Ioseph professeth ascribing all his piety and charity which hee shewed in nourishing his bretheren and their families to God And all naturall good things God worketh either immediatly by his owne hand alone as in the creation wherein hee gave being to all things without any meanes at all or by instruments and meanes which hee himselfe hath first created hee giveth light by the Sun Moone and Starres and by them and the whole Heavens which are turned about by his counsels and by their influâ—nce hee refresheth and nourisheth all creatures on Earth and also doth by them both use correction and shew mercy Iob 37. 12 13. and Matth. 5. 45. There are besides these other things which are good and profitable not simply in their owne nature but by accident and in some respect as for example for men to abstaine from marriage and from begetting children for the increase of mankind is not a thing naturally or morally good in it selfe being a refraining from the use of Gods ordinance but yet in case of urgent necessity when Gods Ministers and Servants doe live in times and places of persecution and are driven to flee and wander from place to place naked and destitute of meanes whereby to maintaine Wives and Children Saint Paul tells us it is good for a Man to live single and not to touch a Woman 1 Cor. 7. 1 35. for by this meanes he shall avoid much distraction and more freely attend the service of God Also for men to fast and afflict their bodies by abstaining from comfortable nourishment and necessary food for a time is not simply good in it selfe but yet it is profitable for taming the proud and rebellious flesh and for furthering of our humiliation in times of private and publike calamities when Gods hand is heavy upon us or upon our Land and the feare of his threatning judgments which hang over our heads doe terrifie us these and such like are called good things that is profitable expedient and by accident and in some respect and condition good Other things there bee which in their owne nature are evill and hurtfull and evils of affliction and punishment as crosses of Gods people and plagues which though they hurt and destroy the outward man and the flesh yet by God gracâ— they worke to the saving of their soules and the amendment of their lives as wee read Psalme 119. 67 71. and 1 Cor. 5. 5. and 11. 32. and in that respect are called good And the plagues and destructions which befall the wicked which to them are dreadfull and wofull evils and curses but as they tend to the deliverance of Gods Church from their 〈…〉 rsecutions and oppressions to the purging of his land and the magnifying of Gods justice and power so they are good in the issue and event and in respect of Gods purpose intending good by them Now in all these God hath an active and working band as well as a permitting will and his actuall providence ruleth in them Hee gives men the gift of continency and power over their owne wils to live single and to make themselves Eunuches for his Kingdomes sake as our Saviours words shew Matth. 19. 11 12. and the words of the Apostle 1 Cor. 7. 37. Hee cals upon men in his word and by his grace stirres them up to fasting weeping mourning and afflicting of their bodies for the greater humiliation of their soules Joel 1. 14. and 2. 12. and Zach. 12. 10. Hee doth sometimes by his owne hand afflict his people when hee sends among them sore diseases which are the stroke of his hand Job 36. 18. and Psalme 39. 10. and by his owne immediate hand hee strikes and consumes the wicked Iob 34. 25 26. as wee see in the drowning of the old World in the destruction of Pharaoh Ananias and Saphyra and divers others Sometimes hee doth by good instruments afflict and punish his people and plague and consume the wicked as by his Angell hee punished Israels sin and Davids pride 2 Sam. 24. 17. and destroyed the host of Senacherib 2 King 19. and smotte Herod Act. 12. And by Joshua Moses David destroyed the Canaanites and the Philistines and other enemies of his Church Sometimes by evill instruments hee afflicteth and punisheth his owne people and plagueth and destroyeth the wicked by Absalom and Shimei hee punished David and by wicked Jehu hee destroyed the wicked family of Ahab by Satan and the wicked Sabaeans and Chaldâ—ans hee afflicted and tryed Job and by the proud King of Ashur hee punished Israel and Judah and destroyed the Idolatrous nations as appeares Isa. 10. where hee is called the rod of Gods wrath and proud Nebuchadnezar is called his servant in punishing his people the Iewes and destroying the obstinate among them and in crushing the wicked nations Ier. 25. 9. For he in whom all doe live move and have all being Act. 17. 28. gave to those wicked Kings power and might and though their owne lusts and unsatiable desire and ambition stirred them up and so â—he act was in the wicked themselves yet hee over-ruled and disposed their malice to performe his purpose and to execute his most just judgements And thus wee see that Gods actions are most wise and just in those evils which hee executeth by wicked instruments and that which they doe with a wicked mind and for an evill end God doth justly give them power to doe and permits them to abuse his power to their owne ends when hee purposeth to direct all to a good end and so doth And therefore though no evill is done in the World but by his providence yet is hee no author or efficient cause of sin the sinfulnesse of the action is of the evill instruments and the power of it and the disposing of it to good that onely is Gods And although men who are limited by Gods law may doe no least sin or evill for a good end that greatest good may come thereof and if they doe it is sin in them yet God who is supreme Lord of all and whose will is the rule of all righteousnesse and who by his omnipotency can raise out of the greatest evill a farre greater good and can make the Divels malice and mans fall the occasion of bringing Christ into the World and a way to shew his infinite goodnesse and mercy in saving and redeeming his elect and to magnifie his glorious power and justice in their eyes by destroying the wicked with eternall destruction the sight whereof brings them to a more full fruition of his glory and makes them farre more sensible of his goodnesse to them and of their owne eternall blessednesse hee may doe what seemes good to his heavenly wisedome and evill so farre as he willeth it and hath an hand in the ordering of it is no sin but doth more shew his goodnesse and unspotted purity and holinesse The third thing is that God by his actuall providence disposeth all things which are done in the World
Of the nakadnesse of Adam and Eve Doctr. 3. The creation perfect Vse 1. Acknowledge Gods bounty Vse 2. In Christ the glory of out bodies shall be restored Vse 3. Gen. 1. 28. The condition of our first Parents In five particulars 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Of the blessing of fruitfulnesse What the word signifieth 1. 2. Bodily blessings of two soâ—â—s 1. 2. The earth how subdued by Adam 1. 2. 3. Doctr. 〈◊〉 Procreation of children a speciall blessing Vse 1. Vse 2. Syri 〈…〉 s. Doctr. 2. Marriage free for all men Vâ—â— 1. Vse 2. Against Popish virginity and vowes Ob. Answ. 3. Doct. Reas. 1. Reas. 2. Vse 1. Vse 2. Doctr. 4. The whole earth given to Man Vse 1. Of leading Colonies into other parts Vse 2. Against three sorts of men 1. 2. II. Dominion over all living creatures Requisites to it 1. 2. 3. 4. Degrees of it 1. 2. Dominion unlimited And limited Here meant Restored in Christ 1. 2. III. The food of man in the creation Doctr. 1. God the onely absolute Lord of all Vse 2. Vse 3. Doctr. 2. Vse 1. Vse 2. Doctr. 3. Vse IV. Mans habitation in the state of innocency Gen. 2. 8. 〈◊〉 2. 3. Eden what 4. 〈◊〉 The rivers in it 1. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. 4. Opinion 1. Comment in Genes cap. 2. Opinion 2. Opinion 3. Opinion 4. Opinion 5. Opinion 6. Opinion 7. Opinion 8. Opinion 9. Opinion 10. Opinion 11. Opinion 12. Doctrine Best mens opinion is uncertaine Vse Of the tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evill Why the tree of life 1. 2. 3. 4. Of what life 1. 2. 3. How of the knowledge of good and evill Doctr. 1. Gods great bounty to man Vse Vse 2. Doctr. 2. No idlenesse allowed Vse Detest it therefore Doctr. 3. A contentfull estate in innocency 1. 2. Vse God no way the cause of mans sin Gen. 1 26. Opinion of the image and likenesse of God What the word mage signifies 〈◊〉 2. Zelem Two things in an image 1. 2. Demuth 1. 2. Image of God naturall and supernaturall Phil. 2. Differences betweene the image of the first and second Adam 1. 2. Rom. 8. 35. Ioh. 4. 14. and 14. 16. 2 Cor. 3. 18. Ioh. 4. 4. 2 Cor. 1. 22. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Images essentiall and accidentall 1. 2. Naturall And supernaturall 〈◊〉 1. Man made after Gods image how 1. 2. Particulars wherein the image of God stood Conformity of Adam to God In soule 1. In the substanâ—e o 〈…〉 t. 2. In the naturall faculties of it 1. 〈◊〉 Rom. 2. 2 Sam. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In body 1. 2. Vse 1. Riches of Gods bountie to man 2. Vse Not to stick in received opinions as unerring Act. 5. Vse 3. Of confutation of erroneous opinions Vse 4. Excellency of man to be hence noted Object of providence What the word signifieth 1. 2. 3. Proofe that providence is Texts of Scripture which set forth Gods actuall providence Arg. 1. Arg. 2. Arg. 3. Vse Of confutation and â—eproofe Description of Gods actuall providence Parts 1. Enchirid. ad Laur. c. 95. 2. Branches in particular 1. 2. Rom. 3. 8. 3. Gods actuall providence is generall or speciall 1. Gods conservation of his creatures 1. By Succession 2. By mutation 2. Gods destroying of creatures Gods governing of his creatures 1. By motion And by direction of all motions 2 By cohibition Gods speciall providence Described Vse 1. Comfoâ— to the faithfull Who learne also to bee thankfull Vse 2. Terrour to the wicked
under death The time of the creation as here I take it in generall is not onely the first moment of time as in this verse it signifies but also the six dayes mentioned distinctly in the rest of the Chapter For the highest heaven and the rude matter the earth were created in the first moment of time and all other things in the space of six dayes as the historie most plainely teacheth Some besides that which I have observed from this word doe gather also that the time and moneth of the yeare in which God created the World was the seventh moneth which wee call September The ground of their conjecture is a Cabalisticall conceit of some Jewish Rabbins to wit because the letters of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth in September are the same with the letters of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies here in the beginning and therefore as the letters of the one word if they be transposed make up the other word so both words agree in one time and this beginning was in the moneth September But their ground is deceitfull First because September which is the seventh moneth is called in the pure Scripture Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 King 8. 2. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a word of the corrupt Rabbinicall Hebrew tongue and therefore Gods Spirit alluded not to it Secondly the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath the letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in it more than the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so they doe not perfectly agree Thirdly the Rabbins and Cabalists doe not agree among themselves in this conceit For some of them have another conceit that the letters of this word are the same with the two words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first or chiefe house that is the Sanctuary Others that it hath the same letters which make up the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the Covenant of fire to shew the purity of the burnt offerings made by fire And many other such conceits they have concerning this word which to repeat were losse of time I am not ignorant that some learned men and judicious divines doe hold this opinion of the worlds creation in Autumne and September but for other reasons especially because Autumne is the time when all fruits come to perfection and therefore Gods creating of all things perfect was in that time of the yeare But this is no good reason for many creatures have their perfection and glory in the Spring-time as hearbs flowers and such like And birds and beasts doe chiefely breed in the Spring and the Spring revives the things of the earth and makes them fresh and greene And the cause why many fruits come not to perfection till Autumne is the corruption of the earth and the curse laid on it for mans sinne In the creation things when they first began were perfect and so would they be in the Spring and all the yeare if man had not brought a curse upon them Therefore I leave such curious points as not needfull to be determined or if I incline to any opinion concerning the time of the yeare it is that the world was created in the Spring when the day and night are equall and both of one length in all the world that is in the moneth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abib which is part of March and part of Aprill For this God seemes to teach Exod. 12. 2. where hee injoines the Israelites to account that for the first moneth of the yeare contrary to the custome and account of the Egyptians which they had before followed The fourth thing by which the creation is described is the Object or effects that is the things created even the Heavens and the Earth and all things in them For it is said God created the heaven and the earth The fifth thing is the Forme and manner of the creation to wit by saying Let it be done and it was done this appeares vers 3 6 9. which implies also the matter and the end Now here a question may bee moved concerning this word of God whether it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word spoken and uttered with a sound like that which God spake from Mount Sinah in giving the Law or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the inbred facultie of reason and understanding or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an inward thought of God caused by outward objects or whether it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the substantiall and eternall Word the Sonne of God First it cannot be a word spoken and uttered with a sound for that requires aire as the medium of it and there was none when God said Let there be light there was no eare to heare nor any use of such words Secondly it cannot be any inward thought of God now beginning to thinke of the creation and being of things for this purpose was in God as all thoughts are from all eternity Neither is this word the Son of God now spoken that is begotten and not till now as some hereticks dreamed and this saying of God the begetting of the Son For the Son is God the creatour coequall and coeternallo the Father and that God which said Let there be light and Let there be a firmament c. Wherefore the true meaning of that speech is this That as God the Father Son and Holy Ghost had decreed and purposed from all eternity to create all things out of nothing so in the beginning in the first moment of time the Father by his eternall Word the Son and by his Spirit not as instruments but chiefe agents with himselfe did actually put his decree in execution and that so quickly as a word can bee spoken with the tongue which hath before been conceived in the heart and that all was done at Gods beck and command most easily without any toiâ—e or labour and that as the word spoken is the revealing of mans will so the creation was the declaring of Gods eternall will and purpose by the open execution of it and in a word that God by his Wisedome Will Goodnesse and Power which are his attributes by which as by a speaking word hee is made knowne to men did create and make all things and for an end not in vaine for his word is never in vaine Now from these things laid down plainly in the words of this first verse and in the verses following wee may gather this description of creation in generall viz. That it is the first outward act or worke of God Almighty the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost performed in the first beginning of time by which hee immediatly brought all things out of nothing according to his eternall purpose and gave the first being to the world and every creature therein when as they were not and that by his owne infinite goodnesse wisedome power and will actually working and like a powerfull Word and
nothing is said to be performed in the beginning that is in the first part or moment of time Hence some profitable Doctrines arise and here some questions offer themselves to be discussed First we here are taught That the whole world and all things therein even the highest and most durable heavens and the first matter of the visible world had a beginning and were not from all eternity as some Heathen Philosophers imagined This Doctrine as it is plainly affirmed in this Text which alone is proofe sufficient so other Scriptures doe aboundantly prove and confirme it John 17. 24. our Saviour saith that God the Father loved him before the foundation of the world Ephes. 1. 4. the Apostle saith that God hath chosen us in Christ before the foundation of the world And 1 Pet. 1. 20. it is said that Christ was ordained before the foundation of the world And Prov. 8. 23. the Wisdome of God saith I was set up from everlasting before the earth was or ever the heavens were prepared These and such other Scriptures which mention things before the first beginning and foundation of the world doe most evidently shew that neither the world nor any part thereof was from eternity but with time and in time began And if this be not sufficient to satisfie Atheists who refuse to beleeve God or his Word naturall reason it selfe is able to prove it against them by their owne Principles which they grant First they acknowledge that whatsoever is corruptible or mutable by nature must needs have a beginning and cannot be eternall Now it is manifest that the whole world and all things therein are by nature corruptible and changeable and whatsoever therein is constant unchangeable and incorruptible it is so not by any naturall power in it selfe but of the free grace of God in Christ. The Angels the most glorious creatures and the spirits and soules of men which are created of nothing they are changeable by nature as appeares by the fall of the Divell and mans fall and corruption and therefore it is said that hee charged his Angels with folly to wit them that did fall and to the rest which stand he added light even supernaturall light of his sanctifying Spirit Job 5. And although the wisest of the Heathen Philosophers did gather from the constant course of the visible heavens and the starres that the heavens were incorruptible and unchangeable yet experience hath taught the contrary and it is found by long observation of Astronomers that there are many fixed starres and strange comets or blazing starres generated in the heavens farre above the Moon which appeare for a time and after doe vanish away as the late blazing starre in Anno 1618. was found to be by certaine demonstration But for the inferiour Elements under heaven and the creatures therein every eye sees them to be in daily change and alteration and to have no constancie in them Therefore the world is not from all eternity Secondly that which is eternall hath no cause subsisting before it nor any superiour to over-rule order and dispose it but is absolute of it selfe And that which hath such a preceding and superiour cause authour and disposer must needs have and receive a beginning from another Now such is the world and all things therein the world and the whole course of it is over-ruled and disposed by God as every eye may see For whereas it is the nature of Summer to be hot when the Sunne which is the fountain and cause of light and heat is most present with us God at his pleasure for the sins of men doth turne our Summers heats into cold Winter stormes and doth drown our Harvests with immoderate raine in the midst of the dry scorching dog-daies as we have found of late yeares So hee makes fruitfull lands barren when they are best tilled and the barren wildernesse hee turnes into a fruitfull field and the desart into springs of water Also daily experience doth teach us that things which naturally serve for health are sometimes turned to poyson that which enricheth one doth impoverish another and that which hurteth one doth help another All which shew that God over-rules the world and that all things are under his hand and he is the supreme cause and disposer of all Yea if we observe all parts of the world we shall see that the earth and the sea are ruled much by the heavens and the heavens are moved by some superiour power Therefore the world is not eternall without cause or beginning These and such arguments and experiments convinced the Heathen Philosophers and Poets and forced them to confesse that the world was not eternall but made in the beginning of time as appeares in Hermes Trismegistos Pythagoras Plato Orpheus Sophocles Homer and others And even Aristotle himselfe though he affirmed stiffely the worlds eternity and did oppose the fictions of Plato and others concerning the making of the world of a matter which was before existing and without beginning yet at length he was forced to confesse and doth in divers of his bookes that God is the authour and preserver of the whole universall world as appeares lib. de mundo lib. 2. de gener corr This admonisheth us not to set our hearts on the world nor content our soules with such things as are therein but to looke up higher to a better portion if we desire full satisfaction and true contentment and felicity indeed He that builds on a foundation which of it selfe may faile and needs a supporter it selfe he can never dwell safely and securely but in continuall feare that his house will fall on his head neither can he sleep in peace till he hath laid a deeper and surer foundation under that Now here we see the world is a moveable foundation it was not from eternity but had a beginning and the being of it hangs on an higher cause even God And therefore let us not set our hearts on the world nor make it our portion but looke up to God and set our affections on him and seeke to him to be our portion for he onely can fill our soules and he is and hath been and shall be for ever the same and in him is no variablenesse nor shadow of turning Secondly this truth serves to arme us against all temptations of Sathan and all cunning sophistications of Atheists which tend to shake our faith in this point of the worlds beginning and to make us thinke that the world hath been from all eternity we have here a sure foundation from Gods infallible Word and strong reasons also to confirme our hearts in this doctrine and therefore let no cavills of opposers trouble our hearts Yea that we may more cleerly see and more firmly beleeve this truth without doubting I will briefly shew the weaknesse of the best arguments which are brought to the contrary and so will remove those clouds and mists out of the way
immediatly going before it Secondly the creation it selfe Thirdly the consequents which followed upon it In the preparation wee may observe three distinct things First Gods counsell and resolution for mans well being Verse 18 Secondly Gods setting of the Man a worke to view the creatures and to exercise his reason and naturall wisedome in naming them Verse 19. Thirdly the inequality which Adam found in the creatures and the unfitnesse of them for his conversation Verse 20. First Moses brings in the Lord God consulting with himselfe and according to his eternall Counsell concluding that it was not good for Man to bee alone and resolving that hee will make an helpe meet for him For these words And God said are not to be understood of any sound of words uttered by God but of Gods eternall Counsell purpose and fore-knowledge now beginning to manifest it selfe by outward action and execution as a mans mind is manifested by his speech The things which God foreknew in his counsell and purposed are two First that it was not good for man to bee alone Secondly that hee would make an helpe meet for him Hence it may seeme strange which God saith that any thing which he had made should not be good For did not hee make man alone and single at the first And did not hee make every thing good especially man created in his owne image Was not the image of God in which hee created man fully and perfectly good To this doubt I answer that the Man was created good and perfect after the likenesse of God and there was no defect in his being and substance But yet as all other creatures though they were made good and there was no evill in them yet they were not so good as man so man though as hee was created in the image of God was good yea in goodnesse farre excelled other earthly creatures yet hee was not so good but that hee might bee made more good and created in an image of God more excellent then that wherein hee was first made even in the holy image of the heavenly Adam Christ which farre excels and is immutable Yea wee finde by experience that many things which are good in themselves are not good for all purposes fire is good in it selfe and for many uses but not to bee eaten and so many other creatures are good as the flesh of beasts for mans meat but not without bread and salt nor raw So man was created good and fit to rule all other living creatures even considered alone in himselfe but it was not good for the bringing of all Gods purposes to passe that man should bee alone it was farre better that a Woman should bee created meet for him for the procreation of mankind for the increase of Gods Church and for the incarnation of Christ and the bringing forth of him the blessed seed of the Woman in whom God reveales all his goodnesse and good pleasure Here then wee may learne two points of instruction First that as God from all eternity in his eternall councell immutably purposed so in the first creation of man hee shewed that hee intended all things which hee hath brought to passe in and by the incarnation of Christ and in the gathering together of his elect Church by Christ and that hee had in his purpose the exaltation of man to an higher and better estate then that in which hee first created him For it is most cleare and manifest that Adam being created in the image of God in all uprightnesse and perfection of nature and having all the visible World to view and to contemplate upon Gods wisedome and workmanship therein and all the creatures to rule over and all things necessary for worldly delight needed no more for naturall and earthly felicity But yet for all this God said it was not good that man should bee alone that is it was not good for that which God intended that is for the obtaining of eternall felicity in and by Christ and for the full manifestation of Gods goodnesse and glory in and upon mankind This is that truth which is so often testified by our Saviour and his Apostles where they tell us that God prepared a Kingdome for his elect from the beginning of the World and that as an elect number was chosen in Christ before the foundation of the World so Christs incarnation ' death satisfaction and mediation were ordained before all worlds as Matth. 25. 34. and Eph. 1. 4. First this sheweth against all Atheists Pagans and Hereticks that nothing comes to passe by chance nothing without the foresight and foreknowledge of God but hee saw before hee created the World what should befall every creature and without his will permitting no evill comes to passe without his wil ordaining and his hand working no good can come to any creature all things are according to his foreknowledge and there is no place for idle suppositions of vainemen Secondly as the wicked may here for their terrour take notice that all their evil deeds are foreseene and foreknowne of God and hee hath just vengance laid up in store for them So the godly may comfort themselves against all Calumnies Slanders and false witnesses all are knowne to God and hee will in the end make the truth knowne and bring their cause to light Thirdly wee are hereby stirred up to all diligence in Gods service and that betimes seeing God hath so long before hand ordained and prepared all good things for us All our time spent in praise and thanks before him is nothing to the time wherein hee hath shewed love to us in preparing good for us before and from the beginning of the World Secondly in that it is said of man created in Gods image in full perfection of nature that it was not good that hee should bee alone Hence wee learne that the image of God and the state wherein man was first created is not absolutely the best which man can have but that in Christ there is a better image and a more excellent state and condition provided for him which is best of all This is fully proved 1 Cor. 15. where the Apostle shewes that the image of the heavenly Adam is farre above the image of the earthly and that the Kingdome which is prepared in Christ for the elect is such as flesh and bloud that is naturall man cannot inherite This shewes that wee gaine more by Christ then wee lost in Adam and God by mans fall is become more bountifull to mankind And wee who in Christ have our hope have no cause to repine at Gods decreeing willing and suffering of mans fall nor to bee impatient under the afflictions which thereby come upon us seeing the end of all is glory and blisse and a crowne too high and precious for Adam in the state of innocency The second thing in Gods councell and purpose is that hee will make an helpe meet for man Here
Prov. 12. 24. and makes their substance precious Verse 27. and their soules fat Prov. 13. 4. and causeth even women to bee praised in the gates Prov. 31. And that man is by nature active and cannot brooke idlenesse it appeares plainely by the stirring nature of children who are never quiet nor content unlesse they bee busied one way or other and by the restlessenesse which is in wicked men who devise mischiefe on their beds and have working heads and cannot cease from doing something rather evill exercises then bee idle Now this being a manifest truth may justly provoke and stirre us up to loath and abhorre idlenesse sloth and lazinesse as speciall marks and igominious brands of naughty persons miserably degenerated from humane nature and from the frame and disposition wherein they were at the first created by God It was not good for Adam in innocency to live idly and without exercise but hee must bee busied as in mind by contemplation on Gods works so in body by ruling the creatures dressing and keeping the garden when aboundance of all things flowed to him without toile or labour much more will it be hurtfull dangerous and pernicious to us who are a people corrupted and in our whole frame out of order perverse and froward If wee give way to sloth and idlenesse for if wee labour not wee cannot have what to eat but poverty will come upon us like an armed man If wee bee idle and negligent in honest and good labour our perverse rebellious and restlesse nature will lead us into evill exercises and wicked works As standing lakes of water grow corrupt stinking and unwholesome and ground not laboured stirred up and tilled will bring forth corrupt stinking weeds bryars thornes and thistles So our corrupt nature if it bee not exercised and busied about vertuous actions and profitable labours will grow more corrupt noysome and filthy and will carry us away into frowardnesse vanity and sinfull practises which will make us loathsome to God and men and will speedily plunge us into misery and eternall perdition Thirdly wee here see and are plainely taught that man in innocency had aboundance of all good things needfull for profit pleasure and full contentment and wanted nothing which could bee required for earthly happinesse to make him blessed in this World and fully content with his estate and condition First his reason and understanding could not conceive neither did hee know any good which hee wanted and did not possesse whereof hee was by nature capable all wordly goods hee had at will and of heavenly and spirituall good which was supernaturall hee had no knowledge nor understanding Secondly hee had all provocations to move him to serve God and all bonds to tye and knit his heart in love to God and to make him wholly obedient to God and dutifull and serviceable to him in his whole heart and soule body mind and strength Hee had food at will most sweet wholesome and delicate in all variety and aboundance without any care toile or labour the Earth brought it forth of her owne accord the wholesome and pure aire did cherish it and the Sun and Heavens by their warme influence did ripen perfect and prepare it to his hand Hee had a most pleasant dwelling a garden beautified with all earthly ornaments and a Paradise of pleasure and delight Hee was high in honour dignity and promotion above all living creatures both by Sea and Land and had rule and Dominion over them all His exercise was without toile labour or paine sweet and pleasant Hee had for the exercise of his minde all Gods works the contemplation whereof might fill his soule with delight and joy in God his Creatour and for the exercise of his bodily strength and activity hee had the dressing and keeping of the garden which was a worke of pleasure and delight not of paines and labour for it needed no digging planting culture or tillage his businesse also was without care and feare for there were no theeves to annoy him no evill beasts to hurt and spoile his garden and to trouble waste his habitation so that without further proofe this Doctrine is most cleare in and from the text The consideration whereof is of excellent use to confirme us in this assurance perswasion and beliefe that God in no respect any cause or Author of mans sin and fall neither did give him the least occasion of discontent with his present estate that by seeking to soare up higher hee should catch a fearefull downefall into sin and bring himselfe in bondage to death Hell and the Divell For wee see God gave him all occasions and aboundance of blessings as strong provocations to provoke him to love his heavenly Majesty and as firme bands to bind and tye him to obedience It was the Divell who first breathed pride into man to aspire and soare above his estate and suggested into his heart evill surmises and thoughts of God that God did seeke to keepe him from a better estate by restraining him from the tree of knowledge which by eating of the fruit thereof hee might obtaine and become like to God Wherefore let no man charge God with giving the least occasion of discontent to man to provoke him to sin but let us bee humbled with the sight of our owne mutability frailty and vanity who in our first Parents and best estate were so fragile and mutable and much more now being corrupted and made subject to vanity and slaves of corruption CHAP. XV. Of the image of God on man in innocency Sundry opinions of it What the word signifieth Zelem and Demuth Image of God naturall and supernaturall Differences betweene the image of the first and second Adam Images essentiall and accidentall Particulars of Gods image on Adam in soule and body Vses of all ANd God said Let us make man in our image after our likenesse Verse 27. So God created man in his owne image in the image of God created hee him Male and female created hee them The generall Doctrine of the creation of our first Parents in the image of God I have heretofore laid open out of these words It now remaines that I proceed to the Doctrine and Description of that image of God in the speciall and particular points thereof which I reserved to the last place because it is the maine thing which discovers to us the excellent state of man in innocency As for the blessing of fruitefulnesse for the increase of mankind and mans Dominion over the creatures plenty and variety of bodily food and a pleasant habitation the earthly Paradise they are but externabona outward benefits but the image of God containes in it internall blessings of the soule of the whole man as well as externall outward benefits therefore I have first dispatched them now come to that image of God in which did consist the highest pitch of mans naturall perfection felicity In
it is a fit subiect for a reasonable Soule and the principall parts of it fit instruments for the severall faculties of the Soule whereby to performe their many and severall workes and operations the wisedome power and goodnesse of God did shine forth of mans body more then in all visible creatures and the Image of God appeared in it Mans eyes sight and all outward senses did represent Gods omniscience and knowledge of all things his hands did shew and represent Gods power to do and worke whatsoever he will his armes did represent Gods strength and power to save his People and to destroy his enemies The beauty comelinesse naturall majesty which appeared in mans body upright stature by which he did overlooke all creatures as one most fit to rule them did shew forth and represent the glory and majestie of God and his Lordship dominion providence and power by which he governs all things In a word though mans body was mutable in the Creation and state of innocency and might fall from that state yet so long as man did continue in that state and did not sin he had that lively vigour perfect temper of body which did free him from death and all evills which tend to hurt and destruction which also was able to uphold him in life and strength for ever if sin had not entred and so in some sort he was immortall and impassible not subject to death or any passion and suffering of hurt and evill in his body and so there was in his body some likenesse of Gods immortalitie For proofe of this wee have good arguments in Scripture First God himself sheweth that murther and shedding of mans bloud is a defacing of his Image in which he created man and for that cause he threatens revenge of murther and of violence offered to Mans bloud Gen. 9. 5 6. Now murther and shedding of mans bloud â—s a defacing of mans body therefore the body also is a secondarie Image of God Secondly the Scriptures which set forth Gods attributes and workings by severall parts of mans body as his omniscience and providence by Eyes Psal. 33. 18. 2. Cron. 16. 9. his activity and working by Hands as Exod. 15. 16. Psal. 44. 3. Isa. 51. 9. his love and mercy by Bowells as Isa. 63. 15. Jer. 31. 20. his punishing and revenging Iustice by breath of mouth and nostrills Psal. 38. 15. and Isa. 11. 4. his secret thoughts counsells and purposes by Heart Psal. 33. 11. his utterance of his mind and will by Mouth Jer. 9. 12. these Metaphors do shew that the body of man and chiefe parts of it have some similitude of Gods attributes and workes and so mans body is secondarily the Image and likenesse of God Thirdly the Scriptures shew that death is the wages of Sin and all mortality and subjection to evills and passions which tend to hurt and corruption came in by mans disobedience and fall as appears Rom. 5. 12. and 6. 23. and by Gods commination Gen. 2. 19. But in the Creation and state of innocencie man had in him no Sin nor any inclination of himself to any evill or Sin therefore he was after a sort â—mmortall and incorruptible in his body and had even in it a similitude of Gods immortality Fourthly the body was in all things conformable to the Soule fit and ready in all things to follow the motions of the Soule to be directed and moved by the upright reason will and affections and to doe all workes unto which they move it and therefore as the Soule was made in the primary Image and likenesse so the body in the secondary Image and likenesse of God Lastly to conclude this doctrine of Gods Image in which man was created wee may not unfitly affirme and with good reason hold that though man in the state of innocency before the promise of Christ had no Supernaturall gifts nor any part of the Spirituall Image of the second Adam but was onely a perfect naturall man and not immediatly proximâ potentiâ capable of supernaturall grace nor of the Divine nature yet because his nature and whole frame was such as had a possibility or remote power to be made partaker of the Holy Ghost united to God in Christ and made pattaker of the Divine nature and a new creature or new man framed after God therefore he in this respect may be said to be Created in the Image of God that is in such a forme and of such a nature as had a possibility to become like unto Christ and a new creature made in the Spirituall Image of God Now this Doctrine of Gods Image briefly and compendiously proved in all parts is of excellent use First this discovers the infinite riches of the bounty of God passing all bounds and declares his goodnesse to be like a great deep which can never be sounded in that he hath overcome all our evill and malice towards him with his great goodnesse to us and and when wee had forfeited our being and his Image in which he created us good and perfect with all naturall perfections and did justly deserve to degenerate and be turned into the Image of the Divell and to become in the likenesse of his malice and and misery he out of his owne meere mercy and free grace and bounty did give his Sonne and the Sonne did freely undertake to humble himself to become a second Adam made in a better Image even an heavenly and spirituall that he might not onely suspend the execution of Gods just sentence upon mankind and procure to the first Adam and all his posterity the continuance of their naturall being for a time and of some reliques of the Image which they had wholly forfeited but also might renue a great number chosen out of mankind and restore them to a better even an heavenly Image by transforming and changing them into his spirituall and supernaturall Image and making them conformable to it and partakers of the Divine nature by the mysticail dwelling and powerfull operation of his spirit in them Here is that which may dazle the eyes of men and the sight of Angells when they looke into it and which may astonish all hearts of men and confound all humane reason when they thinke of it and heare it preached That God infinitely just and holy to hate and punish Sin should by our evill and Sin committed against him and his just will and Law take occasion to be more good and to shew greater goodnesse to us and when wee deserved to have no being but in Hell and eternall misery hath raised us up to the spirituall state of grace from which we cannot be hurled and cast downe by all the powers of darkenesse and by which wee shall ascend to the blessed state of Heavenly and Eternall glory Here is love surpassing all knowledge the depth whereof wee may admire and adore in silence but neither can our hearts conceive nor our tongues expresse the