The rule of faith, or, An exposition of the Apostles Creed so handled as…

If any say that Gods suffers mutation in his knowledge, because he takes in the Apprehension of things present or to come, and is turned back to look upon things past, I answer, that though God be full of all knowledge of things past, present, and to come, yet he is not cast back to that which is past, nor stands pondering upon that which is present, nor by hoping is stretched towards that which is to come: because God sees all things with an eternal and unchangeable view as hath bin showed in the Doctrine of his Knowledge.

If any say that Gods suffers mutation in his knowledge, because hee takes in the Apprehension of things present or to come, and is turned backe to looke vpon things past, I answer, that though God be full of all knowledge of things past, present, and to come, yet he is not cast backe to that which is past, nor stands pondering vpon that which is present, nor by hoping is stretched towards that which is to come: because God sees all things with an eternall and vnchangeable view as hath bin shewed in the Doctrine of his Knowledge.

If any yet object, that God suffers because he receives worship from his children, and is blasphemed by the wicked, and that therefore God should be passible. I answer, that Passions are of two sorts, some transmutative, some Intentional. Some Passions work a Real mutation in the Object, as when fire heats water, thus Passion is transmutative. Some Passions do only determine the Action, as when I look upon heaven, heaven suffers Terminativè, non subiectivè, as they say in Schools, It suffers as the object of my sight, but in it self undergoes no change, and this is Passion Intentional: and such ⟨p. 108⟩only is the Passion in God. He suffers no alteration from any action of ours, but is only the object or Term of our Actions good or evil.

If any yet obiect, that God suffers because he receiues worship from his children, and is blasphemed by the wicked, and that therefore God should be passible. I answer, that Passions are of two sorts, some transmutatiue, some Intentionall. Some Passions worke a Reall mutation in the Obiect, as when fire heates water, thus Passion is transmutatiue. Some Passions doe onely determine the Action, as when I looke vpon heauen, heauen suffers Terminatiuè, non subiectiuè, as they say in Schooles, It suffers as the obiect of my sight, but in it selfe vndergoes no change, and this is Passion Intentionall: and such