Look from Adam and Behold the Protestants Faith Proved, Chapter 4
CHAP. IIII. Of the first faithfull Chriſtians, ADAM and EVE.
ANd hitherto I truſt we have had in the firſt promiſe of God the foundation, and the whole ſumme of our holy Chriſtian faith; namely, that the whole generation of man was but loſt through his owne fault and wickedneſſe, and fallen into death and damnation, ſo that there remaineth nothing in man but it is diſpleaſant to God: Hereof commeth it that there is nothing to be aſcribed unto the power and deſerving of man, ſave ſinne and malediction. But God of his abundant mercy had compaſſion on us, and of very grace promiſed he life unto us againe in his Sonne our Lord Ieſus, whom he would to become man, and to ſuffer death in his fleſh, that thereby hee might tread downe the devill, death, ſinne and hell. Item, he would put enmitie betweene the womans ſeed and the ſerpent, that is, he would endue us (which are the ſeed, that is to ſay, the children of Adam, if wee beleeve) with another heart and power, that we might become enemies unto the devils workes, reſiſt his ſuggeſtion, and hold our ſelves faſt by the bleſſed ſeed, labouring and ſuffering whatſoever God enjoyneth us to worke and ſuffer. Who is it now, which ſeeth not herein, all that is written in the whole Scripture, of beleefe, of love and innocencie, that is to ſay, of a Chriſtian life and faith? Who ſo is diſpoſed, let him looke upon the 2.3. and 4. chapters of Paul to the Romanes, the firſt and ſecond to the Epheſians: let him compare thoſe chapters toward this ſumme, and he ſhall finde it none otherwiſe.
For as much then as Adam and Eve had faith in God, and ſtood ſo toward God, that they knowledged themſelves to be ſinners, and truſted to be ſaved only through the bleſſed ſeed, giving themſelves over willingly into the diſcipline and nurture, travell and trouble of this time. No man can ſay contrary, but it followeth, that our firſt elders were Chriſtians. Nevertheleſſe we will declare the ſame yet more clearely, by Moyſes words following:Gen. 3.20. Adams faith. And Adam called his wife Heva, becauſe ſhee ſhould be the mother of all living. For as ſoone as he was now ſtrengthned through the promiſe of God, and beleeved that hee and his poſteritie (which elſe were children of wrath, of the devill, and of death) ſhould live through the bleſſed ſeed, he turned his wives name, and called her Heva, for the remembrance of the matter, and practiſing of his faith: for he beleeved, that ſhee now living in the power of the bleſſed ſeed, ſhould bring forth, not only quicke men temporally as pertaining to this naturall life; (like as we call other creatures living) but living, that is to ſay, children of ſalvation. For Adam had loſt eternall life from himſelfe, and from us his poſteritie: but the ſame is given unto us againe through Ieſus Chriſt our Lord. Adam for as much as he beleeved, changed his wives name, like as we finde that for great weighty cauſes the names of certaine places, cities and men were changed: Thus was Iacob called Iſrael; Simon, Peter; Luthz, Bethel. Eve had now a name of life, for Haiah in Hebrew is as much to ſay, as Life. Afore was ſhee called Iſcha, that is to ſay, Woman, becauſe ſhee was taken from out of the man,Gen 2.23. which in the Hebrew is called Iſch, Gen. 2. And thus it is manifeſt, what faith Adam had, whereby we may well ſuppoſe, that Eve had none other faith.
But God uſed his mercy and loving kindneſſe yet furthermore,Comfort, helpe and loving kindneſſe in the mids of correction. even in the mids of all correction: for when he would now expell man out of paradiſe into miſerie, he doth unto him in every condition, even as a faithfull father, which for ſome miſdeed putteth his ſonne away from him, notwithſtanding leaveth him not utterly comfortleſſe, but provideth him a garment, and comforteth him with friendly words, and then firſt ſendeth him away from him. Even thus doth God the father of heaven alſo. For firſt he cloatheth Adam and Eve againſt the froſt and tempeſt of weather, in as much as (by the meanes of ſinne) the weather, the earth, the aire, and all creatures, were no more ſo ſubject, tame and obedient unto man, as they were afore the fall. Therefore even now at this preſent time whatſoever inconvenience and harme is in the good creatures of God, it commeth by the meanes of our ſinnes. Afterward doth the Lord comfort the miſerable wretched man with very loving words after this manner:Gen. 3.22. Behold, Adam is become like one of us: or, Loe, Adam ſhall be as one of us, and it ſhall happen unto him, as to one of us, and he ſhall know good and evill. This doth God ſpeake which is one in ſubſtance, and three in perſons: he propheſieth here unto Adam, that he ſhall know or have experience of good and evill, that is to ſay, that upon earth he muſt feele proſperitie and adverſitie, miſerie and trouble, ſowre and ſweet, and muſt ſuffer neceſſitie, paine and affliction.Comfort and patience in Chriſt. Yet in all this muſt he be conſtant and patient, foraſmuch as nothing ſhall happen unto him, ſave even the ſame that ſhall happen to one of them. And he meaneth the Sonne our Lord Ieſus Chriſt the ſecond perſon in the holy Trinitie. With this his paſſion, and through the ſame doth he comfort Adam. As though he would ſay: let the paine, ſorrow and trouble which thou muſt ſuffer upon earth, not vex thee, and conſider that one of us alſo ſhall take upon him the kinde and nature of man, and that the ſerpent (as it is ſaid afore) ſhall tread him on the heele, that is to ſay, he ſhall die, he ſhall be oppreſt and have much affliction and trouble all the daies of his life. In the ſame meaning alſo did the holy Apoſtle Peter ſay:1 Pet. 2.21. Chriſt ſuffered for our ſakes, and gave us an example, that we ſhould follow him, and goe in his footſteps.
Adams faith.Out of all this is it eaſie to underſtand, what faith and knowledge Adam had of our Lord Chriſt: namely, that he knew in him very Godhead and manhood, and that he ſaw in faith his Paſſion and Croſſe a farre off. Moreover, that the paſſion of Chriſt once done for all, breaketh the kingdome of the devill, and bringeth life againe to ſuch as faithfully beleeve. Secondly, that it is to our living, an example, at the which wee ought to learne patience in adverſitie, and daily to die from all evill. And hereto now ſerve all doctrines of patience, of bearing the croſſe, of deſpiſing the world, and mortifying or putting off the old Adam, which thing is contained and with many and goodly words handled thorowout the Prophets and Apoſtles. As for Adam and Eve, they lacked none of theſe things, though they had not the matter in writing. For God ſpake it all to them himſelfe, and wrote it in their hearts. Moreover, our firſt Elders had no Church, rites, nor ceremonies, ſave only the bodily offering, a repreſentation of the ſacrificing of Chriſt, and exerciſes or tokens of thankfulneſſe. For how ſhould Cain and Abel elſe have knowne any thing of ſacrifice, if they had not received the ſame at the cuſtome of their father? who with his wife Eva the mother of us all, was ſaved by none other worke or merit of man, but only through and in the bleſſed ſeed our Lord Ieſus Chriſt.