Body of Divinity, Book 2 · Chapter 5
CHAP. V. That GOD is Immutable.
GOd is in himself, and in his own nature Immutable, Numb. 23. 19. 1 Sam. 15. 29.
Immutability is that whereby any thing in its essence, existence or operation is unchangeable. Gods unchangeableness is that whereby God in his essence, properties and decrees, is unchangeable.
The Scripture proves the Immutability of God, both affirmatively, Exod. 3. 6. Psal. 102. 29. and negatively, Mal. 3. 16. Iames 1. 17.
Immutability is twofold:Dicamus Deum immutabilem non modo mutatione substantiali, quia esse, & vivere, non modo nunquam definet, (qued & Angelis competit, & animabus rationalibus) sed & fieri non potest, ut definat. Dicimus etiam ne accidentalis mutationis capacem esse, quia transferretur à potentia ad actum aliquem accidentalem Twis. Animadvers. in Colat. Arm. cum Iun. propofit. 6. Sect. 3. Vide Aquin. part. 1. Quaest. 9. Artic. 1, 2. Quaest. 9. Art. 7.
1. Independent and absolute, and that is onelyonly in God.
2. Dependent and Comparative, this may belong to some creatures, which they have from God, but yet infinitely different.
1. God is unchangeable originally and of himself, these from him.
2. In the manner, God is in his essence Immutable, that and his being are all one, therefore he is both potentially and actually so; the creatures are onelyonly actually.
3. God is so from eternity, they onelyonly from their first being.
All other things are subject to change and alteration, they may lose whatIob. 4. 18. And his Augels he charged with folly, the good Angels with possible, though not actual folly. they had, and attain something which before they had not; even the immortall Spirits are thus mutable, they may fall into sin, be annihilated; but in God there is no change, he is what he is, always the same, void of all mutation, corruption, alteration, and local motion, Psal. 90. 2. and 102. 26, 27, 1 Tim. 1. 17. Psal. 110. 4. Heb. 1. 11. and 6. 2.
A reasonable creature may be changed five ways:
1. In respect of existence, if it exist sometimes, and sometimes not.
2. In respect of place, if it be moved from one place to another.
3. In respect of accidents, if it be changed in quantity o… quality.
4. In respect of the knowledge of the understanding, as if it now think that to be true, which before it judged to be false.
*Ge…h. loc commune Martinus de Deo, & Wendelinus Christ, Theol. l. 1. c. 1. Psal. 120. 27, 28.5. In respect of the purpose of will, if it now decree to do something, which before it decreed not to do.
God is not changed any of these ways:
Not the first, because he is eternal, neither beginning nor ever ceasing to exist.
Not the second, because he is present every where, not newly beginning to exist in any place.
Not the third, because God is a Simple Essence, and there is no accident in him.
Not the fourth, because he is Omniscient, and cannot be deceived in his knowledge.Heb. 4. 13.
Not the fifth, because he changeth not his decrees, since he most wisely decrees all things.
God is unchangeable every way:
1. In Essence or Being, he cannot be changed into another nature, neither can that nature which he hath, be corrupced and decay.
2. In essential properties, his mercy endureth for ever, he doth not love and after hate.
3. In his will and counsel; Psal. 33. 11. Rom. 11. 29. The councel of the Lord shall stand, Prov. 19. 21.
4. In place, the Sun runs from one place to another, but God doth not remove from one place to another; but is always where he was, and shall be always; viz. In himself.
5. In his word and promises, Isa. 14. 24. 2 Cor. 1. 19. Rom. 46.Mat. 5. 18.
Reasons,
1. From his perfection, all change is a kinde of imperfection; there is indeed a change corruptive and perfective; but the perfective alteration supposeth the subject to be imperfect.
2. He is uncompounded, therefore altogether Immutable, a pure act.
3. He is truly and properly eternal, therefore Immutable; for he is truly eternal, who is always the same, without beginning, change or end.
4. If God should change, then either he must change for the better, and then he was not best and perfect before; or for the worse, and then he is not best now.
If he should be changed, it must be from some other thing stronger then himself, and there is none such. Nothing without him can change him, because he is omnipotent; and nothing within him, for there is no ignorance in his minde, inconstancy in his will, nor impotency in his power.
Object. God doth repent, Gen. 6. 6. 1 Sam. 15. 11. 2 Sam. 24. 16. Psal. 135. 14. Ier. 26. 13. & 18. 8. to repent imports a change.
Answ. God is not said properly to repent; but after the manner of *Cum nos paenitet, destruimus quod fecimus. Sic Deus pae… tuisse dicitur secundum similitudinem operationis, in quantum hominem quem fecerat, per diluvium à terrae facie delevit… Aquinas Quaest 19. Artic. 7. partis primae.men, not affectivè but effectivè. God doth that which men use to do when they repent, they forbear to do what they have done, and do the contrary, change their actions; Gods repenting of the evil in those places, is a putting on a resolution not to do the evil he had threatned, or not to persist in doing that which he had begun to do. There is a change in the creature, but no change in God, either in respect of his nature or decree; therefore in other places it is said, he doth not repent; that is, not change or alter his minde. God wills *Mutat facta, non mutat consilia, August. Aliud est mutare voluntatem aliud velle mutationem. Aquinas Quaest. 19. Art. Septimo partis primae.a change, but changeth not his will. The change is in us, not God; as houses and trees seem to move to them which are in a Ship, but the Ship moves and they stand firm. One may with the same will continuing immutable (saith Aquinas) will that now, this thing be done, and after the contrary; but the will should be changed, if one began to will, what he willed not before.
Object. God promiseth and threatneth some things which come not to pass.
*Jer. 18. 8. and 26. 2, 3.Answ. Those threatnings and promises were not absolute, but conditional; and howsoever the condition was uncertain in respect of men, yet it was most certain in respect of God. His promises are made with condition of faith and obedience, Deut. 28. 13. and his threatnings with an exception of conversion and repentance, Psal. 7. 2.
Object. God is reconciled with men, with whom he was offended before.
Answ. The object is changed, God is still the same; as the Sun which was troublesom to sore eyes, is pleasant to them being healed; the Sun here is not changed, but their eyes.
Object. Why are Prayers or means, if God be Immutable? why do I pray or hear?
Answ. God Immutably wills both the end and the means, and therefore as he wills thy pardon, so he wills thy prayer.
Object. God created the world, and so Christ was incarnate and made man; now he that was made something he was not before, or did make something he made not before, seems to be changed. He is a man, he was not so once; he is a Creator, he was not so from eternity.
Answ. Christ did onelyonly assume and take to himself an humane nature, he wasWindelinus Christ. Theol. l. 1. c. …. not changed into it. Creation is nothing but Gods will from eternity, that the world should exist in time, so that the creature hath something now, which it had not before, but Gods will hath not.
God is not changed any way, though he change his actions according to hisConsectaries from Gods Immutability. good pleasure.
1. This is terrible to wicked men, God is unchangeable, which hath threatned to curse them, and bring destruction upon them; they must change, or else1 Sam. 15. 18, 19. Adam supported himself with that one promise. Gods promises are faithful and firm words. What good thing the Lord hath promised, what grace or priviledge (as Christians) any ever received, or succo… found, the same may the faithful iook for. there is no repealing of the curse. The wicked hope he will change, the godly fear he will change.
2. It comforts the godly, to whom he hath made many promises, Numb. 23. 23. Heb. 13. 5. He is constant and will perform them. He told Adam, That the Seed of the woman should break the Serpents head: He was long, but sure, for it was fulfilled at last. His Covenant is everlasting, Isa. 55. 3. I am God and change not, therefore you are not consumed, Mal. 3. 6. we should labor for Gods love, it is a free hold, and like himself, Immutable; whom he loves once, he loves for ever: Gods people shall never fall from Grace, never be wholly overcome of Temptations.
3. We should imitate Gods Immutability in a gracious way, be constant in our love to God and men, in our promises and good purposes; as the Martyr said,Gal. 6. 9. 2 Tim. 3. 14. 1 Cor. 15. ult. Queen Elizabeths word was Semper eadem. Rawlins you left me, and Rawlins you finde me; we should pray for the establishment of our faith and patience.
4. We should admire the glorious nature of God; for what an Infinite glorious God must he be, which hath had all that happiness and glory from eternity. 2. Worship the true God, because he is immutable, and we shall be so hereafter, being made most like to him, Psal. 102. 27.
5. It confutes the Eutichians and Ubiquitaries, which held, That the God-head became flesh; Can a Spirit be a body, and both visible and invisible?