reformation nor justifie God in pardoning such sinnes as we have neither acknowledged nor grieved for at all God had before in the examination of Adam kept aloof off but that we see wrought not upon his heart to any purpose he will acknowledge no more then he findes God is able to charge him with in particular wherefore God is forced to lay his act before him in expresse termes and to make it appear to be an act of rebellion Whence 5 OBSERVE Men must be dealt withal in plain termes before they will be brought to acknowledge and be made sensible of their sins Observe 5 God must let Cain know that he had spilt the blood of his owne brother Gen. 4.10 and by the mouth of Nathan tells David that he had contrived Urijahs death and slain him by the sword of the children of Ammon 2 Sam. 12.9 Hence it is that God gives special charge to his Ministers to lift up their voices like trumpets and to shew that is to set out to the life before the house of Jacob their sinnes Isa 58.1 In that manner deast John Baptist with Herod and in plaine termes taxeth him of incest in having his brothers wife Mark 6.18 and our Saviour himself sets openly before the Scribes and Pharisees their pride hypocrisie covetousnesse seducing of the people and the like Mat. 23. and Luke 11. And thus must men be dealt withal 1. Because the heart is never affected with sin till it be represented unto them in full proportion but it may appeare shameful and odious 2. Because all men being by nature lovers of themselves do all that they may to maintain their own innocency and therefore endeavour what they can to hide sin from their own eyes as well as from other men as being unwilling to look upon their own shame God might justly have charged Adam with pride infidelity unthankfulnesse but those being secret evils would not easily have been acknowledged therefore God makes choice of that manifest act of eating the fruit forbidden and layes that to his charge which could not be denied Whence 6 OBSERVE Whosoever will convince a man of sinne must charge him particulaerly with the very act in which he hath sinned Observe 6 THus Nathan points at Davids particular act when he names the sword of the children of Ammon wherewith Urijah was slain And Elisha sets before Gehazi not only the bare act of receiving a bribe of Naaman but the whole manner of it how he ran after the man and how he turned back from his chariot to meet him 2 Kings 5.26 And so doth Samuel mention to Saul the bleating of the sheep and lowing of the oxen which he had reserved of the spoile of the Amalekites 1 Sam. 15.14 and indeed such is the shamelesnesse of most that unlesse they be convinced by some outward act which is subject to sense nothing moves them because things that are not manifest to sense may as easily be believed as they are objected and then because they stop the mouth of the reprover who cannot prove by any act what they deny they withal stop the mouth of their own conscience and traduce the accuser as a slanderer And this is the manner of all obedurate sinners Although those persons that are godly having more tender hearts exercised in searching out their own corruptions are easily smitten by the pointing out a sin afar off God knew well enough all the passages in this rebellious act and who and how far every one was an Actor therein Adam was seduced by Eve as she had been beguiled by Satan but after that he enquires not as suiting not with his purpose which was to make Adam sensible of his own act it mattered not by whose solicitation he was drawen into it And demands of him only whether he had not eaten of the fruit as being that alone which he would have Adans take notice of whereby he directs us what to take notice of in sinful actions Whence 7 OBSERVE In sinful acts our hearts ought only to be sixed upon our own actions and not upon other mens solicitations and provocations thereunto Observe 7 THus Saint James in our sins wills us to look no farther then the lusts and corrupt inclinations of our own hearts which drew us thereunto Jam. 1.14 as David in remembring his adultery and murther Psal 51.5 mentioneth nothing but his own acts and the corruption of his own heart which drew him thereunto And that this should be our chiefest care is agreeable to all reason 1. Because of the pronenesse of our own hearts to shift off the evil of our actions from our selves if possibly we can 2 And while we do this we harden our own hearts and make them insensible of our sins which affect us not when we think the evil proceeds not from our selves but charge it upon other men that provoke us 3. Other mens provocations cannot excuse us seeing it is the consent of our own hearts and nothing else that makes it a sin Now God in charging Adam with this sin aggravates it by this circumstance that it was a direct transgression of Gods Commandment wherein indeed the nature of sin consists Whence 8 OBSERVE The breach of Gods Commandment is that which makes any act of ours a sinne Observe 8 SAint John indeed makes that to be the description of sin that is the transgression of the Law 1 John 3.4 and St. James tells us that if a man commit no adultery yet if he kill he is a sinner because he is a transgressour of the Law Jam. 2.11 and that is it wherewith Samuel chargeth Saul 1 Sam. 15.19 that he had not obeyed the voice of the Lord but gone directly against his Commandment which disobedience of his he equals to the sin of witchcraft ver 23. wherefore when Saul is at last by Samuels reproof brought to acknowledge and confesse his sin he hath this expression that he had sinned because he had transgressed the Commandment of the Lord ver 24. we finde therefore that this was it for which God especially took so sharp vengeance on his own people that they hearkened not to Gods Commandment Nehem. 9.16 29. on the contrary that is accepted for our tighteousnesse if we conforme our selves in all things to the Law and Commandments that God hath given us Deut. 6.25 Reason 1. Disobedience is not only an injury to God but an injury to him in the highest degree wherein his Authority is rejected his Wisdom sleighted his Holinesse despised and his Providence and Power and Justice both in rewarding and punishing not regarded 2. Disobedience knows no bounds no more then waters do that have broken down their banks A man that once treads under foot Gods Law casts away withal all regard of duty both to God and man VERSE 12. ANd the man said It is a wonder that this direct charge upon him by God himself for so foule a fact had not smitten him dumb with the man in the parable
4.14 and amongst the plagues threatened against wicked men this is not the least that their life should hang before them and they should feare day and night Deut. 28.66 even where no feare is Psal 53.5 where none pursueth Prov. 28.1 As the devil no sooner saw Christ but he thought he was come to torment him Mat. 8.29 No marvel that the sound of feare should be in his eares Job 15.21 when the matter and cause of feare is in his heart and conscience even the desart of vengeance for sin which accompanies him wheresoever he goes The feare that seized upon Adam and Eve upon the apprehension of Gods Presence having filled their hearts presently drives him to his heeles he feares God and flies from him Whence 12 OBSERVE Whatsoever we truly feare we cannot but endeavour to flie from and avoid Observe 12 YEa though it be far off for a prudent man when he foresees evil hides himself Prov. 22.3 as Josiah did when hearing the plagues denounced in the Law against such sins as he found amongst his owne people and fearing the wrath of God hanging over his head takes counsel about and enquires diligently after the meanes of escaping the vengeance which follows it 2 Chron. 34.19.21 31. Thus nature teacheth us to flie from Serpents wilde beasts or weapons of destruction And so doth grace teach us to flie from sinne that slayeth the soule and from the wrath and vengeance to come And that meerly out of the desire planted in nature of preserving it self by seeking after and embracing those things that preserve it and shunning those that are hurtful to it Let men try their fear of Gods wrath by taking hold of his strength that they may make peace with him Isa 27.5 seeing they can neither escape nor resist nor endure it and their feare of sin by flying from it and from all allurements and provocations thereunto as Joseph fled from his adulterous Mistresse Gen. 39.12 in such feare that for haste he left his cloak behinde him It is that indeed which the wise man adviseth us unto not to come near the house of a leud woman Prov. 5.8 Now by this mark it will evidently appear that there is no feare of God before wicked mens eyes neither of sinne nor of the wrath to come seeing they passe on carelesly and so at last are deservedly punished Prov. 27.12 But to what purpose was it to seek an hiding place from that God from whose Presence no man can flie Psal 139.7 seeing he is present every where and all things are naked in his sight Heb. 4.13 even the very hearts of men nay hell and destruction it selfe Prov. 15.11 It appears by this how far our first Parents had lost if not the knowledge yet at least the right consideration of him seeing they deal with him as with a mortal man in running away from him and hiding himself from his Presence as one would flie and hide from a man Whence 13 OBSERVE There is a wonderful pronenesse in the hearts of men to conceive of God as they do of a mortal man Observe 13 THus the Psalmist taxeth a wicked man that he thought God to be like himselfe Psal 50.21 In his Providence that he cannot see through the dark clouds Job 22.13 In his Power that he cannot deliver out of mans hand Dan. 3.15 In his Truth that he alters and changeth his minde like a man as Balak implies Numb 23.13 19. In his Holinesse that he regards not evil Psal 94.7 nor forgets it as men do commonly those things that they respect not Psal 10.11 and no marvel if men who are themselves sensual and carnal judge of all things sensually and carnally Nay more being by their corrupt nature eâ—emies to God and his honour it is no wonder if they willingly and purposely endeavour to abase him to the scantlet of a creature Hence then we may easily discover the Atheisme and Profanenesse of mens hearts in general when we may judge what men think and conceive of God in their hearts by their carriage towards him who neither depend upon his promises nor tremble at his threatenings nor expresse their thankfulnesse unto him for his mercies which they would not neglect to performe to a mortal man Nay when we draw near him with our lips when our hearts are far from him lying unto him to his face and the like what do we else but by our deeds proclaim that we conceive him to be like a man that judgeth by the outward appearance and can look no farther VERSE 9. CAlled to Adam It may be at first to him alone at least we finde that he deales not with Eve at all until her husband had appeached her And the reason why he begins first with Adam seemes to be that by beginning with the last Actor in the transgression he might the better out of the Delinquents own mouthes discover and set before us the whole order of the sin and all the Actors therein what every one did and by whose solicitation The voice wherein he spake was questionlesse Articulate in which he called Adam by his name as he likewise did others at other times Gen. 22.1 1 Sam. 3.10 Where art thou Not that God was ignorant where he was and therefore he may he conceived to demand not so much where he was as what drave him thither that so if it might be himself might be brought to acknowledge the sin which occasioned his shifting and hiding away from Gods Presence which had doubtlesse been before his joy and comfort till he had by this transgression of his Commandment provoked his wrath against him The former voice made Adam flie and tremble wherefore God comes a little closer to him and sets before him both his fact in particular and his punishment in this examination Whence 1 OBSERVE Terrours may prepare a mans heart but it is only the Word of God that informes and subdues it Observe 1 THe man that was fastened to his bed by sicknesse whose life drew near to the buriers Job 33.19 22. must needs be much afflicted in spirit as well as in his body but that workes nothing upon him to purpose till the messenger come to him one of a thousand and shew the man his uprightnesse ver 23. and so bring him to the confession of his sinne ver 27. Paul was smitten down to the ground by the light that shone round about him and wonderfully amazed him which prepared him to be willing to receive advice Acts 9.4 6. but it was the Word of Christ by the mouth of Ananias which directed him what to do The like we finde in the Gaoler Acts 16.27 32. for man being an understanding creature cannot be any other way wrought upon but by informing the understanding Terrours may indeed shew some danger near but the cause of it and meanes of escaping it cannot be discovered unto us any other way then by the Word of God which he hath made his Power not only to salvation
Rom. 1.16 but to Conversion too 2 Cor. 10.5 Let all men then in any troubles of minde occasioned whether by any outward distresses or by inward terrours have recourse to the Word out of it searching into the causes of Gods wrath the duties which it requires of us for our reformation the meanes of our reconciliation the hopes and encouragements which we have from thence if we seek it in sincerity remembring 1. That this is Gods Ordinance wherein he hath both discovered his will unto us and annexed unto it the power of his Spirit to subdue every thought in us to the obedience of Jesus Christ 2. That it is the only meanes to bring unto God his due honour by bearing witnesse to his truth in his Promises and to his righteousnesse in his Lawes and to his Authority in submitting to his directions When the Lord goes about by examination to bring Adam to a free confession of his sinne he calls him by his name that his heart might be affected the more when he understood thereby that the businesse in hand concerned himself in particular Whence 2 OBSERVE The way to get our hearts affected with what we heare is to apprehend our selves to be spoken unto in particular Observe 2 EIther by name which is fit to be done in private admonitions as Nathan tells David Thou art the man 2 Sam. 12.7 Or in the publick Ministery of the Word when men are pointed out by their degrees or particular callings as the Prophets oftentimes direct their speeches to the Princes the Priests the Prophets John Baptist in his Sermons addresseth himself to the publicanes and souldiers and our Saviour more plainly singles out the Scribes and Pharisees in such cases any man of that calling should conceive himself to be meant in particular So likewise when the evils of the present tiems are described in a particular manner he that comes in the while should take himselfe to be meant and the secrets of his heart to be discovered 1 Cor. 14.25 So likewise when any duty is laid before him and the way wherein he should walk is pointed out when he turnes aside to the right or left hand to use the Prophets expression Isa 30.21 every man ought to think himself charged in particular as if he were named And as this is the duty of every hearer so should it be the care of every Minister of the Gospel in dispensing the Word so to divide to his hearers their several portions that every one may take unto himself that which properly belongs unto him that his conscience may be so awakened that the judgment passed upon his person or estate may be discerned by him as directed to himself in particular as if he had been mentioned by name Thus it must be 1. Because self-love is so rooted in us that we sleight and make little account of those things in which our selves have not a peculiar interest 2. Because it much advanceth Gods honour 1 Cor. 14.25 when by such particular discoveries and directions it is made manifest unto us that God oversees all our wayes and takes care of our estates in particular which cannot but work in us both fear and care and confidence Thus then we see that Adams flight and endeavour to hide himself from Gods presence availes him little God sees and findes him out where he is and calls him by name out of his lurking hole and brings him before him Whence 3 OBSERVE Those that endeavour to flie from God yet can by no meanes shift themselves out of his Presence Observe 3 AS the Prophet David testifies Psal 139.7 they can neither hide their persons nor any of their works though they do them in the dark as is manifest in the examples of Cain Achan Gehazi Ananias and others which that men may know that God sees at present he sometimes discovers even to men Ezech. 8.12 as in the examples before-mentioned but without doubt shall discover openly hereafter when every mans work shall be made manifest 1 Cor. 3.13 and every secret thing Eccl. 12.14 so that they that are otherwise cannot be hid 1 Tim. 5.25 It must needs be so 1. Because Gods Presence fills all places nay he is In and Thorough all Ephes 4.6 So that all things are naked in his sight Hebr. 4.13 2. It concernes the Judge of the world to do right which he cannot do unlesse all things be manifest to him that he may render to every man according to his deeds that he may be justified when he is judged Let it then be every mans care and wisdome to take hold of Gods strength to make peace with him as himself adviseth us Isa 27.5 seeing he cannot be 1. Resisted Isa 27.4 2. Nor escaped Jer. 25.35 3. Nor entreated 1 Sam 2.25 4 Nor endured Isa 33.14 Who though he seem to passe over mens wayes without observation for the present yet shall one day set mens sins in order before them Psal 50.21 and bring to light the hidden things of darknesse 1 Cor. 4.5 so that a man endeavouring to flie from him loseth his labour encreaseth his sin hindereth his peace and flies from his own happinesse The special thing that God aimes at in this question when he askes him Where art thou as hath been shewed is not to enquire of him that which he saw but to draw from him something that Adam desired to conceal which was the cause that moved him to be there that he might by that meanes when he had sinned draw him to a free acknowledgement and confession of his sin that so he might clear God and condemn himself Whence 4 OBSERVE God loves a free and voluntary acknowledgment of sinne from his children when they have trespassed against him Observe 4 UNto which he hath promised pardon Prov. 28.13 and cannot but performe it in righteousnesse 1 John 1.9 and doth to his children 2 Sam. 12 13. which David acknowledgeth with great thankfulnesse Psal 32.5 a patterne of such an acknowledgment we have Psal 51.4 The reason is 1. Because it brings God most honour when we clear him and take the blame unto our selves See Josh 7.19 whereby every mouth is stopped and his wayes acknowledged and his judgements to be just in visiting mens transgressions upon them and his mercies infinite in sparing men upon their repentance 2. It most justifies our selves when we condemn our own ways and actions 2 Cor. 7.11 and are grieved in our own hearts and ashamed of our folly in the errours of our wayes Let us then make it our daily practice as we sin daily to sue out our pardon by a free and full acknowledgement of sin before him whom we have offended as the meanes 1. To free us from the judgement of God 1 Cor. 11.31 2. To increase our watchfulnesse for time to come 3. To improve our love to God in Christ by his often pardoning of our sins 4. To quicken us the more to cheerful obedience when we know we serve a God
Presence and his flight thereupon The manner of Gods expression is by way of enquiry and implies as much as if he had said Is it true indeed or is it possible that it might make the deeper impression on Adams heart Whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eate How durst thou do that which was so precisely and expresly forbidden If the fruit it selfe were of small value how durst thou transgresse thy Makers Commandment for a trifle Thus God here at once both points at that in which the sin principally consisted which was disobedience in transgressing the Law given him and aggravates it by that circumstance that it was he himself that had forbidden it so it was the breach of the Commandment of his own Lord. God might have charged Adam with Infidelity Pride Unthankfulnesse and the like But he having only this scope before him to bring Adam to the sense of his own guiltinesse contents himself to charge him only with the outward act of sin which could not with any colour be denied It is worth our observation to consider that God out of tender compassion to Adam that he might not lie under an everlasting curse coming now of purpose to convince him of his sin and to offer him termes of reconciliation notwithstanding finding him still to adde sin unto sin and as if it had been a light thing in his eyes that he had denied Gods truth contemned his curse and broken his Commandment to blanch over so foule a fact with such frivolous excuses deluding God as it were to his face and more then that by implication to lay the blame of his flight upon God himself patiently bears with all those provocations replying unto him in milde and gentle termes without any bitternesse at all holding on still his resolution to do him good at last when he might justly at that instant have thrown him into hell Whence 1 OBSERVE Mans frowardnesse cannot overcome Gods Love and Patience Observe 1 THis observation arising more clearly out of the consideration of Gods compassion upon Adam manifested in his censure but more fully in the Promise of giving his Sonne Christ promised ver 15. may more fitly be handled in that place For the present we may take notice that God out of Adams own words takes advantage to convince him of dissembling with him in this excuse Whence 2 OBSERVE God can eastly without any other evidence convince men by themselves Observe 2 HE can judge them out of their own mouth Luke 19.22 produce evidences against them out of their own thoughts and pronounce sentence against them out of their own consciences Rom. 2.15 and make mens own tongues to fall upon them Psal 64.8 He can indeed make use of us and of all that is in us for his own glory as having power to do with us what he will seeing in him we move and have our being Acts 17. and it makes much for his honour in the manifesting of his justice when he makes us witnesses against our selves We see how clearly and fully God discovers Adams fact as easily he might do being as far privy to all that was done as the Actors themselves were so that his excuse and endeavour thereby to hide his sin from Gods eyes served him to little purpose Whence 3 OBSERVE God sees us even when we see not him and takes notice of all our wayes and observes them Observe 3 IT is true that we see not him Job 33.9 10. but he sees our ways and numbers our steps Job 31.4 seeing his eyes are in every place beholding the evil and the good Prov. 15.3 and considering all their works Psal 53.15 nay discovering their very thoughts afar off Psal 139.2 as Christ often answers the very thoughts of the Scribes and Pharisees Mat. 19.4 and 12.25 much more could he see Sarah laugh behinde the tent-door Gen. 18.13 and Elisha by his Spirit be present when Gehazi took the bribe of Naaman 2 Kings 5.26 The reason of this truth See Obs 3. on ver 9. Let all men walk as in Gods Presence alwayes beholding him that is invisible Heb. 11.27 as sitting in his Throne of Majesty and Power and observing the wayes of men with those eyes which are purer then to behold evil This is indeed the only way 1. To give unto God the honour due to his glorious attributes 2. To keep our hearts low that we may walk humbly with our God as we are required Mic. 6.8 3. To make us watchful in all our wayes that we may do nothing that may provoke the eyes of his glory See Exod. 23.21 4. To encourage us in well-doing when we know we walk in the sight of our Master who both approves us and will reward us when our wayes please him Psal 18.24 and takes notice of a cup of cold water bestowed in his Name upon any of his children Mat. 10.42 or the least faithful service performed by a servant to his Master Eph. 6.6 and will defend and stand by us while we do him service Exod 23.22 23. as he promised to defend his childrens dwellings while all the males went to Jerusalem to worship as he had commanded Exod. 34.24 Adam had acknowledged his shame and his feare this satisfies not God he must bring him to see his sin and acknowledge it and that too as it is a sin wherefore God especially insists upon that and layes before him his rebellion in breaking his Commandment Whence 4 OBSERVE God accepts of no confession till men see and acknowledge the sin of their actions and that too as it is sin Observe 4 THat they have trespassed against and walked contrary to him Lev. 26.40 that they have perverted righteousnesse Job 33.27 such an acknowledgement David makes when Nathan deales with him 2 Sam. 12.13 Psal 51.4 and God accepts it and pardons him And such an acknowledgement the Lord prescribes unto his own people and encourageth them thereunto by promising them pardon Hos 14.2 The reason is 1. Because without such a confession God hath neither the honour of his justice in punishing sin wherefore Joshuah requires Achan to confesse his sin that he might give glory to God Josh 7.19 as David doth Psal 51.4 nor of his mercy in pardoning it For by mens acknowledging of their guiltinesse men are known to eat the fruit of their own wayes when they are chastened by God See Nchem. 9.33 and to be pardoned out of free mercy and grace when their transgressions are passed by upon mens humbling themselves before him though the trespasse be committed against himself which makes the sin hainous above measure Hence it is that the Lord takes it to be his great honour that he blots out our transgressions meerly for his own sake Isa 43.25 2. We cannot otherwise be in any state of security after we have sinned but by suing out our pardon which if he should grant without our condemning and abhorring of our own evil wayes it would neither further our own
it were executed by the hand of the children of Ammon 2 Sam. 12.9 Now we know it is the consent that makes the act of sin yea ever there where men proceed not to the act the very lusting after a woman makes one an adulterer in our Saviours judgement though he go no farther Mat. 5.28 so that an enticer of another to sin is guilty not only of the sinful motion of his own heart in resolving upon the evil but besides of that evil which he begets consent unto allowes and desires may take effect in another that acts the sin by his provocation and allurement Beware then of that dangerous employment to become a Solicitor or Factor in sin and tremble at the very motion of it and avoid carefully the society of such agents 1. Who carry the mark and character of Satan who is stiled by the name of the temper and is the father of all that walk in that way of seducing 2. Shew themselves much more dangerous enemies to man-kinde then murtherers who destroy only the body whereas these lay wait for the soul Prov. 22.25 3. Proclaime war against God whom they fight against not only by their own sinnes but much more by making a party against him by drawing as many as they can procure to be companions with them in their evils 4. And therefore are above others children of wrath reserved unto them by the just judgement of God in a double proportion according to the measure of their sinnes acted by themselves and furthered in other men by their procurement Let this Item be laid neere to heart by all Magistrates Ministers Parents Masters whose Laws Directions Counsels and Examples if they walk in ill ways have a strange influence into their inferiors to draw them unto wicked practices whereunto they are by nature it self too strongly inclinable It was too much that Adam endeavours to post off the sinne from himself and casts the blame of it upon his wife but see how far an heart once perverted may lead a man he falls in the next place upon God himself whom he makes if not a part yet at least an occasion of his sin Whence 5 OBSERVE It is usual with men when themselves have committed the sin to lay the blame of it in part even upon God himself Observe 5 THus Jonah in effect chargeth God with his disobedience in flying to Tarshish as if he had sent him upon a message that would disgrace both himself and him that sent him Jonah 4.2 As that idle servant pleads his Masters hardnesse in excuse of his idlenesse and unfaithfulnesse Mat. 25.24 Thuâ— do all they that for their ignorance plead want of parts of nature For their thefts or oppression necessity by the weaknesse of their estates greatnesse of their charge or the like For the neglect of spiritual duties multiplicity of secular employments for their disobedience the strictnesse of Gods Law as impossible to be kept Hence it is that Saint James well knowing this common disease wills us to take heed of charging God with our temptations to evil seeing we are drawn on thereunto by our own concupiscence Jam. 1.13 Now that which moves us to deal so injuriously with God himself is 1. A desire to justifie our selves which we can never do more fully then by casting the blame of the sin for which we should be censured upon God himselfe who should judge and punish it as Thamar stops Judahs mouth when he sentenced her to be burned for her adultery by charging him to be both the occasion and the Actor of that sin Gen. 38.26 2. There is in all men by nature an heart ill affected towards God the wisdom whereof is enmity against him Rom. 8.7 which makes us willing to pick any quarrel against him and to dishonour him upon the least pretence 3. It is Satans policy 1. To wrong God by making him the Author of evil and unjust in punishing that in men whereof the blame lies in part upon himselfe 2. To take off mens hearts from all endeavours and meanes of repentance by this colour of justifying themselves in their sins We cannot but take special notice in what manner Adam speaks of his wife in this place whom he imbraceth and acknowledgeth as a singular blessing bestowed on him by God in the former Chapter and here doth little lesse then reproachfully cast it in Gods teeth that instead of an helper he had given her unto him for a snare to beguile and entrap him as his words in this place do imply Whence 6. OBSERVE It is an usual practise with many men to cast Gods blessings in his teeth with discontent Observe 6 ZIpporah the wife of Moses calls circumcision a Sacrament of blood Exod. 4.25 See how the Isarelites quarrel at Moses whom God had sent to be their deliverer as one that was the occasion of encreasing their bondage Exod. 5.21 and how often do they wish themselves in Egypt againe when they were upon their voyage to Canaan murmur at Moses Exod. 14.11 and 16.3 and 17.3 Esteem Manna their food light bread and loath it Numb 11.6 Thus is it usual with men to murmur sometimes at the execution of Justice the dispensing of the word at the increase of people cheapnesse of provisions fruitfulnesse of their own wives and the like This comes to passe 1. Because many times common blessings suit not with mens private ends and desires so that we judge many things which are blessings in themselves to be crosses unto us 2. Because our unthankful hearts being not satisfied in all that they inordinately desire scorne that which they have as a trifle because it answers not to the full of what is desired Let not men think much of it if they be dealt withal as God himselfe is and have their kindnesse by unthankful men cast in their teeth nay many times be ill spoken of for doing good to others Seeing 1. The servant is not above his Master 2. Thanks from men are not or at least ought not to be the recompence which we ought to expect for doing good to others but the acceptance of our service by God who the lesse reward we have from men the more he enlargeth his own hand towards us if we continue constant in well doing in obedience to his will expecting approbation from God and not from men Adam indeed sinned in the highest degree in blaming God as the occasion of his sin wherewith he was charged yet it is true that the woman whom God gave him to be his helper became a snare unto him by entising him to sin but that was through his own folly who suffered himself to be seduced by her Whence 7 OBSERVE Men may easily by their own folly turn the means ordained by God for their good into snares for their destruction Observe 7 RIches are given by God as a blessing to us if we desire them inordinately delight in and love them depend on and trust in them they become a
dangerous snare 1 Tim. 6.10 Prov. 11.28 Friends and especially wives are great comforts and helps many wayes but if we make them our Oracles they may and often do beguile us Deut. 13.6 Gods sacred word the greatest of all helps and outward blessings the power of God to salvation and the savour of life unto all that receive it as they ought may prove the savour of death if it be not mixed with faith but received into a corrupt heart as meat taken into a fowle stomack may turne into ill humours and so become our poison Much more is this true of Peace Plenty Strength nay of Wisdome it selfe and other abilities of the minde And that 1. Because many of these things though good in themselves yet are of such a nature that the good or evil of them is found only in the use of them and therefore as they are used by us so they prove unto us either good or evil 2. And it is fit that it should be so that God in his Justice should turne good into evil to such as are not good before him as he draws good out of evil it selfe unto all those that love him as the Apostle tells us Rom. 8.28 Let it warne every one of us to use all the helps and blessings which we receive from God with feare and trembling 1. Purging our own hearts carefully for to those which are defiled nothing is pure Tit. 1.15 2. Sanctifying unto our selves the blessings themselves by the word and prayer 1 Tim. 4.5 3. Using all things according to the rule laid down to us in the word and referring them to the end for which he gives them his own glory and the furthering of our Sanctification that he may blesse us in those things the fruit whereof returns unto himself at last If we scan Adams answer a little more thorowly we may easily discover what was his great oversight by which his wives temptation prevailed so much with him and took such effect at last which also God himself points at in the judgment which afterwards he passethupon him namely that he hearkened to his wives voice that is that he yeelded to her motion without examining the ground or warrant of it which was nothing but her bare word and perswasion wheras he ought to have considered First what right she had to bestow on him that fruit which God had forbidden both to him and her Next what power she had to free him from that curse which God had threatned to lay upon them if they did eat that fruit which was forbidden them Whence 8 OBSERVE It is very dangerous to embrace any motion presented unto us without examining the warrant and ground of it Observe 8 JOseph pleads that to his Mistress in bar of that adulterous motion that she makes unto him that he had no warrant to meddle with her neither from God nor man Gen. 39.9 Our Saviour Christ repels Satans fiery darts with the same shield that he had no warrant to turne the stones into bread Mat. 4.4 nor to cast himself down from the pinacle of the Temple ver 7. In the same manner the Apostles answer the Rulers when they silence them that they did that for which they had no warrant to forbid them that which God had commanded them Acts 4.19 But they are noted for fooles that beleeve every word Prov. 14.15 as he that was no sooner tempted by a lewd woman to filthiness but she presently consents to her Prov. 7.22 and Amnon that embraced Jonadabs wicked counsel as soone as he heard it 2 Sam. 13.6 And Joash that enclined to the first motion of his Princes to fall away to idolatry 2 Chron. 24.17 Nay Jehoshaphat himself who consented to joyn with Ahab and to help him against the Syrians found by the event the fruits of their folly in embracing motions tendered to them without examining the grounds of them And good reason it should be so 1. Because this is Gods peculiar prerogative to be beleeved and obeyed upon his Word which when we yield unto men we invest them with his honour and make them in a sort our gods 2. Men are subject to dangerous errors not onely through ignorance which makes them unable to discern between good and evil but besides through inordinate lusts and desires which cast a mist before the understanding and pervert the Judgement so that in hearkning to mens directions we follow blinde guides and then no marvaile though we fall with them into the ditch to our own destruction Mat. 15.14 How Adam the farther he goes the more he sinnes and how every motion of his heart every word and action addes to his transgression til God reclaims him and the observation which might thence be drawn That when men are once perverted in their wayes the farther they go the more they sinne till God change their hearts hath been for the most part handled already upon ver 2. Observ 2. and 6. compared together VERSE 13. AND the Lord said to the woman How is it that he leaves the man before he had drawn him to a more and full acknowledgement of his sin He acknowledgeth the fact indeed but ecxcuseth it withal and there remaine many weighty circumstances by which the sinne was much aggravated which are passed over in silence neither acknowledged by Adam nor enquired after by God himself But we must consider that God had time and means sufficient to perform that work upon Adams conscience afterward in private At present his maine scope is to make it appeare that he had no hand in drawing the man into this sinne by drawing the delinquents both to the confession of the fact and a discovery of the first mover thereunto and the unwillingnesse of the delinquents acknowledgement who though they speak no more then is drawn from them yet utter enough to cleare God of having hand in the sinne makes much for the credit of their testimony on Gods behalf as we have seen already From Adam God turnes next to the woman that she might likewise be convinced of her fact by her own confession and thereby both justifie the equity of the judgement pronounced against her afterwards and besides be drawn to appeach the Serpent as the first Solicitor and enticer to the sinne which was the principal thing that God laboured to discover for the present What is this which thou hast done by transgressing thy self seducing thy husband The question is propounded demanded with some kind of admiration as if God had said How is it possible that thou shouldst be so desperately wicked and sottish as not only to ruine thy self but to be the destruction of thy husband also for whose help and comfort thou wast created The wisdom of God in this examination of the man and woman is not unworthy our observation The maine thing which God sought after was the author and first mover to this sin But of this he mentions not a word to the man before or
offered unto them Thus he deales indeed with his people till the case grow desperate and past remedy 2 Chron. 36.16 and then usually he silenceth his Ministers without and mens consciences within that they may fill up the measure of their iniquity that the wrath of God may come upon them to the uttermost as the Apostle speaks 1 Thes 2.16 Let us account it amongst Gods favours when he will debate with us by his Word challenge us for our sins as he did David by Nathan nay if he terrifie us by threatening his judgments and wrath as he doth Jehoshaphat by Jehu 2 Chron. 19.2 yea and awaken us too by his chastisements Jer. 31.18 19. or raise up our own hearts to smite us 2 Sam. 24.10 but tremble at such a condition when God lets us alone and will have no more to do with us which is an evidence of his deepest displeasure and let no man desire such a judgement unto himself as the wicked do Isa 30.14 that the Holy One of Israel may cease from them The Delinquents are brought in in order and every one as they are found more or lesse guilty so receive a censure proportionable even the Serpent it selfe which is but the instrument which Satan used in this temptation Whence 2 OBSERVE Whosoever hath an hand in any sin shall be sure to have a share in the punishment Observe 2 TRibulation and anguish shall be upon every soule that doth evil Rom. 2.9 whether living under the Law or without the Law ver 12. either at present in the speedy execution of vengeance as the searchers that brought up an ill report upon the Land of Canaan died presently before the Lord Numb 14.37 or in the day of recompence where in not one of the murmuring Congregation escaped the stroak of Gods hand Numb 26.65 as God had before given sentence on them Numb 14.29 or at the farthest they are sure to be called to account at the great day when God shall come to execute vengeance upon all and to convince all that are ungodly and that of all their ungodly deeds and of all their hard speeches Jude 15. when every secret thing shall be brought to judgement Eccles 12.14 Reason 1. God is able both to convince and punish and nothing can be hid from his pure eye or escape his revenging hand 2. The respect to his own honour necessarily moves him to declare himself to be just in rendring to every man according to his deeds and according to his works Psal 62.12 We have already taken notice that the Serpent was only an instrument in this sinne carried on and acted by Satan according to his will and yet he receives his judgement as well as the rest Whence 3 OBSERVE Every instrument in the acting of sin and whatsoever is defiled thereby is liable to Gods curse Observe 3 NOt only the body of a man which the soule useth as an instrument to sin shall be cast into hell with the soule but even insensible creatures must be destroyed if they be abused to sin as the golden calfe was by Moses Exod. 32.20 Manassehs image of the grove by Josiah 2 Kings 23.6 yea the brazen Serpent though erected by Gods own appointment was broken in pieces by Hezekiah being abused to idolatry 2 Kings 18.4 And this may not only be done in justice seeing sin pollutes whatsoever toucheth it but is fit to be done in terrour as well to manifest Gods holinesse in his zeal against sin as to make men tremble at so dangerous an evil as sin is that brings destruction to all that comes near it that all men might feare to abuse wealth food houses apparel wives children servants friends c. as instruments to sin lest the curse of God light both upon them and upon our selves It hath been intimated that although this curse be inflicted upon the Serpent yet withal it was in an especial maner intended for the instruction of the man and woman in whose presence it was denounced against him that they might the more feelingly apprehend the evil of their own sinne which they had voluntarily committed when they beheld so fearful a curse brought upon an involuntary agent in the same transgression Whence 4 OBSERVE One mans punishment ought to be other mens instruction Observe 4 WHether inflicted by men in a course of justice Deut. 13.14 or laid on by Gods immediate hand Zeph. 3.5 6. Thus God makes Abraham acquainted with that fearful judgement which he was to execute upon Sodom that himself and his family might take instruction by it Gen. 18.18 19. And upon the same ground are divers of Gods judgements recorded to posterity Psal 78.6 7. 1 Cor. 10.6 And it stands with good reason that we should make this use of other mens punishment seeing God is no respecter of persons but must measure all with the same line as proceeding alwayes by the same rule of Justice assisted by the same power carried on by the same zeal and holinesse of his nature and having still before his eyes the end even the manifesting of his own glory Besides it is a great honour to God when he thus brings good out of the evil of other mens smart as he doth light out of darknesse that both his power and mercy may be the more admired when he makes other mens poison our medicine and their wounds our healing God both in this judgement which he denounceth against the Serpent and that which follows ver 17. against Adam first expresseth the cause and passeth the censure and that to manifest the equity of his proceeding and in a sort to testifie to the world that though the punishment be his Act yet it is mans desart and consequently brought upon him by himselfe as the fruit of his own sinne Whence 5 OBSERVE God layes his judgement upon no creature but upon just desart Observe 5 THis is evident by allexamples of his Judgments In the old world he brought the flood upon them for their ungodlinesse 2 Pet. 2.5 concemned Sodom and Gomorrah with an overthrow for their filthy conversation 2 Pet. 2.6 7. carried away his people into captivity because their sinnes were encreased Jer. 30.15 as themselves acknowledge Lam. 1.8 and all the world bare witnesse Deut. 29.24 25. much more is it true in his own children Psalm 89.32 Lam. 3.39 Reason 1. His nature fury is not in him Isaiah 27.4 but long-suffering and abundant goodnesse Exod. 34.6 Psal 103.8 13. 2. Respect to his own honour infinitely advanced by manifesting his Justice mercy faithfulnesse and truth which appeares when he dispenseth all his administrations according to mens desarts 3. Neither could he otherwise encourage men to his service but by accepting and rewarding them in well-doing and punishing only their errors and that too with so much moderation that it tends only to their good and not to their destruction Let it move us both to justifie God in his Judgements with the Princes 2 Chron. 12. Psal 51.4 acknowledging
66 The Provisions which God allowes us for this Life are of wonderful variety p. 67 Whatsoever God-bestowes upon us he bestowes Freely and Fully p. 68 The most Righteous amongst the Sons of Men must live under a Law p. 70 The Will of God is that which Man is to take for his Rule Page 71 God is pleased to give a Law to furnish us with all needful Means to further us in the performance of our Duties pag. 72 The Matters in which God delights to try our Obedience are in themselves of no great importance p. 73 Our Abundance and Delights must be used within the Limits of Obedience ibid. Disobedience is a fearful Sin in Gods Account p. 74 The Terrours of the Law are Useful to the best amongst the sons of Men p. 75 Death and Destruction are in Gods Hand ibid. All kinds of Evils and Miseries are the Wages of Sin p. 76 Gods Judgments are certain as well as his Promises of Mercy p. 77 Vengeance and Judgment follow Sin at the heeles ibid. Verse 18. God knowes all our Wants and makes Provision to supply them p. 80 Gods Providence and abundant goodnesse never failes us p. 81 A Solitary life is an uncomfortable life p. 82 God takes Notice of our Wants as a Faithful Helper p. 83 God makes nothing but for some necessary use and to some profitable end ibid. A Wife is not good till it be not good to be without a Wife p. 84 It is Gods Will that a man should be the better for his Wife p. 85 It is only God that must supply our Wants p. 86 Nothing moves God to Compassion but his own bounty and goodnesse ibid. A VVife is but an Helper to her husband p. 87 A Wife cannot be a good VVife unlesse she be a Meet and a Fit VVife p. 88 Verse 19. Gods Mercies should be precious unto us p. 90 We must know the unserviceablenesse of other things that we may Approve the profitablenesse of that which is truly good p. 91 God can dispose of the Creatures to be where he Appoints them ibid. Man may lawfully use that power over the Creatures which God hath put into his hand p. 92 God is pleased to employ men in many things which of right belong unto himself ibid. Verse 20. No Creature can be applyed to any other use then that for which it was first created by God p. 94 Beasts are not comfortable companions for men p. 95 Verse 21. Sleep and quiet Rest are given by God himself p. 97 God is pleased to manifest his VVorks to men ibid. God takes care for us even while we sleep p. 98 God delights to vary his wayes in all his operations ibid. Gods VVayes and VVorks are full of holy Instructions p. 100 The VVife must be neither her husbands Lord nor Vassal ibid. A VVife should be a strong Helper to her Husband p. 101 God requires nothing of us that may hurt us ibid. God takes nothing from us but he takes care to recompence it to us p. 102 It is usual with God to leave with us lively Remembrances of his Mercies ibid. Verse 22. God can change any thing into what Form he pleaseth Page 104 God is Exact in all the works that he undertakes ibid. Women as well as men are Gods own workmanship ibid. God hath allowed but one Wife to one man p. 105 Man hath nothing but what God bestowes upon him p. 106 Every Child of God must desire to receive his Wife from Gods hand ibid. Verse 23. Gods Blessings ought to be entertained by us with Thankfulnesse p. 108 We may know as much of Gods Wayes and Works as concerns us for the quickening of us unto our Duties p. 109 It is Consent that makes the Marriage between Man and Wife p. 110 The best amongst men need to be minded of their Duty p. 111 Verse 24. Marriage of Man and Woman is an Ordinance of God p. 113 Married persons must be wholly and entirely one to another p. 114 Married persons are to adhere and cleave firmly one to another ibid. Verse 25. Nakednesse of mans Body was Glorious till Sin made it shameful p. 116 Inordinate Motions to evil thoughts arise from the corruption of the heart within ibid. CHAP. III. SAtans End in his Tempting of Gods people Page 10 Of the Means by which Satan endeavoured to move Eve to question Gods Love to Man p. 12 Satan's cunning Endeavours to winne credit and a good opinion of himself p. 14 Satan's Practice to take away from the woman the terrour of the Curse threatned by God p. 16 Satan's Practice to fasten mans heart to dependance upon the Creature page 17 A Consideration of Satans great Art in managing this Temptation p. 20 Verse 1. It is the câ—stome of Satan to attempt men before they be settled in a course of godlinesse p. 27 Satan contrives Mischief against such as never provoked him p. 28 No place can free us from Satans Assaults p. 29 Satan is the Authour of every sinful Motion p. 30 Satan makes choice of the fittest Instruments he can find for his own wicked Ends. p. 31 Cunning and Subtile persons are dangerous Instruments to deceive p. 22 No Advantage can assure a Child of God from the Temptations of Satan p. 33 Our Weaknesse is Satan's Advantage p. 35 Solitarinesse is many times a Snare p. 36 Satans main End is Mans Destruction ibid. Satan usually pretends the good of those whom he intends to destroy Satan and his Agents in tempting men to sin are very wary in discovering their full intentions at first p. 40 Discretion and Warinesse in mens Actions ought to hinder the Effectual prosecution of that which they intend p. 41 The forgetting of Gods Mercies is a great means to take off a mans heart from him ibid. It is a dangerous Snare to a man to have his Eyes too much fixed upon his Wants p. 42 The Nature of Man is apt to be carried against all Restraint and Subjection p. 43 Ambiguous and Doubtful expressions are dangerous Snares p. 44 Verse 2. It is dangerous to lay open our selves freely to persons unknown p. 45 It is dangerous to question Evident and Known Truths p. 46 Blasphemous Suggestions ought not to be heard without indignation p. 47 When Gods Mercies are mentioned we must remember his Name that bestowes them ibid. Gods Mercies ought not to be represented in weak and cold Expressions p. 48 Verse 3. Mens Speeches are Proportioned according to the measure of the affections of the heart p. 50 When we remember any Law of God we ought to set before us the Sanction annexed thereunto p. 51 When we lay the Law of God before us we must fix our thoughts upon him that gives it p. 52 It is an hard matter to bring mans heart to submit unto any yoke of restraint p. 53 Whosoever will not be entangled to sin must not come near them p. 54 The sleighting of the Curse of the Law makes way to the Transgression
follow and to intimate that as he was now taken from the soil out of which he was made to be removed into Paradise So he should one day be removed from the Earth from which he had his Originall unto Heaven a place of all delights and pleasures for evermore The time when man was put into Paradise seeing the Holy Ghost hath passed it over in silence it will be lost labour to enquire after To dresse it Or use such husbandry about it by sowing setting pruning watering and thereby preserving and increasing the fruitfulnesse of those fruits wherewith God had stored that pleasant Garden that they might be the more serviceable to man both for his food and comfort A very equall law that man should bestow paines upon that whereof himself was to receive the benefit And the onely outward imployment which at that time was to be found for him or have exercised his posterity after him if man had not fallen This dressing or Husbandry of Paradise by Adam was far from that toilsome drudgery in which men are now exercised eating their bread in the sweat of their browes a bondage which was brought upon man by sin Seeing the Creatures then needed lesse attendance then now they do And Adam was then more able to labour without wearinesse then now men are by reason of the manifold infirmities of their bodies from which he was free Besides the weaknesse of their minds which are not now so Inventive and Judicious to devise the readiest and easiest way to order their works This labour of Adams whatsoever it was must be esteemed as a part of his Abasement although it had this honour mixed withall that man was therein as it were a fellow worker with God in the way of his Providence for the conservation of his Creatures Withall the employment as it was full of delight so it brought with it much profit as being a great meanes to lead the man on to a more exact Observation of the works of God in the wonderfull variety of the severall effects wrought in the Creatures according to their different natures and manifested to him by his own experience in his attendance upon them and labouring about them which must needs both affect his mind with a wonderful delight and exercise it in a continual admiration of Gods Wisdom and quicken it in an Holy rejoycing in his goodnesse and establish it in a firm dependance upon his faithfulnesse and Truth And keep it In order and fruitfulnesse The word may imply either the continuance of Adams labour or the effect of it or both He should so dresse the Garden that it might be preserved and kept every way The whole in the beauty and good order of it for delight and the several plants in strength and vigor for fruitfulnesse all reserved and kept several from the beasts of the field that might otherwise tread down or hurt those plants wherewith God had stored this pleasant Garden This labour in which God exercised our first Parents and which he injoynes them as their task implies their duty towards the Creatures which as God had put under mans government so he appoints him to take care of for their preservation doing about them such services as might conduce the reunto so that we have here laid before us the foundation of mens particular Callings and the scope of them which are services about the Creatures for their preservation and thereby for supporting of Community So that as man in a sort partakes with God in his Soverainty over them so he might some way resemble Him in his Care and Providence for their good Wherefore this Law given to Adam must be the more heedfully observed and more carefully searched into In which we may 1. Observe Every son of Adam is bound to some imployment or other in a particular Calling Observ 1 A Commandement given to Adam when the whole nature of man was in him is a Commandement given not so much to his person in particular as generally to all that are partakers of that nature and that not for the present but for ever as long as man hath an abiding upon earth All things are full of labour saith the Wise Man Eccl. 1.5 6 7 8. The Heavens and Sunne and Moon and Stars the Seas the Windes That which is a law to all Creatures to be exercised and imployed for their mutuall preservation is much more a duty unto man unto which God directs us 1. By laying a necessity upon all Creatures here below of subsisting by mutuall support and assistance one of another men and beasts by food plants by Culture Cattell by care in storing up provision for them in Summer to sustain them in Winter 2. By disposing and placing the Creatures so that without mans labour they are unserviceable as Mettals Stones and other Mineralls yea oftentimes Soil for manurance of grounds are placed below in the bowels of the Earth where they are unuseful thornes we see grow in Thickets where they cumber the Ground which by mans labour being set abroad they fence All kind of materials for Cloathing building and most for food without labour would be utterly unserviceable Few things are indeed by nature either so prepared or so placed as they may be fit for use without Labour 3. God directs to labour by making it appear that these things by labour are made usefull and serviceable which without it would be of little use at all As corn by grinding and baking flesh by roasting or boyling become good food VVoole and flax by dressing Spinning and VVeaving make us good Cloathing and generally labour brings in wealth Prov. 10.4 and thereby through Gods Blessing there is profit Prov. 14.23 Thus the Commandement as it is Generall so it is urged upon men by necessity that men must either labour or starve 2 Thess 3.10 Yea and labour the thing that is good Eph. 4.28 Either by Inventing Directing or Executing things needfull for the preservation of the Creatures and particularly for the supporting of Humane society both in things Naturall and Spirituall This Ordinance of God concerning mans labour as are all the rest of his lawes is both equal and good 1. That men might exercise their love to the Creatures wherein they some wayes resemble God Himself 2. That they might have some title in Equity to the use of the Creatures which they preserve by their labour 3. That by busying themselves about the Creatures they might the better observe God in his various works In and By them that so they might yield him his due honour and quicken their hearts to more chearfulnesse in his service and settle them in a faithful dependance upon him 4. That their employments about the Creatures might keep their hearts both from vain and idle thoughts and from swelling with the apprehension of their Lordship and Soveraignty over them 5. That the Body of man being exercised as well as his Mind might at present be the better preserved in health
finde the wowan allured by the view of the fruit forbidden and to fall to the eating of it assoon as she had consented to the sinne we may upon good ground conclude that the place was not only Paradise but the very midst of Paradise where it is most likely the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil stood not far from the Tree of Life The devil as it may be guessed forbearing to presse the temptation till it might be strengthened by the view of that pleasant fruit to the eating whereof he intended to allure our first Parents The rather because all his hope of prevailing stood in the suddennesse of the assault by which the woman being surprised unawares and at an instant overlaid with all the Art and Power which Satan could use before she could recollect her selfe might be overtaken and conquered unto which how much the view of that pleasant object conduced appears by the ensuing Narration Verse 1. Now or But as some others render it for although that particle Va very frequently signifies And yet in this place it seemes rather to be if not an Adversitive yet at least a Discretive then a Conjunctive particle as it is also taken in the first verse of the former Chapter As if Moses had said Thus we see how God had every way manifested his Goodnesse and Bounty towards man not ceasing to heap upon him blessings upon blessings till he had made him perfectly happy And thus man continued in a blessed condition till he was perverted by Satan to his own destruction But how he fell away from God to the utter ruine of himself and his posterity unlesse the Lord out of his abundant mercy and compassion had restored him again will appear in the ensuing Narration Thus when the Holy Ghost had represented God acting his part in Holinesse Mercy and Truth he brings in the Divel on the Stage walking contrary to God in a course of malice subtilty and falshood to overthrow and pervert the order of all that God had made The Serpent The Hebrew name coming from a word which signifies to observe subtilly or wittily might be applied indifferently either to the beast it selfe or to Satan that spake by it But the comparing of the Serpent with other beasts of the field in this place and the kinde of the curse which was laid upon him afterwards discover him to be a true Serpent indeed of which creature why the Devil made choice above the rest we shall see anon For the present it may justly be enquired why Moses names only the Serpent and makes no mention of the Devil at all who was the principal Agent and made use of the Serpent only as the Instrument in this designe The reason hereof we may guesse to be twofold First because there had been hitherto no mention made of the Creation of those invisible spirits or of their Fall the intention of Moses being as it seemes to relate only the History of the Visible World the name of the Divel is not mentioned here because nothing had been spoken of him before and the rather because though he be not named yet he must necessarily be supposed to be the Author of this whole Discourse between the Serpent and the Woman which could not possibly be framed by an irrational creature And seeing Satan is called in other places as namely Rev. 12.15 and 20.2 by the name of a Serpent we may in this place under that name Serpent understand both the Beast and the Devil who used him as his Instrument seeing both are called in Scripture by the same name Secondly Moses his intention being principally to clear God of having any hand in Adams sinne thinkes it fittest to lay before us only the visible passages of the temptation as namely what was uttered and by whom as being most manifest in themselves and consequently the strongest evidences for the clearing of that truth leaving the secret passages which could not so easily be discovered by sense to our guesse as the invisible Author of the temptation the motions of the womans heart against God and the several thoughts which affected her minde which being not subject to outward observation might be easily affirmed but hardly proved More subtile The Serpents subtilty is mentioned elsewhere both in Scripture and in other Authors which some conceive might have been greater before Adams fall then now it is supposing that besides the general decay which came upon all creatures thereby God might justly take away or at least impaire the natural abilities of this creature above the rest being employed by Satan for mans destruction But suppose the Serpents subtilty to be never so great yet seeing it could not be a reasoning or discoursing subtilty which way could Satan make use of that for the perswading of a reasonable creature If there were any Authour of such an opinion or if the word in the Original did any way favour it a man might probably guesse that the Serpents subtilty here mentioned was only his aptnesse to slide and convey himselfe closely into Paradise unespied of Adam or his wife till a fit opportunity presented it selfe to give the onset for we call them subtile men who walk secretly and unseen in all their wayes But that we leave unto the Readers consideration rather proposing this as a guesse then prescribing it to be embraced as a certain truth And he said That is Satan by him if under the name Serpent we understand both the Agent and the Instrument seeing it is out of question that the Devil framed both the voice and the discourse as God did afterwards when he spake to Balaam by his Asse Notwithstanding the voice is ascribed to the Serpent because no other Authour of it appeared to the woman But why doth the Devil make use of a creatures voice when he might have suggested all that the Serpent speakes without a voice as he did to David 1 Chron. 21.1 and doth ordinarily to Gods children as well as to wicked men and by that meanes hath been lesse discovered Whatsoever Satans policy was therein we may probably conceive that God purposely over-ruled him in his way to the end that the whole course of the temptation being carried on openly and made subject to sense it might be made manifest to the world that this suggestion came neither from God nor from any evil disposition of minde that God created in man but only from the malice and subtilty of Satan who having fallen away from God himselfe desired to draw in man to be a party with him in his rebellion partly out of envie against God and partly out of malice to man Withal it cannot be denied but that the weaknesse of so contemptible an instrument must needs discover mans infirmity who was mastered by so base an enemy and withal aggravate his sinne in obeying the voice and believing the word of one of the meanest of his own vassals against the peremptory Command and faithful Promise of
by Gods interdiction And that it was pleasant to the eyes Which perhaps she had not taken notice of before as not thinking it fit to look upon that with observation which she might not touch or if perhaps she had looked upon it she beheld it not with the same affection before that now she did which made it now more delightful in her eyes then it had been before This seems to be the womans first outward act in this sinne of hers the gazing upon this fruit with delight And a tree to be desired The womans desire after this fruit is not mentioned by Moses till he come to speak of getting knowledge to intimate that although the beauty of the fruit in her eye and the usefulnesse of it for food might somewhat affect her yet that which set her heart on fire with the desire after it was especially and chiefly the hope of getting the knowledge of good and evil To make one wise or prudent as some translate it although as it seemes not so properly nor agreeably to the sense of the Holy Ghost seeing the wisdom here spoken of must be the same which had before been mentioned by Satan and consisteth rather in contemplation then in practice and therefore must be conceived to be rather Sapience then Prudence or at least must include them both She took of the fruit thereof Which before she had acknowledged she might not touch Now in this kinde of expression the Holy Ghost discovers unto us the Rule by which the woman now guided her self namely by the lusts of her own heart and no longer by the Commandment and Will of God It was now no impediment to her to eate of the fruit of that tree because God had forbidden it it was a sufficient warrant to her to take and eate it because she desired it Withal we have here pointed out unto us the several steps and degrees by which the woman went on till she came up to the height of her sinne she saw she desired she took and eat and at the last gave unto her husband that he might eate And gave also to her husband Having questionless found the fruit as grateful to her taste as she expected but not as Satan with an intention to beguile him but out of love to make him partaker with her of this new-found meanes of her happinesse Thus Satan blinded her eyes and God left her to her selfe to be insensible of the evil which she had brought upon her selfe till she had been led on by Satan to do as much mischief as she might and drawen her husband into the same condition with her With her That is to eate with her or as she had done For otherwise he must needs be with her in the same place when she gave him of the fruit to eat Now whether she went after him to finde him out or whether he came to her of himself and when and whether before she had eaten of the fruit or after which is most probable it is uncertain and not much material to be known And he did eate By his wives perswasion as well as by her offer of the fruit and by her example for ver 17. God censures him for hearkening to the voice of his wife By what words or arguments she prevailed with him it is not expressed it is most probable that she related unto him all that which she had heard from Satan before which the Holy Ghost thinks not needful to repeat again as affecting brevity and having this only scope to manifest that God had no finger in Adams sinne but that the woman was tempted and deceived by Satan and the man by the woman Thus were the two fountaines out of which all mankinde issued both poisoned and corrupted and consequently of necessity by them their whole posterity after them seeing there can be nothing clean drawn out of that which is unclean We have then in this verse set before our eyes the success and effect of Satans temptation First the womans affections are distempered and corrupted by her outward senses and both by them and by Satans suggestions her Minde and Judgement are perverted till she breaks out at last into the actual transgression of Gods Commandment and drawes her husband after her Secondly it is probable that the woman might have seen this tree before without any inordinate affection towards the fruit thereof it may be that it was not then so pleasant in her eyes as it now appeares unto her after Satan had by his suggestions distempered her heart and kindled her affections to an inordinate desire after it and then it seems very beautiful in her eyes Whence 1 OBSERVE Things usually appear unto us as we stand affected towards them in our hearts Observe 1 TO men of carnal minds carnal things seem to be matters of great worth as Riches to the covetous Honour to the ambitious Beauty to the adulterous and dainty fare to the voluptuous because their affections and desires are towards them As likewise on the other side Christ and his Righteousnesse Grace and Glory seem in their eyes to be matters of small value because their affections are against them Nay the very objects of sense and much more the arguments that are brought and presented to us in discourse seem more or lesse weighty and consequently make a deeper or sleighter impression and prevaile more or lesse with us as our hearts stand affected the one way or the other As it happens in our bodies that contagious sicknesses yea distempers of heaâ— or cold and the like prevaile more or lesse upon men according as the body it selfe is inwardly disposed Let it be then the care and labour of every man to get those carnal and sensual affections wherewith all our hearts naturally are possessed subdued and mortified our selves renewed in the spirit of our mindes and our hearts changed from this carnal and earthly disposition to a spiritual and heavenly frame lest they remaining carnal and earthly still represent things unto us not according to truth but according to their own temper as a distempered taste doth the relish of our meats and so beguile us by corrupting our judgements which must necessarily lead us into dangerous errours making evidences of heavenly truths small and sensual objects great And let all men be careful to take heed of judging of any thing when their mindes are distempered with any passion or giving much heed unto such mens judgements who manifest themselves to be engaged in their affections before-hand By that which we have already considered in the prevailing of Satan by this temptation it appears that we cannot lay the blame of drawing the woman to this sin upon the fruit of this tree which she had in all probability beheld before this without sinne but it was the impression made upon her heart by Satans suggestions which made that fruit a snare unto her now which was none before Whence 2 OBSERVE Sinne proceeds not from the outward
wherein the Delinquents after conference what to do and resolution taken to make them coverings for their bodies might put in execution what they had resolved upon all which could not be done in a moment Withal it seems probable that although God suffered them not to rest long quiet in their sinne yet that he gave them some time to see what they would do and finding their thoughts about their own condition and the providing of a remedy for it to vanish into smoke their eyes being fixed wholly upon the fruitlesse consideration of their outward misery without taking notice of the sin which brought it on them or the pollution of their soules thereby far more shameful then that which they observed in their bodies he calls them to account and points out unto them their sinne of rebellion and misery that came upon them thereby both in the examination and judgement thereupon That it might appear that their repentance was Gods only work being they were far from it till God awakened and touched their hearts as well as the Promise of life was meerly from his free grace the one wrought in them and the other bestowed on them without their desire and much more without their desert as appears by the ensuing Narration If place might be given to conjectures we might probably guesse that the Creation being ended the sixth day the Law was given on the seventh in which also the woman as the duty of that day required surveighing the fruits of the Garden was seduced by Satan and fell and that this judgement passed upon her and her husband the eighth day or first of the second week when also Christ was promised and his Conquest over Satan which was perfected by his Resurrection from the dead which was upon the eighth day or first day of the week But these are only conjectures And Adam and his wife hid themselves Finding their fig-leaves too sleight a covering to hide them from Gods all-seeing eye they betake themselves to another refuge shifting out of the way as they fondly imagine that they might not give an account for that which they could not justifie From the face of Jehovah From him whose presence they rejoyced and took so much comfort in before the same God becomes now a terrour to them A fearful consequent of sinne The like terrour at the Presence of God we finde in Satan Mat. 8.29 and in all wicked men Rev. 6.16 But see their folly for whither could they flie from his presence Psal 139.7 which filleth all places Amongst the trees Still they run to the creature But alas how could those trees hide them from the Presence even of men much lesse could they hide them from the face of Jehovah Behold now the fulfilling of Satans promise and so the wisdom that they had gotten by following his counsel In this branch of the History we have set before our eyes concerning our first Parents their Examination by God himself manifesting his presence sundry wayes Summons Indictment and Conviction of them severally by which is at length discovered the first Author of their Apostasy and Rebellion The censure and judgement after their conviction In this whole Processe God is further cleared of having any hand at all in the sin of our first Parents 1. By the Confession of the Delinquents discovering at last though unwillingly which addes much to the credit of their testimony the Author of this cursed motion 2. By the punishment inflicted by God upon his own creatures to whom he had manifested so much love before and whom in compassion at present he preserves from utter ruine And therefore in not sparing them for their offence he discovers his perfect hatred of sin whereof therefore he cannot be conceived to be either the Worker or Perswader Man had sinned against God but as we see never comes near him to acknowledge his sin nay flies from him till God findes him out and hales him as it were by force out of his lurking hole to appear before him Whence 1 OBSERVE If men will not draw near unto God yet he will finde them out in their sins and bring them into judgement before him Observe 1 THus he foundout Cains murther of his brother Abel Achans sacriledge Davids secret contrivance of Urijahs death Ahabs murther of innocent Naboth Sauls covetousnesse in saving the best of the Amalekites cattel Gebazies bribery Ananias and Sapphiraes fraud This as he can do in whose sight all things are naked Heh 4.13 and no sin is hid from him Psal 89.5 So he doth it 1. To manifest his Providence that it may be known that he observes mens wayes and considers them Psal 33.13 14. lest it should be thought that he hath forsaken the earth Ezech. 9.9 or at least regards not what men do as they speak Psal 94.7 2. That by this means he may manifest his justice when he renders to all according to their deeds that so all flesh may tremble before him when they know that their works are discovered and observed and shall be censured Let all those that have sinned come and prepare to meet their God Amos 4 12. who can neither be blinded nor escaped nor resisted that they may take hold of his strength to make peace with him Considering 1. That it is more credit to come in voluntarily then to be drawen in by force 2. A readier way to obtain pardon as Benhadads Lords found by experience 1 King 20.32 and David much more in submitting unto God Psal 32.5 3. If we come not in voluntarily God will bring us in by force which will be worse for us every way Now if in this enquiry of God after Adam we look at the end he aimed at which was by convincing the offendors and laying their sin before them to bring them in to sue for pardon and to embrace the Covenant of peace which he out of his free bounty tenders unto them in the close of this Conference We may 2 OBSERVE God who hath all the wrong when he is provokod by our sins is the first that seekes to make peace with us Observe 2 HEreof we have divers and full precedents in Scripture as namely Isa 1.16 17 18 Jer. 3.12 13 14. Hos 14.1 2. Now this God performs sundry ways 1. He all ures us by his mercies as he promised to deal with his people Hos 2.14 15. 2. By the inward and secret perswasions of his Spirit in giving them hearts to returne Zech. 12.12 3. By the effectual ministery of the Gospel wherein he doth not only offer unto us but perswade and beseech us to embrace those termes of peace which he offers as the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 5.20 The reason is 1. Necessity seeing we cannot turne our hearts unto him unlesse he drawes us John 6.44 which moves the Church to pray Turne us and we shall be turned Jer. 31.18 2. The fitness of this way to advance the free mercy of God the more that all mens boasting may be
justly do because we usually offend most in our delights when we let our hearts loose and keep not so strait a watch over them as we ought an evil which Job feared his children would fall into in their feasting Job 1.5 And thus it is fit for him to do in mercy towards his own children who by this meanes are kept the more in awe when they see they walk now here securely but in a course of holy obedience which is the meanes by stirring us up to watchfulnesse to prevent many of those evils that delights and pleasures might otherwise lead us into Let all men then carefully observe and judge themselves both at all times and in all places especially in the midst of their honours wealth and pleasures walking alwayes therein with feare Remembring 1. That in our delights we have most snares to entangle us and baits to deceive us and therefore have the more need both to look to our selves before-hand and to examine and call our selves often and strictly to account as God directs his own people to do Deut. 8.12 13. 2. Then above all times our hearts are most easie to be assaulted when the thoughts being so much fixed upon these objects of outward senses there must of necessity be lesse observance and heed-taking to the motions of the heart within 3. That those delights may bring us in danger of but cannot secure us from Gods judgements which nothing can prevent but the judging of our selves 1 Cor. 11.31 The time when God calls the offendors to account is not precisely expressed but only in general signified to be in the winde of the day noting either the morning or the evening whether of the two it is uncertain as also what day it was whether the same day wherein they had sinned or some other day following Only it is generally agreed that the judgment was not long behind the sin so that we may probably conceive it was not deferred beyond the next day at the farthest And yet withal in Gods proceeding unto judgement there appears to have been such a pause between the sin and the censure that the offendors had sufficient time to bethink themselves what they had done seeing they had so much leisure as to devise and provide meanes to cover their nakednesse So that in calling them to account he gives them so much time as might be sufficient to examine their own act and yet not so much as might harden their hearts to make them secure in their sinne Whence 6 OBSERVE It is very needful to observe a fit season in dealing with offendors after they have sinned Observe 6 AS in sins to be reformed by brotherly correction though we are directed to rebuke our brother plainly Lev. 19.17 yet will it be needful sometimes to give some respite ere we deal with him waiting 1. Till the passion be over and the minde transported thereby be come to it self again as Abigail would not deal with her husband Nabal in his drunkennesse till he was sober again 1 Sam. 25.37 as men forbear to give Physick in an Ague till the fit be over 2. Till God invite us by some opportunity which may much facilitate the work that we go about as when God inwardly awakens the sinners conscience as it seems Davids heart smote him for numbering the people before God sent the Prophet to him 2 Sam. 24.10 or outwardly by afflictions which he sends softens their hearts and makes them more ready to embrace counsel as when Judges are overthrown in stony places words will be sweet Psal 141.6 otherwise delayes in dealing with men in fouler sins are dangerous where deferring to deal with the sinner 1. May harden the heart as Eccl. 8.11 2. Or gives way to the full accomplishment of the sinne which might be prevented by speedy admonition and so God dealt with King Abimelech assoon as he had taken Sarah into his house before he had come near her to prevent his adultery Gen. 20.3 3. Or when one mans sin is taken into example and others are drawn into the like evil Thus God takes a speedy course for the cutting off such as were joyned unto Pehor because it was a spreading sin Numb 25.15 Thus we stop the breaking out of a fire or the breaking of a flood in the beginning for the preventing of a greater mischief How God appears and draws near to Adam to call him to account for his sinne we have seen how Adam carries himself towards him we are now to consider The nearer God comes to him the farther he flies out of his presence which doubtlesse before had been his comfort Whence 7 OBSERVE The Presence of God is terrible to a sinner Observe 7 TO Satan Mat. 8.9 to all wicked men Rev. 6.16 who therefore desire his departing from them Job 21.14 even in his Ordinances as those wicked Jewes desire the holy One of Israel may cease from them Isa 30.11 yea even the godly sometimes tremble at his Presence out of the conscience of sin as Manoah did who thought he should die because he had seen the Lord Judg. 13.22 and Jacob feares when God appears unto him in a vision Gen. 28.17 and Peter when Christ by a miracle manifests himself to be a God Luke 5.8 which in Gods children happens by the apprehension of their vilenesse and sinfulnesse never so fully manifested unto them as by the sight of Gods Majesty Job 42.5 6. and holinesse Isa 6.5 and in wicked men by consideration of his Power and Justice from whom therefore upon the conscience of their own sinful courses they expect nothing but wrath and vengeance Mat. 8.29 Behold then the miserable condition into which sinne hath brought us which hath changed our greatest desire Psal 42.2 and joy Psal 16.11 and content Psal 17.15 into the greatest terrour especially unto the wicked who neither can flie from Gods Presence Psal 139.7 nor endure his revenging hand Surely those that many times cannot stand before the horrour of their own consciences nor look upon the faces of Gods Ambassadours or endure to heare their voice with what terrour and trembling of heart shall they behold the face of Christ Himself and heare his voice when he shall come in flaming fire to render vengeance to all that obey not the Gospel and pronounce against them that fearful and irrevocable sentence Go ye cursed c 2. Behold the comfort of a good conscience wherein we may behold the face of God with comfort and confidence 1 John 3.21 but not in our selves but in the Name of Jesus Christ who hath by his mediation established with us a Covenant of peace between God and us Rom. 5.1 and purchased unto us accesse with boldnesse to the throne of grace Heb. 4.16 so that we cannot only rejoyce at present in Gods Presence with us in his Ordinances but withal love and long for his appearance when he shall come in his glory 2 Tim. 4.8 Rev. 22.20 But let us consider farther how these poor
amazed creatures being now fallen off from God labour to shift for themselves and to hide from the Presence of God They discover the nakednesse of their bodies and their shame thereby for that they provide a covering of fig-leaves God begins to shew himself for all their covering they dare not come into his sight they finde a shift for that too and run behinde the trees to hide themselves what would all this profit them to the taking away of their sin and recovering of their former happinesse which was that which they should have laboured for but was not at all in their thoughts We may then hence 8 OBSERVE When men are once fallen away from God they are left to miserable and unprofitable shifts Observe 8 TO hide under falshood and vanity Isa 28.15 To an arme of flesh Jer. 17.5 which proves like a broken reede and pierceth the hand of him that leanes on it To make riches their high wall Prov. 18.11 which availe not in the day of wrath To strong holds which like ripe figs fall into the mouth of the eater Nahum 3.12 which when they have stayed themselves on all their life at the latter end they are discovered to be fooles Jer. 17.11 and shall not see when good cometh ver 6. and may be compared to a man who being halfedrowned graspeth after the woods in the bottome of the water which help him only to hasten his destruction Reason 1. It cannot be otherwise when men are once gone away from God in whom only is true comfort and safety and his Name a strong tower which they that run unto are safe and from whom is the efficacy of all meanes which without him can do neither good nor evil 2. God in his just judgement when men honour him not as God deprives them of that wisdome Let it be the wisdom of all those that desire their own good to cleave fast unto God and to cast away the unprofitable dependancies upon the creature which 1 In it self taken apart from God in whom all things subsist is meer vanity 2. Is of use only in this present life 3. And here useful only to the outward man but can neither secure the conscience nor make the heart better nor much lesse reach to eternity 4. If it could protect us from men it cannot prevail against the Power of God 1. If they could do that cannot interest us in his favour which only is our life and happinesse It is observable that Adam flies from God who came only to shew him his sinne and to offer him the meanes of recovering his favour and happinesse by Jesus Christ as is manifested in the sequel Whence 9 OBSERVE Men are naturally apt to flie from the meanes of their own good Observe 9 TO forsake the fountain of living waters Jer. 2.13 Gods Ordinances and wayes Job 21.14 ordained by God unto men for their good Deut. 6.24 which if one do he shall live in them Lev. 18.15 leaving the pathes of uprightnesse to walk in the wayes of darknesse Prov. 2 13. nay to forsake God himself Israel would none of him though he offered himself unto him upon the best termes Psal 81.11 seeking Egypt rather then Canaan bondage rather then liberty Thus all men by nature love darknesse rather then light John 3 19. flie from all communion with God with Christ from his Word his Ministers whom for telling the truth they account their bitter enemies Gal. 4.16 and this is not only the perversenesse of some who persist to the last in the wayes of their own ruine but even of such as God afterwards prevailes withal to hearken to his own counsel and recovers out of Satans snares The Prodigal sonne not only goes from his father at first but will rather adhere to a Citizen a stranger to him yea and live by swines meat then returne back to his own father and yet pinched by extreme necessity returnes and is reconciled unto him at last The reason is 1. Mens ignorance of spiritual things wherein their true good consists when Christ came into the world the world knew him not John 1.10 and no marvel for they having only the use of natural that is carnal reason must need mistake spiritual things which because they cannot comprehend they account them foolishnesse 1 Cor. 2.14 2. The wisdome of the flesh being enmity against God as many as are of the flesh must needs hate him and therefore cannot submit unto him 3. The wayes of attaining true good are by denial of ones self and all the lusts of the flesh which is impossible for any man to do remaining in his natural condition If any man then desire to be directed aright in a way to seek his own good let him not take his own wisdome into counsel nor follow the direction of any that are guided by no better light then that of nature which being enmity against God cannot but carry us away from him who is our happinesse and safety to take hold of broken reeds that pierce our hands when we rest upon them but let us open our eares to the counsels of wisdom and pray for a new heart that may be guided by Gods Spirit which both shews unto a man the way of his own and perswades him to embrace it so that he shall not depart from it as he hath promised Jer. 32.40 How the woman sleighted the curse which God had denounced upon the eating of the forbidden fruit and for all that adventures boldly to break the Commandment we have seen Now God comes to call them to account for what they had done we see what terrour seizeth both upon her and her husband Whence 10 OBSERVE The terrours of God shall first or last shake the hearts of all those that do most sleight his judgements Observe 10 AS is evident in the examples of Pharaoh Exod. 8.8 28. and 9.27 28. and 10.16 17. of Zidkijah 1 Kings 22.25 Belshazzar Dan. 5.6 Pashur Jer. 20.3 4. and shall be much more clearly and generally manifested at the last day by that dreadful horrour that shall seize upon all the wicked Rev. 6.16 Indeed unlesse God should in this manner deal with the wicked of the world he should 1. Suffer his Honour to be trampled under foot and his Authority and Power despised 2. Harden the hearts of wicked men in mischief Eccl. 8 11. 3. There is no fitter judgement nor more proportionable to the sinne then to punish security and contempt with feare and terrour The conscience of Delinquents could not but testifie their guilt and now they no sooner heare a voice but they conceive presently that God is come to call them to account and to take vengeance on them whereupon they labour to shift out of sight and to hide themselves among the trees Whence 11 OBSERVE A guilty conscience is filled with terrours upon every occasion Observe 11 THis was Cains case who stood in feare of every one that he met lest he should kill him Gen.
wrought upon them that they humbled themselves under his hand and thereby prevented their utter ruine 2 Chron 12.5 7. and the sick man findes that his perverting of righteousnesse had brought him into that sad condition before he seeks to God for favour Job 33.27 28. The reason 1. There can be no meanes of removing evil but by taking away the cause of it neither is there any meanes to take that away till it be known 2. Besides God can no way gain so much honour as when men by searching out the cause of the evils that befal them finde and acknowledge that their destruction is from themselves Hos 13.9 He nee it is that the Lord oftentimes makes the judgement whien he inflicts to point it out either by the kinde of the judgement or by some circumstance of the Time Place Instrument or the like by the observation whereof the evil it self that brought that judgement on us may be made manifest especially if we take with us for the discovery thereof the light of Gods Word VERSE 10 I Heard thy voice in the Garden In both Adams answers we may by his shifting easily discover his unwillingnesse to confesse any more then needs he must which is a great evidence that what he speaks is truth not only because it is against himself but besides because he shewes his unwillingnesse to acknowledge any more then he is pressed unto and convinced of to his faceâ— In this first clause of his answer he acknowledgeth his feare to be the cause of his flight but when he alledgeth the voice of God to be the cause of his feare he by implication chargeth God himself as if the terrour of his voice which he could not endure had driven him away And I was afraid The feare of reverence had not been blame worthy but commendable but that would not have driven him to his beeles and yet this is the feare he seemes to alledge in his defence when he addes in the next clause that his nakednesse made him feare when he heard Gods voice But yet he answers not the question fully alledging that the hearing of Gods voice made him to feare and flie but why the voice of God which he heard without feare before made him feare now which was the chief thing enquired after he gives no reason at all Because I was naked Which was not altogether true for he had some covering though it were but of fig-leaves to hide his nakednesse In the mean time he seems to justifie himself when he pretends that it was only modesty and not the conscience of any evil or feare of punishment that made him to hide out of the way Nay further then that he implies at least that if there were any thing blame-worthy in his flight the fault was Gods who had made him naked and consequently unfit to be looked upon and not his So that in this answer he layes the blame upon God though covertly which in his next answer he doth plainly and in expresse termes And I hid my selfe Why had not God made him naked and was he now ashamed to look upon his own workmanship Again was he not naked before when God put him into the possession of the Garden and when he brought all the creatures before him that he might give them names and when he took a rib out of his side and framed the woman of it and brought her to him Why was he now more ashamed of his nakednesse then he was then But Adams excuses will not abide the truth Something he sayes but his answers like his fig-leaves are no fit covering neither the one for the nakednesse of his body nor the other for his sin This is Adams first answer upon his examination wherein he seems wholly to clear and excuse himselfe from any evil in his flight and hiding himself affirming in effect that if he were afraid it was God that put him into that feare Secondly he alledgeth that it was only modesty and not the conscience of any sin that caused him to hide himself out of Gods Presence In both implying that if any thing were to be blamed in his flight and hiding it must be charged not so much upon him as upon God himself who had both terrified him with his voice and had made him such a creature as was not fit to appear in his sight This seemes more probable to be Adams meaning in this answer when he alledgeth his nakednesse as an excuse for his hiding out of the way then to conceive that he points at the nakednesse of his soule of which it seems he had very little feeling hitherto seeing that in his last answer wherein God comes closer to him in charging him home with the very fact which he laboured to conceal to excuse himself he forbears not to charge God with giving him a snare to entrap him in stead of a wife to be a meet help for him We may therefore probably conceive that he who in his last answer when his sin in matter of fact is so fully charged upon him stands so stiffely upon his justification was farre enough at present from acknowledging the â—akednesse of his soule whereof hitherto he seemes to have no sense at all Adam we see when God calls him must come out of his lurking hole where he had hid himself and not only appear before the Presence of God but when he questions him must make answer whether he will or no to that which God demands of him Whence 1 OBSERVE All men must appear before God and answer all that they are charged withal when he comes to judgement Observe 1 ALl must appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ at the last day 2 Cor. 5.10 all Nations Mat. 25.31 those that are swallowed up by the sea which must give up her dead or are buried in their graves Rev. 20.13 and such as shall be then found living 1 Thes 4.17 and all must be judged and every man must give an accompt of himself unto God Rom. 14.12 1. That God by his power can enforce and draw all men before him and to confesse him too Rom. 14.11 no man can deny 2. Besides it is fit that God should do it for the clearing of his Justice both in rewarding his own and punishing the wicked and ungodly when every mans work is manifest and it appears that every man receives according to his deeds Rom. 2.8 of this truth there can be no clearer evidence then the observation of that judgement which passeth upon every man in the private Consistory of his own Conscience from which none can flie nor silence his own thoughts bearing witnesse for him or against him no not those which have no knowledge of God or his Law Rom. 2.15 Now though Adam must appear when God calls him and must give an answer to the question proposed unto him yet in his answer we see he discovers a desire to conceal all that he can at least as long as
he can Whence 2 OBSERVE All men by nature are apt to colour and conceal all that they can and that even from God himself Observe 2 NOt only such as are grossely wicked as Cain Gehazi Saul Ananias yea the whole body of Gods people Psal 78.36 even when he trusted them Isa 63.8 10. but even godly men are sometimes apt to slip into the same evil as Sarah doth Gen. 18.15 at least when the fact cannot be denied yet to conceal any circumstances of the evil committed or to colour it over with some faire excuses That which made Moses so unwilling to accept the employment unto which God called him was certainly the feare of his own life upon which he had fled out of Egypt before as appears by this that the Lord for his encouragement after he had accepted the charge to bring up Israel out of Egypt assures him that they were all dead that had sought his life Exod 4.9 This Moses conceales and pretends other excuses as we see The reason is 1. Because all men desire to justifie themselves and are by nature liars Rom. 3.4 and therefore easily fall into that evil to which their nature inclines them 2. The want of the full apprehension of Gods Providence Truth and Majesty emboldens them to take this liberty to halt even with God himself Let no man then trust his own heart in the censure of his own sins as being a partial Judge in his own case and therefore apt to deceive him 1. Through want of the observation of divers circumstances in his actions whereof notwithstanding God takes special notice 2. Through his partial affection towards himselfe which cannot but easily pervert and blinde his judgement in those things that concern himself Adam had first highly offended in breaking Gods Commandment now to colour that evil he falls into a second the concealing and hiding of his sin and for the clearing of himself the casting of an imputation upon God or at least implying as much as if he had been the occasion of his sin Whence 3 OBSERVE One sin commonly drawes on another Observe 3 WHen Sarah had laughed at Gods Promise of giving her a childe she presently colours it with a grosse lie Gen. 18.15 When David had committed adultery with Urijahs wife he labours to cloak it over with a fouler sin the contriving of her husbands death Now these are the infirmities of good men no marvel then if wicked men adde drunkennesse to thirst Deut. 29.19 and draw iniquity with cart-ropes Isa 5.18 Reason 1. Any sin committed weakens the heart and consequently leaves it the more unable to withstand a second assault As a Castle is the more easily taken when the breach is once made 2. And sins are usually fastened one to another like the linkes of a chain so that he who takes hold of one of them necessarily drawes on all the rest As when Jeroboam had set up Altars in Dan and Bethel expresly against Gods Command he was in a sort enforced to take in other Priests then God had allowed 3. And God in justice may punish one sin with another and to that end both withdraw his restraining grace from wicked men that being delivered over to the lust of their own hearts they may run on to all excesse of riot that they may fill up the measure of their sin that Gods wrath may come upon them to the uttermost and many times for a while withholds the power of his sanctifying grace from his own children 1. That they beholding the progresse of sin to be so dangerous may abhor it the more throughly for time to come and avoid it the more carefully 2. That they may be the more sensible of Gods mercy in recovering them out of so dangerous a quick-sand of evil into which otherwise when they were once entred they must of necessity have sunk in farther and farther to their own utter destruction at the last Adam acknowledgeth that it was the voice of God that made him hide himself although he conceals the true ground of that terrour which was indeed the guiltinesse of his own conscience within Whence 4 OBSERVE Gods Word is terrible to a guilty conscience Observe 4 AS it was to Cain Gen. 4.13 14. and to St. Paul Acts 9.6 Not only when it is delivered immediately by himselfe as when he delivered the Law upon Mount Sinai to the children of Israel Exod. 20.18 19. and sent the hand-writing to Belshazzar Dan. 5.6 but when it is delivered by the mouth of his Ministers as Elijahs message from God affrighted Ahab 1 Kings 21.27 and Pauls Sermon made Felix tremble Acts 24.25 and Saint Peters Sermon pricked the hearts of three thousand hearers at once Acts 2.37 and a Sermon makes an unbeliever that comes in casually fall down on his face 1 Cor. 14.25 and howsoever this effect be not wrought alwayes upon wicked men of dead and unsensible hearts who sometimes scoffe at the Word which they heare Jsa 28.14 15. and otherwhiles oppose and desperately reject it Jer. 44.16 nor alwayes in the godly though they usually do and alwayes should tremble at the Word Isa 66.2 who too often heare it with dead hearts when God withholds from them the power of his Spirit through which only it is mighty Notwithstanding at the last day the Power of it shall appear at full when it shall pierce the hearts of the most desperate with unsupportable terrours The reason 1. The very letter of the Word represents unto us both Gods Authority Power and Holinesse and withal our own sinfulnesse which cannot but affect our hearts with terrours and astonishment 1 Cor. 14.25 2. It comes accompanied with the Power of the Spirit by which in Gods children it is mighty to cast down strong holds 2 Cor. 10.4 5. for their conversion or farther reformation and to the wicked it is the execution upon them of the judgement that is written Psal 149.8 9. and is as chaines and fetters binding them over to the great and general Assize of the last day Let it move all that are godly to heare that Word with feare and trembling which God expects and delights in Isa 66.2 as having a sense of their own guiltinesse in themselves though by Christ it be taken away submitting where it commandeth stooping where it reproves 2 Chron. 12.6 and trembling where it threatens And withal admiring the goodnesse of God to us who makes that Word which is so terrible to the wicked unto his children the rejoycing of their hearts Psal 119.111 162. the desire and longing of their soules ver 131. the quickening of their spirits ver 50. especially when they consider that there is in them the same guiltinesse by sin which is in the wicked though it be not imputed which only melts and humbles them when it overwhelmes others with terrours Adam could not deny his flight for God took him in the manner but yet we see he conceales what he can and hides the cause of his flight
which is the special thing after which God enquires Whence 5 OBSERVE It is an hard matter to bring men to confesse any more then is evident in it self Observe 5 ONe example of Saul may in this case be unto us in stead of many First he justifies himself that he had fulfilled the Commandment of the Lord 1 Sam. 15 13. when he is therein convinced of a lie by the bleating of the sheep and lowing of the oxen ver 14. then he excuseth himself that they had indeed brought away a few cattel which were reserved only for a sacrifice ver 15. when that was manifested to be a lie too and that it was done only out of a greedy humour to enrich himself only with the spoile ver 19. then he pretends that if that were a fault it was not to be charged upon him but upon the people that would needs have it so ver 21. so hardly is he brought at last with much ado till Samuel told him in plain termes that if all were true that he pretended for his own excuse yet God abhorred it to acknowledge it to be a sin ver 24. In considering Adams answer unto God it is observable that Adam confesseth indeed both his hiding from Gods Presence and his nakednesse but his sin which was the true cause both of his flight and of the shame of his nakednesse that he mentions and conceales not at all Whence 6. OBSERVE Men may be brought more easily to acknowledge any thing then their sinne Observe 6 WE have seen it in the example of Saul mentioned before who although he could not deny the fact yet by all means labours to justifie his innocency by his own good intentions and by his yielding by compulsion to the violence of the people the whore when she had committed adultery yet by no meanes will be known of it but wipes her mouth and stands to it that she hath committed none iniquity Prov. 30.20 neither had the people if they might be believed despised Gods Name Mal. 1.6 7. nor robbed him of his tithes and offerings There can be no other reason hereof then the conscience of the basenesse and filthinesse of sin which though men will not avoid yet for their credits sake they are afraid to own Let this endeavour even of the vilest amongst men in hiding and covering their sin shew us more clearly the foulnesse and hatefulnesse of it which is such that those that love and delight in it most yet dare not justifie as appears by their endeavours to hide it every way as is manifest 1. By their acting in the dark Job 24.15 16. 2. Covering it over with the faire vaile of some vertue near unto it as covetousnesse with the name of thrift and good husbandry 3. Sometimes denying 4. Blanching it over with ignorance good intentions and the like all arguments that they condemne the sin which who can approve when the best friends of it disclaim it and labour to cover it from the eyes of the world Let all that are godly labour to bring their hearts to that which nature so much abhors that is in all sinful actions to finde out especially the sinfulnesse of them in themselves and our sinfulnesse in acting them First to bring our hearts to acknowledge that sin is out of measure sinful in it self and we hereby 1. As having the spring of it in our own hearts as David doth Psal 51.4 2. The motions of it being carried on by our own affections which lust against the Spirit Gal. 5.17 3. The injury to God thereby unvaluable wherein we despise his Authority Holinesse and Righteousnesse and forget his mercies and blessings Deut. 32.6 4. The folly of it more then brutish Jer. 2.12 13. 5. The scandal of it infinitely dishonourable to God and Religion Secondly our selves being defiled thereby let us 1. Cover our faces with shame 2. Fly unto the blood of Christ that it may wash from all our filthinesse This confession of Adam that it was the feare of Gods Presence which made him flie and hide himself out of the way might if it had been improved have wrought further upon his heart and have caused him to bethink himself how he might make his peace with that God whom he feared But we see it works no such effect in him Whence 7 OBSERVE No meanes can work any farther then they are acted and caried on by God himself Observe 7 GOds great and astonishing wonders which he wrought in Egypt when he delivered his people thence wrought nothing to purpose upon their hearts Psal 78.11 17 32. because God wrought not with them Deut. 29.4 though sometimes they drew them to a formal but not a true and hearty submission Psal 78 36. no more did Christs miracles upon the Jewes John 37.38 for the same cause So happens it in the dispensation of the Word all the powerful effects of it in casting down strong holds are thorough God 2 Cor. 10.4 5. therefore we finde that in some it works nothing at all in others some shew of fruit which is never brought to perfection in a few it hath an effectual and powerful work Mat. 13. It must needs be so seeing all the quickening power is in the Spirit John 6.63 without which neither Paul nor Apollos are any thing 1 Cor. 9.7 2. And it is fit it should be so that when all the efficacy is from God the honour and praise for all that is wrought might be returned to him alone 1 Cor. 1.31 Let every man acknowledge God in the efficacy of all meanes that we use even in outward things In our labours in our food and the like especially in the meanes of grace the Word and Sacraments depending upon him and asking at his hand the efficacy of all that we do and ascribing the praise of all that we obtain by the use of any meanes unto him alone Observing how unequally the same meanes work at the same time or several persons and at several times on the same persons VERSE 11. WHo hath told that thou wast naked A convincing reply as if he had said How durst thou see thy nakednesse now which thou didst not see before or rather how art thou ashamed now of that whereof thou wast not ashamed before whence proceeds this change either in thy self or in the apprehension of thine own condition Thus God takes advantage of Adams own words and out of his own mouth convinceth him that his nakednesse was not the cause of his hiding from Gods Presence but something else which he had hitherto concealed which God discovers and layes plainly before him in the words immediately following Hast thou eaten of the tree It became not the Majesty of God to trifle with him any longer wherefore without any further enquiry God points out his sin to him in expresse termes and in effect tells him that it was his sin in breaking the Commandment which he gave him which caused both his shame and feare of his
that had thrust in himself amongst the guests without a wedding garment Mat. 22.12 but Adam seems not yet to be so far affected with the Majesty of God that charged him or with the foulnesse of the sin wheâ—ewith he was charged or with the dreadfulnesse of the judgement which hung over his head according to the curse threatened for the breach of this Commandment as appears evidently by his reply The woman When God by this direct charge had made it evident that he knew all that was done it was a vain thing for him to stand out in the denial of a fact which was so manifest Wherefore the man falls to excuse that which he could not deny Not respecting therein his own wife but laying all or the greatest part of the blame of the sin upon her not caring who bare the blame so he might remove it if not wholly yet at least in some degree from himself Whom thou gavest See whither a rebellious spirit may carry a man It is not enough to Adam to appeach his wife unlesse he charge God himselfe making him if not the Author yet at least the occasion of the sin not only blaming the woman for enticing him to sin but withal in some sort God himself that had bestowed her on him under a colour to be an help meet for him but as the event had manifested it to be a snare unto him as Saul gave Michal to David 1 Sam. 18.21 See now how farre Adam differs from himself that which he rejoyced in as a special favour bestowed on him by God in the former chapter here he quarrels at as a meanes of his ruine Thus a mans foolishnesse perverts his way and then his heart frets against the Lord Prov. 19.3 To be with me The word in the Originnl Gnimmadi used in this place is by some observed to be of greater force then the word Gnimmi which is of the same signification as indeed it must be if we derive it from Gnamad which signifies to stand fast by so that Gnimmadi implies in this place not only to be with me but more then that to stand and be close by me Howsoever we may observe that the expression of Adam differs from the phrase which God useth in the former chapter God intended to create a woman that might be before him or stand in his Presence to assist him and as it were to minister unto him but that phrase did not so well sort with Adams excuse For if the woman were given to Adam only to be before him or to minister unto him then did Adam amisse to take his direction from her that was appointed to be only his minister and therefore fit to take and not to give direction It is probable therefore that Adam purposely changeth the expression and in stead of saying to be before me with a little alteration expresseth it in those termes to be with me implying that she being appointed to be his inseparable companion he could not avoid her nor do lesse then hearken to her advice and perswasion being so near a companion and as it were his bosome friend She gave me Questionlesse with perswasions to eate it too wherefore God afterwards as we shall see in his censure taxeth him for hearkening to his wives voice But what authority had she to give or Adam warrant to receive at her hand that which was forbidden unto them both or what manner of excuse is this to cast his wives perswasion into the ballance against Gods expresse interdiction besides this answer is not to the purpose God asks him whether he had not eaten of the fruit he answers that he had eaten indeed but it was by his wives perswasion which God knew as well as he but enquires not after at present And I did eat A cold expression manifesting neither any horrour or grief or shame at so foule a fact and yet sufficient to justifie God in his proceeding in judgement against him grounded upon this confession of his own which he therefore repeats when he gives judgement upon him afterwards in these words Because thou hast hearkened to the voice c. This answer of Adams discovers in him still a desire rather to cover his sin then to humble himself for it before God in a free and ingenuous acknowledgement wherein he might have confessed in plain termes that not so much his wives solicitation as his own ambitious desire to become a God which his wife no sooner suggested but he embraced drew him to contemne Gods Commandment despise his threatenings and to forget his mercies and so to eate of the forbidden fruit So that when we finde Adam still unwilling to close with God to confesse his sin we have no cause to conceive that he would speak any thing partially on Gods behalfe from which he is so far that we see he forbears not to charge God himself though falsly upon the least colour of advantage So then if Adam and Eve as yet standing out against God even in this examination of theirs do notwithstanding clear him in these two points First that they were not made sinful but became so only by Satans enticement Secondly that God had no hand in drawing them into this sinne Seeing First Eve who was first in the sinne hath nothing to charge God withal Secondly that Adam himself who spared not to charge him as far as he could with the least colour could fasten no more upon him but this only that he gave some occasion to Adams sinne by bestowing the woman on him wherein how far he wrongs God who intended the woman to be an help to him the whole Series of the History of the womans Creation his own acknowledgement of Gods favour in bestowing that help upon him do evidently discover it must necessarily be concluded which is the maine scope of this whole History that sinne and all the judgements that followed proceeded from man himselfe and from Satan who seduced him And consequently that God was 1. Just in punishing the man according to his deserts 2. And infinitely rich in mercy in restoring him after his fall out of his compassion and free grace Well let Adam do what he can to conceal and excuse his sin yet when God layes it down to his charge he must be forced to acknowledge it before him Whence 1 OBSERVE No man can beare out sin before God howsoever he may for a while out-face it before men Observe 1 CAin though he seemes to deny it at the first yet is mute and cannot open his mouth when God chargeth him with his brothers blood Nay when God chargeth them home with it though by the voice of a man Saul cannot deny his rebellion Ahab his oppression and murther Gehazi and Ananias their covetousnesse Neither can any man answer his own conscience when it chargeth him in Gods behalfe as appeares in the examples of Josephs brethren Gen. 42.21 and Judas Mat. 27.4 and very often in the free and voluntary
acknowledgements of many persons in the times of their distresse or upon their death-beds publishing then to the eares of the world those things which all their life-long they have concealed from all men and hidden in darknesse What do men gain then that please themselves with hope of secrecy in sin which if it be foule and scandalous is not often hidden from the eyes of men but if it be is naked in the sight of God who discovers the secrets of all hearts and shall manifest and judge them at the last day when every mouth shall be stopped and God shall convince men not by the testimony of other men but by the evidence of their own conscience then fully illightened when all their sins shall be set in order before them Wherefore let no man satisfie himself in any other way of hiding his sins then that which covers it from the eyes of God and moves him to cast it behinde his back as Hezekiah speaks Isa 38.17 which is the blood of Christ Blessed is the man whose sins are so covered Psal 32.1 Adams fact being charged upon him by God himself there was now no place for denial Wherefore in the next place he falls to excuse that which he cannot deny laying the greatest part of the blame of that act upon his wife who by her enticement had drawen him into the sin that by this meanes though he could not clear himself from the sin yet he might extenuate it so far that he might not be found guilty in the highest degree Whence 2 OBSERVE When mens sins are so manifest that they cannot deny them they will yet labour by excuses to extenuate them what they may Observe 2 Not only wicked Saul first his sacrificing by necessity 1 Sam. 13.11 and afterwards his breach of Gods Commandment First by his good meaning and then by the peoples over-ruling of him 1 Sam. 15.15 21. But even holy Aaron too his making of the calfe alledging in his excuse the peoples violence and compulsion Exod. 32.22 and this mens usual custome to mince their sins by pretences either of strong provocations of feare importunity necessity and the like Or of sudden surprise ignorance good intentions of their sincerity and uprightnesse in other actions unto which they are carried is caused 1. By pride which makes them to be tender of their own credit and to endeavour to preserve it what they may 2. And partly by Satans policy who by this meanes hinders our reformation and true repentance and by consequent Gods honour Let every godly man then labour to avoid an evil 1. To which nature so strongly inclines us 2. Which necessarily drawes on unthankfulnesse by bringing us to a low esteem of Gods favour and mercy by which it is pardoned 3. Hearteneth and encourageth others unto that evil which they see so much sleighted by us 4. And at last returneth upon us greater shame both from God and men as experience shews us But behold Adams love to his wife whom before he acknowledgeth to be flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone now to acquit himself he dischargeth upon her the burthen of his sin and that without excusing her at all as beguiled by the policy of Satan but where the blame lights he cares not so it rest not upon himself See here a true effect of self-love And 3 OBSERVE A man in this state of corruption respects none but himself and cares not on whom he layes the burthen so he may ease himself Observe 3 EVery brother will supplant Jer. 9.4 and speak against his own mothers sonne Psal 50.20 as being altogether without natural affection Rom. 1.31 2 Tim. 3.3 accounting this the greatest wisdom to do well to ones selfe Psal 49.18 The reason hereof is that every man in his natural condition is a self-lover that is a lover of himself only without respect either to God or community both which therefore he must needs neglect for his own private interest And howsoever some natural men seem to neglect themselves in some cases out of respect to their friends or for the furthering of some common good yet if we well weigh things we shall finde 1. That when they seem to neglect themselves one way they endeavour to make it up another either neglecting a smaller advantage for a greater gaine or with some small losse purchasing either safety or honour or something else unto themselves 2. They seldome hold on in that way of seeking anothers good any longer then may suit with their more principal ends 3. And yet in going so far for the most part they are either over-ruled by a strong hand of God who makes use even of their self-respects beyond their ends for the preservation of community Let no man then that is wise place his affiance on such persons who close with them so as they have still the greatest respect to their own advantage either to suck some profit out of him or to support their credit by him as Jebu did by entertaining Jonadab or to strengthen their partie and to further some ends of their own as Absalom dealt with the two hundred that followed out of Jerusalem 2 Sam. 15.11 But 1. Cleave unto God a faithful Creator as he is termed 1 Pet. 4.19 2. Amongst men leave unto his children who having laid the foundation of Religion in self-denial can and do oftentimes lay aside self-respects for Gods honour and for their brethrens good when need requires it Now though Adam shewed little love to his wife in laying the blame of his sin upon her which he had not been guilty of if himself had not agreed and consented to her sollicitation yet that the charge upon her was just that her husband sinned by her enticement cannot be denied Whence 4 OBSERVE Seducers are justly chargeable with all the sinnes committed by those that are seduced by them Observe 4 AS the false Prophets are justly charged that profaneness went out from them into the whole land which was considered by their wicked lives and false doctrine which drew the people into errour Jer. 23.13 15. and that so far that they are affirmed to strengthen their hands that none did return from his wickednesse ver 14. And wicked Jeroboam that set up the calves in Dan and Bethel and invited the people to the worship of them hath this brand upon him that he made Israel to sin Wherefore these seducers are not only chargeable with the sinnes but with the blood of all that perish by their meanes yea even those that forewarne them not of the judgements which the wicked ways wherein they walk will bring upon them Ezech. 33.8 Good reason it should be so seeing the seducers heart desires and his affections concur in the acting of that sin to which he perswades another man although he put not forth his own hand to the effecting of it but performe that by the hand of another man as the slaying of Urijah is justly called Davids act although
to the woman now lest he might seem by his question to direct them what to answer But God who knew the evidence of truth and the desire of justifying themselves must needs draw from the delinquents as much as he expected leaves it to flow from themselves freely without any enquiry at all that it might the more evidently appear to spring meerly from a fountaine of truth The Serpent beguiled me But that on her part was no fit answer to the question proposed howsoever it serve fully to the end that God aimed at or at least the main thing that she should have acknowledged is omitted or coldly satisfied in her answer for God demands not of her who put that motiō into her heart but how she could be so wicked as to commit so foul a sin in slighting his Authority denying his truth forgetting his mercies contemning his power and wronging her husband and consequently destroying him for whose help and comfort she was ordained God calls on her to set all those things before her eyes and to consider what she had done she on the other side passing by that weighty consideration proposed by God falls as her husband had done before to excuse and lessen the sin what she can pretending that it was no voluntary act proceeding from any evil disposition of her own heart but she was enveigled by the cunning and policy of the Serpent who under faire colours and pretences beguiled her Now if God had replied unto her and demanded what those faire colours and pretences were which thus drew away her heart her own answer must needs have stopped her mouth for ever For she knew that her heart filled with Gods love should have been wholly carried after the advancement of his glory Now the Devil never so much as lays before her any such thing if he had the womans error had been the more pardonable if her end had been right and she had only been misguided in the way that led thereunto whereas she closeth with Satan in taking up a false end and seeking her own advancement in stead of Gods glory wherein she was wilfully perverted by the consent of her own heart And I did eat Thus then we have a full confession of the fact by both the delinquents and by the woman the discovery of the plotter and contriver of all the mischief that all the world may justifie God in the righteousnesse of his judgements in the punishment of the offendors who by seeking new tricks or inventions as the wise man calls them to advance them beyond their conditions were justly filled with their own inventions as the Psalmist speaks Psalme 106.39 Thus we see God will not give over the examination till he have discovered the whole plot of this fowle sin and every agent in it first Adam then his wife and at last the Devil the deceiver and seducer of them both Whence 1 OBSERVE No actor in any sin can escape Gods discovery Observe 1 NOt the secret Contrivers and Counsellors as Jonadab to Amnon Achitophel to Absalom Jezabel to Ahab Not the Actors and Executioners as the Elders of Israel and by their procurement the two sonnes of Belial employed by Jezabel in the murther of Naboth Not the abettors and assistants as Joab and Abiathar in Adonijahs treason Not the very frame or contrivance of the sinne or means to colour it As Davids murther of Urijah to colour his adultery with his wife and his cunning conveighance with Joab to conceale his murther which he not only discovered himself but hath left upon record to posterity 1. It cannot be denied or questioned but that he is able to search into the deepest secrets seeing all things are naked in his sight Heb. 4.13 2. It concernes him to do it that the Judge of all the world may appeare and be known to do right to which purpose he must necessarily have a distinct knowledge both of the offendors and of the quality and measure of their offences that every ones judgement may be proportioned in number weight and measure according to their deeds Let no man then embolden himself to have his hand in any sinne in hope to hide his counsel deep from the Lord and his works in the dark Isa 29.15 It is true that mens eyes discover many times nothing but the outward acts of sin or the Agents that work yea even they many times are hidden from mans eyes but God that searcheth the heart and knoweth the thoughts of it afar of Psal 139.2 takes notice of every motion of the heart by which the sinne was begotten of every secret word by which it was whispered into the Actors eares of every affection of the spectators who behold it with delight He knew what the King of Syria spake in his secret chamber 2 King 6.12 He understood the very secret thoughts of Herods heart which it is probable he never uttered to his nearest friends concerning the murthering of Christ Mat. 2.13 much more was he able to discover the King of Israels commission for the taking of Elisha 2 King 6.32 and fourty mens secret conspiracy to kill Paul Those secrets if he discover not to the world at present openly yet he both knows and can and often doth prevent them so that no man hath cause to hearten himself in hope of successe in wicked counsels or fear to be surprized by them We have already intimated that God who might have manifested every thought of Adams heart and left upon record every circumstance of the sinne committed by him notwithstanding contents himself to bring to light only so much thereof as might manifest the delinquents desart of that punishment that he afterwards lays upon them with such a mixture of mercy withal as exceeds belief as we shall see anon that he might be justified in all his wayes and admired in his free grace Whence 2 OBSERVE Mens sinnes must and shall be so farre manifested as may conduce to the advancing of Gods glory Observe 2 THus Joshuah exhorts Achan to confesse his sinne that he might give glory to God Josh 7.19 and David freely acknowledgeth his sin that God might be justified Psal 51.4 And Saint Paul witnesseth the Law convinceth all men of sinne in such sort that the whole world may be guilty before God and that his righteousnesse may be made manifest for the remission of sinnes Rom. 3.19 23 25. And good reason seeing 1. It is the principal end wherefore we and all things are that our selves and all our actions and all events that befal us of good or evil in all Gods dispensations towards us may be referred to the manifesting of Gods glory who therefore permits with patience the vessels of wrath ordeined to destruction for the magnifying of his Justice in their deserved punishment at the last and graciously pardons his chosen ones that he may set out the riches of his free mercy and grace Rom. 9.22 23. which end of his we ought to further in all our
actions and take notice of in all our observations 2. That is the chief good that can come out of this evil when the wrath of man and all the rest of his sins turn to Gods praise and a duty that we are obliged to performe unto God to repaire his honour by a free acknowledgement and confession of sinne which we have as much as lies in us empaired by the acting of it Let it be our care 1. To take heed of dishonouring God by committing of any sinne 2. If by humane infirmity we fall into any sin by which the name of God may be blasphemed or the honour of it empaired let us endeavour to take off the dishonour done to him by laying all the shame upon our selves 1. In our private confessions before him acknowledging his holinesse and the righteousnesse of his laws and our wickednesse in transgressing them after the examples Ezra 9.6.15 Neh. 9.33 Dan. 9.8 and that meerly out of the rebellious disposition of our own hearts First without any provocation on his part Secondly after so many and so large experiments of his mercies Thirdly to the defiling of our own soules evil example to our brethren and as much as lies in us to the dishonouring of that name by which we are called Fourthly for which we might perish for ever by Gods justice and cannot be pardoned but out of his free mercy and grace 2. Upon occasion of any scandal given by us acknowledging as much before men either openly in the face of the Congregation or more privately before our brethren as the nature and quality of the fact or the offence given thereby shall require thereby clearing God justifying his Law and acknowledging his righteousness if we smart by his hand according to our desarts In Gods questioning with Eve there is wonderful force in the expression that he useth as if there wanted words to expresse the foulness of the fact What is this that thou hast done as if he had said canst thou conceive the foulnesse the danger and consequently the folly and wickedness of this abominable fact thus he speaks to make the deeper impression of the sin upon her heart Whence 3 OBSERVE A good mans heart ought to be deeply and tenderly affected with the sense of his own sinne Observe 3 TO be manifested inwardly in shame Jer. 3.25 and expressed outwardly by smiting on the thigh Jer. 31.19 casting down the countenance with the Publicane Luke 18.13 bitter mourning Zach. 12.10 with Peter Luke 22.62 proceeding from the very breaking of the heart within Psal 51.8 the contrary disposition is justly taxed Jer. 8.6 as discovering a dead and senselesse heart within Such a manner of the affecting of the heart by the sense of sin 1. Brings much honour to God 2. Proclaimes our own innocency 2 Cor. 7.11 3. Moves God to compassion towards us Joel 2.17 4. Furthers our reformation 5. And makes us more watchful over our wayes for time to come that we fall not again into that sin which hath so much afflicted our souls and which we have looked on with so much shame and detestation To this end hath God erected a Consistory in every mans breast his own conscience which is the Candle of the Lord searching the inward parts of the belly Prov. 20.27 which discovers the sin with all the aggravating circumstances thereof in full proportion if we do not smother it But why doth not God speak as affectionately to Adam as he doth unto Eve The cause must needs be this She was not only first in the transgression but besides she was employed by Satan to be an instrument to beguile and seduce her own husband Whence 4 OBSERVE The seducing especially of ones nearest friends is a foule and should be an heart-breaking sinne Observe 4 A Sinne for which God will not suffer a man to spare his owne brother Deut. 13.8 9. and therefore the judgments of God threatened against the seducing prophets are fearful Jer. 23. Ezek. 13. and for that above all other sins the false prophet is cast into the lake burning with fire and brimstone Rev. 19.20 See verse 12. Obs 4. The phrase in which the woman expresseth her self when she excuseth her selfe that she was seduced by Satan may not be passed by she saith when Satan allured her to the committing of this sin that he beguiled her as indeed he did Whence 5 OBSERVE Sinne and the enticements thereunto are dangerous deceits and so will prove to be at the last Observe 5 SO Saint Paul tells us that sin deceived him Rom. 7.11 wherefore he calls it the deceitfulnesse of sin Heb. 3.13 and so are inordinate lusts termed deceitful lusts Eph. 4.22 and the allurements that draw us thereunto are justly called deceits as riches are termed deceitful riches Mark 4.19 dainty fare deceitful meat Prov. 23.3 wine a mocker the beauty of women deceitful Prov. 31.30 no marvel then if wicked men be called deceivers and their work a deceitful work Prov. 11.18 Now this deceit of sin is twofold First in proposing evil under the Name of good calling light darknesse and darknesse light Isa 5.20 or at least the shadowes of good instead of that which is really and truly good like the passing of guilded brasse for perfect gold Secondly in proposing unto us a reward in an evil way which we shall never finde See Prov. 1.13 18. as they are justly accounted deceivers who promise men largely that which they never make good in performance VERSE 14. HItherto the Holy Ghost hath set before us the examination and confession of the offendors with their several excuses and the vanity of them There followes in the next place their censures proportioned indeed unequally as the offence committed was in divers respects unequal pronounced by God himself with infinite patience and moderation upon them all in order as they acted in the sin upon the Serpent first next upon the woman and lastly upon the man And the Lord God said After he had examined and convicted the malefactors he proceeds to sentence that he might not only be just but appear to be so which is the reason why he pronounceth the sentence by word of mouth that when those things should be really inflicted which he here threatens they might appear to be the act of God punishing sin in justice by inflicting upon the offendors those evils which should come upon them afterwards according to that which is here pronounced whereby they are clearly manifested to be the acts of God and being proportioned to the sin might appear to be acts of his justice otherwise it had been as easie for God to have laid the curse upon them by effects without threatening it beforehand But his desire is that they might not only smart for their sin but might be instructed too and taught by their smart which is one end of the punishments laid upon man and an especial effect of Gods great mercy tempered with his justice when the punishment it self
Luke 12.20 sorrow in conceiving and bringing forth children trouble in breeding and bringing them up feare of them what way they will take after they are bred yea even in spiritual things we have alwayes a mixture of joy and sorrow confidence and feare Reason 1. Because in us with that good which by grace is wrought in us there is a mixture of evil which corrupts the sweetnesse of that good which we might enjoy in any blessing as it happens in a body wherein the taste is corrupted by ill humours it mixeth some bitternesse with the food which we take in though of it selfe it have a pleasant relish 2. In this condition it is best for us that it should be so 1. To make us sensible of sin which hath brought vanity upon us and upon all the creatures Rom. 8.20 2. To weane us from this present world and to provoke us to long after the restitution both of our selves and the rest of the creatures into a state of perfection see Rom. 8.21.23 3. It is sufficient that after the enjoying of this state of imperfection for a short space we shall be setled in a state of full perfection for all eternity Let us use even the blessings of this life with feare getting them sanctified unto us by the Word and Prayer 1 Tim. 4.5 and let us take off our hearts from delighting in them but labour to draw near unto God who is the strength of our heart when all outward meanes shall faile us and our portion for ever Psal 73.28 The last clause in the womans censure is that she shall be subject to her husband Whence 5. OBSERVE It is the wives duty to be subject to the will and direction of her husband Observe 5 THe Apostle will have this subjection extended to every thing Eph. 5.24 that is every thing that is not limited by the rule of the Law of God but left to be ordered by Christian Prudence which are things in their owne nature indifferent so Sarah followed Abraham out of her own countrey to Canaan Gen. 12.5 obeyed his command in making provision for the Angels Gen 18.6 as for that particular direction of God to him to hearken to her Gen. 21.12 it extends no farther then such cases wherein the wife adviseth what God himselfe directs Otherwise when she counsels him to take his maid into his bed though God were pleased to wink at it yet it bred her some trouble Gen. 16.2 5. no marvel if Jezabels over-ruling of her husband Ahab in the matter of Naboths vineyard sped much worse and proved the ruine both of her and her husband and the whole family 1 Kings 21.7 22 23 25. Reason 1. There must be order in every society without which there follows division and thereupon confusion Mark 3.25 Now the fittest to governe in the family is the husband as being of the two the more worthy person every way seeing the man was first created and that after the image of God the woman after the image of the man 1 Cor. 11.7 2. And the woman created for the man not the man for the woman ver 9. and of his substance being framed of a rib taken out of his body ver 8. 3. The woman was first in the transgression and seduced her husband 1 Tim. 2.14 4. And the man usually is and alwayes ought to be endued with the best abilities for Government Let all wives learn to know and content themselves with the places wherein God hath set them 1. As being prescribed by God himself who hath power to dispose of his own creatures and who is obeyed in the person of the husband See Eph. 5.22 as he is by a servant in the person of the Master Eph. 6.7 2. As easiest for the woman seeing it is easier to obey then to prescribe and direct 3. And is found in the event to be more safe as Zipporah by obeying her husband in circumcising her childe saved his life Exodus 4.24 26. 4. And is but in matters of lesse moment seeing in the grace of life they are both equal 1 Pet. 3.7 and alike subject to God in his commands so that in matters of duty she obeys only the command of God and not of man 5. And this subjection is but for a short time which makes any thing easie to be borne 6. And if it be conscionably performed is recompensed with a reward hereafter as is servants obedience to their Masters Ephesians 6.8 The expression in which God layes down the rule of this subjection is not to be passed by Thy desire saith he shall be to thy husband which requires not only an outward conformity to the husbands commands but besides an inward subjection of the heart to his Will Whence 6 OBSERVE The subjection of the wife to the husband must be not only in outward obedience to his commands but besides in the inward affection of the heart Observe 6 SHe is therefore commanded to reverence her husband Eph. 5.33 and to yield subjection to him as to the Lord Eph. 5 22 24. which consists in laying aside her own wisdome to receive directions from his mouth as God requires his people to obey him in doing not that which is right in their own eyes but what he shall command Deut. 12.8 and in renouncing her own will as Peter did when he let down his net upon Christs command which otherwise he had no mind to do Luke 5.5 Reasons 1. It is a duty to be performed to God who will be served not only with the outward man but with the heart Col. 3.22 23. 2. Else the subjection must needs be burthensome and the services done therein like that of Zipporah in circumcising her childe Exod 4.25 Let wives labour to submit to their husbands not only out of necessity but with all chearfulnesse conscionably as they are exhorted 1 Pet. 3.1 to which end 1. Let them abound in love towards their husbands which makes all services easie Gen. 29.20 and cordial Psal 119.167 2. Let them learne self-denial which makes one fit to serve another with the Apostle 1 Cor. 10.33 3. Let them fixe their eyes upon God who hath set them over them in his stead as the Apostle exhorts servants to do Eph. 6.5 6. 4. Look not at things present but at the estate to come when they shall both husband and wife without any subordination be both heirs together of the grace of life VERSE 17. ANd unto Adam he said The last censure is upon the man the last in the transgression and the least guilty of all the offendors as being seduced by his wife but seeing his hand was in the sinne good reason be should also have his share in the punishment Because thou hast hearkened to the voice of thy wife And not respected my Commandment who had expressely forbidden thee the eating of that fruit and therein preferred her counsel before my direction Now what perswasions his wife used when she gave that fruit is not
expressed probably they were such as Satan had suggested unto her Cursed is the ground for thy sake The earth in general in which Adam was now to live being to be cast out of Paradise this curse upon the earth was the weakening of the fructifying power thereof as it is afterwards expressed and that for his sake that is both for his sin which made him unworthy of any blessing by any creature and for his punishment who was to be sustained by the fruits which the earth was to bring forth In sorrow shalt thou eate of it That is an hard labour causing wearinesse and grief thereby We see still a mixture of mercy with the judgement a curse with a promise annexed to it His labour should be hard but yet it should produce him meanes for the susteining of his life he should eat by his labour All the dayes of thy life To put thee in minde continually of thy sin and my justice yet even in this clause there is some comfort that those labours and sorrowes thereby shall determine with this â—ort life The first circumstance to be taken notice of in this censure is the Author of this curse upon the earth it proceeds as we see from the Decree of God himself Whence 1 OBSERVE The curse as well as the blessing upon all creatures proceeds from the Will and Decree of God alone Observe 1 THerefore he denounceth the one and promiseth the other Deut. 28. Lev. 26. he makes barren lands fruitful and fruitful lands barren Psal 107.33 34. Bozrah shall be a desolation if God swear it Jer. 49.13 Nay according to his will both the bodies and soules of men are either barren or fruitful Numb 5.27 Isa 29.14 Reason 1. It can be no otherwise seeing in him all things consist Col. 1.17 and have their being Act. 17.28 2. And it is fit it should be so that all men might feare before him Jerem. 5.24 depend on him Jer. 14.22 and praise him alone Psal 107.32 33 34. 3. And it is every way best for us who know that God judgeth righteously Psal 67.4 and that those that feare him shall want no good thing Psal 84.1 First let us learne when we want any needful blessing or feare any curse upon the earth or other creatures upon our own persons our bodies or souls to look up unto him who worketh all things according to the counsel of his own will And 1. Walk uprightly before him which interests us in all his blessings Psal 84.11 2. Pray to him upon all occasions Phil. 4.6 Secondly if we enjoy any good by any creature if our grounds be fruitful our flocks our wives if we our selves be fruitful in holinesse let us acknowledge all to him with thankfulnesse that bestowes all out of his own bounty This curse of God upon the earth is for Adams sake that is both for his sinne and for his punishment so that we see not only from whom but for what the curse comes upon the creatures Whence 2 OBSERVE It is our own sinne that brings the curse of God upon all that we enjoy Observe 2 FOr sin a fruitful land is turned into barrennesse Psal 107.24 Lev. 26. Dâ—ut 28. and by sin only we keep off good things from us Jer. 5.25 Reason 1. Gods mercies are over all his works Psal 145.9 and his hand in it self is not shortened Isa 59.1 neither is there any thing that he hates but sin or for sin Psal 5.4 5. 2. And it is fit that God should so shew his detestation of sin by manifesting his wrath every way against such as provoke him thereby as he did in the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and upon his own land see Deut. 29.23 25. 3. Those things which wicked men enjoy are usually defiled by them being made instruments to the fulfilling of their lusts and consequently are fit to be partakers of the plague as they are defiled with the sinne Let it work our hearts to the detestation and abhorring of sinne with which we see God to be so highly displeased even God the faithful Creator 1 Pet. 4.14 that haâ—eth nothing that he hath made but as out of his overflowing bounty he created all things and delighted in them when he had made them Gen. 1.31 so he cherisheth them still who consequently must needs be provoked in a very high degree when he turnes to hate his own works and to curse what he â—ath blessed as he dealt with the whole old world Gen. 6.6 7. and with his owne people Jer. 11.17 and out of that detestation of sin let it be our care and endeavour to break off all sinful courses to avoid any famillarity with those that are defiled in them yea to hate the very garment spotted with the flesh and if we have any delight in the fruitfulnesse of our grounds encrease of our flocks towardlinesse of our children and desire the prospering of any thing that we have let us be careful to remove sin far from our dwellings lest it bring in such a curse upon all that we have as is described Zech. 5.4 The curse that God layes is upon the whole earth that vast body that man can hardly measure much lesse can command upon this whole earth God exerciseth his Authority Whence 3 OBSERVE The greatest of all creatures are under Gods command Observe 3 THe Earth and Heavens are his servants Psal 119.91 the sea Prov. 8.29 Job 38.10 11. how much more the greatest amongst the sons of men even Kings themselves whom he commands Psal 105.15 yea rules their very hearts Prov. 21.1 Reason 1. They are all creatures Jer. 14.22 even the work of his hand Job 34.19 2. He could not otherwise be an absolute Lord over all Psal 103.19 if any creature were out of his command Let no man feare any creature Psal 46.2 3. Isa 51.12 13. but God alone Jer. 5.22 and trust in him alone Psal 146.3 6. and obey his voice whom the windes and sea obey This curse which God here layes upon the earth as it was occasioned by Adams sinne so it was not the least part of his punishment for whose relief and comfort that fruitfulnesse was bestowed on the earth at the first by Gods blessing upon it Whence 4. OBSERVE The curse of God upon the creatures is a part of mans punishment Observe 4 THus God threatens it shal be Lev. 26.18 19 20. all Pharaohs house is smitten for Pharaohs sake Gen. 12.17 The plagues upon the waters of Egypt destroying of the corn vines and other fruits murrain amongst their cattel and death of all their first-born we know were the plagues that God brought on Pharaoh and his people for hardning their hearts against him The reasons 1. We have interest in them so that their destruction is our losse 2. Our subsistence is by them so that to lose them is to lose the meanes by which our lives should be supported Let such chastisements as light upon us in the fruits of the earth the
murrain amongst our cattel the destroying of our houses by fire or any other way be a meanes to awaken our hearts and to humble us under Gods hand lest he come nearer to us and seize upon our persons The expression whereof the Lord makes use in laying this curse upon Adam is not to be passed by without observation In sorrow saith he shalt thou cate of it that is in hard labour which causeth wearisome painfulnesse and griefe thereby which make the life bitter Whence 5 OBSERVE Mans life in this world is a life of pain and sorrow Observe 5 SO Solomon found it by his own experience Eccl. 2.17 and observed it in others ver 23. not only by our immoderate cares about the things of this life which cause some to eate in darknesse all their dayes with much sorrow Eccl. 5.17 called therefore the bread of sorrowes Psal 127.2 but besides by our painful labours about them as Jacob professeth of the dayes of his life that they had been few and evil Gen 47.9 unto which we may adde many troubles from without with which men are diversly encumbered Psal 71.20 and that not only some but men in general Psal 90.10 Reason 1. To make us the more sensible of sinne by our daily tasting the bitter fruits of it 2. To move to an holy delight and earnest seeking after things that are spiritual the wayes whereof are pleasant and the pathes peace Prov. 3.17 Psal 119.165 Let no man be in love with this present condition so far as to be unwilling to change it when God shall call him thereunto but nourish in his heart a longing desire after heaven with the Apostle and all the godly Rom. 8.23 2 Cor. 5.2 1. Waiting alwayes with patience till his change come Job 14.14 with holy Job unlesse he be a person implied in some special service for the Church in which case though Saint Paul desired to be dissolved that he might be with Christ yet he moderated his longing Phil. 1.23 2. Only in the mean time while God is pleased to continue us here let it be our care to improve our time to the best advantage both to the Church of God for the service thereof and for the furthering of our own account against the last day that when we depart hence we may have our hearts reviving with Saint Pauls comfortable expectation 2 Tim. 4.7 8. and our Saviour Christs John 17.4 5. 3. In the mean time we may in a great measure temper the bitternesse of our present condition with the sweetnesse of our communion with God as David doth Psal 73.23 28. In the next place take notice of the terme of the continuance of this curse that God here layes upon Adam we see it endures and lies upon him for terme of his life Whence 6 OBSERVE The short pleasure of sinne draws after it a long and lasting punishment Observe 6 HEreafter an everlasting punishment by the just desart of it Isa 66.24 Mat. 25.41 46. and plagues of long continuance in this life Jer. 23.40 reaching oftentimes to posterity for many generations as did that curse which God pronounceth against Amalek Exod. 17.16 Such lasting chastisements light sometimes upon the godly themselves as upon David 2 Sam. 12.10 Reason 1. That God who lives for ever to plague those that hate him as well as to reward those that love him is able to lay such punishments it is evident 2. And that he may do it in a course of justice is as clear seeing sin against an infinite Majesty deserves no lesse then an infinite that is an everlasting punishment 3. And 't is fit the punishment it self should be lasting lest it should be forgotten Psal 59.11 and consequently become fruitless both unto our selves and others Let us seriously consider this when we are tempted to any act of sinne 1. That the pleasure in those actions is indeed no true but only a seeming pleasure delightful indeed unto the sensual part for the present but in the end it bites like a Serpent as Solomon speaks of wine Prov. 23.32 and women Prov. 6.33 2. And brings after it an everlasting reproach Jer. 23.40 3. And leaves no fruit behinde it Rom. 6.21 Let men therefore be wise in the beginning lest they mourn at the later end when there is no remedy That for which Adam must sweat and take so much pains when all is done is but to get himself bread and provisions for his life out of the earth Whence we may remember what hath been formerly observed that 7 OBSERVE Mans food is out of the earth Observe 7 PSal 104.14 15. and as is our food so is our cloathing and houses Job 4.19 Reason 1. Such provisions are fittest to support our earthly Tabernacles 2. God hath ordered it so to humble us that we might be every way put in minde how vile we are which we are loath to acknowledge Let us then learne to abase our selves having so many lively representations of our own vilenesse and not wax proud of our dainty fare rich cloathing sumptuous dwelling which is but to glory in our shame as we are too apt to do Phil. 3.19 which is both folly and impiety VERSE 18. THornes also and thistles shall it bring forth unto thee And other unprofitable and hurtful weeds instead of useful and profitable food which Job accounts an heavy curse Job 31.40 He means that of it self the earth should bring forth only such fruits as experience shews us those grounds do that are unmanured Prov. 24.30 which the Lord threatens should be the condition of his own land when it should be emptied of inhabitants Esay 7.23 25. So that if the earth yield any good and profitable food man must get it by hard labour A punishment answerable to his sin that as he had brought forth unto God rebellion instead of the fruits of obedience and holinesse so the earth should yield him thornes and thistles instead of food And thou shalt eat the herb of the field Not of Paradise from whence he was to be cast out The same grant which God had given man before Gen. 1.29 being forfeited by Adams rebellion is here renewed by promise as it is likewise to Noah after the flood with some farther enlargement Gen. 9.3 1. OBSERVE Thornes and thistles and all unprofitable weeds are the effect of Gods curse upon man for sinne Observe 1 SO Job wishes it might come on him as a curse if he had walked wickedly Job 31.40 It is the judgement which God threatens to bring upon his vineyard by which he shadows out the state of his people Isa 5.6 and in expresse termes upon the very land on which his rebellious people dwelt Isa 7.23 Reason 1. Seeing all creatures are his servants as David calls them Psal 119.91 he can bring them up and plant them where he pleaseth who doth whatsoever he will in heaven and earth Psal 135.6 2. Neither can God in respect to his own honour do lesse injustice then to
withhold his blessing from the creatures that should be for our service as we with-hold from him our service of obedience which we owe him by our Covenant Now if we compare this curse which God layes upon the earth for Adams sake with the sin for which he inflicts it we have a fair ground from thence to 2 OBSERVE As we are more or lesse serviceable unto God so we may expect that the creature shall be more or lesse serviceable unto us Observe 2 OF this we have ground to assure our selves upon Gods own Decree Deut. 28. Lev. 26. if we lay the blessings and curses there promised and denounced to the duties and sins there commanded and forbidden See Psal 81.13 16. Reason 1. Gods blessing upon the creatures is that only by which they are made useful unto us now God in justice can do no less then recompence all men according to their deeds Isa 59.17 18. Psal 62.12 and that not only in that great day of judgement but even at present and in outward things that men may see and acknowledge it as Psalm 58.11 2. Neither is there a meanes more effectual to prevaile with men in general to walk in a course of obedience then when they finde all the creatures against them in a course of rebellion Let it be one though not the chief of our motives to look carefully to our wayes if we hope to have any comfort in any thing that we enjoy or successe in any thing we take in hand It is a motive by which Eliphaz perswades Job to make his peace with God that the creatures should be at peace with him Job 5.23 24. It is true that the love of Christ should constraine a godly man and his authority over his own creatures especially his redeemed yea and his own Covenant should compel him to walk in obedience notwithstanding even the best need encouragements by experience and that even in outward things to hold on in that course which they finde so profitable to them every way It is observable that although Adam by his rebellion had forfeited that grant of God in which he bestowed on him the herb of the field for his food yet he is pleased here to renew it unto him although with some abatement Whence 3 OBSERVE God makes good his promises by which he hath engaged himselfe unto us though we faile in our Covenant by which we are engaged unto him Observe 3 SEe Psal 78.37 38. and 89.32 33 34. 2 Tim. 2.13 Reason 1. Gods promises are founded upon his own goodnesse and truth which cannot faile Psal 119.89 90 160. 2. God knew before-hand what we are even before he engaged himself unto us See Psal 103.13 14. 3. And if he should take advantage of every forfeiture he must necessarily undo his children who trespasse daily against him 4. And hath therefore given his son Christ to take away our sins if we hold fast the Covenant and do not wickedly depart from it though we faile many wayes 1 Joh. 2.1 2. 1. Let this kinde dealing of God with us be an encouragement unto us to go on cheerfully in his service being so good a master nay more kinde then a tender father Psal 103.13 Isa 49.15 howsoever wicked men blasphemously traduce and slander him Mat. 25.24 and whose service we finde so easie 1 John 5.3 Honourable and fruitful every way See Rom. 6.21 22. both at present and hereafter howsoever wicked men who are haters of God would perswade the world that there is nothing to be gained by it Job 21.15 2. And let us deale with our brethren as God deales with us 1. Look upon their errors and failings with compassion as the Lord looks upon ours as Christ represents it in that parable Mat. 18.23 and thereupon continue our love towards them and care of their good if they fail in their duties towards us Notwithstanding if we compare this renewed grant with that first grant which God makes unto Adam Gen. 1.29 we shall finde that although the same be granted in substance yet it is with a great abatement in the extent of it There he grants him all herbs and fruits upon the face of the earth within which Paradise must be necessarily included here he grants only the herb of the field he meanes without Paradise out of which Paradise is excluded from whence he was now to be cast out Now although Paradise was but a smal spot of ground in comparison of the world yet weighing the variety and choicenesse of the fruits thereof the losse was very great in comparison of that which was now left unto him Whence 4 OBSERVE Though God when he pardons our sinne restores us his blessings which we forfeited thereby yet we enjoy them with some diminution and abatement Observe 4 IN outward blessings God indeed hath restored us our lives but not that perfect constitution of body that Adam enjoyed before his fall which freed him from sicknesses and infirmities We are restored to the dominion of the creatures but those subject to vanity Rom. 8.20 neither so fully submitting nor so useful and serviceable unto us as they were in their first Creation In the inward man it appeares much more evidently we are indeed renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created us Col. 3.10 but that is in part only 1 Cor. 13.12 whence Agur complaines of himself that he was even bruitish Prov. 30.2 And our new man is created after God in righteousnesse and holinesse but so imperfect and with such a mixture of corruption that Saint Paul complaines that he carried about him a body of death Rom. 7.24 so that we have all of us just cause to acknowledge that we are all as an unclean thing Isa 64.6 Reason 1. It was needful to have every way some continual remembrance of sin that we might be the more abased in our selves and more sensible of Gods mercy both in supporting us in our weaknesse and pardoning us in our failings 2. It is besides for Gods honour that there should remaine some monument both of his justice and mercy Let it then move every one of us to make use of the sicknesses and distempers of the body of the unserviceablenesse of the creatures much more of the stirring of lusts within us rebelling against the law of our mindes and leading us captive unto sin yea of the blindnesse and ignorance of our hearts to bring our selves to greater detestation of sin a more careful watch over our own hearts that we may avoid or suppresse all motions thereunto a greater abasement and humbling of ourselvs in the sight of God that we may work out our salvation with feare and trembling and lastly may be stirred up to a more earnest longing after heaven where sin being removed from us we shall enjoy all things in their full perfection VERSE 19. IN the sweat of thy face With hard labour which causeth both sweat and wearinesse wheras his work in Paradise was easie and
they did before and evil they knew experimentally to their own shame and sorrow And now lest he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life An imperfect speech intimating one special reason why God drove man out of Paradise to prevent his further sin by profaning that holy Ordinance in eating of the Tree of Life which he had now no right unto having broken the Covenant whereof it was the seale and which he was as likely by the policy of Satan to be drawn unto as he had been before to eat of the forbidden fruit And live for ever Which Satan might suggest and man might as easily believe as well knowing that this tree had that vertue though it were now of no efficacy by mans breach of the Covenant VERSE 23. THerefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden The place of pleasure and store-house of plenty how he sent him out whether by expresse command or otherwise it is not material To till the ground from whence he was taken An hard task considering what curse God had laid upon the earth and how unprovided he was of all necessaries for that imployment And yet no wrong to Adam who was no heir to Paradise being created out of it as is evident by this expression and is now put into no worse condition then that in which he was created God we see then considers Adams weaknesse and therfore in mercy towards him to prevent his falling into a second sin shuts him out of that place where he might have allurements to draw him into it Thus even his judgements are still tempered with mercy but the Observation to be drawn out of the Consideration thereof in general we have handled already more particularly We may 1 OBSERVE God oftentimes with-holds from us or deprives us of many blessings for our good Observe 1 HEnce Agur desires that God would not heap wealth upon him lest he should forget God Prov. 30.9 The Psalmist found that prosperity made him secure but when God his his face it put him to his prayers Psal 30.6 7 8. hence he professeth that God had afflicted him in faithfulnesse Psal 119.75 1. To keep him in a right way Ps 119.67 2. To quicken him unto prayer Ps 116.4 3. To take off his minde from the world See Ps 73.25 that we might prize God and Christ and heaven at an higher rate 4. Sometimes he doth it to make our faith and sincerity more evident to the world as he dealt with Job 5. Perhaps to do us more good at the last as he dealt with him Let this consideration quiet our hearts in wants and losses remembring that all things are ordered by God who 1. Is good and doth good Psal 119.68 2. And turnes all things to good to those that love him Rom. 8.28 3. And knowing the frame of our hearts better then we our selves foresees that those things which he with-holds or takes from us would corrupt us though we our selves discern it not at present The Lord knew and considered that our Parents had already fallen into one sowle sin and therefore concludes upon good grounds that they would be as ready to fall into a second and gives unto us thence sufficient warrant to 2. OBSERVE When men have once broken out into one sinne they are in danger to fall into any other Observe 2 NOt only wicked men who work all uncleannesse with greedinesse Eph. 4.19 and sell themselves to work wickednesse 1 King 21.25 but even the godly as appeares in Lots falling from drunkennesse into incest Gen. 19.32 and Davids adding of murther to adultery 2 Sam. 11.4 15 17. Reason 1. Every man hath within him the root of every sin 2. And having once broken the bond of obedience hath nothing to hold him in 3. And hath his heart weakened by the very act of sinning as any part of the body is by a stripe or wound that it hath received 4. And Satan having prevailed upon us in one assault is thereby encouraged to attempt us with more violence afterwards as we have seen in his tempting of Eve Beware of giving the water passage though never so little he that standing on an high place hath lost his footing knows not where to stay himself Blessed is the man that feareth alwayes Prov. 28.14 Let it move us having been overtaken by infirmity to repent speedily and seriously to stand carefully upon our guards and to pray fervently Lest if we wax bold and secure God in his justice leave us to our selves and we be overtaken as St. Peter was Luke 22.33 3â— Well the Lord knowing Adams weaknesse to prevent his falling into a second sin shut him out of Paradise and thereby took away the occasion that might have been a meanes to draw him thereunto Whence 3. OBSERVE God as he alwayes foresees so oftentimes he prevents mens falling into sin Observe 3 SUrely he that alwayes knows the thoughts of men afar off Psal 139.2 and hath before him all the opportunities that may be presented unto them to allure them unto sinne and all the purposes and policies of Satan that labours to ensnare them must needs know what sinnes they will fall into and therefore may be able to prevent them which he doth often in his own children as he with-held David from spilling of Nabals blood 1 Sam. 25.32 33. and from killing Saul 1 Sam. 24 5. And many times in wicked men for preventing of mischief to his own children as Jeroboam from seizing upon the Prophet 1 King 13.4 the children of Israels violence from Moses and Aaron Numb 16.42 Herod from destroying Christ Mat. 2.12 13. Let all the godly take special notice of this special act of Gods providence in preventing their falling into divers sinnes whereof they may finde 1. The roots in their own hearts 2. They feele the motions of divers inordinate lusts the quenching wherof that they break not out into open acts must needs be acknowledged to be Gods act somtimes awakning our own consciences to prevent the farther growth and breaking out of lusts that have taken fire into an open flame as in Davids case 1 Sam. 24.5 sometimes causing his spirit within us to fight against these lusts of the flesh Gal. 5.17 otherwhiles giving us seasonable warnings out of his word which kept in David from persisting in that discontented humour against the acts of Gods providence Psal 73.17 which he acknowledgeth to be Gods holding of him by his right hand verse 23. And lastly by removing occasions and taking away opportunities of producing sin into act Now to prevent Adams further sinning by eating of the Tree of Life God casts him out of the garden of Eden where the Tree of Life stood that he might not have that allurement before him to tempt him and to give him opportunity to commit that sin Whence we may 4 OBSERVE The surest way to prevent mans falling into sin is to be farre from the allurements that might entice
him unto sin Observe 4 THus Job makes a covenant with his eyes not to look upon a maid that he might not have occasion to think on her Job 31.1 And Solomon adviseth us not to come neere the doore of a lewd womans house if we would avoid adultery Prov. 5.8 not to look upon the wine in the cup if we would avoid drunkennesse Proverbs 23 31. Reason 1. The pronenesse of our corrupt nature to evil which like gun-powder takes fire by every spark 2. The aptnesse of outward objects to work upon sense which quickly kindle affections by which our judgement is corrupted so that we are suddenly overtaken before we can arme our selves to resist the temptation Let us betimes remove from us all outward provocations to sin-alluring objects wicked company c. as being conscious to our selves of the weaknesse of our own hearts and having no assurance to be assisted by God if we cast our selves upon needlesse dangers as our Saviour answers Satan Mat. 4.7 especially to be watchful over our selves in those sins to which nature or custome most inclines us But it were needlesse to prevent a danger where is no likelihood of falling into danger wherefore we must needs acknowledge that God in his wisdome foresaw a pronenesse in Adam to fall into that sin which he so carefully prevents namely that Adam would be apt to take of that Tree of Life which now could not profit him at all So that we hence upon good ground 5. OBSERVE Men are naturally apt to think themselves safe in the performance of outward acts of holy duties Observe 5 FOr God discovers a pronenesse in Adam not only to eat of that Tree of Life but withal to perswade himself that by eating of it he should live for ever Thus the Jews rest upon the outward act of fasting Isa 58.3 4. and think themselves wronged because that was not accepted and conceive that the very standing in Gods house shall deliver them Jer. 7.10 And the Pharisee pleads his fasting twice in the week c. for his justification Luke 18.12 Reason 1. Carnal men embrace this common principle that God will accept and reward those that serve him 2. And know no other service but the performance of the outward work as being uttenly unacquainted with the inward operations of the spirit which they never felt in themselves 3. And finde the outward act approved by men 4. Lastly have their eyes blinded by Satan lest by drawing neere unto God in sincerity of heart they should escape out of his snare 1. It justly taxeth all that blinde their own eyes to their destruction without Gods infinite mercy by resting upon outward performances like the Jewes Isa 1.15 In praying hearing fasting alms-giving receiving the Sacrament as is manifest First when they undertake them without preparation not stirring up themselves to take hold of God Isa 64.7 Secondly by remaining without life both in and after such performances Thirdly and think themselves wronged if in such formes of godlinesse they be not approved by God and men Wherein 1. They wrong God in conceiving him to be like themselves Psal 50.20 and in offering him the basest part only of his service when their hearts are far from him Esay 29.13 whereas God loveth truth in the inward parts Psalme 51.6 and being a Spirit will be worshipped in Spirit and truth John 4.24 2. And beguile themselves deading their own hearts and losing all their reward 2. Let it be our care to performe all our services with life and affection to hear with feare and trembling Esay 66.2 to poure out our soules in prayer Psal 62.8 to afflict them in fasting Levit. 23.32 and to performe acts of obedience with joy and cheerfulnesse Deut. 28.47 To which end let us have still before us 1. The Majesty 2. Holinesse 3. Spiritual nature 4. All piercing eye of that God to whom we addresse our selves First in our services Secondly our great obligation to him to whom we owe more then our selves and therefore our best abilities to serve him withal Thirdly the weight of the duties themselves which require our whole strength in the performance of them that we may 1. Wash our hands in innocency when we compass Gods Altar Psal 26.6 2. Draw in and unite all our thoughts when we go about those duties 3. Wait upon God for strength from above Psal 51.15 119.18 We see how careful God is to prevent Adams eating of that Tree to which he had now no right at all the Covenant being broken which it sealed Whence 6 OBSERVE God cannot endure the defiling of his Ordinances by such as have no right to them Observe 6 NOt his word Psal 50.16 17. Lords Supper 1 Cor. 11.27 Baptisme to other then Beleevers Acts 8.36 37 Mark 16.16 see what became of the guest that thrust in to the feast without a wedding garment Mat. 22.12 13. and how sharply God reproves the Priests for bringing uncircumcised persons into his Sanctuary Ezek. 44.7 Reason 1. It is an high dishonour to God who by wicked mens drawing neer unto him may seeme to be their patron Jer. 7.11 2. Holy things are thereby prophaned Mat. 7.6 and brought into contempt 1 Sam. 2.17 3. It is a great meanes to harden wicked mens hearts who enjoying these priviledges which of right belong only unto the godly flatter themselves with a vaine conceit that they are accepted and approved of God as well as his own children an evil to which mens hearts are very prone as hath been shewed in the last point First how dare men then so boldly thrust in themselves without warrant into the use of Gods Ordinances in prayer hearing partaking of the Sacrament being 1. Ignorant of the nature of those duties and consequently unable to perform them as they ought 2. Having no interest in the Covenant as having never in their hearts consented to live unto God not unto themselves to deny themselves and the world which Christ requires of all his followers Mat. 16.24 3. And manifesting by walking after their lusts that they take themselves to be their own Lords Psal 12.4 Whereby they 1. Beguile themselves accounting themselves amongst Gods children interessed in all their priviledges to which they have no title 2. And beguile others who living as they do are apt likewise to think well of themselves as well as they 3. Offend others 1 Sam. 2.17 4. And encrease their own judgement 1 Cor. 11.29 Secondly let us examine our selves not only in receiving the Sacrament as we are directed 1 Cor. 11.28 but in prayer and in other religious duties what right we have to the use of them 1. What faith and dependance upon God such as Saint Paul expresseth 2 Tim. 1.12 grounded upon experimental knowledge 2. What conformity we finde in our hearts to the minde and will of God upon which David grounds his petition in prayer Ps 143.9 10. 3. What abasement of our selves we finde in our own hearts with Job
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
of the Law p. 55 Verse 4. A little yielding to Satans Temptations invites him to a stronger Assault p. 56 Those which seem modest in sin at the first grow bold in it at the last p. 57 No Truth of God so clear and manifest but Satan dare to contradict ibid. Satan and his Agents never make use of Gods Word but for Mischief p. 58 Verse 5. Satan in his promises gives men no ground to build upon p. 59 It is Satans policy to cast suspitions of evil ends on that which he cannot blame p. 61 It is usual with Satan to charge men with those evils whereof himself is guilty p. 62 Discontent at our Present Condition is a Dangerous Temptation of Satan pag. 63 Blindnesse and Ignorance is a great Misery p. 65 It is great Injustice in any man to hinder others for his own Advantage p. 66 It is false Liberality to withhold things that are of true Value and to bestow that which is of little worth p. 67 Mans leaning to the Creature must necessarily divide his heart from God p 69 Self-Love and Seeking is one of Satans most dangerous Snares p. 70 Satan layeth his snares for men in those things wherein they take most Delight p. 72 Satan tempts us to sin in our Duties p. 73 The searching after the knowledge of unnecessary things is unprofitable p. 74 The promises of Satan are of such things as are either Evil or Unprofitable pag. 75 The special End that Satan perswades wicked men to aime at is that they may be as Gods p. 76 It is Satans Policy to draw men to depend upon the Creature c. p. 77 Self-seeking and Dependance on the Creature are Evils that be inseparable p. 78 Satans Preferments are Base slaveries p. 79 Hasty Resolutions are dangerous in the Issue p. 80 The nearer things are to be enjoyed the more strongly the heart is affected towards them ibid. Verse 6. Things usually appear unto us as we stand affected towards them in our hearts p. 83 Sin proceeds not from the outward Object but from the corruption of the heart within p. 84 It is dangerous for a man to fix his Senses upon enticing Objects p. 85 Men are more apt to give credit unto lies then unto the Truth of God pag. 86 Men are easily drawn to believe and hope any thing of that which they affect and desire p. 87 The Terrours of wrath to come cannot prevail against strong Affections to things that are present p. 88 Outward Sense is an ill and a dangerous guide p. 89 A man cannot naturally desire any thing but under a shew and appearance of Good p. 90 Man is an ill chooser of his own good p. 91 It is a grosse Evill to choose what we like out of respect to our selves in particular p. 92 Lust once conceived will at last bring forth actual sin 94 It is not in the power of Satan to draw any man to sin without his own consent 95 They that sin themselves are seducers of others p. 97 One that is fallen into sin is many times most dangerous to his nearest friends p. 98 It is the property of true Love to communicate to others whatsoever it self embraceth for good p. 99 The strongest man is not able to stand against Satan if God leave him to himself ibid. Verse 7. Man can discern nothing but what God is pleased to discover unto him p. 102 It is a great folly in man not to foresee Evil before it be too late to help it p. 103 Satan never discovers any thing unto us but to do Mischief ibid. Those which discover not before-hand the Evils which the errours of their wayes lead them into yet they shall in the end feel the misery into which they bring them p. 104 Sin is able to make the most Excellent of all Gods Creatures vile and shamefull p. 105 Men are more apt to be affected with the outward evils that sin brings upon them then with the sin that causeth them p. 106 Garments are but the Covers of our shame p. 107 Most of our necessities are brought upon us by Sin p. 108 When men are fallen off from God their nature thereby corrupted carries them strongly to seek help from the Creature ibid. Sin besots men and makes them fooles p. 109 All the care men take is rather to hide their sin then to take it away 110 All Satan's promises prove nothing but Lies and meer Delusions 111 Verse 8. God will find men out in their sins 114 God when he is provoked by our sins yet he is the first that seeks to make peace with us ibid. God when he deals with men delights to be hearkened unto with Reverence 116 God so deales with men that he may humble but not confound them ibid. God many times calls men to Accompt and proceeds in Judgment against them in the midst of their Delights 117 It is needful to observe a fit Season in dealing with Offendors after they have sinned 118 The Presence of God is terrible to a Sinner 119 When men are fallen away from God they are left to miserable Shifts 120 Men are naturally apt to flie from the Means of their own Good 121 The Terrours of God will shake the Hearts of all those that sleight his Judgments 122 A guilty Conscience is filled with Terrour upon every Occasion 123 Whatsoever we truly fear we cannot but endeavour to flie from ibid. Mens hearts are wonderful prone to conceive of God as they do of a mortall man 124 Verse 9. Terrours may prepare a mans heart but it is onely the Word of God that informs and subdues it 125 The way to get our bearts affected with what we hear is to apprehend our selves to be spoken unto in particular 126 Those that endeavour to flie from God can by no means shift themselves out of his presence page 127 God loves a free and voluntary Acknowledgment of sin from his children 128 God is full of mildnesse and gentlenesse in his dealing with offenders 129 The Knowledge of ones ill condition is an effectual means to bring him unto true Repentance 130 All those that desire to get out of their misery must consider with themselves what brought them into it Verse 10. All men must appear before God and answer all that they are charged with when he comes to Judgment 133 Men are apt to conceal all that they can even from God himself ibid. One sin commonly drawes on another 134 Gods Word is terrible to a guilty conscience 135 It is an hard matter to bring men to confesse any more then is evident in it self 136 Men may be brought more easily to acknowledge any thing then their sinne ibid. No Means can work any further then they are carried on by God Himself 138 Verse 11. Mans frowardnesse cannot overcome Gods Love and Patience 139 God can easily convince men by themselves ibid. God takes notice of all our wayes 140 God accepts of no Confession till men acknowledge