Prototypes, Example 1
EXAMPLE.
I.
OF Adam and Eve.
AS all other knowledges are conveniently taught by Precepts and Examples;The Preface to the inſuing Treatiſe. ſo is that beſt of knowledges, the art of living holily. Hence it is that as I have inſtructed you to my poore ability in the Law and the precepts of good life, ſo I doe now intend to ſet before your eyes the Examples recorded in Scripture of Men, both good and bad, that by obſerving the ſwervings of the one, and the right walking of others, you may better keepe your owne feete in the ſtreighteſt paths. OnelyOnly concerning Examples, you muſt know this thing in generall; that no Example at all hath the force of a precept either to binde the conſciences of men to any thing as a duty, or to reſtraine from any thing as a ſinne:Bare Examples binde not. becauſe the knowledge of ſinne is from the Law, and where there is no Law there is no tranſgreſſion, and our care muſt be to walke in Gods waies, not in the waies of any man whatſoever. But Example prevaileth alone to perſwade the will as a fit argument of Exhortation or Dehortation, not as an argument to proove a thing needfull or ſinfull. Seeing then my duty is to perſwade you to all goodneſſe, and to diſſwade you from all evill, and the Examples of Scripture are undoubted and certaine, and they offer themſelves as it were unto the ſences, and ſo more worke on the will to allure or deterre: I thinke it a convenient meanes of helping you in all righteouſneſſe and againſt the contrary, to make a collection of thoſe Examples of good or bad things which are left us upon record by a divine pen, and I will range theſe Examples according to the order of time wherein they lived, ſo farre as I can informe my ſelfe thereof by the Word of God. And I will begin with Adam and Eve, and put them both together, becauſe their good and evill was put togeher in practiſe thereof.
The Method obſerved in handling all the Examples.The Method I intend to take in each perſon is this, I will conſider his Birth, Life and Death, and in his Life I will looke to his carriage and behaviour in reſpect of the deeds he did, good, bad, indifferent and doubtfull, and the things that befell him, either proſperouſly or adverſely, in benefits or afflictions.
Now for Adam and Eve becauſe they were the firſt fountaines of mankind, and therefore could not be borne in the ſame manner as others be (for he that is borne muſt have a Parent, and he that hath a Parent was not the firſt man or woman, becauſe his Parent was before him) therefore I cannot tell you any thing of their Birth,Nothing can be ſaid of Adam and Eves Birth, but of their entring into the world. but of their entring into the world by another way, which was to them the ſame in effect, that our begetting and birth is to us. I will informe you according to the Scriptures, for it much concernes us to underſtand our originall and to know certainely how mankinde came into the world. Know then in ſumme, That God made Man of the dust of the earth, Gen. 2.7.and breathed into him the breath of life and man became a living ſoule. Here is in briefe the Creation of Adam (now Adam ſignifieth red Earth,Adam what it ſignifieth. becauſe his body was made of ſuch kinde of Earth) and concerning Woman it is noted that God cauſed a deepe ſleepe to fall upon Adam,21, 22. verſes of the ſame Chapter. and then tooke one of his ribbes, cloſing the fleſh in ſteed of it, and framed it into the body of a Woman, in which alſo he placed a reaſonable ſoule.
Concerning this Creation of Man, you muſt firſt informe your ſelves of the neceſſity of it.The Creation of Man was neceſſary. It muſt needs be granted by force of reaſon, that there muſt be ſome firſt man, ſeeing otherwiſe there muſt be infinite men,There muſt be firſt Man, and why? becauſe a number without beginning muſt be alſo without end, in as much as there is the ſame reaſon of both, that which cauſed men without beginning, did cauſe them neceſſarily, and therefore it muſt cauſe them for ever; now all reaſon agrees to this truth,Non datur infinitum actu. that there cannot be an infinite number, ſeeing to a number ſtill one at leaſt may be added. I meane it of actuall numbers and actuall infiniteneſſe, ſo wee reaſon thus, either an infinite number of men, or ſome firſt man and woman, not the former, therfore the latter. And if there muſt be a firſt man and woman, either they came by chance and without any maker, which is ſo abſurd, that no man can chooſe but hiſſe it out, or elſe they were made by ſome agent or matter that had a being before them; and if ſo, then either as Heathen Theologie tels, they grew out of the mudde as frogges doe in ſome Countries, or elſe were formed by God as our Theologie teacheth, and let every man that hath his right wits about him, judge in himſelfe whether of theſe twaine is more agreeable to reaſon, and more likely to be true. So man was created by God,The time and matter of mans Creation. now about his Creation, the time and matter of it is to be noted. For firſt man was not created till the ſixth day when a fit place for him to dwell in, and all neceſſary furniture for the place, and all needfull ſervants and attendants were before provided for his uſe. God ſaw it not fit to bring man into the world, before it was garniſhed and ſtored with all contents uſefull for him. And then man was made in the firſt place and woman after him, to ſhew that man is the ſuperiour in nature, woman was made for man and not man for woman, therefore was man made firſt and woman after, and ſo doth the Apoſtle reaſon in two places where he handles the difference of Sexes, 1 Cor. 11.8, 9. 1 Tim. 2.13. So you have this cleared, how man came into the world, and how woman; but you muſt obſerve more particularly the different matter of which they were made, and the parts of which they conſiſt.
Man had a body and that was made of the duſt of the earth,Why Man was made of the duſt. Gen. 2.7. to teach him Humility, but he had alſo a ſoule and that was breathed into his noſtrils, that is, infuſed by God, wonderfully and immediately put into mans body, it is called a breath of life, and after a ſoule of life, that is, a ſoule which procured breathing and living, nothing is harder for a man to conceive of then the nature of his owne ſoule next the nature of God and Angels, for the former is much more hard to comprehend, the latter equally difficult at leaſt, and it ſhould be unto us a matter of great abaſement that wee cannot tell what to make of our ſelves that is, of our ſoules, that it is we know by the effects it workes in the body and the abſence of theſe effects, and the following of contrary effects when it is departed from the body, and this is all we know in a manner, onelyonly we may gather by diſcourſe that it is a ſubſtance incorporeall, becauſe it ſelfe doth informe the body, and one body cannot in reaſon be fit to informe another.
The Scripture alſo tells us certainely that it is an immortall ſubſtance which muſt returne to God that gave it,It is hard to underſtand the nature of the ſoule. and reaſon ſubſcribes to this truth, becauſe finding the ſoule a thing ſimple, it cannot conceive how it ſhould be corrupted; O how ignorant are we and what cauſe have we to be puffed up with conceit of our knowledge, ſeeing ſo much blindneſſe doth now poſſeſſe our mindes, that in a manner all we have to ſay of our owne ſoules and ſpirits, the beſt part of us, is this, that we cannot tell what to ſay.
As for Evah ſhee alſo conſiſted of a body,Eves body was made of a rib, and why? and that was made not of earth, but of a bone of her husband, to inſtruct her and him both of their duty, that ſhee ſhould acknowledge her ſubjection unto him as being taken out of him, and helpefull to him as being made of a rib an helpfull bone in his ſide, and to inſtruct him that he ſhould account her deare unto him and make precious reckoning of her, uſing her as in a manner his equall, as being a peece of himſelfe and extracted from his own ſide. Now a woman alſo hath a ſoule, an immortall ſpirit to make her a living and a reaſonable creature; for where ſin is found there is a reaſonable ſoule, becauſe none other is capable of knowing and conſequently tranſgreſſing a law made by God, but woman was in the Tranſgreſſion, that is, ſhee ſinned, and ſinned firſt before Adam, A fond conceit that women have no ſoules and the originall of ittherefore ſhee had a ſoule and a reaſonable ſoule, and they ſeeme to have beene wilfully blinde, that whether out of the ſilence of God in not mentioning the breathing of a ſoule into Evah, or upon what other mad conceit would needs make themſelves and others beleeve that women had no ſoules. I conceive it was the device of ſome brutiſh and ſenſuall man, that by inſtilling this moſt abſurd conceit into that Sexe, would faine draw them to commit all licentiouſneſſe with boldneſſe, for if they have no ſoules it could be no fault in them more then in the bruit creatures to give over themſelves to all ſenſuality and libidinouſneſſe. You have heard Mans beginning know now his life, and herein conſider his behaviour and the things that befell him;Their life. his behaviour bad, good, indifferent, doubtfull.
Their bad carriage. The firſt ſinne of our firſt Parents. Gen. 2.16.17.Their bad carriage ſtands in two things. Their firſt ſinne whereby they fell, and their following ſinnes which they added after their fall. The firſt ſinne was the eating of the forbidden fruit; for you ſhall have it recorded that the Lord having placed Adam in a garden to dreſſe and keepe it, ſpake to him in this wiſe. Of all the trees of the garden thou maiſt eating eate, that is, thou maiſt lawfully and with mine allowance eate, it was at his choice to eate of what kind he pleaſed, and if it ſeemed good unto him to forbeare eating of any he might forbeare, then followes a prohibition of one kind of fruit, viz. of the tree of knowledge of good and evill which is in the midſt of the garden thou maiſt not eate, that is, you ſhall not lawfully do it, in regard of naturall power he had ability to eate and not eate of that as of any other, but God did take away from him the morall liberty of eating of it, and by his authority ſaw good to abridge his liberty, and this alone to make it appeare to Adam, that he was an abſolute and a ſoveraigne Lord over him, and had full power and authority to forbid him what he ſaw good to forbid, and to command what he ſaw good to command. So the Lord did here call Adam to a profeſſion of his abſolute ſubjection to God his Maker, and of Gods abſolute right to himſelfe and all other creatures: and to this prohibition he ſubjoynes a threat of death, In the day that thou eateſt it thou ſhalt certainely die, in dying thou ſhalt die. Doubtleſſe the Lord meant this of both deaths naturall and ſpirituall, and it is to be interpreted, thou ſhalt become ſubject to a naturall and to an eternall death, thy body and ſoule both ſhall be made in their kind mortall. Thy body ſubject to ſuch putrefaction and diſtemper as ſhall cauſe it to be an unfit receptacle for the ſoule, and thy ſoule ſubject to ſuch ſinfullneſſe and diſtemper in its kind, as ſhall make it unfit to hold any fellowſhip with God, and ſo thy ſoule ſhall be ſeparated from thy body, and both from God the life of thy life; in this ſame phraſe is the wicked man threatened by the Prophet at Gods appointment. O wicked man thou ſhalt die the death, that is, moſt ſurely die and be damned. The Lord did not meane that naturall and eternall death ſhould inſtantly follow upon their eating, but obnoxiouſneſſe to both, and ſome degrees of both ſhould follow inſtantly, and at laſt the conſummation of both, with an implicite exception of his grace in Chriſt in pardoning him. Lo now Adam had from Gods own mouth an expreſſe and plaine Commandement, wherein he was directly forbidden one and but one tree, with warrant for the uſe of all the reſt, and a plaine and expreſſe threat of death to begin to inſue immediately upon his eating. And this Commandement, either God himſelfe, or elſe Adam had made knowne to Evah, for you heare that ſhee doth both alleadge it and oppoſe it to the Serpents temptation at the firſt. Now this Commandement ſo plaine, ſo eaſie, ſo equall, that hee could not be ignorant of it, nor incurre any inconvenience by yeelding to it, nor picke any exception againſt it. This Commandement which both of them knew full well did they tranſgreſſe, and that very ſpeedily.How long Adam continued before he ſinned is not revealed. How long they continued free from the ſinne, I know not, becauſe I find it not revealed and will not conjecture; becauſe the not revealing it by God makes mee thinke it is not to much purpoſe to know. If the firſt act of eating were that of the forbidden fruit, it is a great aggravation of their ſinne, that they tranſgreſſed Gods Law in a manner afore they did any other thing, if they ſtood any while it is a great aggravation, that after much experience of Gods bounty they would be bold to offend him, and taſte of the forbidden fruit after the feeling of the ſweetneſſe and goodneſſe of other fruits: but it was not long afore they did eate, and it was likewiſe done upon a poore motive, the temptation of a baſe Worme, and it was yeelded unto without much reſiſtance, for not many words paſſed them before Eve had condeſcended. You have the Storie of this ſinne in Gen. 3.1, &c. where is firſt the Tempter, a Serpent, the moſt *The Hebrew word is ambiguous. The fall of our firſt Parents deſcribednaked or ſubtileſt of all beaſts; then the temptation in the matter of it and the ſucceſſe. The matter, The Serpent ſaid to the Woman, hath God indeed ſaid, you ſhall not eate of every tree of the garden, in which hee would make Eve either doubt of Gods Commandement, or elſe be diſcontent with it, as if hee had dealt niggardly with them in not permitting them to eate of every tree, or as if the forbidding of this were as much as if hee had prohibited them all the trees, intimating that this was as good as all the reſt, and the not giving them this as much as the deniall of all the reſt. Then the Womans anſwer, telling him that he had allowed them all the reſt and forbidden this alone, and that on paine of death; then the Serpents reply, in which he contradicteth Gods threat, that the Woman might not give credit unto it, for he tells Evah, that they ſhould nor certainely die, yea not onelyonly ſo, but that God knew well enough how eating of that tree would procure to them an increaſe of knowledge, then the ſucceſſe of the Temptation is, that ſhee beleeving the Serpent and conceiving that ſhee ſhould gaine knowledge by the eating and conſidering the beauty and pleaſantneſſe of the fruit, did not alone eate of it her ſelfe, but alſo gave her husband, perſwading him alſo to feed of it, which he at her perſwaſion did.
Thus was the firſt Commandement utterly tranſgreſſed, which ſo ſoone as it was done they began to have ſence of their nakedneſſe, and ſewed figleaves together to make them aprons for the covering of their nakedneſſe, which now began to appeare ſhamefull unto them.
Divers ſinnes followed the firſt ſinne.This was their firſt ſinne, upon this followed divers other ſinnes, viz. their running away from God, and hiding themſelves among the trees, as if it had beene poſſible for them ſo to have eſcaped his ſight, and then excuſing their fault, he by laying the fault partly on Eve which gave him, and partly upon God which gave her to him, and ſhee upon the Serpent which had ſeduced and beguiled her. So they had done evill and ſought to hide their ſinne inſtead of confeſſing it and humbling themſelves, for ſo ſinne blindes the minde, hardens the heart, drives a man from God and ſets all the minde out of frame, eſtranging the ſoule from God and cauſing a man to be filled with ſlaviſh feare that makes him flie from his preſence. This ſinne brought terrour of conſcience, from whence of neceſſity followed ſinfullneſſe and mortality. This is their bad carriage.
Their doubtfull and indifferent behaviour.Doubtfull and indifferent may ſeeme to have beene their making of them aprons of leaves, for that ſhewed ſome ſhame and deſire to hide their ſhame.
Their good carriage. Evah why ſo called.Now follow the things that were good in them, viz. their imbracing of Gods goodneſſe, and turning to him by Faith and Repentance after the promiſe, intimated in the giving Eve the name of Evah or Mother of all living, as much as if he had ſaid, though we be all dead by this ſinne, yet wee ſhall live by the promiſed ſeed which Evah ſhall bring forth, and then Evah giveth the name of Caine to her firſt ſonne, ſaying, I have obtained a ſonne the Lord, or of the Lord, perhaps expreſſing her hope that Caine was that ſonne the Lord which ſhould bruiſe the Serpents head, and after calling the ſecond ſonne by the name of Abel, to ſignifie their ſubmitting themſelves to the croſſes and miſeries which they felt, and after bringing up their ſonnes in a calling, the one a Shepheard, the other a Husbandman, and in teaching them to worſhip God and to bring gifts and ſacrifices to him, the one of his ſheepe, the other of the fruits which the land did affoord.Their benefits 1. Before their fall.
Now conſider we the benefits God had beſtowed upon them before their fall, the making of them after his owne Image, in knowledge, righteouſneſſe and true holineſſe, with a moſt beautifull, ſtrong, ſwift, healthie and comely body, free from all danger of ſickneſſe, death, or other miſery; giving them dominion over all creatures, planting ſo excellent a place for them as Paradiſe, and granting them the uſe of all the trees, and that of life, and putting on them ſo pleaſant a ſervice as that of dreſſing and keeping the Garden, beſides the hope and aſſurance of Eternall life upon condition of their obedience, of which Paradiſe it ſelfe and the tree of life were ſignes unto them. For if wee ſhould live the life of glory by obeying the Law, ſo ſhould they have done ſeeing they alſo were under the ſame Covenant of workes that we be under.
Now after their ſinne God beſtowed divers benefits on them.2. After their fall. The chiefe was the promiſe of a Saviour, viz. The ſeede of the Woman to tread on the Serpents head, that is, to deſtroy the Divell, and the workes of the Divell, and to deliver them from the miſchiefe which Satan ſought to bring upon them. By which words he did make the Covenant of grace with them and their Poſterity, providing a remedy equall to the diſeaſe, and the meanes of revealing it to all, in that be manifeſted it to them that they might teach it to their children, and ſo one to another till all knew it, and then making them Breeches and continuing their life, and granting them children. Theſe be the benefits.
The miſeries they felt were pronouncing a curſe upon them,Their Croſſes. adjudging them to an inavoidable neceſſity of naturall death, to much ſorrow in their life, he by tilling the ground (which ſhould bring forth ill things to him) and that with ſweat and labour, and ſhee by bearing children in ſorrow, and by being compelled by ſubjection to her husband; then by caſting them out of Paradiſe, debarring them the tree of life, and giving Caine over to kill his Brother better then himſelfe, which muſt needs be an heavie croſſe to them, which God did ſomewhat mitigate by giving them another godly ſonne, even Seth. This is their life, their death followes.
Adam lived 900. yeares, and for Eves death,Their Death. it is not mentioned how long ſhee lived,Why the length of any Womans life except Sarahs is not mentioned in Scripture. for God hath not thought it fit to tell us the length of the life of any woman except Sarah in Scripture: upon what conſideration it is hard to gueſſe, but ſure it is to humble womankinde, that becauſe they were firſt in bringing in death, deſerved not to have the continuance of their lives, recorded by Gods pen. So have I briefely runne over the firſt man and the firſt woman. And now I will make uſe of all.
Firſt from their Creation,The uſes of the whole. and the benefits beſtowed upon them in and after their Creation; let us learne to acknowledge God to be our Creator, the Fountaine of our being, and to ſubmit our ſelves wholy to him in all things, ſeeing we have received our being from him; for in making them he made us in them, and whatſoever benefits he gave him in Creation, he gave them to us in him,Omnes nos eramus, ille unus. ſeeing if he had not caſt them away we ſhould not have wanted them. Wee muſt not leſſe praiſe God and be leſſe thankefull for that happy eſtate, becauſe Adam forfeited it; for his naughtineſſe in ſinning cannot diminiſh the goodneſſe of God in granting to him and his ſo great a heape of pleaſures here with certainty of Eternall life after. Doe you not ſee that God made us all to happineſſe and life in our firſt Parents, fitting all things, ſo that he might have ſtood and delivered over all thoſe benefits unto us. Let us not murmure againſt God for the puniſhment juſtly inflicted upon us in them and on them for the ſinne committed by them; eſpecially wee muſt praiſe God for the promiſe of the ſeed of the Woman which now God hath performed to us, by whom ſalvation and life was offered and tendered to all, ſo that by the ſecond Adam all might have received happineſſe as they loſt it by the firſt, if the fault had not beene and were not meerely in themſelves, that have beene and are careleſſe of Gods goodneſſe neglecting to conſider of his mercy, to beleeve in him and to turne to him.
Secondly, in Adams ſinne let us all ſee our owne ſinfullneſſe, and our mortality and miſery in his miſery,Rom. 5.12. For by one man ſinne came into the world, and by ſinne death, and ſo death paſſed over all. This ſinne is our ſinne after a ſort, we muſt lament it and bewaile it, and be humbled for it, and in the ſence of our wretchedneſſe runne to the promiſed ſeed to deliver us from ſinne and death, and to repaire the Image of God in us by the mighty worke of his Spirit, which is as eaſie for him to doe as to create us juſt at the firſt, and which he will as certainely performe for us if we ſeeke it as hee did then in our firſt making.
Againe, let us learne to hate and loath ſinne and Satan, not to hearken to his ſuggeſtions, but to beleeve Gods threats and ſubmit to his Commandements, let the husband reſolve not to obey the voice of his wife againſt God, let the wife take heed of drawing her husband to ſinne, let the husband rather reforme her then be corrupted by her. O beware of thinking to get any thing by doing wickedneſſe, diſobedience will bring nothing in concluſion but miſery and unhappineſſe.
Let us take heed of flying from God and of excuſing our faults and caſting the blame upon others, chiefely upon God himſelfe, as Adam did, but let us rather confeſſe, lament, and truſt in his mercy, and implore it, then dawbe and diſſemble, and thinke to eſcape by frivolous ſhifts and extenuations;We ſhould not bee proud of apparell. and eſpecially learne not to be proud of apparell which is no better then a badge of our wicked rebellion and of our ſhamefull nakedneſſe. Let us be the better for the things we know concerning Adam and Eve our firſt Parents.
Againe, let us be carefull to follow them in all good deeds which they did; O let us repent and beleeve in Chriſt hoping for life by him according to the Covenant of grace, as they did when they had broken the Covenant of Workes. For by truſting in Chriſt we ſhall goe to Heaven in the way of Evangelicall obedience, ſtanding in a reſolution and indeavour not to ſinne, and a carefull humbling our ſelves and ſeeking pardon when we faile, as ſure as they or we ſhould have done in the way of Legall obedience, if they and we had remained innocent; and God will as ſurely inable us to this Evangelicall obedience, if we ſeeke to him for grace and the renewing of his Image in us, as hee had inabled him to Legall and exact obedience. In truth Chriſt hath made the way to life eternall as eaſie to us in the path of the Goſpell, as it was to him in the path of the Law, for wee have grace to keepe us from loving and ſervnig ſinne as ſure as hee had power to abſtaine from committing ſinne. Say to your ſelves, Adams ſinne ſhall not damne mee, if in ſence of the miſery which it brought upon me I can fully ſeeke to Chriſt the promiſed ſeed.
Further, let us follow him and her in that was good in both. How did Adam accept his wife, ſaying, This is fleſh of my fleſh, and ſhee ſhall be called Evah, and a man ſhall forſake Father and Mother and cleave to his wife; O you husbands love your wives as your owne fleſh, cleave to them above all, and forſaking all other, keepe you onelyonly to them. You wives be content to be ſubject to your husbands, as it is ſure Evah was before her fall at leaſt, and probable after too, for we reade of no braules betwixt them. O joyne together to bring up your children well, firſt in ſome honeſt calling, then in the knowledge of the true God and care of worſhipping him. I ſay teach your ſonnes and daughters things neceſſary for their profitable and holy living in the world; bring them not up in idleneſſe and ignorance, but ſo carry your ſelves to them, that it may not be imputed to you if they prove wicked, and be thankfull to God for your children, and learne to rejoyce, eſpecially in their goodneſſe, as Adam and Evah did in Seths. Learne of your firſt Parents to be good Parents, and follow all the things that were good and commendable in them.
Againe, from their afflictions, learne to prepare for afflictions, and to make a good uſe of them when they come, if you thinke to live in this world without briers and thornes, without ſweat and labour you are much deceived. Croſſes are aſſigned to us as juſt chaſtiſements for our ſinne; we muſt to duſt, let us expect miſery and death, and labour to make our ſelves fit for croſſes. It was Gods great goodneſſe that he would not ſuffer Adam to remaine in Paradiſe and to joy the tree of life. For had hee lived in ſo much pleaſure as that place would have affoorded, and had he found all the creatures as good and comfortable to him now after his fall when his nature was made ſinfull, as when it was ſinleſſe, O how greatly would his ſin have growne through the fatneſſe of that over delightfull eſtate, even as weedes doe in a rich and unmanured ſoyle. Sure had not God ſent a curſe on the earth, and inflicted griefe and miſery upon man, hee would never have repented, never have conceived of his ſpirituall miſery, never have turned to God and ſought God; ſo that as it is a mercy in the Phyſitian to make the patient ſicke with a medicine, ſo it was in God to ſend theſe afflictions on us. Let us not therefore flatter our ſelves in vaine conceits of living merrily, but let us prepare for afflictions, which all muſt in ſome degree meete withall in their ſeverall callings. It was the voice of an Epicure in the rich man, that ſaid, eate and drinke and take thine eaſe; Ede, bide, lude, &c.we ſhould ſay to our ſelves rather, ſinne hath made mee ſubject to divers croſſes, and I will labour to receive them patiently from Gods Almighty hand, if he thinke it fit to exerciſe me with them.
Eſpecially you that are Parents of children, looke for croſſes in your children; thinke this boy may proove not an Abel, not a Seth, but a Caine, a wicked and a ſinfull Caine, a hater of goodneſſe, and fugitive from God. Let mee take heed therefore that I doe not over-love him, that I doe not cocker him, and as it were marre and kill his ſoule by over-cheriſhing his body. If wee finde our ſelves apt to over-prize and over-love our children, wee muſt moderate thoſe paſſions by ſuch meditations, and if we finde our ſelves apt to over-grieve for their death, wee muſt tell our ſelves, Ah might not their lives have prooved much more bitter to mee then their death can; who would not rather bury a ſonne young then live to ſee him proove a Cain, and who can tell but his ſonne for whoſe death he takes on with ſo much exceſſive ſorrow, may not fall out to be as wicked as Caine. If any ſay I hope not ſo, I anſwer him, where be the grounds of his hope? did not our firſt Parents hope as much thinke you? Sure Evah giving Caine a name ſhewed that ſhee had good hopes of him when he was borne, yea thoſe that have good and godly children muſt prepare to be croſſed in their afflictions. Haſt thou an Abel, a godly child, O make thine heart ready to heare that ſome wicked hand hath knockt him on the head, perhaps his owne Brother, that ſome violent death hath ſeized upon him and taken him away before his time, and labour to be willing to yeeld to Gods hand if he will ſo croſſe thee, for why ſhouldſt not thou ſtoope to as heavie a burden as that which Adam and Eve did beare in the beginning of the world. For the death of good children, yea their miſerable and untimely death, and for the wickedneſſe, yea the notorious and unnaturall wickedneſſe of other children, let every man prepare himſelfe, by looking upon the example of Adam and Eve, that ſuffered theſe croſſes, yea let every godly man learne to prepare for perſecution from all Caines, but that wee ſhall treat on when we come to Abels example.
But Brethren we muſt not onelyonly prepare for croſſes of this kinde, but we muſt alſo make a good uſe of them when they come, that is, wee muſt turne them into medicines as Phyſitions doe ſome poyſons, cauſing the ſorrow which they will worke in us to become a medicine againſt our ſinnes of which they be the proper and naturall effects. When you meete with croſſes and calamities, ſay, now I ſee Gods Juſtice and Gods Truth, now I ſee the hatefullneſſe and hurtfullneſſe of ſinne, and therefore now I will mourne, not becauſe I am croſſed, but becauſe I have deſerved this croſſe, and a worſe too, and ſo frame to confeſſe and bemoane the ſinne, and to ſupplicate for pardon and helpe at the hand of God in the name of Chriſt, eſpecially looke to thoſe ſinnes to which your croſſes have ſome reference and reſpect. Are you croſſed in your goods, thinke if you did not over-love them and get them unjuſtly, or if in your children, ſee if you did not over-love them and cocker them, and ſo in all things of like kinde. In what God ſmites you, ſee if you have not in that ſinned againſt him, and ſo frame to lament your ſinnes and to ſeeke helpe againſt them. This will helpe to make your croſſe eaſie and quickly to remove it, this will cauſe that you ſhall be gainers even by croſſes. When wee ſee the ill deſervings of ſinne and the perfect righteouſneſſe, yea the goodneſſe of God in calling thus to repentance; happy are they that be ſo afflicted and ſo taught in Gods waies.
And Brethren let mee yet make one uſe of Adam and Eves great ſinne, to warne you, that you take heed of preſuming of your owne ſtrength, and of boaſting that you will never commit ſuch and ſuch a ſinne, for if theſe two in their innocency could not eſcape when they neglected to ſue to God for ſtrength, O how much more ſhall not we ſtand if we adventure to bragg and boaſt, and promiſe much of our ſelves, but when ſinne begins to gather upon you, and Satan to tempt, then flie to prayers and to requeſts, and to the threats and Commandements, and apply thoſe threats, and pray God to inable you to keep the Commandements, then ſhall you doe ſo well as you can wiſh, elſe large promiſes will bring forth nothing but ſorry performances. Thus ſhould Eve have done, and then ſhee ſhould have had her prayers granted, and her faith ſtabliſhed, and eſcaped the fault. And as I thinke the firſt of all the faults of Evah was,Eves firſt fault. that ſhee was led away by the wary ſpeeches of the Serpent (by which he ſought by ſtep and ſtep to deſcend to this ſolicitation,) that then ſhee did not revive in her mind the conſideration of Gods preſence, and of her dependance upon him, and of his readineſſe to give her helpe on her ſeeking it, and of her owne imbecillity as being a creature, to ſtand without continuall ſupport from him. For ſure the Morrall Law lay upon Adam and Evah as well as upon us, and they ought thus to have behaved themſelves in temptation; here therefore I ſay was her firſt failing. For we muſt not thinke that there was no ſinne precedent to the actuall eating of the forbidden fruit, yea her being enticed and drawne away to diſtruſt Gods Truth, to deny his threats, to affect knowledge againſt Gods allowance, and to be bold to ſinne, when ſhee conceived that no danger would grow from it but much benefit: all theſe were faults and preparations to the great actuall fault. Indeed it is probable, that if ſhee had taken her ſelfe in theſe ſlips, and ſet her ſelfe and graces on worke to have reſiſted them before they had come to ſuch an head, that then ſhee ſhould not have beene corrupted by them, ſo as to fall into ſinfullneſſe and mortality, becauſe the Lord had limited the threat of death to actuall eating: but howſoever theſe things were faults in Eve, and now wee muſt learne therefore not to preſume any thing of our ſelves, but to confeſſe that if wee doe not ſeeke to God for his ſuſtentation and ſo obtaine the ſame from him, we ſhall ſurely be overcome to commit any ſinne though never ſo grievous.
But againe, wee muſt be incouraged to repent of ſinne and to crave pardon of it, any greatneſſe of it notwithſtanding, for even this ſinne of our firſt Parents is to them pardoned. This firſt and grand ſinne,The greatneſſe of our firſt Parents ſinne. the ſinne of ſinnes, that did inwrap in it all the blaſphemies and Idolatries, &c. of all after-times, and was as I may ſo ſpeake in power all ſinne, even this ſinne is forgiven; Adam which caſt all into ſinne, out of Paradiſe, and out of Heaven what in him lay, even this Adam is in Heaven himſelfe, yea Eve that drew Adam to it, and perſwaded her husband to the committing of ſo monſtrous a Treſpaſſe, to the poyſoning of him and all his; ſhee is pardoned, ſhee is in Heaven. As God ſet forth the riches of his Mercy in pardoning ſo vile and capitall a ſinner as Paul was, that in him he might ſhew an example of all long-ſuffering; ſo hath he ſet forth the abundance of his Grace in Chriſt by remitting the fault, and ſaving the ſoules of theſe and theſe ſinners, which did not what they did in falſe zeale as Paul, but in wilfull unbeleefe and rebellion. Wherefore let no man doubt of obtaining pardon by the grace of God in Chriſt, becauſe of the greatneſſe of his ſin. For if by the offence of one many be dead, much more ſhall the grace of gift, and the gift by grace abound unto mercy; and if in Adam all die, that is, be made ſubject to death, ſo in Chriſt much more ſhall all be made alive, if they truſt in him and turne, if death raigned by the firſt Adam, much more ſhall grace raigne by the ſecond Adam; If, by one mans diſobedience many were made ſinners, much more by one mans obedience ſhall many be made righteous. It is an extreame diſ-valuing of Chriſts righteouſneſſe, and under-prizing of Gods mercies in Chriſt, if any greatneſſe of ſinne hinder us from ſeeking to God for pardon and truſting to finde it. If we ſhould be appointed to deſerve remiſſion of our owne ſinnes every man for himſelfe, then a man might hope to get out of little ſinnes but not out of great, and ſo greatneſſe of ſinne might diſhearten him: but ſeeing it is Chriſt the Sonne of God as well as Man, that hath ſatisfied at once for the ſinnes of all, by being a Propitiation for the ſinnes of the whole world, now it is too too great a weakeneſſe, and too too palpable an ignorance of Chriſt and diſparagement to him, to doubt of pardon, becauſe of the greatneſſe of ſinne, and that wee may aſſure our ſelves, loe Adam and Eve ſaved, a couple that let in the floud-gares to all ſinne, and that in committing ſo great a diſobedience, did commit at once all the ſinnes of all the world. There cannot be thought any offence greater, for the time, place, perſons ſinning, occaſions of ſinning, helpes againſt ſinne, Commandement tranſgreſſed, no nor the matter of the ſinne neither. For though the thing materially conſidered were but eating an apple, a plum, or whatſoever fruit it might be, yet that apple was as it were a Sacrament, a viſible profeſſion of their care to forbeare all ſinne by forbearing it, and ſo the taking of that was a worſe ſinne then if it had beene very actuall adultery or murder, as if a man ſhould take the Sacramentall bread and give it to a dogg, or caſt it into the fire, or trample it under feet knowing it to be the Sacrament, ſure he were as vile and farre more vile an offender, then if he ſhould lie in waite at his neighbours doore to defloure his wife, or to murder himſelfe or any of his houſehold. Now therefore take heart to runne to God penitently for pardon in Chriſt, and be ſure of ſucceſſe. And if greatneſſe and multitude of ſin offer it ſelfe to diſcourage you and to dampe your hopes, referre your ſelves to Adam and Eve, and ſay, their one ſinne was more in badneſſe then all my ſinnes, and yet they were pardoned upon their repentance, and ſo ſhall I, and then even violently breaking thorough all objections, give over thy ſelfe to ſorowfull confeſſions and ſupplications and thou ſhalt be pardoned.
If any ſay my ſinne was worſe then Adams, for I have ſinned againſt the Holy Ghoſt; I anſwer, if thou haſt ſinned againſt the Holy Ghoſt, repent and thou ſhalt be pardoned, for the cauſe why that ſinne cannot be forgiven, is not want of mercy in God or merits in Chriſt, but ſuch abundance of hardneſſe in them, that they will not ſeeke to God for pardon or for grace to repent. Wherefore I ſay againe looke on thy firſt Parents, that how bad ſoever thou beeſt were cauſes of thy being ſo bad, and promiſe thy ſelfe pardon upon repentance, becauſe they are pardoned, and hope to be penitent if thou indeavour and ſeeke it, becauſe they were helped which were as vile ſinners as thy ſelfe.