of his skill upon him So the image of God in Adam is not so much in regard of the being of Adam as in this that hee was able to worke as God hee was partaker of the spirituall vertue of God he was able to know what was needfull and to will what ever he knew agreeable to Gods will Had God taken flesh upon him as indeed Christ tooke flesh upon him he would have so behaved himselfe and so approved of good courses being made after Gods Image as did Christ taking our flesh upon him in whom there was no guile Q. 2. Whether may any creature be said to be created in the image of God beside man Only men and angels made after Gods image An. No Creatures beside Men and Angels It is true that in all the frame of the creatures there is a stampe of the holinesse and power of God left passively there are footsteps of Gods goodnesse left in the creature but no creature is able actively to imitate God to have an holy wil and to walk answerably There is a great difference betweene a mans footsteps in the sand and his picture If his footsteps be in the sand we say A man hath been there but what his stature and proportion is no man can tell Draw a picture of the same man such parts and such lims this discovers what proportion he is of The other concludes the man was there but doth not discover his stature If a man should see that mans sonne just of his stature hee would then say There is the lively picture of his father So it is here in the creation of the World God leaves a foot-step of his attributes that every man may say Wisedome Goodnesse and power hath beene heere Psal 19.1 The Heavens declare the glory of God They as it were speak it and offer it to our consideration Rom. 1.19 That which may bee knowne of God is in them that is the foot-steps of God may bee observed in the creatures But the image of God in Adam was like a picture not a livelesse but a lively picture As the child that does like his father doth discover him somewhat So did Adam God he was able to expresse the vertues of God that had created him 1 Cor. 15.49 As wee have borne the image of the Earthly So we shall beare the image of the Heavenly All the sons of Adam had the image of Adam hee was stubborne so were they Now as we have this image from Adam so the saints have the image of Christ holy as he his holy Joh. 1.16 Of his fulnesse wee have received grace for grace What ever grace is in Christ he puts upon the hearts of his children There is never a letter on the seale but is on the wax So every grace that is in Christ is imprinted upon his Saints proportionably The creatures have three things in them 1. They are the effects of goodnesse 2. They shew them forth to the consideration of others 3. A wise man may see the foot-steps of Gods goodnesse in them The creature cannot be mercifull as God is mercifull the creature doth its nature the fire burnes the water moistens but no creature can expresse Gods goodnesse but Adam and the Angels Qu. What is the difference between the image and likenesse of God Ans The difference is this The one discovers the frame of the heart inwardly The spirituall power Adam had to work we terme the Image The discovery of this or the acting accordingly the Likenesse There is the power of Adam and the execution of this power the latter is Likenesse the former Image Let us make man after our c. As who should say Let us put a frame into Adams heart and then he shall walke answerably to it in all his courses Acts 13.22 it is said I have found a man after mine owne heart which shall doe all my will This is the description of a man after Gods owne heart hee does all his will God hath such an heart as Davids and if he were on earth would do as he did except his infirmities 1 Pet. 1.15 Be holy as your heavenly Father is holy in all manner of conversation He requireth not onely an inward frame but an outward expressure thereof God made Adam thus who as hee had a power in his heart so he expressed it in his life and wrought as God wrought which no creature else could Qu. But why did God make Adam thus Ans There is no reason on mans part but it was onely Gods will The Lord is an understanding agent therefore he workes all things for a good end And the reasons why God imprinted this Image in Adam are two Reasons why God made man after his image 1. That he might fit him for spirituall and heavenly worship God would have one creature neere to him one of his Privie Councell that might performe spiritual worship to him Now unlesse God had created Adam in his image he could not have performed spirituall worship to him as it was requisite God should make some creature so to doe John 4.24 God is a spirit and must bee worshiped in spirit and in truth None can approach to God but in a spirituall manner The trees grow and the beasts serve man they do their nature and grovell on the ground but reach not to God because they are not spirituall nor have they reasonable soules Looke as it is with great Princes though they imploy ordinary persons in ordinary affaires as their under officers Cookes and Groomes c. yet no man must be Secretary of State unlesse he have eminent and excellent abilities without which he cannot close with his Prince nor is fitted for him So it is true that the God of heaven hath all things at command and hee will worke sometimes wonders by them The heavens heare the earth the earth heares the corne and the corne heares Israel but none of these can worship God in prayer or the like but onely Adam who hath the image of God upon him Adam is Gods councellour He reveales his secrets to the righteous An holy man can close with an holy God they have union one with another No other creature can come to God but only man All creatures serve man that he may serve God The heavens heare the earth and the earth heares the corne and the corne heares man that man may serve the Lord. The text sayeth God seeing that in the frame of heaven and earth there was not a fit companion for man did therefore make woman such another as himselfe to be with man So neither had God one for his turne when Sun Moone and Stars and all things else were made therefore Father Sonne and holy-Ghost consult to make one that might be acquainted with the businesses of Heaven Againe God purposes to cōmunicate himselfe and his image to one creature that he serving God might be blessed of him God would communicate happiness to a creature and
his wife but for his God he was to bestow his whole strength upon him Quest Why did God imprint this upon Adam An. First Holinesse why imprinted on Adam because Adam without this measure of holinesse could not returne that tribute of holinesse he owed as a reasonable creature and which God expected as a Creatour There is a payment which God expects at the hands of a creature namely praise for as Landlords let out their lands for rents which they expect at their tenants hands so doth God require thanksgiving from Adam which unlesse he had holinesse he could not have given Deut. 10.12 When he had discovered the largenesse of Gods love marke what he gathers And now oh Israel what doth the Lord thy God require but to love him with thy whole heart as if hee should say This I looke for that for all my kindnesse thou feare mee and love me with thy whole heart which to doe is a Christians Master-piece Had God made Adam so that hee could not have loved him he could not have received honour from him and so had beene accessary to the dishonour of his owne name 2. Adam by this meanes attained his owne good Heavie things never leave moving till they come to the earth so Adam was restlesse before he came to enjoy union with God This was Adams and is our happinesse to enjoy God which is the onely good of a mans soule Isa 26.8 The desire of our soul is to thy name and to the remembrance of thee The up-shot of the desires of Gods servants is towards his name when the body is in the grave and the soule in heaven the soule would faine be united to the body that both may be united to God and be possessed of him and then all desires cease 3. Because if Adam had not had this holinesse God had required more of him then he had ability to performe which had beene a want of equity which is utterly unbeseeming the sweet nature of God To require a thing absolutely impossible is against equity had not Adam had power to love God God requiring love from him had required that of him which he had not beene able to performe It stood with equity and Gods righteous will to give Adam power to love him above all yea it was a debt God owed to him seeing he would require obedience from him When Adam had not offended it was requisite God should give him ability to discharge his service Use The use hence is No shame to be holy 1. For instruction to teach us that it is no shame to be holy holinesse is no mans dishonour It is the greatest praise that can befall a man to be holy to be like God is no dishonour and by holiness we come to be most like unto him It is one of Gods names The holy One of Israel Isa 43.14 Nay the Angels Isa 6.3 doe not say Powerfull powerfull but Holy holy holy Lord God of hostes the Lord is said there to be the God of hostes but he is three times holy for his one time powerfull not that holinesse is more in God then power but to shew how God rejoiceth in this name Holy Who art thou then that art loath to have the name of holinesse Yes you are one of the holy crew will they say Art thou an enemy to holinesse then thou art an ungodly man The venome of such mens spirits as hate holinesse is incomparable there is no greater argument of a gracelesse disposition Use 2. It is a word of terrour It is cleare that the sinne of those men who oppose holinesse or keep others from it is marvelous hainous We will pursue both A great sin to oppose holinesse 1. It falleth heavie upon those who make holinesse the marke of their malice There is no person so vile no practice so abominable but they will approve of they will hugge drunkards in their bosomes and harbour adulterers in their houses but if holinesse appeare in any mans practice they are transported with fury against it Their blood riseth in their faces rancour in their hearts and venome in their tongues that they say as was said of S. Paul Away with such a fellow from the earth We cannot live in quiet for these holy men Oh thou that doest thus hatest the very image of God and flyest in the face of the Almighty and wouldest if thou couldest as well rend God from his throne as these holy men from the face of the earth there is no surer evidence then this that God intends no good to thy soule Salvation comes by holy meanes God the Father is an holy God that loves his people Christ is holy that redeemes his people the Spirit is called the holy Ghost heaven is an holy place it is called the heavenly Hierusalem the way to heaven likewise is holy Isa 35.8 nay all those that doe walke in that way are holy Isa 63.18 the people of holinesse possesse it The scripture saith the Saints of God are Priests and the Priest ware upon his breast-plate Holinesse to the Lord. Dost thou that hatest holinesse think to goe to heaven then there must bee another heaven for this is holy Heare and feare thou whose conscience doth convince thee that thou hast been carried with indignation against holy men see the hainousnesse of thy sinne the place is holy the Spirit holy c. If thou goest to heaven God will come out of heaven for he will not dwell with unholinesse Jude 4. God hath ordained from all eternity that unholy and ungodly men shall never come to heaven but shall bee in an unholy place among unholy Divels Know thy sinne to bee hainous and thy judgement heavie 2. It reproveth those A great sin to keep others from holinesse that would keepe others from holinesse Men count it a great wisedome in directing their families if they can keepe them from looking after this holinesse This is the counsel they give them Doe what you please onely bee not a precise fellow be any thing but a Saint It is all their cunning to daunt the hearts of others from seeking after holinesse hence wee heare so many fears suggested to men that labour to walke as they ought Nay saith the Master if you must needs to the godly crew I will breake the crew of you c. But do but consider what you doe 1. You crosse the command of God 1 Pet. 1.15 Bee holy as I am holy what heart hast thou then that commandest the contrary 2. As you crosse Gods command so you damne the souls of those that God hath committed unto your charge thou that keepest their soules from holinesse keepest them from happinesse Oh it will one day be a wound to thy conscience to thinke with thy selfe My childe would have followed holinesse but I would not suffer him therefore is he gone into the bottomlesse pit and I was the cause of it Try whether thou be holy or no. Use 3.
none could receive it unless he had the image of God Hence I say they consult together about it I will create saith the Father and do you create Sonne and doe you create Spirit The work of the Father is discovered in creation the work of the Sonne in redemption the work of the Spirit in sanctification all concurre to make him partaker of happinesse This is the cause why no other creature is capable of happinesse but Men and Angels because they onely have the image of God Reas 2. Because God would have one creature above the rest that should take notice of his attributes discovered in his workes God would have the glory of his attributes that are manifested in his workes Hee creates a world in that world hee expresses the workes of wisedome power and holiness When first the heavens were bespangled with stars the earth replenished with fruits the sea with fishes no creature could see Gods worke-manship and honour him for it therefore God makes man in his owne image makes him able by wisedome to conceive his works and gives him wisedome to returne him honour from all It is requisite there should bee some spectators The goodnesse of God is in the heavens they at it were speake the providence of God now wee see these things and cannot but admire them Psalm 103. ult The Psalmist speaking there concerning the wonders of God in the heavens marke what he addes Blesse the Lord all yee all his workes As who should say All yee sonnes of men come hither see and wonder at the power goodnesse of God in these things and blesse his name for them Prov. 3.6 Acknowledge the Lord in all thy wayes The creature cannot acknowledge God because it wants the image of God but man that hath a spirituall ability to know God cannot but acknowledge him in all his wayes Men that have any curious workmanship which they would have seene build up a stage for the better view of it Why should they set it forth if there were no man to come and observe it Just so God does he makes the whole frame of the world and in that expresses his power and goodnesse To what purpose should all these bee made if there were no man to see them and wonder at them Exod. 14.4 When God would raise his honour out of Pharaoh he sets him upon a stage He might have beene slaine amongst the first borne but hee brings him into the middest of the Sea and there slew him This passed not without observation insomuch that the Heathens could say These are the Gods that slew Pharaoh c. What should bookes doe if there were no schollars The world is the booke of Gods goodnesse wherefore should this be if there were no man to studie it Use 1. The first use is of instruction Dutie to God in this respect to teach us what our duty should be to God since his kindnesse is such to us Adam was a common root therefore what Adam had thou hast in him Hence then take notice of the extraordinary duty wee owe unto God Hath God done more for us then for other creatures then let us do more for him All the world joyned together have not received so much as man As the excellency of man is above all so his care should be to returne more to God bestow the best affections the utmost labour for the promoting of the praise of God What a shame is it for a Prince to turne a Peasant for Adam the best to become the worst If the dog returne to the vomit and the sow to the wallowing in the myre if the horse and mule have no understanding it is their nature but Adam hath not the image of an irrationall creature but the image of God yea of that God that takes it in great indignation that all should serve us we will not serve him The Lord lights his candle for man to labour by he drawes his curtaine for man to rest by the creatures lift us up to God and say Serve him more then all Isaiah 1.2 The Lord makes his moane to the creatures Shall all creatures obey God better then man when man was made better by creation then them When thou findest thy heart sluggish quicken thy selfe thus Aske the fowles of the ayre and they will tell thee thou receivedst all from God returne all unto him againe When thou seest the heavens turne in their compasse condemne thy soule that thou art so dead hearted in duty The Sunne rejoyces like a Gyant to runne his course because God commands it the sea ebbes and flowes because God will have it so Nay the creatures will doe against their nature for God 1. King 13.5 Oh Altar heare the word of the Lord and the Altar breaks in peices the poore stones rend in sunder at the commandement of God and yet after so many threatnings we stoup not let us see it and bee ashamed Ob. But wee cannot obey God Ans Yet see thy bond though thou canst not pay it see thy debt be humbled though thou it not able to satisfie for it Use 2. The second use is It is not for one made after Gods image to dote on the creatures Learne from hence not to be servants to those that God hath made servants to you Wee should not bee doting daily upon these empty shadows because they are unworthy the nature of man Shall the Lord make us better then the best of all creatures and shall wee abase our selves below the meanest condition of the lowest creature Think of this that wee may consider whence we are fallen as God speakes to that Church in Rev. 2. The drunkard is a slave to his cups the covetous man is a drudge to the dirt of this world the ambitious mans being is the favour of men Nay more man is become not onely a slave to the creatures but a vassall to his owne lusts Let us be ashamed of this The Apostle 1 Cor. 3.21 when divers had disputed of the excellency of Paul and Apollo sayes Hee all is yours therefore glory not in your servants The argument fals more strongly here Bestow not your selves on these empty things they are your servants bee not vassals to them Men beare themselves according to their birth the King scornes to stoup to a Peasant and a man of Nobility scornes to stoup to a dung-hill churle Oh that wee were thus wise for our soules beare up your selves according to your birth and thinke thus with your selves When profits and pleasures crave your services a man should conceive in an holy ambition that his heart were too good to trust to lying vanities Man is of a better birth and should answer them as Christ did the Pharisies comming to tempt him Matth. 22.21 who when they asked if it were lawfull to give tribute to Caesar requireth a penny askes them Whose image superscription hath it They answering Caesars saith Give unto Caesar that which
that they would resolve hee should bee theirs whatsoever he cost them oh that our hearts were thus set upon the means When the Lord hath shewed thee the necessity of them and God hath revealed himselfe oh I say hold fast there let not that opportunity goe it will be a marvellous folly if thou dost and it will deprive thine heart of much benefit nay thou maist lose thy soule by such dallying when you have time and opportunity and yet lose it sure it is for want of attendance Likewise the children of God must pray privately besides this for they have private sins as well as other sins Attend not looke not after temptations but attend upon the means Many men when they come to market wil fall about their homely occasions that which they should doe at home they doe in the market just so it is here when the Minister is preaching then they are reading or praying or conferring oh this is a sinfull thing you must doe your owne businesse at home and not neglect the opportunity before you 3. Wee must lay aside yea lay by those that are the best commodities and most necessary Wee see Trades-men need many things but those things that are most profitable and necessary they will be sure to have and if their purse will reach and hold out they will buy other things afterward Hee will buy bread now on the one side and cloth on the other side bread hee must have for his family to feed them and cloth hee must have to cloath them and if his money will hold out then haply hee will buy some lace or a rattle for his child So I say you have the choyce of all favours and of all mercies now provide that which is most necessary First seek the Kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof Mat. 6.33 This is the maine thing it is of necessity that the soule should be saved What is here meant by the Kingdome of God Some say It is the kingdome of glory others the kingdome of grace but how can a man seek the kingdome of glory but first hee must have the kingdome of grace before that of glory And how shall a man attaine to this The Lord hath vouchsafed it to none but to those that do seek it in his ordinances it is to bee had by the preaching of the Gospel of grace Was there ever any man ordinarily converted but by the Word of God Rom. 10.17 for Faith comes by hearing c. This Word is the word of the Kingdome first seeke that by which faith is bred by which Christs righteousnesse is made ours make this sure to thy soule for this is that you cannot be without this is that which David desired Ps 27.4 This is that I will require Lord saith hee that I may dwell in the house of the Lord and see thy face in the beauty of holinesse You make little of the preaching of the Gospel and never regard it but David was glad of it O Lord saith hee One thing I have desired whether I have health or no life or no I care not but one thing Lord I crave that I may see thy face in the beauty c. For this did Christ commend Mary Martha Lu. 10.42 Martha thou art cumbred about many things and much businesse but Mary hath chosen the better part that shall never be taken from her Whether is the soule better then the body A child of God will say The soule is best Whether is prayer better then profit heaven better then earth if prayer and heaven bee the better then let the earth stay let commodity stay let profit stay let heaven and salvation be served first This dashes the dreames of many men that will not stir out of their shops though they may well bee spared will rather lose the Word of God then lose the profit of six pence Oh see now come and lay these things together and see the difference between them Ob. But some will say they will have them but lay them by yet and afterward they will bargaine Answ But deferre not the time Now what will you give for them Me thinks I heare mens soules say O mercy mercy is worth a thousand worlds Oh what availes it to be rich and miserable honourable and accursed You little ones what say you Do not you wish for mercy O mercy mercy without mercy we are for ever wretched oh it is mercy that wee live and are not sent quick to hell But now will you buy it you shall have it cheape enough What will you give Now wee come to the maine You must give as the market goes and on Gods termes for you must not thinke that God will save you with wishing Oh no no he will not But now Will you buy them Then bid faire you must part with all your sinnes away with the proud heart and away with the world and the pleasures thereof Now see how the world replyes First young ones reply We have no wit nor understanding well you must beleeve else you must perish The old man sayes I am weake and feeble well you must get faith or else you must perish too Now you know the price of it you must provide to pay it Mat. 13.44 There it is said The wise merchant when he found the pearl went and sold all that he had to buy it That was a great price Thou must sell all to buy this if thy lust bee as deare to thee as thine eye thou must part with it if thou hast a proud heart thou must downe with it if a man have a faire estate and so many hundreds and such lands and such and such wares in his shop if God require it hee must part with it all The drunkard must part with his cups and the whoremonger with his queans unlesse yee doe part with these ye cannot have Christ this is the price of it Returne to me an answer whether you will have it or no that I may returne an answer to the Lord that hee may preserve it for you See that of Judas Acts 12.24 He would rather have the 30 pence yea he would betray his Lord for it and he had it but hee came againe with horrour of conscience and threw it away and threw away himselfe too for hee went and hang'd himselfe and now hangs in hell for ever It is an easie matter for a man to tell over his money but not so easie to make the heart willing to part with it but if you will not part with it now there will come a time at the day of death and then the covetous man will say Here take my money that I have got by oppression and the drunkard will say Here take my cups Then I say now part with them be wise merchants part with them now and the match is made Then now resolve Is it mercy saith the soule then it is enough Lord take all though I never see a good day