134 DOCTRINE OF THE SAINTS' PERSEVERA^'CE. [CHAP.
ordinances and providential exercises of goodness or justice. In tliis there was great variety as to the latter part, comprehending only ex- ternal effects or products of the power of God ; in which regard he can pull down what he hath set up, and set up what he hath pulled down, without the least shadow of turning, these various dispen- sations working uniforndy towards the accomplishment of his un- changeable purposes. And this is all that Mr Goodwin's exceptions reach to, even a change in the outward dispensation of providence; which none ever denied, being that which may be, nay is done, for the bringing about and accomplishment, in a way suitable to the ad- vancement of his glory, of his unchangeable purposes. What propor- tion there is to be argued from between the general effects of various dispensations and that peculiar love and grace of the covenant thereof, wherein God assures his saints of their stability upon the account of his own unchangeableness, I know not. Because he may remove his candlestick from a fruitless, faithless people, and give them up to desolation, may he therefore take his Holy Spirit from them that believe? For whilst that continues, the root of the matter is in them. So that, secondly, there is a peculiar dispensation of grace exerted towards those peculiar ones whom he owneth and receiveth, as above mentioned, wherein there are such engagements of the pur- poses, deci'ees, and will of God, as that the stream of them cannot be forced back without as great an alteration and change in God as the thoughts of the heart of the meanest worm in the world are liable unto; and on this the Lord asserts the steadfastness of his love to them in the midst of the changes of outward dispensations towards the body of that people, wherein also their external concernments were wrapped up, 1 Sam. xii. 22. But this will afterward be more full}'- cleared. The substance of this exception amounts only to thus much: There are changes wrought in the works which outwardly are of God, as to general and common administrations; therefore, also, are his eternal purposes of spiritual grace liable to the like altera- tions. Whereas Mr Goodwin says that this will not import any alter- ation in God, at least any such alteration as is incompetent to him, I know not of any shadow of alteration that may be ascribed to him without the greatest and most substantial derogation from his glory that you can engage into.
And this farther clears what is farther excejDted to the end of sect. 40, in these words: "Therefore, neither the unchangeableness nor changcabloness of God is to be estimated or measured, either by any variety or uniformity of dispensation towards one and the same object; and, consequently, for him to express himself, as this day, towards a person, man or woman, as if he intended to save them, or that he really intended to save them, and should on the morrow, as the alteration in the interim may be, or however may be supposed,
II.] THE IMMUTABILITY OF THE DIVINE NATURE. 135
in these persons, express himself to the contrary, as that he verily intends to destroy them, would not argue or imply the least altera- tion in him."
Ans. It is true, such dispensations of God as are morally declara- tive of what God approves, or what he rejects,^ — not engagements of any particular intendment, design, or purpose of his will, — or such as are merely outward acts of his power, may in great variety be sub- servient to the accomplishment of his purposes, and may undergo (the first in respect of the objects, the latter of the works themselves)^ many alterations, without prejudice to the immutability of God. Tlie first in themselves are everlastingly unchangeable. God ahvays approves the obedience of his creatures, according to that light and knowledge which he is pleased to communicate unto them, and always condemns and disallows their rebellions ; yet the same persons may do some- times what he approves and sometimes Avhat he condemns, without the least shadow of change in God. Whilst they thus change, his pur- poses concerning them, and what he will do to them and for them, are unchangeable as is his law concerning good and evil. For the latter, take an instance in the case of Pharaoh. God purposeth the destruction of Pharaoh, and suits his dispensations in great variety and with many changes for the bringing about and accomplishing of that his unchangeable purpose ; he plagues him and frees him, he frees him and plagues him again. All these things do not in the least prove any alteration in God, being all various effects of his power, suited to the accomplishment of an unchangeable purpose. So in respect of persons whom he intends to bring, through Christ, infallibly to himself, how various are his dispensations, l)oth tem- poral and spiritual! He afflicts them and relieves them, sends them light and darkness, strength and weakness, forsakes and appears to them again, without the least alteration in his thoughts and pur- poses towards them; all these things, by his infinite wisdom, workino- together for their good. But now, if by " dispensation" you under- stand and comprehend also the thoughts and purposes of God towards any for the bringing of them to such and such an end, if these be altered, and the Lord doth change them continually, I know no rea- son why a poor worm of the earth may not lay an equal claim (absit hlasphemia) to immutability and unchangeableness with him who asserts it as his essential property and prerogative, whereby he dis- tinguish eth himself from all creatures whatsoever.