Page images
PDF
EPUB

forming a natural communication throughout the whole dominion. And it may be naturally inferred, that the grand divifions and progreffions in thofe divine operations contituting the world, which are traced in the courfes of the winds and waters, and in the animal natures, and angelic economies, are alfo the grounds of the divifion of this world's empire into four great kingdoms in fucceffion; which kingdoms are reprefented in prophecy by diftinct kinds of beafts, and are ordained of God, and limited by the fame laws that govern the heavens, and control the figns and feafons, and the days and years.

It appears, moreover, that the angels are confecrated beings, and that the confecrating vow of holiness was laid upon them foon after their creation; their flate as being under. the law implies this, and that the altar of God was fet up among them; for the idea of confecration relates to the altar; alfo, this is imported by their common name, Angel; for wherever the word el is taken into a name, it fignifies that the perfon or thing is either a confecrator, or is confecrated under the vows and oath of God. The ground of the flanding of the angels, being made facred under the law, was the fearful circumftance that rendered the fin of thofe who fell fo exceedingly finful, and gave it fuch ftrength to their condemnation; and their standing fingly and alone on this holy ground, left them in a fallen ftate, hopeless and irrecoverable; for, Wo to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.

Section 4. Man created in the Image of God,

The state of man when firft created, was widely different from that of the angels; for instead of being made with the frame, and placed in the condition of a fervant, God gave him a portion of his own fpirit, and thereby capacitated him for dominion; and he was affociated with the Lord himfelf in the glory of his majefty, and fet up in ftate with his Maker over the works of his hands.

Chrift is the image of God; and as man was created in union with Chrift as the Beginning, or as the Head and Lord of the Creation, he was made in the image of God; in his being capacitated with wifdom and knowledge to hold the dominion of the world, and being actually invefted with this fovereign authority; man was made after the fimilitude of God-fearfully and wonderfully made! His firft ftate was nothing less than a partnership with Chrift in the glory of his dominion, as far as it refpected the first creation! With fuch an imprefs of majesty he was fearfully made, and it is all a matter truly wonderful!

As Chrift was united with the Father by the everlasting covenant, fo Adam was affociated in a covenant with Chrift; and as Chrift was with the Father a fellow in the glory of the eternal world, fo was Adam a

partner with Chrift in the glory of the crea tion. Hence, as Chrift, in having by the Spirit of the Father all the treasures of wifdom and knowledge; and in being fet up in the ancient dominion of heaven, was the image of God, and the brightness of his glory; fo Adam, being capacitated by the Spirit of the Lord the Creator for the dominion of the world, and fet up in this glory, was in the image of God, and was the figure and likenefs of Chrift. In like manner, Chrift having become the Head of the New Creation, and being declared the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of Holiness, by the re furrection from the dead; and the penitent finner being brought into union with him by the grace of the new covenant, and receiving from him the Holy Ghost, which is the Spirit of the new world, he becomes a new creature, and puts on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge, after the image of his new Creator. In what clear light does the divine theory here open to view!

The fuppofition that mere creature excel. lence could be the image of God, or that creatures could be faid, with propriety, to be in the image of God on account of their own moral righteousness, or on any account other than their being by an act of fovereign beneficence united with the divine Word, the true and only image of God, is grofs folly and idolatry; and it is truly astonishing that this fhould ever be fuppofed by ferious per fons, who have bibles in their hands. When God was about to create man, he called his

council, faying, Let us make man in cur image, after our likeness, &c. And in this beginning of the unfolding of eternal love, may be traced the manifold wifdom of God con. cerning the revelation of his Son in the world, and the manifeftation of himself in the human nature. We have no evidence that the angels, however perfect, were created in the Image of God; on the contrary, by the emphafis that is laid in the fcriptures upon man's being created in the image of God, the idea that this glory belonged originally to both natures, is ftrongly objected.

Four things appear to be intended in the fcriptures relative to the image of God, in which man was created, víz. his capacity for marriage union; his infpiration with the breath of life; his being crowned with glory and honor, and his being a covenant fubject. Of which things, the two firft, as belonging to his creation, will be briefly noticed under this head; the two laft confifling in acts of Providence, will be noticed in feparate fec

tions.

1. It is faid, So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him, male and female created he them, Gen. i. 27. Again, In the likeness of God made he him: male and female created he them, chap v. 1, 2.-By these words being fo connected, it has been understood that fomething was thereby intended relative to the image of God, in this circumstance of the formation of the human nature; not merely, however, that man was created male and female, which does not

D d

diftinguish him from other creatures, but in his capacity for marriage union, which diftinguishes him from all other created beings.

The Apostle, speaking of this fubje&t, illusftrates the relation of husband and wife, by the union that fubfifts between Chrift and the church.-Eph, v. Wives, fubmit your felves unto your own hufbands, as unto the Lord.For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Chrift is the head of the church: And he is the Saviour of the body. Therefore, as the church is fubject unto Chrift, fo let the wives be unto their own husbands in every thing. Hufbands, love your wives even as Christ alfo loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might fanctify and cleanfe it, by the washing of water by the Word, That he might prefent it to himself a glorious church, not having Spot or wrinkle, or any fuch thing; but that it fhould be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives, as their own bodies; he that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church. For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this caufe fhail a man leave his father and mother, and fhall be joined to his wife, and they two fhall be one flesh. This is a great mystery; but I speak of Chrift and the church.-The marriage union, therefore, is fuch as that which fubfifts between Chrift and the church; and it has been fhewn, that the union of Chrift and believers, is of the fame nature with that fubfifting between the Father and the Son; and

« PreviousContinue »