promises, and so are ready to say, _Hath God forgotten to be gracious?
Doth his truth fail for ever?_ This we are apt to do, when there are
great difficulties in the way of the accomplishment thereof: thus Sarah,
when it was told her that she should have a child, in her old age,
laughed, through unbelief, Gen. xviii. 12. and God intimates, that this
was an affront to his all-sufficiency, when he says, _Is any thing too
hard for the Lord?_ ver. 14. and Gideon, though he was told that God was
with him, and had an express command to go in his might, with a promise
that he should deliver Israel from the Midianites, yet he says, _O Lord
wherewith shall I save them? for my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am
the least in my father’s house_, Judg. vi. 15. God tells him again, _I
will be with thee, and smite the Midianites_, ver. 16. yet, afterwards,
he desires that he would give him a sign in the wet and dry fleece. What
is this but questioning his all-sufficiency?
(6.) When we decline great services, though called to them by God, under
pretence of our unfitness for them: thus when the prophet Jeremiah was
called to deliver the Lord’s message to the rebellious house of Israel,
he desires to be excused, and says, _Behold I cannot speak, for I am a
child_; whereas the main discouragement was the difficulty of the work,
and the hazards he was like to run; but God encourages him to it, by
putting him in mind of his all-sufficiency, when he tells him, that _he
would be with him, and deliver him_, Jer. i. 6. compared with ver. 8.
This divine perfection affords matter of support and encouragement to
believers, under the greatest straits and difficulties they are exposed
to in this world; and we have many instances in scripture of those who
have had recourse to it in the like cases. Thus, when David was in the
greatest straits that ever he met with, upon the Amalekites’ spoiling of
Ziklag, and carrying away the women captives, the people talked of
stoning him, and all things seemed to make against him; yet it is said,
that _he encouraged himself in the Lord his God_, 1 Sam. xxx. 6. so
Mordecai was confident that the _enlargement and deliverance of the Jews
should come some other way_, if not by Esther’s intercession for them,
when she was afraid to go in to the king, Esth. iv. 14. and this
confidence he could never have obtained, considering the present posture
of their affairs, without a due regard to God’s all-sufficiency.
Moreover, it was this divine perfection that encouraged Abraham to obey
the difficult command of offering his son: as the apostle observes, he
did this as knowing _that God was able to raise him from the dead_, Heb.
xi. 19. and when believers are under the greatest distress, from the
assaults of their spiritual enemies, they have a warrant from God, as
the apostle had, to encourage themselves, that they shall come off
victorious, because _his grace is sufficient for them_, 2 Cor. xii. 8,
9.
V. God is eternal: this respects his duration, to wit, as he was without
beginning, as well as shall be without end; or as his duration is
unchangeable, or without succession, the same from everlasting to
everlasting: thus the Psalmist says, _Before the mountains were brought
forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world; even from
everlasting to everlasting thou art God_, Psal. xc. 2.
1. That God is from everlasting, appears,
(1.) From his being a necessary, self-existent being, or, as was before
observed, in and of himself, therefore he must be from everlasting; for
whatever is not produced is from eternity. Now that God did not derive
his being from any one, is evident, because he gave being to all things,
which is implied in their being creatures; therefore nothing gave being
to him, and consequently he was from eternity.
(2.) If he is an infinitely perfect being, as has been observed before,
then his duration is infinitely perfect, and consequently it is
boundless, that is to say, eternal: it is an imperfection, in all
created beings, that they began to exist, and therefore they are said,
in a comparative sense, to be but of yesterday; we must therefore, when
we conceive of God, separate this imperfection from him, and so conclude
that he was from all eternity.
(3.) If he created all things in the beginning, then he was before the
beginning of time, that is, from eternity: thus it is said, _In the
beginning God created the heaven and the earth_, Gen. i. 1. this is very
evident, for time is a successive duration, taking its rise from a
certain point, or moment, which we call the beginning: now that
duration, which was before this, must be from eternity, unless we
suppose time before time began, or, which is all one, that there was a
successive duration before successive duration began, which is a
contradiction. Therefore, if God fixed that beginning to all things, as
their Creator, and particularly to time, which is the measure of the
duration of all created beings, then it is evident that he was before
time, and consequently from eternity.
(4.) This also appears from scripture; as when it is said, _The eternal
God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms_, Deut.
xxxiii. 27. and when we read of his _eternal power and Godhead_, Rom. i.
20. and elsewhere, _Art not thou from everlasting O Lord, my God?_ Hab.
i. 12. _Thy throne is established of old; thou art from everlasting_,
Psal. xciii. 2. so his attributes and perfections are said to have been
from everlasting, _The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to
everlasting_, Psal. ciii. 17.
And this may be argued from many scripture-consequences: thus, there was
an election of persons to holiness and happiness, _before the foundation
of the world_, Eph. i. 4. and Christ, in particular, was fore-ordained
to be our Mediator, before the foundation of the world, 1 Pet. i. 20.
and _set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth
was_, Prov. viii. 23. From hence it follows, that there was a sovereign
will that fore-ordained it, and therefore God, whose decree or purpose
it was, existed before the foundation of the world, that is, from
everlasting.
Moreover, there were grants of grace given in Christ, or put into his
hand, from all eternity: thus we read of _eternal life, which God
promised before the world began_, Tit. i. 2. and of our being _saved,
according to his purpose and grace, given us in Christ Jesus, before the
world began_, 2 Tim. i. 9. It hence follows, that there was an eternal
giver, and consequently that God was from everlasting.
2. God shall be to everlasting; thus it is said, _The Lord shall endure
forever_, Psal. ix. 7. and that he _liveth for ever and ever_, Rev. iv.
9, 10. and that his _years shall have no end_, Psal. cii. 27. and _the
Lord shall reign for ever_, Psal. cxlvi. 10. therefore he must endure
for ever. Again, it is said, that _the Lord keepeth covenant and mercy
with them that love him_, to a thousand generations, Deut. vii. 9. and
_he will ever be mindful of his covenant_, Psal. cxi. 5. that is, will
fulfil what he has promised therein: if his truth shall not fail for
ever, then he, who will accomplish what he has spoken, must endure to
everlasting.
But this may be farther evinced from the perfections of his nature.
(1.) From his necessary existence, which not only argues, as has been
before observed, that he could not begin to be, but equally proves, that
he cannot cease to be, or that he shall be to everlasting.
(2.) He is void of all composition, and therefore must be to
everlasting; none but compounded beings, _viz._ such as have parts, are
subject to dissolution, which arises from, the contrariety of these
parts, and their tendency to destroy one another, which occasions the
dissolution of the whole; but God having no parts, as he is the most
simple uncompounded being, there can be nothing in him that tends to
dissolution, therefore he can never have an end from any necessity of
nature. And,
(3.) He must be to eternity, because there is no one superior to him, at
whose will he exists, that can deprive him of his being and glory.
(4.) He cannot will his own destruction, or non-existence, for that is
contrary to the universal nature of things; since no being can desire to
be less perfect than it is, much less can any one will or desire his own
annihilation; especially no one, who is possessed of blessedness, can
will the loss thereof, for that is incongruous with the nature of it, as
being a desirable good, therefore God cannot will the loss of his own
blessedness; and since his blessedness is inseparably connected with his
being, he cannot cease to be, from an act of his own will: if therefore
he cannot cease to be, from any necessity of nature, or from the will of
another, or from an act of his own will, he must be to eternity.
Moreover, the eternity of God may be proved from his other perfections,
since one of the divine perfections infers the other. As,
1. From his immutability; he is unchangeable in his being, therefore he
is so in all his perfections, and consequently must be always the same,
from everlasting to everlasting, and not proceed from a state of
non-existence to that of being, which he would have done, had he not
been from everlasting, nor decline from a state of being to that of
non-existence, which he would be supposed to do, were he not to
everlasting: either of these is the greatest change that can be
supposed, and therefore inconsistent with the divine immutability.
2. He is the first cause, and the ultimate end of all things, therefore
he must be from eternity, and remain the fountain of all blessedness to
eternity.
3. He could not be almighty, or infinite in power, if he were not
eternal; for that being, which did not always exist, once could not act,
to wit, when it did not exist; or he that may cease to be, may, for the
same reason, be disabled from acting; both which are inconsistent with
Almighty power.
4. If he were not eternal, he could not, by way of eminency be called
_the living God_, as he is, Jer. x. 10. or said _to have life in
himself_, John v. 26. for both these expressions imply his necessary
existence, and that argues his eternity.
3. God’s eternal duration is without succession, as well as without
beginning and end, that it is so, appears,
(1.) Because, as was hinted but now, it is unchangeable, since all
successive duration infers a change. Thus the duration of creatures,
which is successive, is not the same one moment as it will be the next;
every moment adds something to it; now this cannot be said of God’s
duration. Besides, successive duration implies a being, what we were
not, in all respects before, and a ceasing to be what we were, and so it
is a kind of continual passing from not being to being, which is
inconsistent with the divine perfections, and, in particular, with his
unchangeable duration. The Psalmist, speaking of God’s eternal duration,
expresses it by the immutability thereof, _Thou art the same, and thy
years shall have no end_, Psal. cii. 27.; and the apostle, speaking
concerning this matter, says, He is _the same yesterday, to day, and
forever_, Heb. xiii. 8.
(2.) Successive duration is applicable to time; and the duration of all
creatures is measured, and therefore cannot be termed infinite; it is
measured by its successive parts: thus a day, a year, an age, a million
of ages, are measured by the number of moments, of which they consist;
but God’s duration is unmeasured, that is, infinite, therefore it is
without succession, or without those parts of which time consists.[49]
4. Eternity is an attribute peculiar to God, and therefore we call it an
incommunicable perfection. There are, indeed, other things that shall
endure to everlasting, as angels, and the souls of men; as also those
heavenly bodies that shall remain after the creature is delivered from
the bondage of corruption, to which it is now subject: the heavenly
places, designed for the seat of the blessed, as well as their happy
inhabitants, shall be everlasting; but yet the everlasting duration of
these things infinitely differs from the eternity of God; for as all
finite things began to be, and their duration is successive, so their
everlasting existence depends entirely on the power and will of God, and
therefore cannot be called necessary, or independent, as his eternal
existence is.
_Object._ Since the various parts of time, as days, years, &c. and the
various changes, or flux of time; such as past, present, and to come,
are sometimes attributed to God; this seems inconsistent with the
account that has been given of his eternity.
_Answ._ It is true, we often find such expressions used in scripture:
thus he is called, the ancient of days, Dan. vii. 9. and his eternity is
expressed, by _his years having no end_, Psal. cii. 27. and it is said,
_He was, is, and is to come_, Rev. i. 4. and chap. iv. 8. But, for the
understanding of such-like expressions, we must consider, that herein
God is pleased to speak according to our weak capacity, who cannot
comprehend the manner of his infinite duration; we cannot conceive of
any duration but that which is successive; therefore God speaks to us,
as he does in many other instances, in condescension to our capacities;
but yet we may observe, that though he thus condescends to speak
concerning himself, yet there is oftentimes something added, which
distinguishes his duration from that of creatures; as when it is said,
_Behold God is great, and we know him not; neither can the number of his
years be searched out_, Job xxxvi. 26. so that though we read of the
years of his duration, yet they are such as are unsearchable, or
incomprehensible years, infinitely different from years, as applied to
created beings; and it is said, _A thousand years in thy sight, are but
as yesterday, when it is past_, Psal. xc. 4. _One day is with the Lord
as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day_, 2 Pet. iii. 8.
and, by the same method of reasoning, it may be said, one moment is with
the Lord as a thousand millions of ages, or a thousand millions of ages
as one moment; such is his duration, and therefore not properly
successive, like that of creatures.
2. When any thing past, present, or to come, is attributed to God, it
either signifies that he is so, as to his works, which are finite, and
measured by successive duration; or else it signifies, that he, whose
duration is not measured by succession, notwithstanding, exists
unchangeably, through all the various ages of time. As he is omnipresent
with all the parts of matter, yet has no parts himself, so he exists in
all the successive ages of time, but without that succession, which is
peculiar to time and creatures.
Several things may be inferred, of a practical nature, from the eternity
of God. As,
1. Since God’s duration is eternal, that is, without succession, so that
there is no such thing as past, or to come, with him; or if ten thousand
millions of ages are but like a moment to him; then it follows, that
those sins which we have committed long ago, and perhaps are forgotten
by us, are present to his view; he knows what we have done against him
ever since we had a being in this world, as much as though we were at
present committing them.
2. If God was from eternity, then how contemptible is all created glory,
when compared with his; look but a few ages backward, and it was
nothing: this should humble the pride of the creature, who is but of
yesterday, and whose duration is nothing, and less than nothing, if
compared with God’s.
3. The eternity of God, as being to everlasting, affords matter of
terror to his enemies, and comfort to his people, and, as such, should
be improved for the preventing of sin.
(1.) It affords matter of terror to his enemies. For,
_1st._ He ever lives to see his threatenings executed, and to pour forth
the vials of his fury on them: thus the prophet speaking of God, _as the
everlasting King_, adds, that _at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and
the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation_, Jer. x. 10.
Therefore the eternity of God argues the eternity of the punishment of
sin, since this great Judge, who is a consuming fire to impenitent
sinners, will live for ever to see his threatenings executed upon them.
This appears, if we consider,
_2dly_, That since he is eternal in his being, he must be so in his
power, holiness, justice, and all his other perfections, which are
terrible to his enemies: thus the Psalmist says, _Who knoweth the power
of thine anger? even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath_, Psal. xc.
11. and the apostle says, _It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands
of the living God_, Heb. x. 31.
(2.) It affords matter of comfort to believers, as opposed to the
fluctuating and uncertain state of all creature-enjoyments; it is an
encouragement to them in the loss of friends and relations, or under all
the other losses or disappointments they meet with as to their outward
estate in this world. These are, at best, but short-lived comforts, but
God is the _eternal portion_ and happiness of his people, Psal. lxxiii.
26. and, from his eternity, they may certainly conclude, that the
happiness of the heavenly state will be eternal, for it consists in the
enjoyment of him, who is so; which is a very delightful thought to all
who are enabled by faith to lay claim to it.
VI. God is immutable: thus it is said, that _with him is no
variableness, neither shadow of turning_, James i. 17. This is sometimes
set forth in a metaphorical way, in which respect he is compared to _a
rock_, Deut. xxxii. 4. which remains immoveable, when the whole ocean,
that surrounds it, is continually in a fluctuating state; even so,
though all creatures are subject to change, God alone is unchangeable in
his being, and all his perfections.
Here we shall consider,
1. How immutability is a perfection; and how it is a divine perfection
peculiar to God.
(1.) It must be allowed that immutability cannot be said to be an
excellency or perfection, unless it be applied to, or spoken of what is
good; an immutable state of sin, or misery, is far from being an
excellency, when it is applied to fallen angels, or wicked men: but
unchangeable holiness and happiness, as applied to holy angels, or
saints in heaven, is a perfection conferred upon them; and when we speak
of God’s immutability, we suppose him infinitely blessed, which is
included in the notion of a God; and so we farther say, that he is
unchangeable in all those perfections in which it consists.
(2.) Immutability belongs, in the most proper sense, to God alone; so
that _as he only_ is said _to have immortality_, 1 Tim. vi. 16. that is,
such as is underived and independent, he alone is unchangeable; other
things are rendered immutable by an act of his will and power, but
immutability is an essential perfection of the divine nature; creatures
are dependently immutable, God is independently so.
(3.) The most perfect creatures, such as angels and glorified saints,
are capable of new additions to their blessedness; new objects may be
presented as occasions of praise, which tend perpetually to increase
their happiness: the angels know more than they did before Christ’s
incarnation; for they are said to know _by the church_, that is, by the
dealings of God with his church, _the manifold wisdom of God_, Eph. iii.
10. and to _desire to look into_ the account the gospel gives of the
_sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow_, 1 Pet. i. 11,
12. and they shall have farther additions to their blessedness, when all
the elect are joined to their assembly in the great day; so that the
happiness of the best creatures is communicated in various degrees; but
God’s perfections and blessedness can have no additions made to them,
therefore he is immutable in a sense as no creature is.
2. We shall now prove that God is immutable in his being and all his
perfections.
(1.) That he is immutable in his being; this belongs to him as God, and,
consequently to him alone. All other beings once were not; there has
been, if I may so express it, a change from a state of non-existence, to
that of being; and the same power that brought them into being, could
reduce them again to their first nothing. To be dependent, is to be
subject to change at the will of another; this is applicable to all
finite things; for it is said, _As a vesture thou shalt change them, and
they shall be changed_: but God being opposed to them as independent, is
said to be _the same_, Psal. cii. 26, 27.
_1st_, He did not change from a state of non-existence to being,
inasmuch as he was from everlasting, and therefore necessarily existent;
and consequently he cannot change from a state of being to that of
non-existence, or cease to be; and because his perfections are essential
to him, and underived, in the same sense as his being is, therefore
there can be no change therein.
_2dly_. He cannot change from a state of greater to a state of less
perfection, or be subject to the least diminution of his divine
perfections. To suppose this possible, is to suppose he may cease to be
infinitely perfect; that is, to be God: nor can he change from a state
of less perfection to a state of greater; for that is to suppose him not
to be infinitely perfect before this change, or that there are degrees
of infinite perfection. Nor,
_3dly_, Can he pass from that state, in which he is, to another of equal
perfection; for, as such a change implies an equal proportion of loss
and gain, so it would argue a plurality of infinite beings; or since he,
who was God before this change, was distinct from what he arrives to
after it, this would be contrary to the unity of the divine essence.
Moreover, this may be farther proved from hence, that if there be any
change in God, this must arise either from himself, or some other: it
cannot be from himself, inasmuch as he exists necessarily, and not as
the result of his own will: therefore he cannot will any alteration, or
change in himself; this is also contrary to the nature of infinite
blessedness, which cannot desire the least diminution, as it cannot
apprehend any necessity thereof: and then he cannot be changed by any
other: for he that changes any other, must be greater than him whom he
changes; nor can he be subject to the will of another, who is superior
to him; since there is none equal, much less superior, to God: therefore
there is no being that can add to, or take from, his perfections; which
leads us,
(2.) To consider the immutability of God’s perfections. And,
_First_, Of his knowledge; he seeth not as man seeth; this is obvious.
For,
_1st_, His knowledge is independent upon the objects known; therefore
whatever changes there are in them, there is none in him. Things known,
are considered either as past, present, or to come; and these are not
known by us in the same way; for concerning things past, it must be
said, that we shall know them hereafter; whereas God, with one view,
comprehends all things, past and future, as though they were present.
_2dly_, If God’s knowledge were not unchangeable, he might be said to
have different thoughts, or apprehensions of things at one time, from
what he has at another, which would argue a defect of wisdom. And indeed
a change of sentiments implies ignorance, or weakness of understanding;
for to make advances in knowledge, supposes a degree of ignorance; and
to decline therein, is to be reduced to a state of ignorance: now it is
certain, that both these are inconsistent with the infinite perfection
of the divine mind; nor can any such defect be applied to him, who is
called, _The only wise God_, 1 Tim. i. 17.
_3dly_, If it were possible for God’s knowledge to be changed, this
would infer a change of his will, since having changed his sentiments,
he must be supposed to alter his resolutions and purposes; but his will
is unchangeable, therefore his understanding or knowledge is so; which
leads us to prove,
_Secondly_, That God is unchangeable in his will: thus it is said of
him, _He is of one mind, and who can turn him?_ Job xxiii. 13. This is
agreeable to his infinite perfection, and therefore he does not purpose
to do a thing at one time, and determine not to do it at another; though
it is true, the revelation of his will may be changed, whereby that may
be rendered a duty at one time, which was not at another: thus the
ordinances of the ceremonial law were prescribed, from Moses’s time to
Christ; but after that were abolished, and ceased to be ordinances; so
that there may be a change in the things willed, or in external
revelation of God’s will, and in our duty founded thereon, when there
is, at the same time, no change in his purpose; for he determines all
changes in the external dispensation of his providence and grace,
without the least shadow of change in his own will: this may farther
appear, if we consider,
_1st_, That if the will of God were not unchangeable, he could not be
the object of trust; for how could we depend on his promises, were it
possible for him to change his purpose? Neither would his threatenings
be so much regarded, if there were any ground to expect, from the
mutability of his nature, that he would not execute them; and by this
means, all religion would be banished out of the world.