A learned and very useful commentary on the whole epistle to the Hebrews wherein every word and particle in the original is explained ... : being the substance of thirty years Wednesdayes lectures at Black-fryers, London / by that holy and learned divine Wiliam Gouge ... : before which is prefixed a narrative of his life and death : whereunto is added two alphabeticall tables ...

§. 135. Of the immutability of Gods counsell.

THat which the Lord was pleased clearly to manifest to the heires of promise, is here said to be, The immutabilitie of his counsell.

The Greek noun translated, a 1.1 counsell, is derived from a verb, that signifieth, b 1.2 to will, (hereof see §. 130) answerably this noune is translated, will, (by the will of God, Act. 13. 36) For Gods counsell is his will. That which God willeth is the best counsell that possibly can be. The will of God is the ground of his coun∣sell. Well therefore is th•…•… Epithite, c 1.3 immutability, here attributed unto it.

The word translated, immutabilitie, is a double compound. The d 1.4 simple roo•…•… signifieth to put, or, to set, Matth. 14 3. Act. 13. 47. The e 1.5 single compound •…•…∣nifieth, •…•…o remove, or translate, Gal. 1 6. Heb. 11. 5. This double compound 〈◊〉〈◊〉 f 1.6 a privative preposition prefixed signifieth g 1.7 immutabilitie, that which 〈◊〉〈◊〉 be altered. It is found only in this and the next verse. It is here so set down, as it carrieth the force of a substantive: Answerably it is so translated, •…•…∣lity.

The manifestation of the immutability of Gods counsell is here brought 〈◊〉〈◊〉, as one end of Gods Oath. God sware, that it might evidently appear, that what 〈◊〉〈◊〉 had purposed, determined and promised to Abraham and his seed, should 〈◊〉〈◊〉 be accomplished: there should be, there could be no alteration thereof▪ It was more firm then the Law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not, Dan. •…•…. 13.

It is here taken for granted, that Gods counsell is inviolable. His Oath was to* 1.8 manifest as much. My counsell shall stand, saith God by his Prophet, Isa. 46. 10. To 〈◊〉〈◊〉 purpose is it said, the counsell of the Lord, that shall stand, Prov. 19. 21. Psal. 33. 11.

The grounds of the immutabilitie of Gods counsell arise from God himself: even from the unchangeablenesse of his essence, the perfection of his wisdome, the infi∣nitenesse of his goodnesse, the absolutenesse of his soveraignty, the omnipotency of his power.

1. God in his essence being unchangable (Mal. 3. 6.) his counsell also must needs be so. As darknesse cannot come out of light, so nor changeable counsell from an immutable nature.

2. If Gods counsell be changed, it must be to the better or worse. To the better it cannot be. For such is the perfection of Gods wisdome, as at first he determined matters to the best. To the worse God will not suffer it to be. If he should, it must be because he discerneth not which is better or worse, or careth not which of them fall out, or is forced to suffer the worse to fall out: but none of these can be imagined to be in God.

• 1. That God should not be able to discern what is better or worse, cannot stand with the infinitenesse of his wisdome and understanding. Such is the per∣fection of Gods wisdome, as he is said, not only to have counsell and wis∣dome, but also, h 1.9 by an excellency and property to be understanding, Prov. 8. 14.
• 2. That God should not care whether the better or worse fall out, cannot stand with the infinitenesse of his goodnesse. Did the Lord at first so order all things, as when he took a view of them, he saw them all to be very good (Gen. 1. 31.) and is that Scepter, whereby he still ordereth all things, a Scepter of righteousnesse, (Psal. 45. 6.) and can it be thought, that he should not care how things fall out?
• 3. That God should be over-swayed with a superiour power, and forced to suffer the worse to fall out, cannot stand with the absolutenesse of his soveraign∣ty and omnipotency of his power. Our God is in the heavens, he hath done whatsoever he pleased, Psal. 115. 3.

Notes

• a 1.1

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• b 1.2

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• c 1.3

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• d 1.4

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• e 1.5

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• f 1.6

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• g 1.7

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.8

  Gods counsell immutable.
• h 1.9

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.