Nine Sermons, Sermon 2
SERMON II.
The Seed of the Woman and the Seed of the Serpent.
GENESIS iii. 15.
And I will put Enmity between thee and the Woman, and between thy Seed and her Seed; it ſhall bruiſe thy Head, and thou ſhalt bruiſe his Heel.
WHEN I read to you theſe Words, I may addreſs you in the Language of the Holy Angels to the Shepherds, … were watching their Flocks by Night. … "hold I bring you glad Tidings of great Joy … —For this is the firſt Promiſe that was … of a Saviour to the apoſtate Ra…e of …—We generally look for Chriſt only in the New Teſtament; but Chriſtianity, i… the … is very near as old as the Creation.—It is wonderful to obſerve, how gradually God revealed his Son to Mankind. He began with the Promiſe in the Text, and this the Elect lived upon till the Time of Abraham.—To him God made further Diſcoveries of his eternal Counſel concerning Man's Redemption—Afterwards, at ſundry Times, and in divers Manners, God ſpoke to the Fathers by the Prophets, till at length the LORD JESUS himſelf was manifeſt in the Fleſh, and came & tabernacled amongſt us.
This firſt Promiſe muſt certainly be but dark to our firſt Parents, in compariſon of that great Light which we enjoy.—And yet, dark as it was, we may aſſure our ſelves they built upon it their Hopes of everlaſting Salvation, and by that Faith were ſaved.
How they came to ſtand in need of this Promiſe, and what is the Extent and Meaning of it, I intend, God willing, to make the ſubject Matter of your preſent Meditation.
The Fall of Man is written in too legible Characters not to be underſtood—Thoſe that deny it, by their denying, prove it.—The very Heathens confeſs'd and bewailed it—They could ſee the Streams of Corruption running through the whole Race of Mankind, but could not trace them to the Fountain-Head.—Before God gave a Revelation of his Son Man was a Riddle to himſelf—And Moſes unfolds more▪ in this one Chapter (out of which the Text … taken) than all Mankind could have been capable of finding out of themſelves, tho' they had ſtudied to all Eternity.
In the foregoing Chapter, he had given us a full Account, how God ſpoke the World into Being; and eſpecially how he formed Man of the Duſt of the Earth and breathed into him the Breath of Life, ſo that he became a living Soul.—A Council of the Trinity was called concerning the Formation of this lovely Creature.—The Reſult of that Council was, Let us make Man in our Image after our Likeneſs.—"So God created Man in his own Image, in the Image of God created he him."—Moſes remarkably repeats the Words, that we might take particular. Notice of our divine Original.—Never was ſo much expreſs'd in ſo few Words.—None but a Man inſpired could have done ſo. But it is remarkable, that tho' Moſes mentions our being made in the Image of God, yet he mentions … but twice, and that, as it were, in a tranſient Manner, as tho' he would have ſaid, Man was made in Honour, God made him upright▪ in the Image of God Male and Female created he them. But Man ſo ſoon fell, and became like the Beaſts that periſh, nay, like the Devil himſelf, that it is ſcarce worth mentioning.
How ſoon Man fell after he was created, i… not told us, and therefore, to fix any Time, is to be wiſe above what is written.—And, I think▪ they who ſuppoſe that Man fell the … Day in which he was made, have no ſufficient Ground for their Opinion.—The many Things which are crouded together in the former …, the Formation of Adam's … his giving Names to the Beaſts, and his being put into the Garden which God had planted, I think require a longer Space of Time than a Day to be tranſacted in.—However, all agree in this, "Man ſtood not long." How long, or how ſhort a while, I will not take upon me to determine.—It more concerns us to inquire, how he came to fall from his Stedfaſtneſs, and what was the Riſe and Progreſs of the Temptation which prevailed over him.—The Account given us in this Chapter concerning it, is very full, and it may do us much Service, under God, to make ſome Remarks upon it.
Now the Serpent, ſays the ſacred Hiſtorian, was more ſubtle than any Beaſt of the Field which the LORD GOD had made, and he ſaid unto the Woman, yea, hath GOD ſaid, ye ſhall not eat of every Tree of the Garden.
Tho' this was a real Serpent, yet he that ſpoke was no other than the Devil; from hence, perhaps, called the old Serpent, becauſe he took Poſſeſſion of the Serpent when he came to beguile our firſt Parents—The Devil envied the Happineſs of Man, who was made, as ſome think, to ſupply the Place of the fallen Angels—God made Man upright, and with full Power to ſtand if he would—He was juſt, therefore, in ſuffering him to be tempted—If he fell, he had no one to blame except himſelf—But how muſt Satan effect his Fall?—He cannot do it by his Power, he attempts it therefore by Policy—He take… Poſſeſſion of a Serpent, which was more … all the Beaſts of the Field, which the Lord God had made; ſo that Men that are full of Subtilty, but have no Piety, are only Machines for the Devil to work upon, juſt as he pleaſes.
"And he ſaid unto the Woman."—Here is an Inſtance of his Subtilty—He ſays unto the Woman, the weaker Veſſel, and when ſhe was alone from her Huſband, and therefore was more liable to be overcome— Yea, hath God ſaid, ye ſhall not eat of every Tree of the Garden? Theſe Words are certainly ſpoken in Anſwer to ſomething which the Devil either ſaw or heard—In all Probability, the Woman was now near the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. (For we ſhall find her, by and by, plucking an Apple from it) perhaps ſhe might be looking at, and wondering what there was in that Tree more than the others, that ſhe and her Huſband ſhould be forbidden to taſte of it—Satan ſeeing this, and coveting to draw her into a Parley with him, (for if the Devil can perſuade us not to reſiſt, but to commune with him, he hath gained a great Point) he ſays, Yea, hath God ſaid, ye ſhall not eat of every Tree in the Garden? —The firſt Thing he does, is to perſuade her, if poſſible, to entertain hard Thoughts of God—This is his general Way of dealing with God's Children—Yea, ſays he, hath God ſaid, ye ſhall not eat of every Tree of the Garden? What! hath God planted a Garden, and placed you in the … of it only to teaze and perplex you? Hath he planted a Garden, and yet forbid you making Uſe of any of the Fruits of it at all? It was impoſſible for him to aſk a more inſnaring Queſtion, in order to gain his End: For Eve, was here ſeemingly obliged to anſwer, and vindicate God's Goodneſs. And, therefore,—
Ver. 2. The Woman ſaid unto the Serpent, We may eat of the Fruit of the Trees of the Garden: (Ver. 3.) of the Fruit of the Tree which is in the midſt of the Garden, God hath ſaid, ye ſhall not eat of it, neither ſhall ye touch it▪ leſt ye die.
The former Part of the Anſwer was good, We may eat of the Fruit of the Trees of the Garden, God has not forbid us eating of every Tree of the Garden. No, we may eat of the Fruit of the Trees in the Garden, (and, it ſhould ſeem even of the Tree of Life, which was as a Sacrament to Man in a State of Innocence) there is only one Tree in the Midſt of the Garden, of which God hath ſaid, Ye ſhall not eat of it, neither ſhall ye touch it, leſt ye die. —Here ſhe begins to warp, and Sin begins to conceive in her Heart.—Already ſhe has contracted ſome of the Serpent's Poiſon, by talking with him, which ſhe ought not to have done at all. For ſhe might eaſily ſuppoſe, that it could be no good Being, that could put ſuch a Queſtion unto her, and inſinuate ſuch diſhonourable Thoughts of. God—She ſhould therefore have fled from him, and not ſtood to have parley'd with him at all—Immediately the ill Effects of it appear,—ſhe begins to ſoften the Divine Threatning,— God had ſaid, the Day thou eateſt thereof thou ſhalt ſurely die; or, dying thou ſhalt die.—But Eve ſays, ye ſhall not eat of it, neither ſhall ye touch it leſt ye die.—We may be aſſured we are fallen into, and begin to fall by Temptation, when we begin to think God will not be as good as his Word, in reſpect to the Execution of his Threatnings denounced againſt Sin.—Satan knew this, and therefore artfully
Said unto the Woman (ver. 4.) Ye ſhall not ſurely die, in an inſinuating Manner, Ye ſhall not ſurely die,—ſurely, God will not be ſo cruel as to damn you only for eating an Apple,—it cannot be.—Alas! how many does Satan lead Captive at his Will, by flattering them, that they ſhall not ſurely die…;—that Hell-Torments will not be eternal,—that God is all Mercy;—that he therefore will not puniſh a few Years Sin with an Eternity of Miſery.—But Eve found God as good as his Word, and ſo will all they that go on in Sin, under a falſe Hope that they ſhall not ſurely die.
We may alſo underſtand the Words ſpoken, poſitively, and this is agreeable to what follows,—You ſhall not ſurely die,— … a Deluſion, a mere Bugbear, to keep you in a ſervile Subjection.
For (Ver. 4.) "God doth know, that in the Day-ye eat thereof, then ſhall your Eyes be opened, and ye ſhall be as God's, … Good and Evil."
What Child of God can expect to eſcape … ▪ when God himſelf was thus ſlandered even in Paradiſe? Surely the Underſtanding of Eve muſt have been, in ſome Meaſure, blinded, or ſhe would not have ſuffered the Tempter to ſpeak ſuch perverſe Things.—In what odious Colours is God here repreſented! God doth know, that in the Day ye eat thereof, ye ſhall be a… God's, (equal with God.) So that the grand Temptation, was, that they ſhould be hereafter under no Controul, equal, if not ſuperior to God, that made them, knowing Good and Evil.—Eve could not tell what Satan meant by this; but, to be ſure, ſhe underſtood it of ſome great Privilege which they were to enjoy.—And thus Satan now points out a Way, which ſeems right to Sinners, but does not tell them the End of that Way is Death.
To give Strength and Force to this Temptation, in all Probability, Satan, or the Serpent, at this Time, pluck'd an Apple from the Tree, and eat it before Eve,—by which Eve might be induced to think, that the Sagacity and Power of Speech, which the Serpent had above the other Beaſts, muſt be owing, in a great Meaſure, to his eating that Fruit; and, therefore, if he received ſo much Improvement, ſhe might alſo expect a like Benefit from it. All this, I think, is clear;—for, otherwiſe, I do not ſee with what Propriety it could be ſaid, When … the Woman ſaw that it was good for … How could ſhe know it was good for Food, … leſs ſhe had ſeen the Serpent feed upon it?
Satan now begins to get Ground a pace, Luſt had conceived in her Heart; ſhortly will bring forth Sin,—Sin being conceived brings forth Death.—Ver. 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 took of the Fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave alſo unto her Huſband, and he did eat.
Our Senſes are the landing Ports of our ſpiritual Enemies.—How needful is that Reſolution of holy Job, I have made a Covenant with mine Eyes. When Eve began to gaze on the forbidden Fruit with her Eyes, ſhe ſoon began to long after it with her Heart.—When ſhe ſaw that it was good for Food, and pleaſant to the Eyes, (here was the Luſt of the Fleſh, and Luſt of the Eye) but, above all, a Tree to be deſired to make one wiſe, wiſer than God would have her be, nay, as wiſe as God himſelf; ſhe took of the Fruit thereof, and gave alſo unto her Husband with her, and he did eat—As ſoon as … ſhe ſinned her ſelf, ſhe turned Tempter to her Huſband.—Its dreadful, when thoſe, who ſhould be Help-meets for each other in the great Work of their Salvation, are only Promoters of each others Damnation—But thus it is. If we ourſelves are good, we ſhall excite others to Goodneſs; if we do Evil, we ſhall entice others to do Evil alſo.—There is a cloſe Connexion be… doing and teaching.—How needful then … for all to take Heed that we do not ſin any Way ourſelves, leſt we ſhould became Factors or the Devil, and enſnare, perhaps, our neareſt and deareſt Relatives? "She gave alſo unto her Huſband with her, and he did eat."
Alas! what a Complication of Crimes was there in this one ſingle Act of Sin!—Here … an utter Diſbelief of God's Threatning—The utmoſt Ingratitude to their Maker, who had … lately planted this Garden and placed them in it, with ſuch a glorious and comprehenſive Charter—Here's the utmoſt Neglect of the… Poſterity, who they knew were to ſtand or … with them—Here was the utmoſt Pride of Heart—They wanted to be equal with God—Here's the utmoſt Contempt put upon his Threatning and his Law—The Devil is credited and obeyed Before him, and all this only to ſatisfy their ſenſual Appetite. Never was a Crime of ſuch a complicated Nature, committed by any here below—Nothing but the Devil's Apoſtacy and Rebellion could equal it.
And what are the Conſequences of their Diſobedience?—Are their Eyes opened?—Yes, their Eyes are opened—But, alas! it is only to ſee their own Nakedneſs. For, we are told (Ver. 7.) that the Eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. —Naked of God, naked of every Thing that was holy and good—and deſtitute of the Divine Image, which they before enjoyed—They might …ghtly, now be termed Ichab…d; for the Glory of the Lord departed from them—Oh! how …ow did theſe Sons of the Morning then fall▪ out o… God into themſelves; from being Partakers … the Divine Nature, into the Nature of the Devil and the Beaſt—Well, therefore, might they know that they were naked, not only in Body but in Soul.—
And how do they behave now they are naked?—Do they …y to God for Pardon …—Do they ſeek to him for a Robe to cover their Nakedneſs?—No. They were now dead to God, earthly, ſenſual, deviliſh—And, therefore, in ſtead of applying to God for Mercy, they ſewed, or platted Fig-leaves together, and made themſelves …, or Things to gird about them. This … a lively Repreſentation of all natural Men—We ſee that we are naked—We, in ſome Meaſure, confeſs it, but, inſtead of looking up to God for Succour, we patch up a Righteouſneſs of our own (as our firſt Parents platted Fig-leaves together) hoping to cover our Nakedneſs by that.—But our Righteouſneſs will not ſtand the Severity of God's Judgment: It will do us no more Service than the Fig-leaves did Adam and Eve—that is, none at all.
For (Ver. 8.) They heard the Voice of the Lord God walking in the Trees of the Garden▪ in the Cool of the Day; and Adam and his Wife (notwithſtanding their Fig-leaves) hid themſelves from the Preſence of the Lord God, among the Trees of the Garden.
They heard the Voice of the Lord God, or the … of the Lord God, even the Lord-Jeſus …, who is the Word that was with God, and Word that was God.—They heard him walk-in the Trees of the Garden, in the Cool of Day▪ —A Seaſon, perhaps, when Adam and Eve uſed to go, in an eſpecial Manner, … offer up an Evening Sacrifice of Praiſe and Thankſgiving—The Cool of the Day. Perhaps, the Sin was committed early in the Morning, or at Noon.—But God would not come upon them immediately—He ſtaid till the Cool of the Day. For, if we would effectually repro… others, we ſhould not do it when they are warmed with Paſſion, but wait till the Cool … the Day.—
But what an Alteration is here!—Inſtead… rejoicing at the Voice of their Beloved—inſtead of meeting him with open Arms, and enlarge▪ Hearts, as before, they now hide themſelves … the Trees of the Garden—Alas, what a fooliſh Attempt was this?—Surely, they muſt be naked, otherwiſe, how could they think of hiding themſelves from God?—Whither could they flee from his Preſence?—But, by their F…ll, they had contracted an Enmity againſt God. They now hated, and were afraid to conve… with God their Maker.—And is not this … Caſe by Nature? Aſſuredly it is. We labour to cover our Nakedneſs, with the Fig-leaves o… our own Righteouſneſs—We hide our ſelves from God as long as we can, and will not come, and never ſhould come, did not the Father prevent, draw, and ſweetly conſtrain us, by his Grace, as he here prevented Adam.
Ver. 9. And the Lord God called unto Adam and ſaid unto him, Adam, where art thou?
"The Lord God called unto Adam"▪ (for otherwiſe Adam would never have called unto the Lord God) and ſaid, Adam, where ar… thou?—How is it, that thou … not to pay thy Devotions as uſual?—Chriſtians, remember the Lord keeps an Account when you fail coming to Worſhip—Whenever therefore, you are tempted to with-hold your Attendance, each of you fancy you heard the Lord God calling unto you, and ſaying, O Man, O Woman, where art thou?—It may be underſtand in another & better Senſe— Adam, where art thou? —What a Condition is thy poor Soul in?—This is the firſt Thing the Lord aſks, and convinces a Sinner of, when he prevents, and calls him effectually by his Grace—… alſo calls him by Name: For unleſs God ſpeaks to us in particular, and we know where we are, how poor, how miſerable, how blind, how naked, we ſhall never value the Redemption wrought out for us by the Death and Obedience of the dear Lord Jeſus—Adam▪ where art thou?
Ver. 1…. And he ſaid, I heard thy Voice in the Garden, and I was afraid. —See what Cowards Sin makes us—If we knew no Sin, we ſhould know no Fear Becauſe I was naked, and I hid myſelf—Ver. 11. And he ſaid, Who told thee that thou waſt naked? Haſt thou eaten of the Tree, whereof I (thy Ma…r and Lawgiver) commanded th…s, tha… thou ſhouldſt not eat? —
God knew very well that Adam was naked, and that he had eaten of the forbidden Fruit.—But God would know it from Adam's own Mouth.—Thus God knows all our Neceſſities before we aſk, but yet inſiſts upon our aſking for his Grace, and confeſſing our Sins.—…, by ſuch Acts, we acknowledge our Dependance upon God, take Shame to our ſelves, and thereby give Glory to his great Name.
Ver. 12. And the Man ſaid, the Woman which thou … to be with me, …he gave me of the Tree, and I did eat.
Never was Nature more lively …. See what Pride Adam contracted by the Fall How unwilling he is to lay the Bl…me … on, or take Shame to himſelf.—This Anſwer▪ full… Inſolence towards God, Enmity againſt … Wife, and Diſingenuity in reſpect to himſelf. For herein he tacitly reflects upon God— … Woman that THOU gaveſt to be with me… A… much as to ſay, if THOU hadſt not given me THAT WOMAN, I had not eaten the forbidden Fruit.—Thus when Men ſin, they …ay the … upon their Paſſions; then blame and reflect upon God for giving them thoſe Paſſion.—Their Language is—The Appetites that THOU gaveſt us, they deceived us, and therefore we … againſt thee.—But, as God, notwithſtanding, puniſhed Adam for hearkening to the Voice of his Wi…e, ſo he will puniſh th…ſe who hearken to … Dictate… of their corrupt In… …ations—For God compels no Man to ſin. Adam might have withſtood the Solicitations o… his Wife, if he would. And ſo, if we look up to God we ſhould find Grace to help in the Time of Need—The Devil and our own Hearts tempt, but they cannot force us to conſent, without the Concurrence of our own Wills. So that our Damnation is of ourſelves, as it will evidently appear at the great Day, notwithſtanding all Men's preſent impudent Replies againſt God—As Adam ſpeaks inſolently in reſpect to God, ſo he ſpeaks with Enmity againſt his Wife—The Woman, or this Woman, ſhe gave me—He lays all the Fault upon her, and ſpeaks of her with much Contempt—He does not ſay, my Wife, my dear Wife, but this Woman.—For Sin diſunites the moſt united Hearts. It is the Bane of holy Fellowſhip—Thoſe who have been Companions in Sin here, if they die without Repentance, will both hate &condemn one another hereafter—All damned Souls are Accuſers of their Brethren—Thus it is, in ſome Degree, on this Side the Grave— The Woman whom THOU gaveſt to be with me, ſhe gave me of the Tree, and I did eat. —What a diſingenuous Speech was here!—He makes uſe▪ of no leſs than fifteen Words to excuſe himſelf, and but one or two (in the Original) to confeſs his Fault, if it may be called a Confeſſion at all— The Woman which thou gaveſt to be with me, ſhe gave me of the Tree—Here are fifteen Words—and I did eat —With what Reluctance do theſe laſt Words come out? How ſoon are they utter'd? "And I did …." But thus it is with an unhumbled, unregenerate Heart.—It will be laying the Fault upon the deareſt Friend in the World, nay, upon God himſelf, rather than take Shame to itſelf—This Pride we are all ſubject to by the Fall, and, till our Hearts are broken, and made contrite by the Spirit of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, we ſhall be always charging God fooliſhly.—Againſt THEE, and THEE only, have I ſinned, that thou mighteſt be juſtified in thy Saying, and clear when thou art judged, is the Language of none but thoſe, who, like David, are willing to confeſs their Faults, and are truly ſorry for their Sins.—This was not the Caſe of Adam—His Heart was not broken; and therefore he lays the Fault of his Diſobedience upon his Wife and God, and not upon himſelf— The Woman which THOU gaveſt to be with me, ſhe gave me of the Tree, and I did eat. —
Ver. 13. And the Lord God ſaid, what is this that thou haſt done?"—What a wonderful Concern does God expreſs in this Expoſtulation!— What a Deluge of M…ry haſt thou bro't upon thyſelf, thy Huſband, and thy Poſterity? What is this that thou haſt done? Diſobeyed thy God, obeyed the Devil, and ruined they Huſband, for whom I made thee to be an Help-meet!—What is this that thou haſt done?—God would here awaken her to a Senſe of her Crime and Danger, and therefore, as it were, thunders in her Ears. For the Law muſt be preached to ſelf-righteous Sinners.—We muſt take Care of healing before we ſee Sinners wounded, le…t we ſhould ſay, Peace, Peace; where there's▪ no Peace—Secure Sinners muſt hear the Thunderings of Mount Sinai, before … bring them to Mount Si…n.—They who never preach up the Law, it's to be feared, are unſkilful in delivering the glad Tidings of the Goſpel. Every Miniſter ſhould be a Boane…ges, a Son of Thunder, as well as a Barnabas, a Son of Conſolation. There was an Earthquake and a Whirlwind, before the ſmall ſtill Voice came to Elijah.—We muſt firſt ſhew People they are condemn'd, and then ſhew them how they muſt be ſaved. But how and when to preach the Law, and when to apply the Promiſes of the Goſpel, Wiſdom is profitable to direct— And the Lord God ſaid unto the Woman, what is this that thou haſt done? —
And the Woman ſaid, the Serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. She does not make uſe of ſo many Words to excuſe herſelf, as her Huſband; but her Heart is as unhumbled as his—What is this, ſays God, that thou haſt done? God here charges her with doing it.—She dares not deny the Fact, or ſay, I have not done it▪ but ſhe takes all the Blame off herſelf, and lay… it upon the Serpent— The Serpent beguiled me and I did eat.—She does not ſay, Lord, I was to blame for talking with the Serpent… ▪ Lord, I did wrong, in not haſting to my Huſband, when he put the firſt Queſtion to me—Lord, I plead guilty, I only am to blame—Oh, let not my poor Huſband ſuffer for my Wickedneſs!—This would have been the Language of her Heart, had ſhe now been a true Penitent. But both were now …like proud—Therefore neither will lay … upon …— The Serpent beguiled me, and I did …at—The Woman which thou gaveſt … me, ſhe gave me of the Tree, and I … …at.
I have been the more particular in remarking this Part of their Behaviour, becauſe it tends ſo much to the magnifying of Free Grace, and plainly ſhews us Salvation cometh only from the Lord—Let us take a ſhort View of the miſerable Circumſtances our firſt Parents were now in. They were legally and ſpiritually dead—Children of Wrath, and Heirs of Hell—They had eaten the Fruit, of which God had commanded them, that they ſhould not eat—And when arraigned before God, notwithſtanding their Crime was ſo complicated, they could not be brought to confeſs it—What Reaſon can be given, why Sentence of Death ſhould not be pronounced againſt the Priſoners at the Bar?—All muſt own they are worthy to die. Nay, how can God, conſiſtently with his Juſtice, poſſibly forgive them▪—He had threaten'd, that the Day wherein they eat of the forbidden Fruit, they ſhould ſurely die—And, if he did not execute this Threatning, the Devil might then ſlander … Almighty indeed. And yet Mercy cries, … theſe Sinners, ſpare the Work of thine own Hands.—Behold then Wiſdom contrives a Scheme how God may be juſt, and yet be merciful; be faithful to his Threatning, puniſh the Offence, & at the ſame Time ſpare the … An amazing Scene of divine Love here open to our View, which had been from … in the Heart of God—Notwithſtanding Adam & Eve were thus unhumbled … did not ſo much as put up one ſingle Petition for Pardon, God immediately paſſes Sentence upon the Serpent, and reveals to them a Saviour.—
Ver. 14. And the Lord God ſaid unto the Serpent. Becauſe thou haſt done this, thou art accurſed above all Cattle, and above every Beaſt of the Field; upon thy Belly ſhalt thou g…, and Duſt ſhalt thou eat all the Days of thy Life, i. e. he ſhould be in Subjection, and his Power ſhould always be limited and reſtrained—His Enemies ſhall lick the Duſt, ſays the Pſalmiſt … (Ver. 15.) And I will put Enmity between thee and the Woman, and between thy Seed and her Seed; it ſhall bruiſe thy Head, and thou ſhalt bruiſe his Heel. —
Before I proceed to the Explanation of this Verſe, I cannot but take Notice of one great Miſtake, which the Author of the Whole Duty of Man is guilty of, in making this Verſe contain a Covenant between God and Adam, as tho' God perſonally treated with Adam, as before the Fall. For, talking of the ſecond Covenant, in his Preface concerning caring for the Soul, ſays he, This ſecond Covenant was made with Adam, and us in him, preſently after the Fall, and is briefly contained in theſe Words—Gen. iii. 15. where God declares the Seed of the Woman ſhall break the Serpent's Head; and this was made up, as the firſt was, of ſome Mercies to be afforded by God, and ſome Duties to be performed by ….—This is exceeding falſe Divinity—For … Words are not ſpoken to Adam—They are directed only to the Serpent—Adam and Eve ſtood by as Criminals, and God could not treat with them, becauſe they had broken his Covenant. And it is ſo far from being a Covenant, wherein ſome Mercies are to be afforded by God, and ſome Duties to be performed by us, that here is not a Word looking that Way—It's only a Declaration of a free Gift of Salvation through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord—God the Father, and God the Son, had enter'd into a Covenant concerning the Salvation of the Elect from all Eternity; wherein God the Father promiſed, that if the Son would offer his Soul a Sacrifice for Sin, he ſhould ſee his Seed—Now this is an open Revelation of this ſecret Covenant, and therefore God ſpeaks in the moſt poſitive Terms, It ſhall bruiſe thy Head, and thou ſhalt bruiſe his Heel.—The firſt Adam God had treated with before—He proved falſe—God therefore, to ſecure the ſecond Covenant from being broken, puts it into the Hands of the ſecond Adam, the Lord from Heaven—Adam after the Fall, ſtood no longer as our Repreſentative—He and Eve were only private Perſons, as we are, and were only to lay hold on the Declaration of Mercy contained in this Promiſe by Faith, (as they really did) and by that they were ſaved.—I do not ſay, but we are to believe and obey, if we are everlaſtingly ſaved—Faith and Obedience are Conditions, if we on mean that they in order go before our Salvation but I deny that theſe are propoſed by God … Adam, or that God treats with him on this Promiſe, as he did before the Fall under the Covenant of Works. For, how could that be, when Adam and Eve were now Priſoners at the Bar, without Strength to perform any Conditions at all.—The Truth is this—God, as a Reward of Chriſt's Sufferings, promiſed to give the Elect Faith and Repentance, in order to bring them to eternal Life—And both theſe, and every Thing elſe neceſſary for their everlaſting Happineſs, are infallibly ſecured to them in this Promiſe, a… Mr. BOSTON, an excellent Scots Divine, ſweetly and clearly ſhews, in a Book …tituled, "A View of the Covenant of Grace."—
This is, by no Means, an unneceſſary Diſtinction—It's a Matter of great Importance—For want of knowing this, People have been ſo long miſled—They have been taught that they muſt …o ſo and ſo, as tho' they were under a Covenant of Works, and then for DOING this, they ſhould be ſaved.—This is plainly the whole D…t of the Book wrongly intitled, The Whole Duty of Man—Whereas, on the contrary, People ſhould be taught, that the Lord Jeſus was the ſecond Adam, with whom the Father enter'd into Covenant for fallen Man—That they can now do nothing of or for themſelves, and ſhould therefore come to God, beſeeching him to give them Faith, by which they ſhall be enabled to …ay hold on the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt and that Faith they will ſhew forth by their Works, out of Love and Gratitude to the ever bleſſed Je… their moſt glorious Redeemer, for what he has done for their Souls—This is a conſiſtent ſcriptural Scheme. Without holding this, we muſt run into one of theſe two bad Extreme▪ … mean Antinomianiſm on the one Hand, or A… …mianiſm on the other—From both which may the Good Lord deliver us!—
But to proceed: By the Seed of the Woman, we are here to underſtand the LORD JESUS CHRIST, who, tho' very God of very God▪ was for us Men and our Salvation, to have Body prepared for him by the Holy Ghoſt, and to be born of a pure Virgin, and by his Obedience and Death make an Atonement for Man's Tranſgreſſion, and bring in an everlaſting Righteouſneſs, work in them a new Nature, and thereby bruiſe the Serpent's Head, i. e. deſtroy his Power and Dominion over them—By the Serpent's Seed, we are to underſtand the Devil and all his Children, who ſhould be permitted by God to tempt and ſift his Children. But bleſſed be God, he can reach no further than our Heel.—
Tis not to be doubted but Adam and Eve underſtood this Promiſe in this Senſe; for … plain; in the latter Part of the Chapter, Sacrifices were inſtituted—For, from whence ſhould th…ſe Skins come, but from Beaſts ſlain for Sacrifice, of which God made them Coats?—We find alſo Abel, as well as Cain, offering Sacrifice in the next Chapter: And the Apoſtle tells us … did it by Faith, no doubt in this Promiſe—… Eve, when Cain was born, ſaid, I have gotten a Man from the LORD, or, (as Mr. HENR… obſerves, it may be render'd) I have gotten a Man—THE LORD—the promiſed Meſſiah.—S…me further ſuppoſe, that Eve was the firſt Believer, and therefore they tranſlate it thus, the Seed (not of THE, but) of THIS Woman, … the Grace of God ſo much the … that ſhe, who was firſt in the Tranſgreſſion, ſhould be the firſt Partaker of Redemption.—Adam believed alſo, and was ſaved—For, unto Adam and his Wife, did the LORD GOD make Coats of Skins, and cloathed THEM, which was a remarkable Type of their being cloathed with the Righteouſneſs of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
This Promiſe was literally fulfilled in the Perſon of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt—Satan bruiſed his Heel, when he tempted him for forty Days together in the Wilderneſs—He bruiſed his Heel, when he raiſed up ſtrong Perſecution againſt him, during the Time of his publick Miniſtry—He, in an eſpecial Manner, bruiſed his Heel, when our Lord complained, that his Soul was exceeding ſorrowful, even unto Death … and he ſweat great Drops of Blood falling upon the Ground, when praying in the Garden—He bruiſed his Heel, when he put it into the Heart of Judas to betray him:—And he bruiſed him yet moſt of all, when his Emiſſaries nailed him to an accurſed Tree, and our Lord cried out, My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken one?—Ye…; in all this, the bleſſed Jeſus, the Seed of the Woman, bruiſed his accurſed Head—For, in that he was tempted, he was able to ſuccour thoſe that are tempted. By his Stripes we are … ▪ The Chaſtiſement of our Peace was upon him. … dying. …e deſtroyed him … had th… Power▪ … that … the D…v… ▪ … He thereby … and … ▪ and made … Shew of … openly, triumph… over them upon the Cro… ▪—
This Promiſe has been, … ▪ and will …e … in the Elect of God … as well before as after the … in the Fleſh—For they may be called the … of the Woman. Mar…el not, th… … that … live godly in Chriſt Jeſus muſt ſuffer Perſu… ▪ In this Promiſe there is an eternal Enmity put between the Seed of the Woman, and the … of the Serpent. So that thoſe that are born after the Fleſh, cannot but perſecute thoſe that a… born after the Spirit.—This Enmity ſhewed itſelf ſoon after this Promiſe was revealed▪ in Cain's bruiſing the Heel of Abel. It continued in the Church through all Ages before Chriſt came in the Fleſh, as the Hiſtory of the …, and the 11th Chapter of the Hebrews plainly ſhew—It raged exceedingly after our Lord's Aſcenſion, witneſs the Acts of the Apoſtles, and the Hiſtory of the primitive Chriſtians—It now rages, and wi… continue to rage, and ſhew itſelf, in a greater or leſs Degree, to the End of Time. But let not this diſmay us! For, in all this, the Seed of the Woman is more than Conqueror, and bruiſes the Serpent's Head—Thus the Iſraelites, the more they were oppreſſed, the more they encreaſed—Thus it was with the Apoſtles—Thus it was with their immediate Followers. So that Tertullian compares the Church in his Time to a mowed …ield, the more frequently it is cut, the more it grows.—The Blood of the Martyrs was always the Seed of the Church. And I have often ſat down with Wonder and Delight, and admired how God has made the very Schemes, which his Enemies contrived in order to hinder, the moſt effectual Means to propagate his Goſpel—The Devil h…s had ſo little Succeſs in Perſecution, that if I did not know, that he and his Children, according to this Verſe, could not but perſecute, I ſhould think he would count it his Strength to ſit ſtill. What did he get by perſecuting the Martyrs in▪ Queen Mary's Time?—Was not the Grace of God exceedingly glorified in their Support … What did he g…t by perſecuting the good old Puritants? Did it not prove the Peopleing o… New-England?—Or, to come nearer to our own Times, What has he got by putting … out of the Synagogues? Hath not the Word of God, ſince that, mightily prevailed?—… dear Hearers, you muſt excuſe me for enlarging on this Head. God fills my Soul generally when I come to this Topick. I can ſay … ▪ Luther, If it were not for Perſecution ſhould not underſtand the Scripture▪ … Satan ſhould be yet ſuffered to bruiſe … further, and his Servants ſhould thruſt … Priſon▪ I doubt not, but …ven that … … tend to the more effectual Bruiſing of his … ▪ I remember a Saying of the then Lord Chancellor to the pious Bradford. Thou … done more Hurt, ſaid he, by thy Exhortations in private in Priſon, than thou didſt in preaching before thou waſt put in, or Words to this Effect. The Promiſe of the Text is my daily Support. I will put Enmity between thy Seed and her Seed; it ſhall bruiſe thy Head, and thou ſhalt bruiſe his Heel.—
Further: This Promiſe is alſo fulfilled, not only in the Church in general, but in every individual Believer in particular—In every Believer there are two Seeds, the Seed of the Woman, and the Seed of the Serpent—The Fleſh luſting againſt the Spirit, and the Spirit againſt the Fleſh.—It is with the Believer, when quickned with Grace in his Heart, as it was with …, when ſhe had conceived Eſau and Jacob … her Womb! She felt a Struggling, and began to be uneaſy.—If it be ſo, ſays ſhe, why am I …?—Thus Grace and Nature ſtruggle, (if … may ſo ſpeak) in the Womb of a Believer's Heart—But, as it was there ſaid, the Elder ſhall … the Younger; ſo it is here—Grace in … …nd ſhall get the better of Nature—The … of the Woman ſhall bruiſe the Serpent's …. Many of you perhaps, that have believed in Chriſt, may find ſome particular Corruption yet ſtrong, ſo ſtrong, that you are ſometimes ready to cry out with David, I ſhall fail … the Hand of Saul—But, fear not, the Promiſe in the Text inſures the P…rl…ve … and Victory of Believers over Sin, Satan Death and Hell.—What if indwelling Corruption does yet remain, and the Seed of the Ser… … your Heel, in vexing and … … righteous Souls? Fear not, tho' …aint, yet …rſue You ſhall yet bruiſe the Serpent's Head. Chriſt hath died for you, and yet a little while, and he will ſend Death to deſtroy the very Being of Sin in you.—Which brings me
To ſhew the moſt extenſive Manner in which the Promiſe of the Text ſhall be fulfilled, viz. at the final Judgment, when the Lord Jeſus ſhall preſent the Elect to his Father without Spot or Wrinkle, or any ſuch Thing, glorified both in Body and Soul.—
Then ſhall the Seed of the Woman give the laſt and fatal Blow, in bruiſing the Serpent's Head—Satan, the Accuſer of the Brethren, and all his accurſed Seed, ſhall then be caſt out; and never ſuffered to diſturb the Seed of the Woman any more—Then ſhall the Righteous ſhine in the Kingdom of their Father, and fit with Chriſt on Thrones, in Majeſty on High.
Let us therefore not be weary of Well-doing for we ſhall reap an eternal Harveſt of Comfort, if we faint not.—Dare, dare, my dear Brethren in Chriſt, to follow the Captain of your Salvation, who was made perfect through Sufferings. The Seed of the Woman ſhall bruiſe … Serpent's Head—Fear not Men—Be not too … caſt down at the Deceitfulneſs of your Heart… Fear not Devils—You ſhall get the Victory … over them—The Lord Jeſus has engaged to make you more than Conqueror over all—Plead with your Saviour, plead—Plead the Promiſe …n in the Text—Wreſtle, wreſtle with God in …—If it has been given you to believe, …ear not, if it ſhould alſo be given you to ſuffer. Be not any wiſe terrified by your Adverſaries—The King of the Church has them all in a Chain—Be kind to them; pray for them; but fear them not. The Lord will yet bring back his Ark, tho' at preſent driven into the Wilderneſs, and Satan like Lightning ſhall fall from Heaven.
Are there any Enemies of God here? The Promiſe of the Text encourages me to bid you Defiance—The Seed of the Woman, the ever-bleſſed Jeſus ſhall bruiſe the Serpent's Head—What ſignifies all your Malice—You are only raging Waves of the Sea, foaming out your … Shame—For you, without Repentance, … the Blackneſs of Darkneſs for ever—The Lord Jeſus ſits in Heaven ruling over all, and cauſing all Things to work for his Childrens Good—He laughs you to ſcorn—He hath you in the utmoſt Deriſion, and therefore ſo will I—Who a…e you that perſecute the Children of the ever-bleſſed God?—Tho' a poor Stripling, the Lord Jeſus, the Seed of the Woman, will enable … to bruiſe your Heads.
My Brethren in Chriſt, I think I do not ſpeak … in my own Strength, but in the Strength of … Redeemer—I know in whom I have be…ered—I am perſuaded he will keep that ſafe which I have committed unto him—He is faithful who hath promiſed, that the Seed of the Woman ſhall bruiſe the Serpent's Head—May we all experience a daily Completion of this Promiſe, both in the Church and in our Hearts, till we come to the Church of the Firſt-born, the Spirits of juſt Men made … in the Preſence and actual Fruition of the great God, our heavenly Father.
To whom with the Son and the Holy Ghoſt, … Honour, Power, Might, Majeſty and Dominion, now and for evermore. Amen.