A Complete Body of Divinity, Sermons · 53 (Question 13 cont.)
SERMON LIII.
WE have conſidered of the firſt leading inſtrumental Cauſe of Man's Apoſtacy, viz. the Devil: the 2d follows, viz.
II. THE Serpent. Which is numbred among the blameable Cauſes; how rightly we may conſider: I ſhall paſs this over with two or three Remarks.
1. THAT it was a real Serpent that the Devil made uſe of, as his inſtrument, in the Temptation. It is true, the Devil himſelf is called a Serpent in Scripture; yea and this is aſcribed metonymically to the Serpent in this caſe, which was truly the Devils work. 2. Cor. 113. The Serpent beguiled Eve. But that Satan did not meerly aſſume the ſhap… or reſemblance of ſuch a creature, but improved that ſort of creature in this deſign, is evident, becauſe there is a patricular curſe denounced upon it, Gen. 3.14. And the Lord ſaid unto the ſerpent, Becauſe thou haſt done this, thou art curſed above all cattel, and above every beaſt of the field▪ upon thy belly ſhalt thou go, and duſt ſhalt thou …at all the days of thy life. Which is not in propriety applicable to the Devil: and tho' the Devil's and Serpent's doom are put together, in ver. 14, 15. yet there is ſuch a real effect in reſpect of that kind of creature.
2. THAT the Devil applied himſelf to our firſt Parents viſibly and audibly, ſeems to be, becauſe he could in no other way then offer them a Temptation. That there is a nearer and more ſecret commerce that Angels can have with our ſpirits, then by the outward ſenſes, is not to be doubted; and it is certain, that Satan can inſinuate his ſuggeſtions into the fancy or imagination of fallen man; as he did unto Peter and Anna…as: but the reaſon is, becauſe all our powers are now tainted with Sin, and ſo readily receive the impreſſion: but whether he ſo could do when man was in his …, may … well queſtioned; ſince he muſt firſt corrupt the imagination, before he could …aſten ſuch a Temptation on it, which was above his power. Hence that of Chriſt, Joh. 14.30. The prince of this world co…cei… and hath …thing in ….
3. WHY the Devil was …b…ce of the Serpent rather th…n …xy … creature, it not recorded; we may therefore only conjecture. We read, Gen. 3.1. Now the Serpent was more ſubtle than any beaſt of the field, which the Lord God had made. Poſſibly he might improve that natural ſagacity for his purpoſe. It is alſo evident that this beaſt could eaſieſt wind …t…elf into the garden and on to the Tree; and ſince all the creatures had payed their natural homage to man, as their conſtituted Sovereign, our firſt Parents had no ground or reaſon to expect any plot in ſuch a creature, whoſe nature they underſtood; and therefore the Devil might with greater facility …ddreſs them in i….
4. THAT the Serpent therefore was meerly paſtor in this deſign. The Devil, by divine permiſſion, entred into the Serpent, and managed it himſelf for his own deſign: orders its tongue and frames it to ſpeak ſuch words as he articulated by it; for ſurely, the Serpent underſtood not what he ſaid: for, who ſhould infuſe that underſtanding into him? we have no reaſon to think that God did, as once miraculouſly to Balaams Aſs: but we are not to ſuppoſe that the Devil who is himſelf a creature, ſhould be able to put knowledge into a brute, and enable it to diſcourſe underſtandingly. He therefore only made uſe of the natural ſubtlety of the Serpent to be ſubſervient to an higher deſign than that could underſtand.
5. THAT hence the Serpent was no blameable cauſe of the Apoſtacy. The Devil in it was to blame, and the more for abuſing any one of God's creatures, to ſubſerve to the greateſt piece of miſchief that ever was done in the world; but the Serpent itſelf was not at all to be blamed. Blame is only merited by a fault that is committed; and every fault is a voluntary trangreſſion of a moral law prohibiting it, and ſuch a law can be … to none but cauſes by counſel; and he… no unreaſonable creature can be blame-worthy by any of its actions: inaſmuch as it always acts the nature that was put into it, unleſs it be acted by ſome other beſides its nature, and beyond its apprehenſion, where it is purely paſſive.
6. HENCE the curſe which fell upon the Serpent was an act of Sovereignty. That which belongs to the Serpent, in Gen. 3.14, 15. was not a puniſhment of its Sin, (for it had none,) but a righteous inſtance to the world of God's hatred of Sin, in putting a ſpecial remark on an inſtrument in it, though but paſſive. And truly what is the curſe, which is come upon the whole Creation, but a witneſs againſt man's Sin, who abuſed the creature?
USE. LET this then be a ſolemn warning … us, to have a care how we be uſed as tools f…r any to commit Sin by. God hath hung up the Serpent in Scripture for a warning to us; and remember, that knew not what it was abuſed for, and ſo it …inned not, and yet was curſed; whereas we can never conſent to be inſtruments of Sin, without our own Sin, becauſe we are capable of knowing the rule… and it is our duty to acquaint our ſelves with it.
III. THE laſt inſtrumental Cauſe of the Tranſgreſſion, was the Woman. She is reckoned among the inſtrumental Cauſes, becauſe the Devil in the Serpent firſt tempted be, and by her the Man. Although ſhe may alſo be accounted to the principal cauſe; in as much as the firſt man and woman were the root of mankind, from whence all were … derive; and in that reſpect were looked upon as one. Hence they had one common … given them, Gen. 5.2. Called their nam… … And they are mentioned as one i… they Creation, Gen. 1.27. And though their …hibition be expreſt as given to Adam in the ſingular, Gen. 2.16, 17. The Lord God …manded the man, &c. yet Eve underſtood is … comprehending them both, Gen. 3.3. … b…th ſaid, ye ſhall not eat. She alſo was a cauſe by counſel in what ſhe did. Yet, looking upon her as made for the man, and by … Creators law owing a ſubordination to him ſo ſhe may alſo be looked upon as inſtrumental. And ſo, be…ides the common cala… falling upon man for …in, there was a ſpeci… curſe which ſhe derived to her Sex, Gen. ….…. Unto the woman …e ſaid, I will greatly … thy ſorrow and thy c…nception: in ſorrow … thou bring forth children: and thy deſire … be to thy husband, and … ſhall rule over … And ſhe was in this b…able, becauſe he acted upon deliberation, and was volu… in what ſhe did: And there are three things here to be conſidered; which will ſhew … ſhe was culpably inſtrumental in this ….
1. SHE was created … …poſe to be a … help unto man. Gen. 2 … And the Lord God ſaid, it is not good that man ſhould be alone: I will make an help meet for him. Being the… fore of his own ſpecies, and fitted for …mane converſe with him, ſhe ought to … encouraged and fortified him in that …ence which God had required of them … They were to take that delight one in another, which they could not find in any other c… ture, and were therefore mutually to con… in the great work of glorifying and ſer… God, being jointly made for it.
2. SHE firſt hearkened to the Temptation Satan. The Apoſtle takes particular di… notice of this, in 2 Cor. 11.3. 1 Tim. … And we find in the hiſtory, that the Serpent directly addreſſed himſelf to the woman Gen. 3.1. And he no ſooner offered that … ſnaring Queſtion, but ſhe began to warp her anſwer, ver. 3. abating from the … lu…eneſs of the threatning, and making it peradventure: and then ſhe ſubjected her underſtanding and will to the report of Satan, and the deluſ…n offered to her ſe…ſe…, ver. 6. by which ſhe entertained all thoſe ſenſual luſts mentioned, 1 Job …. the laſts of the …ſh, in giving way to her carnal app…tite; good for food; the luſt of the eye, in entertaining the deſirable aſpect of the forbidden fruit. pleaſant to the eyes: the luſts of pri…e, …n aſpiring after more wiſdom than God ſaw meet to endow a creature withal, to make one wiſe. And theſe luſts ſo prevailed upon her, as made her to adventure upon the …ruit directly againſt the divine precept, ſhe did …t. By which act ſhe defiled the root and fountain of humanity.
3. NOW ſhe joined with the ſeducer, and became a tempter of Adam to ſin with her. Gen. 3.6. And gave alſo unto her husband with her, and be did eat. And hereupon we have Adam impeaching her for this thing, ver 12. And …e man ſaid, the woman which th…u gaveſt to be with we, ſhe gave me of the tree, and I did eat. …e gave the fruit it's commendation, which ſhe had entertained, makes offers to him, inſinuates herſelf into him, backs all that the Serpent had ſaid, and attracts him to a joint conſent with her in the great Tranſgreſſion; and by thus doing inſtead of being an help, ſhe proves a miſchief, and becomes an occaſion, yea a blameable cauſe of his ruin.
USE. THE Conſideration of this will toll us, this need we have to be very wary to our ſe…es, beſt Satan ſhould uſe us as tools to draw one another into Sin; and ſo become under-Devils each to other. And earneſtly to pray to God, that he will preſerve us: and it peculiarly concerns thoſe whoſe relation and affection is moſt near and intimate. We have great advantage either to do good or harm unto thoſe, in whoſe beſoms we lie, and whoſe affections we have the aſcendent upon. If God give us wiſdom and grace to uſe it, we have the greateſt probability to procure their ſalvation; 1 Cor. 7.14. For the unbelieving husband is ſanitified by the wife, & the unbelieving wife is ſanctified by the husband. But if we yield to the Devil, there are none whom he can uſe more dangerouſly, in alluring each other to the commiſſion of Sin, and hereby to become guilty of ruining each other. And if the Devil got ſuch advantage by it upon our firſt Parents, in innocency, what need live we to fear and tremble, and pray to the father of mercies to be preſerved.
THUS we have conſidered the Inſtrumental Cauſes of the Apoſtacy. We now come,
II. TO the Principal, which is expreſt in the Anſwer: viz. Adam's abuſing the freedom of his Will, to which he was left by God, in yielding to the Temptation, which it was his duty, and he had ability to have withſtood. Here are two things to be conſidered, viz.
1. THAT our firſt Parents were leſt to the freedom of their own will. Something was intimated of this under the occaſions or blame… … …ferring to God's permiſſive Providence relating to Man's Apoſtacy. Here only let me add theſe remarks.
(1.) THAT freedom of will property …rſſ…s in a ſp…ntane…y, r…b…ty of …ſ…ng …r r…ſaſing. It is the previledge of a cauſe by c…unſel, and it …upp d…th an underſtanding to direct, and a will thel…t…r reject accodingly. Such afreedom God did at firſt put into the Angels and Man; although it muſt always he conſidered in the ſubordination of a creature, in the concurſe or cooperation of God. And this freedom is the foundation of all moral tranſactions with ſuch creatures. Hence that, Deut. 3….19. I have ſet boſ…re you life & death, bleſſing & …urſing: therefore …ſe life.
(2.) GOD's leaving of nan… the ficed … …f his will, was his ſuſpending of his deter…ining influences, …i…chy … wh…re been c…rf…rmed in his …uſing good. Man had all the habits of ſanctifying Grace put into him, corſilting in ſpiritual knowledge, righteouſneſs and holineſs, ſitting him to make a good choice; but theſe were not confirmed, ſo as to determine them to make ſuch an actual choice, as the event proved, for if they had, he had never embraced the Temptation. And this was an act of divine Sovereignty.
(3.) HENCE man being left to himſelf, the Tempter was t… ha…d for him, and overcame him. Thus it was eventually; and God had purpoſed that it ſhould be ſo; and yet his thus being left was not a neceſſitating compulſive cauſe of his fall. For,
1. THE Tempter could only Tempt…. He could not compel. All his ſtrength lay in his ſubtlety: Man's free will is incapable of compulſion: it was therefore in it's own nature a thing contingent, whether the Temptation ſhould prevail or no. The Devil had no phyſical power ever man's free will, he had only the cunning of perſwaſion, by preſenting his covered fallacies.
2. MAN's liberty of will had an innate power of refuſing the temptation, as well as of the embracing it. It did not then want it's liberty to good, as it doth ſince the fall, for he had the habits of ſanctification on him, that grace in him which had he ſtirred up and made uſe of, would have led him to have rejected Satan with utmoſt deteſtation, and no corrupt inclination in him; ſo his liberty was not an indifferency to good or evil; but only a freedom to good, with a mutability, or capacity of being ſeduced to evil.
3. OUR firſt Parents being thus leſt abuſed their fice will, and ſo ſell into Sin. And here is the principal blame worthy cauſe of the Apoſtacy. For the more full diſcovery of which, let theſe Concluſions be here obſerved.
(1.) THAT man was at firſt created with perfect li…rty or freedom of will. This belonged to the integrity in which God made him. Feel. 7.29. God made man upright. Adam had all that conferred upon him, whereby he was compleatly fitted for the obedience which God required at his hands; there was nothing wanting that was due to his nature, as a creature in … an …rder, a…d made for …h an end. He …ad a law giver him, ſa…ta…le to his …te; he had a… underſtanding a…le … to …ead…r, a…d d…ce…n the rano…a…y o… it; a … able to discover …s obligation to it, and r… b…th the remards and pe…alties an e…ed to it; he had … gracious qualities in him, which diſpoſed him to love and delig… in, a…d accordingly to chuſe the ways of obedience and had not any the leaſt natural inc…na…a to ſin … in him.
(2.) THAT Adam by this free will … his was able … …ay… i… with the … good. His free will was made …or good …, and not for evil. It evil had been it's object as well as good, not it had been made with a… indifferency to one …s well as the other, this freedom th… had been the proper cauſe of his chuſing evil; but ſo it was not, but only by accident. Ma… free will was no more made for him to fall by, as it's direct end, than a knife is made for a man to cut his …ingers withal; r…y it is herein evident, that it was made for good directly, and not for evil; becauſe whenſoever ma… chuſeth the evil, rather than good, it is under the notion and appearance of good, and therefore there lay the fallacy of …e Temptation, Gen. 3.6. and this is the leading cauſe of all Si…. Iſai. 5.20. If … them that … evil good, and good evil; that … darkneſs for light, and light for darkneſs; th… for bitter for ſweet & ſweet for bitter.
(3.) THAT this freedom it liberty of will to good, was not taken may from man before be conſented to the temptation; but in the inf…t of … …exſenting. It was man's fin was the pr…cating cauſe of this loſs, and is therefore before it … nature, and not after it in time. The loſs of the image of God is a puniſhment of Sin; Adam therefore conſents to the Temptation, and ſo he loſeth his liberty he at once di… b…ys and d…es; he threws off the image, and ſo God takes it away from him. So that when the Tempter come he had it in …ll ſtrength; Man had elſe been puniſhed before he had merited it.
(4.) THOUGH Adam …de free will to good, yet be was but changeably good. Abſolute immutability is a pr…egative of God, and belongs to him alone. Mal. 3.6. I am the Lord, Liberty not. All created perſections, though rever ſo eminent in themſelves, yet have this defect attending of them, that in themſelves they may be l…ſt. Adam was one thing, and his Rule another; as they might meet, ſ… they might part. And this mutability in a moral agent is a ground of the poſſibility of it's fa…ing, and ſo forfeiting all it's perfections.
(5.) GOD, not intending to advance his glory, in man's happineſs, by a Covenant of Works, but of Grace, did not ſee meet to confirm Adam in his primitive ſtate. There is a ſecondary immutability, if we may ſo call it, which the creature is capable of, viz. of being confirmed, ſo as never actually to re…gu…ſh its … this the bleſſed Angels enjoy, and this all Believers in Chriſt partake in, and are therefore ſaid to have the immortal ſeed in them: but this God would … c…ter on Adam, but left him to the trial of his habitual grace; and this was arbitrary, altogether depending on God's good pleaſure.
(6.) THIS ſuſpenſion did not put a compelling neceſſity in man to fall. There was no … in it; it did indeed expoſe him to the ha…ard, but without any blame on God: for man ſtill had all the created powers in him, a full liberty with him, and all moral obligations engaging of him to obedience; over which the Tempter had no power at all.
(7.) HENCE Adam ſinned voluntarily, or by …o…ſent, and is that be abuſed his our free …. He, upon his own accord, upon free choice embraced the Temptation, and ſo threw himſelf into the tranſgreſſion; it was by a deliberate and conſulted act that this firſt ſin was committed by our firſt Par…, and it had in it theſe ſteps,
1. THEY conſented to a conference …, Serpent about the command of God, and … juſtice and goodneſs of it, Gen. 3. begin. wich they ought not to have done; but immediately with utmoſt deteſtation to have rejected it: and this was the beginning of their great ſin, and expoſed them.
2. THEY entertained the pleading of … to the … of jealouſies in their minds againſt God, m… reſpect to that particular … precept. That therefore was the trap which caught them. Gen. 3.4, 5, with 6. this then was their next advance.
3. NOW their judgment was blinded; and they apprehended that good to be in the tr… which there was not. It was therefore … miſrepreſentation to their underſtandings, which impoſed on them, calling evil good, ver. 6. and this was a penalty of the former, and a further ſtep of their fall.
4. HEREUPON they crowded in, a diſtruſting of God's truth and good will: a diſcontent at the ſtation they were ſet in, an aſpiring after a fancied happineſs, which they ſuppoſed was to be gained in the way offered by the Devil, ver. 6.
5. AND now they are drawn to a full ele…tion; and chuſe to caſt off the precept, and cloſe in with the temptation: and this is followed with the fin itſelf, ver. 6. in which the whole tranſgreſſion is conſummated; and that acti… perpetrated by which man is undone: th… law broken, and the curſe of it procured.
USE. THIS may …oin… us where to … th… …reſs of the blame of every Sin that we are … any time drawn into. The firſt tranſgreſſion diſcovers to us a rule to judge of all act… fin by. We are apt when conviction is offer… to us, to ſhift off the fault, and ſometime to ſay it to eternal decrees, and ſay; … hath reſiſted his will? ſometimes to the Pr… vidence of God, which offers us the allu… ments which our corruptions are enflam… by: and very frequently upon inſtrument which have tempted us, eſpecially moral agents; thus Adam turns the fault off to Eve. and ſhe to the Serpent; but let us know, that whatever blame any ſecond cauſes may deſerve, (for God's Decrees and Providences deſerve none;) it will be one day ſound a truth, that the great blame of all the Sin we commit, will fall upon our ſelves. And it will be made to appear, that we our ſelves were our own undoers; and had we not voluntarily given our conſent, we had not been trapan'd into ſin: and if ever we truly repent of ſin, and go aright to Chriſt for pardon, he will make us to charge it upon our ſelves, and acknowledge that our own wicked hearts were conſe…ters, and ſo left us inexcuſable. This is the right conviction; and ſtill we come to a thorough and ſenſible apprehenſion of this, we ſhall never know the ſinfulneſs of Sin, ſo as to acknowledge our ſelves vile, and bitterly bewail it before God. Labour we then by every ſin we fall into, to be more acquainted with our own perverſeneſs; ſo ſhall we be able to juſtify God, and condemn our ſeves.
[APRIL 19. 1632.]