ld consider the extent of his decree and counsel; it is passed
upon all things; it is universal, reaching every being or action of the
universe. This is the strain of the whole Scripture. He did not, as some
dream, once create the creatures in a good state, and put them in capacity
henceforth to preserve themselves, or exercise their own virtue and power,
without dependence on him, as an artificer makes an horologe, and orders
it in all things, that it may do its business without him. He is not only
a general original of action and motion, as if he would command a river to
flow by his appointed channels; as if he did only work, and rule the world
by attorneys and ambassadors. That is the weakness and infirmity of
earthly kings, that they must substitute deputies for themselves. But this
King appoints all immediately, and disposes upon all the particular
actions of his creatures, good or evil; and so he is universal absolute
Lord of the creature, of its being and doing. It were a long work to
rehearse what the Scripture speaks of this kind; but O! that ye would read
them oftener, and ponder them better, how there is nothing in this
world,--which may seem to fall out by chance to you, that you know not how
it is to come to pass, and can see no cause nor reason of it,--but it falls
out by the holy will of our blessed Father. Be it of greater or less
moment,--or be it a hair of thy head fallen, or thy head cut off,--the most
casual and contingent thing,--though it surprised the whole world of men
and angels, that they wonder from whence it did proceed,--it is no
surprisal to him, for he not only knew it, but appointed it. The most
certain and necessary thing, according to the course of nature, it hath no
certainty but from his appointment, who hath established such a course in
the creatures, and which he can suspend when he pleaseth. Be it the sin of
men and devils which seems most opposite to his holiness, yet even that
cannot appear in the world of beings, if it were not, in a holy righteous,
and permissive way first conceived in the womb of his eternal counsel, and
if it were not determined by him, for holy and just ends, Acts iv. 28.

The second thing propounded is, that his mind and counsel is one, one and
the same, "yesterday, today, and forever." Therefore the apostle speaks of
God, that there is no shadow of change or turning in him, James i. 17. He
is not a man that he should lie, neither the son of man that he shoul