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
witnessses did testifie against Christ Matth 26 61. And likewise against Steven Act. 6. 13. Although these witnesses speak nothing but truth as it appears Joh. 2. 19. compared with Math. 26. 61. and also Steven denies not what was testified against him and proves it by Moses the Prophets Acts 6. 33. 48. Yet for all this those two sorts of witnesses are called false witnesses inasmuch as they did not speak according to their meaning and in this sense the Serpent is called a lyer from the begining because he speakes not according to Gods meaning of death But he was not a lyer according to the womans sense or interpretation of death which was the dissolution of the body for they did eate that day but did not die a naturall death thus it is also proved from the Serpent's testimony that their eyes shall be opened and they shall become like Gods knowing good and evill Thirdly It will appear to be a truth from the effects that the fruit did work on them by which the Serpent's words to the woman is made good vers 6. 7. And when the woman saw the Tree was good for food and pleasant to the oye and a Tree to be desired to make one wise she took of the fruit thereof and did eat and gave also unto her husband with her and he did eat And the eyes of them both were opened and they knew they were naked Those eyes were not mortal or substantial eyes of the body for they were open to see the fruit before they eat thereof vers 6. what eyes are there else to be opened besides the mortal eyes of the body there are two sorts of eyes besides the mortal eyes of the body the first is the natural eyes and the second is the spiritual eyes and as I told you before there was two sorts of fruits to open these two sorts of eyes and here you may see upon eating the first sort of fruit the first sort of eyes were opened namely the eyes of their natural knowledge wisdom and understanding for the text saith and they knew that they were naked it doth not say it made them naked for they were so before but before they eat they had not that understanding to know that they were naked or be ashamed of their nakednesse but by vertue of their eating of that fruit there was knowledge and wisdom and light conveyed into them whereby they knew what was good and what was evill therefore well might it be called the Tree of Knowledge of good and evill when it hath such vertue in it to give knowledge which could not be attained unto any other wayes as it may be necessarily gathered by that converse between God and Adam when the Lord called to Adam and said where art thou ves 9. Adam's answer was I heard thy voice in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked vers 10. Gods answer to him again was who told thee that thou wast naked hast thou eaten of the Tree whereof I commanded thee thou shouldst not eat as much as if God had said it is true thou art naked he denyes it not but it is impossible that thou shouldest know of it without thou wast told because thou hast no knowledge in thy self except thou hast eaten of the forbidden fruit this speech of God is as if a man should determine in himself to doe some good for his son and yet make it known but to one man in the world and yet the son shall come to his father and say if you would doe such a thing for me his father knowing that none knew it but one will say who told thee hast thou spoken with such a man implying that he did give his son knowledge of such a thing without which he could not know No more could Adam know his nakedness which indeed was his earthliness without he had eaten of that Tree as it is clear from these words who told thee that thou wast naked hast thou eaten of the Tree whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldst not eat Here you see opening of eyes and discovery of nakedness effected in Adam and Eve by their eating the forbidden fruit Fourthly We shall confirm all these and put the point out of question from God himself where the saith behold the man is become as one of us knowing good and evil Chap. 3. vers 22. If Adam by his eating the forbidden fruit became like God then it will follow that he was not like God before But Adam by his eating of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil became like God in the knowledge of good evil that is what God esteemed to be good that Adam knew and esteemed likewise to be good and what God esteemed to be evil that Adam also knew and esteemed to be evil although Adam did not know things in that measure and fulness as God did yet he knew as God did in the same manner or nature as a coale is like a whole world set on fire so was Adam like God in the knowledge of good and evil but here lies Adam's misery in knowing good and evil and yet not having power to do the good known and shun the evil which could not be obtained by the eating this fruit but by the eating of the second fruit which is of the Tree of life as I shall hereafter shew I might further confirm this truth by divers arguments and reasons but before I proceed it is necessary that I should answer divers objections which lie in the way Object You will say it is true God saith the man is become like one of us but God speakes by the way of an Ironye as Micaiah speakes to Ahab the 1 of Kings 22. 15. the King asked him whether he should go up to Ramoth-Gilead to battle or no The Prophet Micaiah bids him go up and prosper and the Lord shall deliver it into the hands of the King So God speakes to Adam because of his former high thoughts and indeavours to be great and when Adam fell short of what he thought to be God speaks to him in dirision Answ God speakes not in the way of an Irony my reasons are these first because God speakes not to Adam as the Prophet did to Ahab or as the wise man in the Proverbs did to the young man But God speaks to himself in respect of his threefold relation that is either like God in his eternal essence or being or like God in respect of his influence and power or thirdly like him as he dwelleth and acteth and abaseth himself in Christ or rather like him in the knowledge of good and evil according as he esteems good and evil in either of these relations therefore I say God speaking to the Trinitie and not to Adam It is impossible for God to speake in the way of an Irony or deriding or rather blasphemy because he speakes not to the person offending as the Prophet did therefore your
instance will not serve the case being not the same if God had spoken to Adam there might have been some show or colour for such a thing but God speaking not to him there can be no ground or colour for it at all The second reason is why God speaks not in the way of an Irony is this because there was some thing enacted upon and by reason of his knowledge in the latter part of the 22. 23. verses and now least he take of the tree of life and live for ever as much as if God It was the knowledge of God in Adam that drove him out of the garden Gen. 3. 24. had said he is come to that knowledge by vertue of his eating the fruit he wil be ready to take of the tree of life and live for ever It is clear that Adam was put forth by reason of his knowledge therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden the word therefore hath some dependance upon the fore going words which was his becoming like God therefore he was driven forth The third reason proves it a truth because of the former 3 proofs First from the name of the tree Secondly from the Serpents testimony and Thirdly from the effects that the fruit produced in them all with speaking one thing it doth further confirm that Gods meaning was really so according as it was spoke behold the man is become like one of us knowing good evil 2 Object And that is from the latter part of the verse knowing good and evil it is true Adam knew good and evill but how he knew good by the losse of it and evill by wofull experience Ans I shall grant if God knew good by the losse of it and evill by wofull experience then Adam did so to But if God did not then Adam did not neither for Adam knew good and evill as God did and so saith the text Behold the man is become libe one of us knowing good and evill Obj. You will say Adam was made in the image of God as the Scripture holdeth forth and he being in the image of God in respect of his attributes before his eating the forbidden fruit therefore it followeth he became not like God by his eating as you do here affirm Answ In answer to this Objection you must understand that the image of God is held forth in Scripture under a two-fold consideration First The image of his person or visible appearance Secondly The image of his incomprehensible and spirituall substance Now as you understand Adam in innocency as meer man he was made after the first image that is to say in the image of God in respect of his person or visible appearance and not after the second image although he was in some sense in respect of God as I shall hereafter shew when I come to speak of the second image but when I say Adam was made in the image of God in respect of his person or visible appearance we are not to understand that God in his eternall Essence and being can be likened to any thing for he is invisible and incomprehensible but I meane in that shape and likenesse as God did alwayes appear and manifest himself in unto the sons of men before the law to Abraham and Lot and in the time of the Law and also in the fulnes of time in the flesh of a man even in the man Christ Jesus for God in his eternall thought and purpose beforetime did determine and intend as he did in other things to appear in this image in time and so called it his image likewise in his determination intended to make man according to it and one end was to speak according to mans capacitity for if God had appeared in other shapes and not in the shape or liknesse of man then man through feare would not be capable to receive a message or be instructed by him man being in that weak estate as he is made in so God in time made man according to the shape or image which he intended to appear in before time And when he saith let us make man in our own image his meaning is in the first sense that mans person shoul be made like the image of Gods person or visible appearance according as I have already described It must needs be so for this reason because the woman was not made in the image of God now if you understand by image any thing besides the image of his person or visible appearance let it be knowledge righteousnesse wisdom or what it will in that respect the man and the woman was both alike but if I shall prove the woman was not made like the man in the image of God then it must needs be granted that the image that Adam was made like unto God in was the image of his person or visible appearance To the end the controversie in proving that man was made in the image of God and the woman was not take notice what followeth First It will appear from Gods resolution before mans creation as you may see Genesis 1 26. where God saith let us make man in our own image the woman is not mentioned neither yet included in the man as it appears in the 27. verse where you shall find a particular relation First how the man was created in these words So God created man in his own image in the image of God created he him Secondly that they were both created in the latter part of the verse in these words male and female created he them the same expression is in Gen. chap. 5. vers 2. from hence it doth cleerly appear that the man was created in the image of God and the woman was not because there is a particular relation of their creation for if they had been both created in the image of God it had been easier to say in the image of God created he them male and female then to particularise out the man and say he was created in the image of God then go over them again and say male female created he them so that by this particular relation the Holy Ghost would have us to understand that the man was created after the image of God but not the woman the Apostle Paul by the same spirit clearly understands this truth and puts it out of controversie he speaking in 1 Cor. 11. 7. how a man ought to manifest his obedience and subjection to his head which is God by his being uncovered either in prayer or prophesying and also how a woman ought to manifest her subjection to her head by her being covered he saith if the woman be not covered let her be shaven or shorn and as he looks upon it to be a great evil in the woman to be uncovered so contrarily he looks upon it to be a great evil in the man to be covered and his reason 's this for saith he a man indeed ought not to
I shall also go on in proving that Adam as he was then made and stood in innocency was not made after the second image in holinesse righteousnesse knowledge and the like and my reasons are these First If Adam had been immortall in the image Reason 1. of God in respect of his attributes it had been as impossible for him to fall and become mortal and unholy as it would be for God himself that which is holy cannot become unholy that which is in the nature of God cannot change it nature into the nature of sin God is able to change other things into his nature but no other thing can change that which is of God into its nature Because I would leave nothing unanswered Object I would willingly know what you meane by holiness and righteousness if you mean natural holiness and righteousness knowledge light and the like Ans To this I answer God hath no such image the Scripture holds forth but a twofold Image the first a Personal the second a Spiritual according as I have already described Again If you say he was holy and righteous inasmuch as he had not sinned I say in that sense a stone or any other vegetative or sensitive creature is made in the image of God for it hath not sinned This is like that tenet or principle held concerning children for some say If children should not be saved who have never sinned actually who then can be saved as if that which had not sinned was holy and nearer God to be without sin only is not to be holy and in the image of God or to have never so much naturall knowledge and light adds nothing to holiness and righteousness according to Gods image But to be holy and righteous in the image of God is to be immortall unchangeable and to have eternall life in them which is the gift of God and there to live in the enjoyment of God having inherent righteousness in them and to be begotten by God and grow up in the very nature of God as a child grows up in the nature of his Father So that you must become little children and be born by the Spirit before you enter into the Kingdom of heaven that is there must be a new and second birth of a new creature a new life and conversation new feeding new spirituall meat and drinking anew of wine and water of life with Christ in the Father's kingdom a new enjoyment a new spirituall rest and all things must become new all this is held forth by the first birth life conversation feeding and resting If we must become like or as little children before we can enter into the Kingdom of heaven then I say we must become like old men before we sit down in the Kingdom of heaven in the full enjoyment of the Father or in the knowledge of him which is from the beginning as the Apostle John saith to the Fathers who out-stripped the children or young men in the knowledge of God as he was in them from the beginning 2 John 12 14. These children are not to be understood children by generation neither are the young men or fathers to be understood under a natural consideration but children in respect of regeneration and young men and fathers in respect of spirituall growth and knowledge in the mystery of God So then if Adam had been thus he had been in the image of God and could no more have fallen away from the nature and image of his Father then a childe can fall from the nature and image of his father into the nature and image of a beast neither did he fall in that sense as you understand he did nor do any thing against or contrary to his nature Secondly He was earthly and so he acted Reas 2. from that principle and therefore not in the image of God and that you may plainly see if you consider what the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 15. 43. in these words There is a carnall body and there is a spirituall body Although this may be taken or understood to be our body or the body of sin fallen in Adam in opposition to the spirituall body which is the spirit of life in Christ yet it is not the Apostles understanding onely for he goes about to prove this by the written word and that is from Adam's first creation for saith he and so it is written The first man Adam was made a living soul the last Adam was made a quickning spirit 1 Cor. 15. 45. The Apostle understands this first man that was made a living soul to be a meer natural man as also he understands the second to be a spirituall as you may see ver 46. in these words Howbeit that was not first which was spirituall but that which was carnall and afterwards that which was spirituall There needs no further evidence in this neither can I speak any plainer then the Apostle for when he goes to prove there is a naturall bodie he doth not say it became naturall through some miscarriage but he saith he was made so he was made a living soul which living soul so made by God he saith in the next verse that it was not spirituall but carnal Nothing that is carnall can have communion with God But Adam was carnall Therefore could have no communion with God Nothing that was made carnall was in the image of God But Adam was made carnall Therefore not in the image of God in respect of his Attributes Thirdly The Apostle sets forth the pedegree Reason â— or root of the second Adam by the pedegree or root of the first in these words The first man is of the earth earthly the second man is the Lord from heaven vers 47. As the second did not come in a low estate and condition and attain to an higher afterwards for he is the Lord from heaven so the first man did not come in an high and glorious condition and afterwards fall into a lower Object If you said That Christ which is the second man came in a low estate and condition which makes against this Argument Answ To which I answer In respect of his Manhood he was the first Adam for it is said He that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one It is not onely meant in respect of their spirituall estates after they were sanctified but also of their fleshly except actual sin as it is Heb. 2. 14. Forasmuch as the Children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himself likewise took part of the same And as he was flesh and blood he came in a low condition and so he may be said to grow in grace and knowledge for he was not the Lord from heaven nor the second man in this sense but he was the Lord from heaven in respect of his Godhead or that spiritual influence or annoynting that came forth from God and took up flesh and dewlt therein In this sense he was the second Adam
Land which they are said to build and be planted in are also spiritually held out by their old material Cities as Sion Jerusalem and the Land of Canaan which spirituall Cities are no material Cities but such Cities as righteousness shall be for walls and bulwarks whose builder and maker is God Isa 60. 18. Heb. 11. 10. Their own land there spoken of is that heavenly and spirituall enjoyment and rest which Joshua could not bring them into as you may see more plainly in the margin Thus you are to understand Regeneration to be but only a bringing up to a spirituall peace and enjoyment typed out by a carnall and earthly God calleth in this place the things that are not as though they were Rom. 4. 17. he holds forth spirituall things by carnall which are things we best understand as in the Canticles he holds out that excellent and spirituall love betwixt Christ and his Church by that carnall love which is betwixt man and woman Thus much in answer to this Objection Another Objection may be formed thus Some may say Adam by his eating the fruit did break a Commana therefore it is impossible that he could be brought neerer to God by his sin and transgression Answ The matter of his eating was not sin but the manner or circumstance as you may see a full answer to this Objection in pag. 43 44 45 46. I having briefly proved that which I undertook namely that the first Adam was made of the earth earthly and was blinde without wisdom knowledge righteousness light or the light before his eating the forbidden fruit and that he lost nothing by his eating but by vertue thereof he obtained all those naturall gifts which he is said to have before by them with whom I have to deal and in proving of this I having answered many Objections Now it would be necessary to apply this truth to mens severall conditions which indeed was Gods end in holding forth Adam in these various conditions that we should not onely see him but see our selves and in comparing our selves with Adam in his various conditions and Adam with us we may see our conditions like his And herein I shall answer other Objections and further clear what is already delivered But before I come to apply this truth you must know that the man Adam did represent two things 1. He did represent another Adam which is all the fleshly and carnall actings of men in all the world These fleshly and carnal actings of men is Adam as truly as ever he that was look'd upon to be our first parent was Adam And God indeed Adam our first parent held forth Christ in the flesh Adam our carnality holds forth Christ in the Spirit the first is crucified by the later and gave place for grace to abound much more Rom. 5 20. was pleased to hold out this later Adam by him that is not so truly Adam as this for this later Adam is he that we should still look to And whereas I said that Adam held forth two things I did not mean only Adam our first parent but this later Adam our carnality holds forth the last of the two things which I spake of which is Jesus Christ in the Saints The opposition is not between the two Adams I mean Adam our first parent and Christ who died at Jerusalem no further then they were two shadows but the opposition lies between the two substances namely Adam our carnality and that spirit of life in Christ living and acting in the Saints which is the second Adam therefore the Apostle saith Crucifie the old man with the affections and lusts thereof and put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse The same Apostle saith Rom. 6. 6. Knowing this that your old man is crucified with him And in the next verse he sheweth what was done in the signe that they might better judge and try themselves whether they had the substance in them answerable to the signe If this be so as it doth appear that every carnall man and woman in their carnall fleshly and self actings are the first Adam Col. 3. 9 10. in the substance Then let us see whether the same thing doth not befall us in the substance as befell Adam in the shadow and so make some Application to our selves in our various conditions And herein I shall strengthen that which I have formerly delivered And in this I shall lay down Adams estate as he was created in and his degrees in rising through severall dispensations and providences of God and so compare our estates and severall degrees and risings with his and then we shall see whether he did not truly hold forth us and whether we are not the true substance of him the shadow First Adam was created without the The first degree of Adam's rising Garden of Eden which Garden holds forth a place of pleasure and delight so that Adam had not that pleasure at his creation but afterwards and the reason was as I conceive because he was not capable of pleasure being created in the degree or stature of a child For he was not actually made by God as some vainly and carnally suppose but he grew out of some thing by the providence of God and so was kept and provided for in a miraculous way by Gods great providence as some men have been preserved by Eagles and Bears and the like as is recorded in History Divers Reasons may be given for this but I do not desire to enlarge my self in it but take this one Reason Adam must needs be created in the degree or stature of a childe because he lived to the same age as his generation lived before he departed this life for his days were nine hundred and thirty yeers Now if Adam had been in the degree of a middle aged man in all probability he could not have lived to the age of the rest of his generation for there was not above one in all his generation that did out-live him which in all probability they would have done if he had been created in the degree of a man This I speak from my self and not from the Lord but there is much reason in it Therefore you are not in my judgment to think that God created him actually with hands notwithstanding it is said that God formed man with the dust of the earth David saith the like of himself Thy hands made and fashioned me notwithstanding he came by generation God made the whole world but it was by his influence and power upon and in the creature made as he doth at this day by the same power was Adam made and kept by the same providence And thus being made in the degree of a child without Paradise that is to say without pleasure or delight this was his first estate or degree So it is with the substantiall Adam which is all flesh in the time of their infancy they live without
carnally minded in their comming up to God or their seeking after God by or in carnall things in endeavouring to make themselves perfect by the flesh as they did to whom he speaks Gal. 3. 3. Are you â—o foolish having begun in the spirit are ye now made perfect by the flesh As also the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 13. 3. If he should give his body to be burned and all his goods to the poor and have not charitie which is love or the power of God living and acting and carrying him forth to do it it is as sounding brasse and a tinkling cymbal The Prophets and Christ himself condemn Israel or those Pharifaicall men for their fasting and making long prayers Isa 58. 4. Matth. 6. 16. Why so was it not good so to do Yea fasting praying and giving of alms are good in themselves So the things were good in themselves or matter of them but not in manner and circumstance they may be used but not fed on to be like God lest wee die but they had not the power of God carrying them out to do those things but the motive by which they were put upon those duties was self-ends for to become like God witnesse the Pharisee that made the large confession and thought to obtain much and yet was condemned by Christ Luk. 18. 11 12. Thus you see as Adam was forbidden Man is bidden or commanded to do good but not to obtain good by his doing to eat this fruit and death pronounced and a curse followed upon his eating thereof So in like manner are we forbidden to follow after or feed upon that fruit which is in the substance our righteousnss or the Law and also death is pronounced and a curse followeth upon our eating thereof Touch not taste not handle not for all perish Adam did lie down in sorrow with the using Col. 2. 21. This is the fire that man kindleth and compasseth himself about with the sparks but God saith This he shall have at mine hands he shall lie down in sorrow So then here you see that this ambition was not only in Adam the shadow but in us the substance after the forbidden fruit and our ends are the same as his was to be wise and become like God through the subtilty of the Serpent which holds forth the excellency of this fruit our righteousnesse This will also serve for an Answer to the Objection framed from Adams transgression Pag. 35. Object Some may say How can the tree of knowledge of good and evill and the righteteousnesse of man be all one Ans The fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evill is nothing else but the morall Law or the righteousness of man It must needs be so for this Reason Because the other tree with it which is the tree of life was the righteousness of Christ and no materiall or naturall tree To prove that it was the righteousness of Christ you may see Rev. 2. 7. To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life in the midst of the Paradise of God The like is said of the heavenly Manna ver 7. which is one and the same thing There is nothing promised to be given to the Saints to eat or to drink or to be clothed with but it is Christ or his righteousness He is all this to a Saint as you may see in these Scriptures He is water John 4. 14. and chap. 7. 38. This he spake of the Spirit He is Manna chapt 6. 48 50. 1 Cor. 10. 3. He is wine pomegranats or apples or pleasant fruit Matth. 26. 29. Cant. 4. 7. Let my Beloved come into his garden and eat of his pleasant fruit Chap. 7. 13. At our gates are all manner of pleasant fruits new and old which I have laid up for thee O my Beloved And chapt 1. 14. Thy love is unto us a cluster of camphire All this is the love of God through Christ to the Saints and the reflections of that love carrying up the souls of Saints unto God So this tree of life is the same even the righteousnesse of Christ or the Spirit It is compared to an oak and a teyl tree and the holy seed is the substance thereof Isa 6. 13. 2. This tree of life must needs be the Spirit of Christ because it bears twelve manner of fruits which fruits are twelve degrees or severall gifts of the Spirit which are the twelve precious stones or pearls that the City is founded upon 3. This tree of life must needs be the righteousnesse of Christ because the leaves of it are to heal the Nations Nothing can heal the Nations but Christ but the leaves of this tree are to heal the Nations and therefore they are the fruits effected and brought forth by the Spirit of Christ 4. There is nothing life it self or can give life for ever but Christ But this tree is life it self and will give life to them that eat it Therefore this tree is the righteousnesse of Christ Gen. 3. 22. So then this being clear that this tree of life is no materiall or naturall tree but the righteousnesse of Christ and such a food as will give eternall life it must by the same grounds necessarily follow that this * The definition of the two trees proved pag. 2. is more fully proved in the seven effects brought forth by the tree and mans righteousnesse tree of knowledge of good and evill in the garden with it is the righteousnesse of man and is no materiall or naturall tree no more then the other 5. The fifth degree of Adam's rising was 5 Degree of Adams rising to put those ambitious thoughts and desires into execution Gen. 3. 6. Shee took of the fruit thereof and did eat and gave to her husband with her and he did eat And the eyes of them both were opened and they knew that they were naked and they sewed fig-leaves together and made them aprons The fifth degree of the substantiall Adam or all those that are come up to that degree may examine themselves by the shadow which was our first parents thus as it followeth and it wil answer as face answereth face in a glasse for after they are come to the fourth degree which is to see the invisible God through the visible things that are made and also to see and beleeve our own righteousnesse which is by the Law to be the onely way and means by which they may become wise or like that God or to attain heaven And also the excellency of this fruit so set forth by the serpent they then with all their strength follow after their own righteousness and take of that fruit that was so lovely to the eye and so much to be desired to make one wise and eats thereof bear with the expression for it is a Metaphor much used in Scripture in such like words as these To feed upon husks and not bread Labour not for the meat that
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