Knowledge and Practice, Part 1 · Chapter 2
CHAP. II. Concerning Man.
COncerning Man we are to know and underſtand theſe three things.
1. The happy Condition in which he was made.
2. His Fall.
3. The way of his Recovery by Chriſt.
1. The Holy and happy eſtate in which God created man at firſt, Namely, after his own Image, in Knowledge, Holineſſe, and Righteouſneſſe, with Dominion over the Creatures here below, writing his Law on mans heart, requiring perfect obedience from him, and giving him power to perform it, promiſing the continuance of him in that happy eſtate if he obeyed, and threatning him with death if he diſobeyed; which is called the Covenant of works.
Pſal. 8.4. What is man that thou art mindful of him, and the Son of man that thou viſiteſt him?
V. 5. For thou hast made him little lower than the Angels, and haſt crowned him with Glory and Honour.
V. 6. Thou madeſt him to have dominion over the works of thy hands, thou haſt put all things under his feet.
Gen. 1.26. And God ſaid, let us make man in our Image, after our likeneſſe; and let them have dominion over the fiſh of the Sea; and over the fowle of the aire, and over the Cattle, and over all the earth, and over every Creeping thing that Creepeth upon the Earth.
V 27. So God Created man in his own Image, in the Image of God Created he him, male and female Created he them.
V. 28. And God bleſſed them, and God ſaid unto them, be fruitful and multiply, and repleniſh the earth, and ſubdue it, and have dominion over the fiſh of the Sea, and over the fowl of the aire, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
Eccleſ. 7.29. Lo this only have I found, that God hath made man upright, but they have ſought out many inventions.
Col. 3.10. And have put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge, after the Image of him that Created him.
Eph. 4.24. And that ye put on the new man which after God is Created, in righteouſneſse and true holineſſe.
Gen. 2.7. And the Lord God formed man of the duſt of the ground, and breathed into his noſtrils the breath of life, and man became a living ſoul.
V. 16. And the Lord God Commanded the man, ſaying, of every tree of the Garden thou maiſt freely eat,
V. 17. But of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou ſhalt not eat of it, for in the day that thou eateſt thereof thou ſhalt ſurely die.
Gal. 3.12. And the Law is not of faith, but the man that doth them ſhall live in them.
Rom. 10.5. For Moſes deſcribeth the righteouſneſſe which is of the Law; that the man which doth thoſe things ſhall live by them.
Rom. 2.14. For when the Gentiles which have not the Law do by nature the things contained in the Law, theſe having not the Law, are a Law unto themſelves.
V. 15. Which ſhew the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conſciences alſo hearing witneſs, and their thoughts the mean while accuſing or elſe excuſing one another.
2. The miſerable Condition into which man threw himſelf by ſin: Our firſt Parents (by the temptation of Sathan) diſobeyed God, broke his righteous Law and Commandement; and thereby caſt themſelves out of the Favour of God, became the Slaves of Satan, and liable to the curſe of the Law, and brought a great depravation of ſoul and body upon themſelves; And ſuch as our firſt Parents were, ſuch muſt their poſterity needs be: For who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean, ſays Job, Chap. 14.4.
They having loſt the Image of God themſelves, the holineſſe and happineſſe in which they were made, could not conveigh it to their poſterity. So that the nature of man is now become corrupt, prone to evil, backward to good. And this miſerable condition is derived to us from Adam by our immediate Parents; and as men come to be born in ſeveral Ages, and generations, ſo they actually participate of the ſap that comes from the firſt root; we being therefore all of us in ſo bad a Condition by nature, and by cuſtome and practice in ſin having made our ſelves much worſe, and more abominable in the ſight of God, more guilty and liable to his wrath; we are to know and conſider that this woful ſtate of ſin and miſery is by no means to be reſted in; But ſeeing we are fallen into ſo lamentable a condition, we muſt ſpeedily endeavour to get out of it. And therefore let us remember that without Converſion there is no hope of Salvation; Except a man be born again, and made a new Creature, he cannot enter into the Kingdome of God, Joh. 3.3.
Gen. 3.6. And when the woman ſaw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleaſant to the eyes, and a tree to be deſired to make one wiſe, ſhe tooke of the fruit thereof, and did eate, and gave alſo unto her husband with her, and he did eate.
V. 7. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked, and they ſewed fig-leaves together, and made themſelves aprons.
V. 8. And they heard the voyce of the Lord God walking in the Garden in the coole of the day. And Adam and his wife hid themſelves from the preſence of the Lord God, amongst the trees of the Garden.
V. 13. And the Lord God ſaid unto the woman, what is this that thou haſt done? And the woman ſaid, the Serpent beguiled me, and I did eate.
V. 16. Unto the woman he ſaid, I will greatly multiply thy ſorrow, and thy conception: in ſorrow ſhalt thou bring forth children; and thy deſire ſhal be to thy husband, and he ſhall rule over thee.
V. 17. And unto Adam he ſaid, becauſe thou haſt hearkened to the voice of thy wife, and haſt eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, ſaying, thou ſhalt not eate of it; curſed is the ground for thy ſake, in ſorrow ſhalt thou eate of it all the dayes of thy life.
V. 18. Thornes alſo and thiſtles ſhall it bring forth to thee, and thou ſhalt eate the hearb of the field.
V. 19. In the ſweat of thy face ſhalt thou eate bread, till thou return unto the ground, for out of it waſt thou taken, for duſt thou art, and unto duſt ſhalt thou return.
1 Tim. 2.13. For Adam was firſt formed then Eve.
V. 14. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the tranſgreſsion.
V. 15. Notwithſtanding ſhe ſhall be ſaved in Child-bearing, if ſhe continue in faith, and charity, and holineſs, with ſobriety.
2 Cor. 11.3. For I feare, leaſt by any meanes as the Serpent beguiled Eve through his ſubtilty, ſo your minds ſhould be corrupted from the ſimplicity that is in Chriſt.
Gen. 5.3. And Adam lived an hundred and thirty yeares, and begat a Son in his own likeneſs, after his Image, and called his name Seth.
Gen. 6.5. And God ſaw that the wickedneſs of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was onelyonly evill continually.
Gen. 8.21. And the Lord ſmelled a ſweet ſavour, and the Lord ſaid in his heart, I will not again curſe the ground any more for mans ſake, for the imagination of mans heart is evill from his youth, neither will I again ſmite any more every thing living as I have done.
Rom. 5.12. Wherefore as by one man ſin entered into the world, and death by ſin, and ſo death paſſed upon all men for that all have ſinned.
V. 18. Therefore, as by the offence of one, Judgement came upon all men to condemnation, even ſo by the righteouſneſs of one, the free gift came upon all men unto juſtification of life.
V. 19. For as by one mans diſobedience many were made ſinners, ſo by the obedience of one ſhall many be made righteous.
Pſal. 51.5. Behold, I was ſhapen in iniquity, and in ſin did my mother conceive me.
Job 15.14. What is man, that he ſhould be clean, and he which is borne of a woman, that he ſhould be righteous?
V. 16. How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water?
Job 14.4. Who can bring a Clean thing out of an unclean? Not one.
Rom. 3.9. What then are we better then they; no in no wiſe, for we have before proved both Jewes and Gentiles, that they are all under ſin.
V. 10. As it is written, there is none righteous, no not one.
V. 23. For all have ſinned and come ſhort of the Glory of God.
1 Cor. 15.22. For as in Adam all die, even ſo in Chriſt ſhall all be made alive.
Acts 26.18. To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkneſſe to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveneſs of ſins, and inheritance among them which are ſanctified by faith that is in me.
2 Tim. 2.26. And that they may recover themſelves out of the ſnare of the Devill, who are taken Captive by him at his will.
Rom. 8.6. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be ſpiritually minded is life and peace.
V. 7. Becauſe the carnall mind is enmity againſt God; for it is not ſubject to the Law of God, neither indeed can be.
1 Cor. 2.14. But the naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are fooliſhneſs to him, neither can he know them, becauſe they are ſpiritually diſcerned.
Rom. 7.14. For we know that the Law is ſpirituall, but I am carnall, ſold under ſin.
V. 18. For I know that in me, that is in my fleſh dwelleth no good thing, for to will is preſent with me, but how to performe that which is good I find not.
V. 23. But I ſee another Law in my members, warring againſt the Law of my minde, and bringing me into Captivity to the Law of ſin which is in my members.
V. 24. O wretched man that I am, who ſhall deliver me from the body of this death.
Jer. 17.9. The Heart is deceitful above all things, and Deſperately wicked, who can know it?
Jam. 4.5. Do ye think that the Scripture ſaith in vaine, The Spirit that dwelleth in us luſteth to envy?
Eph. 2.1. And you hath he quickned, who were dead in treſpaſſes and ſins.
V. 2. Wherein in time paſt ye walked according to the courſe of this world, according to the Prince of the power of the Aire, the Spirit that now worketh in the children of diſobedience.
V. 3. Among whom alſo we all had our Converſation in times paſt, in the luſts of our fleſh, fulfilling the deſires of the fleſh, and of the mind, and were by nature the Children of wrath, even as others.
Gal. 3.10. For as many as are of the works of the Law are under the curſe; for it is written, Curſed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law to do them.
Gal. 5.17. For the fleſh luſteth againſt the Spirit, and the Spirit againſt the fleſh, and theſe are contrary the one to the other, ſo that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
Eph. 4.18. Having the underſtanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them becauſe of the blindneſs of their heart.
1 John 1.8. If we ſay that we have no ſin we deceive our ſelves, and the truth is not in us.
V. 10. If we ſay, that we have not ſinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
Jam. 3.2. For in many things, we offend all, if any man offend not in word, the ſame is a perfect man, and able alſo to bridle the whole body.
Eccleſ. 7.20. For there is not a juſt man upon earth, that doth good and ſinneth not.
Hoſ 14.1. O Iſrael, return unto the Lord thy God, for thou haſt fallen by thine iniquity.
Eph. 4.22. That ye put off concerning the former Converſation, the old man, which is corrupt, according to the deceitful luſts.
V. 23. And be renewed in the Spirit of your mind.
V. 24. And that ye put on the new man, which after God is Created in righteouſneſſe and true holineſse.
1 Cor. 15.49. And as we have born the Image of the earthly, we ſhall alſo bear the Image of the heavenly.
John 3.3. Jeſus anſwered, and ſaid unto him; verily, verily, I ſay unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot ſee the kingdome of God.
V. 4. Nicodemus ſaith unto him, how can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the ſecond time into his mothers wombe and be born?
V. 5. Jeſus anſwered, verily, verily, I ſay unto thee, except a man be born of water, and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdome of God.
V. 6. That which is born of the fleſh is fleſh, and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit.
V. 7. Marvel not that I ſaid unto thee, ye muſt be born again.
Col. 1.21. And you that were ſomtimes alienated, and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled.
1 John 3.4. Whoſoever committeth ſin, tranſgreſſeth alſo the Law, for ſin is the tranſgreſsion of the Law.
Lam. 3.39. Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the puniſhment of his ſins?
Jam. 1.14. But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own Luſt, and enticed.
V. 15. Then when Luſt hath conceived it bringeth forth ſin, and ſin when it is finiſhed, bringeth forth death.
Rom. 6.23. For the wages of ſin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord.
Rom. 7.5. For when we were in the fleſh, the motions of ſins which were by the Law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
Mat. 25.41. Then ſhall he ſay alſo to them on the left hand, depart from me ye curſed into everlaſting fire, prepared for the devil and his Angels.
2 Theſ. 1.9. Who ſhall be puniſhed with everlaſting deſtruction from the preſence of the Lord, and from the Glory of his power.
3. The bleſſed way found out and appointed by God for mans Recovery out of this miſerable ſtate, which is by the undertaking and mediation of his onelyonly Son.
Hoſ. 13.9. O Iſrael, thou haſt deſtroyed thy ſelf, but in me is thine help.
Rom. 7.24. O wretched man that I am; who ſhall deliver me from the body of this death?
V. 25. I thank God, through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord; ſo then with the mind I my ſelf ſerve the Law of God, but with the fleſh the Law of ſin.
Gen. 3.15. And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy ſeed, and her ſeed, it ſhall bruiſe thy head, and thou ſhalt bruiſe his heel.
1 Tim. 2.5. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and man, the man Chriſt Jeſus.
John 3.14. And as Moſes lifted up the Serpent in the wilderneſſe, even ſo muſt the ſon of man be lifted up.
V. 15. That whoſoever believeth in him, ſhould not periſh but have eternal life.
V. 16. For God ſo loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoſoever beleeveth in him, ſhould not periſh, but have everlaſting life.
Acts 4.12. Neither is there ſalvation in any other, for there is none other name under Heaven, given among men whereby we muſt be ſaved.
1 John 4.14. And we have ſeen, and do teſtifie, that the Father ſent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
Gal. 3.13. Chriſt hath redeemed us from the curſe of the Law, being made a curſe for us, for it is written, Curſed is every one that hangeth on a tree.
John 6.35. And Jeſus ſaid unto them, I am the bread of life, he that cometh to me ſhall never hunger, and he that beleeveth on me ſhall never thirſt.
V. 51. I am the living bread, which came down from Heaven, if any man eat of this bread, he ſhall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my fleſh; which I will give for the life of the world.
Col. 1.20. And having made peace through the blood of his Croſſe, by him to reconcile all things unto himſelf, by him I ſay, whether they be things in earth, or things in Heaven.
John 4.42. And ſaid unto the woman, now we beleeve not becauſe of thy ſaying for we have heard him our ſelves, and know that this is indeed the Chriſt the Saviour of the world.
Acts 13.38. Be it known unto you therefore men and Brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveneſſe of ſins.
John 1.29. The next day John ſeeth Jeſus coming unto him, and ſaith, behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the ſin of the world.
1 John 5.11. And this is the record that God hath given to us, eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
V. 12. He that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
John 1.17. For the Law was given by Moſes, but Grace and Truth came by Jeſus Chriſt.
1 John 2.2. And he is the propitiation for our ſins, and not for ours only, but alſo for the ſins of the whole world.
Heb 9.15. And for this cauſe he is the mediator of the new Teſtament, that by means of death for the redemption of the tranſgreſsions that were under the firſt Teſtament, they which are called might receive the promiſe of eternal inheritance.