Father and Sonne work not without their loue their gladnesse and essentiall power which is the Holy Ghost If all these persons doe concurre and ioyne together in the worke of mans creation we see the persons that are spoken vnto and the pluralitie comprehended vnder faciamus Againe by the conclusion of their decree that this excellent creature should be stamped with the print of their owne image you may discerne the vnitie of their substance because all three haue but one image ad imaginem nostram And indeed there can be but one thing that is infinite Will you make more then one Consider first where they shall be conteyned for one infinite must be conteyned euery where and fill all places But God is infinite therefore there can be but one God Other things increase by multiplication so doth not the Godhead whatsoeuer is added to it doth not multiplie but diminish it It is not good for man to bee alone therefore God made him a helpe meet for him With God it is contrarie good for him to be alone and necessarie too otherwise hee cannot be such as the Scripture describeth him three sacred persons without confusion and one blessed Deitie without diuision Noli intellegere vt credas sed crede vt intelligas intellectus enim est merces fidei Vnderstand not that you may beleeue but beleeue that you may vnderstand for vnderstanding is thereward of faith The worke of creation belongeth to none but to this Godhead alone Ierem. 10. Let the gods perish that made not heauen and earth And on the other side he that did it the Angell would haue adored Worship him that made heauen and earth It is attributed to the Father partcularly Act. 4. Thou O Lord God which hast made heauen and earth c. doubtlesse against thy holy Sonne Iesus Herod and Pontius Pilate gathered The like is ascribed to him also in the articles of our faith where we professe a Beliefe in God the Father Almightie maker of heauen and earth and yet wee hold firmely that the workes of the Godhead Quoad extra be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 actions common to the whole Trinitie wherein all three persons doe so concurre and keepe correspondencie that euery one hath neuertheless some peculiar operation apart As for example The incarnation of the Sonne of God was an action or common worke of the whole Trinitie yet the Father had a peculiar part in it namely to send his Sonne And the Sonne againe had his parte to take flesh and to combine it into the vnitie of his person which is not communicable to either of the other two persons for neyther Father nor Holy Ghost could be incarnate It was not the Nature of God that did take the Nature of man for then all three persons must haue beene incarnate The Word onely being the second person in Trinitie was made flesh and tooke the seed of Abraham the person onely was incarnate which is peculiar to the Sonne alone and cannot bee communicated to the Father or Holy Ghost The Holy Ghost had another part in that businesse he came vpon the blessed Virgin ouershadowed her and by purifying that part of her substance built vp a bodie fit for the Word So we doe say in this worke of creation It was a common action of the whole Trinity and neuerthelesse for distinction and order sake we say That there was one operation of the Father another of the Sonne and another of the Holy Ghost The Father as Basil writeth is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sonne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Holy Ghost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Father the commaunding cause the Sonne the working cause and the Holy Ghost the finisher The Father createth by his will the Sonne by his operation and worke the Holy Ghost by giuing life and motion The beginning of the worke is in the Father and hee createth all things by his Wisedome or Word and the Holy Ghost nourisheth hatcheth houereth ouer the creatures to infuse life and motion into them In the Creed and wheresoeuer else the Father is called creator of heauen and earth it doeth not exclude the Sonne and Holy Ghost out of this businesse but sheweth the manner and order of the action and which person hath precedence Is not the creation which was the first outward work of the God-head fitly attributed to the first person that is of himselfe and of no other Surely this work sorteth best with the Maiestie of the Father But that doth not exclude the other two persons as if they had no part in the matter of creation 1. Cor. 8. the Sonne is called the onely Lord. How Surely not to infringe the Fathers power but to exclude Idols and fained gods So is the creation giuen to the Father to exclude creatures and vaine gods not for derogation of any thing from Son and Holy Ghost Act. 14. Wee preach vnto you that you should turne from these vaine idols vnto the liuing God that made heauen and earth They were ioyned therefore in the creation of all things else But the Holy Ghost did so direct the Secretarie of this busines that here it is conspicuous the first reuelation of the Trinitie appeareth in the creation of man that he might so worship and acknowledge God Besides other things that be extraordinarie here different from his former course there hee spake the word and they were made he commanded all things else were created here hee taketh a greater worke in hand because he ordereth all aboue the vulgar there he left the beasts and trees vnto the earth to be fashioned here he taketh the worke into his owne handes and frameth man himselfe he performeth the office of a true parent he made the body he infused the soule Illius est totum quicquid sumus There hee biddes other things come out of the earth aliue instantly here the producing of man hath a priuiledge and is not done so suddenly there was nothing but producat terra here the businesse is not passed ouer with a bare mandate but we haue the summons of a Councell Faciamus hominē O the deepenesse of the riches both of the wisedome knowledge of this Councell O great Senate where all things were determined Circumspect where euerie occurrent was foreseene Holy where nothing was done vpon aduantage Iust where place is not left for any complaint What could escape such a consultation where the Father aduiseth with his Wisedome considereth seriously with his holy Spirit not for difficultie that was found in this businesse more then in the rest Naturae imperat possibilitati non obtemperat What was hard to him cui velle est fecisse whose will was powerfull that hath done whatsoeuer he pleaseth both in heauen and earth Whereto then serueth this deliberation Verily to teach vs that our creation was eminent The skilfull hand of great Besaleel the cunning artificer of all the world makes
from the Lord of vertue Sine me nihil potestis facere Without him all the vertues of the heathen were like golden Nutts that wanted kernells Currebant saith S. Augustine tanquam athletae validissimi sed praeter metas carceres They did runne like valorous Champions b 〈…〉 was without the lists and farre from the gaole Those gifts were not vulgar and common but bestowed vpon certaine of the Heathen as the speciall graces and fauours of God not sanctifying but adorning and perfusing them as he did with Besaleel and â—holiab for the worke of his Tabernacle Their exercises were ciuilly good commendable for men of their fashion and in respect of the outward worke worthie of imitation such is the power of honestie that therâ— is a shining brightnesse in the very shaddow of it bu◠〈◊〉 is so farre from true righteousnesse that all their worâ—â— were nothing else but glistering sinnes For what righteousnesse could they haue that knew not Christs obedience which is the righteousnesse of God God gaue ciuill graces to them here and there for the conseruation of this present life If all knowledge of God had beene extinguished and difference of good and euill taken away what could this life be but a barbarous immanitie brutish confusion secondly these glimmerings remained to make them inexcusable thirdly God vsed them as the Shoe-maker doth his bristle not to sow withall but to draw in his threed Nos vnius Christi participes ad vitam ad mortem vero particeps ille multorum FINIS 1. Cor. 15.47 Psal 100.3 No helpe in our creation Esa 44. I am the Lord that made all things that spread out the heauens alone and stretched out the earth by myselfe Rom. 11.34.35 He spake not to the Angels God and Angels haue not one image Ioh. 14 9. Ioh. 10.30 Aug. de Trinit lib. 1. cap. 7. Faciamus hominem Many persons in the vnitie of the Godhead Ioh. 5.17 But one God Gen. 1.18 The worke of creation belongeth to the Godhead alone Ierem. 10.11 Reuel 14.7 How it is attributed to the Father Act. 4.24.27 The Father doth not exclude Sonne or Holy Holy Ghost The first worke of the Godhead fitly attributed to the first person 1. Cor. 8.6 Act. 14.15 Three persons ioyned together in creation of all things First reuelation of Trinity in the creation of man Aug. in Psa 70. Gen. 2.7 Why man was made of dust and turneth to dust againe The Son of God and man beare the image of God Genes 1.31 Man had some extraordinarie perfection The body of man is not the image of God The soule is not the image of God No part of the soule is the image of God The soule onely not made to the image of God The body is not vncapable of the image of God 1. Cor. 6.19 That bare the image before mans fast which is redeemed and sanctified to beare â—t againe 1. Cor. 6.20 The image of God Theodoret. Image of God in dominion 1. Cor. 11.7 Psal 82.6 Ephes 4.24 Gen. 2.17 Aug. de bono Coniugal c. 2. Heb. 11. â— 2. Reg. 2.11 Gen. 5.5 27. Esa 42.8 Mal. 3.6 Luc. 15.12.13 Aug. de catechis rudib cap. 18. Gen. 40.15 Cant. 2.12 Ruth 1.20 Iere. 31.29 Ioh. 1.17 Psal 126.5 1. Cor. 15.46 1. Tim. 2.14 Ecclus. 25.24 Gen. 3.22 1. Tim. 2.14 Ioh. 8.11 1. Sam. 15.23 Hieron ep 29. Matth. 6.23 Rom. 6.13 Iam. 1.14 Matth. 15.19 Prou. 4.23 Aeneid lib. 6. Gal. 5.19.20 Ioh. 3.20 Matth. 6.23 Exod. 10.23 Aug. Soliloq ca. 3. Iob 19.4 Ezech. 18.20 Rom. 6.23 Gen. 5.3 Psal 5.4 1. Ioh. 2.16 1. Ioh. 1.5 Hab. 1.13 Iob. 34.10 1. Ioh. 3.4 Exod. 3.14 Matth. 21.31 1. Sam. 13.13 Difference in the obedient Complete obedience Phil. 2. v. 6 7 8. Ioh. 2.19 1. Pet. 2.24 Leo epist 41. Psal 60.11 1. Sam. 24.5 Spontanea obedientia Luc. 22.15 Psa 40. v. 6 7 8. Exod. 21.5 6. Psal 40.6 Gen. 22.9 Gen. 42.21 Mat. 27.12.14 Isa 53.7 Ioh. 21.18 2. Cor. 5.4 1. Cor. 15.51 Matt. 27.34 Ioh. 18.5 Ioh. 11.8 9 10. Ioh. 18.7 Vers 6. Ion. 1.12 Gen. 3.5 Ioh. 3.35 Ion. 1.12 Ioh. 10.11 Aug. med ca. 7. 1. Cor. 1.30 Matth. 25.9 Ioh. 4.13 Hab. 2.4 Ioh. 4.14 2. King 4.6 Psal 119.142 Matth. 27.14 Rom. 8.34 Heb. 7.25 Hebr. 12.24 Gen. 27.27 Ephes 1.7 Exod. 1.6.7 Iudg. 6.39 40. 1. Cor. 15.36 Iudg. 14.14 2. Cor. 5.14 Rom. 6.8 Rom. 8.17 Gen. 47. Gen. 39.17 18. Vers 21. Rom. 8.26 Ioh. 18.5 Matth. 26.56 Vers 57. Isa 53.5 1. Sam. 30.24 1. King 20.11 Matth. 13. Ioh. 10.28 1. Ioh. 3.9 5.18 Ier. 32.40 Ioh. 17.11 Luc. 22.32 Ioh. 15.16 Rom. 11.29 Ioh. 3.8 2. Thes 3.2 Rom. 9.16 1. King 3.26 Matt. 8.13 Ioh. 4.50 Matth. 15.28 Mar. 9.24 Hebr. 13.8 Mal. 3.6 Psal 102.27 Luc. 15.5 Num. 21.8 Luc. 18.13 Rom. 5.20 2. Pet. 1.1 Ioh. 15.5 Exod. 3 〈…〉
it eminent the deuise held by these three sacred persons for the adorning of it makes it eminent the arrest resolution of their conference that they would make man according to their own image similitude makes it most eminent Can any thing be more excelleÌ„t then the image of him that is authour of all excellencies Nothing certainly but the patterne it selfe And if he be magnified of all things else there is yet more cause that his praise should neuer goe out of our mouthes In prosperitie because he doth comfort vs in aduersitie because he doth correct vs before we were because he hath made vs afterward because he adorned vs when we sinne because he forgiueth vs when wee turne againe because he helpeth vs when we persist because he crowneth vs. To him be all honour and glorie both here and throughout all generations Amen Thus I leaue the Creator with thankesgiuing and come now to treate of the creature In the next Chapter Moyses recordeth mans creation The Lord God also made man of the dust of the earth That none should please themselues too much in the flesh it was made of dust and returneth to dust againe But this Text calleth vs to consider of the qualitie ornament and fashion rather then of the matter or substance of our creation Let vs make man according to our image The Scripture giueth this Image both to the Sonne of God and vnto man not alike for man is not the whole image of God the Sonne is Man is not the essentiall image nor coeternall nor of equall Maiestie with God as Christ is man is the created finite and image of gratuitie not the naturall or ingrauen image made vnto the image of God the Sonne is the verie image of God not made nor created but begotten In the beginning God made man right Hee looked vpon all that he had made and they were very good Besides this generall goodnesse it seemeth here that in particular man had some extraordinarie perfection as it were a Sunne of brightnes shining in him for Moyses relateth not a bare creation but a creation accomplished with the image of God I see you are not vnwilling to heare my poore meditation and discourse hereof let mee begge the assistance of your prayers also then I trust God will guide it to his glorie your better satisfaction otherwise it is a hard province that I take in hand For what experience can we haue of this light that feele nothing but darkenesse within our selues Wee can haue no knowledge of this image by fruition but by want of it And what if the light of Scripture faileth too Verily either my eyes be dimme or there is not much set downe in precise termes wherein Adam his perfection did consist Yet we may happily espy aglimpse thereof in the darknes that possesseth vs. Contraries set together do cleere one another and by the reparation of mankinde some estimate will bee made what dignitie it was from whence he fell Flaccius Illiricus a man otherwise notably learned when he comes to consider the nature and condition as well of originall righteousnesse which is certainely a great part of the image we seeke for as of originall sin dares not say they be accidents lest he should extenuate them So by Flaccius his implication this image must be the very substance of man and then necessarily eyther body or soule Sure not the bodie that is but a lumpe of earth and hath no representation of God at all vnlesse we should make him a muddie God as wee are called earthie by reason of these bodies of clay Againe when the image of God is defaced yet wee see the bodie remaineth whole and entire Anthropomorphites and Iewes may entertaine such opinions Christians will easily conceiue that the bodie can be no image of God Neither is it the soule of man so when a man hath lost the image of God he should loose his soule withall and after his fall man should haue no soule vntill his regeneration and new birth Are not the soules of many wicked ones in hell Surely the image of God shall neuer come into hell but that substance of man onely which is destitute of Gods image The image of God shall be with God in life and euerlasting ioy Let no man imagine that this image is any part of the soule now destroyed and lost by mans fall the other powers of the soule remayning safe and without hurt Forseeing the soule is Tota in toto tota in qualibet parte it cannot be that any part of the soule should be lost but that the whole substance must perish with it yea and this inconuenience would follow for contraries must be sub eodem genere that original sinne which is opposite to this image should be reckoned onely for a part of mans soule so the corruption thereof should not spread it seâ—fe to the whole man but be restrayned only to one part of him and the rest abide sound without infection You see that the image of God is neyther body nor soule nor any part of one or other What then Verily the rightnesse and perfection connaturall and concreated in both A faithfull Secretarie sayth here that man was made to the image of God therefore it was no one portion of him that was made to that image but the whole man If the soule onely had beene made to the image of God then must it be the soule alone that offended the soule onely that is punishable for the guilt of sinne But the Scripture testifieth that it was not the soule alone that offended in eating the forbidden fruit for the eyes also were in that trespasse the eares the hands the heart and the whole body as we see by the sequell The soule certainely is the fayrer subiect and the more beautifull harbour but the bodie was not incapable of the image of God then how should it be the Temple of the Holy Ghost That which receiueth God is capable of his image I wil not be contentious in the cause for the Church of God hath no such custome but it seemeth verie reasonable for that to carrie the image of God before mans fall which is redeemed by the pretious bloud of Iesus Christ and sanctified to beare this image againe And Christ hath redeemed the whole substance of man bodie and soule Know yee not that yee are bought with a price glorifie God therefore in your bodies and in your spirits which are Gods therefore the image of God was in both What shall I say of our Regeneration Doth it not shew where the image of God was placed Is it not a restitution and reparation of that which was decayed or lost And we are regenerate both in body soule therefore the image of God was in both If the bodie be renued if it be redeemed if it be the Temple of the Holy Ghost if it looke to be