failes us not till it hath supplyed us with all that we need that is fit for us Observ 2 WE have his promise that such as fear the Lord shall want nothing that is good Psal 34.10 He withholds no good thing from those that walk uprightly Psal 84.11 The experience whereof made David so confident Psal 23.1 This he performs chiefly in spiritual things wherein we are Sanctified wholly 1 Thess 5.23 purged till we be made without spot or wrinckle Ephes 5.27 And this he doth first out of his All-sufficiency and Infinite Love which both enables him to do what he will and moves him to supply us in what we need and withall out of respect to his own honour which is infinitely advanced when he manifests Himself to be as He is a Fountain of All-sufficiency and Goodnesse in satisfying the desire of every living thing Let us answer him according to our proportion in our services not ceasing to do his Will as long any thing remains to be done that concerns us and is in our power labouring to be in our selves perfect and entire lacking nothing Jam. 1.4 and to walk so that we may Perfect holinesse unto God 2 Cor. 7.1 having respect to all his Commandements Psal 119.6 as he hath to all our necessities Let it quiet all our hearts in the consideration of our present condition when our inordinate lusts provoke us sometimes to causelesse complaints and murmurings upon supposed but mistaken grounds Whereas 1. Either we have that which we conceive we want as Hagar wept for want of water when she saw not the Well which was fast by her Gen. 21.19 Or 2. that which we want would do us hurt and no good if we had it as the Israelites found by experience when they murmured for want of flesh Numb 11.33 But much more when they would needs have a a King which by the Just Judgment of God upon them became a Tyrant as Samuel foretold them he would 1 Samuel 8.11 God saw it was not good for the man to be Alone although it be Gods Happinesse that He is alone So that we may upon sufficient warrant 2. Observe A Solitary life is an Uncomfortable and an Unprofitable life Observ 2 WOe to him that is alone saith Solomon Eccl. 4.10 1. In respect of himself because he is left without Comfort or help which he must often want and without it cannot subsist 2. In respect of others he is made unserviceable and unprofitable every way A man indeed is like a member in the body which can neither be preserved it self nor be any way serviceable to the rest of the members unlesse it remain in the body From whence then came the affecting and admiring of a Monasticall Life which crosseth 1. The very Law of Nature by which men are inclined to Society And 2. and Gods Ordinance who hath appointed us 1. to cause our light to shine before men that they might glorifie him Matth. 5.16 And to serve one another through love Gal. 5.13 So that a Solitary life 1 deprives God of his honour 2. Men and the Church especially both of that encrease of an holy seed which they might have of the fruit of their bodies of the comfort of their fellowship the service of Love which they owe and of the examples of their godly lives 3. Themselves in present of many sweet comforts and needfull helps and hereafter of the increase of their Reward enlarged according to the proportion of their present improving of their Talents in advancing Gods Honour and seeking and procuring the Good of his Children Man had the company of all the beasts of the field and Fowls of the Ayre and yet the Holy Ghost saith The man was alone because he had none like himself that he might converse withall as a Man that is in the exercise of Speech and Reason the Birds in this respect were no way fit companions for him but of that hereafter God then in his Wisdom seeing that it was not good for the man to be alone resolves of himself to Create him an help meet for him which as we shall see he performes accordingly Whence 4. Observe God takes not notice of our wants as an Idle Spectator but as a Faithful Helper puts forth his hand to help us in what we need Observ 4 HE not onely hears the complaint of the Poor but helps and delivers them Psal 12.5 He also deales with his Church Isa 63.5 Thus he looks on Hannahs affliction and gives her a Son saw the affliction of Israel and sent them a Saviour Exod. 3.7.8 Indeed this is the end of his seeing and observing that he may do and execute as occasion shall require in dispensing either Mercy or Judgment beholding Mischief to requite it with his hand Psalm 10.14 And hereunto both his own Compassion stirs him up and his power enables him and the respect to his own Honour never advanced but in reall effects carries him forwards Let it encourage us to depend on Him If God know our condition behold our Wants take notice of our Pressures He can as soon deny Himself as deny to help us and relieve us Let us only wait on him in the way of his Judgments and attend his appointed time when he makes Inquisition for blood He remembers the poore Psalme 9.12 and in the Day of Salvation will succour us Let us do likewise Observe take Pitty and Relieve 1. Otherwise our Brethren have no benefit by us if we expresse our compassion in words onely and not in deeds Jam. 2.16 but prove like clouds and wind without rain Prov. 25.14 2. We make our own thoughts or words evidences against our selves when we know what our Brother needs and help him not and provoke God to neglect us as we neglect him See what he threameth in such a case Prov. 24.11 12. The manner and occasion of Gods Resolution to provide man a meet help is worthy our observation The consideration of mans need of a woman is the onely ground upon which he resolves to make one Whence 5. Observe God makes nothing but for some necessary use and unto some profitable End Observ 5 IT is true that in the first Creation no Necessity enforced God to make the world and all the Creatures but when his own will moved him to do it he made all things so that they might be usefull and serviceable one to another and directed them all unto the most excellent end even his own Glory Prov. 16.4 The Usefulnesse and Serviceablenesse of the most of them we have taken notice of in the former Chapter the like we shall find in the rest See Isa 45.18 Whereof we have a Model in our own bodies wherein there is nothing superfluous but serves for some use or other whereof nothing could be wanting without some maim or Deformity So shall we find it in this great Body of the world all things will appear usefull in their places and kinds Let it move us before we
by which we are supported in the middest of our wants and weaknesse 4. To encrease our thankfulness when we feel any farther enlargement and growth in that grace which we have received and which vve find encreased in us in some measure at present and are assured will be perfected hereafter We have considered the Agent or Workman with the manner of his secret working the matter upon which he wrought followes it is called the Deep than which nothing could be more vile no not the dirt it self a rude unformed unprofitable masse or lump this was it which the Spirit overspread or fomented and left it not till he brought it into several forms and shapes of infinite variety Whence 9. Observe God is pleased to abase himself unto and to take care of and cherish the very meanest and basest of all his works Obs 9 HE must indeed abase himself to look unto and have respect to any creature Psal 113.6 but yet he is pleased to take care both of man and beast Psal 36.6 of Oxen 1 Cor. 9.9 of the young ravens Psal 147.9 yea of every living thing Psal 145.16 and that so far as to support and uphold them Heb. 1.3 to satisfie their desire Psal 145.16 to provide them food Job 38.41 to cloathe them Matth. 6.30 nay to observe and direct all their wayes Matth. 10.29 Reason 1. They could not otherwise subsist seeing in him all things live and move and have their being Act. 17.28 2. It magnifies his mercy the more Psal 113.5 6. Let none despair being in never so mean a Condition Job's breath may be strange to his Wife and his Maids might account him as a stranger Job 19.15 17. but God heareth the poor and despiseth not his prisoners Psal 69.33 gathereth the outcasts of his people Psal 147.2 looks upon the Church in her blood when no eye pitied her Ezek. 16.6 even upon men in sin Rom. 5.8 Nay even for such persons though more vile then the earth God gives his own Son bestowes upon them his own Spirit makes them up amongst his own Jewels Mal. 3.17 and reserves them to eternal glory Only the proud and such as rebel against him he knowes afar off Psal 138.6 VERSE 3. HItherto have been described the matter out of which all Creatures were to be framed the Workman that undertakes the work with the manner of his working In the rest of the Chapter we have laid before us the description of the severall Creatures which were made successively with the means whereby and manner how they were formed and took their being expressed with wonderfull brevity yet so that the Holy Ghost in this relation forgets not to shew us distinctly 1. The Order in which they were made successively 2. The Author of the Work which was God himself 3. The Means which he used in Creating them His Word 4. The time in which every Creature was made distinguished by severall dayes 5. The Effect or Work it self 6. The Approbation of every work in Particular and of the Whole in General by the Lord himself the most Able and most Impartiall Judge of his own VVork In the Order which God was pleased to observe in making the Creatures we are to take speciall notice that he first Creates those things that were either for General Use to all Creatures as the Light Air Heavens Seas and Earth or for more particular Use to the Creatures afterwards to be made as the Plants before the beasts which vvere to be nourished by them and not onely of them but of the beasts too before he Created the Man that was to make use of them all discovering therein both his Wisdome and Providence in taking care for the comfortable subsistence of the Creatures before he made them Whence 1. Observe The General good of the Creature is Gods First and Chief care Observ 1 AS appears by the largenesse of his bounty in making provisions for his Creatures in General that the desire of every living thing might be satisfied Psal 143.16 And by the strange course of his Providence by which he hath still upheld the kinds of the Creature in the middest of the continual decay of so many particulars and is farther evident by that principle that he hath planted in the hearts of all men that States and Societies of men must be supported even with the losse sometimes of particular persons Woe be then to those Monsters of men that take care and seek with all their endeavours themselves only and their own good without any respect at all to the Church or State A Common evil as appears by the Apostles complaint Phil. 2.21 and yet approved as a principle of great wisdome by too many Psal 49.18 A Sin against nature even in Heathen mens judgment A sottish sin as if any person could possibly subsist or any member continue in any comfortable condition without the preservation of the body And a sin that deservedly deprives a man of all love from men and reward from God Let all that are godly imitate God in caring for and with all their endeavours furthering the General more than their own private good according to the Apostles direction 1 Cor. 10.24 and example vers 33. As 1. More desireable in it self 2. Most tending to Gods honour 3. Most furthering our own good involved in and supported by the general welfare 4. And being that for which we were principally ordained by God 5. And which God will surely reward and men honour as they did Jehojadah 2 Chr. 24.6 which a man may warrantably challenge at Gods hand Neh. 5.19 We find but one efficient cause of all the Creatures God himself whom we may withall take notice of in every particular work as the Spirit of God points him out unto us The Meanes likewise used in the production of every Creature is only Gods VVord or Effectual decree For we may not conceive God speaking with an articulate voyce having none but himself at least no Creature that had eares and understanding to speak unto This Means which God made use of in Creating the VVorld if we take into consideration once for all we may warrantably from thence 2. Observe God needs no other Means to effect any thing but his own Word and Will Observ 2 AS of it self being mighty in operations in Natural effects To create Psal 33.6 to sustain and support Psal 119.89 91. to prevail upon and order all Creatures Psal 29.3 4. Upon the Sun to stay the course of it Josh 10.13 nay to bring it back â— King 20.10 Upon the Sea to remand and hasten it into the Channel prepared for it Psal 104.7 In the works of Grace the Word of God is quick and powerful Heb. 4.12 to cast down strong holds 2 Cor. 10.5 to renew quicken subdue and comfort the heart and to work in us both to will and to do according to Gods good pleasure Thus he doth whatsoever he pleaseth in Heaven and Earth Psal 135.6 so that his counsel standeth
in others another form under the flower comes and ripens the seed again the same in form and nature with that from which it sprung at first That this distinction between the several kinds of creatures all produced by the same common causes and the Identity of every kind and agreablenesse thereto of every individual in that kind through so many variations into severall shapes and forms till it come to perfection should be constantly and unchangeably preserved can come to passe by no other means but by the unchangeble law which God hath set in nature by which he gives to every seed his own body as it pleaseth him 1 Cor. 15.38 And to every plant and herb his own seed so that men gather not grapes of thorns nor figgs of thistles as our Saviour speaks Luke 6.44 In the order of this decree for the production of herbs and plants it is observable that all these are Created before the Sunne or any other of those Celestiall bodies by the influence whereof they are now cherished without which either they spring not at all or at least come to no perfection that we may know them to be the effects of Gods Power and not of any natural cause and were produced before the beasts or Man that were to be sustained by them to manifest Gods Providence who failes not to make provision for all his Creatures which he foresees and takes care to supply even before they need nay before they have any being at all Upon this ground that herbs and plants were produced in their full ripenesse some conclude that the world was created in the Autumne when all things in the course of nature come to their full growth and ripenesse An argument that might be easily answered since God must be acknowledged in their first Creation to do all things Miraculously and therefore did not bind himself to observe the course of nature at all in that work as appears in the Creation of the man and woman not Infants but of full growth in the first moment of their Creation and to regard as little the time of ripening herbs and plants as he did the causes that should produce them In the time of producing those herbs and plants that as soon as the Earth was dried that is was fit to receive them he stored it with such great variety of so many useful Creatures and gave it that fruitfulnesse to produce them for time to come We may 1. Observe God will have nothing barrain and unprofitable Observ 1 NOt the Earth which receiving the first and the later rain he ordained to bring forth herbs to them that dresse it Heb. 6.7 Not the herbs or plants which all of them yeild their seed and fruits Not the beasts Fishes or Fowles which are fruitfull in propagation usefull by their labours and serviceable for food and cloathing Not the clouds which empty themselves upon the Earth Eccl. 11.3 Not the Sunne Moon and other Celestial bodies which by their light and influence cherish all things here below Reason 1. It is the end for which all things were made that they might support one another by their fruitfulnesse and service 2. God thereby testifies his overflowing bounty and goodness by the fruitfulnesse and usefulnesse of all the works of his hands Let not men then for shame be barrain either in any duties of obedience unto God or services of love to men but be fruitfull both waies nay filled with fruits Phil. 1.11 Alwaies bringing them forth in their season and abounding more therein even to their old age Psal 92.14 and encreasing therein Rev. 2.19 As being 1. ordained by God more especially thereunto Joh. 15.16 2. Having all needful helps to that end not onely outward as the word and Sacraments falling on us like the first and latter rain Hebr. 6.7 To which the word is resembled Isa 55.10 11. Or generally by the influence of Gods fructifying Power by which he blesseth the springing of all things Psal 65.10 11. But particularly and inwardly the assistance of his Holy Spirits which is able to work in us both to will and to do 3. Having our fruits ordained to a more excellent end both Gods Glory Joh. 15.8 and the furthering of our own account Phil. 4.17 Wherefore we are justly threatned with the greater plague if we remain barrain and unfruitfull Matth. 3.10 Heb. 6.8 The meanes to be used to make us fruitfull are 1. to be engraffed into Christ Joh. 15 2.2 To live under the continuall dropping of the clowds that is the Ministry of the Word 3. To be often purging and cleansing of our hearts whence are the issues of life Pro. 4.23 and all our actions whether good or evil Mark 7.21 22. The Order observed by God in producing the herbs and plants ministers unto us matter worthy our meditation 1. That they were created before the causes by which they are now according to the course of nature ordinarily produced which make manifest the Power of God that can effect what he will without means Numb 11 23. See the observation before upon verse 3. 2. That God made provision for the sustaining of Man and Beasts before he created them wherein he discovrs his provident care of his Creatures in providing for them before hand But the Observation to be drawn from thence we shall defer till we come to verse 26. In describing the Creation of the herbs and plants Moses laies before us first the Author by whom and then the time When they were produced out of the Earth by his Command he bad the earth bring forth and it did so Whence 2. Observe Even the Herbs and Plants of the Earth are Gods Creatures Observ 2 PSalm 104.14.16 Not onely Jonahs Gourd which was prepared by God extraordinarily but even the Corn which the Earth produceth by humane Culture God is said to prepare Psal 65.9 To which as unto all the rest he gives a body as it pleaseth him yea and cloathing too unto the very grasse of the field Matth. 6.29.30 Let us then take notice of Gods Work in all the fruits of the Earth observing in them 1. the infinite variety of them according to their severall kinds 2. Their beautiful shape and proportions exquisite tastes and delightfulnesse of many of them 3. The strange variety of severall forms through which they passe before they come to their full perfection from small seeds to tender herbs from thence to stronger stemms divided many times into severall branches Covered with leaves and after that garnished with flowers and lastly yielding such seeds as themselves sprang from at the first 4. Take notice of their life by which they grow and encrease which all the Potentates in the World cannot give nor any Art of man imitate Let all these considerations strike into all mens hearts an awful apprehension and admiration of Gods wonderful Wisdom and Power that our mouthes may be filled with his praise And let it bring us all to an acknowledgment of Gods
earth and the Earth the Corn and Wine if any of them prosper Hos 2.21 Let us acknowledge the wonderful Goodnesse and Mercy of God that from time to time provides that means without which neither men nor beasts could possibly subsist and that constantly and seasonably so that neither Earing nor Harvest fail according to his promise Gen. 8.22 And withal take notice of his wonderful Power that makes the Rain a means of cherishing Life in the Herbs and Plants which it self hath no Life at all Without Rain or any help by humane culture God as Moses relates created the Herbs and Plants howsoever he pleaseth ordinarily to make use of both for the propagating and preserving of them Whence 6. Observe Though God be pleased to make Use of Mans Labour in Producing and Cherishing the Fruits of the Earth yet he can encrease and preserve them without it Observ 6 THis He manifested by causing every Seventh Year to produce Fruits sufficient for his people without any labour of theirs at all And indeed all that mans labour doth this way is but the applying of those means which have all their power and efficacy from God Man neither makes the Seed that he sows nor the Earth that receives and nourisheth it nor gives the one power to yield it nourishment or the other vertue to receive it and to grow and spring thereby These are the Effects of Gods Power who gives to every seed his own body who sends forth his Spirit and renewes the face of the earth Psal 104.30 and blesseth the springing of the fruits thereof Psal 65.10 Let no man then burn incense to his own net or yarn or think highly of his own wisdom or diligence as the cause and means by which his fields of Corn or Pastures are made fruitful seeing both our Strength to labour is from God and our Wisdom to manage our affairs aright is from him too Isa 28.26 and this blessing upon our labours is that only that makes them successeful So that every way it is he that gives ability to get wealth Deut. 8.18 riches are his blessing Prov. 10.22 without which it is in vain to rise early and to eat the bread of sorrow and carefulnesse Psal 127.2 Notwithstanding though Moses hereby proves these Herbs and Plants were the work of Gods hand at the first because there was no man to till the ground he must necessarily imply that ordinarily there is required mans labour in the producing and cherishing of the fruits of the Earth So that we may 7. Observe Though the fruitfulnesse of the Earth come only by Gods blessing yet the labour of man is required as the ordinary means to further it Observ 7 TO that indeed is the promise of Gods blessing annexed Deut. 28.8 12. Prov. 12.11 Now this labour God hath laid upon the generation of men Partly to humble us as appears by that Curse upon Man after his Fall and Partly to exercise both our Bodies and Minds and that for the good of them both seeing idlenesse as experience teacheth us both fills the body with ill humours and the Mind with noisome lusts and lastly that being daily busied about the Creatures we might the better observe the wayes of Gods providence in providing for blessing and supporting them and working by his influence both In and By them in a wonderful manner Let then every man apply himself to labour in the place that God hath set him in 1. In Obedience to Gods Command 2. Depending still upon Gods blessing which only must prosper his Endeavours lest otherwise sicknesses in his Body and noisom lusts in his Soul and the Curse of God upon his Estate waste and consume him and misery and beggery come upon him like an armed man Prov. 24.34 VERSE 6. ANd there went up a mist So many read it and then the sense is that as God only made the Creatures so he only cherished them neither by mans labour nor by Rain the ordinary means by which they now grow and live but instead thereof he prepared a Mist which he made to be sufficient to water the Plants which he had made But some there are who translate it Neither a Mist which also the Original may well bear And then the sense seems to be more clear and suitable to the scope of the Holy Ghost who to shew that the Plants and Herbs were produced meerly by the Power of God excludeth all the Ordinary means by which according to the Course of Nature they might be cherished both mans labour and the dew of Heaven whether by rain the more usual and effectual or so much as by a mist the weaker and lesse usuall means of nourishing the Plants Howsoever the words be rendred the scope of Moses appears to be this by excluding the help of any Second cause to make it evident that the Herbs and Plants were produced and sustained only by the Power of God that we might acknowledge the Equity of Gods Command in restraining man from eating of the sruit interdicted and might behold his Goodnesse and Bounty in bestowing on him the free use of all the rest of the fruits which he had Created for which man had never laboured So that if he denied man any sruit seeing he had no right to it it was just and equall and if he granted him any much more if he gave him all the rest it was out of favour and superaboundant bounty Now if we consider the words as we do in our Translation But a Mist We may 1. Observe God wants no variety of means to effect whatsoever he will Observ 1 IF there be no rain to water the Earth the Mist shall suffice if his People want corn to feed them in the wildernesse the Heavens shall rain down Mannah for their food If there be no other means to conveigh bread and flesh to Elijah the Ravens shall bring it him every morning and evening if that meanes fail he hath a widdow in Zarephath that shall provide for him if her proifions fail an handfull of meal in the barrel and a little oyle in the Cruse shall be sufficient to maintain him and her with her whole family till God send rain on the Earth Let no man despair when meanes seem to fail he that takes them away can provide other at his pleasure if they seem weak and insufficient in themselves he can make them sufficient by his Power If Christ be taken away from the Earth to ascend unto to his Father his Spirit shall descend upon the Apostles and work more effectually by their Ministery than it had done by Himself in the daies of his flesh when he was present with his Church here on Earth Now if we render those words as others do Neither a Mist We may 2. Observe God can and many times doth bring things to passe without any meanes at all Observ 2 SEe Gen. 1. ver 30. Obs 7. and ver 11. Obs 2. The end why Moses in this Narration excludeth
any of them Certainly the fitting of all the Creatures with names suitable to their natures that upon the first view of them evidently discovered the fulnesse and perfection of Adams Wisdom in understanding all that it concerned him to know As for the language which Adam used whether it were Hebrew or some other tongue more perfect then it which is now lost it cannot be certainly concluded though it be most probably guossed that it was Hebrew which is the most Ancient and most Significant of all Languages now in use God as we have heard already had considered mans present condition and found in his Wisdom that Adam wanted and needed a fit companion to make his life every way comfortable to him and that to do this there was a necessity of making a new Creature This God knew and saw in his infinite Wisdom but this was not yet so manifest to Adam Wherefore that the necessity of Creating the Woman might appear to the man also as it was manifest unto God He causeth him to take a view of all the Creatures that when amongst them he should find no fit companion for Himself he might both discern the necessity of creating the woman and withal the goodnesse of God in Creating so meet an help in her as all the world besides could not afford him Withall this Circumstance seems to be of special use to clear God of thrusting in the woman upon Adam unnecessarily as a snare to entrap him when it appeared so evidently that it was meer Necessity that moved God to create and in compassion unto man to provide him such an help and companion for him as he could neither be without nor find amongst all the Creatures In that God before he Created the Woman would first shew Adam the necessity of such an help that when he enjoyed her he might take notice of and be the more sensible of Gods goodnesse and mercy towards him in providing so fit an help for him Thence 1. Observe Gods Mercies Are or Should be precious unto us when we can neither be without them nor have them from any other but from Himself Observ 1 THus he sets out his mercy to his Church that he helped it in a time of Extremity when none else either Would or Could Isa 63.5 Ezek. 16.4 5. Thus he specially magnifies his mercies in Christ That when we were without strength Christ dyed for the ungodly Rom. 5.6 and did for us that which the Law could not do through the weaknesse of the flesh Rom. 8.3 Offering himself to pacifie his Fathers wrath when Sacrifices and burnt-offerings could do no good Psal 40.6 7. For this cause he brings men sometimes into Extremities and lets them prove the Unprofitablenesse of other means that they may by Experience know that they find help of him only in a time of need Thus he brought his people low by the Ammonites so that they had no power to resist them nor protection against them from their Idols before he succours them Judg. 10.9 13. See Dout. 32.36 37. and makes his Children Hunger and Thirst that is feel the want of righteousnesse before he satisfie them Matth. 5.6 Which he doth not only in respect to his own honour which is much advanced when our help is found in him alone but besides in relation to us that we may be stirred up to seek more seriously after and to cleave more firmly unto him who alone is both Able and Ready to help us in a time of need That the necessity of Creating a woman to be Adam's helper might be the more clearly discovered unto him he brings before him the Creatures that out of his own judgment himself might conclude how unfit any of them were to be his companions or helpers Whence 2. Observe We must know the unserviceablenesse of other things that we may know and approve the profitablenesse of that which is truly Good Observ 2 FOr this cause God many times leaves men to themselves to walk in their own Sinful courses as he did Solomon that when they have found by their own experience that which he foundâ— that All things are Vanity and vexation of spirit that all that remains unto us after we have wearied our selves in the wayes of sin when we have cast up our accounts is nothing else but shame Rom. 6.21 they may cry out in the bitternesse of their soules I have perverted Righteousnesse and it hath not profited me Job 33.17 and having followed the pleasures and honours of the world and finding in them nothing to stay the heart upon may make their hearts despair of all their labours that are taken under the Sun with Solomon Eccl. 2.20 and may cry out with the Prophet Psal 73.25 Whom have I in heaven but thee We are indeed allowed to prove all things that we may lay hold on that which is good 1 Thess 5.21 It is said that God brought all the Creatures by what means it is not expressed but by his appointment they presented themselves before Adam that he might advisedly view and consider them Whence 3. Observe God can Order and Dispose of the Creatares to do what and to be where he appoints them Observ 3 THus He not only disposeth of men either by expresse command as he commanded Philip to go towards the South in the way from Jerusalem to Gaza Act. 8.26 and Aaron to meet Moses Exod. 4.27 or by a secret work upon their hearts as he brought Sisera and his Army to Kishon Judg. 4.7 Or by inviting them by Occasions as Abigails meeting with David is acknowledged to be the Work of God 1 Sam. 25.32 as Saul is moved to come to Samuel by his servants advise to enquire after his Fathers Asses at the very time appointed by God 1 Sam. 9.15.16 But directs even the unreasonable Creatures As the Quailes to fall round about the children of Israels Camp The Ravens to feed Elisah Two she-bears to destroy two and fourty of the scossing Children And the Lion to meet the Prophet that transgressed Gods Commandement in his way homewards and to slay him Yea the very Sparrowes lighting upon the ground is directed by his Will Neither can it be otherwise seeing in him all things move and have their being Act. 17.28 and consequently must of necessity have the rule of all their motions by his Will Let us then take notice of the Divine Providence in the motion of every Creature which may discover unto us sometimes Gods Mercy sometimes his Judgments and may sometimes direct us what to do And must needs alwayes keep our hearts possessed with his fear and move us to walk more boldly in all our wayes upon assurance that since the Creatures cannot move without Gods direction they shall not move to do us hurt according to Gods promise Isa 65.25 All those beasts God brings before Adam that he might give them names and God having put that power into his hand he might lawfully do it as we see he
be so united as if they were members of the same body conversing continually one with another which the Apostle terms dwelling 1 Pet. 3.7 Delighting and rejoycing in one another in an holy and hearty manner Prov. 5.18 19. Trusting mutually one in another Prov. 31.11 and close cleaving together in all their endeavours and cares for the building up of the house in the Education of the children governing the Servants and ordering of the Affairs of the Family to the best advantage for their mutual comfort VERSE 25. ANd they were both naked Without any covering on their bodies whereof they had no need either to hide any uncomely part seeing the Image of God appearing even in the bodies of our first Parents in some measure graced and beautified every part of them or to keep off the injury of the VVeather wherewith by reason of the firmnesse of their Constitutions and the perfect temper of the ayr they could not be annoyed seeing the distempers of Heat and Cold c. occasioned both by the weaknesse of our bodies and by the indisposition of the Ayr are as many other evils which we suffer by the Creature the Confequents and Effects of Sin And were not ashamed As they had no cause when as yet they had not sinned or found any inordinate motions stirring in their minds For Shame arising from a fear of blame or disreputation for some uncomely thing discovered in him that is ashamed whereof he is conscious there could be no shame unto a man but by some inordinate motion of the thoughts within seeing God made nothing uncomely in it self or in the use of it and therefore could not be uncomely but by abuse So then those parts of the body whereof we are now ashamed become shameful if not by the remembrance of sin which we are defiled withall in our propagation from our Parents yet certainly by the fear of sinfull thoughts or inordinate motions apt to be stirred up by the beholding of those objects from which our first Parents in this state of Innocency were free It was therefore no defect in Adam and Eve seeing shamefastnesse is not properly any vertue but only a Commendable passion nor that neither but where there is just cause of shame so that by consequent the want of shame in Adam and Eve manifests their Perfection that they had in them nothing shameful and not any defect at all This Circumstance we may conceive to be added by the Holy Ghost partly to discover more fully the Perfect and Blessed estate of our first Parents who were so comely that they needed no ornament being glorious by that beauty which God had put upon them and so strong by the perfect constitution of their bodies that they needed no defence And partly to make it evident by what means their Glory was turned into shame and their Strength into Weaknesse namely by their Rebellion against God through the Suggestion and subtlety of Satan Whence 1. Observe Nakednesse of mans body was Glorious and Safe untill Sin maâ—â— it Shameful and Dangerous GLorious because it presented unto us the Bounty wherewith God had adorned man which a garment hides from our eyes and instead thereof sets before us the borrowed Ornaments of Art taken from the Creatures and Safe by the perfect temper of their bodies not easily capable of any annoyance and by the Propitiousnesse of the Creatures which Cherished but did not Hurt them Therefore when man shall be restored to his full perfection Nakednesse shall be an Ornament to him and the shadow of the Almighty his defence They were not Ashamed and thereby Witnessed their Own Glory and Perfection both Outward and Inward having neither any Outward deformity in their Bodies nor any Inordinate motion in their Minds that might cause them to blush So that though they had in their view those parts from which we turn away and at the sight whereof usually inordinate lusts kindle in our hearts yet it wrought no such effect in their hearts nor had any appearance of deformity to them at all Whence 2. Observe Inordinate Motions to evil thoughts arise not so much from Outward Objects or Occasions as from the Corruption of the heart within IT may be that some others as well as Achan faw the Wedge of Gold and the Babylonish garment but he only took them because he coveted them St. James tells us that it is not God nor consequently any thing Created by Him but our Own Lusts within that draw us away and entice us Jam. 1.14 And the Prophet tells Idolaters it is a deceived heart that turns them aside Isa 44.20 And our Saviour discovers the Spring of all those Lusts that defile a man to a rise out of his own heart Mark 7.21 To speak properly Outward Objects are rather the Fewel that nourisheth them then the fire that kindles them Let no man then complain that when he is drawn away he is tempted of God but lay the blame upon his Own heart when either Objects or any other Allurements draw him into any sin which could work no effect that way as appears in the Temptations of our Saviour Christ unlesse they found some matter within to work upon them so that they may well be the Midwife but can never be the Parent of any sin To look back and consider the Scope of the Holy Ghost in this Relation of Mans Condition in his state of Innocency we shall find therein described unto us 1. The large provision which God made for him and freely bestowed upon him for the needful support and comfort of his Life every way 2. The Rules and Lawes which God gave him for the right ordering of his wayes in all services both towards himself and to wards the Creatures which he had put under his feet The end of both we may conceive to be to discover unto us Gods Abundant Goodnesse and Perfect Righteousnesse and Holinesse that we might learn to Love Fear and depend upon Him alone Now concerning Gods bounty to Man the Spirit of God so represents it that we cannot but behold it with wonderful admiration set out at full in three respects that it was 1. Free every way 2. Large above measure 3. Sufficient to supply all mans necessities 1. That His bounty was Free as proceeding meerly out of his own Abundant Goodnesse is evident in two things First that the Provisions that God ordained not only for all the rest of the Creatures that were to do him service but for himself especially even that Garden of pleasures which he assigned him for the place of his dwelling were prepared before man had any being at all Secondly that they were bestowed without any kind of sollicitation or request Even the woman which God created to be his helper and the Comfort of his life God foresaw in his wisdom that man had need of and out of his meer love resolved to provide for him before man himself found his own want of her much more
other mens eyes and thereby to conveigh mischievous purposes into their hearts unespied so that they are entangled in a snare before they are aware 1. Let men of eminent natural parts use and possesse them in feare and humility not trusting in their own wisdome as Solomon adviseth Prov. 3.5 lest it pervert them Isa 47.10 but remembring that they have nothing but what they have received 1 Cor. 4.7 and therefore no cause of glorying and next what they have received is given to profit withal 1 Cor. 12.7 of the use whereof God himself will take an account Mat. 25.19 that so with all humility submitting themselves to the Government of the Spirit they may thereby be direâ—ed to employ what they have received for the honour of God and for the service of his Church for the use whereof they were given and whereunto they may be very profitable if they be sanctified 2. Let no man be over-much swayed or carried away by the eminency of mens parts which the world looks at too much John 7.48 unlesse they be sanctified and mixed with much humility seeing the greatest abilities are unable of themselves to search into the mysteries of God 2 Cor. 2.14 2. And those that excel in them are seldome chosen by him to further his work 1 Cor. 1.26 27. nay are oftentimes for the pride of those that possesse them by Gods just judgement made unserviceable and turned into folly Isa 29.14 that God may get himself honour in confounding them in that wherein they chiefly glory and magnifie themselves We have already taken notice of the instrument used by Satan in this temptation which was the Serpent We are in the next place to consider the persons tempted by him which were our first Parents to be looked upon 1. As holy and perfectly righteous 2. As endowed with wisdom and knowledge proportionable thereunto 3. Directed by righteous and holy Lawes which God himselfe had given them 4. And engaged by such heaps of mercies as the Lord had lately poured out upon them without measure Those persons standing on such a firme condition Satan both attempts and foiles Whence 7. OBSERVE No advantage can assure a childe of God from the assaults and temptations of Satan Observe 7 1. NOt their Holinesse for whom of the holy Patriarches Prophets or Apostles hath he feared to attempt at any time Nay he feared not to encounter that Holy One of God as himselfe termes him Mark 1.24 Jesus Christ himself though he had nothing in him John 14.30 and therefore could not but be assured to lose his labour 2. Not their late experiments of Gods mercies or judgements Thus he attempts and prevailes against Noah so miraculously saved by God after the flood and in like manner he foiles Lot immediately after the destruction of Sodom by that fearful judgement of fire out of which he had been so graciously preserved No marvel then though he drew the stiffe-necked Israelites into so many act of rebellion after and in the midst of so many signes and temptations and great miracles which their eyes had seen Deut. 29.3 4. 3. Not their special eminency in any grace he failes not to shake the faith of Abraham Gen. 12.12 13. and 20.2 for which he was so much renowned that the Apostle gives him the title of faithful Abraham Gal. 3.9 In like manner he draws Moses commended for his faith Heb. 11. to unbelief Numb 20.12 4. Not their victories in many spiritual combates wherein many times the godly have the better at the last although they may sometimes give ground at the first onset as is evident in the temptation of Job in which his faith triumphed gloriously Job 19.25 nay in his conflicts with our blessed Saviour although he was most shamefully foiled yet he gives him not over but departs from him only for a season Luke 4.13 The reasons hereof are 1. In Satan 1. In malice which so enrageth â—â—m that it makes him desperate in all his undertakings 2. The possibility which he conceives he hath of hindering and disquieting even the best of Gods servants which makes their services lesse chearful abates much of their hope in God and may lessen the comforts even of such as are upheld by the Power of God unto salvation 2. In God who hath an over-ruling hand in all Satans actions 1. Who by this meanes makes his servants more watchful over their wayes more fervent in prayer and more sensible of and thankful for their deliverances and which at length encreaseth their reward when in those conflicts they hold fast their faith their love and firme adherence unto God from whom they cannot be plucked away by all Satans power and policie 2. And gets honour to himselfe when his servants in his power wrestle with Satan and overcome at last and in spight of all his endeavours to the contrary are kept by the Power of God to salvation First let the best learn at all times and in all their wayes to walk warily before God in feare and trembling considering 1. The Power Malice Cunning and Diligence of our Adversary the Divel 2. His manifold Assistants our lusts within and the world and wicked men without 3. Our own weaknesse unable to stand against Principalities and Powers 4. And the danger of our falling if we be foiled dishonour to God and his children shame to our selves and wounds to our soules Let him therefore that stands take heed lest he falls 1 Cor. 10.12 but stand in the Power of God not in his own strength Eph. 6.14 armed with his armour watching and praying Secondly let us shew as much love and zeale for the recovery of such as are taken captive by Satan according to his will as the Apostle speaks 2 Tim. 2.26 as he doth malice in seducing and bringing them into bondage considering there is possibility of recovering the most obdurate sinner by the Power of Christ though it be beyond the power of man seeing to God nothing is impossible Not the engraffing in again of the Jewes Rom. 11.23 Not the raising of children to Abraham out of the stones Mat. 3.9 as he hath made it appear in saving the Thiefe upon the Crosse in converting St. Paul when he was a Persecutor a Blasphemer c. 1 Tim. 1.15 2. The greatnesse of their reward that convert many to righteousnesse Dan. 12.13 3. The acceptance of their service if God deny the success of their endeavours in labouring to win them Isa 49.4 5. Satans designe was to beguile both the man and the woman but thinks not fit to deal with them both together and therefore he sets upon the woman being then divided from her husband as it is evident by the whole Series of the Narration And with the woman he begins As first being the weaker vessel And secondly created after the man and therefore not altogether so long nor perhaps in every respect so well acquainted with all Gods wayes and works as her husband was Unto which some adde
what can flesh and blood do against a Spirit 2. In his Abilities he surmounts Solomon himself in knowledge 3. In his experience we are but of yesterday in comparison of him In his diligence his eyes never sleep neither doth he take rest night or day in watching to do us mischief 4. Besides he hath within us a strong party of our own lusts that fight for him against us 5. He hath without us the world with the allurements thereof And lastly he hath as many instruments to make use of to corrupt us as there be wicked men in the world Let every man then take the Apostles counsel Eph 6.13 1. Take to us all the Armour of God 2. Let men be sure to walk in a right way in which God hath promised us his Protection Psal 91.11 3. Let them watch continually and stand upon their guard 4. Let them stand strong in faith and in the Power of Gods might 5. And pray continually unto him that is able to save them VERSE 7. ANd the eyes Not so much of the Body as of the Minde for which cause it is added not that they saw but that they knew that they were naked which though it might be discerned by the eye of the body yet the shame that accompanied it could appear to nothing but the eye of the minde Of them both Not Adams only but Eves too whose eyes Satan had blinded so long that she observed nothing no not after she had eaten her selfe till she had seduced her husband too and then when they were both in the transgression and the temptation had taken full effect her eyes were opened too as well as her husbands Were opened Both by God who having suffered Satan to blinde them thus long at length in mercy discovered unto them and gave them hearts to take notice of the miserable and sad condition into which Satan had brought them that they might be humbled and seek to God for pardon And by Satan who though he had blinded them all the way in which he led them yet now he had brought them whither he desired sticks not to shew them where they were as Elisha dealt with the Syrian army which he led into Samaria 2 Kings 6.20 but it was only to encrease their grief and misery by beholding the great evil which they had brought upon themselves This opening of their eyes might consist in two things First in fixing their eyes upon their nakednesse which it may be they might not else have observed Secondly in representing the shame that now accompanied it that they might the more fully discover the change of their condition and have their hearts the more feelingly affected with it And they knew that they were naked And deformed in their nakednesse whereof as it may be gathered by their hiding of themselves they were ashamed Not because there was any change in the parts of their bodies but only in the use of them which before being instruments to righteousnesse and comely by the right ordering of them to the end for which they were created were now uncomely by their inordinate disposition to sin as the affections of the soule within were likewise become filthy and shameful by the like inordinate inclination of them to evil And they sewed fig-leaves Whether because they were nearest at hand or by reason of their largenesse fittest for that use it is not easie to guesse Only the making use of these leaves to cover their bodies gives us no sufficient ground to conclude that therefore the tree the fruit whereof they had eaten against Gods interdiction was a fig-tree For if it had been so now when their eyes were opened that they saw both their misery and the cause of it they would in all probability have abhorred the tree by which they had sinned above all others and consequently have made choice of any other thing for the covering of their bodies rather then of the leaves of that tree Now how they fastened those leaves together it is to no purpose to enquire questionlesse without a needle and thread it was not impossible to devise some meanes both to joyne them together and to fasten them to their bodies as we see they did And made them aprons Or coverings to tie about their loines for the covering of their secret parts But why those alone seeing all the body was deformed especially the Eares Eyes Mouth and Hands as being really defiled by the contagion of sin whereof they were special instruments it is most likely because the beholding of those parts more easily suggests unto our minds motions to uncleannesse Although withal we may conceive that because sin the cause of shame is more especially propagated by those parts as David implies in that expression Psal 51.7 it pleased God to make a deeper impression of shame which sin brings with it upon those parts then upon any of the rest Hitherto Moses hath described unto us mans fall with the Meanes Order and several steps thereof The Consequents thereof are laid before us in the next place and they are First the misery that came upon him thereby discerned in part though not fully by himselfe with the remedy which he useth but in vaine to help it Secondly we have their sin by which they fell discovered by God in the examination of the offendors and the punishment inflicted on them In describing our first Parents discovery of the misery into which they had fallen we have set before us First the opening of their eyes with the time when which was not till they had both eaten of the forbidden fruit Secondly what they discovered thereupon which was rather their shame then their sin which was the cause of it Thirdly what meanes they used to cover their shame but none to take away their sinne the girding of themselves with aprons of fig-leaves From the time considered in relation to the woman that she saw her nakednesse when she had drawen her husband into the same sinne with her selfe but discovered it not before We have occasion to 1 OBSERVE Man can discerne nothing but What and When and how farre God is pleased to discover it unto him Observe 1 IN our bodies sight it is manifest We see the Sodomites could not see Lots door although just before them when God had smitten them with blindenesse Gen. 19.11 Neither could Hagar see the Well of water till God had opened her eyes Gen. 21.19 Nor the Syrian army the way which they went till God opened their eyes when they were in Samaria 2 Kings 8.20 Nor the disciples Christ with whom they were familiarly acquainted Luke 24.31 Much more is it true of the eyes of the minde David could not discerne the sinfulnesse of that act of numbring the people although Joab warned him of it till his heart smote him for it after it was done 2 Sam. 24.3 10. nor Absalom nor Rehoboam the good counsel that was given them when God took away their hearts 1 Kings 12.15 2 Sam.
those Rev. 6.16 or at least astonisheth them by them hereafter as our Saviour represents it to us in the Parable of Dives Luke 16.24 Now thus God deales with wicked men as well to increase their plagues as to manifest his righteousness in giving them the fruits of their own wayes as they do acknowledg Ps 58.11 And with his own children as appears in the examples of David 2 Sam. 24.10 and of Peter Mat. 26.75 1. To bring them to repentance for their failings past 2. To make them more watchful for time to come 3. To give them a fuller and quicker taste of Gods mercy in their reconciliation by Jesus Christ in pardoning their sinnes and delivering them from the wrath to come That whereof Adam and Eve were most sensible after their eyes were opened was their nakednesse now by that they were indeed exposed to the injury of the weather which must necessarily breed them much annoyance But with that they seem not to be so much affected at present because they provide no present remedy against it But that which was fuller in their eye was their deformity by their nakednesse which they were ashamed to look upon and therefore desire to hide it from their own eyes by girding about themselves aprons of fig-leaves Now if we consider that they were the glory of all the visible creatures which God had made as being in a more especial manner created after Gods Image we may here easily observe what a fearful change sin brings upon all that are defiled with it Whence 5 OBSERVE Sin is able to make the most excellent and glorious of all Gods creatures vile and shameful Observe 5 THat was it that made Lucifer created by God a most glorious Angel of light a most ugly and hateful fiend which made Antiochus surnamed the glorious a vile person as the Angel termes him Dan. 11.21 as all wicked men are likewise called Psal 15.4 very beasts Psal 49.20 nay the most filthy of all beasts even swine wallowing in the mire 2 Pet. 2.22 The reason is 1. It defaceth the Image of God in them which especially consists in righteousnesse Ephes 4.24 which sinne perverts Job 33.27 2. It separates a man from God as all sin doth Isa 59.2 who is our glory Isa 60.19 and 28.5 3. It disorders all the faculties of the soule and parts of the body and consequently all the motions and actions that flow from them and subjects us to our own base lusts and vile affections to do things that are not comely Rom. 1.24 26 28. Let all men then esteem sin as the basest vilest and most abominable of all things and that not only drunkennesse adultery and the like which make men base in the eyes of men but more those fouler sins of infidelity pride covetousnesse which in true estimation and 〈◊〉 Gods eye are more foule and abominable then any of the rest not fit to be named amongst Christians Eph. 5.3 much more to be acted by them things that men are ashamed to owne which men do in the dark or at least when they have done cover with darknesse Now men may be truly said to be ashamed of sinne when for it they loath and think basely of themselves as David doth Psal 73.12 when we blush at the sight and the sense of them before God and man esteem basely of all those that are defiled with them which is one of the characters of a godly man Psal 15.4 abstaining not only from their wayes as from filthinesse but from all inward society with them See Psal 101.5 7. and 1â—9 115 esteeming only the righteous more excellent then his neighbour Prov. 12.26 and there fore only worthy to be his companion with the Prophet David Psal 119.63 Now if we observe what meanes they use to cover their shame it will evidently appear that they look no farther then the nakednesse of their bodies for which only they provide a covering but never take notice of their sin which was the cause of it and of a greater deformity in their soules then that which they observed in their bodies which they see not at all till God farther open their eyes Whence 6 OBSERVE Men are more apt to be sensible of and to be more affected with the outward evils that sin brings upon them then with the sin that causeth them Observe 6 THus Cain complains of the danger that might come upon him being put out of Gods Protection but never complaines of his sin in spilling his brothers blood The people of Israel were sensible of the losse of their corne and wine but were so unsensible of their sinne that brought that evil upon them that they continued their rebellion against God Hos 7.14 and in the evils which sin brings upon them they are rather affected with outward then with inward plagues As Saul more feares disgrace before the people then he doth to be cast out of Gods favour 1 Sam. 15.30 The reason is evident for men being generally sensual even the best among them in some part it must of necessity follow that they must be first and most effectually moved by the objects of sense now both sin and the inward plagues are of a spiritual nature and consequently not discernable by outward sense By this mark then let every man try and judge of the frame of his own spirit whether it be carnal and earthly or spiritual and heavenly by what he most takes notice of whether some judgement for sin or the sin it self and in the judgement what he findes affects his heart most whether some outward trouble or losse or whether the sense of Gods displeasure whence it ariseth manifested in the withholding of his grace or the inward comforts and the like For according to the temper and frame of the heart so are our desires and hopes and fears and joyes and sorrowes either carnal and earthly or spiritual and heavenly The man and woman being sensible of the nakednesse of their bodies and of their shame thereby use the best meanes they can to cover it and for that devise to make themselves garments of fig-leaves the best materials that came to hand at present so thereby they discover the first and chief use of garments Whence we may 7 OBSERVE Garments are but the Covers of our shame Observe 7 TO put honour upon those parts that want it as the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 12.23 and to hide the shame of them from mens eyes Exod. 28.42 And by this example we see that this was the first cause of inventing them although it be true that since they serve for divers other uses 1. For necessity to keep off the injury and annoyance of the weather Job 31.19 20. Prov. 31.21 2. For Distinction 1. Of Sexes Deut. 22.5 2. Of Offices Exod 28.2 3. Of Estates and Degrees 2 Sam. 13.18 Mat. 11.8 4. And may be too of Nations 3. For the discovering of our affections upon different occasions either of joy Eccl. 9.8 as in marriages
Mat. 22.11 Psal 45.13 14. or of sorrow as in Widowhood Gen. 38.14 or in times of fasting Psal 69.11 or any other Humiliation Exod. 33.4 5. Although these ends seem to be pointed at either in the matter or in the forme of our garments but the covering and hiding of our bodies by them appears to be occasioned and taken up upon the sense of the shame of our nakednesse and of our weaknesse by which we are subject to the annoyance of the weather Let no man be so shamelesse as to abuse this apparel which is the badge of his weaknesse and basenesse to a foolish and vain-glorying which we do when we deck our selves with costly cloathing to commend our selves to the eye and observation of other men But consider 1. That the first occasion of the use of cloathing was to cover our shame 2. That the materials of it are things much baser then our selves in just estimation 3. The apparel at the least doth but grace the body but adornes not the soule at all which is the only part wherein man is truly honourable 4. And the outward person they commend also only to men of vaine mindes but to no wise or sober man 5. And withal do more discover the vanity of our mindes then they cover the shame of our bodies Now although shame were the immediate occasion of cloathing the body yet sin was the cause both of it and besides of that weaknesse of body that did accompany it Whence 8 OBSERVE Most of our necessities are brought upon us by sinne Observe 8 IT is true indeed that wants necessarily accompany the condition of a creature seeing Autarchy or self-sufficiency is not to be found but in God alone but the necessary wants of mans nature if we look upon it in the first Creation were few in comparison of those that were brought in by sin as Cloathing Houses Physick Armes and the like Nay many things appertaining to food it self which if we lay together we shall easily discover that besides all the rest the necessary provisions of food in the use of fruits and herbes without dressing or cookery were nothing near the truth of these various supplies that the weaknesse of nature brought upon us by sin now necessarily requires to support and uphold it Let the observation of the multiplicity of our wants in outward things and of endlesse labours and drudgery in the affaires of this life by occasion thereof be a meanes to put us in minde of sin which brought those evils upon us groaning not so under the burden of our manifold wants or of the labours that we are necessarily to undergo for the supplying of them as of sinne it selfe which is the cause of all Well the man and woman now see their nakednesse take notice then in the next place what meanes they seek out to cover it They have presently recourse to the next tree that hath the broadest leaves which they pluck and fasten together to make themselves aprons God is not in all their thoughts but when they had left him to embrace the creature to it they flie for help upon every occasion Whence 9 OBSERVE When men are once fallen off from God their nature thereby corrupted carries them strongly forwards to seek help from the creature Observe 9 THus Asa when his heart falls off from God as appears 2 Chron. 16.10 flies to Benhadad to help him against Baasha ver 2 3. and in his sicknesse to Physicians rather then to the Lord ver 12. Thus carnal men put confidence in chariots and horses Psal 20.7 in King Jareb Hos 5.13 and generally in wealth and riches Prov. 10.15 when any danger threatens them The reason whereof is evident 1. They are wholly carnal and sensual in their dispositions and therefore easily carried after sensual and carnal things 2. They cannot but be enemies to God from whom they are driven away by the guiltinesse of their own consciences as having no cause to depend on him whose yoke they have cast off and therefore have ground to expect no help from him to whom they resolve to do no service 3. And they are by the just judgement of God delivered over to abase themselves to vile things farre below themselves because they have not advanced God nor glorified him as God as they ought Let us the more carefully observe our own wayes and the inclinations of our own hearts that we may the better judge how they stand affected towards God For if we finde an aptnesse in them to close with the creatures upon all occasions flying to them in our feares waxing confident in our helpes which we have from them and full of cares when we are in danger to lose them and of grief when we are deprived of them these are arguments if not of our departing from God yet of much weaknesse in our dependance on him Wherefore let us 1. Bewaile our faultering with God and dishonouring him by leaning to beggerly base and unprofitable dependencies 2. Endeavour to bring our hearts to close more fully with him in faithful services firme dependance on his All sufficiency and faithful Promises addressing our selves to him in all our wants or dangers in frequent and fervent prayers thanksgivings upon all occasions and rejoycing in his goodnesse faithfulnesse and truth Now if we consider there were no persons in the world but Adam and Eve and withal that they were man and wife and consequently had lesse cause of shame in beholding one anothers nakednesse it may he wondred why they make such hardship to hide their shame from one anothers eye But we have cause to wonder much more that they have no apprehension of the Presence of that God to whom lay open not only the nakednesse of their bodies even when they were covered with those aprons of fig-leaves but withal the sinfulnesse and thereby the shame of their soules which they never labour to hide at all wherein the grossenesse of their folly appears in labouring to hide the lesse shame from men and leaving open the far greater shame unto the eyes of God Whence 10 OBSERVE Sin besots men and makes them fools Observe 10 SInne indeed in Scripture is every where termed folly and sinners consequently marked out by the name of fooles bruitish men Psal 92.6 Natural bruit beasts made to be taken 2 Pet. 2.12 walking in darknesse Eccl. 2.14 whose wisdom and foolishnesse in Gods that is in true account 1 Cor. 3.19 It must of necessity be so 1. Seeing such men are separated from God who is only the fountain of true wisdom and have cast away his Word which is the Oracle of true wisdom Jer. 8.9 And 2. Seeing God in the course of his justice then takes away that wisdom which they have when they use it not to glorifie God therewith as they ought See Rom. 1.22 28. only he leaves them wisdome to manage natural things for the furthering of the common good or to do mischief to themselves by being wise
effects not so much of mens wrath or malice as of Gods truth and faithfulnesse Psal 119.75 And let this comfort support our hearts not only in our outward afflictions but in inward temptations and buffettings of Satan which are more dangerous where by though he foile us sometimes yet we know Christ hath prayed for us that our faith shall not faile Luk. 22.32 but we shall be kept by the power of God to salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 But that which above all the rest we should fix our eye upon in this combate between the woman and her seed and the Serpent and his seed is the issue and event of it both the one and the other shall be bruised and wounded but differently For the womans seed shall be wounded only in the heele far from the fountain of life and therefore without danger but the wounds of Satan and his seed shall light upon their head which is the fountain of life and power from whence 33 OBSERVE The combate between Christ and Satan and his Instruments shall end at last in the Total and Final subduing of them and breaking in pieces all their power Observe 33 SAtan must be troden under the feet of the Saints Rom. 16.20 and Christ himself shall wound the heads over many Countreys Psal 110.5 6. This truth indeed will be most fully and clearly manifested to all men in that great day when Satan himself with his chief instruments shall be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone Rev. 20.10 but in the mean time is evident enough to all that have eyes to see in those conquests which the godly obtaine at present as especially in spiritual combates when they hold fast their faith in the midst of the strongest assaults as Job doth Chap 19.25 and even in outward afflictions under which they are exercised in which they are more then conquerors Rom. 8.35 Reason 1. He hath no power in himself more then any other creature which consequently may be taken away at Gods pleasure and is limited by him in the mean time so that God may prevaile over him when he will 2. Satan is Gods enemy Mat. 13.28 39. and so are all his followers now it is Gods honour that all his enemies should fall before him Jer. 51.47 48. Rev. 19.22 3. Neither is there any other meanes of establishing a full and perfect peace in the Church of God then by subduing those that trouble it Let the godly then raise up their spirits by fixing their eyes not too much upon the sharp conflicts which they endure at present but upon the glorious conquest which they shall obtaine at last when Satan shall be troden down under their feet which is assured 1. By Gods promise Rev. 14.8 which is Yea and Amen 2. By the respect which he must needs have to his own honour infinitely advanced by triumphing gloriously over all the powers of darknesse and dashing his enemies in pieces Exod. 15.6 of which he is tender above all things Ezek. 36.22 23. 3. And by his holinesse by which he hates all that work iniquity 4. By his power which enables him to tread down all strength under his feet 5. And by all experience See Psal 106.45 46. The last thing to be taken notice of in Gods promise is his expression in speaking of the womans seed which he still mentions as One it shall be at enmity with Satan it shall be bruised and it shall break Satans head that is the whole body which is comprised under that name of seeds Christ himself with all his members who have all of them as well an interest in this victory as they have had their share in the combate Whence 34 OBSERVE Christs victory over Satan though it be by yet is not for himself alone but for all his members who also subdue Satan in and thorow him Observe 34 AS they are affirmed to do Rev. 12.11 even to have overcome the wicked one 1 John 2.13 14. whom therefore Christ will shortly tread under their feet Rom. 16.20 It is true in general that Christ as Mediator hath done nothing apart for himselfe wherein all his members have not an interest with him Reason 1. Christ needed no such combate with Satan and victory over him for any thing that concerned himself seeing he had in the beginning cast him down into hell where he holds him still in chains of darkness Luk. 8.28 2 Pet. 2.4 2. The neere relation which he hath unto the Church bindes him to be the Saviour of his body Eph. 5.23 3. Unlesse his children had been delivered out of the hands of their enemies they could never either serve him in holinesse which is the end of their redemption Luk. 1.74 75. nor praise him and rejoyce in him cordially as they ought to do see Rev. 2.10 A great encouragement to the godly even to all the holy seed to fight resolutely against Satan and all his instruments against our own corrupt lusts within this body of death as the Apostle terms it Rom. 7.24 25. by the power of the Spirit Gal. 5.24 and temptations and tryals from without cleaving still fast unto Christ Rom. 8.35 over all which we are sure to obtaine a glorious conquest at the last and having fought manfully under Christs banner to receive the Crown of life as is often promised Rev. 2.11 17. and 3.5 12. VERSE 16. UNto the woman he said She being the first in the transgression is first in the censure as she had justly deserved I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and conception That is thy sorrow in conceiving and breeding of children Sorrow is pain and weaknesse of body which makes the heart sad and heavy and that such kinde of paines and weaknesse and indisposition of body in women doth usually accompany the conceiving and breeding of children all experience shews now though that arise from a cause in nature yet it is ordered and appointed by God himselfe in a course of Justice In sorrow shalt thou bring forth children That is with bitter and sharp paines which most women generally suffer in their travail many times to the endangering yea as we see sometimes to the losse of their lives this is a farther encrease of the judgement to sicknesse in conceiving are added strong paines in travaile And thy desire shall be to thy husband The same phrase the Lord useth to expresse Abels subjection to his brother Cain Gen. 4.7 which implies not only subjection to him in obeying his commands but reacheth farther to the bringing under unto him the very desires of her heart to be regulated by him so farre that it should not be lawful for her to will or desire what she her selfe liked but only what her husband should approve and allow A just law unto her who having given way to her own inordinate phantasie and appetite stirred up in her by the suggestions of Satan had undone at once both her self and husband And yet a rule given her for her own good and safety
withhold his blessing from the creatures that should be for our service as we with-hold from him our service of obedience which we owe him by our Covenant Now if we compare this curse which God layes upon the earth for Adams sake with the sin for which he inflicts it we have a fair ground from thence to 2 OBSERVE As we are more or lesse serviceable unto God so we may expect that the creature shall be more or lesse serviceable unto us Observe 2 OF this we have ground to assure our selves upon Gods own Decree Deut. 28. Lev. 26. if we lay the blessings and curses there promised and denounced to the duties and sins there commanded and forbidden See Psal 81.13 16. Reason 1. Gods blessing upon the creatures is that only by which they are made useful unto us now God in justice can do no less then recompence all men according to their deeds Isa 59.17 18. Psal 62.12 and that not only in that great day of judgement but even at present and in outward things that men may see and acknowledge it as Psalm 58.11 2. Neither is there a meanes more effectual to prevaile with men in general to walk in a course of obedience then when they finde all the creatures against them in a course of rebellion Let it be one though not the chief of our motives to look carefully to our wayes if we hope to have any comfort in any thing that we enjoy or successe in any thing we take in hand It is a motive by which Eliphaz perswades Job to make his peace with God that the creatures should be at peace with him Job 5.23 24. It is true that the love of Christ should constraine a godly man and his authority over his own creatures especially his redeemed yea and his own Covenant should compel him to walk in obedience notwithstanding even the best need encouragements by experience and that even in outward things to hold on in that course which they finde so profitable to them every way It is observable that although Adam by his rebellion had forfeited that grant of God in which he bestowed on him the herb of the field for his food yet he is pleased here to renew it unto him although with some abatement Whence 3 OBSERVE God makes good his promises by which he hath engaged himselfe unto us though we faile in our Covenant by which we are engaged unto him Observe 3 SEe Psal 78.37 38. and 89.32 33 34. 2 Tim. 2.13 Reason 1. Gods promises are founded upon his own goodnesse and truth which cannot faile Psal 119.89 90 160. 2. God knew before-hand what we are even before he engaged himself unto us See Psal 103.13 14. 3. And if he should take advantage of every forfeiture he must necessarily undo his children who trespasse daily against him 4. And hath therefore given his son Christ to take away our sins if we hold fast the Covenant and do not wickedly depart from it though we faile many wayes 1 Joh. 2.1 2. 1. Let this kinde dealing of God with us be an encouragement unto us to go on cheerfully in his service being so good a master nay more kinde then a tender father Psal 103.13 Isa 49.15 howsoever wicked men blasphemously traduce and slander him Mat. 25.24 and whose service we finde so easie 1 John 5.3 Honourable and fruitful every way See Rom. 6.21 22. both at present and hereafter howsoever wicked men who are haters of God would perswade the world that there is nothing to be gained by it Job 21.15 2. And let us deale with our brethren as God deales with us 1. Look upon their errors and failings with compassion as the Lord looks upon ours as Christ represents it in that parable Mat. 18.23 and thereupon continue our love towards them and care of their good if they fail in their duties towards us Notwithstanding if we compare this renewed grant with that first grant which God makes unto Adam Gen. 1.29 we shall finde that although the same be granted in substance yet it is with a great abatement in the extent of it There he grants him all herbs and fruits upon the face of the earth within which Paradise must be necessarily included here he grants only the herb of the field he meanes without Paradise out of which Paradise is excluded from whence he was now to be cast out Now although Paradise was but a smal spot of ground in comparison of the world yet weighing the variety and choicenesse of the fruits thereof the losse was very great in comparison of that which was now left unto him Whence 4 OBSERVE Though God when he pardons our sinne restores us his blessings which we forfeited thereby yet we enjoy them with some diminution and abatement Observe 4 IN outward blessings God indeed hath restored us our lives but not that perfect constitution of body that Adam enjoyed before his fall which freed him from sicknesses and infirmities We are restored to the dominion of the creatures but those subject to vanity Rom. 8.20 neither so fully submitting nor so useful and serviceable unto us as they were in their first Creation In the inward man it appeares much more evidently we are indeed renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created us Col. 3.10 but that is in part only 1 Cor. 13.12 whence Agur complaines of himself that he was even bruitish Prov. 30.2 And our new man is created after God in righteousnesse and holinesse but so imperfect and with such a mixture of corruption that Saint Paul complaines that he carried about him a body of death Rom. 7.24 so that we have all of us just cause to acknowledge that we are all as an unclean thing Isa 64.6 Reason 1. It was needful to have every way some continual remembrance of sin that we might be the more abased in our selves and more sensible of Gods mercy both in supporting us in our weaknesse and pardoning us in our failings 2. It is besides for Gods honour that there should remaine some monument both of his justice and mercy Let it then move every one of us to make use of the sicknesses and distempers of the body of the unserviceablenesse of the creatures much more of the stirring of lusts within us rebelling against the law of our mindes and leading us captive unto sin yea of the blindnesse and ignorance of our hearts to bring our selves to greater detestation of sin a more careful watch over our own hearts that we may avoid or suppresse all motions thereunto a greater abasement and humbling of ourselvs in the sight of God that we may work out our salvation with feare and trembling and lastly may be stirred up to a more earnest longing after heaven where sin being removed from us we shall enjoy all things in their full perfection VERSE 19. IN the sweat of thy face With hard labour which causeth both sweat and wearinesse wheras his work in Paradise was easie and
their sins 141 Men must be dealt withall in plain terms before they will be brought to acknowledge their sins ibid. Whosoever will convince a man of sin must charge him with the very act in which he hath sinned Page 142 In sinful acts our hearts ought onely to be fixed upon our own Actions 143 The breach of Gods Commandement is that which makes any act of ours a sin ibid. Verse 12. No man can bear out sin before God 146 When mens sins are manifest yet they will labour to extenuate them what they may 147 A man in this state of Corruption Respects none but himself 148 Seducers are justly chargeable with all the sins committed by those that are seduced by them 149 It is usual with men when themselves have committed the sin to lay the blame upon God 150 It is usual with men to cast Gods Blessings in his teeth with Discontent 151 Men may easily by their own folly turn the Means ordained by God for good into snares for their destruction 152 It is dangerous to embrace any motion presented unto us without examining the ground of it 153 Verse 13. No Actor in any sin can escape Gods discovery 155 Mens sins must be so far manifested as may conduce to the Advancing of Gods glory 156 A good mans heart ought to be deeply affected with the sense of his own sinne 158 The seducing of ones nearest friends is a foul heart-breaking sin ibid. Sin and the enticements thereunto are dangerous Deceits 159 Verse 14. God will not reason the case with such as he destinates to destruction 164 Whosoever hath an hand in sin shall be sure to have a share in the punishment 165 Every instrument in the acting of sin is liable to Gods Curse ibid. One mans punishment ought to be other mens instruction 166 God layes his Judgments upon no Creature but upon just desert ibid. Gods Curse upon any creature is the fountain of all Plagues 167 It is usual with God in his Judgments to point at the sin for which they are inflicted 168 It is onely sin that makes one more vile then another ibid. It is a shameful abasement to be glewed to the Earth 169 Verse 15. Mans Salvation is Satans grief and vexation 175 Gods indignation is never so much kindled against the Wicked that he forgets his Mercy towards his Own 176 Gods Mercy towards man in the Means of his Salvation proceeds meerly from Himself ibid. God Sanctifies all those whom he Saves 177 It is an Effect of true Sanctification to hate both Satan and all that bear his Image 178 Whosoever truly abhors sin must needs hate the very instruments of Evil. 179 Godly men the more they are acquainted with sin and sinners the more they abhor them ibid. Sanctification is the work of Gods Spirit 180 The work of Grace wroughts in the heart of man is unresistible 181 The work of mans Sanctification is not forced upon him ibid. The state of man into which be is now established by Grace is unchangeable 183 Hatred and Enmity is the fruit of sinne ibid. Satan is the Authour of all envy and malice against Gods Children 185 The Malice and Hatred between the godly and Satan is by Gods Decree ibid. God directs the malice of Satan against the godly to their good at the last 186 God supplyes most comfort to those that most most need it 187 God is able to strengthen the weakest of his Servants and against Satan all his Power ibid. The greatnesse of mans sin is no â—â—rre to Gods Mercy 188 Gods Mercies are bestowed on the godly and to their posterity after them ibid. The Promises of Mercy and Grace belong onely to the Holy Seed 189 Onely godly children are worthy to be accounted Children 190 Wicked men be the Devils Children ibid. There is irreconcileable hatred between the godly and the wicked 191 Enmity and Malice against godly men is an evident mark of a child of the devil ibid. Christ is truly the womans Seed 192 Christ in the dayes of his flesh was in his own Person wounded by Satan and his instruments 193 Christ suffered nothing in his Person but what God had before decreed 194 Though Satan wounded Christ yet he could not conquer him ibid. Christ and all that are members of his body are one 195 The Members of Christ may suffer by the malice of Satan 196 Christ in his own Person takes up the Quarrel of his Church against Satan and all his Agents 197 The wounds which the Members of Christ receive by the hand of Satan shall not be mortal 198 The Combat between Christ and Satan shall end at last in the Total subduing of him 199 Christs Victory over Satan is not for himself alone but for all his Members 200 Verse 16. All the Afflictions of Christs Members are dispensed unto them under the Covenant of Grace 202 God hath not freed his children from the Afflictions of this life 203 God in his Afflictions to his children hath mixed with their bitternesse some sweetnesse of mercy 205 God hath mixed Bitternesse with the Blessings of this life 206 It is the Wifes Duty to be subject to the will and direction of her husband 207 The subjection of the Wife to the Husband must be in the inward affection of the heart 208 Verse 17. The Curse upon all Creatures proceeds from the Will and Decree of God 209 It is our own sin that brings the Curse of God upon all that we enjoy 210 The greatest of all Creatures are under Gods Command 211 The Curse of God upon the Creatures is a part of Mans punishment ibid. Mans life in this world is a life of pain and sorrow 212 The Short pleasures of sin drawes after it a Long punishment 213 Mans Food is out of the Earth ibid. Verse 18. Thorns and Thistles are the Effects of Gods Curse upon man for sin 214 As we are more or lesse serviceable unto God so we may expect the Creatures to be service able to us 215 God makes good his Promises by which he hath engaged himself unto us c. ibid. Though God restores us his Blessings yet we enjoy them with some abatement 216 Verse 19. Mans Emmployment in this life is in painfull Labours 118 There is profit in all the Duties which God enjoyns us 219 Whatsoever we undertake in obedience to Gods Command shall not want effect 220 Gods Sanctions are certain as well of Judgment as of Mercy 221 Though God hath freed his children from eternal death yet he hath left them under the sentence of temporall death 222 Mens bodies are base every way c. 223 The disposing of mans life is in Gods hand 224 Death is certain to all men ibid. The Judgments of God are Just and Equall in all things 225 Verse 20. God leaves not his Children without means to support them 226 The Grace which God works in his Childrens hearts is Faith 227 Gods Promises must be embraced by Faith 228 A godly man must be careful to preserve memorials of great mercies 229 It is fit in giving Names to make choice of such as may give us something for our direction ibid. Verse 21. The Cloathes that we wear are Gods provision 230 Necessary Provision is as much as we can look for at Gods hand 231 Our Cloathes are borrowed from other Creatures ibid. Verse 23. God withholds from us many Blessings for our good 233 When men have broken out into one sinne they are in danger to fall into another ibid. God oftentimes prevents mens falling into sin 234 The surest way to prevent mens falling into sin is to be far from the Allurements that entice them unto sin 235 Men are naturally apt to think themselves safe in the performance of outward acts of holy Duties ibid. God cannot endure the defiling of his Ordinances 237 No Blessing so firmly assured to us whereof sin may not deprive us 238 Mens Dwellings and Employments are both assigned by God 239 God leaves Remembrances to mind us what we are 240 Verse 24. Gods Judgments are to be remembred carefully 241 God loves to leave Monuments both of his Mercies and Judgments ibid. In searching into Gods Judgments our care must be to observe the Cause of them 242 The best of Gods Servants have need of the Terrours of his Judgments ibid. It is a great help to be informed by sense of those things that are to work effectually upon our hearts 243 The Angels themselves are ministring spirits for the good of the Saints p. 244 There is no means to escape Gods Justice if men walk on in a course of Rebellion against him ibid.