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04 - Commentary on The Book of Genesis · Commentary on The Book of Genesis

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Chapter three, Part one. The story of this chapter is perhaps as sad
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as story all things considered, as any we have in all the Bible.
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In the foregoing chapters, we have had the pleasant view of the holiness and
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happiness of our first parents, the grace and favor of God, and the
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peace and beauty of the whole creation. All good, very good. But
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here the scene is altered. We have here an account of the sin and
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misery of our first parents, the wrath and curse of God against them,
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the peace of the creation disturbed, and its beauty stained and sullied. All
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bad, very bad. How has the gold become dim and the most fine
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gold changed? Oh, that our hearts were deeply affected with this record,
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for we are all nearly concerned in it. Let it not be to us
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as a tale that is told. The general contents of this chapter we have
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Romans five, verse twelve. Now one man sin entered into the world,
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and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for that
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all have sinned. More particularly, we have here numeral one, the innocent
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tempted Verses one through five, Numeral two, the tempted transgressing verses six eight,
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Numeral three, the transgressors arraign Verses nine ten numeral four upon their arraignment,
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convicted Verses eleven through thirteen numeral five upon their conviction, sentenced Verses fourteen,
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nineteen numeral six, after sentence, reprieved Verses twenty and twenty one numeral
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seven, notwithstanding their reprieve execution and part done Verses twenty two through twenty four,
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and were not for the gracious intimations here given a redemption by the promised
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seed, they and all their degenerate guilty race, would have been left to
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endless despair. The tempter's subtlety the tempter's importunity be see four thousand and four,
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Verses one through five. Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast
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of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the
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woman, yea hath God said, ye shall not eat of every tree of
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the garden. And the woman said, unto the serpent, we may eat
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at the fruit of the trees of the garden. But of the fruit of
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the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said,
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ye shall not eat of it, neither shall you touch it, lest ye
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die. And the serpent said to the woman, Ye shall not surely die,
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for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your
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eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as God's knowing good and evil.
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We have here an account of the temptation with which Satan assaulted our first
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parents to draw them into sin, and which prove fatal to them. Here
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observe numeral one the tempter, and that was the devil in the shape and
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likeness of a serpent one. It is certain it was the devil that beguiled
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Eve. The devil in Satan is the old serpent Revelations twelve, verse nine,
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a malignant spirit by creation and angel of light, and an immediate attendant
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upon God's throne, but by sin became an apostate from his first state,
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and a rebel against God's crown and dignity. Multitudes of the angels fell.
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But this that attacked our first parents was surely the prince of the devils,
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the ringleader in the rebellion. No sooner was he a sinner than he was
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a satan, No sooner traitor than a tempter. As one enraged against God
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and his glory, and envious of man and his happiness, he knew he
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could not destroy man, but by debauching him. Balem could not curse Israel,
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but he could tempt Israel. Revelations two, verse fourteen. The game,
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therefore, which Satan had to play was to draw our first pearance to
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sin, and so to separate between them and their God. Thus the devil
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was from the beginning a murderer and the great mischief maker. The whole race
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of mankind had here, as it were, but one neck, and at
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that Satan struck the adversary and enemy is that wicked one number two. It
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was the devil in the likeness of a serpent. Whether it is only the
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visible shape and appearance of a serpent, as some think those were of which
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we read Exodusts seven, verse twelve, or whether it was a real living
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serpent, actuate and possessed by the devil, is not certain. By God's
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permission. It might be either the devil chose to act this part in a
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serpent subscript one, because it is a specious creature has a spotted, dappled
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skin, and then went erect. Perhaps it was a flying serpent, which
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seemed to come from on high as a messenger from the upper world. One
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of the seraphim, for the fiery serpents were flying Isaiah fourteen, verse twenty
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nine. Many a dangerous temptation comes to us in gay, fine colors that
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are but skin deep, and seems to come from above. For Satan can
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seem an angel of light and subscript two, because it is a subtle creature.
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This is here taken notice of. Many instances are given of the subtlety
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of the serpent, both to do mischief and to secure himself in it.
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When it is done. We are directed to be wise as serpents. But
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this serpent, as actuated by the devil, was no doubt more subtle than
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any other. For the devil, though he has lost the sanctity, retains
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the sagacity of an angel, and is wise to do evil. He knew
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of more advantage by making use of the serpent than we are aware of.
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Observe. There is not any thing by which the devil serves himself and his
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own interests more than by unsanctified subtlety. What Eve thought of this serpent speaking
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to her, we are not likely to tell. When I believe she herself
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did not know what to think of it at first. Perhaps she supposed it
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might be a good angel, and yet afterwards she might suspect something amiss.
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It is remarkable that the gentile idolaters did, many of them worship the devil
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in the shape and form of a serpent, thereby avowing their adherence to the
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apostate spirit and wearing his colors. Numeral two. The person tempted was the
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woman, now alone and at a distance from her husband, but near the
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forbidden tree. It was the devil's subtlety Number one, to assault the weaker
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vessel with his temptations. Though perfect in her kind, yet we may suppose
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her inferior to Adam and knowledge and strength and presence of mind. Some think
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Eve received command not immediately from God, but a second anne by her husband,
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and therefore might the more easily be persuaded discredited. Number two. It
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was his policy to enter into discourse with her when she was alone. Had
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she kept close to the side out of which she was lately taken, she
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would not have been so much exposed. There are many temptations to which solitude
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gives great advantage, but the communion of saints contributes much to their strength and
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safety. Number three. He took advantage by finding her near the forbidden tree,
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and probably gazed upon the fruit of it, only to satisfy her curiosity.
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Those that would not eat the forbidden fruit must not come near the forbidden
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tree, avoid it, passed not by it. Proverbs four, verse fifteen,
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number four. Satan tempted Eve that by her he might tempt Adam.
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So he tempted Job by his wife, and Christ by Peter. Is his
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policy to send temptations by unsuspected hands and theirs that have most interest in us
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and influence upon us Numeral three. The temptation itself and the artificial management of
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it. We are often, in scripture told of our danger by the temptation
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of Satan, his devices secon Corinthians two eleven, his depths, Revelations two
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twenty four, his wiles Ephesian six, verse eleven. The greatest instances we
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have of them are in his tempting of the two atoms here and Matthew four.
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In this he prevailed, but in that he was baffled. What he
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spoke to them, of whom he had no hold by any corruption in them.
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He speaks in us by our own deceitful hearts and their carnal reasonings.
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This makes his assaults on us less discernible, but not less dangerous. That
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which the devil aimed at was to persuade Eve to cut forbidden fruit, and
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to do this he took the same method that he does still. He questioned
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whether it was sin or no Versus one. He denied that there was any
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danger in it. Verse four, he suggested much advantage by it. Verse
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five, and these are his common topics. Number one, he questioned whether
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it was a sin or no to eat of this tree, and whether really
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the fruit of it was forbidden? Observe subscript one. He said to the
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woman, yea hath God said you shall not eat? The first word intimated
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something said before introducing this, and with which it is connected, perhaps some
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discourse Eve had with herself, which Satan took hold of and grafted this question
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upon. In the chain of thoughts, one thing strangely brings in another,
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and perhaps something bad at last. Observe here sub subscript one. He does
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not discover his design at first, but puts a question which seemed innocent.
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I hear a piece of news, Pray, is it true? Has God
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forbidden you to eat of this tree? Thus he would begin in discourse and
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draw her into a parley. Those that would be safe have need to be
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suspicious and shy of talking with the tempter. Sub Subscript two. He quotes
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the command fallaciously, as if it were prohibition, not only that tree,
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but of all. God has said, of every tree you may eat except
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one. He, by aggravating the exception, endeavors to invalidate the concession.
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Hath God said you shall not eat of every tree? The divine law cannot
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be reproached unless it be first misrepresented. Sub Subscribe three. He seems to
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speak it tauntingly, unbraiding the woman with her shyness of meddling with that tree,
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as if he had said, you are so nice and cautious and so
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very precise. Because God has said you shall not eat the devil as he
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is a liar, so he is a scoffer from the beginning, and the
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scoffers of the last days are his children. Sub Subscript four. That which
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he aimed at in the first onset was to take off her sense of the
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obligation of the command. Surely you are mistaken. It cannot be that God
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should tie you out from this tree. He would not do so unreasonable a
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thing. See here that it is the sublety of Satan to blemish the reputation
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of the divine law as uncertain or unreasonable, and so to draw people to
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sin, And that it is therefore our wisdom to keep up a firm belief
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of and a high respect for the command of God. Has God said you
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shall not lie, nor take his name in vain, nor be drunk?
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And so forth? Yes, I am sure he has, and it is
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well said, and by His grace I will abide by it, whatever the
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tempter suggests to the contrary Subscript two. In answer to this question, the
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woman gives him a plain and full account of the law they were under Verses
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two and three. Here observe sub subscript one. It was her weakness to
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enter into discourse with the serpent. She might have perceived by his question that
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he had no good design, and should therefore have started back with a get
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thee behind me, Satan, thou art an offense to me. But her
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curiosity and perhaps her surprise to hear a serpent speak, led her into further
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talk with him. Note it is a dangerous thing to treat with the temptation,
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which ought at first to be rejected with disdain and importance. The garrison
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that sounds a parley is not far from being surrendered. Those that would be
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kept from harm must keep out of harm's way. See Proverbs fourteen verse seven
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and nineteen verse twenty seven. Sub Subscript two. It was her wisdom to
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take note of the liberty God A granted them in answer to his sly insinuation,
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as if God has put them into paradise only to tantalize them with the
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sight of fair but forbidden fruits. Yea says she, we may eave the
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fruit of the tree. Thanks to our maker. We have plenty of variety
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enough allowed to us. Note to prevent our being uneasy at the restraints of
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religion, it is good often to take a view of the liberties and comforts
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of it. Sub Subscript three. It was an instance of her resolution that
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she adhered to the command and faithfully repeated it as of unquestionable certainty. Godd
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hath said, I am confident he has said it. You shall not eat
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of the fruit of this tree, and that which he adds neither shall you
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touch. It seems to have been with a good intention, not as something
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tacitly to reflect upon the command is too strict. Touch not, taste not,
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and handle not, but to make offense about it. We must not
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eat. Therefore we will not touch. It is forbidden in the highest degree,
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and the authority of the prohibition is sacred to us. Sub Subscript four.
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She seems a little to waver about the threatening, and is not so
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particular in faithful in the repetition of that as of the precept God has said
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in the day thou eedest thereof thou shalt surely die. All she makes of
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that is lest you die. Note wavering faith and wavering resolutions give great advantage
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to the tempter. Number two. He denies that there was any danger in
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it, insisting that though it might be the transgressing of a precept, yet
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it would not be the incurring of a penalty. You shall not surely die.
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Verse four. You shall not dying die. So the word is in
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direct contradiction to what God has said either. Subscript one. It is not
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certain that you shall die, So come is not so sure as you are
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made to believe. It is thus Satan endeavors to shake that which he cannot
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overthrow, and in validates the force of divine threatenings by questioning the certainty of
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them. And when once it is supposed possible that there may be falsehood or
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faulcy in any word of God, a door is then opened to downright infidelity.
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Satan teaches men first to doubt and then to deny. He makes some
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skeptics first, and so by degrees, makes some atheist or Subscript two,
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it is certain you shall not die, so others. He avers his contradiction
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with the same phrase of assurance that God had used in ratifying the threatenings.
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He began to call the precept in question verse one, but finding that the
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woman adhered to that, he quitted that battery and made a second onset upon
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the threatening where he perceived her to waiver. For he is quick to spy
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all advantages and to attack the wall where it is the weakest. You shall
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not surely die. This was a lie, a downright lie. For sub
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subscript one, it was contrary to the word of God, which we are
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sure is true see one John two, Verses twenty one and twenty seven.
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It was such a lie as gave the lie to God himself. Sub Subscript
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two, contrary to his own knowledge when he told them there was no danger
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in disobedience or rebellion. He said that which he knew by woeful experience to
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be false. He had broken the law of his creation, and had found
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to his cost that he could not prosper in it. And yet he tells
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our first parents they shall not die. He concealed his own misery that he
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might draw them into the like. Thus he stills deceived sinners into their own
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ruin. He tells him that though they sin, they shall not die,
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and gains credit rather than God, who tells them the wages of sin is
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death. Note hope of impunity is a great support to all iniquity and impenitency.
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In it, I shall have peace though I walk in the imagination of
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my heart. Deuteronomy twenty nine, Verse nineteen, number three. He promises
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them advantage by it. Verse five. Here he follows his blow, and
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it was a blow at the root, a blow to the tree we are
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branches of. He not only would undertake that they should be no losers by
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it, thus binding himself to save them from harm. But if they would
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be such fools as dementire upon the security of one that himself become a bankrupt,
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he undertakes they shall be gainers by it unspeakable gainers. He could not
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have persuaded them to run the hazard ruining themselves if he had not suggested them
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a great probability of bettering themselves. Subscript one. He insinuates to them the
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great improvements they would make by eating of this fruit, and he suits the
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temptation of the pure state that were now in proposing to them not any carnal
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pleasures or gratifications, but intellectual delights and satisfactions. These were the baits with
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which he covered his hook. Sub Subscript one. Your eyes shall be opened.
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You shall have much more the power and pleasure of contemplation than now you
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have. You shall fetch a larger compass in your intellectual views, and see
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further into things than now you do. He speaks as if now they were
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but dim sighted and short sighted in comparison of what they would be then.
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Sub Subscript two. You shall be as gods as eloheme mighty gods, not
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only omniscient, but omnipotent iwo or you shall be as God himself, equal
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to him, rivals with him. You shall be sovereigns and no longer subjects,
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self sufficient and no longer dependent a most absurd suggestion, as if it
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were possible for creatures of yesterday to be like their creator, that was from
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eternity. Sub subscript three, you shall know good and evil, that is,
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everything that is desirable to be known. To support this part of the
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temptation, he abuses the name given to this tree. He was intended to
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teach the practical knowledge of good and evil, that is, of duty and
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disobedience, and it would prove the experimental knowledge of good and evil, that
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is, of happiness and misery. In these senses. The name of the
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tree was a warning to them not to eat it. But he perverts the
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sense of it and rests it to their destruction, as if this tree would
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give them a speculative, notional knowledge of the natures, kinds, and originals
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of good and evil. And sub subsequent four. All this presently, in
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the day you eat thereof you will find a sudden, immediate change for the
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better. Now in all these insinuations he aims to beget in them first discontent
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with their present state, as if it were not so good as it might
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be and should be. Note, no condition will of itself bring contentment unless
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the mind be brought to it Adam was not easy, No, not in
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paradise, nor the angels in their first state Jude verse six. Secondly ambition
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of preferment, as if they were fit to be gods. Satan had ruined
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himself by desiring to be like the most high Isaiah fourteen, verse fourteen,
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and therefore seeks to infect our first parents with the same desire that he might
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ruin them too. Subscript two. He insinuated them that God had no good
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design upon them in forbidding them this fruit. For God doth know how much
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it will advance you, and therefore an envy and ill will to you he
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hath forbidden it, as if he durst not let them eat of that tree,
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because then they would know their own strength and would not continue in an
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inferior state, but be able to cope with him, or as if he
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grudged them the honor and happiness to which their eating in that tree would prefer
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them now sub subscript one, this was a greater affront to God and the
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highest and dignity that could be done him, a reproach to his power,
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as if he feared his creatures, and much more a reproach to his goodness,
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as if he hated the work of his own hands, and would not
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have those whom he has made to be made happy. Shall the best of
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men think it strange to be misrepresented and evil spoken of? When God himself
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is so satan, as he is the accuser of the brethren before God,
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so he accuses God before the brethren. Thus he sows discord and is the
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father of those that do so. Sub Subscript two. It was a most
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dangerous snare to our first parents, as attended to alienate their infections from God,
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and so to withdraw them from their allegiances to him. Thus, still
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the devil draws people into his interests by suggesting in them hard thoughts of God
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and false hopes of benefit and advantage by sin. Lets. Therefore, in
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opposition to him, always think well of God as the best good, and
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think ill of sin as the worst of evils. Thus, let us resist
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the devil, and he will flee from us the fall of man be see
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four thousand four, verses six through eight. And when the woman and saw
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that the tree was good for food, and that was pleasant to the eyes,
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and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of
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the fruit thereof and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her,
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and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were open,
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and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and
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made themselves aprons. And they heard the voice of the Lord God walk in
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the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid
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themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.
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Here we see what eaves parley with the tempter ended in Satan at length gains
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his point, and the stronghold is taken by his wiles. God tried the
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obedience of our first parents by forbidding them the tree of knowledge, and Satan
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does, as it were, join issue with God, and in that very
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thing undertakes to seduce them into a transgression. And here we find how he
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prevailed. God permained it for wise and holy ends Numeral one. We have
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heard the inducements that moved them to transgress. The woman, being deceived by
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the Tempter's artful management, was ringleader in the transgression one Timothy two, verse
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fourteen. She was first in the fault, and it was the result of
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her consideration, or rather her inconsideration that one she saw no harm in this
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tree, more than in any tree of the rest. It was said of
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all the rest of the fruit trees with which the garden of Eden was planted,
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that they were pleasant to the sight and good for food Chapter two,
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verse nine. Now in her eye this was like all the rest. It
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seemed as good for food as any of them. And she saw nothing in
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the color of its fruit that threatened death or danger. It was as pleasant
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to the sight as any of them. And therefore what hurt could it do
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them? Why should this be forbidden them rather than any of the rest.
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Note, when there is thought to be no more harmor for written fruit than
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in other fruit, send lies at the door, and satan soon carries the
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day. Nay, perhaps it seemed to her to be better for food,
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more grateful to the taste, and more nourishing to the body than any of
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the rest. And to her eye it was more pleasant than any. We
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are often betrayed into snares by an inordinate desire to have our senses gratified.
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Or if it had nothing in it more inviting than the rest, Yet it
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was the more coveted because it was prohibited, whether it was so in her
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or not. We find that in us, that is, in our flesh,
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in our corrupt nature, there dwells a strange spirit of contradiction. Nitimurh
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in vitedum we desire what is prohibited? Number two. She imagined more virtue
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in this tree than any of the rest. That it was a tree not
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only not to be treaded, but to be desired to make one wise.
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And therein excelling all the rest of the trees, this she saw, that
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is, she perceived and understood it by what the devil had said to her.
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And some think that she saw the serpent eat of that tree, and
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that he told her He thereby had gained the faculties of speech and reason when
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she inferred its power to make one wise, and was persuaded to think,
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if it make a brute creature rational, why might it not make a rational
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creature divine? See here how the desire of unnecessary knowledge under the mistaken notion
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of wisdom proves hurtful and destructive to many. Our first parents, who knew
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so much, did not know this that they knew enough. Christ is a
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tree to be desired to make one wise. Colautians two verse three one Corinthians
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one, verse thirty. Let us by faith feed upon him that we may
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be wise to salvation in the heavenly paradise. The tree of knowledge will not
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be a forbidden tree, for there we shall know as we are known.
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Let us therefore long to be there, and in the meantime not exercise ourselves
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in things too high or too deep for us, nor covet to be wise
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above what is written numeral two. The steps of the transgression not steps upward,
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but downward towards the pit, steps that take hold on hell. Number
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one. She saw she should have turned away her eyes from beholding vanity,
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But she enters into temptation by looking with pleasure on the forbidden fruit. Observe
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a great deal of sin comes in at the eyes at these windows. Satan
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throws in those fiery darts which pierce and poison the heart. The eye affects
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the heart with guilt as well as grief. Lets, therefore, with holy
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job, make a covenant with our eyes not to look on that which we
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are in danger of lusting after Proverbs twenty three, verse thirty one. Matthew
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five, verse twenty eight, Let the fear of God be always to us
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for a covering of the eyes. Chapter twenty, verse sixteen. Number two.
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She took it was her own act, and deed the devil did not
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take it and put it into her mouth, whether she would or no,
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But she herself took it. Satan may tempt, but he cannot force.
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May persuade us to cast ourselves down, but he cannot cast us down.
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Matthew four, Verse six. Eve's taking was stealing, like Adakin's taking the
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accursed thing, taking that to which she had no right. Surely she took
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it with a trembling hand. Number three she did eat. Perhaps she did
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not intend when she looked to take, nor when she took to eat,
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but this was the result. Note the way of sin is downhill. A
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man cannot stop himself when he will. The beginning of it is as the
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breaking forth of water, to which it is hard to say, hitherto thou
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shalt come, and no further. Therefore it is our wisdom to suppress the
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first emotions of sin, and to leave it off before it be meddled with
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Obsta principelis nip mischief. In the bud No. Four, she gave also
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to her husband with her It is probable that he was not with her when
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she was tempted. Surely if he had, he would have been reposed to
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prevent the sin, but came to her when she had eaten, and was
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prevailed upon by her to eat. Likewise, for it is easier to learn
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that which is bad than to teach that which is good. She gave it
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to him, persuading him with the same arguments that the serpent used with her,
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adding this to all the rest, that she herself had eaten it and
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found it so far from being deadly, that it was extremely pleasant and grateful.
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Stolen waters are sweet. She gave it to him under color of kindness.
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She would not eat these delicious morsels alone. But really it was the
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greatest unkindness she could do him. Or perhaps she gave it to him that
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if it should prove hurtful, he might share with her in the misery,
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which indeed looked strangely unkind And yet may without difficulty be supposed to enter into
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the heart of one that he eaten forbidden fruit. Note those that have themselves
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done ill are commonly willing to draw on others to do the same. As
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was the devil. So is eve no sooner a sinner than a tempter number
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five, he did eat, overcome by his wife's importunity. It is needless
29:32
to ask what would have been the consequence if Eve only had transgressed the wisdom
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of God, we are sure would have decided the difficulty according to the equity.
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But alas the case was not so, Adam also did eat. And
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what great harm if he did? Says the corrupt and carnal reasonings of a
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vain mind. What harm? Why? This act involved disbelief of God's word,
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together with confidence in the devils, discontent with the his present state,
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pride in his own merits, an ambition of the honor which comes not from
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God, envy at God's perfections, and indulgence of the appetites of the body.
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In neglecting the tree of life, of which he was allowed to eat,
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and he in the tree of knowledge, which was forbidden, he plainly
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showed a contempt of the favors God had bestowed on him, and a preference
30:22
given to those God did not see fit for him. He would be both
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his own carver and his own master, would have what he pleased and do
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what he pleased. His sin was, in one word, disobedience. Romans
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five, verse nineteen disobedience to a plain, easy and expressed command, which
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probably he knew to be command of trial. He sinned against great knowledge,
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against many mercies, against light and love, the clearest light and the clearest
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love that ever sinner sinned against. He had no corrupt nature within him to
30:56
betray him, but had a freedom of will not enslaved, and was in
31:02
his full strength not weakened or impaired. He turned aside quickly. Some think
31:07
he felt the very day in which he was made, But I see not
31:11
how to reconcile this with God's pronouncing all very good in the close of the
31:15
day. Others supposed he fell on the Sabbath day, the better day,
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the worse deed. However, it is certain that he kept his integrity,
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but a very little while being in honor. He continued not But the greatest
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aggravation of his sin was that he involved all his posterity in sin and ruined
31:32
by it. God having told him that his race should replenish the earth.
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Surely he could not but know that he stood as a public person, and
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that his disobedience would be fatal to all a seed. And if so,
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it was certainly both the greatest treachery, and the greatest cruelty that ever was
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the human nature, being lodged entirely in our first appearance. Henceforward, it
31:56
could not but be transmitted from them under an attainer of guilt, a stain
32:00
of dishonor, and an hereditary disease of sin and corruption. And can we
32:06
say then that adam sin had but little harm in it Numeral three. The
32:12
ultimate consequences of the transgression, shame and fear seized the criminals ipso facto in
32:19
the fact itself. These came into the world along with sin, and still
32:22
attend it. Number one, Shame sees them unseen verse seven, where observed
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subscript one, the strong convictions they fell under in their own bosoms. The
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eyes of them both were opened. It is not meant of the eyes of
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the body. These were open before, as appears by this, that the
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sin came in at them. Jonathan's eyes were enlightened by eating forbidden fruit first
32:51
Samuel fourteen, Verse twenty seven. That is, he was refreshed and revived
32:55
by it. But theirs were not so. Nor is it meant of any
33:00
advances made hereby in true knowledge. But the eyes of their consciousness were opened
33:06
their hearts smote them for what they had done. Now, when it was
33:09
too late, They saw the folly of eaten forbidden fruit. They saw the
33:15
happiness they had fallen from, and the misery they had fallen into. They
33:19
saw loving God provoked his grace and favor, forfeited his likeness and image,
33:23
lost dominion over the creatures. Gone. They saw their natures corrupt and depraved,
33:30
and felt to disorder in their own spirits of which they had never before
33:34
been conscious. They saw a law in their members, warring against the law
33:38
their minds, and captivating them both to sin and wrath. They saw as
33:45
Balem when his eyes were opened Numbers twenty two, verse thirty one, the
33:51
Angel of the Lord standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his
33:54
hand. And perhaps they saw the serpent that abuse him, insulting over them.
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The text tells us that they saw that they were naked, That is,
34:05
sub subscript one, that they were stripped, deprived of all the honors
34:08
and enjoys of their paradise state, and exposed to all the miseries that might
34:13
justly be expected from an angry God. They were disarmed. Their defense had
34:19
departed from them. Sub subscript two, that they were shamed, forever shamed
34:23
before God and angels. They saw themselves disroad of all their ornaments and ensigns
34:30
of honor, degraded from their dignity and disgrace in the highest degree, laid
34:35
open to the contempt and reproach of heaven and earth and their own consciousness.
34:40
Now see here first what a dishonor and disquietment sin is. It makes mischief
34:46
wherever it is omitted, sets men against themselves, disturbs their peace, and
34:52
destroys all their comforts. Sooner or later it will have shame, either the
34:57
shame of true repentance, which ends in glory, or that shame and everlasting
35:00
contempt to which the wicked shall rise at the great day. Sin is a
35:06
reproach to any people. Secondly, what deceiver satan is? He told our
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first parents when he tempted them, that their eyes should be opened, And
35:15
so they were, but not as they understood it. They were open to
35:19
their shame and grief, not to their honor nor advantage. Therefore, when
35:22
he speaks fair, believe him not. The most malicious, mischievous liars often
35:29
excuse themselves with this, that they only equivocate, but God will not so
35:34
excuse him. Subscript two. The sorry shift they made to palliate these convictions
35:40
and arm themselves against them. They sowed or platted fig leaves together, and
35:45
to cover at least part of their shame from one another, they made themselves
35:51
aprons. See here what is commonly the folly of those that have send sub
35:55
subscript one, that they are more solicitous to save their credit before men than
36:00
obtain their pardon from God. They are backward to confess their sin, and
36:06
very desirous to conceal it as much as may be. I ascend, yet
36:10
honor me sub Subscript two, that the excuses men make to cover and extenuate
36:16
their sins are vain and frivolous. Like the aprons of fig leaves. They
36:22
make the matter never the better, but the worse. The shame thus hidden
36:27
becomes the more shameful. Yet thus we are all apt to cover our transgressions
36:30
as Adam Job thirty one, Verse thirty three, number two fear seize them
36:37
immediately upon their eating the forbidden fruit verse eight. Observe here, subscript one,
36:44
what was the cause and occasion of their fear? They heard the voice
36:47
of the Lord God walking in the garden and the cool of the day.
36:52
It was the approach of the Judge that put them into affright. And yet
36:57
he came in such a manner as made it formidable only to guilty consciousness.
37:01
Is supposed that he came in a human shape, and that he who judged
37:05
the world now was the same that shall judge the world at the last day,
37:09
Even that man whom God has ordained. He appeared to them now,
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it should seem in no other simplitude than that in which they had seen him
37:17
when he put them into paradise. For he came to convince and humble them,
37:22
not to amaze and terrify them. He came into the garden, not
37:27
to send immediately from heaven and their view as afterwards on Mount Sinai, making
37:30
either thick darkness his pavilion or the flaming fire's chariot. But he came into
37:36
the garden as one that was still willing to be familiar with them. He
37:39
came walking, not running, not riding upon the wings of the wind,
37:45
but walking deliberately, as one slow to anger, teaching us, when we
37:50
are ever so much provoked, not to be hot nor hasty but to speak
37:53
and act considerably and not rashly. He came in the cool of the day,
37:59
not in the night, when all fears are doubly fearful, nor in
38:02
the heat of the day. For he came not in the heat of his
38:06
anger. Fury is not in him Isaiah thirty seven, verse four. Nor
38:12
did he come suddenly upon them. But they heard his voice at some distance,
38:16
giving them notice of his coming. And probably it was a still small
38:20
voice, like that in which he came to inquire after Elijah. Some think
38:24
they heard him discoursing with himself concerning the sin of Adam and the judgment now
38:30
that repassed upon him, perhaps as he did concerning Israel Hoseiah eleven, verses
38:35
eight and nine, how shall I give thee up? Or rather they heard
38:38
him calling for them and coming towards them some subscript two. What was the
38:45
effect and evidence of their fear? They hid themselves from the presence of the
38:49
Lord God, a sad change before they had sinned. If they had heard
38:53
the voice of the Lord God coming towards him, they would run to meet
38:57
him, and with a humble joy welcomed his gracious visits. But now that
39:02
it was otherwise God had become a terror to them. And then no marvel
39:07
that they had become a terror to themselves, and were full of confusion.
39:13
Their own consciences accused them, and set their sin before them in its proper
39:17
colors. Their fig leaves failed them and would do them no service. God
39:22
had come forth against them as an enemy, and the whole creation was at
39:27
war with them, And as yet they knew not of any mediator between them
39:30
and an angry God, so that nothing remained but a certain fearful looking for
39:35
of judgment. In this fright, they hid themselves among the bushes. Having
39:39
offended, they fled for the same. Knowing themselves guilty, they durst not
39:44
stand a trial, but absconded and fled from justice. See here sub subscript
39:50
one, The falsehood of the Tempter and the frauds and fallacies of his temptations.
39:55
He promised them they should be safe, and now they cannot so much
39:59
as think themselves. So he said they should not die, And yet now
40:04
they are forced to fly for their lives. He promised them they should be
40:07
advanced, but they see themselves a base. Never did they seem so little
40:12
as now he promised them. They should be knowing, but they see themselves
40:17
at a loss, and know not so much as where to hide themselves.
40:22
He promised them they should be as gods, great and bold and daring,
40:25
but they are as criminals, discovered, trembling, pale, and anxious to
40:30
escape. They would not be subjects, and so they are prisoners. Sub
40:36
Subscript two. The folly of sinners to think it either possible or desirable to
40:40
hide themselves from God? Can they conceal themselves from the Father of Lights?
40:45
Psalms one hundred and thirty nine, verse seven and forward. Jeremiah twenty three,
40:51
verse twenty four. Will they withdraw themselves from the fountain of life,
40:54
who alone can give help and happiness? John two, verse eight. Sub
41:00
subserp. Three. The fear that attends sin, all that amazing fear of
41:06
God's appearances, the accusations of conscience, the approaches of trouble, the assaults
41:12
of inferior creatures, and the arrests of death, which is common among men,
41:16
as the effect of sin. Adam and Eve, who are partners in
41:21
the sin, were sharers and the shame and fear that attended it. And
41:24
though hand joined in hand, hands so lately joined in marriage. Yet could
41:30
they not animate nor fortify one another. Miserable comforters they had become to each
41:36
other Verses nine and ten. And the Lord God called unto Adam and said
41:42
to him, where art thou? And he said, I heard thy voice
41:45
in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked, and I
41:49
hid myself. We have here the arraignment of these deserters before the righteous Judge
41:54
of Heaven and Earth, who, though he is not tied to observe formality,
42:00
yet proceeds against him with all possible fairness, that he may be justified
42:04
when he speaks. Observe here Numeral one, the startling question with which God
42:10
pursued Adam and arrested him. Where art thou? Now? As if God
42:15
did not know where he was, but thus he would enter the process against
42:19
him. Come, where is this foolish man? Some make it a bemoaning
42:23
question, poor Adam, What is become of thee? Alas for thee?
42:28
So some read it, how art thou fallen? Lucifer, son of the
42:31
Morning, Thou that wast my friend and favorite, whom I had done so
42:36
much for and would have done so much more for. Hast thou now forsaken
42:39
me and ruined thyself. Has it come to this? It is rather an
42:45
upbraiding question in order to his conviction and humiliation. Where art thou not in
42:52
what place? But in what condition? Is this all Thou's gotten by eating
42:57
for ridden fruit? Thou that wouldest with me? Dost thou now fly from
43:01
me? Note number one. Those who by sin have gone astray from God
43:07
should seriously consider where they are. They are far off from all good,
43:12
in the midst of their enemies, in bondage to Satan, and in the
43:15
high road to utter Ruin this inquiry after Adam may be looked upon as a
43:21
gracious pursuit in kindness to him and in order to his recovery. If God
43:25
had not called to him to reclaim him, his condition would have been as
43:30
desperate as that of fallen angels. This lost sheep would have wandered endlessly if
43:35
the good shepherd had not sought after them to bring him back, and in
43:38
order to that reminded him where he was, where he should not be,
43:44
and where he could not be either happy or easy. Note number two.
43:49
If sinners will but consider where they are, they will not rest till they
43:52
return to God. Numeral two. The trembling answer which Adam gave to this
43:58
question. I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid Verse
44:02
ten. He does not own his guilt, and yet an effect confesses it
44:07
by owning a shame and fear. But it is the common fault and folly
44:12
of those that have done an ill thing, when they are questioned about it,
44:15
to acknowledge no more than what is so manisfest that they cannot deny it.
44:21
Adam was afraid because he was naked, not only unarmed and therefore afraid
44:25
to contend with God, but unclothed, and therefore afraid so much as to
44:29
appear before him. We have reason be afraid of reproaching to God if we
44:34
be not clothed and fenced with the righteousness of Christ. For nothing but this
44:38
will be armor of proof and cover the shame of our nakedness. Let us
44:44
therefore put on the Lord gious Christ, and then draw near with humble boldness
44:50
Verses eleven through thirteen. And he said, who told thee that thou wast
44:54
naked, hast thou eaten of the tree? Whereof I commanded thee that thou
44:59
shouldest eat, And the man said the woman whom thou gavest to be with
45:04
me. She gave me of the tree, and I did eat. And
45:07
the Lord God said to the woman, what is this that thou hast done?
45:12
And the woman said, the serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.
45:15
We have here the offenders found guilty by their own confession, and yet
45:21
endeavoring to excuse and extenuate their fault, they could not confess and justify what
45:24
they had done. But they confess and palliate it. Observe numeral one.
45:30
How their confession was extorted from them. God put it to the man who
45:36
told thee that thou wast naked Verse eleven, how camest thou to be sensible
45:39
of thy nakedness, as thy shame hast thou eaten of the forbidden tree.
45:45
Note, though God knows all our sins, yet he will know them from
45:49
us, and requires from us an ingenious confession of them, not that he
45:53
may be informed, but that we may be humbled. In this examination,
45:59
God reminds him of the command he had given him. I commanded thee not
46:04
to eat of it. I thy maker, I thy master, I thy
46:07
benefactor. I commanded THEE to the contrary, sin appears most plain and most
46:14
sinful in the glass of the Commandment. Therefore God here sets it before Adam,
46:19
and in it we should see our faces. The question put to the
46:22
woman was, what is this that thou hast done? Verse thirteen. Wilt
46:27
thou also own thy fault and make confession of it? And wilt thou see
46:30
what an evil thing it was? Note it concerns those who have eaten forbidden
46:36
fruit themselves, and especially those who entice others to eat it. Likewise,
46:40
seriously to consider what they have done. In eating forbidden fruit. We have
46:45
offended a great and gracious God, broken a just and righteous law, violated
46:51
a sacred and most solemn covenant, and wronged our own precious souls by forfeiting
46:54
God's favor and exposing ourselves to His wrath and curse. In enticing others to
47:00
eat of it, we do the devil's work, make ourselves guilty of other
47:05
men's sins and accessory to their ruin. What is this that we have done?
47:10
Numeral two? How their crime was extenuated by them in their confession.
47:16
It was to no purpose to plead not guilty. The show of their countenances
47:21
testified against them. Therefore they became their own accusers. I did eat,
47:25
says the man, and so did I, says the woman. For when
47:30
God judges, he will overcome. But these do not look like penitent confessions,
47:35
for instead of aggravating the sin and taking shame to themselves, they excuse
47:39
the sin and lay the shame and blame on others. Number One, Adam
47:45
lays all the blame upon his wife. She gave me the tree and pressed
47:50
me to eat of it, which I did only to oblige her, a
47:52
frivolous excuse. He ought to have taught her, not to have been taught
47:58
by her, And it was no hard matter to determine which of the two
48:00
he must be ruled by his God or his wife. Learn hence, never
48:07
to be brought to sin by that which will not bring us off in the
48:08
judgment. Let not that bear us up in the commission, which will not
48:13
bear us out in the trial, Lest therefore never be overcome by importunity to
48:17
act against our consciousness, nor ever displease God to please the best friend we
48:22
have in the world. But this is not the worst of it. He
48:27
not only lays the blame upon his wife, but expresses it so as tacitly
48:30
to reflect on God himself. It is the woman whom Thou gavest me and
48:36
gave ust to be with me as my companion, my guide, and my
48:38
acquaintance. She gave me of the tree, else I had not eaten of
48:43
it. Thus he insinuates that God was accessory to his sin. He gave
48:49
him the woman, and she gave him the fruit, so that he seemed
48:52
to have it at but one removed from God's own hand. Note there is
48:57
a strange proneness in those that are attempted say that they are tempted of God,
49:01
as if our abusing God's gifts would excuse our violation of God's laws.
49:07
God gives us riches, honor, and relations that we may serve Him cheerfully
49:10
in the enjoyment of them. But if we take occasion from them to sin
49:15
against Him, instead of blaming Providence, were putting us into such a condition,
49:19
we must blame ourselves for perverting the gracious designs of Providence. Therein number
49:24
two, Eve lays all the blame upon the serpent. The serpent beguiled me.
49:30
Sin is a brat that nobody is willing to own. A sign that
49:35
is a scandalous thing. Those that are willing enough to take the pleasure and
49:37
profit of sin are backward enough to take the blame and shame of it.
49:43
The serpent that seble creature of thy making, which thou didst permit to come
49:46
to paradise to us, he beguiled me or made me to err. For
49:51
our sins are errors. Learn hence subscript one that Satan's temptations are all beguilings,
49:58
his arguments are all fo policies, his allurements are all cheats. When
50:02
he speaks fair, believe him not. Sin deceives us, and by deceiving
50:07
cheats us. It is by the deceitfulness of sin that the heart is hardened
50:13
see Roman seven, verse eleven and Hebrews three, verse thirteen. Subscript two
50:19
that though Satan's seltude drew us into sin, yet it will not justify us
50:22
in sin. Though he is the tempter, we are the sinners. And
50:28
indeed it is our own lust that draws us aside and entices us James one,
50:31
verse fourteen. Let not therefore lessen our sorrow and humiliation for sin,
50:37
that we are beguiled into it, but rather let it increase our self indignation
50:42
that we should suffer ourselves be beguiled by a known cheat and a sworn enemy.
50:46
Well, this is all the prisoners at the bar have to say.
50:51
Why sentence should not be passed, an execution awarded according to law? That
50:54
this all is next to nothing, in some respects worse than nothing. End
51:00
of Chapter three, Part one,