perisheth Also there is a more pure eating held forth in Scripture My flesh is meat indeed I am that heavenly Manna Feed my Lambs and such like expressions the Prophet Isaiah speaking prophetically of the righteousness of God he cals it The holy seed he saith It shall return and shall be eaten as a Teil-tree and as an Oak whose substance is in it self Isa 6. 13. the same is spoken concerning the tree of life And as this is not to be understood of a naturall eating but of a pure inward and spirituall feeding of the new inward and spirituall man so in the like manner that eating Gen. 9. is not to be understood of a naturall eating but an inward corrupt and spirituall feeding of the Old man which is to be crucified mortifyed and destroyed with that which is husks and not bread I say after their approving desiring and pressing after the righteousness of the Law which is called our righteousness they then take and eat thereof and no sooner they have fed on that fruit but their eyes are opened and they know that they are naked that is when the creature is convinced that his own righteousness is the only meanes to bring him to heaven or to be like God for that is the thing the creature aims at in all his working and the more he followeth after and feedeth on this the more he is drawn into bondage and seeth his unsufficiency in accomplishing that end so that now the naturall eyes of the understanding are opened and they see that they are naked they are not made naked by following after the righteousness of the Law but that which they thought to attain to by it they see they are not able to attain but contrarily it doth discover their nakedness which is their sinne therefore the Apostle saith by the Law is the knowledg of sinne the Law doth not make the creature sinfull and naked but the Law doth open eyes to see that which was before for all things that is below God is sinne though it never transgressed any outward Commandement neither in its self nor any other the Heavens are unclean in his sight but it is not sinn according to similitude of Adam's transgression that is to say nakedness or sinn discovered therefore the Apostle saith Rom. 5. 14. Neverthelesse death reigned from Adam to Moses even over them which had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression that is they had not their sin and nakedness discovered as it is vers 13. the Apostle saith Sinn was in the world untill the Law but sinn is not imputed where there is no law that is sinn is not brought home to the Conscience and made ours untill the powerfull comming of the Law which brings sinn and nakedness to light thus it was with Adam the figure he had sin before but not discovered untill he eat thus it was with typical Israel they had sinn from Adam to Moses yet not discovered outwardly untill Moses gave them the Law and thus it is with us the substance of those two figures we have sin and death reigning by sinn yet not discovered untill the powerfull coming of the Law for the same effect that the fruit wrought on Adam the same it doth upon the Gentiles which never had the Law in the Letter for when the Gentiles which have not the Law that is have not the Law in the Letter doe the things contained in the Law which shew the works of the Law written in their heart their conscience also bearing witness and their thoughts in the mean while accusing or excusing one another Rom. 2. 14 15. for as Adam was alive before he eat and was to dye upon his eating so you see the Gentiles dyed that death upon the powerfull coming of the Law though they never had the law in the letter yet they had sin imputed inwardly as it was typed out by an outward imputation at Mount Sinai after Moses gave the law thus it was with Paul also before he had eat or concocted the same fruit he was alive as he saith I was alive once without the Law but when the Law came sin revived and I dyed as the fruit or Law did not bring sin to Paul but gave eyes to discover sin and nakedness so in like manner it brought not sin to Adam but opened his eyes and gave sight to discover and bring sin and nakedness to light which was in them before and as Pauls life before the law came was only but in his own apprehension so also was Adams and their death after their eating but only a discovery of what was in them for before the law came they believed and conceived life and power to be in themselves to bring them to God but when the law was come and they had eat of that fruit it openeth their eyes and discovereth that to be death which they thought was life So then the very act of eating the forbidden fruit or the powerful coming of the law into the soul which is all one is not sin it self but the discovery of sin therefore the Apostle saith What shall we say then is the Law sinn God forbid I had not known sinn but by the Law Rom. 7. 7. And he saith Without the Law sin was dead so I say this fruit which Adam eat was nothing but the Law which brought sinn and nakedness to light it revived sin which before seemed to be dead Therefore it is called the tree of knowledg of good and evill so you see whatsoever was brought upon Adam by his eating of that fruit the same is brought upon them that seeds upon the Law of their own righteousness As for example in these particulars First it deprives Adam of life for he had The effects of the fruit to him and us alike compared in 7. particulars life or else he could not dye The same doth the Law for saith the Apostle I was alive once without the Law Rom. 7. 9. As the first which was the shadow had life before he eat of the fruit so the second which is the substance had life before the law came It gives Adam the knowledg of sin and 2. The effects of the fruit nakedness and the eyes of them both were opened and they knew they were naked which nakednes is a metaphor which holds forth inability and sinfulness in their coming up to God The same doth the Law I had not known sin but by the law Rom. 7. 7. Chap. 3. 20. Thirdly the eating of the fruit brings 3. The effects of the fruit fear and terrour upon Adam because of sin Gen. 3. 9. I heard thy voice in the Garden and I was afraid The same thing doth the law work on those that feed on it or to whom it cometh the Apostle saith that Christ took flesh and blood upon him to deliver them who through the fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage Hebr. 2. 15. this fear and
ADAM UNVAILED AND Seen with open Face OR Israel's right way from Egypt to CANAAN Lately Discovered Wherein his estate is laid down opened and compared with ours under severall dispensations In opposition to what ever hath been formerly declared by most men In which many excellent Truths appeat to the great comfort and consolation of all those that are made capable of it By William Rabisha 1 Cor. 15. 46 47. Howbeit that was not first which is spirituall but that which was carnall Jer. 51. 29. In those dayes they shall say no more the Fathers have eaten sowr grapes c. London Printed for Giles Calvert at the black spread-Eagle at the west end of Pauls 1649. To the Reader A Fountain that is made bitter cannot send out sweet and pleasant waters nor a building that is set upon a sandy Foundation cannot stand but either the waters will annoy those that drink thereof or the building will fall on those that dwell therein Therefore I have considered of the first principles of Christian Religion on which almost all the other Principles have some dependance namly Adams estate in Innocency and also his estate after his Fall And upon serious consideration I have found that the Star called worm wood hath had some influence upon this principle and hath made it bitter as it hath also other rivers and fountaines of waters which are the pure Doctrines of Christ so that as many as have drank of that imbitter'd waters are rather poysoned then any ways by it refreshed And indeed this River or Fountain or principle of Adams estate in innocency being corrupted and made bitter on which almost all the principles necessary to be beleeved have some dependance therefore this principle being corruped and darkened it will necessarily follow that the other principles haveing their dependance on this wil also be corrupted and made dark by this and so there cannot be a cleer understanding of any truth this first principle being not truly understood therefore since God hath given me some light in this thing I have been exceedingly pressed in my spirit to make known what God hath made known unto me to the end that you may be made one with it as I am and see your selves and your fall and not anothers fall and so by your fall you may the better understand Adams fall for none can understand a thing until he be apprehensively made one with the thing to be understood for what is the reason of all the confusion in the world but one seeing with another mans eyes handling with another mans hands hearing with anothers eares and tasting with anothers palate they being not made apprehensively sensible of the things they hold Therefore Reader I intreat you not to see with the eyes of others but with your own beleeve not this old principle because the multitude and almost all Christians hold it to be a truth for truth is not commonly found with a multitude witness Noah who was opposed of all men but of seaven persons and also Abraham and Lot and Elias who opposed the Preists of the whole Nation and Daniel and the three Children with all the people of God both before and after being few always in number have ever been in opposition to to the whole world as also of late times Luther withstood the Preists and Monkes of all Nations with the Jesuites and all opposers thereof who most excellenly did purge the wormwood out of some of those Rivers and Fountains of waters as were poysoned by that starre which burned like a torch Therefore because the whole world hath been befooled in all ages and also the wise of the world is threatned to be fooled for God hath said that he will destroy the wisdom of the wise and bring to naught the understanding of the prudent and use the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and the base things of the world to confound the mighty and the things that are not to bring to naught the things that are Reject not such foolish such weak such base such things that are not lest in rejecting such thou reject the meanes which God hath always declared his Councel by and ever wil trust not any try all things hold fast that which thou art made one in without learning from another man as a Parret and earnestly desire the assistance of Gods Spirit and the Lord give thee understanding to Judge of the things that follow Yours in the fellowship of the Spirit and Minister of God according to the dispensation of grace given unto him WILLIAM RABISHA The Table THe common oppinion touching Adams Estate laiddown p. 1. Adam was made carnall without holiness and righteousnesse ibid. Adam lost nothing by his eating of the forbidden fruit but gained by vertue thereof p. 2. 1. Proved from the name of the trees what the two trees in Paradise are ibid 2. Proved from the serpent and how he may be said to be a lier p. 3. 3. Proved from the effects of the fruit or opening of the eyes and what these eyes are p. 4. 5. 4. Proved from God himself p. 6. 7. The Object that saith that God speaketh by way of an Irony answered p. 7. 8. The Object that saith Adam knew good by the losse of it and evil by wofull experience answered p. 9. The Object that saith Adam was made in the image of God answered thus p. 10. The image of God is understood two wayes 1. his personal appearance 2. his spiritual and immortal substance ibid. Adam was made after the image of Gods person and how p. 11. The woman was not made after the image of God in the first sence proved p. 12. 13 14. The second Image described and how the second Adam may be said to be made after it in the first p. 15. 16. The Object and Reason given that saith Adam was not made in the second image answered p. 17. 18. 4. To confirm the proposition 1. Reason That which is immortal cannot become mortal p. 19. A query what they mean by holinesse and righteousnesse if naturall or if without sin answered p. 20. What the true image is ibid. 2. Reason Adam was made carnal and earthly proved by Scripture and reason p. 21. 22. 3. Reason As the second Adam was always one and the same so was the first Object answered p. 23. 24. 4. Reason Our first parents had original sin before they eat of the forbidden fruit p. 25. 26. Sin described two ways p. 27. The Object that saith sin was begotten by the Serpent answered p. 28. Sin in them before they eat by the opposers confession p. 29. The ground of this contradiction dicovered p. 30. The Object from regeneration answered p. 31. 32. The Object from the transgression answered p. 43 44. 46. What Adam is in the substance p. 35. 36. Appli Adams estate laid down and ours compared with his in seven degrees p. 37. 1. Adam is made out of Paradise and so are we 38.
2. Adam is put into paradise and so are we p. 39. 3. Adam was to till the ground and to eat of every tree but one and so are we p. 39. 4. Our first Parents did desire to eat of the forbidden fruit to become like God and so do we p. 40 41 42. The Obj. from the breach of the command answered p. 43 44 45. The tree of Life is the righteousnesse of God proved by scripture and 4 reasons p. 46 47 And so consequently the tree of knowledg of good evil is the righteousnes of man ib. 5. He eateth of that fruit and so do we p. 48 What is meant by eating explained p. 49 What is sin or what is sin after the similitude of Adams transgression p. 50 51 52. 7 Things effected and brought forth upon Adam by his eating answerable to the like 7. in us by our eating p. 53. 1. He is deprived of life and so are we p. 54 2. It discovers sin both to him and us p. 54 3. It brings fear both upon him and also to us p. 55. 4. It brings a curse upon both p. 56 57 5. It brings death it self to both p. 58 None dyed in that flesh of his but every one doth dye in and for himself what seems to be truth at one time may not be truth after further light p. 59 60 61 62 6. It caused him to cloath himself with fig-leafs and so it doth to us p. 63 These fig-leafs and the leafs of the tree of life described p. 64 65 7. The eating of the fruit did cause him to run away from God and hide himself in the tree of the Garden so it doth to us the Tree described p. 66 67 An Objection answered p. 68 The 6 degree of Adams rising he is cloathed with Skins and so are we p. 69 70 What these Skins are and how and when we are cloathed with them p. 71 72 73 An Objection answered how the first dispensation is of God and how not p. 75 76 The second is of God in a more peculiar manner p. 77 The mystery of the Trinity opened p. 78 79 80 7. Adam is cast out of paradise and so are we all dispensations give way to this p. 81 82 83 We are brought into a second paradise Vse First this teacheth us to be reconciled to God p. 84 Secondly a word of reconciliation to seven sorts of men p. 85 86 87 88 89 The strong brother and the weak ought not to condemn nor judg one another p. 90 91 92 It is Antichristian and of the Devill to compell one another to any thing in matter of worship which is contrary to the practice of Christ and his Apostles p. 92 93 All ought to walk according as they have received p. 94 An Objection answered p. 95 96 REader behold Jewels and Pearles her set Jasper and Amethists in this rich Cabinet Behold the way if thou these Pearls wilt find From step to step unto this glorious mine Three ways there are to see this heavenly place Through a vail a glass and after face to face The Earth shall shake and also Heav'n above That those things may remain which shall ne'remove Though ADAM did aspire on high by Earth Yet fall he did and lost his prize through death That unto life be might be brought again And so at last his first prize might obtain He 's cloath'd with skins a glorious cloathing then None such are found amongst the Sons of men Thus may you learn throughout this History Degrees of grace working men up to glory Therefore let all men rest in this contented For they in ADAM are all represented And first as be began to play the prize So we as he must die before we rise By W. R. ADAM UNVAYLED AND Seen with open Face The Principle which I doe here oppose and deny to be a Truth is this as followeth IT is held almost by al those profess the Christian Religion that Adam was made in the Image of God in righteousness wisdom and knowledge and the like and that by eating of the forbidden fruit be lost that Image in respect of those Attributes in which he was said to be made like unto God This is their understanding of Adam's estate with whom I have to deal others hold other things of Adam although not so gross or so far contrary to truth and I not knowing fully what all opinions are I shall lay down my own judgment which is clear contrary to theirs whose opinions are herein specified According to my understanding the Spirit of God holds forth in Scripture that the first Adam was made of earth earthly For he lost nothing by his eating the forbidden fruit he having nothing to lose neither wisdom righteousness knowledge or light inherentin himself but contrarily being meerly blinde foolish ignorant and empty of all those attributes which he was said to have and whereas it is said that Adam lost all those attributes by eating the forbidden fruit I say he gained all his naturall knowledge light righteousness wisedom and the like by vertue of his eating the forbidden fruit And I make it appear thus There were two speciall Trees in Paradise the one was the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil the other was the Tree of Life the fruit of these two Trees was nothing else but two laws of righteousness The first which was the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil was the law of nature which is the morall law and is called the righteousness of man The second Tree was the Law of the Spirit and life in Christ which is by gift and is called the righteousnesse of God now before Adam had eaten of either of these Trees he could have neither of these two lawes of righteousness which he had not until he had eaten of the fruit thereof For proof whereof it will First appear from the very attribute or title that is put upon the Tree it is called the Tree of Knowledge of good and evill and the reason is because it gives conveys knowledge of what is good and what is evil in those who eat it Secondly It may be also proved from the Serpents testimony he speaking in answer Vers 3. 4. to the woman when she said Vers 3. that God had said ye shall not eate of it neither shall you touch it least you die his answer was ye shal not surely die but contrarily saith he God knoweth that in the day you cat thereof your eyes shall be opened and ye shall be as Gods knowing good and evil Object But it may be some may say that the Serpent did lye and deceive Eve by these words and therefore is called a lier from the begining Answ The Serpent spake truth according to the womans sense and interpretation of death that was the dissolution of the body but not according to Gods meaning and interpretation of death therefore he is called a lyer from the begining as in another cause Although the
which is the Lord from heaven and as the second Adam was alway the same neither higher nor lower at any time although he may be higher sometimes and sometimes lower in respect of manifestation yet he is one and the same for ever in his own nature and property so also the first man Adam might seem to be in a very high and good condition and afterwards to be in a low and evill condition in respect of manifestation to himself but in his own nature one and the same for ever for he was made of the earth earthly that is First as his corporal substance was made of the materiall earth so secondly his estate and enjoyment was carnall and earthly and being earthly minded carnal and blind he was put into Paradise and there continued untill his eyes were opened by his eating the tree of knowledge of good and evill and then he had a discovery of his carnality as I have already shewed in the letter and shall hereafter open the mystery to you when I come to Application Fourthly Further if I can prove that our first parents had original sin before they did eat of the forbidden fruit the controversie will be ended and you must grant my opinion to be a truth Which I shall prove as it followeth 2. That our first parents had original Reason 4. sin in them by reason of which they could not stand in that estate as they were in but fall And it will appear thus sin is to understood That is have their nakedness discovered under a two-fold consideration the first may be called sin in its conception that is the lust and earnest desire and inclination of the heart to do such a thing to satisfie its own lust this is sin in it self and that which God hates and abominates this is that which Christ witnesseth against for saith he I say unto you that whosoever looketh upon a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery already with her in his heart Math. 5. vers 28. he saith also the same of murder and other things vers 22. if it be conceived in the heart it s done in respect of God for as God desires and accepts of the good conceptions and indeavours of the heart although they never be put into action and also rewards them so he abhoreth the evill conceptions and intentions of the heart and accounts it for sin though it be never put into action and rewards it accordingly if unrepented thus I have described the first sort of sin which indeed is sin in it self and to speak properly there is no other sin but this but that which I call the second sort of sin to speak properly is not sin in its self but rather the manifestation of sin or sin breaking forth and making it self visible and this is called actuall sin which indeed is sin to us this is the second sort of sin or rather the manifestation of sin but that sort of sin or original corruption which is the body of sin this had Adam before he eat of the Tree of Knowldge of good and evill to this purpose look into Gen. 6. where it is said first that she saw it was good for food and secondly that it was pleasant to the eye and thirdly it was a tree to be desired to make one wis All these three things considered by the woman the goodness of it the pleasantness of it also that it would produce wisdom from hence it did cause lust and a burning desire in her after the fruit thereof this desire and lust was produced from that body of sin or original corruption and earthiness within and this sin according to Christs exposition Math. 5. is the sin or trasgression it self for their eating did not effect or produce their lusts and desires but their lusts and desires did effect their taking the fruit and their eating thereof and this was the sin and transgression it self as it is clear from the Apostles words where he I Tim. 2 14. saith the man was not in the transgression but the woman why so did not the man eat of the forbidden fruit yea he did eat of the fruit but that was not the transgression but the sin or transgression it self was the desire to the fruit upon such considerations as was before mentioned and this desire or lust is recorded of Eve only and not of Adam as the Apostle doth here affirm now Eve holds forth the matter of the Church in this place that is to say a carnal man and woman and therefore the transgressions was attributed to her alone because she was the mother of all living Gen. 3. vers 20. And not to Adam for Adam did type out Christ and as he was a type he was passive in the transgression and carried away by Eve and thus it is in the substance Rom. 7. vers 23. but I see another Law in my members warring against the Laâ— of my mind and bringing me into captivity tâ— the Law of sin but as Adam was a meeâ— creature Eve held forth both him and heâ— self which is in the substance the carnal man and woman or that part which quencheth the spirit and carrieth away the inward man captive as I shall further explain hereafter Object If it be said that this desire of Eve was begotten by and through the Sâ—rpents temtation Answ This I do not deny yet I say at this present it is so with us for the Serpent doth set forth evill with all the advantage and shew of good as possibly he can but all that he could doe either to Eve or us is but to effect the body of sin or original corruption and malignity within with the thing so set forth for he neither could give desires to them nor yet to us for the desire was from some malignity or corruption within all that he could do was to make the evil appear lovely to the eye that the desire may be raised up after the same as he hath somethings to work upon in us so also he had in Eve which was her corruption if there had been nothing within her he would have sped with her as he did with Christ for he having no fuel of original corruption therefore the flame of the Serpents temptation could not kindle that which was not but Eve having much power of original corruption it was soon set on fire with the Serpents temptation Secondly All those that say Adam was 2. Proved from themselves made in the Image of God in holiness and righteousness do confess what is here affirmed namely That our first parents had sin and corruption before they ate of the fruit It is a common saying both in their preaching and their writing That Adam's aspiring Pride and Ambition to become like God was the cause of his Fall Doctor Vsher in his Book of Princip p. 11. Bifield in his Principles pag. 77 80. Vsher saith That Adam rather obeyed the voice of the
nakedness or sin then these impressions put the creature upon some thing that it conceives to be a duty to hide this sinne or to be as it were a Mediator to appease the wrath of God and thereby to quiet and satisfie its own conscience so these our good works are the figg-leafs for figg-leafs are very broad and so are our good works although carnal persons apprehend themselves to be very naked and sinfull yet if they can but fast and do pennance and say thus many prayers then presently sinn which is their nakedness is covered and their conscience is quieted so then these good works are the leafs of the tree of knowledge of good and evil under which figg-tree all men are found sitting to whom the second dispensation comes it findes us there and knows us before we know it as you may see John 1. 48. where Christ spake in answer to Nathaneel's question whether he knew him Christ saith unto him That he knew him before Philip called him under the fig-tree the leafs of the tree of life shall be for the healing of the Nations What are the leafs of the tree of life only the effects of the fruit which fruit is the Spirit of God and the effects are our good works brought forth by that Spirit saith Christ Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in heaven Matthew 5. 16. 1 Peter 2. 12. Revelat. 11. 13. Thus be these leafs of the tree of life effected and brought forth by the Spirit the Nations shall be wonn recovered and healed and shall glorifie God by this you may the more clearly see what are the leafs of the first tree they are our good works springing forth from the law it shal heal and cover them too in their own apprehensions but when the second fruit is given them to eat they shal come from under that figg-tree they shall cast their garments away as filthy rags and menstruous clouts as Paul did For when this second dispensation comes which is the fruit of the tree of life or Christ in the soul it findes no fruit but only leafs on which he pronounceth a curse and it withereth away and is no more seen for ever in that soul Matth. 21. 19. Thus also you may see that as Adam's eating the fruit caused him to cloath himself with fig-leafs the same doth the powerfull coming of the law Adams eating of the forbidden fruit did 7. The effects of the fruit cause him to hide himself amongst the trees of the garden Gen. 3. 8 the same thing doth the Law effect in them to whom it cometh when God cometh in that despensation with voyces in the wind or tempest of that day and maketh the creature afraid the creature presently runs away and hides it self in the trees of the garden which trees are these two things the first sort and greatest shelter that the creature hides it selfe under from the wrath of God is the opinions and tenents of the fathers or them that pretend to be Ministers of the people unto which the creature being frighted runs to tell their estate to the end they may have their consciences quieted and after confession by those that are in bondage under the law to these trees of Lebanon And also there being admonished by these tall Cedars in their humane traditions they then give them absolution and remission of their sinnes that is to say their words take effect upon the heart of the fearfull and their sinnes are remited declaratively thus they trust to what others say and pinn themselves to them when they are not made one in the thing that they profess and thus their conscience is quieted they having hid themselves from God in the former dispensation among the trees which are some pleasant Tenents or doctrines of salvation duties and formes from humane traditions these are the trees which men hide themselves from God in The gathering of figg-leafs in the sixth Comparison was a work of the law only but their hiding themselves among the trees of the garden is from humane tradition and grosse Idolatry For proof hereof see Hos 4. 18. where the Prophet speaks in reference to those trees which are the Priests thus They eat up the sinne of my people and verse 12 13. the Prophet speakes in reference to the people thus My people ask counsell after stocks and their staffs declare unto them for the spirit of whoredome hath caused them to erre Those stocks and staffs are the Priests at the 13 verse he speakes thus They sacrifice upon the tops of mountains and burn incense upon the hils under Oaks and Poplar trees and Elmes because the shadow thereof is good These shadows cover them from these winds and tempest which is the voice of God in the law and as Adam in his greatest fear fled and hid himself and had his sinne as it were eaten up or covered by the shadows of these trees so the sinne of these Israelites was as it were eaten up This was held forth by Ishmael the sonne of Hagar or the sonne of the Covenant of works he was cast under a shrub in his greatest agony when all his refreshment of water was gone In this he held forth the sonnes of the Covenant of works who also doe fly from the voice of God in the wind of the day and hide themselves under the shadow of these trees because it brings peace and seemeth to be good Obj. You will say Adam had no such trees as Priests or Teachers to hide himself under Answ I grant that if you speak of these persons but he sought out those opinions traditions and inventions as they have since learned and others have them now without so much labour and thus under those trees they shelter themselves from the wrath of God The second sort of trees are some particular pleasure or delights I told you the Garden it self was all manner of pleasures or delights in generall but after we have eaten of the Tree of knowledge of good and evill and our eyes are opened thereby we are driven as it were out of this carnall pleasure and delight in generall so that we lye under a heavy yoak of bondage in a mournfull and heavy condition so that the soul is as it were brought downe to hell then many times such a Soul spies out another sort of shelter which may be understood to be company playing musick singing or any such kind of recreation for saith such a one when I am out of Company I am so melancholy and discontented and oppressed in my conscience that I know not what to do and from hence they seek after recreation to put away melancholy humors and cover their sinnes under such trees as these here you may see whatsoever was produced and effected in Adam by eating the forbidden fruit in these seven particulars the same also is produced and effected by the law on whom it powerfully
I shall also go on in proving that Adam as he was then made and stood in innocency was not made after the second image in holinesse righteousnesse knowledge and the like and my reasons are these First If Adam had been immortall in the image Reason 1. of God in respect of his attributes it had been as impossible for him to fall and become mortal and unholy as it would be for God himself that which is holy cannot become unholy that which is in the nature of God cannot change it nature into the nature of sin God is able to change other things into his nature but no other thing can change that which is of God into its nature Because I would leave nothing unanswered Object I would willingly know what you meane by holiness and righteousness if you mean natural holiness and righteousness knowledge light and the like Ans To this I answer God hath no such image the Scripture holds forth but a twofold Image the first a Personal the second a Spiritual according as I have already described Again If you say he was holy and righteous inasmuch as he had not sinned I say in that sense a stone or any other vegetative or sensitive creature is made in the image of God for it hath not sinned This is like that tenet or principle held concerning children for some say If children should not be saved who have never sinned actually who then can be saved as if that which had not sinned was holy and nearer God to be without sin only is not to be holy and in the image of God or to have never so much naturall knowledge and light adds nothing to holiness and righteousness according to Gods image But to be holy and righteous in the image of God is to be immortall unchangeable and to have eternall life in them which is the gift of God and there to live in the enjoyment of God having inherent righteousness in them and to be begotten by God and grow up in the very nature of God as a child grows up in the nature of his Father So that you must become little children and be born by the Spirit before you enter into the Kingdom of heaven that is there must be a new and second birth of a new creature a new life and conversation new feeding new spirituall meat and drinking anew of wine and water of life with Christ in the Father's kingdom a new enjoyment a new spirituall rest and all things must become new all this is held forth by the first birth life conversation feeding and resting If we must become like or as little children before we can enter into the Kingdom of heaven then I say we must become like old men before we sit down in the Kingdom of heaven in the full enjoyment of the Father or in the knowledge of him which is from the beginning as the Apostle John saith to the Fathers who out-stripped the children or young men in the knowledge of God as he was in them from the beginning 2 John 12 14. These children are not to be understood children by generation neither are the young men or fathers to be understood under a natural consideration but children in respect of regeneration and young men and fathers in respect of spirituall growth and knowledge in the mystery of God So then if Adam had been thus he had been in the image of God and could no more have fallen away from the nature and image of his Father then a childe can fall from the nature and image of his father into the nature and image of a beast neither did he fall in that sense as you understand he did nor do any thing against or contrary to his nature Secondly He was earthly and so he acted Reas 2. from that principle and therefore not in the image of God and that you may plainly see if you consider what the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 15. 43. in these words There is a carnall body and there is a spirituall body Although this may be taken or understood to be our body or the body of sin fallen in Adam in opposition to the spirituall body which is the spirit of life in Christ yet it is not the Apostles understanding onely for he goes about to prove this by the written word and that is from Adam's first creation for saith he and so it is written The first man Adam was made a living soul the last Adam was made a quickning spirit 1 Cor. 15. 45. The Apostle understands this first man that was made a living soul to be a meer natural man as also he understands the second to be a spirituall as you may see ver 46. in these words Howbeit that was not first which was spirituall but that which was carnall and afterwards that which was spirituall There needs no further evidence in this neither can I speak any plainer then the Apostle for when he goes to prove there is a naturall bodie he doth not say it became naturall through some miscarriage but he saith he was made so he was made a living soul which living soul so made by God he saith in the next verse that it was not spirituall but carnal Nothing that is carnall can have communion with God But Adam was carnall Therefore could have no communion with God Nothing that was made carnall was in the image of God But Adam was made carnall Therefore not in the image of God in respect of his Attributes Thirdly The Apostle sets forth the pedegree Reason â— or root of the second Adam by the pedegree or root of the first in these words The first man is of the earth earthly the second man is the Lord from heaven vers 47. As the second did not come in a low estate and condition and attain to an higher afterwards for he is the Lord from heaven so the first man did not come in an high and glorious condition and afterwards fall into a lower Object If you said That Christ which is the second man came in a low estate and condition which makes against this Argument Answ To which I answer In respect of his Manhood he was the first Adam for it is said He that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one It is not onely meant in respect of their spirituall estates after they were sanctified but also of their fleshly except actual sin as it is Heb. 2. 14. Forasmuch as the Children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himself likewise took part of the same And as he was flesh and blood he came in a low condition and so he may be said to grow in grace and knowledge for he was not the Lord from heaven nor the second man in this sense but he was the Lord from heaven in respect of his Godhead or that spiritual influence or annoynting that came forth from God and took up flesh and dewlt therein In this sense he was the second Adam
Serpent then the voice of God Bifield saith There was three things occasioned the fall of our first parents the first Rebellion the second Unthankfulnesse the third Liberty they took to add or detract from Gods word they added the word touch and they detracted when they said lest ye die And these three sins are and ever will be cause of our Apostacie saith he These are sins in the highest degree as he himself confesseth pag. 80. yet this was before they ate of the forbidden fruit or the occasion of it as he saith And thus they contradict themselves and give themselves the lie in that they say Adam was made in holiness and righteousness and Winstanly contradicts him self in his Book of The mystery of God compare pa. 1. with p. 10. so continued till he ate of the fruit thereof and yet to say he sinned before he ate thereof this is a plain contradiction and therefore the principle touching Adam's holiness is not a truth The ground of this contradiction is the misunderstanding of the Image of God because the Image of God is taken for holinesse in the new creation of the new man according to that in Coloss 3. 10. therefore they attribute this holiness and righteousness to Adam in innocency although they have no Scripture to prove it These two creations of man must be understood as these following things The old Temple that was materiall was a figure of the true which is spiritual the old Circumcision made with hands was a figure of the true made without hands the old Sacrifices which were carnal were a figure of the true which are spirituall So also the fleshly and earthly birth which is seen was a figure of the true birth which is spirituall and not seen with mortall eyes which is the new creation or second Image of God in holiness and righteousness the true Image of God in opposition to that personall and typical Image that Adam was made in Except ye be born again ye cannot enter into the Kingdom of heaven notwithstanding it is said again yet the birth is not the same So then this being proved by Scripture and also by their own confession That our first parents had originall sin and corruption before they did eat of the forbidden fruit which puts the question out of controversie that is to say that Adam was not made in the image of God in respect of his attributes neither had they any power to stand in that condition as they were made no more then a child hath power to stay and never grow to be a man and contrarily the same reason proves that they were meerly blind ignorant and carnal whose enjoyment was altogether earthly they being empty of all these attributes that they were said to have Obj. some may say that Adam was not mad in a low and carnal condition and did by eating the forbidden fruit attaine to a higher but contrarily he fell into a lower Our reason is because the Scripture holds forth regeneration and renewing which signifies our being brought up into some estate and condition that we were once in and now have lost Answ This can be no reason against me nor for you for you your selves do not hold that we are by regeneration or the second birth brought up to that condition that we were in before in Adam for if so then we are as liable to fall as ever So then if we be not brought up to that estate that Adam was in then regeneration is to be understood thus we must be brought up in the like estate now the like estate is not the same but it it to be understood thus as the lively creature is like the picture or representation so are regenerate persons like Adam in innocency for as he had peace and enjoyment and contentment and was happy in his own apprehension so his carnal peace delight and enjoyment was a figure of that spiritual peace delight and enjoyment that is attained unto after the second birth For as he himself being carnal was yet a figure of a heavenly and spirituall man so also his enjoyment and peace was a figure of a spituall peace and enjoyment so we are not to understand by regeneration that we are to be brought up into the same estate as Adam was in but into the like estate that is to say into such an eâ—â—ate as his did hold forth and was a figure of for as the first estate was peace contentments delights so is the second peace contentments and delights and so may be said to be like one a other as a pictute of a creature is like the creature in resemblance yet not in life power and sense but as the one was peace so was the other and therein alike the Scripture holds forth a twofold birth one like the other and one holds forth the other yet we must not be as Nicodemus to beleeve we are to enter into our mothers womb because Christ saith we must be born again or become like little children And as this is to be understood in a spirituall sense that this spirituall birth is answerable to the naturall and yet not the same so is Regeneration to be understood in the like manner Or else as the restauration of Israel and also their Ordinances as it is said in Amos 9 11. I will build up the tabernacle of David that is fallen and close up the breaches thereof and I will raise up his ruines and build it as in the dayes of old And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel and they shall build Cities and inhabit them ver 14. And I will plant them upon their own Land ver 15. Now although these are plain words as building a tabernacle as of old and building Cities and planting them on their land yet this must admit of a spirituall interpretation as it doth appear Act. 15. 16. where the Apostle James applyeth this Prophesie to the calling of the Gentiles and upon his repeating thereof in ver 14 he draweth this inference Therefore my sentence is that we trouble not them which from among the Gentiles are turned to God ver 19. These people thus turned to God he understands This is the City of which the Apostle saith We are come unto Mount Sion the City of the living God the heavenly Ierusalem Hebr. 12. 20. This is the City that the Gentâ—les shall tread under foot 42 months Rev. 11. 2. The same spirituall City shall be redeemed Isa 60. 14. They shall call thee the City of the Lord the Sion of the holy One of Israel that is the Saints and no material City to be the tabernacle of David in the substance thereof and this their gathering in and uniting by the Spirit is said to be their building again as of old notwithstanding that of old was nothing but a tabernacle or temple of wood or stone with outward adornings of such materiall things as also the Cities and their own
Land which they are said to build and be planted in are also spiritually held out by their old material Cities as Sion Jerusalem and the Land of Canaan which spirituall Cities are no material Cities but such Cities as righteousness shall be for walls and bulwarks whose builder and maker is God Isa 60. 18. Heb. 11. 10. Their own land there spoken of is that heavenly and spirituall enjoyment and rest which Joshua could not bring them into as you may see more plainly in the margin Thus you are to understand Regeneration to be but only a bringing up to a spirituall peace and enjoyment typed out by a carnall and earthly God calleth in this place the things that are not as though they were Rom. 4. 17. he holds forth spirituall things by carnall which are things we best understand as in the Canticles he holds out that excellent and spirituall love betwixt Christ and his Church by that carnall love which is betwixt man and woman Thus much in answer to this Objection Another Objection may be formed thus Some may say Adam by his eating the fruit did break a Commana therefore it is impossible that he could be brought neerer to God by his sin and transgression Answ The matter of his eating was not sin but the manner or circumstance as you may see a full answer to this Objection in pag. 43 44 45 46. I having briefly proved that which I undertook namely that the first Adam was made of the earth earthly and was blinde without wisdom knowledge righteousness light or the light before his eating the forbidden fruit and that he lost nothing by his eating but by vertue thereof he obtained all those naturall gifts which he is said to have before by them with whom I have to deal and in proving of this I having answered many Objections Now it would be necessary to apply this truth to mens severall conditions which indeed was Gods end in holding forth Adam in these various conditions that we should not onely see him but see our selves and in comparing our selves with Adam in his various conditions and Adam with us we may see our conditions like his And herein I shall answer other Objections and further clear what is already delivered But before I come to apply this truth you must know that the man Adam did represent two things 1. He did represent another Adam which is all the fleshly and carnall actings of men in all the world These fleshly and carnal actings of men is Adam as truly as ever he that was look'd upon to be our first parent was Adam And God indeed Adam our first parent held forth Christ in the flesh Adam our carnality holds forth Christ in the Spirit the first is crucified by the later and gave place for grace to abound much more Rom. 5 20. was pleased to hold out this later Adam by him that is not so truly Adam as this for this later Adam is he that we should still look to And whereas I said that Adam held forth two things I did not mean only Adam our first parent but this later Adam our carnality holds forth the last of the two things which I spake of which is Jesus Christ in the Saints The opposition is not between the two Adams I mean Adam our first parent and Christ who died at Jerusalem no further then they were two shadows but the opposition lies between the two substances namely Adam our carnality and that spirit of life in Christ living and acting in the Saints which is the second Adam therefore the Apostle saith Crucifie the old man with the affections and lusts thereof and put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse The same Apostle saith Rom. 6. 6. Knowing this that your old man is crucified with him And in the next verse he sheweth what was done in the signe that they might better judge and try themselves whether they had the substance in them answerable to the signe If this be so as it doth appear that every carnall man and woman in their carnall fleshly and self actings are the first Adam Col. 3. 9 10. in the substance Then let us see whether the same thing doth not befall us in the substance as befell Adam in the shadow and so make some Application to our selves in our various conditions And herein I shall strengthen that which I have formerly delivered And in this I shall lay down Adams estate as he was created in and his degrees in rising through severall dispensations and providences of God and so compare our estates and severall degrees and risings with his and then we shall see whether he did not truly hold forth us and whether we are not the true substance of him the shadow First Adam was created without the The first degree of Adam's rising Garden of Eden which Garden holds forth a place of pleasure and delight so that Adam had not that pleasure at his creation but afterwards and the reason was as I conceive because he was not capable of pleasure being created in the degree or stature of a child For he was not actually made by God as some vainly and carnally suppose but he grew out of some thing by the providence of God and so was kept and provided for in a miraculous way by Gods great providence as some men have been preserved by Eagles and Bears and the like as is recorded in History Divers Reasons may be given for this but I do not desire to enlarge my self in it but take this one Reason Adam must needs be created in the degree or stature of a childe because he lived to the same age as his generation lived before he departed this life for his days were nine hundred and thirty yeers Now if Adam had been in the degree of a middle aged man in all probability he could not have lived to the age of the rest of his generation for there was not above one in all his generation that did out-live him which in all probability they would have done if he had been created in the degree of a man This I speak from my self and not from the Lord but there is much reason in it Therefore you are not in my judgment to think that God created him actually with hands notwithstanding it is said that God formed man with the dust of the earth David saith the like of himself Thy hands made and fashioned me notwithstanding he came by generation God made the whole world but it was by his influence and power upon and in the creature made as he doth at this day by the same power was Adam made and kept by the same providence And thus being made in the degree of a child without Paradise that is to say without pleasure or delight this was his first estate or degree So it is with the substantiall Adam which is all flesh in the time of their infancy they live without