Commentary on Genesis, Chapter 3

Commentary on Genesis · Chapter 3

p. 58CHAP. III.

EƲſebius obſerves, (L. VII. Praepar. Evang. cap. 9, 10.) That Moſes having ſetled the great Doctrines of the Creation of the World, and the Dignity of Man, made in the Image of God; proceeds very wiſely to inſtruct the Iſraelites, that there are none ſo happy, but without due Care and Watchfulneſs, may become moſt miſerable: There being foreign, (as his words are) a wicked Daemon at every Man's Elbow, foreign, envious, a hater of thoſe that are good, and from the beginning a wily underminer of Mens Salvation.

Now this following immediately after the relation of the formation of Eve, hath made ſome fanſie, that our firſt Parents fell the very ſame day they were made. And thus much, I think, muſt be ſuppoſed, That they did not continue very long in their happy ſtate: For, if they had perſiſted ſtedfaſtly in their Duty, for a conſiderable time; they would have acquired ſuch an habit of well-doing, as would not have been ſo eaſily loſt. But that they continued longer than a Day, there are many Circumſtances to induce us to believe. For it required ſome time for Adam to be acquainted with all other Creatures, and to impoſe Names upon them: And there p. 59being none of them a meet help for him, he ſlept ſome time, till Eve had taken her Beginning out of him. Whom, when he ſaw, he received, and own'd her for his Wife; and no doubt made more Reflections upon God's Wiſdom, Power, and Goodneſs, than are ſet down in this Sacred Story. They both alſo received a Command from God, not to eat of one Tree in the Garden: Into which, when they were brought, we cannot but think they walk'd about it, and took ſuch a view of it, as to be convinced, by the bountiful Proviſion God had made for them, they had no reaſon to complain of the ſmall Reſtraint he laid upon them. All which could not be performed ſo ſpeedily as ſome have imagined; for though God can do what he pleaſes in an inſtant, yet Man cannot; and God himſelf did not in one Day create the World. And, beſides, that ſome time was neceſſary for tranſacting all theſe things; it is not likely the Devil would immediately ſet upon Eve, as ſoon as the Command was laid upon them; but rather let it be a little forgotten. And if the time be obſerved when he aſſaulted her, it will much confirm this Opinion, which was in the abſence of her Husband; for that we cannot eaſily believe to have been upon the ſame Day they were created. The extraordinary Kindneſs they had one for the other, will ſcarce allow us to think it poſſible, they ſhould be ſo ſoon ſeparated. It is plain alſo, God ſanctified the Seventh Day before their fall: Which it is highly probable they ſpent in admiring and praiſing the Almighty Goodneſs.

Ver. 1. Now the Serpent.] Or, that Serpent (as ſome think it ſhould be tranſlated) which the Tempter made uſe of, as his Inſtrument to deceive.

p. 60Was more ſubtil.] The whole Species of Serpents is noted by Ariſtotle (L. I. Hiſtor. Animal. c. 1.) to be foreign, extreamly inſidious: But this was extraordinary wily. What ſort it was, is not here expreſſed: But all agree there is now none like it; the Curſe of God having degraded it. St. Baſil in his Book of Paradiſe, (p. 627.) ſaith it was not a frightful Creature, as it is now, foreign, but mild and gentle: Not crawling and winding about, in a terrible manner, upon the Ground, foreign, but lofty, and going upright upon its Feet. Several of the Jews have been of this Opinion; and our famous Mr. Mede inclines to it, Diſcourſe XXXVIII. p. 291, &c. But I take the conjecture of another very learned Perſon, now a Biſhop of our Church, to be far more probable: Which I ſhall endeavour to ſtrengthen. There were (and ſtill are in the Eaſtern and Southern Parts of the World,) Serpents having Wings, and ſhining very brightly, like to Fire. So we read, Iſai. XIV. 29. of a flying fiery Serpent. Which fiery Serpents are called Seraphims, in Numb. XXI. 6, 8. and termed fiery, not merely with reſpect to their Venom, which made ſore Inflammations in the Bodies of thoſe who were bitten by them; but becauſe they appeared ſhining like Fire, when they flew in the Air.

Whence Seraphim is the Name alſo of the higheſt ſort of Angels, (called the Angels of the Preſence,) Iſai. VI. 2, 6. Who appeared, I ſuppoſe, in ſome ſuch form with flaming Wings. For otherwiſe, I cannot think Serpents would have been honoured as Sacred things in ſo many Countries, as we find they anciently were; unleſs they had been the Symbols of p. 61Angels. The Devil therefore, I conceive, made uſe of ſome ſuch Serpent, (but of a more ſurpaſſing brightneſs, than any now extant,) that he might reſemble one of the moſt illuſtrious Angels, who appeared ſometimes in the like ſhape. Which moved Eve the more readily to hearken unto the Voice of the Serpent; taking it to be one of the heavenly Seraphims, which ſhe had ſeen ſometime, in ſuch a ſplendid form, attend upon the Divine Glory, or Majeſty: For the Angels always made a part of the SCHECHINAH. And thus, one would think, Tertullian underſtood this matter, when he ſaid in his Book De Praeſcript. Haeret. C. XLVII. Iſtum fuiſſe Serpentem, cui Eva, ut filio Dei crediderat, this was the Serpent, to whom Eve gave Credit, as to the Son of God. Which if any one take to be the words of the Hereticks he is there ſpeaking of; yet thoſe are not, which we find in his Book againſt the Valentinians, cap. II. where he ſaith the Serpent was a Primordio Divinae imaginis praedo, an Uſurper of the Divine Image from the beginning. See Dr. Teniſon of Idolatry, p. 356. To which that paſſage in Epiphanius may be added, who mentions ſome Hereticks (who might have ſome Truth among them) that ſaid, the Woman liſtned to the Serpent, foreign, and believed him, or was perſuaded by him, as the Son of God, Haereſ. XXXVII. n. 25. And, one would think, Rabbi Bechai had this Notion in his Mind, when he ſaid (upon the 14th Verſe of this Chapter,) this is the Secret (or Myſtery) of the Holy Language, that a Serpent is called SARAPH, as an Angel is called SARAPH. For which he quotes the fore-named place, Numb. XXI. 6. and then adds, The Scripture calls Serpents Seraphim, becauſe they p. 62were Toledoth hanacaſh hakadmoni, the offspring of this old Serpent: Ʋnderſtand this, (ſo he concludes, as our Saviour ſpeaks in another Caſe, whoſo readeth, let him underſtand,) as a Matter of great concernment. Which can have no other meaning, I think, but this; That the Devil (whom St. John alſo calls the old Serpent, Revel. XII. 9.) in this Serpent here ſpoken of, counterfeited a Glorious Seraphim, and thereby ſeduced Eve to give Credit to him.

However this be, it is moſt reaſonable to ſuppoſe, it was ſome beautiful Creature; by whom Eve thought an Angel, who wiſh'd them well, diſcourſed with her: For ſhe was not ſo ſimple as to think that Beaſts could ſpeak; much leſs, that they knew more of God's Mind than her ſelf. Nor doth it ſeem at all credible to me, that ſhe could have been otherways deceived, but by ſome Creature which appeared ſo gloriouſly, that ſhe took it for an heavenly Miniſter; who, ſhe thought, came to explain to them the meaning of the Divine Command.

Yea, hath God ſaid.] This doth not look like the beginning of a Diſcourſe, but the concluſion: As the Jews themſelves have obſerved. And, it is not improbable, that the Tempter, before he ſpake theſe words, repreſented himſelf as one of the heavenly Court; who came, or was ſent, to congratulate the Happineſs that God had beſtowed upon them in Paradiſe: Which was ſo great, that he could not eaſily believe he had denied them any of the Fruit of the Garden. He deſired therefore to be ſatisfied from her own Mouth, of the Truth of what he pretended to have heard; or to know how they underſtood the Command of God. For ſo theſe words may be tranſlated, Is it true indeed, hath God ſaid, Ye ſhall not eat p. 63of every Tree, &c. Which is a very ancient Interpretation, and more probable than theirs, who would have the Hebrew Particles, aph ki, ſignifie as much as ut ut: Although God hath ſaid, ye ſhall not eat, notwithſtanding ye ſhall not die. So they ſuppoſe he was going to add, but before he had ſpoken the latter part of the Sentence, Eve interrupted him ſaying, We may eat of the Fruit of the Trees of the Garden. This had been too groſs, flatly to contradict what God had ſaid: Whereas the beginning of the Verſe tells us, he went more ſubtilly to work.

Ver. 2. And the Woman ſaid unto the Serpent, We may eat of the Fruit of the Trees of the Garden.] She ſeems to have underſtood him, as if he thought God had forbid them to eat of any Fruit in the Garden. And indeed the foregoing Queſtion is ambiguous; like thoſe Oracles of his which made him be called foreign, (oblique or crooked) by the ancient Heathen; becauſe they had two meanings. She truly therefore reports the Sence of God's Prohibition, in this and the following Verſe. Though there are thoſe who think, ſhe pronounced theſe words, We may eat of the Fruit, &c. with ſome admiration, that they ſhould be reſtrained from one Fruit, when God had moſt liberally granted them all the reſt. The reaſon of which ſhe did not know, and ſhowed her deſire perhaps to underſtand it.

Ver. 3. But of the Fruit of the Tree, which is in the midſt of the Garden, God hath ſaid, ye ſhall not eat of it, nor touch it, leſt ye die.] Some fanſie the Woman here began to prevaricate in two things: Firſt, In ſaying they might not touch it: Secondly, In ſaying only there was danger, if they meddled with it, and not an abſolute threatning. Of which the Devil, p. 64they think, took advantage; and immediately aſſured her, there was no danger at all. This laſt they ground upon the Hebrew Particle pen, which we tranſlate leſt, and expreſſes a doubting. But I do not think either of theſe Obſervations are ſolid: For that Particle doth not always imply a Doubt, as we may learn from the Second Pſalm, the laſt Verſe, and many other places: And the touching of the Fruit, ſignifies the plucking it off from the Tree, in order to eat it: Which was expreſly forbidden.

Ver. 4. Ye ſhall not ſurely die.] You are under a miſtake: Death will not be the certain Conſequence of your eating this Fruit. For God is too Good to inflict ſuch an heavy Puniſhment, for ſo ſmall a Fault.

Ver. 5. For God, &c.] The Particle ki, which we tranſlate for, ſignifies here as much as but, (as Abarbinel and others obſerve,) juſt as in Pſalm CXV. 1. So the meaning is, you ſhall be in no danger, but quite contrary, be great gainers by taſting of this Fruit: As God himſelf knows, who only keeps you in Awe by his Threatning, but will not be ſo ſevere as to execute it; when he ſees you much improved, not impaired by eating it.

Then your Eyes ſhall be opened.] For you will immediately diſcover abundance of things, whereof you are now ignorant.

And ye ſhall be as Gods.] Like unto us, the Angels of God: Who are frequently called Elohim, i. e. Gods, in Scripture. Thus Maimonides underſtands it. More Nevoch. Pars I. c. 2. and Onkelos, who tranſlates it Princes, meaning Angels, who are called foreign, Principalities, and Powers, &c.

p. 65Knowing Good and Evil.] i. e. All manner of things. Or, as ſome of the Hebrews underſtand it, know what is fit for you to do, without any Advice or Inſtruction, and without any Reſtriction; being ſubject to none, but enjoy freely what you pleaſe. For to know is ſometimes as much as to enjoy, in the Scripture-Language: So that according to this Interpretation, he promiſes them likeneſs to God himſelf; who is abſolutely free, and ſubject to none.

But in this ſuggeſtion the Devil proved, what our Saviour ſays of him, That he was a Lyar from the beginning: For there are no leſs than four Lyes (as ſome reckon them) in theſe two Verſes. Which makes it ſeem ſtrange that Eve ſhould give Credit to theſe Suggeſtions, which were very fooliſh: It being incredible that God ſhould envy them any thing, who had given them their Beings, and innumerable Bleſſings. I can give no account of it, but this: That when we are ſearching after the Reaſon of things (as ſhe, I ſuppoſe, was of this Prohibition) and cannot find it; if one be ſuggeſted to us, which never came into our Mind before, though in it ſelf unlikely, we are ready to catch at it, and to be pleaſed with it. For when the Mind is weary with enquiring, it is ſatisfied with a falſe Reaſon, rather than have none. The promiſe alſo of Knowledge was very tempting; eſpecially of ſuch Knowledge as he gave her hope would raiſe and advance her, to a more noble Condition. And it is likely ſhe thought an heavenly Miniſter (as ſhe took him to be) might underſtand God's meaning better than her ſelf.

Ver. 6. And when the Woman ſaw the Tree was good, &c.] This Verſe gives a further account of that which ſeems very ſtrange, the Diſobedience of our p. 66firſt Parents. She look'd ſo long upon the forbidden Fruit, till ſhe not only had an Appetite to it, as excellent Food, but was taken with its beautiful Colour; and was alſo ſtrongly poſſeſſed, by the perſuaſion of the old Serpent, that her Mind would be no leſs pleaſed than her Palate, by an increaſe in Knowledge and Wiſdom. Theſe were powerful Temptations, (expreſſed in theſe words, good for Food, pleaſant to the Eyes, and to be deſired to make one Wiſe,) and ſhe could ſee no Evil in the thing it ſelf; it being the mere Pleaſure of God, of which ſhe did not apprehend the Reaſon, that made the eating of it a Crime. This Fruit alſo was planted, not in an obſcure place, but in the midſt of the Garden, (Verſe 3.) near to the Tree of Life: Which made it the more inviting; by its being always in her Eye, as well as very beautiful; and raiſed, perhaps, the greater wonder in her, that God ſhould forbid a thing, which he had made ſo eminent for its Beauty. Hereupon ſhe yielded, and (as it follows) took of the Fruit thereof and did eat.

And gave unto her Husband with her.] Who returned to her, it is likely, as ſhe was eating the Fruit; and was ſoon perſuaded to bear her company; for it immediately follows, and he did eat.

It is a queſtion whether he debated the Matter with her, till he was ſatisfied with the Arguments that moved her to eat; or, his great Affection to her drew him in, to do as ſhe did: Without any other Conſideration, perhaps, than this; That he choſe rather to die, than out-live one, whom he loved moſt paſſionately. To this laſt, the Apoſtle's words ſeem to incline, 1 Tim. II. 14. Adam was not deceived: Though they do not neceſſarily ſignifie, it muſt be p. 67confeſſed, That he was not ſeduced by the Tempter's Arguments; but only that Eve was firſt ſeduced, and then help'd to ſeduce him. So that he might be wrought upon, both by thoſe Arguments, and by his Affection alſo to his Wife: But could have been deceived by neither, had he not been firſt guilty of a great foreign and foreign, (as St. Chryſoſtom calls it) heedleſneſs and non-attention, ariſing from ſloth and negligence. The Reflection which Gregor. Nazianzen makes upon her gazing upon the beautiful Fruit, is this; foreign, &c. Orat. XLVII. p. 700. D.

Ver. 7. And the Eyes of them both were opened.] Not in the Senſe the Serpent promiſed, but a very much different: For they ſoon ſaw their Folly, and made ſad Reflections upon what they had done.

And they knew (or felt) that they were naked.] A cold ſhivering ſeized on them; and they perceived alſo that they were ſtript of their intellectual Ornaments, (as Athanaſius expounds it, contra Gentes, p. 4.) and bluſh'd alſo at their Bodily Nakedneſs, of which they were not before at all aſhamed.

And they ſewed Fig-leaves together.] Or, twiſted the young Twigs of the Fig-tree, with the Leaves on them: Which are very broad in the Eaſtern Countries. Pliny reckons this among the Trees that have the largeſt Leaves, L. XVI. cap. 24 and cap. 26. where he ſaith, it hath folium maximum, umbroſiſſimúmque, the greateſt and moſt ſhady Leaf of all other.

And made themſelves Aprons.] A covering, which they girt about them.

Ver. 8. And they heard the Voice of the LORD walking in the Garden.] The Sound of the Majeſtatick Preſence, or the Glory of the LORD, approaching p. 68nearer and nearer unto the place where they were. For the walking may be referred to Voice, as well as to the LORD: Signifying that the Sound, as I ſaid (for ſo Voice is often uſed in Scripture) of the Divine Majeſty's approach, came ſtill nearer, and made a louder Noiſe, to terrifie them. For thus the word walk is applied to the Voice, (i. e. Sound) of the Trumpet at the giving of the Law, when Moſes ſays of it, (Exod. XIX. 19.) foreign it walked or increaſed, and grew ſtronger.

Juſt ſo, I conceive, the Sound which the Motion of the SCHECHINAH made, did at this time. And that,

In the cool of the Day.] When the Wind began to riſe, (ſo it is in the Hebrew, in the wind of the Day,) that is, towards the Evening, as moſt underſtand it: For then there was wont to be a gentle breath of Wind; as Ariſtotle obſerves of his Country, foreign, the Weſt Wind was wont to blow towards the cloſe of the Day. Which being a ſoft and gentle Gale, the Sound they heard was the more aſtoniſhing, which ſeemed to threaten a dreadful Storm.

Onkelos thus paraphraſes the firſt words, they heard the Voice of the WORD of the LORD: That is, of the Son of God; who appeared in very glorious Clouds; or, rather, in flaming Fire, of ſuch an amazing Brightneſs, that they were not able to endure the ſight of it. For ſo it follows:

Adam and his Wife hid themſelves from the preſence of the LORD God, &c.] It's plain by this there was the appearance of an extraordinary Preſence: Which affrighted them, and made them run among the Trees of the Garden, i. e. into the Thickets, or the cloſeſt places they could find there.

p. 69I cannot but think the SCHECHINAH, or Divine Majeſty, appeared quite otherwiſe than formerly: That is, not in ſo mild a Luſtre as when they were firſt acquainted with him; but in a more terriole burning Light, as if it would conſume them. For ſo we read in after-times, that the ſame LORD who appeared unto Moſes in a flame of Fire out of the midſt of a Buſh, (Ex. III. 2.) came down in a more dreadful manner, at the giving of the Law, from Mount Sinai. When the Mountain was altogether on a ſmoak, (Exod. XIX. 18.) becauſe the LORD deſcended upon it in Fire: And that Fire ſo great, that it flamed unto the midſt of Heaven, (Deut. IV. 11.) with darkneſs, clouds and thick darkneſs.

Ver. 9. And the LORD God called unto Adam.] As he did to Moſes out of the Buſh, Exod. III. 4. and to Iſrael out of the midſt of the Fire, Deut. IV. 12.

And ſaid unto him.] With a Majeſtick Voice, againſt which he could not ſtop his Ears.

Where art thou?] Why doſt thou run into Coverts, like the wild Beaſts? Such Queſtions do not argue Ignorance in him that asks them; but are intended to awaken the Guilty to a confeſſion of their Crimes. As appears from IV. 10. Where is Abel thy Brother? Of whom Cain ſtubbornly refuſing to give an account, the LORD ſaid immediately, (to ſhow he needed not to be informed,) the Voice of thy Brother's Blood crieth unto me, from the Ground.

Ver. 10. And he ſaid, I heard thy Voice, and I was afraid, becauſe I was naked, &c.] The very Sound of the approach of thy Preſence, ſo affrighted me, becauſe I found I had loſt my Innocency, that I hid my ſelf from thee. This was a fooliſh and vain attempt; p. 70but as Guilt makes Men fearful, ſo that bereaves them of all Conſideration.

Ver. 11. And he ſaid, Who told thee that thou waſt naked?] Diveſted of thoſe noble Endowments, which I beſtowed on thee.

Haſt thou eaten, &c.] Tranſgreſſed my Commandment?

Ver. 12. And the Man ſaid, The Woman whom thou gaveſt, &c.] I confeſs my Guilt; into which I was drawn by her, whom thou gaveſt me for an help. Thus we are apt to excuſe and palliate our Faults; by laying that Load upon others, with which we ought to charge our ſelves.

Ver. 13. And the LORD God ſaid unto the Woman, &c.] What moved thee to violate my Command?

And ſhe ſaid, The Serpent beguiled me.] My Weakneſs was deceived, by the Cunning of the Devil. Thus ſhe alſo threw the blame upon another. But God, no doubt, convinced them both, of the greatneſs of their Guilt, and the miſerable Condition into which they were faln by their Tranſgreſſion; before he ended this Diſcourſe with them. Which ſhows the Infinite Mercy of the Creator of all, who would not abandon them; but ſought after them, to ſave them, when they had loſt themſelves.

Ver. 14. And the LORD ſaid unto the Serpent, Thou art curſed, &c.] It is obſerved by Tertullian, That though God inflicted Puniſhments on Adam and Eve, yet he did not curſe them, as he did the Serpent, ut reſtitutionis candidatos, they ſtanding fair for a Reſtitution to his Favour, L. II. adv. Marcion. c. 25. And I may add, God did not begin with them; but firſt Sentences the Serpent, before he proceeds to Judgment p. 71upon them: Which denotes that he (the old Serpent) was the great Offender, being the firſt Mover to Sin; which made his Crime more grievous than theirs.

Now, to be curſed, is to be deprived of what was before enjoyed, and doomed to a miſerable wretched Condition of life: The particulars of which follow. The only difficulty is, Why the Serpent (literally ſo called) ſhould be curſed, as it manifeſtly is, (though the Devil alſo, I ſhall ſhow is intended) being but an Inſtrument which the Evil Spirit uſed; and had neither Will to Sin, nor yet Underſtanding or Knowledge of what the Devil did? It is commonly anſwered, That this is no more than the Curſe which God inflicted upon the Earth, (which was not capable of Sinning) for Adam's ſake, verſe 17. But ſtill the Reaſon of that Curſe is enquired; which is evident enough: Man himſelf being puniſhed by the Curſe upon the Earth: Which did not yield its Fruit ſo plentifully and ſo eaſily, as it had done before his Tranſgreſſion. And the reaſon of this Curſe upon the Serpent, may be the better diſcerned by another Inſtance which we find Exod. XXI. 28. where an Ox which gored a Man or a Woman, that they died, is ordered to be ſtoned, and his Fleſh not to be eaten. This ſure was to ſhow the great value God ſet upon Man's Life: Which he ſecured alſo by this Puniſhment; which moved all Owners to look well to their Beaſts that might indanger it. Even ſo was the Serpent condemned, in Mercy to Adam and his Wife, (whom, it is manifeſt by what follows, God intended to reſtore into his Favour,) that they might be ever mindful of the foulneſs of their Guilt, and excited to Repentance; by ſeeing a noble Creature, (who p. 72was but the Inſtrument of it,) ſo extreamly debaſed into a moſt vile Condition.

Ʋpon thy Belly ſhalt thou go.] This ſhows the Serpent was a more noble Creature before this Fact: But changed after it, from a flying Seraph (as the word is Numb. XXI. 6.) into a foul creeping Serpent; not moving aloft in the Air, but crawling upon the Earth and licking the Duſt. So it follows.

And Duſt ſhalt thou eat, all the days of thy life.] There is no viler Food than this: Which doth not ſignifie the Serpent ſhould feed upon nothing elſe: But that creeping on the Ground it cannot but lick up much Duſt together with its Food, whatſoever that be.

All this is literally the Curſe of the Serpent: But as the Devil lay hidden under the Covert of the Serpent, though he be not named; ſo his Curſe is intended in this Curſe of the Serpent, though it be not ſeparately mentioned. As appears by the following Verſe, which hath a peculiar reſpect to the Devil, under the Name of the Serpent. And the Devil's Curſe in general was this; to be thruſt down further than before, from his ancient heavenly Habitation; and condemned to live in the lower ſmoaky Region of the Air: Where he hath loſt all relliſh of Celeſtial Enjoyments, and pleaſes himſelf only in his vile endeavours to make Mankind as wicked as himſelf.

Ver. 15. I will put enmity between thee and the Woman, and between thy Seed and her Seed.] An irreconcilable Feud, throughout all Generations. Which is true of the Serpent, literally underſtood, between whom and Mankind there is ſuch an Antipathy, that it diſcovers it ſelf both in the natural and ſenſitive p. 73Faculties of them both: Their Humours being Poiſon to each other; and Man being aſtoniſhed at the ſight of a Serpent more than any other Creature; and the Serpent in like manner at the ſight of a Man, eſpecially (if Naturaliſts ſay true) of a naked Man. Thus Mr. Mede, Diſcourſe XXXIX. p. 295. But this is far more true and certain of the Spiritual Serpent, the Devil, and his Angels, (who joyned with him in his Apoſtaſie,) and the Woman and her Seed, in whom theſe words are more literally fulfilled. For Maimonides juſtly admires, that the Seed of the Woman ſhould be only mention'd, and not of Adam, (without whom ſhe could have no Seed; which therefore muſt be his Seed,) and that it ſhould be ſaid of her Seed, not of his, that it bruiſed the Serpent's Head. More Nevochim, P. II. cap. 30. This, ſaith he, is one of the Paſſages in Scripture which is moſt wonderful, and not to be underſtood, according to the Letter; but contains great Wiſdom in it. In which Words he wrote more Truth than he was aware; but was not able to unfold this hidden Wiſdom, as we Chriſtians, bleſſed be God, are able to do. For this Seed here ſpoken of is Chriſt, as both the Targums (that aſcribed to Jonathan, and that called the Hieruſalem) expound it; and as we are taught to underſtand it, by God's Words to Abraham, when he renewed this Promiſe: In thy Seed (that is Chriſt, ſaith the Apoſtle) ſhall all Nations be bleſſed, Gen. XXII. 18. Gal. III. 8, 16: For he vanquiſhed the Devil, who had now vanquiſhed Mankind. So it here follows.

It ſhall bruiſe thy Head.] i. e. That SEED of the Woman ſhall diſpoil thee of thy Power, (meaning the Devil,) and aboliſh thy Tyranny. For in the Head of the Serpent (to which there is here an alluſion) p. 74lies his ſtrength: As Epaminondas repreſented to the Thebans, when he exhorted them to ſet upon a Band of Lacedaemonians, by ſhowing them the Head of a vaſt Snake, which he had cruſhed, (foreign,) ſaying, Look ye, the Body can do no hurt, now the Head is gone: Meaning, That if they routed the Lacedaemonians, the reſt of the Confederates would ſignifie nothing. Polyaen. L. II. Strateg. And therefore Mr. Mede hath rightly interpreted the Serpent's Head, to ſignifie the Devil's Sovereignty, (Diſcourſe XXV. p. 143. and XXXIX. p. 298.) and that Sovereignty, is the Power of Death: Which Headſhip of the Devil, the Seed of the Woman (that is Chriſt the Lord) hath broken in pieces, and at laſt will utterly deſtroy, 1 Cor. XV. 25, 26.

There is a notable Example of this Enmity, in the ſtruggle between Chriſt and the Devil for Empire, in Rev. XII. 7, 8. where Chriſt deſtroyed the Sovereignty of the Serpent in the Roman Empire ſo effectually; that there was no more place found, for the Dragon and his Angels, in Heaven; i. e. The Devil utterly loſt his Sovereignty in that State; as Mr. Mede interprets it.

And thou ſhalt bruiſe his Heel.] This Victory over the Devil was not to be gotten without Blood: For the Devil did all that he was able to deſtroy this Seed. But that was impoſſible to be done; he could only aſſault his lower part, (called here the Heel,) viz. His Body or Fleſh: Which, by his Inſtruments, he perſecuted, deſpitefully uſed, and at laſt crucified. By which very means (ſo admirable was the Wiſdom and Goodneſs of God) the Seed of the Woman conquered the Devil, as the Apoſtle ſhows, Heb. II. 14, 15. For it muſt be here noted, That Chriſt was p. 75properly and literally the Seed of the Woman, and not at all of the Man: Being born, without him, of a pure Virgin. The tender Mercy of God alſo muſt here be acknowledged; which gave our firſt Parents hope of a recovery, as ſoon as they were faln: By making them this moſt gracious Promiſe. Which, though here ſomething obſcurely delivered, grew clearer and clearer, in every Age, till Chriſt came.

It cannot be denied likewiſe, but that by Seed, may be underſtood (collectively) all the Faithful, who by the Power of their Lord, vanquiſh all the Power of their Spiritual Enemy. (See Luke X. 19.) Yet ſo, that we muſt confeſs, there was one Eminent Seed here Primarily intended, by whom they overcome. Unto whom another Seed is not here oppoſed in this laſt part of the Verſe, (as in the former part,) but the Serpent himſelf: Which points at a ſingle Combate (as I may call it) between this promiſed Seed and the Devil. But if we will take in the other Sence alſo, underſtanding by Seed, Chriſt with all his Members, then the bruiſing their Heel ſignifies, (as Mr. Mede expounds it,) the Devil's deceit and guile in aſſaulting us unawares: As they do who come behind others, when they do not obſerve them, and catch hold of their Heel. For that this is an Emblem of guile and deceitful dealing, appears from the Story of Eſau and Jacob; the latter of which had his Name from catching his Brother by the Heel at his Birth, which Eſau took for an indication of his beguiling him, as he did two times. See Diſcourſe XXXVII. p. 184.

It is fit, I think, here to note further, (what the learned Mr. Alix hath obſerved,) That God in this Promiſe did a particular Kindneſs to our Father p. 76Adam. Who having been ſeduced by his Wife to eat the forbidden Fruit, it might have occaſioned a Breach between them; had not God taken Care to prevent it, by making this gracious Promiſe of a Redeemer, to depend upon his Union with his Wife: From whom, he aſſures them, one ſhould deſcend, that ſhould repair their Loſſes.

The time likewiſe when this Promiſe was made is remarkable: Which was, before God had rejected Cain and preferred Seth to him; and long before any reſtriction made to Noah's Family, or Sem's, (who derived from him,) that all the World might look upon the MESSIAH as a common Benefit to all the Sons of Adam.

Ver. 16. Ʋnto the Woman he ſaid.] Next to the Serpent, the Woman receives her Sentence, (as Mr. Mede well notes,) becauſe ſhe was more in the fault than Adam: Being guilty, as his words are (Diſcourſe XXXVIII. p. 287.) both of her own perſonal Sin, and of her Husband's alſo. Whence it is, that he, who had only ſinned himſelf, and not cauſed others to ſin, had his Judgment laſt of all. This ſhould be a little more conſidered than it is, by all thoſe, who not only do Evil themſelves, but draw others into the ſame Guilt.

I will greatly multiply thy ſorrow and conception.] i. e. Thy Sorrow in thy Conception: Which includes all the time of Womens going with Child; when they frequently nauſeate all their Food; or have troubleſome Longings; and endure many other things which are very grievous to them; eſpecially when they are in danger to miſcarry of their Burden.

p. 77In ſorrow ſhalt thou bring forth Children.] Brute Creatures are obſerved to bring forth their Young, with far leſs pain, and difficulty, and danger, than Women commonly have in their Labour. Who, after they are delivered of their Children, are ſtill in danger, by many accidents: Eſpecially when that ſtays behind which ſhould follow the Birth, (as it ſometimes doth from various Cauſes, noted by Bartholinus, in his Hiſtor. Anatom. & Medic. Cent. V. Hiſt. XXXII. n. 3.) which occaſions ſore Torments, and puts their Lives in the greateſt hazard.

And thy deſire ſhall be to thy Husband.] That is, it ſhall be ſubject to him; as the Vulgar Latin and Aben Ezra expound this Phraſe: Which is ſo uſed, IV. 7.

And he ſhall rule over thee.] Have Power to controll thy Deſire. This looks like putting her more under the Will of her Husband, than was intended in her firſt formation: Becauſe ſhe had not given a due regard to him; but eaten the forbidden Fruit, without ſtaying to conſult him and ask his Advice.

Ver. 17. And unto Adam he ſaid, Becauſe thou haſt hearkned to the Voice of thy Wife, &c.] Been ſo weak, as to mind her more than me.

Curſed ſhall the Ground be.] It ſhall not bring forth ſo plentifully, nor ſo eaſily as it did.

For thy ſake.] Becauſe of thy Sin; which ſhall be puniſhed partly by its barrenneſs.

In ſorrow ſhalt thou eat of it.] It ſhall coſt thee a great deal of Labour and Toil, before thou reapeſt the Fruits of it.

All the days of thy life.] Every part of the Year, ſhall bring along with it new weariſom Labours.

p. 78Ver. 18. Thorns and Thiſtles, &c.] It ſhall coſt thee abundance of Pains to root up the Thorns, Thiſtles, and unprofitable Weeds; which ſhall come up in ſtead of better Plants.

And thou ſhalt eat the Herb of the Field.] Be content with ſuch things as the common Field produces; inſtead of the delicious Fruits of Paradiſe. Here the Rabbins cry out Menſura pro menſura, behold the Juſtice of God, who ſerved Man in his kind. He was not ſatisfied with the choice Fruits of the Garden in which God put him; and therefore he took them from him, and ſent him to eat the ordinary Food of Beaſts; and that not without hard Labour. Maimon. More Nevoch. P. I. cap. 2.

Ver. 19. In the ſweat of thy Face, &c.] Some conclude from hence, that the Earth brought forth, before the Fall, without any Pains to cultivate it. And indeed there needed none; all things being produced at the firſt, by the Divine Power, in full Perfection. But what Labour would have been neceſſary in time, if Man had continued Innocent, we do not know: Only theſe words ſignifie, that leſs Toil would have ſerved than Men muſt now take for their ſuſtenance.

Some of the Jews reckon up Nine Puniſhments beſides Death, which God inflicted upon Adam; and as many upon Eve. See Pirke Elieſer, Cap. XIV. and Vorſtius upon him.

Till thou return to the Ground.] i. e. Till thou dieſt, and mould reſt into Duſt.

For out of it thou waſt taken.] From whence thou waſt taken, as it is explained, verſe 23. which ſhows the Particle ki is not always to be tranſlated for; but ſometime whence, or whom, as IV. 25. God hath p. 79given me another Seed inſtead of Abel, foreign whom Cain ſlew.

The reſt of this Verſe needs no Explication.

Ver. 20. Called her Name Eve.] Some think ſhe was called Iſſcha before, and now he changed her Name into Eve: In belief that God would make her the Mother of all Mankind; and of the promiſed Seed particularly; by whom (as D. Chytraeus adds) he hoped to be raiſed from the Dead, to immortal Life.

Mother of all living.] Of all Men that ſhould live hereafter, or of him that ſhould give Life to Mankind. So Havah may be interpreted, viva or vivificatrix: Becauſe ſhe was the Mother of all Mankind, or becauſe Mankind, now ſentenced to death, were by her Seed, to be made alive.

Ver. 21. Ʋnto Adam and his Wife, did the LORD God make coats of skins, &c.] The firſt Cloaths of Mankind were of the Leaves of Trees, which they made themſelves; being ready at hand, woven by Divine Art. The next were of the Skins of Beaſts; which were much warmer, and better able to defend them from the injury of Cold and Weather: And theſe were made by God's Direction. Who having made a moſt gracious Covenant with our firſt Parents, (verſe 15.) it ſeems not unreaſonable to ſuppoſe, that he alſo ſignified to them, they ſhould, for the confirmation of it, offer to him Sacrifices: By the Blood of which, Covenants were ratified in aftertimes, from this Example. For it is not likely, that the Beaſts, of whoſe Skins theſe Coats were made, died of themſelves; or, that they were killed merely for this uſe, or for their Food. And therefore what is ſo probable, as that, by God's Order, they p. 80were ſlain for a Sacrifice to him, (the better to repreſent to them their Guilt, and that the promiſed Seed ſhould vanquiſh the Devil, and redeem them, by ſhedding his Blood,) and that of the Skins of thoſe Beaſts God directed Coats to be made, to cloath them? But whether, by dreſſing them and making Leather of them; or, only by drying them, and letting the Hair ſtill continue on them, we cannot tell. Certain it is, that this was a very ancient ſort of Cloathing; as we learn not only from Profane Authors, but from the Sacred: Particularly, Heb. XI. 37. The Jewiſh Doctors have carried this Matter ſo far, as to ſay, That Adam being a Prieſt, theſe were his Prieſtly Garments. The Skin indeed of the Burnt-Offering under the Law, is given to the Prieſt, Lev. VII. 8. but not to make him Cloaths: And Eve, if this were true, muſt have been a Prieſt alſo; for ſhe had a Coat made of Skins, no leſs than Adam. Who, they fanſie, left this Coat to his Poſterity; ſo that Noah, Abraham, and all the reſt of the Patriarchs (as Abel they ſay did) ſacrificed in the very ſame Coat; till Aaron was made High-Prieſt, and had ſpecial Garments appointed him by God. Among which, one being called by this very Name of foreign (Exod. XXVIII.) it gave ground to this idle Conceit.

Ver. 22. Behold the Man is become, &c.] Man, in this place, includes Woman: And theſe words are generally thought to be ſpoken Sarcaſtically; to reprove their great Folly, in thinking to increaſe their Knowledge, whether God would or no.

Like one of us.] Theſe words plainly inſinuate a Plurality of Perſons in the Godhead; and all other Explications of them, ſeem to us forced and unnatural: p. 81That of Mr. Calvin's being as diſagreeable to the Hebrew Phraſe, as that of Socinus to the Excellency of the Divine Nature. This, I think, is well proved by Theodorick Hackspan, Diſput. IV. De Locut. Sacris, n. 15, &c.

And now, leſt he put forth his Hand, &c.] This ſeems an abrupt kind of Speech; ſomething being kept back: As, let us turn him out, (or ſome ſuch-like words,) leſt he take alſo of the Tree of Life, and live for ever. Which many of the ancient Fathers look upon as a merciful Diſpenſation; that Man might not be perpetuated in a State of Sin. So Irenaeus, L. III. cap. 37. and Greg. Nazianz. Orat. XXXVIII. p. 619. God thus ordered, foreign, &c. That Sin might not be Immortal; and the Puniſhment might be a Kindneſs. Which he repeats, Orat. XLII. p. 681. So Epiphanius alſo, Haereſ. XXXVII. n. 1. When Man had ſpoiled himſelf, God unmade him, that he might make him better. And Methodius in him. Haereſ. XLIV. n. 24, 25, &c. and 29. where he proceeds ſo far as to ſay, That Death was not ſent upon Man, foreign, out of any evil Deſign to him, but as a Mercy.

Ver. 23. Therefore God ſent him forth, &c.] Or, caſt him out; and that with reproach and diſgrace; as Aben Ezra obſerves the Hebrew word, in this form, to ſignifie. And ſo caſt him out, that he ſhould not return again.

To till the Ground, from whence he was taken.] This confirms what I ſaid upon the Second Chapter, ver. 8. That Adam was made in another place, and thence brought into Paradiſe: From whence being now expelled, he was ſent back to the place, where he p. 82was firſt formed; there to labour in all the Toils of Husbandry. Though it muſt be confeſſed, theſe words may ſignifie no more, than thoſe Verſe 19. of this Chapter, That he had his Original from the Earth: By the tilling of which he was put in mind of his return thither.

Ver. 24. So he drove out the Man.] (With his Wife,) or, as Aben Ezra tranſlates it, After he had driven him out, he placed, &c. This word foreign is that which the Hebrews properly uſe in Divorces: And therefore denotes, they think, that the Lord put him away from his Preſence, as a Man did his Wife, to whom he gave a Bill of Divorce: Or, as a Prince baniſhes a Subject that hath rebelled againſt him, whom he ſends into Exile out of his own Country.

And he placed at the Eaſt of the Garden.] This ſhows the Entrance into Paradiſe, was from the Eaſt: At which Entrance Adam being caſt out, it is likely he afterward inhabited ſome of the Eaſtern Countries. Eutychius, Patriarch of Alexandria, ſaith a Mountain in India; which the Mahometans commonly call Sarandib, as Mr. Selden obſerves, L. I. De Synedr. Cap. II. p. 452, &c. But Aben Ezra's Conjecture ſeems more reaſonable, That he dwelt in ſome Country, not far from Paradiſe.

Cherubims.] Some of the heavenly Miniſters, that waited upon the Divine Majeſty: Who were called by this Name in Moſes his time, when he wrote this Hiſtory in the Wilderneſs, after the giving of the Law. For the Glory of the LORD, I take it, here appeared, at the expulſion of Adam and Eve, in a moſt dreadful manner; to deterr them from attempting to come near this Place again; for fear of being conſumed.

p. 83And a flaming Sword.] Or, flame of a Sword. Concerning which Maimonides thus diſcourſes, P. I. More Nevoch. cap. 4. Our wiſe Men underſtand by lahat (flame) an Angel: According to that of the Pſalmiſt, He maketh his Angels Spirits: His Miniſters (lohet) a flaming Fire, Pſalm CIV. 4. That is, one of the Seraphims, or a flaming Angel, in the form of a flying fiery Saraph, (or Serpent,) whoſe Body moving in the Air, reſembled the vibrations of a Sword, was appointed, with the Cherubims, to guard the Entrance of the Garden. For the Cherubims and Seraphims, are frequently mentioned in Scripture, as Attendants upon the SCHECHINAH, or Divine Majeſty: Which appeared here in great Glory, at the Paſſage into the Garden of Eden; as it did in after-times at the Door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation of Iſrael, to their great aſtoniſhment.

Which turned every way.] Angels, ſays Maimonides, in the fore-named place, can turn themſelves into all forms and Shapes: Some of which ſtrike greater Terror into thoſe that behold them, than others do. But I take this expreſſion, not to ſignifie mutation of Shapes, but the motion of the Angel: Which was ſo very ſwift and glittering, that devouring Flames ſeemed to come ſtreaming out on every ſide.

To keep the way of the Tree of Life.] To ſecure the Paſſage into the Garden of Eden, where this Tree was; that none ſhould dare to attempt a re-entrance. But Adam was ſo far from thinking of this; that, if the Eaſtern Traditions were to be credited, I ſhould add, He plunged himſelf into the deepeſt Sorrow for a long time; bewailing his Sin, begging Pardon, &c. till God diſpatcht an Angel to Comfort him, and further aſſure him of his Favour. Which being but p. 84probable Conjectures, I ſay no more of ſuch Matters. Nor can I aſſert with any degree of Confidence, what our great Primate of Ireland ſays in his Annals, That it ſeems to have been the tenth Day of the World's Age, when Adam was caſt out of Paradiſe: In Memory of which Calamity, the Solemn Day of Expiation, and the great Faſt, was inſtituted in aftertimes, wherein all were to afflict their Souls, Lev. XVI. 29. This indeed is the Doctrine of the Jews, who ſay, The great Day of Expiation (which was on the tenth of September) was appointed and ſanctified from the Creation of the World: But there is no other Authority for it.

It will be more uſeful, I think, to obſerve what Footſteps there are of theſe things remaining in the Gentile World. I will mention but two. One of which is noted by Euſebius, who ſhows (L. XII. Praepar. Evang. cap. 11.) that Plato in his Sympoſium hath preſerved the Memory of Paradiſe: His foreign, Garden of Jupiter, being the ſame with this Garden of God, in which Man was at firſt placed. The other by St. Auſtin, who ſays Therecydes, the Scholar of Pythagoras, called the Beginner of Evil, foreign: That is, a Daemon in the ſhape of a Serpent. So Heideggerus obſerves out of him, Exercit. IV. De Adamo & Eva, n. 82.