Fundamentals from which it hath its evidence as included in them The Consideration of those of the first Race that stood is chequered also though but an Appendix to the sixth Head And that it is properly unto it an Appendix is confirmed by the Holy Ghost in that he saith Heb. 1.14 Are they not all ministring Spirits sent forth for them who shall be Heirs of Salvation that is of those who are Claimers by this Covenant which was properly A Covenant of Salvation the Covenant of Grace Primitive in the first Transaction which is the sixth Head The Consequentials involved in the Heads of Mediatorship THe Trinity of Condescensions for Redemption The Creator now compleat and actually Father by Generation in overshadowing the Virgin and preparing a Body The Word now Sonne by Incarnation of his Eternall Spirit personally united to the Intellectuall nature and by it to that Body prepared the New Creature The Spirit now Consummator of Glory in full actuated in the Person of the Mediator and by Him merited for particulars as the Seal of Grace and Earnest of Glory All included in and resulting from the Covenant Primitive in the second Transaction and the Covenant Derivative Finisht The Church Regenerate the Ultimate End of this whole work of Condescentions for Redemption as the New Creation of God This Consequentiall upon the Covenant Derivative and Covenant Derivative Finisht The Consequentials involved in the Heads of Apostleship SCripture comprehended in the Emergent Revelations unto the Patriarchs Moses the Prophets Jesus Christ and the Apostles The subject matter of Those Records That Revelation by them to us onely Divine And the Tradition of it from them to us onely Authenticke The Trinity of Condescensions for Administrations in the Apostolate of Jesus Christ The Father now Anoynting as Lord The Sonne Anoynted as Servant The Holy Ghost the Energie of the Father by Procession from Him in fullnesse on the Sonne and by and from Him in the severall dispensations the Principle of speciall Administrations for Revelation included in the Covenant Derivative as the subject matter of his Apostleship and implied in the principle of this House of Administrations The Subadministrators by whom that Apostleship of Jesus Christ was executed in all Ages to whom the word of Reconciliation was committed and with whom it was to remaine and be continued unto the end of the world both as to the prime Ordinances The Power of sending and Government and secondary Ordinances the Administration of the Word and Sacrament by those that are so sent The Church Congregate the Ultimate End of this whole work of Condescensions for Administrations and so the Last in these consequentials that He might sanctifie and cleanse it with washing of water by the Word the Initiating Sacrament to this Church that He might as Apostle present it unto himself as Mediator a Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing Eph. 5.26 27. The Influence of the Spirituall Theologicall Grounds represented in the inner Lines their Juncture and Union with the Naturall and Morall Theologicall Heads on which they terminate themselves HAving thus given in summe the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Narrative of the Things as they are as well Hyperphysicall as Physicall and Morall with their relative Consequentials separate and apart we farther desire for the farther comprobating of the Scheme to suggest the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or manner how in Juncture with themselves and each other they so become one entire Body as we have represented them in It. And first in all humble confidence presuming upon that Demonstration which by his Outgoings the Infinite Immortall Incomprehensible Godhead hath given of it self we do in conformity thereto suppose and by those Lines issuing from the Essence and terminated on the Subsistencies expresse Their Coessentiall Inbeings their Coeternall and Coequall Emanations i. Flowings forth from It. The termination of those Lines upon the Figures 1 2 3. speaketh not their Priority or Posteriority in order of Nature they being so Coequall and Coeternall but onely sheweth their Order of Working demonstratively evident from their after-works in their subsistentiall Actings and energeticall Operations according to their distinct respective specifications for Nature Grace Glory Because there must be Nature i. Being from the Creator before there can be Impresse upon that Being i. Grace from the Word And there must be Nature and Grace from both before They can be anneal'd or fix'd by the Third the Spirit to make that Grace become Nature i. Glory Inchoate in the Earnest consummate here or Glory in full i. absolutely consummate upon Translation And secondly with the same confidence because upon the same grounds of the Subsistencies in Their Outgoings demonstrating themselves we do determine of their respective Energies i. their Working Powers or Spirits One with themselves and therefore distinct from each other as Themselves are And though One with themselves and distinct from each other yet the same Energie from One and the same Subsistency diversifying it self for operations towards and upon the Creature becometh varied in Each and all those Operations according to the capacity of the Subject in its respective states of Constitution and Restauration in its severall Advances Nor is it without reason that we call them Energeticall Operations not simply Energies and Operations because as in and from the Subsistencies they are properly Energies so in and upon the Creature properly Energeticall Operations as we shall shew you in their union with their Heads with which they must be read as in the Order and manner of Reading we have directed All which Subsistentiall Actings and Energeticall Operations we represent by the Lines drawn from the Subsistencies terminating on their severall Heads which we are now cursorily to run over Of which the first Three give us the Constitution of the first Race of Intellectuals Consummate that is every of the Subsistencies having their Energeticall Operations in the Creation of that Race by Constitution fixt In constitution we say as deriving their Nature which we in them call simply Essence from the Creator their Grace which in them we call Specification from the Word their Glory which we in them call Consummation in constitution from the Spirit As giving us the reall ground laid by the wisedom of God in their forming for his indispensible and Absolute Reprobation of them if they should Apostatize in that All their Operations being as we have said fixt All must be equally incensed and so there could be no Interpellator to stop the Justice much lesse Mediator to undertake for them Heb. 2.16 He in no wise lald hold on the Angels i. to deliver them but took the seed of Abraham The next Three speak the Constitution of the Secohd Race not consummate Their Nature complex'd of Inner and outward Man from the Creator onely constituted i fixt Their Grace from the Word in Principle not fix't because to its fixing it prerequired a Condition on Man's part to be performed And
Covenant Derivative the subject Matter of his Apostleship the Two first are to qualifie Him for that his Office Apostolicall and are therefore to be read downwards the Third crowning him with Reward upon the same ground with the former to be read likewise upward The words Restauration executed and Revelation executed which head the points of each refer you back to the second Note in the Epicycle of their being coactuated in their respective Principles by which He was fitted for each work as That doth to the Covenant in the first Transaction when they were codecreed That single Line which from the Spirit the Third Subsistency falleth on the Covenant of Grace Derivative Finish't sheweth that the Mediator having meritoriously attained it in his Person for our Nature we in conformity performing our respective Conditions have in consequence at last from that subsistency an Impresse sealing us to Redemption proportioned to this state which that Reverse Line speaketh pointing to the Redemption it self in the Resurrection The Redemption of our Bodies Rom. 8.23 The next from the second Subsistency the Word terminated on the Church Regenerate doth give us by the Scripture on it the true and reall ground of Communication of Properties to be between the Eternall Word and the Person of the Mediator For though the Body was prepared by the Father by the overshadowing of the Holy Ghost his Energie Luk. 1.35 yet it was still as from That but the Blood of man though of the Sonne of God Sonne of God and sonne of Man being coincident the seed of David according to the flesh Rom. 1.3 But when assumed into union Hypostaticall or Plastick with the Word His Blood viz. the Mediator's becometh so the Blood of God viz. of God the Word and this People purchased by his own Blood Acts 20.28 The next Three give the varied Operations of the respective Energies as the Subject under and by their foregoing operations respectively is prepared for This work the Resurrection and by these their present Operations predisposed for the Next their future Glorification Thus 1. Nature in the Primitive state constituted by the Energie of the Creator becomes forfeited by the Fall reprieved by the Interpellation sanctified in Decree by the Compact in its first Transaction then actually sanctified in the Person of the Mediator as to the Outward man or Body by the overshaddowing of the Holy Ghost in the Covenant in its second Transaction and from that alteration thus wrought in Him Beleevers in Particular sanctified as they come under the Covenant Derivative then sealed to its Redemption in and by the Covenant Derivative Finisht And so Nature Consummate in the Earnest 2. Grace in the Primitive state the Energie of the Word in Principle but not fixt by the Fall withdrawn the Interpellation maketh way for its restoring in Decree by the Compact as That in the Decree maketh way for the Actuall restoring of it in the Person of the Mediator by the Divine nature from the Word assuming our nature into Plastick union in the second Transaction by and through whom it becometh actually conveyed by Influx unto particulars as they receive the mystery in the Covenant Derivative in the strength of which they performing the conditions in conformity required i. adhering and vanquishing the Covenant Derivative is finish't i. fixt in and on them And so Grace perfected in the Inward man 3. Glory the Energie of the Spirit in the Primitive state in Designe onely by the Fall come short of yet by the Interpellation in order to an Advance and consecutively restored in Decree by the Compact in its first transaction as actually consequent upon the work done in the Mediator's assumption into Glory in the second Transaction And in consequent merited for us and applied unto us in the Covenant Derivative Finisht the Seal in the Earnest from the Spirit And so Glory Inchoate Note first That the Fall as the frustrating of the first Designe was the Decay of all these in the Person of the first Adam The Interpellation as the Occasionall ground and the following Covenant as the Fundamentall of the Restauration of them were Subsistentiall Acts betwixt themselves and so forensick to Our Natures The actuall restoring them in the second Transaction in the Person of the Mediator was by Energies and Energeticall Operations and so intrinsick to our nature but terminated in his Person The subsequent Operations in their severall Advances as being Energeticall likewise are intrinsick to our natures in our own persons as we encreasing with the encreasings of God are made conformable to the Image of his Sonne Note Secondly That in all these severall Personall Acts and Energeticall Operations on this side the Fall in their prequalifying Advances The Succeeding are not attainable ordinarily untill the Acts and Operations immediately foregoing have had their Designed Works on or in relation to our nature and Persons because the foregoing onely do predispose and render the subject in and on whom They are wrought capable of the exalted operations immediately following Thus the severall foregoing Operations gradually heightning and advancing our Nature and Persons untill Nature and Grace be consummate in the Earnest we do by that Sealing rest in Hope then raised according to that Hope in this The First Resurrection we have from the Creator by his Energie in a varied Operation Nature in the state of Integrity constituted now Restored Grace from the Word in like manner then in Principle but not fixt now in Principle and fixt Glory from the Spirit then likewise in Designe onely now secured This being the sealing to the Day of Translation intercepted by the Fall Thirdly In concurrence with this latter Note this we must also farther suggest and add that as the Prequalifying Operation is of the Nature of Disposition unto the after Advance so by the after exalted Operation the former Prequalification becometh to be of the Nature of Habit. And being thus brought to the Point where we first set forth and from whence we departed the proper sense of the Apostles word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which hath hitherto been rendred the Restitution of all things Acts 3.21 with this farther advantage that we are sealed to Translation we have in our actuall Translation in consequence of that Seale Nature by the Creator then onely restored now by a varied operation Exalted That Grace from the Word then onely in principle and fixt now Glorified That Glory from the Spirit then onely secured now consummate Then come in those Notes Of which the first The Subsistencies themselves now Comprehensible because Face to Face c. occasioneth us upon review of that Attribute of Incomprehensibility the Boundary of created natures to give you in scale when and upon what grounds in predication of God thus diversly considered in Essence Subsistencies Energies and Operations the Person of the Mediator with his Energies and Operations it becometh moveable when fixt i. when He is Incomprehensible when and how Comprehensible unto
conformed unto It of which we shall with submission give you our Practicall Essay ere we close our larger work The Explanation of the Termes HAving now given by the order and manner of Reading thus enlightned the Concatenation of the Heads or Primitive Truths Supernaturall and Naturall and the grounds immediate in their Contignations which give in Systeme their Juncture with each other justified the Figure of the Diagramme and shewed the use of the whole we have brought the matters and things themselves so near to the senses both Inward and Outward in all their severall aspects that the words in which we represent them will have the lesse difficulty And forasmuch as the method is wholly new we presume that the Intelligent Reader will not be offended at the liberty we have taken in Wording such Principles as have discovered themselves not heretofore taken notice of in such termes though new also as may most properly expresse them nor be too severe towards us for varying the words when we have been constreined thereto that we might bring them to the due proportion of Analogie to rectifie the things themselves from what they have been current in these latter Ages Yet for those whose weaker apprehensions may require an Interpreter because in this also we desire to descend to the capacity of the meanest we have thought it our duty to give an explication of them as familiar as the matters will possibly bear By GOD in Essence we intend that state The Abysse unfathomable the Infinite Incomprehensible Godhead wherein before his Outgoings manifested we can onely say that GOD is or that there is a GOD One GOD. Subsistencies The Outgoings of that Essence by their Emanation discovering themselves Three This the true interpretation of the Greek word Hypostasis which the Latines endeavour to expresse by Persons and which we also use though seldom as being more familiar and better known to signifie the same thing Inbeing The state of the Subsistencies in the Essence Emanation The Outflowings from it Incomprehensible Is of which we can frame no Idaea in our mindes Ineffable In consequence must be unwordable for which there can be no expression Emergeth i. Putteth up the head appeareth or sheweth it self Energies Are their Efficacies or Working-Powers called in Scripture spirit Energeticall Operations are the Effects of those Energies in the subject By the First Race of Intellectuals we intend Spirits â—â—bodied i. simple Created Essences which we from their Office and Ministrie not till afterward call Angels By the Second Race of Intellectuals we intend Mankinde i Spirits Imbodied By Animate world we intend a created Dead matter quickned by a Forme from without it self which in this was the Energie of the Creator the Spirit of God moving upon the waters Gen. 1.2 Innate Law of Impulse By Innate we intend that which was in their constitution or making up And because in that their constitution the Superior the Intellectual nature did qualifie the inferior the Animal with Rationality a Forme besides its own I do therefore call that from the Superior to it a Law of Impulse and the same in the Inferior a Law of Instinct The Covenant of Nature properly so called i. of Impresse upon Adhesion whereby is intended that whilst he should adhere and keep himself close unto God the Subsistencies would then continue their Impresse upon him and Concurse with him Appendixes Preparatory Sacrament Sabbath i. these were prepared and but prepared untill he Adhering and Vanquishing not to be actually Appended or exhibited Inhibition i. by that Negative Precept enjoyned not to eat Probationall i. by which God his Lord would know and make Proof whether he would Adhere and Obey Threat an Antedated Sentence i. that which was in Threat was as certainly upon his Disobedience to be his Sentence as it was now a Threat Interpellation Is expounded by the words following Putting himself in the Gappe in English it is nearest to a Rescue but here Legitimate from a Ground because the Interpellator the Word was in a degree concerned in the constitution of the Delinquent and Himself coequall with the Incensed the Creator Superseding i. Dispensing with the present Execution of his own Justice A Law terme in use amongst us So also is Reprieve known unto most in criminal causes The Covenant of Grace Primitive in the First Transaction i. the Mutuall Agreement and Capitulation transacted betwixt the Creator Ordaining and Word undertaking in reference to Redemption and Restauration The Trinity Supream is a consideration of the Subsistencies as They emaned and acted before their Condescentions either in order unto or for the actuall Restauration The Covenant of Grace Primitive in the Second Transaction their mutuall Performance of what was mutually undertaken in the First Transaction in the Person of Jesus The Covenant of Grace Derivative the Publication of that Grace wrought for us in his Person and the offer of termes of Reconciliation thereupon Influx i. A Spirituall Inflowing into us by operation from Him the Mediator opposed unto That which was by union of Natures as Energie radically in Himself Trinity of Condesceutions for Administrations and Redemption are the respective Energies of the Trinity Supream in their condescentions exerted or put forth for the accomplishing of the second Designe both as to Redemption and to Revelation The Explication of the Greek Words ΠΕΡΙΠΟΙΗΣΙΣ i. A Making by Gyre Compasse or circumference first in Christ the new Creature and then Particulars in the state of Lapse from Him as Mediator by union of Natures the Principle of this House ΠΒΡΙΟΥΣΙΟΣ A People pecullar i. those whom God hath dignified with speciall Administrations and so a People appropriated by sanctification of the Holy Ghost the Principle of this House ΑΠΟΚΑΤΑΣΤΑΣΙΣ An Astronomicall terme The Bringing of Nature about by Grace to the same Point whence it first set forth and from whence it declined and fell ΑÎΑΚΕΦâ—ΛΑΙΩΣΙΣ The Gathering together again under One Head the Word Now by Incarnation Mediator of this second Work for compassing of the first Designeâ— FINIS My Desires to the Reader are FIrst That those who desire the understanding of this Designe would as the Alphabet or first Elements get by Heart the Capitall Heads as THE LOOK Before the Creation THE CREATION THE INHIBITION c. punctually according to the Direction in the order and manner of Reading Secondly That That being done they would in like manner inform themselves of the Subject Matters under every Head and take notice of their concatenate dependenctes Thirdly That These things being done they would then and not before having the Scheme before them and in their eye peruse these Sheets as the Key unto It. Whereto if they bring their Heads as intent and their Hearts as sincere as I have been I take God to witnesse in composing the whole I shall not doubt of that Union so much talkt of in Truth and Peace which as it is the Prayer so it is the endeavour of him that is An obedient Sonne of the Church truly Christian Protesting against all Popish Errors or whatsoever is contrary to sound Doctrine Nicholas Gibbon Errata Pag. 14. line 10. for Resurrection read Dead pag. 24. line 24. for Figurea read Figure wih a Parenthesis pag. 25. line 14. reade Scripture as in a Parenthesis pag. 26. line 5. for Yet read That Which is desired the Reader would correct with his Pen before he peruse them