The Shorter Catechism answers the same question by these words: “The decrees of God are, his eternal purpose according to the counsel of his will, whereby, for his own glory, he hath foreordained whatsoever comes to pass.”
The next question in this Catechism is: “How doth God execute his decrees?—Ans. God executeth his decrees in the works of creation and providence.”
In a work, entitled An Exposition of the Confession of Faith of the Westminster Assembly of Divines, by the Rev. Robert Shaw, published by the Presbyterian Board of Publication, and revised by the Committee of Publication, we find the following passages: “That God must have decreed all future things is a conclusion which flows necessarily from his foreknowledge, independence, and immutability.” (p. 58.)
Again: “The decrees of God relate to all future things without exception; whatever is done in time was foreordained before the beginning of time.” (p. 59.)
Again: “If from all eternity he knew all things that come to pass, then from eternity he must have ordained them” (p. 60). Again: “The foreknowledge of God will necessarily infer a decree; for God could not foreknow that things would be, unless he had decreed they should be.” (p. 59.)
In another publication of this Board, entitled Fisher’s Catechism, we find the following questions and answers:—
“Q. What are the decrees of God?—Ans. The decrees of God are his eternal purpose, according to the counsel of his will, whereby, for his own glory, he hath foreordained whatsoever comes to pass.” (p. 51.)
“Q. Are all the decrees of God then unchangeable?—Ans. Yes: from all eternity, he hath, for his own glory, unchangeably foreordained whatsoever comes to pass.” (p. 53.)
“Q. Does anything come to pass in time but what was decreed from eternity?—Ans. No: for the very reason why anything comes to pass in time, is because God decreed it.” (p. 54.)
“Q. Are things that are casual or accidental positively decreed?—Ans. Yes.” (Ib.)