Online Bible 1995 March/ROM-1025.iso/olb/gill/d_000.lzh/D_025.TXT

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CHAP..V.                                OF THE IMMUTABILITY OF GOD.

Trinity of Persons in the Godhead; for though there are
three distinct persons, there is but one nature and essence
common to them all, and which is not parted and divided
among them, but is jointly and equally possessed by them;
nor do these persons really differ from the divine nature
and essence, nor from one another, but by their distinct
modes of subsisting; so that they only distinguish and
modify, but do neither divide nor compose the divine
nature: nor is it to be disproved by the decrees of God;
the decrees of God are within himself, and, as it is com-
monly said, whatever is in God, is God, and so are no
other than God himself, as to the act of decreeing, though
not with respect to the things decreed; and though they
are many and various, as to the objects of them, yet not
in God, who, by one eternal act, in his infinite mind, has
decreed every thing that has been, is, or shall be; and
 th     ,L  l1_                                                                         -
  is what Plato means by   \~en kai polla\~, one and many
in God; one, as to Iris essence; many, as to the ideas and
decrees in it, which many are one: nor is it to be dis-
proved by the attributes of God; for they are no other
than God himself, and neither differ from one another,
but with respect to their objects, and effect, arid in our
manner of conception of them; nor from the nature and
essence of God; they are himself, and his nature; he is
not only eternal, wise, good, loving, &c. but he is eternity
itself, wisdom itself, goodness itself, love itself, &c. and
these are not parts of his nature, but displays of the same
undivided hature, and are different considerations of it,
in which we view it; our minds being so weak as not to
be able to conceive of God at once and together, and in
the gross, but one thing after another, and the same in
different lights, tlxat we may bettcr understand it: these
several things, called attributes,' which are one in God,
are predicated of him, and ascribed to him distinctly, for
helps to our finite understandings, and for the relief of
our minds; and that we, with more facility and ease,
might .conceiVe of the nature of God, and take in more
of him, as we can by parcels and piecemeals, than in the
whole; and so, as a learned Jew {13} observes, all those
attributes are only intellectual notions; by which are
conceived the perfections that are in the essence of God,
but in reality are nothing but his essence; and which
attributes will be next considered.

CHAP. V.

OF THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD IN GENERAL, AND OF
HIS IMMUTABILITY IN PARTICULAR.

THE attributes of God are variously distinguished by
divines; some distinguish them into negative and positive,
or affirmative: the negative are such as remove from him
whatever is imperfect in creatures; such are infinity,
immutability, immortality, &c. which deny him to be
finite, mutable, and/nortal; and, indeed, it is easier to
say what God is not, than what he is: the ,positive, or
affirmative, are such as assert some perfection in God,
which is in and of himself; and which in the creatures,
in any measure, is from him, as wisdom, goodn. ess, justice,

~ In Philebo, p. 31~, &c. et in 'Parmenide, p. ll10, &c.
~ R,, Joseph Albo in Sepher lkkarim, i. '2. c, 8.

holiness, &c. but the distinction is discarded by others;
because in all negative attributes some positive excellency
is found. Some distribute them into a two-jOld order,
first and second: attributes, or essential properties of the
first order, declare the essence of God as in himself, such
as his simplicity and perfection, infinity and immutability;
and attributes, or essential properties of the second order,
which though primarily and properly, and naturally, and
infinitely, and in a more excellent manner are in God,
than in creatures; yet secondarily, and in an analogical
sense, are in them, there being some similitude of them
in them, of which there is none of the form, er order in
them; these are said to be life and immortality, blessed-
ness and glory. Again, some are said to be absolute, and
others relative: absolute ones are such as eternally agree
with the essence of God, without respect to his creatures,.
and are expressed by his names, Jehovah, Jah, &c. relative
ones are such as agree with him in time, with some cer-
in respect to his creatures, and are expressed by his
their Creator, Governor, Preserver, Redeemer, &c.
some are called proper, as those before mentioned; and
others figurative, signified by the parts of the human
body, and the affections of the mind, as observed in the
preceding chapter: but the more commonly received dis-
tinction of the attributes of God, is, into the communica-
ble and incommunicable ones; the incommunicable attri-
butes of God, are such as there is no appearance or
shadow of them in creatures; as independence, immuta-
bility, immensity, and eternity: communicable ones, are
such as are common to God, with men; or, however, of
which there is some resemblance in men, as goodness,
holiness, justice, and wisdom; yet of these it may be
said, that they are incommunicable, as they are in God,
in whom they are infinite, and cannot, as such, be com-
municated to finite creatures: none but God is essentially,
originally, underivatively, perfectly, and infinitely good,
holy, just, and wise. But as God is defined a Spirit in
scripture, as has been observed, I shall endeavour to sort
the perfections and attributes of God in agreement with
that: and with respect to his nature, as an uncreated
Spirit, may be referred, besides his spirituality, and sim-
plicity, already considered, his immutability, and infinity,
which includes his immensity, or omnipresence, and
eternity: and with respect to it as active, and operative,
the life of God, and his omnipotence: and with respect
to the faculties, as a rational spirit, particularly the under-
standing, to which may belong, his omniscience, and
manifold wisdom; and the will, under which may be con-
sidered the acts of that, and the sovereignty of it; and
the affections, to which may be reduced, the love, grace,
mercy, hatred, anger, patience, and long suffering of
God: and lastly, under the notions of qualities and virtues,
may be considered, his goodness, holiness, justice, truth,
and faithfulness; and, as the complement of the whole,
his perfection or all-sufficiency, glory, and blessedness:
and in this order I shall consider them. And begin with,
The Immutability of God; which arises from, and is
closely connected with his spirituality and simplicity, or
is what agrees with him, and is necessary to him as a
spiritual, simple and uncompounded Being *.