First, for the work of grace, they have the image 1of God upon them: Now the image of a thing, is not the representing of a thing in some under excellency, or in some mean thing that concerns that which it is made to resemble; but it is a resemblance of it in that which is the chief excellency. As if I would draw the picture of a man, I would not draw it for to resemble flesh merely, that a beast hath as well as man, but as near as can be, the very countenance, and life of man; I will not draw the back parts of a man, but his face, and countenance to life; so the image of God is not that which hath some little likeness to God, but that which hath ⟨p. 206⟩a likeness to God in the highest excellency, in his holiness and righteousness, which is (to speak according 2as we are able to conceive) the highest excellency of God; so that a gracious heart hath that which makes him like unto that which is the top of Gods excellency, that which is the image of GOD himself, and therefore it hath these four titles, The Image of God, The Divine Nature, The Life of God, and the Glory of God. The Image of God, Gen. 1. 26. That of the Divine Nature, you have in the 2 Pet. 1. 4. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these you may be partakers of the Divine Nature. And the Life of God, Eph. 4. 18. Being alienated from the life of God, that is, from his grace. And the Glory of God, Rom. 3. 23. For all have sinned, and come short of the Glory of God. The work of grace in mens souls, hath that excellency in it, that there is more of God to be seen in it, then in all the works that ever God did make from the beginning of the world, not only if you take one single work (only excepting the hypostatical Union of the humane nature of Christ) but take all the creatures that God hath made in heaven and earth, they have not so much of the glory of God to be seen in them, as there is to be seen in the work of grace; so that take the poorest, meanest Christian, that hath the work of grace, though parts be never so weak, and outwardly he be never so contemptible, there is more to be seen in this poor man or woman, then in the whole frame of Heaven and earth, then in the Sun, Moon and Stars, then in all the creatures of the world besides, except Angels; and therefore surely outward meanness can never take down the ⟨p. 207⟩esteem that a gracious heart hath of Gods people;
First, for the work of grace, they have the image 1of God upon them: Now the image of a thing, is not the representing of a thing in some under excellency, or in some mean thing that concerns that which it is made to resemble; but it is a resemblance of it in that which is the chief excellency. As if I would draw the picture of a man, I would not draw it for to resemble flesh meerly, that a beast hath as well as man, but as near as can be, the very countenance, and life of man; I will not draw the back parts of a man, but his face, and countenance to life; so the image of God is not that which hath some little likeness to God, but that which hath ⟨p. 206⟩a likeness to God in the highest excellency, in his holiness and righteousness, which is (to speak according 2as we are able to conceive) the highest excellency of God; so that a gracious heart hath that which makes him like unto that which is the top of Gods excellency, that which is the image of GOD himself, and therefore it hath these four titles, The Image of God, The Divine Nature, The Life of God, and the Glory of God. The Image of God, Gen. 1. 26. That of the Divine Nature, you have in the 2 Pet. 1. 4. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these you may be partakers of the Divine Nature. And the Life of God, Eph. 4. 18. Being alienated from the life of God, that is, from his grace. And the Glory of God, Rom. 3. 23. For all have sinned, and come short of the Glory of God. The work of grace in mens souls, hath that excellency in it, that there is more of God to be seen in it, then in all the works that ever God did make from the beginning of the world, not onely if you take one single work (onely excepting the hypostatical Union of the humane nature of Christ) but take all the creatures that God hath made in heaven and earth, they have not so much of the glory of God to be seen in them, as there is to be seen in the work of grace; so that take the poorest, meanest Christian, that hath the work of grace, though parts be never so weak, and outwardly he be never so contemptible, there is more to be seen in this poor man or woman, then in the whole frame of Heaven and earth, then in the Sun, Moon and Stars, then in all the creatures of the world besides, except Angels; and therefore surely outward meanness can never take down the
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- 2The saints likeness to God.
