Precious faith considered in its nature, working, and growth

Thus much may suffice to discover the error of this opinion, only there are two Queries which must be answered.

Thus much may suffice to discover the error of this opinion, only there are two Quaeres which must be answered.

First, The first Quaere is this, If justification be not an eternal immanent act, is not there a change in God? God displicentially hates all the workers of iniquity, and such are all men before conversion; if therefore before conversion he hate, and after it he love them, is there not a change in him? I answer, no, there is none. God, such is his infinite sanctity, cannot but complacentially love righteousness, and displicentially hate iniquity: love and hatred are not in God, as sin and righteousness are in man, in man sin and righteousness succeed one the other, but in God love and hatred are eternal and simultaneous; the change therefore, which is where the succession is, and not where the eternal sameness is, is in man only, and not in God; the man, who was in a state of sin, ⟨p. 207⟩and so the object of Gods displicential hatred, is now in a state of righteousness, and so the object of Gods complacential love; thus the Apostle, you that were sometimes alienated, and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled, Col. 1.21. All the change was in the Colossians, none in God, the Lord loveth the righteous, saith the Psalmist, Psal. 146.8. as soon as a man becomes righteous, the divine complacence doth embrace him, which it did not, could not before, because there was no suitable object.

First, The first Quaere is this, If justification be not an eternal immanent act, is not there a change in God? God displicentially hates all the workers of iniquity, and such are all men before conversion; if therefore before conversion he hate, and after it he love them, is there not a change in him? I answer, no, there is none. God, such is his infinite sanctity, cannot but complacentially love righteousness, and displicentially hate iniquity: love and hatred are not in God, as sin and righteousness are in man, in man sin and righteousness succeed one the other, but in God love and hatred are eternal and simultaneous; the change therefore, which is where the succession is, and not where the eternal sameness is, is in man only, and not in God; the man, who was in a state of sin,