not here saith the Apostle any abiding City Hebrews the thirteenth chapter and the fourteenth verse that is true for albeit we have Cities yet they continue not therefore we seek for a City of Gods building Hebrews the eleventh chapter and the ninth verse and not a City built by Cain This is a point of examination for it is to be considered whether a man in the course of his life reach any further than these three If he goe no farther in the practise of his life but to get Children to build Cities and fair Houses and to get a name he is in the way of Cain But if with the other Enoch we continue still in Gods presence then we doe well Cain having life granted for repentance mispends it in building of a City and such like vanities And as there is a woe to him so woe to them that like him mispend their time which God giveth them for repentance Jude the eleventh verse Cain is in a place of torment where he cryeth woe that he mispent his time so vainly and therefore we must beware by his example for this is the use we are to make of Cain and the Reprobate that when we see what is their end we beware that we walk not in their waies that we mispend not our time in fulfilling the lusts of the flesh and vanity of buildings and seeking the glory and honor of this world because to all such there belongs a woe no less than to Cain as it is in the epistle of Jude Deinde Chanacho natus est Hirad Hirad genuit Mechujaëlem Machujaël verò genuit Methuschaëlem Methuschaël genuit Lemecum Assumpsit autem sibi Lemec uxores duas Gen. 4. 18.19 〈◊〉 9. 1599. IN these two verses we have two points to consider the one is a journey which the Holy Ghost undertaketh the other is the end of that journey In the journey Moses begins to set down the Pedigrees of Cain and the end of that journey is the story of Lameoh wherein it may justly be inquired First why any mention is made in Scripture of the Reprobate Secondly why it makes mention of the generation of Cain before the generation of Seth For the first It is a matter of absolute necessity that the Scripture should make mention of the ungodly and reprobate for whereas God proclaimed enmitie between the Serpents seed and the seed of the Woman Genesis the third chapter and the eleventh verse it was his will that it should appear in the world how the one was an enemie to the other therefore it is called liber bellorum domini Joshua the tenth chapter The life of man is called militia super terram Job the seventh chapter and the Church is called the Church militant haec est patientia Sanctorum Revelations the fourteenth chapter and the twelfth verse to shew that the godly have enemies in this world whereby their patience is tried Secondly why mention is made first of the pedigree of Cain there is sufficient reason to be given that is In as much as the wicked are called the men of this world Psalm the seventeenth and the Children of this generation Luke the 〈◊〉 chapter and the eighteenth verse it is reason they should be first remembred in this world for that they shall not be mentioned any where else they only have their interest in this life but in the morning the righteous have the dominion Psalm the fourty ninth and the fourteenth verse that is in the life to come 〈◊〉 shall be first made of the godly and therefore Christ before he speaks of 〈◊〉 the wicked saith first Metthew the twenty fifth chapter Venite benedicti patris mei that is in regard of the persons and for sinne it self as the Philosopher saith ad meminem ante venit mens bona quim animus malus every man is first possessed with an evill minde before he can have a good minde as the Apostle saith in the first to the Corinthians the the fifteenth chapter and the fourty fift verse That is not first which is spirituall but that which is naturall We are all by nature first the Children of wrath Ephesians the second chapter and belong to the posterity of Cain before we can be partakers of grace and therefore it is good reason that in Scripture our state by nature be first spoken of before our state by grace that the Law should goe before the Gospel the seed of the Serpent before the blessed feed of the Woman Thirdly It may be demanded why this passage is made to the story of Lamech next after the story of Cain the reason is for that it is Gods will to bring sinne to a head For as in Adam we saw the poyson of the Serpent and the infection of it in Cain so here is a new infection For as there is a spirit that lusteth after envy James the fourth chapter which made Cain kill his brother so in Lamech we see that spirit which Jude speaks of verse the seventh that is a spirit that longeth after strange flesh which he she wed in taking two Wives That is there is an unclean spirit as well as an 〈◊〉 spirit whereas there are two parts of the will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Cain the angry part was infected with the Serpents poyson his heart was inflamed with a desire of revenge Now in Lamech we see this infection goeth lower even to his reins and stirs him up to lust There are but two temprations Deuteronomie the thirty third chapter and the eighth verse which the Hebrews call meribah and Massah which the Apostle termeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebrews the third chapter the one is the temptation unto contention and revenge where with Cain was infected of which the Apostle saith James the fourth chapter and the first verse From 〈◊〉 are warres and contentions among you are they not from your lusts The other is the temptation of concupisence which poisoned Lamech In the Gospel we have them both that is spiritas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke the eighth chapter and the second verse Christ healeth certain women possessed with malignant and envious spirits and Luke the eleventh chapter The unclean spirit departing out of a man walketh in dry places The malicious spirit she wed his poyson in Cain by the temptation of meribah and now Lamech is infected with the unclean spirit and yeelding to the temptation of 〈◊〉 And in these two Reprobates infected with these two kindes of temptations the Holy Ghost sheweth the perfection of sinne For sanctification hath two parts First That we possesse our vessels in holiness which is an exposition to the uncleaness of Lamech and in the first to the Thessalonians the fourth chapter and the sixt verse that no man oppresse or tread down his brother which opposeth it self against the spirit of Cain who trod down his brother and violently slew him Charity and
there is an Angel under Christ which takes charge for the defense of the Church on earth which is Michael your Prince Dan. 10. 21. Secondly Out of Judes epistle verse the ninth the ancient Fathers prove that by Michael we are not to understand Christ for that which he affirmeth that Michael durst not check the Devill with cursed speaking cannot be ascribed to Christ which not only dare but hath trodden down Satan under his feet much more dare he check him which unlesse he could doe it were a plain signe that he is not Omnipotent Therefore by Michael here we are to understand some other and not Christ. Thirdly Out of this place Apocalyps the twelfth chapter and the fift verse In as much as the Child that was born was Christ it is not like that this Childe should suddenly be translated into an Archangel and fight with the Dragon And therefore both Theodoret and others say that Michael is a chief spirit among the created spirits that then took care of the Church in Jury and still is carefull of Christs Church unto the end of the world And to this we may add the judgement of the Church which on this holy-day doth thank God for the service of the Angels but makes no mention of Christ that it is he that in this place warreth with the Dragon and his Angels For the Dragon there is a farre more easie passage so as we may soon guesse what is meant by him for in this chapter he is called the Devil and Satan whereof their name signifieth a slanderer and he is justly so called for that he both slandereth God to man as if God did envy mans prosperity Genesis the third chapter and slanders man to God as he did Job whom albeit he were a blessed Saint yet he accuseth before God as an Hypocrite Job the first chapter The other name Satan signifieth a great enemie not only to the good whom he hath most cause to hate as being contrary to him but also to the bad That he is an enemy to the good it appears by this That he persecuted not only the child that was new born but the woman also and because he cannot shew his malice upon him he makes warre with her seed Apocalyps the twelfth chapter the thirteenth seventeenth verses That he persecuted also an enemie to the bad appears verse the ninth where he is called The seducer of of the whole world and the accuser of the brethren for that he first brings them to commit grievous sinnes and then pleads against them that the plague of God may come upon them These are the Leaders The Bands and Souldiers under their conduct are Angels on both sides The Angels that serve under Michael are they that excell in strength and doe the command of God in obeying the voice of his word Psalm the hundred and third and the twentieth verse they that the Apostle calls elect Angels the first epistle to Timothy the fift chapter and the twenty first verse The Angels that warre on the Dragons side are the evil Angels Psalm the seventy eighth and the fourty ninth verse The Angels that sinned the second epistle of Peter the second chapter And they that kept not their original as Jude saith these fight for the Dragon and he is their Captain as Christ saith The Prince of the Devils is 〈◊〉 Matthew the twelfth chapter For as among the good Angels there is principatus primus principatus so it is among the wicked Angels for there must be order in all companies Touching the Battail it self we are first to remove some things of offence not to think it strange that the Angels are here said to move battail For albeit they be called Angeli pacis Isaiah the thirty third chapter and the seventh verse because they bring peace yet in many places they are called Gods Hosts as Jacob seeing the Angels of God called the place where they were Nahanaim Genesis the thirty second chapter and the second verse and they magnisie God by that title Isaiah the sixt chapter Lord God of Hosts Luke the second chapter the Angels are called Heavenly Souldiers And where Christ saith If I pray to the Father he will give me more than twelve 〈◊〉 of Angels Matthew the twenty sixt chapter He compareth them to Troops and Bands of Souldiers for that they are not only Angels to Gods friends and servants but souldiers fighting against them that oppose themselves against God Further where their state is in a continual motion that must not offend us for the Angels themselves are not yet in the perfection of their felicity for we see they are imployed in doing service for us they continually aseend and descend from Heaven to Earth and from Earth to Heaven for the good of the godly for God saw it good that as well they as the Saints departed out of this life should not be made 〈…〉 Hebrews the eleventh chapter and the fourtieth verse which is illistrated Matthew the thirteenth chapter where the Angels are called Reapers giving us to understand thereby that as the 〈…〉 is not at rest till the Harvest be all in so it is with the Angels they must continually be imployed in doing service for them that shall inherit Salvation till the number of the Elect be accomplished So neither needs that to offend any that the Dragon is 〈◊〉 to have fought in Heaven for so he is said to have appeared before God among the sonnes of God And when Ahab was to be deceived a lying spirit stood before God the first book of the Kings the twenty second chapter All this was only by Gods permission For all this doth no make the Devil blessed no more than Adam was blessed being in paradise For having sinned and being thereby out of Gods favour he no more enjoyed that comfort of Paradise which he took before his fall but quaked and hid himself from the presence of God for tear Genesis the third chapter The Dragon is no more blessed for being in Heaven or appearing before God than a prisoner that for a time is brought out of prison into the Court to be arraigned for he takes no delight of the pomp and glorie of the Court knowing it is not for him but he must return to the 〈◊〉 from whence he was taken So it is with the Devil These offences being removed we come now to the Fight it self which was not in any bodily manner for they are spirits 〈◊〉 the hundred and fourth and therefore their fight is a spiritual fight Ephesians the sixt chapter And their 〈◊〉 not carnal but spiritaul the second epistle to the Corinthians the tenth chapter That as the Angels fight by temptations on the one side and by resistances on the other they fight by agonies and inward conflicts which is more truly called conflicts than any combat The other fight with bodily enemies for as some note Abraham would rather fight wich five Kings than abide that conflict
child and the woman to be in his Throne the Angels are ready to fight for them In that it is said The Dragon prevailed not it may be gathered that for all that he might begin again but where it is added And their place could no more be found in Heaven thereby we learn that Michael and his Angels set upon the Dragon and his Angels and drave them out of Heaven That which ariseth from hence on our parts is of two sorts First The thankfulnesse we are bound continually to render to God that we are of such regard in his sight that in Heaven they fight for us the elect angels with the evil angels Michael with the Dragon and his companie It is that which Christ tells us Luke the eleventh chapter When the strong men keep the Palace all things are in peace but then comes a stronger c. Man is even in the estimation of the Devil a Palace howsoever we by our sinnes make our selves a Hogstie therefore both Christ and the Devil esteeming so highly of us we may not esteem basely of our selves The angels have charge not only to keep us Psalm the ninty first but to wage battail about us and therefore it is plain the soul of man is no mean thing The Angels as we see are ready to enter field with the Dragon and his Angels Neither doth Heaven only take this care of us but the Earth also is ready to help us and openeth her mouth and swalloweth up the flood which the Dragon casts out of his mouth Apocalyps the twelfth chapter and the sixteenth verse Therefore if they have such care of us it is reason we should have care of our selves if they take such care for man that is but earth then ought we for Heaven to be carefull If no man be crowned no not the Angels themselves except they strive aright the second epistle to Timothy the second chapter no more shall we be crowned unlesse we be as carefull of our selves as the Angels If the Angels were so busie to defend the earth we must be more diligent to fight for Heaven Again here we see that to come to Heaven is a matter of fight and wrastling Ephesians the sixt chapter If we look upon Christ and the Apostles we will say it is Lucta a wrastling but if upon common Christians it is but Ludus a pastime and sport And he that stirrs up this warre and conflict is not dead howsoever he was put to the worst but only driven out of Heaven That battail which was in Heaven among the Angels is come down to men on earth and now the Dragon fights with the womans seed and therefore it imports the womans seed to fight with him For the warre we have is not only with flesh and blood that is with our own passions and affections which is the philosophical warre though we must fight with them also because fleshly lusts fight against the spirit the first epistle of Peter the second chapter and the eleventh verse But our wrastling is chiefly with the spirits with spiritual wickednesse in heavenly places Ephesians the sixt chapter And what is this enemy the Dragon foolish and weak after his conquest had over finne No he is the old Serpent therefore full of experience These enemies or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephesians the sixt chapter therefore they want no power But are they discouraged upon this overthrow No but he is the more fierce and his wrath kindled knowing his time is but short Apocalyps the twelfth chapter and the twelfth verse Then seeing we have such an enemy we must strive rightly if we will be crowned si place at Corona place at studium we must take the more heed to our selves because as Gregory saith Magis est fortis nostrâ negligentiâ quà m 〈◊〉 potentiâ Secondly As we give God thanks that he makes this account of us so are we to thank him that he hath created and commanded such excellent spirits to fight for us and to pray that they which have thus fought for us in Heaven may in earth fight with us to help us that as they have cast him out of Heaven so 〈…〉 come him in earth We are to thank God that we which by our sinnes have made our selves like the beasts that perish 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke the twentieth chapter and to 〈◊〉 that we may drive the Dragon into the bottomlesse 〈◊〉 Thirdly we are to take heed that we provoke not the Angels with our misdeeds Exodus the twenty third chapter and twenty first verse nor alienate them from us with the wicked words of our mouths Ecclesiastes the fift chapter and the fift verse If we suffer our selves to sinne by filthy words and speeches we make them turn their favour from us When we come into the Church we must come with a due regard and reverence propter Angelos the first epistle to the Corinthians the eleventh chapter for by rude and uncomely behaviour in the Congregation and by suffering our mouths to utter offensive speeches we offend the Angels and deprive our selves of their favour so as they will not care for our safeguard But if as the Angel tells Danil Daniel the tenth chapter and the twelfth verse We set our hearts to understand and to humble our selves by fasting before God that may draw their affection towards us for repentance is that which doth minister joy to the Angels in Heaven Luke the fifteenth chapter Lastly By this means though we obtain not such a perfect conquest over the Dragon as the Angels did yet we shall attain to the first degree though we cannot drive him out of earth as they did out of Heaven yet we shall obtain thus much That he shall not prevail against us no more than he did against them We see it in Paul though he fought never so much yet he could not avoid it but sinne would dwell in him Romans the seventh chapter but this victory he obtained that it did not reign in his natural body Romans the sixt chapter Though till our corruption be dissolved we shall not drive him out we shall so be armed That he shall not prevail against us We must indeavor our selves that by thankfulnesse to him for vouchsafing to us this help and by intercession to continue the same we may still resist the Dragon not suffering our selves to take the soyl howsoever we cannot utterly drive him out And in this respect when we shall be like the Angels then shall we tread Satan under our feet then shall the Dragon be bound in chains and cast into the bottomlesse pit so shall we have a final conquest over him Now we must labour to 〈◊〉 to the first degree of the Angels victory and so shall we be crowned Quicquid dat mihi Pater ad me veniet eum qui venit ad me nequaquam ejecerim foras John 6. 37. Octob 7. 1559. THE words are Christs and are
is in the state of man described in the second Chapter All that shall we see in this Chapter to be overthrown by the work and malice of the Devill At the sight and consideration of which Tragedy as St. Augustine saith all the Creatures especially mankinde ought with sighs and groanes to dissolve themselves into teares to think of our and their utter and irrecoverable confusion were it not for this which is annexed unto it namely the hope of the seed of the woman promised to come at the fulness of time to restore all things which were lost in Paradise and to bring us a more excellent Paradise than that ever was The cause of all these evills which we see in us and in the world Moses here relleth us in the beginning of this Chapter to be the verifying of that Prophesie which God 〈◊〉 Adam Gen. 2. 17. that is what time soever he should sinne and break the Commandement of God he should die that is have all the Messengers and Ministers of death ferzing upon him untill death it self the reward of sinne should take hold on him which first part of the Chapter we shall divide as St. Paul doth teach us Rom. 6. 1. into two parts the first he calleth peccatum the other peccati obsonium that is into the cause and nature of sinne and into the effect and punishment which followeth it Concerning the transgression he setteth down first the temptation of sin in the first 5. verses then the preparation which is the sinne it self in the 6. verse then followeth the stipend and hier of sinne from that verse unto the 15. verse In which verse then the prophet sheweth that God in justice remembred mercie and as St. James saith caused his mercy to triumph over justice in the promised seed without which remedy Adams sinne had been incurable and his case and our condition had been most desperate whereas by this means as St. Augustine saith the Devills envy is foelix invidia and Adams sinne is foelix culpa that is falleth out to the greater glorie of all the elect sonnes of God Now more particularly we are led to consider two things in the temptation first of all the persons both agent and patient and then the allurements and inticements thereof The chief in this temptation was the Devill and the Woman and then in regard of consent Adam himself grew accessory and guilty thereof so that there were three causes of sinne The chiefest Author of it was the Devill the next is Eve the yeelder to him the third was Adam the consenter to them both Serpents we know speak not for they were not made to reason and dispute therefore we must needs understand another high person besides he Serpent which spake in him and used him as his Instrument and means to effect this evil devise And in this respect the Devill is called Rev. 12. 9. the old Serpent as his name appellative by which he was once called and Satanas Revel 〈◊〉 2. as his proper name by which his 〈◊〉 and malicious nature is made known As therefore the Devill craftily and closely did put into Judas head and heart by his suggestion how to seek Christs fall and death John 13. 2. so doth he as sly lie put into the Serpents mouth this temptation by which he might betray the first Adam and bring him to death and therefore as Christ truly though not properly called Judas Satan because he saw the Devill used him as his Instrument So by the same right and reason may we call the Serpent the Devill because it was he in this Serpent who did bring this thing to pass If any doe aske why Moses did not make mention of the Devil in all this Chapter we may say that it was Moses purpose to perform the office and duty of a Historiographer which is only to make a plain and true report of the outward accident and thing which was sensibly done leaving the hidden and secret meaning and true understanding of those things which are mysticall unto his Interpreters and Expositors For to this end Moses had some alwaies in Gods Church which did not only read the letter and words of his writings but also expound the true meaning thereof and what Expositor is there but by the consequence of this story and by conference of the Scriptures can otherwise understand this then of the Devill Our Saviour Christ telleth us that the Devill was a lyer and murtherer from the beginning John 8. 44. that is he is the primitive and principall Author of all untruth and evill therefore is he called that evill Matth. 13. 19. and the deceiver of mankinde Revel 12. 9. and therefore Moses doth first deal with this evill one and setteth him down as the chief author of this evill under the form and name of a Serpent Touching him therefore we must know as I told you Chap. 2. 1. that when God is said to make the hoast of heavenly Creatures that then also he made the Angells as David saith Psalme 148. 2. which Angells God made 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 to be his ministring spirits Psalme 104. 4. but some of them kept not their first estate Jude 6. but fell away from their holy and blessed estate in which they mere made and so there they became evill Angels reserved in chains to everlasting fur Of this fall of Angells Job seemeth to have knowledge Job 4. 18. God saith he found folly even in his Angels Christ maketh mention of their fall Luke 10. 18. and the cause of their fall is said to be sinne 2. Pet. 2. 4. and the particular sinne may seem to be pride Isaiah 14. 13. 14. ero similis altissimo for which cause that sinne is called morbus Satanicus and as the wiseman saith initium peccati est superbia But we will not curiously inquire what speciall sinne it was which caused his fall because indeed it is sufficient for us to know in generall that sinne was the cause thereof that we may the more beware of it He then being fallen became not only an adversary to God which cast him off for ever but also an envious enemie to mankinde for not being able to wreack his mal ceagainst God he maliciously invented and attempted all the mischief and evill he could against man which was the Image of God and the only Creature on whom God had set his heart and delight to doe him good For as they which love the Father cannot but love and shew kindness to his Children which are deerest to him as we see in Davids example So è contra hatred and malice make evill mindes to doe their enemies hurt 〈◊〉 despite even in the things which are most deer and precious unto them so is the Devill said to doe Rev. 12. 13. when he was not able to hurt the Woman he pursued with hatred and rage her Child which she brought forth and because he could not reach to him being ascended therefore he still persecuteth his
Church which professeth his name By this means then the Devill became not only envious but also an enemy to mankind and to effect the plot of his mischief which he had imagined Moses telleth us that he doth use the means and Instrument of a Serpent which was the subtillest beast of the field of which we shall have occasion to speak the next time Serpens autem erat astutus astutior quâvis bestiâ agri quam fecerat Jehova Deus Gen. 3. 1. THe persons which concurred in this temptation I shewed were of two sorts first the Tempter and then the Tempted The persons tempting are of two sorts the one plainly expressed by name to be the Serpent the other necessarily implied and to be understood namely the old Serpent which is called the Devill and Satan the destroyer and deceiver of mankinde Rev. 12. 9. so that we must conceive in this place that Satanus hic est personatus Serpens est inspiratus the Devill is in the shape of a Serpent and the Serpent is possessed with the Devill for we know that Serpents cannot speak and reason therefore it must needs be somewhat in him Herein then we see the disposition of evill and damnable Spirits who being fallen into miserie doe seek to draw all others into the same calamity in the which they are wrapped and plunged for the Devill will not only perire but also perdere and therefore as we see doth use all forcible means to bring it to pass But because he knew that he should never bring about the destruction of man so long as man should be united and tied fast to God in love and duty obeying his will therefore first of all he laboureth most subtilly to untie the knot by dissolving the Law and Commandement of God through the transgression of man and thus much of the chief actor in this temptation which is the Devill Now we come to the second person which is the means and instrument which he used for this purpose namely the Serpent Touching which we shall see that the ancient Philosophers and wise men of the world may seem to have had some knowledg for they call the evill Spirit the Serpentine Devill and a hellish Fury in the form and shape of a Serpent as if they had had some notice that he made choice of this Creature especially above other to doe the greatest mischiefto man In considering of the entrance of the Devill possessing the Serpent we must needs know that if the Devill will needs tempt Adam unto evill then he must of necessity doe it either with some inward suggestion or motion within or else by some externall temptation and allurement without But the Devill knew that Adam then in that estate of innocency had no evill concupiscence or corruption within by which he might fasten any ill motion or suggestion for his lust and affections were not as tinder that is were not apt to take any spark of the Devills temptations as ours are for we are not only as tinder very prone to take evill but as Gun-powder which with every spark is wholy enflamed and violently is carried away with the desire of evill his soul was not yet poysoned with the corruption of sinne as ours are therefore he saw that then there was no time nor place to assault him with inward temptations or perswasions to make him doe evill and therefore useth some sensible and ex ternall allurements to besiege him without To this end therefore he must needs appear in some visible and sensible shape and resemblance and that must either be in some form and shape suteable agreeable to Adams nature or else in some other apparition and form unlike him if he had appeared in some ugly and loathsome shape like to himself he knew that though he could not be terrified with fear being innocent and therefore without fear yet Adam and Eve would have contemned such an instrument and not have suffered him to have set abroach his assaults for which cause his policy and devise was to cover himself with a fairer mask and vizard that he may seem better and more beautifull then he was indeed Object But why did he not choose a better shape then of this Serpent Resp. I answer that no doubt his will was good for he would have fashioned himself into an Angell of light or have put on him the shape of a grave and sage Prophet as he did in deceiving Saul 1 Sam. 28. 13. But it must not be as the Devill will have it but as it pleaseth God to appoint and permit him And the fathers doe think that almighty God of set purpose did allot him this creature and restrain him all other for these two respects first thereby to punish the pride and the ambitious nature of the Devill that he might see and all the world perceive to what this sinne of pride had brought him because he which a little before was so vainglorious as to presume to exalt him in Gods throne and be as God is now cast down in most vile and miserable sort basely and contemptibly crawling upon the ground and being as the abject and most hated worm on the earth that so all men might see and consider what pride and ambitious vain glory will bring them unto but the Devills malice and envy towards man being now greater than his pride was before therefore it is no matter how vile and base the instrument and means be so it will serve his turn he will refuse nothing no not the Serpent if by his means he might bring man to the same condemnation and wrath in which he is already plunged The other respect they think was that the temptation of Satan might be more easie for Adam to resist and withstand for who would not think it most easie for Adam and Eve being so wise and excellent and furnished with all graces of Gods spirit to espie and contemn such ill counsell which would have him withdraw his allegiance and duty to God his gracious Creator especially being solicited thereto by so vile and base a creature as a Serpent is Who would not think it impossible that a weak worm should prevaile agaist Adam in the prime and excellency of his strength Again the very name of the Serpent which Adam according to his wisdome gave unto him might have given him a caveat and warning to sulpect the fly 〈◊〉 and subtilty of his nature for as Sathans name is by interpretation Tempter so in Hebrew Serpentare is as much in signification as Tentare and therefore such as are 〈◊〉 and eggers on of men to doe evill are in that tongue called Serpentes for their flynesse and craft because as Salomon saith Prov. 30. 19. A Serpents way can hardly be discerned So that Adam had a greater 〈◊〉 age of the Devill in this and might have taken such warning hereby as one would think it should have been easie for him to resist and overcome