First, Because all sorts and ranks of men are fallen §1from that Primitive holiness that once they had:1 There are five things that we have all lost by our fall in Adam. First, we have all lost that holy image that God had stamped upon us, and so we are become vile. Secondly, we have all lost our Son-ship, and so we are become slaves. Thirdly, we have all lost our friendship with God, and so we are become enemies. Fourthly, we have all lost our communion with God, and so we are become strangers. And fifthly, we have all lost our glory, and so we are become miserable. Some say that the naked body of man was so glorious in his estate of Innocency, that all the beasts of the field admired it, and thereupon did homage to him. O how glorious was his soul then! Certainly if the Cabinet was so glorious, the Jewel within it was much more glorious; But how glorious soever man was in his primitive estate, it is most certain that he is now so sadly fallen from the highest pinnacle of glory, to so low a step of misery, that God sometimes s••ds him to the Pismire to learn instruction;2 and sometimes he sends him to the Stork and the Swallow to make a right improvement of precious time;3 and sometimes he sends him to the Ox and to the Ass to learn knowledge;4 and sometimes he sends him to the Fowls of the air to learn confidence; yea and sometimes he sends him to the very Lilies and Grass of the field,5 to learn how to live without carking and distracting cares. It is true, mans first estate was a state of perfect holiness,6 he being made in the image of ⟨image 4⟩God, and after the likeness of God. It was an estate of perfect light,7 knowledge, prudence, wisdom and understanding; It was an estate of very great honour and dignity, and therefore the Psalmist (speaking of man in this estate) brings him in with a Crown of glory and honour upon his head.8 Thou hast crowned him with glory and honour. Mans first estate was so stately an estate, that he was not so much below the glorious Angels, as he was above all other creatures. God made him the Sovereign Lord of the whole Creation,9 God gave him an absolute Dominion and Authority both of Sea and Land, and all creatures in both were subjected to him. Such was the exquisite beauty and perfection of his body, that from the crown of his head to the soles of his feet, there was not the least blain or blemish;
First, Because all sorts and ranks of men are faln §1from that Primitive holiness that once they had:1 There are five things that we have all lost by our fall in Adam. First, we have all lost that holy image that God had stampt upon us, and so we are become vile. Secondly, we have all lost our Son-ship, and so we are become slaves. Thirdly, we have all lost our friendship with God, and so we are become enemies. Fourthly, we have all lost our communion with God, and so we are become strangers. And fifthly, we have all lost our glory, and so we are become miserable. Some say that the naked body of man was so glorious in his estate of Innocency, that all the beasts of the field admired it, and thereupon did homage to him. O how glorious was his soul then! Certainly if the Cabinet was so glorious, the Jewel within it was much more glorious; But how glorious soever man was in his primitive estate, it is most certain that he is now so sadly faln from the highest pinacle of glory, to so low a step of misery, that God sometimes s••ds him to the Pismire to learn instruction;2 and sometimes he sends him to the Stork and the Swallow to make a right improvement of precious time;3 and sometimes he sends him to the Ox and to the Ass to learn knowledge;4 and sometimes he sends him to the Fowls of the air to learn confidence; yea and sometimes he sends him to the very Lillies and Grass of the field,5 to learn how to live without carking and distracting cares. It is true, mans first estate was a state of perfect holiness,6 he being made in the image of ⟨image 4⟩God, and after the likeness of God. It was an estate of perfect light,7 knowledge, prudence, wisdom and understanding; It was an estate of very great honour and dignity, and therefore the Psalmist (speaking of man in this estate) brings him in with a Crown of glory and honour upon his head.8
- 1Psalm 14.3. Rom. 3.12. Qui te non habet Domine Deus, totum perdidit. Bernard.
- 2Prov. 6.6, 7.
- 3Jer. 8.7.
- 4Isa. 1.3.
- 5Matth. 6.25, ult.
- 6Gen. 1.27.
- 7Gen. 2.20.
- 8Psalm 8.5.
- 9Gen. 1.26. Psalm 8.6, 7, 8.
