A Treatise of Paradise, Chapter 17 – Chapter 18
CHAP. XVII.
Whether man be made to the image of God euen according to his body and corporall proportion, ſhape, and lineaments; or doth in any wiſe repreſent the diuine maieſtie.
THE ſubiect of this queſtion is ſo certaine of it ſelfe, and without all coutrouerſie, that for the reſolution thereof, wee hauehave more neede of the ſubtlety of diſtinction, then of any profound diuinitie, or learning. For ſeeing that the diuine maieſty is a moſt pure ſpirit, as infinite in eſſence, as in all and eueryevery of his diuine attributes infinite, how is it poſſible that there ſhould be any compariſon, ſimilitude, or likenes with him, in that, which is altogether corporall, limited, and moſt baſe, ſuch as is our humane natute according to the body.
Neuertheleſſe ſeeing the body doth in ſome ſort repreſent the ſoule, like as the ſoule alſo is the image of God; hence peraduenture it may be inferred, that the body may in ſome ſort be ſaid to be a repreſentation or ſimilitude of God; in as much as the body (if wee conſider it in his full perfection) is an immediate glaſſe, ſimilitude, or repreſentation of the ſoule, the which moſt perfectly repreſenteth Almighty God. Wherefore though in regard of our corporall ſubſtance, conſidered immediatly in it ſelfe, without any relation vntounto the ſoule, wee be no better then bruite beaſts: yet if we conſider it, in regard of our ſoule, and as it is the receptacle of the moſt excellent image of God, it may after a remote manner, and mediately be ſaid to repreſent euen God himſelfe.
Wherefore S. Auſtin propounding this queſtion,Auguſt. lib. 6. de Gen. ad literam cap. 12. in what doth a man exceede the brute beaſts, ſeeing they are both made of earth? he anſwereth, in nothing, but becauſe he is made to the image of God, not in body, or corporall ſubſtance, but according to his ſoule, and ſpirituall powers. Though true it is alſo, that he hath euen in his body, a certaine property, which doth in ſome ſort demonſtrate the rectitude of his ſoule; as that he is made vpright, to the end, that hee might vnderſtand how hee ought not to abaſe himſelfe to the terrene, vile, and baſe traſh of the world, like vntounto the bruite beaſts, and other moſt baſe creatures, who as they are framed prone, and hauehave their bodies inclined towards the earth, can neuer erect themſelues to any ſpirituall, or heauenly thing.
Hence Bernard well noteth, that God made man vpright in ſtature, and erected towards heauen, to the end that his corporall rectitude and vprightnes of his ſhape, might ſtirre him vp to preſerue the ſpirituall rectitude, and righteouſnes of the inward man, who was made to the image of God; and that the beauty of our corporall ſubſtance, and outward proportion, and right diſpoſition of the lineaments of our body might correct the inward deformitie of our ſoules, and the powers thereof. For what can be more vgly, deformed, and abominable in the eye of that all-ſeeing God, then a ſinfull, and defiled ſoule in a beautifull body? Is it not a ſhamefull, and deteſtable thing, that an earthly and corrupt veſſell, ſuch as the body is, ſhould contemplate the heauens, view the Planets, and be delighted with the aſpect of the incorruptible ſpheares, and motions of the ſtarres; and that on the contrary ſide, the ſpirituall and celeſtiall creature, far more perfect, then all the celeſtiall globes, and heauens, the ſoule (I meane) of man, ſhould alwaies hauehave her eyes, that is hir inward powers, and affections debaſed, and caſt downe to the terrene traſh, and baſeſt creatures of this world.
Conſider therefore (ô man) thy dignitie of nature, the perfection of thy powers, thy priuiledges of grace, the immortalitie of thy ſoule, the excellencie of thy creation, the nothing of thy ſelfe, and laſtly the infinite price of thy redemption, by the moſt precious blood and death of the Lambe, thy Creator, and Redeemer, and let not this ſo baſe, and tranſitorie traſh of this world, ſo alienate thy minde, and bewitch thy vnderſtanding, that thou preferre the filthy and baſe pleaſures of the body, before the ſpirituall and eternall of thy ſpirituall and immortall ſoule.
CHAP. XVIII.
Whether the image of God may be wholy loſt, and blotted out of the ſoule of man.
ORigenes, Epiphanius ep. ad Iohannē Hieroſel: Aug: lib. 2. contra Adamantiam Manich. & l. 83. quaeſt. q. 66. & lib. 6. de Gen. ad literam. cap. 27.28.and S. Auſtine do ſeeme to affirme that man loſt the image of God, Epiphanius, and diuers other of the Fathers doe peremptorily deny it out of Gen: the Pſalmes, and S. Paul: but I thinke this controuerſie rather to ariſe, by reaſon of the diuers vnderſtanding of the image of God, which is in man, then of any true difference in their opinions; for who can doubt, but if wee conſider man according to the ſupernaturall gifts firſt infuſed into the ſoule of Adam, but that he loſt the diuine ſimilitude or likeneſſe of God, and that wholy, nothing remayning but onelyonly the deformity of ſinne,Gen. c 9. Pſal. 38. 1. ad Cor. cap. 11. in the deformed, and ſinfull ſoule; but if we conſider him againe according to the naturall ſubſtance of the ſoule, and her naturall faculties conſequent therevnto, it is equally indubitable, that ſhee retained this likeneſſe of God, though not in the ſame perfection, which ſhee poſſeſſed before, but rather much defaced, blemiſhed, and deformed.
My reaſon is, becauſe there proceeded a more excellent beauty, and perfection vntounto this naturall ſubſtance, by reaſon of the ſupernaturall qualitie of originall iuſtice; and conſequently the depriuation of this ſupernaturall gift, which was alſo a ſufficient cauſe of natures greater perfection, and more admirable beauty, was a depriuation and defacing of the ſaid beauty of nature, which otherwiſe had beene a perfect type, and portraiture of the diuine nature, and being.