Sermon 14

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 they shall say to me, what is his name; what shall I say to them? And God said to Moses, I AM, THAT I AM, etc.

Object. When men hear that God is thus unchangeable, that when he has rejected any, he never retracts his decree; this objection may be made. For what end is it then to pray, to endeavor a change of life, or to repent, for if there be such an irresistible decree past against me, what hope is there?

Before I come to a particular answer to this, I will premise these two things in general.

First, you know, that in other things there is an unchangeable decree, as there is an unalterable decree concerning the time of men's death, and yet no man for this does cease to eat, or to take medicine: so there is an unchangeable decree concerning the success of every business under the sun, yet we do not forbear to take counsel, and to use the best means to bring our enterprises to pass: And so there is an unchangeable decree concerning the salvation of men, concerning giving grace, or denying grace to them; and you can no more take an argument from here, to give over endeavors, than you can in the former.

2. Though there be an unchangeable decree past upon men, when God has rejected them, and God will not alter it; yet this decree is kept secret, and no man knows it: therefore there is a door of hope opened, to stir up men to endeavor. Indeed if the decree were made known, and revealed to us, then it were in vain, then there were no place for endeavors: but seeing it is not so, therefore there is place for hope, and for endeavors which arise from hope.

These things being premised, we will now come to a particular answer of this objection.

First, that if you do pray, you shall change God and his carriage toward you, though he be unchangeable. For if a man be rejected as Saul was, and as the Jews were, and as those in Romans 1 who were given up to a reprobate mind; if he be so rejected, he is not able to pray, or repent, or to seek to God or to desire to go about in good earnest to seek any change of life: for if he were able to do it, he was sure to speed. Therefore if you do pray in truth, you shall prevail, you are sure to have mercy at his hand; for it is a great sign that he has not given you over, that no such unchangeable decree is past against you: therefore it is no doctrine of discouragement. Indeed it is a doctrine of great terror to those, whose hearts do not tremble at it, that let such a doctrine slide away as water does off a stone, and not sink into their hearts at all: but to a man that says, I would repent, and pray, and change the course of my life, if there were any hope; I can say this to you, that if you do pray you shall be accepted; for God has styled himself, that he is a God hearing prayers; and except he were changeable, he must needs be ready to hear you, if you seek to him: For the Lord is unchangeable in his promises, and you shall find him unchangeable toward you: but to a man that will not pray, that is set upon evil, and will not be wrought upon, to such a man this is a fearful and a terrible doctrine.

Secondly, though God's decree be unchangeable, yet if you can find a change in yourself, it shall go well with you: as if a father should take up an unchangeable resolution to disinherit a stubborn and ungracious child, because he is so; if the child should change now and alter his courses, and grow sober, the father may now receive him to mercy, and yet no change in his resolution, but the change is in the son. Or, if a prince should set down in a law, (as a law of the Medes and Persians, that alters not) saying, I will not receive to favor such a rebellious subject, because he is so: yet if his subject be changed, he may receive him, and yet his decree may be unchangeable, because the change was in the subject, and the decree was grounded upon this, if he did remain so rebellious and stubborn: So I say to you, if God has therefore threatened to reject you, because you are a stubborn and rebellious wretch, if now you shall find a change in yourself, that your stubborn heart is broken, standing in awe of him, fearing to offend him, or to commit any sin that you know to be a sin, I say, notwithstanding that unchangeableness of his, he cannot but receive you to mercy. As if a physician should take up an unchangeable resolution, not to give his patient such restorative medicine, because his stomach is foul, so that it will not work, and because he will not receive such purgations whereby he should be prepared for it: But if there be a change in him, if his stomach be clean and fit for it, so that it will work, and he become willing to receive it, if he give it him, the change is not in the physician, but in the patient. Therefore when you hear this, sit not down discouraged, but rather go and sit alone, and consider of your sins, and give not over till your heart be broken for them: and when this is done, be sure that he will receive you to mercy, for he may be unchangeable in his decree, if the change be in you. And therefore this doctrine does not discourage, but rather stir up, and incite men to change their courses, yea it is the very scope of it.

Again, I add this further; he that says, to what purpose is it to endeavor, whoever it is that says so, I would ask that man this question; Did you ever go about any holy duties, and yet did find this stop in it, that though you would do them, you could not be accepted? Had you ever a serious resolution to forsake such and such a sin, and the occasions of it, and yet you did find such a bar as this, that you could not alter God's decree thereby, and for that only reason have gone on in it? Did ever any man upon his death-bed say so? No man will say so: but it is because he would not. Therefore complain not of the unchangeable decree of God, but of the stubbornness of your heart, that you will not buckle, and come in to him.

The best way in this doctrine of the unchangeableness of God's decree of election, is this: It is good to consider in what manner it is delivered in the Scripture, and to what purpose, and to make that use of it, and then you shall be sure not to abuse it. As for example; to what end, and for what occasion is this doctrine of election delivered? You shall find that it is on this occasion (Romans 9:18-19). When many of the Jews did not come in, to whom did belong the covenant, and the laws, and the testimonies, this was an objection that was made against the doctrine of the Gospel; what was the reason that the Jews did not come in, and that his own people were not wrought upon? To answer this objection, the Apostle tells them, that it was not against God's good will, he was able to do it, if it was his pleasure, but, says he, some has he chosen, and some not; some he loves, and some he hates; some he has mercy upon, and some he hardens. So that the scope of the doctrine is, that God might be magnified, that no objection might be made against the almighty power of God, that he was not able to bring them in, that men might not say that they have resisted his will: and the Apostle reveals it for that purpose, that men might be answered. So that such doctrines as this, you must consider for what end they are revealed. As for this doctrine of God's unchangeableness, what is the end, why it is revealed? You shall see in (Numbers 23:19): He is not as man that he should repent: Therefore I have blessed Israel, and he shall be blessed. The end is, to show that his favor is an unchangeable favor: So he has cursed Saul, and he shall be cursed (1 Samuel 15:29), his decrees are unalterable. As it is (James 1:17): God is good, and cannot be otherwise, therefore he can tempt no man. Out of all these places it is apparent, that the use of this doctrine is, that we might tremble at his judgments, and that we might rejoice in his favor with joy unspeakable and glorious: In a word, that men might know the excellency of the Almighty, and might know and magnify God, because constancy and unchangeableness is a property of wisdom. This being the end why it is revealed, it ought to be applied only to this use: as to come to particulars, which before we did not mention. When we hear that God rejected Saul, and will not repent of it, and the Jews, etc., the use that we should make of it is this; If God should pass such a decree of rejection upon me, it cannot be changed; therefore I would fear before him, and take heed of that stubbornness and course of disobedience, that may bring that curse upon me, and such a stroke upon my soul; and for this purpose is this doctrine revealed to us. And this use the Apostle makes of it (Hebrews 3), when he had delivered God's unchangeable decree, declared by his swearing in his wrath, that they should never enter into his rest: therefore defer not, says he, while it is called today, lest that you continuing in a course of rebellion, the door of mercy be shut upon you, and God does swear in his wrath, as he did to them, that you shall never enter into his rest. Beloved, there is a double time: a time of the coming forth of this decree, and a time of preparing and trying, while the door stands open. Therefore take heed that that acceptable time does not pass away, lest you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

Use 3: If God be unchangeable, then look whatever he has done in former times, what judgments he has inflicted, and for what, what mercies he has shown, and upon what ground; and you may expect the same, because there is no change in him: therefore go over all the Scripture, and behold what he has done there, look through all your own experience, and see what he has done to you, and to others, and know that he will do the same to you, for he is unchangeable. As for example, look what he did to Joab, Shimei, and the house of Saul. You know the sins that they committed; Joab had committed murder, and Shimei reviled David, and Saul slew the Gibeonites against his oath: though they went on a long time in peace and prosperity, yet because their pardon was not sued out, therefore after many years God called them to an account. As Joab went not to the grave in peace, and Shimei deserved death, and therefore it was brought upon him; and Saul was punished in the blood of his sons, and he was slain himself, as he had slain others in battle. So be assured, if there be any sin which you have formerly committed, unrepented of, though it be long since, God will waken it in due time. So, look what he did to David; he had committed a sin in secret, but the Lord says, that he will make his punishment to be open, he will do it before the sun: So if you have committed a sin in secret, take heed lest he bring it to light, he will do to you, as he did to David; and I say to you, that though you be regenerate, and are one of his elect, yet if your case be the same with David's, he will do so to you, for he is unchangeable. There be two cases wherein the Lord will not spare, but bring judgment upon his own children.

First, in the case of scandal, as David's was: for though his first sin was secret, yet his second was public, and made the first so too. Therefore though his sin was forgiven him, God tells him that his punishment should be open, and that the sword should not depart from his house.

Secondly, if their sin be not scandalous, yet if it be unrepented of, God will even punish his own children. And as God deals with secret sins to bring them to light: so he will do with secret innocence, on the other side also. As Joseph, whose uprightness was in secret, for none did see it but himself; as for his mistress, she accused him, and was believed: yet the Lord brought it to light in due season. So he will do yours. Let men keep their credit with God, and he will keep their credit with men, let them raise slanders, or what they will: look how he did with Joseph, so he will deal with you, for he does not change.

So look how the Lord has dealt with wicked men; look how the Lord did deal with them that did meddle with holy things, as Nadab, and Abihu, and Uzzah, and the Bethshemites; you know that he destroyed them all, and that with a present destruction: so if you will abuse his name, abuse his holy things, and come to the Sacraments with an uncircumcised heart, he is the same God still, he is as much offended now, and he is as ready to execute his wrath upon you, as he was then.

So look how he dealt with Saul, with the Jews that came out of Egypt, he swore in his wrath, that they should not enter his rest: if you will do the same that they did, rebel against him as they did, he will swear in his wrath, that you shall never enter into his rest. As he passed his sentence upon Saul, and as he passes his sentence upon any: so he will bring it to pass, if your case be the same, for he is unchangeable.

So look how he did deal in John Baptist's time, and as it was with them, Now the axe is laid to the root of the tree, when the Gospel, and the means of grace, and the spring-time of the word began; because they did not regard it then, they were cast off: the time of their ignorance God regards not so much; but then he called upon every one to repent, and because they did not come in then, he deferred not his judgment. That upon which I ground this, you shall find in two places of Scripture. (2 Peter 2:4) If the Lord did so with the Angels, spared not them, says he, he is the same God, and therefore he knows how to reserve the unjust to the day of judgment, and especially those that are unclean: the ground of it is his unchangeableness. The other place is in (1 Corinthians 10). You know what he did to the Israelites, says he, he will do the same to you: therefore do you take heed, that you do not commit fornication, as some of them committed, and died in the wilderness, etc.

Only here is this caution diligently to be remembered, which we must add to all this that has been spoken. It is sure, that whenever it is the same case, he will do the same thing: though his judgments are different, the time different, the ways and means are different.

As for example, he struck Uzzah presently, and so he did Gehazi, and Nadab, and Abihu; yet to others there may be difference in time: to these he did it presently, to others it may be he will do it many years after. Again, he struck them with death, but it may be there is another kind of judgment reserved for you — as it may be he will give you up to hardness of heart, or the like.

Again, so it is in showing mercy, for the rule is as true therein also: For he shows mercy to some this way, and to others that way, and he humbles men after various manners; and so some men he punishes for their sins in this life, some he reserves for another world: Again, some he strikes presently, and some he forbears with much patience.

And this you must remember in both these, that though he does the same things, yet he does them in a different manner, time, and way: he has various judgments, and afflictions; and as there are various means to attain to the same end, as some may ride, some go on foot, and yet all come to one journey's end: So the judgments and afflictions may be different, yet the end the same; and that this caution being taken in, you may be sure, that the same judgments that he did execute in former time, he is ready to execute them still. As he has given them up to open sins, that did neglect him in secret, so he will do to you; as he has stricken some men in their sins, so the same wrath is gone out against and remains for you, if you do not repent and turn to him: for the kinds, as whether by sickness, or death, etc. these we cannot determine of; the ways of God are infinite, and exceeding various, unsearchable, and past finding out: but though in regard of his particular ways it does not follow, he did thus to this man, therefore he will do the very same to you; yet because he did this to them, he will do the same thing to you in the same or in a different manner.

So look what he has done to all his Saints, he has blessed them, and heard them. But you will say, I have prayed, and I am not heard. I say to you, if your case be the same, you shall be heard. To this end are those places: The Lord's hand is not shortened, that he cannot save, nor his ear heavy, that it cannot hear (Isaiah 59:1): This is the scope of the Prophet; as if he should say, you wonder why you are not heard, that you have not the same success in prayer that they had, but the case is not the same, says he: they repented, but you do not; you are mistaken, for you are yet in your sins; I am as strong to help you, and as ready, and if I do it not, it is because the case is different: your sins have made a separation between me and you. Which implies, that God will hear if the case be the same. Only remember this, that God may defer it somewhat long before he hears you, yet he will do it in the end.

Use 4: If unchangeableness be proper to God (for so you must understand it, proper to him, and common to no other) then learn to know the difference between him and the creatures.

There be various branches of this use: As,

First if this be so, then every creature is, and must be changeable, and if so, then take heed, that you do not expect more of the creature, than is in it, for this will raise our affections to the creature, and so cause grief and vexation in the end: and indeed the forgetfulness of this changeableness in the creature, and unchangeableness in God is the cause of all our crosses and sorrow in outward things we meet with. There be these degrees to it.

For, first, the forgetfulness of the mutability of the creature causes us to expect more from it than is in it. Secondly, this expectation raises our affections to the creature: hence it is, that we set our affections too much upon them, and delight too much in them. Thirdly, strong affections, when they are set upon the creature, do always bring forth strong afflictions: for what is the reason of all the grief, that we undergo from day to day? Is it not, because our affections are set upon changeable objects, upon the creatures? And therefore when they are changed, then there is a change in the mind: whereas if you did look alone upon the unchangeable God, this would keep you from worldly care and sorrow, this would preserve in you evenness and equability of mind. Therefore take heed of forgetting this, that to be unchangeable, is proper to God alone; therefore set your affections upon none but him: and if you will do so, you shall always enjoy a constant security of mind, as if a man were in the upper region, where there is no change of weather, when as below here, there is one day foul, another fair; so that if a man could live with God, and walk with him, and have his conversation in heaven, he should not be subject to such change: whereas if a man set his mind upon earthly things, he shall be still subject to perturbations and unevenness. All grief of mind comes from hence, that you look for unchangeableness from the creature, where it is not to be had. If you would look up to God, you shall find all things alike there, there is no change with him. When an earthen pot is broken, it does not much trouble you, for you remember it to be but an earthen pot: now every thing here below, all your friends, wife, children, they are but earthen vessels, and the consideration of this would exceedingly help you, if you would settle it on your heart. Therefore say, what a fool was I? I did not remember, they were but a flower, a vapor, and a shadow: for so the Scripture calls them. And shall a man take on, because a vapor is scattered, and a flower withered, and a shadow vanished? Therefore remember, that to be unchangeable is proper to God alone: and to be changeable is as proper to the creature, as to him to be immutable.

Secondly, you may see from hence, how to help that vanity to which the creature is subject: for if unchangeableness be the property of God, you must not seek a stability from the creature, but consider that it has no further in it, than God is pleased to communicate the same to it. Therefore to go to him to whom unchangeableness belongs: for as mutable as they be, yet if he will make your friends to be stable, or your wealth, it shall be so. Therefore the only way is, to go to him, to make those things firm, which otherwise are inconstant. The love of a friend is inconstant, for he may die, the breath is in his nostrils, and if he does live, yet his thoughts may perish, and his affections alter: so that they shall fail you as a land flood does in summer, as Job says. It dries up in summer time, and yet that is the time of thirst; and so will they fail you in time of need: and the like may be said of all things else, so that he whose comfort does depend upon them, has but a dependent felicity, which is like the motion of mills, and ships, which cease when the water or wind fails them. But yet as mutable as they are, God can put a constancy to them. Apply this therefore to yourself. You live now, and are in health and wealth, in such and such a place, and such circumstances as may continue it: the only way to establish you in all this is, to go to God, and to beseech him to put a stability into your condition. For the creature, as it is made of nothing, and is built upon a foundation of nothing: so it is apt to return to nothing. And remember this, that the more retired, and weaned, and fearful your affections are about any thing, so that you can say in good earnest; If God will, I shall enjoy them today, and next day, but his will I know not, I know not how long I shall enjoy them; if you can say thus, you shall hold them the longer, and the faster: for that is a sign that you depend upon God, and not on the creature, that you trust him, and are not fastened to it.

Use 5: If this be so, then unchangeableness is an excellency in him: for all his attributes are exceedingly excellent. Then if you would judge of any thing in the world, you must take this as a measure by which you may prize and esteem it: look how changeable it is, so much the worse it is; if it be good, the more immutable, the better it is, for all changeableness comes from weakness. Therefore learn to value it so: and you shall find this of much use. As we may see in the heavens: it is said that they are vain, because they wax old as does a garment, but you are the same (Psalm 102:26-27). Go through every thing glorious in the world, glorious churches, they are subject to change; as Jerusalem, the glory of all the earth, it is ruinated, and [reconstructed: brought to nothing]. Take men that are most eminent, yet because they are subject to change, by death or by passions, there is an unevenness in them: though they live here like gods in their glory. Therefore magnify no man, but labor to be persuaded of yourself, as a man. I need not speak to you of riches, they take to themselves wings and fly away; nor of credit and honor, they are in the power of them that give them: whatever is changeable, according to the mutability of it, so value it. But I press the contrary. Look upon the things that are not changeable, and labor to prize them. You shall find saving grace to be unchangeable, though it may be impaired in degree, and may recoil to the root, and may not bud forth as at other times, yet it is unchangeable, it shall never be taken away: so [reconstructed: spiritual] life is unchangeable, when that begins, then the other shakes off, even as old nails do; when new grow under them: therefore this should teach us to value it much.

So the word of God is an unchangeable thing (Isaiah 40:8). The grass withers, the flower fades: but the word of the Lord shall stand forever. So (Matthew 5) heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word shall not pass. Now what use should we make of this? Then study the word more than anything in the world besides. There is much learning in the world, and there are many creatures: now all other knowledge is of the creature, and that vanishes away with them, but the word of God shall not pass, the word endures forever. Therefore look what truths you can get out of the word, which may build up the inward man, look what profit you can get from it, that shall remain forever: therefore you should prize it much, get it plentifully in your heart, in the wisdom and power of it. We have many employments in this life: but that which is bestowed upon unchangeable things, which shall never alter, that is the best time spent.

Lastly, all the good works you do, and all the evil works of unregenerate men unrepented of, shall remain forever. Look what good works you do in the world, they shall remain with you forever, they shall be had in continual remembrance. Therefore you should labor to be abundant in good works, that is, to be sure to serve God whatever you do. If you be a servant or a laboring man; when you do your works out of obedience to him, even those works shall remain. So look in anything that you have done for Christ, all these things shall remain forever: whatever faithful prayers you have made, or whatever you have suffered for Christ, what pains you have taken in preaching, or in repenting, or in advancing the cause of Christ, these shall be had in everlasting remembrance. So look what sins unrepented of you have committed. The sins of unregenerate men shall also remain. All the praise that comes from any action, and the pleasure of it, that passes away, and comes to nothing: but look what sinfulness there is in any work, that remains, and if you repent not of it, that sin shall be reckoned upon your score; and what uprightness there is in any work, that shall remain. Therefore learn from this to prize and value only those good things that are immutable, and proportionally to fear and shun the evil.

FINIS.