finde the wowan allured by the view of the fruit forbidden and to fall to the eating of it assoon as she had consented to the sinne we may upon good ground conclude that the place was not only Paradise but the very midst of Paradise where it is most likely the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil stood not far from the Tree of Life The devil as it may be guessed forbearing to presse the temptation till it might be strengthened by the view of that pleasant fruit to the eating whereof he intended to allure our first Parents The rather because all his hope of prevailing stood in the suddennesse of the assault by which the woman being surprised unawares and at an instant overlaid with all the Art and Power which Satan could use before she could recollect her selfe might be overtaken and conquered unto which how much the view of that pleasant object conduced appears by the ensuing Narration Verse 1. Now or But as some others render it for although that particle Va very frequently signifies And yet in this place it seemes rather to be if not an Adversitive yet at least a Discretive then a Conjunctive particle as it is also taken in the first verse of the former Chapter As if Moses had said Thus we see how God had every way manifested his Goodnesse and Bounty towards man not ceasing to heap upon him blessings upon blessings till he had made him perfectly happy And thus man continued in a blessed condition till he was perverted by Satan to his own destruction But how he fell away from God to the utter ruine of himself and his posterity unlesse the Lord out of his abundant mercy and compassion had restored him again will appear in the ensuing Narration Thus when the Holy Ghost had represented God acting his part in Holinesse Mercy and Truth he brings in the Divel on the Stage walking contrary to God in a course of malice subtilty and falshood to overthrow and pervert the order of all that God had made The Serpent The Hebrew name coming from a word which signifies to observe subtilly or wittily might be applied indifferently either to the beast it selfe or to Satan that spake by it But the comparing of the Serpent with other beasts of the field in this place and the kinde of the curse which was laid upon him afterwards discover him to be a true Serpent indeed of which creature why the Devil made choice above the rest we shall see anon For the present it may justly be enquired why Moses names only the Serpent and makes no mention of the Devil at all who was the principal Agent and made use of the Serpent only as the Instrument in this designe The reason hereof we may guesse to be twofold First because there had been hitherto no mention made of the Creation of those invisible spirits or of their Fall the intention of Moses being as it seemes to relate only the History of the Visible World the name of the Divel is not mentioned here because nothing had been spoken of him before and the rather because though he be not named yet he must necessarily be supposed to be the Author of this whole Discourse between the Serpent and the Woman which could not possibly be framed by an irrational creature And seeing Satan is called in other places as namely Rev. 12.15 and 20.2 by the name of a Serpent we may in this place under that name Serpent understand both the Beast and the Devil who used him as his Instrument seeing both are called in Scripture by the same name Secondly Moses his intention being principally to clear God of having any hand in Adams sinne thinkes it fittest to lay before us only the visible passages of the temptation as namely what was uttered and by whom as being most manifest in themselves and consequently the strongest evidences for the clearing of that truth leaving the secret passages which could not so easily be discovered by sense to our guesse as the invisible Author of the temptation the motions of the womans heart against God and the several thoughts which affected her minde which being not subject to outward observation might be easily affirmed but hardly proved More subtile The Serpents subtilty is mentioned elsewhere both in Scripture and in other Authors which some conceive might have been greater before Adams fall then now it is supposing that besides the general decay which came upon all creatures thereby God might justly take away or at least impaire the natural abilities of this creature above the rest being employed by Satan for mans destruction But suppose the Serpents subtilty to be never so great yet seeing it could not be a reasoning or discoursing subtilty which way could Satan make use of that for the perswading of a reasonable creature If there were any Authour of such an opinion or if the word in the Original did any way favour it a man might probably guesse that the Serpents subtilty here mentioned was only his aptnesse to slide and convey himselfe closely into Paradise unespied of Adam or his wife till a fit opportunity presented it selfe to give the onset for we call them subtile men who walk secretly and unseen in all their wayes But that we leave unto the Readers consideration rather proposing this as a guesse then prescribing it to be embraced as a certain truth And he said That is Satan by him if under the name Serpent we understand both the Agent and the Instrument seeing it is out of question that the Devil framed both the voice and the discourse as God did afterwards when he spake to Balaam by his Asse Notwithstanding the voice is ascribed to the Serpent because no other Authour of it appeared to the woman But why doth the Devil make use of a creatures voice when he might have suggested all that the Serpent speakes without a voice as he did to David 1 Chron. 21.1 and doth ordinarily to Gods children as well as to wicked men and by that meanes hath been lesse discovered Whatsoever Satans policy was therein we may probably conceive that God purposely over-ruled him in his way to the end that the whole course of the temptation being carried on openly and made subject to sense it might be made manifest to the world that this suggestion came neither from God nor from any evil disposition of minde that God created in man but only from the malice and subtilty of Satan who having fallen away from God himselfe desired to draw in man to be a party with him in his rebellion partly out of envie against God and partly out of malice to man Withal it cannot be denied but that the weaknesse of so contemptible an instrument must needs discover mans infirmity who was mastered by so base an enemy and withal aggravate his sinne in obeying the voice and believing the word of one of the meanest of his own vassals against the peremptory Command and faithful Promise of
withheld For when he perswades the woman to eat of that fruit although forbidden for the singular vertue which it had to open the eyes he must necessarily imply that no other tree in the Garden had this vertue but that a lone Otherwise the woman might have replied that other fruits might have the same vertue and consequently that she had no reason to hazard her selfe upon Gods displeasure by breaking his Commandment when she might have the same benefit without any such danger another way so that we must necessarily suppose that when Satan affirmes that this tree had that vertue and that therefore she must not be deterred from eating of it by Gods interdiction that he implies that this tree which they were forbidden to eat had a vertue that no other tree in Paradise had besides And further expressing what that vertue was namely that it would make one wise and furnish him with such excellent knowledge as would advance him near to the state of a God he doth in effect imply that the rest of the trees of the Garden whereof God hath given man liberty to take were but of vulgar and common use little better then the food which he had allowed unto beasts fit to sustain only the body the baser part of man but this tree had a vertue not only to sustain but to enrich and adorne the soul the more excellent part of man and that also in the most eminent faculty thereof by which he excelled all other creatures Wisdome and Understanding Other fruits might sustein men in the condition in which now they were but this would raise them above the condition of a man and make them in a sort matches with God himselfe Wherefore seeing this tree was of such inestimable worth and the rest of the fruites only of vulgar and baser use Satan leaves it to the woman to inferre thereupon that Gods seeming bounty to man was of little worth if his gifts were compared with that which he might have bestowed on him if he had been so kinde to man as he pretended and made shew to be Now Satan in supposing this tree to have in it such an inestimable value had this advantage that in that which he affirmed it was impossible for him to be disproved if he were not believed seeing there had never been any experiment made of it hitherto as indeed there could not be without breach of Gods Commandment which Satan laboured to draw man unto Satans third meanes by which he labours to raise jealousies against God in the womans minde was in questioning his affection and intentions towards the man and woman which he insinuates to Eve she had just cause to doubt of nay further that she had great reason to suspect that they were not sincere and upright towards her what shew soever was made to the contrary Not only because God had given her only things of no great worth in true estimation but had detained from her that which was of true worth indeed whereas true love imparts things of the greatest and highest value but besides in divers other respects First that God had not only withheld that fruit from man for the present but under a fearful penalty debarred him the use of it for ever now it was not probable that if the fruit of that tree had not been of greater worth then the rest of the fruits of the Garden that God would have threatened such a fearful judgement for transgressing in a trifle Secondly the vertue of this fruit was knowen unto God well enough seeing he had made it and therefore must needes know what vertue himself had given it Consequently it argued an ill affection and envious disposition towards man to withhold from him a fruit that might have been so beneficial unto him wittingly and therefore of set purpose Thirdly this envy in God of mans good and happinesse was manifested so much the more in this that if God had allowed man the eating of that fruit which he had interdicted himself had lost nothing by it for although man had been advanced to an higher condition yet God should have held his place and continued a God still Now for one to hinder anothers good in that wherein himself should sustain no prejudice must needes argue an evil and envious disposition in that person Lastly Satan alledging that the fruit of this tree and this only had power to open the eyes and to make one wise implies that man being forbidden the use of it was to be led on and passe his dayes in â—gnorance and blindness in a base condition unworthy of a man who might unlesse Gods interdiction had hindred it have been little lesse then a God In raising those jealousies in mans minde against God grounded upon his secret intentions Satan had great advantage it being impossible that he should be disproved seeing intentions are secret and not easily discovered and therefore was not without hope to be believed Of the cunning insinuations by which Satan endeavours to winne credit and a good opinion of himself with the woman To breed in the womans minde a good opinion of himself that these suggestions might make the deeper impression upon her heart the devil so manageth his whole discourse with her that she might conceive and be perswaded that all the advice which he gives her proceeded meerly out of his love and good affection towards her and her husband whereof he seems to give some taste divers wayes First by tendring his advice freely and unrequested which might seem to proceed out of more then an ordinary care and desire of mans good Secondly by expressing himself in such termes in the first question which he proposeth that may seem to proceed from some kinde of indignation within at this restraint which God had laid upon man as if he were much affected inwardly to see so excellent a creature kept under and held in ignorance as it were in a kinde of bondage and to man the worst kinde of bondage and detained in a mean and low estate being restrained from the only meanes that might advance him higher and that meerly to satisfie Gods Will who should lose nothing thereby Thirdly he seemes to command his love to man by making shew of much forwardnesse by directing him to the best meanes for the attaining to his own happinesse by raising himself unto an higher condition to become a match even unto God himselfe Thus in laying our baites we usually make shew of providing for those creatures which we intend to ensnare and devoure Nay he makes shew of seeking mans good even in that which God had denied him so that he pretends to the woman to be a greater furtherer of mans happinesse then God himself Secondly lest the woman might doubt whether the Serpents pretended love were sincere and hearty to make it appear that this affection of his was real and cordial as it concerned him to do if he meant to have his Counsel followed seeing no man
and abundance But withal kindle in our hearts a longing desire after that One thing which is both Necessary and Sufficient even God Himself communicated unto us in his Son Jesus Christ who alone is unto us a Full and All-sufficient Treasury seeing the very variety of these outward things argue their Insufficiency and Imperfection The second Circumstance by which this Grant of the fruits of Paradise is enlarged is that God gave not the man only the Taste of them but withall the Full and Constant fruition of them to take of them what he pleased either for Necessity or Delight within the bounds of Sobriety without any other limitation or restraint at all Whence 6. Observe Whatsoever God bestowes upon us he bestowes Freely and Fully Observ 6 AL things abundantly 1 Tim. 6.17 Commanding us to open our mouthes wide that we may fill them Psalme 81.10 Satisfying the desire of every living thing Psalme 145. Multiplying his Blessing like the Widdowes oyl 2 King 4. which never ceased till there were no more Vessells to receive it And as he gives largely so He desires that we should satisfie our souls with his Goodnesse Jer. 30.14.25 Freely using his Blessings within the bounds of Moderation but above all things his Desire is that we take of the waters of the Well of Life freely without money and drink and eat and delight their souls in fatnesse Isa 55.2 That we may rejoyce in the Lord alwaies and again rejoyce Phil. 4.4 And this God doth Partly because the bounty of his Goodnesse may be seen the more the more we taste it so many various and divers waies Let our acknowledgments in our duties unto God be some way answerable unto his gifts unto us Free and Full every way that they may be accepted of him who loves a Chearful Giver the rather because we render unto him 1. Of his Own 1 Chron. 29.14.2 Our giving unto him is but Sowing and that unto our selves whereof we receive the increase and that proportionable to our Seed 2 Cor. 9.6 VERSE 17. BUt That is notwithstanding this free liberty which I have given unto you to take and enjoy the rest of the fruits of the Garden you shall not meddle with this Tree Not eat thereof Not for any Evil in the fruit it self which might in it self be as fit for food as the other fruits as it appears Chap. 3.6 Otherwise it could be no tryall of Adams Obedience to forbear that whereof he could make no use Now in this relation of Gods Restraint laid upon Adam we find no more forbidden but the Eating of the fruit of that Tree though the woman in repeating it mentions Touching as well as Eating Gen. 3.3 Whether that Clause were added by God though it be omitted by Moses here or whether the Woman conceived it to be implyed although it were not expressed as conceiving it unfit for them to handle that which they might not Eat it is not much material This is evident that by this abstinence from the Tree Adam was to acknowledge Gods Absolute Power over the Creatures who had therefore free liberty to grant or withhold what he pleased And withall he was to manifest his Subjection unto God to be guided wholly by his Will by abstaining from all that God denied him meerly because it was his pleasure And for this cause God singles out a Tree as Beautifull to the Eye as Delightfull in Taste and good for Food as any of the rest And forbids the man to eate of it to shew that it was no difference in the fruits but meerly in the Will of God which made the eating of the rest lawful and of this One onely Unlawful as we shall see more fully hereafter in the next Chapter For in the day Or very Moment of time for the very Act of sin involves the sinner in the Punishmentt though sometimes the Execution of it may be differred for a while and yet this Judgment here mentioned seized upon our First Parents in the very act of sinning for we find that Folly Fear and Shame besides the corrupting of their hearts within included amongst other Evils in this name of Death took hold on them in the very moment when they tasted the forbidden fruit Thou shalt surely die Dying thou shalt die saith the Originall as before Eating thou shalt eat pointing at the Certainty Continuance and Extent of that death which should seize upon man in case of transgressing under that name of Death Including all kind of Evils Outward and Inward on the Soul and Body Temporal and Eternal Plagues of all sorts on the Outward man and the meanes of inflicting them as Locusts are called a death Exod. 10.7 and Saint Paul calls his outward Afflictions and Miseries Deaths 2 Cor. 11.23 and Infirmities of the body tending unto ending in the dissolution of Nature by separating the Soul from the Body But especially weaknesse and corruption of the Soul in all the parts thereof Blindnesse in the Understanding Rebellion and Perversenesse in the Will Bondage and slavery in the Affections Distemper and Distraction in the thoughts by the fighting of contraries within us Horror of Conscience by the Apprehension of Gods unsupportable and unavoidable Wrath and lastly Eternall Separation from the presence of the Lord 2 Thes 1.9.8 and Delivering over of the Body and Soul to everlasting torments called the Second death Rev. 20.6.14 We have then in this verse set before us a law given to Adam with the Sanction annexed thereunto in both which are divers considerable circumstances to be taken notice of as namely in the Law 1. The person that gives it 2. The Restraint laid upon man thereby 3. The matter wherein 4. The measure how far it reacheth Out of the former of those considered in relation to the person to whom the Law is given even to Adam himself in the state of his Innocency and the perfection of his nature 1. Observe The most righteous amongst the Sons of men Must and Needs to live under a Law Observ 1 NOt so much to enforce him to his duty by any terrour because a godly mans nature by the Renovation thereof being made conformable to the Law and thereby delighting therein and having withall his heart filled with the Love of God by that double band is more strongly drawn on to all duties of Obedience then he can be by any other way in which respect the Law is said not to be given to a Just man because he is a Law unto himself 1 Tim. 2.9 Notwithstanding unto such a person a law is needful 1. For direction for man is unfit to choose his own way being through his ignorance so apt to mistake evill for good neither is any able to find out what is truly good but God alone who is Goodnesse it self and His Will the Rule of goodnesse which none can find out or reveal but himself 1 Cor. 2.11.2 It is needful that by conforming to the Law given us by God we
his own Lord. To the woman Alone as it is most probable that he might the more easily prevaile against her whereas two might have withstood him Eccl. 4.12 And to the woman rather then to the man as conceiving her to be the weaker vessel Now if besides we should imagine as some do that this Interdiction of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was delivered by God himself only to Adam and by him to the woman then had Satan yet another advantage against the woman in gain-saying that which she had received only upon her husbands report and not immediately from Gods own mouth But it seemes more probable that the Interdiction was delivered unto them both by God himself Yea Or is it true indeed or is it possible so that it may be a speech either of doubting or of indignation or of admiration tempting the woman to question either the truth or at least the equity of that Interdiction Withal that expression seems to have relation to some precedent Conference that had passed between the Serpent and Woman not mentioned in this History wherein Moses contenting himself only with the discovery of the point of that fiery dart which wounded our first Parents to death omits both the entrance into and other passages that passed between the Woman and the Serpent before the temptation Hath God said It is not without some special aime that Satan questions whether this Interdiction were given by God or no. Seeming to imply from the very Name of God either the improbability that God so good and kinde in himself as having planted this pleasant Garden of purpose for man and bestowed it freely on him should deny him the use of any fruit therein Or if it were true that he had so done the indignity that God should deal so unkindly with man as to plant trees of purpose to anger him that he might have that continually in his eye which he might not enjoy yea and so far to envie mans good as to deny him the use of the fruit which only had the vertue to make him truly happy and which he might as easily have given him as he had made it And beyond this to deal so deceitfully with him as to make shew of giving him much when in the mean time he had denied him that fruit by which only he might receive that true good which was proper to a man to make him wise as he tells him afterwards and that also wittingly as well knowing the great vertue of that fruit to that end Ye shall not eat of every tree of the Garden Every is a word of ambiguous signification and may indifferently denote either One or Some or All the trees so that we may understand them thus Is any tree forbidden you Or thus are there some trees denied unto you Or thus is every that is are all trees of the Garden withheld from you Thus begins Satan to treat warily and cunningly with the Woman discovering neither his malice against God nor his mischievous intention to man at the first but keeps himself aloof off In the first place not so much affirming as enquiring and next proposing the termes of this enquiry so ambiguously that if he were challenged for dealing maliciously with God in questioning why he had forbidden man the eating of some or of all the trees whereas he had forbidden but one he might answer that by every tree he meant no more but any one tree and yet the expression might be such as might point either at more or at all that thereby Satan might further his end the better in amplifying the restraint as much as might be as if God had withheld much or in effect All from man that so the womans spirit might rise the more against it as if that which God had granted were inconsiderable in comparison of that which was withheld Verse 2. And the woman said That she feared not the Serpent we need not wonder seeing there was at that present no enmity amongst the creatures and therefore there could be no cause of feare where was no appearance of danger But seeing the woman knew that the Serpent could not be the Authour either of the voice or discourse how is it that she suspects not some fraud for that this could not be the voice of God must needs be evident unto her because the whole scope and frame of the discourse discovers the contrary The Serpents voice she must needs conclude it could not be because she being created perfect in wisdome like her husband must needs understand at least so much of the creatures as to know that beasts of themselves were not capable of speech or reason If she guessed it to be Satan and knew him to be an enemy why doth she hazard her self upon a manifest danger to entertain conference with one that hated her If she knew nothing of him or his disposition how is it that she opens her selfe so freely to a person unknown The woman certainly discovers some unadvisednesse in entertaining conference with the Serpent in matters of so great importance in so familiar a manner We eate of the Trees The woman seems to be shaken and to give ground at the first encounter as we may probably guesse Partly by Satans bold reply to this answer of hers wherein he chargeth God with falshood in expresse termes which in all likelihood he durst not have done if the womans own words had not given him some encouragement thereunto considering how warily he speaks of God in his first question Besides we may discover it yet more apparently in the very forme of the answer it self in these particulars First when she mentions Gods grant unto them to eat of the trees of the Garden there she passeth over Gods Name as if she had no great minde to take notice of his liberality in bestowing on her so large a gift But when she mentions the restraint there she remembers his name expresly as if she meant to take no more notice of God in his mercies but only to quarrel at his restraint and interdiction Secondly when she recounts the grant of eating the rest of the fruits she speaks of it coldly and without affection For whereas God gave man liberty to eat of all the trees of the Garden and that freely and fully as the expression in the Original Eating thou mayest eate implies she leaves out both those clauses and in a very sparing manner only affirmes that they did eat of the trees and addes no more But when she comes to mention the restraint that she layes down in the strictest termes that she can think on which supposeth some rising of her spirit against it if it be true that mens expressions are any indications of the affections within for that the Holy Ghost relates things partially it were blasphemy to imagine Wherefore seeing she sleights the grant and sets out the restraint in so full a manner in her words we have reason to conclude
advanced when they should no more behold God in the dim glasse of the creatures as now they did but should see him face to face and know him as they were known All these considerations laid together might prevail much with the woman to make use of the meanes proposed by Satan to encrease her knowledge In the fifth place it was Satans special care to represent unto the woman this meanes of gaining the knowledge of good and evil in the most alluring way that he could possibly devise For whereas there are three things especially that encourage men to the use and effectual pursuing of any meanes that may further them to the attaining of a desired end proposed unto them First that they are easily procured Secondly that they are delight some in the use of them Thirdly that they are of great efficacy and speedy in operation Of all these Satan makes shew in perswading the woman to the eating of this forbidden fruit for the gaining of the knowledge of good and evil For first what could be more easie then to pluck from a tree that stood full in her way Next what could be more delightful then to eat of a fruit so grateful to the taste and beautiful to the eye as that fruit appeared to be to the woman as we shall see anon Lastly there could be nothing more speedy or effectual in operation then this fruit which should produce the desired effect the same day that it was taken as Satan makes the woman believe All these allurements the devil layes before her and how he prevailes by them we shall see Satans sixth policy in beguiling the woman was in the choice of the kinde of the sin to which he tempts her which if it had appeared to be some sin against the Law of Nature such are blasphemy against God lying c. Satan might have found it an hard taske to carry her against the principles of nature so firmely planted in her heart wherefore he makes choice of such a Law as was no Law of Nature but meerly positive prescribed only by Gods Will to tempt her to the breach of that Law which nothing but pure obedience to God will bound her to observe As for the Act it self First it was a matter of no value in which she should offend being only the eating of the fruit of one of the Trees of the Garden A consideration which occasions so much slighting of sin in many profane hearts to this day Secondly the scope of the action seemed to be only mans good without any wronging of God at all who might be conceived to lose nothing by mans gaine or the creature which was ordained to be eaten Thirdly it was an offence unto which they were not carried by any rebellious inclination of their own hearts but unto which they were directed by the advice and counsel of one that pretended and they were perswaded was their friend which also both the man and the woman alledge in their own defence afterwards when God chargeth them with this sinne Lastly if the devils suggestion had been true that God knew that the fruit of that tree had such a vertue that it would open their eyes it might seem to them to be an action unto which God himself invited them howsoever he had in expresse termes forbidden it For why should he give such a vertue to that tree to make one wise to know good and evil if it might not be used to that end and by whom if not by man who was only capable of such knowledge Seventhly in the choice of his arguments to move and perswade the woman to eat of this forbidden fruit Satan makes use of the depth of his cunning and policy which we may easily discover in three particulars First in grounding all his arguments upon such foundations as being not manifest and apparent in themselves might the more safely be supposed because they could not by any clear evidence be disproved Secondly in producing arguments grounded upon some colour of truth but those grosly mistaken and misapplied Thirdly in pressing all arguments that might make for the furthering of his motion and concealing all that might make against it First then he urgeth two arguments grounded upon meer suppositions of such things as being secret in themselves and not maniâ—â—â—ted by any outward effect were therefore impossible to be disproved which suppositions he also fortifies with such faire probabilities as might make them carry at least some shew of truth As first he supposeth that the fruit forbidden had a secret vertue to make one wise like a God to know good and evil who could disprove this seeing none had ever tried it That it might hae such a vertue First the name given it by God himself might seem to imply for why was it called the tree of knowledge of good and evil if it had not some vertue to give that knowledge Secondly the interdiction of the eating of that fruit under so grievous a penalty seemes to imply as much else why should God forbid man the use of that fruit when he granted him all the rest of the fruits of the Garden if there were not some vertue in this that the other fruits had not or how could it stand with Gods justice to lay so heavy a penalty for the eating of this fruit if it were of vulgar and common use Lastly God may perhaps be conceived in policy to conceal the vertue of this fruit from man lest he despising the interdiction eating of the fruit forbidden and thereby becoming wise as God he might share with him in his honour and so God might lose the glory of excelling alone Satans second argument of this kinde is grounded upon the suppofition of Gods secret ill affection towards man which if Satan suggested who could disprove it for who could discover the secrets of his heart which can be known to none but himself alone That God was enviously affected towards man there seemed to be these probabilities First he had planted a Garden for man and denied him some of the fruits of it Secondly that fruit which he had denied him was only of true worth and value and fit for an understanding creature whereas that which God had given him was of little worth only food for the body which he had allowed to the very beasts Thirdly he implies that God must do this wittingly seeing he that had made the tree could not be ignorant of the vertue which himselfe had given it Fourthly he supposeth that God could have no other end in interdicting unto man the use of this fruit but only to keep him under in a state of vassalage destitute of that knowledge of which he was capable that himself might excel alone With these plausible suppositions the divel strengthens his arguments to draw man on into rebellion against his Lord. In the next place Satan grounds his argument upon such things as carry with them some shew of truth but those he wrests
and misapplies cunningly and deceitfully to fit them to his own purpose As first he suggests or at least would have it supposed that limitations and restraints are a kinde of bondage This position hath in it some truth if it be duly limited in every respect First in relation to the persons Restraints upon free men that have just title to liberty are slaveries but applied to men in respect of God whose creatures they are it is most false for no creature can be free from subjection to him that made him Secondly that position must be limited in respect of things from which we are restrained restraints from necessary or profitable things impose a kinde of bondage but restraints from hurtful or needlesse things such as this tree was are rather profitable directions then any abridgement of lawful liberty Again it is unreasonable that man who was created an understanding creature capable of knowledge should be kept in blindnesse and ignorance this hath some truth in it if we confine it only to things fit to be known but to be ignorant of unnecessary things is an ease to be ignorant of hurtful things is safety Thirdly it is lawful for any man to seek his own good It is true if we restrain it to a good proportion able to ones state and condition that is really good to him and besides if it may be obtained by lawful meanes But this good which Satan perswades Eve to seek after was neither fit for Adams present condition nor to be obtained by any other meanes then by breaking of Gods Commandment Fourthly one ought not to hinder anothers good for his own advantage as Satan chargeth God to deal with man in this particular case is a true rule between the creature who owes to another this duty of seeking one anothers good But it is utterly false if it be applied to God who having as warrantably he might made all things for himselfe might justly limit the good of all that he had made by due respects unto his own glory Lastly it is not lawful to seek to excel alone it is true applied to the creature but extended unto God is false and prodigiously blasphemous who if he should cease to excel alone must cease to be a God Thirdly Satans last slight in urging his arguments is in producing all that might move the woman to embrace his motion and concealing all that might make against it For if the loving kindenesse of God to man manifested among all the creatures in forming only man after his own Image and likenesse so as he had done no other visible creature in making him lord over all the rest of his creatures which he put under his feet in giving him possession of the whole world in planting this Garden of delights meerly for his sake and bestowing freely upon him all the fruits thereof to make use of at his pleasure reserving only that one tree and after all this to make mans happinesse compleat every way in creating such a necessary and comfortable help as the woman was and bestowing her upon him All these and the rest of Gods favours so lately and freely conferred upon man without any solicitation meerly out of Gods infinite and unconceivable goodnesse had been either remembred by Satan or considered by thâ—â—oman and cast into the ballance against Satans groundlesse suppose â—â—alousies of Gods ill affection towards man that maine temptation by which Eves heart was perverted and turned away from God had taken no effect at all and Satan had been abhorred and hated as he deserved as a malicious slanderer Eightly Satans notable cunning and subtilty appeares yet further in working upon and stirring up the womans affections within which he doth partly by putting her into a passion of discontent which must of necessity cast a mist before the understanding and blinde the eye of reason and thereby disable it to judge of things aright And partly by setting her at gaze upon that pleasant visible object of the forbidden fruit which working upon the outward senses might awaken the affections within and by both those meanes might raise them up to such a violent distemper that reason should be able to rule them no longer but the affections now holding the raines might carry the woman whither they list Thus the divel wholly perverts that natural course which God in the beginning had set in the soule of man according to which the faculties thereof exercised all their operations in the state of mans innocency which was that the understanding being first duly informed should give a rule to the Will and affections upon advised deliberation and judgement which order if the woman had observed at this time and referred the motion of Satan to the free and unpartial judgement of the minde questionlesse Satan had lost all his labour and the falshood and fraud of his suggestions had been discovered But above all the rest of Satans policies there is none matchable to the last in pressing the woman to a speedy resolution without farther deliberation and to the speedy execution and putting in practice that counsel which he had given her which is the nearest way to thrust in men headlong into mischief Now that the woman took no time for advice appears by the Narration in the History penned by Moses wherein it is manifest that supposed vertue of this forbidden fruit is no sooner discovered but the fruit it selfe presented to her view is both desired eaten before she departs from the place to bring her husband tidings of this new discovery of the means of their further happinesse That it was Satans policy to presse the woman to a speedy resolution and execution of what she resolved on no man can doubt who knowes and considers his subtile policy and industry in contriving and acting mischief And shall withal observe how much a sudden resolution must needes further his design the successe whereof nothing could assure but a sudden surprise But besides in that he informes and perswades the woman that man should become a God that very day that he tasted of the forbidden fruit he intimates what he aimed at which could be nothing else but to involve the woman in this act of rebellion speedily that she might as speedily become a God seeing we know that hopes of speedy successe are the most forcible motives to draw men to speedy undertakings Thus hâ—â—e we in a good part endeavoured to display the Method and Art of Satan in this dangerous temptation by which our first Parents in Paradise were foiled the due consideration whereof may be of special use to teach us the Art of discovering those wiles by which Satan attempts us daily in the same manner which we shall the more carefully look into if we lay withal before us the lamentable consequents of this shameful fall and shall also consider that if Satan prevailed against them furnished with so much wisdome and holinesse he hath a far greater advantage against us that are
out of an uncertain and not very probable conjecture that the woman had not received the Commandment immediately from God but mediately from the mouth of her husband to whom alone it was delivered by Gods own mouth and therefore might more easily be drawn to doubt of that which she had received at the second hand Howsoever we may hence 8 OBSERVE Our weaknesse is Satans advantage Observe 8 WEak persons silly women are such as Satan singles out to beguile and deceive 2 Tim. 3.6 as Amalek surprised the weak and feeble of the children of Israel Deut. 25.18 and those which are weak he assaults where they are weakest as we usually lay our batteries against forts where they are weakest and ill manned and that too when they are weakest that he drew Lot to commit incest with his two daughters when he was drunken Gen. 19.33 and sets upon our Saviour to tempt him to turne the stones into bread when â—e was hungry Mat. 4.2 3. And when he findes men transported with anger overwhelmed with grief or distempered by any other passion those are his opportunities to draw men into any sinne The reason whereof is 1. The baseness of his disposition contrary every way to the goodness and compassion of God That which moves God to uphold and strengthen even the compassion he hath of mens weakness is Satans encouragement to work mischief and destroy And as Gods strength is perfect in weakness to maintain and uphold so is his raging malice perfected and poured out upon weakness to cast down to the ground And 2. Out of the conscience of his own weakness which makes him flie when men stand upon their guard and make head against him Jam. 4.7 Let us watch over and take care of such as are weak every one of us considering our own infirmities Gal. 6.1 and having received strength from God for the same purpose as our Saviour exhorts Peter Luke 22.32 See 2 Cor. 1.4 And let us have an eye to the weakest parts of our own soules to those infirmities which Nature or custome hath made familiar unto us strengthening our selves against them especially avoiding all distempering passions which wonderfully weaken the soule standing alwayes upon our guard and having on us the whole Armour of God lest Satan finding us naked take the greater courage to assault us suddenly and ensnare usere we be aware Most Interpreters conceive upon probable ground that Satan assaulted the woman alone being at that time upon what occasion it is not worth the while to enquire severed from her husband as appeares by the whole Series of Moses his Narration seeing no mention is made of the man at all in this debate of hers with Satan wherein the woman being first seduced by him and having eaten of the fruit forbidden becomes his instrument to tempt and draw her husband into the same sin so that it manifestly appears that Satan takes the womans solitariness for his advantage Whence we may 9. OBSERVE Solitarinesse is many times a snare Observe 9 ANd that also many wayes 1. It yields advantage to temptations as appears in Davids entangling himself with lust after Bath-sheba when he was alone whence it was that our Saviour to give Satan all the advantage that might be that thereby he might make his victory over him the more glorious went out to encounter with him in the solitary wildernesse 2. Solitarinesse gives the greater opportunity to commit sin unespied of men an advantage upon which Josephs Miâ— stresse attempts him to commit adultery with her Gen. 39.11 12. 3. It deprives men of help by advice and counsel to withstand the temptation So Eccl. 4.10 12. 4. Man was ordained for society and fitted with abilities for that purpose and as he is most serviceable that way so is he most safe as being secured by Gods protection in that way and employment to which the Lord hath assigned him Let every one avoid solitarinesse as much as he may 1. Rule our emploiment requires it as Josephs did when he entred into his Masters house alone Gen. 39.11 2. Or to get opportunity for the performance of religious duties for which our Saviour often withdrew himself from company as he also adviseth us to do upon like occasion Mat. 6.6 as likewise doth the Apostle 1 Cor. 7.5 3. Or for avoiding wicked mens society for which cause the Prophet wisheth himself in the wildernesse Psal 55.7 The Time Place Instrument of the temptation and the persons tempted we have considered already The baites where of Satan makes special choice with his Art in tempering preparing and presenting them are to be taken special notice of and to be handled in the next place Now therein that which was first in Satans intention the end at which he aimes must necessarily be first examined that we may discover his policie in preparing and ordering all things in subordination thereunto Now the last end at which he aimed by the whole method and order of the temptation is sufficiently discovered to be the turning away of mans heart from God by infidelity and rebellion to his own utter destruction and to Gods high dishonour So that we may thence 10. OBSERVE Satans main end is mans destruction by turning away his heart from God Observ 10 THis he effects chiefly by working him to infidelity by which the Apostle tells us We depart from the living God Heb. 3.12 And secondly by drawing him to disobedience which is a necessary consequent thereof for who will serve that God from whom he neither expects any good nor fears any hurt which is the ground of wicked mens resolved Apostasie Job 22.17 The better to work mens hearts to these resolutions Satan 1. Holds men in ignorance the Nurse of infidelity Rom. 10.14 for those wicked wretches that resolve neither to serve God nor depend on him are those that refuse to have any knowledge of God or of his wayes Job 21.14 Now none can trust in God but those that know him Psal 9.10 And as ignorance is the Nurse of infidelity so it is of disobedience and all manner of abominable transgressions as the Prophet makes this to be the cause of lying murther and because there was no knowledge of God in the land Hos 4.1 And the Apostle joynes both together 2 Thes 1.8 2. Satan keeps them in a senselesse condition that they make no use either of the Word or of the manifold acts of Providence though wrought before their eyes Deut. 29.4 Jer. 25.4 Isa 42.25 but forget or cast them behinde their backs as the children of Israel did Psal 78.7 8 11. or impute them to other causes 1 Sam 6.9 concluding in their hearts that God hath forsaken the earth Ezech. 8.12 No marvel then if Satan with all might and policy labour to work and to fasten in the hearts of men those two Master sinnes as being indeed the fountain from which all other evils spring and by which he works all the mischief to God and man that
will not leave till he have brought him to walk in sinners wayes till at last he sit down in the seat of scorners If he can prevaile with David to drâ—w him to commit adultery with Bathsheba he will not leave till he have brought him to murther her husband If Herod will be won to imprison John Baptist he shall not stick at last to cut off his head Mark 6.17 27. and if Peter go so far as to deny his Master he shall at last forswear him too Mat. 26.74 The first reason hereof may be taken from Satans diligence and vigilancie to make the best of and pursue to the utter most all advantages like Benhadads messengers 1 Kings 20.33 as waters where the bank begins to yield lie upon it with the greater weight especially if we joyne with his diligence his malice which sets him on and is never satisfied till he have brought men to destruction 1 Pet. 5.8 Secondly it is just with God to punish mens haltings and want of zeale with more dangerous errours and backslidings Let us then be careful to resist Satan strongly in his first encounters as we are advised 1 Pet. 5.9 with resolute denials and vehement detestations of every sinful motion that it get not the least footing in our hearts which it doth when it findes allowance or which is some degree of allowance cold resistance This resolute opposing of sinful motions 1. Keeps our hearts free from all defilement by sin 2. Moves God to strengthen us with a greater measure of grace as he did Saint Paul 2 Cor. 12 9. 3. And daunts the devil and makes him flie from us when he is readily opposed and resisted Jam 4.7 Now comparing Satans warinesse in his first encounter with the woman wherein he seemes somewhat modest as proposing things only by way of enquiry but affirming nothing positively especially forbearing to charge God at all unlesse it were by a secret insinuation with this bold and shamelesse charge of dissembling and dealing falsely with man against his own knowledge we may take notice of the deceitfulnesse of sin and 2 OBSERVE Even those which seem modest in sinne at the first grow bold and shamelesse in it at the last Observe 2 ABsalom in the beginning of his treasonable practices makes no shew of any thing but courtesie and zeale for justice but when he had won the hearts of the people he grows shamelesse and breakes out into open rebellion and incestuously defiles his fathers Concubines and wicked men being past sense and shame give themselves over to all lasciviousnesse Eph. 4.19 glorying at last in their own shame Phil. 3.19 and acting things not comely Rom. 1.28 not fit to be named by modest men Ephes 5.12 The reason whereof is 1. Because use and custome makes sin so familiar unto men that it takes away first the sense and then the shame that follows it which as they feele not in themselves so they feare it not from others 2. By this means God brings all evils to light that the committers of them may be abhorred of all men and his justice may be the more clearly manifested in their deserved punishment But we cannot but with admiration take special notice of Satans impudency who presumes to give God the lie and flatly to contradict so evident a truth so lately and expressely delivered from his owne mouth and that also as it is most probable in the womans own hearing Whence 3 OBSERVE There is no truth of God so clear and manifest which Satan and his Agents dare not to contradict Observe 3 THere can be nothing more clear then the goodnesse of God in his rewarding those that serve him which all experience makes manifest and yet the impes of Satan flatly deny it Job 21.15 as they do in like manner his Providence Job 22.13 14. and his Justice Ezech 18. nay even God Himself Psal 53.1 The lesse are we to marvel if they question and deny the firmest grounds of faith seeing they are things not seen as they have done in all Ages as Christs Deity Humanity the value of his satisfactions the Deity of the Holy Ghost the Immortality of the soule the Resurrection of the body and the like And no marvel 1. Seeing Satan is both a liar and the father of lies John 8.44 so that by his own nature he must needs be opposite to the truth A d 2. Besides it concernes him above all things to contradict fundamental truthes upon which Gods honour and mans salvation most depend both which Satan labours to overthrow with all his power 3. And lastly he well understands by experience the corruption of mans nature which inclines him to embrace darknesse rather then light to believe lies rather then to love the truth which gives him great hope of prevailing even in suggesting the foulest untruthes to such favourable hearers The end at which Satan aimed in contradicting this intermination of death to be inflicted upon man if he should presume to eate of the forbidden fruit was to embolden the woman to rebellion by freeing her from the terrour of Gods wrath which might be a meanes by the feare of the danger to withhold her from committing the sinne But the observation to be drawen from thence we have handled already That which we are to take notice of in the next place is that Satan in speaking of this intermination takes up the phrase it selfe in which God had delivered it Gen 2.17 which the woman in her answer had altered and expressed it in more gentle and uncertain termes which questionlesse he did not to help the womans memory nor much lesse to taxe her for faultering in her answer But rather that when he had laid the curse before her in the strictest termes he might elude it in a way of scorne telling the woman in effect that this terrible threatning was no other then a meer scar-crow whereas God knew well enough that no such effect would follow as he had threatened Whence 4. OBSERVE Satan and his Agents never make use of Gods Word but for mischief Observe 4 EIther to scoffe at it Isa 5.19 1 Cor. 15.32 or tempt others to sinne as we see Satan makes use even of the Word it selfe to perswade our Saviour to tempt God Mat. 4.6 Or else to contradict it as those proud men do Jeremies answer from God Jer. 43.2 or to lull men asleep in carnal security which was the custome of the false prophets Jer. 23.17 by which meanes they strengthened the hands of evil doers that none returned from his wickednesse ver 14. Neither indeed can it be otherwise 1. Because they being themselves defiled even their very consciences they must necessarily defile all that they handle Tit. 1.15 2. Because they hate the Word it selfe and therefore cannot either think or speak of it unlesse it be to abuse or discredit it some way or other See Prov. 1.29 3. And lastly because Satan that guides them delights in nothing more then to pollute the
and taking up wayes of dishonest gaine that we may purchase that by any meanes without which we think our selves not sufficiently supplied according to our worth Let then all that are godly the more carefully labour to establish their hearts in a setled content in that condition in which God hath placed them which must be done 1. By approving it in their judgement as every way best and fittest for them and for Gods honour and glory 2. By bringing in and limiting our desires thereby so far that we wish it not to be other then it is 3. By bringing our affections to delight and rejoyce in it as in that lot which God himselfe hath laid out unto us and that upon these considerations 1. That whatsoever we enjoy is more then we have any title unto by nature who came into the world naked a consideration which Job quiets his heart withal when he was at once stripped of all that he had Job 1.21 2. That we are unworthy of what we enjoy as Jacob acknowledgeth himself lesse then the least of Gods mercies Gen. 32.10 so that whatsoever we enjoy we have out of favour and free grace 3. That what we have we have no ability to manage as we ought nor can give a perfect account of it if God should deale strictly with us 4. That God who hath allotted us our estates is infinitely wise and therefore better knows what is fittest for us then we our selves and no lesse kinde and loving nay much more then we are to our selves and therefore will not faile to give us any thing that may be truly good unto us as having given us his own Son with whom he cannot but give us all things Rom. 8.32 5. That the life of man consists not in abundance as our Saviour tells us Luke 12.15 but in a secret supply of our wants by Gods blessing who makes a little that a righteous man hath better then the riches of the ungodly Psal 37.16 6. That when we have what we would desire yet we must depend upon God for our allowance out of it every day as all men rich and poor are directed to do by our Saviour to beg of him their portion for every day Now this contentednesse must reach even to our spiritual as well as to our temporal estate wherin our want of grace sense of our inward corruptions continual conflicts with Satan and foiles by him many times though they may and ought to quicken us to prayer and watchfulnels and make us humble and vile in our own eyes yet ought not to disquiet our hearts so far as to provoke us to impatiency and murmuring at our present condition or to kindle our desires to long after such a change of it as is not warranted Rather our unquietnesse at our own corruptions should beget in us only an holy indignation against our selves for our errours and failings with a desire of that future condition wherein we shall put off this body of death yet with patience waiting till the time of our appointed changing Job 14.14 but no manner of impatience against our present condition or repining against God who hath so ordered it both for his own glory and for our good at the last When Satan tells the woman that by eating the forbidden fruit her eyes should be opened he necessarily implies that for the present both she and her husband were blinde in effect so that these are the two grounds upon which he endeavours to move the woman to discontent at her present condition The first that she was under restraint and not left at liberty to take what she pleased The second that she was held in blindnesse and ignorance wherewith Satan would have her conceive she had great cause to be troubled as she had reason to be if the suggestion had been true So that we may thence 5 OBSERVE Blindnesse and Ignorance is a great misery Observ 5 IT is not good saith Solomon that the soule should be without knowledge Prov. 19.2 The Apostle goes farther and in expresse termes tells us that ignorance alienates us from the Life of God Eph. 4.18 and reckons it up amongst the spiritual plagues which the Lord in his justice laid upon those that dishonoured him and glorified him not as God the darkening of their sottish hearts Rom. 1.21 and is the meanes by which Satan whose work it is to blinde men 2 Cor. 4.4 prevailes so far upon men as he leads them at his will into all lasciviousnesse Eph. 4.19 and indeed into all other sins when their eyes being blinded they know not whither they go 1 John 2.11 More particularly the evils of this fearful plague are 1. The abasing of a man unto the condition of a beast from which he differs and is advanced above him only in his understanding Thus David for want of a right judgement and understanding of Gods ways termes himself a beast Psal 73.22 as be doth likewise all men else Psal 49 20. as Agur likewise termes himself brutish upon the same ground Prov. 30.2 2. Ignorance makes a man unuseful and unserviceable every way in all his undertakings for only a wise mans eyes are in his head but a foole walkes in darknesse Eccl. 2.14 which we know hinders all manner of emploiments as appears in the darknesse of Egypt which fixed them to their places from whence they could not remove till the darknesse was over Eâ—od 10.23 3. Ignorance leaves a man without comfort for it is the light that is sweet that is comfortable Eccl. 11.7 and the light of the eyes rejoyceth the heart Prov 15.30 consequently darknesse and ignorance must needs leave the heart without comfort whence the Scripture expresseth one being in a sad condition by being in darknesse without light Isa 50.10 Now that only the Scripture esteems to be knowledge which is the knowledge of God Prov. 30.2 and that in the face of Jesus Christ John 17.3 and of the things that are freely given us of God 1 Cor. 2.12 revealed by the Word and taught by the Spirit Satan contents not himself with working the heart of the woman to a discontented humour against her present condition but gives a step farther and perswades her that God knew how to help it but would not that by this meanes she might conceive that Gods heart stood not well affected towards her and that he wished her no good whatsoever shew he made to the contrary First because he might have allowed this meanes of gaining knowledge which he had so strictly forbidden them without any prejudice to himselfe at all Secondly that he had denied it them out of an evil disposition namely that he might excel and be God alone wherein he most blasphemously chargeth God with injustice in taking order to maintain his own right and providing for his owne honour before the advancing of his creatures of which notwithstanding according to their place and condition he takes care in all his wayes Now although it be true that
this is most unjustly applied unto God though it were an evil in a creature Yet seeing this is the colour by which Satan blindes the womans eyes that God was unjust in this act of his because it is granted thâ—t it is unjust in one creatures dealing with another upon that ground which Satan here supposeth and all men grant We may 6. OBSERVE It is great injustice in any man to keep under and hinder others for his own advantage Observe 6 TO get up into places of honor that we may keep others low be admired alone to join land to land till there be no more place that we may dwell alone Isa 5.8 to keep in corn that we may have plenty when others want Prov. 11.26 to hoard up coin and lade our selves with thick clay as the Prophet termes it Hab. 2.6 that we may be rich alone when others are kept low and poor But much more to keep away the Key of knowledge with the Scribes and Pharisees and their Apes the popish Prelates that we may be esteemed wise alone and the generality of men may be kept in blindnesse and ignorance The reason whereof is because God who by right of Creation being Lord of all things hath power to dispose them and order them according to his own will hath appointed the preservation of community to be the common end whereunto all creatures should tend and whereunto all their sufficiency should be referred So that to speak properly no man hath any thing for himselfe alone Not his wealth which is as our Saviour calls it another mans Luke 16.12 even any mans that needs who hath an interest in it whom therefore the wise man calls the owner thereof Prov. 3.27 nor his graces much lesse which are given to profit withal 1 Cor. 12.7 and consequently a man reserving any thing which he hath received only as a Steward to employ and bestow it on others as God directs him to himself meerly for his own advantage without employing it for a common good he unjustly keeps back from others that whereunto God himself hath given them a title which is stronger then all the civil titles in the world Yet is this that which the whole world aimes at in all their labours and endeavours and drives at with all their wisdome and policie to do well unto themselves alone whatsoever becomes of other men wherein they are approved and applauded too by all men Psal 49.18 When Satan perswades the woman to eate of this fruit though forbidden and that under so heavy a curse he must withal necessarily imply that no other tree in the Garden but that alone had this vertue to make one wise and that therefore they should not feare to adventure the eating of it although it were forbidden for so great a benefit For if any other tree whereof they might freely eate had the same vertue it had been a vain thing to perswade her to run so dangerous an hazard to gain that by eating the fruit forbidden which they might as easily obtain without any danger at all by eating of some other fruit which was not forbidden This then is the main scope at which Satan drives First to perswade the woman that no tree in the Garden had this singular vertue by making man wise to advance him near to the state of a God but this alone Secondly and leaves her thereupon to infer that God did but delude them with a false shew of liberality because he gave them only fruits of ordinary and vulgar use but withheld from them this tree which had this eminent vertue to make man wise like unto God So that we have here occasion to 7 OBSERVE It is false liberality to withhold things that are of true value and to bestow that which is of little worth Observ 7 THat is the exception which the children of Israel take against Moses that he fed them with nothing but Manna but had not given them any of the varieties of Egypt Numb 11.4 5 6. nor had given them a land flowing with milk and honey or possessed them of fields and vineyards Numb 16.14 God justly taxeth his people Mal. 1.14 that when they had males in their flocks they sacrificed unto him corrupt or base things And as justly taxeth Saul for passing under the Anathema the vile and refuse of the cattel of the Amalekites and reserving the best of the sheep and the oxen and of the fatlings 1 Sam. 15.9 The reason is that true liberality is the fruit of love which is grounded upon the estimation of that which we love and expressed in bestowing upon the person whom we love gifts answerable to the price and value that we set upon him Thus Abraham in disposing of his estate gave some portions to the sons of his Concubines but the choice and maine of his estate he left unto his sonne Isaac which was his darling Gen. 25.5 6. Now then where we bestow things of little worth we shew little love and consequently those things which we so bestow cannot be esteemed true liberality Let us upon this ground admire the infinite and incomprehensible love of God unto man upon whom he hath bestowed his own beloved Sonne his choicest Jewel his Delight daily Prov. 8.30 and that from all eternity Thus the Holy Ghost every where sets out this unvaluable Love of God as John 3.16 and 1 John 4.9 the more that we have thereby assurance that he cannot but with him give us all things Rom. 8.32 even every thing that is good which he hath promised to all that love him Psal 84.11 The consideration of this wonderful expression of Gods love to man as it cannot but amaze and astonish us so it ought to quicken us to a serious enquiry and searching into that wonderful mystery that we may in some measure comprehend with all Saints that love that passeth knowledge endeavouring to measure it out in all the dimensions thereof Eph. 3.18 19. that our mouthes may be filled with his praises and our hearts with his love considering what we may render unto him again with the Prophet David Psal 116.12 and resolving to stick at nothing wherein we may testifie our thankfulnesse for such manifestations of his love unto us the first of our increase Prov. 3 9. the male of our flock the flower of our age the beginning of our strength Eccl. 12.1 all our abilities even the strongest affections of our souls Deut. 10.12 as being all of them 1. His owne 1 Chron. 29.14 2. And the best of them unworthy of the greatnesse of his Majesty Mic. 6.6 7. 3. Altogether unproportionable to that which we have received 4. Yet to be recompenced with a plentiful reward measured unto us beyond all that we can conceive when the day of refreshing shall come Satans endeavour in the first place as we have seen was to take off mans heart from God his next policy is to faster it to the creature First to himself by advising him to
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
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
rebellion was the delight somnesse of the fruit to her outward senses she saw that the tree was pleasant to the eye and good for food and took and did eate the great mischief that followed thereupon may then warrant us to 7 OBSERVE Outward sense is an ill and a dangerous guide Observe 7 AChans eye was it that drew him to take of the accursed thing and Davids eye drew him to adultery and Solomon tells us that the drunkards pleasing his eye with the colour of the wine in the cup may draw him to drunkennesse Prov. 23.31 to the beholding of strange women and the heart to the uttering of perverse things ver 33. Upon this ground it is that the Apostle calls wisdome according to sense divellish wisdom and the lust of the eye St. John tells us is of the world 1 John 2.16 That it must be so it stands with good reason 1. Sense was never given men for a Judge or Counsellour to determine and direct but only for an informer 2. Sense can shew us nothing but the outward formes of such things as it represents upon which we shall never be able to lay the ground of a right judgement wherefore judgement according to appearance is opposed to Gods true and infallible judgement 1 Sam. 16.7 wherefore the receiving of things meerly from sense cannot but mislead us in all that we so apprehend awakening and stirring up affections that distemper the minde and blinde the eyes of the understanding And yet is this judgement by sense the wisdom that guides all the world or at the least the greatest part of it as we see by experience It is added that the woman saw that the tree was good for food that is that she was perswaded and believed it to be so and that upon that opinion she did take and eate the forbidden fruit so that which deceived the woman was the false opinion that she entertained of the goodnesse of the fruit Whence 8. OBSERVE A man cannot naturally desire any thing but under a shew and appearance of good Observe 11 THis is all that they seek and enquire after Psal 4.6 Who will shew as any good and as their endeavour is to do well unto themselves so they applaud only those that do so Psal 49.18 Nay the enquiry of all those which have been renowned for their wisdome amongst men hath been especially to finde out what is mans chiefest good And their errour hath been not in chusing evil as evil but in mistaking evil for good Yea although some have been so far blinded by Satan as to become instruments of their own destruction which appears manifestly to be evil notwithstanding even therein they may be conceived to choose that at least which is lesse evil esteeming a speedy death to be better then a miserable and uncomfortable life This firme adherence of the heart of man to that which is good from which it cannot be drawen unlesse it be by mistaking without the destruction of nature it selfe God hath planted in all mens hearts not only that it might be a meanes of their own preservation which all creatures bend unto some by a natural others by a sensitive and Man by a rational inclination but besides for an higher end that Man choosing God above all things to depend on and his will to submit unto and to place all his happinesse in him might thereby give a clear testimony and set to his seale that he esteems God as the chiefest good because his heart which carries him on with a restlesse desire to seek that above all things and desires no more when they do enjoy him with the Prophet Psal 73.25 and 116.7 Hence then appears not only the folly of men of this world who so greedily seek after Wealth Honours Pleasures and the favour of men as if all their happinesse lay in them but more their sacrilegious impiety in robbing God of his due honour to bestow it not only on the creature whom they advance above the Creator Rom. 1.25 when they seek their chief good in that rather then in him besides on our own base lusts by which we guide our selves rather then by the Will of God as if there were more good to be found in them then in God Himself so that the A postle justly censures them to be lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God 2 Tim. 3.4 which must needs be acknowledged to be true when we seek after them more earnestly and constantly and rejoyce and satisfie our selves with them more cordially and contentedly then we do with the favour and love of God this taking away from God the chiefest flower of his Crown which is to be good alone Mat. 19.17 to adorne with it the basest creatures is an abomination not to be expiated but with the pouring out of the wrath of God to the uttermost as the Apostle speaks 1 Thes 2.16 especially when they do not only call evil good and good evil upon whom the Prophet pronounceth that fearful woe Isa 5.20 but seale to it too by their deeds and actions Thus then the woman moved by Satans faire and large promises seconded with the strong outward allurement of a fruit so pleasant to the eye conceiving that she could not be but a great gainer by so rich a purchase without any more ado takes the fruit and eates it But how grosly she was mistaken therein the fearful event of the ruine of her self and her husband in the issue sufficiently declares So that comparing the successe of this action with the hopes upon which it was undertaken upon Satans word We may 9 OBSERVE Man is an ill chooser of his own good Observe 9 ADam we see even in this state of Innocency though endowed with so much wisdom yet as we shall see anon chooseth death instead of life And Solomon the wisest of all Princes either before or after him is faine after his long enquiry and travel in seeking after mans chiefest good Eccl. 2.3 when he looked advisedly back upon all his labours and the fruits of them to acknowledge that they were vanity and vexation of spirit Eccl. 2.11 17. and this he found not to be his own errour alone but that generally the wayes that seem right to a man are found at last in the issues of them to be wayes of death Prov. 14.12 The reason whereof is First mans ignorance by nature is such that he knows nothing as he ought not God the chiefest good of whom we may acknowledge with Bildad that it is a little portion that is heard of him Job 26.14 and that of those that know him best 1 Cor. 13.12 but of the generality of men we may say with Zophar that man is borne like a wilde assâ—es colt Job 11.12 and therefore no marvel if those that know him not desire him not seeing it is the knowledge of things that move us either to desire them or to depend upon them See Psal 9.10 As ignorant are we of the inward
as in the fruits of Gods Blessing but as in the effects of our own endeavours and let it check our vain and dangerous Confidence which makes us trust in our own wisdom and power and burn incense to our own net and yarn that we may ascribe the successe of all our labours about the things of this life unto God alone who is indeed pleased to make use of our heads and hands in the Conservation of his Creatures but 1. Rather to keep us doing then because he needs our help 2. That finding by experience how little our labours work to the producing of any effect we might rejoyce in him who worketh all things by his mighty power and not in our selves 3. And thereupon might be taught to depend upon him and serve him when we observe the successe of our labours to be the effect of his power and not of any ability of ours 4. To abase and humble us in busying our selves about the service even of those Creatures that he hath put under our feet All which he hath ordained onely for a short time whereas hereafter all mens labours as well as all other meanes shall cease with the use of those Creatures which are supported by them and God shall be All in All. VERSE 16. ANd the Lord God Himself in Person the same God that had planted the Garden and bestowed it upon the man for his possession and dwelling so that the Name of God seemes to be mentioned in this place as well to set before us the strictnesse of this restraint that it was laid upon man by the Authority of God Himself which also the woman insists on in her answer to Satan Gen 3.39 As withall to set out the Equity thereof as being laid on him by God who having both planted and stored the Garden and freely bestowed it on him had full power and liberty to give out of that which was every way his own what he pleased to withhold what he thought good and consequently manifested his infinite Bounty and Goodnesse in bestowing all the rest of the fruits and denying man onely this one Commanded the man or to render it word for word Commanded upon the man And it is noted by some that when that preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is added to the word Tzavab which is usually rendred Commanded It signifies a restraint as the same phrase is used Isa 5.6 This is out of question that here the word Commanded must be referred to the latter clause of the next verse following for the Command to the Man was not to eat of all the rest of the fruits which was rather a Grant or Permission then a Command but onely to abstain from that fruit that was forbidden The man The word Adam may include both Sexes in this place as well as one we are sure it doth so Gen. 5.2 He called their name Adam speaking both of the Man and Woman So that for ought appears to the contrary the Commandement might be and it is most probable was delivered by God Himself unto Eve as well as to the Man although it be not certain that it was so Of every Tree That is of the fruit of every Tree So that the Grant of those fruits to the Man is inlarged in two Circumstances First that it extended to every Tree And Secondly to the enjoying of them fully as we shall see anon This large extent of Gods Grant is the more carefully to be observed that we may in the next Chapter take notice how grosly and palpably God is wronged both by the Devils captious inquiry yea because God hath said Ye shall not eat of every Tree and by the Womans Scant and Maligne expression of the Grant in her Answer to Satan Of the fruit of the Trees we may eat Leaving out both the Circumstances in this place that commended the largenesse of the Gift namely that they were allowed to eat of Every Tree and to eat Freely Thou mayest freely eat Or eating thou mayest eat An Hebraisme of speciall force pointing out sometimes the Certainty sometimes the Continuance sometimes the Intention of an action All which perhaps or perhaps the two last may be intended in this place God allowing man to eat Daily and Plentifully even to Satiety of all those pleasant fruits of the Garden This large Gift of God to man is delivered and expressed marvellous aptly if we take notice of the Order wherein it is here placed by the Holy Ghost being added immediately after the Commandement of dressing the Garden as an incouragement to the Man unto that labour whereof the fruit and benefit should return unto himself alone So that the Easinesse and Equity of that Commandement is manifested in this that man was to labour for his good And it is likewise prefixed before the restraint that followes to manifest Gods Bounty and Goodnesse even therein that out of such infinite variety of choice fruits God withheld from him only one Tree and that too as we shall see hereafter for his good that by it he might be still admonished to look unto the Will of God as the rule of all his actions By the like Circumstance God intimateth the reasonablnesse of his restraint from labour on the Sabbath day because he had allowed Man six daies for the dispatch of his own affaires The scope of the Holy Ghost in setting down Gods Grant of all the fruits of Paradise unto Adam before he mentions the restraint or forbidding the eating of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil that he might the more chearfully submit unto Gods Will in denying him but One Tree when he had so freely and fully allowed all the rest may warrant us to 1. Observe The Sense and Experience of Gods Goodnesse is the best meanes to encourage us to chearful obedience unto Gods Will. Observ 1 UPon this ground the Lord before his Law prefixeth the mention of his Peoples deliverance out of Egypt Exod. 20.2 And Moses beats often upon that Argument to quicken the People to Gods Service as Deut. 6.10 and 11.7 8. And the Lord severally threatens his People if they serve him not with Gladnesse for the abundance of all things Deut. 28.47 Indeed nothing is so forcible to constrain as love 2 Cor. 5.14 Which is grounded upon experience of Gods Love unto us manifested in his large bounty towards us Let it direct every one of us to quicken and strengthen all our hearts by that motive to every duty 1. Let us keep by us a Catalogue of Gods Mercies both General to his whole Church and to our selves in Particular 2. When we find out hearts dull and sluggish in the duties of Obedience let us labour to quicken them by setting all his favours before us considering how great things he hath done for us 1 Sam. 12.24 3. Upon every fresh Mercy let us renew our engagements and resolutions to constancy and Chearfulnesse in Gods Service as we see David doth Psalme 116. This
his Hand alone Math. 10.28 whereof men are not so much as Instruments either in the Sentence or in the Execution thereof It must necessarily be so seeing otherwise the giving of Life could not be intirely in Gods Hand if a Creature at his pleasure might take away that which he Himself hath bestowed And Secondly it is fit that God alone should have the disposing of the greatest of all judgements as well that it might be measured out to all in Righteousnesse as that God might be feared alone The consideration hereof cannot but revive the heart of Gods Servants hated and persecuted by men of the world when they know their life and breath is in Gods Hand which therefore none can take away but by his Will and Decree And therefore 1. not while God hath any use of their service here 2. Not if they be of the Number of Christs Redeemed Ones for whom he hath conquered Death and taken away the sting of it 1 Cor. 15.55.57 and delivered them from the power of it Under this name of death are included all manner of Evils Outward and Inward Temporal and Eternal both Death it self and whatsoever tends thereunto So that we have hence warrant to 9. Observe All kinds of Evils and Miseries Present or Future Outward or Inward are the Wages of Sin Observ 9 DEath came into the world by sin Rom. 5.12 whereof it is the wages Rom. 6.23 Wherefore we find all Outward miseries threatened against men for disobedience Levit. 26. Deut. 28. And the plagues of the soul as Ignorance Inordinate Lusts a Reprobate mind are justly reckoned up amongst the Judgments upon men for sin Rom. 1.28 29. much more is it sin alone that brings Eterual death For unbelief men are condemned Joh. 3.36 and for hatred and malice men abide in death 1 Joh. 3.14 and for sin are adjudged to the everlasting flames of Hell fire Matth. 25.41 Rev. 21.8 Let men then when they feel the smart of any evil either Inward or Outward complain of nothing but sin as the fountain from which they spring Lam. 3.39 Ascribing their destruction to themselves or any evils that lyes upon them at present see Hos 13.9 And therefore 1. Let them remove and take away their sinnes if they desire ease abstaining from that as from the gates of Hell 2. Especially when they fear any Judgment hanging over them let them labour to prevent it by taking away the sin that brings it 3. In the mean time admiring and magnifying the riches of Gods mercy in our Redemption by Christ by whom both our sins in which we were all once dead and by which we draw death upon our selves every day are taken away and with them Hell and Eternal Death and those Evils that remain upon us at present are sanctified so that they work together for our good This phrase Dying you shall dye doth not only import the Extent but withall the Certainty of that Death which the doubling of that word usual in the Hebrew Language doth very often imply Whence we may further 10. Observe Gods Judgments are Certain and Infallible as well as his Promises of Mercy Obser 10 REsting upon the same grounds which are in themselves Infallible 1. The Holinesse of his Nature by which he is constantly moved to take vengeance on Sin as well as to reward Righteousnesse 2. His unalterable Truth which is firmer then Heaven or Earth See Numb 14.23 35. 3. His unresistable power Deut. 32.39 Secondly directed to the same End which God ayms at in all his wayes and works the filling of the Earth with his glory Numb 14.21 advanced in the Acts of his Justice as well as of his Mercy Howsoever men bewitch themselves with a groundlesse hope of Impunity in their sinful courses Deut. 29.19 Whereby as they take from God the honour of his Justice Holinesse and Truth so they necessarily overthrow all the grounds of their dependance upon Gods Promises the Certainty whereof is built upon the same grounds which assure the Infallibility of his Judgments and withall opens a gap to all Impiety The last considerable Circumstance in the Judgment here threatened is the speedy Execution thereof as being limited to the very day wherein they should transgresse Whence 11. Observe Vengeance and Judgment follow sin at the Heeles Obser 11 SIn that is the guilt and punishment lyeth at the door as God tells Cain Gen. 4.7 Indeed the Guilt of sin by which men are made liable to the Punishment is incurred by the very act of sinning Although God be pleased oftentimes to suspend the Execution either 1. For his own sake to manifest his Patience and Long-suffering and withall the Justice of his Wrath upon those that abuse it to the hardening of their own hearts Rom. 2.4 5. Rev. 2.22 23. 2. Or for the Sinners sake to bring him if it be possible to repentance Rom. 2.4 as God bearing with St. Paul in his bloody persecutions won him at the last Or 3. for the Churches sake to make use of the sinners service in the mean time for the good of his people Or some way or other for some fitter opportunity or some special occasion as we spare the Execution of women with child till they be delivered Notwithstanding vengeance overtakes men sometimes in the very act of sinning as it did the Sodomites Zimri and Cosby Corah Dathan and Abiram Gehazi Ananias and Sapphirah and the like in their several sins Let men tremble at Sin as at a Serpent conceiving that when they lay hold on sin they take hold of death it self and embrace the flames of Hell fire 1. Fly from it and from all Means and Instruments Occasions and Opportunities that lead unto sin 2. Repent of it speedily and cast it out as we would do fire out of our bosome and sleep not in the bonds of iniquity all night lest it break out suddenly upon us like an hidden fire and Consume us and all that we have VERSE 18. VVE have taken a surview of the Lawes given to man for the worship and service of God and for his employment The means of Propagating mankind and the Law that God gives man concerning it we have set down unto us in the rest of this Chapter wherein as in the relation of the planting of Paradise we have an addition to the works of the Sixth day as we had there to the works of the Third day the chief whereof were set down in the former Chapter In recounting the works of the Sixth day Moses had related the Creation of the man and addes that he created man in both Sexes how this was done the Holy Ghost records at large in this place Wherein he sets before us 1. The Cause or Occasion of Creating the Woman which was the Inconvenience of Adam's Solitarinesse and the Unfitnesse of his Society with any other of the Creatures 2. Gods observing of it and Resolution thereupon to make him such an help as might be every way meet for
before he could bethink himself how he might procure that which he needed so much 2. The Largenesse of Gods bounty is set out in the Pleasantness of the Garden provided and given man for his habitation In the infinite variety of all sorts of Fruits wherewith it was stored both for Necessity and Delight all of them planted by Gods own hand And in allowing man the free use of them all excepting only One Tree reserved by God as an acknowledgment of his Soveraignty and as a Remembrance to man of his duty In the Investiture of man into his Soveraignty over all the Creatures designed unto him in the former Chapter And lastly in Creating and bestowing the Woman upon him in marriage a greater help unto him and comfort for his life then all the creatures besides could have been 3. The Sufficiency of the Provision which God made for Man appears in this that he had all his wants supplied He wanted no possessions for the Earth was his Inheritance No servants for the work which he had to do was little more then to pluck and eat his own food from the Trees and to oversee and keep in order the Garden ready planted to his hand No food for all those delicate fruits were ready prepared and allowed him for his diet Houses and Apparel there was no need of when there was no deformity that needed covering no Injury by the weather from which he needed to be defended Onely there wanted a VVife both for Propagation and Society and that also God provides for him and that such a one as he acknowledgeth to be every way meet for him and accordingly rejoyceth in her So that God ceased not till he had furnished man every way with all that his Heart could wish or his needfull Occasions required Now for the Lawes and Rules which God gave man to guide himself by in this state of Innocency we must take notice that such of them as are meerly branches of the law of Nature are here omitted VVe call them properly Lawes of Nature which being Rules discovered by the consideration of the Nature of the Creatures are easily found out by the strength of right Reason As if there be a God Reason teacheth that he must be worshipped and if he be a Spirit that he must be worshipped in Spirit and Truth If we have our Being and Education from our Parents that they must be honoured and served If Words must be manifestations unto others of our Thoughts that then they must be answerable unto them so that we must speak what we think even the truth from our hearts and the like These being written in all mens hearts by Nature that is manifest to all men by Natural reason are not mentioned in this brief history as being sufficiently known without relation The Lawes here recorded are onely such as were added to the Law of Nature by Institution which the rule of Equity doth not necessarily enforce of it self without Gods command to have it thus or otherwise As though it were of the Law of Nature that if God must be worshipped that there must be a set time and a time of rest from other employments appointed for that worship yet what portion of time this should be and on what day it should be fixed as that it should be one day in Seven and the last of seven no man could by Natural Reason conclude till God commanded that it should be so That man should take care of the Creatures and endeavour to preserve them especially being appointed for his service reason would prescribe but that Adam should take charge of Paradise to keep and dresse it was meerly by Gods Institution and Command who might as well have disposed of him in some other place as there if he had so pleased That Gods Will should be mans Rule and that his Obedience and Faith should be professed and shewed forth to others is a branch of the Law of Nature but that Adam should manifest his Faith in God by eating of the tree of Life and his subjection to his Will by abstaining from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was only by Gods own appointment having no other ground but the motion of his own will That Man and Woman should be joyned together for propagation and that too in Marriage may be conceived to be of the Law of Nature But that a man should be bound to one Wife and that for term of Life although Natural Reason must needs acknowledge it to be most convenient yet because it is not necessary God might have ordered it otherwise if he had been so pleased Whatsoever the Reason may be conceived to be why the Holy Ghost mentions only these Positive Lawes whereas he passeth over in silence the Laws of Nature it must needs be acknowledged that these Laws which being only Positive have no other foundation but the meer Will of God are notwithstanding so Equal and Good every way that being once made known natural reason it self cannot but approve them and consequently the Righteousnesse Holinesse and Goodnesse of God appears more clearly in them than in those Lawes that being branches of the Law of Nature are in a sort more Necessary seeing nothing discovers the man more evidently then those things wherein he is most free to do or approve what he will And indeed it may be probably conceived that the Holy Ghost had this scope to manifest the Righteousnesse of God in giving these Lawes because they are so recorded that the Equity of them is withall manifested by some Circumstance or other inserted into the Relation The Equity of appointing the Sabbath unto the last day of the week appears in manifesting that That day being honoured above the rest by putting an end to and declaring the perfecting of the Works of Creation was the fittest day to be observed in remembrance of so glorious a work And the Law of appointing man to labour in Paradise is manifested to be equal by this that God gave him the use of all the fruits in Paradise so that he did but labour for himself That the Interdiction of the Tree of Knowledge might appear to be equall it is recorded withall that God gave Man all the rest of the fruits to make use of freely The same is as clearly manifested in setting down at large the Law of Marriage 2. The Holinesse of these Lawes appears as well as their Equity The Sabbath Sacrament of the Tree of Life and restraint from the Eating of the Tree of knowledge of Good and Evil tending only to the furthering of Faith and Obedience and the raising up of mens hearts to an holy delight in God and enjoying an holy Communion with him Mans labour tending to the exercising of Love and Mercy towards the Creatures and Marriage to further mutual edification in Piety and Godlinesse and the propagation of an holy seed as it is plainly expressed Mal. 2.15 3. The Goodnesse of these Lawes to Man is as
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
enquire into Gods works as to affect her heart the more with the particular view and taste of Gods goodnesse to her and her husband Whence 3. OBSERVE No place nor employment can free us from Satans assaults Observe 3 THus as he tempted our first Parents here in Paradise so doth he Elies sonnes to filthinesse in the Tabernacle and to theft in ministring holy things 1 Sam. 2.22 And he afterwards draws King Uzziah to trespasse upon the Priests office in the Temple 2 Chron. 26.16 As he endeavours to draw our blessed Saviour to tempt God in the very Temple Mat. 4. so likewise in religious duties In hearing he distracts and diverts mens thoughts thrusting in suggestions of covetousnesse Ezech. 33.31 voluptuousnesse or the like drawes men sometimes to vain babbling sometimes to proud boasting in prayer Luke 18.11 12. corrupts men with covetousnesse fraudulent dealing and injustice in bargaining to partiality and respect of persons in the administration of justice no marvel if he tempt us to excel in meats and drinks in our holy reastings And this he doth upon a double ground 1. Out of a delight which he hath especially in profaning and defiling holy things 2. Because he findes men most secure when either the place or employment promiseth them safety The Time and Place of the assault of Satan upon the woman Moses had not expresly mentioned The rest of the circumstances we have laid down before us in expresse termes And first we meet with the instrument of which the devil made choice for this employment the Serpent and why of him rather then of any other beast we shall see hereafter but why doth he make use of any beast at all It is conceived that although he contrived the plot yet he acts by this beast that himself might not be discovered Whence 4. OBSERV Though Satan be the Author and Perswader to every sinful motion yet he lâ—ves not to be seen in it Observe 4 In casting of evil thoughts into the heart he makes use of inward and indiscernable suggestions that though we finde the motion in our hearts yet we cannot discover how they entred into our mindes Thus he stirred up David to number the people 1 Chron. 21.1 entred into Judas Luke 22.3 was a lying spirit in the mouth of Zedekiah though he knew not which way he entred into him 1 Kings 22.23 24. But often times he makes use of some outward instruments by which he conveighs his counsels sometimes taking on him the shape of unreasonable creatures as he alwayes doth in dealing with Witches and Conjurers and as we see he dealt with Eve in this place although more usually he makes use of men to beguile men by as he did in tempting Ahab by Jezabel his wife 1 Kings 21.25 and by his false Prophets 1 Kings 22.22 Now thus Satan deales with men 1. Because the motions being evil and hateful in themselves may moâ—e safely or at least with more advantage be suggested then owned for he that doth evil shunt the light John 3.20 2. The devil himself being feared and hated of all men the discovering of himself in any ill motion were the next way to warne men to take heed both of him and his counsels and so to crosse his owne end 1. Let us learne in every inordinate motion to suspect Satan though we see him not whom we may easily finde out by the footsteps of his evil wayes even then when we cannot discover his person being we may rest assured that he is either the Parent Midwife or at least the Nurse of every finful motion Now to believe that we consult with Satan in hearkening to the inordinate motions of the lusts of our own hearts or to the suggestions sometimes of our dearest friends and that when we entertain them and embrace them we harbour a brat of Satans in our bosomes will be a great means to make us feare and tremble at any motion unto sinne 2. Let us be jealous of all such persons as labour to keep themselves close in all their wayes and not to appear in those counsels that they suggest unto us by secret wayes after the manner of Satan These we have reason to suspect to be works of darknesse seeing none hate the light but those that do evil who labour to hide those things which being discovered might turne unto their shame Now that which the Holy Ghost especially takes notice of in this Serpent is that it was more subtile then any beast of the field implying that therefore Satan made choice of this rather then of any other beast for his fitnesse for this employment Whence in general 5. OBSERVE Satan usually makes choice of those Instruments which he findes fittest for the compassing of his own wicked ends Observe 5 THus he makes use of the Wise and Learned to perswade of men of Power and Authority to command and to compel men to evil practices of Beautiful women to allure to lust of great men to countenance and of men of strength and power to exercise violence and oppression And this he doth upon a double reason 1. That whereas God hath therefore given great abilities to some above others to enable them the better for his service that he might have the more honour thereby Satan as it were to despight God the more turnes his own weapons against himselfe to dishonour him all he can in that wherein he seekes and out of which he ought to receive his greatest glory 2. Necessity enforceth him to make the best choice he can of able instruments because carrying men in sinful courses he must needes have the help of strong meanes the work being difficult in it self as crossing all Gods wayes But to consider the Serpents subtilty more particularly Satan being to beguile and deceive the woman he findes the Serpents subtilty to be of special use unto him for that end whence we may 6. OBSERVE Cunning and subtile persons are dangerous instruments to deceive and thereby to do mischief Observe 6 SUch a one was Jonadab to shew Amnon the way to defile his own Sister 2 Sam. 13. Achitophel to further Absaloms treason against his own father 2 Sam. 15. and 16.23 Such were the Scribes and Pharisees our Saviours enemies and murtherers at last whom he every where taxeth for their pride covetousnesse and subtile dissimulation with whom we may joyne Elymas the Sorcerer full of all subtilty whom the devil made use of to turne away the peoples hearts from receiving Pauls Ministery But what are those to Satan himself that sets them all on work called the old Serpent more subtile and consequently more dangerously mischievous then all his Agents Now this comes to passe Partly because they having their hearts swelling with pride upon the conceit of their own parts being abandoned by God in his justice are the more easily seized on by Satan and possessed and carried according to his will And secondly because such persons are the fittest to cast a mist before
dangerous snare 1 Tim. 6.10 Prov. 11.28 Friends and especially wives are great comforts and helps many wayes but if we make them our Oracles they may and often do beguile us Deut. 13.6 Gods sacred word the greatest of all helps and outward blessings the power of God to salvation and the savour of life unto all that receive it as they ought may prove the savour of death if it be not mixed with faith but received into a corrupt heart as meat taken into a fowle stomack may turne into ill humours and so become our poison Much more is this true of Peace Plenty Strength nay of Wisdome it selfe and other abilities of the minde And that 1. Because many of these things though good in themselves yet are of such a nature that the good or evil of them is found only in the use of them and therefore as they are used by us so they prove unto us either good or evil 2. And it is fit that it should be so that God in his Justice should turne good into evil to such as are not good before him as he draws good out of evil it selfe unto all those that love him as the Apostle tells us Rom. 8.28 Let it warne every one of us to use all the helps and blessings which we receive from God with feare and trembling 1. Purging our own hearts carefully for to those which are defiled nothing is pure Tit. 1.15 2. Sanctifying unto our selves the blessings themselves by the word and prayer 1 Tim. 4.5 3. Using all things according to the rule laid down to us in the word and referring them to the end for which he gives them his own glory and the furthering of our Sanctification that he may blesse us in those things the fruit whereof returns unto himself at last If we scan Adams answer a little more thorowly we may easily discover what was his great oversight by which his wives temptation prevailed so much with him and took such effect at last which also God himself points at in the judgment which afterwards he passethupon him namely that he hearkened to his wives voice that is that he yeelded to her motion without examining the ground or warrant of it which was nothing but her bare word and perswasion wheras he ought to have considered First what right she had to bestow on him that fruit which God had forbidden both to him and her Next what power she had to free him from that curse which God had threatned to lay upon them if they did eat that fruit which was forbidden them Whence 8 OBSERVE It is very dangerous to embrace any motion presented unto us without examining the warrant and ground of it Observe 8 JOseph pleads that to his Mistress in bar of that adulterous motion that she makes unto him that he had no warrant to meddle with her neither from God nor man Gen. 39.9 Our Saviour Christ repels Satans fiery darts with the same shield that he had no warrant to turne the stones into bread Mat. 4.4 nor to cast himself down from the pinacle of the Temple ver 7. In the same manner the Apostles answer the Rulers when they silence them that they did that for which they had no warrant to forbid them that which God had commanded them Acts 4.19 But they are noted for fooles that beleeve every word Prov. 14.15 as he that was no sooner tempted by a lewd woman to filthiness but she presently consents to her Prov. 7.22 and Amnon that embraced Jonadabs wicked counsel as soone as he heard it 2 Sam. 13.6 And Joash that enclined to the first motion of his Princes to fall away to idolatry 2 Chron. 24.17 Nay Jehoshaphat himself who consented to joyn with Ahab and to help him against the Syrians found by the event the fruits of their folly in embracing motions tendered to them without examining the grounds of them And good reason it should be so 1. Because this is Gods peculiar prerogative to be beleeved and obeyed upon his Word which when we yield unto men we invest them with his honour and make them in a sort our gods 2. Men are subject to dangerous errors not onely through ignorance which makes them unable to discern between good and evil but besides through inordinate lusts and desires which cast a mist before the understanding and pervert the Judgement so that in hearkning to mens directions we follow blinde guides and then no marvaile though we fall with them into the ditch to our own destruction Mat. 15.14 How Adam the farther he goes the more he sinnes and how every motion of his heart every word and action addes to his transgression til God reclaims him and the observation which might thence be drawn That when men are once perverted in their wayes the farther they go the more they sinne till God change their hearts hath been for the most part handled already upon ver 2. Observ 2. and 6. compared together VERSE 13. AND the Lord said to the woman How is it that he leaves the man before he had drawn him to a more and full acknowledgement of his sin He acknowledgeth the fact indeed but ecxcuseth it withal and there remaine many weighty circumstances by which the sinne was much aggravated which are passed over in silence neither acknowledged by Adam nor enquired after by God himself But we must consider that God had time and means sufficient to perform that work upon Adams conscience afterward in private At present his maine scope is to make it appeare that he had no hand in drawing the man into this sinne by drawing the delinquents both to the confession of the fact and a discovery of the first mover thereunto and the unwillingnesse of the delinquents acknowledgement who though they speak no more then is drawn from them yet utter enough to cleare God of having hand in the sinne makes much for the credit of their testimony on Gods behalf as we have seen already From Adam God turnes next to the woman that she might likewise be convinced of her fact by her own confession and thereby both justifie the equity of the judgement pronounced against her afterwards and besides be drawn to appeach the Serpent as the first Solicitor and enticer to the sinne which was the principal thing that God laboured to discover for the present What is this which thou hast done by transgressing thy self seducing thy husband The question is propounded demanded with some kind of admiration as if God had said How is it possible that thou shouldst be so desperately wicked and sottish as not only to ruine thy self but to be the destruction of thy husband also for whose help and comfort thou wast created The wisdom of God in this examination of the man and woman is not unworthy our observation The maine thing which God sought after was the author and first mover to this sin But of this he mentions not a word to the man before or
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
is thus intended for the good of the sinner Unto the Serpent But why to the Serpent being an unreasonable creature and consequently unable to understand what was spoken and therefore could receive no instruction by words First we must conceive that the sentence here pronounced lights not only on the Serpent but on the devil also who set him on work yea the latter part of it principally on him as the cause of the sinne as is intimated in those words Because thou hast done this and that it reacheth both the devil and the beast The words then were understood by Satan though not by the beast and may be conceived to be directed to him under the Serpents name Secondly the words though spoken to the Serpent were chiefly intended for the instruction of the man and woman as our Saviours words directed to the fig-tree were intended to his disciples in whose presence he spake to the tree Mat. 21.19 and indeed the latter part of this censure with which is intermixed the promise of the Messiah cannot be otherwise taken but as a comfort intended only to the man and the woman Because thou hast Thou Serpent as the Instrument and thou Satan as the principal Agent who didst employ him in this action Done this Namely all that hath been mentioned before belied God deceived the woman and by her the man and drewan them both into rebellion against their Creator and thereby into utter ruine both of themselves and their posterity Thus God is pleased to manifest his justice in expressing the cause before he pronounceth the sentence But why doth not God examine the devil as well as the man and the woman before he punish him First God had already his end he was now come to the head-spring of the sin which was the chief thing which he sought after or at least intended to discover Beside it was a vain thing to expect a true confession from the father of lies Lastly God out of favour endeavours the recovery of the man and woman out of their sin by a free confession and sight and sense of their sin but he intends no such mercy to Satan who was already sentenced to everlasting destruction Thou art cursed The words imply more then the decree that the Serpent should be cursed and import a present execution of that decree that the curse should seize upon it at that very instant To curse sometimes signifies to speak evil of another or to wish evil to him in this sense we are forbidden to curse the ruler of the people Exod. 22.28 that is to speak evil of him or to wish evil to him And even in this sense the Serpent is cursed by man and spoken of with detestation and despite and wished to destruction by all men But cursing out of Gods mouth implies more then that an inflicting of all manner of evil upon any person as Deut. 28.20 the Lord threatens for their rebellion to bring upon this people cursing and vexation in all that they put their hand unto So that curse of our Saviour on the fig-tree Mark 11.21 was the present drying up and withering of the tree This curse was indeed inflicted on the true Serpent really as far as it was capable of it as appears by the particulars following neither can be applied to Satan properly although it be true that he above all other creatures is accursed both by God and man Above all cattel That is above all tame beasts for so the word Behemah in the Original being opposed unto Chaiath as it is in this place properly signifies as it doth also in other places of Scripture where it stands in like opposition although where there is no such opposition it signifies any beast indifferently Evident it is that no creeping thing is comprehended under that name whence some conclude that because the Serpent both here and in the first verse of this chapter is compared with foure-footed beasts therefore the Serpent before this curse went upon foure feet as other beasts do But this argument is of small force seeing God might both here and there compare the Serpent with creatures of any other kinde to enlarge the comparison there that it was more subtile here that it should be more miserable then any other beast whatsoever tame or wilde And above every heast of the field That is above every wilde beast thus by a sufficient distribution of beasts into their kindes wilde and tame the Serpent is pronounced not only more cursed then any of them were in their Creation but then now they are even by mans fall the whole creature is made subject to vanity This curse therefore laid upon the Serpent is not only a branch of the general curse which sin hath brought upon all the creatures but a peculiar curse upon this creature above them all Upon thy belly shalt thou go All creeping things go upon the belly as Moses implies Lev. 11.42 where he makes going upon the belly the difference between creeping things and those that go upon their feet the Septuagint here render it belly and breast to expresse the Original Gechon more fully which properly signifies the belly of a Serpent whose belly and breast seem to be all one But seeing going upon the belly is here laid upon the Serpent as a curse It gives occasion of dispute whether the Serpent went upon the belly before it was cursed or nay A question neither very easie nor necessary to determine Only it seems not probable that God by the curse altered the shape or parts of any creatures body but only the perfect and healthy temper the strength regular use and perhaps as in man the comelinesse of the parts So that the conjecture of some seems to be very bold and groundlesse that imagine the Serpent to have been created with feet at the first which they conceive to be taken away by the curse Again neither is it probable that the curse should bring upon the Serpent no change at all although it brought not this change and therefore that the curse brought no alteration upon the Serpent in her going at all It is most probable that when he cursed the Serpent above all other creatures he left some discernable mark of that curse upon it above the rest But it is replied that there needed no alteration at all to make it a curse seeing mans nakednesse by sin became shameful which was not so before without any alteration of the body and the labour is now a curse which before the fall was not so To which it may be easily answered First that in the shame of nakednesse there 's a change although not in the parts of the body save that even mans body it selfe hath not a presence so graceful and full of majesty since the fall as he was before yet in the affections of the minde in which only shame consists Secondly in mans labour which now becomes part of his curse and was not so before there is an evident
and very great change as we shall see hereafter The curse might cause a change in the Serpents going not by altering the kinde of her going from stepping to creeping but by appointing it another part of the body to go upon then that which it went upon before For the emphasis seemes to be in Belly not in Go which Moses expresseth here by the word Telech which is of general signification and extends to any kinde of moving forwards whether by stepping creeping swimming or any other kinde of motion Now if God had given the Serpent a kinde of motion different from that which it had before it may be probably conceived that Moses would have expressed it by such a word as might signifie that difference This therefore seemes to be the most likely conjecture that before the curse the Serpent moved forwards upon the hinder part of her body with the breast and belly and head erected whereas now it creeps on the whole length of the body which conjecture may be strengthened by these arguments First we see that Serpents at this day upon occasion as when they assault a man or the like for a time raise up themselves upon the hinder part of their body so that the former part of it stands upright why may we not conceive then that before their strength was weakened by this curse they might do that alwayes which now they can do for a shift Secondly if we allow the Serpent such a manner of creeping with the former part of the body erect we may more plainly see the reason why Satan made choice of the Serpent in tempting the man for the subtilty of it which might consist somewhat in altering and changing her going When she was to conveigh her self into the Garden unespied she could apply her body close to the ground when she was to speak to the woman she could raise her self upright and so confer with her as it were mouth to mouth Thirdly we may in this curse discover the equity of Gods judgement upon the Serpent For if the Serpent could apply her self to do mischief unespied good reason she should be accursed to go in that manner ever after so that this curse might point directly at the sinne for which it was inflicted Now these at the best are but conjectures And dust shalt thou eate But experience teacheth that Serpents feed also upon and devoure other small vermine which the Prophet Esay seemes also to imply when speaking of that peace that should be in the restauration of the Church between all creatures he names the Serpent amongst the rest affirming that it should live by dust as the lion should do by straw implying that they both live by preying upon other creatures at present which then they should forbear Some therefore by eating dust conceive that God meanes living hardly as Serpents do which in the winter season living most in their holes get little food to sustain themselves But that is the condition of other beasts as well as of Serpents it seems therefore that this feeding upon the dust is opposed to the former manner of the Serpents feeding upon herbes and fruits after the manner of other beasts for if before the curse she went with the former part of her body erect as we have shewed already then might she be easily able to reach many sorts of herbes and fruits though growing above the ground as other beasts do whereas now creeping with her very mouth upon the earth she must necessarily take her food out of the dust and so lick in some dust withal so that though the dust be not all her food yet she taking all her food out of the dust and licking in the dust with it may not improperly be said to eate dust All the dayes Both thou and all thy kinde hereafter to the worlds end But what had the Serpent deserved being an unreasonable creature and consequently uncapable of any purpose or intention to do evil why is the beast punished for Satans fault who made use of the Serpent only as his instrument to do mischief To that it is easily answered that the derestation and hatefulnesse of sin is so great that it is fit to be manifested upon whatsoever is defiled with it Thus we break in pieces the sword dagge or other instrument of a Princes death dam up a Well in which any man hath been drowned And God himself will require a mans life at the hands of every beast Gen. 9.5 and therefore in his own Law appoints an Oxe that goares any man to death to be stoned Exod. 21.28 This part of the curse if we take the words according to the letter we see most properly belongs to the beast whereof Satan made use for the acting of this mischief Some there are notwithstanding that conceive that under the curse upon the Serpent is shadowed out the curse laid by God upon Satan who being created to look upwards for his Apostasie was by Gods just judgement throwen down to the earth and abased even below the dust and instead of delighting himselfe in God was carried by the inordinate motion of his spirit to exercise himself and to take delight in base and sensual things more vile then dust it selfe which was appointed to be the Serpents food But this curse upon Satan cannot be conceived to be inflicted in this place because it was laid upon him by God before he was an actor in this sinne Only in this that God will not vouchsafe to reason the case with Satan before he layes his judgement upon him 1. OBSERVE God many times will not so much as reason the case with such as he destinates to destruction Observe 1 EPhraim is joyned to idols let him alone Hos 4.17 and Ezekiels tongue must cleave to the roof of his mouth that he may not reprove and the Prophets must not prophecie that men may take shame Mic. 2.6 when God hath once decreed a peoples destruction Thus he dealt with the heathen that had no face of a Church amongst them he suffered them to walk in their own wayes Acts 14.16 only he might and did sometimes call them to accompt before their own consciences Rom. 2.15 as well to keep them within some bounds of civility for peace and orders sake as to give them a taste in present of that gnawing worme that dieth not by which they shall be everlastingly tormented hereafter And well may God deale thus with men seeing he is no mans debtor neither can gain any thing by administring Physick to dead men such as are alienated from the life of God Eph. 4.18 As for his own people whom he hath taken into Covenant with him he brings his judgements amongst them to light every morning though many times the unjust know no shame Zeph. 3.5 as well to win such as may be reclaimed as also to stop mens mouthes that no man might cavil at Gods justice when the obstinacy of men is made manifest in refusing the mercy
him to be righteous and our selves sinful above measure Dan. 9.7 8 9. And withal to set him before us for our pattern hating nothing in men but sinne Considering 1. That otherwise we owe love to all men 2. That we manifest not holinesse more in any thing then when we put difference between man and man only according to their good or evil disposition or desarts In laying the censure upon the Serpent God first pronounceth a curse upon him in general and afterwards expresseth the evils in particular which that curse includes and delivering this judgement in this order and manner gives us occasion thence to 6 OBSERVE Gods curse upon any creature is the fountaine of all plagues and miseries Observe 6 THus God in proceeding against Cain first lays his curse upon him and then sets before him the evils which flow from thence Gen. 4.11 Balak desires nothing of Balaam but to pronounce Gods curse upon the children of Israel and then hopes to prevaile against them Numb 22.6 And Joshuah wishing all mischief to the builder of Jericho pronounceth against him a curse from the Lord Josh 6.26 and a curse a blessing are put for all manner of good evil Deut. 11.26 Whence it is that wicked men to whom as the portion of their cup belong snares fire brimstone and horrible tempest Psal 11.6 are called the people of Gods curse Isa 34.5 and children of the curse 2 Pet. 2.14 It must be so of necessity seeing the curse of God is the manifestation of his wrath who creates all evil Isa 45.7 Let it raise up all our hearts to abhorre sin and behold the heinousnesse thereof which hath brought this curse upon us and to behold the infinite riches of Christs love unto man who became a curse for us that he might redeem us from the curse of the Law Gal. 3.13 An incredible abasement to him who is God blessed for ever and an incredible happinesse unto us especially seeing by him the curse is not only taken away but is besides turned into a blessing Satan chooseth the Serpent to be his instrument to deceive the woman for his subtilty in sliding closely into the Garden and God for that layes on him that punishment that he should alwayes go upon his belly he was his instrument to tempt the woman in eating and is adjudged to eat dust all his dayes see the punishment points at the sinne which is usual in Gods judgements Whence 7 OBSERVE It is usual with God in his judgements so to order them that they may point at the sin for which they are inflicted Observe 7 EIther by paying like for like as in cutting off Adonibezeks thumbs of his hands and feet because he had dealt so with others whence he in his Law gives direction to give eye for eye and tooth for tooth Exod. 21.24 25. or by some circumstance or other he points at the sin which he punisheth Jehoram must be cast into Naboths vineyard to point at his Fathers sin in killing Naboth to get possession of that vineyard 2 King 9.25 26. sometimes the instrument or the time or the manner or some other like circumstance shews what the sinne is that brings the judgement Thus God deals with men 1. To justifie himself that by such lively characters his righteousnesse in all his ways may be read by him that runs 2. To further mens repentance by pointing out unto them the sinne that brings the judgement upon them The curse that God lays upon the Serpent he expresseth and amplifieth by way of comparison that it should light and abide upon the Serpent above any beast of the field So that the Serpent became viler then any other creature by becoming an instrument of sin Whence 8 OBSERVE It is only sin that makes one more vile then another Observe 8 THat makes Coniah though a Prince a despised broken vessel Jer. 22.28 and deprives his father Jehojakim of the common honour that belongs to the meanest man so that he is cast out to be buried with the burial of an Asse ver 19. That makes any that is defiled with it a vile person Psal 15.4 yea though he were a Prince as Antiochus surnamed the glorious is called a vile person Dan. 11.21 and his memory rottennesse Prov. 10.7 It makes whole nations an hissing and an astonishment Jer. 25.9 the taile and not the head Deut. 28.14 as on the other side righteousnesse advanceth one man above another Prov. 12.26 and wisdom promotes to honour Prov. 4.8 All which abasements and honours which sin and godlinesse bring to men in this life are but meere shadows of that more eminent difference which shall be put between them hereafter when they that be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament Dan. 12.3 The particulars of the Serpents curse are two First that she shall go upon her belly Secondly that her food shall be the dust of the earth so that her abasement is that she is wholly fastened unto the earth Whence 9 OBSERVE It is a shameful abasement to be glewed to the earth Observe 9 IT is a part of our abasement at present that we dwell here on earth in houses of clay Joh 4.19 in bodies of clay termed earthly Tabernacles 2 Cor. 5.1 under which we groane as under an heavy burthen ver 4. waiting to be freed from it Rom. 8.23 that those earthly bodies may be changed into heavenly 1 Cor. 15.44 But our greatest abasement is in stooping to the earth in our affections bringing down our mindes to embrace earthly things which is our shame Phil. 3.19 taking unto us earthly and sensual wisdom as it is termed Jam. 3.15 for our guide whence it is that we are so seriously exhorted to raise up our affections to heavenly things to fixe them on them Col. 3.2 having our negotiation or conversation as we render it in heaven Phil. 3.20 even in our earthly imployments when we do them with heavenly mindes as duties of obedience to God in them serving the Lord Christ Eph. 6.5 6 7. and referring all to his glory 1 Cor. 10.31 and in these services seeking after glory and honour and immortality hereafter VERSE 15. HItherto of Gods curse upon the Serpent which was Satans instrument in deceiving the woman The curse upon himself who was the chiefe agent follows in this verse which some conceive to have relation to the Serpent too but upon no sufficient ground if the words be throughly scanned For howsoever it be true that there is an enmity between men and Serpents yet that is no other then is found between him and other hurtful creatures who hate men or at least hurt them more then Serpents do neither are serpents more apt to hurt men then they are to hurt other creatures Again for the next clause it is true that Serpents usually bite the heele and that men may and do sometimes tread on their heads But it is most evident that God in denouncing this curse aimes not
at the hurt which men and Serpents either do unto or receive one from the other Because this combate is not said to fall out between the Serpent and all men in general but between him and the womans seed by which as we shall see hereafter is meant both Christ and the holy seed such as are members of him So that in this expression the Lord representing especially the combate between Christ and Satan thinks fit to borrow a metaphor from the fight between men and Serpents Shadowing out Satan under the name of the Serpent and the combate between Christ and him under the fimilitude of the Serpents fight And I will put enmity That is deadly and irreconcileable hatred which God is said to put between them partly by decreeing and permitting the hatred of Satan and his instruments against the godly and partly by infusing into the hearts of the holy seed a perfect detestation and hatred of Satan and all his followers Thus because familiarity between Satan and the woman had given him advantage to seduce and deceive her to her own destruction God to prevent that mischief for time to come so stirs up the spirit both of her and her seed against him hereafter that she should hate him as unfeignedly as he hated her so that she should henceforth avoid him and hearken no more unto his counsel This work God takes into his own hand as is implied in those words I will put c. that from thenceforth mans estate might stand firme when it should not be in his power to do what he would as it was before seeing when he had power in his own hand either to stand or fall he was quickly and easily overthrown But God should reserve the power in his own hand to settle him in such a condition that man should not be able to alter if he would Between thee and the woman We have here three paires of combatants matched in opposition one against the other The first the Serpent against the woman The second the Serpents seed against the seed of the woman The third paire are the Captaines on both sides Christ and Satan Wherof the first begin the second continue and the third end the quarrel The beginning is in hatred and enmity the continuance in fighting and wounding and the end in the final conquest of Satan who began the quarrel Now the putting of this enmity between man and Satan is both a part of Gods curse upon him and withal not the least but the greatest portion of the blessing promised to man Of Satans curse that he should be alwayes kicking against the pricks hating and persecuting the womans seed without cause to his own destruction at the last And of mans blessing whose safety and duty is to hate Satan with a perfect hatred whereby though he be not wholly freed from yet he is the lesse endangered by his snares especially seeing he resists in a sort by Gods power and not by his own for so much seemes to be implied in that phrase I will put enmity As if God had said It shall be no longer in mans choice to accord with Satan or to hate him but I will so guide and over-rule his heart by my spirit that he shall persist constantly in this hatred and warre against him till that enemy be troden under his feet Thus God seeing how soon man had wasted that stock of grace that he had put into his hand resolves to provide better for him in time to come and to keep his heart and will in his own hand guiding it by his own Spirit that he might not hazard his estate any more nor be cheated of it by Satan any more as he had been So that in mans restitution after his fall his state was indeed impaired in respect of the perfection of it in this present life for he must be bruised in the heele by divers temptations and slips into sin thereby but is much bettered in respect of the firmnesse of it as God implies in that promise Jer. 32.40 It may be demanded why the woman only is mentioned in taking up this enmity against Satan whereas the promise belongs as well and equally to the man But it seemes to be done upon a double ground First that the promise might be the firmer for if Satan could not prevaile against the woman being the weaker vessel it was very unlikely that he should prevaile against the man which was the stronger It may be withal that God mentions the woman because she was the first in the transgression and besides the seducer of her own husband Now if God would pardon the woman much more might the man assure himself of the recovery of his favour whose sin admitted the more excuse because he was drawn in by the example and allurement of his wife Another ground upon which God mentions the woman and not the man may be upon two other respects either because she most needed comfort that had most cause to be humbled Or rather because the seed mentioned afterwards which was to continue the war and at last to obtaine the conquest over Satan must specially be meant of Christ who was made of a woman Gal. 4.4 and not immediately of man wherefore because he was more properly the seed of the woman then of the man it was more fit to call him her seed then the seed of the man And between thy seed Seed signifies properly that in any creature by which the kinde thereof is propagated here and in many other places of Scripture it signifies persons begotten and propagated of that seed So that the womans seed are her children the men and women that were to come and be begotten of her body Now though Satan to speak properly can have no such seed that is can have none that come of him by natural generation of which spirits are altogether uncapable yet because the rest of the devils are of the same nature with their Prince and all wicked men that are corrupted by him are of the same disposition beare his image and resemble him as children usually do their parents therefore all wicked men and the rest of the devils are called his seed by this name wicked men are called 1 Joh. 3.10 seeing they are of him as our Saviour speaks John 8.44 not by natural but by spiritual generation that is by receiving such false principles as Satan infuseth into their hearts by which they become like him in affection and disposition and serve him as a child doth a parent Mal. 1.6 And her seed Not all that are so by natural generation but such as are her seed according to the spirit as well as according to the flesh And they onely are called her seed because the rest degenerating are no better then bastards and the seed of Satan By this seed of the woman then we are to understand the whole body of the Church whereof Christ is the head who is principally intended in this name as
appeares by the next clause when it is said It shall bruise in the singular number meaning principally Christ whose work it is properly to subdue Satan and together with him and by his power all such as being renued after his image are by the spirit ingraffed into his body That Christ should be called the womans seed we need not wonder seeing he took the substance of his flesh of her body and was made immediately only of a woman and not of a man It shall bruise thy head That is that seed of the woman he meanes Christ principally who also shall do it by his own power although it be true that by the power of Christ the godly overcome the wicked one 1 Joh. 2.13 Rev. 12.11 But to speak truly the whole body of the Church whereof Christ is head may be said to do that which is done by Christ if we look on the Church as united into one body with Christ as the acts of any member of the body are ascribed to the person as that which is done by the hand of any man is said to be done by the men As for the word Shuph here used in the original which we render Bruise we finde it besides this place no where in Scripture save only Job 9.17 here we have it twice but in the first place it imports only wounding seeing it lights only on the heele which is far from any vital part in the later clause it implies crushing to pieces as lighting upon the head which is the fountaine of life by the crushing whereof must needs follow the total and final destroying of Satan and all his might And thou shalt bruise his heele The heele we know is the lowest and basest part of the body the wounds whereof endanger not the life at all By Christs heele then may be meant both the humane nature of Christ which is the lower and baser part of his person in which Satan bruised him when after many outward troubles in the dayes of his flesh he brought him by his wicked instruments at length to the death of the crosse And withal we may take in all the faithful which are members of Christ who are divers wayes bruised by Satan and Christ in them who in their afflictions are said to fill up the sufferings of Christ Col. 1.24 sometimes by persecutions and outward afflictions sometimes by inward temptations whereby though Satan canst not prevaile against that life of grace by which they live spiritually seeing that life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3.3 notwithstanding he divers wayes wounds and afflicts their foules by alluring and prevailing to draw them by his wiles into divers sins which causeth in them afterwards much unquietnesse and affliction of spirit That in this curse pronounced by God against Satan is involved the gracious Promise of the restitution not only of our first Parents whom the devil had thus beguiled but of their holy seed also is evident and is so farre acknowledged that those words are taken to be the first Catechisme of the Patriarchs containing the principal grounds of Religion which were afterwards more fully opened by the Prophets This Promise in the first clause of it seemes to be directed to our first Parents especially in which God assures them and threatens Satan that this folle of theirs should prove no thorough conquest But though Satan seemed to have prevailed with them to take part with him against God yet God would so far open their eyes and prevaile upon their hearts that they should cast off his yoke hate him and fight against him and by the Power of Christ their Head subdue and conquer him at the last The Promise of the recovery of mankinde out of Satans bondage and from under Gods curse containes in it these principal heads all of them expressed or implied in those few words being so many grounds of our faith 1. That Gods Promise of grace is every way free not solicited by Adam and much lesse deserved as being made unto him now when he had offended God in the highest degree and stood in enmity against him and therefore must needs proceed from Gods free Will 2. That it is certain and infallible as depending not upon mans will but upon Gods who speaks not doubtfully or conditionally but positively and peremptorily that he will do it himselfe 3. That it shall be constant and unchangeable the inward hatred and outward warres between Satan and the holy seed shall not cease till they end at last in Satans total and final ruine 4. That it shall not extend to all the seed of the woman according to the flesh but to some that are chosen out of her seed For some of them shall joyne with Satan against their owne brethren 5. The effect of this gracious promise shall be the sanctifying of their hearts whom God will save manifested in the hatred of Satan and all his wayes which though they had formerly embraced yet now they should abhor 6. This work of Sanctification shall not be wrought upon them as a Statuary fashions a stone into an image but God shall make use of their wills and affections to stirre them up and to set them against Satan as this word Enmity necessarily implies 7. Those affections shall not be smothered and concealed in the inward motions of the heart but shall outwardly manifest themselves in serious endeavours for the opposing of Satan and his power as the war here mentioned and intimated by the wounds on both sides necessarily supposeth 8. The work of Sanctification though it shall be infallible and unchangeable yet shall be imperfect as is implied in the bruises which the godly shall receive by Satans hand not only by outward afflictions but by inward temptations which shall wound their soules by drawing them into divers sins all implied in that phrase of bruising the heele 9. Those wounds which they receive at Satans hands shall not be deadly nor quench the life of grace which the devil shall not be able to destroy as is intimated in that part of the body which shall be wounded which is the heele farre enough from any vital part 10. The Author of this work of sanctification shall not be themselves but God by his Spirit For it is he that shall put enmity into their hearts against Satan and his seede as the words import 11. This work of Sanctification by the Spirit shall be established by their union with Christ their Head with whom they shall be joyned into one body as is implied when Christ and his members are termed one seed 12. By vertue of this union the holy seed shall have an interest in and a title to all that Christ works For so in effect Christs victory over Satan is called their victory when it is said the seed of the woman shall bruise the Serpents head that is Christ and his members shall do it 13. For the making way to this union and communion between Christ and his members
God puts into mans heart against Satan For as the corrupting of mans heart was by closing with Satan hearkening to his suggestions and embracing his counsels and directions by which his heart was wholly taken off from God so the purging and sanctifying of his heart must begin in abhorring Satan and all his counsels and principles which being once wrought in him he was prepared to close with God again Whence 4 OBSERVE God sanctifies all those whom he saves Observe 4 FOr by faith we are saved Eph. 2.8 and faith purifies the heart Acts 15.9 This indeed is Gods Will even our sanctification 1 Thes 4.3 intended by Christ when he gave himself for his Church Eph. 5.26 27. that through sanctification he might bring it to glory as he there speaks and by God himself who hath chosen us to be holy Eph. 1.4 and to salvation thorough the sanctification of the Spirit 2 Thes 2.13 Reason 1. We can otherwise have no communion with God who will be sanctified in all that come near him Lev. 10.3 2. Neither can we without it be partakers of Gods glory which especially consists in holinesse Exod. 15.11 3. Neither could it any way stand with Gods honour to delight in any but such as are holy as he is holy It is indeed a great comfort to all that are godly who groan under the burthen of those pollutions and defilements which yet cleave unto them Rom. 7.24 that God will purge them more and more till he have made them without spot or wrinkle Eph. 5.27 and withal an effectual motive to quicken our endeavours in fighting against our lusts and labouring to mortifie our corruptions wherein we know we shall get the Conquest at last by the Power of the Spirit of Christ This work of sanctification is pointed at only in one branch or effect of it the hatred of Satan and his seed that is all such as bear his image under which must necessarily be included the rejecting of all his counsels and principles by which the woman had been formerly beguiled and drawen into rebellion against God Whence 5 OBSERVE It is a mark and effect of true sanctification to hate both Satan himselfe and all that beare his image Observe 5 IT is true that even by nature all men have a kinde of hatred of him so far that his very name is feared scorned and abhorred in the world But this seemes rather to be the feare of his power then the hatred of his person as it is manifest because 1. Most men abhor not to bear his image being conformed unto him in infidelity sensual delights carnal and covetous desires pride self-love lying malice and the like 2. They delight in and usually entertain familiarity with his children 3. They embrace his principles are guided by his counsels and do his will and works as our Saviour taxeth the Jewes John 8.44 4. They contend and strive for the establishing of his Kingdome in ignorance and licentiousnesse hating and contending against the meanes and persons that oppose it Wherefore it needs be a work above nature to bring the heart of a man by nature seasoned with his principles to a true and right hatred both of Satan and his wayes manifested in abhorring his image 1. In our selves Original sin with the lusts of it which the Prophet David acknowledgeth with shame Psal 51.4 Paul groanes under as abody of death Rom. 7.24 and they that are Christs have crucified Gal. 5.24 hating especially pride Prov. 8.13 infidelity Heb. 3.12 a rebellious spirit Psal 101.4 2. In all other persons in whom we discover the image of Satan who walk after him as all men do while they remain in their natural condition Eph. 2.2 even as many as walk in unrighteousnesse 1 John 3.10 in the lust of concupiscence 1 Thes 4.5 in the works of the flesh described Gal. 5.19 20 21. who are indeed haters of God Rom. 1.30 and therefore worthily hated of all that are godly Psal 139.21 3. In abhorring all his wayes every false way Psal 119.128 vain thoughts ver 113. lying ver 163. 4. We manifest our hatred of Satan in fighting against him and his instruments and the power of his Kingdome after holy Davids example Psal 101. labouring to bring other men out of his snare 2 Tim. 2.26 5. In waxing zealous for God and his honour contending for his truth Jude 3. for establishing of his ordinances Psal 69.9 grieving for mens breaches of his Law Psal 119 139 1â—8 and delighting in the society of the godly ver 63. These indeed are the fruits of the Spirit and are the undoubted marks of an heart that is truly although not perfectly and fully sanctified The Serpent was at the most but Satans instrument in deceiving the woman the whole plot and suggestions by which she was beguiled were the acts of Satan Yet some conceive that this enmity reacheth to the Serpent too as well as to Satan whose opinion if we embrace we may thence 6 OBSERVE Whosoever truly abhors sinne must needs withal hate the very instruments of evil Observe 6 THe very garment spotted with the flesh Jude 23. As 1. Being in it selfe made abominable being once defiled with sinne 2. And dangerous to us as a meanes to draw us into that evil which we abhor Satan having so far prevailed with the woman as to draw her into rebellion against God by embrating his counsel against Gods expresse Command one might probably have conceived that this had been a likely meanes to continue and increase her familiarity with Satan who had not only begun acquaintance with her but having weakened her by this meanes had the more power to prevaile with her afterwards But God decrees they should now be greater enemies then they had ever been friends and that questionlesse upon that very occasion wherein they had by woful experience discovered the ill successe of hearkening to his counsel Whence 7 OBSERVE Godly men the more they are acquainted with sinne and sinners the more they should and do abhor them Observe 7 HEnce Saint Paul complaines so much of that body of death Rom. 7.23 because he had experience of the powerful working of it in perverting his heart and exhorts the Romanes to yield up their members instruments to righteousnesse because they had trial of sin and found no fruit in it but shame Rom. 6.21 and upon the same grounds disswades men every where from sinful courses because they had experience of them see Eph. 5.7 8. Col. 3.7 8. and that was it that wrought upon the heart of that poor afflicted soule Job 33.27 that the perverting of righteousnesse had not profited him Whence St. Petâ—r judgeth their case desperate who having had experience of sin were now escaped out of it and yet return to it again as a dog to his vomit 2 Pet 2.20.22 and no marvel seeing sin being in it selfe found by experience to be shameful and unfruitful If that experience which is the Mistresse even of fooles themselves
where he pleaseth So he can take away strength and power from those to whom he hath given it and bestow it upon those that want it And 2. It is fit he should do so for the advancing of his own glory that the weak may rejoyce in the Lord their strength Psal 81.1 144.1 And the strong man may be confounded before him when the Lord is above him even in that wherein he glories as Jethro speaks Exod. 18.11 Yea but the woman had her hand deepest in the transgression as who had not only by her example but by her perswasions drawn her husband into this foule act of rebellion against God and yet the Lord is pleased to extend this great favour unto her and that in the first place Whence 18. OBSERVE The greatnesse of a mans sin is no barre unto Gods mercy Observe 18 HE could and did pardon Davids adultery seconded with the foule murther of Urijah Peters denial and forswearing of his Master Pauls persecuting and blaspheming 1 Tim. 1.13 and promiseth pardon to every sin and blasphemy unlesse it be against the holy Ghost Mat. 12.31 And this he doth 1. Because both his mercy and Christs satisfaction infinitely exceed the proportion of any sin Rom. 5.20 2. That the riches of Gods mercy and free grace might the more be magnified when such multitudes of hainous sins are pardoned which is that at which God chiefly aimes This is Gods large promise to the woman but this is not all the Lord is pleased to extend the same mercy to her issue too and tells her that her seed shall tread in her steps and stand out in defiance and continue this enmity against Satan and all his seed Whence 19 OBSERVE Gods mercies are not only freely bestowed on the godly but are extended to their posterity after them Observe 19 THis God manifested in establishing his Covenant with Abraham which included his posterity too Gen. 17.7 In renewing it with Noah Genes 9.9 In entailing the Kingdome upon Davids posterity Psal 89.29 thus he deals with all his people Deut 30.6 whom he takes into Covenant with him and their posterity after them yea we see the sanctions of the Law both in mercy and judgement take in the posterity too Exod. 20.5 6. And it stands with great reason That seeing the good or evil condition of the children is a blessing or curse to the parents God should thus discover to the world both his Mercy and Justice not only on the persons of those that please him or walk contrary to him but on their posterity after them that his different dispensations might be both the more observable at present and the better remembred to posterity when the examples of both are made known by this meanes to succeeding ages Let all men seek the good and advancement of their children by interessing themselves in the Covenant with God and continuing faithful therein that God may be also the God of their seed after them as he engageth himself to be under the condition expressed to David Psal 89.30 if they also walk in obedience before God Otherwise God cuts off the revolting issue of the best Parents as appears in the examples of Cain Cham Ishmael Esau and divers others so that Parents that desire their posterity may enjoy this large priviledge to be included in the Covenant must performe that which God commends in Abraham Gen. 18.19 to command their children to walk in the way of the Lord by the benefit of this Covenant they have a fountain of all happinesse and that for eternity Let our mercies be like unto Gods extended not only to the faithful but to their posterity after them as Davids was to Jonathans issue 2 Sam. 9.1 and let us make accompt of our own and other mens issue according to their interest left them by their Parents in Gods Covenant desiring to match and joine in friendship with the good children of godly Parents as heires of the blessing avoiding all inward society with the wicked seed of ungodly Parents as inheritors of their curse The womans seed we â—e is not all of the same nature or condition for we have here a division between seed and seed part is called the womans seed and another part the seed of the Serpent though both the one and the other descended of the woman according to the flesh although distinguished both in disposition for the one part hates the other and in name for the one part as we see is termed the seed of the woman and the other the seed of the Serpent and this promise of sanctification belongs only to that seede which is called the womans seed which only shall persist in the hatred of Satan and of his ways Whence 20 OBSERVE The Promises of mercy and grace belong only to the holy seed Observe 20 NOt only to Abrahams seed alone Gen. 17.7 but besides to Isaac his seed by Sarah ver 19. for Ishmael his sonne by the bond woman must not inherit with Isaac Gen. 21.10 nay not to all Isaacs seed neither profane Esau must be cut off and only Jacob loved and the other hated Rom. 9.13 only the seed of Israel must be Gods peculiar treasure though the earth be his Exod. 19.5 and known that is acknowledged and owned by him of all the families of the earth Amos 3.2 yea only the godly of that people are accounted for the true seed such as were Jewes inwardly the rest the name of a Jew and the outward circumcision profits not at all Rom. 2.25 In one word the Promise of grace and glory belongs unto those that God hath given to his Sonne Christ and to them only John 17.2 9. so that he is the Saviour only of his own body Eph. 5.23 Now in that only those which joyne with the woman in this holy enmity against Satan are here termed the womans seed and the rest that joyne with Satan are termed his seed 21. OBSERVE Only godly children are worthy to be called and accounted children Observe 21 IN Isaac alone shall Abrahams seed be called Gen. 21.12 and he only is truly a Jew which is one inwardly circumcised in the heart as well as in the flesh Rom. 2.29 and the children not of the flesh but of the Promise are they that are to be accounted for seed Rom. 9.8 the rest are children of the forcerers and of the adulterer and the whore Isa 57.3 as on the other side they that are no children by natural descent become children by walking in the steps of the faith of Abraham Rom. 4.12 good reason they should never be accounted for the seed of a godly Parent 1. That have in them nothing of the Parents best part the Image of Christ after which he is renewed in holinesse 2. Nor with whom Parents can have any â—â—ward communion or any true comfort in them or profitable service by them here nor can at all enjoy them hereafter when the one shall be a Citizen in Heaven and the
other a Firebrand in hell So that a good man must not reckon his children by their number but by their grace and holinesse Those amongst them that are wicked are none of his The rest of the womans seed according to the flesh for the image of Satan which they beare and wherein they resemble him as a childe doth the Parents are termed his seed for the resemblance that they carry of his nature For under the seed of the Serpent that is of Satan in this place are comprehended not only all the divels who though they come not of Lucifer the Prince of devils by natural propagation yet resemble him in their disposition and may not improperly be termed his seed but besides all such wicked men as are drawen in by him to take part with him against God in hating and persecuting his servants and in submitting them selves to serve him and to be guided in all things by him to do and fulfil his Will Whence 22. OBSERVE Wicked men be the devils children in true account Observe 22 SO our Saviour calls the Jewes John 8.44 and the Apostle 1 John 3.10 termes all wicked men And St. Paul gives that name to Elymas in particular Acts 13.10 so indeed they may be judged to be 1. Because Satans seede abides in them that is those false principles which Satan hath infused into them and wherewith he strongly possesseth their hearts which the Apostle calls strong holds and high imaginations 2 Cor. 10.4 according to which they resemble his nature as children do the disposition of their Parents 2. Because they willingly serve him as a son either doth or ought to do his father Mal. 3.17 walking according to him Eph. 2.2 doing his works and fulfilling his will and lusts by which mark our Saviour proves the Jewes that persecuted him to be Satans children John 8.44 so that the condition of such persons must needs be extreamly both base and miserable which as it may justly move all wise men both to hate and avoid them as so many young devils so it ought to turne our envying at them to which we are too prone into mourning and lamenting for them as so many miserable wretches who instead of the Image of God have upon them the image of Satan which abaseth them below the basest of all creatures Between this bastard seed and the true seed of the woman God hath decreed perpetual enmity which neither can nor shall be ended but in the final destruction of Satan and his cursed feed who shall not leave to hate fight against the godly till they leave to be Whence 23. OBSERVE There is and shall be irreconcileable hatred and enmity between the godly and the wicked men of the world Observe 23 THey have alwayes been and shall be an abomination to the wicked as the wicked are unto the godly Prov. 27.27 See ver 1. Obs 2. in the Use 24. OBSERVE Enmity and malice against godly men is an evident mark of a childe of the devil Observe 24 THereby our Saviour convinceth the Jewes to be of their father the devil because they hated him that came from God John 8.40 and Saint John 1 John 3.10 tells us that this manifests men to be the children of Satan because they love not their brethren as Cain loved not Abel but hated and slew him upon no other quarrel but for goodnesse ver 12. as Davids enemies hated him for the same cause Psal 38.20 Indeed when they make the goodnesse of those whom they hate the ground of their hatred they expresse the image of Satan in them to the life I grant they pretend to hate no man for good or goodnesse but for some evil which they pretend they finde to be in them so the Jews excuse themselves to our Saviour Christ John 10.33 But when they neither hate nor avoid nor abhorre in themselves or other men that hypocrisie pride covetousnesse censorious spirits for which they pretend to hate the godly besides other fouler and grosser sins even against the light of Nature which either themselves live in or else they tolerate in their friends they do clearly convince themselves that the pretended causes of their hatred are but cloakes of their malice which is truly raised in them by the contrariety of their nature to that which is good which because they abhor they hate all those in whom they finde it We have hitherto taken notice of the enmity that God put between Satan and the woman and between his seed and the seed of the woman This inward enmity breaks out at last into open warres wherein Christ who is specially pointed at in the seed of the woman shewes himself on the behalf of his children and undertakes the quarel and for them subdues Satan and breaks and crusheth in pieces all his power yet not without some wounds received by the hand of Satan both in his own person and in the faithful who are his seed and members of his body This indeed happened to our Saviour in his own person in the dayes of his flesh when he took on him our nature and became the seed of the woman as he was indeed and is so termed by God himself in this place Whence 25. OBSERVE Christ is truly the womans seed Observe 25 MAde flesh John 1.14 Mediately through many descents of the seed of David Rom. 1.3 but immediately made only of a woman Gal. 4.4 not the natural way of generation after the manner of other men but by the Power of the Holy Ghost over-shadowing the blessed Virgin but in all other things sinne only excepted made like unto his brethren as the Apostle speaks Heb. 2.17 and thus far it pleased him to abase himself 1. That thereby being made under the Law which was given to the whole nature of man he might in our nature fulfil it for us Gal. 4.5 2. That he might in the same nature suffer and make satisfaction for our sins which as God he could not do becoming a curse for us Gal. 3.13 3. That he might take that is that we might be assured that he doth take compassion of our infirmities whereof he had experience in his own person Heb. 2.17 18. 4. That he might joyn us unto God by taking on him a middle Person and becoming both God and man 5. That in our nature he might conquer Satan death and hell and take possession of Heaven for us as himselfe affirmes he would do John 14.2 3. Christ now becoming the seed of the woman by taking the substance of his flesh from her body and therewithal uniting all the faithful with him into one body whereof he is the Head undertakes the war against Satan wherein as in all wars it happens there are wounds on both sides those of Christ and his members without danger as lighting only on the heele but Satans mortal Let us then consider them first as they light upon Christ in his own Person and then as they light upon his members And 26
reines to him as is manifest in Jobs sufferings Job 1. and 2. joyned with malice and sedulity 1 Pet. 5.8 2. Gods Will and Decree and that First for his own honour divers wayes 1. To manifest his childrens sincerity and faithfulnesse in cleaving to him trusting in him Job 13.15 and serving him chearfully Acts 20.24 notwithstanding all the afflictions that befal them 2. To declare his own Power in supporting and preserving his servants in the midst of their trials like the three children in the fiery furnace Secondly he causeth those afflictions to turne to the good of his children 1. To keep their hearts low 2 Cor. 12.7 2. To make us thereby more watchful over our wayes 3. To encrease our reward hereafter Let not us then be discouraged by our sufferings as David was to his great hazard Psal 73.13 much lesse be so offended by them as to forsake our way with those resembled by the stony ground Mat. 13.21 seeing we have therein 1. Christ for our companion 2. The afflictions themselves sanctified in his Person 3. Ordered by the counsel of God for our good Rom. 8.28 4. And recompenced at length with a farre more excellent weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 Secondly expect and prepare for trials seeing we know they are 1. Certain 2 Tim. 3.12 as being decreed by God himself 2. In themselves unpleasant to flesh and blood Heb. 12.11 3. And dangerous if we are discouraged by them The best preparation against it is 1. To make sure of Christ and in him of eternal life 2. In all things keep a good conscience 1 Pet. 3.16 that we may have no other burden upon us but the affliction it self 3. Stand loose from the world see 2 Tim. 2.3 4. 4. Joyn in society fellowship with the godly Ps 119.63 who may both advise and encourage us But that which may be unto us instead of all comforts in these combates of ours with Satan and his instruments is this that Jesus Christ himself is engaged in the cause and undertakes the quarrel in our behalf The seed of the woman that is Christ not only enters into the combate against Satan but prevailes in it and in the issue breaks the Serpents head that is wounds him and that mortally and irrecoverably Whence 31 OBSERVE Christ himself in his own Person is he that takes up the quarrel of his Church against Satan and all his Agents Observe 31 SEe Rev. 12.7 He is that strong man that enters into his house and spoiles him Mat. 12.29 it is he that undertakes all his instruments the mighty men of the world and treads them down Psal 110.6 Reason 1. There is none else that can undertake so great an adversory to prevail against him see Isa 59.16 17 18. 2. Neither is it fit that any but he that is the head of the Church should be the Saviour of his body that when he alone is all things unto us the honour of all might returne unto him alone 1 Cor. 1.30 31. Besides it wonderfully establisheth our hearts when we know we are under the wings of a Protector not only mighty to save Isa 63.1 but ready to save and serve the members of his own body upon which grounds our Saviour wills us to be without feare John 16.33 And lastly it cannot but encourage us to adhere firmely to him alone as the children of Israel resolve to do unto God upon the same ground Josh 24.17 18. Let it raise up and support all the hearts of the godly in a full assurance of a certain and glorious conquest over Satan and all his malignant instruments at the last in all their conflicts Rom. 8.37 seeing they have a Protector that in himself is mighty to save Isa 69.1 and that hath received from his father all fulnesse of Power in heaven and earth Mat. 28.18 and that for that purpose that he might save his body the Church 2. Let us undertake Christs quarrel as he undertakes ours and engage our selves for him as he doth for us after the example of the Prophet David Psal 139.21 22. especially Magistrates See Psal 94.16 and 101.8 and every man in his place contending for the common faith Jude 3. standing up and shewing our selves on the behalf of his children against all those that wrong and persecute them In the next place it will be fit to take notice of the kinde of the wounds which they that are the womans seede receive at Satans hand and they are like the wounds that light upon our Saviour in his owne person wounds in the heel painful but not mortal as coming near no vital part Whence 32 OBSERVE The wounds which the members of Christ receive by the hand of Satan and his instruments may be painful but shall not be mortal Observe 32 THey may fall seven times a day but shall still rise again Prov. 24.16 their enemies may afflict them but shall never prevaile against them no though they take away their life Luke 21.16 18. because they cannot be hurt of the second death Revel 2.11 Reason 1. God who hath set bounds unto the sea which it cannot passe Job 38.11 can and doth restraine the remainder of the wrath and rage of wicked men Psal 76.10 yea of Satan himself as we see in Jobs example Job 1.12 2.6 2. And hath given Christ a special charge to keep all those safe that God hath given him John 6.39 10.28 and hath also furnished him with sufficient power for that purpose 3. God should otherwise faile of his maine end the honour that he hath by his Saints whom he hath chosen for himself and taken neer unto him that they might behold his glory John 17.24 and continually sing his praise 4. And besides he must needs suffer in his honour another way when he should be conceived to be either unfaithful in not protecting his own servants or weak as unable to secure those that depend upon him 5. And upon those grounds men must needs be discouraged in giving up themselves to his service or to go on therein with cheerfulnesse and confidence which God requires when they could have no assurance of safety in his wayes Let all those that are Christs labour to establish their hearts with such a firme confidence in Gods protection for the securing of their estates that they may despise all the rage power and policies yea all the effects of the malice of Satan or any of his instruments in those troubles and afflictions wherewith they exercise the godly as the three children despised the menaces of the King of Babylon Dan. 3.16 17. and Saint Paul the prisons and bonds that he knew he was to undergo which moved him not at all Act. 20.24 as there is no cause why they should seeing we know 1. That such things cannot hurt us 2. But shall turn to our good Rom. 8 28. as David found by experience Psal 119.71 and shall encrease our reward hereafter 2 Cor. 4.17 3. And are but the
effects not so much of mens wrath or malice as of Gods truth and faithfulnesse Psal 119.75 And let this comfort support our hearts not only in our outward afflictions but in inward temptations and buffettings of Satan which are more dangerous where by though he foile us sometimes yet we know Christ hath prayed for us that our faith shall not faile Luk. 22.32 but we shall be kept by the power of God to salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 But that which above all the rest we should fix our eye upon in this combate between the woman and her seed and the Serpent and his seed is the issue and event of it both the one and the other shall be bruised and wounded but differently For the womans seed shall be wounded only in the heele far from the fountain of life and therefore without danger but the wounds of Satan and his seed shall light upon their head which is the fountain of life and power from whence 33 OBSERVE The combate between Christ and Satan and his Instruments shall end at last in the Total and Final subduing of them and breaking in pieces all their power Observe 33 SAtan must be troden under the feet of the Saints Rom. 16.20 and Christ himself shall wound the heads over many Countreys Psal 110.5 6. This truth indeed will be most fully and clearly manifested to all men in that great day when Satan himself with his chief instruments shall be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone Rev. 20.10 but in the mean time is evident enough to all that have eyes to see in those conquests which the godly obtaine at present as especially in spiritual combates when they hold fast their faith in the midst of the strongest assaults as Job doth Chap 19.25 and even in outward afflictions under which they are exercised in which they are more then conquerors Rom. 8.35 Reason 1. He hath no power in himself more then any other creature which consequently may be taken away at Gods pleasure and is limited by him in the mean time so that God may prevaile over him when he will 2. Satan is Gods enemy Mat. 13.28 39. and so are all his followers now it is Gods honour that all his enemies should fall before him Jer. 51.47 48. Rev. 19.22 3. Neither is there any other meanes of establishing a full and perfect peace in the Church of God then by subduing those that trouble it Let the godly then raise up their spirits by fixing their eyes not too much upon the sharp conflicts which they endure at present but upon the glorious conquest which they shall obtaine at last when Satan shall be troden down under their feet which is assured 1. By Gods promise Rev. 14.8 which is Yea and Amen 2. By the respect which he must needs have to his own honour infinitely advanced by triumphing gloriously over all the powers of darknesse and dashing his enemies in pieces Exod. 15.6 of which he is tender above all things Ezek. 36.22 23. 3. And by his holinesse by which he hates all that work iniquity 4. By his power which enables him to tread down all strength under his feet 5. And by all experience See Psal 106.45 46. The last thing to be taken notice of in Gods promise is his expression in speaking of the womans seed which he still mentions as One it shall be at enmity with Satan it shall be bruised and it shall break Satans head that is the whole body which is comprised under that name of seeds Christ himself with all his members who have all of them as well an interest in this victory as they have had their share in the combate Whence 34 OBSERVE Christs victory over Satan though it be by yet is not for himself alone but for all his members who also subdue Satan in and thorow him Observe 34 AS they are affirmed to do Rev. 12.11 even to have overcome the wicked one 1 John 2.13 14. whom therefore Christ will shortly tread under their feet Rom. 16.20 It is true in general that Christ as Mediator hath done nothing apart for himselfe wherein all his members have not an interest with him Reason 1. Christ needed no such combate with Satan and victory over him for any thing that concerned himself seeing he had in the beginning cast him down into hell where he holds him still in chains of darkness Luk. 8.28 2 Pet. 2.4 2. The neere relation which he hath unto the Church bindes him to be the Saviour of his body Eph. 5.23 3. Unlesse his children had been delivered out of the hands of their enemies they could never either serve him in holinesse which is the end of their redemption Luk. 1.74 75. nor praise him and rejoyce in him cordially as they ought to do see Rev. 2.10 A great encouragement to the godly even to all the holy seed to fight resolutely against Satan and all his instruments against our own corrupt lusts within this body of death as the Apostle terms it Rom. 7.24 25. by the power of the Spirit Gal. 5.24 and temptations and tryals from without cleaving still fast unto Christ Rom. 8.35 over all which we are sure to obtaine a glorious conquest at the last and having fought manfully under Christs banner to receive the Crown of life as is often promised Rev. 2.11 17. and 3.5 12. VERSE 16. UNto the woman he said She being the first in the transgression is first in the censure as she had justly deserved I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and conception That is thy sorrow in conceiving and breeding of children Sorrow is pain and weaknesse of body which makes the heart sad and heavy and that such kinde of paines and weaknesse and indisposition of body in women doth usually accompany the conceiving and breeding of children all experience shews now though that arise from a cause in nature yet it is ordered and appointed by God himselfe in a course of Justice In sorrow shalt thou bring forth children That is with bitter and sharp paines which most women generally suffer in their travail many times to the endangering yea as we see sometimes to the losse of their lives this is a farther encrease of the judgement to sicknesse in conceiving are added strong paines in travaile And thy desire shall be to thy husband The same phrase the Lord useth to expresse Abels subjection to his brother Cain Gen. 4.7 which implies not only subjection to him in obeying his commands but reacheth farther to the bringing under unto him the very desires of her heart to be regulated by him so farre that it should not be lawful for her to will or desire what she her selfe liked but only what her husband should approve and allow A just law unto her who having given way to her own inordinate phantasie and appetite stirred up in her by the suggestions of Satan had undone at once both her self and husband And yet a rule given her for her own good and safety