The Pattern of Perfection Exhibited in Gods Image on Adam, Part 1 · Section 5
§. 5.
Queſt. WHat is righteouſneſſe?
Righteouſneſſe, what it is.Anſw. The ſecond part of the ſpirituall image put into Adam, whereby hee could love himſelfe as hee ought, and his neighbour as himſelfe.
In the deſcription there are three things.
1. It is the ſecond part of Gods image in the will. Holineſſe fitted Adam to goe to God, yet, of it ſelfe, it could not fit him to love his brother, therefore hee muſt have another frame, that is, of righteouſneſſe.
Againe, it is beyond the power of the ſoule to performe ſpirituall love to his brother; therefore it muſt have this part of Gods image in it: 1 Joh. 4.7. Love is of God: to love another holily, is beyond the power and faculty of nature. Indeed, a man may love another carnally, as adulterers; and naturally, as creatures; but to love another ſpiritually, hee muſt have power from God. There is a double cunning of the hand (as David uſeth the word) a cunning to play on an inſtrument,Pſa. 137. and a cunning to write; now the cunning of the one will not make a man skilfull in the other: ſo there is a double cunning put into the heart of Adam; the firſt Of holineſſe, whereby hee could love God above all: the ſecond, Of righteouſneſſe, whereby he could love himſelfe as hee ought, and his neighbour as himſelfe.
2. The ſecond part of the deſcription was, By this he was fitted to love himſelfe as he ought. The ground of all lawfull love comes from ſelf-love, if it be pure. There is a ſelfe-love required; nay, if it be right, it is the ſtandard of all love to another: He that loveth himſelfe as he ſhould, will be diſpoſed to love another. Love lookes firſt at that which is moſt good to me; as to my honour (which is a greater good to me) before the honour of another man. It is true, what was ſaid of David, 2 Sam. 21.Thou art better then ten thouſand of us, that was in regard of his place and office: but take a man as a particular perſon, and my good is better to me then another mans.
Queſt. How ſhould a man love himſelfe?
Anſ. This love is bounded by three things:Selfe-love how to be bounded. by a right
Order,
Meaſure,
Manner.
1. A man muſt love himſelfe in a right order, and that you muſt underſtand in three rules.
Rule 1. He muſt love himſelfe in the ſecond place, God in the firſt, Pro. 3.9. Honour the Lord with the firſt fruits of thy increaſe. Mat. 6.33.Firſt ſeeke the kingdome of heaven, all elſe muſt be ſerved after God. In the old law it was required, that God ſhould have the firſt fruits of a mans vintage. We muſt beſtow the chiefeſt of our love and delight on God: we muſt love Gods honour in the firſt place, our owne in the ſecond, Mat. 22.38. This is the firſt and greateſt commandement, To love God with all our heart: The ſecond is like unto this, Thou ſhalt love thy neighbour as thy ſelfe.
2. He muſt love himſelfe with a ſubordinate degree of love: but in the love of God he muſt put forth the utmoſt of his ſtrength. In the old law, hee that brought a ſacrifice, was to bring a male, Mal. 1. ult. Curſed be the man that hath a male in his flocke, and offereth a female to the Lord, The male is the ſtronger, the female the weaker. All our prayers and ſervices unto God, muſt bee male; but female love and deſire will ſerve our ſelves. God required in the old law, that the ſacrifices ſhould not be ſhorn: our ſacrifices are our duties to God, (they are the males we muſt offer) we may not ſheare our joy and delight, but let them go with their fleeces on, that is, in their full ſtrength to God; but when we come to our ſelves, we may ſheare our love.
3. A man is to love himſelfe in God, and for God. Adam was to love Gods image in himſelfe, as a ſtep to conveigh him more ſpeedily to the love of God. What wouldeſt thou love in thy ſelfe? thine honour? Get thee to a wiſe and glorious God, and love his glory more. Doſt thou love thy life? Oh love the life of God, who is a living God, Rom. 9.3. I could wiſh to bee Anathema for my brethren, &c. Seeing that the Jewes would fall to the diſhonour of God, hee did ſo prize the honour of God, that he could wiſh himſelfe to be accurſed, that they might ſtand. This was the cauſe hee loved the glory of God above all.
Adam had power to love himſelfe in a right meaſure. This I referre to all thoſe things, which concerne Adam in compariſon with his fellow brethren.
In this right meaſure two rules are to be attended.
1. Adam was to love all things belonging to himſelf, with a love proportionable to them: He was to proportion his love ſutable to the nature of the things. As one exceeded another in goodneſſe, ſo hee was to exceed in love towards them. Thoſe things that were of the choiceſt nature, on them he was to beſtow the choiceſt affections; as for example, Adam was to love his life, honour, and good name, according to their nature: A man muſt love his life above his wealth, and the good of his ſoule above his life. As in a paire of ſcales the heavier the waight is in the one, the more weight we put into the other, if wee would have them even: ſo, anſwerable to the love that was in any thing, Adam was to weigh out an agreeable proportion of love. The happineſſe of the ſoule is everlaſting, therefore he was to beſtow unchangeable love upon it: but wealth and riches are mutable, therefore mutable affections wil ſerve them; we muſt ſo love them, as to be content to leave them. Thy wife is dearer then thy kinſman, weigh out the affections of matrimony to thy wife, of friendſhip to thy kinſman. The credit of the world is good, but it is but a ſmall good; weigh out but a little meaſure of love to it. The woman ſicke of a bloudy iſſue ſpent all ſhe had to ſave her life; and ſhall not a man ſpend his life to ſave his ſoule.
Rule 2. We ought to love our owne perſonall good, more then the good of another. All true love begins at home: I muſt love mine own honour, more then the honour of another.
For the right underſtanding of this Rule, take notice of two cautions.
Caut. 1. I muſt alwayes compare my good with the good of another in the ſame kind: I muſt compare my life and his life, my ſoule and his ſoule: My owne ſoule is dearer to me then anothers. But if you take them not in the like quality, the rule bindes not. I muſt love the ſoule of my brother more then mine owne life. If a man might undoubtedly ſet forward the ſalvation of his brother by laying downe his life, he muſt be content to dye: ſo likewiſe I muſt love the life of my brother better then mine owne riches. But compare them in the ſame kind, and the rule holds.
Caut. 2. There muſt be no overpowring circumſtance to overſway mee, if the publicke good may bee promoted, or God may be honoured more by him then by me, in regard of his parts and place: 1 Joh. 3.16. We ought to lay downe our lives for our brethren. When God may receive more honour from another man then from me, I muſt lay downe my life to ſave his. It was requiſite a private Chriſtian, ſhould die rather then Paul the Apoſtle, becauſe hee was chiefe; if therefore a private man ſhould reſcue Paul, he muſt lay downe his life for him. 1 Sam. 18.3. The life of king David is better, then the life of a thouſand ſubjects; Gods honour may be more promoted by it. The arme will looſe it ſelfe, to ſave the head.
Rule 3. We muſt love our ſelves in a right manner;The manner of loving our ſelves. namely, in that manner that is comely and beſeeming. This makes knowne it ſelfe in theſe thre particulars: It muſt be
Really,
Fervently,
Purely.
1. Really, not in complement, but with love unfained and hearty, 1. Joh. 3.18. Let us not love in tongue, or in word, but in deed and in truth: ſo it was with Adam, hee was able to do good to himſelfe, whereas wee that are corrupt, are moſt enemies to our ſelves, when wee ſeeme moſt to love our ſelves, Pro. 8. ult. He that deſpiſeth wiſedome, *foreignlayeth violent hands upon himſelfe (ſo the word in the originall is.) Out of ſelfe-love and pride you muſt not have your baſe courſes condemned, but you hate your ſoules in deſpiſing the means. God is Jehovah, a Being God, therefore requires that mans love ſhould be reall.
2. Adam loved himſelfe fervently, 1 Pet. 1.22.as Saint Peter calls it. There was, namely, a preſſeneſſe in Adams ſpirit, whereby the whole man was carried to improve any meanes for the good of himſelfe. Adam was free from weakneſſe within, from impediment without. As in Heb. 6.10. it is called, The labour of love, ſo was Adam painfull to uſe all meanes for his good. Epheſ. 5.29. No man ever hated his owne fleſh; but nouriſheth and cheriſheth it, that is, hee imployes all meanes to helpe himſelfe: whereas wee that are corrupt, cannot inlarge our hearts in duties of love. We are ſo diſtracted, that we cannot go on freely in our occaſions, both in things that concerne God, and in things that concerne our ſelves, Rom. 7. The good we would do, we doe not.
3. Adam loved himſelfe purely, not with carnall nor ſenſuall love. He loved onelyonly that which was good in himſelfe: he loved his excellency, that ſo he might get more of it, and be fitted by it in the performance of his ſervice. There are ſixe good things belonging to a man; Honour, Life, Chaſtity, Goods, Good name, Proſperity: now Adam loved theſe, that hee might get more of them, and be fitted the better for Gods ſervice. Theſe two things Adam got by obedience: 1. more ability: 2. more dexterity in the performance of Gods command. Adam loved his honour, that he might receive more honour from others, and be more enabled to performe his duty to them; whereas we love good things for naughty ends. The covetous churle loveth his ſcraping humour, and growes more covetous: we love ſin, which we ought to abhorre, and we doe good oftentimes for bad ends; but Adam loved that which was good in himſelfe, for that good end, to get more of it. Gods people are followers after righteouſneſſe: Iſa. 51.11.More of that (Lord) more chaſtity and meekneſſe. As the beaſt that hunts his prey, purſues it ſtill with more and more eagerneſſe, ſo doth the gracious man follow after righteouſneſſe. Adam was patient, &c. but yet he deſired more: wee love good things wel, but many times uſe them ill when wee have them. A man perhaps craves honour with moderation, but he lifts up his heart, when hee hath gotten it.
Part 3. The third thing in the deſcription, is, He loved his brother as himſelfe; for quality, not for quantity. The love of himſelfe was a patern to imitate, not to equall or exceed.
Queſt. How may we know how Adam was to love his brother as himſelfe?
Anſ. The rules are two.
How to love our brother as our ſelves1. He was to weigh out love, reſpecting as well his brothers good as his owne. In 2 Kin. 1.13. the poore man was afraid that Elias would have ſlaine him, therefore he prayeth him, that his life might he precious in his eyes: as Adam was able to ſet an high price on the honour and life of his brother, ſo ſhould it be with thee: as thou deſireſt that that which is good for thee ſhould be continued, ſo ſhouldeſt thou deſire, that all good ſhould bee given to thy brother. Wert thou in diſgrace, thou wouldeſt deſire reputation: have the like deſire for the credit of thy brother. Act. 26.29. I would (ſaith S. Paul) that all that hear me this day, were altogether as I am: altogether holy, altogether aſſured of Gods love. Here is an heart, ſuch an one as Adam had in perfection: it was as if hee ſhould have ſaid, I would to God that all that heare me this day, had the like evidence of Gods goodneſſe. We ought to deſire that what good befals us, might happen to our brethren alſo, Num. 11.29. I would to God that all the people of the Lord were Prophets. So, haſt thou honour? ſay, I would to God all Gods ſervants had honour too. Is thy ſoul comforted? ſay, Oh that all Gods ſervants were ſo! we thinke our candles burne the worſe, becauſe others burne bright. This was not in Adam, and ought not to be in us; wee ſhould rejoice in the good of others, Luk. 15.8. They rejoiced with her: we muſt rejoice in the proſperity of others. Adam had the heart, to rejoice in the good of his brother, and wee ought to doe the like.
2. We muſt be painefull to promote the good of our fellow-brethren, as our own. Love is ſolicitous and full of care to provide for what is beloved. Looke what care thou wouldeſt beſtow to promote thine owne honour, or welfare, the ſame diligence muſt thou uſe, in due time and place, though not in the ſame meaſure, to procure the honour or welfare of thy brother. 1 Cor. 13.5. Love ſeekes not her owne. Gal. 5.13. Serve one another in love: Thou ſhouldſt in this caſe be a ſervant to thy brother; it ſhould be one part of thy taske, to promote his good. We all ought to take ſpeciall care of our brothers credit, for we are tearmed our brothers keepers:Gen. 4.9. yea we ſhould take the honour, life, ſafety of our brother as our charge; we muſt keep evil from him, and not ſuffer it to lye upon him, Lev. 19.17.the evill of ſinne eſpecially, ſo farre as God puts occaſion into our hands. God enjoynes not man this duty towards Scorners; Ephraim is joyned to his idols, Hoſ, 4.17.let him alone: wee muſt not caſt pearles before ſwine, Lev. 19.17. yet thou ſhalt not ſuffer thy brother to lye in ſinne. This is love in truth, to rebuke another plainely, and not to ſuffer ſinne to lye upon him.Ezek. 13. To ſow pillowes under mens elbowes, this love came from hell, it never came from righteouſneſſe.
Queſt. Why was Adam thus furniſhed with righteouſneſs?
Anſ. Becauſe he was made a ſociable creature, for the maintaining of ſociety, and propagating the Church. Love is the ſinewes of ſociety. In a building, all the parts muſt bee pinned together, otherwiſe one part will not uphold another: ſo it is in ſociety, there muſt be inlets of love to uphold it: wee muſt bee ſouldred together with loving affections, elſe there is no continuing of ſociety. The deſolation of kingdoms, the ruine of nations, whence comes it, but from want of love? Saint Paul makes love a matter of excellency, 1 Cor. 12.31. I ſhew to you a more excellent way. Adam therefore being made for ſociety, muſt bee furniſhed with this love, which was a ſpeciall meanes to helpe him therein.
The uſe is threefold.
1. It falls heavie upon many wicked and ungodly men,Malicious men have not Gods image on them. the vileneſſe of whoſe hearts is ſuch, that in ſtead of having in them righteouſneſſe and love, they have hearts full of rancour within, and tongues full of railing without. The ſting of the ſerpent is in their hearts, and the poiſon of aſps is under their lips; they regard not what they ſay againſt thoſe that feare Gods name. If righteouſneſſe bee the image of God, then envie and malice is an argument of a man whoſe heart God never wrought upon; it is a blacke brand of a childe of the Devill. In this the children of God are manifeſt from the children of the Devill. 1 Joh. 3.10. The children of God are the children of love, the children of Satan are the children of hatred. Hee that hateth his brother, is a childe of the Devill, it is manifeſt, thou maiſt conclude it undoubtedly. 1 Joh. 4.8. He that loveth not, knoweth not God: as if hee ſhould ſay, Thou that haſt no love, haſt no intereſt in God. Hatred is that wherein the kingdome of Satan conſiſts, Joh. 8.41. as for all other ſins, they are practiſed among men, but this is the trade of the Devils in hell. The Phariſees bragged that they were Abrahams children, You ſeeke to kill me, ſaith Chriſt, which Abraham did not: if you were of your father Abraham, you would doe the workes of Abraham: but marke the 44. verſe: You are of your father the Devill: for hee was a murtherer from the beginning. You have never heard, that Sathan ſtabbed a man, but his murther was, Hee maligned Adam in his innocency: this therefore is a devilliſh ſinne. Sathan doth not ſteale, neither is he drunke, but he is envious as hell. If this bee expreſſed in your converſation, know, what ever your ſtocke may be, yet you are of your father the Devill. Thoſe that ſet themſelves againſt the life and honour of their fellow brethren (for we may ſet our ſelves againſt the ſinnes of others) thoſe, I ſay, whoſe hearts ſinke at the good of their brethren, and rejoice if their goods and eſtates bee overthrowne, doe by that ſhew whence they draw their pedegree. This is the very brand of a wretch. Gal. 4.19. Iſhmael was a caſt away, as the text plainly ſpeaks: what was his guiſe? He perſecuted the ſonne of Promiſe, he perſecuted him with a railing tongue; for this the Scripture often calls perſecution: and this is the note of a man born after the fleſh, who ſhall never ſee Gods face; for the Text ſaith, Cast him out. Envie and malice is the ſinne of the Devill, and it is the note of a reprobate: the Lord therefore looke upon us, that wee ſeeing our owne miſery, may ſtrive for power againſt it, and get love from God, that we may be poſſeſſed of happineſſe with him.
Uſe 2. The ſecond uſe is of Inſtruction.Expect no friendſhip from the wicked. From the former truth we may learn what to expect at the hands of the ungodly. There is no friendſhip to bee expected from a wicked man. Love is another matter then men make of it; it is a grace above nature, which no man can expreſſe, unleſſe God put this image into the ſoule. Love comes from righteouſneſſe; We had as good look for honey in an hornets neſt, or in a ſerpents den, or ſweet fruit from a crab-ſtocke, as love from an unrighteous man: unleſſe the root of righteouſneſſe bee within, love cannot bee without, 1 Pet. 1.22. You that have purified your hearts, &c. love one another with a pure heart. Firſt we muſt have an heart purified by the ſpirit, and then we muſt love one another: if purity be not within, love cannot be without; therefore delude not your ſelves. If thou ſeeſt a mans life profane, let him pretend what kindneſſe he wil, let him promiſe golden mountaines, he will never love thee. David behaved himſelfe wiſely, ſo that Saul confeſſed him to be righteous; yet unrighteouſneſſe was in Sauls heart, and he (againſt reaſon) perſecuted him as a partridge on the mountaines. Judas, that lived in the boſome of our Saviour, and never received evill from him, (which a man would have thought ſhould have wrought upon him) yet loving money more then Chriſt, hee ſold him for thirtie peeces of ſilver. Never truſt a wicked man, for he will ſell thee for ſixe pence. Doe not thinke with thy ſelfe, I will walke ſo carefully, that I will binde him to my love: Oh poore creature, thou canſt not have what he cannot do: unleſſe thou canſt give him a righteous heart, thou canſt never receive love from him. If a man have an horſe that is ſurfetted within, or is lame of his legges, feed him with the beſt provender, he will halt ſtill, unleſſe his lameneſſe be cured. It is an idle deluſion, when you think to win him by friendlineſſe; alas, hee that hath a naughty heart will oppoſe thee, notwithſtanding all thy kindneſſe.Pro. 12.10. The tender mercies of the wicked are cruelty: That man can never be a friend to you, that is a foe to himſelfe. He loveth not his own ſoule, therefore hee cannot affect thee heartily.
Uſe 3. We muſt hence ſee what courſe to take,To love a right begin in this righteouſneſſe. that we may be inlarged in duties of love to our ſelves and others; which is the maſterpiece of a Chriſtian. All the whole Law conſiſts in this one word, Love: Love is the end of our being,Rom. 13.10. and there is no better evidence of grace under heaven then this. Labour to get righteouſneſſe within, and love will be expreſſed without. Look what courſe God took in the creation of Adam in paradiſe, the ſame hee takes in our renovation: for firſt, he made Adam righteous, and then Adam performed all duties of love to his brethren. The deeper the root of righteouſneſſe is, the more will be the fruit of love. Wee take the wrong way, to labour to ſqueeze out a little kinde behaviour: the old nature will returne to the old courſe, but labour to get thy heart rooted in righteouſneſs, and love will grow abundantly in thy whole courſe. The Muſitian will firſt ſtring his inſtrument before hee play with it: the waggoner will have his wheeles prepared, otherwiſe they draw heavily: ſo if thou wouldeſt have thy heart make muſicke before God, tune it with righteouſneſſe, and then thy practice will go on chearfully. If a man had a righteous heart, he would doe good even to an enemy: but it muſt be the ſpirit of God, that muſt work this in thee, Rom. 8.2. Hee that will have heat muſt come to the fire that is hot, other things are but heated: ſo thou muſt come to God, and deſire him to worke it in thee. The Apoſtle ſaith, 1 Joh 4.7. God is love: wouldeſt thou therefore get love? then get more neare God, that he may worke this righteouſneſſe in thee: for it is he that enableth us to doe every good worke.