Christian Religion, Catechism · Part 10
GEN. Chap. 3. verſ. 1. and ſo to the end.
WHat is the ſumme of that Chapter?
The fall of the reaſonable creatures, eſpecially of mankinde, and the wretched eſtate he threw himſelfe and all his poſteritie into.
How conſider you of the fall of the reaſonable creatures?
Firſt in the fall of certaine Angels, then of Man.
How is the fall of the Angels conſidered out of this place?
In that he that vſed the Serpent for an inſtrument to deceiue man, was a created ſpirit; and conſequently an Angell, and a fallen Angell, without which hee would neuer hauehave attempted to deceiue man.
VVhat doe you conſider in the fall?
The cauſes of the fall, and the fall it ſelfe.
VVhichWhich be the cauſes?
They are either from things without man, or from man himſelfe.
VVhichWhich are thoſe that are without?
Either principal, as the Diuell; or inſtrumentall, as the Serpent, in and by whom the Diuell ſpake.
VVhat obſerue you in the principall?
Firſt, the cauſe of his attempt, that was his hatred to mankinde,Iohn 8.44. and his enuie of his happie eſtate, in which reſpect our Sauiour ſaith he was a murtherer from the beginning.
VVhat gather you from thence?
That Satan is moſt buſie to aſſaile them in whom the image of God in knowledge and holineſſe doth appeare: not labouring much about thoſe which either lie in ignorance, or hauehave no conſcience of walking according to knowledge: as thoſe that are his alreadie.
VVhat note you ſecondly?
The inſtrument hee vſeth thereunto, the Serpent, which was wiſeſt of all the beaſts of the earth.
VVhy did he vſe the Serpent rather then any other?
Becauſe it of all other was the ſubtilleſt and fitteſt to creepe into the garden vnſeene of Adam, (who was to keepe the beaſts out of it) and to remaine there without being eſpied of him, and creepe out againe when he had done his feate.
If there were craft before the fall; then it ſeemeth there was ſinne?
Craft in beaſts is not ſin, although the word here vſed ſignifieth a nimblenes and ſlineſſe to turne and winde it ſelfe any way, in which reſpect it ſeemeth the Diuell choſe this beaſt.
VVhat learne you from thence?
That the Diuell to worke his miſchiefe is exceedingly cunning to make his choice, of his inſtruments,Matth. 7.15. 2. Cor. 11.13.14. 1. Tim. 2.14. according to the kinde of euill hee will ſolicite vntounto.
But we doe not ſee that he commeth any more in the bodie of Serpents.
Hee may;Epheſ. 6.12. Reuel. 2.10. and in the bodie of any other beaſt which the Lord will permit him to come in: howbeit our caſe in this is more dangerous then Adams: as he vſeth commonly for inſtruments men like vntounto vsus, and familiar, which hee could not doe before the fall.
VVhat note you thirdly in the Diuell?
The perſon or ſubiect hee aſſaileth, the woman,Luke 5.30. Mark 2.16. Matth. 9.11. 2. Tim. 3.6. which is the weaker veſſell: which is his continuall practiſe, where the hedge is low, there to goe ouer.
VVhat fourthly?
The time he ſetteth vponupon her, namely, immediatly, or not long after the placing of them in that happie eſtate: which teacheth how malicious the Wicked one is, who if hee could let, would not ſuffer vsus to enioy any comfort either of this life, or of that to come, ſo much as one poore day.
VVhat elſe note you of the time?
That he came vntounto her when ſhe was ſome ſpace remoued from her husband, which ſhould hauehave helped her againſt his wiles.
What learne you from thence?
How the abſence of wiues from their husbands, that ſhould be a ſtrength vntounto them, is dangerous: eſpecially that we abſent not our ſelues from the meanes of our ſpirituall ſtrength, the hearing of the word, the receauing of the ſacraments and prayer.
Let vsus now come to the Diuels ſpeech, which is the cauſe of ſinne: What is it?
Is it euen ſo that God hath ſaid ye ſhall not eate of all the fruite of the garden?
What note you from hence?
Firſt, that it is likelie there had been ſome communication before between the diuell and the woman, that Satan had asked why they did not eate of the forbidden fruit, ſeeing it was ſo goodly and pleaſant to behold, and that the woman had anſwered that they were forbidden: whereupon he inferreth this that Moſes ſetteth downe.
What learne you from thence?
That it is dangerous to talke with the diuell, ſo much as to bid him to depart; if the Lord to try vsus ſhould ſuffer him to tempt vsus viſibly, as he did Eue: vnleſſe we hauehave a ſpeciall calling of God thereunto: Firſt, becauſe he is too ſubtile for vsus, being ſimple in regard of him. Secondly, becauſe he is ſo deſperately malitious, that he will giuegive place to no good thing we can alledge to make him leaue off his malitious purpoſe.
What ſhall we then doe?
We muſt turne our ſelues vntounto God, and deſire him to command him away, at whoſe only commandement he muſt depart.
What els learne you from hence?
Firſt, the wicked ſpirits malicious and ſubtill ſuggeſtion, in that paſſing by the great bountifulnes of the Lord, in the grant of the free vſe of al the fruits of the garden, he ſeeks to quarrell with the Lords liberalitie.
Secondly, to take heed, leſt for want of ſome one thing which God with holdeth from vsus, which we gladly would hauehave; we be not vnthankful to the Lord for his great liberalitie, and enter further into a miſlike of him for that one want, then into the louelove and liking of him for many his benefits we enioy: eſpecially, it being for our good that he withholdeth it, and being not good which we deſire.
VVhat learne you out of the anſwere of Eue?
That ſhe began to ſlip at the firſt for notwithſtanding that ſo far as ſhe anſwered truly, that God had forbidden them to eate of the fruit of that tree, and telleth alſo the puniſhment truly that would follow thereof; yet that ſhe ſaith they were forbidden to touch it, it is more then the Lord did make mention of: And ſeemeth thereby to inſinuate ſome rigor of the Lord, forbidding euen the touch of the fruite.
Wherein els is ſhe to be blamed?
In the deliuery of the puniſhment of the eating of the forbidden fruite; for that where the Lord had moſt certainly pronounced, that they ſhould die if they ate of the fruite; ſhee ſpeaketh doubtfullie of it, as if they ſhould not certainelie die.
What learn you from hence?
That albeit men are oft perſwaded they ſinne, yet that they are not perſwaded of the iuſtice of God againſt it, whereby the dore is opened to ſinne, which is to make God an idoll in ſpoiling him of his Iuſtice: as if he were ſo al mercy, as he had forgotten to be iuſt, when he is as well iuſtice as mercy, as infinite in the one as in the other: which correcteth ſharply the ſinnes of ſuch as he will ſaue.
What obſerue you in the replie of the Serpent?
Firſt, his craft in applying himſelfe to the woman, whom he ſeeing to be in doubt of the puniſhment, contents himſelfe with it, and abſtaineth from a preciſe deniall, whither hee would willingly draw her: becauſe hee eſteemed that the woman would not come ſo farre, and that in a flat denial he ſhould hauehave been bewraied; which notwithſtanding in the latter end of this ſentence hee doth by implication flatlie denie.
What learne you from thence?
That the Diuell proceedeth by degrees, and will … at the firſt moue to the groſſeſt: as in Idolatrie firſt to be preſent: after to kneele only with the knee, keeping his conſcience to himſelfe: laſtly, to the greateſt worſhip. In whoredome, firſt to looke, then to dallie, &c. and therefore that we reſiſt the euill in the beginning.
What elſe note you out of this replie?
Or Calumniator foreign.That he is a Cauiller, whereof hee hath his name Diuell, and an interpreter of all things to the worſt: and that it is no maruell though hee depraue the actions of good men, ſeeing hee dealeth ſo with God, ſurmiſing that God had forbidden to eate of the fruite, leſt they ſhould know as much as he.
What more?
That knowing how deſirous the nature of man, and eſpecially they of beſt ſpirits, is of knowledge, he ſurmiſeth vntounto them a great increaſe thereof. Whereas we ought to remember that which Moſes ſaith, that the ſecrets of the Lord are to himſelfe: Deut. 29.29.and that the things he hath reuealed are to vsus and to our children.
Hauing heard of the outward cauſes of the fall: what are the cauſes that riſe from our parents themſelues?
They are either outward things of the bodie, or the inward affections of the minde moued by them.
What are the outward things of the bodie?
They are the abuſe of the tongue and of the eares, whereof hath been ſpoken: or of the eyes, and of the taſte, which are here mentioned. For in that it is ſaid, it was delectable to looke on, the eyes are made an inſtrument of this ſinne; and in that it was ſaid, it was good to eate, the taſte is made to be an inſtrument of it.
How could Eua tell it was good to eate, which neuer had tasted it?
She knew it by the beautifull colour, it was ſo: for if we be able, in this darkneſſe we are fallen into, to diſcerne commonly by the ſight of the fruit, whether it be good; and eſpecially the Simpliſts in Phyſick by the colour only of the herbe, to tell whether it be hot or cold, ſweete or ſower; how much more were Adam and Eue, who had the perfection of the knowledge of thoſe things more then euer Salomon himſelfe?
What learne you from theſe outward inſtruments of the bodie?
That which the Apoſtle warneth,Rom. 6. that we beware that wee make not the parts of our bodies weapons of iniquitie: for if without a circumſpect vſe of them they were inſtruments of euill before there was any corruption, or inclination to ſinne; how much more dangerous will they be now after the corruption, vnleſſe they be well looked vntounto?
What more particularly learne you out of them?
Of the tongue, that as it is a ſingular bleſſing of God, whereby man excelleth all the creatures vponupon the earth: ſo the abuſe of it is moſt dangerous, becauſe it ſetteth on fire the whole courſe of nature,Iames 3. and it is ſet on fire of hell.
What of outward ſenſes?
That they are as it were windowes, whereby ſinne entred into the heart when there was no ſinne; and therefore will much more now, the heart being corrupted.
What learne you from thence?
Firſt, that we muſt ſhut them againſt all euill and vnlawfull vſe of their obiects, and open them to the vſe of good things, and make a couenant with them, as Iob did with his eyes,Iob 31.1. by a ſtrong and painfull reſiſtance of the euill that commeth by the abuſe of them:Matth. 5. as it were cut them off and throw them away, as our Sauiour giueth counſell.
Secondly, that as the ſenſes are more noble, as the hearing and ſight called the ſenſes of learning; ſo there ſhould be a ſtronger watch ſet vponupon them, thoſe being the ſenſes that Adam and Euah were eſpecially deceiued by.
What obſerue you of that it is ſaid, She ſaw that it was deſireable for knowledge?
That was only her error, which ſhe hauing begun to ſip of by communication with the Diuell, did after drink a full draught of, by beholding of the beautie of the fruite, and receiuing the delicate taſte thereof: And withall, how we can heape reaſons true and falſe to moue vsus to follow our pleaſure.
What learne you from thence?
That the heart inclining to error, doth draw the ſenſes to an vnlawful vſe of them: and that the abuſe of the ſenſes doth ſtrengthen the heart in error.
What gather you hereof?
That before the heart was corrupted, there was no abuſe of theſe outward ſenſes; but that being corrupt, the abuſe of them doth ſet the heart deeper in error.
What was the effect of all theſe outward and inward meanes?
The eating of the forbidden fruite, which was the ſinne that brought the fall.
What obſerue you in that ſhe gaue it (alſo) to Adam to eate?
The holy Ghoſt thereby (by a ſpecial word of amplification) doth aggrauate the ſinne againſt her.
What learne you from thence?
Firſt, the nature of ſinners to draw others to the condemnation they are in: as Satan Euah, and Euah her husband, euen thoſe that are neereſt them, whoſe good we ſhould procure.
Secondly, that wee ſhould take heed of that the Apoſtle warneth vsus, not to communicate vntounto other mens ſinnes; as if wee had not enow of our owne to anſwere for: which eſpecially belongeth vntounto thoſe in Charge.
Thirdly, how dangerous an inſtrument is an euill and deceiued wife; which the Lord commandeth men ſhould beware to make choice of: and if the man which is ſtrong, much more the woman.
What learne you of that Adam eat forthwith?
Firſt, that which hath been before noted, that the Diuel by one of vsus tempteth more dangerouſly then in his owne perſon: ſo that Satan knew he could not hauehave deceiued Adam by himſelfe, as by Euah. Secondly, for that in exceſſe of louelove he yeelded; it teacheth husbands to louelove their wiues, but it muſt be in the Lord, as the wiues muſt doe their husbands.
Hitherto of the former part of this chapter, touching the ſinne of Adam: Now let vsus come to the other, of the things that follow the ſinne.
It followeth, that their eyes were opened, and that they ſaw themſelues naked.
Why? were they not naked before; and hauing the eye ſharper, then after the fall, muſt they not needs ſee they were naked?
It is true: howbeit their nakednes before the fall was comely, yea more comely then the comelieſt apparell we can put on, being clad with the robe of innocencie from the top of the head to the ſole of the foote: wherefore (by nakednes) hee meaneth a ſhamefull nakednes both of ſoule and body, as the Scripture ſpeaketh otherwhere.Reuel. 3.
What gather you from thence?
That the lothſomnes of ſinne is hidden from our eyes, vntill it be committed, and then it fluſheth in the faces of our conſciences, and appeareth in it proper colours.
Was that well done that they ſewed figge-tree leaues to hide their nakednes?
In ſome reſpect; for as much as they ſought not a remedie for the nakednes inward, it was not well: but that they were aſhamed to behold their owne nakednes of the bodie, it was well: for in this corrupt and ſinfull eſtate there is left this honeſtie and ſhamefaſtnes, that neither we can abide to looke on our own nakednes and ſhamefull parts, much leſſe vponupon the ſhamefull parts of others, although it be of thoſe that are neereſt ioyned vntounto vsus.
What gather you from thence?
Firſt, that thoſe that can delight in the beholding either of their owne nakednes, or the nakednes of any other, hauehave loſt euen that honeſtie, that the ſinfull nature of man naturally retaineth.
Secondly, that ſuch as for cuſtome ſake hauehave couered their nakednes with clothes, doe notwithſtanding with filthie words, as it were, lay themſelues naked, are yet more wretched, and deeplier poyſoned with the poyſon of the vncleane ſpirit, and hauehave drunke more deeply of his cup.
Seeing our nakednes commeth by ſin, and is a fruite thereof, it may ſeeme that little infants hauehave no ſin, becauſe they are not aſhamed.
So indeed doe the Pelagian Heretikes reaſon: but they conſider not, that the want of that feeling is, for the want of the vſe of reaſon, and becauſe they doe not diſcerne betweene being naked and clothed.
What followeth?
That at the noiſe of the Lord in a winde, they fled from the preſence of God, and hid themſelues where the trees were moſt thick.
What learne you from thence?
Firſt,Job 18.11.14. Prou. 15. Rom. 5. that the guilt of an euill conſcience ſtriketh horror into a man. And therefore it is ſaid, that terrors terrifie him round about and caſt him downe, following him at the heeles, and leaue him not till they hauehave brought him before the terrible King: thereof it is that the feaſt of a good conſcience is ſo greatly extolled, as to be a continuall feaſt.
Secondly, the fruite of the ſinne comming from the feare, which is to flie from God as from an enemie. Whereof it is that the Apoſtle affirmeth, that hauing peace of conſcience we hauehave acceſſe and approch vntounto God.Rom. 5.
Thirdly, their blindnes, which eſteemed that the ſhadow or thicknes of trees, would hide them from the face of God:Pſal. 139.7.8.9.10.11.12.13. whereas if we goe vp into heauen, he is there; if into the deepe, there he is alſo: he being not ſo hidden in the trees, but that a man might finde him out.
VVhat followeth?
That God asketh where hee is, which knew well where he was.
VVhat learne you from thence?
Eſay. 65.1.Firſt, that we would neuer leaue running from god, vntil we come to the depth of hell, if God did not ſeeke vsus and follow vsus to fetch vsus as the good ſhepheard the loſt ſheepe.Luke 15. Secondly, that the meanes of calling vsus home, is by the word of his mouth.
What followeth?
That Adam being asked, aſſigneth for cauſes, things which were not the cauſes: as namely, the voice of the Lord, his feare, and his nakednes: which were not; conſidering, that he had heard the voice of God and was naked when he fled not; diſſembling that which his heart knew to be the true cauſe of his ſinne.
What learne you from thence?
That it is the property of a man vnregenerate to hide and cloake ſin, and therefore that the more we hide and cloake our ſinnes when we are dealt with for them,Iob. 31.33. the more we approue our ſelues the children of the old man the curſed Adam.
What followeth?
The Lord asketh how it ſhould come, that he felt his nakednes as a puniſhment, and whether he had eaten of the forbidden fruit.
What note you from thence?
That before that our ſinnes be knowen in ſuch ſort, as the deniall of them is in vaine and without colour, we will not confeſſe our ſinnes.
What learne you out of Adams ſecond anſwere vntounto God?
That the man vnregenerate dealt with for his ſinnes, goeth from euill to worſe; for his ſinne that he hid before, now he cannot hide it, he excuſeth, and for excuſing it accuſeth the Lord: as thoſe doe which when they heare of the doctrine of predeſtination and prouidence, thereupon would make God a partie in their ſinnes.
What learne you further?
That howſoeuer Adam alleaged it for an excuſe, becauſe he did it by perſwaſion of another, yet God holdeth him guilty: yea dealeth with him as with the principall, becauſe his gifts were greater then his wiues.
What learne you from the anſwer of Eue, to the Lords queſtion; why ſhe did ſo?
The ſame which before, that the vnregenerate man doth goe about to excuſe the ſinne he cannot denie; for ſhe caſteth her ſinne vponupon the ſerpent, and ſaid that which was true, but kept backe the confeſſion of her concupiſcence, without the which the ſerpent could not hauehave hurt her.
How commeth it to paſſe that the old Serpent the author of all is not called to be examined.
Becauſe that the Lord would ſhew no mercy vntounto him, wherfore he only pronounceth iudgement againſt him.
What learne you from thence?
That it is a mercy of God, when we hauehave ſinned, to be called to account, and to be examined, either by the father of the houſhold, or by the magiſtrate, or by the gouernour of the church; and a token of Gods fearefull iudgement, when we are ſuffred to rot in our ſinnes, without being drawne to queſtion for them.
VVhat obſerue you in the ſentence againſt the ſerpent?
That the firſt part, contayned in the 14 verſe, is againſt the inſtrument of the Diuel; and that the other part, contained in the 15 verſe, is againſt the Diuell.
What learne you of this proceeding to ſentence?
That after the cauſe well knowne, iudgement ſhould not be ſlacked.
Why doth God vſe a ſpeech to the Serpent that vnderſtandeth it not?
It is for mans ſake, and not for the beaſts ſake.
Why for mans ſake?
To ſhew his louelove to mankinde, by his diſpleaſure againſt any thing that ſhall giuegive any helpe to do hurt vntounto him. In which reſpect, he commandeth that the oxe that killeth a man ſhould be ſlaine,Exod. 21.18. and that the fleſh thereof ſhould not be eaten. Like a kinde father that cannot abide the ſight of the knife that hath maimed or killed his child.
What manner of curſe is this when there is nothing laid vponupon the Serpent, but that which he was appointed to at the beginning before this ſeruice hee was abuſed vntounto?
It is true that he crept vponupon his belly before, and ate duſt before, as appeareth in the Prophet.Eſay 65.25. But his meaning is, that he ſhall creepe with more paine, and lurke in his hole for feare, and eate the duſt with leſſe delight and more neceſſitie.
What learne you from thence?
Not to ſuffer our ſelues to be inſtruments of euill to any in the leaſt ſort, if wee will eſcape the curſe of God: For if God did puniſh a poore worme, which had no reaſon or will to chuſe or refuſe ſinne; how much leſſe will he ſpare vsus which hauehave both?
What is the ſentence againſt the Diuell?
The ordinance of God, that there ſhall be alwaies enmitie betweene the Diuell and his ſeed of the one ſide, and the woman and her ſeede on the other ſide; together with the effect of this enmitie.
What doe you vnderſtand by the ſeede of the Diuell, ſeeing there is no generation of the Diuels, for that there is no male or female amongst them, neither hauehave they bodies to engender?
The ſeed of the Diuell are all both wicked men and Angels, which are corrupt as he is,Iob. 8.4. Iob. 3.8. Act. 13.10. and carrie his image: in which reſpect the wicked are called the children of the Diuell, and eueryevery where the ſonnes of Belial.
What learne you from thence?
That the warre of mankinde with the Diuell is a lawfull warre proclaimed of God, which is alſo perpetuall and without al truce: and therefore that here it is wherein we muſt ſhew our choler, our hate, our valour, our ſtrength; not faintly and in ſhew only, but in truth: where we being collered with our enemie, leaue our fight with him to fight againſt our brethren, yea againſt our owne ſoules: he continually and without ceaſing fighting with vsus, and not againſt his owne, as the blaſphemous Phariſies ſaid, Matth. 12.24.
What is the ſentence againſt the woman?
Firſt, in the paine of conception and bearing. Secondly, in the paine of bringing foorth (wherein is contained the paine of nurcing and bringing them vp). Thirdly, in a deſire to her husband. Fourthly, in her ſubiection to her husband.
Was ſhe not before deſirous and ſubiect vntounto her huſband?
Yes: but her deſire was not ſo great through conſcience of her infirmitie; nor her ſubiection was ſo painfull, and the yoke thereof ſo heauie.
VVhat is the ſentence againſt Adam?
Firſt, his ſinne is put in the ſentence, and then the puniſhment.
What was his ſinne?
One, that hee obeyed his wife, whom he ſhould hauehave commanded: then, that hee diſobeyed God; whom he ought to hauehave obeyed; the firſt being proper to him, the other common to his wife with him.
VVhat was the puniſhment?
A puniſhment, which although it be more heauie vponupon Adam, yet it is alſo common to the woman: namely, the curſe of the earth for his ſake, frō whence came barrennes by thiſtles and thornes, &c. Whereof firſt the effect ſhould be ſorrow and grief of mind. Secondly, labour to the ſweat of his browes, to draw neceſſarie food from it, and that as long as hee liued. Laſtly, the expulſion out of Paradiſe, to liue with the beaſts of the earth, and to eate of the herbe which they did eate of.
What learne you from thence?
That all men, from him that ſitteth in the throne, to him that draweth water, are bound to painfull labour, either of the body or of the minde, what wealth or patrimonie ſoeuer is left them, although hee had wherewith otherwiſe plentifully to liue.
But it was ſaid that at what time ſoeuer they ate of it, they ſhould certainly die.
And ſo they were dead in ſin, which is more fearfull then the death of the bodie, as that which is a ſeparation from God: whereby they were alreadie entred vponupon death and hell, to which they ſhould hauehave proceeded, vntill it had bin accompliſhed both in bodie and ſoule in hell with the Diuell and his angels for euer, if the Lord had not looked vponupon them in the bleſſed ſeed.
How doth it agree with the goodnes, or with the very iuſtice of God, to puniſh one ſo fearfully for eating of a little fruit?
Very well: for the ſin was horrible, firſt, by doubting of the truth of God. Secondly, a crediting of the word of Gods enemie and theirs. Thirdly, a charge againſt God yt he enuied their good eſtate. Fourthly, intollerable pride and ambition, in deſiring to be equall in knowledge to God himſelfe. Laſt of all, (which much aggrauateth the ſin) for that the commandement he brake was ſo eaſie to be kept, as to abſtaine from one only fruite in ſo great plentie and varietie.
VVhat obſerue you elſe?
I obſerue further out of this verſe and out of the two next,Heb. 3.2. that in the middeſt of Gods anger hee remembreth merciemercy: for it is a benefit to Adam that he may liue of the ſweat of his browes: To Euah, that ſhe ſhould bring foorth, and not be in continual trauell: vntounto them both, that he taught them wiſedome to make leather coates.
VVhat learne you from that it is ſaid that God made them coates?
That in eueryevery profitable inuention for the life of men, God is to be acknowledged the author of it, and hauehave the honour of it, and not the wit of man that inuented it: as it is the manner of men in ſuch caſes to ſacrifice to their owne nets.Heb. 1.16.
When there were better meanes of clothing, why did they were leather?
It ſeemeth that thereby they ſhould draw themſelues the rather to repentance and humiliation by that courſe clothing.
What learne you from thence?
That howſoeuer our condition and ſtate of calling affoord vsus better aray, yet wee learne euen in the beſt of our clothes to be humbled by them, as thoſe which are giuen to couer our ſhame, and carrie alwaies the marke and badge of our ſinne; eſpeciallie when theſe, which were euen after the fall the goodlieſt creatures that euer liued, learned that leſſon by them.
VVhat followeth?
A ſharp taunt that the Lord giueth Adam, verſ. 22. further to humble him; as if he ſhould ſay, Now Adam doeſt thou not ſee and feele how greatly thou art deceiued in thinking to be like God by eating of the forbidden fruite?
VVhat learne you from it?
That by the things wee thinke to be moſt eſteemed, contrarie to the will of God; we are moſt ſubiect to deriſion: and that it muſt not be a plaine and common ſpeech, but a laboured ſpeech that muſt bring vsus to repentance.
VVhy doth God baniſh him out of Paradiſe, leſt hee ſhould liue, if he could eate of the tree of life, ſeeing there is no corporall thing able to giuegive life to any that ſinne hath killed?
It is true that the eating of the fruite of the tree of life would not hauehave recouered him: but the Lord therefore would hauehave him baniſhed from it, leſt hee ſhould fall into a vaine confidence thereof, to the end to make him to ſeeke for grace.
Wherefore are the Angels ſet with a glittering ſword to keepe them from the tree of life?
To increaſe their care to ſeeke vntounto Chriſt, being baniſhed from it, without hope of comming ſo much as to the ſigne of life.
VVhat learne you from hence?
The neceſſarie vſe of keeping obſtinate ſinners from the Sacraments, and other holy things in the Church.