19. It may seem waste of time to bring
forward further arguments, for truths concerning God gain no strength
by repetition; a single statement suffices to establish them. Yet
it is well for us to know all that has been revealed upon the subject,
for though we are not responsible for the words of Scripture, yet we
shall have to render an account for the sense we have assigned to
them. One of the many commandments which God gave to Noah is,
Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, for his blood shall his life be
shed, for after the image of God made I man Ib. ix.
6.. Here again is the distinction
between likeness, creature, and Creator. God bears witness that
He made man after the image of God. When He was about to make
man, because He was speaking of Himself, yet not to Himself, God said,
After our image; and again, after man was made, God made man
after the image of God. It would have been no inaccuracy of
language, had He said, addressing Himself, I have made man after My
image, for He had shewn that the Persons are one in nature by,
Let us make man after Our image I.e. by the word
Our.. But for the more perfect removal of
all doubt as to whether God be, or be not, a solitary Being, when He
made man He made him, we are told, After the image of
God.