The divine will considered in its eternal decrees, and holy execution of them. By…

4. Consider what a kind of Creation the production of gracious Principles is: Is it every way pure Creation? How then is it Generation? how Resurrection? Pure Creation can be neither of these: You'll say, 'tis Generation and Resurrection but metaphorically only; very well; if it be but so, the Metaphor must be founded on some true likeness or analogy between these and the production of gracious Principles, which is altogether unimaginable in a pure Creation. It remains ⟨p. 432⟩therefore that the production of gracious Principles is styled all these in Scripture, partly to import the excellency of the work, such as cannot be fully expressed by any single one of these, & partly to hint out the nature of the work, such as hath in it somewhat analogous to every one of these: Wherefore I take it to be thus, 'tis a Creation, because a real production of gracious Principles by Almighty Power, 'tis a Generation, because of the immortal Seed of the Word, and 'tis a Resurrection, because a man spiritually dead is raised up to divine life: Now if there could be no Instrument in a pure Creation, yet may there be one in the production of gracious Principles, because that is not purely Creation, though there be a creating power put forth therein.

4. Consider what a kind of Creation the production of gracious Principles is: Is it every way pure Creation? How then is it Generation? how Resurrection? Pure Creation can be neither of these: You'l say, 'tis Generation and Resurrection but metaphorically only; very well; if it be but so, the Metaphor must be founded on some true likeness or analogy between these and the production of gracious Principles, which is altogether unimaginable in a pure Creation. It remains ⟨p. 432⟩therefore that the production of gracious Principles is stiled all these in Scripture, partly to import the excellency of the work, such as cannot be fully expressed by any single one of these, & partly to hint out the nature of the work, such as hath in it somewhat analogous to every one of these: Wherefore I take it to be thus, 'tis a Creation, because a real production of gracious Principles by Almighty Power, 'tis a Generation, because of the immortal Seed of the Word, and 'tis a Resurrection, because a man spiritually dead is raised up to divine life: Now if there could be no Instrument in a pure Creation, yet may there be one in the production of gracious Principles, because that is not purely Creation, though there be a creating power put forth therein.