The true doctrine of justification asserted and vindicated, from the errors of Papists, Arminians,…The true doctrine of justification asserted and vindicated, from the errours of Papists, Arminians,…

Yet thirdly, It is well cleared by the Schoolmen, That those relations which are attributed to God in time, as a Creator, Father, or Lord, are not because of any new thing in God, but in respect of the creatures; so that when the world is created, when a man is justified, we say, God who was not a Creator before, is a Creator, who was not a Father by grace, is now by grace; not because any new accident is in him, but because there is a new effect in the creatures. Thus, if a man once the child of wrath, be now a son of Gods love, the change is not in God, but in the creature.

Yet thirdly, It is well cleared by the Schoolmen, That those relations which are attributed to God in time, as a Creatour, Father, or Lord, are not because of any new thing in God, but in respect of the creatures; so that when the world is created, when a man is justified, we say, God who was not a Creator before, is a Creator, who was not a Father by grace, is now by grace; not because any new accident is in him, but because there is a new effect in the creatures. Thus, if a man once the childe of wrath, be now a son of Gods love, the change is not in God, but in the creature.

For the better clearing of this, we are to take notice in the fourth place, That it is one thing, as Aquinas observeth, Mutare voluntatem, to change the Will; and another thing, Veil mutationem, to Will a change. By the same unchangeable Will, we may Will several changes in an Object. As the Physician without any change of his Will, may will his Patient to take one kind of Physic one day, and another the third: here he wills a change, but doth not change his Will. Thus God with the same Will, decreed to permit in time such an elect man to be in a state of sin, under the power of Satan, and afterwards to call him out of this condition, to justify his person; here indeed is a great change made in the man, but none at all in God. There is no new act in God, which was not from all Eternity, though every effect of this love of God was not from Eternity, but in time. Hence when our Divines argue against Arminians, That if the Saints should apostatize, Gods love would be changeable, it is meant of Gods love of Election, which is an absolute purpose and efficacious will to bring such a man to glory: now although such a decree was free, and so might not have been; yet ex hypothesi, supposing God hath made this decree, it doth very truly follow, That if that Saint should not be brought to glory, God would be changeable. And besides this immutability, which may be called an immutability of his nature, there is another of his Word and Promise, whereby he hath graciously covenanted to put his fear in their heart, that they shall