A Brief Discourse of Mans Estate, Discourse · Section 1
SECTION I. Excellency of mans eſtate, as created.
ECCLES. 7.29.
Loe this onelyonly have I found, that God hath made man upright: but they have ſought out many inventions.
God hath made man ƲPRIGHT
WEE are now come (according to our Method) to the Threefold eſtate of Man. I am not ignorant of thoſe difficulties and diſputes which occur in this Subject: Expect not from me in this …lace, an anſwer to all Objections, …or from any man ſatisfaction to each …ans curioſity. Salomon himſelf …ould not ſatisfie himſelf in all particulars: OnelyOnly in the main of man he is very poſitive, and leaves us here two main Principles, whereof the firſt reſpects mans innocent and primitive eſtate; The ſecond, his lapſed and forlorn condition, together with the cauſe of both. His order is open and obvious; he had ſaid before, That man is wholly corrupt and now he delivers the original hereof; Negatively, it is not God Poſitively, it is man. We go on in our intended way of delivering Principles. And firſt, ſurvey we mans firſ… eſtate, and there look upon him as h… ſtands in Gods hand, and is of hi… making til he mar'd himſelf. Here we find his beginning very good by creation. An excellent, a lovely plain, even, uniforme piece, ſmoot without knots and ſlawes, ſtraigh… without hook or crook;foreign So muc… Salomons comprehenſive word im…ports; The reſult of all is this:
Doctr. Man at firſt a very one Hent &c deſirable creature.Man at firſt was a very excellen and deſirable Creature. This th… Point; and this is no more then Scrpture reports of him. Where mention is made of his firſt eſtate, Dav… brings him in with a crown upon h… head, and that crown is a crown of glory and honour. Thou haſt crowned him with glory and honour, Pſal. 8.5. His place was little lower then Angells, but far above all other Creatures: As Job affirmes, Job. 35. v. 11. God made him wiſer then the beaſts of the earth, then the fowles of heaven. Yea, the Prophet aſſures us that the worſt piece of him, the very caſe and outſide, was moſt curiouſly wrought and richly embroydered, Pſal. 139.15. Moſes goes yet higher, and carryes us above creatures to Gods bleſſed ſelf, Let us make man, ſaith God, This Creature, in our image and after our likeneſſe, Gen. 1.26. Thus in Generalls we have him ſet forth to us. For Particulars, I ſhall not trouble you with any large diſcourſe touching his excellencies, either of ſoul, or body, or eſtate: Neither can we in this our decayed condition reach them. We ſee, we feel what he is; but what he either was or ſhall be, we can rather gueſs then judge,Greg. as blind men do of colours; onelyonly this we are ſure of, within there was nothing but what was deſirable; without, nothing but what was amiable; about him, nothing but what was ſerviceable and comfortable: his underſtanding was as full of light as it was free from darkneſſe; his judgement, ſound; his conſcience, clear; his will, conformable to Gods will; his affections regular; nothing on that ſide wanting to his preſent happineſſe. O… if we look without him, 1. His body had nothing of blemiſh or bluſhing, or diſtemper; but rather cloathed with all requiſite beauties and abilityes, which might render him lovely, and commend him to every eye. 2. For his eſtate, what it was before his fall we may gueſſe by that which is ſince reſtored by Chriſt, whereof we have a touch in that 8th Pſalme … to wit; God gave him a Soverainty over all the creatures, and ſtampt ſuch a majeſty upon him, that they did all acknowledge him, and received their ſeverall names, as ſo many acknowledgements from him. As for his poſſeſſions, we need not ſtand to enlarge upon one Parcell of his Deſmeans, which they call Paradiſe, ſith the whole, both of ſea and land, and all the creatures in both, were then his poſſeſſion, his Paradiſe. Thus the caſe ſtood with man at firſt, the creatures were as obſervant of him as he of his Creator. More then this I ſhall not ſpeak in theſe particulars. This being a Theam ſo much treated of by Schoolmen and others, who write of this firſt eſtate.Cleared in his ſev… cauſes. The whole matter will be further cleared if we look upon man in his cauſes.
If we conſider the Efficient cauſe, or the Author of man, it's God himſelf: Adam, ſaith Luke, was the ſon of God, thence he derives his Pedegree. Now from the excellency of the cauſe, it is not hard to infer the excellency of the effect, eſpecially ſince efficients work by way of aſſimilation; Naturall efficients, neceſſarily; voluntary cauſes, freely: both ſtrive to accompliſh their own works to their own ends and inclinations; now God (a voluntary agent) is all light, and works like himſelf, ſo that from him can come no darkneſſe; he is all goodneſſe, all perfection, and can do nothing but what is in its kind good and perfect; nay further, God is not ſimply to be conſidered in this work, but with relation to perſonality. The three glorious Perſons concur in this externall work:Eſ. 54.5. Pſ. 149.2. whence that expreſſion job 35.10. God my makers. This is the joynt work of Father. Son and Holy Ghoſt, the iſſue of that power, wiſdome, goodneſſe which is common to them all, ſo that the glory of Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt is in its meaſure put upon this noble creature.
Conſider the Formall cauſe of man created. I mean, the manner in which God made him; and that is, 1. In the perfection of wiſdome and deepeſ counſell, as being the Maſter-piece o… his viſible works: hence for our better underſtanding Moſes brings in God conſulting with himſelf, Let us ſaith he, make Man. 2. In perfection of skill and workmanſhip, as in that 139th Pſalm, who hath made him a curious piece, and beſtowed ſo much art and coſt upon him, a… that the Maſter of Phyſick, Galen, was enforced to frame a ſong of praiſe to that Deity that frame… mans body. 3. In perfection of power: he created him, without the contribution of either matter or inſtrument, and ſo became the ſole and whole cauſe of man.
The exemplary cauſe. And here we paſſe by that private opinion of Zanchy's and others, who conceive that Chriſt aſſumed mans nature for a pattern whereby Adam ſhould be made. The text ſufficeth us: God made man is his own image, according to his own likeneſſe: which paſſage, having an influence into much which ſhall be hereafter ſaid, muſt a little be opened. See then what is meant by thoſe words; And the anſwer is, that image and likeneſſe in this caſe,*Conſer Pſ. 58.4. cum Gen. 1.26. ſpeak one and the ſame thing; but in an high and ſtrong way: Not as Bellarmine and others; who, for ends, make the one ſubſtantiall, the other, not. In our Image, moſt like our ſelves, that is, As near as the matter will ſuffer; There can be no proportion between the infinite God, and a finite man; ſome kind of reſemblance in ſome degree there may be: In every Beaſt there are ſome footſteps (as they are tearmed) of a deity, but more in man: ſome in every man, but more in ſome now. At firſt, of all viſible creatures man came neareſt to God. But wherein? not onelyonly in regard of his nature; becauſe he had an underſtanding, … reaſonable will, a working immortal ſpirit in him, as Papiſts, and others ſpeak; nor yet onelyonly in order to his eſtate, becauſe hee was made Lord over all creatures, as Socinians would have it; But alſo and ſpecially in regard of his Graces and endowments ſeated in his ſoul: God made him wife, holy, juſt, upright, wherein the Apoſtle chiefly placeth Gods Image; and that moſt juſtly, Eph. 4.24. That being the chiefe of Gods Image in the firſt Adam, which Chriſt, the ſecond Adam, doth moſtly repair and reſtore. When then it is ſaid, that God made man like himſelf, the meaning is, he made him holy, righteous, ſpirituall, according to the ſampler, Gods bleſſed ſelf.
Conſider the Finall cauſe; God made man for moſt excellent ends and uſes; hee made him to be a King of creatures, to be near to his moſt glorious Majeſty, to be that great piece which ſhould crown the reſt of his works, and ſpeak out all his perfections: he made him capable of an immortall …ſtate, of true holineſſe, and happineſſe; and deſigned him for a marriage with the heir, Chriſt, and for neareſt alliance with himſelf: and in order to theſe ends, he put ſo much honour upon him at the firſt. Nor can any man ſtrange at this, ſith it is the practiſe of all wiſe agents: Every skilfull workman (you know) layes out moſt of his skill and coſt upon that piece which he intends for higheſt uſe and credit, as every builder is more exact in ſetting out a chimney-piece, then in making a gutter.
Object. Now if it be objected, that mans make is but of baſe materials, as duſt, &c.
Sol. It's anſwered, that the matter contributes leaſt of all cauſes unto the excellency of the work. And as much might be ſaid touching the meanneſſe of it; The truth is: The poorneſs and meanneſs of the matter, doth of tentimes moſt advance and commend the skill of the workman. That God out of nothing ſhould draw ſomething, out of dead, blind dumb Clay ſhould draw light, life, and ſpeech, and out of ſuch deformity ſhould extract ſuch beauty, ſtrength, and excellency: this commends the workman, but doth not at all diſparage the work. Be the ſtuffe what it will, God hath made a rich Arras of it; and the work is now honourable, through Gods power though the materials ſeem contemptible So much for that objection Other queſtions of like nature, we willingly paſſe over, and come to apply this.
Ʋſe 1 Information concerning mans primitive eſtate.Let me call upon you all to be we grounded and Grammar'd in thi… truth, touching mans primitive eſtate The not heeding hereof hath let in thoſe inundations of errours, which now over-ſpread the Chriſtian World. You are not to look upon man as now he is, but as firſt he was exiſting out of his cauſes. And here ſhall commend unto you theſe principles.
Man had a beginning. Though now he be Immortall à parte poſt, yet once he was not; This is clear by the word and by his continued dependence.
His founder and maker was one and that was God. It was a wild and mad blaſphemy to dream of Tw… beginners of the whole, as ſome did or at leaſt of Man, as did others.
This God made him in his own likeneſſe, Againſt Secinus.ſtamping upon him an Impreſſion of Holineſſe, and as Peter cals it, the divine nature. Theſe Principles, (as others in other caſes, have done) commend I unto you, nor would I have you once troubled with Socinus his cavils againſt the ſame; being ſuch which ſcarce deſerve an anſwer.
Object. 1 Firſt, ſaith hee, If man had born upon him Gods Image, intrinſecally, then man had been Immortall.
Sol. Sol. So he had, if he had not killed himſelf, and caſt away his life. And though for the preſent he had nothing of death in him, yet was he mutable, and ſo might contract death.
Object. 2 Secondly, again he objects, If man were like God in holineſs, then was he free from ſin.
Sol. 1 Sol. 1. From the Act of ſin hee was free in his firſt conſtitution, though not from the power of ſinning being a voluntary agent.
Secondly, he was like God, but not a God, that is, equall to God, and equally, uncapable of ſin.
Object. 3 Thirdly, again, hee objects, If mans Image had conſiſted in holineſſe, then upon his fall, the whole Image of God had been loſt.
Sol. 1. So it was de jure, if God would have taken the forfeiture. Sol.
Yet, ſecondly, the argument holds not, unleſſe we did place the whole of Gods Image onelyonly in holineſſe. There indeed we lay it chiefly, but not onelyonly We ſay that Gods Image is communicated to the whole compoſitum or Man. We put a difference between the body of a man, and the body of a beaſt, whether living or dying: we yeeld that a dead man hath more o… God in his body, then a dead beaſt.
Thirdly, and in ſhort, to cut of theſe diſputes, wee ſay two things firſt that there be degrees of holineſſe in this Image of God; and next, that it is not neceſſary that man ſhould partake with God in all his attributes whereof ſome are incommunicable much leſſe that hee ſhould equalize God, though in ſome meaſure he be a repreſentative of God.
To the former I adde this fourth principle. The diſtance is very great between man now, and man at the firſt, as Salomon here puts it: as man was changeable then, ſo now he i… changed very much; though ſome ruines and remnants of that which they call the ſubſtantiall Image abide upon him. This you muſt the rather be ſetled in, becauſe Hereticks labour tooth and nayle, to confound theſe different ſtates.Againſt Papiſts. Thus Papiſts-ſweat to prove that man in his pure naturals is as good now as then: and the ſame then that he is now, differing no more, at leaſt for intrinſecals, then a man cloathed, and uncloathed differs from himſelf; or, then a horſe bridled and unbridled; The caſe was this, God put a bridle of ſupervenient righteouſneſſe upon him to rein him in; otherwiſe he had the ſame ſeeds and principles of corruption, conflict, concupiſcence then, that he hath now.
Object. This they tell you, and Socinus brings his prop to uphold their rotten building; If, ſaith hee, there had not been a conflict betwixt reaſon and affection, how could man have ſinned?
Sol. Sol. He ſhould have ſaid, If man could not have wrong'd himſelf, ſilenced reaſon, yeelded to appetite, how ſhould he ſin? But the matter is, man had power to be naught, (if wee may call that power) though for the preſent he was actually good.
But what ſtrange men are theſe, who will fetch in God as an acce… ry to mans ſin at leaſt; in truth, principall? For if God, who ſol… and wholly made man, ſo made h… as that he needed a patch, and an ventitious plaiſter ſo ſoon as ever was made, doth it not reflect up Gods perfection? but if hee were made as that there was a propenſion gainſt reaſon, and a rebellion in members from the firſt; and if th… Rebellion be bad, at leaſt not good is not God the author of it?
Object. Call they this Gods Image? … could god then ſee all that he ma… to be good?
Bellar.Bellarmines anſwer in this caſe given me no ſatisfaction at all, God, ſai… he, intended the man: The corrupti… is but accidentall, as when the Gut… makes a ſword, he mindes the ſword, n… the ruſt of it.
Sol. For (to omit other differences) th… Cutler undertakes not to make th… matter, to wit, the Iron or Steel, bu… onelyonly to give that matter a for… And the ruſt doth follow the matter not the form. The ſword ruſts no becauſe a ſword, but becauſe Iron But now God gives man both; in deed all; nothing elſe contributes; and the ſaying is true, that who gives matter and form, gives the neceſſary …onſequents of both. But wretched …en care not how much they depreſſe God, ſo they may exalt fleſh.
Let them go. And hold we this diſtance ſtill: man is not ſo bad now, but once he was as good. Originall righteouſneſſe was once as naturall as ſin is now, if not more. And this truth carries more in it, then as yet happily you are aware …f.
Ʋſe 2 Juſtifie God in all his wayes: againſt cavils of fleſh and bloud.Learn hence that which Salomon …ere preſſeth, namely, to juſtifie God …n all his wayes as holy in all his works. It is a fearfull thing to ſee what proud man renders to God for …ill his kindneſſe. God made him a moſt glorious, happy, ſufficient crea…ure: his own folly hath perverted …is wayes, and now his heart frets, …nd his mouth chats againſt the …ord: I beſeech you, underſtand your Originall, and preſerve your ſelves from the Peſtilent errours of his age, and know how to plead for God, and to emplead ſin. For example.
You ſhall hear men cry out Blondy doctrine touching Gods D… creeing men to fall; Object. nay, neceſſitati… them to damnation, &c.
Sol. Now here learn an anſwer of S… lomon, God made man good; made hi… for happineſſe, put him into poſſeſion of it, gave him power to ho… it, but he ſought out many invention he he ſought out &c. it was an act mans counſell and choice, hold we this, though we cannot ſo well conceive the concurrence of cauſes not as Adam did then, or as we ſh… hereafter at the day of the revela… on of the righteous Judgement God.Rom. 2.5.
Object. Again you hear men ſay, that make God the greateſt tyrant living one who gives impoſsible lawes, requiring impoſsibilities under the penalty of damnation, unleſs we wi… yeeld that man can fulfill the law.
Sol. Now to this Anſwer. Then w… then: Now is now. When God tranacted with man he required no mo… then man could do, now why mu… the rule be bended to man? or th… debt drawn to his ability, eſpeciall ſith the bond ſtands but for evident and mans good? God commits him, huts him up onelyonly to humble him, Gal. 3.23, 24.…nd to drive him to ſeek a ſurety of …is own providing.
Object. It's replyed, that this ſalves not the …uſineſſe, ſince, in our doctrine, more is …equired of man lapſed, then of man in …nnocency; for God requires that faith …ow, which he did not then, and exacts what he never gave, gathering where …e never ſtrawed. Thus they.
Sol. Wretched men! Doth God require …ny thing in the Goſpel but upon Goſpel tearms? that is, that he will work the thing required when ſought …nto.
Again what though Adam had not …he exerciſe of faith in Chriſt, as neither of patience or ſome other gra…es, yet he had all in the roote, ſeed, …nd power? The want was not in Adam, the ſubject: but the ſtay was …he had power to do, and to beleeve …ny thing that then did or after …hould concern him, and his place, …nd condition; and no more is required of us now. I never ſaw an Elephant …n my life, why? not for want of a …rinciple in the ſubject; the ſame eye that can ſee an Horſe, could an Elephant too, were it preſented to … ſight. I cannot be ſaid not to ſee but it is not to be ſeen.
Object. Laſtly, you heare men thus rea… ning. Why! I am as God made me am cholerick, I confeſſe it, but 'tis … nature: I am ſleepy; Can I help it?
Sol. Anſwer. There are Defects wh… follow particular tempers, and … tures, Purely naturall; others wh… are ſinfull flowing from the princip… of Poyſoned nature: ſinfull diſtempe… are yours, not Gods: you mig… once have prevented them, you m… now have them healed. It is an … gravation to lay our faults upon … natures, yea hereby we accuſe … Creator. Therefore in ſtead of ex… ſing our ſelves or accuſing our ma… (as Adam and Eve did) let us … load on our ſelves; and that's the n… uſe.
Ʋſe 3 Be humbled, that thou art fallen as thou art.Where ſee for humbling, whe… we are fallen, what we were, what are. Men love to talke of their An… ſtours, thereby to pride themſelv… and can hardly deſcend in themſelv… though tumbled down by Gods hat… Let us, on the contrary, abaſe … ſelves to our eſtate, and befool our …ves, as we ſee the Bankrupt doth, …nce, quoth he, was I well, could I …ve kept me well; I had mony, and, ſtock, friends and what not? at now I lye under poverty, ſcorn, …d contempt. Ah unwiſe man I! … like manner let each of us ſay, …nce I was light, now darkneſſe, …nce rich in grace, now empty; Once …ods favorite, now an enemy; Once …eautifull, now ugly, a very Ichabod, …y glory is departed, Ah fooliſh …an, how was I bewitched! Thus …t us rate and chide our ſelves into …low conceit of our ſelves. Howbeit, …l this ſignifies nothing, unleſſe we …e this our miſery in the cauſe thereof. Therefore look upon ſin as a thing …oſt pernicious and deſtructive. It is …n, (ſay) that hath undone me, that …ath ruined mine eſtate; caſt me into …ebt; 'tis ſin that hath ſlain my Cat…ll, deprived me of my Crop; 'tis …n, my ſin in Adam that hath for… …eited mine honour, undermined my Authority over creatures. Time was when every beaſt, every bird, every …ſh, would have owned me, would …ave done me homage: Now my very ſervants trample upon me, … once ſubjects riſe againſt me, … have againſt God. Lyons are re… to devoure me. Bears to worry … horſes to brain m…, yea, every … terpillar, worme, flea, makes a p… of me. 'Tis ſin, that hath marr'd body. Once I had a body perf… active, ſound, glorious, the more … ked the more ſhining: now in ſta… of thoſe beauties behold a ſtench ſi… neſſe, ſhame and whatſoever elſe… bluſhfull. It is ſin that hath ſpot… my ſoul: at firſt I had near Comme… nion with God, cloſe correſpond… cy with his will and Image. T… peace of God, the joyes of God, … ſtrength and life of God were up… me. Now hell is in my ſoul, da… neſſe and confuſion fills every room bear in ſtead of Gods glorious mage, the ugly Image of the dev… himſelf, and come as near unto h… as my nature is capable. Oh cu… this accurſed thing, Sin, which ha… ſo undermined thee, and reſolve gainſt it for the future, as we do… gainſt leſſer evills, we decline ſuc… meats as threaten partiall miſer… This rots my teeth, that hurts m… eyes, this diſtempers my liver, that … ſtomach, therefore I muſt for…ar. Oh fear that ſin that deſtroys …e, and hand and head the whole …dy, the whole ſoul the whole man. …nd now bethink thy ſelf of a reco…y as decay'd men do; lye not whi…g under loſſes, as Jacobs ſons in …eir wants, much leſſe run to baſe, …rking courſes, as broken chapmen …; But buſtle and beſtir thy ſelf be…nk thy ſelf, Is there no help? is it …t poſsible to raiſe my ſelf again? yes, …re is hope and help, the Lord …riſt, the ſecond Adam comes with …e Image of God upon him, as a re…rer of the breach, he is come to re…ver what was loſt, to pay what …s owing, to repaire our ruines, to …ruit us again, he is able, he is wil…g to undertake us. Nay the thing …done already, therefore I'le to him, … once the bankrupts to David, I …ll confeſſe with the prodigall, I will …g for life, I will caſt my ſelf upon …m, and cloſe with him being offe…d as an husband, as the only way … decay'd fortunes, ſo ſhall I he …e…red in bloud and repained in mine …ate. Thus reſolve, thus do, and ceaſe not doing till thou find his m… upon thee, his fruit and life in th… ſo ſhalt thou find more life and … pineſſe in him, then there was d… and miſery in the old Adam.
Ʋſe 4 Bleſſe God for the firſt eſtate and that little which is left to this day.Laſtly, learn to be thankfull this firſt eſtate: cloſe with all Saints in that Song of theirs, Rev… ult. Thou art worthy, O Lord, to ceive glory and honour and power: thou haſt created all things, &c. not little that we owe to God, this poor eſtate which yet is left for theſe poor eyes, theſe lame lim… theſe frail bodyes, theſe ſick ſo… which we labour with every d… We are much bound to him, for meaneſt fare, for the leaſt bit of c… ſeſt bread, the leaſt ſip of thin… drink, and muſt confeſſe with J… that we are leſſe then the leaſt of al… now forfeited mercies; what tha… then can we render for our firſt eſt… which was every way full, free, … rious, whether we look upon ſou… body, or place or ſtate, or any th… appertaining thereto; nor is G… goodneſſe and bounty the leſſe, cauſe we have fooliſhly ſquander away. That greatens our folly wickedneſs, yet no way leſſens Gods …geſſe and kindneſſe.
Object. But why did not God put us …ſt danger and loſſe, but left it in our …nds so loſe?
Sol. An ungracious queſtion: ſo …e unthrift talks when he hath outed …mſelf of his patrimony, Why did …y Father truſt me? why did he not …tayle his land? There is no rea…ning with ſuch froward children, either content full, nor faſting. A …acious heart muſt and will be thank… …ll, as for kindneſſes intended, ſo …uch more beſtowed, moſt of all for …ercies reſtored in Chriſt, who hath …ended that firſt eſtate.