a nimble faculty to climb trees and made choice of the fairest fruit and then he presented it to the woman that she might view it and look upon it 3 By this means he gained her natural appetite to it for the Text saith She saw it was good for meat and that it was a desire to her eyes and that it was a tree to be coveted to make one wise And thus by this means her deceitfull servant got in upon her 4 Upon this advice of her faithfull servant she took thereof and did eat 5 As soon as she was gained to the will of Sathan then at the same time he made her his instrument to gain her husband as soon therefore as she had tasted of the forbidden fruit she reached out her hands and gave some of it to her husband and he did eat without any suspicion of hurt from her that was given to him to be a meet helper and her act of giving was prevalent with him because instead of telling him that death was in her eating she used words of perswasion as it is most evident because he is said to hearken unto the voice of his wife Gen. 3. 17. and then the eyes of them both were opened and then they knew that they were naked afore this they knew that they were naked without cloaths and yet they were not ashamed because their created nakednesse was covered and adorned with pure created qualities Gen. 3. 7. Gen. 2. 25. But now the case of their nakednesse was altered by the justice of God for Gods determinate sentence was In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye the death and this death was formally executed upon them according to the time and manner threatned and now Adam knew what evil was and what death was experimentally as the fallen Angels did for now they were made naked and bare of their pure created qualities A digression to shew that the death threatned in Gen. 2. 17. was executed â—e death â—â—â—â—atned in â—â—â— 2. 17. was eâ—â—â—uted on mâ—â— nature in thrâ—â— degrees on mans nature in three degrees Consider that the first Covenant was made with Adam concerning mans nature in general as I have formerly noted and accordingly did God execute that death upon Adams nature as it was the original of mans nature in general 1 Therefore as Paul speaketh They were deprived of the glorious Image of God Rom. 3. 23. And this deprivation saith M. Perkins was inflicted by God as a deserved punshment for the sin of Adam and See Pâ—â—ins on the Cred. p. 162. See P. Martyr in Rom 5 and Bâ—â—an in his Com. pl. p. 104. this losse of Gods Image saith Peter Martyr was from the justice of God and I find it commonly held by other eminent Divines that God for the sin of Adam took away his created perfections from Adam as he took away his spirit of Government from Saul because he spared Agag against Gods positive Command 1 Sam. 16. 14. for they were not yet confirmed and therefore they were but lent him in case he disobeyed but the Graces of Gods Spirit which Christ hath purchased for the Re-creation of the Elect after Gods Image cannot now be utterly lost by the commission of many sins because they are purchased to be confirmed to them and not to fail untill they come to the fruition of an eternal Paradise in heaven The Image of God wherewith Adams Nature was adorned would have kept him and all his Posterity for ever from death if he had but first eaten of the Tree of Life but because he did first eat of the forbidden Fruit he was deprived of Gods Image And then secondly Death in Sin fell upon his Nature When the Souls of men are Created and placed in their Bodies saith Mr. Perkins God forsakes them not in regard of their substance or faculties of their Soul but only in respect of his See Perkins on the Creed p. 162. own Image whereof the Soul is deprived And he asketh this question How can the Soul dye the second Death His answer is That the Soul dyeth not by being utterly abolished but because it is as though it were not and because it ceaseth to be in respect of Righteousnesse and Fellowship with God and indeed saith he this is the death of all deaths when the Creature hath subsisting and being and yet is deprived of all comfortable fellowship with God 2 The second degree of that Death threatned in Gen. 2. 17. was death in sin and this death fell upon Adams nature at the very See Perkins in the right way of dying wel instant as soon as God had substracted his Image from him for we see by experience that as soon as the God of Nature hath substracted the light of the Sun from our Horizon there remains nothing but obscure darkness and then no Artificers nor Scholars can work or write after their Masters perfect Copy but instead thereof they work and act irregularly and transgress against their Masters copy Even so as soon as God in Justice had substracted the Light and Life of his Image from Adam what remained but obscure darkness in his minde and then what could he do else but think and act irregularly and that continually as long as he did continue in that darkness and this darkness after the light it self is mystically applied to mans corrupt estate Eph. 4. 18. Eph. 5. 8. being alienated from the life of God Eph. 2. 1. When the Soul is deprived of Gods Image saith Mr. Perkins then follows a defect or want of righteousness and I may also say then follows a natural proness to all kinde of iniquity so that the very thoughts and imaginations of the heart are only evil and that continually and this frame is called Original sin to us though Adams Original sin was his actual eating of the forbid-Fruit and this is the second degree of that death threatned in Gen. 2. 17. 3 A third degree of that death was that Adam was now under the power and slavery of Satan which had the power of death Heb. 2. 14. to do his wil and pleasure in all things to the full and to be under the power of a Tyrant is death Psal 18. 4. But it pleased God in his eternal Counsel and Providence to provide Jesus Christ to take possession of the world as the right Heir of it as soon as Adam fel and so to uphold all things by the word of his power Heb. 1. 2 3. by which means both Satans power tyranny and malice and mans corrupt desires and endeavours are restrained and ordered so that now they cannot do that wickedness which else they would do and were it not for See Capel on Tempt p. 55 56. and see more in ch 3. in R. 2. this Government of Christ at the instant of Adams fall no man can imagine what destructive mischiefs would have faln at that very instant upon the whole Creation which was the very
32. 25. for by that sin God was departed from them and so they were made naked both of Gods graces and of Gods protection and the like is expressed in Rev. 3. â—8 Rev. 16. 15. Ezek. 16. 22. Hos 2. 3. 2 Cor. 5. 3. God did purposely enter into a parly and communication with Adam that thereby he might prepare him for a Reconciliation saying to him in ver 11. Who told thee that thou art naked By this and the former searching Queries God was pleased to help Adam to search himself the more deeply and to affect him the more throughly with the sight of his sin and with the sense of his miserable spiritual death in sin because he intended to shew him mercy but the Lord did not propound any such searching Queries to the fallen Angels because he intended not to shew any merciful Attonement or Reconciliation to them though notwithstanding he hath shewed some common mercy to them in that he hath not sunk them into the lowest hell as yet Mat. 8. 29. But judgement without Mercy to them he hath deferred till the Day of Judgement 2 Pet. 2. 4. 2 Thes 1. 9. And these searching queres made Adam and Eve to answer as those that are deeply convinced and humbled in the sight and sense of their Spiritual nakednesse and misery that they had eaten of the forbidden Fruit and they freely confessed without any extenuation after what manner they were brought unto it The woman saith Adam in vers 12. which thou gavest to be with me she gave me of the tree and I did eat even she that was made of my Rib and she that thou gavest to be a meet Helper unto me Gen. 3. 12 Gen. 3. 13. she gave it unto me and therefore I took it from her hand from whom I could suspect no hurt and did eat And the Lord said unto the Woman what is this that thou hast done or why hast thou done this And the Woman said The Serpent whom thou gavest to attend upon us as a diligent and faithful servant be guiled me and I did eat ver 13. I thought the Serpent had been acted by a good Angel that could not perswade to sin and by this word Beguiled the woman comprehended the whole manner and order of the Devils deceitful temptation Some Interpreters I grant do conceive That Adam and Eve in their several answers did not make a plaine confession but did rather labour to extenuate their sin by posting it off from themselves to others but all circumstances considered their answers and confessions must needs be plain and naked or else they had not been fit to imbrace the means of Reconciliation which God was now pleased to manifest unto them And therefore without delay God did first curse the Serpent as it was the Devils instrument in vers 14. and then secondly he curseth the Devil himself in ver 15. saying I will put enmity between thee and the Woman and between thy seed and her seed He even He shall break thy head and thou shalt peirce Him in the foot-soals Thus God did threaten the Devil in the Serpent namely to break in peeces his subtil Head-plot by the work of Redemption and Reconciliation which should be wrought by the Seed of this Woman which the Devil had poysoned and corrupted thinking thereby to destroy all Man-kinde that should come of her to the end of the World but God threatned the Devil to break this Head-plot of his and that he woud put such an enmity in the Seed of the Woman against him and his seed as should prevail and bring them all to a deeper ruine at last and as God did thus curse the Devils Head-plot to ruinate it by the Seed of the Woman in the hearing and presence of Adam and Eve to whom it was a Prophetical Prediction and a Promise so questionlesse he did not fail to instruct them more fully herein and after what manner this Seed of the Woman should break the Devils Head-plot namely that through Death he should destroy him that had the power of Death that is the Devil Hebr. 2. 14. and that he should spoil Principalities and Powers and make a shew of them openly triumphing over them in his Death on the Crosse Col. 2. 15. for he overcame him that had the power of Death by Death for his Soul was not separated from his Body by the power of Satan and his instruments and by the power of their tortures but by his own power and in that respect his death was accepted of God as a propitiatory Sacrifice of Attonement and reconciliation This good news of a Reconciliation by this means was no doubt heartily welcome to poor dejected Adam and Eve they being fully lost and condemned in their own Consciences did out of doubt receive this Prophetical demonstration of their Redemption and Reconciliation wiâ—h all gladness and joyfulness of Spirit for true humbled sinners are fit to take down such Cordials with joyfulness and God was pleased to open their minds and hearts to beleeve in this Seed of the Woman and to imbrace this blessed means of their Reconciliation by his Death and Sacrifice which he should accomplish in due time even then when the Devil should peirce him in the Foot-soals upon the Crosse and by this means God was pleased to Re-create Adam and Eve in the cool of the same day wherein they were created and fell Reas 2 Secondly it is evident that Adam and Eve were re-created Adam dâ—th testifie that he was Râ—câ—eated in the day of his Creation and Fall by giving his wife the new name â—evah life in the daâ— of their Creation and Fall because Adam did testifiâ— both his Wifes faith and his own faith by calling her Hevah Life for Adam gave this new Name to his Wife as soon as God had manifested the destroying of Satans Head-plot through the work of Reconciliation by the Seed of the Woman Before the said threatning to break the Devils Head-plot by the Seed of the Woman Adam called his Wifes name Isha Woman or of Man because she was taken out of man Gen. 2. 23. â—ut after the said threatning to ruinate the Devils Head-plot by reconciling Man by the Seed of the Woman Gen. 3. 15. then in vers 20. Adam called his Wife Hevah that is to say Life because she was the Mother of Life Gen. 3. 20. or the Mother of that Seed that gives life from the death of sin and in this respect she is also the Mother of all that are elected to live the life of faith and from this president it is usual in Scripture to give new names upon new occasions especially upon the manifestation of some new work of Grace upon any as Gen. 17. 5. Es 62. 2. Revel 3. 12. Adam was not so senceless as to give his Wife the new Name Hevah because she was the first living Woman or the first Mother of Natural life to others for all men know that it cannot be
him the tree of knowledge of good and evill 3 He shews the matter and manner of the Womans creation of Adams Rib vers 18. which he had omitted in Chap. 1. and it is placed in Chap. 2. vers 18. by the figure Hysteron Proteron because there was not to be found among all the other creatures that were brought before Adam a meet helper for Adam vers 20. she was the last sort of all the visible creatures of this world 4 God brings the woman to the man and joyns them together in Mariage as a meet helper for him vers 22. This was omitted in Chap. 1. 5 He shews that the place of their creation was without the borders of Paradise vers 8. 15. compared with Chap. 3. 23. 6 He describes the situation of that pleasant Garden of Paradise which God made for the place of their habitation as an addition to their happy condition by creation vers 8. c. but this is to be marked that Moses doth by the figure Hysteron Proteron place their aboad in Paradise vers 8. c. before the creation of the woman which figure he useth very often in this Chapter and in the third Chapter 7 He shews the special use of two Trees above the rest by special names vers 9. 8 He shews that God gave Adam and Eve a twofold command concerning these two Trees The first was a positive command saying unto them in the singular number because of their Mariage-union Of every Tree of the Garden thou mayest eat but of that Tree which doth most concern the good of thy present condition I have named the Tree of life therefore in the first place eat of the Tree of life and thou shalt live for ever for by the name of it God did not onely shew the use of it but also he shewed them their duty concerning it verse 9. compared with Chapter 3. 22. Secondly By way of prohibition and commination God commanded them saying Eat not of the Tree of knowledge of good and evill for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely dye the death Gen. 2. 17. 9 Unto all these particulars in this order connexed together Moses doth immediately proceed to speak of Adams temptation by the Serpent Gen. 3. 1. and of his Fall Gen. 3 6. And thus after this sort Moses doth adjoyn Adams fall fast to his Creation and seating in Paradise without making mention of any other matter that came between This Reason is further strengthned by the consent of sundry good Authors both ancient and latter Calvin saith in Gen. 3. 6. It may be gathered by the Narration of Moses That Adam and Eve did not long keep their Dignity which they had received for as soon as he had but said they were made making no mention of any other matter he passeth to shew the Fall Mr. Ainsworth also observeth in Gen. 3. 1. That mans fall and misery is immediately joyned to his creation and seating in Paradise Mr. Broughton also observeth in his Sinai-sight Tab. 1. That Moses joyneth mans Creation Triall Judgement and Promise to the same day before the woman was called Eve M. Broughton also in his shewing of corruptions in Religion p. 85. saith The first day in which Adam was made he disobeyed as all may see by the continued narration for Eve and for the Serpents Speech and Temptation and Judgement for Curse upon all the Earth The Hebrew Doctors also do generally hold that Adam fell on the day of his creation Mr. Broughton saith in Consent of Scripture that he never heard of any one of them that was of a contrary judgement and Mr. Ainsworth saith in Gen. 3. that the Hebrew Doctors hold that nothing in that Chapter was done after the sixth day of Creation and saith Maymony All our wise men do agree that this whole matter in Gen. 3. was done in the sixth day Rabbi Nathan doth make the story of the sixth day remarkable by joyning many things to the story of that day in sundry Rhetoricall expressions saying thus The same day that Adam was formed the same day that he was created the same day that his fashion was fashioned the same day that his mould was made the same day that his members were knit the same day that his veines were opened the same day that life was put into him the same day that he stood first upon his feet the same day that Eve was maried to him the same day that he gave names the same day that he entred into Paradise the same day that God gave him the Commandement the same day he disobeyed the same day he was driven out of Paradise Perkins on the Creed touching the time of Adams Fall saith The received opinion in former ages hath been that our first Parents fell the same day in which they were created and therefore Augustine writes That they stood but six hours and though we cannot determine the certain time yet in all likelihood saith he it was very short for after that Moses had set down the creation of man he presently without the interposition of any thing else comes immediately to the fall Irenaeus Conâ—ra Haere Lib. 1. speaking of the day of Adams Creation and Fall saith It is evident that the Lord obeying his Father suffered death in that day wherein Adam being disobedient unto God dyed for on the sixth day the day before the Sabbatb was his Passion which was the sixth day of the Creation of the world when man was formed Chrysostome on Matth. saith That Adam and Eve in the sixth day of the first week which was the very same day of their creation were cast out of Paradise Divers other Divines both Greeks and Latines are concurrent in the same opinion many of which are also cited by Mr. Broughton in his Consent of Scripture where he citeth this as a common saying among them That in one day Adam was formed and deformed And so consequently from this Reason it follows that the Sabbath was not instituted in the time of Adams Innocency but after his Fall Reason 2. Adam fell the very first time that ever he eat any thing and therefore he fell on the day of his creation for in reason he Adam fell in the day of his creation because he fell the very first time of his eating would not abstain from eating longer than that day seeing variety of meat was created ready for him to eat and an appetite created to desire food And that he fell the very first time of eating it is evident First By the Devils Question and secondly By the Womans Answer 1 The Devil in the Serpent demandeth this Question of the woman Hath God said Ye shall not eat of every tree of the Garden Gen. 3. 1. mark how the Devils demand by way of Query is of a thing to come And indeed the Devill had not deserved the name of a subtil Serpent if he had demanded whether that might be done which had been
execution without any delay of time even as soon as the Commandment Covenant concerning the two Trees was given he did enter into the body of the Serpent and did actuate the tongue of the Serpent to speak his mind And therefore in the first place he did most cunningly preoccupy the womans objection yea Moreover said he Hath God indeed said ye shall not eat of every Tree of the Garden This word Moreover sheweth that some other speech of the womans in opposition to the Serpent had gone before which the devill did now answer by perswading her that the forbidden fruit was therefore detained from them because it was better for their future good than the Tree of life was For saith the Serpent it will make you excell in all kind of knowledge like God To this insinuating Interrogation which doubtlesse the woman thought to be no other but the voyce of some good Angel or servant â—he maketh this reply Of the fruit of the Trees of the Garden we may eat but of the fruit of the Tree which is in the midst of the Garden God hath said ye shall not eat of it neither shall ye touch it lest ye dye Then the good Angel in the Serpent for the woman knew not that any of the Angels were fallen as yet said to the woman Ye shal not dye at all for God doth know that in the day ye shall eat thereof your eyes shall be opened and you shall be as * This term Gods was such an Equivocal term that it might well deceive the woman for she could not conceive it to have an evil sense from a good Angel as she thought this â—o be but she was deceived for it was a fallen Angel that spake this to her and meant that she should be as Gods namely like themselves for the devils are called Gods 1 Sam. 28. 13. 2 Cor. 4. 4. 1 Cor. 8. 5. and that they should know by experience as they did what good they should lose and what evill they should get by eating the forbidden fruit but the woman taking this voyce of the Serpent for the voyce and counsel of a good Angel or Servant was perswaded that her eating of the Tree of knowledge of good and evill would better her condition for the woman knew that their state and condition might be bettered for she knew that her eating of the Trâ—e of life would better their estate because it was ordained to confirm them in their created perfections and in that respect she seeing the Tree of knowledge to be good for meat and a desiâ—e to the eyes and a tree to be coveted to make one wise did take and eat Gen 3. 6. and she wâ—s the more easily beguiled because she knew not that any of the Angels were fallen Adam câ—uld not know saith P. Martyr by reason in his mind that the Devil was fallen at first or else saith he his will had been governed by his mind and in this respect Adamâ— disobedience is called but a stumble which may happen to the wisest men when they discern not the bâ—ock that lyes hid in their way and so the first offence in Rom. 5. 15. is translated the incoâ—siderate stumble by good Linguists Adams inteâ—rity of nature was such by creation that he was not ignorant of any moral duty and therefore he could not wil any moral evil but he might wil to eat any fruit that was good by creation It was not a sin against the law of his nature so to will and therefore in caâ—e he had forborn the act of eating the forbidden fruit he had not sinned by his desire to eat but because he knew not that any of the Angels were fallen he could not but think that the Angel that spake in the Serpent had received some new Commission from God to perswade him to eat of the forbidden fruit for his best good and after this sort the devil in the old Proâ—het perswaded the young Prophet to eat and to drink in his house though the young Prophet knew that Gods posâ—tive command was to the contrary It is likely he thouâ—ht that the old Prophet had received some new commission from God to perswade him and so he was deceived to his utter ruine and death 1 King 13. Gods knowing good and evill And thus the fallen Angels did perswade the woman that she should excell in the Theory of all kind of knowledge more than she had by creation if she did but once taste of the Tree of knowledge of good and evill Now mark the Devils dexterity how cunningly and how speedily he fitted his temptation to the womans liking First It was most suitable to her natural appetite of eating Secondly It was most suitable to her naturall desire of attaining a further degree of knowledge which she might desire and she knew that she might also attain it if she had but first eaten of the Tree of life The Devill knew the operation of the forbidden fruit better than Adam and Eve could do as long as they stood in their unconfirmed condition but the devill under the pretence of being an Angel of light and of being her faithfull servant in wishing her to eat of this fruit for her good deceived her for he knew the operation of the forbidden fruit by his own spiritual death better than Adam Eve could do as yet namely as long as they stood unconfirmed for the Devill knew what that evill was by experience which Adam and Eve could not so well know untill they had eaten they knew that the Tree of knowledge was called the Tree of evil death and that it was death to eat of it and this they might have known more fully in the Theory of it had they but known of the fall of the Angels before they had eaten but God was pleased to conceal the fall of the Angels from them and to let them do their worst to make Adam fall because he knew how to bring a greater good out of it at last than if they had stood still in their integrity 5 The Adverb Now hath relation to the time when the woman disobeyed namely it was now before she had tasted any other fruit in the Garden This time of her eating I have at large explained in my second Reason and therefore do refer the Reader thither But there are severall things to be marked in the dexterity of the Devill in taking hold of the very first opportunity of time to speed his temptation 1 He beguiled the womans apprehension on the sudden by The Devâ—â—â—as exceedir â— nimble â— speed hâ—â— temptatâ—â—n and theâ—â—fore he compâ—sed many aâ—â— together â— basten thâ— act of Adams disobedient eating his specious though deceitful perswasions for he perswaded her it was for her greatest good to eat of the Tree of knowledge and thereby he presented the greatest amity to her that might be in a faithfull servant 2 He did at the same instant climb the tree for Serpents have
verses must be expounded with relation to the story of Adams Fall Re-creation and Reconciliation by the Promised-Seed And therefore it follows by necessary consequence that Adams Re-creation by the Seed of the woman must be considered as the finishing act of the six dayes creation before the seventh day was ordained to be a Sabbath And by this Rule of Exposition many words also in the said three verses must be so expounded as having a holy equivocation in them namely as having a mysticall sense as well as a literall As for example under this word Made and Created must be understood the mystical and spiritual Creation as well as the literal and visible Creation And under the word Finished must be understood not only the finishing of the visible Creation but of the mysticall and spirituall Creation also which must be finished I mean some of that kind by the Seed of the woman before the Host of Heaven can be said to be finished for the Host of the third heavens must be finished as well as the Host of the visible heavens before the end of the sixth day The like mystical interpretation I shall give of the word Rested Blessed c. when I come at them In brief I apprehend that there are ten severall words in the said three verses that must be expounded in a mystical sense as well as in a literal 1 The word Heavens 2 The word Earth 3 The word Finished 4 The word Host 5 The word Made 6 The word Rested 7 The word Blessed 8 The word Sanctified 9 The word Sabbath 10 The word Seventh But my work in this Chapter is only to prove that Adam and Reason 1 Eve were Re-created before the seventh day that is to say in the Dâ—awn from Gen. 2. 1. If all the Host of Heaven and Earth were finished before the seventh day then it must needs follow that Adam and Eve were Re-created before the seventh day latter part of the sixth day and this I will endeavour to prove by a necessary consequence drawn from the first verse which runs thus And the heavens and the earth were finished and all the Host of them Hence I reason thus If all the several sorts and kinds of creatures which appertained to the Host of Heaven and Earth were finished before the seventh day then Adam and Eve were Re-created before the seventh day for Gods Host was not finished untill some of that sort of creatures were finished which did appertain to the Host of the Church Militant here upon earth and to the Host of the Church Triumphant in heaven But all the severall sorts and kinds of creatures which appertained to the Host of heaven and earth were finished before the seventh day as the text doth plainly speak Therfore Adam and Eve were Re-created before the seventh day and did appertain to the Host of the Church Militant here on earth and to the Host of the Church Triumphant in heaven before the seventh day or else God did not finish all the Host of heaven and earth before the seventh day which is to deny and contradict the words of the Holy Ghost It is out of question therfore that the souls of Adam Eve were Re-created and made perfect by the Redemption of the Promised Seed before the seventh day for that sort of creature doth appertain to the heavenly Host as well as the Angels and to Gods spiritual Host and Church here upon earth and in that respect the godly converts are called by the Figure Continent for the for the thing contained The new Heavens and the new Earth in which dwelieth Righteousnesse 2 Pet. 3. 13. And it is further evident that such redeemed persons are a true part of Gods Host here upon earth because the Scripture calls the Church of Israel when it was redeemed out of Egypt the Lords Host Exod. 12. 41. Exod. 38. 8. Num. 1. 3. And wicked Antiochus is said to tread down Gods Host or Army underfoot when he persecuted the Church Dan. 8. 14. yea all and every part of Gods Militant Church here upon earth is called Gods Host or Army Psal 110. 3. Adam and Eve therefore must not onely fall into the spiritual death of sin in the day of their creation but they must also be Re-created the same day as a principal sort of those creatures which God did create and provide both for his earthly and also for his heavenly Host for the Text saith That the Heavens and the Earth were finished and all the Host of them which must be understood of every several sort of Host not numerically of the whole number but specifically of the severall kinds of each Host for no new thing of a new kind was created after the sixth day Therefore seeing God did finish all the Host of heaven and earth before the seventh day he must needs Re-create Adam and Eve before the seventh day that so they might be a part of his Militant Church Host or Army here upon earth to maintain an utter enmity against Sathan and his seed Gen. 3. 15. and so from the first sixth day and forwards God will have a Militant Church to continue here upon earth to fight the warfare of Christ against Sathan and his seed to the end of the world Reason 2. It is further evident that Adam was Re-created by the Promised Seed in the day of his creation by another Inference Reason 2 taken from the word Had finished as it is joyned to the If God had made something in the former part of the sixth day that needed a new act of finishing before the seventh day then what else can that finishing act be but Adams Recreation by the Promised Seed word Had made vers 2. From the frame of these words as they are laid down in the Pretertense it is evident that before the seventh day namely in the latter part of the sixth day God had finished some of that work which he had made but mutably perfect in the former part of the sixth day Hence I reason thus God had made some of his works so mutably perfect in the former part of the sixth day that there needed a new act of finishing or perfecting the same before the seventh day and what else can that finishing act be but Adams Re-creation by the Promised Seed and the putting of all the re rest of the Creation at the very instant of Adams fall under the Dominion and Lordship of the Promised Seed And this must needs be so because God had made appointed or fore-ordained Christ to be the right Heir of all his Creation and to uphold all things by the word of his powerfull providence Heb. 1. 2 3. and in that respect Adam must fall and be Re-created on the day of his creation that so the right Heir Christ Jesus might come into actual possession of all the Creation by means whereof the Heavens and the Earth and all their Host was finished before the seventh day and
in this respect Christ iâ— eminently stiled Jehovah Sabbaoth that is to say The Lord of all Hosts Ps 24. 10. because they were made for his service that he as their proper Lord might rule them and govern them all for it is said That by him all things consist Col. 1. 17. and in this respect also he is See also ch 4 ch 6 at Sixthly called The Lord of all the whole world and of all things therein Jos 3. 11. Act. 10. 36. Phi. 2. 11. Ps 24. 1. Neh. 9. 6. To him also doth appertain the Dominion of the Heavens and of the heaven of heavens the earth and all that is in them Deut. 10. 14 15. And because all Government is his therefore it is from him that Kings do reign and rule Prov. 8. 15 16. It follows therefore that God ordained Christ to be the right Heir and sole Governour of all the Hosts both of heaven and earth on the sixth day and before God could be said to rest on the seventh day 1 God made Adam in the former part of the sixth day after his own Image as the glory of all his Creation and gave him Dominion over all his visible creatures Gen. 1. 26. 28. But it pleased God in his divine Wisdome to make Adam but mutably happy that so he might fall by the sleight of Sathan and lose his pure qualities wherein he was created after Gods Image and that he might thereby also lose his Dominion over all the visible Creation that so Christ the right Heir might have the possession of all for as soon as Adam fell by his disobedience in eating the forbidden fruit both Adam and all the Creation did presently fall into confusion and disorder And thereupon Sathan might well triumph and boast as he did in the dayes of Job that he had walked to and fro in the earth as the Lord and Conqueror of it because he had not onely brought Adam and Eve into Captivity under the spiritual death of sin and the whole Creation into confusion and disorder but also because he had robbed the holy Trinity of all the glory of their glorious Creation 2 God was pleased in his infinite Wisdome and Providence to let all this come to passe that so the holy Trinity might take occasion thereby to declare unto fallen Man how wonderful they were in Counsel and how excellent in working in that they could tell how to make Man mutably perfect and how to let Man fall by the sleight of Satan and how to break the Devils Head-plot by the promised Seed and how to reconcile and recreate Man and how to make fallen Man know and honour his Creators more than otherwise he could ever have done if hee had stood still in his first integrity of Nature for if Adam had still continued in his Created perfections he could not have honoured the Mediator so as he did after his Fall seeing hee needed not a Mediator in that condition neither could he have so much honoured Gods Mercy in the Mediator as he did after his Fall and Re-creation 3 By this time I think any man may easily see the reason why all the three Persons in the God-head had a hand in the Creation of the World and more eminently in the Creation of Man Gen. 1. 26. surely the chief reason was That God might make Adam in his Innocency could not so wel honour all his Creators as after his Fall and Re-creation Adam by his Fall and Recreation the better able to know and honour all the three Persons in the God-head as his Creators for Adam could not honour all his Creators so well in his Innocency as after his Fall and Re-creation and in this respect all the three Persons in the God-head are called our Creators Eccles 12. 1. Psal 149. 2. and our Makers Job 35. 10. Es 54. 5. and truly such Creators could not rest on the Seventh Day from all the Works which they had Created and made until they had made man to know them to be their Creators by a Re-creation which Adam could not do as long as he stood in his Innocency but as soon as his Creation was finished and made perfect by a Re-creation then faln man both knew and honoured all his Creators and the Mediator in special to be the Mediator of his Re-creation of his Reconciliation and eternal Redemption and then God rested on the Seventh Day because he had finished his Creation by the promised Seed 4 After Adams fall it pleased God so to question with Adam about his miserable condition by his Fall that he made him sensible of his misery and then it pleased God to make his Mercy known to him in the Mediator It was a terror to the Devil to hear that the Seed of the Woman should break his head Gen. 3. 15. but because it was a great comfort to faln Adam for God declared the Mediator both in his Person and Office to faln Adam and by Gods description Adam could not chuse but know that his Person must needs be both God and Man he could not chuse but know that he that must break the Devils Head-plot must needs be God and that he that must be born of the Seed of the Woman must needs be Man and then for his Office hee could not chuse but know that it must be a Mediatorial office of reconciliation or else such a miserable sinner as he could never be restored again into Gods favour In all these respects faln Adam could not chuse but know and honour the Father for his great Mercy in propounding such a Mediator and he could not chuse but know and honour the Mediator of his Redemption more than if he had stood still in his innocency and he could not chuse but know and honour the Holy Ghost because his heart and minde was recreated and made new by the sanctifying work of the Holy Ghost for the sake of the Mediator 1 Pet. 1 2. Fallen Adam of himself had no skill nor will to finde out a Mediator till the Holy Ghost did inable him to beleeve that the Seed of the Woman should one day give his Soul as a Mediatorial Sacrifice of attonement even then when the Devil should peirce him in the foot-soals for the procuring of his Fathers reconciliation by which he should bee eternally redeemed from the Curse due to his disobedience and from the guilt of his sin and so be received into Gods favour as his adopted son O the infinite Wisdom of God that could tell how to augment mans happinesse and his own praise by Adams sinful disobedience if Adam had continued still in his innocency he should have been continued only in his Natural perfections and have been a Lord above all the rest of the visible Creation but in that condition he could not have so much honoured all his Creators as he did after his recreation neither should he have attained to that degree of happiness as after his Fall
Christ Jesus did kindle Adams sacrifice at first with fire from heaven for he did usually kindle the sacrifices of the Fathers with fire from Heaven as a sign and token to them that his death was a propitiatory sacrifice of Attonement and that their persons were thereby received into full favour Lev. 9. 23. Judg. 13. 19 20 23. 1 King 18. 38 39. 2 Chron. 7. 1 2 3. Psal 20. 3. And doubtlesse Christ Jesus told Adam that this fire from heaven did represent his Eternal Spirit by which his humane nature should one day be offered up unto God without spot as a propitiatory sacrifice for his eternal Redemption Hâ—â— 9 14. But afterwards when Cain came to offer his sacrifice upon the same Altar Christ Jesus did not kindle his sacrifice from heaven as he kindled Adams and Abels sacrifice and by that Cain knew that God did not accept his person as he did his brother Abel and thereupon he hated his brother Abel because his works were good and his own evill for Cain wanted faith in the Seed of the woman which was promised to break the Devils Head-plot by his propitiatory sacrifice which was taught and typified by sacrifices This mystery God kept secret in types from such as wanted faith even from the beginning of the world Rom. 16. 25. and therefore it was kept secret from the Heathen Nations But in the fulnesse of time Christ Jesus sent his Apostles to publish the unsearchable riches of this mystery which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God who created all things by Jesus Christ Eph. 3 8 9. Col. 1. 26. Col. 2. 3. 3 God instructed Adam in sundry other kinds of Ceremonial types that tended to sanctification before he came to present his person and sacrifice before the Lord. As for example Christ Jesus taught him 1 How to purifie his person by washing his body and his garments in clean water just like as he taught Moses afterwards Exod. 3. 5. Exod. 19. 10. or else by changing his soul garments for fair as Jacob being first taught did also teach his hous-hold to do when he went into Gods presence to worship Gen. 35. 2. 2 God instructed Adam how to put a difference between beasts for sacrifice how he should refuse the unclean and offer the clean just as he instructed Noah before he entred into the Ark Gen. 7. 2. It is absurd to think that God did blesse the first Sabbath with differing Ordinances from those in Moses or that God did instruct Adam to worship him in a differing way from that which he did after establish by Moses and the Prophets Doubtlesse therefore when God instructed Adam after what manner he must offer sacrifices of Attonement he also instructed him how to understand and how to open the plain meaning of all and how he should preach it to others and how to pray either by way of confession of his sinfulnesse or petition for some special grace or thanks-giving or singing of Psalms as he did after instruct and appoint by Moses and the Prophets 1 When God appointed sacrifices of Attonement he appointed to joyn preaching therewith sometimes at least and therefore he appointed the Levites to joyn preaching to their sacrifices for they are commanded to teach his judgements unto Jacob and his Law unto Israel Deut. 33. 10. Lev. 10. 11. Mal. 2. 6. 7. 2 When they offered Burnt-offerings Christ Jesus taught them to make Petition and Supplication to the Lord for his favour in Christ 1 Sam. 13. 12. Job 42. 8. Ezra 6 9 10. and doubtlesse Christ Jesus taught Adam to do so for this kind of sacrifice was Job 42. 8. chiefest and it was first in use even from the beginning of the world for Noah did offer his Burnt-offering Gen. 8. 20. and Christ Jesus did appoint it as the first and chief sacrifice in Moses Gen. 8. 20. Lev. 1. 2 3 When they offered Sin-offerings or Trespass-offerings they must lay both their hands with all their might upon the head of their sacrifice and confesse their sin to God over the head of their Sin-offering and their trespasses to God over the head of their Trespass-offering But why must they impose both their hands with all their might upon the head of these Sacrifices The Answer is because by this Imposition they were taught and instructed to rest and repose their souls by a strong faith upon the propitiatory Sacrifice of Christ for the full Attonement of all their sins and trespasses of which they made confession as I have opened the point more at large in the Meritorious price of mans See the meritorious price of mans Redemption on Lev. 4. Redemption on Lev. 4. And touching the point of Confession the Hebrew Doctors have a sentence that is worthy of due observation they say That without particular confession of their known sins no Attonement is made for them by their Sin-offerings or by their Trespass-offerings And this is just according to the rule in Prov. 28. 13. He that hides his Prov. 28. 13. sin shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall find mercy and no question but Jesus Christ taught Adam thus to do when he offered his sin or his Trespass-offerings 4 When they offered Peace-offerings they imposed their hands on the head of their Peace-offerings And secondly then they made confession of their peace but especially they blessed God for their peace with God in breaking the devils Head-plot by the Seed of the Woman Lev. 3. With these and such like spiritual Ordinances God did blesse the first seventh day And these blessed Ordinances could not chuse but fill the souls of Adam and Eve with joy unspeakable and glorious causing them to break out into songs of praise as Zachary did Luke 1. 68. saying in effect as he did Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for be hath visited and redeemed his people and hath raised up a horn of salvation for us c. as he spake by the mouth of all his holy Prophets ever since the world began Luke 1. 69. In these words Luke 1 69 70. Act. 3 21. Zachary doth affirm these two things First That there have been holy Prophets ever since the world began and therefore Adam was a Prophet Secondly That all the Prophets even from the beginning of the world have spoken and rejoyced in this Horn of salvation therefore Adam did speak with joy of heart of this Horn of salvation and made many Psalms of praise for the Seed of the Woman that should break the Serpents head for his Redemption And doubtlesse God made these Ordinances to be a rich blessing to the souls of Adam and Eve for by them they were more fully instructed and confirmed in their blessed condition by the Promised Seed And God is pleased still to blesse his people all the world over by his plain and manifest Ordinances as the Conduit-pipes of his spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus Epb. 1.
I shall yet a little further endeavour to make this point more evident namely that the sanctified rest of the seventh day was ordained to be as a sanctified sign of fallen mans resting on the promised seed by faith for the breaking of the Devils Head-plot for Mans redemption and so consequently as a sign of mans eternal rest in Heaven hereafter Reas 1. Because the Sabbath in respect of the strict rest of it is called a sign of the everlasting Covenant Exod. 31. 13. 17. Exod. 31. 13 17 Hâ—b 4. 3 9 10 Heb. 4. 3 9 10. now there is no everlasting Covenant but that which is made in the Bloud of Christ and this Covenant of bringing man to Life thereby is the only sure thing to rest upon but this Covenant was not made with Man in innocency but after his Fall therefore the Sabbath was not ordained to be a sign of this everlasting Covenant till after Adam fell and therefore Adam fell before the seventh day Reas 2. Because God ordained sundry other things to be sanctified types and signs of mans resting on Christ by faith as Synonima to the rest of the seventh day as any that have their understandings wel exercised in the Scriptures may easily discern 1 Consider this that God sanctified the outward rest of all the Festival Sabbaths as the type of our resting on the Seed of the Woman by faith for the breaking of the Devils head-plot and this is evident by Moses description of them in Levit. 23. there he reckons up eight several Festival Sabbaths in order but hee puts the seventh day first because it is the chiefest of them all for it is the ground and foundation of all the rest and it is to be specially noted that Moses doth call the seventh day a Festival Sabbath ver 2. as well as all the rest and yet it was no Feasting Sabbath in respect of Belly-cheer as the rest were except in a Spiritual sense and in that sense the Holy Rest of them all did typifie the same spiritual resting on the seed of the Woman and the same spiritual feasting on the propitiatory Sacrifice of Christ for Mans redemption which was typified by their feasting on their Peace-offerings on their Festival Sabbaths and so the day of Attonement though it were a day of strict fasting yet it was a day of Spiritual feasting and resting on the promised Seed as the seventh day was 2 The sanctified rest of the seventh day did typifie the same things that Josuahs rest did for in six years War he conquered the Canaanites and in the seventh year the Land rested The Apostle doth make this rest and the rest of the seventh day to bee both alike Heb. 4. for he doth first make them to typifie our Spiritual rest on Christ by faith and secondly to typifie our eternal rest in Heaven at last Heb. 4. 3. 9 10. Heb. 4. 3 9 10 3 The Sabbatical years of rest in Lev. 25. and the Sabbatical Jubile of rest which is also called a great Sabbath in Levit. 25. 4. did alike typifie our resting on Christ by faith for our full deliverance from the servitude of Satan just answerable to the typical rest of the seventh day and in that respect Moses doth compare the typical rest of them all together in Exod. 23. Exod. 23. 10 11 12. 10 11 12. None can be ignorant of the manifold great troubles that did often fall out upon Gods people in the Land of Canaan soon after the rest which it had in Joshuahs seventh year but yet notwithstanding so sweet was that rest which Joshua obtained for them after six years War that God was pleased to make that year of rest to begin the Chronologie of all their Sabbatical years of rest from thence till all ended in the Death and Sacrifice of Christ who is the true rest of all beleeving sinners and by allusion to this typical rest our Saviour doth invite all poor and heavie laden sinners to come unto him and they shall find rest to their souls Matth. 11. 29. Es 11. 10. Eze. 34. 15 25 27 28 Jer. Mat. 11. 29 33. 15 16. Jer. 30. 10. And our Saviour in Luke 4. 19. doth expound the true nature of Luk. 4. 18 19 that spiritual rest that was typified by the Sabbatical rest of the Jubile 1 By calling it the acceptable year of the Lord and 2 By telling us in vers 18. that God had annoynted him to preach the Gospel to the poor to heal the Broken-hearted to preach deliverance to the Captives and recovering of Sight to the Blind and that he should set at liberty them that are bruised this opens the sweet rest and refreshing of Soul that every poor humbled sinner doth finde by the seed of the Woman in breaking the Devils Head-plot for their deliverance help and healing And this famous deliverance by the seed of the Woman was accomplished by his propitiatory sacrifice in a Sabbatical year of Jubilee namely in the twenty eighth Jubilee as may be seen in Brougbtons Consent 4 The redemption of Israel out of Aegypt by the Typical sign of the Bloud of the Paschal Lamb is laid down as the main reason why God did sanctifie the rest of the seventh day in Deut. 5. 14 15. and that shews that not the Visible but the Spiritual Deut. 5. 14 15 Creation was the true ground and reason why God blessed and sanctified the first seventh day Hence it follows from the Premises that the Holy Rest of the seventh day was a typical sign of our resting on Christ by faith for our redemption from Satans Head-plot Object Why doth God in Exod. 20. 11 command man to rest on the Exod. 20. 11 Sabbath Day from all bis Works because he rested on the seventh day from Creating the Heavens and the Earth and all things therein visible and invisible Col. 1. 16. seeing in Deut. 5. 15. he gives another differing reason as the only ground of commanding man to rest on the Sabbath Day Deut. 5. 15 because Jehovah thy God brought thee out of Aegypt by a strong hand namely by killing all their first born but delivering the first born of Israel by the bloud of the Lamb sprinkled on their door posts as a sign of their redemption c. Answ I answer that the true ground and reason of Gods rest and of his commanding man to rest in both places is alike there is no difference at all if the true sense of both places bee rightly understood for God rested not from the works of Creaation Our Redemption from Satans Head-plot was the last finishing act of the whole Creation therefore iâ— must needs be the only true reason of Gods rest and of his commanding man to rest on the first seventh day untill he had made the Heavens and the Earth and all things therein as Christ doth testifie Exod. 20. 11. now if all things in Heaven and Earth were made in six days then
said eighth day John doth call the day of Christ his Resurrection the eighth day Joh. 20. 26. The Providence of God so guiding his Pen as pointing out unto us backward to the perfection of the mystical number eight in Moses Law My second Reason why the number eight did typifie the day Reason 2 of Christs Resurrection as more eminent than the seventh day is taken from the Law of Circumcision which was so strictly tied to the eighth day that though the eighth day did fall out upon the Sabbath day yet they must prefer the doing of the act of Circumcision because it was the eighth day rather than the act of rest because it was the seventh day Joh. 7. 22. And the Hebrew Doctors do affirm that Circumcision in the time thereof Joh. 7. 22. drives away the Sabbath that is to say A man must omit to keep the rest of the Holy Sabbath to circumcise his child on the eighth day if the Sabbath be the eighth day seven dayes together the young Infant was in his blood of uncleannesse but on the eighth day it must be circumcised for the full cleansing of it from all the pollution that did accompany it in the birth And Rab. Mâ—nacâ—em on Gen. 17. saith Circumcision was therefore done on the eigth day that the Sabbath might passe over it for there is no eighth day without a Sabbath and then as soon as it was circumcised it was accounted as a new creature as if it were risen again from death to life and this did typifie our first resurrection from the death of sin to the life of grace by vertue of Christs Resurrection whose Resurrection-day is called the eighth day as I have ere-while noted from Joh. 20. 26. A third Reason is taken from the consecration of the Priests Reason 3 their persons were not perfectly consecrated to minister in their office untill the eighth day Lev. 8. 33. 35. Lev. 9. 1. Ezek. 43. 26 27. In like sort the Person and Sacrifice of the Mediator Lev. 8. 33. 45. was not declared to be fully accepted untill his Resurrection on the eighth day A fourth Reason is taken from the perfect cleansing of the Reason 4 Leper on the eighth day Lev. 14. 8 9 10. And from the cleansing of unclean Issues Lev. 15. 13 14. And from the cleansing of the Lev. 15. 13 14. polluted Nazarite Num. 6. 9 10. And from sundry such like Instances where no perfect cleansing was made untill the eighth day then and not till then their persons and sacrifices were acceptable unto God as persons that were newly risen from death to life doubtlesse this full acceptance of them of their Sacrifices on the 8th day did typifie the full acceptance of Christs Person and Sacrifice which was declared by his Resurrection on the eighth day for he rose from the dead on the next day after the seventh day A fifth Reason is taken from that special eighth day of the Feast Reas 5 of Tabernacles which was called also a Sabbath day This day was called the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles and it had a Commandement by it self above the other seven dayes because it was a greater Sabbath than any of the rest and in that respect John doth call it the great and last day of the Feast Joh. 7. 37. Joh 7. 37. And all the Tribes of Israel were bound to observe this day with a general Assembly above the other seven dayes Deut. 31. 10 11. 2 Chr. 7. 9. Neh. 8. 18. And that Assembly is called a General Assembly Neh. 8. 18. by the Seventy in Amos 5. 21. And by allusion to that term the Apostle Paul calls all the Israel of God The General Assembly of the first-born Heb. 12. 23. Amos 5. 21. Heb. 12. 23. And why was this eighth day made more eminent than all the other seven dayes but to type out unto us the eminency of the Resurrection-day of Christ above the seventh day for the exercise of Gods publick worship to the worlds end and the New Testament doth tell us of a great number of Christians that were gathered into a great Church Assembly on this day at Jerusalem Act. 2. 41. And this great Assembly was from divers parts and quarters of the world for many of the dispersed Jewes that did beleeve resorted to Jerusalem from remote Countries at Festival times and many that were converted to the faith did there continue untill they were dispersed again at the death of Stephen which dispersion God turned to the further enlargement of his Church for many of these dispersed Disciples preached the Gospel in sundry parts of the world where they travelled and by that means a multitude both of Jews and Heathens became Christians and these Christians in time made many Christian Church-Assemblies and they all used to meet together on the first day of the week which was the next day after the seventh and so it was the eighth day which was typified by the eighth and last day of the Feast of Tabernacles A sixth Reason is borrowed from the Jubilee Yeer which by Gods special Providence was ordained to be in the eighth yeer Reason 6 after the seventh seven and this sabbatical yeer was ordained to be a greater Sabbath than the seventh seven because it was ordained to give a more full deliverance to Gods people than the seventh seven Lev. 25. 4 8 20. The seventh seven was the forty and ninth yeer and the next Lev. 25. 4. yeer after the seventh seven was the eighth yeer and it was also the fiftieth yeer or the Jubilee yeer And both these Sabbatical yeers thus succeeding each other do most lively point out unto us how the Lords Resurrection-day by which we have a full Jubilee of deliverance from Satans Head-plot should succeed the Sabbath or seventh day Three things are remarkable touching the number Eight 1 That the number Eight was mystical as well as the number Seven 2 That the number Eight was a number of perfection as well as the number Seven 3 That the number Eight was a Sabbatical number as well as the number Seven Now seeing these things have been made cleer and cannot be denied how can it be denied but that the number eight must needs have relation not onely to the Resurrection of Christ on the eighth day that is to say on the next day after the seventh day but also that the said day must be established as a Sabbatical day among Christians in the New Testament in the place of the seventh day II It is no lesse wonderfull that four Sabbaths did meet together and succeed each other at the death and Resurrâ—ction of Christ 1 Christ did make his soul a Propitiatory Sacrifice of Attonement for our full Redemption from Satans Head-plot on a Festival Sabbath namely on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened-bread and this day John calls a High Sabbath Joh. Joh. 19. 31. 19. 31. 2 Christ rested all