Ans. Repentance is attributed to God figuratively and impro])erly : Num. xxiii. 19., He is not " a man tliat he should re- pent." There may be a change in God's work, but not in his will ; God may will a change, but not change his will ; " God may change his sentence, but not his de- cree." As su])pose a king shall cause a sentence to be passed upon a malefactor whom he intends to save : notwithstanding this sentence, the king doth not alter his decree, so God threatened destruction to Nineveh, Jonah iii. 4., but the people of
GOD'S UNCHANGEABLENESS.
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Nineveh repenting, God spared them. Here God changed his sentence, but not his de- cree ; it was what had lain in tlic womb of liis purpose from eternity.
Oi3J. But ij God's decree be 7inchan(/caljk, and cannot be reversed, then to what purpose should ice use the means ? Our endeavours towards salvation cannot alter his decree.
' Ans. This decree of God doth not take off my endeavour ; for he that Jiatli decreed my salvation, hath decreed it in tJie use of means : and if I neglect the means, I go about to reprobate myself. No man argues thus : " God hath decreed how long I shall live, therefore I will not use means to pre- serve my life, not eat and drink." God hath decreed the time of my life in the use of means; so God hath decreed my salva- tion in the use of word, prayer, sacraments ; and as a man that refuseth his food murders himself, so he that refuseth to work out his salvation doth destroy liimself. The vessels o^ mercy are said to be * prepared unto glory,' Rom. ix. 23. How are they prepar- ed but by being sanctified ? And that can- not be but in the use of means ; therefore let not God's decree take thee off from holy endeavours. A good saying of Dr. Pres- ton, " Hast thou an heart to pray to God? it is a sign no decree of wrath hath passed against thee."
Use 1st. If God's decree be eternal and unchangeable, then God doth not elect our faith foreseen, as the Arminians, Rom. ix. 1 1 — 13., " Tlie children being not yet born, that the purpose of God according to elec- tion might stand, it was said, Jacob have I loved, Esau have I hated." We are not elected ybr holiness, but to holiness, Ej)h. i. i. 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 justi- fied through faith as an instrument, Eph. ii. S., but not for faith as a cause ; and, if not justified for faith, then mufch less elected. God's decree of election is eternal and un- changeable, therefore depends not upon faith foreseen. Acts xiii. 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 2d. If God's decree be unchatigea- le, it is comfort in two cases : 1 . Concern- ,
ing God's providence towards his church. We are ready to quarrel with providence if every thing doth not jump with our desire: remember God's work goes on, and nothing falls out but what he hath decreed from eternity. — 2. God hath decreed troubles for the church's good ; the troubling of God's church is like the angel's troubling the wa- ter, John V. 4., whicli made way for heal- ing his peoj)le. He hath decreed troubles in the church : " whose fire is in Sion, and his furnace in Jerusalem," Isa. xxxi. 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, Dan. xii. 10., " Many shall be made white." God lets the waters of affliction be poured on his people, he doth but lay them a whiten- ing. Therefore murmur not at God's deal- ings ; his work goes on, nothing falls out but what he hath wisely decreed from eter- nity ; every thing shall promote God's de- sign, and fulfil his decree. — 2. Comfort to the godly in regard of their salvation, 2 Tim. ii. 19., '' The foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his." God's counsel of elec- tion is unchangeable : once elected, and for ever elected, Rev. iii. 5., " I will not blot his name out of the book of life." The book of God's decree hath no errata in it, — no blottings out, — once justified never un- justified, IIos. xiii. M., " Repentance shall be hid from mine eyes." God never repents of his electing love, John xiii. 1., " He loved them to the end." Therefore, if thou art a believer, comfort thyself with this, the immutability of God's decree.