Goodwill Towards Men, Part 1 · Section 1 – Section 2
Sect. 1.
PROP. I. God the maker of all things, created man a rational being, after his own Image, he being created to know, acknowledge, love, worship, obey, and enjoy his Maker.
COncerning the Image of God wherein man was created, it is, questioned,
1. Wherein it did consist?
Ans. 1. Not in the form and fashion of his body. Homo non est imago Dei ea parte, quâ bestiis similis est. Coccei. For God is a Spirit, and hath not any bodily shape, as the Audians, or Anthropomorphites of old dreamed. Therefore his Image most properly or primarily consists in something spiritual. It was a fond conceit of Osiander, that man was said to be created after Gods Image, because the Son of God was to assume Man's Nature. But Christ was not the express Image of God in this respect.
That Text Heb. 1.3. where he is called the express image of his Fathers person, Christus quum factus est homo, dicitur factus esse nobis similis per omnia, dempto peccato. Illius igitur corpus ad imaginem nostri factum formatumque potius fuit, quam nostrum ad illius, Zanch.doth certainly respect his Deity, not his humanity. His being incarnate. Christ's taking man's Nature on him, was his being made like to us.
Again, the Scripture affirmeth this of man before his fall, that he then had the Image of God, and had he continued in that first Estate of integrity, there had been no occasion for the Son of God to be incarnate, to take man's Nature on him.
2. But the Image of God in man, consisted in those things, which advanced him above the Inferiour Creatures, representing some Divine perfection, which according to our way of conceiving of God is formally predicated of him, or properly attributed to him. Which is either, 1. Ratione substantiae hominis, & imprimis animae. The Natural Image of God in man. As God is a Spirit, and so the Soul. God is immortal, and so the Soul is immortal. Or, 2. Ratione dignitatis, & foreign, Mr. Baxt.which a Learned man of our own calleth the Relative Image of God. So man in that dominion which God gave him over the inferiour Creatures, (that were made for him) represented God, the Lord of all, being as a little God upon Earth. Thus Magistrates are called Gods. [I said ye are Gods.] Or, 3. Ratione donorum, seu qualitatum moralium, the moral Image of God. Those habits which represented God's wisdom, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth.
Now as the Moral Faculties (to wit) those which are the proper seat of moral Good or Evil) are the chief, Imago Dei in principe animi facultate proculd…bio principem locum obtinuit. Suffrag. Britan. de 3 & 4 Art. Thes. 1. p. 94.And as Moral Good is more Excellent than Natural, and Moral evil worse than Natural (as Christ, was subject to a world of evil of this last sort, and yet retained the Image of God, most fair, and unspotted, being free from the least touch of Moral evil:) Thus the Moral perfection of the faculties of the Soul, is man's highest perfection. And herein chiefly and eminently did God's Image in man consist. And nothing more opposite to the Image of God, than Moral pravity. As God hath more to doe in Natural Evils, than in Moral. He freely owneth his being the Author of Natural Evil, (is there any evil in the City, and the Lord hath not done it?) but it were blasphemy to make him the Author of Moral Evil, or Sin.
The Image of God consists not only or chiefly in the Essence of the soul: nor only or chiefly in the powers and faculties of the soul (supposing there were any real distinction of the faculties from the Essence) which some make to be Speculum Trinitatis, the Glass of the Trinity. The Essence and Natural powers of the soul remain, now that the Image of God is defaced. Nor only, or chiefly in dominion over other Creatures (as some would have it) This would rather seem to be an Adjunct. (or however a less principal part of it) Gen. 1.26. Let us make man in our Image—and let them have dominion. And that it is a thing distinct, and separable too, from the Image of God, from what is principally intended … it, seemeth to follow from hence: that both … and Eve are said to have been created in the Image of God, Gen. 1.27. They were created both alike in the Image of God: but they were not both alike in dominion, the Woman being made for the Man, is subject to him. Again, the Angels (surely) had the Image of God in as eminent, or an higher degree, than Man had; yet were not they made Lords over this lower world, (as man was, Psal. 8.6.) that we can any where find. The Angels were made after Gods Image, to whom the dominion over inferiour Creatures did not so properly belong, as unto men.
Indeed the Image of God seemeth more properly to denote some inward frame and complexion of soul, rather than any such Eternal priviledge or prerogative, as Lordship over the Creatures.
Therefore we take the Image of God, especially and eminently to consist in those spiritual Endowments of Knowledge, Righteousness, and Holiness. That inward Rectitude of mans Soul, God made man upright, Eccl. 7.29. where (whatsoever Socinians say) we must understand, upright in respect of Moral rectitude; (as Moral pravity is opposed to it) [finding out many Inventions.] Now what is the Moral Rectitude of the Ʋnderstanding, but sound Knowledge, and Wisdome? what is the moral rectitude of the will, but Righteousness, and Holiness?
Thus upright was man, when he came first out of Gods hand, no errour in his understanding, no irregularity in his will, no disorder in his Affections. A sign of which we see, Gen. 2.25. They were both naked, the Man and his Wife, and were not ashamed. No uncomely motions to cause shame, such as they were sensible of after their fall, Gen. 37.10. Naked innocency was Glorious, but naked sin and turpitude a thing most ignominious.
See what is meant by the Image of God, Eph. 4.24. That ye put on the new man, which after God is created in Righteousness, and true Holiness: such as the Saints are by spiritual Renovation, such was man at first by Creation, viz. Righteous and Holy; so much also is hinted in the word [renewed] v. 23. And be renewed in the spirit of your mind: Implying that man had such a frame of Spirit once. He was created after God in Righteousness and Holiness of truth, that Image of God which is in some measure, renewed or restored in the Saints; see also Col. 3.10. Those spiritual endowments, wherein a man comes nearest to God, that it appears God is his pattern, (as to be Righteous, Holy. Be ye holy, for I am holy, saith the Lord) these must needs be most properly Gods Image, this is to be made partakers of the Divine Nature, or of a God-like Nature, (though Gods Essence, and Attributes are incommunicable) to have those qualifications, which are the fairest representation of Gods perfections, which can be seen and found in any Creature.
By the way, what a lustre is here put upon Holiness, to commend it to us? Gods Image principally consists in this; would you be like God? Be holy, as he is holy. Though you cannot be as holy as he is, with an [as] of equallity; you may, and ought to be holy as he is holy, with an [as] of Similitude, and the more holy, the more God-like. No wonder, that the Saints are called the excellent ones in the Earth, Psa. 16.3.
But what prodigious wickedness is it for any to scoff at Holiness? He that mocketh the poor, reproacheth his Maker: How much more he that scoffs at purity? What a Diabolical disposition is that, which cannot but express an Antipathy, and Indignation against Holiness? surely they are very ill affected towards their Prince, that cannot indure to see his Picture, but will disgrace and throw dirt upon it.
2. Another Question here is, whether the Image of God in Adam was natural, or supernatural?
Ans. Here the Sociniaus take away the subject of the Question, as we understand it; They understand no more by the Image of God, than that dominion man had over the Inferiour Creatures; denying, that Adam had any such thing as Original Righteousness, holding that he was created in a middle state without any moral rectitude, or righteousness, which should more encline him to good, than evil. So some of the Popish Schoolmen would have man created, in puris Naturalibus, meaning without Grace, Holiness, or Righteousness; but the Scripture hath determined otherwise, God made man upright.
And that Righteousness or uprightness concreated with (him, though if we take an Estimate of it, from what man is now since his fall, it is to be called supernatural, as being quite above Man's Nature now corrupted, by Sin, and not to be attained to by the power of Nature,) Man is restored to it only by supernatural grace; yet considering man in his primitive state, as he came first out of Gods hand, it was Natural to him; Not as following from his very Nature, Essence, or Faculties, Physico modo, nor as an essential part or property of man, naturally considered; nor only as perfecting, or adorning Man's Nature, as Bellarmine grants it may in this respect be termed Natural. But as not above the Condition of Man's Nature at first, though it be above corrupt Nature; yet it was not supra naturam integram, above Man's Nature as at first. Nay it was conditio Moralis Naturae illi debita. It was a moral endowment or perfection some way due to man, considering the end for which he was made. Not due by way of Merit, but of condecency, or congruity to Gods wisdom and goodness (as some express it) As the Natural Faculties of understanding and will were due to him, if God would have any reasonable Service from him. And if God had not conferred on man at first this moral Rectitude of mind, and will, together with his being (without which man was not fitted to acknowledge, serve, obey, and honour his Creator) he must needs have missed of his End, for which he made man a reasonable creature, and not a bruit; so this work of his had not been very good. The Creation of man little to his praise, if he was, made to serve God, and not furnished with sufficient abilities to serve him. Suppose man created at first without Original Righteousness, and do you not thereby impute folly to his Maker? Is not this to impeach the Wisdom and Holiness of God? Yea, how could the Psalmist so much admire what the Lord had done for man at first, making him a little lower than the Angels, Psal. 8.5. when if he was made without true wisdom and understanding, he was little better than the beasts that perish, Psal. 49.20. And let it be considered whether the want of holiness and righteousness in a Creature capable thereof, but not sinful; and consequently whether to suppose man created without the same, be not to make God the Author of Sin. Vacuitas Justitiae Originalis malum quoddam est, privatio Scil. summi boni. Num igitur paenae vel culpae? Si paenae: cujus peccati? Si Culpae: cujus personae Thes. Salmur. de. stat. Adam. ante laps. Sect. 22. p. 195. vide etiam Sect 21. So let it be considered, whether to deny that man at first had Original righteousness, be not to suppose Natural concupiscence (which is now in every one contrary thereto) to be from God and Nature, understand pure Nature) and therefore good in it self, not sinful, carnal, inordinate, concupiscence, or that propension in men to things forbidden is natural indeed, speaking of Man's Nature, as it is corrupted by the Fall; yet it was not natural speaking of Man's Nature, as it was at first before he fell. Though as he had a body, he was inclined to things of sense, yet the Sensitive appetite was in perfect subjection to the higher powers of his Soul had he attended to hold the same in subjection. It was his Sin to suffer the sensitive appetite to rebell and rule in him. But had there been any such thing as inordinate, concupiscence or Rebellion of the sensitive appetite against reason, in Man's pure Nature as it came from God, this supposed, there would be a necessity of holding with the Papists, that the Motions of the same were not Sin, any more than hunger and thirst; otherwise we should make God the Author of Sin.
Again, attend to this Argument, to prove that Adam was created with Original Righteousness. Either Adam was created righteous, or unrighteous, or in a midle state betwixt righteous & unrighteous, one of these you must hold. But certainly he was not created unrighteous; for that were again to make God the Author of Sin. That would be to say, God made man unrighteous, contrary to plain Scripture, and to the common sentence of all that are right in their senses, neither could he be in a state of Indifferency betwixt righteous and unrighteous; because man a reasonable creature was bound to be righteous, as soon as ever he had a being. And the least deflection in this Nature from the Rule of righteousness, would be unrighteousness in him. It is impossible to conceive that man should be in medio negationis here, neither righteous, nor unrighteous. And further, if we suppose man set in such a state by God, still this foul and horrid consequence would follow, that God was no more the cause of Man's holiness and happiness had he stood, than of his sin and misery, when he fell: That he should no more have owned any praise and thanks to his Maker, had he chosen and persisted in the way of righteousness; than he can justly charge God with his sin and perdition.
But thus I hope it sufficiently appears, that Adam had Original Righteousness concreated with him, and connatural to him. This Original Righteousness was then Natural, as opposed to Supernatural. It was not above the Condition of Man's Nature then, but requisite for the state, wherein he was, and the end for which he was made. Again, this Original righteousness in Adam was Natural in another respect, as opposed to what is meerly personal. (as Original Corruption is Natural.) It should have ben derived and conveyed with his Nature to his Posterity; had he kept it. Holiness and righteousness is not Natural to the Saints, that have God's Image in some measure restored. It is supernatural to us now, that we cannot convey it to our Children. But it was Natural to Adam, at first, and and so, that had he not lost it, it should have been propagated to his posterity, as now the Corruption of his Nature is propagated.
Ah! How is man changed from what he was at first? How are we sunk in our kind? Man was upright at first, but now miserably depraved, he that was little lower than the Angels by Creation, by his own degeneration is become like the beasts that perish. Of all our losses the loss of Gods Image; this, this is the greatest. A loss ever to be lamented. The Crown is fallen from our heads, woe unto us, that we have sinned.
Sect. 2.
PROP. II. The Great and Glorious God being Man's Creator, it follows by necessary and undeniable consequence, that he is the absolute proprietor, owner, and disposer of this his Creature, Man's Soveraign Lord.
IT is he that hath made us, and his we are, Psal. 100.3. As there is a twofold reading of the words. In the Margin it is foreign ipsi, vel ipsius; though in the Text it is foreign non. He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end of all things. All things made by him, and for him, Prov. 16.4. The Lord hath made all things for himself, †foreignad responsum suum, as some render it. All his Creatures are to be as Servants at his beck, ready to answer to his call to doe whatever he appointeth, or commandeth. We having received our beings from him, and moving, and having our beings still in him, therefore surely we owe to him, Omne quod sumus, & omne quod possumus, all we are, have, and can do, and ought ever to be at his dispose, and at his Command. An Independant creature is a thing most abhorrent from reason, the greatest Monster that can be conceived, or thought of.