into a supremacy, and opposing it as such to the divine? To sin, is to take upon us, as if we were supreme, and that there were no Lord over us; it is to assume to ourselves a deity, as if we were under no law or rule; as he is not under any, but what he is to himself. Herein, to be like God, is the very core and malignity of sin.

(2.) There is a just and laudable imitation of God, a likeness to him, that is matter of command, praise and promise, as wherein both the duty, excellency and blessedness of the reasonable creature doth consist; and which is in some respect inseparable from the nature of man. We are required to be followers of God, as dear children, (Eph. 1. 5. a) imitators the word is. David is commended as a man after God's own heart; though but now, we saw in another, with what disdain and indignation it was resented, that he did set his heart, as the heart, of God. The new creature, the new man, the first fruits, as he is called, the flower of the creation, is made after God. Jam. 1. 18. Eph. 4. 24. Saints expect, upon the assurance of his word, to be more fully like him, as we see in the text, and parallel places. Yea, man was made at first with a concreate similitude to God, which we know was the counsel of heaven, and the result and issue of that counsel, Gen. 1. 26. 27. This is evident enough in itself, and needs no more words. But to make a further step in this business, observe next,

(3.) There can be no allowable imitation of any one, but with an exception, as to some peculiarities that may belong to his special station, relation, and other circumstances of the condition in which he is; or with limitation to such things as are of common concernment unto both. It is commonly observed, how naturally a people form their manners and fashions to the example of the prince; and there is no well-disposed ruler, but would take it well, to be imitated in things that are of common concernment to him and his subjects, that is, that concern him, not as he is a king, but as he is a man, or a christian. To behold the transforming power of his own example; where it is such as begets a fair and unreproachful impress; how his virtues circulate (his justice, temperance, love of religion,) and produce their likeness among his people; it will be a glory, and cannot but be resented with some delight. We cast an honor upon them whom we imitate for we acknowledge an excellency in them (which is all that honoring imports in the first notion of it,) and that naturally is received with pleasure. But now, should subjects aspire to

*Regis ad exemplum totus componitur orbis; the whole nation is conformed to the example of the King.

+Nam facere rectè bonus princeps faciendo docet. Cumque sic imperio maximus, exemplo major est: for a good prince teaches virtue by his own practice. And thus while he is supreme in authority, he is superior in example. Velleius Paterculus, Rom. Hist. 1. 2.

a likeness to their prince, in the proper appendages and acts of sovereignty; and because he is a glorious king, they will be such too; and assume the peucliar cognizances of regality; ascend the throne, sway the sceptre, wear the crown, enact laws, &c. There cannot be more of dutifulness and observance in the former imitation, than there is of disloyalty and treason in this. A father is pleased, to have his son imitate him, within such limits beforementioned; but, if he will govern the family, and fill up his room in all relations, this will never be endured.

(4.) There are some things to be found in the blessed God, not so incommunicable and appropriate, but that his creatures may be said to have some participation thereof with him: and so far, to be truly like him. This participation cannot be univocal; as the nature of a living creature in general, is equal in men and brutes; so, it is a self-evident principle, that inter Deum et creaturam nihil est commune, nothing can be common to God and an inferior being. Nor is it only an equivocal, a participation of the same name, when the natures signified thereby are altogether diverse: but analogical, in as much as the things spoken, under the same names, of God and the creature, have a real likeness, and conveniency in nature with one another: and they are in God, primarily; in the creature, by dependance, and derivation in him, essentially, as being his very essence; in them, but as accidents, (many of them) adventitious to their beings; and so while they cannot be said to be the same things in them, as in him, are fitly said to be his likeness.

(5.) This likeness, as it is principally found in man, among all the terrestrial creatures; so hath it, in man, for its seat and subject, his soul or spiritual part. The effects of divine wisdom, power, goodness, are every-where visible, throughout the whole creation; and as there is no effect, but hath something in it, corresponding to its cause (wherein it was the cause ;) so, every creature doth, some way or other, represent God. Some in virtues, some in life, some in being only. The material world represents him, as a house does the builder; but spiritual beings, as a child does the father r yag yśvos apsv, for we are his offspring. Other creatures (as one, P. Folineus de cognitione Dei, fitly expresses it) carry his footsteps; these, his image; and that, not as drawn with a pencil, which can only express figure and color; but as represented in a glass, which imitates action and motion.

*Multis enim modis dici res possunt similes Deo; aliæ secundum virtutem, & sapientiam, facta; quia in ipso est virtus & sapientia non facta; aliæ in quantum solum vivunt, quia ille summé & primò vivit; aliæ in quantum sunt, quia ille summé ? et primitus est. For there are many respects in which creatures may be said to be like God: some with regard to virtue and wisdom, inasmuch as there are in him, virtue and wisdom, uncreated; others merely from their possession or share of life, whereas he possessess life in the highest and first sense; others in being only, but he is the highest and first of beings. Aug. 80 quest. q. (nibi) 211.

To give the pre-eminence therefore, in this point to the body of man, was a conceit so gross, that one would wonder how it should obtain; at least in the Christian world.

Yet we find it expressly charged by St. Augustine upon the anthropomorphites of old (or melitonians, as he calls them, from one Melito the father of them) not only, that they imagined God in a human shape (which was their known conceit) but that they stated God's image in man, in his body, not his soul.† Nor are Van Helmont's fancies, about corporeal likeness, capable of excuse by any thing, but that they were a dream (as they are fitly stiled) and not likely to impose upon the waking reason of any man.

(6.) This image or likeness of God in the spirit of man, representing what is communicable in him, is either natural or moral. There is first, a natural image of God, in the soul of man, which is inseparable from it; and which it can never divest itself of. Its very spiritual, immortal nature itself, is a representation of his. Its intellective and elective powers are the image of what we are constrained to conceive under the notion of the same powers in him. Yea, the same understanding with the me

*Heathens have disdained and declaimed against so unworthy thoughts of God. Το δὲ θεῖον αυ'το α' ο' ρατον ο φθαλμοῖς, αῤῥητον φωνῇ, αναφὲς oagni, &c. the divine essence itself is not to be seen by the eye, uttered by the voice, shewn in the flesh, &c. Maximus Tyr. Dissert. 1. The same author warns us to take heed, that we ascribe to God, Μη τε μέγεθος, μήτε χρώμα, μήτε χρήμα, μήτε άλλο τι ύλης παθος, neither size, nor colour, nor form, nor any other property of matter. Ibid.

Unto which purpose is that decantate distich of Homer, Ov' ya'a aitov, &c. And that saying of Pliny, Quam propter effigiem Dei formamque quærere; imbecillitatis humanæ reor, applied by Zanc. de operibus Dei. Wherefore I think it a proof of human weakness to seek after any image or form of God. And we may see much of like import alleged by Natal. Com. lib. 1. p. 13. Which (by the way) discovers how flatly opposite the idolatry, forbidden in the second commandment, is to the light of nature itself. Which hath been also the just apology of the ancient patrons of the Christian cause, for the simplicity of their worship in this respect; and their not imitating the pompous vanity of pagan image-worship. Οὐδὲ θείας εικονας υπολαμβάνομεν εἶναι τα αγάλματα, άτε μορφή ν α ο ρατεθεῖ καὶ ασωμάτε μη διαγράφOVTES, &c. we do not esteem images of God to be proper ornaments, because we cannot delineate the form of the invisible and spiritual Deity. Origen contr. Celsum. lib. 7.

To which purpose see at large, Min. Felix, Quod simulacrum Deo fingam? &c. what image shall I make for God?

And surely it is as improveable against the same piece of Christian paganism. The usually assigned differences would easily be shewn to be trifling impertinencies.

+Corpus hominis non animum esse imaginem Dei; not the soul but the body of man is the image of God. Aug. (if it be Augustine's) lib. de hæresibus. See Dr. Charleton of his image of God in man.

Est Dei similitudo quædam, quam nemo vivens, nisi cum vita exuit: quam kabet homo et volens, et nolens, &c. there is a certain likeness of God which no man living divests himself of, but with life, which every man has whether willing or not. Bernard, de vita Solitar.

mory and will, in one soul, are thought a lively resemblance of the triune Deity. But there is further a similitude of him in respect of moral virtues or perfections answering to what we conceive in him, under that notion: his wisdom (so far as it hath the nature of a moral virtue) his mercy, truth, righteousnesss, holiness, &c. These two kinds or parts (as they may be called) of the divine impress upon the spirits of men, are distinguished by some (I see not how properly) by the distinct names of image, denoting the former; and similitude the latter answering, as is thought, to two Hebrew words, (Zanc.) of the like import: but the things themselves are evidently enough distinct, namely, what perfects the nature of man in genere physico, as he is such a particular being in the universe: and what perfects him, in genere morali, as he is considerable in reference to a law or rule guiding him to blessedness, as his end.

(7.) It is a likeness to God in respect of those moral excellencies or perfections, that is especially considerable by us, in reference to our present purpose; as more immediately relating to the soul's blessedness in God. By the former it hath a potentiality, by the latter an habitude in reference thereunto. Or (to nse terms, more liable to common apprehension) by the former it hath a remoter capacity, by the latter a present fitness: or as the apostle expresses it, is made meet to be partaker of the inheritance of the saints in light, that is, considering this likeness as begun in the soul.

(8.) Besides what is thus (in the sense before expressed) communicable between God and man, there are some things so peculiarly appropriate to God, as that, in respect of them, there can be no formal likeness in the creature: and it would be impious boldness to aspire thereto. Many things of this kind might be mentioned: I shall only instance in two, wherein there is a manifest competition of the apostate world with him; and which are therefore more relative to practice; his sovereign authority, and his independency. In these while men affect to imitate, they wickedly affront him. And here is the great controversy between the glorious God, and the degenerous children of men. Every man would catch at a Godhead, and either assume it to himself, or cast it, many times, upon other creatures viler and more ignoble than himself; snatch the reins of government out of God's hand; and exalt their own wills into an absoluteness, as liable to control from none: place and settle their dependance on their own wit, power, fortitude, industry; or, if that be a more hopeless course (for they often find an entire Godhead too much for one creature, and are therefore constrained to parcel it

*D. Aug. (fuse) lib. 10. de Trinitat.

+Sed est alia, magis Deo propinqua, similitudo, quæ in virtutibus consistit : but there is another more intimate resemblance to God which consists in virtue. Bernard.

out among many) place their confidences and expectations in something else without them: do often, that ridiculous thing, so worthy to be hooted at, make the congested dirt of the earth their trust, (the righteous shall laugh at him, and say, Lo! this is the man that trusted in riches. Psal. 52. 6. 73.); their wealth their strong tower; which only the name of the Lord is to his righteous ones. Yet, all the while, self is the centre and end in which all must meet and terminate. This at last carries away the assumed fictitious deity. And this thing, that is thus now made like God, is an idol (which indeed signifies so much) and this imitation of him, wicked idolatry; than which nothing more debases a reasonable soul, or divests man of himself, that till they redress this, they give no proof of their being men. Isa. 46. 8. This assimilation of ourselves to God is very remote then from being a perfection: it is a most reproachful deformity: as we know imitations, if they be visibly affected, and strained too far, are always thought ridiculous by wise men.

(9.) Though, in respect of these incommunicable things, there cannot be a proper, formal, immediate similitude to God; yet, there ought to be a correspondency; which must be measured and estimated by the consideration of his state, and ours; whence it will appear, that what so properly appertains to him, and what ought to correspond thereto in us, do agree to each, upon one and the same intervening reason.

For instance, is he absolutely supreme in as much as he is the first being. The correspondent impression with us, and upon the same reason, must be a most profound, humble self-subjection, disposing our souls to constant obedience to him. Again, is he simply independent; as being self-sufficient and all in all. The impression with us must be a nothingness, and self-emptiness, engaging us to quit ourselves, and live in him. This is the only conformity to God, which with respect to his incommunicable excellencies, our creature-state can admit. It may be also stiled a likeness to him, being a real conformity to his will concerning us, and his very nature as it respects us. We may conceive of it, as of the likeness between a seal, and the stamp made by it; especially, supposing the inequality of parts in the seal to be by the protuberancy of what must form the signature. In that case there would be a likeness, aliquatenus, that is an exact correspondency: but what would then be convex or bulging out in the seal, would be, as we know, concave or hollow in the impression. Such is the proportion between sovereignty and subjection, between self-fulness and self-emptiness. Whereas a similitude to God, in respect of his communicable perfections, is as that, between the face and its picture; where no such difference is wont to appear.

(10.) Assimilation, or conformity to God, in both these respects, composes that excellent frame of moral perfections, which