After the Internal, Immanent, Eternal Acts of God now follow the External, Transient, Temporal Works of God, which posit an effect outside of God, in which they are terminated; in which manner God delivers His eternal Counsel for execution in time.
Some such External Works are called Works of Nature; not because God works them by Nature, as this is opposed to operation through indifferent choice of the Will: for, God acts outside of Himself, not by necessity of Nature, but by the liberty of His Will, especially in the first founding of all thins, Psalm 115:3; Ephesians 1:11. But some Works are called Works of Nature, as opposed to Works of Grace; the former of which have regard in general to the Nature, essence, and essential faculties of all Creatures, and both the first production of these, and the duration and activity of the same now existing: the latter, or those of Grace, are specifically referred to men, and their supernatural end; when God fills again their Nature, produced and preserved, with His spiritual and heavenly blessings, especially beside and contrary to their merit: and thus the Works of Grace specifically pertain to Redemption; although in other respects the Works of Nature also proceed from the more common Grace of God, and exert themselves for the bestowal of Grace upon the Elect. These External Works of Nature are summarily two, Creation and Providence; the former of which is Creation, as involved in the production of things; while Providence is occupied concerning the Preservation and Government of the things produced.