bodies and spirits 2. In divers parts of the Earth to temperate the Ayre which is inflamed there by the extream heat of the Sunne 3. To make way for the falling of those sweet and comfortable dewes by which the Earth especially in those hot countreys is much refreshed 4. And to manifest by experience the comfortablenesse of the Light by interrupting and cutting it off daily by the darknesse of the night and so discovering the comfortablenesse of the presence of that glorious Creature by the terrours occasioned by the absence thereof Let no man in Use confound those things which God hath severed in nature by turning day into night and night into day shutting and closing their eyes against the Light of the day by unseasonable sleeping and opening them to the darknesse of the night using the day for their rest and the night for their sports and pastimes surfeiting and drunkennesse chambering and wantonesse a Custom though sometimes countenanced by great examples yet in true estimation preposterous and every way unprofitable and commonly by experience found to be as much prejudiciall to health as it is undoubtedly crosse to Nature The next use of these Lights is to be for signs or Indications of events which are to follow as natural causes are Prognostickes oftentimes of their effects to ensue now seeing God hath among therest appointed them for this end we by warrant may 6. Observ It is not unlawfull by the Stars and Planets to guesse at some events that are to follow Observ 6 WHether certain and infallible as Summer and Winter which God himself hath promised shall never cease Gen. 8.22 And which we constantly and upon good ground expect according to the Revolutions of those heavenly bodies or probably onely as Heat Cold Rain Drout whereof there may be some sleight guesses by the conjunction of those Celestial bodies but more probable conjectures when the effects themselves begin to appear as rain in the skie which is lowring red which our Saviour himself allowes to be a sign of Rain presently to follow Math 16.3 Onely we must take heed that we ground no more but conjecture upon such signs as these Nay beyond all this as we have already intimated although these general Causes work very uncertainly upon things here below yet the conjunctions of the Planets especially in Eclipses though they point not out the particular events to follow in the Persons Places Times Measure and Manner thereof yet they may not unprofitably stir us up to the expectation of some observable events to ensue which experience shewes us to fall out accordingly sometimes Let no man upon this ground undertake by the observation of those Celestiall bodies to guesse at the knowledge of such future events as they were never appointed for neither in their own Nature can foreshew as the disposition of mens minds successe of their affaires Length of their lives kinds of their death Mutations and Periods of Kingdomes and Cities and the like Curiosities which are condemned by God Isa 47.13 and unprofitable to men to busie their heads about seeing Constellations have their operations in such events only as general causes which effect nothing farther then they are seconded by the more immediate working of particular causes 2. The nature of many of them is rather guessed at than distinctly known and consequently our guesse at their operations must needs be very uncertain 3. If their Nature could be fully known yet the Impediments of their Operations partly by the frequent failing of Particular and Immediate causes and partly by the different disposition of the Subjects on which they work are so many that the effect hath an exceeding uncertain dependance on them which the frequent failings of the predictions grounded thereupon doth evidently discover A Third Use of these Lights and Celestial bodies is for the determining of Seasons by which the labours of men and their affaires are directed Thus we see what a stroke God hath by the Influence of these heavenly bodies on things below in all the affaires of men VVhence 7. Observe All especially the chief of the affaires of men are ordered and directed by God himself from heaven FAring and Harvest have their dependance on the Spring Summer and Autumn included under the names of Summer and Wanter Gen. 8.22 all of them appointed by God in their seasons by the Motions of the Celestial bodies The light of the day sets men on work Psal 104.23 then comes the Night when no man can work Joh. 9.4 Fair weather invites men to labour abroad the Snow and Rain seal up their hands Job 37.7 and confine them to their houses Nay much more is the successe and prospering of all mens labours from heaven From thence they are prospered Deut. 28.12 Mal. 3.10 or blasted Deut. 28.23 24. Hag. 1.10 So that Good and Evil are dispensed as it were out of his storehouse that men may know his work Job 37.7 Let all men then have their dependance upon God who onely Ruleth and disposeth of the Heavens Stars yea of the Clouds that let down the rain on the Earth which are turned about by his counsel to do whatsoever he commands whether in Mercy or Judgment Job 37.12 13. He must hear the Heavens and the Heavens the Earth and the Earth the Corn and Wine Hos 2.22 Let us then pray to him 1 King 8.35 as Elijah did 1 King 18.42 Fear him Jer. 5.22 and behold his Metcy or Judgment in all these dispensations Job 37.13 that our hearts may be sometimes quickned to thankfulnesse and at other times be humbled before him The last Use of the Lights is for dayes and years that is for Computation of Times without which neither could we well either give directions for things to come nor take account of things past without such a means of computing Times which must needs cause great Confusion in all mens affaires So that amongst divers blessings which we enjoy from God this rule for the computation of Times is not to be accounted the least VERSE 15. TO give light And not only to have it in themselves Now under this name of Light is included that secret and effectual Influence which those Celestial bodies cast out with their Light upon things here below to make all things fruitful and to cherish the Creatures Upon the Earth Which hath neither light nor life in it self but that which it borrowes from above It is not amongst the least of Gods Wonders that these Celestial bodies should cast out their light and influence at such an incredible distance as we shall see anon Now this Light and Influence which they convey unto the Earth although it be especially serviceable to men yet we find by experience to be a singular benefit to the rest of the Creatures or at least to the most of them We cannot but take notice that this Light which God hath now planted in the Sun was notwithstanding Created before it that it might be the more evident
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
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
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
to the beasts upon the consideration that they also were Creatures framed by the same powerful hand of God which prevailed with Job in another case Job 31.15 The Earth is here commanded by God to bring forth the Living Creature after his kind not by any power that it had in it self to give life to other Creatures which it had not in it self but by the Power and Will of God who appointed and decreed it And shall not the same Will and Decree of God that produced living Creatures out of the Dead Earth cause the same Earth to yield up her dead and the Sea her dead Rev. 20.13 The difference between the Creation of Beasts and Man cannot be passed by without speciall observation Mans Body was indeed taken out of the Earth as well as the Bodies of the Beasts but his Soul was not from the Earth but from Heaven But in the Creation of Beasts the Body and Soul or Life is wholly out of the Earth for the Earth is Commanded to bring forth the Living Creature that is the Creature with the Life thereof So that we find no Original of the Soul or Life of the Beast but from the Earth onely VVhence 2. Observe Beasts are Wholly Of and Out of the Earth Observ 2 THeir Life or Soul is in their blood Levit. 17.11 and thence it is that all their motions are wholly Earthly and after Earthly things and all the Operations of their Soules in Nutrition Motion or Sense exercised meerly by Bodily Instruments And in their very dissolution their Spirit goes downwards to the earth from whence it was at the first taken as Solomon tells us Eccl. 3.21 VVere it not then a foul shame for Men endowed with understanding to imitate Beasts and to take them for their pattern Surely men that understand not are like the Beasts that perish Psal 49.20 whose wisdom is sensual and earthly Jam. 3.15 Their mind only upon earthly things Phil. 3.19 by which they corrupt themselves as bruit beasts Jude 10. becoming wholly sensual Jude 19. walking altogether by Sense and not by Faith as Gods Children either do or at least should do 2 Cor. 5.7 By the VVord and Decree of God both the tame and wild beasts and every creeping thing were Created VVhence 3. Observe All the Beasts on the Earth being Gods Creatures are Gods Store and at his Command Observ 3 EVen every Beast of the Forrest and the Cattel upon a thousand hills he justly challengeth as his own Psal 50.10 he sends forth his Spirit and creates them Psal 104.30 he opens his hand and feeds them ver 27 28. and he gives out his Word and commands them and orders all their goings directing them to execute his VVill as appears in the example of the two she-Beares 2 King 2.24 and she-Lion 1 King 13.24 and the Lions in the Den Dan. 3. Let us then ascribe all the store that we have unto God 1. Looking upon it as a gift from God as Jacoh doth Gen. 31.9 and made fruitfull and usefull by his blessing Psal 144.13 14. 2. Seek all at his hands 3. And serve and honour him with all that we possesse yea with the first of our increase Prov. 3.9 4. And use all that we have according to his direction in Mercy towards the Creature and in a way of Sobriety to our selves VERSE 25. ANd God made Though God had commanded the Earth to bring forth the Creatures yet it was his own Power giving efficacy to his Will and Word that was the onely means by which they were produced This making of the Creatures was not by means according to the course of nature but the Creating of them without means supernaturally by the power of the Creator VVhence 1. Observe God not only Decrees and Commands but Performs and Brings to effect whatsoever he Wills Observ 1 IF he command Moses to do any thing he shall not lift up his hand in vain but the stretching out of it over the waters shall turn them into blood the Ashes of the Furnace by sprinckling them into the Ayr shall turn in Sores and Blains upon mens bodies his Word alone shall bring forth Froggs and Caterpillers Murrain upon the Cattel Hail and Lightnings from Heaven Darknesse upon the Land and â—eath upon the first born And this God doth not onely in extraordinary miraculous works that are Supernatural but even in those that are according to the course of nature He decreed that Summer and Winter Earing and Harvest should not cease while the world lasted and we see they continue to this day He commanded their Propagation and sustentation and they continue according to his Ordinance unto this day Psal 119. Living Moving and having their Being in him Act. 17.28 And by his Word our food gives us nourishment and strâ—â—gth Deut. 8.3 Nay he wills our Sanctification and Holy conversation and he works in us both to VVill and to do Phil. 2.13 Let this Consideration stay up and support the hearts of Gods Children whatsoever God hath engaged himself unto by his VVord and Promise he will not fail to bring to passe to give Grace at present and Glory hereafter Psal 84.11 For he speaks Righteousnesse Isa 45.16 Never look either upon the weaknesse of the Meanes or the greatnesse of the work but look upon the Power and Truth of him that hath promised it It is Gods VVord and it shall stand when Heaven and Earth shall fail And let this bear up our spirits when they are sincking under the sense of our weaknesse Indeed without Him we can do nothing Joh. 15.5 But as he can do all things Job 42.2 So in him that strengthens us we shall be able to do all things Phil. 4.13 And he will work In and For us Isa 26.12 Onely let us undertake nothing in our own strength but all in the Power of his might That which might be observed out of the particular enumeration of the Creatures which God made we have taken notice of heretofore as also of the Execution of the Decree and answerablenesse of it in all things according to that which he had appointed There followes in the last place the Creation of Man the last and perfectest and the Crown and Glory of all Gods visible VVorks for that cause described more at large and with more variety of Circumstances then any of the rest and Consequently more needful to be attended and more carefully enquired into by us especially seeing withal it more nearly concerns us VERSE 26. LEt Before God gave out his Command to the Creature as to the Earth and Sea to bring forth Fishes Fowls and Beasts or more Generally commands things to be made Let there be Light Let the waters be gathered Let there be great Lights Here he puts as it were his own Hand to the work and in a sort incourageth himself to undertake it as if he had an hard task to undertake if we may speak of God as the Holy Ghost here represents him
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
Himself taking on him the Form of a man as he did sometimes after the Fall or any other way and with what Ceremony since the Holy Ghost hath not expressed it we must not enquire This only we must acknowledge that this bringing of the Woman to the Man implyes the full bestowing of her upon him that they should live together as Man and Wife by Gods appointment So then in this description of the Womans Creation we have laid before us all the Causes of that work The Efficient God The Material A Ribb taken from the Man The Formal to be made a Woman And the Final that she might be a VVife and Helper to the Man Of the VVomans Soul we hear nothing in this place Moses had said enough before in the Creation of the Man leaving us to conceive that since there is nothing more mentioned concerning the womans soul than we had heard before in the inspiring of Adams that she also had her soul inspired in the like manner This new wonder of multiplying one Bone into so many of making so many parts and members of One and of enlarging one small Ribb into the full measure of a Womans body fully grown ministers much matter of Philosophical Disputes to men that forget that the Holy Ghost presents unto them a work above nature and therefore not to be examined by Natural reason and by expressing what was done without the Manner how leads them to Admiration rather than into a Curious inquisition of that which we cannot understand Only it gives us occasion from hence to 1. Observe God can change any thing into what Form he pleaseth Observ 1 THis he manifests in the whole course of nature Out of a small seed he produceth the Root the Stalk the Ear of the Corn all these and the flower and fruits of every herb The Trunck Bark Leaves Branches Blossoms and Ripe Fruits of every Tree Out of the Similar parts of the seed of Man and Beasts the several Members and Dissimilar parts of the bodies of all living Creatures and out of the same food the matter that nourisheth them all diversified according to the nature of every part And no marvel seeing all these things are from God Himself and not from the Matter out of which they are produced who can therefore easily turn any matter into what form he will seeing he gave them that form in which they are See Chap. 1. Ver. 21. Observ 4. This phrase of Building here used pointing at the Exactnesse and perfection of the work of the Art used in framing it may warrant us to 2. Observe God is Exact and Perfect in all the Works that he undertakes Observ 2 HIs Work is Perfect Deut. 32.4 in a Respective Perfection to the proportion of the work it self and to the End whereat it aimes See Chap. 1. Ver. 4. Observ 3. and Chap. 2. Ver. 1. Observ 3. God built the Ribb into a Woman the Text saith expresly That he therein used the Ministery of Angels as some have imagined is a groundlesse fantasie so that we may warrantably 3. Observe Women as well as men are Gods own Workmanship Observ 3 HE made Male and Female Matth. 19.4 made one woman Mal. 2.15 this unquestionable Truth needs no proof at all Let it be the Comfort of that Sexe That which is Gods work shall be his Care His Son Christ hath honoured them in taking flesh of a Woman and not of a Man God Himself hath honoured them so far sometimes as to put the government of the State into their Hands Judg. 4.4 To make use of them extraordinarily for the revealing of his Will by way of Prophecy to his Church But above all both redeemed them as well as men by the Blood of his Own Son Sanctified them by his Spirit And made them heires together with Men of the Grace of Life 1 Pet. 3.7 The more to blame are they that so far undervalew them that they Judge them unworthy of the knowledge of his Truth 〈◊〉 And by consequence of Life and Salvation whereas in Christ there is neither Male nor Female as the Apostle tells us Gal. 3.28 It is worthy our Observing that God having abundance of Spirit as the Prophet speaks Mal. 2.15 and there being more cause of giving Adam many Wives for the speedy Peopling of the Earth than there could be to any of his Posterity yet in the begining would make Adam but one Wife Whence 4. Observe God hath allowell but one Wife to one Man Observ 4 GOds Act in Creating but one Man and One Woman and His Law given Adam thereupon that those two should be one flesh as they had been One our Saviour alleadgeth Matth. 19.4 Proposeth as a Law binding all Adams Posterity and therefore not to be dispensed with by Moses much more doth it make void all arguments taken up from the acts though of the Patriarchs themselves whose Polygamies are rather not reproved then allowed much lesse set before us for Precedents for imitation but may be justly conceived to be recorded amongst their blemishes the successe whereof turned either to their vexation as the Contentions between Leab and Rachel did to Jacob or became their snares as Solomons many VVives did unto him or were a Judgment and Plague unto them as Davids Concubines when they were defiled by his Son Absolom Indeed single matches are the best meanes of preserving love between the married Persons and their Posterity Chastity Order and Government in the Family all which cannot but be much hazarded if not quite overthrown by Polygamie as is manifest both by Reason and Experience God had now made the VVoman and that too to be an help to the man but all this while Adam had no interest in her till God had brought Her to Him and bestowed Her on Him as his VVife VVhence 5. Observe Though all things be made for Man yet he can have no interest in any thing Untill God Himself bestow it on him Observ 5 HE had no right to the Lordship over the Creatures till God had put them under his feet nor to dwell in Paradise till God gave him the possession of it nor to eat of the Trees therein till God gave him leave to do it Yea when God hath put mens estates into their hands yet our Saviour directs us to beg our allowance out of them from God for the portion of every day 1. Because all that we have or Use is Gods who only Sends them to us for our use reserving the Propriety of all to himself 2. That we may use all according to his Direction and not according to our own Lusts 3. That we may upon the better grounds expect his blessing upon that which we use without which it cannot profit us Let every man then be carefull to get a Grant from God of all that he hath of the Land that he possesseth of the House that he dwells in of the Cloaths that he weares of the Food that he eats
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
sensible of our deliverance from the bondage of this sin when we finde the neighbourhood of it so troublesome unto us 2. That we might cleave close unto Christ drawing still from him a fresh supply of the Spirit of Power for the mastering of our corruptions 3. That the Power of his Spirit may the more appear in mastering and prevailing upon those lusts that make head continually against it 4. To commend the obedience of his children in submitting to his Law even when their natural inclination bends against it against which when they strive with all their power that they may submit unto Gods Law they do thereby manifest their love unto it and delight in it 1. Let every man then labour the more carefully to subdue and mortifie this fleshly and carnal part which yet remains within us which continually stirs us up to rebellion against God wherein although it prevaile not fully yet it both takes off that chearfulnesse of Spirit wherewith God requires to be served Deut. 28.47 and in which he delights 2 Cor. 9.7 and abates that joy in duties of obedience which we might finde Prov. 21.15 and that enlargement of spirit which should provoke us to run the way of Gods Commandments Psal 119.32 That this body of death as the Apostle termes it Rom. 7.24 being in some measure subdued every thought within us may be brought under to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.5 Whether that clause neither shall ye touch it were expressed by God himself in the interdiction although omitted by Moses in the relation of it or whether the woman addes it of her own as conceiving it to be necessarily implied in the prohibition to eat of that fruit it is not much material only we may thence 5 OBSERVE Whosoever will not be entangled by allurements to sinne must not come near them Observ 5 WE may not stand in the Councel of the ungodly Psal 1.1 nor come near their pathes as Solomon adviseth Prov. 4.14 15. nor near the door of a lewd womans house Prov. 5.8 much lesse to be where she is which Joseph so carefully avoided Gen. 39.10 we are forbidden to touch any unclean thing 2 Cor. 6.17 or to name fornication or uncleannesse Eph. 5.3 Job will not so much as look upon a maid that he might not think on her Job 31.1 and we are commanded to hate the very garment spotted with the flesh Jude 23. And this we must do 1. Out of the conscience of the weaknesse of our corrupt nature which as easily takes fire by the least allurement to sin as gunpowder doth by any spark that fals into it or rather of it self draws towards it as iron doth toward an adamant now we know that he that will not be burnt must carry no coales in his bosome Prov 6.27 2. That we may manifest our perfect detestation of evil which every man that will approve himself to be a lover of God must hate Psal 97.10 so that by withdrawing from allurements to sin we not only manifest our own holinesse but besides by our example we are a meanes to teach others not to draw near unto that which they observe us so carefully to avoid and flie from It is upon good ground conceived generally that the woman in this answer of hers to Satan gives him great advantage and encouragement by the last words thereof wherein she expresseth the curse threatened against the transgressors of this Commandment in so sleight a manner as if it were either uncertain or at least inconsiderable this is evident that her relation comes farre short of that strong and powerful expression wherein God had delivered it unto her And withal by relating the interdiction in the strictest termes she could devise and the curse in so sleight and weak an expression she gives great cause of suspicion that as she distasted the strictnesse of the command on the one side so she had no great feare of the curse on the other side of which the devil makes great advantage as we shall see in the sequel so that comparing this her sleighting of the curse with her breach of the Commandment which immediately followed we may 6 OBSERVE The sleighting of the curse of the Law makes way to the transgression of the Law Observe 6 HE that blesseth himself in his heart when he heares the cause denounced pronouncing peace to his own soule though he walk in all the abominations of his heart will not feare to adde drunkennesse unto thirst Deut. 29.19 and if one scoffe at Christs coming unto judgment 2 Pet. 3.3 4. to execute vengeance on those that deny subjection Luke 19.27 he will easily resolve to walk after his own lusts Indeed how can it fall out otherwise seeing although the cords of love both to God and to his Law be the strongest bands to keep the godly within their bounds yet the curse and terrour of wrath and vengeance is the strongest bridle to hold in such as are meerly carnal who are therefore compared to horse and mule Psal 32.9 which when they have once cast off the bridle they run on headlong to all excesse of riot Again whosoever hath cast off the feare of Gods wrath hath laid aside in effect all grounds of respect towards him as having in a sort denied his Providence Holinesse Truth Justice and Power and consequently broken in sunder all the bands which might hold him on in any course of obedience VERSE 4. BY this answer of the woman Satan had now sufficiently discovered the temper of her spirit He findes her heart impatient of her restraint and ready to repine against God that had laid it on her and thereupon the pronenesse of her will and affections to break out into actual rebellion if the terrour of the curse threatened in case of transgression of the Commandment could be wholly removed which also held but by a weak thread as we have seen The woman having discovered in her answer her sleighting of it either as uncertain or unconsiderable Wherefore he thinks it best to dally with her no longer but comes up close to her and putting on a bold face First he peremptorily denies the terrour of the curse as if that were only laid before her as a scar-crow seeing God well knew that no such evil would follow the eating of that fruit as he had threatened Secondly with like impudence and confidence in stead of that curse he assures the woman of a singular benefit which the eating of the fruit of that tree would bring her the knowledge of good and evil for the truth whereof he appeales to God himselfe who as he affirmes knew well enough that this tree had such an extraordinary vertue This dangerous assault the woman drew on by her weak and cold answer Whence 1 OBSERVE A little yielding to Satan in his temptations invites and encourageth him to a stronger and more violent assault Observ 1 IF a man yield so farre as to stand in sinners councels Satan
and taking up wayes of dishonest gaine that we may purchase that by any meanes without which we think our selves not sufficiently supplied according to our worth Let then all that are godly the more carefully labour to establish their hearts in a setled content in that condition in which God hath placed them which must be done 1. By approving it in their judgement as every way best and fittest for them and for Gods honour and glory 2. By bringing in and limiting our desires thereby so far that we wish it not to be other then it is 3. By bringing our affections to delight and rejoyce in it as in that lot which God himselfe hath laid out unto us and that upon these considerations 1. That whatsoever we enjoy is more then we have any title unto by nature who came into the world naked a consideration which Job quiets his heart withal when he was at once stripped of all that he had Job 1.21 2. That we are unworthy of what we enjoy as Jacob acknowledgeth himself lesse then the least of Gods mercies Gen. 32.10 so that whatsoever we enjoy we have out of favour and free grace 3. That what we have we have no ability to manage as we ought nor can give a perfect account of it if God should deale strictly with us 4. That God who hath allotted us our estates is infinitely wise and therefore better knows what is fittest for us then we our selves and no lesse kinde and loving nay much more then we are to our selves and therefore will not faile to give us any thing that may be truly good unto us as having given us his own Son with whom he cannot but give us all things Rom. 8.32 5. That the life of man consists not in abundance as our Saviour tells us Luke 12.15 but in a secret supply of our wants by Gods blessing who makes a little that a righteous man hath better then the riches of the ungodly Psal 37.16 6. That when we have what we would desire yet we must depend upon God for our allowance out of it every day as all men rich and poor are directed to do by our Saviour to beg of him their portion for every day Now this contentednesse must reach even to our spiritual as well as to our temporal estate wherin our want of grace sense of our inward corruptions continual conflicts with Satan and foiles by him many times though they may and ought to quicken us to prayer and watchfulnels and make us humble and vile in our own eyes yet ought not to disquiet our hearts so far as to provoke us to impatiency and murmuring at our present condition or to kindle our desires to long after such a change of it as is not warranted Rather our unquietnesse at our own corruptions should beget in us only an holy indignation against our selves for our errours and failings with a desire of that future condition wherein we shall put off this body of death yet with patience waiting till the time of our appointed changing Job 14.14 but no manner of impatience against our present condition or repining against God who hath so ordered it both for his own glory and for our good at the last When Satan tells the woman that by eating the forbidden fruit her eyes should be opened he necessarily implies that for the present both she and her husband were blinde in effect so that these are the two grounds upon which he endeavours to move the woman to discontent at her present condition The first that she was under restraint and not left at liberty to take what she pleased The second that she was held in blindnesse and ignorance wherewith Satan would have her conceive she had great cause to be troubled as she had reason to be if the suggestion had been true So that we may thence 5 OBSERVE Blindnesse and Ignorance is a great misery Observ 5 IT is not good saith Solomon that the soule should be without knowledge Prov. 19.2 The Apostle goes farther and in expresse termes tells us that ignorance alienates us from the Life of God Eph. 4.18 and reckons it up amongst the spiritual plagues which the Lord in his justice laid upon those that dishonoured him and glorified him not as God the darkening of their sottish hearts Rom. 1.21 and is the meanes by which Satan whose work it is to blinde men 2 Cor. 4.4 prevailes so far upon men as he leads them at his will into all lasciviousnesse Eph. 4.19 and indeed into all other sins when their eyes being blinded they know not whither they go 1 John 2.11 More particularly the evils of this fearful plague are 1. The abasing of a man unto the condition of a beast from which he differs and is advanced above him only in his understanding Thus David for want of a right judgement and understanding of Gods ways termes himself a beast Psal 73.22 as be doth likewise all men else Psal 49 20. as Agur likewise termes himself brutish upon the same ground Prov. 30.2 2. Ignorance makes a man unuseful and unserviceable every way in all his undertakings for only a wise mans eyes are in his head but a foole walkes in darknesse Eccl. 2.14 which we know hinders all manner of emploiments as appears in the darknesse of Egypt which fixed them to their places from whence they could not remove till the darknesse was over Eâ—od 10.23 3. Ignorance leaves a man without comfort for it is the light that is sweet that is comfortable Eccl. 11.7 and the light of the eyes rejoyceth the heart Prov 15.30 consequently darknesse and ignorance must needs leave the heart without comfort whence the Scripture expresseth one being in a sad condition by being in darknesse without light Isa 50.10 Now that only the Scripture esteems to be knowledge which is the knowledge of God Prov. 30.2 and that in the face of Jesus Christ John 17.3 and of the things that are freely given us of God 1 Cor. 2.12 revealed by the Word and taught by the Spirit Satan contents not himself with working the heart of the woman to a discontented humour against her present condition but gives a step farther and perswades her that God knew how to help it but would not that by this meanes she might conceive that Gods heart stood not well affected towards her and that he wished her no good whatsoever shew he made to the contrary First because he might have allowed this meanes of gaining knowledge which he had so strictly forbidden them without any prejudice to himselfe at all Secondly that he had denied it them out of an evil disposition namely that he might excel and be God alone wherein he most blasphemously chargeth God with injustice in taking order to maintain his own right and providing for his owne honour before the advancing of his creatures of which notwithstanding according to their place and condition he takes care in all his wayes Now although it be true that
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.
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