An end of doctrinal controversies which have lately troubled the churches

§. 16. But if the question go further, Why God willeth not other Creatures, or other effects, and so his will is not effectively terminated on such; it is after to be fuller answered; and now it is enough to say, that Nothing hath no Cause.

§. 16. But if the question go further, Why God willeth not other Creatures, or other effects, and so his will is not effectively terminated on such; it is after to be fullier answered; and now it is enough to say, that Nothing hath no Cause.

§. 17. And when we say, that God's will may be denominated as divers, prior and posterior, and changeable as related to Objects that are such, this is to be understood only of those acts which are to be denominated by Connotation of what is divers and mutable, ex parte termini, still remembring that ex parte Dei there is really no diversity or mutation. And therefore such denominations are given of God's will chiefly as related to existent Objects, which are his Acts called Love and Hatred, or Complacency and Displacency: e. g. we may say that [God is displeased with Paul or Manasseh unconverted] and [he is pleased with them when converted] the change being only in them. Yet the same denomination may be used also of God's purposing Will. As, e. g. we may say, that [before Christ's Incarnation, God had this Decree; I will send my Son to be incarnate, and die for Man's redemption.] But now it is not fit to say that God hath yet such a Decree, when the thing decreed is past: nor a Decree that He will create Adam and the rest of the World, which is created.

§. 17. And when we say, that God's will may be denominated as divers, prior and posterior, and changeable as related to Objects that are such, this is to be understood only of those acts which are to be denominated by Connotation of what is divers and mutable, ex parte termini, still remembring that ex parte Dei there is really no diversity or mutation. And therefore such denominations are given of God's will chiefly as related to existent Objects, which are his Acts called Love and Hatred, or Complacency and Displacency: e. g. we may say that [God is displeased with Paul or Manasseth unconverted] and [he is pleased with them when converted] the change being only in them. Yet the same denomination may be used also of God's purposing Will. As, e. g. we may say, that [before Christ's Incarnation, God had this Decree; I will send my Son to be incarnate, and die for Man's redemption.] But now it is not fit to say that God hath yet such a Decree, when the thing decreed is past: nor a Decree that He will create Adam and the rest of the World, which is created.