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miracles, and the end for which he came into the world ; and this is the great instrument hy which the virtue and power of God is con- veyed to us, for the changing of our hearts and lives : 2 Cor. iii. 18, ' Beholding the glory of the Lord as in a glass, we are changed into his image and likeness, from glory to glory.' Some sight of God we must have, or else we cannot be like him : the knowledge or sight of God with mortal or bodily eyes is impossible ; the external manifesta- tions and representations in the creature is imperfect, and .sufficeth rather for conviction than conversion, or to leave us without excuse, than to save the soul, Kom. xii. 1 (they have not the excuse of ftiult- less ignorance). To know him in the law, or covenant of works, doth but work wrath, Kom. iv. 15, or revive in us a stinging sense of our hopeless condition. To know him in person, or to see his glorious works, or hear his glorious words, was a privilege vouchsafed but to few, and to many that made no good use of it ; therefore there is only reserved his word to bring us into communion with God, or the glass of the gospel to represent the glory of the Lord, that we may be changed into his likeness from glory to glory ; there the knowledge of God is held out powerfully in order to our salvation.
(3.) His works — all which in their whole tenure and conte:xture showed him to be God-man. If at any time there appeared any evi- dence of human weakness, lest the world should be offended and stumble thereat, he did at the same time give out some notable demon- strationsof his divine power. When he lay in a manger at his birth, a star appeared, and angels proclaimed his birth to the shepherds ; when he was swaddled as an infant, the wise men came and worshipped him ; when he was in danger of suffering shipwreck, he commanded the winds and the waves, and they obeyed him ; when he was tempted by Satan, he was ministered unto by the angels. Mat, iv. 11 ; when they demanded tribute for the temple, a fish brought it to him. Mat. xvii. 26 ; when he was deceived in the fig-tree (which was an infir- mity of human ignorance), he suddenly blasted it, discovering the glory of a divine power ; when he hung dying on the cross, the rocks were rent, the graves opened, the sun darkened, and all nature put into a rout. Though he humbled himself to purchase our mercies, yet he assured our faith by some emissions and breakings forth of his divine power. Well, then, though it be our duty to seek and find out God's track and foot-print in the whole creation, and to observe the impressions of his wisdom, goodness, and power, in all the saints ; especially this is our duty to admire his image in Jesus Christ, for in his humanity the perfections of the Godhead shine forth in the highest lustre. Whatever perfection we conceive to be in his person, word, or works, the same may we conclude to be in the Father also. Did the winds and seas obey Christ ? the whole creation is at the beck of God. Did Christ show himself to be the wisdom, goodness and power of God? surely God is infinitely wise. Was Christ holy and undefiled? surely so is God — light in whom is no darkness at all. Was Christ loving, pitiful, and compassionate, not abhorring the most vile and miserable, whether in soul or body, that came to him for relief? surely God is love, and he will not be strange to those that seek him in Christ.
3. How he differeth from other persons ; for the saints also are
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made after the image of God : Col. iii. 10, 'And have put on the new- man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him ;' Eph. iv. 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 now made, after the image of God, but with much abatement of this high perfection which is in Christ, for he hath all the substantial per- fection 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 : Eom. viii. 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 repre- sent the perfections of God to us, and commend holiness by his own example.