'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — September 2

According to promise, the heavens and the earth shall be melted down and moulded into a more beautiful form. The world was subjected to bondage through sin and was cursed in the fall. Consider what a vile thing sin is, that brought the work of God to corruption. What a foolish thing it is to set our hearts upon that which will perish and vanish like smoke! Perishing things can give no support for the soul; we must run to God and rest in him. God in his perfections is without any variation from eternity to eternity. He is the same in nature, and the same in will and purpose. He changes all other things as he pleases, but he is immutable in every respect, and his wisdom, power and knowledge are always the same. God lacks nothing, loses nothing, and exists by himself. He is without any new nature, new thought, new will, or new purpose. He is infinitely good, wise, holy, and that without change. If God could change, he would not be a perfect being. Are not the angels in heaven, who are now confirmed in a holy and happy state, more perfect than when they were in the possibility of committing evil? Are not the saints in heaven, who by grace cleave unalterably to God and goodness, more perfect than if they were as Adam in paradise, capable of losing their happiness? Immutability belongs to all the attributes of God. Every one of his perfections is immutable, and none of them will appear glorious without this beam. How cloudy would his blessedness be if he were changeable. How dim would be his wisdom if it might be obscured. How feeble would his power be if it were capable of languishing. O how mercy would lose its lustre if it could change into wrath. Unchangeableness is a thread that runs through the whole web of God's attributes to his eternal glory.

Devotional Readings taken from Puritan Devotional Readings 'Voices From The Past Vol.1.'
Stephen Charnock, The Existence & Attributes of God, pp. 98-106
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