2 34· Art l)umble Eriqttiry into tlJe ln}lzite Wijclom ofGod . Evident it is, that thefe were the principal Ends of Got! irt the creation of all things. \Vherefor.e this Conftitution of our Nature, and the furniiliment of it with the Image of God, was the moil eminent effect of Infinite Wifdom in all the out– ward works of the Divine Nature. t9{ 2. In the Entrance of, Sin, and by Apoflafy from God, man volu,ntarily rejected and defaced thisUej[ed Repreft.ntationof . the Righteoufnefs and Holinefs :of God, ~his great effect of his Goodnefs and Wifdom, in its tendency unto his eternal -Glory, and our enjoyment of him. No greater dijhonour could be done unto him, no endeavour could have been more pernicious in cailing contet:npt on his co.unfel. For as his. I-Jolinefs wpich wa-s reprefented in thatlmag,e was defpoiled, fo we did what lay in us to d~feat the contrivance of Ivs T!flifdom. This will be evident by reflecxing on the Er1ds of it now mentioned. For a 1. Hereon there remained nothing in all the Ct~eation here below, whereby any Repreftntation might be made ofGod's. Holinefs and Righteoufnefs, or any of the Moral Pe,jet1ions– of his Nature. How could it be done thi~ Image being loft out of the world? The brute inanimate part of the Crea: tion, however fiupendiouflygre(lt in its matter, and glorious. in its outward form, was no ·way capabl~ of it. The Nature of man 'under the lofs of this Image,. faUen, depraved) pollu. ted and corrupted; . gives rather a Reprefentation and Image efSatan, than of God Hence infieacl of GooJ-,,.efs, Lo·vt, Righteoufnefr, Ilolinefs, Peace, all vertues ufefu.lly commu,. nicative and dfefri-ve of th.e good of the whole Race of Man- . kind, which \"10uld have been efrechof this Ima2:e of God, and Reprefentative~ of his Nature, the whole ;orld from and by theNature of man, is fill:ed with ewvy, m,afice,reveng,e, auelfJ', epprej{ttm, and all engines of promoting felf, where– unto man is wholly turned,, as fallen offfrom God. He that would
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=