perisheth Also there is a more pure eating held forth in Scripture My flesh is meat indeed I am that heavenly Manna Feed my Lambs and such like expressions the Prophet Isaiah speaking prophetically of the righteousness of God he cals it The holy seed he saith It shall return and shall be eaten as a Teil-tree and as an Oak whose substance is in it self Isa 6. 13. the same is spoken concerning the tree of life And as this is not to be understood of a naturall eating but of a pure inward and spirituall feeding of the new inward and spirituall man so in the like manner that eating Gen. 9. is not to be understood of a naturall eating but an inward corrupt and spirituall feeding of the Old man which is to be crucified mortifyed and destroyed with that which is husks and not bread I say after their approving desiring and pressing after the righteousness of the Law which is called our righteousness they then take and eat thereof and no sooner they have fed on that fruit but their eyes are opened and they know that they are naked that is when the creature is convinced that his own righteousness is the only meanes to bring him to heaven or to be like God for that is the thing the creature aims at in all his working and the more he followeth after and feedeth on this the more he is drawn into bondage and seeth his unsufficiency in accomplishing that end so that now the naturall eyes of the understanding are opened and they see that they are naked they are not made naked by following after the righteousness of the Law but that which they thought to attain to by it they see they are not able to attain but contrarily it doth discover their nakedness which is their sinne therefore the Apostle saith by the Law is the knowledg of sinne the Law doth not make the creature sinfull and naked but the Law doth open eyes to see that which was before for all things that is below God is sinne though it never transgressed any outward Commandement neither in its self nor any other the Heavens are unclean in his sight but it is not sinn according to similitude of Adam's transgression that is to say nakedness or sinn discovered therefore the Apostle saith Rom. 5. 14. Neverthelesse death reigned from Adam to Moses even over them which had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression that is they had not their sin and nakedness discovered as it is vers 13. the Apostle saith Sinn was in the world untill the Law but sinn is not imputed where there is no law that is sinn is not brought home to the Conscience and made ours untill the powerfull comming of the Law which brings sinn and nakedness to light thus it was with Adam the figure he had sin before but not discovered untill he eat thus it was with typical Israel they had sinn from Adam to Moses yet not discovered outwardly untill Moses gave them the Law and thus it is with us the substance of those two figures we have sin and death reigning by sinn yet not discovered untill the powerfull coming of the Law for the same effect that the fruit wrought on Adam the same it doth upon the Gentiles which never had the Law in the Letter for when the Gentiles which have not the Law that is have not the Law in the Letter doe the things contained in the Law which shew the works of the Law written in their heart their conscience also bearing witness and their thoughts in the mean while accusing or excusing one another Rom. 2. 14 15. for as Adam was alive before he eat and was to dye upon his eating so you see the Gentiles dyed that death upon the powerfull coming of the Law though they never had the law in the letter yet they had sin imputed inwardly as it was typed out by an outward imputation at Mount Sinai after Moses gave the law thus it was with Paul also before he had eat or concocted the same fruit he was alive as he saith I was alive once without the Law but when the Law came sin revived and I dyed as the fruit or Law did not bring sin to Paul but gave eyes to discover sin and nakedness so in like manner it brought not sin to Adam but opened his eyes and gave sight to discover and bring sin and nakedness to light which was in them before and as Pauls life before the law came was only but in his own apprehension so also was Adams and their death after their eating but only a discovery of what was in them for before the law came they believed and conceived life and power to be in themselves to bring them to God but when the law was come and they had eat of that fruit it openeth their eyes and discovereth that to be death which they thought was life So then the very act of eating the forbidden fruit or the powerful coming of the law into the soul which is all one is not sin it self but the discovery of sin therefore the Apostle saith What shall we say then is the Law sinn God forbid I had not known sinn but by the Law Rom. 7. 7. And he saith Without the Law sin was dead so I say this fruit which Adam eat was nothing but the Law which brought sinn and nakedness to light it revived sin which before seemed to be dead Therefore it is called the tree of knowledg of good and evill so you see whatsoever was brought upon Adam by his eating of that fruit the same is brought upon them that seeds upon the Law of their own righteousness As for example in these particulars First it deprives Adam of life for he had The effects of the fruit to him and us alike compared in 7. particulars life or else he could not dye The same doth the Law for saith the Apostle I was alive once without the Law Rom. 7. 9. As the first which was the shadow had life before he eat of the fruit so the second which is the substance had life before the law came It gives Adam the knowledg of sin and 2. The effects of the fruit nakedness and the eyes of them both were opened and they knew they were naked which nakednes is a metaphor which holds forth inability and sinfulness in their coming up to God The same doth the Law I had not known sin but by the law Rom. 7. 7. Chap. 3. 20. Thirdly the eating of the fruit brings 3. The effects of the fruit fear and terrour upon Adam because of sin Gen. 3. 9. I heard thy voice in the Garden and I was afraid The same thing doth the law work on those that feed on it or to whom it cometh the Apostle saith that Christ took flesh and blood upon him to deliver them who through the fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage Hebr. 2. 15. this fear and
2. Adam is put into paradise and so are we p. 39. 3. Adam was to till the ground and to eat of every tree but one and so are we p. 39. 4. Our first Parents did desire to eat of the forbidden fruit to become like God and so do we p. 40 41 42. The Obj. from the breach of the command answered p. 43 44 45. The tree of Life is the righteousnesse of God proved by scripture and 4 reasons p. 46 47 And so consequently the tree of knowledg of good evil is the righteousnes of man ib. 5. He eateth of that fruit and so do we p. 48 What is meant by eating explained p. 49 What is sin or what is sin after the similitude of Adams transgression p. 50 51 52. 7 Things effected and brought forth upon Adam by his eating answerable to the like 7. in us by our eating p. 53. 1. He is deprived of life and so are we p. 54 2. It discovers sin both to him and us p. 54 3. It brings fear both upon him and also to us p. 55. 4. It brings a curse upon both p. 56 57 5. It brings death it self to both p. 58 None dyed in that flesh of his but every one doth dye in and for himself what seems to be truth at one time may not be truth after further light p. 59 60 61 62 6. It caused him to cloath himself with fig-leafs and so it doth to us p. 63 These fig-leafs and the leafs of the tree of life described p. 64 65 7. The eating of the fruit did cause him to run away from God and hide himself in the tree of the Garden so it doth to us the Tree described p. 66 67 An Objection answered p. 68 The 6 degree of Adams rising he is cloathed with Skins and so are we p. 69 70 What these Skins are and how and when we are cloathed with them p. 71 72 73 An Objection answered how the first dispensation is of God and how not p. 75 76 The second is of God in a more peculiar manner p. 77 The mystery of the Trinity opened p. 78 79 80 7. Adam is cast out of paradise and so are we all dispensations give way to this p. 81 82 83 We are brought into a second paradise Vse First this teacheth us to be reconciled to God p. 84 Secondly a word of reconciliation to seven sorts of men p. 85 86 87 88 89 The strong brother and the weak ought not to condemn nor judg one another p. 90 91 92 It is Antichristian and of the Devill to compell one another to any thing in matter of worship which is contrary to the practice of Christ and his Apostles p. 92 93 All ought to walk according as they have received p. 94 An Objection answered p. 95 96 REader behold Jewels and Pearles her set Jasper and Amethists in this rich Cabinet Behold the way if thou these Pearls wilt find From step to step unto this glorious mine Three ways there are to see this heavenly place Through a vail a glass and after face to face The Earth shall shake and also Heav'n above That those things may remain which shall ne'remove Though ADAM did aspire on high by Earth Yet fall he did and lost his prize through death That unto life be might be brought again And so at last his first prize might obtain He 's cloath'd with skins a glorious cloathing then None such are found amongst the Sons of men Thus may you learn throughout this History Degrees of grace working men up to glory Therefore let all men rest in this contented For they in ADAM are all represented And first as be began to play the prize So we as he must die before we rise By W. R. ADAM UNVAYLED AND Seen with open Face The Principle which I doe here oppose and deny to be a Truth is this as followeth IT is held almost by al those profess the Christian Religion that Adam was made in the Image of God in righteousness wisdom and knowledge and the like and that by eating of the forbidden fruit be lost that Image in respect of those Attributes in which he was said to be made like unto God This is their understanding of Adam's estate with whom I have to deal others hold other things of Adam although not so gross or so far contrary to truth and I not knowing fully what all opinions are I shall lay down my own judgment which is clear contrary to theirs whose opinions are herein specified According to my understanding the Spirit of God holds forth in Scripture that the first Adam was made of earth earthly For he lost nothing by his eating the forbidden fruit he having nothing to lose neither wisdom righteousness knowledge or light inherentin himself but contrarily being meerly blinde foolish ignorant and empty of all those attributes which he was said to have and whereas it is said that Adam lost all those attributes by eating the forbidden fruit I say he gained all his naturall knowledge light righteousness wisedom and the like by vertue of his eating the forbidden fruit And I make it appear thus There were two speciall Trees in Paradise the one was the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil the other was the Tree of Life the fruit of these two Trees was nothing else but two laws of righteousness The first which was the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil was the law of nature which is the morall law and is called the righteousness of man The second Tree was the Law of the Spirit and life in Christ which is by gift and is called the righteousnesse of God now before Adam had eaten of either of these Trees he could have neither of these two lawes of righteousness which he had not until he had eaten of the fruit thereof For proof whereof it will First appear from the very attribute or title that is put upon the Tree it is called the Tree of Knowledge of good and evill and the reason is because it gives conveys knowledge of what is good and what is evil in those who eat it Secondly It may be also proved from the Serpents testimony he speaking in answer Vers 3. 4. to the woman when she said Vers 3. that God had said ye shall not eate of it neither shall you touch it least you die his answer was ye shal not surely die but contrarily saith he God knoweth that in the day you cat thereof your eyes shall be opened and ye shall be as Gods knowing good and evil Object But it may be some may say that the Serpent did lye and deceive Eve by these words and therefore is called a lier from the begining Answ The Serpent spake truth according to the womans sense and interpretation of death that was the dissolution of the body but not according to Gods meaning and interpretation of death therefore he is called a lyer from the begining as in another cause Although the
putteth his law in their inward parts it is when they shall no more every man teach his neighbour and every man his brother saying Know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least to the greatest Jeremiah 31. 31. to the end of the Chap. at the twenty nine verse of the same Chapter he speaks on this wise In those dayes they shall say no more the fathers have eaten a sowre grape and the Childrens teeth are set on edg but every one shall dye for his owne iniquity every man that â—ateth a sowre grape his teeth shall be set on edge If man dyed for his own iniquity in those dayes then he died not in his fathers before but in those dayes every one did dye for his own iniquities and therefore they did not dye nor fall in another before we who are Israel are not to look through shadows or through a vail for if we are turned to the Lord the vail is taken away we see with open face we are not spoken to in parables to us it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom therefore let us leave off this Proverbe in saying that we were lost in Adam Let God be true and every man a lyer when he saith in those dayes this Proverbe shall be used no more The Objection from Rom. 5. 19. 1 Cor. 15. 22. Where it is said All dyed in Adam This Objection must admit of this answer as it followeth How all are said to dye in Adam 1. The Apostle speaks not his own Judgment but condescends to them and speaks according to this or that saying that they had in Israel concerning the Fathers eating of sowre grapes and the childrens teeth are set an edg he speaks to them here in this as unto those Cor. 7. 14. where he saith the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the believing wife and the unbelieving Wife is sanctified by the believing Husband or else were the children uncleane but now they are holy The Apostle here speaks not his own opinion for he had cast of all this holinesse of Circumcision and what priviledg soever he had by it and accounts it losse and as drosse and dung but he speaks according to their belief or tenet in the time of the Law which was if a Circumcised person was joyned to an uncircumcised yet their seed should be accounted to be within the Covenant or holy and not unclean and from this their opinion he goes to take advantage and reconcile them together by what they themselves held and so in this place he doth endeavour to illustrate make out life to all in Christ by that which they held concerning Adam that is that their teeth was set an edge by his eating sowre grapes he doth in this place as he doth in the Hebraws where he holds out the excellency of the mystery of Christ by the Ministery that they were best acquainted with Secon We die in Adam t is trve all have held it to be a truth but they have not lookt to the end of things because their mindes are blinded and the vaile is over their hearts and shall be till they are turned to the Lord and then this Proverbe shall be used no more Quest How may we be said to die in Adam Ans We may be said to die in him in an allegoricall sence that is he by his death did shadow out all those that came to that State or degree as he was in marke what the Apostle saith in another case Tell me you little children do you not hear the Law read so he goes to tell them of the Law thus It is written Abraham had two Sonnes the one by a bond-Maid the other by a free-Woman this he tels them that in the mystery or the allegoricall sence is the Law as he saith afterwards for this Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia answereth to Jerusalem which now is is in bondage with Galla. 4. 25. her children this Hagar is mount Sinai saith he this is as plain a speech as to say all dyed in Adam but yet he looks through this Hagar and Mount Sinai to the Jews in bondage under the Law which he cals Jerusalem So in like manner he looks through our first Parents when he saith all dyed in Adam and meanes them who were come to that estate and degree So then he by his death did figure out all that came to that degree that they should come to it that way as he did to die in Adam is to crucifie the old man and dye to ones own righteousnesse and strength daily so then his death did represent this death of ours as he by his death did assure us that we shall follow him in this sence we may be said to die in him such Scriptures which say that we all died in Adam must be further answered thus by the like Scriptures and understood accordingly as these are Christ is said to be slain from the foundation of the world And I am that heavenly Manna that came down from heaven And Babylon is fallen is fallen when it is said Rev. 13. 8. 18. 2 4. afterwards Come out of her my people all this while this is but in Gods account or in the shadow or representation so the Fathers eat Manna drank of that rock that followed them and that rock was Christ but not substantially but parabolically or else it is to be understood as sure as it is in part so it shall be in our account so it shal be in the substance so it shall be wholly thus we must understand our death in Adam First we are all dead men in Gods account Secondly we are all dead in the shadow Thirdly we are all dead in that nature and earnest the whole world is the substance and whole payment which must be brought into the same place as the earnest was we must come the same way as he did and bear our burthens and by his death he doth assure us that we shall dye assuredly as it were already done in him Again when we dyed we dyed in Adam for every carnall man is Adam yet all the carnality that ever was is or shall be is Adam the old man as it is formerly proved And in this Adam all those to whom the law cometh must dye and are dead already in Gods account or in the shadow and earnest as hath been proved Thus much in answer to this Objection Object Adams eating the forbidden fruit did cause him to cloath himself with fig-leafes which leafes are the leafes of the same tree as the eating of the fruit did open their eyes to see their nakedness and upon the sight thereof they were put upon action to cover this nakeduesse with the leafs of the Tree Ans The same thing doth the law effect on 6. The effects of the friut them to whom it comes for when the impressions of the law comes in upon the soul or heart and discovereth
bondage is through the law as it will appear Hebr. 12. 21. where it is said So terrible was the sight that Moses saw that he said I exceedingly fear and quake Adams eating of this fruit or the coming of the law into the soul answereth the giving of the law on Mount Sinai our seeding on the Law is our coming to the Mount that burneth with fire to blackness and darkness and the voice of words whatsoever was effected by * Adams eating of that fruit was the first figure Adams eating of the forbidden fruit the same was in the second figure at Mount Sinai and is likewise in the substance which is every soul to whom the Law powerfully cometh for as The giving of the Law at Mount Sinai was the second figure at the coming of the Law at Mount Sinai there was a Tempest and the voice of words which was a terrour to those to whom it came the same fear and terrour was effected by Adams eating that fruit Gen. 3. 8. it is said They heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the Garden this is the voice or word that they at The coming of the Law into the Soul is the substance of those two Figures Mount Sinai intreated should be spoke to them no more the same caused Adam to run away from God and to be afraid and hide himself Adam could not endure this voice no more then they to whom this dispensation came at Mount Sinai and the reason of it is this both to Adam and all those whom I compare with him which are the Israelites or all those to whom the law did come I say the reason is this because this voice is in the cool of the day in the Hebrew word it is the winds of the day so this voice of the Lord God was walking in the Garden which is the pleasure and delights that man lived in in the winds of the day which winds and tempest is all one What is more terrible then winds or tempest It was terrible to Adam and also to them at Mount Sinai it is called Blacknesse and darknesse and the voice of words Hebr. 12. 19 20. Which voice they intreated they might hear no more It is called The winds of the day Gen. 3. 8. which emplyeth both blackness darkness and tempest so as this voice of God was in the winds and tempests of the day unto Adam so also this voice of words to those at Mount Sinai was in the winds of the day even in blackness darkness and tempest whatsoever was a distemper to the first was also to the second and is the same to the substance even to us that are under the dispensation of this day The eating of the forbidden fruit bringeth 4. The effects of the fruit Thornes thistles hay and straw c. are taken for the fruits of our righteousness Jer. 4. 3. Hos 10. 12. a curse upon Adam and his whole earth Cursed be the ground for thy sake in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all dayes of thy life Thornes also shall it bring forth unto thee The law also in the like manner bringeth a curse on them to whom it comes powerfully into for as many as are of the works of the law are under the Curse Gal. 3. 10. The Law is not of faith but the man that doth them shall live in them Verse 12. so it was said to Adam In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat thy bread as the meaning of that in Gal. 3. 14. is a spiritual living in the Law so the meaning of that eating in Rev. 21. 1 Cor. 4. 15 16. The world is taken for self wisdom righteousnes pleasure or the like this shall be burnt up but the earth shall endure for ever Dan. 7. 26 27. Cha. 2. 44 Rev. 19. 6 7. Chap. 11. 15. Gen. 3. 19. is of eating spirituall bread a feeding of the inward man in a laborious way under the yoak of bondage and this his eating the fruit produceth and bringeth forth thornes and thistles which shall be such prickles in the flesh that it shall choake the good seed that is sowen in that ground but this earth or ground shall become new and all those thorns thistles hay straw or stubble shall be burnt up and he that enjoyeth it shall enjoy it without labour they shall set downe under their own Vine and under their own fig-trees they shall enter into their rest they shall run and not be faint they shall mount up like Eagles and renew their strength yet the lumpe or fabrick of this earth shall endure for ever And all things therein both man and beast Old things shall be done away and all things shall become new as the Apostle saith to those in Christ 1 Cor. 5. 27. yet they lived on this Earth Christ Disciples are taken out of the world and yet live in the world The meaning is they shall be under a new dispensation new law or covenant a new heaven and earth a new Jerusalem and Paradise and Tree of Life new Name new Bread new manna for which they shall not labour and get with the sweat of their faces under the second dispensation as they do under the First And as Adam did obtaine it by his eating the forbidden fruit who was the Type of all those under the Law who also get their spirituall bread through much labour and sweat of their face and yet it satisfieth not and thus the latter answereth the former in this example The eating of the for bidden fruit brings death it self upon Adam For that day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely dye So in the fifth place to whomsoever the Law comes it bringeth death as it is 2 Cor. Fifthly The effects of the fruit 3. 9. We are able Ministers of the new Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit for the Letter killeth Again it is said I was alive without the Law but when the Law came sin revived and I dyed so you see as death was brought upon Adam upon his eating the fruit the same also is brought upon every one to whom the Law powerfully cometh and the former is but only a type or representation of the latter So we are not to understand that any fell in that flesh of his as is carnally and vainely understood or that any dyed in him according to the generall understanding of men the Prophet Ezekiel speaks prophetically of the destruction of such a principle or tenet as this is saith he What mean you that you use this Proverbe concerning the land of Israel saying The Fathers have eaten sowre grapes and the Childrens teeth are set on edge As I live saith the Lord you shall not have any more occasion to use this Proverbe in Israel The soul that sinneth it shall dye Ezek. 18. 2 3 4. And the Prophet Jeremiah speaks more plaine of this and the time when it shall be it is when he maketh a new Covenant and