The sum of sacred divinity briefly & methodically propoundedThe summe of sacred diuinitie briefly & methodically propounded

First, The Eternity of those Decrees: for as God himself is eternal, so are his deep and unsearchable counsels, all of them written and decreed, or ever the World was. And as ^fHe is from everlasting, so is his Throne and Kingdom, in the dispensation of his great and glorious purposes, established before any time. In which regard, the Psalmist ^gsaith of the Land of Canaan, That he founded it for his people the Jews, from everlasting: meaning, in his eternal counsel: and ^hISAIAH: Since I disposed an ⟨p. 63⟩everlasting people, the Church in the purpose and appointment of God eternally elected. And when the Psalmist ⁱcrieth out, The kindnesses of JEHOVAH are from everlasting to everlasting, doth he not evidently point hereat? But more clearly to this purpose, serveth that of Paul, ^kcommending the excellency of the Doctrine of the Gospel, in the gathering together of the Churches of the Gentiles aswell as Jews, in that it was according to his everlasting purpose. As also ^lin another place he saith of the Wisdom of God, lying hid in the Mystery of the Gospel, that God had fore-ordained it before the World. And of Christ, Peter ^msaith, that he was fore-appointed before the foundation of the World was laid. The truth hereof not only shineth forth in these and other great and high points of our Faith, and namely, of Election, and Reprobation (which come hereafter to be considered) but reacheth farther, and hath a place in all. So ⁿDavid speaketh of his conception (an ordinary course of nature) When I was secretly framed, and as it were curiously wrought and woven together, thine eyes did see my very lump, what time they were fashioned yea, even then when none of them was extant: that is, from everlasting. And the saying of James