The Paterne of Perfection

p. 1THE PATERNE of perfection.

And God said, Let us make man after our owne image, &c.

REligion, being the Doctrine according to godlinesse, is referred to two heads: The knowledge of God, and of our selves.

The knowledge of God consists in his sufficiencie, what he is. One God, and p. 2three persons: in his efficiency, what he is to man.

God hath in himselfe fulness of happiness. He needed not man; but as he is good, so all his good is communicative: he is willing to work what is good for the Creature, in giving our being, in providing according to our being; which consists in supporting the frame of heaven and earth, and in guiding it according to his good pleasure.

The knowledge of our selves must be considered in a three-fold estate.

1. What we are in regard of innocency.

2. What wee are in regard of our fall.

3. The estate to which we are renewed.

p. 3These three take up the estates of man: In the last of of them observe three particulars.

1. What we have received from Christ.

2. What we are to do for him.

3. The meanes of our renewing.

1. What wee have received appeares in his purchasing our redemption, and in applying it: Christ does not onely provide a salve, but laies it on, applies it effectually, in calling, justifying, sanctifying.

2. What wee must doe for God; and here comes in the nature of the Law, That being redeemed, we might walke before him in holinesse and righteousnesse (as S. Luke p. 4speakes) all our daies. This we must doe, not to purchase any thing, but to glorifie God for what wee have received.

3. The meanes; which are the Word, Prayer, and Sacraments.

Thus when a man sees himselfe created, lost, recovered, then a man is a Christian man.

My purpose is not to begin with the knowledge of God, but with the knowledge of our selves, because it is most available to make us see our misery, and the need of a Saviour.

First then we will begin with the first condition of man, as he came out of the hand of God.

p. 5§ 1. And God said, Let us make man in our image.

IN the Words there are two things:

1. The consultation, [And God said.]

2. The executiō of it effected.

The consultation gives us to consider, partly the difficulty of the worke, partly the excellencie, when in all other things it was but a [Let it be] but now there is an high Court of Parliament; the three Persons enter into a consultation to set upon this master-piece; better then all other creatures, except Angels, and in some case better then them. Father, Son, and holy-Ghost say, Let us make man; every one addresses himselfe to it with marvellous p. 6care. Come wee then to the Work. If you aske what's the pinnacle of perfection, from which Adam fell (for fall implies some prerogative hee had) I answer, it was this, That he was made in Gods image, and from this he fell

[Gods image is mans excellency.] Doct. The excellencie of Adams condition consists in this, that he was made in the image and likenesse of God. Therefore, Col. 3.10. the Apostle disputing concerning renovation, enjoynes them to put on the new man, which is renewed according to the image of him; that created it. In the Text are two things:

1. The worke of sanctification is that we had in Adam by creation; and therefore he cals it the new p. 7man. Adam having blemished it, Christ renewes it againe.

2. Observe, that both the worke of sanctification, and creation, are according to the image of God, Ecclesiastes 7.9. God made Adam upright, yea a straight man.

This is a comparison taken from a straight line; there can be no crooking in it. So the heart of Adam lay levell, and exactly agreeable to the rule of righteousnesse. Eph. 4.24. Put ye on the new man, which is created after God in righteousnesse and true holinesse. Looke what is spoken of renovation, the selfe same Adam had in creation. Now wee read that the new man is after God, as the print of the wax is after the seale; p. 8and a man does his work after a paterne, that is agreeable to it: So the stampe of Gods image was upon Adam, that he was agreeable to his will.

p. 8For the opening of it, observe three questions:

Q. 1. What is this Image?

[Gods image, what in generall.] Ans. In the generall, it is that spirituall ability put into Adam, whereby hee was able to worke as God wrought, after the manner and measure of a creature. We doe all things according to our scantling: God hath a power infinite, Adam had it proportionably. Adam was not to equall, but to imitate God. Luk. 6.34. Be mercifull as your father is mercifull. Adam was holy as God, and ordred his conversation p. 9as God would. Wee say, That the child hath the image of his father, not in bignesse, but in likenesse, either in carriage, countenance, or behaviour: Or, as it is with an apprentice, that hath learned the skill of his Master, we say, Hee is his Master right; not because he is a man, but because he is a work-man, and imitates him exactly, and carries the print of his skill upon him. So the image of God in Adam is not so much in regard of the being of Adam, as in this, that hee was able to worke as God, hee was partaker of the spirituall vertue of God; he was able to know what was needfull, and to will what ever he knew agreeable to Gods will. Had p. 10God taken flesh upon him (as indeed Christ tooke flesh upon him) he would have so behaved himselfe, and so approved of good courses, (being made after Gods Image) as did Christ (taking our flesh upon him) in whom there was no guile.