A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament

CHAP. V. Of Adam and Eve in the pure state.

THe state of Innocency wherein God created Adam and Eve, was dignified with sundry excellent blessings, some Internal and some External. (1.) The Internal perfections wherewith God blessed them both, were, (1.) Immortality, God gave them not only the most noble Life as to the nature of it (in as much as the Life Rational [of Man ] is more noble than the Life Vegetative of Plants, or the Life Sensitive of Beasts ) but also most Extensive as to its continuance: for had they not Sinned, their Souls had never have been separated from their Bodies, but they should have lived a most happy life a Thousand years upon Earth (according to the opinion of the Ancients) and then have been translated (as Enoch and Elijah were) into Heaven: this Immortality was only ex Hypothesi, upon supposition of holding their integrity as before, and an Immortality a parte post only (as the Schools speak) and not a parte Ante also: for some things are said to be Immortal, (1.) Which have a beginning, but have no end, as the Angels, and the Souls of men. (2.) Some things have no beginning, yet shall have an end, as the Eternal decrees have their Temporeal accomplishments. (3.) Something again there is, that hath neither beginning nor end, and that is, God himself: of the first sort would their Immortality have been, have they stood, their Bodies would have been Immortal as well as their Souls, 'Twas the Vain Philosophers fancy, that Men had no beginning, but was Eternal [a parte Ante] as to before, which is fully confuted by Moses mentioning Mans creation three times in one Verse, Gen. 1.27. (2.) Wisdom, yea such a such a perfection thereof as to know all that was knowable: we read of Solomon's wisdom (even in the state of Corruption) how it made him Natures Secretary, and wiser than all men, 1 Kin. 4.31, &c. & 10.4, &c. yet was it undoubtedly short of Adams wisdom in the state of innocence. Though Solomon were wiser than all men in the fallen estate, yet this makes him not wiser than Adam in the pure estate, who then had the perfection of knowledge and wisdom: then did he know aright his God, his Creatures, and himself too, he had 1. Natural, 2. Acquired, 3. Revealed knowledge. 1. His knowledge was inbred and concreated with him, so 'twas Natural to him. 2. He Ac • nired knowledge of God by the Creatures in a way of Causality and eminency; he ascended from the effects to the cause, till he came at the first cause, as if he had been climbing upon Jacob's ladder. 3. The Attributes of God, and the mystery of the Trinity, were revealed to him, and nothing of corruption was then either within him or without him, to darken his understanding to him, as Solomon had; Adam wisely understood all simples, singulars and universals, and could rightly (while he was himself Right and upright) compound or divide them: he could then (without any mistake) discern good from evil, and the just from the unjust; to follow the former, and to fly the latter: The unanswerable argument of his knowledge and wisdom was his giving names to all creatures according to their several Natures, as those that understand the Hebrew tongue, do understand, or at least may do.

The names Adam gave them were accommodated to their Natures, Gen. 2.20. one part of that Image of God (wherein Adam was Created) is knowledge, Col. 3.10. and this was in the perfection of it, so that Tostatus was under a mistake in preferring Solomon before Adam because he is said to be wiser than all men (that were before him or after him) for that is spoken of the common Generation of men, wherein the two Adams must be excepted, the first man created in the Image of God, and the man Christ Jesus born without sin: Adam did certainly know all things but the four things which are not knowable to man, to wit, (1.) The secret Decrees of God, which belong not to men, Deut. 29.29. Rom. 11.33. who knows the mind of God, &c. (2.) Future contingents, as his own fall. (3.) The thoughts of the minds both of men and of Angels. God only is the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or Heart-searcher, Act. 1.24. our most secret thoughts and intentions (which are the creatures of the Heart) are naked and open to him only, Heb. 4.13. (4.) All Individual things of all kinds, which are (as it were) Infinite, as (suppose) how many Stars there are in the Heavens, how many Fishes in the Sea, how many Fowls in the Air, how many Beasts in the field, how many Sands upon the Sea-shore; known (only) unto God are all his works, from the foundation of the world, Act. 15.18. Omnisciency is his Incommunicable Attribute, 'tis God (alone) that knoweth all things, Joh. 21.17. All these things. (3.) Holiness and Righteousness, (which completed the Image of God in Man) Eph. 4.24. 'It is something over-curious a Criticism, (having in it more Wit than Grace) to say, God was the first that made Images in the world; (in making Man after his own Image) but (sure I am) God was the first that forbad Image-making, to wit, in the second Commandment. 'Twas certainly a gross mistake in Oleaster, (that grand stickler in the Spanish Inquisition ) to say, that God in the Creation, took upon him the shape of a Man, and thereupon, 'tis said, he made Man in his own Image; whereas the truth is, This is to make God after Mans Image, rather than Man after God's Image: but the Image of God (wherein Man was Created) was his being made holy and righteous [aeque, non equaliter] as God in quality, though not in equality: Thus Solomon saith, God made Man right and upright, Eccles. 7.29. he was right in the sight of God, 2 Chron. 29.2. his state was well pleasing to God, and he was upright before▪ him: he was right (1.) in his understanding of things, as before, having the perfection of knowledge and wisdom: (2.) in his will, willing and nilling all that God would have him to will or nill; he loved all that God loved, and hated all that God hated, Revel. 2.6. (3.) his Conscience, Memory, Affections, all had a rectitude or rightness: in a word, his Holiness and Righteousness (God created him in) made him both suitable to God's Nature, and Subject to God's Law, which is both a right and a straight Rule, Psal. 19.8. then there was a Right order in all his Affections: no jarring discords (which would have made no good music) were then among them, but all were placed upon their proper objects, needing no reconcilement (as now) one to another: The inferior parts of the Soul were all subordinate to the superior. The Will was subject to the Judgment or Conscience, The Affections to the Will, Prov. 16.32. all the outward members to both, Rom. 6.13. and the whole man (in all parts both inward and outward) in subjection to God: much more might be added of Internalls. (2.) The External endowments which God gave our first Parents in their pure state were sundry also. As (1.) the most perfect Beauty and Comliness of their persons. As is the cause, so is the effect; as is the workman, so is his workmanship: it must needs be a complete piece of work, which came out of the skillful hands of the most Wise God, as is said before of the Body. Their Stature, proportion, their feature, lineaments were all, yea altogether lovely, Cant. 5.16. Their Voices were sweet, and their Countenances were comely, Cant. 2.14. seeing (since the Fall) such a dazzling splendor and bewitching Beauty remains still in some of the Sons and Daughters of men. Assuredly the Image of God (who is Beauty and loveliness itself) did shine forth in their Bodies as well as in their Souls; and even while they were naked, they were Clothed with Majesty and Glory, Psal. 8.5, 6. yea their nakedness made them not ashamed, Gen. 2.25. There was then no need of shame, for sin and shame came in both together: and there, was as little need of Cloathing then; for their Bodys being then glorious, the bravest Apparel would but have been as a cloud that darkens the shining Sun, or as a black mask which covers a most beautiful face; undoubtedly they had (both) that goodly Gracefulness, presence and personage, as to be not only most delightful companions each to other, but also capable of communion with the Holy Angels, to whom they were made but a little inferior, Psal. 8.5. yea and with the Holy God himself, who rejoiced in the habitable part of his Earth, and took much complacency in the work of is own hands, Prov. 8.30, 31. Adam more than Enoch and Abraham, &c. walked Arm in Arm with God. The (2.) External endowment God gave them was the place of their Habitation in Paradise, Gen. 2.8, 15. God did not build them any Marble monument there, or an Ivory Palace to dwell in, such as the Luxury of men in the fallen estate hath framed for themselves, as that none-such Sinner Ahab built for himself, 1 Kin. 22.39. but God planted them a Garden or Orchard choicely furnished with all manner of delicate fruits, and hedged round about, wherein they might▪ have lived in a condition of Dignity and delectation, without the least impairing of their Health and strength, for a thousand years; yet it being but an earthly place, or a Terrestrial Paradise, thereby they were admonished not only of frugality and modesty, but also that there was a better place, even a Caetestial Paradise, into which they should have (without tasting Death) been translated: no doubt, but the whole Earth was exceeding pleasant and fruitful, as a Garden, before the Sin of Man brought upon it the Curse of God, Gen. 3.17. yet so kind, so good was God to Adam, that he planted a Paradise for him, wherein he had an affluence and confluence of all good things to make him happy; hence it is called [ the Garden of Jehovah, Gen. 13.10. and of Eden, which in the Greek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 doth signify Pleasure, and this place of pleasure and pleasantness was (by was of eminency) the Glory of all Lands, Ezek. 20.6 • ▪ That Paradise was a most pleasant place, is demonstrated by those few following Arguments. As (first) from that large description and commendation of it by the Holy Ghost himself in Moses his Penman, Gen. 2. from v. 8. to v. 16. (2.) from its being made a Type of the third Heaven, and synonymical with it, Luke 23.43. 2 Cor. 12.3, 4. Revel. 2.7. (3.) from that aggravation of the evil that is put upon their expulsion out of Paradise: if it were so great an evil to be banished (himself and all his posterity) out of this Pleasant place, and to have the Garden-door locked against him, yea and Guarded also by a Cherubim with a flaming sword, Gen. 3.22, 23, 24. this is a clear evidence, that some great good was lost thereby. (4.) from the restitution of the true Paradise unto fallen man by Christ, which is a most unspeakable good: the first Adam shut Paradise, the second Adam opened it by the Key of his Cross, or Cross-key; and he quenched the flames of that flaming sword (which Guarded the Door) by pouring upon it his meritorious Blood, paving thereby a new and living way to that Paradise which is above, Hebr. 10.20, 18. herein also the transcendent goodness of God to man is marvelously manifest, that God should (upon the third day of the Creation, when he made the Trees) plant a Paradise for man's pleasure before Man was Created, which was not until the sixth day: Man was made out of paradise on that day, and then God took man by the hand and led him into Paradise to take possession of it (as the Angel led Lot out of Sodom, by the hand, for a dispossession, Gen. 2.15, & 19, 16. God made not Paradise for the Beasts to spoil, but for man to dress; which he did, as without necessity, so without either pains or weariness; 'twas rather his Recreation than his Occupation; his labor was then as an Ordinance, but after inflicted as a Punishment, Gen. 3.19. This place of delight was prepared for man before it was conferred upon him; yea before he was, that he might live a life of pleasure there: How much greater is God's goodness unto Adams Posterity (who are given to Christ) for whom both a life of Grace and a life of Glory is prepared, not only long before they were born, but also before the foundation of the World, 2 Tim 1.9. Tit. 1.2. &c. All those things do teach us these truths: (1.) That God hath a right Fatherly care of his creatures, thus to make provisions for them before they be created: (2.) that all opinion of merit is hereby overthrown, for Adam could not merit this Earthly Paradise before he was made, nor we the Heavenly one. (3.) God led Adam into Paradise, that he might know he held it not as Lord of it, but as God's Husbandman and his Tenant at will so long as he behaved himself well, which if he forfeited by doing ill, he could have no just cause to complain for God's banishing him out of it, who had given it him so freely, and so kindly led him into it. (4.) that Earthly Paradises be not Mans home and Country here, no abiding City, Hebr. 11.10, 16. The (3.) External favor God gave them, was their Dominion over all Creatures, Gen. 1.26, 28. subdue▪ the Earth, and have Dominion, &c. God made man the supreme Lord of all created things here below; all creatures are man's Servants and Houshouldstuff •• God put all things under man's feet (as so many stirrups or steps of a Stair-case) that Man might raise up himself thereby unto God his Maker. David celebrates God's praise for giving this Dominion over all to Man, Psal. 8.5, 6, 20. All things are made for Man, and Man is made for God, to know and acknowledge him: And while Man did so, all things also did own and acknowledge Man as their Lord and Sovereign. Adam exercised the Centurions Authority, Luke 7.8. when all Creatures did come to him (for Names) and go from him when named, Gen. 2.19. All then did reverence Man, and were ready to come and go at his command. Hence it was that Eve was not afraid of the Serpent, as Moses was afterwards, Exo. 4.3. Christ was among wild Beasts without fear or h • rm, Mark 1.13. The Image of God in Man, put such a Majesty on Man, that all Creatures paid their Homage to Man, as Man paid his Homage to God; but this Obedience to Man was forfeited by Mans disobedience to God; and Mans Rebellion against his Maker, is punished with the Creatures Rebellion▪ again Man: according to the saying of the Antient, Rebellis facta est Creature homini, Quia Homo numini: The Creature Rebelled against him▪ because he Rebelled against God. This revolt lost Man both Imperium s • um, & Imperium sui, both his command of the Creatures, and his command of himself. (1.) his command of the Creatures, who now Rebel so far, as many times to Mans ruin: sometimes they become such Enemies to Man (in avenging God's quarrel upon him) as to pick out his Eyes, to tear his flesh, and to suck his Blood, Ezek. 14.21. Levite. 26.22. Prov. 30.17. 1 King. 21.19. and this is not only threatened, but also Executed, 1 Kings 22.38. 1 Kings 13.24. 2 Kings 2.24. & 17.25. and what great revenge can the great God take by the least and weakest of his Creatures? As by Frogs, Flies, and Lice, Exo. 8.5, 7, 24. And by Worms, Acts 12.23. This is not all but, (2.) Man hath lost his command of himself, now Man is become as a City that is broken down and without Walls, Prov. 25.28. he Reigneth not in his unruly affections, but lets them Run Riot in sin as so many Head-strong Horses: Man not being fenced in with the Wall of God's fear, lies open to all the Assaults of Satan, as Judge. 18.7. Jer. 49.31. Ephes. 4.26, 27. hence it is Man can neither tame his Tongue, nor his Heart that Beast in his Bosom. (3.) Though this Dominion and Sovereignty over the Creatures be forfeited by Adams fall, yet 'tis not wholly extinguished: there was a renewing of that Character (in part) to Noah, Gen. 9.2. The dread of you, shall be upon every Beast, Fowl and Fish: and this piece of God's Image in Man is yet remaining, whereby every kind of Beasts, of Birds, of Serpents and of Fishes hath been tamed by the industry and ingenuity of Man, Jam. 3.7. Hence we see a litttle Boy will lead a great Elephant, and a Child can drive before him a great number of Cattle; these are remaining footsteps of the Ancient sovereignty: and herein is the marvelous goodness of God to fallen Man, that though his Authority be lost as to the Savage Beasts (as Lions, Bears, &c. some few whereof are subdued) yet the serviceable Creatures (that have no Gall as the other have, to wit, the Ox, the Ass, &c. are still in subjection to Man, Esa. 1.3. from all which Man hath most singular service. (4.) The Redeemed of the Lord have (by that Grand grant and Charter in Christ) a New right to all, and a New Rule over all, 1 Cor. 3.22, 23. All are yours in Christ. All we have in possession of the worst things below, and in Reversion of the best things above, yet hold we all in Capite -Tenure, to wit, in Christ, who is Married to his Church in faithfulness, and gives this as part of her Jointure, to wit, a restoring the Previledges of the first Creation, as Fellowship with God, and Dominion over the Creatures; and therefore hath he bound over the best of things to bring her in provision, Hos. 2.19, 20, 21, 22. This appears by comparing Psal. 8.4, 5. with Heb. 2.6, 7. where whatever • is spoke of Man is applied to Christ, (1.) By whom we are at peace with the Beasts of the Field, Job 5.23. As Jonah was with the Whale in the Sea, and Daniel with the Lions in the Den, and the Viper had no power to hurt Paul. By whom we have not only use of them (as the wicked have) but also right to them, both for profit and delight at present, yea (2.) by whom we shall at length be fully instated in the absoluteness of the old Dominion, when the Creature being freed from the Bondage of Corruption, shall willingly be subject to the Children of God, Rom. 8.19, 20, 21, 22. Though there be now some dread of man upon hurtful Beasts, therefore they dare not walk abroad while Man is supposed to be abroad, Psal. 104.20, 23. and though Man now hath a Dominion over useful Beasts, yet both are in a much lower way than that in the state of Innocency: for this subjection is neither with so much willingness on their part, Rom. 8.20. nor with so much easiness on our part as formerly, for now no Creature can be Tamed without toils and difficulty. There be yet two more of those great blessings, wherewith the Lord dignified the state of Innocency (to make it a truly Golden Age, as the Poets call it) to wit, the blessing of Marriage, and the blessing of the Sabbath; both which are partly External, and partly Internal. Inasmuch as the end of Marriage is for Relieving Mans Soul as well as Body, and the end of the Sabbath is for Refreshing the Body as well as the Soul: (1.) of the blessing of Marriage; no sooner had God created man Male and Female, Gen. 1.27. but then 'tis immediately said, God blessed them; and said, be fruitful and multiply, v. 28. now that the Marriage of the first Male and Female together, was a very great blessing (supperadded to all the other aforesaid blessings) the mouth of the Lord (himself) doth declare it, saying, It is not good for Man to be alone, I will make him an Help-meet▪ for him, Gen. 2.18 The goodness and greatness of this blessing (even in the Judgment of God himself, who is Wisdom itself) appeareth, inasmuch as the Lord declareth, for Man to be alone was not good, either (1.) for man's profit, in respect of Procreation and Education of Children, both for planting the world, and propogating the Church in the world: or (2.) for man's Comfort, optimum solatium est Sodalitium, Society is sweet, and Communion is comfortable, Eccles. 4.9, 10, 11, 12. or (3.) was it so Conformable to the Community of all the living Creatures, who did all (as Male and Female) consort together for the increase of their several Kinds: or (4.) was it so Honorable to the Creator; for his service is both more, and more solemn in company and communion, than by any one alone: (5.) (Lastly) Had Man been alone, then the promised seed in the Eternal Covenant could not have been accompli ••• d: had not God made a Woman, Christ (the Son of God) could not have been born the Seed of the Woman (according to the promise) after the Flesh. 'It is true, there was no need of a Woman in respect of God's Power; for the Almighty might have made all Mankind at once, as he did the Angels all at once, to be the Inhabitants of the Invisible world, as Mankind is of the Visible. Yet in respect of God's Wisdom, whereby he would have Mankind propagated by a natural Successive Generation, that so the Power and Presence of God might continually appear in this Personal Propagation, so a Woman was needful. Hereupon God comes forth, Gen. 2.18. in two things: 1. In a Divine Deliberation implied. 2. In a Divine Determination expressed. 1. In the Deliberation there is the Consultation of Divine Wisdom with itself, which is a Wisdom, that, as it cannot be mistaken in its own measures, so neither can it prescribe wrong measures to others; God is the infallible Judge and the wonderful Counselor, Isa. 9.6. Rev. 3.18. I counsel thee, &c. hence the Psalmist prays, Lord, guide me with thy counsel, &c. Ps. 73.24. The Parliament of Heaven had consulted before about giving Man his first Being, Gen. 1.26. And now the second time a Consult is had about Mans well being, concerning what is good or not good for man, Gen. 2.18. The former, concerned his Creation; the latter, his Providence. The first was, how to make Man God's Master-piece: This second was, how to make a Mate suitable to this Master piece. For there was no Help-meet, [Nullum Audjutorium naturae suae Accommodatum] no fit Companion that Adam could find among all the Creatures God brought before him to be named, v. 20. he saw (1) all other Creatures suitably sorted, as Male and Female in their kind; and (2) his own want of a suitable Consort after his kind: The sense of this want puts him upon desiring one agreeable to his Nature: His most gracious God gratifies his desire, so comes from the Divine Deliberation to a Divine Determination of making a more glorious Creature than was to be found in the whole Creation, the Woman, called the glory of the Man, 1 Cor. 11.7. Man may glory in this, that God hath put such a glorious • reature into his Bosom, Uxor gloria viri, gloria Uxor Dei, as Bernard doth phrase it; The Wife is the glory of man, and Glory is the Wife of God. As the Divine Deliberation was the product of God's Wisdom, so this Divine Determination was the product of God's Goodness, and that both in the Negative, and in the positive part of it. 1. In the Negative the Divine Determination is not grounded on uncertainty, or proposed in a doubtful manner; God doth not say here, I fear, or I doubt, 'tis not good for Man to be alone; but 'tis a peremptory Proposition, 'tis not good, &c. and 'tis prescribed as a remedy to man's Malady, yet not Absolutely or Morally, 〈◊〉 for then there was no absolute or moral Malady or Evil sound in the world, • ll man's sin had opened Pandora 's Box, (as the Poets speak of Epim • th • us ) out of which issued all manner of evil upon Mankind, so the Iron Age was brought in 〈◊〉 but Comparatively, to wit, it is not to good for Man to be alone, as to have a Mate, which all other Creatures had at that time, all passing before Adam to be named. Good is taken either 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Simply in itself, or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Respectively relating to some circumstance. Thus it was not good for man to be alone in several respects, as aforesaid. It was not good (1) in respect of the World, because all Mankind were to come out of Adam 's Loins. (2) In respect of the Church, which was to be chosen out of the World. (3) In respect of God's Mercy and Justice, the former of which was to be glorified upon the Godly, and the latter upon the Wicked; none of which would have been, had Man been alone in the world. Besides, Rabbi Solomon renders another general Reason why 'twas not good for Man to be alone: For, saith he, had Man been alone on Earth, as God was alone in Heaven, then Man would have been reckoned the chief Lord on Earth, as God is the chief Lord in Heaven: but this Rabbi's Reason is the more reasonless, because had Man been alone, he could have no Posterity so to reckon him. Again, Good is manifold; 1. Moral. 2. Physical, 3. Hyperphysical. Thus Virtue is a Moral good, Health is a Physical or Natural good, and Grace is an Hyperphysical or Supernatural good. Thus some things are said to be evil naturally, that are not evil morally. Poison is a Natural, not a Moral evil. In this sense Sinning is said to be a worse evil than Suffering, inasmuch as Sinning is a Moral evil, and Suffering is only a physical or Natural evil. Now the Help-meet God made for Adam was this Threefold good to him; a Moral, a Physical, and an Hyperphysical good. This leads me to the positive part of the Divine Determination, [I will make him an help-meet for him] Gnezer Hebr. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Gr. and Adjutorium Lat. an Help-meet Engl. an Helper, not an Hinderer: Kenegdo Hebr. for him, not against him; or such another as himself, alike in Form and Nature, and in Gifts both inward and outward; one in whom Man might see himself; one to be an Alter-ego to him, a Second-self, Eph. 5.28. an Helper to him in both Lives; an Helper (1) in Piety: thus godly Couples make up a Church in their Houses, being sweet Companions in God's service, as joint Fasting and Praying, 1 Cor. 7.5. 1 Pet. 3.1, 7. (2) In Society, bearing each others Burthens, and sweetening each others Conditions, as Sarah was a graceful and grateful Companion to Abraham in all the passages of his Life, &c. (3) In Procreation and Education of Children, 1 Tim. 2.15. and 5.14. (4) In managing Family-matters, as Prov. 31.10, 27. God had a respect to all those four ends aforesaid in the state of Innocency; now the Fall hath added a (5th) end of having an Helper in infirmity, as a remedy against sin, 1 Cor. 7.2, 9. Marriage is now God's Medicine to cool and heal (if rightly applied) Mans hot and raging Lusts. Hence it follows, 'tis not good for Man, for any man, for Man universally taken (as in those words, Except a man be born again, Joh. 3.3, 5.) Any man, Every man, whether he be Prince or Priest; whether in Church or State, in Court, City, or Country, whether Gentile or Simple: 'tis not good for Man (any man) to be alone, either in a Natural, Civil, or Spiritual sense: Man is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , of a public Temper, so loves not to be alone in any of these Respects. If Communion be a privilege in Heaven, then it must be a blessing on Earth. In order to the doing of that which God had determined, (for he always performs with his Hand what his Mouth hath spoken), He (1) calls Adam into a deep sleep, v. 21. as the word Tardemah signifies: the Hebrews have three words for Sleep; 1. Teuniugh, a Slumber. 2. Shenah, a fast Sleep. 3. Tardemah, a deep Sleep, such as is mentioned, Gen. 15.12. and 1 Sam. 26.7. therefore the Septuagint calls it an Extasie or Trance. Herein though his Senses were all locked up, so that he felt no pain when the Rib and Flesh was taken out of his Side, (which therefore God did to Adam sleeping rather than waking. ) Nor could he be a Spectator of this wonderful divine Work; yet his Soul was at liberty, wrapped up in this Trance or Extasie, and by a prophetic Spirit therein, he knew what was done; and the mystery signified thereby not only his own natural Marriage with Eve, but also Christ's mystical Marriage with his Church, Eph 5.32. Hereupon, being awakened, he broke out into those prophetic words [This is bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh.] Yea, learned Peter Martyr thinks, that Adam (observing there was no meet Match found for him among all the Creatures which passed before him) in this profound Sleep or Extasie, earnestly prayed to God that a suitable Help-meet might be made for him; and when this was done, he was a great Admirer of that divine Work which he could not be a Spectator of. Thus Adam found all things in the World created before himself, but saw not the Creation of anything, no not of his own Wife, though created after him. He must adore the Wisdom and Power of the Creator in all things by his Faith, yet must he not see the manner of God's creating anything by his Eye. God consults not with Adam to make him happy; as he was ignorant whilst himself was made, so he shall not know while a Second-self was made out of him; both that the Comfort might be greater than could be expected, and that he might not upbraid his Wife with any great Dependence or Obligation, he neither willing the Work, nor suffering any pain to have it done. The Rib can challenge no more of her, than the Earth can of him. Then (2) [God took one of his Ribs] not a bare Bone, but a Rib with Flesh on it, v. 23. Adam might have one Rib more than ordinary put into his Side for this very purpose; therefore Adam was neither monstrous with it, nor deformed without it. Hence note, (1) God took only one Rib, not more, whereon to make him one Wife only: he had promised him one Help-meet, which accordingly he bestowed; therefore Polygamy is a sin, and for one man to have many Wives was not from the beginning. (2) God chooses rather to build the Woman out of the man's Rib, than to form her out of the Earth as he had done Adam, (which had been all one to the Almighty Creating-power) that not only the likeness of their Nature, but also the affection of their Kin-ship might the more oblige those two first-Couples in mutual Love, and the same effect of reciprocal Affections might be diffused and communicated to all their Posterity at their entrance into a married estate: By this very Argument the Apostle exhorteth all Husbands to love and cherish their Wives, as they do their own bodies, seeing they are their own flesh, Eph. 5.28. (3) Note, the Woman was not made (as the Rabbies say) of the Eye of man, that she should not be a wandering, unstable Creature, like Dinah, Gen. 34.1. neither was she made of the Eye of man, that she should not be a listener and hearkener, like Sarah, Gen. 18.10, 14. but she was made of a Bone, and yet but of one Bone [ne esset ossea] lest she should be stiff and stubborn as a Bone: for some say when the Man lost Free-will the Woman found it, and kept it ever since. And 'twas of a Bone not taken out so high as the Head, that she might not usurp Authority over the Man, and become his Imperious Mistress: Nor so low as the Foot, that she might not be trodden upon by him, and be his Slave and servile Vassal; but of a Bone betwixt Head and Foot, a Bone out of the Side, that she might be betwixt both, a collateral Companion or Side-fellow, or Yoke-fellow, that stands upon even ground with her Husband, though drawing upon the Left side. A Bone from under the Arm, to signify Protection; and not far from the Heart, to show the Dilection or Love that Man owes her. It was a Bone from the Left side (as most say) where the Heart is seated, to teach what hearty love ought to be betwixt the married Couples: As the Husband is the Wifes Head, so the Wife is the Husbands Heart, even the Wife of his Covenant, Mal. 2.14. She must eat of his Morsel, drink of his Cup, and lie in his Bosom, 2 Sam. 12.3. His Authority must relish more of loving Respect than of rigorous Power; and her Observance must rather be heartily than grudgingly performed. 3. When God had built the Woman's Body, (hereupon our Bodies are called Houses, Job 4.19. and 2 Cor. 5.1.) and inspired a Soul into it, Gen. 1.27. he brought her to Adam, v. 22. The same God who was her Builder was her Bringer too; yea, and her Conjoyner in Marriage with the Man. God brought the Woman to the Man as a Wife to her Husband, and joined her to him as an Helper; whereby is shown the Sanctity and Dignity of the married estate: for God did not only ordain Marriage in the general, but he also made the first Marriage himself, and that in the best and holiest estate that ever man enjoyed on Earth. 'It is the pious opinion of some, that the Son of God, having here put on the Form of man, did bring this most beautiful Woman (formed by himself) in his hand to the man, and in most Divine and elegant words gave her in Marriage to him: Whether this were so, I shall not assert; yet sure I am Moses doth assure us, that three things were done by God (himself) in this first Institution of Marriage: As (1) Dixit, God said 'twas not good for Man to be alone, &c. Gen. 2.18. (2) Duxit, God led the Woman by the hand to the Man, and so was both the Father to give tier in Marriage, and the public Person to marry them in a solemn manner. (3) Benedixit, God blessed them, Gen. 1.28. yea, and a three-fold honor is put upon Marriage in Scripture by all the three persons in the Trinity. 1. God the Father was the first Institutor and Ordainer of it; not Cecrops, or Lycurgus, or Numa, as Heathens say. 2. God the Son honored Marriage with his first Miracle, as well as Presence, Job. 2.2, 11. God the Son works his Miracle for confirmation of God the Father's first Ordinance, to wit, the first Marriage. 3. God the Holy Ghost sanctified the state of Marriage by over-shadowing the betrothed Virgin, Matth. 1.18, 20. when Mary was espoused to Joseph, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. The power of the Highest did over-shadow her, Luk. 1.35. as the Spirit did the confused Chaos at the Creation, Gen. 1.2. this wonderful Conception of Christ [Mirari licet, Rimari non licet] must be believed and admired, but cannot be pried into nor expressed.

Note hence, (1) that Marriage is honorable to all, Heb. 13.4. and therefore not to be prohibited to any, as the Romish Church doth to their Priests and Votaries, hereby hindering them of that mutual Help that God ordained them, and of that Remedy against Sin. If God thought it not good for Adam (in his Pure state) to be alone, how much more for his Posterity (in the Corrupt state) who have more need of that Remedy? This forbidding to marry, to their Clergy at all times, and to their Laity at sometimes of the year, is one of Rome's Doctrines of Devils, 1 Tim. 4.1, 3. and they are Devils rather than Divines that speak disgracefully of Marriage, and call it a Defilement. Though Paul saith it is not good to marry, 1 Cor. 7.26, 28. yet doth he neither contradict Moses here, nor himself elsewhere, Heb. 13.4. for the Apostle speaks not there of Moral good, (which only is opposite to sin) but of Expedient good, or Secundum quid, in respect of present Persecutions under the ten Heathen Emperors: Therefore it was not expedient. Had he spoke of Good simply, he could not have said, If he marry he sinneth not.

The (2) Note, this holy Ordinance of God, Marriage, Prov. 2.17. how holy should it be contracted and accomplished! Adam did not steal the Woman when formed, but receives her from God when he brought her to him. Alas, how many entereth into God's holy Ordinance at the Devils Portal, either by Theft or Fornication! This is the way to bring a Curse upon them, and not a Blessing. As Adam did not snatch Eve by force, so neither did Eve come running to Adam, but is brought to him by God. They be holy and happy Couples, whom hearty Prayers and holy Means bring together.

The last Blessing (partly external and partly internal ) was that of the Sabbath, instituted in Paradise both before the Fall of Man, and before the Promise of Christ, (as Mr. Perkins saith in his Cases of Conscience about the Sabbath ) even in the state of Innocency: Therefore the History of the institution of the Sabbath is mentioned immediately after the finishing of the Creation, as is expressed both in Gen. 2.1, 3. and Exod. 20.11. before the History of Adams Fall. 'It is true, our first Parents did not stand in that state of Innocency to keep the first Sabbath therein, but did fall upon the sixth day, the very day of their creation; yet God makes mention of his Sabbath, Gen. 2.3. before he made mention of their Sin, Gen. 3.1, &c. to show that they should have kept the Sabbath, though they had never finned. If Man had continued in the pure state, seeing he was appointed to dress the Garden, and not to live idly even in Paradise itself, 'tis enough probable that even then and there he should have kept the Sabbath as a Rest and Intermission from (even) such a labor as became that place and state, and as a Symbol or Sign unto him of a more complete Perfection to be attained unto in Heaven, far beyond that Perfection and Happiness he had on Earth.

The first point to be Discussed is, that the Sabbath was Instituted from the Creation, as the Prophet Malachi gathers an everlasting Rule and Law from a Foundation grounded on the first Creation, saying, Did be not make one? And wherefore one? that be might seek a Seed for God, Mal. 2.15. so may we argue accordingly: Did not the Lord rest upon the Seventh day? and why upon the Seventh day? that he might sanctify the Seventh day to himself and his Worship. Indeed Tostatus and Pererius (two Popish Writers) do assert, that the Sabbath was not Instituted till the time of Moses at Sinai; and that the Sanctifying of the Sabbath (spoken of in Gen. 2.2.) is mentioned by Moses there by way of Anticipation only. But this must needs be a gross mistake in both those Popelings: For (1) no such Anticipation can be exemplified in either Testament, for so great a distance of time as was betwixt the Creation of the World and the giving of the Law by Moses; See Phil. • .5. (2) Suarez (another Popish Author) doth grant, that some observation of the Seventh day began from the beginning of the Creation, Suarez De Diebus Festis; and all the best Interpreters do unanimously affirm, that the Seventh day was Sanctified from the beginning of the World. (3) The ancient Jews never dreamed of any such Anticipation; for it was their received opinion, that the Feast of the Sabbath was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , for all Nations from the beginning of the World, Philo 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , 14. (4) It is also evident that the holy Patriarchs did keep the Sabbath by a godly Tradition before the Moral Law was given; for 'tis said, Exod. 16.23. To morrow is the Rest of the holy Sabbath to the Lord. This was before the promulgation of the Law, Exod. 20. and though here is the Sabbath first mentioned, yet here it was not first instituted; they had much neglected the Sabbath in Egypt, and here a new Rule is given for its renewing and constant observation. (5) The Creation of the World in six days, and God's resting on the Seventh, was the cause of its Institution for a Sabbath as its effect: Now to put off the Institution and Observation of the Sabbath until the promulgation of the Law at Sinai, is to cast the Effect behind the Cause above 2544 years, and to begin the Memorial that the World was made (which certainly most concerned those of the first Age thereof to regard and remember) not until above 888 years after the World was mar'd by Noah's Deluge; which must needs be altogether improbable. (6) The very words and Phrases the Holy Ghost uses, Gen. 2.2, 3. doth convince the contrary; for there the completing of the Creation is twice conjoined with the Sanctification of the Seventh day, and that in the same manner and phrase, as the creation of Man and all other Creatures is conjoined with their Benediction, Gen. 1.21, 22, 27, 28. (7) When the Law came to be given by Moses, the fourth Commandment doth plainly intimate, that the Sabbath was instituted when the Creation was finished; for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and res • ed the seventh day, &c. Exod. 20.11. where God proposes his own Example for man's imitation: That which the Lord (himself) had done in person, the same must man do at God's Command. Thus the Apostle to the Hebrews seemeth to argue, 1. From the Sabbath or Rest upon the Seventh day, whereof the godly are partakers in this life, which he intimates was a Rest appointed from the Creation of the World. 2. There is another Rest mentioned in the Old Testament; to wit, the Rest in Canaan unto which Joshua brought the people of God. 3. There is yet a Sabbatism or Rest remaining for them: This is (1) Spiritual, here, as God rests in his love to us, Zeph. 3.17. so we rest in our enjoyment of him, Psal. 116.7. 2. Eternal in Heaven, where the Sabbath is everlasting, Heb. 4.3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9. Thus also the Ancient and Orthodox Fathers do universally ground the Institution of the Sabbath upon God's own example of resting upon the Seventh day, which is rendered as the grand reason of that days Benediction and Sanctification, Gen. 2.2, 3. and Exod. 20.11. And though there is no mention of the Patriarchs keeping the Sabbath in all the Book of Genesis before Moses, yet this doth not invalidate the Original of it to be from the Creation: For (1) all and everything the Patriarchs observed for above Two thousand five hundred years, could not possibly be particularized in so short an History as that of Genesis is. (2) There is no mention of keeping the Sabbath, after Moses had given the Law of the Sabbath, in the other Books of Judges, Kings. &c. yet this proves not that the Sabbath was not then Instituted; because in all those succeeding Ages the observation of it is not mentioned. (3) Upon the same account, the Polygamy of those Primitive times (which we read of in the Old Testament often) may make us question the first Institution of Marriage, wherein one man was (by the Sacred Laws thereof) bound in Matrimony to one Woman only, and they two shall be one flesh, Gen. 2.24. (4) But Moses speaketh of the Sabbath, Exod. 16.23, &c. not as of any new thing▪ or as newly instituted; but as of an Institution well known to the people, otherwise they had never been so ready to have gathered a double portion of Manna on the Sixth day, but to prepare themselves the better for the Sabbath. (5) The very ceasing of the Manna upon the Seventh day, doth plainly demonstrate that the Sabbath was observed from the Beginning: what other reason can be rendered for the Manna's cessation on that day, seeing then the Law was not given? (6) No Nation is so barbarous, but they have natural insinuations that there is a Numen or Deity; that this Deity (who is their Lord, their Hope, and their Happiness) must be worshipped; and that a certain time must be set apart for this Worship: yea, and Eusebius saith, that not only the Hebrews, but also the Gentiles, both Philosophers and Poets, did esteem the Seventh day more holy than the Six, Euseb. De Prepar. Evang. lib. 13. So saith Josephus, Clemens Alexandrinus, and many others; and 'tis more than probable that this knowledge they might receive from the Patriarchs, whose Posterity they were: For the ground of keeping a Sabbath (to wit, the Commemoration of God's Creation ) was general, and equally concerned the Gentiles as well as the Jews, having the same moral Equity unto both. And though the knowledge and observance or this Day did by a long tract of time wear out of the minds of men, yet that rousing Watch-word in the Front of the Fourth Commandment [Remember] is a most tart Reproof of that oblivion and negligence of this Natural as well as Moral duty.

Having discussed the first point, That the Sabbath was from the Creation; the second point is to show how it was instituted as a Blessing, even a Creation-blessing. This is manifest, inasmuch as (1) God is said to bless this first Sabbath to Man; and whatever God blesseth, is a Blessing; yea, our very Crosses, which in their nature are as Curses, yet if God bless them to us, they are Blessings in their end, leaving behind them afterward the peaceable fruit of righteousness, Heb. 12.11. How much more the Sabbath, thus blessed of God, becomes a Blessing to Man, both in its Nature and in its End? And why God blessed this day, is declared in Exod. 20.11. because God himself rested upon the Seventh day, therefore he blessed it for Mans good: He blessed it so as to make it [Malcuth Jemim] the Queen of days, as the Hebrews call it. God blessed it with many Privileges above all other days, as (1) in separating it from all other days of the Week for his own Service. (2) In writing down the observation of this day (above all other days) with his own Finger, upon Tables of Jasper-stone. (3) In God's putting his own Distinction upon it, as he would rain down no Manna on that day, Exod. 16.27. (4) The whole Week takes its denomination from it, and is called a Sabbath, Luk. 18.12. I fast twice [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] in the Sabbath, that is, in the Week. (5) It is not bounded with the Evening and Morning, as all the other Six days (which consisted of Light and Darkness) are, but this is all Day or Light, being a figure of that eternal Sabbath and everlasting Light in Heaven, Isa. 60.20. Zach. 14.6, 7. Revel. 21.25. (6) 'It is called above all days, a Day of Desires, as it was to David, crying, Oh! when shall I come and appear before God? Psal. 42.2, 4. and as it was to Jochanna, who, when the Sabbath approached, put on his best Apparel, and went out to meet it, crying [Veni Sponsa mea] Come, my dear Spouse, thou art welcome: he rejoiced over the Sabbath as the Bridegroom doth over the Bride, and as Christ over his Church, Isa. 62.5. This story Drusius relateth out of Chaskuni. (7) 'It is a day of Delights (as well as of Desires ) Isa. 58.13. we should call it so, count it so, and make it so; which cannot be, unless we be in the Spirit on the Lord's day, Revel. 1.10. We must look upon it as a most blessed day, blessed of God: now God's Benedicere est Benefacere; that is, God conferred upon it a singular grace and favor above other days, for God blessed the Works of every day, but here he blest the day itself, wherein he wrought no work, but rested, (not because he was weary with working; For the Creator of the ends of the Farth fainteth not nor is weary, Isa. 40.28. working all things without either Tool of Toil) and therefore blessed it, either as did Christ the Loaves, multiplying the meat to the feeding of so many thousands, so God multiplied the Sabbath which began with the first man, and shall continue (in a weekly renewed Sabbath ) to the last man upon Earth: or he blessed it so, as to make it an effectual means of blessing to the Soul of man: Thus the Rabbies understand that place, The blessing of the Lord maketh rich, Prov. 10.22. that is (say they) the Holy blessed Sabbath, that being blessed of God, Gen. 2.3. maketh rich the Souls of men.

(2) God Sanctified it, that is, he Consecrated it, and set it apart for holy use, as Kedesh was Sanctified (that is, Appointed) for a City of refuge, Josh. 20.7. God Hallowed this day by separating it from common use and work, and by setting it apart for his own Service alone, but to be spent in an holy Communion with God, and in divine Contemplation upon his Works, that man might make a thankful Remembrance of the plenty and variety of the most useful Creatures which God had made for him in the foregoing Six days. God Sactified it by his own proper Rest and holy Vacation upon that day, yet did he not Sanctify it for himself, but for us men, (hence Christ saith, The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath, Mat. 2.27.) that we might sanctify it and keep it holy unto God; and to all those that truly sanctify it, the Lord makes it a Blessing indeed to them.

(3) God gave the Sabbath as a most Royal and Sovereign gift to Man; he made the Sabbath for Man, (not Man for the Sabbath, as before) and bestowed it as a peculiar favor and Prerogative on Man; as appeareth by three Scriptures: the first is, Exod. 16.29. The Lord hath given you his Sabbath. This was God's gift to man from the Creation; for seeing from that very time there was a solemn Worship of God (as is evident in Cain and Abel 's Sacrifices to God) so there must be a solemn time set apart for that Worship: and what time could be more fi • , than that day which God had sanctified by his own Example? For the godly Posterity of Seth did publicly and in solemn Assemblies serve the Lord, Gen. 4.26. separating themselves from the wicked Off-spring of Cain; and they must have a prefixed time for their public and external Worship, which must be the Sabbath that the Lord their God had given them. The second Scripture is Neh. 9.13, 14. The Lord gave them right Judgments, good Commandments, (whereof the fourth was one). All good, in respect, 1. of the Author. 2. Of the Matter. 3. Of the Effect; inasmuch as they make those good that observe them: And (above all) these godly Levites doth instance that as a most special favor, in God's making known his holy Sabbath to them, v. 14. which they reckon up with God's raining down Manna from Heaven upon them, v. 15. and his broaching the flinty Rock to give them Water, that this ancient Church might give no warrant to a dry Communion. And well may the Sabbath be thus ranked, inasmuch as 'tis the day whereon God gives his Church Angels food, and Living waters out of Wells of Salvation. Though God rained down no Manna upon the Jewish Sabbath, Exod. 16.27. yet he doth upon the Christian; and upon that more especially; yea, most of all upon the Supper-Sabbaths, whereon we all eat the same Spiritual Meat, and drink the same Spiritual Drink (with them) Sacramentally at the Lord's Table, 1 Cor. 10.2, 3, 4. The third Scripture▪ is, Ezek. 20.12. which comes in with a Moreover, as an high remark upon this divine Gift, [Moreover also I gave them my Sabbaths]. The Relatives ( My and His ) God adjoyns with the Sabbath so frequently, doth much advance the greatness of the Gift; for whatsoever is God's, or of God, must needs be great and excellent; the Stream is like the Fountain, and the Effect like the Cause.

This divine Donative (the Sabbath ) was a most precious Dowry and Endowment both to our first Parents and to all their Posterity; without which, even the best would run wild and forget God, were it not that a Weekly-Sabbath walls in our wild Natures. The Sabbath was made for Man as a sweet Mercy to him: It was made for Mans safety and advantage both to his Soul and Body; which the superstitious Jews (formerly great neglecters of it) mistaking, would not defend themselves on that day, and therefore their City was taken once by Ptolemy, and again by Pompey, on the Sabbath-day: If it stands in the way of Mans Safety, 'tis not to be observed.

The Third point to be handled, is, Why did God give this great Gift to Man in the beginning of time? Answ. For Divine Contemplation, as well as for Divine Invocation and Action. When God had completed his Creation, having made all very good, Gen. 1.31. So good, as caused Complaisancy in God, (himself) and commanded Contemplation in man also. That this latter might be done as well as the former, as God had given Man a Soul to contemplate with, (it being the proper act thereof) so he gave him a Sabbath to contemplate in, which was a day set apart, wherein Man might regard the Works of the Lord and the Operations of his hands, Psal. 28.5. When Man beholds a great Garden rich stored with Fruits and Flowers, this calls his Eyes on every side of it; besides, there is a general Itch in man's Nature to be taken with Pageants, Plays, strange Sights, and rare Shows; which oft are sinful, or however vain, and at the best imperfect and unsatisfactory: How much more ought man (upon the Sabbath-day ) to admire the curious and glorious Frame and Fabric of the World, which (in all its parts) is so admirably accomplished with Curiosity, Variety, and Suitableness, both to the Need and Nature of Man! This the Psalmist showeth in his Psalm or Song for the Sabbath-day, Psal. 92.1, 2, 3, 4, 5. which Psalm was set on purpose as a Canon to the Church for Sanctifying that Queen of Days, all being an admiration of God's mighty Works. The Sidonians agreed among themselves to choose him for their King who first discovered the Sun the next morning; and while others gazed upon the East, one only (wiser than the rest) looked Westward, who (though scoffed at by his Competitors) first saw the Sun-shine upon the tops of the Mountains: So we may behold God [Per Species Creaturae] in the Creature, as in a Mirrour, or on a Theatre. Ut Solem in Aquis, ita Deum in operibus Contemplamur; God is seen in his Works, as the Sun is seen in the Waters; and therefore we should study not only the Book of God's Word, but also the Book of God's Works, even that great Folio of the World, that Book with three Leaves, Heaven, Earth, and Sea. See my Crown of a Christian, from page 125, to page 145. this Book leaves the Heathens 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 inexcusable, Rom. 1.19, 20. who may behold God the Creator (though not God the Redeemer) in it, either by way of Negative, Causality or Eminence: And we have but half the benefit of the Creature (for which it was created) if we get not Spiritual as well as Temporal good by it. How the Jewish was was changed into the Christian Sabbath, I refer the Reader to my Christian walk on the Lord's day. Whatever clearness there seems to some to be wanting as to the change of the day, yet sure I am there is no want of clearness as to the choice of the day, seeing both Christ and his Apostles did choose this First day for religious Assemblies and Exercises, which I have at large discussed in a distinct Discourse on this Subject. All I shall say here is, only that the change of the Day from the Last to the First of the Seven, was one of those things that Christ taught his Apostles betwixt his Resurrection and Ascension those Forty days he conversed with them, Acts 1.2, 3. and his Apostles were guided by Christ's Spirit he gave them, Joh. 16.13. Hence I infer (1) If a Seventh day be such a divine Gift to Man, why should any man jear, as the Heathens did, who said Sabbatizing was a losing of the seventh part of precious time; or as our late Anti-sabbatarians, who called it Saint-Sabbath, in derision of those that pleaded its Morality? They were offended (saith Mr. Fuller ) that the Lord's day was called Sabbath, as if it were a Shibboleth to distinguish from those lisping Ephraimites, who called it Sunday; and as if it had been a spiritual Necromancy to raise up Mosaic Ceremonies: yet those same (Scoffers) could affect those words [ Altar, Temple, &c.] which were words of a Jewish extract, Full. Ch. Hist. Cent. 17. b. 11. p. 145. The Bishop of Split had taught them that the fourth Commandment was abrogated; hence they confined the Sabbath -observation only to those few hours of public Service, and the rest of the day to be spent in Sports. This is the more strange, seeing (1) their Canons commanded the reading of the Fourth Commandment (among the rest) and annexed to it this Prayer, Lord incline our Hearts to keep this Law: And seeing (2) they themselves judged it a profaning of the Holy place to make any part of the Church a Play-house, or to play at Cards upon their High-Altar, yet would profane the Holy Sabbath with airy Games; as if Time, which God hath determined and called the Lord's-day, were of less worth than Places, which God hath not determined, nor called any the Lord's House since the Typical Temple.

The second Inference is, As the special gift of God (the Sabbath-day ) should not be looked on as a Ceremonial Yoke or Burthen to any, so as to make men clip the Lord's Coin; so it ought to be conscientiously improved as a peculiar Privilege, otherwise we are like Solomon's Fool, who had a Prize put into his hand, yet had he no heart to it, Prov. 17.16. If we fool away God's precious Sabbaths, we fool away our own precious Souls, and Christ's precious Salvation also. The Holy God (who was the first Institutor of the Sabbath, Gen. 2.2, 3.) proposeth himself as a pattern for our imitation: As our Lord said to his Disciples, If I your Lord and Master have washed your Feet, ye ought also to wash the feet one of another, Joh. 13.13, 14, 15. This was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , an Example, which Peter calls 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a Copy to write after, 1. Pet. 2.21. Thus the great God, being our Lord and Master, rested on the Sabbath-day and kept it holy: as did he, so should we do, be holy as he is holy, 1 Pet. 1.16. Matth. 5.48. this must be endeavored in quality, though we cannot come to an equality: This is a writing after a most complete Copy and perfect Pattern, if we labor to be suitable to God's Nature, and subject to God's Law. God rested and was refreshed on the Sabbath-day, Exod. 31.17. As that is spoken after the manner of men, (whose rest is refreshing, which God (never weary) needs not) so 'tis spoken as an Admonition to men, that their days of holy Rest may be days of holy Refreshment. (1) We should beg for a Spring-tide of Grace, that may bring in a great draught of Fish; and for the Spirit to move on the Ordinances, as he did upon the Waters, and brought all to form and life, Gen. 1.2. there will be no reviving, refreshing, and ravishing work till then. (2) Bring large Sacks to our Joseph or Jesus, the Lord of the Land, the Lord of the Sabbath: according to the size of the Sacks which the Patriarchs brought to Joseph, so were they filled with Corn by him. If we bring large Pitchers (to wit, enlarged Hearts) to the Well of Salvation, Christ will say; Fill up the Water-pots to the brim, Joh. 2.7. and, Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it, Psal. 81.10. but alas, Israel would have none of God, v. 11. God forbid we should surfeit of the chiefest good.

The third Inference, There is 1. Sabbatum Asini, a mere external Rest, which is given to the Ox and Ass. 2. Sabbatum Vituli, as those at the Golden Calf, sat down to Eat and Drink, and rose up to Play, Exod. 32.6. Such as spend the Sabbath in Sports, do keep the Sabbath of the Calf. 3. Sabbatum Diaboli, or Daemonii, such as spend the holy Sabbath in unholy works, as in Drinking, Swearing, Carding, Whoring, &c. do keep the Devil's Sabbath. 4. Sabbatum Domini; such as spend the Sabbath in all holy Duties public and private, do sanctify the holy Sabbath of the Lord, both in the Negative and Affirmative parts of it: Such as delight in so doing all the Sabbath-day, shall delight in the Lord all the Week-days, Isa. 58.13, 14.

CHAP. VI. Of Adam and Eve 's Fall.

HAving shewn the Dignity of the state of Innocency, I come now to show the Indiguity of the Fain estate: Gnashah haelohim eth-ba Adam Jashar, God made man Right and Upright: Vehema Bikshu hishbonoth Rabbim, but they (to wit, Adam and Eva ) sought out many inventions, Eccl. 7.29. Solomon doth not mean there such Inventions as are profitable, such as many Engines are for promoting Manufactures and artificial Occupations; but he meaneth such Inventions as are sinful; such crooked Counsels as they sought out (of their own accord) both to corrupt themselves and all their Posterity: For though they were made upright, yet were they as Creatures, changeable, and exposed to the Temptation of Satan; yea, and they sought out many Inventions (or new Tricks and Devices) of their own, whereby to depart from God, and from that blessed state wherein God had placed them: For they were not content with that way to Happiness which their Creator had prescribed, nor were they satisfied with that perfect state which God had given them; but they fancied to themselves an higher Perfection, [Ye shall be as God's] and followed those new ways (to become like God ) which Satan and their own deceived Hearts did suggest to them; whereby, instead of becoming like God, they became like the Beasts that perish, Psal. 49.12. and so they involved both themselves and all their Off-spring into many bottomless, boundless, and endless Miseries. The word [Rabbim] here, some reads it [of the Mighty ones, or Angels] as if Adam and Eve had sought out the same Inventions with the fallen Angels, who were not contented with their own Angelical station, but must needs be like the most High, Isa. 14.13, 14, which caused God to hurl them out of Heaven into Hell, Jude v. 6. So Adam and Eve inventeth a new way to improve their present and Perfect state by their own Wit; they must needs be as wise as God, in the knowledge of Good and Evil, Gen. 3.6. This causeth them to be expel'd out of Paradise, and to live a dying life on Earth ever after, as a just fruit of their sherking Shifts and sinful Inventions, Jer. 6.19.

Here comes in the doleful Catastrophe of the Worlds Creation, to wit, the History of the Fall, which was as the pulling ope a Sluce that let in an Inundation of Evil upon the World. It was that Original and Universal Malady which brought a Curse and Confusion upon all created things that the Creator before had both blessed and beautified, and whereof God complains, Gen. 6.5, 7. and Row. 5.12. yet not altogether without a Remedy; for that dreadful Defection of the First Adam, was happily repaired by the blessed Refection of the Second Adam: The Lord (most graciously) found a Ransom for fallen Man, Job 33.24. the promised Seed of the Woman, Christ, was a Cover for his sin, and a Cure also: So that Adam (and the elect world in him) was delivered from going down into the Pit; he was redeemed from the Infernal-Deep.

In the History of this Grand Malady there be sundry Branches considerable described; as (1) The Tempter, and Author of the Temptation, Gen. 3.1. (2) The Temptation itself, whereof we have a description in v. 2, 3, 4, 5. (3) Mans free Inclination, Assent, and Consent to it, v. 6. which brought forth his Sin and Fall. (4) Then follows the sad Consequents thereof, which are principally three: 1. His Arraignment at God's Bar. 2. His Doom passed upon him there. 3. His Ejectment out of Paradise, in the following Verses to the end. Thus the acts of God's Providence succeed the acts of his Creation.

1. Of the first of these, to wit, the Tempter, which indeed was two in one, Satan in the Serpent; and this Union Athanasius doubts not to compare with the Union of the two Natures in one Christ, Quaest. 20. Tom. 2. pag. 363. which Collation or Comparison is not altogether inconvenient, except that the Union of the two Natures in Christ is an indissoluble Union, and everlasting; but this Union of Satan and the Serpent was but for a short time, made only for this seducing work. 'It is true, Moses mentions only the Serpent both in the Action, and in the Doom for the Action, calling the Seducer the Serpent, but makes no mention of Satan at all. The (1) reason was this, Moses acts the part only of an Historian, but not of an Interpreter also, and therefore he reporteth things that were visible, and as they appeared, without any intimation of the Devil (who was invisible ) in the Serpent. Thus the story of Samuel's Apparition (after his death) to Saul, calls it plainly Samuel, because it so appeared, although it was undoubtedly Satan in the similitude of Samuel, 1 Sam. 28.11, 14. inasmuch as the dead hath no Mantles to bring along with them from the Grave, or place of the Dead. Thus also Moses calls the three Angels (that appeared unto Abraham ) three Men, because they seemed to be so, Gen. 18.2. And that Angel who wrestled with Jacob, and was indeed the Lord of Angels; yet Moses calls him a Man, because he so appeared, Gen. 32.24. Moreover Moses mentions not the Name of the Devil, because he had not at all mentioned anything of the Creation or Corruption, and Fall of Angels And (3.) Such was the rudeness of the Children of Israel (for whom and to whom Moses wrote) that they could not well conceive of any other but of the visible Creatures. (4.) Lastly, Moses did then use dark Expressions, because the clear Light and full Understanding of things ought to be deferred and referred to the Kingdom of Christ: And though Moses do not speak expressly of the Creation of Angels, (with other Creatures) yet doth he it tacitly and implicitly, Gen. 1.1. and 2. 1. For if God Created all things in Heaven and Earth, then he must Create the Angels, seeing they are Creatures, Psal. 104.4. and in Heaven, Mat. 18.10. therefore are they called the Angels of Heaven, Mat. 24.36. Gal. 1.8. And as all sublunary Creatures are the Host of God on Earth, his Foot Army, or Nether Forces; so the Angels are the Host of God in Heaven, his Horse Army or Upper Forces, Gen. 2.1. and 31.1, 2. Numb. 22.31. Josh. 5.1.3. 2 King. 6.17. and 19.35. 1 King. 22.19. Mat. 26.53. and Luke 2.13. Neither could it suit with Moses proposed holy design of Writing (which was to show the Creation of all things from God, and nothing was Eternal but God) to pass over in silence altogether the Creation of those most Excellent Creatures. Besides, Moses makes mention of the Angel with a flaming Sword at the Gate of Paradise, Gen. 3.24. See more suprà. 'It is likely they were Created with the Heavens in the first Day. Seeing those Morning Stars, and Sons of God did sing praises when God fastened the foundations of the Earth, Job 38.4, 6, 7. And 'tis as likely that the Evil Angels did fall from their Angelical perfection immediately after their Creation, as Man (through the Devils malice) did fall from his perfect State immediately after his: For 'tis expressly said, the Devil persisted not in the Truth, but he left that proper Station assigned to him for his Ministration in the Heavens, John 8.44. and Jude 6. and 2 Pet. 2.4. and he drew a great multitude of Angels with him into his Rebellion against God, whereby they all (as Rebels with him) were expelled out of Heaven, and confined to the Prison of Hell, hence arose the Devils (and his Angels) Implacable and Everlasting malice against God, and (because God was out of his reach) against Man, God's Master-piece.

By all this it plainly appears that there was then a malicious Devil against Man, an envious One or Enemy, His Enemy, Mat. 13.25, 28, 39. An Enemy both to God and Man, who was wakeful and watchful to sow Tares where God had sowed good Seed in the Field of Man. For Satan since his Fall neither thinks, nor desires, nor endeavors, nor speaks, nor works any other thing but what is hateful to God and hurtful to Man. The Devil and his Angels (that fell with him) do nothing but deceive Men, 1 King. 22.22, 23. provoking them to sin, 1 Sam. 18.9, 10. 2 Sam. 24.1. and 1 Chron. 21.1. raging cruelly against them, Job 1.11, 14, to the end, and Job 2.5, 7. Mat. 8.28. and 9.32. And how malicious was that Devil so to tear that good Man? Mark 9.20. How merciless was he so to cast him into the two merciless Elements, sometimes into the fire, and sometimes into the water, v. 22. And everywhere in the New Testament; yea, designing to draw all Mankind into the same Everlasting perdition with himself, 1 John 3.8, 9. 1 Pet. 5.8. Eph. 6.12. and many other places. This Devil (quasi, do evil) began to do evil to the first Man that was upon Earth, and will never end so doing until the last Man expire at the End of the World.

This brings me to the second Branch; to wit, his doing evil to our First Parents, seducing them by his Lies, that they might forfeit their Lives, and plunge themselves headlong into Eternal Death, Gen. 3.1, 2, 3, &c. John 8.44. 2 Cor. 11.3. How Satan managed that matter of malice against Man, I have largely related in nine particulars. See my Church History the first Plot from page 3. to the 9th page; and therefore shall not here insist upon that: Take only some Remarks for a further and fuller Illustration of the Tempters first and most fierce Temptation.

The first Remark is, The Tempters Appearance. (1.) The Devil did not appear in his own Shape, for this would have been frightful to Eve, to have seen a Glorious Angel become a Damned and Ugly Devil; no solicitations from such an one could have seduced her, but would rather bespeak their own denial. Nor (2.) would he appear in any Human Shape; this could not consist with the Devils Craft, for Eve sufficiently understood, that herself and Adam were all the Mankind that then was, and that there were none besides them. Neither (3.) did the Devil frame a voice in the Air (as Prince thereof, Eph. 2.2.) wherewith to Tempt Eve, for this would have startled her, his Speech being not as from God, but rather an Invective against God: Eve would never have endured such a Familiar Conference with such a voice from an unseen Person. All this Negatively; now Positively, The Devil possesses the Serpent, not so in resemblance only, but in reality; otherwise (1.) this Serpent had not been reckoned up among the Beasts or the Field, Gen. 3.1. (2.) The Curse upon the Serpent declares it to be real, v. 14. (3.) Had it been the resemblance of a Serpent only, which the Devil assumed, then the Devil would have put off that form as soon as his Temptation was over, (as the Angels do those forms they appear in, as soon as their Embassage was done) and then there would not have been a Serpent abiding in Paradise to receive its Sentence from God, who ('tis said there) turned to the Serpent and cursed him: So that the Serpent Satan made use of to speak by unto Eve, was as much a real Serpent, as the Ass (by which God's Angel spake to Balaam ) was a real Ass. Here the crafty Devil takes possession of the most crafty Creature, Gen. 3.1. Gen. 49.17. Mat. 10.16. Psal. 58.4, 5. Here the Organ and Instrument was suitable to the principal Agent, having got a most sharp Weapon, intending therewith both to strike deeply, and to wound deadly, with his Murthering might and malice; this old Man-slayer and Murderer from the beginning weelds not only the sharp wit of the Serpent ( which was more subtitle-than all the beasts of the field, both for hurting Man, as well as for defending himself ) but also the sharp tongue of that dumb Creature wherewith he formed Mans voice, and spake in the Mouth of that Beast (as through a Trunk, and as he doth in the Pythonisses and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) unto Eve those cutting and killing words of his seducing Temptation.

Behold here how low Satan's Sin and Fall had reduced him, whereas he had been Created a Beautiful Angel, he had now made himself a De •• rmed (as well as a Damned,) Devil. (Hence Devils are called Lashegnirim, Levite. 17.7. Hairy Beasts, stinking Goats, of ugly frightful Satyrs.) Now such was his malice against the happiness of Man in Paradise, that to be revenged of God (who had cast him out of Heaven) he resolves to destroy the Image of God in Man, and having but two ways to tempt Internally, either by stirring up and making a commotion among Mans Passions and Affections to incline them to unlawful thing, or by disturbing his Fancy, representing those things to it, which might move Man to evil; neither of those ways could our First Parents be Tempted before the Fall, because all these in Man then were rightly ordered, and were thoroughly subject to God's Will and Right Reason; therefore the Devil useth External means, appearing yet in no better a shape than that of an ugly frightful, creeping and crawling Serpent; hence it is, that, whereas the Holy Spirit appeared in the form of a delightful Dove (which was, according to the Mosaical Law a clean, comely Creature ) Mar. 3.16. This is laid on the Evil Spirit as a just Judgment of God. He, who was Made as lovely as an Angel, yea a lovely Angel, now when he had mar 'd himself by his sin, must never appear but in the shape of some unclean and uncomely Creature, Isa. 13.22. and 34.14. Those Satyrs being Devils in borrowed Shapes and hideous Apparitions: Or in the horrid Shape of some black shaggy Dog, or over-grown horrible Cat, or other Hairy frightful Fray buggs: Hereupon he assumes here the Shape of a wriggling crooked Serpent, and not of any other Animal, for this Creature only was granted of God to him at this time; and had not God given the Devil this leave, he could nor have possessed the Serpent, seeing a whole Legion of Devils could not possess an Herd of Hogs without Christ's permission, Mat. 8.31, 32. And this Animal was a fit Instrument for Satan, in as much as the Serpent is a slippery Creature, soon winding himself in and out, and could quickly creep away out of Adam 's sight, especially the Devil being in him, and because he was so, therefore is he called the old Serpent, and the great Dragon, (which is the flying Serpent.) Si Serpens Serpentem voret sit Draco. Pliny. Revel, 12.9. and 20.2.

The second Remark herein is, This crafty Devil in the crafty Serpent assaults the Woman (not the Man) the weaker Vessel, of less sagacity (than the Man) to discover the fraud, and naturally of a more liquorish Appetite towards taking and tempting Fruit: He Wars against her with four Weapons. The first was, A calumniating of the Divine Precept, v. 2. saying in effect, It seemeth very strange, or, I cannot but wonder, that God would give any such prohibition to you; as if it had been over harsh and hard a Precept. Hence the second Weapon comes in, to wit, this denying of the Divine Menace; from his admiring Interrogation, he proceeds to a peremptory Conclusion, [ ye shall not surely die, v. 4] God is of over gracious a Nature thus to impose upon you, for whom he hath made all things, and you are made in over-free and noble a condition to be thus imposed upon; 'tis surely said in Jest; or if not so, it seems unjust. Hence he concludes, the threatening (thou fears) is but a vain Bug-bear. Are not all things God made very good, and is not this Tree very good? Therefore no Death is in it. The third is, His accusing God of Envy. Here the Serpent vomits out his Poison against God himself. v. 5. Importing this, He that commands out of Envy to another's good, and pretends a false Reason, ought not to be obeyed; but God out of Envy of your good hath commanded you to abstain from this Tree, because he knows that in the day you eat thereof, your eyes shall be opened, yet in the mean time pretending a peril of Death, (which is but a sorry Scare-crow) therefore he must not be obeyed. As if God, who is goodness itself, should Envy any good to Man, to whom he had been so good as to make him in his own Image: And smarting Experience contradicts that fallacy, that there was no peril of Death: The fourth and forciblest Weapon was, His promising a Deity to them, [ye shall be as God's] for not obeying God, ye shall become as Omniscient as God himself, and therefore so rich a Reward ought not to be neglected; thus the subtle Serpent first removes all fears of Death, and then proposes great hopes of a Deity: This is the sum of Satan's assaulting our first Parents, and still doth their Off-spring, with (1.) Contempt of God's Word, and (2.) Ambition of Honors.

The third Remark is; That the Tempter did (besides those outward Weapons wherewith he assaulted the Woman) inject some inward suggestions; those three especially, the Lust of the Flesh, the Delight of the Eyes, and the Pride of Life. 1 Joh. 2.16. Setting them on with his Diabolical Rhetoric; [Behold (I pray thee) good Woman, how the Fruit of this Tree is lovely to look upon, pleasant to the Palate, and Divine to devour or eat; such an excellent Tree how can it be hurtful? who but a Fool would refrain from it? why dost thou still forbear to taste, and to persuade thy Husband to taste also? Hereby (1.) The Woman's Understanding was darkened. (2.) Her Will was corrupted. (3.) Her Affections and Appetite were inflamed; her Eyes (wherewith she gazed upon the beautiful Apple,) became Burning-glasses to fire up her Heart, that moved her Hand to take, and her Mouth to eat it. All this she did through Satan's suggestions according to the third Branch, voluntarily consenting and obeying, though the Devil was the promoter hereof, yet had she a free will which could not be compel'd; the Tempter hath only a persuading sleight, not an enforcing might; her eating therefore was a spontaneous Act.

The fourth Remark in the Temptation is, She was first in the transgression, 1 Tim. 2.14. Yet not alone in it, for she gave it to her Husband, and he did eat, Gen. 3.6. The Man was not deceived (saith the Apostle) that is, he was not so much deceived by his own Judgment (though also by that too) as by his Affection to his Wife, which at length blinded his Judgment. Adam was not deceived by the Serpent (who having won the Woman, soon slided out of sight, though the Lord summoned his appearance after, v. 14) but by Eve, who gave him the Fruit, and withal a relation of the Serpents promise concerning the force of the Fruit: She gave it to him undoubtedly with some strong persuasions, which (as Augustine saith) the Scripture left to be understood, yet it expresseth thus far, that he is said to hearken to her voice, v. 17. what that voice was may be easily supplied, she told him, the taking this Fruit would make them wise as God, knowing Good and Evil. It would make him a God, and her a Goddess, (to say all this without all doubt) the Devil had directed her; now Adam did not only incline to his new Bride, [amicabili quâdam Benevolentiâ] with Uxorious, transporting Affections, and thereby was more easily enticed, as Sampson was by Delilah, and Solomon by his Wives; but he was also seduced by those false and flattering Insinuations wherewith the Serpent had beguiled the Woman, and she him, having now got the Itch after an higher Perfection, for which the Lord reproved them, v. 12. 'It is true, the Rabbins (from the word [Gnimma] secum, with her, expressed, Gen. 3.6.) do gather that Adam was with her all the time of her Conference with the Serpent; for, say they, It is very improbable (this new Bridegroom and Bride being newly joined together after so solemn a manner by God himself) that either the Bride should endure to withdraw herself from her most Beautiful Bridegroom the self-same day, and almost the self-same hour wherein they were Married; or that the Bridegroom should suffer his most Beautiful Bride to be pulled away from his side, and to be drawn out of his sight, so as to wander from him in the Garden to meet there the Serpent, where she could then meet with none of Mankind to divert her; 'twas not possible their Conjugal Affections should be no stronger in the State of Innocency, whereas any such like withdrawment will scarce be admitted in the State of Corruption. These things the Hebrews taking for granted, do tax Adam for not rebuking the Serpent in the Disputation, and for not giving his Wife an Avocation from it; this makes Adam 's sin the greater. However, 'tis said expressly, [and he did eat] which words have a great Emphasis, for Eve 's eating would not have spoiled Mankind, had not Adam eaten also: And some say, he yielded to eat, because he believed to obtain a pardon for his Transgression, and so to remain in the same State of Perfection: He complies with Eve by the proper motion of his own will to follow Satan's suggestions; hereby the sin was accomplished which brought Death into the World (as God had threatened, Gen. 2.17.) and this sin was not only his own personal sin, but the common sin of all Mankind, Rom. 5.12, 19. 1 Cor. 15.22.

The fifth Remark in this first Temptation is, The Devils particular sin (in promoting and procuring the fall of man from his happy State) is not so much as once mentioned by Moses, in all this History, Gen. 3. Though he was the principal, and the Serpent but the Accessory, and according to the Maxim [Accessorium sequitur principale] Satan was the prime Agent in all, and the Serpent was but his Organ or Instrument to follow his Conduct. Yet Moses mentions only the Serpent, as if the Author of the whole Temptation, and not one word of the Grand Tempter, the reason is supposed to be this (which is the fifth added to the four forementioned;) The Devils sin is not recorded there, because he was not to be restored by repentance, but was sealed up under everlasting wrath, for whosoever repenteth, the Devil can never repent, God will never give the Gift and Grace of Repentance to him as he doth to men, though with a peradventure. 2 Tim. 2.25. Without all peradventure the Devil and his Angels are kept in everlasting Chains, Jude v. 6.2 Pet. 2.4. Those Spirits are kept in Spiritual Chains, to wit, of their own guilt which bindeth them over to damnation, yea so fast, that they cannot shake them off, James 2.19. Math. 8.29. And their despair begets despite, so that they obstinately sin the sin against the Holy Ghost, which is the unpardonable sin. As they are hopeless of Relief, (for the Redeemer took not on him the nature of Angels to redeem them from their fall, Heb. 2.16.) So they are without all Purpose of Repentance or Hope of Recovery, there remaineth nothing to them but a certain fearful looking for of Judgment and Fiery Indignation, Heb. 10.27. Hereupon they do nothing but add sin to sin, and become wickedness itself, therefore are they called, Spiritual wickednesses, Eph. 6.12. Without all Expectation of Recovery by Repentance and Redemption. But the sin of man is set out here and enlarged on in all▪ its circumstances, and why this (more than the Devils Sin ) but that he might be sensible, ashamed and be penitent for his sin? (which the Devil could not be) there was Room for Repentance in the latter, but none at all in the former.

The Sixth Remark is, God Suffered man to be Tempted by the Tempter, though he foresaw, if man were Tempted he will surely Fall. The good pleasure of God (which always is a Fathomless Depth, Rom. 11.33.) Must be acquiesced in, and there is no Chatting or Wording it with God, Rom. 9.20. Man must not ask God a reason, why he did permit the first sin, or why he did not prevent it; God's will is sometimes secret, yet always Just, as 'tis never severed from his Wisdem, God being a free Agent, cannot be unjust to any, because he is bound to none. God's unsearchable Counsels do conquer our understandings, when our understandings cannot comprehend them: Yet those Reasons of this Divine permission may be understood: As (1.) It was to prove man whether he would persist and persevere in his Obedience to God; thus Abraham was proved, Gen. 22.1. to manifest his Faith the more; and 'tis observable God doth not praise man, (when he had made him) as he had done all his other creatures, for this cause, man must first be proved, and then (if he deserved it) praised. Homo prius probandus quam approbandus, saith Ambrose. Man must first be proved and then (if he deserve it) approved (2.) God permitted man's sin, to manifest the frailty of the best created beings, none of which (neither M • n nor Angels ) can continue in their Integrity without the special Grace of their Creator to assist them: (3.) It might be as a pattern of punishment for the creatures Confidence and Independency on his Creator; Who had given him Free-will and Sufficient Strength to resist the Temptation, if he would; now while God leaves man (as was meet to exercise his own motions of Will and Power, Man abusing his own Free-will, and trusting in his own strength, did not desire of God his sustaining Grace. (4.) But above all, God permitted the perpetration of all this evil both in the Tempter and the Tempted, yet all this consisted with God's Justice and Holiness, because God well knew how to convert all this evil into a greater Good, and to a more excellent manifestation of his own Glory; for if man had not sinned, God had not died, to wit, that God-man Christ Jesus, by whom and by which greater glory redounded to the great Creator, the Power and Justice of God (in Rejecting the Vessels of wrath) and his Grace and Mercy (in receiving the chosen Vessels) are most evidently and eminently declared, Rom. 9.22, 23▪ and 11.32, 33. These are therefore groundless cavils to say, either God willed or nill'd the Fall of man: If he willed it, why did he forbid it, and how could he justly punish man for doing what God willed? Yea and is not this to make God the Author or approver of sin? Or if God nilled it, why did he make a Serpent that Tempted man, and why did not God hinder the sin of man by sustaining him in his Temptation? All those carnal Reasonings against God's Deep Counsels are but Fleshly Folly controlling Divine wisdom, in the bottomless and Incomprehensible depth whereof it is confounded; for in this dilemma or double-horn'd Argument (which carnal reason raises against this great Truth) there is not a Full and Sufficient Enumeration of particular causes, because God simply nether willed nor nill'd man's Fall, but only suffered it to be so, yet not altogether unwillingly for this presupposeth some sadness to besal the patient that suffers evil to be, and a greater power in the Agent (that doth the evil ) as if God (the permitter of it) could not prevent it: So that Divine permission is [quodam modo] a kind of God's willing it, yet not as it was a sin (for so God willed it not, but with utmost detestation did prohibit it, and after it was done he did most justly punish it. ) But as it was, 1. For Mans proof. 2. For discovery of the Creatures frailty. 3. As a mulct for Human Confidence. And 4. As an occasion of a greater manifestation of Divine Glory (as before) so God hindered it not, but suffered it to be, yet herein designing and directing all (both the Temptation and the Fall) to the highest advancement of his own Praise and Honor.

The seventh Remark is, (1.) The proper procuring Causes; And (2.) Gradual progress of this primitive sin. (1.) The prime External Cause was Satan with his outward Insinuations and inward Impulses, John 8.44. 1 John 3.8, 9. The next Exterior Cause were the Ears, Eyes, Hands and Mouth of Man, for by those outward Senses and Members, the Allurements of Satan and Sin did penetrate to the Heart, and to the Internal Appetite. The Interior Cause was their Free-will, voluntarily turning itself from God, and subjecting themselves to the Devil; hereby they spoiled the Image of God Engraven upon them, lost the due knowledge of, and true reverence to the Divine prohibitive Precept given to them, and Affected that Deity which the Devil had promised them: Yea, Lastly, Hereby their Concupiscence to the Forbidden Fruit was everywhere Irritated; so that the desire of the Flesh then set Eyes, Hands and Mouth to that sinful work, insomuch that though the Tempter was the first in the fault, because he through Envy and Malice thus supplanted them, yet the nearest and most immediate fault lay in the freeness of their own Will (according to the third Branch of the distribution of parts aforesaid) whereby they freely consented unto Satan's Impostures, and forsaking God, they voluntarily yielded themselves up to the Devil, therefore Satan is not so to be blamed for this first sin, as that Man should in the least be excused. And as (1.) The sundry Causes, so (2.) The several Degrees of the first sin are very remarkable; such was the subtlety of Satan in the Serpent, that by little and little, from less to more, and from more to most of all he ushered in the first sin; for (first) He makes the Woman to listen unto the Tempting Voice of the Serpent. (2dly.) He persuades her to look upon the lovely Fruit. (3dly.) He prevails with her to pluck it and eat it. And (4thly) To give it to her Husband, that (by her persuasion) he might be seduced to a Society in her sin, and all this in a very little time. Oh what a speedy graduate sin is, quickly passing from Eve 's Ear (in hearkening to the Tempter) to her Eye (in gazing upon the Tree) and so immediately to her Heart; the Devil driving it ( Jehu like) in a furious pace. Still sin must not rest there, but it must be propagated and communicated to others; Eve must hold forth the Tempting Apple to Adam, and (as Prov. 7.21.) With much fair speech she caused him to yield, yea, with the flattering of her lips she forced him. The Apostle ( Jam. 1.13, 14, 15.) points out the pedigree and proceedings of sin. (1.) He clears God of being its Author; the Author of all good cannot be the Author of any evil, that is Morally so. (2.) Though the Devil strike the Fire of sin, yet 'tis Mans own Concupiscence always finds him dry Tinder. (3.) This Lust is the Mother of Sin, and Death is the Merit of it at last. (4.) Sin gradually encroacheth upon the Soul. 1. This 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or Seed plot of sin (by Satan's over shadowing) begets Thoughts. 2. Thoughts irritate desires. 3. Then arises an inward Titillation or Contemplative Delight. 4. This produces Consent. 5. Then comes Action. 6. Action causes Custom. 7. And Custom Necessity.. Lastly comes in Death, which is but a modest word for Damnation; the first and second Death being implied in it: Thus sin never stands still at a stay, but from Concupiscence or corrupt Nature is all along in Motion, (yea, in quick Motion) till it conclude in Death or Damnation, if the Grace of God prevent is not.

Now follows the fourth Branch of the Distribution, to wit the sad consequences upon the Sinners; The Lord (1.) Serves a Terrible Citation upon the Tempted before he came to the censure of the Tempter; so 'tis said, those first sinners [ heard the Voice of the Lord, &c.] Gen. 3.8. to wit either in a mighty Thunder (which is called God's. Voice Psal. 29. often,) as he spake to Pharaoh, Exod. 9.28. or in an Horrible Whirl-wind, as he spake to Job, Job 38.1. or the Lord coming as a just Judge, to judge them for their Sin, might form such Articulate words in the Air as these, [yea, have they served me thus? Have they made a conspiracy with the Devil against me their Maker Indeed?] So some Interpret Leruach Haiom, ad Spiritum seu ventum Diei, God's presence did Demonstrate itself either by a Thunder or by a Whirl-wind, or by a dreadfuly angry Articulate Voice, though we translate the words [in the cool of the Day.] This struck such a terror into both the Offenders, that they both ran to hide themselves for fear of God's Majesty, their sinful Consciences sought to shun God's presence with as much folly as faultiness; for he that formed the eye, shall he not see? Psal. 94 9. and 139.2, 7. They ran with their fig-leaf Aprons into the Thickets, there to hide themselves from an All-seeing God: Oh how many do so to this day? which Job (saying, If I cover my transgression as Adam, then let this and that evil come upon me, Job 31.33, &c.) durst not do: neither ought we to do it, Prov. 28.13. Besides, suppose (what is not to be supposed) that they could have run from God, yet this would not do, unless they could run from themselves too, for Haeret lateri lethalis Arundo, the wounded Deer, whither ever he runs, carries with him the fatal Arrow sticking fast in his sides; The Guilt of their Souls and the terror of their Consciences went along with them, whither ever they went. So would only have been like the Angled and Entangled fish with the Hook of the Fisherman, that may indeed swim away all the length of the line, but the Hook in her mouth hales her back again; So God summons in sinful man, saying, Adam where art thou? v. 9. not as if God knew not where he was, for he knoweth all things, Joh. 21.17. but to proceed against him after a judiciary manner, therefore is he brought from behind the Bush at the Voice of the Lord, will he, nill he, he must appear and answer for himself, which he did (but untowardly) in the words following, v. 10. God would not condemn Adam before he heard him, and therefore asks him three Questions. The first was, as before, [where art thou?] to which Adam Answers, not directly [confessing his Sin] but indirectly [excusing his flight] for three reasons (all along hiding the true cause thereof.) Adam 's ( first, reason or shuffle was, that he heard God's Voice, This he had heard before his fall, and feared not, but rejoic'd therein with greatest joy: his (second) shift or shuffle was, I was afraid, as if he had not feared God before, yes, with a filial fear, for his goodness, Psal. 31.19. Hos. 3.5. as he was blessed, for blessed are they that fear the Lord, Psal. 128.1. but now being a sinner he had turned it into a slavish fear of God's wrath; the joyful sound of God, Psal. 89.15. Mic. 2.7. was now become frightful to him: his (third) excuse was, I was naked. Here also is now causa pro causâ, for before sin, they were both naked, and were not ashamed, Gen. 2.25. Pure nakedness was God's Creature, wherein he had appeared before in God's presence without fear or shame, thus he would have transferred his flight to God, because he had made him naked, and frighted him with his Thundering Voice, but alas, there was another pad in the straw which Adam studiously concealed, to wit, the Conscience of his Sin. Hic murus Aheneus esto, nil conscire sibi, nulla pallescere culpâ. The second Question God asks Adam was &c. [Who told thee thou art naked?] And the Third, [ Hast thou Eaten? &c.] thereby to convince him of his sin, and to make him confess it: oh the wonderful condescension and kindness of God to man, thus to dispute with him, whom he might justly destroy: Here, still God's asking and arguing with man, saying, thy shameful nakedness could not come upon thee but by a Violation of my law, because it is the punishment of Sin; doth it not demonstrate that thou hast broke my precept, and stripped thyself of the Garment of Innocency? Why dost thou not candidly confess the Truth? Why dost thou not blame thyself, but thy M •••• for making thee Naked? Thus the Lord most tenderly presseth hard upon him to convince his Conscience of his Sin, when he might (in the rigor of his Justice) have confounded his person [ipso facto] according to the Divine Menace [ In the Day thou Eatost thereof thou shalt surely die, Gen. 2.17. Hereupon Adam puts in his Answer: a sorry one,