witnessses did testifie against Christ Matth 26 61. And likewise against Steven Act. 6. 13. Although these witnesses speak nothing but truth as it appears Joh. 2. 19. compared with Math. 26. 61. and also Steven denies not what was testified against him and proves it by Moses the Prophets Acts 6. 33. 48. Yet for all this those two sorts of witnesses are called false witnesses inasmuch as they did not speak according to their meaning and in this sense the Serpent is called a lyer from the begining because he speakes not according to Gods meaning of death But he was not a lyer according to the womans sense or interpretation of death which was the dissolution of the body for they did eate that day but did not die a naturall death thus it is also proved from the Serpent's testimony that their eyes shall be opened and they shall become like Gods knowing good and evill Thirdly It will appear to be a truth from the effects that the fruit did work on them by which the Serpent's words to the woman is made good vers 6. 7. And when the woman saw the Tree was good for food and pleasant to the oye and a Tree to be desired to make one wise she took of the fruit thereof and did eat and gave also unto her husband with her and he did eat And the eyes of them both were opened and they knew they were naked Those eyes were not mortal or substantial eyes of the body for they were open to see the fruit before they eat thereof vers 6. what eyes are there else to be opened besides the mortal eyes of the body there are two sorts of eyes besides the mortal eyes of the body the first is the natural eyes and the second is the spiritual eyes and as I told you before there was two sorts of fruits to open these two sorts of eyes and here you may see upon eating the first sort of fruit the first sort of eyes were opened namely the eyes of their natural knowledge wisdom and understanding for the text saith and they knew that they were naked it doth not say it made them naked for they were so before but before they eat they had not that understanding to know that they were naked or be ashamed of their nakednesse but by vertue of their eating of that fruit there was knowledge and wisdom and light conveyed into them whereby they knew what was good and what was evill therefore well might it be called the Tree of Knowledge of good and evill when it hath such vertue in it to give knowledge which could not be attained unto any other wayes as it may be necessarily gathered by that converse between God and Adam when the Lord called to Adam and said where art thou ves 9. Adam's answer was I heard thy voice in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked vers 10. Gods answer to him again was who told thee that thou wast naked hast thou eaten of the Tree whereof I commanded thee thou shouldst not eat as much as if God had said it is true thou art naked he denyes it not but it is impossible that thou shouldest know of it without thou wast told because thou hast no knowledge in thy self except thou hast eaten of the forbidden fruit this speech of God is as if a man should determine in himself to doe some good for his son and yet make it known but to one man in the world and yet the son shall come to his father and say if you would doe such a thing for me his father knowing that none knew it but one will say who told thee hast thou spoken with such a man implying that he did give his son knowledge of such a thing without which he could not know No more could Adam know his nakedness which indeed was his earthliness without he had eaten of that Tree as it is clear from these words who told thee that thou wast naked hast thou eaten of the Tree whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldst not eat Here you see opening of eyes and discovery of nakedness effected in Adam and Eve by their eating the forbidden fruit Fourthly We shall confirm all these and put the point out of question from God himself where the saith behold the man is become as one of us knowing good and evil Chap. 3. vers 22. If Adam by his eating the forbidden fruit became like God then it will follow that he was not like God before But Adam by his eating of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil became like God in the knowledge of good evil that is what God esteemed to be good that Adam knew and esteemed likewise to be good and what God esteemed to be evil that Adam also knew and esteemed to be evil although Adam did not know things in that measure and fulness as God did yet he knew as God did in the same manner or nature as a coale is like a whole world set on fire so was Adam like God in the knowledge of good and evil but here lies Adam's misery in knowing good and evil and yet not having power to do the good known and shun the evil which could not be obtained by the eating this fruit but by the eating of the second fruit which is of the Tree of life as I shall hereafter shew I might further confirm this truth by divers arguments and reasons but before I proceed it is necessary that I should answer divers objections which lie in the way Object You will say it is true God saith the man is become like one of us but God speakes by the way of an Ironye as Micaiah speakes to Ahab the 1 of Kings 22. 15. the King asked him whether he should go up to Ramoth-Gilead to battle or no The Prophet Micaiah bids him go up and prosper and the Lord shall deliver it into the hands of the King So God speakes to Adam because of his former high thoughts and indeavours to be great and when Adam fell short of what he thought to be God speaks to him in dirision Answ God speakes not in the way of an Irony my reasons are these first because God speakes not to Adam as the Prophet did to Ahab or as the wise man in the Proverbs did to the young man But God speaks to himself in respect of his threefold relation that is either like God in his eternal essence or being or like God in respect of his influence and power or thirdly like him as he dwelleth and acteth and abaseth himself in Christ or rather like him in the knowledge of good and evil according as he esteems good and evil in either of these relations therefore I say God speaking to the Trinitie and not to Adam It is impossible for God to speake in the way of an Irony or deriding or rather blasphemy because he speakes not to the person offending as the Prophet did therefore your
2. Adam is put into paradise and so are we p. 39. 3. Adam was to till the ground and to eat of every tree but one and so are we p. 39. 4. Our first Parents did desire to eat of the forbidden fruit to become like God and so do we p. 40 41 42. The Obj. from the breach of the command answered p. 43 44 45. The tree of Life is the righteousnesse of God proved by scripture and 4 reasons p. 46 47 And so consequently the tree of knowledg of good evil is the righteousnes of man ib. 5. He eateth of that fruit and so do we p. 48 What is meant by eating explained p. 49 What is sin or what is sin after the similitude of Adams transgression p. 50 51 52. 7 Things effected and brought forth upon Adam by his eating answerable to the like 7. in us by our eating p. 53. 1. He is deprived of life and so are we p. 54 2. It discovers sin both to him and us p. 54 3. It brings fear both upon him and also to us p. 55. 4. It brings a curse upon both p. 56 57 5. It brings death it self to both p. 58 None dyed in that flesh of his but every one doth dye in and for himself what seems to be truth at one time may not be truth after further light p. 59 60 61 62 6. It caused him to cloath himself with fig-leafs and so it doth to us p. 63 These fig-leafs and the leafs of the tree of life described p. 64 65 7. The eating of the fruit did cause him to run away from God and hide himself in the tree of the Garden so it doth to us the Tree described p. 66 67 An Objection answered p. 68 The 6 degree of Adams rising he is cloathed with Skins and so are we p. 69 70 What these Skins are and how and when we are cloathed with them p. 71 72 73 An Objection answered how the first dispensation is of God and how not p. 75 76 The second is of God in a more peculiar manner p. 77 The mystery of the Trinity opened p. 78 79 80 7. Adam is cast out of paradise and so are we all dispensations give way to this p. 81 82 83 We are brought into a second paradise Vse First this teacheth us to be reconciled to God p. 84 Secondly a word of reconciliation to seven sorts of men p. 85 86 87 88 89 The strong brother and the weak ought not to condemn nor judg one another p. 90 91 92 It is Antichristian and of the Devill to compell one another to any thing in matter of worship which is contrary to the practice of Christ and his Apostles p. 92 93 All ought to walk according as they have received p. 94 An Objection answered p. 95 96 REader behold Jewels and Pearles her set Jasper and Amethists in this rich Cabinet Behold the way if thou these Pearls wilt find From step to step unto this glorious mine Three ways there are to see this heavenly place Through a vail a glass and after face to face The Earth shall shake and also Heav'n above That those things may remain which shall ne'remove Though ADAM did aspire on high by Earth Yet fall he did and lost his prize through death That unto life be might be brought again And so at last his first prize might obtain He 's cloath'd with skins a glorious cloathing then None such are found amongst the Sons of men Thus may you learn throughout this History Degrees of grace working men up to glory Therefore let all men rest in this contented For they in ADAM are all represented And first as be began to play the prize So we as he must die before we rise By W. R. ADAM UNVAYLED AND Seen with open Face The Principle which I doe here oppose and deny to be a Truth is this as followeth IT is held almost by al those profess the Christian Religion that Adam was made in the Image of God in righteousness wisdom and knowledge and the like and that by eating of the forbidden fruit be lost that Image in respect of those Attributes in which he was said to be made like unto God This is their understanding of Adam's estate with whom I have to deal others hold other things of Adam although not so gross or so far contrary to truth and I not knowing fully what all opinions are I shall lay down my own judgment which is clear contrary to theirs whose opinions are herein specified According to my understanding the Spirit of God holds forth in Scripture that the first Adam was made of earth earthly For he lost nothing by his eating the forbidden fruit he having nothing to lose neither wisdom righteousness knowledge or light inherentin himself but contrarily being meerly blinde foolish ignorant and empty of all those attributes which he was said to have and whereas it is said that Adam lost all those attributes by eating the forbidden fruit I say he gained all his naturall knowledge light righteousness wisedom and the like by vertue of his eating the forbidden fruit And I make it appear thus There were two speciall Trees in Paradise the one was the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil the other was the Tree of Life the fruit of these two Trees was nothing else but two laws of righteousness The first which was the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil was the law of nature which is the morall law and is called the righteousness of man The second Tree was the Law of the Spirit and life in Christ which is by gift and is called the righteousnesse of God now before Adam had eaten of either of these Trees he could have neither of these two lawes of righteousness which he had not until he had eaten of the fruit thereof For proof whereof it will First appear from the very attribute or title that is put upon the Tree it is called the Tree of Knowledge of good and evill and the reason is because it gives conveys knowledge of what is good and what is evil in those who eat it Secondly It may be also proved from the Serpents testimony he speaking in answer Vers 3. 4. to the woman when she said Vers 3. that God had said ye shall not eate of it neither shall you touch it least you die his answer was ye shal not surely die but contrarily saith he God knoweth that in the day you cat thereof your eyes shall be opened and ye shall be as Gods knowing good and evil Object But it may be some may say that the Serpent did lye and deceive Eve by these words and therefore is called a lier from the begining Answ The Serpent spake truth according to the womans sense and interpretation of death that was the dissolution of the body but not according to Gods meaning and interpretation of death therefore he is called a lyer from the begining as in another cause Although the
instance will not serve the case being not the same if God had spoken to Adam there might have been some show or colour for such a thing but God speaking not to him there can be no ground or colour for it at all The second reason is why God speaks not in the way of an Irony is this because there was some thing enacted upon and by reason of his knowledge in the latter part of the 22. 23. verses and now least he take of the tree of life and live for ever as much as if God It was the knowledge of God in Adam that drove him out of the garden Gen. 3. 24. had said he is come to that knowledge by vertue of his eating the fruit he wil be ready to take of the tree of life and live for ever It is clear that Adam was put forth by reason of his knowledge therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden the word therefore hath some dependance upon the fore going words which was his becoming like God therefore he was driven forth The third reason proves it a truth because of the former 3 proofs First from the name of the tree Secondly from the Serpents testimony and Thirdly from the effects that the fruit produced in them all with speaking one thing it doth further confirm that Gods meaning was really so according as it was spoke behold the man is become like one of us knowing good evil 2 Object And that is from the latter part of the verse knowing good and evil it is true Adam knew good and evill but how he knew good by the losse of it and evill by wofull experience Ans I shall grant if God knew good by the losse of it and evill by wofull experience then Adam did so to But if God did not then Adam did not neither for Adam knew good and evill as God did and so saith the text Behold the man is become libe one of us knowing good and evill Obj. You will say Adam was made in the image of God as the Scripture holdeth forth and he being in the image of God in respect of his attributes before his eating the forbidden fruit therefore it followeth he became not like God by his eating as you do here affirm Answ In answer to this Objection you must understand that the image of God is held forth in Scripture under a two-fold consideration First The image of his person or visible appearance Secondly The image of his incomprehensible and spirituall substance Now as you understand Adam in innocency as meer man he was made after the first image that is to say in the image of God in respect of his person or visible appearance and not after the second image although he was in some sense in respect of God as I shall hereafter shew when I come to speak of the second image but when I say Adam was made in the image of God in respect of his person or visible appearance we are not to understand that God in his eternall Essence and being can be likened to any thing for he is invisible and incomprehensible but I meane in that shape and likenesse as God did alwayes appear and manifest himself in unto the sons of men before the law to Abraham and Lot and in the time of the Law and also in the fulnes of time in the flesh of a man even in the man Christ Jesus for God in his eternall thought and purpose beforetime did determine and intend as he did in other things to appear in this image in time and so called it his image likewise in his determination intended to make man according to it and one end was to speak according to mans capacitity for if God had appeared in other shapes and not in the shape or liknesse of man then man through feare would not be capable to receive a message or be instructed by him man being in that weak estate as he is made in so God in time made man according to the shape or image which he intended to appear in before time And when he saith let us make man in our own image his meaning is in the first sense that mans person shoul be made like the image of Gods person or visible appearance according as I have already described It must needs be so for this reason because the woman was not made in the image of God now if you understand by image any thing besides the image of his person or visible appearance let it be knowledge righteousnesse wisdom or what it will in that respect the man and the woman was both alike but if I shall prove the woman was not made like the man in the image of God then it must needs be granted that the image that Adam was made like unto God in was the image of his person or visible appearance To the end the controversie in proving that man was made in the image of God and the woman was not take notice what followeth First It will appear from Gods resolution before mans creation as you may see Genesis 1 26. where God saith let us make man in our own image the woman is not mentioned neither yet included in the man as it appears in the 27. verse where you shall find a particular relation First how the man was created in these words So God created man in his own image in the image of God created he him Secondly that they were both created in the latter part of the verse in these words male and female created he them the same expression is in Gen. chap. 5. vers 2. from hence it doth cleerly appear that the man was created in the image of God and the woman was not because there is a particular relation of their creation for if they had been both created in the image of God it had been easier to say in the image of God created he them male and female then to particularise out the man and say he was created in the image of God then go over them again and say male female created he them so that by this particular relation the Holy Ghost would have us to understand that the man was created after the image of God but not the woman the Apostle Paul by the same spirit clearly understands this truth and puts it out of controversie he speaking in 1 Cor. 11. 7. how a man ought to manifest his obedience and subjection to his head which is God by his being uncovered either in prayer or prophesying and also how a woman ought to manifest her subjection to her head by her being covered he saith if the woman be not covered let her be shaven or shorn and as he looks upon it to be a great evil in the woman to be uncovered so contrarily he looks upon it to be a great evil in the man to be covered and his reason 's this for saith he a man indeed ought not to
which is the Lord from heaven and as the second Adam was alway the same neither higher nor lower at any time although he may be higher sometimes and sometimes lower in respect of manifestation yet he is one and the same for ever in his own nature and property so also the first man Adam might seem to be in a very high and good condition and afterwards to be in a low and evill condition in respect of manifestation to himself but in his own nature one and the same for ever for he was made of the earth earthly that is First as his corporal substance was made of the materiall earth so secondly his estate and enjoyment was carnall and earthly and being earthly minded carnal and blind he was put into Paradise and there continued untill his eyes were opened by his eating the tree of knowledge of good and evill and then he had a discovery of his carnality as I have already shewed in the letter and shall hereafter open the mystery to you when I come to Application Fourthly Further if I can prove that our first parents had original sin before they did eat of the forbidden fruit the controversie will be ended and you must grant my opinion to be a truth Which I shall prove as it followeth 2. That our first parents had original Reason 4. sin in them by reason of which they could not stand in that estate as they were in but fall And it will appear thus sin is to understood That is have their nakedness discovered under a two-fold consideration the first may be called sin in its conception that is the lust and earnest desire and inclination of the heart to do such a thing to satisfie its own lust this is sin in it self and that which God hates and abominates this is that which Christ witnesseth against for saith he I say unto you that whosoever looketh upon a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery already with her in his heart Math. 5. vers 28. he saith also the same of murder and other things vers 22. if it be conceived in the heart it s done in respect of God for as God desires and accepts of the good conceptions and indeavours of the heart although they never be put into action and also rewards them so he abhoreth the evill conceptions and intentions of the heart and accounts it for sin though it be never put into action and rewards it accordingly if unrepented thus I have described the first sort of sin which indeed is sin in it self and to speak properly there is no other sin but this but that which I call the second sort of sin to speak properly is not sin in its self but rather the manifestation of sin or sin breaking forth and making it self visible and this is called actuall sin which indeed is sin to us this is the second sort of sin or rather the manifestation of sin but that sort of sin or original corruption which is the body of sin this had Adam before he eat of the Tree of Knowldge of good and evill to this purpose look into Gen. 6. where it is said first that she saw it was good for food and secondly that it was pleasant to the eye and thirdly it was a tree to be desired to make one wis All these three things considered by the woman the goodness of it the pleasantness of it also that it would produce wisdom from hence it did cause lust and a burning desire in her after the fruit thereof this desire and lust was produced from that body of sin or original corruption and earthiness within and this sin according to Christs exposition Math. 5. is the sin or trasgression it self for their eating did not effect or produce their lusts and desires but their lusts and desires did effect their taking the fruit and their eating thereof and this was the sin and transgression it self as it is clear from the Apostles words where he I Tim. 2 14. saith the man was not in the transgression but the woman why so did not the man eat of the forbidden fruit yea he did eat of the fruit but that was not the transgression but the sin or transgression it self was the desire to the fruit upon such considerations as was before mentioned and this desire or lust is recorded of Eve only and not of Adam as the Apostle doth here affirm now Eve holds forth the matter of the Church in this place that is to say a carnal man and woman and therefore the transgressions was attributed to her alone because she was the mother of all living Gen. 3. vers 20. And not to Adam for Adam did type out Christ and as he was a type he was passive in the transgression and carried away by Eve and thus it is in the substance Rom. 7. vers 23. but I see another Law in my members warring against the Laâ— of my mind and bringing me into captivity tâ— the Law of sin but as Adam was a meeâ— creature Eve held forth both him and heâ— self which is in the substance the carnal man and woman or that part which quencheth the spirit and carrieth away the inward man captive as I shall further explain hereafter Object If it be said that this desire of Eve was begotten by and through the Sâ—rpents temtation Answ This I do not deny yet I say at this present it is so with us for the Serpent doth set forth evill with all the advantage and shew of good as possibly he can but all that he could doe either to Eve or us is but to effect the body of sin or original corruption and malignity within with the thing so set forth for he neither could give desires to them nor yet to us for the desire was from some malignity or corruption within all that he could do was to make the evil appear lovely to the eye that the desire may be raised up after the same as he hath somethings to work upon in us so also he had in Eve which was her corruption if there had been nothing within her he would have sped with her as he did with Christ for he having no fuel of original corruption therefore the flame of the Serpents temptation could not kindle that which was not but Eve having much power of original corruption it was soon set on fire with the Serpents temptation Secondly All those that say Adam was 2. Proved from themselves made in the Image of God in holiness and righteousness do confess what is here affirmed namely That our first parents had sin and corruption before they ate of the fruit It is a common saying both in their preaching and their writing That Adam's aspiring Pride and Ambition to become like God was the cause of his Fall Doctor Vsher in his Book of Princip p. 11. Bifield in his Principles pag. 77 80. Vsher saith That Adam rather obeyed the voice of the
as the other therefore be you reconciled unto God charge not God with injustice let this Proverbe be heard no more in Israel let God be true and every man a lyer Secondly If Adam in his rising did figure Vse out and assure us that we should follow him through these severâ—ll dispensations â—hen all sorts of men ought to be reconciled together First Thou that art not in Paradise and A word to seven degrees of mankinde art not capable of pleasure and delights thou canst not come in of thy self untill thou art put in by God why should he that is put in hate thee who livest in thy own station for all were as thou art Second If thou art put into carnall Paradise and livest in thy pleasure and delights by reason of growth and hast no restraint in thy nature but mayest satisfie thy self in every sinfull pleasure I know thou wilt hate all that are above thee that run not with thee into the same excesse of riot but take heed by the visible things that are made thou shalt be left without excuse and see thy nakednesse and be judged condemned confounded and ashamed Thirdly If thou art come to see the invisible God by the visible things that are made then thou wilt leave the other trees in some measure and look into the middest of the Garden upon thy own righteousnes which will be very lovely to thy eye and the only thing to make thee wife and become like God in thy own apprehension Judge not them that are above thee for thou hast been once deceived already Fourthly If thou hast eaten of the tree that thou so much desirest to make thee wise which is thy own righteousness then thy eyes are opened and thou seest thy nakedness and also what is good and evil according to Gods estimation of good and evill but here lies thy misery thou are dead to do good and alive to doe evil for thou thoughtst thou hadst life and power in thy self to become like God by thy own righteousness but thou shalt see upon thy eating thereof thou shalt becom dead without power strength in thy self thou shalt not only be dead to do good but fear death shal sease on thee when thou hearest the voyce of God in the winds of the day Gen. 3 10. Esa 6. 5. Rom. 7. 24. Heb. 13. 19 21. Fiftly Then if thou art in this toyling condition thou wilt cry with Adam I was afaid with Isaiah I am a man undone with Paul O wretched man that I am who shal deliver me from this body of death with the Children of Israel who intreated they might hear that voyce no more it was so terrible to them and so it will be unto thee it wil make thee hide thy self from God under some pleasing opinions or tenents and cloath thy self with thy good works of fasting and praying and such like duties which are the fruits of thy own righteousness this thou wilt be zealous in following after thy own righteousness and hate all those that are above thee or below thee Be not to zealous this is the third time thou hast been deceived thou wilt again be deceived and see all this thy righteousness to be as drosse dung and that which thou thinkest to be gain thou wilt account losse Philippians 3. 7. 8. Sixtly If thou art clothed with the righteousness of faith or this girdle of a skin thou hast a glorious clothing which will bind up the loyns of thy mind to the head by which all the body by joynts and bands having nourishment ministered and knit together increaseth with the increase of God and thus thou shalt grow from one degree to another under this second dispensation as thou didst under the first untill thou comest to perfection and this perfection is the seventh degree this is the Sabboth or rest we having laboured and toyled these six days that is under these six degrees and followed God who is our example we must all so enter into our rest with him he that is entred into his rest Heb. 4. 10. hath ceased from all his works as God did from his this is the year of Jubilee this is Enoch the seventh from Adam the first six generations work and toyl every one his day and get their spiritual bread with the sweat of their face for the space of five thousand five hundred and fourteen years the years of their six dayes being added together and they being a figure of the carnal world in labour bondage and time which was to indure the space of five thousand five The dawning of the day at the year 5514. hundred and fourteen yeers in its height and then the end shall come nigh and a new world shall begin in which shall dwell righteousness Enoch the seventh from Adam from his sixty fifth year was a figure of his day of rest in which the Kingdoms of this world should become the Kingdoms of the Lord and his Christ and the Kingdoms and dominions and the greatest of the Kingdome under the whole Heavens shall be given to the people of the Saints and all shall serve and obey him these Saints are Enoch in the substance who succeedeth the six generations or dayes of labour this is that Enoch that was not for Enoch is not of the world as Christs disciples are not of the world but taken out It is something cleared at the year 5579. God took him up unto himself and he shall walk with God in the heavenly Jerusalem where there shall be no unclean thing and they shall be his people and God himself will he their God they shall not only walk with God but they shall dwel in God and God in them 1 John 4. chap. verses 12. 13. and 16. and as it is true there is a general compleat perfection or rest for the Saints at the end of five thousand five hundred seventy nine years Enoch's sixty five years being added which was the time before God took him in this earth although not in this carnal world as you may see in these quotations Rev. 15. 3 4. Dan. 7. 14. 26. Chap. 2. 44. Luk. 1. 33. Micah 4. 7. Zeph. 3. 19. Zach. 1. to vers 9. It is also as true That there is a perfection and rest to some though not so compleat in the six dayes or six generations there are some that walk with God and rest with God on his Sabbath in the time of these six dayes before this Sabbath is come in generall of whom Enoch was a type and both Enoch and they are a type and a figure of that generall and glorious rest as is before spoken of Therefore Brethren if this be the result that the six generations and the six days did hold forth six degrees or dispensations to continue for so many years as is before-mentioned and also Enoch and the Sabbath in their succeeding these six generations or dayes did hold forth our rest with God