Sidor som bilder
PDF
ePub

green herb for meat: and it was so. 31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

Of man, who brings up the rear of this glorious work, observe,

(2.)

1. When he was made:-upon the sixth day; ver. 31. Heb. that sixth day, that was so remarkable. He was made last of all the creatures; and why so? The Jewish Talmud gives three good reasons why man was made in the close of the sixth day. (1.) Lest it should be suspected that man had been a helper to God in the creation of the world. To keep him humble. If he should begin to be proud, the very fly might come to him and say, "Proud as thou art, I was made before thee." (3.) That as soon as he was made, he might enter upon the sanctification of the sabbath; that he might keep the sabbath before he tilled the ground. To which may be added, (4.) That he was made last, because he was the best; to teach us that our last works should be our best works. Man was, as it were, an epitome of all the rest, and therefore 'twas fit he should come last. God did, as it were, sum up the perfections of the visible world in man, who was the

D

microcosm,- -a little map of the great world. (5.) To show the order of nature, which is to proceed from that which is imperfect, to that which is more perfect; which order will appear to an observing eye, to have been followed all along in the creation. (6.) That man, as soon as he was made, might have the whole creation before him, to contemplate. (7.) Because it was very fit the house of the world should be built and furnished, before man, the tenant, was brought in. God was too good a landlord to bring him into a cold, uncomfortable dwelling, as the world was at first. The resident's arrival was deferred till the palace was made ready for his reception.

2. How he was made; in a manner different from all the rest of the creatures. Remark,

First, The consultation, (if I may call it so,) concerning man's creation. God said, Let us make man. Hitherto the phrase had been, let it be; let there be light, let there be a firmament, let the waters bring forth, &c.; but now, the phrase is altered: Let us make man. Some think this is a sign of majesty; as kings say, we will and command. But it is rather thought to give a hint of the Trinity of Persons in the Unity of the Godhead; three Persons, the same in substance, equal in power and glory. Us; not God and the angels, as the Jews, (to avoid the conviction of this scripture,) would have it under

stood; for the angels, being our fellow-creatures, could not create: 'tis the prerogative of God himself. Us; the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Hence Eccles. xii. 1, Remember thy Creators; Job. xxxv. 10, God my Makers; Ps. cxlix. 2, His Makers. God said; there's the Unity of the Godhead: Let us; there's the Trinity of the Persons.

In our image, after our likeness. Interpreters do not agree about the meaning of this expression. (1.) Some think that image and likeness are all one, signifying one and the same thing; for in ver. 27, image only is mentioned, and in chap. v. 1, likeness only is mentioned. Also in 1 Cor. xv. 49, we are said to bear the image of the earthy. But compare Jam. iii. 9, where man is said to be made after the similitude or likeness of God. Both words are here used, -in our image, after our likeness. (2.) Others think they point at two different things. [1.] Man was made in the image of God as to his nature; not the nature of his body,-for God has no body,—but of his soul, and the powers and faculties thereof. God hath understanding, so hath the soul; freedom of will, so hath the soul; God is a spirit, immortal, invisible,-so is the soul. As there is but one God in the world, so there is but one soul in the body. And this image of God remains, (in part at least,) since the fall; and it is rendered as

an argument against killing our brother, Gen. ix. 6; and an aggravation of cursing him, Jam. iii. 9; for though he be a wicked man, and as such hath not the image of God's holiness, yet, being a man, he hath the image of his nature, and therefore must not be killed, therefore must not be cursed. [2.] Man was made in the likeness of God as to his holiness; possessing not only an 'understanding, but perfect light in that understanding; not only a will, but complete conformity to the will of God in that will; not only affections, but absolute rectitude and universal regularity in those affections; there were knowledge, (Coloss. iii. 10,) righteousness, and true holiness; (Eph. iv. 24;) sense, at all times and in all things, subject to reason, and that reason right reason; not the least defection or imperfection, want or weakness, infirmity or deformity, was to be found in the soul of Adam as it came out of the hands of God. He was without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; in a word, God made man upright. Eccles. vii. 29. Now, by sin, this likeness is quite lost and gone; not the least mark of it remains in fallen man; but by regeneration it is restored again, not completely in this life, but is begun here and perfected in heaven, with one comfortable addition more,-viz. an impossibility of losing this likeness again.

Secondly, The creation itself. God created man.

He not only said, Let us do it, but he did it. In men there are many good purposes that are never performed, either through weakness or forgetfulness; but it is not so with God.

3. How man was endowed when he was made. Three things God gave him: (1.) A blessing, with a promise of increase. (2.) Dominion over the creatures. Man was made to have the pre-eminence above them; they were all given into his hand, to be his servants. He is not their lord to abuse them, but their lord to use them; and being endued with a principle of reason, which they are not, 'tis fit he should rule, and not they. This dominion appears in the admirable skill man hath to tame them, to use them, to instruct them; and in the fear that God hath placed upon them towards him. This dominion is in part lost by the fall. Witness the frequent rebellions of the creatures against man, and the fear that man stands in of some of the creatures; which, when we observe, we should bewail as one sad consequence of sin. And yet it is not quite lost; else how could a little child drive a train of horses, any one of which, if he knew his own strength, would scorn to be ruled by the strongest man? There is a better dominion bestowed on us by grace;-a dominion over ourselves: not fishes, and fowls, and beasts; but Paul, and Apollos, and Cephas, and

« FöregåendeFortsätt »