Sermon 13

Exodus 3:13-14. And Moses said to God, Behold when I come to the children of Israel, and shall say to them, the God of your fathers has sent me to you, and shall say to me, what is his name; what shall I say to them? And God said to Moses, I AM, THAT I AM, &c.

In these words, as you know, God describes himself to Moses by his eternal being; I AM has sent me to you. Now our business is to make this essence and being of God more fully known to you: This is done by declaring to you the several Attributes, which are given to him in Scripture, we have passed through many. The last Attribute was his Simplicity.

That which follows next in order is his Immutability or Unchangeableness. Now that he takes this proper to himself, you shall see in Numbers 23:19. God is not as man that he should lie, neither the son of man that he should repent. Repenting, you know, is a sign of change; he will not repent, that is, he will not be subject to any change: whatever purpose or decree, or counsel he takes to him, he is immutable in it. Shall he say, and not do it? shall he speak, and not make it good? So James 1:17. Every good and perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the father of lights, with whom there is no variableness, nor shadow of turning. When the question was, from where temptations should arise; says the Apostle, God tempts no man, for he is in himself just, good, and full of goodness, and he can never be otherwise, and therefore no temptation to evil can arise from him: and seeing he is so, he must always be so, for he is not changed, indeed there is no shadow of change in him. So Malachi 3:6. I am the Lord, I change not. So that in this body of Divinity we do but sum up many heads, and so open them to you. This is an Attribute that he takes to himself, and therefore we will explain it to you. First, I will show you the reasons why; secondly, an objection or two against it; and thirdly, I will show you the consequences or uses that arise from it.

Now to convince us fully of this point, consider these reasons.

Because wherever there is any change, there must be some vanity and imperfection; that all the creatures are subject to change, it arises from here, that they are subject to some imperfection. Now that which is most perfect, cannot be subject to change; because in every change, either there is some perfection added that before was wanting, or else something is taken away which before was enjoyed. Now neither of these can befall our God, who is most perfect, nothing can be added or taken away from him; for if anything could, he were not perfect: from where it must needs follow, that he is unchangeable.

Whatever is changeable must be in a possibility either to receive some new being, or some other being that it had not before, either in substance or in circumstance, or else it cannot be changeable: now that which is capable of no new being in any respect, nor other being in no circumstance, or accident, cannot be changed. Now God is exceeding full of being, as the sea is of water, and the Sun of light, that is, he has all the degrees and extensions of being in him: therefore he is not in possibility of receiving any other being, than he has; he is not subject to receive any other being, for substance, and no other being for quantity, and therefore nothing can be added to his time or place where he is; neither can he receive any other being for quality, no new habits, no new powers can be added to him; for if there could be, he should not be full of being, but there should be some defect in him; if there were any possibility in him of having any more: but seeing he is full of being, and constantly full, it cannot be that he should be subject to any change; some other being must be added to him, or else taken from him; but seeing that cannot be, therefore he must needs be unchangeable.

In regard of his simplicity; because, if there be nothing in him but what is himself, but what is his essence, unless his essence should be annihilated, (which is impossible) he is not subject to change. Now all the creatures, besides their essence, have quantity in them, and that may be greater or less in the creature; and besides, they have quality, and therefore they may be better or worse: but God is great without quantity, and good without quality; and therefore in regard of his simplicity, seeing there is nothing in him, but what is himself, he cannot admit of any shadow of turning.

Because he is infinite; you know, an infinite thing is that which extends itself, which fills all things, to which nothing can be added: and therefore seeing he is infinite at the utmost extent, he cannot extend himself any further. Again, nothing can be taken from him, whereby he should be changed; for, Infinitum est, cui nec addi, nec adimi potest: and therefore seeing he is most infinite, he is also unchangeable. For whatever is infinite, cannot be greater or lesser, nothing can be added or taken from it: and therefore unchangeable.

If you observe it among the creatures, you shall find, that all change arises from one of these two things; either from something without, or else from some disposition within the creature: But in God there can be no change in either of these respects. Not from anything without him, because he is the first and supreme being, therefore there is no being before him, that he should borrow anything of; neither is there any being above him, or stronger than he, that should make any impression upon him. Again, not from anything within him; for when there is in any creature any change that arises from a principle within, there must needs be something to move, and to be moved; something to act and to suffer in the creature, else there can be no change: as man's body is subject to change, because there are many principles within, of which something does act, and something does suffer, and so the body is subject to change, and moulders away: but in God there are not two things, there is not in him something to act, and something to suffer, and therefore he is not made up of such principles, as can admit any change within him. So then the conclusion stands sure, that he can admit of no change or variation within or without him: and so needs must be unchangeable.

Object 1. The objections against this are but two. The first is, that which is taken from those places of Scripture, where God is said to repent, as, that He repented that he made Saul King (1 Samuel 15:11), and (Genesis 6:6), it grieved him at the heart, that he made man: now those that repent, seem to change their mind.

Answer. This is attributed to God, as many other speeches are, only after the manner of men: as man, when he alters any thing that he did before, seems to repent: so that it is but a figurative speech, and a metaphor, used, when he does make any change in the world: as he made Saul King, and put him down again: he puts men in high estates, and pulls them down again, this is only in regard of the actions done; as when he shows favor to any man, and takes it away again. So that it is but a figurative kind of speech: not that there is any change in himself, but because what he did before, he undoes it now: in regard of his actions he changes, not in regard of himself.

Object 2. What is the reason that he is said to draw near to us at one time, and at another time to depart from us, why does the Holy Ghost come into one man's heart, and sanctify him, when before he was an unregenerate man; what is the reason that Christ which was in heaven, came down and took our nature upon him, and lived among us, I say, what is the reason of all this, if there be no change in the Lord.

Answer. GOD is said to do all this, to come to us, and to go from us, and to sanctify them that were void of sanctification: and as you say of the Sun; you say, that the Sun comes into the house, when it fills it with light, but when the windows are shut, you say, the Sun is gone; yet the Sun alters not, but the change is in regard of the house, it is said to come into the house because of the light that comes into it, which before did not, but the Sun itself is not altered: So in this case, the Holy Ghost sanctifies a man, GOD draws near to him in his comfortable presence, because there are some works wrought in the heart, that before were not: GOD is not changed, but it is the man that suffers the change; he sees light now, that before was in darkness and in the shadow of death; he is said to be changed by reason of those operations that now are there, which before were not. So is it in Christ's coming; there was a change in the human nature that was assumed, which before was not: there was a work done on the earth, which was not before: he put forth his power in his humiliation and exaltation, which before he did not: but yet he was the same, the change was in the creature, and not in him.

Now we come to the consequences; which are two.

Hence we may learn then how to understand all those places which we meet with in Scripture, wherein the Lord expresses such a solicitude for the death of sinners: as, Why will you die, O house of Israel? Why will you not hearken, and obey? And, As I live, says the Lord, I desire not the death of a sinner. And, how am I pressed under your abominations, even as a cart is pressed with sheaves? And it is said (Genesis 6:6), that the Lord was grieved at the heart, or it pained him at the heart, that he had made man. All these kinds of expressions (as it is evident from hence) are but attributed to GOD after the manner of men: not that he is moved, for it cannot be, seeing he is unchangeable: whatever new accidents fall out in the world, he is not stirred with them, he is not moved with any new affection: for if he were, he should be, as man is, changeable. But the meaning of those places is, to show the infinite goodness of his nature, and the greatness of our sins: so that as men grieve much, when their wills are crossed, and when their work is brought to nothing, how weary are they, when they strive long, and do no good? So the LORD would express it to us thus, that we might take notice, what the great provocations are, what the sins and faults are, with which we offend him from day to day, that we may know what they be, and what price to set upon those sins by which we weary him from time to time.

That all the love and hatred, that he has now since the world was made, all the complacency and displeasure, all the happiness and joy which he has from any thing, done either by the Angels or men, that he had it from all eternity; for if any thing were new in him, there should be a change: but now there being none, you must needs grant this, that they were in him from all eternity. So that all the works of men and Angels be nothing to him, all the joy that he has from them, he had it from eternity.

Again, all the sins by which evil men provoke him, and all the punishments that they suffer for sin, it moves not him; but as when a glass falls against the wall, the wall is not hurt, but the glass is broken: so wicked men, they hurt themselves, but he is not moved.

Therefore hence observe, that GOD must needs be most holy, and righteous, and just in all his ways, because there is neither love, nor hatred, nor grief in him, nor joy, which should make crooked, or bend the rule of his will, or alter it in any action. Men are therefore unjust, because in all that they do, there is something that bends their wills this way, or that way, they are capable of love, joy, grief: but GOD, seeing he is capable of none of these, therefore he must needs be most just and righteous in all his works. Therefore whatever he does, though you see no reason for it, yet do you justify him in all; when you see him overthrowing the churches, denying his grace to many thousands, and the like, yet do you justify him in all his ways: because there is no grief or trouble can come to him, as to the creature, therefore he must needs be holy in all ways, and righteous in all his works.

If this be so, then this will also follow, that all the decrees, all the counsels, and all the acts of his will, that ever were in him, they were in him from all eternity: that is, there is not a vicissitude of counsels, thoughts and desires upon the passages of things in the world, as there is in men; for then he should be subject to change. For this is a sure rule, whatever is under different terms, there is a change in it; he is now that which he was not before: and if there were any instant in which God should will one thing which he did not another time, he should be subject to change. Therefore look back to all eternity, in your imaginations and thoughts, as in the making of the world; all those acts, those counsels that he executed upon men, they were in him from everlasting.

Now I come to uses for practice: and we will make such uses as the Scripture does make of this point. The first is this.

Use 1 In (1 Samuel 15:28-29): And Samuel said to Saul, The Lord has rent the kingdom of Israel from you this day, and has given it to a neighbor of yours, that is better than you: and also the strength of Israel will not lie, nor repent: for he is not as man that he should repent. If God be unchangeable, take heed then, lest he come to this, that he cast you off, as he did Saul: for if ever he does it, he will never repent, never alter, never retract his decree. Saul lived, you know, many years after, for it was in the beginning of his reign; and yet because the will of God was revealed clearly to him, he was bid by a clear command, Go and kill all the Amalekites, and leave not any of them alive: Saul now had a heart contemning God in this commandment, therefore also God came to a resolution and decree, to cast him off: though Saul lived many years after, yet you could see no change in him, there was no alteration in his outward condition. But, says he, and it is most fearful, God does not repent: it is not with him as it is with man, for he may be entreated, and may repent; but the Lord is not as man that he should repent. Consider this, you that have clear commandments from God, you that have been told that you ought to be conscientious in your calling, that you ought to pray in your families, if you will be still breaking the Lord's will, and live idly in your calling, and rebelliously sin against God, living as if there were no God in the world; take heed lest the Lord reject you; and when he has done it, consider that he is an unchangeable God, and that all his decrees are immutable. Consider that place, He swore in his wrath that they should not enter into his rest. It was not long after the children of Israel came out of Egypt, yet ten times they provoked him, before he declared this resolution, and many of them lived forty years after: but because many of them did see clearly that it was the will of God, they did see his miracles and his works that he had done among them, and yet because they still rebelled, he swore in his wrath, that they should never enter into his rest. It is a fearful case, when God shall do this, (as he does it:) Even all you that hear me this day, there is a time, I am persuaded, when the Lord pronounces such a decree upon such a man, saying, I have rejected him: yet no man sees it, no not he himself, but he comes to Church, and hears the word from day to day. But yet remember that God is unchangeable; for, you see, the Jews in Jeremiah's time, they lived under Jeremiah's ministry almost twenty years, but yet at the last he rejected them, and he would not be entreated, though Jeremiah and the people did pray to him. There are three places for it: (Jeremiah 7:16): Therefore pray not for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me, for I will not hear you. But what if the Jews were moved with the calamity when it came, should cry, and be importunate with the Lord, would not their tears move him? No, says he: (Jeremiah 11:14): Therefore pray not for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them: for I will not hear them in the time that they cry to me for their trouble.

But what if they fast and pray? No; if they do that, I will not hear them. (Jeremiah 14:11-12): Then God said to me, pray not for this people for their good: when they fast, I will not hear their cry; when they offer burnt offering and an oblation, I will not accept them, but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence. When the day of death comes, when the time of sickness and extremity comes, then you will cry, and cry earnestly: but God shall say to you then, the time was, when I cried to you by the ministers, and you would not hear: no, you slighted and mocked them, and you would not hear them, I will also mock and laugh at your destruction (Proverbs 1:26). Do not think this is a case that seldom comes, it is done every day, continually upon some. There is a double time: a time of preparing and trying before this unchangeable decree comes forth. (Zephaniah 2:1-2): Gather yourselves together, indeed gather together, O nation not desired, before the decree comes forth, before the day passes, as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the Lord comes upon you, before the day of the Lord's anger comes upon you. And there is a time, when the decree is past; and when this is not past, there is a door of hope opened: but when the decree is come forth, then you are past hope.

Object: But how shall I do to know this?

Answer: Beloved, never an angel, nor I, nor any creature can tell you; you see that he took Saul at the beginning of the kingdom, when he was young and strong; he took the Jews at the beginning of Jeremiah's preaching; only the use that you are to make of it is this: Take heed of neglecting God, or good admonitions, take heed of despising the word from day to day, and saying, that I will repent hereafter; for the Lord perhaps will not give you a heart to repent, he will not hear you, as he said before, though you cry never so much to him, as in time of extremity you are most likely to do.

Use 2. The second use I take out of Romans 11:28-29. As concerning the Gospel, they are enemies for your sake: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the Father's sake. For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. The meaning of it is this: says the Lord, I have cast away the Jews, and they are now enemies for the Gospel's sake, that is, that the Gospel might come sooner to you; they have rejected it, that upon their refusal, it might come to you Gentiles; they are enemies and cast off, yet they are beloved for their fathers' sake; that is, in regard of the promise that I made to their father Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and in regard of that covenant, I will not alter; not, says he, to all the Jews, but those whom I have elected, so far as my covenant reaches, with whom I have made it. Do not think that there is any change of the Lord toward them, For the gifts and calling of the Lord, that is, the calling of them by the work of the Spirit, and the gifts of saving grace, that he has bestowed upon the elect Jews, they are without all repentance, there is no change in them. Then if ever you are in covenant with God, and have this seal in your soul, that there is a change wrought in you by the covenant, then your election is sure: and be sure God will never alter it, for he is unchangeable. This you must consider, that you may have strong consolation. Beloved, our consolation, if it be upon anything, but upon GOD that is unchangeable, it is weak, and twenty things may batter it, and overthrow it: but when it is grounded upon the immutability of his counsel, it is called in Hebrews 6:18 strong consolation, so that all the Devils in hell, all temptations of the world, and all the objections that our own hearts can make cannot batter it; for it is built upon the lowest foundation, even upon the unchangeable God. So that this doctrine is for comfort to all the Saints of God. Therefore consider whether you are in the state of grace, whether you have made the match with Jesus Christ, if ever there was a covenant between Christ and your soul.

But how shall I know it, you will say? Did you ever come to this, as to say, I am content to be divorced from, and to part with all things, with every lust, and to be content to follow him through all his ways, and to bear every cross? Yet this is not enough; Did there follow hereupon a general change within your heart, and a new heart, and a new spirit given you? Otherwise it is but lip-labor, a thought only that passes through the mind, and therefore was never any such actual agreement between Christ and you. But if there were any such change, then you may comfort yourself; for God is unchangeable, and this covenant, it is an everlasting covenant. Consider that it is everywhere called so: (Isaiah 55:3) it is said to be an everlasting covenant, because it is founded upon the sure mercies of David: God gave Saul mercies as well as David, God tells him that he shall have the kingdom, if he will walk in his ways; but Saul started out of the ways of God, and so God performed his part, but yet the covenant was broke, because Saul performed not his part. And as it was with Saul, so it was with the people of Israel; because they broke the covenant on their parts, God also broke his. David started out of the way, as well as Saul: but they were sure mercies that were promised him, for it was an everlasting covenant of mercy. Therefore you must know this, that there is a twofold covenant: First, a single covenant, such as GOD makes with children when they are baptized, which is this; If you will believe and repent, and walk in my ways, you shall be saved: now if they break the condition, GOD is freed, he is not bound any further. Secondly, a double covenant, to perform both parts; which is this; If you will believe, and repent, you shall be saved, and, I will give you a heart, and you shall repent, and believe, and be saved; I began the work, and I will finish it: here is not only a covenant on God's part, to be our Father, but on our parts also, as in the other; but GOD does not only promise for his part, but makes a covenant to enable us to perform the conditions on our part: and therefore it is called a double covenant. And it is impossible that this covenant should be broken, for then GOD should break it himself, (for he is engaged for both parts); and so be changeable, if he should not give you a new heart, and keep you from the first day of your regeneration till death. Therefore it is an everlasting covenant, and the fruits of it are sure mercies; it is a double covenant, and therefore cannot be changed. And it is called, Compassions that fail not: why are they called so? To show the unchangeableness of this covenant.

But you will say, what if I fall into sin? I will forgive them, says the Lord. Oh, but lusts do rebel, old lusts, and new: but, says the Lord, I will mortify them, and give you grace to overcome them. Oh, but grace is subject to decay: but I will renew it, says GOD. If your sins and lusts should exceed his mercies, then they should fail; but they cannot: and therefore they are called compassions that fail not.

Besides, consider this, that the covenant is made in Jesus Christ. There are two Adams, he made a covenant with both: with the first Adam, he made a covenant, as with the common root of all mankind; but Adam broke the covenant, and so did all his members. But there is a second Adam, and all that are saved, are members of him as truly as we are of the first Adam: and he kept the covenant, and therefore if he stand, they shall stand also.

Besides, consider that he makes this Covenant as to sons, and not as to servants. To the servant the Master says; Do my work faithfully, and you shall have your wages, if not, I will turn you out of my doors: but with his Son it is not so, he abides in the house forever; if he fall into sin, he corrects and nurtures him, but yet he keeps him in his house forever.

Answer. But what use is there of this doctrine?

Object. There is this end for it; were it not for this doctrine, you could never love God with a sincere and perfect love: For I ask you this question, can you love him with a perfect love, whom you think may sometime become your enemy? It is a saying, Amare tanquam aliquando osurus, is the very poison of true friendship. But now, when you know that God is knit to you by an unchangeable bond, that he is a friend whom you may build upon forever, whom you may trust: this makes your heart to cleave to him, as Paul says, I know whom I have trusted, this makes your heart to fasten upon him, and there is no scruple of love, which would be, if there were a possibility of change.

Besides, what makes a man to depart from his profession? Because he thinks to get a better portion: but when you have this portion sure; Christ, and heaven sure, why should you let it go (Hebrews 10:23).

Besides, endeavors never fail, till hope fails: And therefore when you are sure that your work is not in vain in the Lord, it is that which makes you constant, and immovable in well-doing. And therefore the use is, to make us have strong consolation in the Lord, and to do his work abundantly, to do that which we are exhorted to do; to cleave to the Lord without separation. And this we cannot do, except we were sure of him: and that you may know by this, that he is an unchangeable God, and the gifts of his calling are without repentance (1 Corinthians 15:58).

[reconstructed: Finis.]