Discourses upon the Existence and Attributes of God

Doct. God is unchangeable in his Essence, Nature and Perfections. Immutability and Eternity are linked together; and indeed true Eternity is true Immutability, whence Eternity is defined the Possession of an immutable Life. Yet Immutability differs from Eternity in our conception: Immutability respects the Essence or Existence of a thing, Eternity respects the duration of a Being in that State; or rather,^* Immutability is the State it self, Eternity is the measure of that State. A thing is said to be changed, when it is otherwise now in regard of Nature, State, Will, or any Quality than it was before; when either something is added to it or taken from it; when it either loses or acquires: But now it is the essential property of God, not to have any accession to, or diminution of his Essence or Attributes, but to remain entirely the same: He wants nothing; He loses nothing, but doth uniformly exist by himself, without any new nature, new thoughts, new will, new purpose or new place.

Doct. God is unchangeable in his Essence, Nature and Perfections. Immutability and Eternity are linkt together; and indeed true Eternity is true Immutability, whence Eternity is defin'd the Possession of an immutable Life. Yet Immutability differs from Eternity in our conception: Immutability respects the Essence or Existence of a thing, Eternity respects the duration of a Being in that State; or rather,^* Immutability is the State it self, Eternity is the measure of that State. A thing is said to be changed, when it is otherwise now in regard of Nature, State, Will, or any Quality than it was before; when either something is added to it or taken from it; when it either loses or acquires: But now it is the essential property of God, not to have any accession to, or diminution of his Essence or Attributes, but to remain entirely the same: He wants nothing; He loses nothing, but doth uniformly exist by himself, without any new nature, new thoughts, new will, new purpose or new place.

1. *Gamacheus.