Discourses upon the Existence and Attributes of God

for in passing from one state to another equal to it, something must be parted with which he had before, that some other thing may accrue to him as a recompense for that loss, to make him equal to what he was: This recompense then he had not before, though he had something equal to it: And in this case it could not be said by God I am that I am, but I am equal to what I was; for in this case there would be a diminution and increase which (as was showed) can not be in God.

for in passing from one state to another equal to it, something must be parted with which he had before, that some other thing may accrue to him as a recompense for that loss, to make him equal to what he was: This recompense then he had not before, though he had something equal to it: And in this case it could not be said by God I am that I am, but I am equal to what I was; for in this case there would be a diminution and increase which (as was shewed) can not be in God.

4. Again, God is of himself, from no other^*: Natures, which are made by God, may increase, because they began to be; they may decrease, because they were made of nothing, and so tend to nothing; the condition of their original leads them to defect, and the Power of their Creator brings them to increase. But God hath no original, he hath no defect, because he was not made of nothing; He hath no increase, because he had no beginning: He was before all things, and therefore depends upon no other thing which by its own change can bring any change upon him.^* That which is from it self cannot be changed, because it hath nothing before it, nothing more excellent than it self; But that which is from another as its first cause and chief good, may be changed by that which was its efficient cause and last end.

1. *