Downame - Houston-Packer Collection BT70 .D75 1628z

Thefirf Booke of Dit4initie, CH A l.2. The fecoud,is the generalitie ofhis Difpenfation, that it flretcheth it fclfe to all things, towit, to all kinds, and each particular ofeuery kind. Thirdly , The relation betweene his Purpofe and Workes, that he effe&eth nothing,which before he hath not decreed, decreeth nothing, vthich in time hee doth not effe &:whereupon followeth the ineuitable neceflitie of the executionof his counfels. The fourth is,touching the Lords molt free and abfo- lute ilroke in this whole difpenfation. Laflly,That all this is proper vntoGod , within the cot paffe ofone., of which }will fall whatfoeuer we are to fpeake,concerning the Gouernment andKingdome of God. The Apoflle in that one fentence elegantly corn- prehendeth all : for in laying, Him that workçth, &e.mea- ningGod,he fheweth the fupreme caufe before affigned, & traketh it proper toGod, by callinghim as it were by that name, and laying all thing, hee leaueth nothing free. Nowwhere he addeth;aceordiq to thepurpofe, &after the counfell: he giueth to vnderi}and,that nothing is Wrought but that which is decreed,nothing decreed,but in time it is effe1ed.In which words,ofpurpofi & ceunfcl,theEter- nityof this decree is alto included, as fore-running all his works,yca,the firft worke ofCreation it felfe. Lailly,the free-will ofGod is exprefhed in adding, After the counfell of his will: But for a better view to be taken of them ail, let vs handle thefe three apart. Therefore to begin with his purpofes, or decrees,obferue in them three things. Firft,Thc Eternitie ofthofe Decrees : for as God him- felfc is cternal,fo are his deep and vnfearchable counfels, all of them written and decreed, or euer the Worldwas. fPftt.93,z. And as f He isfrom euerlarling, fo is hie Throne and King- dome, in the difpenfation of his great and glorious pur. pofes, ef}ablifbed before any time. In which regard, the g PJ y8.69; pfalmifl g faith ofthe Land ofCanaan, That heefounded it for hie people the lewes, from euerlafting : meaning, in h 4;y45.7. his eternall counfell : and h Es Ay: Since l difiofed an euer

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