Discourses upon the Existence and Attributes of God

As his Sovereignty in giving precepts had not been a strong ground of Obedience, without considering him as an eternal Law-giver, who could maintain his rights; So his kindness in making the promises, had not been a strong ground of confidence, without considering him as an Eternal promiser, whose thoughts, and whose life can never perish.^* And this may be ⟨p. 197⟩one reason, why the Holy Ghost mentions so often the post-eternity of God, and so little his ante-eternity: because that is the strongest foundation of our faith, and hope, which respects chiefly, that which is future, and not that which is past; yet indeed no assurance of his after-Eternity can be had, if his ante-Eternity be not certain. If he had a beginning, he may have an end; And if he had a change in his nature, he might have in his Counsels; But since all the resolves of God are as himself is, eternal, and all the promises of God are the fruits of his Counsel, therefore they cannot be changed: If he should change them for the better, he would not have been eternally Wise, to know what was best; If for the worse, he had not been eternally good or just. Men may break their promises, because they are made without foresight; but God that inhabits Eternity, foreknows all things, that shall be done under the Sun, as if they had been then acting before him; and nothing can intervene, or work a change in his resolves; because the least circumstances were eternally foreseen by him. Though there may be variations, and changes to our sight, the wind may rack about, and every hour new, and cross accidents happen; yet the eternal God, who is eternally true to his word, Sits at the Helm, and the Winds and the Waves obey him. And though he should defer his promise a thousand years, yet he is not slack: For he defers it but a day to his eternity;^* And who would not with comfort stay a day in expectation of a considerable advantage?

As his Soveraignty in giving precepts had not been a strong ground of Obedience, without considering him as an eternal Law-giver, who could maintain his rights; So his kindness in making the promises, had not been a strong ground of confidence, without considering him as an Eternal promiser, whose thoughts, and whose life can never perish.