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Each property and perfection of God's character and being produces its own peculiar effect upon the renewed mind; and, although no one by searching can find out the Almighty to perfection, yet the higher we soar in our contemplations of Him the more we shall be excited to Wonder, love, and adore. The more we think upon God the more shall we be constrained to exclaim, "How incomprehensible art Thou!" True religion and pure and spiritual enjoyment do not proceed from the knowledge of some of God's attributes only, nor from a merely speculative knowledge of all. All, when experimentally and practically considered, are engaged in producing piety and devotion in the human soul.

1. The immutability of God is not only revealed in the Bible, but is discoverable by reason. Mutability implies cause. Where can we imagine there exists a cause that can change the being or attributes of the Deity? He can Himself never possess a desire to change. All possible, as well as all past, present, and future, sources of pleasure are always open to Him. And He is independent for pleasure on all these. Does a power of producing change in God exist in His Creatures? God, who is infinite, must be placed beyond the reach of any external and finite cause. All are dependent on Him, but He is dependent on none.

2. God's purposes are immutable. God foresees from the eternity past all the transactions of the eternity to come. No sudden event, therefore, can take Him unawares, and so subvert His designs. The plans of men may be frustrated by a slight unforeseen accident, but there are no accidents with "Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will." Note the sense in which the term "repentance" is in Scripture applied to God. Divine repentance conveys no notion of regret or dissatisfaction with His past procedure, but it is expressive of God's determination to act in a different manner than before towards those who by their change of conduct have rendered necessary a different mode of procedure in the just administration of God's moral government. The immutability of God's purposes may be inferred from the nature of the end, to promote and, consummate which they are all but means — even the manifestation of Jehovah's all-sufficiency. Let the immutability of Jehovah's purpose in Christ Jesus encourage the Christian labourer to ceaseless exertions in the work of the Lord.

3. God's Word is unchangeable. His moral law, threatenings, and promises are alike unalterable. The Divine moral law, which is a transcript of the character of God, "holy, just, and good," is based upon eternal and unchangeable principles of rectitude, co-existent with God Himself, and must continue to exist as long as God exists. It is a great mistake to suppose that the moral law has been abrogated by the Gospel. The work of Him who "hath magnified the law and made it honourable" is the sole ground of our restoration to the favour of God and our title to heaven. The Gospel does not abolish the believer's obligation to obey the law. To demolish the law would be to drag away the pillar which supports the universal fabric of God's moral government. God's threatenings too are unalterable. History, sacred and profane, teems with fearful proofs of God's immutable hatred of sin, and determination not to let it go unpunished. And the promises of God are immutable. They cannot fail of fulfilment. But the fulfilment of the promises is conditional; and the condition is as unalterable as the promise. There is an immutable promise suitable for every circumstance of life. How well calculated is the contemplation of the Divine immutability to promote confidence in God. Our whole happiness depends upon the immutability of God. God is unchangeable, and is therefore a firm and stable refuge to the believer.

(J. James.)

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KJV: For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

WEB: "For I, Yahweh, don't change; therefore you, sons of Jacob, are not consumed.