it is said in the book of the warrs of the Lord. As he did in the red sea so shall he do in the brooks of Arnon But that Book of the Wars of the Lord could not be cited by Moses in which there could be mention made of those things which were done at Arnon in the very place where Moses perform'd this exploit Truly I believe that Moses made a Diarie of all those wonderfull things which God did for the people of Israel under the conduct of Moses From which collections the books of the wars of the Lord might afterwards be taken Which for that cause was neither the Original nor the Original of the Original but indeed a Copy from a Copy That which we read in the third Chapter of Dentronomy does manifest that they are written long after Moses Jair the son of Manasses possessed all the Country of Argob and it is call'd after his name Basan Hanoch Jair to this day Moses could never have said to this day For Jair scarcely had possession of his own Villages at that time when Moses is brought in so speaking And hence it manifestly appears that the author intended to shew whence according to the most antient and first original that City was call'd Jair deriving the cause from Moses to his own time and therfore as was fit call'd it Jair from that antient Jair unto this day The like we read in the same Deuteronomy in the same Chapter Only Og King of Basan was remaining of the race of the Giants His iron bed is shown which is at Rabbath of the children of Ammon For what needed Moses to have said to the Jews that his bed was shown at Rabbath of the children of Ammon that they might learn the bignesse of the Giant Why I say needed he to send the Jews to another place to see the bed of the Giant who had seen him in his own Land and overcome him and measur'd him as he lay along in the fields of Basan It is a great deal more likely to think that this Writer to gain credit to what he wrote concerning the King and Giant Ogâ— of whom he made mention spake of his iron bed as a testimony of the wonderfull spoils of that terrible Giant which were not at that time to be seen at Basan where Og lay but in Rabbath of the children of Ammon the succession of ages having changed the place We read also in the 2. of Deuteronomy The Horraeans first dwelt in Seir whom the children of Esau driving out dwelt there as Israel did in the Land of his possession which the Lord gave him In these words it is said That the Idumeans who are the Sons of Esau inhabited Mount Seir driving out the Inhabitants of those Mountains And that the Jews again inhabited this Mount Seir and gain'd Mount Seir as a possession driving out and destroying those Idumaeans Yet it is most certain that the Idumaeans according to Moses himself were not thrown out in his time as it is in Deutronomy in the same Chapter And the Lord said to me saith Moses You shall pass through the confines of your brethren the sons of Esau who dwell in Seir and they shall be afraid of you Therefore take heed you move not against them for I will not give you of their Land one foot for I have given Mount Seir in possession to Esau Therefore Idumaea was not given to the Jews in the dayes of Moses but long time after as David Prophesies Psalm 108. Over Edom will I cast out my shooe that is I will extend my possession over Idumaea For possession is taken by setting down of the foot and the shoe in this place is the foot the thing containing for that which is contained And David made also good his prophecie 1 Chro. chap. 18. where we read that David consecrated silver and gold Which he had taken from 〈◊〉 Nations Edom Moab and Ammon And befides in the same place Abishai the son of Zervia smtoe Edom in the valley of salt eighteen thousand and put a Garrison in Edom that Edom might serve David Therefore in the time of Davâ—d and not of Moses Edom became a land of possession to Israel as God had promis'd as being a lot and part of the Holy Land And hence it is gather'd that these essayes of Deutronomie were written long after Davids time a great while after Moses I need not trouble the Reader much further to prove a thing in it self sufficiently evident that the five first books of the Bible were not written by Moses as is thought Nor need any one wonder after this when he reads many things confus'd and out of order obscure deficient many things omitted and misplaced when they shall consider with themselves that they are a heap of Copie confusedly taken Those things which we read concerning Lamech Gen. 4. are defective Because I have slain a man to my hurt and a young man to my grief For there is no mention made of that young man whom Lamech slew That History which is related in the fourth book of Moses concerning the circumcision of the son of Moses is desicient and is conjectur'd to be deficient because we see clearly what it should be The The 20 Chapter of Genesis of Abrahams sojourning with Abimelech King of Gerar is misplaced For it is not likely that the King would lust after Sarah who was an old woman and with whom it left off to be according to the manner of women and who was not capable of pleasure As also Genesis 26. the same is to be thought of Rebecca Nor must we think that the King was then in love with Rebecca Jacob and Esau being thâ—n of age That which we read in the 10 of Deuteronomy is misplac'd The Children of Israel remov'd their camp from Beeroth of the sons of Jacan where Aaron dyed And in the same place He separated the tribe of Levi to carry the Ark of the Covenant Though long before the death of Aaron the Levites were seperated to look to the Tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant according to Gods command often iterated both in Leviticus and Numbers Yea whilst Aaron himself was alive yea still after that the Tabernacle was perfected the Levites carried the Ark as often as the Children of Israel remoâ—ed their Camp And if the Reader will take pains let him but run over this tenth Chapter of Deut. and he shall find the death of Aaron preposterously inserted in that Narration having nothing there to do and nothing beâ—onging to the buâ—nesse Yea he shall find it contrary to the computation of time whilst they were talking of the delivery of the Law of Sinai long before Aarons death You shall likewise find that passage in the 18 of Exodus misplaced And Jethro came the Father-in-law of Moses and his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness where he was encamped by Joâ—dan For how could Jethro come to Moses hiâ— son-in-law after the going
other tools to make his Plow-share sharpned his hatchets with which he was to cut down timber to make his Ploughs his Harrows his Carts and the like Then if of that Corn which he reap'd he made bread then Cain too digg'd the quarry to make his Mill to grind or if they used no Mills in those dayes Cain was carryed to those places where Knaves make their moan in kneading of brown bread and made himself a bake-house to bake his bread in Therefore Cain was a tiller a harvest-man and a baker And Cain had all these arts alone for the exercising of which so many artificers are required which could not be found out but by long study and long experience All these things are nothing The noblest of all men who had God for his Grandfather and the Earth his Grandmother was turned into the Iron Mines and quarry-pits or in the pounding Mill to break Corn whither those were carried who were condemned to digging of Metals or servants who were to be punished Let us come to Abel It is written he was a keeper of sheep Abel fed and kept his own sheep Why did Abel keep them What thieves should he fear beside his Father Mother and Brother if there was no more upon earth But of Wolves and ravenous beasts Abel had as great reason to be afraid as his flock lest leaving them they might have fallen upon him Moreover it is probable that Adam liv'd either in that time in an inclosed Village or a fenced City For after that Cain had resolved upon that wicked deed which he was hatching He said to his brother Abel Let us go forth And when they were in the field Cain rose up against his brother and slew him That Let us go forth shews That Cain and Abel were either shut up within the inclosure of some Hamlet or within the walls of some town Within what inclosure or within what Town-walls was Cain afraid to be apprehended and to be carried to prison if openly and in the sight of the men of the Village or of the Citizens he had kill'd his brother And he kill'd him when they were in the Field which is opposite to the City Which observe He kild him when they were alone without witnesses which Robbers and wicked men who do ill deeds and commit Murther use to doe That there was rewards for good deeds punishment forbad deeds at that time hence chiefly appears because God speaking to Cain being angry and his countenance fall'n because Abel was in better esteeme than he saith Why art thou angry aâ—d why is tâ—y countenance fall'n If thou dost well shalt thou not be regarded but if thou doe evil sin lyeth at the door In the gates that is in the ports For it is well known in many places of the Holy Scripture that judgement amongst the Eastern people used to be given in the gates Yea yet with them a gate is the same as a Court For God told Cain if he did evil he should be carried before the Judges who should punish him for his wickednesse The which Michael Marole Abbot of Villeloing very learnedly observ'd and very nobly did communicate to me Let us presse it further From what Robbers did Cain get a sword to draw his brothers bloud Whom did Cain fear after he knew that his slaying of his brother was blown abread When he said to God Whosoever finds me shall slay me for he was afraid of his Judges and the Laws by which he was to suffer death Therfore he fled from their jurisdiction who had power to punish him And fled like all guilty persons who find that they have deserv'd ill and streight betake themselves to flight I say he fled to another Countrey To the East of Eden sayes Genesis The words that Caâ—n had with God before he fled are very observable Thou throwest me out from the face of the earth That is to be understood the Holy Land from which Cain was thrown out And I shall be a wanderer and a vagabond upon the earth Again that earth is to be understood the earth of the Gentiles to which he was now flying to seek a mansion in it Therefore whoever finds me shall slay me Observe that in that strange earth of the Gentiles he shall slay me Neither did Cain in a strange Land think himself safe being conscious of his crime And lest we should think he fear'd the Judges of those times in vain God provides for his safety Cain should have feared in vain and God should in vain have set a mark upon him that he should not be kill'd by any man if those Lands whither Cain had fled had been destitute of people These things which Josephus being himself a Jew and a great Defender of the Jews antiquities has written of this subject are worth our knowledge One who it 's to be thought would write nothing which he had not either received in antient tradition by word of mouth or gain'd it by reading He tells us that Cain flying to the Eastward of Eden did not change for a better course of life but that by force and rapine he increased his stock Getting sayes he from all parts companious of his robbery and villany and became their teacher in all wickedness The famous and learned Ismael Buillaldus that he had read something much to the same purpose in a Greek Manuscript in the Kings Library translated out of the Hebrew Chronicle which being render'd in Latine sounds thus And when Cain had cravel'd a great way he came to a place called Cainan and did all manner of wickedness falling upon passengers in the way robbing and slaying them of whose spoils he got a great sum of mony But pray what manner of men were those companions whom Josephus sayes that Cam gathered from all parts Would not he rather have called those men the Grandchildren of Cain if he had thought them to have been so But he only calls them Cains Fellowes or his Companions as Souldiers are call'd by their Officers Commanders And against whom did Cain provide this band of wicked men Would he have arm'd his own Grandchildren against his own Grandchildren Nor must we imagine that this was the minde of Josephus To what purpose should he have raised his Grandchildren against his Grandchildren What to extend his Territories But that cannot be probable the earth being then so empty if we believe that the world and all men were then but newly created and made Besides in this place of Genesis which is the proper History of the Jews no other Jews are said to be either born or made but Adam Eve and Cain and those Jews of whâ—m we doubt not Nor doe we read that there was as yet any other woman begotten who should be the Mother of those men we look for Who then should be Cains wife of whom we know he did beget Enoch when he was to the East of Eden Certainly if not of his Father Adams Family
the forms of men and change them into new creatures Which could not be done but by mysterie by the vertue of which they might be thought dead in Christ whose bloud had sprinkled them and as the Dyers of red colours such garments as they intend of a crimson or scarlet dye they first work them rub them and stain them with woad that they may prepare a convenient reception for red colour that fastens to the woad which is the ground of it So it behov'd men by the imputation of Adami sin first of all as it were with woad or the first ground be wrought drench'd that they might more fully suck up the bloud of Christ and after the second colouring be of a more perfect dye Therefore the imputation of Adams sin was a preparative for the susception of justice which flow'd from the bloud of Christ by which preparation all men thirsting might more earnestly seize upon his justification and receive it inwardly And as scarlet dye added to the wool drenched in takes away the stain of the woad and extinguishes the woad it self so likewise the blood of Christ cast upon the ground of Adams imputation took away the imputation of sin and utterly extinguish'd the sin it self so that by the death of Christ there is no imputation of that sin Sin was before the Law but it was not imputed when there was no Law Ro. 5 For the strength of sin is the Law Cor. 1. Chap. 15. The Law adds strength and force to sin and so has doubled sin and of sin simply so call'd made a sin imputable by Law Christ took away that imputation by Law and the Law it self The Revelation tells us of a Beast with many heads whose one head was wounded as it were to death the rest of his heads remaining but his wounds unto death was cured Sin was the two-headed beast whose one head was before the Law the other after the Law Christ dying cut off that head of sin which was after the Law and that wound unto death was not cured for that head was quite cut off and pluck'd from its neck After the death of Christ there is another head which was before the Law That sin is extinguished in the death of Christ which was imputed to Adam and in him to all men by violation of the Law which sin I call legal Since the death of Christ that sin remains which was not imputed whilst the Law was not which naturally before the Law was inherent to all which I now call natural Christ then restor'd men to that condition wherein Adam had found them into the condion of sin not imputed by the Law and men became after the destruction of that Law the very same thing before the Law was given to Adam for another mans sin is not imputed to any since the death of Christ but every one bears his own sin It is not now said as under the Gospel The faithers have eaten a sowr grape and the childrens teeth are set on edge Jer. 31. Every one dies not for the sin of Adam but every one for his own sin Every one gives an account of himself to God Rom. 14. Of himself not of Adam of his sowr sin in his own behalf not of the strong sin of Adam which diligently observe Every one carries his own burthen Galat. 6. And every one obtains what he does in his own body Cor. 2. chap. 5. God under the Gospel judges the secrets of men Rom. 2. The secrets of men that is their proper faults their belov'd vices every ones own sin and no mans else imputed to them Since the death of Christ God imputes not sins done against the Law but ascribes to all men their natural sins which are not in the Law but in the flesh and which reap corruption according to the nature of corrupt flesh which savour of death in whom goodnesse dwells not but on the contrary evil cleaves to them and who not in regard of the Law but in regard of their corrupt and mortal nature can not possess the immortal and incorruptible kingdom of God The old Adam is crucified with Christ and our old legal man but our old natural man lives in us which is really ours and is not dead in the death of Christ but shall by the vertue of his resurrection sometimes be extinguished whâ—n God shall cloath us with full sanctification which shall be our full and perfect restoring and resurrection At which time our last enemy Death shall be destroy'd I saâ— natural death the reward of natural sin which so long as natural sin is in force is alwayes in men which also when the natural sin is extinguished tinguished must also be extinguished But in the mean time let it be our business continually to be in exercise of godliness and endeavouring of our sanctification that the old sin which adheres to our flesh may be extinguish'd and the justification of Christ may be reveal'd in us from faith to faith as it is written in the first of the Romans that is from sanctification to sanctification For sanctification is our true and solid faith in the concrete here meant by the Apostle not that idle and empty faith which some do urge in the abstract Let us not therefore sin because we are no more confin'd by the Law of Adam or by any punishment of death decreed since the Law of Adam after Christs death but because really and according to the nature of the business we barricado our way to eternal life and to the sight and glory of God if we indulge matter and our flesh and extinguish not sin bred in us No thought of cruelty then as to the Law of God nothing dissonant or inconvenient shall arise in our thoughts by the imputation of that legal sin of Adam which ensued upon that transgression if all this business according to my supposition be taken as a mystical institution that it might prepare a fit ground for the reception of the justice of Christ which is the sanctification and salvation of men and their chief happiness for according to this mystery any thing which might have seem'd in God cruel against mankind seems rather to have been design'd for the salvation of man CHAP. VII Why Adam who sinn'd in the nature of a head was not likewise punish'd in the nature of the head The sin of Adam was disobedience Natural and Legal sin was the two-fold barricado against men to shut them out of Paradise Christ dying broke the barr of the Law Christ rising again and sanctifying us shall also break the natural sin EXaminers use to be more severe in the punishing of the actor than in the punishing of the complices and partakers which all Lawes teach us both natural civil and Law of Nations Nor needs this any proof for it is already so often prov'd that it would be clouded to cite all proofs Only that Law held not in Adam who although he sinn'd as the