bounty and partly to exercise our Sobriety and Moderation which is not seen but in variety of delights 1. Let us then tender unto God after the measure that we receive from him the most acceptable presents of our chearful services which that variety and abundance which we receive from his hand should provok us unto Deut. 28.47 Serving him with enlarged hearts and delighting to run the way of his Commandements with the Holy Prophet Psal 119.32 2. It may warrant us the honest and moderate use of Gods blessings even for delight So we use them 1. Seasonably when God gives us an occasion of rejoycing 2. within bounds of moderation as we are advised Prov. 23.2 and 3. directed to those Holy Ends proposed by God to his own People Deut. 26.11 Not so much for the pampering of the flesh and delighting of the outward senses as the enlarging of the Spirit in an Holy rejoycing in God when we taste his goodnesse and sweetnesse in the variety of his Creatures Whence 4. Observe It is usuall with God to mixe delight and pleasure with usefulnesse and profit in all his blessings Observ 4 THus he mixeth sweetness pleasant taste in our food which we receive for the nourishing of our bodies Comelinesse and decency in our cloathing which we weare to keep our bodies from the injury of the weather Fruitfulnesse with spirituall delights in the Duties of Gods Service Comfort and joy with Life and strength in his Word Power and increase of faith with heavenly raptures in Prayer Partly to invite us to the use of those needfull things which we are more constantly drawn unto by pleasure then we are by duty And partly that in God we might find all things both for necessary use and for delight and Comfort besides Let Gods example be our pattern for imitation both in Prescribing and Doing Let governours temper the usefulnesse of Power and Government with the sweetnesse of Mercy and Compassion Necessary commands with loving Invitations Exactions of obedience with comfortable Rewards Let Masters sweeten Servants hard Labours with comfortable food moderate intermission gentle encouragements and kind acceptance Let all men season the toiles of the body about the things of this life with Heavenly meditations sweet conferences and chearful expectations of the reward set before them Let there be in our Spirituall actions a fit temper of Joy with our sorrowes of hope with our fears of Comforts with our terrors In the observation of Occurrents mix the remembrance of the Good of times past with the sense of the Evills present and the expectation of the Rest and ease at hand with the bitternesse of Heavinesse by trialls and afflictions that are upon us at present Considering that God Himself hath set the one against the other as the Wise Man tells Eccle. 7.14 The placing of those Trees which were appointed for Spirituall use offer us many things worthy our Consideration First in respect of the persons whom they were to teach Secondly of the place where they stood Thirdly of the Nature of the signs themselves Fourthly of their use and signification The persons to whom these teaching-signs were given were our first Parents now in the state of their Innocency endued with fulnesse of knowledge and holinesse proportionable to their condition In this perfect state of theirs God saw it fit to quicken and strengthen them by the help of such outward meanes as these Whence 5. Observe The best amongst men and most perfect have need of the help of Outward meanes to quicken and strengthen them and put them in mind of their duties Observ 5 IF our first parents in whose hearts the Law of God was more clearly and perfectly written who had more familiar entercourse with God Himself more fresh taste of his overflowing Mercies of all sorts more distinct knowledge of his waies fewer Outward and no Inward impediments by any inordinate lusts yet needed such helps to support and strengthen them how much more needful must they be unto us every way being so imperfect in knowledge weak in the Spirit strong in the flesh compassed with temptations on every side to instruct us in those things that either we know not or know but in part 2 Pet. 3.18 to mind us of those things which we forget 2 Pet. 1.12 to admomonish us in our failings and recover and quicken us in our faintings and backslidings Heb. 10.24 and to exhort us upon all occasions Heb. 3.13 Let no man neglect any outward means Publick or Private as being 1. So needful to our selves 2. Commanded by God Himself 3. Effectuall by his blessing upon the conscionable use of them Considering that the best of us know but in part 1. Cor. 13.9 are subject to so many Temptations Laden with a body of sin Rom. 7.24 By which we are continually assaulted often foiled and continually retarded in our course of obedience The place where God planted these two Trees which he appointed to this Spirituall use was not onely within but in the Middest of Paradise amongst the rest of the Trees and Plants of that Garden Whence 6. Observe Spirituall and Religious duties ought to be remembred in the middest of the use of our employments about the things of this life Observ 6 THus we are directed for the use of our meats for the refreshing of our bodies to raise up our hearts to an holy rejoycing in God and to intermix them with prayers and acknowlegments unto God of his Mercy in bestowing those blessings Deut. 26.11.12 Referring even our eating and drinking to Gods Glory 1 Cor. 10.31 The neglect whereof Job feared in his Children Job 1.5.2 In our labours about the things of this life when we fit in the house or walk in the field Deut. 6.7 we are to have God both in our thoughts and in our mouthes as well to prescribe unto us moderation in the use of those Creatures which we make use of for our refreshings which must be limited by the rules of Religion as also to shew us the end of all those outward things which is to raise up our hearts to the contemplation of God in all his Creatures that we may carry his fear before us in all our waies and trust in him with all out hearts and be encouraged and quicken our selves by the taste of his goodness and bounty to the duties of his service And hereof it behoves us to be the more carefull because of our pronenesse by nature to drown our hearts in the thoughts of outward and sensuall things and forget him that orders and disposeth them and worketh in and by them Wo then be to those that confine their thoughts onely to these outward things while they are busâ—ed about them shutting out God from their Tables where they feast themselves without fear Jude 12. forgetting God in their plenty and abundance which was Agurs fear Prov. 30.9 which he justly recompenceth with sending leannesse into their souls Psal 106.15 Leaving their tables to
may testifie our Obedience and Subjection unto him withall acknowledging and witnessing to the world that we account his VVill in all things to be most just which we take unto our selves as the rule of our actions Let all men even the most godly not onely labour to Understand the Law of God but besides have it still before them in the whole course of their practice hiding it in their hearts Psal 119.11 Advising with it as their Counsell verse 24. setting it before their eyes Psal 18.20 And carrying it with them as a light to direct all their steps Psal 119.105 And that much more in this our state of Corruption wherein 1. By reason of our Blindnesse and Ignorance we have the greater need of a guide And 2. being by nature so prone to Rebellion have need of a Bridle 3. And being in a great part destitute of Gods Fear need such a means to keep our hearts in awe by setting before our selves the Authority of him that commands us in his Law 4. Besides finding our manifold failings in comming short of the Righteousnesse prescribed in the Law may be abased in our selves and be drawn to lay hold upon Christ Having Considered the Law in relation to the person to whom it was given we are to look in the next place upon the Law it self by which man was restrained from eating of that Fruit wherein although Gods Purpose was to teach him as well as to instruct him yet why for that purpose he fixed the restraint upon this Tree rather then upon any other Tree in the Garden there can be no other reason given but that it was the Will of God to have it so Whence 2. Observe The Will of God is that onely which man is to look upon and take for his Rule to guide Himself by in all his waies Observ 2 HIs Will revealed and left in charge unto us is that which we must do Deut 29.29 Hence it is that we have no reason annexed to any Commandement the Fourth excepted but a bare precept to command some things and to forbid others in so much that Obedience is termed the doing of Gods Will Matth. 7.21 Mark 3.35 Good reason it should be so 1. That by that meanes we may acknowledge Gods absolute Soverainty when all things are done upon no other ground but because God will have it so 2. Because nothing is infallibly good or holy but his VVill as Himself is Good and Righteous and there is no Iniquity in him Deut. 32.4 seeing nothing is fit to be the Rule of other things but that which is in it self Certaine and Unchangeable Let it teach us in all our Purposes and Actions to do and undertake all things upon this onely ground because God VVills or Commands them as we must Believe all because Gods saies or affirms it To do things as the Heathens did who knew not God either because they are Just may witnesse our Righteousnesse or because they are profitable to others may manifest our Love But our Obedience is never seen till we do them as the VVill of God because he commands them upon this ground amongst others All those actions of Heathen Men which we so highly commend and admire must needs be abominable in the Sight of God and rejected by Him because they were neither done in Obedience to his VVill nor in relation to his Honour and Glory This respect unto Gods VVill 1. makes all our actions Holinesse as being done in conformity to Gods Holinesse 2. Manifests the denyall of our selves in all that we do when we wholly lay down our own wills and take up Gods VVil or Rule 3. And interests us in all his Promises and Rewards Heb. 10.36 VVhen we have served Him in all that we have done and not our selves So that this is our VVisdom and our Righteousnesse when we do all things as he hath Commanded us as God teacheth his People to acknowledge Deut. 6.25 Besides the laying of this restraint upon God had a farther Scope namely by forbidding the eating this fruit in the middest of the Garden to leave with man a visible remembrance of that duty of Obedience which God required whereof this forbidden fruit was a sign unto him so placed that whithersoever he went either about his businesse or to take his food he might have it still in his Eye Thus God not onely gives us a Law but withall provides us means to keep it still fresh in our memories Whence 3. Observe God is pleased not only to give a Law to direct us but to furnish us with all needful means to further us in the performance of the Duties required therein Observ 3 THus when he had given his Law to his people he wrote it in Tables of stone and caused Moses to write his other Ordinances that they might be kept in memory to all posterity and Ordained Levites amongst his people and sometimes Prophets extraordinarily to hold it out unto them For the confirmation of our Faith he hath not only given us his Great and precious promises as they are called 2 Pet. 1.4 but confirmed them with an Oath and doth in a sort represent them daily in a visible manner unto us in the Sacraments so that he may testifie against us as he doth against his own people what can he do unto us which he hath not done Isa 5.4 And this he doth partly to manifest the sincerity of his affection towards us in desiring our Salvation and partly to justifie himself in the Condemnation of those that refuse so great salvation so many wayes tendered unto them and so obstinately refused Let us then make use of such helps and means as God is pleased to offer unto us as being assured that he really intends what he so many wayes labours to draw us to embrace and 2. as having need of such helps to support us and 3. being liable to the greater Condemnation by despising and rejecting them The next observable Circumstance laid before us in recording this restraint laid upon Adam is the subject matter which God withholds from him Wherein we are to take notice 1. That it is an Outward Object subject to sense 2. That it was a thing of inconsiderable value in comparison of that which was freely granted 3. That it was placed in the middest of the Garden that it might be often in Adams eye The Observation which the first of these Circumstances might afford us hath been handled already Ver. 9. Observ 6. Out of the Second 4 Observe The Matters in which God delights to try our Obedience are many times in themselves of no great importance Observ 4 THus he forbad his people to kill the Dam of the birds with her young ones Deut. 22.7 To seeth the Kid in the Mothers milk Exod. 23.19 To plough with an Oxe and an Asse Deut. 22.10 To sowe the field with mingled seed Levit. 19.19 And this he may be conceived to do 1. To manifest our Total subjection unto
prove like the foolish builder Luk. 14.30 or the Ostritch Iob. 39.14.15 2 Let it be a means to strengthen our hearts in the assurance of the perfecting the work 1. Of Sanctification God according to his promises will not leave purging us till he have made us without spot or wrinckle Eph. 5.17.20 Of our Salvation Phil. 1.6 He that suffered for us till all was finished Joh. 19.30 Will not leave till he have brought us into the full possession of the gloty which he hath purchased for us VERSE 2. THe seventh day The Hebrew Shevang which retaining the Letter as well as expressing the sense we render Seven is derived from a word which signifies to be full as if seven were a full and perfect number made up by the measure of time in which God finished the Creation of the world and by his resting after he had ended it declared the full and perfect accomplishment and finishing that Glorious work God Ended That is both finished whatsoever he intended to make and besides established and setled all that he had made to continue as it doth to this day in that estate in which he had Created it and also in that Correspondency that the Creatures had one with another Which he had made A Phrase added to distinguish the works of Creation from the works of Providence in which God both the Father and the Son work to this day John 5.27 He rested Not properly for God being a pure Act must needs be alwaies working and can no more cease to work than to be Onely in respect of the Creation he is said to rest or cease or forbear to do any more Manifesting thereby that he had fully perfected and finished all that he purposed and decreed to make This was Gods Rest taken Privitively If we conceive that there is any thing more implyed in this phrase it must be Gods resting in himself and in the Contemplation of his own works delighting himself as the Rest which he enjoynes Man upon that day is not a meer privitive Rest in ceasing from our labours but besides a positive Rest in which we stay our hearts upon God rejoycing in his glorious Works and Mercies towards Mankind So that Rest of God upon the Seventh Day laies before us the ground of the Institution of the Sabbath in the words following as a Day advanced by God above the rest by manifesting the perfecting of that glorious Work of the worlds Creation Thus we see God although he hath power to give what lawes he pleaseth yet is pleased to manifest the Equity of that which he commands that we may acknowledge his Will to be a rule of Righteousnesse VVhence 1. Observe God who may command What he will yet is pleased to command nothing but that which appears to be equall and Convenient Observ 1 THus is the observation of this day of Holy Rest equall and just in respect of God whose Wisdom Power and Goodnesse in Creating all things out of nothing and all of them exceeding good were fit to be remembred in some solemn day wherein Men by exercising themselves in the meditation of those glorious VVorks of God might be stirred up to an Holy rejoycing in him and to the publishing of his praise in the assemblies of his Saints for advancing of his glorious Name Secondly neither is it more just and equall in respect of God then it is profitable and beneficial to Man 1. By refreshing himself wearied with the labours of the six daies precedent 2. For the encrease of Piety and inward Comfort to the soul by enjoying an Holy Communion with God in his Ordinances and such are all the rest of Gods Lawes equall and just in all things Psal 119.128 and good unto Men Deut. 6.24 1. Let it move all Men that have power in their hand to exercise it according to the Rules of Equity and justice and for the good of others which must needs procure the respects of Love and reverence to their persons that Command and ready Obedience to their commands with chearfulnesse 2. Let it encourage all men to ready and willing Obedience to all Gods Lawes and that for their own good by considering 1. That at present they have their fruit in holinesse exercising themselves in such duties as are both honourable and comfortable 2. And that hereafter they shall receive a sure and plentiful reward Rom. 6.22 1 Cor. 15 58. Now although God were pleased to found his law upon grounds of Equity and Conveniency yet it was more then he was bound unto to give us an account of either notwithstanding we see that he is pleased to acquaint us also with the reasonablenesse and Equity of the Law that he gives VVhence 2. Observe God not onely makes his Lawes Equall and Reasonable but besides is pleased to make it appear unto us that they are So. Observ 2 THis God is pleased to manifest to his People in reasoning the case with them Ezech. 18.25 To the same end he is pleased to prefix a preface to his Law in delivering ft upon Sinai that they might consider in their own hearts how just and equall it was that he should have power to command them whom he had delivered from so Cruel a Bondage and slavery And for particular Lawes though the world judgeth them to be bonds and Coards yet he makes his Children to understand that his Lawes are right in all things Psal 119.128 And his Testimonies very Righteous and faithful ver 138. Reasons 1. We never truly honour God till in our judgment we approve and allow his Law to be just and equall as Saint Paul doth Rom. 6.16 And David as we have seen already whereby we set to our Seal that Gods Will is the rule of righteousnesse and holinesse 2. That is the onely meanes to draw men on to ready and Chearfull and by consequent Constant Obedience when the mind discerning both the Equity and Goodnesse of Gods Laws prevails with the will to make choice of them and drawes on the whole heart to delight in them and the whole Man to follow them with the uttermost endeavours which is a clear testimony to the world of the price that we set upon those holy Lawes and of our assurance that we have of an exceeding great reward in keeping them Psal 19.11 Let it move all that are Godly to search into all Gods Lawes begging Wisdom and understanding at Gods Hand for that purpose and undertaking the work with fear and reverence Consenting to and delighting in that which we know and adoring the depth of Gods Wisdome in general in those things that through our own Ignorance we understand not so fully in particular that we may with our whole heart yield unto and walk in all duties of obedience which it requires The phrase in which the Holy Ghost expresseth Gods resting from his Works must be carefully observed He rested saith Moses from all the workes that he had made or from Creating any more Whence 3.
God although he thought it not fit to change the Sabbath unto another day till that work should be accomplished which should occasion the change of it yet took speciall care to pen the Fourth Commandement in such expressions that when the time of accomplishing that work should come the day might be changed without altering the letter of the Law Wherefore having occasion in the fourth Commandement to alledge the same reason for the Continuation of the Sabbath that he gives here for the Institution of it and that in the same form of words which he here useth yet in the conclusion inferred upon that reason he changeth the Particular term Seventh unto that which is more General Sabbath saying not as here Therefore the Lord Sanctified the Seventh Day but Therefore the Lord Sanctified the Sabbath Day Implying that the time which he required to be observed must be one Resting day of Seven leaving the Particularity of the day to be designed by the work upon which the observation of it was to be grounded so that both the Jews from that same Law might have warrant for the observation of the Last day of the Week and we that are Christians might have the like warrant for the observing of the First day of the Week Some there are that conceive these words not to contain in them the Narration of what God instituted at present but by way of Anticipation a manifestation of what he Ordained and Appointed to be observed in the Law afterward delivered to his people upon Mount Sinai Exod. 20. As if Moses had said here This Rest of God the Seventh day was the reason why God in the delivering his Law upon Mount Sinai appointed his People to keep that Seventh day for a day of an Holy Rest To whom we answer 1. What ground is there to be drawn out of any Circumstance of the text that enforceth us to admit such an Anticipation and without such a ground who dare suppose it If we may pervert the Order of the Scriptures at our pleasure without warrant from the Letter of the text it self no Man shall be able to draw any binding Argument out of Scripture to conclude any thing at all 2. Anticipations in Scripture are most Commonly if not Alwaies used that by representing before hand somewhat which was done afterwards the whole narration might be made more clear and perspicuous or at least that the Occasion or consequents of such other things as are related might be Considered and laid together that we might the more easily and distinctly observe the VVay of God in his VVork Now in this place to mention the occasion of that which was done more then two thousand years afterwards helps nothing to the understanding of any thing there related and consequently there is upon that ground no cause of supposing such an Anticipation 3. Such an Anticipation in this place must needs be acknowledged to be utterly superfluous seeing the very ground of Instituting the rest of the Sabbath which is mentioned here is expresly and wel-nigh in the same words set down in the very body of the Law given upon Mount Sinai Now it cannot be Imagined that the Holy Ghost in an History so succinctly penned as this is would insert any thing unnecessarily and superfluously 4. Such an Anticipation in this place necessarily supposeth that the Book of Genesis was written after the delivering of the Law upon Mount Sinai for if the Law were not given before the Book of Genesis was written how could this Anticipation here shew the reason of a Law which was not then in being Now that the Book of Genesis was written after the Law was given is impossible to be proved Nay if conjectures might be admitted it seems more probable that Genesis was written while Moses was yet in Midian before he undertook the bringing up of Israel out of Egypt for besides that he was then best at leisure that Book must needs be of singular use to encourage the Children of Israel to undertake their journey into Canaan for which their Fore-Fathers had forsaken their own native soil which God had so many waies made over unto them wherein they had been sojourners so long a time and wherein God had so wonderfully protected and prospered them even to admiration all of them being great encouragements to enter into the possession of so good a Land so freely bestowed upon them Others there are that conceive that those words contain only a narration of what God himself did not what he appointed or ordained Man to do or observe afterwards and will have the words in the first clause to expresse what God did He rested and in the later to expresse how he did it He Sanctified and Blessed his Rest or kept it as an Holy Rest To whom we answer 1. How can God be said to Sanctifie his Rest in this Sense seeing his Actions and Holines of them cannot be severed but whatsoever he doth is Holy because he doth it The actions of Men indeed and the Holinesse of them be two things and are many times too far asunder but God is holy in all his Works Psal 145.17 and in ceasing from his Works And therefore to say that God Rested and that he Sanctified his Rest is to speak Improperly and Superfluously 2. If that be the sense of the term Sanctified how shall we interpret the next word Blessed In what sense God by his own Act of Resting may be said to Blesse the day of his Rest cannot easily be imagined neither do we find any other place of Scripture wherein that phrase bears such a sense 3. The letter of the Text and Series of the Narration seem to oppose this sense wherein we have related unto us three distinct Actions of God First He made 2. He Rested 3. He Blessed and Sanctified the Rest And those three are laid down as succeeding one another at least in Nature if not in Time Yea and to be in a sort the ground one of another The full perfecting and finishing of the Creation was the ground of Gods Resting and his Resting was the Ground or Occasion at least of Blessing and Sanctifying the Day of Rest or appointing of it to be a day of Holy Rest So that as in the words of the second verse He rested from all the works which he had made imply the making of the works before the Rest so in this Verse He Sanctified the Rest because he had Rested must needs imply that the Rest went before the sanctifying of the Rest and to be distinct from it A third sort there are that think those words Sanctified and Blessed to imply Not what God then did but what he purposed and intended to do afterwards and parallel for the strengthening of that conjecture with these words that phrase Jer. 11.8 where God saith that he sanctified and Ordained Jeremy to be a Prophet in the womb which cannot be understood of the Actuall Sanctifying of Jeremy at present but
and abundance But withal kindle in our hearts a longing desire after that One thing which is both Necessary and Sufficient even God Himself communicated unto us in his Son Jesus Christ who alone is unto us a Full and All-sufficient Treasury seeing the very variety of these outward things argue their Insufficiency and Imperfection The second Circumstance by which this Grant of the fruits of Paradise is enlarged is that God gave not the man only the Taste of them but withall the Full and Constant fruition of them to take of them what he pleased either for Necessity or Delight within the bounds of Sobriety without any other limitation or restraint at all Whence 6. Observe Whatsoever God bestowes upon us he bestowes Freely and Fully Observ 6 AL things abundantly 1 Tim. 6.17 Commanding us to open our mouthes wide that we may fill them Psalme 81.10 Satisfying the desire of every living thing Psalme 145. Multiplying his Blessing like the Widdowes oyl 2 King 4. which never ceased till there were no more Vessells to receive it And as he gives largely so He desires that we should satisfie our souls with his Goodnesse Jer. 30.14.25 Freely using his Blessings within the bounds of Moderation but above all things his Desire is that we take of the waters of the Well of Life freely without money and drink and eat and delight their souls in fatnesse Isa 55.2 That we may rejoyce in the Lord alwaies and again rejoyce Phil. 4.4 And this God doth Partly because the bounty of his Goodnesse may be seen the more the more we taste it so many various and divers waies Let our acknowledgments in our duties unto God be some way answerable unto his gifts unto us Free and Full every way that they may be accepted of him who loves a Chearful Giver the rather because we render unto him 1. Of his Own 1 Chron. 29.14.2 Our giving unto him is but Sowing and that unto our selves whereof we receive the increase and that proportionable to our Seed 2 Cor. 9.6 VERSE 17. BUt That is notwithstanding this free liberty which I have given unto you to take and enjoy the rest of the fruits of the Garden you shall not meddle with this Tree Not eat thereof Not for any Evil in the fruit it self which might in it self be as fit for food as the other fruits as it appears Chap. 3.6 Otherwise it could be no tryall of Adams Obedience to forbear that whereof he could make no use Now in this relation of Gods Restraint laid upon Adam we find no more forbidden but the Eating of the fruit of that Tree though the woman in repeating it mentions Touching as well as Eating Gen. 3.3 Whether that Clause were added by God though it be omitted by Moses here or whether the Woman conceived it to be implyed although it were not expressed as conceiving it unfit for them to handle that which they might not Eat it is not much material This is evident that by this abstinence from the Tree Adam was to acknowledge Gods Absolute Power over the Creatures who had therefore free liberty to grant or withhold what he pleased And withall he was to manifest his Subjection unto God to be guided wholly by his Will by abstaining from all that God denied him meerly because it was his pleasure And for this cause God singles out a Tree as Beautifull to the Eye as Delightfull in Taste and good for Food as any of the rest And forbids the man to eate of it to shew that it was no difference in the fruits but meerly in the Will of God which made the eating of the rest lawful and of this One onely Unlawful as we shall see more fully hereafter in the next Chapter For in the day Or very Moment of time for the very Act of sin involves the sinner in the Punishmentt though sometimes the Execution of it may be differred for a while and yet this Judgment here mentioned seized upon our First Parents in the very act of sinning for we find that Folly Fear and Shame besides the corrupting of their hearts within included amongst other Evils in this name of Death took hold on them in the very moment when they tasted the forbidden fruit Thou shalt surely die Dying thou shalt die saith the Originall as before Eating thou shalt eat pointing at the Certainty Continuance and Extent of that death which should seize upon man in case of transgressing under that name of Death Including all kind of Evils Outward and Inward on the Soul and Body Temporal and Eternal Plagues of all sorts on the Outward man and the meanes of inflicting them as Locusts are called a death Exod. 10.7 and Saint Paul calls his outward Afflictions and Miseries Deaths 2 Cor. 11.23 and Infirmities of the body tending unto ending in the dissolution of Nature by separating the Soul from the Body But especially weaknesse and corruption of the Soul in all the parts thereof Blindnesse in the Understanding Rebellion and Perversenesse in the Will Bondage and slavery in the Affections Distemper and Distraction in the thoughts by the fighting of contraries within us Horror of Conscience by the Apprehension of Gods unsupportable and unavoidable Wrath and lastly Eternall Separation from the presence of the Lord 2 Thes 1.9.8 and Delivering over of the Body and Soul to everlasting torments called the Second death Rev. 20.6.14 We have then in this verse set before us a law given to Adam with the Sanction annexed thereunto in both which are divers considerable circumstances to be taken notice of as namely in the Law 1. The person that gives it 2. The Restraint laid upon man thereby 3. The matter wherein 4. The measure how far it reacheth Out of the former of those considered in relation to the person to whom the Law is given even to Adam himself in the state of his Innocency and the perfection of his nature 1. Observe The most righteous amongst the Sons of men Must and Needs to live under a Law Observ 1 NOt so much to enforce him to his duty by any terrour because a godly mans nature by the Renovation thereof being made conformable to the Law and thereby delighting therein and having withall his heart filled with the Love of God by that double band is more strongly drawn on to all duties of Obedience then he can be by any other way in which respect the Law is said not to be given to a Just man because he is a Law unto himself 1 Tim. 2.9 Notwithstanding unto such a person a law is needful 1. For direction for man is unfit to choose his own way being through his ignorance so apt to mistake evill for good neither is any able to find out what is truly good but God alone who is Goodnesse it self and His Will the Rule of goodnesse which none can find out or reveal but himself 1 Cor. 2.11.2 It is needful that by conforming to the Law given us by God we
Him when we are limited even in the smallest things 2. To shew us that it is only Obedience and Conformity to his Will that God respects and not the Matter or Substance of the thing it self in which he requires it 3. To make our yoke the more easie that we might be the more encouraged to obedience as Naaman's servants move him to wash himself in Jordan as the Prophet commanded him because it was an easie thing even a small matter that was required of him 2 King 5.13 Who then are they that esteem observances in matters of small moment nicenesse and precisenesse and would perswade us that the smalnesse of the matter makes a sin venial whereas God punisheth the gathering of sticks only on the Sabbath day with death Numb 15.35 as he did afterwards only for touching the Ark 2 Sam. 6.7 and shall as our Saviour tells us judge men hereafter for every idle word Matth. 12.36 This Tree of the fruit whereof Man was forbidden to eat was seated in the middest of Paradise and consequently in the middest of all those pleasant fruits which God had given man free liberty to make use of not only for necessity but for delight besides Whence we may take occasion to 5. Observe Our Abundance and Delights and Pleasures must be used in fear and within the Limits of Obedience Observ 5 A Man must not give the rains to his appetite but eat within measure when he comes to a Feast as Solomon adviseth Prov. 23.2 And it is a mark of sensual men that they feast without fear Jude 12. So that there must be a limited measure in the freest use of Gods blessings and limited time both of them proportioned according to the Laws 1. Of Nature that we feed for hunger and to strengthen the body and not for drunkennesse and surfeiting Eccl. 10.17 2. Of Moral respects of Sobriety Modesty and Correspondency to our present condition every man may not wear costly apparel but such as are in Kings Courts Luk. 7.25 And to the necessities of other men Dives must not feast every day and let Lazarus starve at his Gate 3. According to the Rules of Religion God takes it heinously at his Peoples hand when they fall to slaying of Sheep and Oxen in a time when He calls to mourning and fasting Isa 22.12.13 And the Apostle gives a Caveat to forbear even the Lawful use of marriage at such time as we should give our selves to fasting and prayer We have hitherto considered the law which forbad the eating of the fruit of that Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evill The Sanction followes which is the Intermination of a most fearfull curse which necessarily implyes the heinousnesse of the sin in disobeying Gods Commandement Whence 6. Observe Disobedience is a fearful sin in Gods account Observ 6 ANd is therefore by Samuel equalled to Witch-craft the most hatefull of all sins 1. Sam. 15.23 for which Saul was cast out of his Kingdom which God Himself threatens with Destruction Isa 1.20 not onely Temporall but Eternall 1 Pet. 3.19.20 And that especially because it is directed against the Majesty of God Himself whose Authority is sleighted and despised when his Lawes and Commandements are disobeyed And Secondly it opens a gap to all manner of loosenesse and disorder Nature knowes to stay when it hath once passed the bounds of Obedience no more then a violent stream doth when it hath once broken over those Banks that before kept it in Let us then esteem and value all sins according to that Circumstance the more Disobedience there is in any act of ours the more sin Therefore sin is out of measure sinful when it is 1. Against knowledge Jam. 4.17 John 9.41 2. Against Warnings Perswasions Judgments Experience of Mercy or against any meanes of Grace See John 15.22.24 2 Chron. 36.15 3. Or Voluntary without Sollicitation or urging by the violence of any Temptation as when men set themselves in a way that is not good Psal 36.4 and imagine mischief upon their beds Mich. 2.1 Lastly when the law it self is rejected and cast aside Jer. 44.16 and accompted as a strange thing Hos 8.12 and cast behind a mans back Psal 50.17 But why is such an heavy curse threatned to Adam in this state of his Innocency having especially had such late and large experiments of Gods Bounty towards him It cannot be doubted that God had speciall respect unto the Mutability of his Nature and therefore knew that he needed this bridle which also by experience appeared to be too weak to restrain those inordinate lusts which were quickly stirred up in him by Satans Suggestions so that out of this help that God thought fit to provide for him We may 7. Observe The Terrours of the Law are usefull and needful even unto the best amongst the sons of men Observ 7 IF God found it needful to Adam in this state of perfection much more must it be useful to all men now seeing besides all temptations from without we have within us such a fountain of Corruption breathing out continually Inordinate lusts that need the strongest bridle to keep them in and suppresse them Besides those terrours are now unto us of speciall use to sweeten the Remembrance of our Redemption by Christ from the Curse and condemning sentence of the Law and to strengthen us against those manifold temptations which from without assault us more free-quently and prevalently then they did our First Parents Wherefore we finde the Spirit of God making use of those Terrours not onely in Generall as in the Proposall of the Law to his own People but more particularly to affect the hearts of the best men as Moses Himself trembled as well as the rest at the giving of the Law Heb. 12.21 Yea even godly men themselves have made use of them of their own accord for the keeping of their hearts in an awful Reverence of God to hold them on in a Course of Obedience as Job did Job 31.14 15. and David Psalme 119.120 Hitherto we have considered this Curse in relation to the Sin against which and the Person against whom it is denounced We are farther to take notice of the Kind Measure and Certainty thereof all implyed in that phrase Dying thou shalt die together with the speedy Execution thereof in the very day wherein they should eat thereof And first in that God threatens death unto the man in case of his rebellion We may 8. Observe Death and Destruction are in Gods Hand to inflict them where He pleaseth Observ 8 HE justly claimes unto Himself the power to kill as well as to make alive Deut. 32.39 And therefore his Children ascribe it unto him 1 Sam. 2.6 and unto Christ Rev. 1.18 Even Bodily or Temporall death which may indeed be inflicted by men who can kill the body Matth. 10.28 But therein they are but Gods Executioners Rev. 6.4 and are the Sword in his his Hand Psal 17.13 Much more are Hell and Eternall death in
did Whence 4. Observe Man may lawfully use that Power over the Creatures which God Himself hath put into his hand Observ 4 IF Joseph might use the power which Pharaoh gave him over his Subjects Gen. 41.45 much more may men make use of that power which God hath given them seeing he hath in his hand power over all his own works which therefore he may bestow where he pleaseth and is pleased to bestow on men for the farther magnifying of his goodnesse and favour towards them Only seeing it is a Power which we have not by our own right but by deputation from him in whom it is founded originally our care must be to use it within the bounds limited by Him who gave it not vainly for ostentation but Soberly and Moderately and to the ends for which it is given which must not be so much for the advancing of our selves as for the good of the Creature But why did not God give the Creatures their names himself seeing that power was Originally founded in him and seeing He best understood the Nature of every Creature and consequently could best fit them with names suitable thereunto The Reason we have partly seen And may hence 5. Observe God is pleased to honour men so far as to employ them in many things which of right belong unto and might be done by Himself alone Observ 5 THus whereas it is his Spirit by which the face of the earth is renewed Psal 104.30 that is by which all Creatures are propagated in their kinds yet he is pleased to make use both of men and beasts as his Instruments in their propagation And whereas he only governs the World in Righteousnesse yet he makes use of men in the Government thereof whom he sets upon his Throne Graces with his Titles and arms with his Scepter as although it is he alone that is the Shepherd of Israel Psal 80.1 yet he sets up David his servant to feed Israel his Inheritance Psal 78.71 yea in things spiritual although all are taught of God Isa 54.13 yet he committed the dispensation of his Word to the Tribe of Levi and his Ministers that succeed them to teach Jacob his Judgments and Israel his Law Deut. 33.10 Insomuch that he gives them the title of Fathers unto such as are begotten anew by the Gospel 1 Cor. 4.15 although the work of Regeneration be the Effect only of his own Spirit And this he doth 1. To encourage men to his service in honouring them so far as to make them his follow-workers 2. To unite men the more in love one to another 3. To encrease their reward hereafter by the faithful employment of their Talents for the advantage of their Master from whom they received them Matth. 25.21 23. VERSE 20. ANd Adam gave names An evident Argument of Incomparable Wisdom in him who understood their natures at the first view better then we do now by all our observation after so large experience and was able at an instant to find out fit names for them whereas the finding out of apt names and terms in Languages requires much Judgment and Learning This Wisdom seeing it was not gotten by use and experience must necessarily be infused immediately by God Himself To the Fowl of the Ayr and to every beast And to them only For neither could the Fishes of the Sea be brought to him without a miracle neither was it to any purpose for Adam to seek for a companion for himself amongst them which could not live with him in the same Element But for Adam was not an Help found Neither in Gods Judgment nor in his Own who the more he considered and knew of the nature of the Creatures the more unfit he found them for his Society for which he easily found that God had never Created them It is true that they were and might be useful to him some other way as they are now unto us many wayes according to the several abilities which God hath given them But for Propagation which could not be but by another Sex of the same Nature with Man or for continual and comfortable commerce they were utterly unfit so that there wanted another helper to Man then was to be found amongst any of those Creatures that God had yet made In that none of those Creatures which God had made for other Ends was fit to be an Helper and Companion for Adam we may 1. Observe No Creature Can or Ought to be applyed to any other use then that for which it was first Created and Ordained by God Observ 1 EIther in that disposition or fashion that God hath given them in their Creation as the Earth to stand still the Waters to flow the Heavens to move Men and Beasts to walk and Birds to flye c. Or in such alterations by the Art and Industry of men as God hath made them capable of As Iron and Steel to cut silver and brasse to give a found barren ground to become fruitful by manurance the Stock of one plant to nourish the Graft of another and the like Beyond which they cannot be carried by any Art or Labour of Man who cannot make straight that which God hath made crooked Eccl. 1.15 That whatsoever God hath made might be for ever so that nothing might be put to it nor any thing taken from it Eccl. 3.14 And thus it must needs be 1. Because he hath made all his works in Wisdom Psal 104.24 and to alter them from what they were first appointed were to make them worse 2. That Gods Soveraignty may be acknowledged when the Rule and Law which he hath given the Creature remains unalterable when all things continue according to his Ordinance Psal 119.91 that all flesh may fear before him 3. For avoiding Confusion which must necessarily follow by mens altering and changing of all things according to their own pleasure which alters every moment Who are they then that alter the Natural use of the Creature into that which is against nature as the Apostle instanceth in one particular Rom. 1.26 seeking Stability in Uncertain things Inward content in Outward things which were never ordained to fill the heart Eccl. 5.10 Good in Evil and the like Whereby 1. They endeavour to Crosse the Law that God hath set in Nature 2. Abuse both the Creatures and the Power that he hath given man over them 3. And failing in their end at length shew themselves fooles in striving against the stream More particularly to take the words Positively as they are laid before us That none amongst the Beasts or Fowles could be found to be a fit companion for Man We may 2. Observe Beasts are not fit nor can be made Comfortable companions for men Observ 2 AS wanting the meanes of Commerce both by Reason and Speech and having nothing to speak of common with men if they had them both neither in their Chief Employments wherein they are or ought to be exercised nor in the Rules by which they
before he could bethink himself how he might procure that which he needed so much 2. The Largenesse of Gods bounty is set out in the Pleasantness of the Garden provided and given man for his habitation In the infinite variety of all sorts of Fruits wherewith it was stored both for Necessity and Delight all of them planted by Gods own hand And in allowing man the free use of them all excepting only One Tree reserved by God as an acknowledgment of his Soveraignty and as a Remembrance to man of his duty In the Investiture of man into his Soveraignty over all the Creatures designed unto him in the former Chapter And lastly in Creating and bestowing the Woman upon him in marriage a greater help unto him and comfort for his life then all the creatures besides could have been 3. The Sufficiency of the Provision which God made for Man appears in this that he had all his wants supplied He wanted no possessions for the Earth was his Inheritance No servants for the work which he had to do was little more then to pluck and eat his own food from the Trees and to oversee and keep in order the Garden ready planted to his hand No food for all those delicate fruits were ready prepared and allowed him for his diet Houses and Apparel there was no need of when there was no deformity that needed covering no Injury by the weather from which he needed to be defended Onely there wanted a VVife both for Propagation and Society and that also God provides for him and that such a one as he acknowledgeth to be every way meet for him and accordingly rejoyceth in her So that God ceased not till he had furnished man every way with all that his Heart could wish or his needfull Occasions required Now for the Lawes and Rules which God gave man to guide himself by in this state of Innocency we must take notice that such of them as are meerly branches of the law of Nature are here omitted VVe call them properly Lawes of Nature which being Rules discovered by the consideration of the Nature of the Creatures are easily found out by the strength of right Reason As if there be a God Reason teacheth that he must be worshipped and if he be a Spirit that he must be worshipped in Spirit and Truth If we have our Being and Education from our Parents that they must be honoured and served If Words must be manifestations unto others of our Thoughts that then they must be answerable unto them so that we must speak what we think even the truth from our hearts and the like These being written in all mens hearts by Nature that is manifest to all men by Natural reason are not mentioned in this brief history as being sufficiently known without relation The Lawes here recorded are onely such as were added to the Law of Nature by Institution which the rule of Equity doth not necessarily enforce of it self without Gods command to have it thus or otherwise As though it were of the Law of Nature that if God must be worshipped that there must be a set time and a time of rest from other employments appointed for that worship yet what portion of time this should be and on what day it should be fixed as that it should be one day in Seven and the last of seven no man could by Natural Reason conclude till God commanded that it should be so That man should take care of the Creatures and endeavour to preserve them especially being appointed for his service reason would prescribe but that Adam should take charge of Paradise to keep and dresse it was meerly by Gods Institution and Command who might as well have disposed of him in some other place as there if he had so pleased That Gods Will should be mans Rule and that his Obedience and Faith should be professed and shewed forth to others is a branch of the Law of Nature but that Adam should manifest his Faith in God by eating of the tree of Life and his subjection to his Will by abstaining from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was only by Gods own appointment having no other ground but the motion of his own will That Man and Woman should be joyned together for propagation and that too in Marriage may be conceived to be of the Law of Nature But that a man should be bound to one Wife and that for term of Life although Natural Reason must needs acknowledge it to be most convenient yet because it is not necessary God might have ordered it otherwise if he had been so pleased Whatsoever the Reason may be conceived to be why the Holy Ghost mentions only these Positive Lawes whereas he passeth over in silence the Laws of Nature it must needs be acknowledged that these Laws which being only Positive have no other foundation but the meer Will of God are notwithstanding so Equal and Good every way that being once made known natural reason it self cannot but approve them and consequently the Righteousnesse Holinesse and Goodnesse of God appears more clearly in them than in those Lawes that being branches of the Law of Nature are in a sort more Necessary seeing nothing discovers the man more evidently then those things wherein he is most free to do or approve what he will And indeed it may be probably conceived that the Holy Ghost had this scope to manifest the Righteousnesse of God in giving these Lawes because they are so recorded that the Equity of them is withall manifested by some Circumstance or other inserted into the Relation The Equity of appointing the Sabbath unto the last day of the week appears in manifesting that That day being honoured above the rest by putting an end to and declaring the perfecting of the Works of Creation was the fittest day to be observed in remembrance of so glorious a work And the Law of appointing man to labour in Paradise is manifested to be equal by this that God gave him the use of all the fruits in Paradise so that he did but labour for himself That the Interdiction of the Tree of Knowledge might appear to be equall it is recorded withall that God gave Man all the rest of the fruits to make use of freely The same is as clearly manifested in setting down at large the Law of Marriage 2. The Holinesse of these Lawes appears as well as their Equity The Sabbath Sacrament of the Tree of Life and restraint from the Eating of the Tree of knowledge of Good and Evil tending only to the furthering of Faith and Obedience and the raising up of mens hearts to an holy delight in God and enjoying an holy Communion with him Mans labour tending to the exercising of Love and Mercy towards the Creatures and Marriage to further mutual edification in Piety and Godlinesse and the propagation of an holy seed as it is plainly expressed Mal. 2.15 3. The Goodnesse of these Lawes to Man is as
advanced when they should no more behold God in the dim glasse of the creatures as now they did but should see him face to face and know him as they were known All these considerations laid together might prevail much with the woman to make use of the meanes proposed by Satan to encrease her knowledge In the fifth place it was Satans special care to represent unto the woman this meanes of gaining the knowledge of good and evil in the most alluring way that he could possibly devise For whereas there are three things especially that encourage men to the use and effectual pursuing of any meanes that may further them to the attaining of a desired end proposed unto them First that they are easily procured Secondly that they are delight some in the use of them Thirdly that they are of great efficacy and speedy in operation Of all these Satan makes shew in perswading the woman to the eating of this forbidden fruit for the gaining of the knowledge of good and evil For first what could be more easie then to pluck from a tree that stood full in her way Next what could be more delightful then to eat of a fruit so grateful to the taste and beautiful to the eye as that fruit appeared to be to the woman as we shall see anon Lastly there could be nothing more speedy or effectual in operation then this fruit which should produce the desired effect the same day that it was taken as Satan makes the woman believe All these allurements the devil layes before her and how he prevailes by them we shall see Satans sixth policy in beguiling the woman was in the choice of the kinde of the sin to which he tempts her which if it had appeared to be some sin against the Law of Nature such are blasphemy against God lying c. Satan might have found it an hard taske to carry her against the principles of nature so firmely planted in her heart wherefore he makes choice of such a Law as was no Law of Nature but meerly positive prescribed only by Gods Will to tempt her to the breach of that Law which nothing but pure obedience to God will bound her to observe As for the Act it self First it was a matter of no value in which she should offend being only the eating of the fruit of one of the Trees of the Garden A consideration which occasions so much slighting of sin in many profane hearts to this day Secondly the scope of the action seemed to be only mans good without any wronging of God at all who might be conceived to lose nothing by mans gaine or the creature which was ordained to be eaten Thirdly it was an offence unto which they were not carried by any rebellious inclination of their own hearts but unto which they were directed by the advice and counsel of one that pretended and they were perswaded was their friend which also both the man and the woman alledge in their own defence afterwards when God chargeth them with this sinne Lastly if the devils suggestion had been true that God knew that the fruit of that tree had such a vertue that it would open their eyes it might seem to them to be an action unto which God himself invited them howsoever he had in expresse termes forbidden it For why should he give such a vertue to that tree to make one wise to know good and evil if it might not be used to that end and by whom if not by man who was only capable of such knowledge Seventhly in the choice of his arguments to move and perswade the woman to eat of this forbidden fruit Satan makes use of the depth of his cunning and policy which we may easily discover in three particulars First in grounding all his arguments upon such foundations as being not manifest and apparent in themselves might the more safely be supposed because they could not by any clear evidence be disproved Secondly in producing arguments grounded upon some colour of truth but those grosly mistaken and misapplied Thirdly in pressing all arguments that might make for the furthering of his motion and concealing all that might make against it First then he urgeth two arguments grounded upon meer suppositions of such things as being secret in themselves and not maniâ—â—â—ted by any outward effect were therefore impossible to be disproved which suppositions he also fortifies with such faire probabilities as might make them carry at least some shew of truth As first he supposeth that the fruit forbidden had a secret vertue to make one wise like a God to know good and evil who could disprove this seeing none had ever tried it That it might hae such a vertue First the name given it by God himself might seem to imply for why was it called the tree of knowledge of good and evil if it had not some vertue to give that knowledge Secondly the interdiction of the eating of that fruit under so grievous a penalty seemes to imply as much else why should God forbid man the use of that fruit when he granted him all the rest of the fruits of the Garden if there were not some vertue in this that the other fruits had not or how could it stand with Gods justice to lay so heavy a penalty for the eating of this fruit if it were of vulgar and common use Lastly God may perhaps be conceived in policy to conceal the vertue of this fruit from man lest he despising the interdiction eating of the fruit forbidden and thereby becoming wise as God he might share with him in his honour and so God might lose the glory of excelling alone Satans second argument of this kinde is grounded upon the suppofition of Gods secret ill affection towards man which if Satan suggested who could disprove it for who could discover the secrets of his heart which can be known to none but himself alone That God was enviously affected towards man there seemed to be these probabilities First he had planted a Garden for man and denied him some of the fruits of it Secondly that fruit which he had denied him was only of true worth and value and fit for an understanding creature whereas that which God had given him was of little worth only food for the body which he had allowed to the very beasts Thirdly he implies that God must do this wittingly seeing he that had made the tree could not be ignorant of the vertue which himselfe had given it Fourthly he supposeth that God could have no other end in interdicting unto man the use of this fruit but only to keep him under in a state of vassalage destitute of that knowledge of which he was capable that himself might excel alone With these plausible suppositions the divel strengthens his arguments to draw man on into rebellion against his Lord. In the next place Satan grounds his argument upon such things as carry with them some shew of truth but those he wrests
the winde In one thing the woman doth well whatsoever her meaning was or whatsoever moved her the reunto that she mentions the Sanction together with the interdiction whereof only the divel had enquired expressing not only what God had forbidden but withal under how severe a penalty he had forbidden it and may give us occasion to 2. OBSERVE When we remember any Law of God we ought withal to set before us the Sanction an nexed thereunto Observe 2 UNto this God himselfe seems to direct us who hath annexed the Sanctions to some of the Lawes of the Decalogue as namely to the second third and fifth Commandments notwithstanding the great brevity which he useth in penning that Law unto which also after the full delivery of the whole Law are annexed divers others more at large Lev. 26. and Deut. 28. And we know that not only the Law was appointed to be published in the eares of all the people after their coming into the Land of Canaan but the Sanctions both of blessings and curses were to be denounced withal Deut. 28.12 13. This course that God takes in the delivery of the Law both directs Ministers in preaching and applying it to follow that example and private persons in their meditations and examination of their wayes and actions not to sever those things which God himself hath joyned together And that 1. For Gods honour that all our obedience may be tendred to him both in faith and feare wherein we acknowledge both his infinite goodnesse in rewarding even those duties that we owe unto him as his servants and his holinesse and justice in executing justice upon such as wickedly transgresse 2. For our own necessity whose dead hearts need such effectual meanes to quicken us Thus we see God every where stirs up his own people to obedience by the promises of large rewards as the Apostle doth likewise stir us up to be abundant always in the Work of the Lord because we know our labour is not in vain in the Lord 1 Cor. 15.58 On the other side Job makes use of the terrour of Gods wrath to restrain himself from evil Job 31.23 as likewise doth the Prophet David Psal 119.120 The next thing observable in this part of the womans answer is that she prefixeth the Name of God both to the interdiction and to the judgement threatened which though she seem to do with some repining or rising of her heart against the strictnesse of Gods dealing with her notwithstanding howsoever she may make an ill use of it yet she doth no more then she ought to have done and may give us occasion to 3 OBSERVE When we lay the Law of God before us we must withal fixe our thoughts upon him that gives it Observ 3 FOr this purpose in delivering the Decalogue the Lord before the Law himself prefixeth his own Name And thus all the Prophets in urging and applying the Law in all their reproofes exhortations threatenings or promises still prefixeth before them or annexeth unto them The Lord hath spoken or The Word of the Lord. And indeed the remembring of Gods Name upon such occasions is of singular use sundry wayes 1. Together with Gods Name is represented unto us his Authority and withal both his Wisdome and Goodnesse which will be an effectual meanes to stay and silence all carnal reasonings which otherwise will very hardly be answered considering how hard a matter it is for the wisdom of the flesh to submit to the Law Rom. 8.7 But against God himselfe who dare dispute with the Apostle Rom. 9.20 2. By the same meanes we are quickened to obedience with chearfulnesse when we consider that they are the Commandments of that God who gave us our being and in whom we subsist to whom we owe our selves and all we have and from whom we expect glory and immortality and eternal life See Davids answer to his scoffing wife 2 Sam. 6.21 3. Only this looking upon God in all his Commandments makes our services duties of obedience when they are performed at the Command and in submission to the Will of him whose we are whereby we acknowledge both his Authority and besides his Will to be the rule of Righteousnesse Lastly it wonderfully stirs us up to watchfulnesse diligence and sincerity in all our carriage when we behold the Presence Majesty and Holinesse of him to whom we performe our duties serving him with reverence and feare and with a single heart as being the God who sees in secret and whose eyes are purer then to behold evil But all circumstances duly weighed and the whole frame of the womans answer duly considered it seems more then probable that her prefixing of Gods Name to this interdiction proceedes meerly from an humour of discontent and the rising of her spirit against the restraint from eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and by consequent against God himselfe who had laid this restraint upon her So easie a matter it was for Satan to work her heart even in this state of innocency to impatience and discontent at any restraint at all how much more easily doth he set our heart against it in this state of corruption So that we may from hence 4 OBSERVE It is an hard matter to bring mans heart to submit unto and beare with patience and chearfulnesse any yoke of restraint Observe 4 THe evidence of this truth appears not only in the sonnes of Belial as the Scripture termes them who refuse to beare any yoke but break all bands and cast away the cords from them Psal 2.3 but even in those that pretend to submit to the Law and yet when it crosseth their humour cast it aside as did Johanan and his companions Jer. 43.4 5. or at least submit to it with murmuring like Zipporah Exod. 4.25 Nay the best and dearest of Gods servants though they have really and cordially taken upon them Christs yoke so far that they consent to the Law that it is good and holy Rom. 7.16 and righteous in all things Psal 119.128 and delight in it Rom. 7.22 Psal 119.24 and engage themselves in their purposes and resolutions to observe it constantly in all things Psal 119.106 yet they finde a law in their members that is strong lusts in their fleshly part rebelling and rising up against that Law that their minde approves and submits unto Rom. 7.23 and striving to shake off that yoke that they may be at liberty And this comes to passe because the best are but renewed in part and have sin dwelling in them still although it reigne not in them so that they are partly carnal still and therefore there is still something in them that neither is nor can be subject to Gods Law Rom. 8.7 but growes more rebellious by restraint Rom. 7.8 9. as waters swell the higher by the dam that stops their course This condition of his children the Lord himself hath thus disposed in wisdome 1. That we might be the more
object but from the corruption of the heart within Observe 2 INdeed those things that defile a man come from within Mark 7.21 and it is not the beholding of a woman but the lusting after her in ones heart that makes it adultery Mat. 5.18 And St. James tells us that God tempts no man but every man is drawn away by his own lust Jam. 1.13 14. First God tempts no man neither by suggestion of evil that he raiseth up in any mans heart nor by any thing that he hath made now if God should have put any evil into the creature which he had made he might have been said in some sort to have tempted us to evil but every creature of God is good wherefore he affirmes that the cause of evil is within us and not without us the creature being in the nature of it as apt to be applied to good as to evil to which it cannot be turned but by the evil disposition of our owne hearts within us and the motions that arise from thence The evil then was neither in the wedge of gold nor in the Babylonish garment which Achan saw but in his coveting of them nor is it in the wine that gives a red colour in the Cup but in the drunkards inordinate appetite Prov. 23.31 No wicked persons draw from alluring objects motions and sollicitations to sin with an intent to corrupt and draw others to evil as the devil from the glory of the Kingdomes of the world drew his temptation wherewith he endeavoured to allure our blessed Saviour to fall down and worship him yet neither the creature it selfe nor the temptation or motion presented with it causeth any sinne in us unlesse they meet with some corruption in our hearts to embrace and entertain them Seeing the nature of sinne consists in a voluntary motion of the minde against the Law of God whichcan proceed from no other cause but only from the motion of the minde of him that sins We have laid before us the first step of the womans sinne in the outward act that she saw the fruit of the tree that it was pleasant that is that she looked upon it with delight and desire she saw it perhaps before but that was only in a natural way to discerne that object before her eye she lookes now upon it in a sinful way fixing her eye upon it with a more serious observation of the pleasantnesse of it which so affected her heart that she takes the boldnesse to pluck and eate it So she begins her sin in gazing upon and perfects it in taking and eating Whence 3 OBSERVE It is dangerous to a man to fixe his senses upon enticing objects Observ 3 TO look upon the wine in the glasse and to observe the colour and motion or sparkling of it Prov. 23.31 therefore the wise man expresseth inordinate desire of riches by that phrase of setting our eyes upon them Prov. 23.5 Indeed the very looking upon the wedge of gold drew Achan to covet it Josh 7.21 and men are taken with the eye-lids of a whore when they gaze in her face Prov. 6.25 as the looking upon Bathsheba when she washed her selfe ensnared David 2 Sam. 11.2 for which cause it was that Job when he would not think upon a maid makes a covenant with his eyes to prevent it Job 31.1 Let it be then the care of every good man to watch diligently and continually over his outward senses let him turne away his eare from hearkening to a naughty tongue Prov. 17.4 his eyes from beholding vanity Psal 119.37 that is his senses from dwelling unnecessarily upon alluring objects And to do that it will be our wisdom to fixe them upon such things as are useful and profitable remembring the use for which God hath given them unto us which is partly natural to informe us of things profitable or hurtful to the outward man and partly and especially spiritual to set before us those objects that by the due meditation of them may raise up our mindes to heavenly thoughts observing both their perfections that we may raise up our hearts to the admiration of the more eminent perfection of him that gave them and withal their defects by which they come infinitely short of that All-sufficiency upon which our dependance must be grounded Consider therefore in the objects which we meet withal 1. That they are of a nature appliable to good or evil as they are diversly entertained and used and may be as well snares as helps unto us 2. That our senses being naturally corrupt as many senses as we have so many windows we carry about us to let in sin and as many outward objects as are presented to us so many sparks may fall into out hearts in this state of corruption to set the whole frame of our nature on fire unlesse we look warily to our selves Wherefore 1. Avoid the entertaining of unnecessary objects where we may avoid them 2. If they be presented to us look not on their outward appearance but on the dangers into which they may bring us that a Whore is a deep ditch Prov. 23.27 Wine a mocker Prov. 20.1 3. Pray for the assistance of the Spirit as to keep the door of our lips Psal 141.3 so to take the reins of all our senses yea of the affections of our soules that walking in the spirit we may not fulfil the lusts of the flesh Gal. 5.16 But what may we conceive to be the reason why the woman gives so much credit to Satans information that the tree was good for food and to be desired to get knowledge upon Satans bare word without any experiment made or any other proof at all to justifie what he affirmes when she gives so little credit to that which she had heard from Gods own mouth that the eating of that tree would certainly bring death Questionlesse she shews in this errour of hers the disposition of mans nature in general and gives occasion to 4 OBSERVE Men by nature are more apt to give credit unto lies then unto the Truth of God Observe 4 CErtainly if Adam in this his state of perfection standing then in the Truth and having the helpe of a Minde furnished with all divine knowledge and questionlesse affected also with the love of it which might easily have preserved him in the truth was notwithstanding so suddenly carried away to believe so foule a lie and that meerly upon Satans sugestion and information against Gods expresse word delivered by his own mouth we have great reason to be jealous of our selves being naturally blinded with errour having our understanding full of darknesse Eph. 4.18 and our wills wholly averse from Truth and taking pleasure in unrighteousnesse 2 Thessal 2.10 seeing 1. The Truth of God containes many heavenly and deep mysteries hard to be understood much more to be believed seeing they are foolishnesse to a natural man 1 Cor. 2.14 2. Seeing we have by nature an hatred against the Wisdome and Counsel of
it were executed by the hand of the children of Ammon 2 Sam. 12.9 Now we know it is the consent that makes the act of sin yea ever there where men proceed not to the act the very lusting after a woman makes one an adulterer in our Saviours judgement though he go no farther Mat. 5.28 so that an enticer of another to sin is guilty not only of the sinful motion of his own heart in resolving upon the evil but besides of that evil which he begets consent unto allowes and desires may take effect in another that acts the sin by his provocation and allurement Beware then of that dangerous employment to become a Solicitor or Factor in sin and tremble at the very motion of it and avoid carefully the society of such agents 1. Who carry the mark and character of Satan who is stiled by the name of the temper and is the father of all that walk in that way of seducing 2. Shew themselves much more dangerous enemies to man-kinde then murtherers who destroy only the body whereas these lay wait for the soul Prov. 22.25 3. Proclaime war against God whom they fight against not only by their own sinnes but much more by making a party against him by drawing as many as they can procure to be companions with them in their evils 4. And therefore are above others children of wrath reserved unto them by the just judgement of God in a double proportion according to the measure of their sinnes acted by themselves and furthered in other men by their procurement Let this Item be laid neere to heart by all Magistrates Ministers Parents Masters whose Laws Directions Counsels and Examples if they walk in ill ways have a strange influence into their inferiors to draw them unto wicked practices whereunto they are by nature it self too strongly inclinable It was too much that Adam endeavours to post off the sinne from himself and casts the blame of it upon his wife but see how far an heart once perverted may lead a man he falls in the next place upon God himself whom he makes if not a part yet at least an occasion of his sin Whence 5 OBSERVE It is usual with men when themselves have committed the sin to lay the blame of it in part even upon God himself Observe 5 THus Jonah in effect chargeth God with his disobedience in flying to Tarshish as if he had sent him upon a message that would disgrace both himself and him that sent him Jonah 4.2 As that idle servant pleads his Masters hardnesse in excuse of his idlenesse and unfaithfulnesse Mat. 25.24 Thuâ— do all they that for their ignorance plead want of parts of nature For their thefts or oppression necessity by the weaknesse of their estates greatnesse of their charge or the like For the neglect of spiritual duties multiplicity of secular employments for their disobedience the strictnesse of Gods Law as impossible to be kept Hence it is that Saint James well knowing this common disease wills us to take heed of charging God with our temptations to evil seeing we are drawn on thereunto by our own concupiscence Jam. 1.13 Now that which moves us to deal so injuriously with God himself is 1. A desire to justifie our selves which we can never do more fully then by casting the blame of the sin for which we should be censured upon God himselfe who should judge and punish it as Thamar stops Judahs mouth when he sentenced her to be burned for her adultery by charging him to be both the occasion and the Actor of that sin Gen. 38.26 2. There is in all men by nature an heart ill affected towards God the wisdom whereof is enmity against him Rom. 8.7 which makes us willing to pick any quarrel against him and to dishonour him upon the least pretence 3. It is Satans policy 1. To wrong God by making him the Author of evil and unjust in punishing that in men whereof the blame lies in part upon himselfe 2. To take off mens hearts from all endeavours and meanes of repentance by this colour of justifying themselves in their sins We cannot but take special notice in what manner Adam speaks of his wife in this place whom he imbraceth and acknowledgeth as a singular blessing bestowed on him by God in the former Chapter and here doth little lesse then reproachfully cast it in Gods teeth that instead of an helper he had given her unto him for a snare to beguile and entrap him as his words in this place do imply Whence 6. OBSERVE It is an usual practise with many men to cast Gods blessings in his teeth with discontent Observe 6 ZIpporah the wife of Moses calls circumcision a Sacrament of blood Exod. 4.25 See how the Isarelites quarrel at Moses whom God had sent to be their deliverer as one that was the occasion of encreasing their bondage Exod. 5.21 and how often do they wish themselves in Egypt againe when they were upon their voyage to Canaan murmur at Moses Exod. 14.11 and 16.3 and 17.3 Esteem Manna their food light bread and loath it Numb 11.6 Thus is it usual with men to murmur sometimes at the execution of Justice the dispensing of the word at the increase of people cheapnesse of provisions fruitfulnesse of their own wives and the like This comes to passe 1. Because many times common blessings suit not with mens private ends and desires so that we judge many things which are blessings in themselves to be crosses unto us 2. Because our unthankful hearts being not satisfied in all that they inordinately desire scorne that which they have as a trifle because it answers not to the full of what is desired Let not men think much of it if they be dealt withal as God himselfe is and have their kindnesse by unthankful men cast in their teeth nay many times be ill spoken of for doing good to others Seeing 1. The servant is not above his Master 2. Thanks from men are not or at least ought not to be the recompence which we ought to expect for doing good to others but the acceptance of our service by God who the lesse reward we have from men the more he enlargeth his own hand towards us if we continue constant in well doing in obedience to his will expecting approbation from God and not from men Adam indeed sinned in the highest degree in blaming God as the occasion of his sin wherewith he was charged yet it is true that the woman whom God gave him to be his helper became a snare unto him by entising him to sin but that was through his own folly who suffered himself to be seduced by her Whence 7 OBSERVE Men may easily by their own folly turn the means ordained by God for their good into snares for their destruction Observe 7 RIches are given by God as a blessing to us if we desire them inordinately delight in and love them depend on and trust in them they become a
him to be righteous and our selves sinful above measure Dan. 9.7 8 9. And withal to set him before us for our pattern hating nothing in men but sinne Considering 1. That otherwise we owe love to all men 2. That we manifest not holinesse more in any thing then when we put difference between man and man only according to their good or evil disposition or desarts In laying the censure upon the Serpent God first pronounceth a curse upon him in general and afterwards expresseth the evils in particular which that curse includes and delivering this judgement in this order and manner gives us occasion thence to 6 OBSERVE Gods curse upon any creature is the fountaine of all plagues and miseries Observe 6 THus God in proceeding against Cain first lays his curse upon him and then sets before him the evils which flow from thence Gen. 4.11 Balak desires nothing of Balaam but to pronounce Gods curse upon the children of Israel and then hopes to prevaile against them Numb 22.6 And Joshuah wishing all mischief to the builder of Jericho pronounceth against him a curse from the Lord Josh 6.26 and a curse a blessing are put for all manner of good evil Deut. 11.26 Whence it is that wicked men to whom as the portion of their cup belong snares fire brimstone and horrible tempest Psal 11.6 are called the people of Gods curse Isa 34.5 and children of the curse 2 Pet. 2.14 It must be so of necessity seeing the curse of God is the manifestation of his wrath who creates all evil Isa 45.7 Let it raise up all our hearts to abhorre sin and behold the heinousnesse thereof which hath brought this curse upon us and to behold the infinite riches of Christs love unto man who became a curse for us that he might redeem us from the curse of the Law Gal. 3.13 An incredible abasement to him who is God blessed for ever and an incredible happinesse unto us especially seeing by him the curse is not only taken away but is besides turned into a blessing Satan chooseth the Serpent to be his instrument to deceive the woman for his subtilty in sliding closely into the Garden and God for that layes on him that punishment that he should alwayes go upon his belly he was his instrument to tempt the woman in eating and is adjudged to eat dust all his dayes see the punishment points at the sinne which is usual in Gods judgements Whence 7 OBSERVE It is usual with God in his judgements so to order them that they may point at the sin for which they are inflicted Observe 7 EIther by paying like for like as in cutting off Adonibezeks thumbs of his hands and feet because he had dealt so with others whence he in his Law gives direction to give eye for eye and tooth for tooth Exod. 21.24 25. or by some circumstance or other he points at the sin which he punisheth Jehoram must be cast into Naboths vineyard to point at his Fathers sin in killing Naboth to get possession of that vineyard 2 King 9.25 26. sometimes the instrument or the time or the manner or some other like circumstance shews what the sinne is that brings the judgement Thus God deals with men 1. To justifie himself that by such lively characters his righteousnesse in all his ways may be read by him that runs 2. To further mens repentance by pointing out unto them the sinne that brings the judgement upon them The curse that God lays upon the Serpent he expresseth and amplifieth by way of comparison that it should light and abide upon the Serpent above any beast of the field So that the Serpent became viler then any other creature by becoming an instrument of sin Whence 8 OBSERVE It is only sin that makes one more vile then another Observe 8 THat makes Coniah though a Prince a despised broken vessel Jer. 22.28 and deprives his father Jehojakim of the common honour that belongs to the meanest man so that he is cast out to be buried with the burial of an Asse ver 19. That makes any that is defiled with it a vile person Psal 15.4 yea though he were a Prince as Antiochus surnamed the glorious is called a vile person Dan. 11.21 and his memory rottennesse Prov. 10.7 It makes whole nations an hissing and an astonishment Jer. 25.9 the taile and not the head Deut. 28.14 as on the other side righteousnesse advanceth one man above another Prov. 12.26 and wisdom promotes to honour Prov. 4.8 All which abasements and honours which sin and godlinesse bring to men in this life are but meere shadows of that more eminent difference which shall be put between them hereafter when they that be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament Dan. 12.3 The particulars of the Serpents curse are two First that she shall go upon her belly Secondly that her food shall be the dust of the earth so that her abasement is that she is wholly fastened unto the earth Whence 9 OBSERVE It is a shameful abasement to be glewed to the earth Observe 9 IT is a part of our abasement at present that we dwell here on earth in houses of clay Joh 4.19 in bodies of clay termed earthly Tabernacles 2 Cor. 5.1 under which we groane as under an heavy burthen ver 4. waiting to be freed from it Rom. 8.23 that those earthly bodies may be changed into heavenly 1 Cor. 15.44 But our greatest abasement is in stooping to the earth in our affections bringing down our mindes to embrace earthly things which is our shame Phil. 3.19 taking unto us earthly and sensual wisdom as it is termed Jam. 3.15 for our guide whence it is that we are so seriously exhorted to raise up our affections to heavenly things to fixe them on them Col. 3.2 having our negotiation or conversation as we render it in heaven Phil. 3.20 even in our earthly imployments when we do them with heavenly mindes as duties of obedience to God in them serving the Lord Christ Eph. 6.5 6 7. and referring all to his glory 1 Cor. 10.31 and in these services seeking after glory and honour and immortality hereafter VERSE 15. HItherto of Gods curse upon the Serpent which was Satans instrument in deceiving the woman The curse upon himself who was the chiefe agent follows in this verse which some conceive to have relation to the Serpent too but upon no sufficient ground if the words be throughly scanned For howsoever it be true that there is an enmity between men and Serpents yet that is no other then is found between him and other hurtful creatures who hate men or at least hurt them more then Serpents do neither are serpents more apt to hurt men then they are to hurt other creatures Again for the next clause it is true that Serpents usually bite the heele and that men may and do sometimes tread on their heads But it is most evident that God in denouncing this curse aimes not
do not manifest unto men their errour in embracing it they are either wholly besotted with that wretch which was unsensible of his own smart Prov. 23 35. or love death Prov. 8.36 and their own destruction which is against the principles of Nature it self Let every man then carefully observe what impression the experience of sin leaves upon his heart If it be zeal indignation revenge grief and the like 2 Cor. 7.11 2 Sam. 24.10 feare watchfulnesse and resolution against it for time to come Job 40.4 5. so that with Solomon we finde nothing in it but vanity and vexation of spirit and thereupon hate all our labour therein Eccl. 2.18 then is there certainly a spirit within that lusteth against the flesh If after the sin we remain senselesse fearlesse carelesse there is certainly some dangerous spiritual disease upon us which taking away the sense of good and evil discovers it self to have seized upon and much weakened the fountain of life it self But if we come once to this height that acquaintance with sin breeds glorying in it Phil. 3.19 delight and joy in it Job 20.12 hunger and thirst after it so that we resolve that to morrow shall be as to day and much more abundant Isa 56.12 the case is desperate without Gods infinite mercy Thus God promiseth to recover man out of Satans snare and that by infusing into his heart an holy hatred and detestation of Satan and of all his instrments and wayes and counsels and this he promiseth shall be his own work for he speaks it I will put enmity c. Whence 8 OBSERVE Sanctification is the work of Gods Spirit Observe 8 HEnce therefore it is expressely called the sanctification of the Spirit 2 Thes 2.13 unto which both sanctification and justification are ascribed 1 Cor. 6.11 and upon the same ground it is called the Spirit of holinesse or sanctification Rom 1.4 which proceedeth from God and therefore this work is ascribed also unto him 1 Thes 5.23 from whom it passeth thorough Christ as the conduit whence he is also said to sanctifie his Church Eph. 5.26 by the Spirit as the working cause and by the Word as the instrument John 17.17 the power whereof is notwithstanding wholly from God 2 Corinth 10.5 Reason 1. It can proceed from no other cause seeing mans heart in it selfe being wholly corrupted it is impossible to draw a clean thing out of that which is unclean Job 14.4 and therefore if it receive any holinesse it must be infused by him that is the fountain of holinesse 2. And it is fit it should be so that all the honour of every mercy as well our sanctification as our justification might be ascribed to God alone that he that glories might glory in the Lord 1 Corinth 1.31 Now Gods promise being absolute that he will do it it must needs be granted that the work shall infallibly be accomplished according to his word for his thoughts must stand throughout all ages Psal 33.11 and who hath resisted his will Rom. 9.19 Whence 9 OBSERVE The work of grace and Sanctification wrought in the heart of man is unresistible Observe 9 AS depending upon the will of God and not of man so that it is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy Rom. 9.16 who worketh in us both to will and to do according to his good pleasure Phil. 2.13 and not according to ours So much is implied in those phrases of writing the Law in our hearts Jer. 31.33 of taking away the stony heart and giving an heart of flesh Ezech. 11.19 of begetting anew 1 Pet. 1.3 of creating Eph. 2.19 and the like all which manifest a work wrought upon man and not by him and therefore having no dependance upon his will at all Neither 1. Is it fit it should be otherwise lest Gods will should be over-ruled by the will of man and Gods purpose of saving such as he hath chosen to himselfe from all eternity should be frustrate 2. If the work of mans conversion be duely weighed it cannot be otherwise seeing in the first act thereof nature being more corrupted must needs stand in opposition against God and so must continue to do till God change it the Apostle testifying that the wisdom of the flesh that is of a Natural man is enmity against God and neither is nor can be while he so continues subject to his Law Romans 8.7 Notwithstanding in this promise wherein God undertakes to carry on man in an irreconcileable enmity against Satan he implies that he will not carry him on therein by violence and inforcement but intends to make use both of his will and affections in this opposition For enmity consists in a voluntary and strong motion of the minde of a man against that which he hates wherein both the will and affections are exercised Whence 10. OBSERVE The work of mans sanctification is not forced upon him although it cannot be resisted Observe 10 FOr in this act God works in us to will as well as to do Phil. 2.13 so that there is at once both Gods drawing and our running Cant. 1.4 Wherfore the Prophet expresseth it by taking away the heart of stone and giving an heart of flesh Ezech. 11.19 There is in a renewed man an heart still by which he consents unto and endeavours to perform that which is good as the Apostle speaks of himself Rom. 7. only God gives him that will by performing two things First by taking away that heart of stone which is in man by nature which is so hardened by that sinne that cleaves unto it that it is utterly uncapable of any counsel or means that might be used to draw it to that which is good by which it can no more be swayed then a black-mores skin can be made white by washing Jerem. 13.23 Secondly when God hath freed the heart of that obstinacy in sin and untractablenesse thereby to any good and hath destroyed in it that enmity against God which hinders it from submitting to his Law yet the heart could not of it selfe close with and embrace any thing that is good if God did not give a new heart of flesh that is infuse into the heart an inclination and tractablenesse to his will which the Prophet prays for Psal 119.36 by which it is enabled to consent unto God and to the motions of his Spirit to follow after to know him Hos 6.3 and to take up words and return to him Hos 14.2 The truth is God could otherwise have no honour by a sinners conversion if the heart should stand out still against him and not encline to approve choose and delight in his wayes above all things To serve and obey by force is slavery and not subjection and proclaims God to be a tyrant rather then a Lord wherefore he loves a cheerful giver 2 Cor. 9.7 and to be loved and served with all the heart and with all the soule Deut. 10.12 with joyfulnesse and
effects not so much of mens wrath or malice as of Gods truth and faithfulnesse Psal 119.75 And let this comfort support our hearts not only in our outward afflictions but in inward temptations and buffettings of Satan which are more dangerous where by though he foile us sometimes yet we know Christ hath prayed for us that our faith shall not faile Luk. 22.32 but we shall be kept by the power of God to salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 But that which above all the rest we should fix our eye upon in this combate between the woman and her seed and the Serpent and his seed is the issue and event of it both the one and the other shall be bruised and wounded but differently For the womans seed shall be wounded only in the heele far from the fountain of life and therefore without danger but the wounds of Satan and his seed shall light upon their head which is the fountain of life and power from whence 33 OBSERVE The combate between Christ and Satan and his Instruments shall end at last in the Total and Final subduing of them and breaking in pieces all their power Observe 33 SAtan must be troden under the feet of the Saints Rom. 16.20 and Christ himself shall wound the heads over many Countreys Psal 110.5 6. This truth indeed will be most fully and clearly manifested to all men in that great day when Satan himself with his chief instruments shall be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone Rev. 20.10 but in the mean time is evident enough to all that have eyes to see in those conquests which the godly obtaine at present as especially in spiritual combates when they hold fast their faith in the midst of the strongest assaults as Job doth Chap 19.25 and even in outward afflictions under which they are exercised in which they are more then conquerors Rom. 8.35 Reason 1. He hath no power in himself more then any other creature which consequently may be taken away at Gods pleasure and is limited by him in the mean time so that God may prevaile over him when he will 2. Satan is Gods enemy Mat. 13.28 39. and so are all his followers now it is Gods honour that all his enemies should fall before him Jer. 51.47 48. Rev. 19.22 3. Neither is there any other meanes of establishing a full and perfect peace in the Church of God then by subduing those that trouble it Let the godly then raise up their spirits by fixing their eyes not too much upon the sharp conflicts which they endure at present but upon the glorious conquest which they shall obtaine at last when Satan shall be troden down under their feet which is assured 1. By Gods promise Rev. 14.8 which is Yea and Amen 2. By the respect which he must needs have to his own honour infinitely advanced by triumphing gloriously over all the powers of darknesse and dashing his enemies in pieces Exod. 15.6 of which he is tender above all things Ezek. 36.22 23. 3. And by his holinesse by which he hates all that work iniquity 4. By his power which enables him to tread down all strength under his feet 5. And by all experience See Psal 106.45 46. The last thing to be taken notice of in Gods promise is his expression in speaking of the womans seed which he still mentions as One it shall be at enmity with Satan it shall be bruised and it shall break Satans head that is the whole body which is comprised under that name of seeds Christ himself with all his members who have all of them as well an interest in this victory as they have had their share in the combate Whence 34 OBSERVE Christs victory over Satan though it be by yet is not for himself alone but for all his members who also subdue Satan in and thorow him Observe 34 AS they are affirmed to do Rev. 12.11 even to have overcome the wicked one 1 John 2.13 14. whom therefore Christ will shortly tread under their feet Rom. 16.20 It is true in general that Christ as Mediator hath done nothing apart for himselfe wherein all his members have not an interest with him Reason 1. Christ needed no such combate with Satan and victory over him for any thing that concerned himself seeing he had in the beginning cast him down into hell where he holds him still in chains of darkness Luk. 8.28 2 Pet. 2.4 2. The neere relation which he hath unto the Church bindes him to be the Saviour of his body Eph. 5.23 3. Unlesse his children had been delivered out of the hands of their enemies they could never either serve him in holinesse which is the end of their redemption Luk. 1.74 75. nor praise him and rejoyce in him cordially as they ought to do see Rev. 2.10 A great encouragement to the godly even to all the holy seed to fight resolutely against Satan and all his instruments against our own corrupt lusts within this body of death as the Apostle terms it Rom. 7.24 25. by the power of the Spirit Gal. 5.24 and temptations and tryals from without cleaving still fast unto Christ Rom. 8.35 over all which we are sure to obtaine a glorious conquest at the last and having fought manfully under Christs banner to receive the Crown of life as is often promised Rev. 2.11 17. and 3.5 12. VERSE 16. UNto the woman he said She being the first in the transgression is first in the censure as she had justly deserved I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and conception That is thy sorrow in conceiving and breeding of children Sorrow is pain and weaknesse of body which makes the heart sad and heavy and that such kinde of paines and weaknesse and indisposition of body in women doth usually accompany the conceiving and breeding of children all experience shews now though that arise from a cause in nature yet it is ordered and appointed by God himselfe in a course of Justice In sorrow shalt thou bring forth children That is with bitter and sharp paines which most women generally suffer in their travail many times to the endangering yea as we see sometimes to the losse of their lives this is a farther encrease of the judgement to sicknesse in conceiving are added strong paines in travaile And thy desire shall be to thy husband The same phrase the Lord useth to expresse Abels subjection to his brother Cain Gen. 4.7 which implies not only subjection to him in obeying his commands but reacheth farther to the bringing under unto him the very desires of her heart to be regulated by him so farre that it should not be lawful for her to will or desire what she her selfe liked but only what her husband should approve and allow A just law unto her who having given way to her own inordinate phantasie and appetite stirred up in her by the suggestions of Satan had undone at once both her self and husband And yet a rule given her for her own good and safety
pleasant This painfulnesse in labour must needs be a consequent of Gods curse upon the earth which thereby becoming more barren in it self required the more labour to make it fruitful So that the earth which of it self should be apt to bring forth nothing but briars and thornes with hard labour should yield him bread this clause hath in it both a precept and a promise Till thou return to the ground A phrase that both expresseth the continuance of his labour which should not end but with his life and withal pronounceth the sentence of death upon him and the corruption of his body after death This sentence although pronounced against the man alone yet comprehends the woman too who was to be mortal as well as he as the former injunction of painful labour is indifferently extended unto both the one and the other and all their posterity as all experience makes it evident For out of it thou wast taken Thus God manifests his justice in the censure which reduceth man to no worse condition then he was in at first So righteous is God in all his judgements and so careful to shew us the equity of them Now the woman was not framed out of the dust of the earth immediately yet seeing the man was made of dust it must needs follow that the woman who was taken out of him could be made of no better substance and therefore may be truly said to be taken out of the dust as well as the man For dust thou art As Psal 103.14 Eccles 12.7 And such are all the sonnes of Adam though cloathed with skin and flesh and senced with bones and sinews This indeed is the matter of all mens bodies whatsoever forme God is pleased to grace them withal And unto dust shalt thou return Flesh and bones and all as experience shews and so to continue till God raise us at the last day to cloath us with glory and immortality To begin with the first Clause mans labour in the sweat of his face We may 1 OBSERVE Mans employment in this life is in wearisom and painful labours Observe 1 ALl things indeed are full of labour Eccl. 1.8 But mans task especially is to labour with his hand Eph. 4.28 1 Thes 4.11 which if he do not by the Apostles censure 2 Thes 3.10 12. he must not eat It is true that some callings as Ministers and Magistrates imploy the minde most and not so much the body but those employments as all experience teacheth are of all the rest most wearisome and painful Reason 1. The curse that is laid upon the earth for sinne by which without hard labour it yields no fruits for the sustaining of mans life 2. The Lord hath so appointed it for mans good 1. To humble him by leaving him that remembrance of sin 2. To make him long for heaven Rom. 8.22 23. 3. To preserve the body in health See Eccl. 5.12 and to keep the minde in frame 2 Thes 2.11 which unlesse it be exercised in useful and profitable things is filled with vain and evil thoughts First this reproves all idle sloathful persons living without callings or idle in their callings or in unprofitable callings Who are all moaths 1. In the State Prov. 18.9 2. To themselves in their own estates Prov. 20.4 3. Enemies to their bodies and their minds both which idlenesse corrupts and weakens Secondly and should stirre us up to diligence in such employments as we are called unto 1. In obedience to Gods command 2. And as therein serving God and not men Eph. 6.7 3. And being profitable Prov. 14.23 to our selves Prov. 10.4 and others Prov. 21.5 4. And thereby procuring us a just title to what we possesse 2 Thes 3.12 Only 1. Labour that which is good Eph. 4.28 2. And with a desire to be profitable to community Psal 112.5 9. 1 Tim. 6.18 3. In a way of justice 1 Thes 4.6 4. Depending on God for his blessing on our labours which only makes them prosperous Psal 127.2 Thirdly long for heaven where we shall cease from all our labours Rev. 14 1â— Now if we observe this commandment we may take notice of a promise annexed or implied at least Adam must sweat but thereby he shall have bread to eat So that we may thence in general 2 OBSERVE There is profit in all the duties which God enjoyns us Observe 2 NOt only honour to God Mat. 5.16 though to speak properly God is not profited by our services Job 35.7 and good to men Job 35.8 But specially to our selves Deut. 6.24 and 10.13 who have by our labours sufficiency and in exercising our selves in other duties our fruit in holinesse and the end everlasting life Rom. 6.22 yea even in giving and exercising duties of mercy there is profit as well to our selves as to others Isaiah 32.8 Proverbs 11.24 25. Reasons 1. God who is in himself al-sufficient and perfectly blessed neither needs nor can be profited by any creature 2. Neither is it for his honour that his service should be unprofitable as wicked men unjustly slander him Job 21.15 3. Neither could his servants have otherwise any encouragement to go on in his service with cheerfulness which God requires Deut. 28.47 and delights in 2 Cor. 9.7 First it manifests the folly of wicked men joyned with fearful impiety who complaine of Gods government Mat. 25.24 as hard and rigorous esteem his laws bands and coards Psal 2.3 and reject them with the Capernaits Joh. 6.60 And in the meane time subject themselves to the yoke of Satan who seeks their destruction whose wayes yield them no fruit but shame Rom. 6.21 and profit them not at all Job 33.27 as themselves will be forced to acknowledge when it will be too late to help it Secondly make choice of Gods Commandments with David Psal 119.30 and that 1. Upon good grounds Psal 119.96 and 128. 2. And with a firm resolution to keep them Psal 119.106 1. As more easie Mat. 11.30 to a renewed heart 2. More honourable Prov. 12.26 both in respect of the Commander and of the Commandment 3. And more profitable both at present and hereafter Romans 6.22 4. And more full of peace and comfort Psal 119.165 The meanes to bring our hearts which by nature cannot submit unto Gods yoke Rom. 8.7 to make choice of and cleave to his Commandments are 1. To beg at Gods hands both wisdom to understand his Law Psal 119.18 and a renewed heart to encline to it ver 36. 2. To compare the wayes of sin with the ways of righteousness both in the present practice and in the issue of both at last Thirdly let all that are godly serve the Lord in all duties commanded by him with cheerfulnesse it should be joy to the just to do judgement Prov. 21.15 Gods Commandments should be sweeter to our taste then honey Psal 119.103 our delights ver 143. our joy v. 62. This cheerfulnesse our hearts may be wrought unto 1. By the love of God which makes all
66 The Provisions which God allowes us for this Life are of wonderful variety p. 67 Whatsoever God-bestowes upon us he bestowes Freely and Fully p. 68 The most Righteous amongst the Sons of Men must live under a Law p. 70 The Will of God is that which Man is to take for his Rule Page 71 God is pleased to give a Law to furnish us with all needful Means to further us in the performance of our Duties pag. 72 The Matters in which God delights to try our Obedience are in themselves of no great importance p. 73 Our Abundance and Delights must be used within the Limits of Obedience ibid. Disobedience is a fearful Sin in Gods Account p. 74 The Terrours of the Law are Useful to the best amongst the sons of Men p. 75 Death and Destruction are in Gods Hand ibid. All kinds of Evils and Miseries are the Wages of Sin p. 76 Gods Judgments are certain as well as his Promises of Mercy p. 77 Vengeance and Judgment follow Sin at the heeles ibid. Verse 18. God knowes all our Wants and makes Provision to supply them p. 80 Gods Providence and abundant goodnesse never failes us p. 81 A Solitary life is an uncomfortable life p. 82 God takes Notice of our Wants as a Faithful Helper p. 83 God makes nothing but for some necessary use and to some profitable end ibid. A Wife is not good till it be not good to be without a Wife p. 84 It is Gods Will that a man should be the better for his Wife p. 85 It is only God that must supply our Wants p. 86 Nothing moves God to Compassion but his own bounty and goodnesse ibid. A VVife is but an Helper to her husband p. 87 A Wife cannot be a good VVife unlesse she be a Meet and a Fit VVife p. 88 Verse 19. Gods Mercies should be precious unto us p. 90 We must know the unserviceablenesse of other things that we may Approve the profitablenesse of that which is truly good p. 91 God can dispose of the Creatures to be where he Appoints them ibid. Man may lawfully use that power over the Creatures which God hath put into his hand p. 92 God is pleased to employ men in many things which of right belong unto himself ibid. Verse 20. No Creature can be applyed to any other use then that for which it was first created by God p. 94 Beasts are not comfortable companions for men p. 95 Verse 21. Sleep and quiet Rest are given by God himself p. 97 God is pleased to manifest his VVorks to men ibid. God takes care for us even while we sleep p. 98 God delights to vary his wayes in all his operations ibid. Gods VVayes and VVorks are full of holy Instructions p. 100 The VVife must be neither her husbands Lord nor Vassal ibid. A VVife should be a strong Helper to her Husband p. 101 God requires nothing of us that may hurt us ibid. God takes nothing from us but he takes care to recompence it to us p. 102 It is usual with God to leave with us lively Remembrances of his Mercies ibid. Verse 22. God can change any thing into what Form he pleaseth Page 104 God is Exact in all the works that he undertakes ibid. Women as well as men are Gods own workmanship ibid. God hath allowed but one Wife to one man p. 105 Man hath nothing but what God bestowes upon him p. 106 Every Child of God must desire to receive his Wife from Gods hand ibid. Verse 23. Gods Blessings ought to be entertained by us with Thankfulnesse p. 108 We may know as much of Gods Wayes and Works as concerns us for the quickening of us unto our Duties p. 109 It is Consent that makes the Marriage between Man and Wife p. 110 The best amongst men need to be minded of their Duty p. 111 Verse 24. Marriage of Man and Woman is an Ordinance of God p. 113 Married persons must be wholly and entirely one to another p. 114 Married persons are to adhere and cleave firmly one to another ibid. Verse 25. Nakednesse of mans Body was Glorious till Sin made it shameful p. 116 Inordinate Motions to evil thoughts arise from the corruption of the heart within ibid. CHAP. III. SAtans End in his Tempting of Gods people Page 10 Of the Means by which Satan endeavoured to move Eve to question Gods Love to Man p. 12 Satan's cunning Endeavours to winne credit and a good opinion of himself p. 14 Satan's Practice to take away from the woman the terrour of the Curse threatned by God p. 16 Satan's Practice to fasten mans heart to dependance upon the Creature page 17 A Consideration of Satans great Art in managing this Temptation p. 20 Verse 1. It is the câ—stome of Satan to attempt men before they be settled in a course of godlinesse p. 27 Satan contrives Mischief against such as never provoked him p. 28 No place can free us from Satans Assaults p. 29 Satan is the Authour of every sinful Motion p. 30 Satan makes choice of the fittest Instruments he can find for his own wicked Ends. p. 31 Cunning and Subtile persons are dangerous Instruments to deceive p. 22 No Advantage can assure a Child of God from the Temptations of Satan p. 33 Our Weaknesse is Satan's Advantage p. 35 Solitarinesse is many times a Snare p. 36 Satans main End is Mans Destruction ibid. Satan usually pretends the good of those whom he intends to destroy Satan and his Agents in tempting men to sin are very wary in discovering their full intentions at first p. 40 Discretion and Warinesse in mens Actions ought to hinder the Effectual prosecution of that which they intend p. 41 The forgetting of Gods Mercies is a great means to take off a mans heart from him ibid. It is a dangerous Snare to a man to have his Eyes too much fixed upon his Wants p. 42 The Nature of Man is apt to be carried against all Restraint and Subjection p. 43 Ambiguous and Doubtful expressions are dangerous Snares p. 44 Verse 2. It is dangerous to lay open our selves freely to persons unknown p. 45 It is dangerous to question Evident and Known Truths p. 46 Blasphemous Suggestions ought not to be heard without indignation p. 47 When Gods Mercies are mentioned we must remember his Name that bestowes them ibid. Gods Mercies ought not to be represented in weak and cold Expressions p. 48 Verse 3. Mens Speeches are Proportioned according to the measure of the affections of the heart p. 50 When we remember any Law of God we ought to set before us the Sanction annexed thereunto p. 51 When we lay the Law of God before us we must fix our thoughts upon him that gives it p. 52 It is an hard matter to bring mans heart to submit unto any yoke of restraint p. 53 Whosoever will not be entangled to sin must not come near them p. 54 The sleighting of the Curse of the Law makes way to the Transgression
services easie Gen 29.20 2. And of the Law it selfe for the purity of it Psal 119.140 the righteousnesse and saithfulnesse of it v. 138. the wonderful perfection and admirable effects of it Psal 19.7 8. 3. For the reward set before us hereafter and peace which our obedience to the Law brings at present See Psal 73.24 and 119.165 This cheerfulnesse of spirit is necessary 1. To sweeten and make us despise those incombrances which we meet in our wayes 2. To encourage others 3. To bring honour to God But it is observable that in this Commandment though the labour enjoyned be hard and painful yet it shall not want effect though it be purchased with the sweat of his brows yet his labour shall produce him bread to sustaine his life Whence 3. OBSERVE Whatsoever we undertake in obedience to Gods Commandment shall not want effect Observe 3 PRov. 14.23 He that soweth plentifully shall reap plentifully 2 Cor. 9.6 which is not only true in respect of the future reward promised 1 Cor. 15.58 but besides in respect of mens present labours that they shall not want successe unlesse God be pleased to deny his blessing to humble men for their sins as Hag. 1.6 otherwise the promise holds and is made good to all that in their labours serve God in sincerity Ps 128. 2. Isa 65.23 Unles God see it fit sometimes to with hold his blessing on them for some greater good to us or honour to himself Reasons 1. That God is able to give successe and by his blessing to prosper mens endeavours no man can deny 2. That it concerns him in point of honour to prosper that which he commands is as clear as theformer 3. It is needful to be so lest other wise men should be discouraged in his service if they should labour therein without bringing any thing to effect Let it encourage all men in the services which God Commands wherein they are sure not to labour in vaine but either to effect what they undertake 2. Or to attain something that shall be better for them 3. And to have the reward of their endeavours from God Isa 49.5 so they undertake things 1. In obedience to Gods Command 2. To a right end for his glory and the good of others 3. And depend upon Gods blessing and not on their ownlabours for successe After the injunction of painful labour follows the duration of it for terme of his life containing withal the sentence of God concerning mans dissolution by death with the equity thereof In this sentence take notice 1. Of the moderation thereof in respect of the curse threatened 2. Of the mitigation thereof 1. In the time Adam shall die though not that day 2. In the kinde of death it shall be temporal but not eternal though both were included in the Sanction Whence 4 OBSERVE Gods Sanctions are certain as well of judgement as of mercy Observe 4 NOt only unto the wicked Gen. 4.12 Eccl. 8.12 13. but unto the godly too 2 Sam. 12.14 18. but with this difference 1. That their judgments are only outward and temporary whereas wicked mens judgements are spiritual and eternal 2. And those judgements are laid on them not as a part of their debt for sin which Christ hath satisfied to the full 3. And are sanctified to them so that they work together to their good Reason 1. Both the threats of judgement as well as the Promises of mercy are founded on the same grounds of Gods Truth and Immutability and Power 2. And have the same scope the honouring of God in the manifestation as well of his justice as of his mercy giving to every man according to his deeds see Psal 58.11 Isa 59.18 19. 1. Learne to tremble at Gods judgements Ps 119.120 as well as to hope in his mercy yea even the godly who though they are freed from the everlasting curse by the death of Christ yet are liable to such chastisements Psal 89.31 32. as may make their hearts ake Psal 143.4 2. Let it appale the hearts of all wicked men that notwithstanding all Gods threatenings go on desperately in their sins Deut. 29.19 who as they dishonour God in the highest degree either denying his Power Holinesse and Providence Psal 94.7 and his truth or imagining him to be like unto themselves Psal 50.21 so they bring upon themselves the wrath of God to the uttermost to their everlasting destruction Deut. 29.20 Psal 50.21 If we consider this sentence of Gods decreeing mans dissolution and the turning of his body into dust in particular we may 5. OBSERVE Though God hath freed his children from eternal death yet he hath left them as well as others under the sentence of temporal death Observe 5 DEath by sinne passed upon all men Rom. 5.12 Heb. 9.27 from which though Henoch was exempted Heb. 11.5 and Elijah 2 Kings 2.11 as shall be such as are found living when Christ shall come to judgement 1 Cor. 15.51 1 Thes 4.17 yet upon the rest as well godly as wicked this sentence takes hold as all experience shewes Reason 1. That by it they might be put in minde of sin that brought death upon them Rom. 5.12 2. They have no harme by death which is at present but a sleep wherein they rest from their labours Isa 57.2 and which severs them not from Christ 1 Thes 4.14 through whom it is sanctified to them see 1 Cor. 15.55 and is made an entrance into life Rev. 14.13 and hurts not the body which shall be raised up in glory 1 Corinth 15.42 43. Prepare for it as being 1. Most certain Eccl 9.5 2. And yet uncertain in the time and meanes of it Luke 12.20 3. And whereof men are naturally regardlesse being bewitched by the world Psal 49.11 4. And yet being of all other things that which most nearly concerns us To this end 1. Make sure of Christ whom if we have to die is gaine Philip. 1.21 2. Be alwayes doing good see Luke 12.40 42 43. knowing there is no work nor device in the grave whither we go Eccl. 9.10 3. Stand loose from the world that it may not trouble us to go out of the world 4. Let us have our conversation in heaven Phil. 3.20 and lay up our treasure there Mat. 6.20 whither by death we are translated The Lord contents not himselfe to minde Adam that he was taken out of the dust but tells him that he is dust and shall be resolved into dust Whence 6 OBSERVE Mens bodies are bast every way both in their original in their present condition and in their dissolution Observe 6 IN their Original of the dust Eccl. 3.20 earthly of the earth 1 Cor. 5.47 in their present condition no better then dust Psal 103.14 Eccl. 12.7 their food out of the earth Psal 104.14 their clothing no better and their dwelling houses of clay Job 4.19 In their dissolution turned into dust Psal 104.29 where one may say to corruption thou art my father to the worme thou art