A Model of Divinity, Chapter 18
CHAPTER XVIII. The effects of the firſt Sinne.
Queſtion.
VVHat are the effects of Adams tranſgreſſion?
Anſwere.
Blame, and then guilt and puniſhment. Man was blameworthy, for eating againſt the expreſſe commandement of his God, then was he made guiltie of all the debt and danger that the law contained, and by puniſhment to ſuffer, or ſatisfie whatſoeuer the law could challenge at our hands. Rom. 5.12. One man ſinnes, there is the blame, by it entrance is giuen to death, there is our guilt, that we hauehave ſo intangled our ſelues in the ſnares of ſinne and death, and it runnes over all, there is the puniſhment.
Q. What is blame?
A. Gods iuſt cenſure of finne. Gen. 1.14. Becauſe thou haſt done this, thou and all thine are accurſed. The blame is laid vponupon our ſelues, and it was a peece of Adams wretchedneſſe to caſt it vponupon his good God. Gen. 3.12. Wee hauehave brought vponupon our ſelues the ſcorne and ſcourge of all our ſinnes.
Q. What is the guilt?
A. Whereby they are tyed to vnderunder goe the puniſhment. Gen. 2.17. In the day thou eateſt thereof, thou ſhalt die the death. Blame reſpecteth vice, as prayſe vertue; and guilt iuſtice, as libertie merciemercy. By the firſt, ſinne is evill, and naught, by the ſecond, a debt. Wee properly owe nothing to God but louelove and dutie: yet by forfaiture for non payment of the principall, we runne into further arrerages with God; and ſo are bound to a double diſcharge: firſt, of the principall, ſecondly, of the forfaiture. It is a ſtrange opinion to thinke, if wee ſatisfie for the forfaiture, wee are freed from the principall. The law is ſtill in force, and except Chriſt pay both for vsus, we ſhall never come by a full diſcharge. He ſuffered to ſatisfie the forfaiture, and obeyed to pay for the principall. Our debts are now growne infinite, and onelyonly he that is infinite can diſcharge them. We might of our ſelues hauehave payed the principal: but now like Bank-rupts, we hauehave for ever diſ inabled our ſelues, and are not able to pay a penie in the pound, for our releaſe. God hath a bill, a bond, or a booke, wherein all our debts ſtand to be ſeene, and muſt remaine vncancelled, and vncroſt, till all be payed. O good God, draw the red lines of thy Chriſts-Croſſe, yea, and the white lines too of his moſt holy life, over the blacke lines, yea, the beſt lines of thine owne debt booke. Thou ſeeſt better then our owne conſciences, eueryevery peccant act of ours, in thought, word, or deed, oh let all our billes, and Items in thy booke be cleared, croſſed, and cancelled, by the precious bloud of thine owne ſonne, and our Saviour and ſuretie. He alone is able to expunge, cover, nullifie, aboliſh, & wholly to take away the guilt of our defilement, and the gall of our puniſhment. In him wee know that thou our Creator wilt pardon all our ſinnes, & debts, bearing action againſt vsus, or obliging vsus to any penaltie. Yet not eueryevery hypocrite, or profligate profeſſor that liues as he liſt, muſt looke for this louelove. Faith is no Pandar to ſinne, it will make vsus both ſee the vlcer, and the waſhing of it. Neither will it leaue vponupon vsus the ſlander of Solifidians, but will tell the cleanſed, that he is to goe away and ſinne no more. It will never bid him drinke, and take Tobacco; ſinne, and beleeue; get a pardon of the old, and a licence for the new. It will teach him to turne over a new leafe, and learne a better leſſon. Firſt, to ſee his owne miſery; ſecondly, the mercy of God; thirdly, how both will reſtraine him from all licentious libertie.
Q. What then is the puniſhment?
A. The iuſt anger of God vponupon all that ſinne. Rom. 2.5.8.9. Heb. 10.31. with Chap. 11.29. Iſa. 33.14.
Q. What Attributes doe here put forth themſelues?
A. His holineſſe, and that both in his Iuſtice and MercieMercy. Rom. 2.4.5. It ſhall well appeare, that God will not winke at ſinne, or giuegive vntounto it the leaſt allowance. 1. King. 20.42. Ahabs life is to goe for Benadabs; this is but a ſhadow of Gods holineſſe. If men muſt waſh away bloud with bloud; then aſſuredly, God will waſh his hands in innocencie, and by puniſhing of ſinne, free himſelfe from the ſlaine of it.
Q. What is Gods holineſſe?
A. Whereby being pure from ſinne in himſelfe, he cannot away with it in his creatures. Pſal. 5.4. Iſa. 6.3.
Q. What is his Iuſtice?
A. Whereby being moſt iuſt in himſelfe, he cannot but execute iuſtice, as in well doing to them that doe well: ſo in afflicting puniſhment on them that doe evill. As prayſe and price to the one, ſo all woe and want to the other. Rom. 2.6.7.8.9.10. Exod. 20.5.6. The iuſtice of God, as it ſeemes to burne more remiſſely againſt ſinne is called anger, as more ſharply, wrath; furthermore, as it ſentenceth, iudgement, and as it executeth the ſame, revenge. This holineſſe and juſtice were in God from all eternitie, yet till now no matter of manifeſting them. They inquire after iniquitie, and take hold of ſinne, and burne againſt it: yet with wonderfull moderation; firſt, God ſeemes but to be angry, and (as it were) chids with the ſinner: then he growes into iuſt rage and ſtrikes the ſinner. Rev. 3.19. After rebuke, followes correction, and whom words will not reclaime, wounds muſt weary, and if gentler chaſtiſements will not worke then by ſeveritie and extremitie, he breakes in peeces the ſinner. He can chaſtiſe them with Scorpions, that will not be moued with whips. 1. Kin. 12.11.
Q. What is his merciemercy?
A. Whereby he vſeth compaſſion alſo towards his creatures offending. Gen. 6.3. and 8.21. Pſal. 78.38.39. MercieMercy is more common then grace, for he pitties all, though he but receiue ſome againe into favour. He feeds the filthy as well as the faithfull with his hid treaſures; and makes his ſunne to ſhine, and his raine to fall vponupon the iuſt and vniuſt. He vouchſafeth them (ill deſerving) common mercies, that they might ſeeke to him for more ſpeciall graces. Thus merciemercy is offered before the ſentence be executed, & then iuſtice, which was all this time burning, flames out vponupon ſinners that would not come at his call.
Q. How manifold is this merciemercy?
A. His clemencie and bountie: God is both gentle and kind to all ſinners, mild in merciemercy, and bountifull in his benefits. Rom. 2.9.2 Chron. 36.15. Iſa. 55.7.8.9.
Q. What is his gentleneſſe, or clemencie?
A. Whereby in iuſtice he remembreth merciemercy, kindly inviting ſinners to repentance. Ezek. 18.23. and 33.11. Pſal. 103.8.9. The Lord will heare the cry of the poore, becauſe he is gracious, or kind. Exod. 22.27.
Q. Wherein doth it appeare?
A. In his patience, and long ſufferance. He beares the reproches of ſinners, and a while ſtayes and waites for their repentance. Erech appajim in Hebrew is one that hath a long noſe; and it is frequently giuen to God, for his patience and longanimitie. The noſe is the ſeat of anger, and a long one is not eaſily contracted. God is ſlow in frowning vponupon ſinners, and he is hardly provoked. Num. 14.18. Pſal. 86.13. and 103.8. and 145.8. …oel 2.13. Nah. 1.3. Ion. 4.2. Rom. 2.4. and 3.25. and 9.22. 1 Pet. 3.20. 2 Pet. 3.15. Theſe places ſay not that God is without anger, or wrath, but that he is not eaſily, quickly, or raſhly mooued thereunto.
Q. What is his patience?
A. Whereby he beares the reproches of ſinners, and deferres their puniſhments: he doth not preſently ſtep forth, as a mightie enemy to be revenged of ſuch as provoke him. Pſal. 50.21. God is ſilent when he is patient. Act. 17.30. and diſſembles the time, when hee forgets not the ſinne. Rom. 3.25. A forbearance, till the appearance of iuſtice. Rom. 9.22. Lenitie to prevent all extremitie of iuſt anger.
Q. What is his long ſufferance?
A. Whereby in bearing he expecteth a long time for repentance. Iſa. 55.7. & 65.2. Law. 3.22. Eccl. 8.11. Ioel 2.12.13. 1 Pet. 3.9.15. God doth waite, and put out the hand for to receiue ſinners: yet let vsus beware, for he that doth alwayes giuegive pardon to repenters, will not ever giuegive repentance to the ſinner, at what time ſoeuer a ſinner repents, he ſhall find mercy; but if once the long ſufferance of God be over, wee cry too late. Ere vengeance begin, repentance is ſeaſonable; but if judgement be once gone out, there is no hope of pardon. While the Goſpell ſollicites vsus, the doores of the Arke are open; if wee neglect the time of grace, in vaine ſhall we ſeeke it with teares; God holds it no mercy to pittie the obſtinate. He gaue an hundreth and twentie yeares reſpite of repenting before the deluge, and if the old world had not beene wilfull, it ſhould never hauehave beene ſo waſted with waues and waters. How loath is he to ſtrike, that threats ſo long? Surely, he that giues ſo long warnings, deſires to be prevented. Swine fore-ſeeing a ſtorme, runne home crying for ſhelter. Lyons, Tygres, and Beares, by an inſtinct from God, came to ſeeke the Arke: onelyonly men refuſe to be ſaued; thus reaſon once debauched, is worſe then brutiſhneſſe, 1 Pet. 3.20.
Q. What is Gods bountifulneſſe?
A. Whereby he being rich in merciemercy powreth forth his good gifts vponupon his ſinfull creatures, notwithſtanding they offend him. Math. 5.45. Adam after he was fallen, had diverſe houres to bethinke himſelfe of his miſery, for God came late vntounto him. Gen. 3.8. God gaue him life, and time to repent, yet he ſought not for grace, till God came to call vponupon him. It may probably be coniectured, that Eue was created in the after-noone of the ſixt day, all the fore-noone being employed, in the creation of the beaſts, and man himſelfe, the placing of him in Paradiſe, the bringing of the creatures vntounto him as their Lord, the appellation of them, and the not finding of a companion for Adam amongſt them all. Adam therefore hauing beene thus buſied, as was Abraham. Gen. 15.10.11.12. even at the height of the Sunne, as he at the fall, fell into a dead and deepe ſleepe, and after his awaking had the woman brought vntounto him, and ſhee was giuen vntounto him for his wife. And it was the coole of the day when God came againe to them both, which the Hebrewes interpret of the even-tide, and the Greeke verſion followes it, and S. Ambroſe giues the reaſon, for that man came late to his repentance, God as before, ſo now trying him, whether he would come to a ſight of his ſinne, which he ſhould before hauehave prevented. It is alſo probable, that when God had ended his workes, and left man ſome preparation for the Sabboth, he ſent his Angels to be their companions, and to trie them both together in the ſanctification of his name, for all his workes and benefits now beſtowed vponupon them. They being met together, are ſo farre from hollowing the name of God, that preſently they fall to the prophanation of it, and before the day of confirmation was come, had loſt all; yea, and were ſo deſtitute of all vnderſtanding, as they had not ſo much grace left them, as to call to God for merciemercy. O the bountie of our Creator, that would come himſelfe, after he had waited a time, and call them all to an account, and enter with man into a further covenant of grace and merciemercy, &c.
Q. VponUpon whom was the puniſhment inflicted?
A. VponUpon the Devils the authors, with their inſtruments, and Adam. Gen. 3.14.15.16.17. The examination begins where the ſinne ended, & the puniſhment is firſt inflicted where it began. God did analyſe and anatomiſe the ſinne backward wayes, anſt ſo finds out the principall agent, and beginnes with him. God could firſt hauehave begun with Satan: but he ſhewes vsus the way of the invention of eueryevery crime, and craft, yea, and of eueryevery worke done: and that is to aſcend vpward from the loweſt and laſt agent, or his act. By man he found out the woman, and by the woman, the Serpent; and there he begins to curſe, and puniſh. And vnderunder the Serpent are the Devils puniſhed. The Serpent was curſed aboue all Cattell, and the Devill aboue all creatures. God put enmitie betweene the Serpent, and the Woman, and it is the greateſt; for, as a woman is more afraid of a Serpent then a man, ſo is a Serpent more afraid of a woman then a man: Phyſoſophers ſay, from the breath, or ſent of a woman, which is poyſonous to a Serpent: but Divines ſay, it ariſeth from this auncient enmitie, which is greater, then with any other creature. So the Devils, which were ſo familiar with a woman at the firſt, ſhall by a woman receiue the greateſt overthrow. And we ſee the woman is more afraid of a Devill then a man; and the Devill is more afraid of a devout and godly woman, then a man; who recompence their ſin, with louing moſt, and over-goe men in holy affections. And here I cannot but wonder, that women being nought, are moſt familiar with the Devill, as we ſee by Witches, yea, and often vnderunder the ſhape of a Serpent, or Worme: but this ſtayes me, that though the Antipathie be great, yet in ſinnes they come neareſt together, as in obſtinacie and wilfull pertinacy of opinion.
Q. What is the puniſhment inflicted vponupon the Devils?
A. We are to learne it from their Inſtrument; Moſes elegantly contriuing them vnderunder one head. Firſt, then we hauehave the contuſion, or cruſhing of their heads, that is, the fruſtration of all their counſels and devices, they being able no more to plot any thing againſt God, or his Church. Hitherto they prevailed in ruinating man-kind: but they ſhall from hence-forth want braines to bring to paſſe ſuch another worke, againſt any of Gods darlings. The beating out of their braines, and bruiſing in peeces of all their policies, ſhall be by the ſeed of a woman, that is, by Chriſt, and that by the heele, to wit, the humiliation of him in our fleſh, and vponupon the croſſe. In which he ſhall ſo eagerly purſue the Devils, and ſtrike ſo mightily at their heads, that in breaking of them he ſhall bruiſe himſelfe. He ſhall tread ſo hard vponupon the enemy, as if his very heele ſhould ake with it. Shuph, the originall word, as it were, by an onomatopaeia, or fained found, ſignifies the ſhuffling of feete together, and it is giuen both to Chriſt, and the Devill, who ſhould (as it were) wreſtle together, and that Chriſt ſhould over-throw his enemy, and cruſh him in peeces, eſpecially his head, the ſeat of wit and will, which by a Metonymie of the cauſe for the effect, ſignifies Satans devices, &c. and his heele, a metaphor from the loweſt part in man, to ſignifie, the debaſement and humiliation of Chriſt, wherein he ſhould ſuffer, the Devill being a principall agent of all his ſorrowes: but Satan ſhould rue his intermedling, when he ſhould feele the knocke giuen by Chriſt, yea, and grieue that he had ever ſo much to doe with a woman, whoſe enmitie he ſhould now find as bitter, as ever he felt ſweetnes in her friendſhip. Eue thought ſhee was the woman, when ſhee brought forth Cain, as if ſhe had now poſſeſſed a man of Iehovah, to doe all this; but by the name of her next ſon Abel, ſhe ſaw the vanitie of her owne opinion; yet Adam after he had receiued the promiſe, rightly called her Eue, not onelyonly becauſe wee ſhould be the mother of all the liuing, but that in her might remaine a memoriall, that a woman ſhould come to be an inſtrument of life, &c. Gen. 3.14.15. Furthermore, here is all our comfort, that Satan is ſtinted to the heele of the true Chriſtian ſeed, and therefore ſhall never breake their heads by Apoſtaſie, though he may bruiſe their heeles by manifold ſlips and ſlidings. Ioh. 16.33. Rom. 16.20. Other puniſhments, as conſequents of this, are to be gathered, though no more bee expreſſed. Obſerue then, in the ſecond place, the obduration, and hardning of them in their ſinnes, that they cannot repent, and finde merciemercy. And the reaſon is, becauſe they were beginners of this ſinne, neither compelled, nor ſeduced; for, firſt their vnderſtandings were cleare, they knew the truth, & that diſtinctly; ſecondly, their wills were good by creation, and they had power to hauehave obeyed GODS command: but againſt all this goodneſſe of God they oppoſe themſelues, and deviſe which way they may croſſe God, and ſo ſinne againſt the holy Ghoſt. The Phariſees knew Chriſt to be of God, and were convinced in conſcience of the truth he taught, yet ſought they by all meanes to diſgrace him, and ſo ſinned like the Devils. Conſcience in both, may ſome-times checke them; yet as an vnruly dogge, that ſeeth the cudgell, and would be gone, flyes in the face of his maſter, if he ſee no wayes to eſcape; ſo they may tremble. Iam. 2.19. and yet triumph in their wickedneſſe; for they cannot repent, they rather laugh at their ſinne, and dance in their wicked courſes, then are any wayes moued, to cry for mercy; and ſo ipſofacto are depriued of all hope of happineſſe. Againe, they are not able to ſatisfie, neither can Chriſt doe it for them, for they are not multiplied by generation, and ſo Chriſt cannot take vponupon him their nature. As for the good Angels, Chriſt hath merited for them collaterally, that is, they in him by their owne free will, hauehave choſen the good part, that ſhall never bee taken from them. Thirdly, they are baniſhed from heaven, into the elements, and reſerved, or confined in them vntounto the day of judgement, and hell fire, 2 Pet. 2.4. Iud: ver. 5. Wee may ſee the fiery Devils in Iob, at Gods permiſſion abuſing that element, Iob 1.16. Alſo an ayery ſpirit in raiſing the windes. Iob 1.19. Earthy Devils, poſſeſſing men, Math. 8.28. Watery Devils, carrying vncleane Swine with them into the Sea. ver. 32. And as good Angels carry the ſoules of holy men into heaven; ſo doe Devils carry the ſoules of vncleane and vngodly wretches into hell, which muſt be into ſome of thoſe places that they poſſeſſe; now they are called the Princes of the ayre, becauſe by the fire and ayre they doe the greateſt miſchiefe, and there may they torment the ſoules of men. EueryEvery ſinfull creature is ſtubble, and ſo is not able to ſtand in the preſence of God, which is a conſuming fire: It is for Chriſt and Chriſtians, that Devils and wicked men feele not the full extent of Gods wrath. God will hauehave them to exerciſe the graces and vertues of his ſervants: and ſo by accident they are preſerved, and reſerved to the generall aſſize, and fire of hell; Chriſt ſhall come in fire and that fire ſhall be the melting of the elements, which ſhall be confounded as in one maſſe. The ayre is oyly, and the earth is full of combuſtible matter, as coales, and brimſtone. Many pits are full of ſlime; and as the Countrey where Sodome and Gomorrah ſtood, was very bituminous, clammie clay, and glewiſh ground, with ſtore of ſlime pits, and ſo very fit for the exhaling of that matter, which was afterwards rained downe vponupon them: ſo the place that God is now a preparing for the damned, may very well be in the confuſion of all the elements together, where fire ſhall fearefully ſeize vponupon all things, and God even prepare all as matter, or fuell for his rage. I heare not that the fire ſhall be quenched againe in which Chriſt ſhall come. And the fire of hell is vnquenchable; and may even in this become vtter darkneſſe, becauſe the Starres ſhall fall, and melt away, and the powers of heaven ſhall be ſhaken, and (as it were) driuen to the earth, and therefore the ſubiect of light being deſtroyed, vponupon the earth, and within the earth may be this horrible darkneſſe, and woefull fire. Ier. 17.13. Some ſhall hauehave their names written in the earth, and be as the Parables of the duſt as others in heaven, oppoſite ſhall be the places of the elect and damned, and (as it were) a gulfe betwixt them. Luk. 16.26. The reprobate ſhall then be more narrowly confined, and more fearefully tormented. To conclude, learne further by this puniſhment of the Devils, that their firſt ſinne was in tempting of man: for we ſee that the puniſhment of them, is onelyonly inflicted for this their rebellion, and their continuing in it: yea, marke further, how God hath puniſhed the rebells in their enuie, they enuied mans eſtate by creation, and ſcorned to ſerue him; they ſhall now ſee him advanced into their roomes, and themſelues impriſoned vponupon that miſerable earth, which they converted from a Paradiſe into a priſon, from a delicate palace into a moſt damnable dungeon. Thus whiles enuie feeds on others evils, and hath no diſeaſe but his neighbours well fare, it hath all thoſe favours fall beſide it ſelfe, which it grudged to ſee in others. It is nothing but a pale & leane carcaſe, quickned with a Fiend; & it keepes the worſt diet, for it conſumes it ſelfe, and delights in pining. A thorne hedge covered with netles, that cannot be dealt withall either tenderly, or roughly. What peeviſh interpreters of good things were the Devils, that had rather ſtep into hell, then ſtoop a little to their Creator, in ſeruing of an inferior creature, which now they ſee more honoured then ever before.
Q. What puniſhment was inflicted on the Inſtruments, and firſt vponupon the Serpent?
A. A curſe aboue all the beaſts of the field, enmitie betweene him and the woman, and a ſenſible feeling of paine in his going vponupon his belly, and eating of duſt. Gen. 3.14.15. All things were for man and his comfort, therefore it was an odious thing to be his over-thrower, & God layes a reaſonable puniſhment, on the vnreaſonable Inſtrument. Theſe wormes were worthy creatures of God, but now moſt wretched, and aſhamed to appeare abroad, and therefore liue in the earth, and are ſeldome to be ſeene. Their skins paine them if they liue long, and alwayes it is painefull vntounto them to crawle, or creepe, becauſe the belly is their ſofteſt part, and oppreſſed with the guts and body lying vponupon it. In winter they ſtirre not, being almoſt dead with cold. Their meat is the earth, a grieuous diet, and the greateſt enemie to life, conſiſting of heat and moyſture. Wee may ſee by the wormes that feed on the earth, how in dry weather they are withered and pined to nothing, and what adoe they hauehave to thruſt out their earthy food in a raynie morning. Laſtly, this beaſt was curſed in this, that now woman ſhould take heed how ſhe came neere him, and he likewiſe ſtricken with a feare of her, &c.
Q. What was inflicted vponupon the woman?
A. Beſides that which ſhe hath common with man, her inforred ſubiection to her husband, and her manifold griefe in conception, bearing and bringing forth. Gen. 3.16. She ſhould not now be ſo bold with her husband, her limites were to be ſhortned, and her yoke made more grievous. Shee was an inſtrument of his hurt, and is now to feele it, by her liuing with him, conceiuing by him, bearing and bringing forth of his of ſpring. The bleſſing of God before was great, and ſhould hauehave taken away all paine, which now is iuſtly inflicted for her diſſobedience. The paine of the belly is to both inſtruments a memorandum of medling with forbidden fruit.
Q. What is inflicted vponupon Adam, and conſequently vponupon all his poſteritie?
A. Sinne and death. One ſinne begets another; and the ſecond is an effect of the former, both properly and accidentally; properly as a branch of ſo bitter a root: accidentally, as inflicted by divine Iuſtice. One and the ſelfe ſame effect may hauehave diverſe cauſes: as for example, Iob 1.21. with 15. verſ. &c. Satan, Sabeans, Chaldeans, &c. as well as God afflict Iob. Act 2.23. wicked hands, as well as Gods crucified Chriſt. Exod. 7.13.14.22. and 8.15.32. and 9.7.12.14.34.35. and 10.20.27. &c. Pharaoh and God both harden, the one in puniſhing, the other in ſinning: & God wills to puniſh one ſinne with another: the ſinne he wills by accident, the puniſhment by counſell. It enters not into the minde of God to commit ſinne. Ier. 32.35. and yet it is his minde to puniſh the abomin…, with their owne abominations. They that are ambitious of their owne deſtructions, never want the plagues of God to ſeize vponupon them. He that ſetteth and ſelleth himſelfe to ſinne, ſhall find God as readie to offend him with luſtice, as he can be to offend God with iniuſtic. As man ſowes, ſo ſhall he reape, and if there be a brewing of death, tunn'd vp in veſſels of ſinue, it is good reaſon that the ſinner ſhould drinke it.