both within and without to shew us both how vile and of how short continuance we are but study both to walk humbly at present and minde and prepare for our estate hereafter VERSE 24. SO he drove out the man Out of Paradise driving out implies a removing if not by force yet at least in displeasure which is mentioned the second time that we might take the more notice of that judgement of God upon our first Parents in casting them out of this pleasant Garden which he had planted for them And he placed at the East of the Garden of Eden Which in all likelihood was the only way of entring into it otherwise it had been in vaine to stop up one passage and to leave the rest open Cherubims Angels the formes whereof resembling young men having wings to note their incorruptible nature and agility in service were by Gods appointment Exod. 25.18 placed over the Mercy-Seat and being well known by that name unto the Jewes Moses here and other Authors of Holy Scripture use to signifie Angels And a flaming sword By this outward visible signe deterring Adam and his posterity from attempting the entrance again into Paradise which they saw they could not endeavour without running upon their own destruction Turning every way In what manner is not here expressed and therefore not to be curiously enquired into the Holy Ghost being pleased only to intimate that God so cast our first Parents out of Paradise that there should be no possibility for them to returne thither again for ever To keep the way of the tree of life The Seale of the Covenant of works the condition whereof man being now corrupted and weakened by his fall being utterly disabled to performe was for ever to be taken away But by the infinite mercy of God the way unto the celestial Paradise whereof this earthly was but a figure was opened by Christ by the Covenant of grace The double expression of the driving of man out of Paradise seemes to imply that God would have special notice taken of that judgement of his upon him So that we may thence 1 OBSERVE Gods judgements are not to be passed over sleightly but to be considered seriously and observed and remembred carefully Observe 1 PSal 64.9 they made a deep impression on Davids heart Psal 119.120 and wicked men are taxed that they observe them not Psal 10.5 Isa 26.11 Reason 1. They are a great deep Psal 36.6 and therefore not understood without careful observing and searching into them 2. They are instructions to us Isa 26.6 1. Discovering Gods righteousnesse as Psal 58.11 and 9.16 2. Appertaining unto us Luke 13.3 5. 1 Cor. 10.6 7 11. 3. Who are all of us warned by such precedents as being subject not only to the same God but besides to the same Law of Righteousnesse according to which God dispenseth to all men Mercy or Judgement according to their wayes or works without respect of persons Let every one of us 1. Search into Gods judgements comparing them with the rule according to which they are acted with the Prophet Dan. 9.12 13. and enquiring into the cause of them Deut. 29.24 25. that we may justifie God in them Psal 119.137 2. Let us be careful to lay them up in our memories as being performed as all the rest of his eminent works are for that end Psal 111.4 3. Be as careful to apply them to our selves upon all occasions Josh 22.16 17. till our hearts tremble at them Psal 119.126 But why did not God destroy Paradise out of which he had now excluded man for ever so that it could now be of no farther use Certainly it could be for no other end but that it might be a monument of Gods bounty to make him the more sensible of what he had lost by his rebellion So that we may thence 2 OBSERVE God loves to leave monuments both of his Mercies and Judgements for the justifying of himself and the convincing of men of their unworthy carriage towards him Observe 2 THe pot of Mannah Exod. 16.33 the brazen Serpent till Hezekiah brake it in pieces 2 Kings 18.4 the song made by Moses at Gods Command conteining the summe of Gods wonderful mercies to his people and their manifold rebellions against him Deut. 31.19 21. Reasons 1. The tender respect which He hath to his own glory 2. And mans pronenesse to forget Gods administrations towards his people Psal 106.21 3. And the great use that might ought to be made of both Ps 78.7 8. Let us carefully keep by us records of both as to justifie God and shame our selves so to bring our hearts to an holy dependance on him Psal 78.7 and a care to walk before him with reverence and feare all our dayes But withal the particle So in the beginning of this verse may not be passed over as pointing us back to all that went before the sinne of Adam the discovery of it with the conviction of the offendors the sentence pronounced against them and the danger of their falling into a farther sin circumstances all manifesting the justice and equity of God in casting man out of Paradise Whence we may 3. OBSERVE In searching into Gods judgements our special care must be to observe the precedents and cause of them Observe 3 JUdg 5.8 Deut. 29.24 25. Thus God himself sets out the sins of Sodom before he pronounces or executes his judgments on them and that they may be the more clearly manifested he oftentimes over-takes men in the very act of sin as in the case of Corah Dathan and Abiram Numb â—6 31 35. and the peoples murmuring against Moses and Aaron ver 41.46 49. Sometimes in the very judgement he points at the cause of it in the Kinde Instrument Time Place or some other circumstance or more clearly by the mouth of his Ministers Reason 1. This makes most for his honour in clearing his justice which he especially aimes at see Psal 58.11 Deut. 32.4 2. This is the only way to direct and instruct us See Neh. 13.18 Now Adam having so lately found by experience his own folly in hearkning to Satans counsels and having been called to account by God himselfe and so sharply censured by him and withal having the Covenant of grace proposed unto him in Christ one would conceive might be sufficiently served against any temptation of Satan that might have drawn him on to a second sin Yet we see God thinks fit to set before him this terrour of the flaming sword to deter him from attempting to eate of the tree of life So that we may 4 OBSERVE The best of Gods servants have need of the terrours of his judgements to restraine them from sinne Observe 4 THe Psalmist professeth that he made special use of them Psal 119.120 and Joshuah thinks it needful to lay the consideration of Gods jealousie and revenging hand before his people even then when he findes their hearts most pliable Josh 24 19 20. Reason 1. Because the best
ayr feed upon the flesh of other Creatures which they take for their prey This certainly must be acknowledged to be the fruit of sin which amongst other evils brought in enmity amongst the Creatures but from the beginning it was not so Wherefore we have this in particular expressed amongst the Consequents of the restauration of all things by Christ that this enmity between the Creatures shall be taken away that none of them shall destroy or hurt another but they shall all of them return to their wonted food which was appointed them in their Creation Isa 11.6 7. 65.25 Wherein there is life That is as it hath been expounded a sensitive Soul A clause added not only under that general name to include all the particulars of such Creatures as are partakers of such a life which were mentioned before but it may be perhaps to imply withall that though they had life in themselves yet that it might be known that they live not by themselves they should maintain their lives by such provisions of food as God here allowes them Every green herb It may be not all kinds of herbs to every beast and fowl seeing that some of them delight to feed on some kinds of herbs and others upon others but God gives all to all all the Herbs to all the beasts to make use of and to feed upon those that should best agree with their Natures and Constitutions We find onely herbs given to beasts for their food although it may be that under that name some fruits of trees may be included which we see divers beasts and fowles feed on to this day as it is probable they did from the beginning Howsoever 1. Observe God allowes Sufficient and Plentifull Provision for the sustaining of the Creatures that he hath made Observ 1 HE satisfies the desire of every living thing Psal 145.15 16. feeds the young Lions that seek their meat of God Psal 104.21 and the young Ravens that cry Psal 147.9 This 1. God who is All-sufficient is able easily to do 2. And it is fit for him to do it not onely to shew himself a Faithful Creator but besides to fill the hearts of men with the admiration both of his All-sufficiency and Goodnesse 1. Let it fill our hearts with the Admiration of his Infinite Bounty that from day to day feeds the whole world as it were at his own Table giving them all their food in due season Psal 145.15 What are the large Provisions that Solomon made for his Family in comparison thereof Moses thought it impossible to make provision of flesh for six hundred thousand men for one moneth How then should we stand amazed at the Consiâ—eration of Gods infinite store by which he hath sustained so many thousand millions of Creatures from the foundation of the world unto this day Let this be a means to settle our hearts firmly in a constant dependance on him at all times for the supply of all our wants who provides so abundantly for the meanest Creature that he hath made 2. Let no man judge of Gods love towards him by the enlargement of his hand unto him in outward blessings which he poures out so abundantly upon the meanest of his Creatures and many times to the worst amongst men in a larger proportion then he bestowes them upon his own children filling their bellies with his hidden treasures Psal 17.14 so that they have more then their heart could wish Psal 73.7 but that is all the portion that they shall have from him The differencing blessings which he reserves to his Children for their portion are Grace and Glory Psal 84.11 to guide them by his Counsel here and bring them to Glory hereafter Psal 73.24 Again it is worthy our Observation to take special notice of the small difference which we find here between the provisions allotted by God to Men and Beasts both of them have their food not only from the Earth but out of the same Herbs and Fruits that grow out of the Earth Whence 2. Observe Men and Beasts are allowed by God the same provisions of food for the sustaining of their lives Observ 2 ALl live upon Gods allowance all are fed by the Creatures all upon Herbs and Fruits by Gods first allowance to Adam as we see here and howsoever it pleased God in renewing his Covernant with Noah after the Flood to enlarge mans provisions for food by granting him the use of the flesh of beasts and birds and fishes yet we see that even herein none of those Creatures come far behind us Beasts and Birds of Prey feed upon other Creatures that we account some of them amongst our chiefest delicates from them in our feeding we differ only in this that we prepare our food in a more orderly way Let us then leave our glorying in the provisions of our Tables which the beasts themselves enjoy in Common with us and are partakers with us even in our Choicest Dainties VERSE 31. ANd God saw every thing Overlooked the whole Frame of his Work as he had done before every Particular of it Man only excepted and why he forbare to give that testimony of him that he had given of all the rest that he also was good it is uncertain Some think that because the Creation of the Woman had not been yet mentioned that therefore God forbare to give his Approbation of that Work that was but half perfected whatsoever the reason was it is certain that God made Man good and upright Eccl. 7.29 And it is sufficient that he is included in the general Approbation of his whole Work taken together Very good All the work together was Correspondent every part suitable to the rest in a due proportion and fitted in such order that they were all useful for the services to which they are designed This general Approbation of all the Works that God had made and that by God himself the best Judge of Goodnesse and Perfection being besides a God of Truth and therefore an infallible Witnesse of his own Judgment manifests the Infinite Perfection both of the Wisdom and Power of Him that Created them So that we thence may Observe The whole Frame of the Works which God made in the Creation of the World is perfectly Good every way Observ SO that we may truly say that of Him which the people testified of our blessed Saviour he hath done all things well Mark 8.37 Which we shall not onely find true in the works of Creation but in the Acts of his Providence also that they are all perfect and all his waies are judgment as Moses testifies of them Deut 32.4 So that all his works praise Him Psal 145.10 And indeed herein is the eminency of the perfection of Gods Works and of his Wisdom in creating them fully manifested that when they are all of them laid together they appear in their times places and uses to which God hath assigned them so beautifull and fit every way that nothing can be added
God because it crosseth our carnal affections and condemns all our wayes and works John 3.20 Let no man then suffer his judgement to be swayed by the opinion of the world in any matter that concernes the grounds of Truth delivered in the Word seeing the world is guided by the wisdome of the flesh which is enmity against God Rom. 8.7 And therefore no marvel though it oppose his Truth which brings down the strong holds and high imaginations of the natural man to bring under every thought to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.5 and refuse to give credit to those that speak it as the Jewes dealt with our Saviour John 8.45 because the world lying in wickednesse 1 John 5.19 which the truth of God reproves John 16.8 cannot but hate that which disgraceth and opposeth it Now if we observe it well that which made the woman so apt to give credit unto Satans suggestions was that her heart was beforehand taken with some desire after the knowledge which the eating of that fruit would certainly bring as Satan had informed her and she was desirous to believe Whence 5 OBSERVE Men are easily drawen to believe and hope any thing of that which they affect and desire Observe 5 LOve as the Apostle tells us hopes and believes all things 1 Cor. 13.7 and we know that as our affection is towards the person that speaks unto us so we give credit to his words much more to a friend then to a stranger Thus we are apt to hope well of our children because we love them well much more are we apt to promise ourselves good of our own counsels which we love better then our children It must needs be so seeing love being grounded upon a perswasion of some worth in that which we love we are easily drawn by the experience of that which we know to be in it to hope for and expect that which we know not although it doth not yet appear And whatsoever we desire to have because we desire withal that it may be good we hope it will be so By this one mark it will evidently appear that the generality of men are greater lovers of Wealth of Men of Honours of Pleasures then of God Himself or his Sonne Christ because it is evident they expect and promise themselves more good by them then by God and all his Promises following them more earnestly rejoycing in the fruition of them more cordially preserving them more carefully and resting on them more securely then on Gods Promises of Grace and Glory of this life and of that which is to come which as their own wayes convince them to their faces they esteem little better then meer delusions Yea it is manifest that they have no desire towards any way or work of Godlinesse of which they promise themselves no good by them Job 21.15 but disgrace poverty danger losse of profit and pleasure besides much unquietnesse of minde Nay by the same mark the greatest part of men appear to be greater lovers and better friends to wicked men of whom they never speak nor patiently endure to heare any evil then they are unto the godly of whom themselves are alwayes willing to believe any ill report that can be raised upon them The woman had before her eyes this pleasant fruit but she had withal an Interdiction from God not to meddle with it under the fearful curse of dying the death if she tasted of it but her inordinate appetite stirred up by sense we see prevailes with her above the terrour of the curse though denounced by God himself Whence 6 OBSERVE The terrours of wrath to come cannot prevâ—â—â— against strong and violent affections to things that are present Observe 6 IF the sense of an evil felt cannot withhold us in such a case as Prov. 23.34 35. much lesse can the feare of future evils work on our hearts The Prophet complaines that the peoples violent affection to rebellious courses thrust them forwards as an horse rusheth into the battel Jer. 8.6 of whom the Lord himselfe testifieth that he mocketh at feare and turnes not back from the sword Job 39.22 opposing their confirmed resolutions to evil against any shame or feare that stood in their way Jer. 2.25 26. Like Zimri and Cozbi that scorned the presence and tears of the Congregation and the apprehension of the future danger to fulfil their filthy lusts Numb 25.6 nay even the whole multitude of that rebellious people a little before were not deterred by the fearful judgement executed in their sight on Corah Dathan and Abiram from renewing their rebellion against Moses and Aaron the very next day Numb 16.4 The reason whereof is 1. Because such things as are present such as the pleasures of sinne are being apprehended by sense work more strongly upon the affections then things absent can do because they want that help of sense to conveigh them to the mindes which the affections are most moved by For as hope deferred maketh the heart sick because the thing desired is absent Prov. 13.12 so on the other side when the judgment is deferred and is not present the heart is not affected with the feare of it but hardened in men to mischief Eccl. 8.11 2. Because affections which things present raise up in us blinde our judgements so far that the evils threatened because they are not present are not believed so that men perswade themselves they will not come Deut. 29.19 Isa 28.15 and for that reason the feare of them restrains not men from evil because unto such persons they are esteemed as if they were not at all Let all men by this try their affections either to good or evil If our affections to that which is good be strong Much water will not quench love Cantic 8.6 7. as appears in the example of holy David whom though the proud derided Psal 19.51 Princes spake against him ver 23. the hands of the wicked robbed him ver 61. the proud digged pits for him ver 85. the wicked waited to destroy ver 95. yet all quenched not his love to Gods Law ver 97. nor his endeavours not to decline from his testimonies ver 157. Out of the same affection the Apostles were not deterred from preaching by all the menaces of the counsel and stripes that they laid upon them Acts 4.20 21. Thus Daniel continues his duty of making his request unto God despising the Lions Den Dan. 6.10 as the three children had done the flames of fire Dan. 3.17 On the other side to faint in the day of adversity argues small strength Prov. 24.10 or to take offence and be disheartened when tribulations arise Mat. 13.21 or mens displeasure threatens us as they do John 13.42 or much more when feigned terrours keep us off from our duty Prov. 26.13 That which prevailed so far with the woman or at least by which her minde already distempered by Satans suggestions was so far inflamed that it carried her on violently into this actual
my mother and my sister Job 17.14 Reason 1. To humble us Gen. 18.27 2. To magnifie Gods mercy in abasing himself to look on such vile wretches see Psal 113.6 7 8. to give his Sonne for them to advance dust and ashes to such a glorious condition as the Apostle describes Cor. 15.42 43 49. 3. To move us to long for heaven see 2 Cor. 5.1 2. First It reproves all that glory in Beauty or Ability or bestow all their care and labour in making provisions for the body by costly clothing delicate feeding sumptuous building and in the mean time leave the soul empty and naked discovering therein 1. Their earthly mindes Phil. 3.19 2. And grosse folly Psal 49.13 3. Joyned with some impiety in glorying in that wherein God especially labours to abase them Secondly let it move us to cease from our cares of providing for these earthly tabernacles and to bestow our labours for the supplying and adorning of the soule As 1. More immediately given by God 2. Carrying the most lively character of his Image 3. More capable in it self of true beauty 4. Yet most deformed by sinne 5. Consequently requing most care and labour to repaire and restore it unto that condition in which it was created To which purpose endeavour to enrich that with knowledge Psal 1.9 adorne it with humility 1 Pet. 3.4 establish it in faith Heb. 13.9 Now in that God who threatened death to our first Parents in the day wherein they should eate of the forbidden fruit yet suspends the execution thereof till a longer time though the weaknesse and infirmities of nature which before their fall they were not subject unto seized on them at present we may from thence 7 OBSERVE The disposing of mans life is in Gods hand Observe 7 WHich God chalengeth to himself Deut 32.39 David acknowledgeth Psal 3.15 Daniel testifies to Belshazzar Dan. 5.23 and is clearly manifested by all experience Psal 104.29 so that it is not in the power of men to cut it off at their pleasure 1 Kings 19. Dan. 3.27 and 6.22 though God use them to that end somtimes as his executioners Psal 17.13 14. Reason 1. He gives it Psal 104.30 Job 33.4 no reason then that any creature should make his gift void 2. And he can preserve it see Isa 54.16 3. To have power of life and death belongs to the highest Authority which is founded in God alone see John 19.10 11. that all men might feare before him First let it arme us against the threats and violence of wicked men who 1. Cannot shorten our life one day see Luke 13.32 2. Nor till we have served our time Acts 13.36 and finished our course 2 Tim. 4.7 3. And then shall but make us the sooner possessours of our reward Secondly depend upon God for our lives 1. Seek them at Gods hand with Hezekiah Isa 38 3. with David Psal 102.24 and Jonah and depend not on meanes with Asa 2 Chron. 16.11 12. 2. Blesse him for them Isa 38.20 3. And serve him with them living to him and not to our selves 2 Cor. 5.15 The decree of God for mans dissolution is clearly expressed the time when this shall be God keeps in his own breast that is not expressed at all Whence 8 OBSERVE Though death be certain to all men yet the time of death is uncertain Observe 8 NOt in respect of God who numbers every mans days out unto us Luk 12 19. as appears not only by extraordinary judgements that fell upon Dathan Uzzah Ananias c. but in the ordinary course of Providence Reason 1. That men might not be hardened in sin as usually they are when judgement is deferred Eccl. 8.11 but walk in fear as being not assured of life for one moment of an houre 2. To be assured of the terme of life would not profit us any way either to prevent death which is certainly determined or to further repentance which that blasphemous thief upon the Crosse found no place for though he saw death before him Luke 23.39 It is true notwithstanding that God extraordinarily may reveale unto men before-hand the time of their death or removal from hence as in Aarons and Moses case Numb 20.26 Deut. 32.49 and Elijahs 2 Kings 2.3 5. and Hezekiahs 2 Kings 20.6 but that is not usual Let it move all to stand loose from the world in which they have no assurance to continue one moment to have our lamps alwayes burning with the five wise Virgins Mat. 25.7 to make sure of Christ and Heaven to be alwayes well-doing that our Master may finde us so whensoever he comes Mat. 24.46 47. for feare of the danger threatened ver 50 51. But it is worth our observing that God together with the sentence which he pronounceth against man withal manifests the equity of it that he doth man no wrong since he leaves him in no worse condition then he was at first resolving him into dust that was but dust Whence 9 OBSERVE The judgements of God are just and equal all of them in all things Observe 9 AS Moses professeth Deut. 32.4 and Job acknowledgeth Job 1.21 and 2.10 and David Psal 119.75 128. though many times we see not how see Jer. 12.1 which notwithstanding God reveales unto his servants as he did to Abraham in the destruction of Sodom Gen. 18.32 Reason 1. He cannot wrong his own creatures no more then the Potter can the clay nay much lesse 2. His Nature will not suffer him to do otherwise he that is God must necessarily do good Psal 119.68 out of the Lords mouth proceeds not good and evil Lam. 3.38 3. Nor the respect to his owne honour magnified as well in his justice Psal 64.8 9. as in his mercy and truth 4. It would otherwise discourage his own servants see Mat. 25.24 25. as the opinion of Gods favouring of the wicked and afflicting his own servants had almost discouraged David Psal 73.13 14. Let it cease our murmurings against Gods administrations towards our selves or others to which our corrupt nature easily inclines Psal 73.3 against which the Psalmist gives a special Caveat Psal 37.1 and justifies God in all his wayes in which he is righteous Psal 145.17 To this purpose 1. Let us lay that before us as a principle unquestionable with the Prophet Jer. 12.1 2. That we may see and so beare witnesse to that justice of God 1. Confider that God may charge the best of his servants with folly see Psal 130.3 and 143.2 2. To satisfie us concerning the seeming prosperity of the wicked Consider 1. What they enjoy 1. Only outward things neither grace nor glory which are the godlies portion Psal 84.11 2. And those unto their own hurt Eccl. 5.13 so that a little that a righteous man hath is better then the riches of many wicked Psal 37.16 3. That also oftentimes to their destruction at the last Prov. 1.32 for which purpose God advanceth them Psal 73.18 whereas good mens afflictions turne to their good