was so. Let the earth bring forth grass and herbs: and it was so. Let there be lights in the firmament of heaven and it was so." This is the language throughout the chapter, in reference to the formation of all the creatures, except man: when he was to be formed, there seems to have been a solemn pause, deliberation, and consultation on the subject. "And God said, Let us make man in our own image, after our likeness: and let him have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them. 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 air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth."

Thus the father and founder of the human race was created, by the immediate agency of God, in glory and honour. But, glorious and perfect as Adam was formed, he was still a dependent creature. He is made by his Creator subject to a law, as all rational creatures necessarily must be. He is invested with an unlimited sovereignty over the earth, its inhabitants and productions. One tree, only, is reserved by the bounteous donor, as a token of man's subjection, and by which he is continually reminded of his dependency on his Creator, and of his accountability to Him. "And the Lord God commanded

the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." Six parts of his time was allowed him for his employment and delight; but the seventh was peculiarly set apart as sacred to his Maker. "God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it." This, we may remark, is an evidence that the sabbath was intended to be of universal and perpetual obligation.

We here see man put in possession of his inheritance, and invested with authority: and he receives his charge with submission and gratitude to the author of his existence and his mercies. Power and dominion are given to him over the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, to which he gives names according to their nature and qualities. All creatures, animate and inanimate, minister to his utility or delight, and God his Maker converses with him as a father and a friend.

But omitting other circumstances, which might be mentioned, respecting the creation of our first parents, let us fix our attention on the former part of the text. "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him."

Some have supposed that the image of God consisted in a visible glory that surrounded the bodies of our first parents before their fall. That there might have been some such glory as will adorn the bodies of the saints at the resurrection of the just, is not denied. By the fall of man his body suffered com

As soon as this

paratively no less than his soul. disastrous event occurred, Adam and Eve found themselves naked-naked in regard to their corporeal, as well as their spiritual essence. But this sense of the image of God, by no means reaches what is intended by the expression of the inspired historian. The divine likeness in which man was created, without doubt, principally refers to his immortal part-the soul. Whatever else the image of God implied, it included the rectitude, holiness, and perfection of the soul. This opinion seems to be confirmed by some passages in holy writ, which speak of the restoration of believers in Christ to that divine image which they lost in Adam :-"That ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." And again, "ye have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge, after the image of Him that created him." I shall therefore consider the image of God, in which man was created, as having reference to his knowledge, his holiness, his happiness, and his immortality.

I. Let us view the image of God in man with respect to his knowledge.

As the new man in Christ Jesus is renewed in knowledge, after the image of his Creator, and as the expression renewed, implies that this is the same image which sin had defaced, we may incontestably conclude that man was originally created in knowledge. His understanding in his primeval state was as a lamp of pure light. His knowledge was communicated to him immediately by God, and not acquired

by the powers of reasoning and study. That he had an exquisite knowledge of the works of God, we have a proof in the circumstance before alluded to, of his giving names to all creatures according to their nature and qualities. In fact he came into the world a philosopher, and previous to his fall he was ignorant of nothing but sin. All those arts and inventions which excite our admiration and our wonder, are but the discoveries of the remains of an intellect, once perfect in its constitution, but now debased by sin. But the moral and spiritual knowledge of man, as created in the divine image, was of a more excellent nature and character than his physical. He possessed, from the gift of God, a right understanding of his Creator, of himself, of his own situation, his duty, his interest, and his obligations to obedience. There was no necessity that the moral law should be written for Adam upon tables of stone. It was written upon his heart, and formed in his mind, at the period of his creation. He understood and judged according to the knowledge and judgment of his Maker. Knowledge indeed, in a creature, must be limited; error may follow, and thence a change of judgment may be induced. But imperfection in the original formation of man, by the finger of God, is altogether inconsistent with his creation in the divine image.

But, alas! how widely different is the state of fallen man now with respect to knowledge! How are the eyes of his understanding blinded in regard to moral and spiritual objects! How vain and presumptuous is the wisdom of man! What ignorance

of moral and spiritual things has universally prevailed in the world! "The world by wisdom knew not God." For nearly six thousand years, by far the greater part of the human race have had no knowledge of the Divine Being. They have lived without God in the world, and have been almost universally addicted to idolatry. Professing themselves to be wise they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen." O, how necessary is the gospel of the grace of God! And what need has fallen man of the enlightening influences of the Holy Spirit, to renew him in knowledge after the image of Him that created him." II. Another part of the image of God, in which man was created, was holiness.

Holiness is one of the peculiar attributes of Jehovah which constitutes his brightest glory. He is celebrated in the song of Moses as glorious in holiness." It is the attribute which reflects lustre upon the contrivances of his wisdom, and the operations of his almighty power. The seraphim are represented as standing before him, covering their faces and their feet with their wings, and crying one to another, "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole