Can we any more? yes, one step higher, and we are at the top of Jacobs ladder: The soul is not only like God, but the image of God. I cannot deny, but there is some appearance of it in the outward man and therefore the body in some measure partakes of this image of the Deity, it was man, and whole man that ⟨p. 67⟩was corrupted by sin, and (by the law of contraries) it was man, and whole man, that was beautified with this image. Please you to look at the body, is it not a little world, wherein every thing that God made was good? as therefore all goodness comes from him, so was he the pattern of all goodness; that being in him perfectly, which only is in us partly. This is that Idea, whereby God is said to be the exemplar of the world: man then in his body being as the worlds map, what is he but that image, in which the builder of the world is manifest? but if you look at the parts of his body, how often are they attributed (though in a metaphor, yet in resemblance) to his Maker? our eyes are the image of his wisdom, our hands are the image of his power, our heart is the image of his knowledge, and our tongue the lively image of his revealed will: God therefore, before he made the body, said, Let us make man in our own image: 1and what was the meaning, but that soul and body should both bear the image of his Majesty? Be astonished then, ye men of the earth! If this dust, this clay, this body of ours be so glorious, what think ye of the soul, whose substance, faculties, qualities, dignities, every way represents Gods omnipotent Essence? Look on this glass, and first for substance, is the soul invisible? why so is God: No man hath seen him at any time, Joh. 1.18.2 Is the soul incorporeal? why so is God: We ought not to think him like unto gold, or silver, or stone graven with art, Acts 17.29.3 Is the soul immortal? why so is God: He is King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, who only hath immortality, 1. Tim. 6.16.4 Is the soul spiritual? why so is God: God is a spirit, and they that worship him, must worship him in spirit, John 4.24.5 Is the soul one essence? why so is God: There is one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all, Ephes. 4.6.6 See here the lively image of God in every soul of man. But there is another character imprinted in every faculty, so that not only the substance, but the powers of the soul bear this image in them:
Can we any more? yes, one step higher, and we are at the top of Jacobs ladder: The soul is not onely like God, but the image of God. I cannot denie, but there is some apparance of it in the outward man and therefore the bodie in some measure partakes of this image of the Deity, it was man, and whole man that ⟨p. 67⟩was corrupted by sin, and (by the law of contraries) it was man, and whole man, that was beautified with this image. Please you to look at the body, is it not a little world, wherein every thing that God made was good? as therefore all goodness comes from him, so was he the pattern of all goodness; that being in him perfectly, which onely is in us partly. This is that Idaea, whereby God is said to be the exemplar of the world: man then in his body being as the worlds map, what is he but that image, in which the builder of the world is manifest? but if you look at the parts of his body, how often are they attributed (though in a metaphor, yet in resemblance) to his Maker? our eyes are the image of his wisdome, our hands are the image of his power, our heart is the image of his knowledge, and our tongue the lively image of his revealed will: God therefore, before he made the body, said, Let us make man in our own image: 1and what was the meaning, but that soul and body should both bear the image of his Majestie? Be astonished then, ye men of the earth! If this dust, this clay, this bodie of ours be so glorious, what think ye of the soul, whose substance, faculties, qualities, dignities, every way represents Gods omnipotent Essence? Look on this glass, and first for substance, is the soul invisible? why so is God: No man hath seen him at any time, Joh. 1.18.2 Is the soul incorporeall? why so is God: We ought not to think him like unto gold, or silver, or stone graven with art, Acts 17.29.3 Is the soul immortall? why so is God: He is King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, who onely hath immortality, 1. Tim. 6.16.4 Is the soul spirituall? why so is God: God is a spirit, and they that worship him, must worship him in spirit,
- 1Gen. 1.26.
- 2John 1.18.
- 3Acts 17.29.
- 41. Tim. 6.16.
- 5John 4.24.
- 6Ephes. 4.6.