The Portraiture of the Image of God in Man, Title page – Dedication
THE PORTRAITVRE OF THE IMAGE OF GOD IN MAN.
In his three eſtates, of
Creation.
Reſtauration.
Glorification.
Digeſted into two parts.
The firſt containing, the Image of GOD both in the Body and Soule of Man, and Immortality of both: with a deſcription of the ſeverall members of the Body, and the two principall faculties of the ſoule, the underſtanding and the Will; in which conſiſteth his knowledge, and liberty of his will.
The ſecond containing, the paſſions of man in the concupiſcible and iraſcible part of the ſoule: his dominion over the creatures; alſo a deſcription of his active and contemplative life; with his conjunct or married eſtate.
Whereunto is annexed an explication of ſundry naturall and morall Obſervations for the clearing of divers Scriptures.
All ſet downe by way of collation, and cleared by ſundry diſtinctions, both out of the Schoolemen, and moderne Writers.
The Third Edition, corrected and enlarged.
By I. Weemſe, of Lathocker in Scotland, Preacher of Chriſts Goſpel.
LONDON, Printed by T. C. for Iohn Bellamie, and are to be ſold at the ſigne of the three Golden Lyons in Cornehill, neere the Royall Exchange. 1636.
TO THE RIGHTVVORTHY, Sr. DAVID FOVVLES Knight and Baronet, one of his majeſties Councell eſtabliſhed in the North.
THere were two pillars before Salomons Temple, 1 King. 7.21. 2 Chron. 3.17.(right worthy Sir) Jachin, that is, God will eſtabliſh; and Bohaz, that is, ſtrength. Theſe two pillars were ſet up, to uphold the porch of the Temple. So there are two pillars, which uphold the Church, and this world, Religion and Juſtice: true Religion upholds the Church, and Iuſtice the Common-wealth.
Of theſe two, religion ſtands upon the right hand to uphold, (as Jachin did,) and Juſtice upon the left hand (as Bohaz did.) Religion hath the firſt place, and therefore the Iewes ſay well, that it is for Jeruſalems cauſe the world ſtands; that is, the Church. All the tents were pitched about the Tabernacle; to teach us, Numb. 2.that the world is but an Inne for the Church to lodge in for a while; and if the Saints were once gathered out of the world, the foure corners of the earth would ſo one clap together, 2 Pet. 3.10.and the Heavens ſhould goe away with a noyſe.
The pillar which upholds the world upon the left hand is Justice; Prov. 16.12.it upholds the earth, and the Kings throne. It is ſaid, Habak. 1.4. Iam defluit Lex; the Law failes: This is a ſpeech borrowed from the pulſe of a man; for as we diſcerne the eſtate of a man by his pulſe; if it ſtirre not at all, then we know he is dead, if it ſtirre violently, then we take him to be in a Feaver; if it keepe an equall ſtroke, then wee know he is ſound and hole. The pulſe of the Common-wealth is Juſtice. If Juſtice bee violent and turned into wormewood, then the Common-wealth is in a bad eſtate; if it ſtirre not at all, then the Common-wealth is dead, and if it have an equall ſtroke, then it is ſound and hole.
Now Sir, theſe two pillars, Religion and Juſtice, have beene your maine ſtudy how to uphold them in your place, and that theſe two, might kiſſe one another, as the Pſalmiſt ſpeakes; Pſal. 85.10.For piety, your care hath beene ſtill, Cant. 2.15.that theſe Foxes which ſpoyle the Vines, ſhould bee catcht, (that is, theſe Locuſts and Seminaries, which come out of the bottomleſſe pit, 2 Tim. 3.6.and goe about ſecretly to devoure Widowes houſes, and ſubvert theſe tender young Vines, and weake ones, under the colour of long prayers,) your whole labour is to diſcover them; and that theſe parts where ye live may be receptacles for the earth. Secondly Sir, what your care is for Iuſtice, that ſhee may flouriſh, all the Country about you can witneſſe, from the higheſt to the loweſt. Exod. 18.14.Iethro ſaid to Moſes, Why ſit ye all the day long, from morning till night, judging the people? Your care (I may ſay truely Sir) from morning to night, is to judge the people, and to give upright juſtice to his Majeſties ſubjects.
There are foure Iudges moſt remarkeable in the Scripture, Moſes for his mildneſſe; Numb. 12.3. 1 King. 4 29. Iob. 29. 1 Sam. 12.3.Salomon for his wiſedome, Iob for his pity, and Samuel for his equity: with the mildneſſe of Moſes ye can moderate in diſcretion your cenſures; and with Salomon, wiſely Iudge what belongeth to every one; ye are, as Iob ſpeakes, The bleſsing of him that is ready to periſh; yee are an eye to the blind, and a foot to the lame; ye ſee none periſh for want of cloathing, nor the poore without a covering: ſo that the loynes of thoſe that are warmed by you, bleſſe you; and yet in all this you may ſay with Samuel, Whoſe Oxe have J taken? or whoſe Aſse have J taken? or whom have J defrauded? whom have J oppreſsed? or of whom have I received any bribe to blinde mine eyes therewith? ſo that the people where you dwell, may bleſſe God who hath ſeated you amongſt them for their good. Theſe my travels therefore Sir I offer to your Patrocinie, as to one moſt Worthy, and who hath greateſt intereſt in them, if there were any thing in them anſwerable to your goodneſſe; for ſtill (Sir) yee have beene my greateſt incourager, to ſet me forward in my ſtudies. Yee have Iudgement to diſcerne, what is ſaid to the purpoſe here, and what ſeemes to be ſaid amiſſe, to conſtrue it to the beſt ſenſe; and to defend it againſt the criticke cenſures of ſome not ſo wel affected. Now for all your care both for Religion and Iustice, the God of Mercy mete you againe. Jonadab, for his obedience to his Father Rechab, had a promiſe made to him, that he ſhould not want a man to ſtand before the Lord for ever. So Sir, for your obedience and care, that ye have to doe ſervice to your King and Country, I pray God that ye want not a man to ſtand before the Lord, to ſucceede you, and to continue your family to all poſterity. Thus craving Gods bleſſing to bee alwaies upon you, and your moſt Religious and Noble Lady and children, I bid you all farewell.
IOHN WEEMES, Preacher of the Goſpel.