternal, and mortal is a contradiction.
Use 1. See here the excellency of the divine nature in its immutability: this is the glory of the Godhead. Mutableness denotes weakness; it is not so in God, he is the same yesterday and today, and for ever (Hebrews 13:8). Men are fickle and mutable, like Reuben, unstable as water (Genesis 49:4). They go in changeable colors:
1. They are changeable in their principles, [sometimes Protestant, sometimes Papist,] if their faces altered as fast as their opinions, we should not know them.
2. Changeable in their resolutions; like the wind that blows strongly in the east, presently turns about to the west; they resolve to be virtuous, but quickly repent of their resolutions: Their minds are like a sick man's pulse, alters every half hour; these the Apostle compares to waves of the sea, and wandering stars (Jude 1:13). They are not pillars in God's temple, but reeds.
3. Others are changeable in their friendship, quickly love and quickly hate; sometimes will put you in their bosom, then excommunicate you out of their favor: thus they change as the chameleon into several colors. But God is immutable.
Use 2. See the vanity of the creature; there are changes in everything but in God (Psalm 62:9). Men of high degree are vanity, and men of low degree are a lie. O quantum est in rebus inane: We look for more from the creature, than God has put into it. The world rings changes; the creature has two evils in it, it promises more than we find, and it fails us when we most need it: There is a failure in Omni. A man desires to have his corn ground, the water fails and then his mill cannot go. The mariner is for a voyage, the wind either does not blow, or it is contrary, and he cannot sail. One depends upon another for the payment of a promise, and he fails, and is like a foot out of joint. Who would look for a fixed stability in the vain creature! As if one should build houses on the sand, where the sea comes in and overflows. The creature is true to nothing but deceit, and is constant only in its disappointments. It is no more wonder to see changes fall out here below, than to see the moon dressing itself in a new shape and figure; look to meet with changes in everything but in God.
Use 3. Comfort to the godly, 1. In case of losses, if an estate be almost boiled away to nothing; if we lose dear friends by death, here is a double eclipse; but this is the comfort, God is unchangeable; I may lose these things, but I cannot lose my God, he never dies. When the fig tree and olive failed, yet God did not fail (Habakkuk 3:17). I will joy in the God of my salvation. The flowers in the garden die, but a man's portion remains: So outward things die and change, but (Psalm 73:26) you are the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.
2. In case of sadness of spirit, when God seems to cast off the soul in dejection (Song of Solomon 5:6), "My beloved had withdrawn himself;" yet God is unchangeable. He is immutable in his love; he may change his countenance but not his heart (Jeremiah 31:4): "I have loved you with an everlasting love" — Hebrew Gnolam, a love of eternity. If once God's electing love rises upon the soul, it never sets (Isaiah 54:10): "The mountains shall be removed, but my loving kindness shall not depart from you, nor the covenant of my peace be removed." God's love stands faster than the mountains; God's love to Christ is unchangeable, and he will no more cease loving believers than he will cease loving Christ.
Use 4. of exhortation: Get an interest in this unchangeable God, then you are as a rock in the sea, immovable in the midst of all changes.
Question. How shall I get a part in this unchangeable God?
Response. By having a change wrought in you (1 Corinthians 6:11): "But you are washed, but you are sanctified." When we are changed, A tenebris ad lucem, so changed as if another soul did live in the same body, by this change we are interested in the unchangeable God.
Trust to this God only who is unchangeable (Isaiah 2:22): "Cease from man, leave trusting to the reed, but trust to the rock of ages." He that is by faith garrisoned in God is safe in all changes; he is like a boat that is tied to an immovable rock. He that trusts in God trusts in that which cannot fail him; he is unchangeable (Hebrews 13:5): "I will never leave you nor forsake you." Health may leave us, riches, friends may leave us, but God says, "I'll not leave you; my power shall support you, my Spirit shall sanctify you, my mercy shall save you: I will never leave you." O trust in this unchangeable God. God is jealous of two things: of our love, and of our trust. He is jealous of our love, lest we love the creature more than him, therefore he makes it prove bitter; and of our trust, lest we should place more confidence in it than him, therefore he makes it prove unfaithful. Outward comforts are given us as baits by the way to refresh us, but not as crutches to lean on: if we make the creature an idol, what we make our trust God makes our shame. O trust in Deo Immutabili: we like Noah's Dove have no footing for our souls, till we get into the ark of God's unchangeableness (Psalm 125:1): "They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Sion, which cannot be removed."
God is unchangeable in his decree; what he has decreed from eternity is unalterable (Isaiah 46:11): "My counsel shall stand." Argument: that God's eternal counsel or decree is immutable. If God changes his decree, it must be from some defect of wisdom or foresight in God; for that is the reason why men do change their purposes — through a want of foresight they see something after which they did not see before. But this cannot be the cause why God should alter his decree, because his knowledge is perfect; he sees all things in one entire prospect before him.
Objection. But is not God said to repent? — there seems to be a change in his decree (Jonah 3:10): "The Lord repented of the evil that he said he would do to them."
Response. Repentance is attributed to God figuratively and improperly (Numbers 23:19): "He is not man that he should repent." There may be a change in God's work, but not in his will: God may will a change, but not change his will. Mutat sententiam non decretum: God may change his sentence, but not his decree. As suppose a king shall cause the sentence to be passed upon a malefactor whom he intends to save; notwithstanding this sentence, the king does not alter his decree. So God threatened destruction to Nineveh (Jonah 3:4), but the people of Nineveh repenting, God spared them; here God changed his sentence, but not his decree; it was what had lain in the womb of his purpose from eternity.
Objection. But if God's decree be unchangeable, and cannot be reversed, then to what purpose should we use the means — our endeavors toward salvation cannot alter his decree?
Response. This decree of God does not take off my endeavor, for he that has decreed my salvation has decreed it in the use of means, and if I neglect the means I go about to reprobate myself. No man argues thus: God has decreed how long I shall live; therefore, I will not use means to preserve life, not eat and drink. God has decreed the time of my life in the use of means; so God has decreed my salvation in the use of word, prayer, sacraments. And as a man that refuses his food murders himself, so he that refuses to work out his salvation does destroy himself. The vessels of mercy are said to be prepared to glory (Romans 9:23) — how are they prepared, but by being sanctified, and that cannot be but in the use of means. Therefore let not God's decree take you off from holy endeavor. A good saying of Doctor Preston: "Do you have a heart to pray to God? It is a sign no decree of wrath is passed against you."
Use 1. If God's decree be eternal and unchangeable, then God does not elect our faith foreseen, as the Arminians claim (Romans 9:11): "The children being not yet born, that the purpose of God according to election might stand." It was said, "Jacob have I loved, Esau have I hated." We are not elected for holiness, but to holiness (Ephesians 1:3). If we are not justified for our faith, much less elected for our faith; but we are not justified for it. We are said to be justified [Greek text], through faith as an instrument (Ephesians 2:8), but not for faith as a cause; and if not justified for faith, then much less elected. God's decree of election is eternal and unchangeable, therefore it depends not upon faith foreseen (Acts 13:48): "As many as were ordained to eternal life believed." They were not elected because they believed, but they believed because they were elected.
Use 2. If God's decree be unchangeable, 'tis comfort in two cases. 1. Concerning God's providences towards his Church: We are ready to quarrel with providence if every thing does not jump with our desire: Remember God's work goes on, and nothing falls out but what he has decreed from eternity. 2. God has decreed troubles for the Church's good; the troubling of God's Church is like the angel's troubling the water (John 5:4), which made way for healing his people. He has decreed troubles in the Church, His fire is in Zion, and his furnace in Jerusalem (Isaiah 31:9). The wheels in a watch move cross one to another, but they all carry on the motion of the watch: So the wheels of providence often move cross to our desires, but still they carry on God's unchangeable decree (Daniel 12:10). Many shall be made white. God lets the waters of affliction be poured on his people, he does but lay them a whitening. Therefore murmur not at God's dealings; His work goes on, nothing falls out but what he has wisely decreed from eternity; every thing shall promote God's design, and fulfil his decree.
2. Comfort to the godly in regard of their salvation (2 Timothy 2:19). The foundation of God stands sure, having this seal, the Lord knows who are his: God's counsel of election is unchangeable: once elected and for ever elected (Revelation 3:5). I will not blot his name out of the book of life. The book of God's decree has no errata's in it, no blottings out: once justified never unjustified (Hosea 13:14). Repentance shall be hid from mine eyes. God never repents of his electing love (John 13:1). He loved them to the end. Therefore if you are a believer, comfort yourself with this, the immutability of God's decree.
Use 3. To conclude, a word to the wicked, who march furiously against God and his people, let them know God's decree is unchangeable, God will not alter it, nor can they break it, and while they resist God's will they fulfil it. There's a twofold will of God, Voluntas praecepti & decreti; The will of God's precept, and of his decree. While the wicked resist the will of God's precept, they fulfil the will of his permissive decree. Judas betrays Christ, Pilate condemns him, the soldiers crucify him; while they resisted the will of God's precept, they fulfilled the will of his permissive decree (Acts 4:28). Such as are wicked, God commands one thing they do the quite contrary; to keep Sabbath, they profane it; while they disobey his command they fulfil his permissive decree. If a man set up two nets, one of silk, the other of iron, the silken net may be broken, not the iron: God's commands are the silken net; while men break the silken net of God's command, they are taken in the iron net of his decree; while they sit backward to God's precepts, they row forward to his decree; his decree to permit their sin, and to punish them for their sin permitted.
