S. The unchangeable God hath promised to maintain their graces, and thereby his interest in them for ever, Jer. xxxii. 40. " And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will " not turn away from them to do them good : But I will put my " fear in their hearts, that they shall not turn away from me.'' Where the Lord undertakes for both parts in the covenant, his own and theirs : / will not turn away from them ; Oh inexpressible mercy ! Yea, but Lord, may the poor believer say, that is not so much my fear, as that my treacherous heart will turn away from thee. No, saith God, I will take care for that also : I will put my fear into thy heart, and thou shait never depart from me.
3. The unchangeable God hath promised to establish the cove- nant with them for ever ; so that those who are once taken into that gracious covenant shall never be turned out of it again, Isa. liv. 10. " The mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed, <' but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the " covenant of rav peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy " on thee."
4. The unchangeable God hath secured his loving kindness to his people, by promise, under all the trials and smarting rods of affliction with which he chastens them in this world; he hath re- served to himself the liberty of afflicting them, but bound himself by promise never to remove his favour from them, Psal. Ixxxix. 33, 34. " I will visit their transgression with the rod, and their
THE RIGHTEOUS MAN^S REFUGE. 379
" iniquity with stripes, nevertheless my loving-kindness will I not " take from them, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail."
5. The promises of a joyful resurrection from the dead are grounded upon the immutaliility of God, Matt. xxii. 32. " I am *' the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Ja- " cob : God is not the God of the dead, but the God of the " living." Death hath made a great change upon them, but none upon their God ; though they be not, he is still the same: there- fore they are not lost in death, but shall assuredly be found again in the resurrection.
6. To conclude, the promises of the saints' eternal happiness with God in heaven are founded on his immutability, 1 Cor. i. 8, 9. Tit. i. 2. By a,ll which you see what a pleasant lodging is pre- pared for the saints in the unchangeable promises of God, amidst all the changes and alterations here below.
2. Once more let us view the unchangeableness of God in his providence towards his people, whatever changes it makes upon us, or whatever changes we seem to discern in it, nothing is more certain than this, that it holds one and the same tenor, pursues one and the same design, in all that it doth upon us, or about us. Pro- vidences indeed are very variable, but the designs and ends of God in them all, are invariable, and the same for ever. It is noted in Ezek. i. 12. " That the wheels went straight forward ; whither the " spirit was to go, they went; and they turned not when they " went." As it is in nature, so in providence, you have one day fair, halcyon, and bright, another dark and full of storms ; one season hot, another cold ; but all these serve to one and the same end and design to make the earth fruitful ; and the end of all pro* vidences is to make you holy and happy. That is a sweet promise, Rom. viii. 28. " All things shall work together for good to them " that love God." This is the compass by which all providences steer their course, as a ship at sea doth by the chart : but more particularly let us note the unchangeableness of God in his provi- dences of all kinds, effective and permissive, and see in them all his unchangeable righteousness and goodness.
1. It must needs be so, considering the unchangeableness of his decree, 2 Tim. ii. 19. " The foundation of God standeth sure."* Providences serve, but never frustrate ; execute, but cannot make void the decree ; so that you may say of the most afflicting provi- dences, as David doth of the stormy winds, Psal. cxlviii. 8. They all fulfil his xvord.
2. The wisdom of God proves it ; he will not suffer his works or permissions to clash with his designs and purposes : Divine wis- dom shews itself in the steady direction of all things to their ulti- mate end. To open this in some particulars, consider,
380 THE RIGHTEOUS MAn's REFUGE.
1. Doth the Lord permit wicked men to rage and insult, per- secute and vex his people ? Yet all this while providence is in its right way, it walks in as direct a line to your good, as when it is in a more pleasant path of peace, Jer. xxiv. 5. " Thus saith the " Lord, the God of Israel, like these good figs, so will I acknow- " ledge them that are carried away captive of Judah, whom I have *' sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans for their " good." Israel was sent to Babylon for their good. This im- proves your faith and patience, Rev. xiii. 10. Here is the patience and faith of the saints. So Rom. v. 2, 3. " By whom also we have " access by faith into this grace, wherein we stand, and rejoice in " hope of the glory of God ; and not only so, but we glory in " tribulations also ; knowing that tribulation worketh patience."" By this you are weaned from, and mortified to this world.
2. Doth the Lord in his providence order many and frequent, close and smarting afflictions for you ? Why, lo ! here is the same design managing as effectually, as if all the peace and prosperity in the world were ordered for you ; the face of providence indeed is not the same, but the love of God is still the same ; he loves you as much when he smites, as when he smiles on you : for what are his ends in afflicting you, and what the sanctified fruits of your af- flictions ? Is it not,
1. To purge your iniquities? Isa. xxvii. 9. " By this therefore " shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged, and this is all the fruit to '' take away his sin."
2. To reduce your hearts to God ? Psal. cxix. 67. " Before I " was afflicted I went astray, but now have I kept thy word."
3. To quicken you to your duties ? Let the best man be without afflictions, and he will quickly grow dull in the way of his duty.
3. Doth God let loose the chain of Satan to tempt and bufi'et you ! Yet is he still the same God to you as before ; for do but observe his ends in that permission, and you will find, that, by these things, the Lord is leading you towards that desired assurance of his love which your souls long after. Few Christians attain to any considerable settlement of soul, but by such shakings and com- bats, the end of these permissions is to put you to your kneeSj and blow up a greater flame and fervour of spirit in prayer, 2 Cor. xii. 8. So that, eventually, these permissions of providence prove sin- gular advantages and blessings to you.