4'2 Of the Creatures, and the Condition ~from another, the Mind improvedt and enlargeth,_ till it arife to a particular, BooK If, clear, dif\inCl:, and perfect Knowledge of thofe thmgs wh1ch 1t leeks to !mow. ~This is the Natural way of Man's Underf\anding in both Eflatcs , both ot Innocent, and Corrupt Nature; and that, in all things that are kno\1 n by him in either of thefe Efiates wherein common l'rtnC!ples (a. that the Whcle is greater than its Parrs, t!ic.) ,.;,.. lmt.u (as the Grecia 111 call them) hints, glimpfes, (as I call them) (many of which are even in the Minds of Children, and as it were connate wtth them) thefe ( I fay) are as the Seed fawn, and Rcafon and Obfervation are as the Ttlbge and Watering of them; and a full Knowledge arifing from both, is as the Crop or Harveft that fprjngs from both, and i; reaped by us. Now when God ftampt his lm1ge liiJOn the Underf\anding of Man, that thereby he might know God himfelf, and fo enjoy him; he fo framed ir as that it rnig\lt fuit with this Natural way of Man's proceeding in hi; Knowledge, in other things: So as the Mind of Man might proceed its own way in the Knowledge of God himfelf, and walk therein after the Rule of Nature. And unto that end God, in the inftant ot his Creation, did fow in his Mind holy and fanCl:ifying Notions and Principles, both concerning his own Nature, what a God he was, and alfo concerning his Will ; (even as he did the like common Notions of the Knowledge of other things). Which Principles were by reCtified Reafon to be ·improved, en– larged, and confirmed, made clear and illu!lrious, our of his Obfervati– ons t'rom the Creatures and the Works of Providence, as alfo from tile Covenant of .Works, till it arife to a full, clear, and dif\inCl: Knowledge of God, whom, as rhus known, he lhould have enjoyed and dt!ig!aed in; even as now we fee Man's Mind hath the Principles of other Know– ledge in it, which Obfervation and Reafon do improve,' And thus, as he was to till the Ganlen of Edm, fo was he to till and manure his own Mind. Two things it then concerned Man to know of God: T. The Nature and Attributes of God; what a God he was; how Wife, Powerlul, Eternal, ~c. 2. The Will and Mind of God towards Man ; both what God would have him ilo, and what God was, and would be to him, (even his God) if he did his Will. And of both thefe he had the Knowledge through Natural infufed Princi– ples, which fanCl:ified his whole Man then, as the Knowledge of Chrif\ by Faith cloth our whole Man now. ' · He had inbred, obfcure Notions of the Attributes of God; which yet were nor fo full and dif\inCl:, but that from the Creatures and Works of God , he was to enlarge and confirm his Knowledge of them; and out of all laid together, to make up a perfect Knowledge of God, and of all his Attributes: For the inviftbte thi11gs of htm are clearly Jem from the Creatiort of tbe Wortd, Ram. r. <o. And if thus to be feen by Heathens (as the Apof\ le there argues) then much more by .Adam, for whom they were ordained. Thofe holy Principles or Ghmpfes of the Know· ledge of God in him , were like Letters written with the juice of Lem– mons, or the like, whith when they are held to the Fire , do become legible and •pparent: So thefe, whom he came once to view the Crea– tures, prefented God clearly to him. Th• Heavms declare the Glory of God, t!)c. (lays the Pfalmift, Pjat. 19. 1.) Pr£(t11temq11e rtftrt qu£1i6et herb,, Deum, (fa) s the Po·et ). .Adam's Reafon was able, through rhe light of tbofe Principles !own, to take God up as the Caufc , from thefe Effects, and fo to attain a perfect Knowledge of him : ( perfet't, that is, in its kind, and in that fenfe ~omplear). 2. He
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