Commentary Upon Genesis 1-3, Book 3 · Chapter 3 · Verse 14
VERSE 14.
HItherto the Holy Ghoſt hath ſet before us the examination and confeſſion of the offendors, with their ſeveral excuſes, and the vanity of them. There followes in the next place, their cenſures proportioned indeed unequally, as the offence committed was in divers reſpects unequal, pronounced by God himſelf, with infinite patience and moderation upon them all, in order, as they acted in the ſin, upon the Serpent firſt, next upon the woman, and laſtly upon the man.
And the Lord God ſaid] After he had examined and convicted the malefactors, he proceeds to ſentence, that he might not only be juſt, but appear to be ſo; which is the reaſon, why he pronounceth the ſentence by word of mouth, that, when thoſe things ſhould be really inflicted, which he here threatens, they might appear to be the act of God, puniſhing ſin in juſtice, by inflicting upon the offendors thoſe evils, which ſhould come upon them afterwards, according to that which is here pronounced, whereby they are clearly manifeſted to be the acts of God, and being proportioned to the ſin, might appear to be acts of his juſtice, otherwiſe it had been as eaſie for God, to have laid the curſe upon them by effects, without threatening it beforehand. But his deſire is, that they might not only ſmart for their ſin, but might be inſtructed too, and taught by their ſmart, which is one end of the puniſhments laid upon man, and an eſpecial effect of Gods great mercy, tempered with his juſtice, when the puniſhment it ſelf is thus intended for the good of the ſinner.
Unto the Serpent] But why to the Serpent, being an unreaſonable creature, and conſequently unable to underſtand what was ſpoken, and therefore could receive no inſtruction by words?
Firſt, we muſt conceive, that the ſentence here pronounced, lights not only on the Serpent, but on the devil alſo, who ſet him on work; yea, the latter part of it principally on him, as the cauſe of the ſinne, (as is intimated in thoſe words, Becauſe thou haſt done this) and that it reacheth both the devil and the beaſt. The words then were underſtood by Satan, though not by the beaſt, and may be conceived to be directed to him under the Serpents name.
Secondly, the words, though ſpoken to the Serpent, were chiefly intended for the inſtruction of the man and woman; as our Saviours words directed to the fig-tree, were intended to his diſciples, in whoſe preſence he ſpake to the tree, Mat. 21.19. and indeed the latter part of this cenſure, with which is intermixed the promiſe of the Meſſiah, cannot be otherwiſe taken, but as a comfort intended only to the man and the woman.
Becauſe thou haſt] Thou Serpent as the Inſtrument, and thou Satan as the principal Agent, who didſt employ him in this action.
Done this] Namely all that hath been mentioned before, belied God, deceived the woman, and by her the man, and drewan them both into rebellion againſt their Creator, and thereby into utter ruine both of themſelves and their poſterity. Thus God is pleaſed to manifeſt his juſtice, in expreſſing the cauſe, before he pronounceth the ſentence. But why doth not God examine the devil, as well as the man and the woman, before he puniſh him?
Firſt, God had already his end; he was now come to the headſpring of the ſin, which was the chief thing which he ſought after, or at leaſt intended to diſcover.
Beſide, it was a vain thing to expect a true confeſſion from the father of lies.
Laſtly, God out of favour endeavours the recovery of the man and woman out of their ſin, by a free confeſſion, and ſight, and ſenſe of their ſin; but he intends no ſuch mercy to Satan, who was already ſentenced to everlaſting deſtruction.
Thou art curſed] The words imply more then the decree, that the Serpent ſhould be curſed, and import a preſent execution of that decree, that the curſe ſhould ſeize upon it at that very inſtant. To curſe ſometimes ſignifies to ſpeak evil of another, or to wiſh evil to him; in this ſenſe we are forbidden to curſe the ruler of the people, Exod. 22.28. that is, to ſpeak evil of him, or to wiſh evil to him. And even in this ſenſe the Serpent is curſed by man, and ſpoken of with deteſtation and deſpite, and wiſhed to deſtruction by all men. But curſing out of Gods mouth implies more then that, an inflicting of all manner of evil upon any perſon, as Deut. 28.20. the Lord threatens for their rebellion to bring upon this people curſing and vexation, in all that they put their hand unto. So that curſe of our Saviour on the figtree, Mark 11.21. was the preſent drying up and withering of the tree. This curſe was indeed inflicted on the true Serpent really, as far as it was capable of it, as appears by the particulars following, neither can be applied to Satan properly, although it be true, that he above all other creatures, is accurſed both by God and man.
Above all cattel] That is, above all tame beaſts, for ſo the word (Behemah) in the Original, being oppoſed unto (Chaiath) as it is in this place, properly ſignifies, as it doth alſo in other places of Scripture, where it ſtands in like oppoſition, although where there is no ſuch oppoſition, it ſignifies any beaſt indifferently. Evident it is, that no creeping thing is comprehended under that name, whence ſome conclude, that becauſe the Serpent, both here and in the firſt verſe of this chapter, is compared with foure-footed beaſts, therefore the Serpent, before this curſe, went upon foure feet, as other beaſts do. But this argument is of ſmall force, ſeeing God might, both here and there, compare the Serpent with creatures of any other kinde, to enlarge the compariſon, there, that it was more ſubtile, here that it ſhould be more miſerable then any other beaſt whatſoever, tame or wilde.
And above every heaſt of the field] That is, above every wilde beaſt: thus by a ſufficient diſtribution of beaſts into their kindes, wilde and tame, the Serpent is pronounced, not only more curſed then any of them were in their Creation, but then now they are, even by mans fall the whole creature is made ſubject to vanity. This curſe therefore laid upon the Serpent, is not only a branch of the general curſe, which ſin hath brought upon all the creatures, but a peculiar curſe upon this creature above them all.
Upon thy belly ſhalt thou go] All creeping things go upon the belly, as Moſes implies, Lev. 11.42. where he makes going upon the belly, the difference between creeping things, and thoſe that go upon their feet: the Septuagint here render it, belly and breaſt, to expreſſe the Original (Gechon) more fully, which properly ſignifies, the belly of a Serpent, whoſe belly and breaſt ſeem to be all one. But ſeeing going upon the belly is here laid upon the Serpent as a curſe; It gives occaſion of diſpute, whether the Serpent went upon the belly before it was curſed, or nay. A queſtion neither very eaſie, nor neceſſary to determine. Only, it ſeems not probable, that God by the curſe altered the ſhape, or parts of any creatures body, but only the perfect and healthy temper, the ſtrength, regular uſe, and perhaps, (as in man) the comelineſſe of the parts. So that the conjecture of ſome ſeems to be very bold and groundleſſe, that imagine the Serpent to have been created with feet at the firſt, which they conceive to be taken away by the curſe. Again, neither is it probable, that the curſe ſhould bring upon the Serpent no change at all, although it brought not this change, and therefore that the curſe brought no alteration upon the Serpent, in her going at all: It is moſt probable, that when he curſed the Serpent above all other creatures, he left ſome diſcernable mark of that curſe upon it above the reſt. But it is replied, that there needed no alteration at all to make it a curſe; ſeeing mans nakedneſſe by ſin became ſhameful, which was not ſo before, without any alteration of the body: and the labour is now a curſe, which before the fall was not ſo. To which it may be eaſily anſwered.
Firſt, that in the ſhame of nakedneſſe there's a change, although not in the parts of the body, (ſave that even mans body it ſelfe, hath not a preſence ſo graceful and full of majeſty, ſince the fall, as he was before) yet in the affections of the minde, in which only ſhame conſiſts.
Secondly, in mans labour, which now becomes part of his curſe, and was not ſo before, there is an evident and very great change, as we ſhall ſee hereafter. The curſe might cauſe a change in the Serpents going, not by altering the kinde of her going, from ſtepping to creeping, but by appointing it another part of the body to go upon, then that which it went upon before. For the emphaſis ſeemes to be in Belly, not in Go, which Moſes expreſſeth here by the word Telech, which is of general ſignification, and extends to any kinde of moving forwards, whether by ſtepping, creeping, ſwimming, or any other kinde of motion. Now if God had given the Serpent a kinde of motion, different from that which it had before, it may be probably conceived, that Moſes would have expreſſed it by ſuch a word as might ſignifie that difference. This therefore ſeemes to be the moſt likely conjecture, that before the curſe the Serpent moved forwards upon the hinder part of her body, with the breaſt, and belly, and head erected, whereas now it creeps on the whole length of the body, which conjecture may be ſtrengthened by theſe arguments.
Firſt, we ſee that Serpents at this day, upon occaſion, (as when they aſſault a man or the like) for a time, raiſe up themſelves upon the hinder part of their body, ſo that the former part of it ſtands upright, why may we not conceive then, that before their ſtrength was weakened by this curſe, they might do that alwayes which now they can do for a ſhift.
Secondly, if we allow the Serpent ſuch a manner of creeping, with the former part of the body erect, we may more plainly ſee the reaſon, why Satan made choice of the Serpent in tempting the man, for the ſubtilty of it, which might conſiſt ſomewhat in altering and changing her going. When ſhe was to conveigh her ſelf into the Garden uneſpied, ſhe could apply her body cloſe to the ground; when ſhe was to ſpeak to the woman, ſhe could raiſe her ſelf upright, and ſo confer with her, as it were, mouth to mouth.
Thirdly, we may in this curſe diſcover the equity of Gods judgement upon the Serpent. For if the Serpent could apply her ſelf to do miſchief uneſpied, good reaſon ſhe ſhould be accurſed to go in that manner ever after, ſo that this curſe might point directly at the ſinne, for which it was inflicted. Now theſe at the beſt are but conjectures.
And duſt ſhalt thou eate] But experience teacheth, that Serpents feed alſo upon, and devoure other ſmall vermine; which the Prophet Eſay ſeemes alſo to imply, when ſpeaking of that peace that ſhould be in the reſtauration of the Church, between all creatures, he names the Serpent amongſt the reſt, affirming that it ſhould live by duſt, as the lion ſhould do by ſtraw, implying, that they both live by preying upon other creatures at preſent, which then they ſhould forbear. Some therefore by eating duſt conceive, that God meanes living hardly, as Serpents do, which, in the winter ſeaſon, living moſt in their holes, get little food to ſuſtain themſelves. But that is the condition of other beaſts as well as of Serpents: it ſeems therefore, that this feeding upon the duſt, is oppoſed to the former manner of the Serpents feeding upon herbes and fruits, after the manner of other beaſts; for, if before the curſe ſhe went with the former part of her body erect, as we have ſhewed already, then might ſhe be eaſily able to reach many ſorts of herbes and fruits, though growing above the ground, as other beaſts do, whereas now creeping with her very mouth upon the earth, ſhe muſt neceſſarily take her food out of the duſt, and ſo lick in ſome duſt withal: ſo that though the duſt be not all her food, yet ſhe taking all her food out of the duſt, and licking in the duſt with it, may not improperly be ſaid to eate duſt.
All the dayes] Both thou, and all thy kinde hereafter, to the worlds end. But what had the Serpent deſerved, being an unreaſonable creature, and conſequently uncapable of any purpoſe or intention to do evil? why is the beaſt puniſhed for Satans fault, who made uſe of the Serpent only as his inſtrument, to do miſchief? To that it is eaſily anſwered, that the dereſtation and hatefulneſſe of ſin is ſo great, that it is fit to be manifeſted upon whatſoever is defiled with it. Thus we break in pieces the ſword, dagge, or other inſtrument of a Princes death, dam up a Well in which any man hath been drowned. And God himſelf will require a mans life at the hands of every beaſt, Gen. 9.5. and therefore in his own Law, appoints an Oxe that goares any man to death, to be ſtoned, Exod. 21.28.
This part of the curſe (if we take the words according to the letter) we ſee moſt properly belongs to the beaſt, whereof Satan made uſe, for the acting of this miſchief. Some there are notwithſtanding, that conceive, that under the curſe upon the Serpent, is ſhadowed out the curſe laid by God upon Satan, who being created to look upwards, for his Apoſtaſie, was by Gods juſt judgement throwen down to the earth, and abaſed even below the duſt, and inſtead of delighting himſelfe in God, was carried by the inordinate motion of his ſpirit, to exerciſe himſelf, and to take delight in baſe and ſenſual things, more vile then duſt it ſelfe, which was appointed to be the Serpents food. But this curſe upon Satan cannot be conceived to be inflicted in this place, becauſe it was laid upon him by God, before he was an actor in this ſinne, Only in this, that God will not vouchſafe to reaſon the caſe with Satan, before he layes his judgement upon him.
1. OBSERVE, God many times will not ſo much as reaſon the caſe, with ſuch as he deſtinates to deſtruction.
Obſerve 1 EPhraim is joyned to idols, let him alone, Hoſ. 4.17. and Ezekiels tongue muſt cleave to the roof of his mouth, that he may not reprove, and the Prophets muſt not prophecie, that men may take ſhame, Mic. 2.6. when God hath once decreed a peoples deſtruction. Thus he dealt with the heathen, that had no face of a Church amongſt them, he ſuffered them to walk in their own wayes, Acts 14.16. only he might, and did ſometimes call them to accompt, before their own conſciences, Rom. 2.15. as well to keep them within ſome bounds of civility, for peace, and orders ſake, as to give them a taſte in preſent, of that gnawing worme that dieth not, by which they ſhall be everlaſtingly tormented hereafter. And well may God deale thus with men, ſeeing he is no mans debtor, neither can gain any thing by adminiſtring Phyſick to dead men, ſuch as are alienated from the life of God, Eph. 4.18. As for his own people, whom he hath taken into Covenant with him, he brings his judgements amongſt them to light every morning, though many times the unjuſt know no ſhame, Zeph. 3.5. as well to win ſuch as may be reclaimed, as alſo to ſtop mens mouthes, that no man might cavil at Gods juſtice, when the obſtinacy of men is made manifeſt, in refuſing the mercy offered unto them. Thus he deales indeed with his people, till the caſe grow deſperate and paſt remedy, 2 Chron. 36.16. and then uſually he ſilenceth his Miniſters without, and mens conſciences within, that they may fill up the meaſure of their iniquity, that the wrath of God may come upon them to the uttermoſt, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, 1 Theſ. 2.16.
Let us account it amongſt Gods favours, when he will debate with us by his Word, challenge us for our ſins, as he did David by Nathan; nay, if he terrifie us by threatening his judgments and wrath, as he doth Jehoſhaphat by Jehu, 2 Chron. 19.2. yea, and awaken us too by his chaſtiſements, Jer. 31.18, 19. or raiſe up our own hearts to ſmite us, 2 Sam. 24.10. but tremble at ſuch a condition when God lets us alone, and will have no more to do with us, which is an evidence of his deepeſt diſpleaſure, and let no man deſire ſuch a judgement unto himſelf as the wicked do, Iſa. 30.14. that the Holy One of Iſrael may ceaſe from them.
The Delinquents are brought in in order, and every one, as they are found more or leſſe guilty, ſo receive a cenſure proportionable, even the Serpent it ſelfe, which is but the inſtrument which Satan uſed in this temptation. Whence
2 OBSERVE, Whoſoever hath an hand in any ſin, ſhall be ſure to have a ſhare in the puniſhment.
Obſerve 2 TRibulation and anguiſh ſhall be upon every ſoule that doth evil, Rom. 2.9. whether living under the Law, or without the Law, ver. 12. either at preſent in the ſpeedy execution of vengeance, as the ſearchers that brought up an ill report upon the Land of Canaan, died preſently before the Lord, Numb. 14.37. or in the day of recompence, where in not one of the murmuring Congregation eſcaped the ſtroak of Gods hand, Numb. 26.65. as God had before given ſentence on them, Numb. 14.29. or at the fartheſt, they are ſure to be called to account at the great day, when God ſhall come to execute vengeance upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly, and that of all their ungodly deeds, and of all their hard ſpeeches, Jude 15. when every ſecret thing ſhall be brought to judgement, Eccleſ. 12.14. Reaſon.
1. God is able, both to convince and puniſh; and nothing can be hid from his pure eye, or eſcape his revenging hand.
2. The reſpect to his own honour, neceſſarily moves him to declare himſelf to be juſt, in rendring to every man according to his deeds, and according to his works, Pſal. 62.12.
We have already taken notice, that the Serpent was only an inſtrument in this ſinne, carried on and acted by Satan, according to his will; and yet he receives his judgement as well as the reſt. Whence
3 OBSERVE, Every inſtrument in the acting of ſin, and whatſoever is defiled thereby, is liable to Gods curſe.
Obſerve. 3 NOt only the body of a man, which the ſoule uſeth as an inſtrument to ſin, ſhall be caſt into hell with the ſoule; but even inſenſible creatures muſt be deſtroyed, if they be abuſed to ſin, as the golden calfe was by Moſes, Exod. 32.20. Manaſſehs image of the grove by Joſiah, 2 Kings 23.6. yea, the brazen Serpent, though erected by Gods own appointment, was broken in pieces by Hezekiah, being abuſed to idolatry, 2 Kings 18.4. And this may not only be done in juſtice, ſeeing ſin pollutes whatſoever toucheth it; but is fit to be done in terrour, as well to manifeſt Gods holineſſe, in his zeal againſt ſin, as to make men tremble at ſo dangerous an evil as ſin is, that brings deſtruction to all that comes near it, that all men might feare to abuſe wealth, food, houſes, apparel, wives, children, ſervants, friends, &c. as inſtruments to ſin, leſt the curſe of God light both upon them and upon our ſelves.
It hath been intimated, that although this curſe be inflicted upon the Serpent, yet withal it was in an eſpecial maner intended for the inſtruction of the man and woman, in whoſe preſence it was denounced againſt him, that they might the more feelingly apprehend the evil of their own ſinne, which they had voluntarily committed, when they beheld ſo fearful a curſe brought upon an involuntary agent in the ſame tranſgreſſion. Whence
4 OBSERVE. One mans puniſhment ought to be other mens inſtruction.
Obſerve 4 WHether inflicted by men, in a courſe of juſtice, Deut. 13.14. or laid on by Gods immediate hand, Zeph. 3.5, 6. Thus God makes Abraham acquainted with that fearful judgement, which he was to execute upon Sodom, that himſelf and his family might take inſtruction by it, Gen. 18.18, 19. And upon the ſame ground are divers of Gods judgements recorded to poſterity, Pſal. 78.6, 7. 1 Cor. 10.6. And it ſtands with good reaſon that we ſhould make this uſe of other mens puniſhment, ſeeing God is no reſpecter of perſons, but muſt meaſure all with the ſame line, as proceeding alwayes by the ſame rule of Juſtice, aſſiſted by the ſame power, carried on by the ſame zeal and holineſſe of his nature, and having ſtill before his eyes the end, even the manifeſting of his own glory. Beſides it is a great honour to God, when he thus brings good out of the evil of other mens ſmart, as he doth light out of darkneſſe, that both his power and mercy may be the more admired; when he makes other mens poiſon our medicine, and their wounds our healing.
God both in this judgement which he denounceth againſt the Serpent, and that which follows, ver. 17. againſt Adam, firſt expreſſeth the cauſe, and paſſeth the cenſure, and that to manifeſt the equity of his proceeding, and in a ſort to teſtifie to the world, that though the puniſhment be his Act, yet it is mans deſart, and conſequently brought upon him by himſelfe, as the fruit of his own ſinne. Whence
5 OBSERVE, God layes his judgement upon no creature but upon juſt deſart.
Obſerve. 5 THis is evident by allexamples of his Judgments. In the old world he brought the flood upon them for their ungodlineſſe, 2 Pet. 2.5. concemned Sodom and Gomorrah with an overthrow for their filthy converſation, 2 Pet. 2.6, 7. carried away his people into captivity, becauſe their ſinnes were encreaſed, Jer. 30.15. as themſelves acknowledge, Lam. 1.8, and all the world bare witneſſe, Deut. 29.24, 25. much more is it true in his own children, Pſalm. 89.32. Lam. 3.39. Reaſon.
1. His nature; fury is not in him, Iſaiah 27.4. but longſuffering and abundant goodneſſe, Exod. 34.6. Pſal. 103.8, 13.
2. Reſpect to his own honour, infinitely advanced by manifeſting his Juſtice, mercy, faithfulneſſe, and truth, which appeares when he diſpenſeth all his adminiſtrations according to mens deſarts.
3. Neither could he otherwiſe encourage men to his ſervice, but by accepting and rewarding them in well-doing, and puniſhing only their errors, and that too with ſo much moderation that it tends only to their good, and not to their deſtruction.
Let it move us both to juſtifie God in his Judgements, with the Princes, 2 Chron. 12. Pſal. 51.4. acknowledging him to be righteous and our ſelves ſinful above meaſure, Dan. 9.7, 8, 9. And withal to ſet him before us for our pattern, hating nothing in men but ſinne, Conſidering,
1. That otherwiſe we owe love to all men.
2. That we manifeſt not holineſſe more in any thing, then when we put difference between man and man, only according to their good or evil diſpoſition, or deſarts.
In laying the cenſure upon the Serpent, God firſt pronounceth a curſe upon him in general, and afterwards expreſſeth the evils in particular which that curſe includes, and delivering this judgement in this order and manner gives us occaſion thence to
6 OBSERVE, Gods curſe upon any creature is the fountaine of all plagues and miſeries.
Obſerve 6 THus God in proceeding againſt Cain, firſt lays his curſe upon him, and then ſets before him the evils which flow from thence, Gen. 4.11. Balak deſires nothing of Balaam but to pronounce Gods curſe upon the children of Iſrael, and then hopes to prevaile againſt them, Numb. 22.6. And Joſhuah wiſhing all miſchief to the builder of Jericho, pronounceth againſt him a curſe from the Lord, Joſh. 6.26. and a curſe & a bleſſing are put for all manner of good & evil, Deut. 11.26 Whence it is that wicked men to whom as the portion of their cup belong ſnares, fire, brimſtone and horrible tempeſt, Pſal. 11.6. are called the people of Gods curſe, Iſa. 34.5. and children of the curſe, 2 Pet. 2.14. It muſt be ſo of neceſſity, ſeeing the curſe of God is the manifeſtation of his wrath who creates all evil, Iſa 45.7.
Let it raiſe up all our hearts to abhorre ſin, and behold the heinouſneſſe thereof, which hath brought this curſe upon us; and to behold the infinite riches of Chriſts love unto man, who became a curſe for us, that he might redeem us from the curſe of the Law, Gal. 3.13. An incredible abaſement to him who is God bleſſed for ever, and an incredible happineſſe unto us, eſpecially ſeeing by him the curſe is not only taken away, but is beſides turned into a bleſſing.
Satan chooſeth the Serpent to be his inſtrument to deceive the woman, for his ſubtilty, in ſliding cloſely into the Garden; and God for that layes on him that puniſhment, that he ſhould alwayes go upon his belly: he was his inſtrument to tempt the woman in eating, and is adjudged to eat duſt all his dayes, ſee the puniſhment points at the ſinne, which is uſual in Gods judgements. Whence
7 OBSERVE. It is uſual with God in his judgements ſo to order them that they may point at the ſin for which they are inflicted.
Obſerve 7 EIther by paying like for like, as in cutting off Adonibezeks thumbs of his hands and feet, becauſe he had dealt ſo with others: whence he in his Law gives direction to give eye for eye, and tooth for tooth, Exod. 21.24, 25. or by ſome circumſtance or other he points at the ſin which he puniſheth. Jehoram muſt be caſt into Naboths vineyard, to point at his Fathers ſin in killing Naboth to get poſſeſſion of that vineyard, 2 King 9.25, 26. ſometimes the inſtrument or the time, or the manner, or ſome other like circumſtance ſhews what the ſinne is that brings the judgement.
Thus God deals with men,
1. To juſtifie himſelf, that by ſuch lively characters, his righteouſneſſe in all his ways may be read by him that runs.
2. To further mens repentance, by pointing out unto them the ſinne that brings the judgement upon them.
The curſe that God lays upon the Serpent he expreſſeth and amplifieth by way of compariſon, that it ſhould light and abide upon the Serpent above any beaſt of the field. So that the Serpent became viler then any other creature by becoming an inſtrument of ſin. Whence
8 OBSERVE, It is only ſin that makes one more vile then another.
Obſerve. 8 THat makes Coniah, though a Prince, a deſpiſed broken veſſel, Jer. 22.28. and deprives his father Jehojakim of the common honour that belongs to the meaneſt man, ſo that he is caſt out to be buried with the burial of an Aſſe, ver. 19. That makes any that is defiled with it a vile perſon, Pſal. 15.4. yea, though he were a Prince (as Antiochus, ſurnamed the glorious, is called a vile perſon, Dan. 11.21.) and his memory rottenneſſe, Prov. 10.7. It makes whole nations an hiſſing, and an aſtoniſhment, Jer. 25.9. the taile, and not the head, Deut. 28.14. as on the other ſide, righteouſneſſe advanceth one man above another, Prov. 12.26. and wiſdom promotes to honour, Prov. 4.8. All which abaſements, and honours, which ſin and godlineſſe bring to men in this life, are but meere ſhadows of that more eminent difference, which ſhall be put between them hereafter, when they that be wiſe ſhall ſhine as the brightneſſe of the firmament, Dan. 12.3.
The particulars of the Serpents curſe are two,
Firſt, that ſhe ſhall go upon her belly.
Secondly, that her food ſhall be the duſt of the earth: ſo that her abaſement is, that ſhe is wholly faſtened unto the earth. Whence
9 OBSERVE. It is a ſhameful abaſement to be glewed to the earth.
Obſerve 9 IT is a part of our abaſement at preſent, that we dwell here on earth, in houſes of clay, Joh 4.19. in bodies of clay, termed earthly Tabernacles, 2 Cor. 5.1. under which we groane, as under an heavy burthen, ver. 4. waiting to be freed from it, Rom. 8.23. that thoſe earthly bodies may be changed into heavenly, 1 Cor. 15.44. But our greateſt abaſement is in ſtooping to the earth in our affections, bringing down our mindes to embrace earthly things, which is our ſhame, Phil. 3.19. taking unto us earthly and ſenſual wiſdom (as it is termed, Jam. 3.15.) for our guide: whence it is, that we are ſo ſeriouſly exhorted, to raiſe up our affections to heavenly things, to fixe them on them, Col. 3.2. having our negotiation (or converſation as we render it) in heaven, Phil. 3.20. even in our earthly imployments, when we do them with heavenly mindes, as duties of obedience to God, in them ſerving the Lord Chriſt, Eph. 6.5, 6, 7. and referring all to his glory, 1 Cor. 10.31. and in theſe ſervices ſeeking after glory, and honour, and immortality hereafter.