A Treatise of Christian Religion, Chapter 9
CHAP. 9.
Of the ſpeciall gouernment of God, concerning Angels and men: where, of the Fall.
The ſpeciall gouernment of God, concerneth Angels, & Men, but ſpecially Man; wherin is to bee conſidered, the
Fall, where note,
1.
Cauſes
External,
Principall, Satan.
Inſtrumentall, Serpent.
Internall,
Corporall,
Seeing.
Touching.
Taſting.
Mentall, Appetite.
Manner,
The woman did firſt eate.
The man, by her perſwaſion.
2. Conſequent concerning
Our firſt Parents principally.
Their Poſterity, Chap. 10.
Meanes of his recouerie, Chap. 10.
GENES. Chap. 3.
1. Now the ſerpent was more ſubtill then any beaſt of the field, which the Lord God had made, and hee ſaid vntounto the woman, Yea, hath God ſaid, Ye ſhall not eate of eueryevery tree of the garden?
2. And the woman ſaid vntounto the ſerpent, We may eate of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
3. But of the fruit of the tree, which is in the midſt of the garden, God hath ſaid, Yee ſhall not eate of it, neither ſhall yee touch it, leſt ye die.
4. And the ſerpent ſaid vntounto the woman, Ye ſhall not ſurely die.
5. For God doth know, that in the day yee eate thereof, then your eyes ſhall be opened: and ye ſhall be as Gods, knowing good and euill.
6. And when the woman ſaw, that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleaſant to the eyes, and a tree to be deſired to make one wiſe, ſhe tooke of the fruit thereof, and did eate, and gaue alſo vntounto her husband with her, and he did eate.
7. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked, and they ſewed figge leaues together, and made themſelues aprons.
8. And they heard the voice of the Lord God, walking in the garden in the coole of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themſelues from the preſence of the Lord God, amongſt the trees of the garden.
9. And the Lord God called vntounto Adam, and ſaid vntounto him, Where art thou?
10. And he ſaid, I heard thy voyce in the garden: and I was afraid, becauſe I was naked, and I hid my ſelfe.
11. And he ſaid, Who told thee, that thou waſt naked? Haſt thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee, that thou ſhouldeſt not eate?
12. And the man ſaid, The woman whom thou gaueſt to be with me, ſhe gaue me of the tree, and I did eate.
13. And the Lord God ſaid vntounto the woman, What is this that thou haſt done? And the woman ſaid, The ſerpent beguiled me, and I did eate.
14. And the Lord God ſaid vntounto the ſerpent, Becauſe thou haſt done this, thou art curſed aboue all cattell, and aboue eueryevery beaſt of the field: vponupon thy belly ſhalt thou goe, and duſt ſhalt thou eate, all the daies of thy life.
15. And I will put enmity betweene thee and the woman; and betweene thy ſeed, and her ſeed: it ſhall bruiſe thy head, and thou ſhalt bruiſe his heele.
16. VntoUnto the woman he ſaid, I will greatly multiply thy ſorrow and thy conception. In ſorrow thou ſhalt bring forth children: and thy deſire ſhall be to thy husband, and he ſhall rule ouer thee.
17. And vntounto Adam he ſaid, Becauſe thou haſt hearkened vntounto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, ſaying, thou ſhalt not eate of it: curſed is the ground for thy ſake: in ſorrow ſhalt thou eate of it, all the daies of thy life.
18. Thornes alſo and thistles ſhall it bring forth to thee: and thou ſhalt eate the herbe of the field.
19. In the ſweat of thy face ſhalt thou eate bread, till thou returne vntounto the ground: for out of it waſt thou taken; for duſt thou art, and vntounto duſt ſhalt thou returne.
20. And Adam called his wiues name Eue, becauſe ſhee was the mother of all liuing.
21. VntoUnto Adam alſo, and to his wife, did the Lord God make coates of skinnes, and clothed them.
22. And the Lord God ſaid, Behold, the man is become as one of vsus, to know good and euill. And now lest hee put forth his hand, and take alſo of the tree of life, and eate and liue for euer.
23. Therefore the Lord God ſent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground, from whence he was taken.
24. So he droue out the man: and he placed at the Eaſt of the garden of Eden, Cherubims, and a flaming ſword, which turned eueryevery way, to keepe the way of the tree of life.
Q. HAuing ſpoken of the generall gouernment of of God, it followeth to ſpeak of the ſpeciall, which concerneth Men and Angels: wherin doth it conſiſt?
A. Firſt, in the fall of certaine Angels, and of all mankind, from that eſtate wherein they were created. Secondly, in the meanes of mans recouerie: the former of which two points is laid downe in the 3. Chapter of Geneſis.
Q. What is the ſumme of that Chapter?
A. The fall of the reaſonable creatures, eſpecially of mankinde, and the wretched eſtate hee threw himſelfe, and all his poſterity into.
Q. How conſider you of the fall of the reaſonable creatures?
A. Firſt, in the fall of certaine Angels, then of Man.
Q. How is the fall of the Angels conſidered out of this place?
A. It appeareth by this place, that it was the Serpent that deceiued Eue, but the Serpent was onelyonly an inſtrument of the diuell, (as appeareth in that hee is called the old Serpent, and alſo ſaid to hauehave been a murtherer from the beginning) who being an Angel, (as the Scriptures often teſtifie) this place ſheweth, that the Angels had fallen before.
Q. What doe you conſider in the fall?
A. The cauſes of the fall, and the fall it ſelfe.
Q. Which be the cauſes?
A. The cauſe in Angels, is very briefly, and in generall implied, becauſe God leaueth them in their condemnation: but the cauſes in man are ſet downe more at large; to the end that in the due & deep conſideration of his fall, hee might more clearly ſee the rich mercy of God, in reſtoring him againe, and bee more effectually ſtirred vp to lay hold vponupon it.
Q. What then were the cauſes of the fall of Man?
A. They were either from things from without man, or from man himſelfe.
Q. Which are thoſe, that were from without him?
A. Either principall, as the Diuell; or inſtrumentall, as the Serpent, in, and by whom the Diuell ſpake.
Q. What obſerue you in the principall?
A. Firſt, the cauſe of his attempt, that was his hatred to mankind, and his enuie of his happie eſtate; in Iohn 8. 44.which reſpect our Sauiour ſaith, hee was a murtherer from the beginning.
Q. What gather you from thence?
A. That Satan is moſt buſie to aſſaile them, in Luk. 22. 31.whom the Image of God, in knowledge and holines, 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 already.
Q. What note you ſecondly?
A. The inſtrument he vſeth therunto, viz. the Serpent, which was wilieſt of all the beaſts of the earth.
Q. Why did he vſe the Serpent, rather then any other?
A. Becauſe it, of all other, was the ſubtileſt, and (by reaſon of his ſubtiltie and wilineſſe) the fitteſt.
Q. If there were craft and wilineſſe before the fall; then it ſeemeth there was ſinne?
A. Craft in beaſts is no ſinne; and the word heere foreignvſed, ſignifieth a nimbleneſſe, and ſlineſſe, to turne and winde it ſelfe any way; in which reſpect alſo it ſeemeth, the Diuell choſe this beaſt, that he might 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.
Q. What learne you from thence?
A. That the Diuell (to worke his miſchiefe) is exceedingly cunning to make his choyce of his inſtruments, Mattb. 7. 15. 2. Cor. 11. 13. 14. 1. Tim. 2. 14.according to the kinde of euill hee will ſolicite vntounto.
Q. But we doe not ſee, that he commeth any more in the body of Serpents?
A. Hee may; and in the body of any other beaſt Epheſ. 6. 12.which the Lord will permit him to come in; howbeit Reuel. 2. 10.our caſe in this, is more dangerous then Eues was: Now Satan vſeth commonly for his inſtruments, men like vntounto vsus, and familiar with vsus, which hee could not doe before the fall.
Q. What note you thirdly here?
A. The perſon or ſubiect he aſſaileth, the woman, Luk. 5. 30. Mark. 2. 16. Matth. 9. 11. 2. Tim. 3. 6.which is the weaker veſſell: which is his continuall practice.
Q. Let vsus now come to the Diuels ſpeech, which is the cauſe of ſinne: What is it?
A. It is this: Is it euen ſo that God hath ſaid, ye ſhall not eate of the fruit of the garden?
Q, What note you from hence?
A. Firſt, that it is likely there had been ſome communication before, betweene the diuell and the woman; and 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, or ſomewhat to that effect: whereupon he inferreth this that Moſes ſetteth downe.
Q. What learne wee from hence for our direction, when we are tempted?
A. By Eues wants, wee learne (as wee are taught Epheſ. 6. 14. Iude 9. 1. Pet. 5 9. Mat. 4 …. 10.elſe-where) that we are to reſiſt Satan, by ſtrong faith; and to vſe againſt him the ſword of the ſpirit, which is the word of God; and to turne our ſelues to God, deſiring him to command him away, at whoſe commandement only he will depart.
Q. What learne you hence?
A. To take heed, leſt for want of ſome one thing Philip. 4. 6. 1. Theſſ. 5. 18.which God withholdeth from vsus, which wee gladly would hauehave; wee bee not vnthankfull to the Lord for his great liberality, and enter further into a miſlike of him for that one want, then into the louelove and liking of him for many his benefits wee enioy; eſpecially, it being for our good that hee withholdeth it, and it being not good for vsus, which we deſire.
Q. What learne you out of the anſwere of Eue?
A. That ſhe began to ſlip at the firſt: for notwithſtanding ſo farre ſhe anſwered truly, in that ſhee ſaith, 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 fruit.
Q. Wherein elſe is ſhe to be blamed?
A. For her manner of expreſſing the puniſhment, which was threatned for the eating of the forbidden fruit; for that where the Lord had moſt certainly pronounced, that they ſhould die, if they ate of the fruit; ſhe ſpeaketh doubtfully of it, as if they ſhould not certainely die; ſaying, leſt ye die.
Q. What learne you from hence?
A. That albeit men are oft perſwaded they ſinne, yet they are not ſo perſwaded of the Iuſtice of God againſt it, as they ought to be; whereby a doore is opened to ſinne, which is to ſpoyle God of his Iuſtice: as if hee were ſo all mercy, as hee had forgotten to bee iuſt, when hee is as well Iuſtice as Mercy; as infinite in the Exod. 34. 7. Deut. 6. 16.one, as in the other: who (notwithſtanding the ſatisfaction made by the death of Chriſt) correcteth ſharply the ſinnes of ſuch as he will ſaue.
Q. What obſerue you in the reply of the Serpent?
A. Firſt, his craft, in applying himſelfe to the woman, for ſeeing her to be in doubt of the puniſhment, he is bold to draw her on further, and to aſſure her ſhe ſhall not die.
Q. What learne you from thence?
A. That the Diuell proceedeth by degrees, and wil not at the firſt moue a man to the groſſeſt: as in Idolatry, he will moue vsus firſt to be preſent; after, to kneele onelyonly with the knee, keeping his conſcience to himſelfe; Numb. 25. 2.laſtly, to the greateſt worſhip. In Whoredome, firſt to looke, then to dallie, &c. and therfore let vsus reſiſt 2. Sam. 11. 2. 4.euill in the beginning.
Q. What elſe note you out of this reply?
A. That he is a Cauiller, or ſlanderer, whereof hee Or Calumniator, foreign.hath his name Diuell; and therefore an interpretor of all things to the worſt: & that it is no maruell though hee depraue the actions of good men, ſeeing hee dealeth ſo with God; ſurmiſing that God hath forbidden Iob. 1. 9.to eate of the fruit, leſt they ſhould know as much as hee; and therefore is he (not without cauſe) called the Reuel. 12. 10.Accuſer of Gods children.
Q. What more?
A. That knowing, how deſirous men are by nature (eſpecially they of beſt ſpirits) of knowledge, hee promiſeth vntounto them hopes of a great encreaſe therof. Whereas wee ought to remember that which Moſes ſaith, that the ſecrets of the Lord are to himſelfe: and that Deut. 29. 29.the things he hath reuealed, are to vsus, and to our children: & that our ignorance in ſuch things, is the beſt knowledge.Reuel. 2. 24.
Q. Hauing heard of the outward cauſes of the Fall: what were the cauſes that did riſe from our first Parents themſelues?
A. They were either outward things of the body, or the inward affections of the mind moued by them.
Q. What are the outward things of the body?
A. 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 occaſion and meanes of this ſinne; and in that it was ſaid, it was good to eate, the taſte alſo is made to bee an inſtrument of it, and an inducement to it.
Q. How could Eua tell it was good to eate, which neuer had taſted it?
A. She might collect ſo much, by the beautiful colour or ſmell thereof: for if we be able, in this darknes we are fallen into, to diſcerne commonly by the ſight of the fruit, whether it bee good; and eſpecially the Simpliſts in Phyſick, by the colour and ſmell onelyonly of the herbe, to tell whether it bee hot or cold; how much more were Adam and Eue, who had the perfection of the knowledge of thoſe things, more then euer Salomon himſelfe?
Q. What learne you from this hurt they receiued, by theſe outward inſtruments of the body?
A. That which the Apoſtle warneth, that wee beware Rom. 6. 13.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 bee now after the corruption, vnleſſe they be well looked vntounto?
Q. What more particularly learne you out of them?
A. That as the tongue, 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, and is it Iam. 3 6.ſelfe ſet on fire of hell.
Q. What of outward ſenſes?
A. 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.
Q. What learne you from thence?
A. 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, by a ſtrong & painfull reſiſtance Iob 31. 1.of the euill that commeth by the abuſe of them; as it Matth. 5. 29.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 Pſal. 119. 37. Mark. 4. 24.there ſhould be a ſtronger watch ſet vponupon them, thoſe being the ſenſes that Adam and Euah were ſpecially deceiued by.
Q. VVhat obſerue you of that it is ſaid, Shee ſaw that it was deſirable for knowledge?
A. That it was her errour, 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 fruit, and receiuing the delicate taſte thereof.
Q. VVhat learne you from thence?
A. Firſt, that we are apt and cunning by nature, to heape vp reaſons, true or falſe, to perſwade vsus to the following of our owne pleaſures. Secondly, that the heart (enclining to errour) doth draw the ſenſes to an vnlawfull vſe of them: and that the abuſe of the ſenſes Mark 7. 22. 23.doth ſtrengthen the heart in errour.
Q. VVhat was the effect of all theſe outward and inward meanes?
A. The eating of the forbidden fruit, which was the ſinne that brought the fall.
Q. VVhat obſerue you, in that ſhe gaue it (alſo) to Adam to eate?
A. The holy Ghoſt thereby (by a ſpeciall word of amplification alſo) doth aggrauate the ſinne againſt her.
Q. VVhat learne you from thence?
A. Firſt, the nature of ſinners, which is to draw others Prou. 4. …6.to the condemnation they themſelues are in: as Satan Euah, and Euah her husband, euen thoſe that are neareſt them, whoſe good we ſhould procure.
Secondly, that we ſhould take heed of that, the Apoſtle 1. Tim. 5. 22.warneth vsus, namely, not to communicate with other mens ſinnes, as if we had not enow of our owne to anſwere for: which eſpecially belongeth vntounto thoſe in Charge.
Thirdly, how dangerous an inſtrument an euill 1. King. 16. 31. 2 King. 8. 18. Nehem. 13. 26.and deceiued wife is; which the Lord commandeth men ſhould beware to make choyce of: and if the man (which is ſtronger) may be deceiued by the woman; much more the woman, which is the weaker, may be deceiued by the man.
Q. VVhat learne you of that Adam eate?
A. Firſt, (that which hath been before noted) that the Diuell by one of vsus tempteth more dangerouſly, then in his owne perſon: ſo that Satan knew he could not ſo eaſily hauehave deceiued Adam by himſelfe, as by Euah. Secondly, for that at her motion hee yeelded; it teacheth husbands to louelove their wiues no otherwiſe Coloſſ. 3. 18.then in the Lord, as the wiues muſt do their husbands.
Q. 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.
A. It followeth, that their eyes were opened, and that they ſaw themſelues naked.
Q. Why? were they not naked before; and hauing the eye ſharper, then after the fall, muſt they not needs ſee they were naked?
A. It is true: howbeit their nakedneſſe before the fall was comely, yea more comely then the comlieſt apparell we can put on, being clad with the robe of innocencie, from the top of the head, to the ſole of the foot: wherfore (by nakedneſſe) he meaneth a ſhamefull nakedneſſe both of ſoule and body, as the Scripture Reuel. 3. 17. 18.ſpeaketh otherwhere.
Q. What gather you from thence?
A. That the lothſomneſſe of ſinne is hidden from Prou. 5. 4. & 23. 32. Matth. 27.—3.—5.our eyes, vntill it be committed, and then it preſents it ſelfe fearfully to our conſciences, and appeareth in it proper colours.
Q. VVas that well done, that they ſewed fig-tree leaues to hide their nakedneſſe?
A. In that they were aſhamed to behold their own nakedneſſe of the body, it was well: but in ſo much as they were not moued thereby, to ſeeke a remedie for their inward nakedneſſe, it was not well.
Q. VVhat gather you from thence?
A. Firſt, that thoſe that doe feede their carnall delight, Habak. 2. 15. Gen. 9. 22.in the beholding either of their owne nakedneſſe, or the nakedneſſe of any other, hauehave loſt euen that honeſty, that the ſinfull nature of man naturally retaineth.
Secondly, that ſuch, as for cuſtome ſake hauehave couered their nakedneſſe with clothes, doe notwithſtanding Epheſ. 5. 3. 4.—12.with filthie words (as it were) lay themſelues naked, are yet more wretched, and deeplier poyſoned with the poyſon of the vnclean ſpirit, and hauehave drunk more deeply of his cup.
Q. Seeing our nakedneſſe commeth by ſinne, and is a fruit thereof, it may ſeeme that little Infants hauehave no ſinne, becauſe they are not aſhamed.
A. So indeed did the Pelagian Heretikes reaſon: but they conſidered not, that the want of that feeling is, for the want of the vſe of reaſon; and becauſe they do not diſcerne betweene being naked, and clothed.
Q. What followeth?
A. That at the noiſe of the Lord in a wind, they fled from the preſence of God, and hid themſelues where the trees were moſt thick.
Q. What learne you from thence?
A. Firſt, that the guilt of an euil conſcience ſtriketh Iob 18. 11. 14. Prou. 15. 15.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 a good conſcience is ſo greatly extolled, that it is ſaid to be, not onelyonly a feaſt, but alſo a continuall feast.
Secondly, that the fruit of ſinne is feare, which maketh a man to flie from God, as from an enemy. Wheras on the contrary ſide the Apoſtle affirmeth, that hauing peace of conſcience, wee hauehave acceſſe and approch Rom. 5. 2.vntounto God.
Thirdly, their blindneſſe following their ſin, wherby they thought that the ſhadow or thicknes of trees, Pſal. 139. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 1. Sam. 10. 22. 23.would hide them from the face of God, which could not hauehave hidden them from the face of a man: whereas it is ſaid of God, If we goe vp to heauen, hee is there; if downe into the deepe, he is there alſo.
Q. What followeth?
A. That God asketh where he is, which knew well where he was.
Q. What learne you from thence?
A. Firſt, that wee would neuer leaue running from Eſay 65. 1.God, vntill wee came to the depth of hell, if God did not ſeeke vsus, and follow vsus to fetch vsus backe againe, as the good ſhepheard the loſt ſheepe. Secondly, that the meanes of calling vsus home, is by the word of his Luk. 15. 4.mouth.
Q. What followeth?
A. That Adam being asked, aſſigneth for cauſes things, which were not the cauſes: as namely, the voice of the Lord, his feare, & his nakedneſſe: which were not; conſidering, that hee 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.
Q. What learne you from thence?
A. That it is the property of a man vnregenerate, to hide and cloake ſinne, and therefore that the more we hide and cloke our ſinnes, when we are dealt with for them, the more we approue our ſelues the children Iob 31. 33.of the old man, the curſed Adam.
Q. VVhat followeth?
A. The Lord asketh how it ſhould come, that hee felt his nakedneſſe as a puniſhment, and whether hee had eaten of the forbidden fruit.
Q. VVhat note you from thence?
A. That before that our ſinnes bee knowne in ſuch 1. Sam. 15. 13. Joſh. 7. 20. 2. King. 5. 25. Act. 5. 8.ſort, as the deniall of them is in vaine, and without colour, we will not confeſſe our ſinnes.
Q. VVhat learne you out of Adams ſecond anſwere vntounto God?
A. That the man vnregenerate (dealt with for his ſinnes) goeth from euill to worſe; for his ſinne that he Prou. 19. 3.hid before, now (he cannot hide it any longer) hee excuſeth it, & by excuſing it, accuſeth the Lord: as thoſe doe, who when they heare the doctrine of Predeſtination Mat. 25. 24. 25.and prouidence, thereupon would make God a partie in their ſinnes.
Q. What learne you further?
A. That howſoeuer Adam alleaged it for an excuſe, becauſe hee did it by perſuaſion of another, yet God holdeth him guiltie: yea dealeth with him as with the principall, becauſe his gifts were greater then his wiues.
Q. What learne you from the anſwere of Eue, to the Lords queſtion; why ſhe did ſo?
A. 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, where ſhee ſaid that which was true, but kept backe the confeſſion of her concupiſcence, which ſhee ought eſpecially to hauehave confeſſed, as being that without which the Serpent could not hauehave hurt her.
Q. How commeth it to paſſe, that the old Serpent, the author of all, is not called to be examined.
A. Becauſe that the Lord would ſhew no mercy vntounto him, wherfore he only pronounceth iudgement againſt him.
Q What learne you from thence?
A. That it is a mercy of God, when we hauehave ſinned, to be called to account, and to be examined, whether immediately by God, or mediately by thoſe whom God hath placed ouer vsus, as by the father of the houſehold, or by the magiſtrate, or by the gouernour of the Church; and it is a token of Gods fearfull iudgment, when we are ſuffered to rot in our ſinnes, without being Hoſ. 4. 4.drawne to queſtion for them.
Q. Hitherto of the examination and conuiction of the offenders, now followeth the ſentence. What obſerue you in the ſentence against the Serpent?
A. That the firſt part, contained in the 14. verſe, is againſt the inſtrument of the Diuell; and that the other part, contained in the 15. verſe, is againſt the Diuell.
Q. What learne you of this proceeding to ſentence?
A. That (according to Gods example) after the cauſe well knowne, iudgement ſhould not be ſlacked Iudg. 19. 30. Eccleſ. 8. 11.by thoſe, which are his vice-gerents on earth.
Q. Why doth God pronounce ſentence againſt the Serpent, that knew not what it did?
A. It was for mans ſake, and not for the beaſts ſake.
Q. Why for mans ſake?
A. To ſhew his louelove to mankind, by his diſpleaſure againſt any thing, that ſhall giuegive any helpe to doe hurt vntounto him. In which reſpect, he commandeth that the oxe that killeth a man ſhould bee ſlaine, and that the Exod. 21. 18.fleſh thereof ſhould not bee eaten: Like a kind father that cannot abide the ſight of the knife, that hath maimed or killed his child.
A. 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 he was abuſed vntounto?
A. It is like that he crept vponupon his bellie before, and ate duſt before. But his meaning is, that he ſhall creepe Eſay 65. 25.with more paine, and lurke in his hole for feare and eate the duſt with leſſe delight, and more neceſſity.
Q. What learne you from thence?
A. Not to ſuffer our ſelues to be inſtruments of euill to any in the leaſt ſort, if we 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?
Q. What is the ſentence againſt the diuell?
A. The ordinance of God, that there ſhall bee alwaies enmitie betweene the Diuell and his ſeed, of the one ſide; and the woman and her ſeed on the other ſide, together with the effect of this enmity.
Q. 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 ingender?
A. The ſeed of the Diuell are all both wicked men Iohn 8. 44. 1. Iohn 3. 8. Act. 13. 10.and Angels, which are corrupt as hee is, and carrie his image: in which reſpect the wicked are called the children of the Diuell, and oft times the ſonnes of Beliall.
Q. What learne you from thence?
A. That the warre of mankind with the Diuell, is a lawfull warre proclaimed of God, which is alſo perpetuall, Iam. 4. 7. 1. Pet. 5 9.and without all truce: and therefore that here it is, wherein we muſt ſhew our choller, our hate, our valour, our ſtrength; not faintly, and in ſhew only, but in truth: where wee being collered with our enemie, leaue our fight with him to fight againſt our brethren, yea againſt our owne ſoules: whereas he continually, and without ceaſing, fighteth with vsus; and not againſt Matth. 12. 24.his owne, as the blaſphemous Phariſies ſaid.
Q. Concerning the ſeed of the woman, the treatiſe of it belongeth to another place; tell me therefore, what is the ſentence against the woman?
A. Firſt, in the paine of conception and bearing. Secondly, in the paine of bringing forth (wherein is contained the paine of nurſing, and bringing them vp). Thirdly, in a deſire to her husband. Fourthly, in her ſubiection to her husband.
Q. Was ſhe not before deſirous and ſubiect vntounto her huſband?
A. 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.
Q. What is the ſentence against Adam?
A. Firſt, his ſinne is put in the ſentence, and then the puniſhment.
Q. What was his ſinne?
A. One, that he obeyed his wife, whom hee 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.
Q. What was the puniſhment?
A. 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 barrenneſſe by thiſtles and thornes, &c. Whereof, firſt the effect ſhould be ſorrow and griefe 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.
Q. What learne you from thence?
A. That all men, from him that ſitteth in the throne, Pſal. 104. 23. & 128. 2.to him that draweth water, are bound to painfull labour, either of the body, or of the mind, what wealth or patrimonie ſoeuer is left them.
Q. But it was ſaid, that at what time ſoeuer they ate of it, they ſhould certainly die.
A. And ſo they were dead in ſinne, which is more fearefull then the death of the body, as that which is a ſeparation from God: whereby they were already entred vponupon death and hell, to which they ſhould hauehave proceeded, vntill it had been accompliſhed both in body and ſoule in hell, with the diuell and his angels for euer, if the Lord had not looked vponupon them in the bleſſed ſeed.
Q. How doth it agree with the goodneſſe, or with the very Iuſtice of God, to puniſh one ſo fearfully for eating of a little fruit?
A. Very well: for the ſinne was horrible and manifold, being firſt a doubting of the truth of God. Secondly, a crediting of the word of Gods enemie and theirs. Thirdly, a charge againſt God, that hee enuied their good eſtate. Fourthly, intolerable pride and ambition, in deſiring to bee equall in knowledge to God himſelfe. Laſt of all, (which much aggrauateth the ſin) for that the commandement hee brake, was ſo eaſie to be kept, as to abſtaine from one onelyonly fruit, in ſo great plentie and variety.
Q. What obſerue you elſe?
A. I obſerue further out of this verſe, and out of the two next, that in the middeſt of Gods anger hee remembreth Habak. 3. 2.mercy: for it is a benefit to Adam, that hee may liue of the ſweat of his browes; To Euah, that ſhe ſhould bring forth, and not bee in continuall trauell: vntounto them both, that hee taught them wiſedome, and gaue them liberty to make fit and comely garments of the skinnes of beaſts.
Q. VVhat learne you from that it is ſaid, that God made them coates?
A. That in eueryevery profitable inuention for the life of Exod. 35. 31.men, God is to be acknowledged the authour therof, and to 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.Habak. 1. 16.
Q. VVhen there were better meanes of clothing, why did they weare leather?
A. It ſeemeth, that thereby they ſhould draw themſelues the rather to repentance and humiliation, by that courſe clothing.
Q. VVhat learne you from thence?
A. 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 vsus to couer our ſhame, and carrie alwaies the marke and badge of our ſinne; eſpecially when theſe, which were euen after the fall, the goodlieſt creatures that euer liued, learned that leſſon by them.
Q. What followeth?
A. A ſharpe reproofe that the Lord giueth Adam, verſ. 22. further to humble him; as if hee 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 fruit?
Q. What learne you from it?
A. That by the things we thinke to bee moſt eſteemed, contrary 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 throughly humble vsus for our ſinnes, and bring vsus to vnfained repentance.
Q. Why doth God baniſh him out of Paradiſe, lest hee ſhould eate of the tree of life, ſeeing there is no corporal thing able to giuegive life to any that ſinne hath killed?
A. It is true, that the eating of the fruit of the tree of life would not hauehave recouered him: but the Lord therefore would hauehave him baniſhed from it, leſt hee falling into a vaine confidence thereof, ſhould be the more ſlacke to ſeeke for grace.
Q. Wherefore are the Angels ſet with a glittering ſword to keepe them from the tree of life:
A. To encreaſe their care to ſeeke for remedie by ſome other meanes, being baniſhed from it, without hope of comming ſo much as to the ſigne of life.
Q. What learne you from hence?
A. The neceſſarie vſe of keeping obſtinate ſinners from the Sacraments, and other holy things in the Church.