A51837:91
Christs eternal existence, and the dignity of his person asserted and proved in opposition…
Christs eternal existence, and the dignity of his person asserted and proved in opposition to the doctrine of the Socinians : in several sermons on Col. I, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 verses / by the Reverend Tho. Manton.
London printed : s.n., 1685
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
3. How he differeth from other persons: For the Saints also are made after the Image of God, Col. 3.10. And have put on the New Man which is renewed in knowledge after the Image of him that created him, Eph. 4.24. And that ye put on the New man which after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness? I answer, There is a great difference between the Image of God in Man, and the Image of God in Christ.
1. Man resembleth God but imperfectly, Man was made, and is new made after the Image of God, but with much abatement of ⟨p. 38⟩this high perfection which is in Christ, for he hath all the substantial perfection which his Father hath. In other Creatures, there is some resemblance but no equality, other Creatures are made like God, but he is begotten like God.
2. It is derivative from Christ: God would recover man out of his lapsed estate, by setting up a pattern of Holiness in our Nature, Rom. 8.29. Whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Son, that he might be the first-born among many Brethren. None was fit to restore this Image of God that was lost, but God Incarnate, for thereby the glory of God was again visible in our Nature; God is a pure Spirit, and we are Creatures, that have indeed an immortal Soul, but it dwelleth in Flesh, therefore to make us like God, the Word was made flesh, that he might represent the perfections of God to us, and commend holiness by his own example.