The Pattern of Wholesome Words, Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII. Of the fall of Man.
Eccles. 7.29.
OnelyOnly loe, this hauehave I found, that God hath made man righteous: but they hauehave sought many inuentions.
THe misery of man in his estate of corruption must be considered two waies:
In the cause of it.
In the parts of it.
The cause of it was the fall of our first parents, concerning which are these principles:
That our parents Adam and Eue fel,3Principles concerning the fall of man. and lost speedily the happinesse, in which they were created, as appeares, Genes. 3.7. &c. and thus they did loose
God;
Paradise:
Gods Image.
And that they lost it speedily appeares, in that the diuell is called a murtherer from the beginning, and the fall is presently related after the story of his innocency in the creation.
That this losse befell them only for their owne grieuous sinne, Gen. 3. Rom. 5.12. Wherefore as by one man sinne entred into the world, and death by sinne: and so death went ouer all men, for as much as all men hauehave sinned.
Eccles. 7.29. as before.
That by their sinne we are all defiled, and depriued of the glory of God, Rom. 5.12. as before. 18.19. Likewise then as by the offence of one, the fault came on all men to condemnation; so by the righteousnesse of one, the benefit abounded toward all men to the iustification of life.
For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners: so by the obedience of one shall many also bee made righteous.
The vses follow.
The vses of these wofull principles may be first for information, and so we should study to satisfie, and settle our hearts more at large concerning two things.
The one is the grieuousnes of the first offence.
The other is the Iustice of God in deriuing the losse to vsus.
For the first, there bee many things may assure vsus, that the sin of our first parents was a most grieuous sinne: for it admitteth fearefull aggrauations; as,
7Things to shew the greatnesse of Adams sinne.1. That they durst venture all their happines about so small an aduantage to them. If we think, it was a smal offence to eat an apple; think with all, it was a desperat wickednes to venture eternal life for the possession of an apple.
2. This was Gods first commandement that he gaue them, and to neglect God so soone in a thing, wherin they might so easily hauehave obeyed, must needs appeare to be desperat wickednes.
3. This sinne was committed, when they had no inward concupiscence to tempt them, nor that pronenesse of nature, that is in man now to sinne.
4. They offended, when God had abundantly prouided for them; they wanted nothing that was good for them.
5. They herein violated the whole Law, because they broke the agreemēts which were made betweene God and them: according to that of Iames 2.10, For whosoeuer shall keepe the whole Law, and yet faileth in one point, he is guilty of all.
6. Because it was a sacramentall fruit: to cast bread to dogs is no great offence; but to cast consecrated bread to dogs is a grieuous sinne.
7. This sinne was accompanied with diuers monstrous sinnes; first, horrible doubting of Gods truth: secondly, compacting with Gods vtter enemy, and so making Apostacy from God to the Diuell: thirdly, consent to the blasphemies of the diuell, when he spake enuiously, and scoffingly at God: fourthly, affectation of diuinity: fifthly, a wretchlesse disregard of what should become of his posteritie, through his ventrous course: with many other sinnes.
For the second, God was iust in deriuing this losse to their posteritie: for Adam was the common roote of all mankind, and we were in his loines, as Leui was in Abrahams, when hee paied tithes; and are not traitors punished in their children? the Act of a burgesse in the Parliament is the Act of the country.
Obiect.But yet at least godly men should not beget vngodly children.
Answ.They beget children, as men, not as godly men; I meane, they deriue such a nature as they hauehave, which is corrupt after calling: though they bee iustified perfectly, yet they are sanctified but in part: The father that was circumcised, did beget a child that was vncircumcised; and take the cleanest corne in the world, and sow it, and it brings forth chaffe in the eare with the corne.
Thus much for information.
The doctrine of the fall may serue also for instruction; and so both in
generall.
particular.
In generall it should teach vsus foure things:
First, to take heed of the fountaines of all Apostacie. There were three things occasioned mightily the fall of our first parents:
The first was a rebellious desire to bee,3Occasions of Apostasie. what God would not hauehave vsus to be.
The second vnthankfulnesse: all the pleasures of Paradise will not please them, if they bee crossed in some one thing, though neuer so little.
The liberty they tooke to adde or detract frō Gods word: they added the word touch, and they detracted, when they said, lest ye die: and these three sinnes are, and euer will be, causes of Apostacie; if they bee not preuented.
Secondly, let vsus here bee warned, while wee liue to keepe out of the company of such as fall away from the truth, as the diuell did: for all Apostates are like the diuell; they will not be quiet, till they make others fall away with them.
Thirdly, we should hence for euer be warned to looke to our selues, and make conscience euen of lesser sinnes: we see heere what the eating of an apple did, which the most men would faine thinke was but a small matter; and the rather, because monstrous sinnes may be committed about a smal offence in it selfe. Thinke of the man that gathered stickes on the Sabbath day, and of the case of Ananias and Sapphira.
We must get on our armour, and make all the prouision wee can against the Diuell. Wee see here how he thirsts after the ruine of man; and if hee preuailed so ouer Adam, how much more easily may he preuaile ouer vsus? and if hee could deceiue by the meanes of a serpent there; how much more now, when he speaketh to vsus by men like our selues? yea then we saw a proofe of it, For how quickly was Adam enticed, when the diuell spake to him in the mouth of Eue his wife.
And we may here obserue the Diuels method in tempting, and the degrees of tentation: For there was
5Degrees of the diuels tentation.1. First, the suggestion it self.
2. The obscuring of the thoughts about the eminency of God, and the excellency of the image receiued of him.
3. An impression of forgetfulnesse in the memory, not distinctly remembring what was before done, or commanded of God.
4. The tickling of ambition, affecting to be more then they were.
5. Trust giuen to the flatteries and baites of the diuell, and a contracted familiarity with him, with inclination of the will and affection to the prohibited fruit.
Thus much in generall.
In particular, foure sorts must be warned:
1. First, women should heere bee much humbled, and for euer be mistrustfull of their Counsels, and carriage: for Satan knowes how to make vse of them still.
2. Secondly, men must take heed of the whisperings, and enticing aduice of women.
3. Thirdly, the weake must carefully looke to themselues, that Satan imploy not them as instruments of tentations; and they should learne not to bee so violent in things they are not fully grounded in.
4. The strong must take heed lest they fall: If Adam fell in Paradise, they are in more danger now in the world; neither may they trust in their owne gifts, but learne to place all their trust in God.
5. As any are more godly, so they must know they shall bee more assaulted.
Thus for instruction.
This doctrine of the fall hath matter in it of extreame humiliation, in that eternall shame lies vponupon our nature by this vile offence, both in respect of the extremity of our losse, and the fearfull displeasure of God.
Lastly, it may comfort the godly to thinke of their estate by Christ, hauing receiued the assurance of a better condition, then euer they could hauehave had in Adam; and the rather, because they are now confirmed as the Angels of heauen, that they can neuer fall from the happinesse they hauehave in Christ.