Divine power wrought effectually in the person of the Holy Spirit, who is the immediate actor of all divine operations.

3. The proposition of the effecting this work, being by way of consultation, represents it as a signal effect of infinite wisdom. These expressions are used to lead us unto the contemplation of that wisdom.

เ

Thus God made man in his own image, that is, in such a rectitude of nature as represented his righteousness and holiness in such a state and condition as had a reflection on it of his power and rule. The former was the substance of it, the latter a necessary consequent thereof. This representation, I say, of God, in power and rule, was not that image of God wherein man was created, but a consequent of it. So the words and their order declare. Let us make man in our image and after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea,' &c. Because he was made in the image of God, this dominion and rule were granted unto him. So fond is their imagination, who would have the image of God to consist solely in these things. Wherefore the loss of the image of God, was not originally the loss of power and dominion, or a right thereunto: but man was deprived of that right, on the loss of that image which it was granted unto. Wherein it did consist, see Eccl. vii. 29. Eph. iv. 24.

Three things God designed in this communication of his image unto our nature, which were his principal ends in the creation of all things here below. And therefore was divine wisdom more eminently exerted therein, than in all the other works of this inferior creation.

1. The first was, That he might therein make a representation of his holiness and righteousness among his creatures. This was not done in any other of them. Characters they had on them of his goodness, wisdom and power. In these things 'the heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament sheweth his handy work.' His eternal power and Godhead are manifest in the things that are made. But none of them, not the whole fabric of heaven and earth, with all their glorious ornaments and endowments, were either fit or able to receive any impressions of his holiness and righteousness, of any of the

moral perfections, or universal rectitude of his nature. Yet in the demonstration and representation of these things doth the glory of God principally consist. Without them he could not be known and glorified as God. Wherefore he would have an image and representation of them in the creation, here below. And this he will always have so long as he will be worshipped by any of his creatures. And therefore when it was lost in Adam, it was renewed in Christ; as hath been declared.

2. The second was, That it might be a means of rendering actual glory unto him, from all other parts of the creation. Without this, which is as the animating life and form of the whole, the other creatures are but as a dead thing. They could not any way declare the glory of God, but passively and objectively. They were as an harmonious well-tuned instrument, which gives no sound, unless there be a skilful hand to move and act it. What is light, if there be no eye to see it? or what is music, if there be no ear to hear it? How glorious and beautiful soever any of the works of creation appear to be, from impressions of divine power, wisdom, and goodness on them; yet without this image of God in man, there was nothing here below to understand God in them, to glorify God by them. This alone is that, whereby in a way of admiration, obedience, and praise, we were enabled to render unto God all the glory which he designed from those works of his power.

3. The third was, That it might be a means to bring man unto that eternal enjoyment of himself, which he was fitted for, and designed unto. For this was to be done in a way of obedience: Do this and live,' was that rule of it which the nature of God and man, with their mutual relation unto one another, did require. But we were made meet for this obedience, and enabled unto it, only by virtue of this image of God implanted in our natures. It was morally a power to live unto God in obedience, that we might come to the enjoyment of him in glory. Evident it is, that these were the principal ends of God in the creation of all things. Wherefore this constitution of our nature, and the furnishment of it with the image of God, was the most eminent effect of infinite wisdom in all the outward works of the divine nature.

Secondly, In the entrance of sin, and by apostacy from God, man voluntarily rejected and defaced this blessed representation of the righteousness and holiness of God, this great effect of his goodness and wisdom, in its tendency unto his eternal glory, and our enjoyment of him. No greater dishonour could be done unto him, no endeavour could have been more pernicious in casting contempt on his counsel. For as his holiness, which was represented in that image, was despoiled, so we did what lay in us to defeat the contrivance of his wisdom. This will be evident by reflecting on the ends of it now mentioned. For,

1. Hereon there remained nothing in all the creation here below, whereby any representation might be made of God's holiness and righteousness, or any of the moral perfections of his nature. How could it be done, this image being lost out of the world? The brute inanimate part of the creation, however stupenduously great in its matter, and glorious in its outward form, was no way capable of it. The nature of man under the loss of this image, fallen, depraved, polluted, and corrupted, gives rather a representation and image of Satan, than of God. Hence, instead of goodness, love, righteousness, holiness, peace, all virtues usefully communicative and effective of the good of the whole race of mankind, which would have been effects of this image of God, and representatives of his nature, the whole world from and by the nature of man, is filled with envy, malice, revenge, cruelty, oppression, and all engines of promoting self, whereunto man is wholly turned, as fallen off from God. He that would learn the divine nature, from the representation that is made of it, in the present actings of the nature of man, will be gradually led unto the devil instead of God. Wherefore, no greater indignity could be offered unto divine wisdom and holiness, than there was in this rejection of the image of God wherein we were created.

2. There was no way left whereby glory might redound unto God, from the remainder of the creation here below. For the nature of man alone was designed to be the way and means of it, by virtue of the image of God implanted on it. Wherefore man, by sin, did not only draw off himself from that rela

tion unto God wherein he was made, but drew off the whole creation here below with himself, into an uselessness unto his glory. And upon the entrance of sin, before the cure of our apostacy was actually accomplished, the generality of mankind divided the creatures into two sorts; those above, or the heavenly bodies, and those here below. Those of the first sort they worshipped as their gods; and those of the other sort they abused unto their lusts. Wherefore God was every way dishonoured in and by them all; nor was there any glory given him on their account. What some attempted to do of that nature, in a wisdom of their own, ended in folly, and a renewed dishonour of God, as the Apostle declares, Rom. i. 18, 19, 21, 22.

3. Man hereby lost all power and ability of attaining that end for which he was made; namely, the eternal enjoyment of God. Upon the matter, and as much as in us lay, the whole end of God in the creation of all things here below, was utterly defeated. But that which was the malignity and poison of this sin, was the contempt that was cast on the holiness of God, whose representation, and all its express characters, were utterly despised and rejected therein. Herein then lay the concernment of the holiness or righteousness of God in this sin of our nature, which we are inquiring after. Unless some reparation be made for the indignity cast upon it in the rejection of the image and representation of it, unless there be some way whereby it may be more eminently exalted in the nature of man, than it was debased and despised in the same nature; it was just, equal, righteous with God, that which becomes the rectitude. and purity of his nature, that mankind should perish eternally in that condition whereinto it was cast by sin. It was not therefore consistent with the glory of God, that mankind should be restored, that this nature of ours should be brought unto the enjoyment of him, unless his holiness be more exalted, be more conspicuously represented in the same nature, than ever it was depressed or despised thereby. The demonstration of its glory in any other nature, as in that of angels, would not serve unto this end, as we shall see afterwards.

We must now a little return unto what we before laid down.

Wisdom being the directive power of all divine operations, and the end of all those operations being the glory of God himself, or the demonstration of the excellencies of the holy properties of his nature, it was incumbent thereon to provide for the honour and glory of divine holiness in an exaltation answerable unto the attempt for its debasement. Without the consideration hereof, we can have no due prospect of the actings of infinite wisdom in this great work of our redemption and recovery by the incarnation of the Son of God.

Thirdly, Sin brought disorder and disturbance into the whole rule and government of God. It was necessary from the infinite wisdom of God, that all things should be made in perfect order and harmony, all in a direct subordination unto his glory. There could have been no original defect in the natural or moral order of things, but it must have proceeded from a defect in wisdom. For the disposal of all things into their proper order, belonged unto the contrivance thereof. And the harmony of all things among themselves, with all their mutual relations and aspects, in a regular tendency unto their proper and utmost end, whereby, though every individual subsistence or being hath a peculiar end of its own, yet all their actings, and all their ends, tend directly unto one utmost common end of them all, is the principal effect of wisdom. And thus was it at the beginning; when God himself beheld the universe, and 'lo it was exceeding good.'

All things being thus created and stated, it belonged unto the nature of God to be the rector and disposer of them all.

It was not a mere free act of his will, whereby God chose to rule and govern the creation, according unto the law of the nature of all things, and their relation unto him; but it was necessary from his divine being and excellencies, that so he should do. Wherefore it concerned both the wisdom and righteousness of God, to take care that either all things should be preserved in the state wherein they were created, and no disorder be suffered to enter into the kingdom and rule of God, or that in a way suited unto them, his glory should be retrieved and re-established. For God is not the God of confusion, either the author nor approver of it, neither in his works, nor