A Complete Body of Divinity, Sermons · 55 (Question 15)
SERMON LV.
QUESTION XV.
WHAT was the Sin whereby our firſt Parents ſell from the eſtate wherein they were created?
ANSWER.
The Sin whereby our firſt Parents ſell from me eſtate wherein they were created, was their eating the forbidden fruit.
AFTER the general conſideration of Sin, we are invited,
II. TO make a more particular reflection upon that Sin, which was the leading and pro…ring cauſe of all the infelicity that is …ſall a …. And this is that which is uſually called Adam's firſt Sin, and ſt…led by Paul, the eſſence, Rom. 5.18. becauſe it was per…lly committed by him, though influentially, or, by way of imputation, it reacheth … all.
1. WE are to conſider the nature of this …. This Sin is here deſcribed unto us, by the action in relation to the ſubject about which it was performed, eating, &c.
Two things may here be conſidered in the …cation of this truth, viz.
1. In what properly the Tranſgreſſsion did …ſiſt?
2. If Wherein the gr…neſs of this Sin diſcovers it ſelf?
Q. 1. IN what properly the Tranſgreſſion did …ſiſt?
A. AS this action of our firſt Parents reſorted … the precept, or prohibition laid upon them, … this fruit: or, becauſe when God had forbidden it them, they adventured upon it. For our diſtinct conception of this, let theſe things be obſerved,
1. THAT by the lat… of Creation there could … been as …art in Adam's eating this fruit. Is the order of Creation, God made theſe things for the uſe of man, and he gave him the …tion over them. Man's bodily life was … be ſuſtained by things fitted for that end; and this fruit was ſo ſuited, it had no noxious quality in it, but had that nouriſhment, and pleaſancy in it, that was adapted to man's appetite, and wholſome for him. Gen. 3.6. The tree was good for food. The act of eating is …al, and ſo lawful, yea neceſſary, and the fruit was convenient to the end of eating.
2. THAT by the common law of ſpecial government, it had been lawful to eat this fruit as well as any other. By this common law, I mean the law of nature, which was engraves on the heart of man, conſiſting of all thoſe rules, which directed him to righteouſneſs and holineſs; and were ſuited to his nature, and imprinted on his conſcience. This told him that he was to make the glory of God his laſt end in all things; and to improve all the creatures that were put under him according to their nature and uſefulneſs, for the advancement of this Glory by them. Now according to that light, man had reaſon to think, that he might glorify God, by a thankful eating of that fruit as well as any other; not could he have conſcienciouſly abſtained from it without ſuperſtition.
3. HENCE it was by a poſitive … in ſpecial government, that men was reſtrained from that fruit, which made his eating of it become a Sin.
Here conſider,
(1.) THAT God is the abſolute Lord and ſeverings Owner of all his Creatures. He hath a juſt challenge to diſpoſe of them according to his pleaſure; becauſe he both made them, and made them for this end. Rev. 4. ult. He never intended to make a World, and then put the government of it out of his own hands, nor yet to loſe the liberty of governing of it as he ſees meet: He will maintain his authority.
(2.) HENCE God may, if he will, by a poſitive precept lay … reſtrain: upon the natural liberty of men. He did not ſo give the dominion of theſe things to man as to leave Himſelf no liberty. That therefore which is lawful, according to the light of nature, may be unlawful, by a poſitive prohibition given about it. And there is a rule in the law of nature for this, in the Second Commandment, which tells us we owe God obedience in whatſoever he ſhall diſcover to us to be his will.
(3.) GOD ſaw meet to give man a trial of his obedience to Him. He would ſee whether he would be faithful to him or no. There muſt therefore be a proof made of it. Man was holy, but mutable, God therefore would that this mutability of his ſhould have an experiment, to ſee if he would maintain his fidelity notwithſtanding. Angels and men being cauſes by counſel, God ſaw meet to offer them a probation; what that of Angels was, we have before conſidered, we are now in queſt of that which was offered to man.
(4.) THE law of nature could be no ſuch Teſt or Trial, but it muſt be ſome poſitive precept. It is a true rule, that man's will always follows the laſt dictate of the practical underſtanding: the greateſt objection againſt it, is fetch'd from the fall of Angels and Men, but 'tis through a miſtake. Man had entire ſanctification on all his faculties; he not only knew his rule, but the excellency of it, and had an entire love to it, could not be miſtaken in it, nor prejudiced at it: ſo that there was no hold for a Temptation to faſten, which would draw him from his reſpect to it, or alienate his heart from it. It had been vain therefore for Satan to have attempted it. In muſt then be in a poſitive command, wherein God aſſerts his and late ſovereignty: Nor could it be in any other way.
(5.) GOD ſ…e meet to make choice of this Tree for the … and …rdingly forbad him to out the fruit of it. The ſeparating of this tree rather than another, was not from any thing properly in the tree, but from God's arbitrary pleaſure. Poſſibly, yea likely it was one of the beſt and moſt inviting fruits, whence advantage might be taken in the Temptation: but it was God's will to forbid man the eating of it, and the reaſon was becauſe he was pleaſed ſo to do, to try man. It was to aſſert his Lordſhip over man; and ſee how he would carry himſelf.
(6.) THE Tempter by this gained advantage to inſinuate into man a ſuſpection of God's good will to …; in that he would reſtrain him from the uſe of this fruit: as is evident in the Temptation, Gen…. begin. He knew there was no hurt in the thing it ſelf, God had no neceſſity … hindring him, but it was his meet pleaſure. The fruit was good; and he would …y a lye perſwade him, it had more vertue in it than it had; and ſo his heart was leavened with jealouſy.
(7.) The malignity of this Sin lay in the rebellion of Adam's heart againſt the ſovereignty of God in the prohibition. He entertained the arguments of the enemy, believed them, and was thereupon diſſatisfied at the command, and ſo more eager in his deſire to be tampering with it: and at length fully reſolved in himſelf to reject this government of God over him: his Sin was becauſe it was forbidden him, and yet he regarded it not, but would ear for all.
(8.) THE Tranſ…reſſion it ſelf was compleated in his actual eating this fruit. He was begun to fall before, the firſt jealous thought entertained ſhook him; and his ſuperiour faculties were depraved before his eating, but the Sin was finiſhed in his eating. For,
1. NOW his whole man had acted in it. All the faculties of his Soul, and powers of his Body were intereſted in it actually. His underſtanding had aſſented to it, his will had given it's conſent, and made the choice and reſolved upon it; his affections carried him forth, or ſpurred him on to it: his ear had received the falſe reports; his eye had been deluded by the fair ſhew; his feet had carried him to it; his hand had taken it, and his mouth had taſted it.
2. NOW he had wholly ſhaken off the yoke of God's government, as far as in him lay. It is true, no creature can put it ſelf altogether from under the government of God; (He will be above them, do they what they will:) but he now rejected his active obedience to it, and thereby became a rebel againſt his Sovereign, and engaged with his enemy againſt his Lord and Lawgiver. And this leads us to enquire,
Q. 2. WHEREIN the greatneſs of this Sin diſcovers it ſelf?
A. THERE is a …reat deal of reaſon to be inquiſitive into this; becauſe the foundation of the miſery of all the children of men was laid in it. Rom. 5.12. Wherefore as by one man ſin entred into the world, and death by ſin: and ſo death paſſed upon all men, for that all have ſinned. And vain men are apt to think it a poor baſis of ſo fearful a Tragedy: Men are ready to ſay, what muſt the eating of an Apple be ſo heinous a thing, as to be made the undoing; Adam and all his Poſterity, and the leading … to bring ſo many millions into the …tomleſs pit, and everlaſting burnings? But it is for want of a right underſtanding of the matter. There are then ſeveral things, that may here be offered … our conſideration, to ſhew us the heino… of this crime.
1 THAT this Sin was againſt the very Sacrament, or Teſt that was given them. This t…ee was a Sacrament of death; it was that which God gave to Adam to try his love … him by; it was a Seal of the Covenant, and that was herein violated. Now the Seal in that which ratifies, either the promiſe, of the threatning. He did, therefore, by this act, as it were, tear off the Seal from the Covenant, that was paſt between God and him The trial indeed was but ſmall, yet the Dependencies on it were very great; his everlaſting happineſs or miſery were to turn upon it. Now the ſmaller ſuch a Trial is, the more heinous is the fin and folly in violating it. If man might have ſaved his life, and obtained his happineſs, by abſtaining from … Apple, and he would not do that for it, how juſtly doth he dye? and yet ſo it was. If in this one little thing, he had been true to God, he had never been loſt. The ſmaller the matter was, the greater was the contempt; and thereupon the Sin the more inexcuſable. See how they plead, 1 Kin. 5.13. And his ſervants came near, and ſpake unto him, and ſaid, My father, if the prophet had bid that … ſome great thing, wouldſt thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he ſaith to that, waſh and be clean?
2. ADAM was under no compelling neceſſity to comply with this Temptation. We before took notice, that in it he abuſed the liberty of his will: he could have abſtained; God herein required no more of him, then He enabled him to do: his tenure of life and happineſs were upon moſt eaſy terms: the Tempter had no power over him, he could only offer his deceits. Adam knew on what terms he ſtood; he might have read his obligation to this duty in the law of nature, or the Second Command; he might have employed his underſtanding in reflecting upon the indubitable Supremacy of God. His great Goodneſs, His truth, the certainty of his own ruin in caſe of diſobedience; as well as on ſuch things as he was deceived by; and that he did not was his own fault. That therefore he did this deliberately, and upon choice without compulſion, greatly aggravated hi… crime.
3. THE luſts that gut into his heart, …nd prevailed ever …im …eat this fruit, rendred the Sin very great. We muſt not only conſider, that he did tranſgreſs the command, and do the thing forbidden, but what made him to do ſo. Now Divines obſerve three luſts more peculiarly gotten into him, and hurrying of him to the perpetration of this Sin,
(1.) INTOLLERABLE Prid. And that wrought in diſcontent at his own ſtation, and aſpiring after an higher: and what higher could that be, but the Throne of GOd…? Mark, what was the great motive that clenched the Temptation; … ſhall be as Gods, Gen. 3.5. God had ſet him as high as a creature could well be; …e ſtood next to God, ſubordinated to no other order; all viſible creatures were put under him, and the Angels themſelves, though in divers reſpects more nobleſſeings, yet were made to miniſter for him; there was none above him but God; nor any Being equal to him, but the Holy Angels; and yet he aſpired to be climbing higher, accounting his own place too low for Him. And what fearful ambition was this?
(2.) HORRIBLE Ingratitude. God, to oblige him to Obedience, had given all things to him, a World, and the Creatures in it, for his uſe and benefit; planted him a garden with his own hand, for his delight; and made the ſeveral creatures come and …y their homage to him, as their Lord. And what could he rationally have deſired more? And what did he require of him for all this, but to love Him, and in teſtimony of that love, to abſtain from this one thing? When he had enough and more beſides? And yet like an unthankful wretch, he abuſed his makers love, and takes this too.
(3.) MOST grievous Infidelity: And that both reſpecting the promiſe and the threatning. God had paſt his word, that if he would herein obey Him, he ſhould be happy for ever; but he believed Him not, diſcredited His word, and thought that God envyed him happineſs. God had alſo denounced Death, poſitively, and unavoidably, if he ſhould dare to meddle with this fruit, and … of it. But the Devil tells him there is no ſuch danger, and he adventures on his c…it; to make God a liar, as far as was in Him. And was that a little Sin which was thus introduced?
4. DIVINES well obſerve, That Adam in this one act, trod under foot, and deſpiſed all God's attributes, and commands. And if ſo, then it engroſſed all Sin in it. Let us make … g…ce upon it.
(1.) HE deſpiſed all God's glorious and precious Attributes. God had engaged Himſelf to him, in all his manifeſted perfections, to be his portion, if he would obey Him; but if …e ſat him at nought, and choſe rather to have his portion in himſelf, and the world; nay to expect his fe…city rather from an apple than God, God had engaged all theſe perfections againſt him, if he ſhould tranſgreſs. They all ſtood armed againſt him in the threatning; but he regarded them not, but run upon the very boſſes of his buckler; though he had all the reaſon to conclude that by this one act of his, he ſhould inc…nſe the Omnipotency, Infiniteneſs, Unchangeableneſs, Eternity, Holineſs, Juſtice and Truth of God againſt him, yet in the very face of all theſe, he adventures to put all to the hazard; entred the liſt, and threw out the gantlet to the moſt High, and practically ſaid, that he cared not to have theſe Attributes his friends, and was not afraid to make them his enemies.
(2.) HE tr… …nd…rſ… … vio…d the whole la…, and commands of God. It is tr…, there is a …llateral breaking of all, in the tranſgr…ſſing of one. Jam. 2.10. For w…ver ſhall keep the … l…, and yet …fend in one point, he is guilty of all. It is alſo evident, that he, who tips off the ſe…l of a Covenant, makes every article of it void at once; and ſo was this. But beſides, there was a more direct and immediate violence offered to the particular precepts in the Decalogue; as ſome have remarked: And may be glanced at.
THE Firſt Command was broken, by his ambition to be in God's place; his ſlighting the Divine Sovereignty; his ſeeking his happineſs ſomewhere elſe, and not in God. The Second, in his violating of the divine Inſtitution, this Tree being a Sacrament, and by his abſtinence he was to ratify the Covenant, which he thus brake. The Third, by lightly eſteeming of God's Name and Word, His Promiſe and Threatning, he renounced his reverence; he alſo brake his vow, and covenant-promiſe to God, for an …ath of God was on him in the Covenant. The Fourth, in that when he ought to have been preparing for the Sabbath, (it being ſuppoſed that he did this on the ſixth day in the afternoon,) he utterly diſabled himſelf for ever keeping a Sabbath aright. Again, the Fifth, in that he had no more honourable eſteem for man, and the whole race of mankind, (whom he knew were to ſtand and fall with him,) than to deſtroy them all for the ſatisfaction of his inordinate deſire: and herein alſo he ſinned againſt them, as they were his children, loſing of his parental bowels of affection to them. The Sixth, in that he hereby murthered himſelf, and all his poſterity, bringing death, ſpiritual, temporal and eternal on all mankind. Rom. …. 12. And it was the moſt cruel murder that ever was committed: he had all necks on the block and our them off at a blow. He ruined all Bodies and Souls together. 1 Cor. 15.22. In Adam all die. The Seventh, by luxury, indulging his appetite, and feeding his luſt, and by a vile uxoriouſneſs, in rather hearkening to his deceived wife, and to her cruel flatterings, than to God himſelf, and his awful comminations. The Eighth, in eating the forbidden fruit; God had kept this from him by a lawful interdiction, He had by his poſitive declared will, feced that Tree out of Adams property, and he …elo…iouſly meddled with it. The N…nt…, by his unbelief of Gods threatnings, and taking a falſe teſtimony from the Devil: for he that believes a f…lſe report, and practiſeth upon it, as well breaks this command as he that raiſeth it. T…e …, in giving ſcope to his concupiſcence, to luſt for that which it was not lawful for him to have, and therefore he ought not to have cove…ed it; longing to be …ingering of that which God had charged him not to touch. Thus was every part of God's Law deſpiſed by him.
USE I. SEE here, That the circumſtances attending it … greater or leſs. The t…ing its e… barely conſidered, may ſeem ſmall; but when we have looked upon it with all its antecedents, and concommitants, it will be made formidably great. And the want of this is the great reaſon, why the ſinfulneſs of Sin, is ſo little underſtood by the moſt of the children of men: it therefore tells … how we ought to think of it.
USE II. S…E bore juſt it was with God … puniſh t…s Sin with ſo great a puniſhment … Death. God hath not out-done in his ſeverity againſt it. Call …ver what hath been diſevered in the bowels of this Sin, and ju… according to reaſon, whether any Death be too much for ſuch a Creature to undergo.
USE III. LET us here, as in a gloſs view our own natural infirmity. See how weak we are in our ſelves to encounter a Temptation; how ſmall a matter will draw us from our obedience, if left to our ſelves. Adam in innocency is won, by the loveli… of an apple, to run into the ſnares and … of miſery. If God keeps us not, the Devil will with the ſmalleſt matter delude us; which ſhould caution us againſt truſting to our ſelves, and drive us to Jeſus Chriſt, and ſeek of him for His keeping, that ſo we may be … livered from the wiles of the Devil.
[OCTOBER 4. 1692.]