Commentary on Genesis and Exodus, Commentary · Chapter 3

Commentary on Genesis and Exodus · Commentary · Chapter 3

p. 36CHAP. III.

The Analysis or Method.

THis Chapter describeth the fall of man, first his sinne and transgression, from verse 1. to verse 9. then his punishment, verse 9. to the end. In their transgression is to be considered, the tentation of Sathan, verse 1. to verse 6. the seduction of the man and woman, verse 6. thirdly, the effects and fruits of their sinne, verse 7, 8.

In Sathans temptation wee hauehave his subtill insinuation, verse 1. the womans simple confession, verse 2, 3. the suggestion it selfe, verse 4, 5.

In their seduction, verse 6. first are set downe the inducements, or provocation: the goodnesse of the tree for meat, the pleasantnesse to the eye, the fruit thereof, supposed to be knowledge: then the pravarication, or offence, they did eat.

The effects of their transgression, are shame, which causeth them to cover their nakednesse, verse 7. feare, which maketh them to hide themselves, verse 8.

In the punishment, there is first their conviction of the man and woman, verse 9. to 14. then the malediction or curse: denounced first, then executed.

The sentence is denounced against the tempter, or parties tempted.

The tempter is either the …ccessary, that is the serpent, which was the instrument; whose punishment is set forth, verse 14. or the principall, namely Sathan, who is censured, verse 15.

The persons tempted: first, the woman is punished, with sorrow in travaile, subjection to her husband, verse 16. secondly, the man is judged: the cause is first shewed, his transgression, verse 17. then his judgement, in the cursing of the earth with thornes and thistles, in cursing of man with misery in his life, mortality in his end ▪ verse 19.

The sentence lastly, is executed, in the expulsion of man out of Paradise, verse 23. with the consultation going before, verse 22. and his perpetuall exile from thence: the Angels keepe the way to Paradise with a sword, that Adam should not returne thither.

The difference of translations.

S.C.…. S.H.c. T.P.….v. 1. the serpent was wisest. S. wiser. C. craftier than any beast. cat. heb. gnarum, subtill.

v. 1. yea hath God indeed said. B. G. A. foreign ▪ quare, wherefore hath God said. S.H. it is true that God hath said. Ch. quia, because God hath said. T.P. heb. aph, ci, yea because. Sathans abrupt beginning, sheweth a long communication before, and here hee giveth a reason, as though God were not equall toward man in the prohibition, &c.

H.C.c.v. 6. to be desired to get knowledge. G.T.S. or to make one wise. B. heb. delightfull to behold, aspectu delectabibile. C.H. which was said before.

S.H. dr.v. 8. the voice of the word of God. C. the voice of God walking. caet.

v. 8. in the coole of the day, B.G. foreign, at noone. S. ad auram post meridiem, in the coole aire after noone. H. ad ventum, in the wind or aire of the day. T.P.C. heb lervach, haiom: the soft wind brought Gods voice unto them.

diff. ver. C.B.S.r. C.H.c. T.B.r.v. 11. unlesse thou hast eaten, &c. S.H. hast thou eaten? caeter.

v. 12. the woman which thou gavest to be with me, foreign, B.S.C. which thou gavest me. G. gavest my fellow▪ sociam, H. allocasti, didst place with me. T. g…imads, with me, heb.

v. 15. he shall breake, foreign, G.S. ipsa she shall. H. it shall breake, ipsum. T.B.P. heb. his it shall, that is, the seed: he shall observe thee from the beginning, thou shalt observe him to the end. Ch. thou shalt lye in wait for his heele. H. bruise his heele,S.H.c. T.B.r. S. ad. S.H.c. caet.

v. 16. thy desire toward thy husband. T.B. subject to thy husband. G. foreign: thy turning to thy husband. S.C. subpotestate, under the power of thy husband. H. heb to shuchah, desire, lust.

v. 17. of this foreign, only shalt thou not eat. S. (only,) is here added.

17. Cursed is the ground for thy sake. B.G.T.P. in opere, foreign, in thy workes. S.H. heb. bagnabar▪ for, or because of the Ch.S.ap. for. pr.

20. called her Hevah. B.G.C.T.P.H. foreign, life S. heb. Chavah.

21. garments of honour vponupon their skin. C. coats of skinne. caeter.

div. sign.24. a fiery sword, foreign, T.B.S.H. the point or blade of a sword shaken. P.G. lahat, signifieth a blade▪ and a flame: a sharpe sword shaken. C.

C.c.21. Adam is the only man on earth of himselfe knowing good and evill. C. is as one of us, knowing, &c. caeter.

p. 37The Exegesis, or theologicall explication.

QVEST. 1. Whether it were a true serpent that talked with Eva.

vers. 1. NOw the serpent was m…re subtill, &c.] 1. we neither thinke with Iosephus, that it was in the beginning naturall to the serpents, as to other beasts,Serpents whether they had the use of speech. to have the use of speech and understanding: which was the conceit also of Plato, that under Saturne men used to speake & conferre by language with beasts. Euseb. lib. 12. de prepar. Evang. c. 9. for if it had beene naturall to beasts to speake, they should no more after the fall have beene deprived of their naturall faculties, than the Angels or …, that fell: and beside, this opinion is contrarie to the Scripture, which saith, that man onelyonly was created according to Gods image: that is, with reason and understanding, which guideth the speech.

2. We refuse also the opinion which Barcephas ascribeth to Ephrem. lib. de paradis. c. 27. that the use of speech was given unto the serpent onelyonly for this time, as it was to Balaams asse: that the Devill spake in the serpent, as the Angell did in the Asse we grant: but the serpent could not speake of himselfe, wanting the instruments and organs of the voice which man hath.

3. Neither is Cyrillus opinion to be received, that it was not a true serpent, but a shew onelyonly and apparition. For then it should not have beene said, that the serpent was wiser, than all the beasts of the field: and afterward God layeth a curse upon the serpent, that he should goe upon his bellie and eate the dust of the earth: it was a true serpent then, not a shadow onelyonly.

4 Cajetanus conceit also is to be rejected, who by a continued allegorie, by the serpent, would have the Devill understood: that there was neither serpent in truth nor in shew that appeared to Eva, but this tentation was altogether internall and spirituall: for by this meanes, the whole storie of the creation may as well be allegorized, and so the truth of the narration called in question, and beside, whereas the Devill internally tempteth onelyonly two wayes, either by alluring the sense by some object, or else by moving and working the phantasie, our parents before their fall could not be so tempted, having no inordinate motion.

5 Some thinke that the woman did understand the speech of the serpent, such as beasts use, to expresse their minde, and not otherwise: but it is evident, that the serpent did verily speake.

6 Aben Ezra is of opinion, that it was the serpent, and nothing else: but the curse afterward pronounced upon the serpent, and that prophesie, that the seed of the woman should breake the serpents head, sheweth, that the Devill spake in the serpent, who is principally accursed.

7 Our opinion then is, that it was a true serpent which talked with Eva, as may appeare by the punishment inflicted upon this kind: and that the Devill used the serpent, a subtill beast, as his instrument, and spake out of him. This our Saviour confirmeth in the Gospell, that it was Satan, which was a murtherer from the beginning, and caused the death and fall of our parents, Iohn 18.44. And Saint Paul affirmeth, that the serpent beguiled Eva through his subtiltie: but the woman was not deceived by the serpent, but by the craft of the Devill, speaking and working by the serpent. Of this judgement are most of the auncient fathers, Basil, Chrysostome, Augustine, Damascene, &c.

QVEST. II. How the serpent is said to have beene more subtile, &c.

THe serpent was more subtile than any beast of the field: 1. These words cannot be understood of the Devil, as Cajetane thinketh, who here by a metaphore is called a serpent: for betweene the Devil and the beasts of the field, there is no comparison, who in subtiltie farre exceedeth man, who is wiser than any brutish nature. 2. Neither was the serpent more subtill onelyonly for this time, as Augustine seemeth to thinke, lib. 11. Genes. ad lit. c. 29 for Satan could not infuse more subtilty into the serpent, than by nature it had: and the text it selfe seemeth to insinuate, that the serpent by nature was more subtill than other beasts. 3. wherefore the truth is, that whereas the serpent is a most subtill beast, it was not by chance, that Satan used him as his instrument, beeing by his naturall subtiltie apt thereunto: and the serpents subtill nature appeareth, both by the sleights he useth in helping himselfe, as to let passe what Plinie reporteth, that by the juice of fennel, he strippeth himselfe of a certaine skinne, wherewith he is overgrowne in winter, and with the same hearb cleareth his dimmed sight: the Scripture sheweth, that the serpent stoppeth his eare against the voice of the charmer. Psal. 58. As also his craft appeareth in his enmitie against man,Of the natural wisdome of the serpent. whom he assaileth secretly and in silence: as biting the horse by the heele to cause the rider to fall, Gen. 49.17. And further, concerning the naturall wisdome of the serpent, our Saviour witnesseth, saying to his disciples, bee yee wise as serpents, innocent as doves. Mat. 10.16. 4. Some thinke, that this is set forth as a praise and commendation in the serpent, that he had such a gift of wisdome & subtilty given him in the creation: but the contrarie appeareth, that although this naturall gift in the serpent was good, yet here relation is made to Satans craft, whereby he seduced Eve: Adam and Eve are said before to be gnarumim, naked simple: and here the serpent is said to be gnarum, in the contrarie sense, craftie covert, not smple: for the Hebrew word admitteth a contrarie sense. Mercer.

QVEST. III. Why Satan in the serpent beginneth with an interrogation.

vers. 1. YEa hath God indeed said. &c. 1. Some doe take this to bee an ironicall speech, as though Satan in the serpent should scoffingly say: it is a like matter that God careth what you eat. 2. Some make it an interrogation, as though Satan should aske the reason, why God had so said, &c. as the Latine and Septuagint. 3. Some make it a naked question: Is it true that God hath said: Chald. 4. R. Sel. expoundeth it, for san, perhaps: and would have it doubtfully spoken. 5. Some make the emphasis or force of p. 38the sētence in this word God: it is not like that God would give you any such precept. 6. Aben Ezra interpreteth aph ci, by quanto magis, how much more: that after Satan had shewed many reasons to perswade the woman, that God loved them not, hee urgeth this above the rest that God had given them this prohibition. 7. But the best interpretation is this, that after long communication had with the woman, at length the serpent commeth to that which he intended, to draw from the woman some answer, whereupon he might worke further: and therefore with some admiration saith in effect; it seemeth very strange, or I much wonder, that God would give any such prohibition unto you. Mercer.

QVEST. IIII. Why Satan tempted man, and that by the woman.

NOw the Devill thought to supplant man in Paradise, not because he did foresee that the Messiah should take flesh of Adam: for as yet man was not fallen, nor Gods counsell revealed concerning the Redeemer, that should breake the serpents head: but the envie of Satan was the cause that moved him to this tentation, that he might bring man into the same state of damnation: and he sheweth his malice against God, in seeking to deface his image. Calvin. 2. Hee setteth upon the woman first, not because, as Ambrose thinketh, the precept was given onelyonly to Adam by God himselfe: for it was spoken to them both: but because he saw her to be the weaker, and so fittest for him to worke by. Mercer.

QVEST. V. How Eva indured to talke with the serpent.

NOw whereas it will bee questioned, how it came to passe that Eva was not afraid to talke with the serpent: 1. which was not, either because this serpent, which Satan vsed, had a pleasant countenance and virgins face, which opinion is imputed to Beda, which is rather to be held a painters fancie, than the worke of nature, there beeing no such serpent to be seene in the world: 2. neither for that the serpent was more familiar with man, than any other creature, as thinketh Damascen: 3. neither can the very kind of the serpent be described, as Eugubinus saith it was the Basiliske, which poisoneth hearbs and plants with his very breath.What kind of serpent it was. Pererius saith, it is most like to be the serpent called Scytala, which hath a backe of divers colours: for this is too great curiositie, seeing the Scripture onelyonly generally nameth a serpent, noting no speciall kind. 4. But as Chrysostome well observeth the sight of the serpent, which after sin became terrible & hatefull to man, was now not abhorred, neither were any creatures as yet in the state of mans innocencie, loathsome unto man, and therefore Eva might well indure the sight of the serpent.

QVEST. VI. What mooved Eva to give eare to the serpent.

BVt whereas Eva was not astonished to heare the serpent speak: 1. it was neither as Rupertus thinketh, because the woman imagined, that some powerfull spirit caused the serpent to speake, and therefore gave reverent eare: for this had not beene farre from Idolatrie, to yeeld any such reverence to any but to the Creator. 2. Neither did shee thinke, as Bonaventure holdeth, that some good spirit intending her good, thus spake in the creature. For then shee would not have said, the serpent, but the spirit or Angel deceived me. 3. Neither is it like, that Eva, as Cyrillus seemeth to thinke, was ignorant, whether the use of speech were given unto any creature beside man: to the which opinion Tostatus and Pererius subscribe: for seeing that Adam had before given names to all creatures, which God brought unto him, they could not be ignorant by this experience, that man onelyonly had the gift of calling and giuing names. 4. But Eva knowing well, that God had created angelicall powers, was carried away with the voice and goodly promises delivered from the serpent, not beeing so much intent from whom they came, as what was spoken, not considering, while shee was ravished with an ambitious desire of bettering her estate, whether a good or a bad Angell might thus speake out of the serpent: for to say, that man was either ignorant of the creation of Angels, or of the power and facultie of beasts, was too great a defect of knowledge, to be incident to that perfect estate.

QVEST. VII. Whether the serpent went vponupon his bellie before the curse.

vers. 14. VPonUpon thy belly shalt thou goe, dust shalt thou eate, &c. 1. It is neither to be thought with Barcephus, that the serpent before went upon his feete as other beasts: for God would not alter the nature and shape of his creature, having given power to every creature before to multiply his owne kinde, & this had beene to mislike the worke of his owne hands. 2. Neither is it to be supposed with Didymus Hieromes master, that the serpent, during onelyonly this time of tentation, was caused by the spirit to stand upright, for it had beene no punishment for the serpent to returne to his first nature. 3. Neither doe we approove the sentence of the fathers, as of Augustine, Gregory, and others, who by an allegorie doe apply these words to the Devill: that he goeth upon his belly when he tempteth men to gluttony & leachery, whereof the bellie is the instrument: and he eateth earth, having power over earthly minded men: for after this manner, the whole storie may likewise be allegorized. 4. Neither with some others, as Pererius, doe we approve both an historicall sense of this malediction in the serpent, & an allegoricall in the Devill: but the whole is historicall; the first part whereof concerneth the serpent the instrument, the other Satan the principall, that his head and power should be broken by this meanes: and where he had thought to gained, he should sustaine a greater losse.

5 Our sentence then is this, that the curse denounced against the serpent, consisteth not in the thing it selfe, but the manner of it: the serpent did from his creation creepe upon his brest, and feede of the earth, but now, this is made ignominious and accursed unto him, which was not before: as weeds and thistles were created before mans fall, but after beganne to bee a curse to the earth: and man was naked before his p. 29transgression, but was not ashamed of it till after: so the raine-bow was before the floud, but then onelyonly ordained to be a signe of the covenant, that God would no more destroy the world with water.

QVEST. VIII. Why the Devill spake out of the serpent.

IF it bee further demanded, why the Devill spake out of the serpent, rather than appeared in any other shape. 1. I say with Augustine, because God permitted Satan to use no other beast as his instrument, but the serpent. 2. That it was neither fit that hee should have appeared in humane shape, for Eva knew well enough, that her selfe and Adam, were all mankind, and none beside them: neither if Satan had framed a voice out of the aire, would Eva have endured so familiar a conference: and for that the serpent, in regard of his subtilty, was the fittest instrument, that would soone winde himselfe in and out, and creepe away, that he should not be seene of Adam. 3. In that Moses maketh no mention of the Devill, but of the serpent only, it was both in regard of the weaknesse and rudenesse of the people, who could not well conceive any other but the visible creatures, and for that Moses writing a story, reporteth things as they appeared, as the story of Samuels apparition to Saul, calleth it Samuel, whereas it was Satan in Samuels shape, because it so appeared. 4. The Hebrewes here are not to be approved,Hebrewes fansies. that say the serpent coveted to have company with the woman: for that is against the nature of beasts.

QVEST. IX. Of the manner how the woman was tempted of Satan.

COncerning the tentation of Satan▪ and seduction of the woman: 1. he beginneth subtilly, hath God indeed said, yee shall not eat of every tree? whereas God onelyonly forbad them one tree, as though God had dealt hardly with them, in abridging them of their liberty. 2. The woman reporteth not the words of the prohibition truly: some thinke, that shee added of her owne; yee shall not touch it, as Ambrose: some, that she changed the words, as Rupertus, for the tree of knowledge of good and evill, saying, the tree in the midst of the garden: but certaine it is, that she taketh somewhat from Gods words, pronouncing doubtfully,Eva altereth Gods words. lest ye die, which God had denounced most certainly, ye shall dye the death: that is, surely dye. 3. Satan in his reply, v. 4, 5. heapeth up many lies together, 1. that they shall not dye: 2. that God did envy their happinesse: 3. that knowledge might be had in eating of fruit: 4. that they should thereby bee made like unto God. Beside, Rupertus conceit is here excellent, that the Devill in every one of these points speaketh doubtfully, as he gave the Oracles of Apollo, that every word which he spake, might have a double meaning:Satans doubtfull answer, ye shall not die: that is, not presently the death of the body: though presently made subject to morrality: your eyes shall bee opened, so they were to their confusion: knowing good and evill, not by a more excellent knowledge, but by miserable experience after their transgression: ye shall bee as gods, either as Angels, or like unto us, sinfull and wicked spirits. 4. The woman seeth the tree to be good for meat, there is her voluptuous desire: pleasant to the eyes, there is her curiosity: and to be desired for knowledge, there is the vanity of her minde. Thus as the Apostle saith, whatsoever is in the world, is the concupiscence of the flesh: the concupiscence of the eye, the pride of life. 1 Ioh. 2.

QVEST. X. Adam tempted and deceived as well as the woman, though not in the same degree.

THe order then and manner of the tentation was this. 1. It is evident, that neither Adam nor Eva, had committed any sin before this congresse with Satan, for the Scripture saith, that til then they were both naked, and were not ashamed, Gen. 2.25. So that herein both Rupertus and Ferus are deceived. 2. Satan first assaileth the woman, both being as the weaker, more easie to be seduced, & as a fit instrument also to entice Adam. 3. Adam did not only incline unto her, amicabili quadam benevolentia, of a loving mind, and thereby enticed as Sampson was by Dalilah, and Salomon by his wives: but it is like he was seduced by the same flattering and false perswasions, whereby the woman was first beguiled, being carried away with an ambitious desire in knowledge, not to be equalized, but made like unto God: this may appeare out of the 22. verse, Behold man is become like unto us, to know good and evill: where the Lord reproveth also mans affected and curious desire to attaine to a greater perfection.

Neither doth that place of the Apostle contradict this opinion: Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived, and was in the transgression. 1 Tim. 2.14. for whether we expound it with Epiphanius and Calvin, that the Apostles meaning is, the woman was first deceived, not the man: or with Mercerus, that the man was not deceived, but entised by the womā: or with Hierome, that Adam was not deceived by the serpent, but by the woman: or that Eva did not wittingly deceive Adam, as the serpent beguiled Eva: whereof the two first expositions, being one in effect, are most agreeable to the Apostles minde: by this text Adam is not wholly exempted from being deceived, but only in that manner as Eva was perverted and seduced.

QVEST. XI. Whether Adams sinne was the greatest of all sinnes.

NOw as touching the greatnesse of Adams sin, simply it was not the greatest sin of all committed in the world: neither in respect of the kind of the sinne, as adultery is greater than fornication, for so we hold blasphemy and Idolatry to be greater sins than Adams was: neither in respect of the affection of the offender; for many are with a more ungodly, violent, and sinfull desire given over: then Adam in this tentation: neither was it the greatest, in respect of the quality of the sin, for it was pardonable in Adam, whereas sinne against the holy Ghost is impardonable. But yet it may truly bee said to bee the greatest, 1. in regard of the fruits and sequele of that sin, the contagion and infection of all mankind. 2. in respect of Adams person, who in his excellent gifts considered, might have more easily resisted. 3. in regard of the facility of p. 40the commandement, which required no hard or difficult thing. 4. the place also it selfe being considereth namely in Paradise, where there was no provocation, or allurement unto sinne.

QVEST. XII. Whether Adams or Eves sinne were the greater.

NOw if Adams sinne be compared with the womans: in some things it will be found equall, in some things superiour, in some inferiour to it. 1. Both Adam and Eva sinned in their infidelity, in not beleeving the word of God, but giving credit to Satans faire promises, that they should not dye. 2. in their concupiscence, in coveting the forbidden fruit. 3. in their ambition in desiring a further state of perfection. Secondly, in respect of Adams person, who was appointed to be the womans head, and of his gifts of knowledge and wisdome, the man was more faulty than the woman. Thirdly, yet simply, the womans sinne was greater, because beside other sinnes common unto them, this was proper unto her in seducing her husband: so that as Augustine well noteth, de Genes. 11.42. the man sinned onelyonly against God and himselfe, the woman, against God, her selfe and her neighbour: beside, the woman was first deceived, and became the author and beginner of transgression.Adams sinne neither is to be aggravated, nor the wom…ns to be extenuate. Therefore the opinion of them is not here to bee allowed, who doe either aggravate Adams sinne, or extenuate the womans: of the first sort is the author of the questions upon the old Testament under Augustines name, who ascribeth idolatry to Adam. quest. 83. whereas hee desired not to be worshipped as God, but onelyonly in knowledge to be like unto God: neither can Adam be properly charged with covetousnesse, as Hugo S. Vict. doth, unlesse it be taken for an immoderate desire of any good thing, more than is fit: of the other sort is Cajetan, who would lessen the womans offence, both in the thing desired, which was the knowledge of good and evill, the externall act, in coveting the fruit which was faire to the eye, in regard of her sex, being a woman, and the weaker vessell. But this notwithstanding, the womans offence in the nature thereof, was the greater, as before is shewed.

QVEST. XIII. Whether Eve added to the commandement, and spake doubtfully.

Vers. 3. NEither shall ye touch it lest ye dye, &c. 1. Ab. Ezra. noteth, that the serpent useth the name Elohim, speaking of God, not Iehovah, because hee knew it not: But that is not the reason, for the woman useth also the name, Elohim, who was not ignorant of Iehovah: but Satan of purpose forbeareth to use that name Iehovah, which is a name of mercy, and urgeth in the name Elohim the severity of God. Mercer. 2. Neither doth the woman adde any thing to Gods precept, that they should not touch it, but faithfully expoundeth the meaning of the precept: some Hebrewes think, that Satan took occasion hereby to move the woman to touch the fruit; that seeing she died not by touching, shee should though the Hebrew particle pen, be not alwayes so taken; yet it appeareth so to bee used by the woman: because Satan hereby taketh occasion to put her out of doubt, that shee should not dye at all. See Muscul. Iun. though Mercerus herein dissent from them.

QVEST. XIIII. Why Eve gave to her husband.

Vers. 6. SHe gave to her husband with her, &c. 1. This sheweth not, that Adam was at this time with Eve, as some Hebrewes thinke, he might come before the tentation was finished. The meaning is, that he might eat with her, that is, as she had done. 2. Some thinke that before the woman did forbeare to eat of the fruit, supposing it was poyson, and so present death: but the truth is, that hitherto she had abstained in obedience to the commandement. 3. Neither did she give it to Adam, lest, if she died, he might have taken unto him another woman, as some Hebrewes imagine; for shee was the onelyonly woman in the world: but she was desirous to make her husband partaker of her happinesse, as she thought. Mercer.

QVEST. XV. How many wayes the eyes of the body and minde are said to be opened.

Vers. 7. THeir eyes were opened. Their eyes of the body and minde are said divers wayes to bee opened, the eyes of the body three wayes. 1. When they that are blinde, are made to see, as Christ caused the blind to see. 2. When he that hath his eyes, seeth somewhat, which he saw not before, as Balaam his eyes were opened, when hee saw the Angell, with a naked sword. 3. When they which see discerne that which they perceived not before; as the Disciples discerned Christ in the breaking of bread. The eyes of the minde are opened likewise three wayes. 1. When men are brought from ignorance and darknesse to the knowledge of Christ. Act. 26, 18. 2. When men are brought by affliction to know themselves, as the prodigall childe is said to come to himselfe, Luke 15.17. 3. When a mans sinne, when it is committed, presenteth it selfe, as Iudas sinne did, when hee had betrayed Christ. Thus the eyes of Adam and Eves minde were opened to see their sinne, and the eyes of their body were opened to see and discerne the deformity of those parts, which were comely before: Muscul.

QVEST. XVI. How their eyes are said to be opened.

Vers. 7. THeir eyes were opened, and knew that they were naked. 1. Not that they were either blinde before, for how could Eva have seene the fruit of the tree that it was faire to the eye, if shee had beene blinde? 2. Neither as Iosephus thinketh: lib. 1. antiquit. c. 1. by the eating of the forbidden fruit had they gotten a sharper wit and understanding, for then the eating thereof, had bin a gaine unto them. 3. Neither is it so said, as R. Salomon conjectureth, because now first they began to have knowledge of evill; for as they had knowledge of good before, so as by the contrary, they had the knowledge of evill also: but now indeed they know evill by miserable experience. 4. But now their eies were opened, the eyes of their minde and conscience, to see and acknowledge their sinnes and disobedience, wherein they were blinded p. 41before, and to feele the rebellion and disobedience of their members in their disordered and unruly motions, which maketh them for shame to cover them; which use of vailing and covering the secret parts, even nature hath taught the barbarous nations, which even in their baths, as Augustine writeth,August. lib. 14. de civita…. dei. c. 17. Strabo lib. 15. Diod. …. lib. 4. will not have their unseemely parts uncovered: the like Strabo reporteth of the Indians, and Diodor… Siculus of the Aethiopians, that going naked in the rest of their body, use to cover their secret parts.

QVEST. XVII. Why they made aprons of fig-leaves.

ANd they sewed fig-tree leaves:] 1. Not because the fruit thereof, whereof they had tasted was forbidden, for they would so much more have abhorred the leaves thereof. 2. Neither to betoken the desire of the flesh now procured by sin, which they say is provoked by the rubbing of the fig leaves.2. Mag histor. scholastic. Gen. c. 23. 3. Irenaeus lib. 3. advers. haeres. c. 37. 4. Ambros. l. de parad. c. 13.Gen 23:3 3. Nor yet as the testimony of repentance, because fig leaves doe pricke and sting the flesh. 4. Neither yet need wee run to allegories: that this covering with leaves or with fruit, betokeneth the vaine excuse and defence of sinne. 5. But they made them aprons of fig leaves, both being fit for their breadth, and ready at hand, for no other cause than to hide their nakednesse, whereof they were now ashamed.

QVEST. XVIII. Why man was created naked.

NOw if it be further asked, why man was created naked. I answer, 1. with Basil, lest his mind might have beene occupied in seeking for outward things, and so withdrawne from better meditations: God having a purpose to cloath his body with some excellent brightnes, such as is in the Angels. 2. Or with Ambrose, that being not naked and destitute of the ornaments of vertue, they lesse needed outward ornaments. 3. Whereas clothing serveth for necessity, to defend from the cold, and for honesty and comelinesse,Lib. de para…. c. 13. Adam before his fall in neither respect needed cloathing, being neither subject to heat or cold, nor yet having any uncomelinesse in his members. 4. Adde hereunto, that whereas other creatures were created with their naturall cloathing, birds with feathers, beasts with haire and wooll, fish with scales, man was created naked, that hee might exercise his wit and be profitably occupyed in the invention of arts for the necessary use of man.

QVEST. XIX. Why the voyce of the Lord was heard in the coole of the day.

Vers. 8. THey heard the voyce of the Lord walking in the garden in the coole of the day.] 1. This was neither some great wind, or terrible voyce, which went before God, as when he spake to Elias, to betoken the Lords comming: for the Chalde paraphrast translateth [the voice of the word of God.] 2. Neither yet need we run to allegories, as with Iren…u…, that this walking of God in the coole of the day,Lib. 5. advers. haeres. lib. 28. moral. c. 2. did shadow forth the comming of Christ toward the end, as the evening of the world. 3. Nor with Gregory, that man having lost the fervent heat of charity, did now slumber in the shadow of sin, as in the coolenesse of the aire. 4. Nor with Rupertus, that as men risen from sleepe doe walke in the coole aire, so God now awaked commeth forth, having beene as it were asleepe before while hee suffered Satan to tempt our parents. 5. But the meaning is plaine, that after man had transgressed, in the eventide, or sunne-set, when the winde in those countries adjoyning to the sea, useth most to be stirring, the Lord sheweth himselfe to Adam, and calleth him to account, the winde of the day brought the sound of Gods voice to Adam. Iun. So then, this word walking, is neither to be referred to Adam, nor yet properly to God, but he heard Gods voyce walking, and comming toward him afarre off: Aug. And this winde was no extraordinary tempest, as Mercer: shewing Gods approaching; neither doth it properly describe the time of the day: neither the morning, as Calvin: noonetide, as the Septuagint or eventide, as the Hebrewes (although I thinke it most probable, that Adam fell in the evening of the same day of his creation) but it expresseth only the manner▪ how Gods voyce was brought by the whisking wind to Adam: some, doe take hai…m, not for the day, but the sea, from whence the lowdest winds doe come; but that is not so proper in this place. The voyce which Adam heard, was not a sound only of Gods comming, as Iun. but it was the same voice, which is expressed, v. 9. when God called to Adam, first afarre off, when Adam hid himselfe, and then neere hand.

QVEST. XX. Why Adam hid himselfe.

ADam hideth himselfe, when God first began to call unto him, 1. not for that as Irenaus thinketh,Lib. 3. advers. haeres. cap. 37. Lib. 11. de Gen. ad liter. cap. 33. hee thought himselfe unworthy to come into Gods presence: 2. or, as Augustine, did he it only as a man amazed, not knowing which way to turne himselfe: 3. but being guilty of transgression, he thought simply to hide himselfe from the presence of God, as Iob expoundeth, If I have hid my sin as Adam. &c. Iob 31.33.

QVEST. XXI. How God diversly speaketh unto man.

Vers. 9. THe Lord called to the man] God diversly hath used to speake unto man: either by himselfe by his secret inspiration and revelation, as he did to Isaiah, 2 Kin. 20.4. or by his messengers the Angels: who spake sometimes by voyce only, as Ioh. 12.28. there came a voice from heaven: sometime by vision internall, such as was the ladder, that Iacob saw in his dreame, Gen. 28. externall, sometime in humane shape, as to Abraham, Gen. 18. by other creatures either without sense, as by fire in the bush to Moses, or having sense, as the Angel spake in Balaams asse. Now the questiō is, which of these waies God talked with Adam: for I neither thinke with Gregory, that Adam per Angelū increpationis verba audivit, that Adam was rebuked by an Angel: for v. 17. the Lord saith, because thou hast eaten of the tree, wherof I cōmanded thee, In cap. 38. Io….&c. the same God now speaketh to Adam, that gave the first commandement concerning the tree: neither with Augustine, to whom subscribeth Mercerus, per creaturam visibiliter factum, in that Adam heard the p. 42voice of God, it was done visibly by some creature: for mention onelyonly is made, that they heard the voice of God,… ▪ Genes ad …it. l. 11▪ c. 13. Adam heard Gods voice, he saw him not. vers. 8, 10. they saw him not, that spake to him. Therefore it is like, that as God spake to Elias, 1. King. 19. to our Saviour Christ, Iob 12.28. to Moses in the mount: yee saw no image in the day that the Lord spake unto you, Deut. 4.15. so Adam onelyonly heard the voice of God, he saw him not.

QVEST. XXII. Why God asketh Adam, where art thou?

WHere art thou? 1. God was not ignorant where Adam was, for no place be it never so secret, is hid from God, but by this question God draweth Adam to confession and acknowledgement of his sinne: as afterward the Lord for the same cause asked Cain, where his brother Abel was. 2. Neither doe we refuse Ambrose collection,Lib. de par. c. 44. who saith it was not tam interrogatio, quam increpatio, so much an interrogation, as an increpation, that Adam should consider not in what place, but in what state he was now, and from whence fallen. 3. Pererius upon this place noteth well, that God by thus saying, did declare that Adam was one of those, to whom the Lord saith, I know not whence yee are, Luk. 13.27. that by his sinne he was separated and estranged from God.

QVEST. XXIII. How the Serpent is accursed.

Vers. 14. THe Lord said to the Serpent, because thou hast done this, &c. 1. God curseth the Serpent because hee was Satans organ and instrument: as this standeth with Gods justice to punish the instrument with the principall: and he that lay with a beast, they were both to bee burned, Levit. 20.15. And though the Serpent had no understanding, yet God curseth him for mans instruction, that he might see how much this their action in seducing him, was displeasing to God, Mercer. 2. Some doe referre the whole curse to the Serpent, some apply it wholly to Satan, by way of allegory: some understand the whole, l…terally of the Serpent, mystically of Satan, Mercer. But the better course is, to give part to the Serpent in this verse, part to Satan in the next, Iun. Calvin. 3. Some doe understand the Serpents curs…, of the shortnesse of life: but other beasts are as of short continuance: some Hebrewes understand the going upon his belly, of the Serpents long being with young, which is seven yeares together: the Wolfe, Lion, and Beare, and the Ape, bring forth once in two or three yeares, the Viper in seven yeares: but if this were the curse, then woman …hat goeth nine moneths with childe, should be of worse condition in this behalfe, than other beasts, as the Fox that goeth but six moneths, the Sow sixty dayes: the meaning of the curse is, that the Serpent should be detested of all other creatures, as noxious and poysonfull, and should be marked with this ignominie▪ to creepe upon his breast, Mercer. 4. Gechon by Hierome is translated breast, Onkeleus readeth the belly, the Septuagint both belly and breast: because the Serpents breast and belly is altogether, and he goeth upon them both: the word Halach, to walke, is not only given to those creatures that walke on foot but to other things that move howsoever: as to Rivers, Gen. 2.14. to Noahs Arke, Gen. 7.18. Muscul. 5. The Serpent did neither goe upright before, neither at that instant onelyonly when Satan used him: but whereas he did extoll himselfe against man, he is brought to his first condition: and his creeping and feeding of the earth, which should not have beene ignominious before, is acccursed and made reproachfull now, Mercer, Calvin.

QVEST. XXIV. Of the enmity betweene the seed of the woman and the Serpent.

WHere the Lord saith, I will put enmity betweene thy seed and her seed. 1. This first is truly understood of Christ,Who is understood to be the seed of the woman. quia solus ita semen multeris est, ut non etiam viri semen sit, who was so the seed of the woman, as he was not of the man: and betweene Christ and Satan the greatest enmity was, who consented to him in nothing. 2. We may also understand by the seed of the woman, all the Elect, and by the seed of the Serpent, all the wicked, who are the sons of the Devill, as Christ said to the unbeleeving Jewes, Yee are of your father the Devill, Ioh. 8.44. betweene whom, the Elect and the wicked, there shall be perpetuall enmity: and therefore Rupertus saith, the Scriptures are called the booke of the battells of the Lord, Num. 21. which declareth the continuall combate betweene the Church of God and the world.Lib. de tracta. c. 20. 3. Part of this sentence is literally true in the Serpent: for as Rupertus noteth, if a woman tread upon the Sepent with her bare foot, he presently dieth; but if he first bite her heele, the woman dieth of that poyson. But howsoever this be true, it is most certaine, that betweene man and those venomous creatures, there is a naturall hatred, that one cannot endure the sight and presence of the other. 4. Some doe marvell, why the Serpent is not made mute and dumbe,The Serpent made dumbe. seeing Satan abused his tongue and mouth to tempt the woman: the Hebrewes thinke that the punishment is included, in that dust is appointed to bee his meat: for such whose mouthes are filled with earth, cannot speake. And to this day we see that the punishment remaineth upon the Serpent, who maketh no perfect sound as other cattell doe, but hisseth onelyonly. 5. Satan was accursed before God before, nor any hope of recovery remained, but now the sentence is declared to the comfort of man,What is signified by the heele. and Satans state declared to be irrepairable: for his punishment shall endure all the daies of his life, that is, for ever. 6. Some by the heele, understand the end or extremity, as Onkelos: that in the end the Devill as a Serpent shall bite the heele: some the inferiour part of the soule, some the humanity of Christ, which Satan pinched at when Christ was put to death: but thereby Christ gave him a deadly blow upon the head. But generally it signifieth, the weaker parts of Christs body, which is the Church: that Satan shall bee nibling and biting at the heele,How the Ser…ent feedeth of dust. as a Serpent doth, when hee is overwhelmed and turned upon his backe: that is, hee shall touch the members of Christ, and trie them with many temptations, but hee shall not be able to hurt them, Mercer. 7. By the dust also, some understand terrene p. 43and earthly things, wherein the Devill is conversant, being cast downe from heaven: some the graves and sepulchers of dead men, where the spirits appeare: but this clause is properly referred to the Serpent, who as he was Satans instrument, to cause man to sinne and returne to the dust, so that he should feed of the dust.

QVEST. XXV. Of the sorrowes of women.

Vers. 16. I Will greatly increase thy sorrowes.] There is a threefold punishment inflicted upon the woman, as Rupertus well noteth, pro seductione, conceptus multiplicitas, pro gulae oblectamento vter… dolor, pro scandalo, quod viro exhibuit servitutis poena, &c. because she was seduced, she hath sorrow in conceiving, for the delight of her eye, the paine of her wombe for the offence in enticing her husband, subjection unto him. But where the Lord saith, I will multiply thy sorrowes and conceptions.] 1. It is neither with Oleaster to be referred to the bearing of the child so long in the womb, for that is agreeable to nature,Lib. 3. de Trini c. 23. and our Saviour was so borne in his mothers womb, and therefore this was no part of the curse. 2. Neither doth the curse consist in the multiplicity, as Rupertus, because many are borne, which are ordained to destruction: for simply the fruit of the womb is a blessing, Psal. 27.3.Rupert. ibid. 3. But hereby the many sorrowes are signified which women doe endure in the conception of their children: as faintnesse, loathing of meat, longing for strange things griefe, ache, unwilsomnesse, perill of abortion, and such like. Secondly, whereas women should before have brought forth without pain, now their travaile is ful of labour, in so much as many have miscarried in the birth of their children, as Rachel: and it is well observed of Aristotle, Lib. 7. de hist. 2. animal. c 9.that no other creature with such difficulty bringeth forth her young, as woman doth, which is an evident demonstration of this punishment laid upon them. Thirdly, where it is said, the womans desire shall bee to her husband, and he shall rule over her: 1. It is not understood of the naturall desire the woman hath eftsoone of her husbands company, notwithstanding her painfull travaile,Womans subjection to her husband, how a punishment. which is no punishment but a delight unto them: 2. But of that subjection, whereby by the law of nature practised among Pagans, women doe depend upon their husbands. The woman should before have beene obedient to man, but of a loving society to be made partaker of all his counsells, nor of an urging necessity as now: whereby the woman in rerespect of her weaknesse, both with her will dependeth of her husband, for her direction and provision of things necessary, and against her will she often endureth the hard yoke of an unequall commander.

QVEST. XXVI. How the earth was cursed unto man.

Vers. 17. CVrsed be the earth, &c. 1. It is to be observed, that the Serpent is onelyonly pronounced accursed, because his state is remedilesse and desperate: but neither the man or woman are accursed, for whom there is hope. 2. The earth is accursed not in it selfe, but in respect of the use of man: as S. Paul saith, that the creatures doe yet groane with us together. 3. Some Hebrewes note, that some men are exempted from this punishment, to eat their bread in the sweat of their browes, as Kings and Princes: but no women are exempted from their punishment, because the woman both sinned her selfe, and enticed the man, so did not Adam: but this sentence is generall against all men, that although one particular onelyonly be expressed of the labour and toyle in tilling of the ground, yet therein are contained all other the cares and troubles of this life; from the which none are free. 4. Some Hebrewes thinke that in mans innocencie, he should not have travelled so for his bread, as in threshing, grinding, bak…ng of it: and it may very well bee, that although man should not then have lived idlely without labour, yet his labour should have beene pleasant, rather for delight than necessity, Mercer.

QVEST. XXVII. Of the growing of Thistles.

Vers. 18. THornes also and thistles, &c. 1. The earth should have brought forth thornes and thistles before; but now it bringeth them forth as noxious and hurtfull to man: 2. And whereas he is bid to eat the herbe of the field, this is neither interlaced as a consolation, as Calvin, for all this here uttered belongeth unto mans punishment; neither is man here deprived of the eating of all other fruit saving hearbs. But here the Lord sheweth, how man had deserved by his sinne to bee deprived of the pleasant fru…t of Paradise, and to live of the herb, as other bruit beasts: though by herb, corne is especially signified, ordained for the use of man. 3. But where mention is made of the sweat of the browes, by this particular all other kinde of labour in severall vocations, as of Magistrates Ministers, handi-crafts men is implied, Luther. Likewise under one kinde of labour and sorrow,Man should not have returned to dust if he had not sinned. all other miseries and cares of this life are comprehended, Calvin. 4. Yet God sheweth merciemercy in infflicting of these punishments, in turning them from eternall to temporall. 5. And whereas the Lord giveth this as a reason, that man should returne to dust, because he was taken out of it; this is not so to be understood as though he should have turned to dust if hee had not sinned: for as S. Paul sheweth, death came in by sinne (Adam should have beene translated and changed, as Henoch and Elias were, and they shall be, that remaine alive at the comming of Christ.) But while man stood in his integrity and happinesse, he remembred not his terrene beginning, as hee considered not his nakednesse; but now the Lord maketh it an argument of his mortall condition, and bringeth it to his remembrance, to humble him thereby, Mercer.

QVEST. XXVIII. Why Eva is called the mother of the living.

Vers. 20. ANd the man called his wives name Hevah.] 1. Neither as Lyranus thinketh, is she so called,Lib. 3. d. … c. 20. because she was the mother of all which live in sorrow and miserie. 2. Neither (as Rupertus) that Adam of incredulity so named her, not beleeving that shee should returne to dust, as the Lord p. 44had said, but that he and his posterity should live. 3. Neither need we referre it to the birth of Christ, who brought true life into the world: the woman cannot be truly said to be the mother of the spirituall life, she was the mother of him that was the Author of spirituall life. 4. And it is but a fond conceit to derive Ave, the first word of the Angels salutation to Marie of Eva, as though she repaired what was lost by Eva, for the one is a Latine word, the other Hebrew: neither did the Angell say Ave, all haile, but the translater, and the right word is not Eva, but Hevah. 5. Neither is Adam here to be noted of insolency and pride, that having received sentence of death, doth give unto the woman a name of life: but Adam being confirmed by Gods promise concerning the seed of the woman, that although they themselves were mortall, yet by them mankinde should be propagated, so calleth his wife. 6. But the conceit of R▪ Levi here hath no ground, that shee is called the mother of all living, that is of bru…t beasts, in respect of the stupidity and dulnesse of her minde: for by living, man is here understood, as sometime he is called flesh, because of his excellencie among the rest. 7. Neither was this name given unto Eva before they had sinned, when Adam gave the names to the rest of the creatures, as Pererius thinketh with the Hebrewes, nor yet was it given so long after, when he had some children, as some other thinke; but the name was given at such time and place, as is here set downe; before Adam called her Ishah, as if you should say, Mannesse, as a name of the whole sex, but here he calleth her Hevah, as by her proper name; so that these words, because she was the mother of all living, were not the words of Adam, who yet by prophesie did foresee that it should so bee, but Moses inserteth this sentence. Mercer.

QVEST. XXIX. What the coats of skinnes were which God made for Adam and Eve.

Vers. 21. VNtoUnto Adam also and his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins and cloathed them. 1. These coats of skinnes were not their bodies, as Origen, with some other of the fathers seeme to thinke: for God had made man before of the dust of the earth, cap. 2.7. 2. Neither were these coats made of the barkes of trees, as Barcephas, and Gregor. Nazianzane: for the Hebrew word gnor, is no where found in that sense.Tho…d. quest. 35. in Genes. 3. Neither is Theodorets reason sound, that they could not bee the skinnes of beasts▪ which were created but two and two, and so if any of them had beene slaine, the generation of that kinde should have beene hindred; for that there were no more created but two of a sort is not extant in Scripture. 4. Neither need we imagine with Hugo, that these skinnes might be made of the Elements, or some other matter: we are not to runne to miracles, where an ordinary course is offered. 5. Some would have these skinnes made of sheepes wooll, but that is not skinnes. 6. Ionathan of the Serpents skin, but this is too curious. 7. Neither did the Lord onelyonly teach man how to make him garments for his necessary use afterward, for the text is, that he cloathed them, that is actually, presently. 8. Therefore there is no inconveniencie to say, that God caused skins, whether of slaine beasts, or otherwise, by the ministery of his Angels, or how else it pleased him, to be brought to Adam; whereof he made them coats.

QVEST. XXX. Why God cloathed man in beasts skinnes.

ANd thus it pleased God to cloath man, not for any such typicall signification, as either to betoken the incarnation of Christ, that was cloathed with our flesh, or the cloathing of the nakednesse of the soule by repentance. But for these causes, 1. to shew him how his mortall body might bee defended from cold and other injuries: which use of skinne or leather cloathing was first used in the world. 2. To cover his nakednesse for comelinesse sake: and therefore the Chalde Paraphrast calleth them vestimenta honoris, garments of honour. 3. To teach man, that it was lawfull to use the beasts as for meat, so for cloathing. 4. And to give a rule, that modest and decent, not costly or sumptuous apparell should be used.Origen. …. p. in Levit. 5. And that he might know what difference is betweene Gods works and mans invention, betweene coats of leather and figge leaves. 6. And to put him in minde of mortality, by his cloathing of dead beasts skins: as Origen well noteth: talib. indici oportebat peccatorem, ut essent mortalitatis indicium.

QVEST. XXXI. How Adam is said to become as God.

Vers. 22. BEhold man is become as one of us. 1. Not as one of the Angels, as Oleaster interpreteth, or that the Lord speaketh in the plurall number, as is the manner of great persons: for this phrase of speech, was not used in those dayes, neither are the Angels and God alike. 2. But by us the Trinity is vnderstood; and the rest is uttered, ironice, by way of derision Adam is rebuked: that he came farre short to be as God, as Sathan promised him: either as God the Father in power, or as the sonne in wisedome, or as the holy ghost in goodnesse, holinesse. Verba sunt insultantis, as Augustine saith, quod non solum factus fuerit, Lib 11. Genes. ad lit. c. 33.qualis esse voluit, sed nec illud, quod factus fuerat conservavit: they are as the▪ words of one that insulteth, because he was so farre from being made that which he desired, that hee could not keepe that which he was made. And as Rupertus, non solum nequaquam sicut Deus, sed penefactus erat, sicut diabolus. He was so farre from being as God, that he was almost become as the Devill: if Gods merciemercy had not prevented him. 3. I rather preferre this sense, with Mercerus and Calvin, that God speaketh ironically,Lib 3. Comment. in Genes c. 28.Gen 28 even in Adams hearing: then either with Iunius and Paguine to referre these words to the time past, when man was in the state of innocencie: or to make it an affirmative speech of the time present, with Onkelos: that Adam now of himselfe knew good and evill, as God: for then he had gained, and not lost by his transgression; he knew evill by experience, as he did not before, but he had no such perfect knowledge, as in the Angels: therefore the Lord here derideth mans folly, and alludeth to the vaine words of Satan, who promised they should be as God. 4. And where he saith, lest he put forth his hands, &c. by living forever. 1. Neither long life is meant. 2. Nor that God herein had compassion of man, that being p. 45brought to so miserable an estate, he should not alwayes live in it. 3. Neither that if he did eat of the tree of life, he should have lived for ever, as Calvin thinketh, that God vitam conjungit cum externa tessera: did joyne life with the outward signe, for the tree of it selfe gave not life, but was a symbole only of immortality, which man should have received of God, if he had persevered in his obedience. Muscul. Adam being deprived of life, lost also the symbole and signe of i….5. But seeing the Lord had deprived man of life, he taketh away also the symbole of it: and speaketh according to the judgement of man, who foolishly might thinke to recover his estate by eating of the tree of life: and therefore by putting forth his hand, is expressed that voluntary action, whereby man of purpose would have eaten of the tree of life, to releeve himselfe, Mercer. 6. Now although it had not beene materiall, though Adam before his fall had eaten of the tree of life, for it could not have helped him now: yet I rather thinke with Ramban, that he did not eat of it at all.

QVEST. XXXII. At what time Adam fell.

Vers. 23. THerefore the Lord sent him forth from the garden of Eden.] Here a great question is moved, how long Adam continued in Paradise, and when he was cast out of Paradise. Some would have Adam to continue so long in Paradise, as Christ lived yeares on earth: others the space of forty dayes, and that Christ fasted so many dayes for a remedy against Adams intemperancie in Paradise so long: others thinke that Adam fell the next day after his creation, upon the day of rest, as Tostatus: but it is not like, that God upon that day which was a time of rejoycing, would execute judgement, nor curse in that day, which he blessed: some thinke that Adam fell upon the eighth day of his creation, that day seven night wherein he was made, as Pererius: but the most approved opinion is, that Adam fell the same day of his creation, which seemeth to be most probable for these reasons.

1. The Angels that fell, presently after their creation sinned: as our Saviour saith, that the Devill, non ste…it in veritate, did not stand or continue in the truth, Ioh. 8.44. Hereunto Augustine consenteth,Divers reasons shewing that man fe…l the day of his creation. De Genes. ad lit. lib. 11.23. Factus co… tinuo se à luce veritatis avertit: as soone as he was made he presently turned aside from the light of truth: unde angelicae vitae dulcedinem non gustavit, quam non acceptam fast idivit, sed nolendo accipere, de seruit & amifit: so he tasted not the sweetnesse of the angelicall life, which he loathed not, being received but by disdaining to receive it, lost it. So it is like, that man also eftsoone lost the benefit of the creation. 2. Our Saviour saith, that the deuill was a murtherer from the beginning, Ioh. 8.44. not of the world, but of mans creation: therefore at the very first he set upon them. 3. The subtilty of the Devill doth insinuate as much: who would then assault them, when they were least able to resist, before they by experience were confirmed in their obedience. 4. And it was fit, that man sinning should be cast out of Paradise, before he had fully tasted of the pleasure thereof, lest he afterward might have beene tormented with the losse, and attempted to returne. 5. And it is cleare by the serpents first onset: Hath God said, ye shall not eat of every tree; &c. that they had not yet tasted of any fruit, but at the very first the forbidden fruit was offered before their appetite had beene served with any other. 6. Adam had not yet eaten of the tree of life, as is evident, vers. 21. lest he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life: and therefore Augustine is in an errour, that he did eat of other trees, and specially of the tree of life:De pe…cat. merit. & r…miss. lib. 2. cap. 21. but if they had stayed any time in Paradise, it is not unlike, but they should have tasted of the tree of life, it being in the heart of Paradise, where Adams chiefe aboad was. 7. Likewise seeing presently after the creation, they were bidden increase and multiply; it is not other like but the man should have knowne his wife in Paradise, if they had stayed there so long, and so they should have gotten children without sinne. To this purpose Augustine saith, Quasi in ea …tate facti credendi sunt, ut expectanda esset maturitas pubertatis, aut non illud tunc legitimum esset, e…m primum fieri potuit: as though they were created of such an age, which was not fit for procreation, or that it had not beene lawfull (for them to come together) as soone as might be. 8. What became of Lions and Beares, that lived of flesh, all this while of Adams being in Paradise? they could not fast so long, and flesh they did not eat, because there was no death before mans fall: and they did not feed on grasse: for then their nature should not so soone have beene changed to devoure flesh. 9. Never any man in earth (Christ onelyonly excepted) kept the Sabbath without sin: the Apostle saith, He that is entred into his rest, hath also ceased from his owne workes, as God did from his, Heb. 4.10. it is the rest onelyonly of Christ, where there shall be cessation from all the workes of sinne. But that rest which Adam should have kept in Paradise, was not Christs rest: therefore he kept no rest there without sin: he fell then before the Sabbath. 10. That place lastly maketh to this purpose, Psal. 49.13. Adam lodged not one night in honour: for so are the words if they be properly translated: the word is lun, which signifieth to lodge or stay all night: and thus divers of the Rabbines doe expound this place of Adam. R. Nat… ▪ … Me…ach…. M…d…a… ….Upon these reasons it seemeth most probable that Adam did not continue one night in Paradise, but fell in the same day of his creation. Of this opinion are Irenaeus, Cyrillus, Epiphanius, Moses, Barcephas, Philoxenus, Ephrem. with others, rehearsed by Pererius upon this place: though he himselfe be of another opinion.

That objection, that so much businesse, as the giving of names to the creatures by Adam, the temptation of Eva by the Serpent, and seduction of Adam by woman,The contrary objection: answered. could not be dispatched in so small a time of six or seven houres, may easily bee answered. 1. It is evident by the text, that the imposition of names was performed the day of his creation before the woman was made, Gen. 2.20. and it asked no long time in regard of the singular wisdome and knowledge of Adam, who was able at the first sight of the creatures without any long search or triall of their nature, to give them fit names. 2. Of Satans nimblenesse in hastening the tentation, and insinuating himselfe to the woman, there need bee made no doubt; the celerity and agility of spirits is great. 3. It was the coole of the day, about the Eventide, when sentence was given against Adam: so that in the space of eight or nine houre from his creation to his fall, all these matters might easily be done.

p. 46QVEST. XXXIII. Whether Adam was cast out.

Vers. 24. TH… hee cast out man, &c. 1. Where the Septuagint adde, and placed him before Paradise: whereupon some writers have descanted of the causes why Adam was placed before Paradise,Qu…st. 40. in Genes. What the Cherubims were that kept Paradise. Whether Paradise were kept with a fic…io sword. that by the sight thereof, he remembring from whence he was fallen, might more effectually repent his sinne: the originall is otherwise, that not Adam, but the Cherubims were placed before Paradise. 2. Whereas Theodoret thinketh, that these Cherubims were not Angels, but certaine terrible visions set to feare man from that passage, it may be otherwise gathered out of Scripture, where wee read, that the Cherubims pictured over the Arke, were beautifull faces representing Angels: and therefore the Prophet compareth the king of Titus glittering in his pretious stones to the Cherub. Ezech. 28.14. 3. Concerning the fiery shaken sword, we refuse, 1. either the collection of Tertullian, who taketh it for torrida z…a, the parching countrie under the aequinoctiall: or of Liranus, who would have it to be a certaine wall of fire about Paradise: or of Rupertus, that understandeth it of purgatorie fire: for all these are deceived about the translation; the word signifieth not a fiery sword shaken, but rather a sharp sword shaken, as the Chald… paraphrast readeth, which by the shaking seemeth to glitter as the flame of fire: or because the word Lahat signifieth to inflame, it is not unlike, but that some fierie inflammation, in the likenesse of a sword, might be set as a terrour in that place, Iun.

4. Places of Doctrine.

1. Doct. Spirits have power to possesse bodies, and speake out of them.

WHereas Satan useth the serpent, and out of his trunke frameth a voice: we neede not thinke it strange, that the Devill hath this power to possesse the bodies of beasts, and to speake out of them: which though Iul…a… the Apostata counted a fable, Cyrillus learnedly sheweth the like to have beene done out of the heathen writers, as how in Homer, Achilles horse inspired by Iuno, foretelleth his death: P…rphyrius writeth, that the river Causus saluted Pythagoras, saying; Ave Pythagora: and Phylostratus, that a certaine Elme saluted Apollonius. Isogonus Cithiensis saith, that in Rhode… a certaine bull consecrate to Iupiter did speake. The Pagans therefore and Atheists finding the like in their owne writers have no reason to deride this storie of the Devils speaking in the serpent. Perer.

2. Doct. Adam and Eva sinned not, before they were tempted.

WHereas Satan was the first that inveigled the woman with ambitious desire, saying, yee shall bee as Gods,Prosper. lib. 2. de vit. contempt. c. 19. vers. 5. The opinion of Prosper is discovered not to be sound, that our first parents were tickled with pride before the tentation, and therefore were permitted of God to fall into it: for this difference is made betweene the sinne of man, and of the Angels: he fell being seduced, but the other of their owne pride without a seducer transgressed.

3. Doct. Adam if he had not sinned, should not have died.

Vers. 19. DVst thou art, and to dust thou shalt returne: hence it is gathered, that death was not naturall to man, but hapned because of sinne: contrary to the opinion of Iosephus, that thinketh, that man should have died though he had not sinned, but his life should have beene much longer. It was the opinion also of the Pelagians, that death was in mans nature, and sprang not from sinne. Not much differing is the sentence of the Popish writers,B…llar. de grat. …. lib. 1. c. 6. that man was created mortall by the condition of his nature, yet preserved by a supernaturall gift: the contrary is evident from hence, because it was never said to man before he had sinned, that he should returne to dust.

4. Doct. The Trinity proved out of the Old Testament.

Vers. 22. BEhold the man is become as one of us. This is an evident place against the Iewes, to prove the Trinity: for here the Lord speaketh of more than one: neither can it be answered, that it is but a phrase of speech to use the plurall for the singular: for here is more than a phrase: this speech could not be true, to say, one of vsus, if there were no more than one person in the God-head.

5. Doct. Why God suffered Adam to be tempted and fall.

FUrther, whereas the question will be demanded, how it stood with Gods justice and holinesse, to suffer man to be tempted, whom he foresaw should fall. Our answer is this: 1. we say with the Apostle, O the deepenesse of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God! how vnsearchable are his judgements, and his waies past finding out? R…m. 11.33. And Augustine maketh the same answer to this question;Lib. 11. Gen. ad lit. c. 4. Altitudinem consili…e…us penetrare non possum, &c. I cannot enter into the depth of Gods counsell. 2. Yet for as much, as God had given man free-will and sufficient strength to resist this tentation, if he would, it was fit he should be left to exercise his strength:Lib. 7. de Civit. D…i. c 30. as Augustine againe saith, Administrat om…ia, qua creavit, ut etiam ipsa proprios motus exercere sinat: God doth so governe all things, which he created, that yet hee suffereth them to exercise their owne motions. 3. God might justly suffer this to be done, because hee did know how to turne Adams fall unto good.Aug. l. de cor. & grat. c. 10. Deu… permisit hominem tentari, qu…m sciebut esse casurum quid simul videbat, eo casu s…ti posse ad misericordiam, &c. God suffered man to be tempted, whom he knew should fall, because he saw how to use his fall, to declare his mercy and justice, while he justly punished some out of the same damned masse, and delivered others in mercy.

p. 47Doct. VI. Adam not damned.

WHereas v. 15. a promise is made concerning Christ, that the seede of the woman should breake the serpents head: from hence we infer, that our first patents, though they sinned▪ yet were by faith in the Messiah to come restored, and not utterly condemned which was the heresie of the Tatia…es. August. de haeres. c. 23. In the booke of wisdome we read, that wisdome preserved the first father of the world, and brought him out of his offence, c. 10.1. which is agreeable to the Canonicall scripture: because Adam is called the sonne of God. Luke 3.38. he was not then the child of death and hell, everlastingly to perish.

Doct. VII. Wherein Adam transgressed.

NOw because carnall men doe extenuate Adams sinne, that he was cast out of Paradise for eating an apple; I will briefly shew the greatnes of our first parents transgression, wherein many sins concurred. 1. There was in them both incredulitie, in not beleeving Gods words to be true. 2. Vnthankfulnesse, in not being contented with their estate. 3. Pride, in desiring to be like unto God. 4. Wantonnes, in sinning without any necessitie, having all the trees in the garden beside to eare of. 5. There was the sinne of gluttonie, in pampering the desire of the bel…e. 6. Disobedience in transgressing the commandement. 7. Curiositie in coveting to know the operation of the fruit, in bringing them to knowledge. 8. Presumption, in that they presumed of Gods merciemercy, that they should not die though they did eate. 9. Then followed the concupiscence and rebellion of the flesh, in being ashamed of their nakednesse. 10. They excused their sinne. 11. They are guiltie of homicide, in bringing death not only upon themselves, but all their posteritie. 12. Beside Eva seduced her husband. 13. Adam sinned in his inordinate affection to his wife, in listning to her. 14. The easines of the commandemēt maketh the transgression more heinous, as Augustine well noteth:August. in Psal. 70.Ps 70 answering to this question, why God forbad them to eate of that tree: Si bona est, quare non tango? si mala est, quare in Paradise? ideo in Paradiso est, quia bona est, sed nol… tang…, qui… obedientē te vol…: if it be good, why doe I not touch it? if it be evill, why is it in Paradise? therefore it is in paradise because it is good, but I will not have thee touch it, because I would have thee obedient. God could not then make better triall of mans obedience, than in forbidding that which was good.

Places of confutation.

Confut I. Infidelity not pride, the first sinne of our parent.

1. THe opinion of the Popish writers is, that pride was the first sinne, that Eva was tempted unto, because Satan saith unto them, yee shall bee as gods: but it is rather evident, that their first sinne was infidelitie: first Satan telleth them, ye shall not die at all:Bellar. …. 3. ami…. grat. lib. 3. c. 4. Perer an …. 6. disputat. de pe. c. Eva. …. 1. and so perswadeth them not to give credit to the word of God: for if they had verely beleeved that to come to passe, which was threatned, they would never have given any credit to Satan.

Confut. II. Our parents lost not their faith.

2. BEllarmine also holdeth, that our first parents in their transgression lost their faith, because by the seducement of Satan, they beleeved not what God said unto them; ye shall not die. Ans. 1. It followeth not if in this one act of faith they failed, that therefore totally their faith was extinguished: he that shal be seduced in one article or point of faith, is he presently stripped of all faith? 2. It was no formall infidelitie, as though wittingly, they rejected Gods word, but they were materially deceived onelyonly, and their sudden & violent affection over-shadowed their knowledge & judgement. 3. So Peter denied Christ through feare and frailtie, yet in his judgement, he could not so at once cast off all opinion of Christ: h…s faith was shaken and winnowed, but it failed not, as our Saviour testifieth of him, that he had praied for him, that his faith faile not, Luke. 23.22. and so was the case in our first parents.

Confut. III. Not Marie but Christ brake the serpents head.

3. vers. 15. THe vulgar latine translation readeth; shee shall breake thy head, &c. which the Popish writers understand of the virgin Mary, as Pererius doubteth not to give this marginal note;Perer. in 3 G… ▪ v 15. Bellar. lib. 2. de verb. Dei. c. 1… ▪ B. virgo contrivit caput serpentis, the blessed Virgin did break the head of the serpent: and Bellarmine also justifieth this translation: whereas in the original it is his, ipsum, it, in the neuter gender, which must be referred to seed: the Septuagint, and the Chalde, read, he, in the masculine, understanding it of Christ: for none else but Christ broke the serpents head.

Confut. IIII. The tree of life, could not actually give life, but was a symbole of it.

4. vers. 22. LEst he take of the tree of life, and live for ever. Bellarmine would proove from hence, that this tree by eating the fruit therof, might bring true immortalitie.Bellar. de grat. …. c. …8. Ans. 1. As the Lord saith (by way of derision) man is become as one of vsus to know good and evill. So in the same sense is this other part of the sentence uttered, that as a man simply thought to get knowledge by eating of the one, so he might imagine to obtaine life by the other. 2. For if Adam might have lived by eating of this tree, now after he had sinned, how would that other saying have taken effect, in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt die the death. Gen. 2.17. These speeches had beene contrarie the one to the other. 3. It was therefore the tree of life as the other was of the knowledge of good and evill, that is significative, non effective, not in operation, …ut in signification: it was a signe or symbole of life received from God, and by Gods gift should have beene …reserved, if a man had not sinned: and therefore man beeing deprived of life, lost also the signe thereof.

p. 48Places of Exhortation and practice.

Degrees of tentation.1. WE have here set forth unto us from v. 1. to v. 7. the degrees of tentation: 1. the suggestion of Satan. 2. delectation, the woman saw the tree was pleasant, &c. 3. Consent, shee tooke of the fruit. 4. The effecting of the thing desired, shee did eate. 5. the contagion or infecting of others: shee gave to her husband.

Eyes opened after sinne.2. v. 7. Their eyes were opened: till a man hath sinned his eyes are shut, but afterward they see the greatnesse of it; as David did acknowledge his sinne of adulterie after he had committed it.

Worldly shame.3. v. 10, Because I was naked I hid my selfe, &c. He was more ashamed of his nakednesse, than of his sinne, so many doe feare rather to offend because of publike shame, than for any conscience of sinne …as Caine rather grieved because he was made a vagabond, than for that he had killed his brother.

Excusing of sinne. Sobrietie in apparell.4. v. 12. Adam putteth off the fault to his wife, she to the serpent: so it is naturall to us to excuse our sinnes, and to seeke to colour them, and lay them upon others.

5. v. 21. In that God made them coats of skinnes, not of silke or any such costly or curious stuffe, it sheweth, that sober and plaine apparell best becommeth Adams sonnes.