A Golden Chain, Chapter 11
CHAP. 11. Of mans fall and disobedience.
Adams fall, was his willing reuolting to disobedience by eating the forbidden fruite. In Adams fall, we may note the manner, greatnesse, and fruite of it.
I. The manner of Adams fall, was on this sort. First, the diuell, hauing immediately before fallen himselfe, insinuateth vntounto our first parents, that both the punishment for eating the forbidden fruite was vncertaine, and that God was not true in his word vntounto them. Secōdly, by this his legerdemain, he blinded the eies of their vnderstanding. Thirdly, being thus blinded, they begin to distrust God, and to doubt of Gods fauour. Fourthly, they thus doubting, are mooued to behold the forbidden fruit. Fiftly, they no sooner see the beautie thereof, but they desire it. Sixtly, that they may satisfie their desire, they eate of the fruit, which by the hands of the woman, was taken from the tree: by which act they become vtterly disloyall to God. Gen. 3.1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8. Thus without constraint, they willingly fall from their integritie, God vponupon iust causes leauing them to themselues, and freely suffering them to fall. For wee must not thinke that mans fall was either by chance, or God not knowing it, or barely winking at it, or by his bare permission, or against his will: but rather miraculously, not without the will of God, but yet without all approbation of it.
II. The greatnes of this transg… must be esteemed, not by the externall obiect, or the basenes of an apple, but by the off…n… it containeth against Gods maiestie. This offence appeareth by many trespasses committed in that action. The 1. is doubting of Gods word. 2: want of faith. For they beleeue not Gods threatning, [In that day ye eate therof, you shal die the death:] but being bewitched with the diuels promise, [ye shalbe like gods] they cease to feare Gods punishment, and are inflamed with a desire of greater dignitie. 3. Their curiositie, in forsaking Gods word, and seeking other wisdome. 4. Their pride, in seeking to magnifie thēselues, and to become like God. 5. Contempt of God, in transgressing his commandements against their owne conscience. 6. In that they preferre the diuell before God. 7. Ingratitude, who, in as much as in them lieth, expel Gods spirit dwelling in them, and despise that blessed vnion. 8. They murther both themselues and their progeni….
III. The fruit or effects. Out of this corrupt estate of our first parents, arose the estate of infidelitie or vnbeleefe, whereby God hath included all men vnderunder sinne, that he might manifest his merciemercy in the saluation of some, and his iustice in condemnation of others. Rom. 11.32. God hath shut vp all men in vnbeleefe, that he might hauehave merciemercy on all. Gal. 3.22. The Scripture hath concluded all vnderunder sinne, that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ should be giuen to them that beleeue.
In this estate, we must consider sinne, and the punishment of sinne. Sinne is threefold.
The first, is the participation of Adams both transgression and guiltinesse: whereby in his finne, all his posteritie sinned. Rom. 5. 12. As by one man sinne enered into the world, and by sinne death: so death entred vponupon all men, in that all men hauehave sinned. The reason of this is ready. Adam was not then a priuate man, but represented all mankinde, and therefore looke what good he receiued from God, or euill elsewhere, both were common to others with him. 1. Cor. 15.22. As in Adam all men die, so in Christ all men rise againe.
Againe, when Adam offended, his posteritie was in his loynes, from whō they should by the course of nature, issue: and therefore take part of the guiltines with him. Hebr. 7.9,10. And to say as the thing is, Levi &c. paied tithes to Melchisedec: for he was yet in the loynes of his father Abraham, when Melchisedec met him.