The righteous shall never be removed
They may be removed from place to place in this world, through
the persecutions of their enemies, or through one providence or
another, as they often are; they may be removed from a state of
outward prosperity to a state of adversity, as Job was; they may
be removed from spiritual and comfortable frames of soul to
carnal or uncomfortable ones; for good frames are very precarious
and uncertain things; and they will be removed out of this world
into another; here they have no continuing city: but they shall
never be removed from the love of God, nothing can separate them
from that; they are set as a seal on his heart, and are engraven
on the palms of his hands, and there is no removing them from
thence; they may be waiver about their interest in the love of
God; they may be without the manifestations and discoveries of it
to their souls; they may be under the hidings of God's face; they
may be at a distance from his house and ordinances, or may not
enjoy the presence of God in them for a time; yet not separated
from his affections; they shall never be removed out of the hands
of Christ, into which they are put for security, and out of which
none can pluck them, men or devils; how should they, since they
are in those hands that made the heavens and the earth, support
all in being, and hold the reins of government? Was it possible
they could be removed from hence, it would impeach the wisdom of
God, who has put them there; argue weakness in Christ, and
suppose danger to them. Nor can they be removed out of the family
of God; sons of God abide in his house for ever; they are no more
foreigners and strangers; once children, no more servants; they
may be corrected and chastised, yet be children; they may judge
themselves unworthy of the relation, and be ready to conclude
that their spots are not the spots of God's children, and fear
they are none of them, and yet the relation continues: nor will
they ever be removed from their state of justification, by which
they are denominated righteous, into a state of condemnation; for
full satisfaction is given to law and justice for them; their
justification is complete, it is from all sin; the righteousness
by which they are justified is everlasting, and even their faith
which receives it shall never fail; to which may be added, that
they are secured from wrath to come, and entitled to eternal
life. In a word, they are on the sure foundation of electing
grace; they are in the immovable covenant of grace; they are on
the Rock of ages, Christ Jesus; all the divine Persons and
perfections are on their side; they are kept by the power of God,
through faith, unto salvation; see ( Psalms 55:22
) ( Psalms
125:1 Psalms 125:2
) ; but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth;
but a very little while, as Gersom observes; and the time of
their abode on earth is so short, as scarce to be called an
inhabitation of it. Moreover, they shall not inhabit the earth
the righteous will, even the new earth, which none but righteous
persons shall inhabit, ( 2 Peter 3:13
) ; see ( Psalms 37:9 Psalms 37:11
Psalms
37:22 Psalms 37:29
) .
Proverbs 10:30
