Works (Vol 7) - Goodwin - II - Book II commenced (Of the Creatures)

Required reading
The Works (Vol 7) by Thomas Goodwin (Available from Amazon or free here) - Commence Book II 'Of The creatures, and the condition of their state by creation' by reading Chapters 1, 2 & 3.

My summary
This week we begin the second book of the work on the creatures of God.  This book is concerned with the state of creatures.

In Chapter One we learn that when God created his creatures, he:
(i) endowed them with his own image of holiness whereby they might be able to know, to love and to enjoy a communion with him, and happiness from himself, as their chiefest good;
(ii) continued his favour and goodness to them while they continued to keep their first estate of holiness.

Then in Chapter Two Goodwin examines the mutability of God's creations.  The grounds of our mutability is:
(i) the condition of the creature as a creature, with difference from God;
(ii) the fact that God is not compounded of a power to act differing from himself;
(iii) that we are made out of mere nothing.

Lastly, for today, in Chapter Three we are given an overview of the three states of man and their differences.  The three states are:
(i) the state of sin;
(ii) the state of salvation;
(iii) the state of glory.

What grabbed me
I found helpful the discussion on the changeableness of man.  Particularly that sin arose from us, not God: 'It may be said of the strongest mere creature in its best estate, that it is liable to be tempted of its own lust that may arise up in him, though he have no sinful lust as yet in him. The first sin of our first parents was a lust inordinate, 'to be as gods.' Self-love grew into a tumour when once it heard, but afar off, of such a preferment. And so of Satan it is said, that when he sinned, he sinned ' of his own.' John viii. 44, ' Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do ; he was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own : for he is a liar, and the father of it ' — thereby also utterly exempting God from any the least influence into his sin.'

No creature can claim that God is responsible for sin.

Next week's reading
Continue Book II (Of the Creatures) by reading Chapters 4, 5 & 6.

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.