Vindiciae legis, or, A vindication of the moral law and the covenants, from the…Vindiciae legis, or, A vindication of the morall law and the covenants, from the…

When God had made all other things, then man, the immediate and proxime end, was created; it being Gods goodness to make no living creature before he provided the food and nourishment of it. And thus man, the last, but the choicest external and visible piece of his workmanship, is created, but in a great difference from the former; for his creation is brought in by way of deliberation and advice, Let us make man: which words denote, 1. The excellency of the man to be made, 2. The Mystery of the Trinity is here implied; for, howsoever the Jews would have it, that he spoke to the Angels, or the inanimate creatures: or others, that the word is used in the Plural Number for dignity sake, as they show examples in the Hebrew: yet we rather join with those that do think it implied, not indeed that this text of it self can prove a Trinity, for the Plural Number proveth no more three, then four or two, but with other places that do hold forth this doctrine more expressly: so that in the words you have the noble and great effect, Man; ⟨p. 114⟩the wise and powerful efficient, God; the excellent and admirable pattern or exemplar, After our image: God made man after his image, and so implanted it in him, that that image could not be destroyed, unless man destroyed himself; not that this image was his natural substance and essence, but it was a concreated perfection in him. Now, for the opening of this truth, let us consider these particulars:

When God had made all other things, then man, the immediate and proxime end, was created; it being Gods goodnesse to make no living creature before he provided the food and nourishment of it. And thus man, the last, but the choicest externall and visible piece of his workmanship, is created, but in a great difference from the former; for his creation is brought in by way of deliberation and advice, Let us make man: which words denote, 1. The excellency of the man to be made, 2. The Mysterie of the Trinitie is here implyed; for, howsoever the Jewes would have it, that he spoke to the Angels, or the inanimate creatures: or others, that the word is used in the Plurall Number for dignitie sake, as they shew examples in the Hebrew: yet we rather joyn with those that doe think it implyed, not indeed that this text of it self can prove a Trinity, for the Plurall Number proveth no more three, then foure or two, but with other places that doe hold forth this doctrine more expresly: so that in the words you have the noble and great effect, Man; ⟨p. 114⟩