An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty-fifth, thirty-sixth, and thirty-seventh chapters of…

What then shall we think of him the number of whose years cannot be searched out? this can speak nothing less than everlastingness. And this eternity or everlastingness of God, though it be impartible, yet it hath, I may say, a double respect: First, to what went before; Secondly, to what is to come. The eternity of God is such as cannot be searched out, either as to what is past, or to what is to come;¹ indeed unto God there is nothing past or to come; for eternity, properly taken, is an everlasting Now, it is not that which passeth or moveth away; and therefore some of the Ancients elegantly describe eternity, to be the perfect enjoyment of blessed life all at once; which because it is all at once together and perfect, cannot be altered nor lessened. In eternity that which is past is present, yea that which is to come is present in an eternal blessed life. 'Tis so with God, and so in proportion with all those who are entered into eternity, whatsoever they have had is always present with them, nor are they in the expectation of any thing to come; they enjoy all in every moment, without the want of any thing. 'Tis much more so with God; though years have succession, yet the years of God have no succession of times or things.

What then shall we think of him the number of whose years cannot be searched out? this can speak nothing less than everlastingness. And this eternity or everlastingness of God, though it be impartible, yet it hath, I may say, a double respect: First, to what went before; Secondly, to what is to come. The eternity of God is such as cannot be searched out, either as to what is past, or to what is to come;¹ indeed unto God there is nothing past or to come; for eternity, properly taken, is an everlasting Now, it is not that which passeth or moveth away; and therefore some of the Ancients elegantly describe eternity, to be the perfect enjoyment of blessed life all at once; which because it is all at once together and perfect, cannot be altered nor lessned. In eternity that which is past is present, yea that which is to come is present in an eternal blessed life. 'Tis so with God, and so in proportion with all those who are entred into eternity, whatsoever they have had is alwayes present with them, nor are they in the expectation of any thing to come; they enjoy all in every moment, without the want of any thing. 'Tis much more so with God; though years have succession, yet the years of God have no succession of times or things.