EN THE FIRST 0 r< BeholdI have taken upon me tospeak unto theLord, " which ans but dust and ashes." He abaseth himself with the remembrance of his original. And thus as it were, God reproacheth Adam withal upon his sin and transgression, Gen. iii. 199. " Thou shalt return unto r; the ground, for out of it wast thou taken: for dust " thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return." He lets him know, that he had now, by sin, lost that immor- tality which he was made in a condition to have enjgy- ed; and that his body, according to his nature and con- stitution, should return again into its. first principles or the dust of the earth. Into this formed dust, Secondly, God breathed tn"n nn v 5;. the breath of life; Divine aurwparticulam, a vital immortal Spirit. This God breathed intohim, as giving him something of himself, somewhat immedi- ately of his own, not made out of anypre-created mat- ter. This is the rational soul or intelligent spirit. Thus man became a middle creature, between the angels above, and the sensitive animals below. His body was formed, as the beasts, from the matter made the first day, and digested into dry land on the third day. His soul was an immediateproduction o ,. and emanation from the di- vinepower, as the angels were. So when, in the works of the new creation, our blessed Saviour bestowed the Holy Ghost onhis disciples, he breathed on them, as a sign that hegave them something of his own. This ce- lestial spirit, this heavenly breath, was unto man a quick- ening principle. For, Thirdly theeffect hereof is, that man became r,'1-1 v9cb a living soul. His body was here- by animated and capable of all vital acts.. Hence he could move, eat, see, hear, &c. for the natural effects of this breath of life are only intended in this expression. Thus thefirst man Adam was made a living soul, 1. Cor. xv. 45. This was the creation of man, as unto the es- sentially constituting principles ofhis nature. Sect. 11:With respect unto his moral condition and principle of obedience unto God, it is expressed, Gen. 1.26, 27. " And God said, Let us make man in our ". own image, after our likeness; and let them have do- " minion; so God created man in his own image, in " the image of God created he him." He made him upright, Eccles. vii. 29. perfect in his condition; every way complete, fit, disposed, and able to and for the obedience required of him. Without weakness, distem- per, disease, contrariety of principles, inclinations or It OLD CREATION.. 53 reasonings. An universal rectitude of nature, consist- ing in light, power, and order in his understanding, mind, and affections, was the principal part of this image of God wherein he was created. And this appears as from the nature of the thing itself, so from the descrip- tionwhich the apostle giveth us of the renovationof that image in us by the grace of Christ, Eph. iv. 24. Col. iii. 10: And under both these considerations we may weigh the especial operations of the Spirit of God. Sect. 12.First;. As to the essentialprinciples ofthe nature of man, it is not for nothing that God eapresseth his communication of a spirit of life, by his breathing into him.. God'breathed into. his nostrils thebreath of life: The Spirit of God, and the breath of God, are the same; only the one expression is proper, theother metaphorical; wherefore this breathing is the especial . acting of the Spirit of God. The creation of the human soul, a. vital immortal principle and being, is the imme- diate work of the Spirit of God, Job xxxiii. 4'. " The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the as Almighty hath given. me life." Here, indeed, the creation and production of both the essential parts of human nature, body and soul, are ascribed unto the same author. For the Spirit of God and the breath of God are the same; but several effects being mentioned,. causeth, a repetition of the same cause under several names.. This Spirit of God first made man, orformed his body of the dust, and then gave him that breath of life, whereby he became a living soul. So then. under this first consideration, the creation of man is assigned unto the Holy Spirit; for man was theperfection of the inferior creation, and in order unto theglory of God by him were all other things created. Here, therefore, are his operations distinctly declared, to whom the per-. fecting and completing of all divine works is peculiarly committed.. Sect. 13.Secondly; We may consider tit.: moral state and condition of man, with the furniture of bis . mind and. soul, in reference unto his obedience to God and his enjoyment of him. This was theprincipal part of that image of Godwherein he was created. Three things were required to render man idoneous, or fit unto that life to God for which he was made. First, An ability to discern the mind and will of God, with respect unto all the duty andobedience that God requir- ed of him; as also, so far to know the nature andpro-
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