The Pattern of Perfection Exhibited in Gods Image on Adam, Part 1 · Section 2
§. 2.
NOw wee come to the particular unfolding of this image: and the point is this;
Doct. The image of God was imprinted in the whole man. God ſayes not,Gods image in the whole ſoule. Let us make a body, or a ſoule, but man in our image. It was not with Adam as with children, in regard of their naturall parents; If the child bee but eyed like his father, wee ſay, He hath a brow like his father, and nothing elſe. It was not thus with Adam; but as it is with the picture of a man, if it bee drawne to the full proportion, there is a reſemblance in every part, ſo it was with him; there was never a part of his body or ſoule, but there was in them a proportion of thoſe vertues, which are in God infinitely, Gen. 2. ult. They ſaw themſelves naked, and were not aſhamed; the meaning is, The eye of their conſciences ſaw nothing within to aſhame them, the eye of their bodies ſaw nothing without that was ſhamefull: but when they had ſinned, not only the eye of their conſciences was open to accuſe them for ſin, but the eye of their bodies aſhamed to behold that ſtained which before was void of blemiſh.
Qu. What reaſons may bee alledged to prove this?
Anſw. The reaſons are three:
1. Looke where ſin takes place after the nature of man defiled, there was the image of God before; now ſinne reignes in the whole man. Sinne and the image of God are both of a breadth. The privation of a thing can bee no where, but where the thing was; blindneſſe is no where, but where ſight was, or might have beene; death is no where, but where life was, or might have beene: ſo ſin could be no where, but where the image of God was, or might have beene. Sinne is like leaven, that leaveneth the whole lumpe: there is no whole part in man from the crowne of the head to the ſole of the foot, therefore the image of God was in the whole man. Matth. 15.1…. Out of the heart come evill thoughts: There is the throne of ſinne: but Rom. 6.12. Let not ſinne reigne in your mortall bodies. Thus is the kingdome of ſin deſcribed: for that a man is as it is, full of all unrighteouſneſs, Rom. 1. The heart is full of malice, and the hand is full of bloud; the heart is adulterous, and the eye wanton; the members, the members of an Harlot (as the Apoſtle ſpeaks:) for if profaneneſſe be once in the heart, the hand is full of miſchiefe. If then the whole man bee deprived of Gods image by ſinne, then the whole man had the image of God before ſinne.
Reaſ. 2. The image of God was reſtored to the whole man by Chriſt. What Chriſt reſtores, that Adam had. Chriſt renewes what was before made: now Chriſt reſtores the whole man by ſanctification; which is clear by Scripture. For it is called to this purpoſe the new man; not a new eye, or a new hand, but the new man. Thoſe are two pregnant places, 1 Theſ. 5.23. The God of peace ſanctifie you throughout, and I pray that your whole ſpirit and ſoule and body may be blameleſſe unto the comming of Chriſt. and 2 Cor. 5.17. He that is in Chriſt is a new creature. He is not a monſter, but a creature. This new creature hath all the parts of a creature: New thoughts, new endevours; the eye ſees chaſtely▪ the tongue talkes holily; all things are new both in body and ſoule. If then the whole man had the image of God repaired, then the whole man had the image of God created.
Reaſ. 3. Becauſe the whole nature of man was bound to the Law to obey it, therefore it muſt be fitted by the image of God to obey it. That all parts are under the law, it is cleare: the Scripture provides a precept for every part: The eye muſt not luſt, The hand muſt labour, Let him that ſtole ſteale no more, but work with his hands, Eph. 4.28. The Law hath a charge likewiſe for the tongue, Let your words bee gracious, Col. 3. Thus the Law reaches to the out-ſide; and for the in-ſide▪ it is cleare, Thou ſhalt love the Lord thy God with all thy ſoule, with all thy ſtrength, &c. Unleſſe the whole man had had the image of God, it could not have obeyed the Law: Otherwiſe, the damned in hell, or the wicked could obey Gods Law; the ſoule is the ſame in ſubſtance, ſo that if the ſoule as it is a ſoul, could obey the Law, the damned in hell might. It was not Adams ſoule, but the image of God, that inabled him to obedience, therefore he muſt have this image, before either his body, or ſoule could obey. A man ſpeakes Latine, not becauſe he is a man, but becauſe he is a ſchollar: a man builds an houſe cunningly, not becauſe he is a man (for then every man might doe it) but by man might doe it, but by vertue of the cunning of a Carpenter: it is not the ſoule in regard of the eſſence of it, it is not the body in regard of the being thereof, that inables a man to keepe the Law. The Devils in hell have an Underſtanding, and Will, but they cannot love God: The eſſence of the ſoule will not doe it, but the frame that God puts into it.
Uſe. The uſe in Generall is this:
A triall of true ſanctification.Thou mayeſt hereby perceive whether thou wert ever ſanctified: for if ſo, thou haſt the image of God in thee, and if it bee in thee, it is imprinted upon thy whole man; ſo Adam had it, ſo Chriſt renewes it. 1 Pet. 1.15. Be holy in all manner of converſation. It is not enough to have an outſide, this is no argument of true grace; but if ever thou beeſt ſanctified, all is made new. Hee that is in Chriſt is a new creature. It is a monſtrous thing to have the eye of a Saint, and the heart of a Devill; to have the hands of Eſau, and the voyce of Jacob; to howle and cry for ſin, and yet to retaine our old corruptions. This is not to bee renewed, but to be patched up, a piece holy, and a piece unholy. Away with theſe appearances; if ever you be ſanctified, the whole man muſt be changed. When ever a man comes to meddle with a gracious man, he ſhall find him of another mould. It befalls wicked men as it did NebuchadneZZars image; the head was gold, but the feet dirt: ſo men have an outward profeſſion, an head of gold, but follow them home, and there you ſhall find their feet dirt. Cozening, and cheating prevailes over them. It is with carnall men often, as with NebuchadneZZar, Dan. 5. who had the ſhape of a man, but the heart of a beaſt, that is, beaſtly affections: ſo men have the viſage of Chriſtians, but yet ſuch uncleane and proud hearts, that ſcarce Beelzebub himſelfe hath worſe. God does perfect bis worke: a good man hath the heart of a Saint, and tongue of a Saint.