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
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
commeth whosoever feedeth on it it bringeth him into the same condition as the fruit brought Adam into and this may be a sufficient ground or reason to prove that the tree of knowledge of good and evill and the Law to be one and the same The sixt degree of Adams rising is thus as it followeth unto Adam also to his Wife did the Lord God make Coats of skins As in the five former degrees of Adams rising I have endeavoured to shew the substance or end of things so I shall in this sixth degree First What this cloathing is in the substance and Secondly compare us with Adam in shewing how and when we are cloathed with this cloathing First this cloathing with skins in the substance is the righteousnesse of Faith and Love this was the cloathing that Iohn was cloathed in for the tâ—xt saith His cloathing was of Camels haire and a Girdle of a skin this righteousnesse of God by saith is figured out by a skin in as much as it is a shield to cover the creature and keep it warme and secure the life and inwards of a creature and also bind up the flesh bones and sinews and is the very strength thereof the same is the righteousnes of faith and love to the inward man therefore Christ is said to bind up the broken and cloath the naked the Apostle cals it the Armour of God therefore saith he having your loynes girt about with truth and having on the breast-plate of Righteousnesse Ephes 6. 13 14. The same Apostle cals it the breast-plate of Faith and Love Thes 58. but Peter speaking plainer to this thing 1 Pet. 1. 13. saith he Therefore gird up the loynes of your minds and be sober and hope to the end so this cloathing is the righteousnes of faith love and truth which girds and binds up the loynes of the inward man in faith and love unto God this being true that this cloathing in the substance is the righteousnesse of faith and love we shall in the next place take notice when and how this clothing is put on God suffers man to run on in the first dispensation working and getting his bread with the sweat of his face and clothing himself with fig-leaves to cover his nakednesse and in this his workking God takes advantage and as it were meets man halfe way and uncloathes him of that cloathing of leaves and cloaths him with another cloathing This was figured out in that of Adam and also in that of Mount Sinai with that of Iohn for Iohn differed from the dispensation of Mount Sinai both in his meat and cloathing which are both to be understood in a spirituall sence his meat was Locust and wild Hony that is he fed on Christ through dark shadows he fed on him as he was in the flesh as John 14. 23. Luke 24. 25 26. Christs Disciples did and were reproved by him for it or as the Apostle Paul did although afterwards he saw his error when he saith although I have known Christ after the flesh yet henceforth desire I to know him so no more 2 Cor. 5. 16. And thus Iohn fed upon Christ through shadows and in this respect his meat is said to bee Wilde Honey for the pure Word of God which is Christ is compared to the Hony and Hony Combe but Iohn fed not on this hony alone but upon Locusts which is the traditions and inventions and errours of men which devoure and eat like a Canker as you may see Exod. 11. 12. Rev. 9. 3 7. Thus Iohn saw something darkly of Christ and something of error Iohn must decrease Christ must encrâ—ase Ioh. 3. 30. therfore Iohns Disciples and Christ could not agree much lesse Moses Disciples and Christs after the comming of the Comforter Iohn is the greatest of all the Prophets but the least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater then Iohn yet this dispensation of Iohn was of God in opposition to that of Mount Sinai which may be said to be of man It was the second dispensation and answers that second of Adams cloathing with skins which was of God in opposition to Adams first cloathing which was of himself it is also a figure of that righteousnesse of faith and love and as I told you before according to the figure God suffers men to run on in the first dispensation after the powerfull comming of the Law to the creature and gives him the knowledg of sinne which is his nakednesse then the creature runs on furiously and endeavours to cover himself with a Garment of his own making and in this his toyling under a heavy yoak of bondage and labouring therein to become like God then God as it were condescends and meets him and uncloaths him of that menstruous cloathing which could not well keep him warme and cloaths him with the righteousnesse of Faith and binds up the loynes of his mind unto God with this spirituall Girdle and as in the shadow there was two cloathings to bring them up to God the first is of mans owne which bringeth him on his way the second of Gods which brings him to the end of his Journy man must be cloathed with these two cloathings before he come to God and that you may see as followeth the Apostle saith For what the Law could not do in that it was weake through the flesh God sending his own Sonne in the likenesse of sinfull flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh here you may see these two dispensations or cloathings First the Law or figleaves and this did endeavour but it could not doe that which it was put upon to doe but the Second God sent his own Sonne in the likenesse of sinfull flesh and this is Gods own dispensation or second cloathing which condemned sin in the flesh this in the cloathing of God which hides and covers sin therefore David saith Blessed is the man whose sins are covered this is repeated Rom. 4. 7. The first cloathing could not cover our sins neither from God nor from us Isaiah speaketh in reference to this cloathing thus but we are all as unclean things and all out righteousnesse is as filthy rags and we all do fade as a leaf and our iniquities like the winde have taken us away Isa 64. 6. This first cloathing is the same that Joshua was cloathed with which the Angel was commanded to take away from him that filthy garment and also he was cloathed with change of rayment which was the second dispensation which is the righteousness of faith and love which is called fine linnen Revel 6. 11. The Apostle had experience of these two cloathings and he being uncloathed by God of the first cloathing which he did so much approve of he now abhors it and counted it as drosse and dung in respect of the second as you may see Phil. 3. 7 8 9. in these words But what things were gain to me those I counted losse for Christ yea doubtesse I account all
nakedness or sin then these impressions put the creature upon some thing that it conceives to be a duty to hide this sinne or to be as it were a Mediator to appease the wrath of God and thereby to quiet and satisfie its own conscience so these our good works are the figg-leafs for figg-leafs are very broad and so are our good works although carnal persons apprehend themselves to be very naked and sinfull yet if they can but fast and do pennance and say thus many prayers then presently sinn which is their nakedness is covered and their conscience is quieted so then these good works are the leafs of the tree of knowledge of good and evil under which figg-tree all men are found sitting to whom the second dispensation comes it findes us there and knows us before we know it as you may see John 1. 48. where Christ spake in answer to Nathaneel's question whether he knew him Christ saith unto him That he knew him before Philip called him under the fig-tree the leafs of the tree of life shall be for the healing of the Nations What are the leafs of the tree of life only the effects of the fruit which fruit is the Spirit of God and the effects are our good works brought forth by that Spirit saith Christ Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in heaven Matthew 5. 16. 1 Peter 2. 12. Revelat. 11. 13. Thus be these leafs of the tree of life effected and brought forth by the Spirit the Nations shall be wonn recovered and healed and shall glorifie God by this you may the more clearly see what are the leafs of the first tree they are our good works springing forth from the law it shal heal and cover them too in their own apprehensions but when the second fruit is given them to eat they shal come from under that figg-tree they shall cast their garments away as filthy rags and menstruous clouts as Paul did For when this second dispensation comes which is the fruit of the tree of life or Christ in the soul it findes no fruit but only leafs on which he pronounceth a curse and it withereth away and is no more seen for ever in that soul Matth. 21. 19. Thus also you may see that as Adam's eating the fruit caused him to cloath himself with fig-leafs the same doth the powerfull coming of the law Adams eating of the forbidden fruit did 7. The effects of the fruit cause him to hide himself amongst the trees of the garden Gen. 3. 8 the same thing doth the Law effect in them to whom it cometh when God cometh in that despensation with voyces in the wind or tempest of that day and maketh the creature afraid the creature presently runs away and hides it self in the trees of the garden which trees are these two things the first sort and greatest shelter that the creature hides it selfe under from the wrath of God is the opinions and tenents of the fathers or them that pretend to be Ministers of the people unto which the creature being frighted runs to tell their estate to the end they may have their consciences quieted and after confession by those that are in bondage under the law to these trees of Lebanon And also there being admonished by these tall Cedars in their humane traditions they then give them absolution and remission of their sinnes that is to say their words take effect upon the heart of the fearfull and their sinnes are remited declaratively thus they trust to what others say and pinn themselves to them when they are not made one in the thing that they profess and thus their conscience is quieted they having hid themselves from God in the former dispensation among the trees which are some pleasant Tenents or doctrines of salvation duties and formes from humane traditions these are the trees which men hide themselves from God in The gathering of figg-leafs in the sixth Comparison was a work of the law only but their hiding themselves among the trees of the garden is from humane tradition and grosse Idolatry For proof hereof see Hos 4. 18. where the Prophet speaks in reference to those trees which are the Priests thus They eat up the sinne of my people and verse 12 13. the Prophet speakes in reference to the people thus My people ask counsell after stocks and their staffs declare unto them for the spirit of whoredome hath caused them to erre Those stocks and staffs are the Priests at the 13 verse he speakes thus They sacrifice upon the tops of mountains and burn incense upon the hils under Oaks and Poplar trees and Elmes because the shadow thereof is good These shadows cover them from these winds and tempest which is the voice of God in the law and as Adam in his greatest fear fled and hid himself and had his sinne as it were eaten up or covered by the shadows of these trees so the sinne of these Israelites was as it were eaten up This was held forth by Ishmael the sonne of Hagar or the sonne of the Covenant of works he was cast under a shrub in his greatest agony when all his refreshment of water was gone In this he held forth the sonnes of the Covenant of works who also doe fly from the voice of God in the wind of the day and hide themselves under the shadow of these trees because it brings peace and seemeth to be good Obj. You will say Adam had no such trees as Priests or Teachers to hide himself under Answ I grant that if you speak of these persons but he sought out those opinions traditions and inventions as they have since learned and others have them now without so much labour and thus under those trees they shelter themselves from the wrath of God The second sort of trees are some particular pleasure or delights I told you the Garden it self was all manner of pleasures or delights in generall but after we have eaten of the Tree of knowledge of good and evill and our eyes are opened thereby we are driven as it were out of this carnall pleasure and delight in generall so that we lye under a heavy yoak of bondage in a mournfull and heavy condition so that the soul is as it were brought downe to hell then many times such a Soul spies out another sort of shelter which may be understood to be company playing musick singing or any such kind of recreation for saith such a one when I am out of Company I am so melancholy and discontented and oppressed in my conscience that I know not what to do and from hence they seek after recreation to put away melancholy humors and cover their sinnes under such trees as these here you may see whatsoever was produced and effected in Adam by eating the forbidden fruit in these seven particulars the same also is produced and effected by the law on whom it powerfully