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
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
do not manifest unto men their errour in embracing it they are either wholly besotted with that wretch which was unsensible of his own smart Prov. 23 35. or love death Prov. 8.36 and their own destruction which is against the principles of Nature it self Let every man then carefully observe what impression the experience of sin leaves upon his heart If it be zeal indignation revenge grief and the like 2 Cor. 7.11 2 Sam. 24.10 feare watchfulnesse and resolution against it for time to come Job 40.4 5. so that with Solomon we finde nothing in it but vanity and vexation of spirit and thereupon hate all our labour therein Eccl. 2.18 then is there certainly a spirit within that lusteth against the flesh If after the sin we remain senselesse fearlesse carelesse there is certainly some dangerous spiritual disease upon us which taking away the sense of good and evil discovers it self to have seized upon and much weakened the fountain of life it self But if we come once to this height that acquaintance with sin breeds glorying in it Phil. 3.19 delight and joy in it Job 20.12 hunger and thirst after it so that we resolve that to morrow shall be as to day and much more abundant Isa 56.12 the case is desperate without Gods infinite mercy Thus God promiseth to recover man out of Satans snare and that by infusing into his heart an holy hatred and detestation of Satan and of all his instrments and wayes and counsels and this he promiseth shall be his own work for he speaks it I will put enmity c. Whence 8 OBSERVE Sanctification is the work of Gods Spirit Observe 8 HEnce therefore it is expressely called the sanctification of the Spirit 2 Thes 2.13 unto which both sanctification and justification are ascribed 1 Cor. 6.11 and upon the same ground it is called the Spirit of holinesse or sanctification Rom 1.4 which proceedeth from God and therefore this work is ascribed also unto him 1 Thes 5.23 from whom it passeth thorough Christ as the conduit whence he is also said to sanctifie his Church Eph. 5.26 by the Spirit as the working cause and by the Word as the instrument John 17.17 the power whereof is notwithstanding wholly from God 2 Corinth 10.5 Reason 1. It can proceed from no other cause seeing mans heart in it selfe being wholly corrupted it is impossible to draw a clean thing out of that which is unclean Job 14.4 and therefore if it receive any holinesse it must be infused by him that is the fountain of holinesse 2. And it is fit it should be so that all the honour of every mercy as well our sanctification as our justification might be ascribed to God alone that he that glories might glory in the Lord 1 Corinth 1.31 Now Gods promise being absolute that he will do it it must needs be granted that the work shall infallibly be accomplished according to his word for his thoughts must stand throughout all ages Psal 33.11 and who hath resisted his will Rom. 9.19 Whence 9 OBSERVE The work of grace and Sanctification wrought in the heart of man is unresistible Observe 9 AS depending upon the will of God and not of man so that it is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy Rom. 9.16 who worketh in us both to will and to do according to his good pleasure Phil. 2.13 and not according to ours So much is implied in those phrases of writing the Law in our hearts Jer. 31.33 of taking away the stony heart and giving an heart of flesh Ezech. 11.19 of begetting anew 1 Pet. 1.3 of creating Eph. 2.19 and the like all which manifest a work wrought upon man and not by him and therefore having no dependance upon his will at all Neither 1. Is it fit it should be otherwise lest Gods will should be over-ruled by the will of man and Gods purpose of saving such as he hath chosen to himselfe from all eternity should be frustrate 2. If the work of mans conversion be duely weighed it cannot be otherwise seeing in the first act thereof nature being more corrupted must needs stand in opposition against God and so must continue to do till God change it the Apostle testifying that the wisdom of the flesh that is of a Natural man is enmity against God and neither is nor can be while he so continues subject to his Law Romans 8.7 Notwithstanding in this promise wherein God undertakes to carry on man in an irreconcileable enmity against Satan he implies that he will not carry him on therein by violence and inforcement but intends to make use both of his will and affections in this opposition For enmity consists in a voluntary and strong motion of the minde of a man against that which he hates wherein both the will and affections are exercised Whence 10. OBSERVE The work of mans sanctification is not forced upon him although it cannot be resisted Observe 10 FOr in this act God works in us to will as well as to do Phil. 2.13 so that there is at once both Gods drawing and our running Cant. 1.4 Wherfore the Prophet expresseth it by taking away the heart of stone and giving an heart of flesh Ezech. 11.19 There is in a renewed man an heart still by which he consents unto and endeavours to perform that which is good as the Apostle speaks of himself Rom. 7. only God gives him that will by performing two things First by taking away that heart of stone which is in man by nature which is so hardened by that sinne that cleaves unto it that it is utterly uncapable of any counsel or means that might be used to draw it to that which is good by which it can no more be swayed then a black-mores skin can be made white by washing Jerem. 13.23 Secondly when God hath freed the heart of that obstinacy in sin and untractablenesse thereby to any good and hath destroyed in it that enmity against God which hinders it from submitting to his Law yet the heart could not of it selfe close with and embrace any thing that is good if God did not give a new heart of flesh that is infuse into the heart an inclination and tractablenesse to his will which the Prophet prays for Psal 119.36 by which it is enabled to consent unto God and to the motions of his Spirit to follow after to know him Hos 6.3 and to take up words and return to him Hos 14.2 The truth is God could otherwise have no honour by a sinners conversion if the heart should stand out still against him and not encline to approve choose and delight in his wayes above all things To serve and obey by force is slavery and not subjection and proclaims God to be a tyrant rather then a Lord wherefore he loves a cheerful giver 2 Cor. 9.7 and to be loved and served with all the heart and with all the soule Deut. 10.12 with joyfulnesse and
believing Gods Truth so that vve may thence 2. Observe We must first give our assent unto the Truth of God and search into the fuller understanding of them afterward Observ 2 THus Jeremy believeth and acknovvledgeth Gods Justice first and then examineth hovv the prospering of vvicked men may stand with that Justice of his afterwards Jer. 12.1 And the blessed Virgin first believeth the Angels message that she should conceive a son Luk. 1.45 and then enquires how it should be brought to passe verse 34. In this manner reason must wait and attend upon faith and not go before it Reason 1. The Infallibility of Gods Testimony who cannot lie and therefore must be believed upon his own word although we know no reason for it 2. By this meanes only we glorify God when receiving his Testimony because he hath said it we thereby set to our seal that God is true John 3.33 Let it then be our labour to bring our hearts to a full assent unto Gods Truths upon his own Testimony though we cannot sound the depth of them nor understand How When in what Manner or by what Means they are or shall be accomplished That we shall rise again from the dead although we know not with what body 1. Cor. 15.35 That we shall be like unto Christ though we know not how 1 John 3.2 That we shall be fed as Elijah was and did believe he should be though he knew not how nor wherewith As we believe natural things though we know not the secret waies by which they are brought to passe by the power of him that makes them all Ecle 11.5 Whose waies are past finding out Rom. 11.33 After the Phrase and Order which the Spirit of God useth in this expression we are in the next place to take into Consideration the Matter it self which is expressed and therein first the time of the worlds Creation pointed out unto us in the first words In the beginning of the world or of the Creatures being as we said before a Truth so much questioned amongst the Heathens whether the world had a beginning and by the most of them rather not denyed then believed upon any good assurance at the least the world was conceived by them to be many ages elder than it is Now the Holy Ghost here tells us that not only it had a beginning but by the following narration makes it evident that it began to be but a while ago Whence 3. Observe The world had a Beginning nay it began but a while ago Observ 3 OF all the Creatures in it it may be truly said that they are but of yesterday Job 8.9 if we measure them according to Gods that is according to the True Account to whom a thousand years are but as yesterday Psal 90.4 in which estimation the world is not yet six daies old 1. Admire it not What are five or six thousand yeares to Eternity which God enjoyes who is from everlasting to everlasting Psal 90.2 Much lesse should we make any reckoning of the age of men of whom the world hath outworn so many generations 2. Trust it not That which hath a beginning must have an end 2. Pet. 3.10 But rest on him whose yeares fail not but his Age Reign and Faithfulnesse continue to all generations Psal 146.10 119.90 And consequently they that wait on him shall never be made ashamed Jer. 17.8 Next the Time we have set before us the Author of the worlds Creation the work man that made it expressed by this Name Elohim the Mighty God Now of necessity God must be before his work that he wrought before the beginning that is before all time which took beginning with the world which was made in it Whence 4. Observe Before the World was God is Observ 4 PSal 90.2 Prov. 8.23 Isa 43.13 Heb. 1.10.11 Known therefore by his Name Jehovah that is I am as he terms himself Exod. 3.14 One of whom it alwaies was and ever will be true that he Is. Admire Fear and Depend upon him alone who abiding and continuing the same for ever is consequently able both to save such as seek and love him and to execute vengeance on those that hate him Exod. 20.5 6. Heb. 7.25 The name by which God is expressed in this place may not be passed over There seems to be some cause why the Holy Ghost rather chooseth the name Elohim to expresse him by than the name Jehovah which is more usuall It may be it is for the strengthening of our faith that we should not think this great work of the Creation of the world impossible to him who is Almighty as the word Elohim imports and consequently able to give beings to things that had none before Or perhaps to stay us withall upon the admiration of the work being the effect of so great a Power and consequently in some sort answerable thereunto Howsoever 5. Observe Creation is the work of a mighty Power Observ THerefore the Lord produceth that as a manifest evidence to prove himself to be God Isa 25.18 Able to do any thing Isa 52.4.5 6. Jer. 32.17 that cannot faint nor be weary that is to be weak in power as faint and weary men are or unable to effect what he will Isa 40.26.28 Let us make Use of the meditation thereof to amaze our selves with the consideration of Gods infinite Power The stretching out of the heavens the Founding and setling of the earth the bounding of the Sea commanding of the winds casting out of lightnings and the like being works beyond the power of men and Angels are every where mentioned as arguments of Gods infinite Power but what are all these to the Creation by vvhich all things received their Being that had none before the very meditation vvhereof is enough to svvallovv up any mans spirit Let this meditation support our vveak faith and let the consideration of the supporting of the Creatures by the same hand that they continue according to his Ordinance and are continued in the propagation of their kinds vvhich are but in a sort a renued Creation affect us daily vvhen vve behold them Next to the time of the worlds Creation and the Work man that made it followes the consideration of the work it self which is termed a Creation by which that which vvas not before received a being and became that vvhich it novv is Aftervvards even to this day God ordinarily makes one thing out of another but in the beginning he made the very being it self that very something as vve may tearm it out of vvhich the severall Creatures vvere taken Whence 6. Observe The World was Nothing till God gave it a Being Observ 6 NOthing of all that which now appears Heb. 11.3 No marvell then though God account all Creatures as nothing Isa 40.17 as indeed they are considered in themselves apart from God in whom they have their being Act. 17.28 Reason It must needs be so else it had been Eternal of it self and consequently
eminency that appears in any Creature might be wholly ascribed to him when it appears that in it self it had nothing but basenesse and deformity and consequently the excellency that is found upon it must be acknowledged to be bestowed by him that made it Let us then depend on God for the adorning and beautifying of our corrupt Soules made abominable in their own nature through the defilement of sin and deformed by the Image of Satan upon them which he can and will make without spot or wrinckle or any such thing Ephes 5.27 comely by his beauty Ezek. 16.14 even the Image of the Son which is renewed in us in righteousnesse and holinesse and thereby made glorious in his eyes without spot Cant. 4.7 Nay depend on him to cloath these base bodies of ours so vile in their Original so full of weaknesse and Corruption at present and so odious in and after their dissolution with honour and glory even this Corruptible with Incorruption 1 Cor. 15.42 Yea to lift up both body and soul from these earthly tabernacles and to place them in heavenly habitations in which he hath made us sit together with Christ Ephes 2.6 who is gone before to take possession for us and to prepare us a place there Joh. 14.2 that we may be where he is Joh. 17.24 VERSE 7. ANd God made the Firmament By that Word or Effectual Will and Decree of his which the Psalmist calls his Commandement Psal 33.9 And divided He made not only the body of the Firmament but withall made it serviceable to the use for which he had appointed it Thus both in this and in the narrations which follow the Holy Ghost punctually sets before us the Effect answerable in every particular Circumstance to the Will and Decree of God by which it was appointed to be so Whence once for all we may 1. Observe God performs all things and that in every particular Circumstance according to that which he hath decreed Observ 1 IN the time The self-same day at the end of 430 years the time which God had decreed and foretold Abraham long before Gen. 15.13 the children of Israel came out of Egypt Exod. 12.41 In the same instant that the years foretold by Daniel were accomplished in the Children of Israels captivity the Decree came out from Cyrus for their return Dan. 9.20 23. In the place the dogs shall eat the flesh of Jezabel by the wall of Jezreel 1 King 21.23 which was made good in every tittle 2 King 9.36 Our Saviour Christ came at the time was born of the Stock and in the place and condition foretold by the Prophets Lived Did Spake and Suffered according to all that had been prophesied of him Thus nothing falls to the ground of all that God hath spoken 2 King 10.10 Reason 1. Tâ—â— God that doth whatsoever he pleaseth in heaven and earth 〈◊〉 all deeps Psal 135.6 can as easily do when and where and how he will as what he will 2. Circumstances as they grace and commend the actions of men so they do Gods also he makes every thing beautifull in his time Eccles 3.11 And therefore it concerns God if he will commend his Work and make it wonderful and glorious to Grace it both in the substance and circumstances of every action that is done by him If we desire to give unto God the due honour of his glorious Works in which he makes himself known unto us let us 1. Take notice of all the Circumstances as well as of the substance of every work of his there to seek out his work Psal 111.2.2 Compare them all with his Word as Jehu did the Judgments upon Ahabs Family with Elijahs Prophecie 2 King 9.25 36. 10.10 3. In reading Gods Word let us carefully lay up in our hearts whatsoever we find written therein concerning his Decrees either of Mercy or Judgment with every Circumstance thereof that we may know what to expect for time to come This will be the means to discover unto us more clearly all the wayes of God by which our hearts may be quickned to fear admiration thankfulnesse and an holy rejoycing in him and be strengthened to an holy dependance and reliance on him In all which we shall yeeld unto him the due honour of his Wisdom Power Mercy Faithfulnesse and Truth which as it is the end that God aimes at in his works so it should be of our Observation of them God is said not only to make the Firmament that might divide the waters in the former Verse but in this the very act of dividing the waters above from those below is ascribed unto him also So that he both made the means by which the work should be done and yet did the work too Whence 2. Observe Even where God provides the Means yet it is he that Doth and Must perform the Work by them Observ 2 GOd gives us bread but we live not by it but by every word that proceeds out of Gods mouth Deut. 8.3 He sends rain upon the earth yet the fruitfulnesse of it is by Gods blessing it is He and not the showres that prepares the corn and blesseth the springing of it Psal 65.10 Much more in spiritual things Paul plants and Apollo waters the Ministers that God sends but they effect nothing of themselves it is God alone that gives the increase 1 Cor. 3.7 Reason 1. The very Means themselves have no power in them to produce any effect they have all their force and efficacy from God and work in his might 2 Cor. 10.4 When Paul laboured more abundantly then all the rest yet it was not he but the grace of God with him as himself acknowledgeth 1 Cor. 15.10 2. It is most fit it should be so that no Creature might share with him in his honour which cannot be reserved entirely unto himself till it be acknowledged that it is done by him who worketh all in all 1 Cor. 12.6 and in whom all things consist Col. 1.17 1. Let God have all the honour and glory for all that is wrought In us or By us Of our Natural and of our New birth of the nourishment of our bodies and of our soules of the subduing of our Outward and of our Inward enemies Love the instrument but honour only the hand that works by it 2. Let no man be discouraged when the means are either weak or none at all Seeing the effects of all things are not from them but from him who can work without them what he pleaseth and will not fail to work what he hath promised Only neglect not means where God offers them but use them conscionably depending not upon them but upon him that worketh In and By them for the successe of all that we take in hand and still ascribing all that is effected to Him Alone Now Moses expresly tells us that God divided or separated the waters above the Firmament from those below which if we understand of the clouds and rain contained in them
to them nor any thing without blemishing them taken from them Eccl 3.14 Let it be our endeavour to imitate God as far as we may so to walk that our works every one of them a part and our whole way considered together may all appear to be good answerable one to another in Order and Proportion so that our whole conversation may be approved as a perfect frame of unblameable holinesse There are amongst Men that do some things well to which their ordinary and constant carriage is not suitable The difference between the works of a godly Man and an Hypocrite appears most in this An Hypocrites work is best considered apart a good Mans works are best and most approveable when they are laid together Thus have we the History of the Creation of the world a short record of a wonderfull glorious work which being laid before us in so sincere and brief a manner requires the more serious meditation and examination of the particulars therein expressed The rather because it gives us a true mirrour both of God Himself appearing in his infinite Power Wisdom and Goodnesse and of the Creatures nothing in it self till God gave it a being and being now what it is meerly by his gift and goodnesse In the right knowledge of these two main heads are included the grounds of all true Wisdom To look back therefore and to take a view of the principal scope at which the Holy Ghost aimes in the description of the Creation of the World we may find therein set before our eyes 1. In God the Creator of all things 1. His Eternity who if he had not been before the World and consequently before all time which began with the world could not have made it 2. His Power in Creating all things 1. Of nothing 2. By the Word alone 3. Many of them of Vast and almost infinite extent as the Heavens Stars Earth Seas and some other Creatures of almost incredible bignesse 3. His All-sufficiency manifested 1. In Creating such infinite Variety of so many sundry sorts of Creatures 2. And in affording them all even the basest amongst them such plentifull provision for their maintenance 4. His Goodnesse and Perfection appearing in his works which taken severally or together were found to be exceeding good in their mutuall correspondency and uses to which they are assigned 5. His Faithfullnesse who both performed and made good all that he decreed and setled all things that he made in such sort that they continue to this day according to his Ordinance 6. His Wisdom discovered in the excellent order of all his works and in their fitnesse for their several ends and services for which they were appointed 7 His loving kindnesse to Man above all the works of his hand whom he Created after the most exact pattern even his own Image and likenesse advanced to be the Lord over all the works that he had made and furnished with infinite variety of provisions both for necessity and delight II. In the Creatures made by God is manifested their vanity and weaknesse which 1. Were 1. Nothing till God gave them a Being 2. A Rude unformed and imperfect Masse when they first began to Be. 2. Are 1. Perfect in deed in their kinds and measure but neither in all kinds of perfections which are not to be found in any one Creature nor in those they have but in a weak proportion infinitely short of those absolute and boundlesse perfections which appear in Him that made them 2. Not subsisting in themselves but in God that made them in whom they have their Being and Motions without whom they must speedily be resolved into Nothing as they were nothing at the first 2. Base 1. in their Original being all of them drawn out of a confused Masse without any form at all and the most of them out of the Earth and waters the basest of all Elements 2. In the means of their support for the continuance of their being which are both Base like themselves and supplied unto them from day to day So that we may conceive that in recording and setting before us the history of the worlds Creation the Holy Ghost may aime at three things 1. To settle our hearts in a right judgment of the emptinesse and consequently of the Insufficiency of all the creatures that none of us may rest our selves upon them which being considered a part from God are Nothing and consequently can do nothing and are therefore neither to be entertained with any extraordinary affection nor sought after with any great care or desire nor much lesse to be rested on with any firm Confidence 2. To fill our hearts with the Apprehension and Meditation of Gods infinite Majesty Glory Power Wisdom All-sufficiency Goodnesse and Truth 1. That we may in our hearts advance and lift him up alone casting down all his workes at his feet and we may be still kept in a reverend awe and fear of him 2. That we may be quickened to all duties of obedience serving that God with all our hearts and that with chearfulnesse by whom we are and from whom we have received such an advancement to be made after his own Image and appointed Lord over all the works of his hands and do daily receive such a liberall supply of all needfull meanes for the comfort of our lives 3. That we may be brought to stay our hearts upon God alone as being both able to provide us all things seeing he made them al and Faithful and True to support us and do us good as a faithfull Creator and therefore cannot but take care to preserve all that he hath made lest he should have made any thing in vain 3. To direct us in the Use both of our selves and the rest of the Creatures what to aym at which is indeed chiefly the advancing of Gods honour In and By them when we discover those glorious Attributes of his Wisdom Power and Goodnesse appearing in the Creation of all things and sustaining them and upon all occasions speak of them to his praise But withall the directing of our selves and all the rest of the Creatures in our power to the preservation of Community which is one of Gods Speciall Aimes in making all the Creatures serviceable one to another and all of them to Man and in charging him with the care and oversight of them all that so they might be the better carried on to that general End whereunto God had ordained them So then a man aiming only at himself or using the Creatures only for the service of himself without relation to the Community perverts the whole Course and Order which God hath set in Nature than which nothing can be more directly opposite to Gods Mind and Will more Injurious to the Creatures or unprofitable to our selves whose good is included in the Common good of all that God hath made FINIS A COMMENTARY upon the Second CHAPTER OF The First Book of MOSES Called GENESIS The Second Book
their kindred Yea that Land though he gave to his People in generall yet he devides it amongst them in particular assigning by lot unto every Tribe their particular portion And the same power he continues still to exercise although by the Ministery of men bestowing whole countreys where he pleaseth as his gift as he did Egypt upon Nebuchadnetzar Ezech. 29.20 although he had won it by the sword And thus he doth in particular in disposing of mens particular estates whether purchased by mony or left as Inheritance by Parents which although Solomon call their gift Prov. 19 14. Notwithstanding that they passe from God through their hands is evident by Abrahams distribution of his estate Gen. 25.5 6. according to Gods Direction Gen. 21.10.12 And howsoever men ordinarily are not directed in passing their inheritances to their posterity by expresse command yet that they are overruled therein by divine providence may easily appear to any that will wisely obobserve the Course of Gods Waies who many times alters the purposes and intentions of men and conveighs the estates and inheritances of men to others than these to whom they assigned them at his pleasure And this power it is fit that God should still exercise as well for maintaining of Justice and equity which mens greedy desires that delight to dwell alone on the Earth Isa 5.8 would otherwise overthrow As besides to preserve amongst men the acknowledgement of his Soveraignty and mens dependance on him as Lord of their estates It ought not to be passed by without speciall observation that God provides for mans habitation the choicest place in the whole Earth planted by his own Hand and stored with all sorts of Fruits both for necessary use and for delight Whence we may 3. Observe God is pleased to bestow upon men liberally his best and chiefest blessings Observ 3 IN outward blessings for this present life he gives them for their portion the fat of the Earth as He did to Jacob Gen. 27 28. The chiefest of all lands to his own People and promiseth them the finest and purest of all the Wheat and Honey out of the Rock if they will obey him Psal 81.16 and the good of the Land Isa 1.19 But above the rest he inricheth them with all manner of blessings in Heavenly things Eph. 1.3 Withholding from them neither Grace nor Glory nor any thing that is good Psalme 84.11 Not his Spirit Luk. 11.13 Not his own Son Rom. 8.32 and hereafter not the fulnesse of joyes or rivers of pleasures which are in his presence Psal 16.11 And this he doth partly to magnifie his infinite love and goodnesse as Pharaoh to shew his Love to Joseph placed his friends in the best Countrey in Egypt even in Goshen Gen. 47.6 that men may admire and honour him for his goodnesse And partly to incourage his Servants to Chearful obedience by the tast of his bounty which if they injoy not alwaies in full measure they have none to blame but their own sins which hinder good things from them Jer. 5.25 Let all Gods Children then rest and stay their hearts upon him and upon his faithfull promises as having a sure foundation upon his Goodnesse Truth and All-sufficiency which include all the blessings of this Life and of that which is to come 1 Tim. 4.8 Even all things that may do us good Psalme 84.11 And in Christ are all of them Yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1.20 fulfilled all of them in their time and proportion In Spirituall things in sufficiency of Grace for this life and fulnesse of Glory hereafter Psal 73.24 And in Temporall things in such competency as our places and occasions shall require which is all that we are warranted to pray for under the name of daily bread and as much as good men have desired Gen. 28.20 as being best for them Prov. 30.8 9. and wherewith we are willed to content our selves 1 Tim. 6.8 VERSE 9. OUt of the Ground That is our of the ground of that Garden as other Trees and Plants spring out of the Earth by the Power of God as we have seen in the former Chapter Made the Lord to grow or as some render it more clearly had the Lord made to grow that is upon the third day when the rest of the Plants and Trees were created And the Lord is specially named in this place to point at both his Goodnesse in bestowing and his Equity in limiting according to his Own Will the use of that which is every way his own Every Tree Not every particular Tree but the kinds of all Trees pleasant to sight the words implying that there was no kind of tree Pleasant to sight and good for food which was not to be found in Paradise though some at least of diverse of those kindes might perhaps be found in other parts of the Earth Pleasant to sight The smell of the fruits is not here mentioned but seeing the purpose of the Holy Ghost is to commend those fruits every way and we find some Fruits commended by their smell as Cant. 7.8 We may conceive that also to be understood as well as the pleasantnesse of the sight and taste which are expresly named Good for food That is both pleasant to the taste and wholsome to nourish and strengthen the body and so to maintain the life as we see usually the meats that are wholsome and nourishing are for the most part of a gratefull and pleasing taste The Tree of life also Those two trees which God separated from Common to a religious or Spirituall use are expresly said to be produced by God as the rest of the plants were to manifest the Equity of Gods Commandement concerning them who seeing he made them might either give or detain them at his pleasure and limit and appoint them to what use he best liked Now whether those two trees were of different kinds from the rest or no is not curiously to be examined This Tree of Life is generally acknowledged to be a Sacrament and seal of that Covenant by which God promised him the Continuance of his Naturall life during his abode here on Earth which could not have been supported but by Gods immediate Power and the bestowing of Eternall life after he should be removed from hence to injoy the fulness of Gods presence for ever in heaven which some conceive to be the chief benefit intended to be sealed by that Sacrament Now if this Tree had besides a power given it to maintain Adams body in fulnesse of strength without decay it must be acknowledged to have that power by the use of it as Gods Ordinance onely not as a Natural Instrument to work the effect by the very bare use of it but by the use of it in faith apprehending the promise annexed thereunto In the middest of the Garden Although that phrase here used signifie no more in some other places but within as Gen. 41.48 We render the same phrase according to the mind of the Holy
him 3. We have recorded the Preparation to the Work 1. By casting Adam into a deep sleep 2. By taking out of Adam's side one of his ribs of which the Woman was to be made 4. We have the Creation of the Woman of that rib 5. The marriage of the Man and Woman presented unto him by God himself and accepted by him as we shall see anon 6. The Duties of the married Couple one to another 7. The state and Condition in which both of them were Naked and yet not ashamed ANd the Lord God said Or Had said as some render it for it cannot be denyed but the Woman was Created the Sixth day although the Manner Matter and Occasion of her Creation be related here out of order the better to shew the ground of their Matrimonial Conjunction and of the Law that was given them thereupon Now whether God said this in Himself and then saying is no more but foreseeing and acknowledging or whether he said unto Adam either Vocally or by Mental representation it is uncertain This is out of question that God in his Wisdom so resaw it first and made Adam by surveying all the Creatures to see and acknowledge it afterwards It is not good That is Not convenient in respect of his present condition in this life either for his own comfort or for his employment in which he was to be exercised but above all impossible in respect of Posterity which could not be propagated by the Man alone And this is the Good which he seems principally to aym at as only enforcing the necessity of Creating another Sex For otherwise man might have had as much comfort in Society and help and assistance in his employment by the creating another Man only he could have no Issue but by a Woman That the Man should be alone Without the Help and Comfort of another Sexe Which must be understood 1. In respect of his present condition in this Life For in Heaven they shall neither marry nor be given in marriage Matth. 22.30 2. Upon the supposal of Gods decree that men should be encreased by way of Natural Generation Otherwise God if he had so pleased might have multiplyed men by Creation as he did the Angels I will make him Not We as he had said before in the Creation of the Man Of which difference in the manner of Gods speaking it is a vain Curiosity to enquire a reason as also Whether those words be spoken Positively by way of Resolution or Deliberatively by way of Consultation in that manner in which he is represented speaking in the history of the Creation of the man in the former Chapter it is not necessary for us to know An help Every way for the comfort of Society for assistance in governing the Family for encreasing of Piety and more especially for propagation for the encrease and continuance of posterity Such a one she was not only intended to be by God but was found to be by experience while she continued in the Condition in which God Created her Although by Satans malice and policy she being beguiled instead of an help became a snare unto him Meet for him As before him saith the Original a phrase pointing at either the Answerablenesse of the Woman to the Man both in Shape and Nature in Body and Mind as the Image in a Looking-Glasse answers in all properties the face that stands before it Or at her Office and Duty of service which she was by God deputed unto to be still in his presence and to minister unto him as the phrase to stand before the Lord implyes to minister unto him Deut. 10.8 And in that sense we find this phrase often used 1 Sam. 16.22 1 King 1.2 and in other places It is probable that both may be implyed in this Significant phrase which Adam cunningly changeth when in the next Chapter he chargeth God to his face to have given him a Deceiver instead of an Helper When God had made Man after his own Image he first provides him unasked a comfortable place to dwell in a Garden of pleasures now He considers that he wants a Mate to converse withal and to do him service this God saw and considered and provides for accordingly Whence 1. Observe God Knowes and considers all our Wants and out of his own Goodnesse makes Provision to supply them Observ 1 HE considered before-hand what wants would fall upon Jacob's Family and sends Joseph beforehand to provide for him Psal 105.16 17. He considered what Noah would want and gave order before-hand for the preparing of an Ark to preserve him and his Family in the Flood Gen. 6. Thus he provides an hostesse for Elijah at Zarephath against the time that the brook Cherith should be dryed up Thus he careth for every soul 1 Pet. 5.7 not only for Canaan Deut. 11.12 not only when we present our wants before him in our prayers but considers them before we ask Matth. 6.32 So that he prevents us with his blessings Psal 21.3 providing for us not only before we ask but before we know what we need And this 1. He must do or else we shuold often perish 2. And it is fit he should do so to magnifie his free mercies Let Gods dealing with us move us to deal in like manner with our brethren considering the poor and needy Psal 41.1 after the example of the Disciples of Antioch Act. 11.29 Not staying till our Almes be wrested from us by importunity but taking care one of another as members of the same body Especially considering one anothers wants in spiritual things of which men themselves are most insensible Considering one another to provoke to love and good works Heb. 10.24 Thus the Spouse cares for her little Sister the Church of the Gentiles Cant. 8.8 Let the Consideration hereof lead us and raise up our hearts to the admiration of Gods unspeakable goodnesse especially in taking care for our soules giving his own Son to redeem us when we were lost calling us when we sought not after him Isa 65.1 seeking us out when we are gone astray Psal 119.176 preventing and strengthening us with his grace when Satan buffets us 2 Cor. 12.9 and the like So that we may with astonishment cry out What is Man Psal 8.4 and staying our hearts on his Faithfulnesse and Truth 1 Pet. 5.7 who loves us more tenderly then we can do our selves provides for us more carefully then our own Parents do or can do Psal 27.10 may reflect upon our selves and consider what we shall render Psal 116. Nothing was now wanting to Adam to make his happinesse in this present condition absolutely compleat but a Wife He was made after Gods Image perfectly righteous and holy Lord over all the Creatures heir of the world seated in Paradise Only he wants a fit Companion to converse comfortably withall and we see God ceaseth not till he have supplyed him in that want also Whence 2. Observe Gods Providence and abundant Goodnesse
and Goodnesse Observ 9 NOthing but his Mercies and the multitude of his Loving kindnesses Isa 63.7 his meer Love and Pity vers 9. And therefore the Church in her distresse flyes unto nothing but the sounding of his bowels and his mercies Isa 63.15 or to his Truth Psal 89.49 Or to the Respect to his own glory Josh 7.9 which alone is sufficient to move him Ezek. 36.22 The truth is God can neither Owe any thing to his own Creature neither can he be engaged by any desert Job 35.7 seeing when we have done all we are unprofitable servants neither can it be for Gods honour that his Bounty should not be every way free and meerly from Himself out of his own abundant goodnesse Let it quiet all our hearts when the sense of our own unworthinesse seems to cut off our hope and expectation of any favour from God towards us Consider what could move him to make us at first when we were not to give us the Soveraignty over all his Creatures the possession of the whole world nay to give us his own Son Jesus Christ when we were Weak Ungodly and Enemies Rom. 5. The same free mercy which moved him to set his heart upon us at the first will move him to continue his Goodnesse to us still because his Compassions and Truth fail not Lam. 3.22 Nothing can separate us from him but our own departing from him by Unbelief and despising the Salvation freely offered unto us The Title given unto the Woman by God in this place is not to be passed by without observation God calls her an Helper VVhence 10. Observe A Wife is but an Helper to her Husband Obser 10 NOt his Guide for she was Created for the Man not the man for her 1 Cor. 11.9 and that too Inferiour unto him both in dignity and usually in abilities So that she is truly and worthily called the weaker vessel 1 Pet. 3.7 Let both married persons know their places the woman contenting her self with that place in which God hath set her â—d for which He hath furnished her with abilities proportionable without affecting or endeavouring to aspire to the higher place of Government which God hath denyed unto her And let the man so use his place of ruling and governing that he may look on his Wife as his helper so ordering the affaires of the family that she may have employment for those abilities that God hath given her and yet not laying the weight of his affaires upon her shoulders remembring that though she be an Helper yet she is but an helper so that he must undertake the greatest employment in the government of the Family The help that God resolves to Create for the man was a meet help one every way fiited for the office of Assistance for which God intended her Whence 11. Observe A Wife cannot be a good Wife unlesse she be a Meet and a Fit Wife Observ 11 ANswerable if it may be 1. in Blood and Parentage See 1 Sam. 23. 2. In Estate 3. Education 4. Especially in the temper of her Disposition 5. But above all the rest in Religion Seeing there can be no fellowship of Righteousnesse with Unrighteousnesse nor of Light with Darknesse 2 Cor. 6.14 Least of all beween married persons Inequality indeed either in Blood or Estate may occasion either Scorn or Presumption either on the one side or the other unanswerablenesse in Education hinders Fitnesse for Employment Unsuitablenesse in Disposition may cause many jarres and unquietnesse in commerce one with the the other But above all difference in Religion utterly cuts off all manner of Holy Communion in Prayers in Comforts in Counsels for mutuall Edification and Endangers the corrupting of the person thus unequally yoaked as appears in the examples of the Old World of Solomon of the Children of Israel after their return from the Babylonish Captivity Neh. 13.23 For which cause God so precisely forbad such matches to his own People Deut. 7.3 4. VERSE 19. ANd out of the ground the Lord God formed Or rather Had formed as we have seen already It was said before ver 7. that man was made out of the Ground and verse 9. that God made the Trees of Paradise to grow out of the Ground So that there may be perhaps some Emphasis in this Word the rather because it hath He prefixed which is many times Emphatical As if the Holy Ghost pointing at the common Originall both of men and beasts would imply that though the same hand formed them both and that of the same matter yet man and the Beasts were so unsuitable in Nature that amongst all the Beasts there could not be found one that was fit to be mans companion But howsoever this repetition may be taken in for a supply unto the 20th verse of the former Chapter and discovers unto us that the Fowls also were made out of the Earth a Circumstance altogether omitted in that pace And brought them to Adan How it is not expressed the phrase implies no more but this that they all presented themselves before Adam as their Lord and that by Gods speciall appointment as it were to do him Homage And this was done questionlesse before Eves Creation as well that she might acknowledge that the Soveraignty over the Creatures was in the Man seeing he onely gave them their names as that the man by the survey of the Creatures might take notice of their unfitnesse to be his Companions and consequently the necessity of Creating the Woman before God undertook the work might appear to Adam himself To see what he would call them By that means in a sort to take possession of his Lordship over them for imposition of names implies a kind of Soveraignty Thus Pharaoh when he admitted Joseph into his service gave him a name and when Pharaoh-Necho set up a new King in Jerusalem he gave him a new Name 2 Chron. 36.4 to manifest that he was to acknowledge him to be his Lord And names amongst the Hebrewes were usually given by the Father who was the Master of the Family and howsoever the Mother was permitted to do it sometimes yet that the power belonged of right to the Father appears by Jacobs changing of the name Ben-oni which his Mother had given into Benjamin Gen. 35.18 And by the appeal of friends to Zachary the Father in the controversie about John Baptist's Name Luke 1.62 Withal God gave Adam thereby occasion to make tryall of that wisdom which he had given him in finding out fit Names agreeable to the Creatures Natures which required a great measure of wisdom And whatsoever Adam called them c. This clause we may probably conceive to be added to manifest both the Power and Wisdom of Adam in giving the Creatures their names when that which he did was ratified as unalterable as being given by him that had power to do it and had done it with such wisdom that there was no cause to alter any name that he had given
that she so thought both of the one and the other in her heart as she represents them in her speeches having a low esteem of Gods large liberality in the grant of eating of all the trees and grudging at the interdiction from eating of that one Besides we finde that upon Satans reply to this answer the woman turnes wholly away unto the creature which she could not do unlesse she had first departed from God which we may probably conceive is described or at the least intimated in this verse Which is in the midst of the Garden By this answer it is evident that this phrase in the midst cannot be taken largely for within as it is in some other places of Scripture as namely Gen. 41.48 that we render in the Cities is in the Original in the midst of the Cities but more properly and distinctly for the particular place in which that tree stood seeing the woman by this expression distinguisheth it from the rest of the trees of the Garden This Middest here mentioned we must understand within a certain latitude because the Tree of life is said in the former Chapter verse 9. to be planted in the midst of the Garden near unto which it seemes this tree was placed and was it which the woman meant in this place because that only was the tree of which she was forbidden to eat God hath said Whether she answers the Divel to that particular that he points at in his question whether she was sure that it was God that had forbidden the eating of that tree so that it is as if she had said yea it is God himself that hath forbidden not only the eating but the very touching of that fruit or whether she is moved to name God not so much in satisfaction to Satans question as out of a distaste of his strict interdiction it is not much material Questionlesse when she expressely mentions his name in the restraint and passeth by it in the grant of all the rest of the trees in the Garden she cannot but be conceived to discover some unkinde thought of God of whom she seemes to take no notice at all in so free and large a grant which if she had valued as she ought she might and in justice ought to have cleared God in this interdiction acknowledging both the equity of God in interdicting the use of one tree when he had so freely granted them all the rest and her ready and willing submission thereunto especially seeing also the whole Garden was of Gods own planting and therefore it was free for him to grant or withhold what he pleased Neither shall ye touch it Of this clause we finde no mention in the relation of the interdiction recorded in the former Chapter whether that clause was left out by God in the delivery of that Law or by Moses in recording of it it is uncertain Howsoever we may probably conceive that if that clause was not expressed in giving the Law yet the woman might conceive it to be implied But admit she did it was more then she needed to have added in her answer to the divels question who enquires only of the restraint from eating and not from touching or handling so that she may justly be conceived in this voluntary expressing of more then was demanded to discover some discontent and propension to grudge and complain of Gods hard dealing with her and her husband Lest ye die Some adde peradventure and it is true that that particle Pen in the Original signifies sometimes only the likelihood or possibility of an uncertain Consequent Take it how you will it appears plainly that the woman expressing the curse in a phrase so much different and so much weaker then that wherein God had delivered it gives great cause of suspicion that she entertained not that sharp threatening of so heavy a judgement with that feare and trembling of heart that she ought seeing she could not but speak of it as her heart was inwardly affected by it and consequently discovereth the wavering of her heart in not firmly believing that certain truth of Gods judgement threatened in case of her transgression of which she speaks so slightly and doubtfully whereby she gives encouragement to Satan in his reply to deny that flatly and peremptorily which she believes so weakly as being assured by one assault more wholly to overthrow that which began to totter already Verse 4. And the Serpent said Watching more diligently to catch something from the womans mouth then ever Benhadads Messengers did from Ahabs 1 Kings 20.33 And perceiving that the woman began now to stagger and give ground he renews his assault with the more violence as we shall see by and by Ye shall not surely die The forcible forme of speech used by God which the woman had omitted Satan takes up perhaps not without some derision as if he had said yea I know you are threatened death certain death yea death in the highest degree if you will be such fools as to believe God It must needs then be granted that Satan relating the curse more exactly according to the forme wherein it was delivered then the woman had done knew it well enough beforehand as being questionlesse present when God denounced it at first whereat we need not wonder seeing we know how diligently he watcheth God in all his wayes and his children in all his dispensations towards them as appears in the History of Job which if Eve had well observed she might have had just cause to suspect Satans dealing with her in enquiring of her that which he knew before hand as well as her selfe And withal it manifestly discovers Satans impudency in contradicting that which he knew God had uttered with his own mouth and that to the woman her selfe who had heard it as well as he But he well knew that he could now speak no more then the woman was ready to believe And besides he takes the more liberty to deny that which God had affirmed because no man had hitherto by trial had experience of the contrary by the execution of that curse which God had threatened And therefore seeing there was no meanes to convince him of falshood he takes the more boldnesse to gain say that upon his word which God had affirmed only upon his Word Hoping that his Nay might prevaile as much with so favourable a hearer as Gods Yea could do when there was no meanes to determine the point in difference but the credit of the persons that affirmed and denied Verse 5. But God doth know Whatsoever he speaks or affirmes to the contrary This circumstance the divel urgeth with great probability if the tree were believed to have any such vertue that God who made the tree could not be ignorant of the nature of his own work and enforceth with great advantage for the furthering of his main end to take off mans heart from God if it were assented unto as true for then God must be charged
this dangerous engine and to consider the several parts of which it is composed and the Art wherewith it is framed and to that end to take notice of 1. The drift and scope which Satan chiefly aimed at in this assault 2. The cunning managing and applying of the meanes subordinate to that end Of Satans end and scope in this temptation It cannot be questioned but that Satan being according to his name an Hater both of God and man aimed both at Gods dishonour and at mans overthrow in this attempt of his and well understanding that mans adherence unto God was the meanes both of his glorifying God whose alsufficient goodnesse he sealed unto by faith and whose absolute Soveraignty Righteousnesse and Holinesse he testified by his obedience to his Will and of making himselfe happy by drawing from God All-sufficient supplies of good both inward and outward temporal and eternal I say it cannot be doubted but that Satans main endeavour was to take off and sever mans heart from God and cutting in sunder those two bands of faith and obedience by which he adhered unto God to draw him away to infidelity and rebellion against his own Lord and Master In subordination to this end the devils first taske was to undermine and overthrow the very foundations upon which faith and obedience are built which are these two First a perswasion of Gods All-sufficiency and love to man both of them manifested by experience in a great part and farther made up in his gracious and faithful Promises Secondly the impression of the feare and terrour of Gods wrath and indignation grounded upon the apprehension of his Holinesse and Power testified sufficiently by his threatenings against the transgressors of his Law Therefore we shall finde that in this temptation Satan lays his first battery against the perswasion of Gods goodnesse and kindenesse to man which he endeavours to discredit and make man doubt of by all the wayes and meanes he can The next attempt of Satan is to take off from man the impression of Gods feare wrought upon his heart by the denunciation of that feareful curse threatened in case of the transgression of Gods Commandment To lessen and take off the terrour whereof Satan opposeth and contradicts the truth of that Word on the faithfulnesse whereof the terrour of that curse depended that so man might have no cause to cleave unto that God that meant him no good nor was likely to do him any harme To set man loose from God was but one part of Satans aime but because though he might fall off from God in a discontented humour yet upon better advice experience might shew him that it would be needful to close with God again therefore to make an utter and perpetual divorce between God and man the devil makes use here of the same policy that he put afterwards into Jeroboams head for the securing of the Kingdome of the ten tribes to himself and his posterity which was to keep them from going up to Jerusalem according to Gods Ordinance which might in time unite them to the Kingdome of Judah again and for that end to set up two calves in Dan and Bethel so Satan in this place sets before man other gods to cleave unto that when he was once loose from God he might never entertain thoughts of returning to him again For which cause he proposeth unto him First for his scope the seeking of his own good in stead of advancing Gods honour Secondly dependance upon the creature as the means of procuring that good unto himselfe which he sought after instead of resting and depending upon God alone as the only fountain of all his happinesse Now because the lessening of Gods credit with man by which both the opinion of his goodnesse and the terrour of his wrath might be weakened was so necessary for the compassing of Satans end that except that were done all his labour had been lost in endeavouring to take off mans heart from cleaving unto God And because the effects of Gods kindnesse and love to man were so evident that they could not be denied therefore there was no way left to Satan but to cast jealousies into mans minde of Gods intentions in all that he had done for him and because there was no other way to hinder mans believing of that which God had so expresly and directly threatened but flatly to contradict and deny that God meant what he spake seeing the jealousies of Gods intentions both in his blessings bestowed and in his judgement threatened must needs have all their force from the credit of him that presented them we shall therefore finde that Satan makes use of all his Art to win credit to himselfe in all his treaties with the woman which if he could once effect he saw an easie way to weaken the credit of God so far with man that he should make no great Accompt thenceforth either of his blessings or of the threatening of his judgements Of the meanes by which Satan endeavoured to move Eve to question and doubt of Gods love and kindnesse to man manifested in so many real blessings bestowed on him The first policy of Satan in this particular was in making choice of that special blessing of Paradise so lately bestowed as yielding unto him the fairest colour of cavil against it For against the Creation of man after Gods image the forming of the woman and bestowing her on him for his help and giving unto them both the Lordship over all the creatures there could lie no colour of exception at all because there was in none of those any reservation or restraint laid upon man Only in Paradise there was the fruit of one tree reserved from the eating whereof man was restrained this was a fit occasion of raising a ground of jealousie what might be the cause of that restraint and what God might intend thereby Secondly Satan discovers the depth of his policy in managing this cavil raised against God upon this occasion to his best advantage For whereas it was so evident that God had both planted Paradise and bestowed it on man and that the Garden was pleasantly seated and richly furnished with all variety of the choicest fruits that none of those particulars could be denied these things being so manifest in themselves the devil never questions and yet when he could not deny so great a blessing he labours to abase the worth and estimation of it in two respects First he insists upon the restraint that God had bestowed this gift with a limitation whereas true bounty is most commended in this that it is every way free and entire this is an exception that carries with it some show of truth as we shall see hereafter Secondly beyond this Satan abaseth this gift by way of comparison pretending most maliciously and falsely that although God made shew of giving much yet in true estimation all that he had given was of small value in comparison of that which he had
his heart can possibly devise First God is infinitely dishonoured seeing it is by faith that men give glory to God as sealing thereby to his All-sufficiency Power Faithfulnesse and Truth and by obedience acknowledge his Authority Wisdom Holinesse and Justice As for man by this apostatising from God the fountain of all his happinesse the fountain of living waters as he termes himself Jer. 2.13 Secondly and thereby leaving his heart loose to close with the world and to serve every base lust as one that falls off from his wife is fit to close with every harlot Prov. 5.20 Thirdly and in the mean time bringing himself under the heavy indignation of God which shall come upon him to the uttermost Let it then be our chiefest care to keep our hearts close unto God 1. Choosing him alone and that upon the infallible grounds of his All-sufficiency Faithfulnesse and Mercy as our lot and portion with holy David Psal 16.1 5. 2. Resting and relying on him with all our heart after the example of the same Prophet Psal 23. and his Counsel Psal 62.5 3. Seeking to him upon all occasions Psalme 62.8 Philip. 4.6 4. Walking in his sight in an holy course of obedience as Henoch did Gen. 15.24 as alwayes having before our eyes him that is invisible with Moses Heb. 11.27 5. Referring ourselves and all our actions to his glory 1 Cor. 6.20 and 10.31 6. And abhorring checking and striving against all wavering and staggering of our hearts in looking towards any thing in heaven or earth save God alone with the Prophet David Psal 73.22 Unto which firme adherence unto him we are infinitely furthered by the knowledge of his Soveraignty Power Holinesse And by a feeling observation of his ways both in mercy and judgement That the destruction of man and the dishonouring of God was Satans maine aime in this temptation is clearly manifested in the whole Series of this Narration But in vain is the net spread in the sight of any bird saith the wise man Prov. 1.17 Wherefore Satan according to his custome cunningly covers this snare laid for mans destruction with a faire pretext of love to man expressed in a kinde of zealous indignation at Gods ill dealing with him and in making shew of an earnest desire to advance man to an higher degree of happinesse and in directing him the way how to obtain it Whence 11 OBSERVE It is usual with Satan and his Instruments to pretend the good of those whom they intend wholly to destroy Observ 11 THus wicked men promise to make those rich whom they lead on in wayes of dishonest game which takes away the life of the Owners thereof Prov. 1.13 16 19. and drownes men in perdition 1 Tim. 6.9 In like manner the devil makes shew by a leud woman to fill men with pleasures by satisfying them with fleshly lusts Prov. 7.18 19. when in the mean time he leads them as an Oxe to the slaughter till a dart strike through their liver ver 22 23. Thus he dealt with our Saviour in tendering him all the Kingdomes of the world but under a condition to fall down and worship him and thereby to honour him as a God Mat. 4.9 The reason 1. Satan hath no other prevailing way to beguile but by making shew of seeking our good which men by an instinct planted in their nature by God himself are so strongly carried after that they easily embrace any meanes which they conceive leades thereunto 2. By this meanes Satan endeavours at least to share with God in the honour of his loving kindnesse to man an honour as due unto him alone so purchased unto himselfe by the dearest and greatest price even by the blood of his own Sonne This honour one of the chiefest flowers of his Crown the devil labours to rob him of in a great part by pretending to seek mans good and happinesse as much nay much more then God himselfe as he deales with Eve in this place Let no man be so simple as to believe every word with the foole Prov. 14.15 But examine carefully and seriously those pleasing offers tendered unto us by Satan or his Agents of wealth honour pleasures c. And therein consider First the person or instrument by whom the tender is made or the advice given if it proceed from wicked men whom we know to be guided by Satan how can we expect that those which hate and abhorre us as all wicked do such as are godly Prov. 29. should advise us to or really intend unto us any thing for our good Besides how should we hope to receive good from those that seek no true good for themselves Secondly let us seriously consider whether those things that they propose unto us be really good or no Honours Wealth Pleasure we know more often burthen and ensnare the soule then ease and relieve it sure they never make the heart better leave us sometimes in the midst alwayes at the end of our dayes Thirdly observe under what condition they tender these things unto us wherewith they allure us whether we be not tempted to seeke them in some sinful way As wealth by robbery or some other course of injustice as Prov. 1.11 12 13. to fill our selves with pleasures by defiling our own bodies as Prov. 7.18 by which meanes we make an ill bargain by winning the world and the pleasures of sin with the losse of our own soules See Mat. 16.26 Fourthly consider well whether the offers be only verbal or real Satan offered our Saviour all the Kingdomes of the world whereof he had not one to bestow He offers Eve here increase of wisdome and knowledge which might advance her to the honour of a God but she findes nothing at last in the event but ignorance and shame Fifthly consider whether the good tendred unto us be truly and really good or only in shew and outward appearance whether it be inward or outward temporary or eternal such as honour a man in the sight of God or only in the opinion of the world for such indeed are Honours Riches Pleasures only shadowes of good deceiving the hearts of all those that relie on them and leaving them fooles at the latter end Jer. 17.11 But it is worthy our observation that Satan in this great shew of love that he makes unto man dares not discover at first any ill intention against God wherein he useth great policy 1. That he might not be suspected to tender this offer unto man rather out of envy and hatred against God then out of any true desire of mans good 2. Lest man having his heart at present wholly filled with the love of God the largenesse of whose bounty towards him had been manifested in so many late experiments might have detested any motion of offering the least injury to God to whom he was so deeply engaged Upon these grounds Satan at first contents himself only with casting out by way of insinuation some secret grounds of discontent and that too
unto Satan gives him the greater advantage and encouragement to set upon her with a fresh and more violent assault as we shall see This errour of hers in opening her selfe so rashly to one that she knew not gives warrant to 1 OBSERVE It is dangerous to lay open our selves freely to persons unknown or such of whom we have no assurance Observe 1 SOlomon notes it to be a great folly to utter all a mans minde and a point of wisdome to keep it in till afterwards Prov. 29.11 Peter endangered himselfe very farre by conversing with strangers in the High-Priests Hall Mat. 26.69 70. Nay David himself we see ensnared himself by opening himself though to a familiar acquaintance yet to one whose heart he had not throughly sounded Psal 55.13 And Gedaliah by trusting Ishmael too far ruined both himself and his followers Jer. 41.1 This was Eves first oversight a second and no lesse is that she is contented to have a manifest truth questioned though delivered by Gods own mouth namely his interdiction of tasting the tree of knowledge of good and evil which the event discovered to be a great folly in her and may warrant us to 2 OBSERVE It is a dangerous thing to question or debate evident and knowen truthes Observ 2 PRinciples in all Sciences are exempted from dispute much more should they be in Divinity Amongst which we may account 1. The dictates of Nature written by the finger of God in all mens hearts as that there is a God Rom. 1.19 20. that he judgeth the world Psal 58.11 and that in righteousnesse which is a principle that Jeremy will not dispute Jer. 12.1 and that consequently it shall be well with the good and ill with the wicked at last Eccl. 12.13 as being truthes which every mans conscience within his own breast gives testimony unto 2. Such truthes as are delivered by God himselfe either recorded in his Word as the Creation of the world and that great mystery of mans Redemption by Jesus Christ c. or made known unto us by any special message from God as Zachary is both blamed and punished for disputing against the message sent from God by the Angel Luke 1.20 much more did that Prince deservedly perish by the just decree of God that denied the truth of Elishahs Prophecie 2 Kings 7.2 Only believing and acknowledging the truthes themselves we may be warranted to enquire more thoroughly into the Manner Meanes Order and other circumstances of those things which we fully assent unto and believe as Jeremy doth Jer. 12.1 and the blessed Virgin Luke 1.34 and the Prophets searched into what and what time the coming of Christ should be whereof they prophesied 1 Pet. 1.10 11. thereby to informe our selves of those secrets more fully as well to quicken our affections which are most effectually moved by the full discovery of things in particular and to strengthen our faith the more thereby as also to enable us by the full understanding of the truthes which we embrace to satisfie others and to maintain them against and stop the mouthes of such as oppose and contradict the truth And by this assenting unto the truthes of God without questioning or admitting them into debate 1. We seale unto his truth John 3.33 and give him the honour of a God to be believed upon his own testimony whereas we believe not men upon their word without some further evidence 2. And by the same meanes we provide for our own safety who having our mindes full of ignorance and by their corrupt disposition more inclinable to embrace lies rather then truth might be endangered by admitting known truth to debate to be mislead by the mists of humane reasonings into errour to the endangering or overthrowing of our faith These were Eves grosse oversights in entertaining conference with Satan a person unknown and that about such a manifest and evident truth In the substance of her answer and the forme of it she failes many wayes And first in this that if she consented not unto yet she entertaines such a dangerous suggestion as the divels question implies with so much coldnesse of spirit which she ought to have opposed with a zealous detestation and vehement indignation This errour of hers may give just occasion to 3 OBSERVE Blasphemous and foule suggestions ought not to be heard without indignation and detestation Observe 3 THus Job answers his wives damnable counsel to curse God and die Job 2.10 And our Saviour Christ Peters carnal advice to favour himself and not to yield himself to death Mat. 16.23 as he had done before Satans cursed motion to fall down and worship him Mat. 4.10 In like manner doth St. Paul those blasphemous exceptions Rom. 3 4 6. And thus we ought to do 1. To manifest our zeale for Gods honour and for his truth 2. By it we secure our selves from a farther assault which we easily invite when we bear such blasphemies with too much softnesse of spirit and patience 3. And harden our own hearts against such wicked suggestions by abhorring the very mention of them 4. And oftentimes terrifie the suggesters themselves or at least put them to shame The second failing of Eve in her answer is that when she mentions that large grant of God in bestowing on them the free use of all the trees in the Garden she doth not so much as mention Gods Name that had bestowed that large favour so freely not without manifest injury to him who ought to be known and proclaimed to be the Author of his own gift as having bestowed them especially for that end Whence 4 OBSERVE When Gods mercies are mentioned we must withal be careful to remember his Name that bestows them Observe 4 ANd this must be done not only in such solemn thanksgivings as we have Isa 63.7 Psal 68.19 20. but even in ordinary conferences after Jacobs example Gen. 33.5 and that of Moses Exod. 18.8 9. And this we must do 1. That by entituling God unto and prefixing his own Name before his works of mercy wherewith mens hearts are most affected he may be highly advanced above all things and held out and proclaimed to the world as the fountain of all goodnesse when all the good things which we enjoy and in which we rejoyce are still laid down at his foot See Rev. 4.10 11. whereby withal the heart is filled with his love and with an holy rejoycing in him with thankfulnesse and encouraged by such enlargements to all cheerfulnesse in his service with the Prophet Psal 116.12 13 14. which are the main ends that God aims at in lading us with his blessings 2. There is an evil disposition in mens hearts to forget God in his mercies Deut. 32.18 Psal 106.21 and to ascribe them to themselves with Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 4.30 Hab. 1.16 or if not to their idols Hos 2.5 yet at least to some second causes or meanes by which those blessings which they enjoy are conveighed unto them never looking up to the
the winde In one thing the woman doth well whatsoever her meaning was or whatsoever moved her the reunto that she mentions the Sanction together with the interdiction whereof only the divel had enquired expressing not only what God had forbidden but withal under how severe a penalty he had forbidden it and may give us occasion to 2. OBSERVE When we remember any Law of God we ought withal to set before us the Sanction an nexed thereunto Observe 2 UNto this God himselfe seems to direct us who hath annexed the Sanctions to some of the Lawes of the Decalogue as namely to the second third and fifth Commandments notwithstanding the great brevity which he useth in penning that Law unto which also after the full delivery of the whole Law are annexed divers others more at large Lev. 26. and Deut. 28. And we know that not only the Law was appointed to be published in the eares of all the people after their coming into the Land of Canaan but the Sanctions both of blessings and curses were to be denounced withal Deut. 28.12 13. This course that God takes in the delivery of the Law both directs Ministers in preaching and applying it to follow that example and private persons in their meditations and examination of their wayes and actions not to sever those things which God himself hath joyned together And that 1. For Gods honour that all our obedience may be tendred to him both in faith and feare wherein we acknowledge both his infinite goodnesse in rewarding even those duties that we owe unto him as his servants and his holinesse and justice in executing justice upon such as wickedly transgresse 2. For our own necessity whose dead hearts need such effectual meanes to quicken us Thus we see God every where stirs up his own people to obedience by the promises of large rewards as the Apostle doth likewise stir us up to be abundant always in the Work of the Lord because we know our labour is not in vain in the Lord 1 Cor. 15.58 On the other side Job makes use of the terrour of Gods wrath to restrain himself from evil Job 31.23 as likewise doth the Prophet David Psal 119.120 The next thing observable in this part of the womans answer is that she prefixeth the Name of God both to the interdiction and to the judgement threatened which though she seem to do with some repining or rising of her heart against the strictnesse of Gods dealing with her notwithstanding howsoever she may make an ill use of it yet she doth no more then she ought to have done and may give us occasion to 3 OBSERVE When we lay the Law of God before us we must withal fixe our thoughts upon him that gives it Observ 3 FOr this purpose in delivering the Decalogue the Lord before the Law himself prefixeth his own Name And thus all the Prophets in urging and applying the Law in all their reproofes exhortations threatenings or promises still prefixeth before them or annexeth unto them The Lord hath spoken or The Word of the Lord. And indeed the remembring of Gods Name upon such occasions is of singular use sundry wayes 1. Together with Gods Name is represented unto us his Authority and withal both his Wisdome and Goodnesse which will be an effectual meanes to stay and silence all carnal reasonings which otherwise will very hardly be answered considering how hard a matter it is for the wisdom of the flesh to submit to the Law Rom. 8.7 But against God himselfe who dare dispute with the Apostle Rom. 9.20 2. By the same meanes we are quickened to obedience with chearfulnesse when we consider that they are the Commandments of that God who gave us our being and in whom we subsist to whom we owe our selves and all we have and from whom we expect glory and immortality and eternal life See Davids answer to his scoffing wife 2 Sam. 6.21 3. Only this looking upon God in all his Commandments makes our services duties of obedience when they are performed at the Command and in submission to the Will of him whose we are whereby we acknowledge both his Authority and besides his Will to be the rule of Righteousnesse Lastly it wonderfully stirs us up to watchfulnesse diligence and sincerity in all our carriage when we behold the Presence Majesty and Holinesse of him to whom we performe our duties serving him with reverence and feare and with a single heart as being the God who sees in secret and whose eyes are purer then to behold evil But all circumstances duly weighed and the whole frame of the womans answer duly considered it seems more then probable that her prefixing of Gods Name to this interdiction proceedes meerly from an humour of discontent and the rising of her spirit against the restraint from eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and by consequent against God himselfe who had laid this restraint upon her So easie a matter it was for Satan to work her heart even in this state of innocency to impatience and discontent at any restraint at all how much more easily doth he set our heart against it in this state of corruption So that we may from hence 4 OBSERVE It is an hard matter to bring mans heart to submit unto and beare with patience and chearfulnesse any yoke of restraint Observe 4 THe evidence of this truth appears not only in the sonnes of Belial as the Scripture termes them who refuse to beare any yoke but break all bands and cast away the cords from them Psal 2.3 but even in those that pretend to submit to the Law and yet when it crosseth their humour cast it aside as did Johanan and his companions Jer. 43.4 5. or at least submit to it with murmuring like Zipporah Exod. 4.25 Nay the best and dearest of Gods servants though they have really and cordially taken upon them Christs yoke so far that they consent to the Law that it is good and holy Rom. 7.16 and righteous in all things Psal 119.128 and delight in it Rom. 7.22 Psal 119.24 and engage themselves in their purposes and resolutions to observe it constantly in all things Psal 119.106 yet they finde a law in their members that is strong lusts in their fleshly part rebelling and rising up against that Law that their minde approves and submits unto Rom. 7.23 and striving to shake off that yoke that they may be at liberty And this comes to passe because the best are but renewed in part and have sin dwelling in them still although it reigne not in them so that they are partly carnal still and therefore there is still something in them that neither is nor can be subject to Gods Law Rom. 8.7 but growes more rebellious by restraint Rom. 7.8 9. as waters swell the higher by the dam that stops their course This condition of his children the Lord himself hath thus disposed in wisdome 1. That we might be the more
most holy things of God and to fight against him with his own weapons Let us then be alwayes jealous and wary of the taking up of Gods Name or Word by wicked men in their speeches and conferences alwayes fearing some evil practice in hand Seeing we know them to be haters both of the Word it selfe and of God that gave it and of all the truths therein delivered and besides of all godly men and therefore in all their words or actions can neither aime at Gods honour nor intend any good unto us but must even in using Gods Word endeavour either by it to uphold some dangerous errours and heresies to the corrupting of the sound doctrine contained in the Word or to countenance wicked mens own corrupt practices and to disgrace other mens sincerity and thereby to encourage their companions by making their hearts glad and dishearten the godly by making their hearts sad as the false prophets were wont to do Ezech. 13.22 VERSE 5. SAtan had charged God in the former verse which dealing deceitfully with the man and woman in threatening them with a grievous curse if they tasted the fruit for bidden which he well knew should never come upon them In this verse he goes a step farther and chargeth God with envy towards man affirming that he in forbidding the eating of that fruit kept man from the meanes of making him wise and enabling him to discerne between good and evil that so himself might excel alone And this as well as the former the woman must give credit unto upon his own word and confident affirmation Whence 1. OBSERVE Satan in all his Promises gives men no ground to build upon but his own bare word Observe 1 CHrist must take his word alone for it that all the Kingdoms of the earth were his and that he had power to bestow them on whomhe pleased and therefore that he could and would bestow them on him Luke 4.6 7. You must take wicked mens word for it that laying wait for innocent blood is the way to make one rich and to fill his house with spoile Prov. 5.13 so must Ahab take the false prophets word that he should prosper in his attempt upon Ramoth-Gilead 1 Kings 22. on the other side God when he speaks produceth his strong reasons drawn from experience Isa 41.20 21. sufficiently testified to mens own heart who are witnesses with him as himselfe speaks Isa 43.9 10. In like manner his servants that speak unto us in his Name bring forth evident and demonstrative proofes for all that they desire us to believe either out of Scriptures the Oracles of truth or out of strong evidences made good by right reason or by trial of experience as Elijah puts the determination of the question whether God or Baal were the true God upon an answer from heaven by fire 1 Kings 18.24 It is true that God himself doth affirme things upon his own Word alone and justly may seeing his Word is the Standard of Truth and therefore the only ground of faith but this is a peculiar priviledge to him alone incommunicable to any creature not to men who are all liars Rem 3.4 Much lesse to Satan who is the father of lies John 8.44 Indeed Satan sometimes imitates God in this way and offers also and makes shew to confirme by experiments what he suggests as that proud men are happy because they prosper Mal. 3.15 by which meanes he prevailes much upon wicked men to harden their hearts Eccl. 8.11 Jer. 44.17 18. yea and sometimes shakes the faith of the godly themselves as he did Davids Psal 73.2 3 13. But therein he playes the notable Sophister 1. In representing wicked mens prosperity so as if it were the reward of their wickednesse whereas it is either the blessing of God upon their provident care and industry in managing their affaires according to his own decree Prov. 10.4 and 14.23 or for the manifesting of his Goodnesse to all Mat. 5.45 and his Justice in their condemnation who abuse his mercies and provoke him by their sinnes when he doth them good or for the fatting of them against the day of slaughter Jer. 12.3 and raising them up on high unto eminent places their casting down into sudden and horrible destruction may be the more observed Psal 73.18 2. He deceives men by making the world believe that to be their happinesse which is indeed their plague as Solomon had found it in his own experience Eccl. 5.13 neither indeed can it be otherwise 1. Because all Satans words are falshood which therefore can have no reality upon which they are founded for if they had they were not falshood Besides the devil hath no power to effect any thing of himself and consequently in all his promises can give us nothing but words as being not able to make good any thing of all that he undertakes as the event and issue makes it evident at the end Are not they then grossely besotted that believe every word which Solomon tells us is the character of a foole Prov. 14.15 and that of Satan too who is a liar from the beginning as our Saviour tells us John 8.44 and yet those false suggestions of his are the principles by which the wise men of the world guide themselves believing 1. That riches are a strong city Prov. 18.11 that they abide for ever Psal 49.11 that they bring with them all sufficiency so that one may securely rest upon them as the foole thought Luke 12.19 and may be purchased by wayes of injustice and violence Prov. 1.13 grounds that have no other foundation but the opinion of the world blinded by Satan 2 Cor. 4.4 but contradicted by the Word of God and by all experience 2. These groundlesse opinions and others if it may be more false then they as that God hath forsaken the earth that a man shall have peace though he walk in all the abominations of his heart that there is no profit in Gods service and the like men notwithstanding so fairly rest upon that they are swayed by them in the whole course of their practice 3. In the mean time they sleight those infallible grounds of truth which the God of truth hath laid down unto us in his Word and which all experience hath made good unto us And is not he a wise man that guides himself by the wisdome of the world Satan if we mark it well manifests great policie in choosing out the ground upon which he raiseth up jealousie in the womans heart against God That Paradise was a Garden of great pleasure and delight excellently furnished with all varietie of the choicest fruits planted by God Himself and freely given and bestowed on man out of his meere bounty These things were so clear and evident that they could not be contradicted or questioned and theresoâ—e Statan takes it to be his wifest course not to meddle with them at all But the intention of God in this bounty of his was a secret thing
Whence 17 OBSERVE Satans preferments are in true estimation abasements and base slaveries Observ 17 SOme of his servants do indeed talk of liberty but are in truth the servants of corruptions 2 Pet. 2.19 He promiseth Christ to bestow on him all the Kingdomes of the world but it is under the condition that he must first worship him and thereby stoop unto the basest of all his vassals Mat. 4.9 Thus he deals with us continually alluring us to be independent upon God and to wait on him no longer and in the mean time endeavouring to bring us to place our dependance upon the meanest of his creatures So likewise in the duties of our service he perswades us to cast off the yoke of Gods Law and subjection to his will and in the mean time provokes us to the service of our own base lusts so that we take on us instead of one God as many lords as we have vile and inordinate affections in our own hearts and which is worst of all himself too after whom we walk in sulfilling them and are led captive by him according to his will 2 Tim. 2.26 exercising us in baser services and exacting them with greater rigour and rewarding with nothing at the last but with shame and sorrow at present and everlasting destruction hereafter Satan well knew that if the woman had taken some longer time to commune either with her own heart or with her husband there would have been discovered so many strong evidences for the justifying of God in his exceeding large bounty to the man and woman by the undeniable experiments of those real favours which they had received from him that the scandalous and blasphemous imputation of Gods ill affection to them would soon have vanished as a mist before the Sunne Wherefore we shall finde that Satan labours all that he can to thrust forward the woman to a speedy resolution and execution thereupon to fall presently to the eating of the forbidden fruit that she might instantly be advanced to the honour of God How destructive that proved unto her will appear in the event that followed So that we may hence 18 OBSERVE Hasty resolutions prove commonly dangerous in the issue Observe 18 WIthout counsel the People and State fall but in the multitude of Counsellours there is safety saith the wise man Prov. 11.14 and he that hasteth with his foot sinneth chap. 19.2 and without counsel as ill wayes are usually resolved on so that which is purposed is overthrown Prov. 15.22 The reason is 1. Because in the oughts of our heart natural motions which are full of errour come first to hand upon which if we settle our resolutions we must needs be mistaken and erre dangerously ere we be aware 2. Because our understanding being weak in it selfe is not able at once to take in and lay before it all things upon which a well-grounded judgement should be setled so that we need some time to search out and lay together all those circumstances and evidences which must guide us in all that we take in hand Now to draw on the woman to this speedy resolution Satan sets before her eyes the speedy and present effect of that fruit that it had such a vertue as to open their eyes that very day that they should eate of it Whence 19 OBSERVE The nearer things are to be enjoyed the more strongly the heart is affected towards them Observe 19 HOpe deferred makes the heart sick saith the wise man Prov. 13.12 as on the other side judgement deferred maketh the heart secure and fearlesse Eccl. 8.11 Mat. 24.48 on the contrary side present judgement fills the heart with terrour as we see in the judgement on Dathan and Abiram did the children of Israel though otherwise a senselesse people Numb 16.34 as likewise when the desire comes it is a tree of life the meanes of reviving the soule whence our Saviour to affect the spirit of the poor thief upon the crosse tells him that he should be with him in Paradise that very day Luke 23.43 The reason is the affections of the heart are most strongly moved by sense which apprehends only things that are present whence it must needs follow that the nearer things are unto us in our apprehension the more strongly the heart must be moved by them If then we desire to have our hearts moved either by mercies or judgements let us labour to bring them as near as we can Thus God represents unto Cain sinne he means the punishment of sinne as lying at the door Gen. 4.7 To morrow the Lord will be angry if we sinne to day say the messengers sent from the children of Israel to the Reubenites and the Gadites Josh 22.18 and Ahijah to Jeroboams wife tells her that the judgment upon Jeroboams house is coming even now 1 Kings 14.14 so in mercies Abrahams rejoycing at Christs day was that he saw it that is apprehended it as present John 8.56 To this purpose 1. Let us be careful to fixe our eyes upon the present examples of mercies or judgements upon our selves or others especially upon those which are inward and spiritual laying hold of eternal life upon the sense of Gods present favours as the Prophet David seems to do Psal 73.24 and beholding and trembling at the very face of hell in present judgments 2. Labour to work those experiments upon our hearts till they awaken faith by which only those things which are to come are made present Heb. 11.1 so that they affect men with joy as if they were possessed already 1 Pet. 1.8 and with like feare on the other side 3. Let us often recount with our selves the shortnesse of this present life Meditation may and will shew a mans life unto him but a span long and may make a thousand yeares seem unto him as God accounts them but as one day VERSE 6. ANd when the woman saw That is when she partly beheld with her eyes and was as fully perswaded in her heart as if she had seen it For although the outward beauty of the fruit might be seen with the eye yet the goodnesse of it for food which nothing could discover but the taste and much more the vertue of it to make one wise were things not to be seen with the eye so that seeing in this place must necessarily withal include believing That the tree That is the fruit of the tree for that only could be eaten Was good for food and therefore as she might be perswaded more apt to preserve life then to bring death as God had threatened Now that the fruit of this tree was good for food she might easily be induced to believe because she had by experience found it so in other fruits of the Garden that those which delighted the eye were likewise grateful to the taste and questionlesse in this the woman was not deceived for the fruit doubtlesse had no evil in the nature of it only the use of it was made evil unto man
Mat. 22.11 Psal 45.13 14. or of sorrow as in Widowhood Gen. 38.14 or in times of fasting Psal 69.11 or any other Humiliation Exod. 33.4 5. Although these ends seem to be pointed at either in the matter or in the forme of our garments but the covering and hiding of our bodies by them appears to be occasioned and taken up upon the sense of the shame of our nakednesse and of our weaknesse by which we are subject to the annoyance of the weather Let no man be so shamelesse as to abuse this apparel which is the badge of his weaknesse and basenesse to a foolish and vain-glorying which we do when we deck our selves with costly cloathing to commend our selves to the eye and observation of other men But consider 1. That the first occasion of the use of cloathing was to cover our shame 2. That the materials of it are things much baser then our selves in just estimation 3. The apparel at the least doth but grace the body but adornes not the soule at all which is the only part wherein man is truly honourable 4. And the outward person they commend also only to men of vaine mindes but to no wise or sober man 5. And withal do more discover the vanity of our mindes then they cover the shame of our bodies Now although shame were the immediate occasion of cloathing the body yet sin was the cause both of it and besides of that weaknesse of body that did accompany it Whence 8 OBSERVE Most of our necessities are brought upon us by sinne Observe 8 IT is true indeed that wants necessarily accompany the condition of a creature seeing Autarchy or self-sufficiency is not to be found but in God alone but the necessary wants of mans nature if we look upon it in the first Creation were few in comparison of those that were brought in by sin as Cloathing Houses Physick Armes and the like Nay many things appertaining to food it self which if we lay together we shall easily discover that besides all the rest the necessary provisions of food in the use of fruits and herbes without dressing or cookery were nothing near the truth of these various supplies that the weaknesse of nature brought upon us by sin now necessarily requires to support and uphold it Let the observation of the multiplicity of our wants in outward things and of endlesse labours and drudgery in the affaires of this life by occasion thereof be a meanes to put us in minde of sin which brought those evils upon us groaning not so under the burden of our manifold wants or of the labours that we are necessarily to undergo for the supplying of them as of sinne it selfe which is the cause of all Well the man and woman now see their nakednesse take notice then in the next place what meanes they seek out to cover it They have presently recourse to the next tree that hath the broadest leaves which they pluck and fasten together to make themselves aprons God is not in all their thoughts but when they had left him to embrace the creature to it they flie for help upon every occasion Whence 9 OBSERVE When men are once fallen off from God their nature thereby corrupted carries them strongly forwards to seek help from the creature Observe 9 THus Asa when his heart falls off from God as appears 2 Chron. 16.10 flies to Benhadad to help him against Baasha ver 2 3. and in his sicknesse to Physicians rather then to the Lord ver 12. Thus carnal men put confidence in chariots and horses Psal 20.7 in King Jareb Hos 5.13 and generally in wealth and riches Prov. 10.15 when any danger threatens them The reason whereof is evident 1. They are wholly carnal and sensual in their dispositions and therefore easily carried after sensual and carnal things 2. They cannot but be enemies to God from whom they are driven away by the guiltinesse of their own consciences as having no cause to depend on him whose yoke they have cast off and therefore have ground to expect no help from him to whom they resolve to do no service 3. And they are by the just judgement of God delivered over to abase themselves to vile things farre below themselves because they have not advanced God nor glorified him as God as they ought Let us the more carefully observe our own wayes and the inclinations of our own hearts that we may the better judge how they stand affected towards God For if we finde an aptnesse in them to close with the creatures upon all occasions flying to them in our feares waxing confident in our helpes which we have from them and full of cares when we are in danger to lose them and of grief when we are deprived of them these are arguments if not of our departing from God yet of much weaknesse in our dependance on him Wherefore let us 1. Bewaile our faultering with God and dishonouring him by leaning to beggerly base and unprofitable dependencies 2. Endeavour to bring our hearts to close more fully with him in faithful services firme dependance on his All sufficiency and faithful Promises addressing our selves to him in all our wants or dangers in frequent and fervent prayers thanksgivings upon all occasions and rejoycing in his goodnesse faithfulnesse and truth Now if we consider there were no persons in the world but Adam and Eve and withal that they were man and wife and consequently had lesse cause of shame in beholding one anothers nakednesse it may he wondred why they make such hardship to hide their shame from one anothers eye But we have cause to wonder much more that they have no apprehension of the Presence of that God to whom lay open not only the nakednesse of their bodies even when they were covered with those aprons of fig-leaves but withal the sinfulnesse and thereby the shame of their soules which they never labour to hide at all wherein the grossenesse of their folly appears in labouring to hide the lesse shame from men and leaving open the far greater shame unto the eyes of God Whence 10 OBSERVE Sin besots men and makes them fools Observe 10 SInne indeed in Scripture is every where termed folly and sinners consequently marked out by the name of fooles bruitish men Psal 92.6 Natural bruit beasts made to be taken 2 Pet. 2.12 walking in darknesse Eccl. 2.14 whose wisdom and foolishnesse in Gods that is in true account 1 Cor. 3.19 It must of necessity be so 1. Seeing such men are separated from God who is only the fountain of true wisdom and have cast away his Word which is the Oracle of true wisdom Jer. 8.9 And 2. Seeing God in the course of his justice then takes away that wisdom which they have when they use it not to glorifie God therewith as they ought See Rom. 1.22 28. only he leaves them wisdome to manage natural things for the furthering of the common good or to do mischief to themselves by being wise
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
services easie Gen 29.20 2. And of the Law it selfe for the purity of it Psal 119.140 the righteousnesse and saithfulnesse of it v. 138. the wonderful perfection and admirable effects of it Psal 19.7 8. 3. For the reward set before us hereafter and peace which our obedience to the Law brings at present See Psal 73.24 and 119.165 This cheerfulnesse of spirit is necessary 1. To sweeten and make us despise those incombrances which we meet in our wayes 2. To encourage others 3. To bring honour to God But it is observable that in this Commandment though the labour enjoyned be hard and painful yet it shall not want effect though it be purchased with the sweat of his brows yet his labour shall produce him bread to sustaine his life Whence 3. OBSERVE Whatsoever we undertake in obedience to Gods Commandment shall not want effect Observe 3 PRov. 14.23 He that soweth plentifully shall reap plentifully 2 Cor. 9.6 which is not only true in respect of the future reward promised 1 Cor. 15.58 but besides in respect of mens present labours that they shall not want successe unlesse God be pleased to deny his blessing to humble men for their sins as Hag. 1.6 otherwise the promise holds and is made good to all that in their labours serve God in sincerity Ps 128. 2. Isa 65.23 Unles God see it fit sometimes to with hold his blessing on them for some greater good to us or honour to himself Reasons 1. That God is able to give successe and by his blessing to prosper mens endeavours no man can deny 2. That it concerns him in point of honour to prosper that which he commands is as clear as theformer 3. It is needful to be so lest other wise men should be discouraged in his service if they should labour therein without bringing any thing to effect Let it encourage all men in the services which God Commands wherein they are sure not to labour in vaine but either to effect what they undertake 2. Or to attain something that shall be better for them 3. And to have the reward of their endeavours from God Isa 49.5 so they undertake things 1. In obedience to Gods Command 2. To a right end for his glory and the good of others 3. And depend upon Gods blessing and not on their ownlabours for successe After the injunction of painful labour follows the duration of it for terme of his life containing withal the sentence of God concerning mans dissolution by death with the equity thereof In this sentence take notice 1. Of the moderation thereof in respect of the curse threatened 2. Of the mitigation thereof 1. In the time Adam shall die though not that day 2. In the kinde of death it shall be temporal but not eternal though both were included in the Sanction Whence 4 OBSERVE Gods Sanctions are certain as well of judgement as of mercy Observe 4 NOt only unto the wicked Gen. 4.12 Eccl. 8.12 13. but unto the godly too 2 Sam. 12.14 18. but with this difference 1. That their judgments are only outward and temporary whereas wicked mens judgements are spiritual and eternal 2. And those judgements are laid on them not as a part of their debt for sin which Christ hath satisfied to the full 3. And are sanctified to them so that they work together to their good Reason 1. Both the threats of judgement as well as the Promises of mercy are founded on the same grounds of Gods Truth and Immutability and Power 2. And have the same scope the honouring of God in the manifestation as well of his justice as of his mercy giving to every man according to his deeds see Psal 58.11 Isa 59.18 19. 1. Learne to tremble at Gods judgements Ps 119.120 as well as to hope in his mercy yea even the godly who though they are freed from the everlasting curse by the death of Christ yet are liable to such chastisements Psal 89.31 32. as may make their hearts ake Psal 143.4 2. Let it appale the hearts of all wicked men that notwithstanding all Gods threatenings go on desperately in their sins Deut. 29.19 who as they dishonour God in the highest degree either denying his Power Holinesse and Providence Psal 94.7 and his truth or imagining him to be like unto themselves Psal 50.21 so they bring upon themselves the wrath of God to the uttermost to their everlasting destruction Deut. 29.20 Psal 50.21 If we consider this sentence of Gods decreeing mans dissolution and the turning of his body into dust in particular we may 5. OBSERVE Though God hath freed his children from eternal death yet he hath left them as well as others under the sentence of temporal death Observe 5 DEath by sinne passed upon all men Rom. 5.12 Heb. 9.27 from which though Henoch was exempted Heb. 11.5 and Elijah 2 Kings 2.11 as shall be such as are found living when Christ shall come to judgement 1 Cor. 15.51 1 Thes 4.17 yet upon the rest as well godly as wicked this sentence takes hold as all experience shewes Reason 1. That by it they might be put in minde of sin that brought death upon them Rom. 5.12 2. They have no harme by death which is at present but a sleep wherein they rest from their labours Isa 57.2 and which severs them not from Christ 1 Thes 4.14 through whom it is sanctified to them see 1 Cor. 15.55 and is made an entrance into life Rev. 14.13 and hurts not the body which shall be raised up in glory 1 Corinth 15.42 43. Prepare for it as being 1. Most certain Eccl 9.5 2. And yet uncertain in the time and meanes of it Luke 12.20 3. And whereof men are naturally regardlesse being bewitched by the world Psal 49.11 4. And yet being of all other things that which most nearly concerns us To this end 1. Make sure of Christ whom if we have to die is gaine Philip. 1.21 2. Be alwayes doing good see Luke 12.40 42 43. knowing there is no work nor device in the grave whither we go Eccl. 9.10 3. Stand loose from the world that it may not trouble us to go out of the world 4. Let us have our conversation in heaven Phil. 3.20 and lay up our treasure there Mat. 6.20 whither by death we are translated The Lord contents not himselfe to minde Adam that he was taken out of the dust but tells him that he is dust and shall be resolved into dust Whence 6 OBSERVE Mens bodies are bast every way both in their original in their present condition and in their dissolution Observe 6 IN their Original of the dust Eccl. 3.20 earthly of the earth 1 Cor. 5.47 in their present condition no better then dust Psal 103.14 Eccl. 12.7 their food out of the earth Psal 104.14 their clothing no better and their dwelling houses of clay Job 4.19 In their dissolution turned into dust Psal 104.29 where one may say to corruption thou art my father to the worme thou art
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