which appears, in that he was made so far like God, that he was after his very Image, Gen. i. 26. And this was not peculiar to the Man, but common to the Man and the Woman, verf. 27. 'So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him: male and female 'created he them.' The Image of God wherein Man was so like him, consisted in Knowledge, Righteousness, and Holiness, and Dominion over the Creatures: 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.' Gen. i. 26. 'God faid, Let us make man in our image, after 'our likeness: and let them have dominion over the • fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth." The Parts of the Image of God impreffed on his Soul, were, Knowledge on his Mind, Righteousness on his Will, and Holinefs on his Affections. His Knowledge was a fufficient Understanding of what was necessary to make him compleatly happy, Gen. i. 26. Col. iii. 10. His Righteoufness was a perfect Conformity of his Will to the Will of God: And his Holiness was the perfect Purity of all his Affections. Ecct. vii. 29. 'God made man up* right.' That Part of the Image of God impressed on the whole Man, was Dominion over the Creatures. The Creatures he had Dominion over, were the Beasts of the Earth, the Fowls of the Air, and the Fishes of the Sea, Gen. i. 26. The Dominion he had over them, was a Right and Power soberly to use them for God's Glory and his own Comfort. His Charter od, 26. m So i le in 2 r e e ᅥ . Charter for this Right to the Creatures, was the 'God made man upright. But it was lost to himself and all Mankind, by his Fall, 1 Cor. xv. 22. 'In Adam all die;' and that even to the forfeiting of the Dominion over the Creatures; an Evidence of which is, Beasts proving unruly, and hurtful to Man. The only Way to recover the Image of God, is to unite with Jesus Chrift by Faith: 1 Cor. xv. 22. In Chrift *shall all be made alive. For he is the Image of the invisible God, and to him as a fecond Adam is the Dominion over the Creatures restored: Col. i. 15. Who is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of every creature. "Thou madeft him to have dominion over the Pfal. viii. 6. 7.8. works of thy hands; thou haft put all things under his feet: all sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field: the fowl of the air, and the fish of the fea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the feas. Compared with Heb. ii. 7. 8. 9. Thou madeft him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and him over the works of thy hands: thou hast put all things in fubjection under his feet, &c. And he repairs this Image in all that believe on him. The Reparation of the loft Image of God in their Souls didst fet is is begun in their Sanctification in him, and perfected in their Glorification Col. iii. 10. ' And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge, af, 'ter the image of him that created him. Heb. xii. 23. To the spirits of just men, made perfect.? The Reparation of the loft Dominion over the Creatures, is begun in their getting a new Right to them in their Union with him, and perfected in their being put in full Possession of the Dominion at the last Day: Rom. iv. 13. For the promise that he ' should be the heir of the world, was not to Ab. 'raham, or to his feed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. Rev. xxi. 7. 'He that overcometh, shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my fon.' Pfal. xlix. 14. 'Like sheep they are laid in the 'grave, death fhall feed on them; and the up right shall have dominion over them in the mornfing.' Their Charter for this new Right to the Creatures, is the Covenant of Grace, Rom. iv. 13, forecited. But they that are out of Christ, have no Covenant-right to the Creatures, but only a providential Right: And that is such a Right, as a condemned Man hath to his Food, until his Execution. The Management that Men now have over the Beasts, is far short of the original Do. minion over them: Gen. ii. 19. And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beaft of the field, and every fowl of the air, and brought them unto Adam, to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. But fuch as it is, it is owing to a new Grant made after the Fall, for the Neceffities of human Life; which new Grant is found recorded, Gen. ix. 2. 'And the the fear of you, and the dread of you, shall be Quest. II. What are God's Works of Ans. God's Works of Providence are, EXPLICATION. ence on God as their heir first There is a divine Providence about the Crea tures. That appears, from their entire DependCaufe, and from the ex. act Accomplishment of Scripture-prophecies: Acts xvii. 25. God is not worshipped with mens hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things. verf. 28. For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have faid, For we are also his offspring. If. xlvi. 9. 10. 'Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is none elfe; I am God, and there is none like me. Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will ' do all my pleasure.' The Object which Providence is employed a bout, is all the Creatures, and all their Actions, Pfal. ciii. 19. His kingdom ruleth over all. E ven wen Devils, and wicked Men, are under the Providence of God: Matth. viii. 31. So the devils befought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer. fus to go away into the herd of swine.' And evil Actions, as well as good, are within the Verge of it: Gen. xlv. 7. ' And God fent me before you, to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. Yea, there is not any thing whatsoever, be it ever so small or cafual, that falls out without the Providence of God: Matth. x. 29. 30. Are not two * sparrows fold for a farthing? and one of them * shall not fall on the ground without your Father, But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.' The Works of Providence about the Creatures, are the preserving of them, and the governing of them and their Actions. Providence preserves the Creatures, sustaining them in Being, and providing for their Support: Heb. i. 3. Upholding all things by the word of his power. Pfal. cxlv. 15. 16. The eyes of all wait upon thee, and thou givest them their meat in due season. Thou openest thine hand, and fatisfiest, the defire of every living thing." No Creature whatsoever could keep itself in Being one Moment: But upon God's withdrawing the upholding Hand of his Providence, it would immediately return to nothing: Heb. i. 3. Providence governs the Creatures and their Actions, disposing of them according to the divine Purpose; Prov. xxi. 1. The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whitherfoever he will.' Eph. i. 11. ' In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.' Providence |