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For man was made in the image of the Trinity, that is in holineffe and righteoufneffe, he had Free-will to have continued that happy eftate, and he had the tree of life whereof he might have eaten and have lived for ever in the state of his creation.

It is neceflary that we be instructed in the ftory of mans creation that we may understand the power, wildome, and goodness of God fhewed in man, who out of so base a matter, compofed fo excellent a frame as this of mans body, and inspired it with a reasonable foule, endowing it with heavenly light, and giving to man the lordship of the works of his hands, leaving it in his own free-will to perpetuate the tenure of his happineffe.

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This is called mans ftate of innocency, wherein

1. His knowledge2,

2. His holinefle was full and perfect,

1. Of God.

1. His knowledge was full2. Of himself. C2. Of the creatures. 1. Of God; knowing him so farre forth as a fraile creature was capable of the knowledge of an infinite nature; and therein man was no whit inferiour to the Angels of God; for God created men and Angels in his own image, and this knowledge is the image of God; lo faith the Apostle,

Created in knowledge after the image of him which created him. 2 Of himself; for he was then fenfible of all that God had done for him,and I cannot doubt but that light whichGod fet up in this excellent creature,did fhew him the torson of himself, fo that he knew the fecret of his own compofition, the admirable faculties of the intellectual & animal part the Symmetrie, the Anatomy, the use of every part of the body, the end & ufe of his creation.

3. Of the creatures; for as all the creatures were brought be fore him to declare to him his dominion over them, fo for more expreffure of his lordship, he gave to every creature a name; furely the light of his understanding penetrating fo deep as to the fe cret nature of all things fubiunary, as alfo well read in the great volume of the celeftial bodies, and furnished with all science whereby either the content of the minde, the honour of his high place, being lord of all, or the use of his life, or the glory of his Maker, might be maintained or procured.

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Such was man in the ftate of innocency in refpect of his know. ledge; and though his fall eclipled that light very much, and much of that particular knowledge which Adam had, perished in him; yet fure that which remained after the fall, which was the ftock wherewith he fet up in the world, did give the first rules, and lay down the grounds of all arts and fciences, which being perfected by obfervation, ftudy and experience in the long life of the fathers,defcended upon fucceeding times,like rivers which gather in fome brooks to mend their streame as they haften to the fea, and fo improve their strength in current, and dilate their banks.

Much of this maketh much against man; for in this exellencie of his knowledge extending it felf fo to the creature, no doubt but he knew the Angels alfo, and knew of their fall. I cannot fuppofe that fo excellent a creature as man bearing the image of God that made him, and of the Angels that stood and kept their firft eftate, could be ignorant, or that God would conceale from him fuch an example of weakneffe in fo excellent a creature, of juftice in him...

I cannot fuppofe but that he knew into what condition the fall of Angels had dejected them, and how farre their finne had corrupted them;he could not but know them,hating of,and hate. ful to God, and therefore no friend to man.

He might have fufpected the forbidden fruit to have had fome poy fonous quality,when God faid, quâ die comederis morte morieris; but he knew by that full knowledge that he had of the crea tures, that it was good and wholfome for meat.

But the more we honour God in the perfection of his creati on, the more we dishonour man in the precipitation of his fall; furely he stumbled not, he fell not for want of light,he fell in the day,as it will after follow.

But much of this knowledge furvived his innocency, and no doubt but the Angels that fell had and have much more know. ledge then men now have.

2. His holineffe was alfo compleat; for that Maker is not author imperfecti operis, of an imperfect work; he did nothing but it was bonum valde, very good; furely I doubt not to affirme that there was as full and as great perfection of holineffe

and

and righteousnesse in Adam in the state of his innocencie as was in Jefus Chrift, for God was well pleafed in them both.

The difference was this, Adam was a meer creature, and his height of honour was the image of his Maker; but Chrift was man not united by way of fimilitude with the image of God, but by way of perfonal union with the nature of the Godhead,fo that Adams holineffe was changable, but Chrifts holineffe was not.

This holineffe and righteousneffe confifted in a fincere purity of the creature within himself, and in a totall conformity to the will of God.

The exaltation of Gods favour to him went no higher; fo high it did go; Adam might have kept him fo to this day and for ever if he would.

The reason of this mutability in the state of man,was, because he was made of earth, which was made of nothing, and therefore could not participate of the immutability of God as it did of his goodneffe and holineffe.

Confidering man thus in his ftate of innocency, we fhall finde that all Adam's pofterity was then in him, and in his person was the whole nature of mankinde; so that the whole nature either food or fell in him, and was either in his standing to hold the innocency of creation, or in his fall to lofe the fame.

By this light we fee the goodneffe, and love, and wildome of God in the creation of man, and here is the ground daid of his justice alfo; for there is no neceffity laid upon man that he must fall; and being thus fet up, he cannot break but by his own ill husbandry of the talent of grace that is given to him; for what C would he have more? God may say of this Vine, what could I have dove more to it then I did he may be eternally and un changably happy if he will dende soone 2. The misery of our fall, and therein>>

ft. How we may know it.

2. What it is.bhow sito

1. Whow we may know it.

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Itis properly the work of the Law to declare to man how 'miferable he is; fo faith the Apostle, I knew not fin but by the Law; Rom.7.7. for I had not known luft, except the Law had faid, non concupifces,

Thou shalt not covet.

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Therefore to work faith in us, the spirit of God doth preach the Law to the confcience, and teacheth us to examine and try our wayes by the Law, not literally as they of old did, whom Chrift reproveth, but according to the full scope of the Law, which aimeth not at the boughs and exuberant branches of fin, but is an axe laid to the root thereof, and telleth us how miferable we are, declaring

2. What this mifery is

In the wages.
1. In the infection,

2,

1. In the infection.

Thus the Law declareth us guiley

1. In original finne.

2. In finnes of omiffion.

3. In finnes of evil motion,
4. In finnes of evil affection.

5. In finnes of evil action.

1. In original fin.

The Law declareth Adam a tranfgreffour, and therein a corrupter, not only of his own perfon, but of the whole nature of mankind, because having Free will to have kept the good eftate in which he was created, by prevarication of the Law, he fell from the chief good, and thereby infected, and polluted his pofterity, fo that ever fince, no clean thing could derive it felf from that which is unclean. This fin hath produced these effects in

man.

1. The image of God is much blemished in him; for infteed of that full knowledge which he had, he reteineth only fome principles, which be called the law of God written in the heart, which do serve to make a man without excufe in the day of his judg ment, because he cannot deny but that he knew a Godhead, and knew good and evill in fome measure. Video meliora proboque.

For the invifible things of God, his eternal power and GodRom.1.19 head are seen by the creation of the world, being confidered in his works.

And that law, Do as thou wouldst be done to, ferveth us to di ftinguish between good and evill in many things.

So though there be a totall privation of our light, yet is there a dark cloud overshadowing us..

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For now the naturall'man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit I Cor. 2.14 of God, neither can he know them because they are spiritually dif

cerned.

Not that we are fufficient of our felves to think any thing as of 2 Cor.3:{ our felves.

2. And from hence it cometh,that wemistake our way often,and that is not always the nearest and best way that is the fairest and broadeft, and most trodden; There is a way that feemeth good in Pro.14.12 the eyes of men, but the end thereof is death.

For the wisdom of the flesh is enmity to God, for it is not fubje&t Rom. 8,7′′ to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

2. The image of God in the Will.

r. There followeth a natural inclination rather to evil then to good, and men naturally do beftow their wits rather to project evil then good; for the minde and confcience is defiled. Tit. 1.15. For there is naturally a vanity in the understanding. So it may Eph. 4. 17 be faid,

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They are wife to do evill,but to do well they have no knowledge. Jer, 4. 22. 2. In the Will, the image of God is blemished.

For we shall find in our felves a reluctation against God; all the service of God naturally doth bring a wearineffe apon us,and nothing doth terrify fo much with fear of difficulty as good works.

This is called Originall fin; because it runneth in the fame ftream with our bloud, and we derive it from our faulty progeni

tours;

which the Apostle calleth, The fin that hangeth fo fast on; Heb. 12.1. Saint Paul calleth it peccatum habitans in me, finne dwelling Rom.7.7.

in me,

Corpus peccati. Lex membrorum. Concupifcentia.

And the whole corruption of man deriveth it self from this head, so that we are born by nature children of wrath; for who can draw that which is clean from that which is unclean.

Therefore the Spirit of God working faith in us, doth fet our eyes upon the quarry out of which we were digged, and pointe:h us to this first corruption.

1. There is great ufe of this looking back, that we who think our felves brave creatures, to whom God hath put fo many of our fellow witneffes into fervice, may know that we are but

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