The Sacred Philosophy of the Holy Scripture, Article 2 · Chapter 16
CHAP. XVI. That man continued not in his Innocency; but that hee ſinned, and thereby became ſubject to eternall death.
BVt Man being made upright in the beginning, and left to the hand of his owne Counſel, Eccles. 15.14. they ſought out many inventions, Eccleſ. 7.29. For as hee had power both in body and ſoule to performe all the dutie of man if hee would; ſo had hee received power to will or not to wil all that hee could; that his ſinne and puniſhment might bee of himſelfe. But that man might know that neither his power, nor yet his will, could bee well directed without the guidance of his Creator, Ioh. 15.5. therefore being left unto Himſelfe he quickly found what he was able to doe of himſelfe, that he ſhould never after that ſeeke himſelfe in himſelfe, but in Him alone, who of his good pleaſure workes in man both to will and to doe, Phil. 2.13. Thus man being left to himſelfe ſinned willingly: the woman being deceived by the craft of the devill, the enemy of mankinde, but the man with leſſe ſinne, if ignorantly. But ignorance is of three ſorts, ſimple, willing, and wilfull. Simple ignorance may be in the ſtate of innocency, and is without ſinne; as in the Angels of heaven, Math. 24.36. as in children Luc. 2.52. And in them to whom it is not given to know what they would, Act. 1.7. Willing ignorance is in them that care not to know what they ought to know: this is a ſinne with careleſneſſe, and excuſes not from the fewer ſtripes, Luk. 12.48. But wilfull ignorance is in them that ſtubbornely refuſe to know what they both may, and ought to know. This is a ſinne with ſcorne, and excuſes not from many ſtripes, becauſe it is with wilfull diſobedience, as of them that know and doe not. If Adams eating had beene with ignorance of the firſt kinde, hee had not ſinned in eating. But this ignorance (as concerning that wherin he ſinned) was not in Adam. But if he did eat ignorantly in the ſecond kinde, his ſin was in this, that he did eat unadviſedly that which he ought to have knowne, and for which he ought to have given thanks to his Creator. The third kinde of ignorance could not be in him: For then he had ſinned before he did eate. But if no degree of ignorance were in him, but that he did eat knowing; yet preſuming on his mercy whom hee did offend, though his ſinne were greater, yet was it pardonable; becauſe hee truſted in his mercy againſt whom hee ſinned. But this ſinne was not in him. But the woman being deceived through her errour was the cauſe of his tranſgreſſion, 1 Tim. 2.14. And if he had eaten preſumptuouſly, then had his ſinne beene greater than that of Eve; whereas his leſſer puniſhment argues his leſſe offence. So then it ſeemes that the man alone having received the commandement, did faithfully deliver it to the woman after her creation. So that her firſt ſinne (though it were not imputed, becauſe there was yet no law whereby ſhee was ſubjected to her husband) was, that ſhee gave not firme credit to the word of her husband delivering the commandement of God; but that ſhee ſuffered her ſelfe to bee withdrawne by the craft of the devill, ſpeaking in the ſerpent: but that his ſinne was in this, that hee did unaduiſedly eat that which the woman gave him, not minding what it was, as he pleads for himſelfe before Him with whom he could not lye, The woman gave me of the tree, and I did eate. And thus was there mercy reſerved for man, both in regard of that weake eſtate wherein hee was created in compariſon of the Angels; and in reſpect of the quality, and meaſure of his ſinne, and of the meanes whereby he was drawne thereto: whereas the Angels that kept not their firſt eſtate, but wilfully ſinned againſt God, for their three ſinnes, and for foure could never finde any place of repentance. But it is ſaid, Iob. 31.33. If I have covered my ſinne as Adam: By which it ſeemes his ſinne was more than he confeſſed. I anſwer. The word (Adam) there uſed, and ſo the word Enoch in divers places of Scripture doe ſignifie man in his ſinnefull and wretched eſtate indefinitely, as Pſal. 8.4. & 144.3. Iehovah, what is Adam that thou knoweſt him? the Sonne of Enoch, that thou makeſt any account of him? And therefore divers good tranſlations reade that text of Iob, If I have covered my ſinne as Man, who doth commonly excuſe his ſinne and leſſen his offence. But of what ſort ſoever the ſin of man was, it is moſt certaine that he did ſinne.
1. For as the effect is manifeſt by the cauſe; ſo the cauſe appeares by the effect. Now death is the wages of ſinne. Rom. 6.23. ſo then ſinne is the cauſe of that puniſhment. And every puniſhment is for ſome offence. But it is manifeſt that Adam was puniſhed, even unto death it ſelfe. For otherwiſe hee had lived untill now and hereafter. Therefore it is manifeſt Adam ſinned.
2. It is proved before that all the creature was good and upright in every kinde, and that man was the prime and chiefe of all the viſible creature, and therefore that hee was created for the moſt excellent end, which is to bee happy in Him, who is the chiefeſt good; of which happineſſe hee could not have fayled, if he had continued in the ſtate of his creation. For every thing ordained for an end, by a cauſe that is powerfull thereto; muſt bee furniſhed with meanes ſufficient for the attainement of that end. But it is manifeſt, that Adam hath failed of that happineſſe by the utter loſſe of life, and preſent being. Therefore hee continued hee continued not in the ſtate of his creation, but ſinned againſt his Creator.
3. Death is the puniſhment of ſome great offence in the reaſonable creature, who is able to make a difference betweene good ill. But it is manifeſt that Adam was not created ſinfull, and therefore not ſubj…ct to death. And againe, it is manifeſt that that ſtate of Ad…m was changed, becauſe he is dead. But that change was not made by God, becauſe it was contrary to his ordinance; neither could it bee made by enforcement of any outward meanes; For then Adam had not beene made ſinfull thereby. Therefore it was made by the willing act of Adam himſelfe, and hee thereby ſubjected to Sinne.
4. Nothing can be ſo inſeparably in the whole off-ſpring which is not firſt in the originall; as the fruit cannot be wholly poyſonous if the root or ſtem bee not firſt infected. But it is learned by lamentable experience, that the whole maſſe of mankinde is wholly ſinfull and corrupted; and that no man can ſay his heart is cleane, therefore it muſt needs bee that the root or originall from whence they are deſcended (which wee have already proved to have beene one) wis ſinnefull and corrupt.
5. Man with much care and government in his youth, with much heed and warineſſe in his owne carriage, is hardly at laſt brought unto a courſe of a vertuous life; and that not without many wicked deſires and ſinfull deedes. But if the firſt man had not corrupted his nature, all vertue, and that alone had been naturall to all men. But experience ſhewes the contrary: Therefore Adam ſinned, and therby corrupted his whole nature.
But you will ſay, If that ſinne of Adam were onelyonly a ſinne of ignorance, and that in ſo ſmall a thing as the eating of an apple; the puniſhment of death, and that both of body and ſoule, can no way ſeeme to be proportionable. For ſhall not the judge of all the world doe right? And if the leaſt ſinne deſerve the greateſt puniſhment, what puniſhment can be left for the greateſt ſinne? or ſhall wee ſay (as the Stoi…ks taught) that all ſinnes are equall? I anſwer. That ſinnes compared one with another, are truly ſaid to be leſſer or greater one than another. For it is a leſſe ſinne to thinke ill of a man undeſervedly, than to hate him; And that, than to maime him; and that, than to murder him; and that, than to defame him. For moſt of theſe degrees hold in them, all thoſe ſinnes that are under it. So that as the Stoickes truely ſaid, every later exceeds by the multitude of ſinnes that are therein. Yet is there no ſinne in it ſelfe, how little ſoever it ſeeme, but in the rigor of Gods Iuſtice deſerves more puniſhment than al that which the ſinner can beare, becauſe of his greatneſſe who is diſhonoured thereby. For the greater any perſon is, the greater is the offence whereby he is diſhonoured. As for a word of ſcorne ſpoken by a meane man againſt his equall, a ſmall acknowledgment may make amends; for which offence againſt a Peere a Scandalum Magnatum may be brought; and if it had beene ſpoken to the diſhonour of the king, it might iuſtly bee accounted high treaſon in the ſpeaker. How great then may wee hold that offence to be, which is againſt the Majeſty of God? before whom all the nations of the earth, are not ſo much as the drop from a bucket falling into a mighty river, Es. c. 40.15.2. Moreover every commandement of his being a rule of infinite Iuſtice; an infinite Iuſtice is offended by the breach therof. And what ſatisfaction can a finite creature make to an infinite Iuſtice that is offended? but becauſe it cannot beare a puniſhment intenſivè infinite, or infinite in quantity, therefore it is iuſt that it ſhould beare it extenſivè in the infinity of Continuance. Now as it was neceſſary that God ſhould giv… a law unto man, that he might evermore acknowledge that duty and obedience which he ought to his Creator: ſo having enabled him both in body and ſoule to performe his law, which was alſo ſo eaſie a burthen, as that it ſtood not in doing any thing; but onelyonly in the forbearance of one fruit among a million: it was moſt neceſſary, that God in His iuſtice ſhould require that breach of His law. Which law, the more eaſie it was to bee kept; ſo much the ſorer puniſhment did Adam deſerve for the breach thereof. And thus did that murtherer of mankinde by the ſinne of our firſt Parents ſet open a doore for the Iuſtice of God to breake out upon them, being now liable to eternall puniſhment: yet did they not hereby bring on their owne puniſhment alone, inaſmuch as all their children are made lyable with them to the ſame condemnation.
§. 2. It may ſeeme a needleſſe queſtion to aske, how long Adam ſtood in his innocency? but becauſe opinions have beene about the time of his fall, wherein they have differed from the firſt day of his Creation, to three yeers and an halfe; betweene which others have thought a weeke ſome tenne dayes, or ſeventeene at moſt, others halfe a yeare, Lidg: de Emend. temp. Omitting conjectures, it will not be unfit to examine it by reaſon, and Scripture, which hath not left us without a guide and inſtruction in any doubt that may be moved therein. The Hebrewes compare Adam to an oxe that had horns, and no hoofs; by which they meant he had no ſtrength at all to walk in the commandements of God; but aſſoone as he was created, he puſhed rebelliouſly againſt his ordinance. The ordinances of God (over and aboue the preheminences which He gave him in his creation) were three. Marriage, for the due propagation of mans naturall life, Gen. 2.24. the law of the tree of knowledge; the figure of the life of grace, ch. 2.17. and the Sabbath, the aſſurance of the life of glory. For it were a witleſſe thing to think that God ſanctified that day for his owne uſe, but for man to meditate in the workes of God, and for remembrance of his hopes to come. Adams tranſgreſſion was againſt the ſecond: but it will appeare by the circumſtances of the other two, when that tranſgreſſion was committed. Adam was created a perfect man, in the prime and chiefe of his ſtrength; and accordingly received that bleſſing to bring forth fruit and multiply. Now, if Adam according to that bleſſing had in his innocency endeavoured the propagation of mankind; it cannot be ſuppoſed, that God, who had immediately before given him that bleſſing to multiply, would immediately have taken it away againe. And that act of Adam not being in vaine, that firſt ſonne of Adam muſt have bin holy, and without the taint of originall ſinne, although the parents had ſinned afterward before it was borne. For that ſtaine of originall ſinne comes from the conception, Pſal. 51.5. not by the birth. But no ſuch holy ſeed of Adam is mentioned; nor none ſuch could bee; For the Lord looked downe from heaven upon the ſonnes of Adam, and they were altogether become filthy. Pſal. 14.3. Now, if Adam were created ſuch as hee was, aske any luſty young man how many nights hee would allow to his beloved and moſt beautifull Bride in her virginity, and give ſo many to Adam before hee ſinned.
So then it may ſeeme that wee may take that Storie of the Scripture concerning Adam, thus. Adam being made in the morning, that God might give him experience of the excellencie of that eſtate wherein he was created, brought the Beaſtes and Birds before him, and gave him the Lordſhip over them all: which that hee might exerciſe as he ought, hee gave him perfect underſtanding of their nature, and power of words whereby to expreſſe their nature, and to command them. For as Adam named every thing, ſo was the name thereof. But that man might know that hee was for a more noble end than to live among beaſts; Hee tooke him and put him in the Garden of delight, furniſhed with fruits for every ſeaſon, and gave him power to eate of all, excepting the forbidden tree. At noone that heavie ſleepe fell on him, in which the woman was made out of his ſide. Hee awaking, the marriage was ſolemnized, and the woman by her husband diligently warned to forbeare to eate, or to touch the forbidden fruit. But while ſhe wandred from her Husband, to chuſe fruit to her liking (for it is manifeſt that her Husband was not with her when ſhee was deceived 1 Tim. 2.14.) ſhee was encountred by the devill poſſeſſing the Serpent, and drawn into ſinne, and this about the ninth hower, or three of the clocke in the afternoone; as all the ſacrifices of the Law, and that ſacrifice for ſinne whereby the workes of the devill were deſtroyed, doe ſufficiently witnes, Matth. 27.46. & 50. Thus man being in honor, foreign bal yalin, could not continue a night, but by his ſinne became ſubiect to death, as the beaſts that periſh. Pſal. 49.12.
The hereſie of Pelagius was like a Serpent with many heads, of which this was one; that Adam was created mortall, and though hee had not ſinned, yet ſhould he have died; not for the merit or puniſhment of his ſinne, but for the condition or ſtate of his creation: for being made of the elements, which in everie elementall body may be ſeparated, and in their ſimple being are changed one into another; it cannot be thought (ſaid hee) that Adams ſtate could be more continuall than that from whence hee had his beginning. Beſides having in his innocencie need of meate to reſtore the decay of his body, his body cannot be ſuppoſed immortall; but the anſwer is eaſie. For that immortality depended on the ſoule which ſhould not have parted from the body, but ſhould have ever been able to uphold the body without corruption, ſicknes, or death. And although any particular change had beene in the body, yet ſhould it not have beene in the whole, no more than that corruption or change which is in the ſimple elements: therefore Adam in his innocencie was immortall abſolutely, inaſmuch as his immortall ſoule ſhould never have forſaken his body; but he was mortall onelyonly on condition, if he did ſinne. So mortalitie was the puniſhment of his ſinne: but that which is put upon a man as a puniſhment, can no way belong unto him in the ſtate of his innocencie. But it is plaine that death was inflicted on him for his ſinne: for why ſhould it be ſaid to him, In the day that thou eateſt thereof thou ſhalt dye the death. Gen. 2.17. if by the neceſſitie of his creation hee ſhould have dyed, though he had not eaten.