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2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:

3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

c c. 2. 17.

There are

lately taken, she had not been so much exposed.
many temptations to which solitude gives great advantage;
but the communion of saints contributes much to their strength
and safety. 3. He took advantage by finding her near the for-
bidden tree, and, probably, gazing upon the fruit of it, only to
satisfy her curiosity. They that would not eat the forbidden
fruit, must not come near the forbidden tree. Avoid it, pass not
by it, Prov. 4. 15. 4. Satan tempted Eve, that by her he might
tempt Adam; so he tempted Job by his wife, and Christ by
Peter. It is his policy to send temptations by unsuspected
hands, and their's that have most interest in us and influence
upon us.

III. The temptation itself, and the artificial management of it. We are often, in scripture, told of our danger by the temptations of Satan; his devices, 2 Cor. 2. 11; his depths, Rev. 2. 24; his wiles, Eph. 6. 11. The greatest instances we have of them, were in his tempting of the two Adams, here, and Matt. 4. In this, he prevailed; but in that, he was baffled. What he spake to them of whom he had no hold by any corruption in them, he speaks in us by our own deceitful hearts and their carnal reasonings, which makes his assaults on us less discernible, but not less dangerous. That which the Devil aimed at, was to persuade Eve to eat forbidden fruit; and, to do this, he took the same method that he does still. 1. He questions whether it were a sin or no, v. 1. 2. He denies that there was any danger in it, v. 4. 3. He suggests much advantage by it, v. 5. And these are his common topics.

1. He questions whether it were a sin or no, to eat of this tree, and whether really the fruit of it were forbidden. Yea; hath God said, Ye shall not eat? The first word intimated something said before, introducing this, and with which it is connected; perhaps some discourse Eve had with herself, which Satan took hold of, and grafted this question upon. In the chain of thoughts, one thing strangely brings in another, and perhaps something bad at last. Observe here, (1.) He does not discover his design at first, but puts a question which seemed innocent; "I hear a piece of news, pray, is it true; has God forbidden you to eat of this tree ?" Thus he would begin a discourse, and draw her into a parley. Those that would be safe, have need to be suspicious, and shy of talking with the tempter. (2.) He quotes the command fallaciously, as if it were a prohibition, not only of that tree, but of all; God had said, Of every tree ye may eat, except one. He, by aggravating the exception, endeavours to invalidate the concession; Hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree? The divine law cannot be reproached, unless it be first misrepresented. (3.) He seems to speak it tauntingly, upbraiding the woman with her shyness of meddling with that tree; as if he had said, "You are so nice and cautious, and so very precise, because God has said, Ye shall not cat.' The Devil, as he is a liar, so he is a scoffer, from the beginning; and the scoffers of the last days are his children. (4.) That which he aimed at in the first onset, was to take off her sense of the obligation of the command. "Surely, you are mistaken, it cannot be that God should tie you out from this tree; he would not do so unreasonable a thing." See here, That it is the subtlety of Satan to blemish the reputation of the divine law, as uncertain, or unreasonable, and so to draw people to sin; and that it is therefore our wisdom to keep up a firm belief of, and a high respect for the command of God. Has God said, "Ye shall not lie, nor take his name in vain, nor be drunk, &c.?" "Yes, I am sure he has, and it is well said, and by his grace I will abide by it, whatever the tempter suggests to the contrary.'

4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened; and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

d John 8. 44. e 1 Tim. 2. 14.

taste not, handle not,) but to make a fence about it: "We must not eat, therefore we will not touch. It is forbidden in the highest degree, and the authority of the prohibition is sacred to us." [4.] She seems a little to waver about the threatening, and is not so particular and faithful in the repetition of that as of the precept. God had said, In the day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die: all she makes of that is, Lest ye die. Note, Wavering faith and wavering resolutions give great advantage to the tempter.

2. He denies that there was any danger in it; though it might be the transgressing of a precept, yet it would not be the incurring of a penalty, v. 4. Ye shall not surely die. "Ye shall not dying die," so the word is, in direct contradiction to what God had said. Either, (1.) "It is not certain that ye shall die," so some. "It is not so sure as ye are made to believe it is." Thus Satan endeavours to shake that which he cannot overthrow, and invalidates the force of divine threatenings by questioning the certainty of them; and when once it is supposed possible that there may be falsehood or fallacy in any word of God, a door is then opened to downright infidelity. Satan teaches men first to doubt, and then to deny; he makes skeptics first, and so by degrees makes them atheists. Or, (2.) "It is certain ye shall not die," so others. He avers his contradiction with the same phrase of assurance that God hath used in ratifying the threatening. He began to call the precept in question, v. 1, but finding that the woman adhered to that, he quitted that battery, and made his second onset upon the threatening, where he perceived her to waver; for he is quick to spy all advantages, and to attack the wall where it is weakest, Ye shall not surely die. This was a lie, a downright lie; for, [1.] It was contrary to the word of God, which we are sure is true; see 1 John 2. 21, 27. It was such a lie as gave the lie to God himself. [2.] It was contrary to his own knowledge; when he told them there was no danger in disobedience and rebellion, he said that which he knew, by woful experience, to be false. He had broken the law of his creation, and had found, to his cost, that he could not prosper in it; and yet he tells our first parents they shall not die. He conceals his own misery, that he might draw them into the like: thus he still deceives sinners into their own ruin. He tells them, though they sin they shall not die; and gains credit rather than God, who tells them, The wages of sin is death. Now hope of impunity is a great support to all iniquity, and impenitence in it: I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of my heart, Deut. 29. 19.

3. He promises them advantage by it, v. 5. Here he follows his blow, and it was a blow at the root, a fatal blow to the tree we are branches of. He not only would undertake they should be no losers by it, thus binding himself to save them from harm; but (if they would be such fools as to venture upon the security of one that was himself become a bankrupt) he undertakes they shall be gainers by it, unspeakable gainers. He could not have persuaded them to run the hazard of ruining themselves, if he had not suggested to them a great probability of mending themselves.

(1.) He insinuates to them the great improvements they would make by eating of this fruit. And he suits the temptation to the pure state they were now in, proposing to them, not any carnal pleasures or gratifications, but intellectual delights and satisfactions. These were the baits with which he covered his hook. [1.]" Your eyes shall be opened; you shall have much more of the power and pleasure of contemplation than now you have; you shall fetch a larger compass in your intellectual views, and see farther into things than now you do." He speaks as Now, in answer to this question, the woman gives him a plain if now they were but dim-sighted, and short-sighted, in compaand full account of the law they were under, v. 2, 3. Where rison of what they would be then. [2.]" You shall be as gods, observe, [1.] It was her weakness to enter into discourse with as Elohim, mighty gods; not only omniscient, but omnipotent the serpent: she might have perceived by his question, that he too :" or, "You shall be as God himself, equal to him, rivals had no good design, and should therefore have started back with with him; you shall be sovereigns, and no longer subjects; a Get thee behind me, Satan, thou art an offence to me. But her self-sufficient, and no longer depending." A most absurd sugcuriosity, and perhaps her surprise, to hear a serpent speak, ledgestion! As if it were possible for creatures of yesterday to be her into further talk with him. Note, It is a dangerous thing like their Creator that was from eternity. [3.] "You shall to treat with a temptation, which ought at first to be rejected know good and evil, that is, every thing that is desirable to be with disdain and abhorrence. The garrison that sounds a parley, known." To support this part of the temptation, he abuses the is not far from being surrendered. Those that would be kept name given to this tree: it was intended to teach the practical from harm, must keep out of harm's way. See Prov. 14. 7.- knowledge of good and evil, that is, of duty and disobedience; 19. 27. [2. It was her wisdom to take notice of the liberty God and it would prove the experimental knowledge of good and evil, had granted them, in answer to his sly insinuation, as if God that is, of happiness and misery. In these senses, the name of had put them into paradise, only to tantalize them with the sight the tree was a warning to them not to eat of it; but he perverts of fair but forbidden fruits. "Yea," says she, 66 we may eat the sense of it, and wrests it to their destruction, as if this tree of the fruit of the trees, thanks to our Maker, we have plenty would give them a speculative notional knowledge of the natures, and variety enough allowed us.". Note, To prevent our being kinds, and originals, of good and evil. And, [4.] All this preuneasy at the restraints of religion, it is good often to take a sently; "In the day ye eat thereof, you will find a sudden and view of the liberties and comforts of it. [3.] It was an instance immediate change for the better." Now in all these insinuaof her resolution, that she adhered to the command, and faith- tions, he aims to beget in them, First, Discontent with their fully repeated it, as of unquestionable certainty, God hath present state, as if it were not so good as it might be, and said, I am confident he hath said it, Ye shall not eat of the fruit should be. Note, No condition will of itself bring contentment, of this tree;" and that which she adds, Neither shall ye touch it, unless the mind be brought to it. Adam was not easy, no not seems to have been with a good intention, not (as some think) in paradise, nor the angels in their first state, Jude 6. Secondly, tacitly to reflect upon the command as too strict, (Touch not, Ambition of preferment, as if they were fit to be gods. Satan

"

6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat; and gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat.

• a desire. f c. 2. 25.

had ruined himself by desiring to be like the Most High, Is. 14. 14, and therefore seeks to infect our first parents with the same desire, that he might ruin them too.

(2.) He insinuates to them that God had no good design upon them in forbidding them this fruit. "For God doth know how much it will advance you; and therefore, in envy and ill-will to you, he hath forbidden it:" as if he durst not let them eat of that tree, because then they would know their own strength, and would not continue in an inferior state, but be able to cope with him; or as if he grudged them the honour and happiness which their eating of that tree would prefer them to. Now, [1.] This was a great affront to God, and the highest indignity that could be done him; a reproach to his power, as if he feared his creatures; and much more a reproach to his goodness, as if he hated the work of his own hands, and would not have those whom he has made, to be made happy. Shall the best of men think it strange to be misrepresented and evil spoken of, when God himself is so? Satan, as he is the accuser of the brethren before God, so he accusés God before the brethren; thus he sows discord, and is the father of them that do so. [2.] It was a most dangerous snare to our first parents, as it tended to alienate their affections from God, and so to withdraw them from their allegiance to him. Thus still the Devil draws people into his interest by suggesting to them hard thoughts of God, and false hopes of benefit and advantage by sin. Let us therefore, in opposition to him, always think well of God as the best good, and think ill of sin as the worst of evils: thus let us resist the Devil, and he will flee from us. V. 6-8. Here we see what Eve's parley with the tempter ended in; Satan, at length, gains his point, and the strong hold is taken by his wiles. God tried the obedience of our first parents by forbidding them the tree of knowledge, and Satan does, as it were, join issue with God, and in that very thing undertakes to seduce them into a transgression; and here we find how he prevailed, God permitting it for wise and holy ends.

7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked: and they sewed fig-leaves together, and made themselves 'aprons. 8 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and

for, things to gird about. I wind.

in those fiery darts which pierce and poison the heart. The eye affects the heart with guilt as well as grief. Let us therefore, with holy Job, make a covenant with our eyes, not to look on that which we are in danger of lusting after, Prov. 23. 31. Matt. 5. 28. Let the fear of God be always to us for a covering of the eyes, ch. 20. 16.

2. She took: it was her own act and deed. The Devil did not take it, and put it into her mouth, whether she would or no; but she herself took it. Satan may tempt, but he cannot force; may persuade us to cast ourselves down, but he cannot cast us down, Matt. 4. 6. Eve's taking was stealing, like Achan's taking the accursed thing, taking that which she had no right to. Surely, she took it with a trembling hand. 3. She did eat: when she looked, perhaps she did not intend to take, or when she took, not to eat; but it ended in that. Note, The way of sin is down-hill; a man cannot stop himself when he will: the beginning of it is as the breaking forth of water, to which it is hard to say, "Hitherto thou shalt come and no further:" Therefore it is our wisdom to suppress the first motions of sin, and to leave it off, before it be meddled with. Obsta principus-Nip mischief in the bud.

As was

"And

4. She gave also to her husband with her: it is probable that he was not with her when she was tempted; surely if he had, he would have interposed to prevent the sin; but he came to her when she had eaten, and was prevailed with by her to eat likewise; for it is easier to learn that which is bad, than to teach that which is good. She gave it to him, persuading hin with the same arguments that the serpent had used with her, adding this to all the rest, that she herself had eaten of it, and found it so far from being deadly, that it was extremely pleasant and grateful: stolen waters are sweet. She gave it to him, under colour of kindness; she would not eat these delicious morsels alone; but really it was the greatest unkindness she could do him. Or perhaps she gave it to him, that if it should prove hurtful, he might share with her in the misery; which indeed looks strangely unkind, and yet may, without difficulty, be supposed to enter into the heart of one that had eaten forI. We have here the inducements that moved them to trans-bidden fruit. Note, Those that have themselves done ill, are gress. The woman being deceived by the tempter's artful commonly willing to draw in others to do the same. management, was ringleader in the transgression, 1 Tim. 2. the Devil, so was Eve, no sooner a sinner than a tempter. 14. She was first in the fault; and it was the result of her 5. He did eat, overcome by his wife's importunity. It is consideration, or rather, her inconsideration. needless to ask, "What would have been the consequence, if 1. She saw no harm in this tree, more than in any of the Eve only had transgressed?" The wisdom of God, we are rest. It was said of all the rest of the fruit-trees with which sure, would have decided the difficulty according to equity; the garden of Eden was planted, that they were pleasant to the but, alas, the case was not so; Adam also did eat. sight, and good for food, ch. 2. 9. Now, in her eye, this was what great harm if he did?" say the corrupt and carnal realike all the rest; it seemed as good for food as any of them, sonings of a vain mind. What harm? Why, there was in it and she saw nothing in the colour of its fruit, that threatened disbelief of God's word, together with confidence in the Devil's; death or danger; it was as pleasant to the sight as any of discontent with his present state; pride in his own merits; an them, and therefore, "What hurt could it do to them? Why ambition of the honour which comes not from God; envy at should this be forbidden them rather than any of the rest?" God's perfections; and indulgence of the appetites of the body. Note, When there is thought to be no more harm in forbidden In neglecting the tree of life which he was allowed to eat fruit than in other fruit, sin lies at the door, and Satan soon of, and eating of the tree of knowledge which was forbidden, carries the day. Nay, perhaps, it seemed to her to be better he plainly showed a contempt of the favours God had befor food, more grateful to the taste, and more nourishing to the stowed on him, and a preference given to those God did not body, than any of the rest, and to her eye it was more pleasant see fit for him. He would be both his own carver, and his own than any. We are often betrayed into snares by an inordinate master; would have what he pleased, and do what he pleased: desire to have our senses gratified. Or, if it had nothing in it his sin was, in one word, disobedience, Rom. 5. 19; disobedi more inviting than the rest, yet it was the more coveted, be-ence to a plain, easy, and express command, which, probably, cause it was prohibited. Whether it were so in her or not, he knew to be a command of trial. He sins against great we find that in us, that is, in our flesh, in our corrupt nature, knowledge, against many mercies, against light and love, the there dwells a strange spirit of contradiction, Nitimur in veti-clearest light, and the dearest love, that ever sinner sinned tum-We desire what is prohibited. against. He had no corrupt nature within him to betray him; but had a freedom of will, not enslaved, and was in his full strength, not weakened or impaired. He turned aside quickly. Some think he fell the very day on which he was made: though I see not how to reconcile that with God's pronouncing all very good, in the close of that day: others suppose he fell on the sabbath-day; the better day, the worse deed: however, it is certain that he kept his integrity but a very little while; being in honour, he continued not. But the greatest aggravation of his sin was, that he involved all his posterity in sin and ruin by it. God having told him that his race should replenish the person, and that his disobedience would be fatal to all his seed; and if so, it was certainly the greatest treachery, as well as the greatest cruelty, that ever was. The human nature being lodged entirely in our first parents, from henceforward it could not but be transmitted from them under an attainder of guilt, a stain of dishonour, and an hereditary disease of sin and corruption. And can we say, then, that Adam's sin had but little harm in it?

2. She imagined more virtue in this tree than in any of the rest; that it was a tree not only not to be dreaded, but to be desired to make one wise, and therein excelling all the rest of the trees. This she saw, that is, she perceived and understood it by what the Devil had said to her; and some think that she saw the serpent eat of that tree, and that he told her he thereby had gained the faculties of speech and reason, whence she inferred its power to make one wise, and was persuaded to think, "If it made a brute creature rational, why might it not make a rational creature divine?" See here how the desire of unnecessary knowledge, under the mistaken notion of wis-earth, surely he could not but know that he stood as a public dom, proves hurtful and destructive to many. Our first parents, who knew so much, did not know this, that they knew enough. Christ is a tree to be desired to make one wise, (Col. 2. 3. 1 Cor. 1.30.) Let us, by faith, feed upon him, that we may be wise to salvation. In the heavenly paradise, the tree of knowledge will not be a forbidden tree; for there, we shall know as we are known; let us therefore long to be there, and, in the mean time, not exercise ourselves in things too high, or too deep for us, nor covet to be wise above what is written. II. The steps of the transgression; not steps upward, but downward towards the pit-steps that took hold on hell.

1. She saw she should have turned away her eyes from beholding vanity; but she enters into temptation, by looking with pleasure on the forbidden fruit. Observe, A great deal of sin comes in at the eye. At those windows Satan throws

III. The immediate consequences of the transgression. Shame and fear seized the criminals, ipso facto-in the fact itself; these came into the world along with sin, and still attend it.

1. Shame seized them unseen, v. 7, where observe, (1.) The strong convictions they fell under, in their own bosoms; The eyes of them both were opened. It is not meant

Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence
of the LORD God, among the trees of the garden.
9 And the LORD God called unto Adam, and
said unto him, Where art thou?

g Jer. 23. 24. Am. 9. 2, 3.

10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, "because I was naked; and I hid myself.

11 And he said, Who told thee that thou wast

h1 John 3. 20.

of the eyes of the body; those were opened before, as appears
by this, that the sin came in at them; Jonathan's eyes were
enlightened by eating forbidden fruit, 1 Sam. 14. 27, that is, he
was refreshed and revived by it; but their's were not so.
Nor
is it meant of any advances made hereby in true knowledge;
but the eyes of their consciences were opened, their hearts
smote them for what they had done. Now, when it was too
late, they saw the folly of eating forbidden fruit. They saw
the happiness they were fallen from, and the misery they were
fallen into. They saw a loving God provoked, his grace and
favour forfeited, his likeness and image lost, dominion over the
creatures gone. They saw their natures corrupted and de-
praved, and felt a disorder in their own spirits which they had
never before been conscious of. They saw a law in their
members warring against the law of their minds, and captiva-
ting them both to sin and wrath. They saw, as Balaam, when
his eyes were opened, (Num. 22. 31,) the angel of the Lord
standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand; and
perhaps they saw the serpent that had abused them, insulting
over them. The text tells us, they saw that they were naked,
that is, [1] That they were stripped, deprived of all the
honours and joys of their paradise state, and exposed to all the
miseries that might justly be expected from an angry God;
they were disarmed, their defence was departed from them.
[2.] That they were shamed, for ever shamed, before God
and angels; they saw themselves disrobed of all their orna-
ments and ensigns of honour, degraded from their dignity, and
disgraced in the highest degree; laid open to the contempt
and reproach of heaven, and earth, and their own consciences.
Now, see here, First, what a dishonour and disquietment sin
is; it makes mischief wherever it is admitted, sets men against
themselves, disturbs their peace, and destroys all their com-
forts sooner or later, it will have shame, either the shame
of true repentance which ends in glory, or that shame and
everlasting contempt, to which the wicked shall rise at the
great day sin is a reproach to any people. Secondly, What
a deceiver Satan is; he told our first parents, when he tempted
them, that their eyes should be opened; and so they were, but
not as they understood it; they were opened, to their shame
and grief, not to their honour or advantage. Therefore, when
he speaks fair, believe him not. The most malicious mischie-forters they were become to each other!
vous liars often excuse themselves with this, that they are only
equivocations; but God will not so excuse them.

hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God: a sad
change! Before they had sinned, if they had heard the voice
of the Lord God coming toward them, they would have run to
meet him, and with a humble joy welcomed his gracious visits;
but now that it was otherwise, God was become a terror to
them, and then, no marvel that they were become a terror to
themselves, and full of confusion; their own consciences accused
them, and set their sin before them in its colours; their fig-
leaves failed them, and would do them no service; God was
come forth against them as an enemy, and the whole creation
was at war with them; and as yet, they knew not of any
mediator between them and an angry God, so that nothing
remained but a certain fearful looking for of judgment. In this
fright, they hid themselves among the bushes; having offended
they fled for the same. Knowing themselves guilty, they durst
not stand a trial, but absconded, and fled from justice. See here,
[1] The falsehood of the tempter, and the frauds and the
fallacies of his temptations: he promised them they should be
safe, but now they cannot so much as think themselves so; he
said they should not die, and yet now they are forced to fly for
their lives; he promised them they should be advanced, but they
see themselves abased, never did they seem so little as now; he
promised them they should be knowing, but they see themselves
at a loss, and know not so much as where to hide themselves;
he promised them they should be as gods, great, and bold, and
daring, but they are as criminals discovered, trembling, pale,
and anxious to escape: they would not be subjects, and so they
are prisoners. [2. The folly of sinners, to think it either
possible, or desirable, to hide themselves from God: can they
conceal themselves from the Father of lights? Ps. 139. 7, &c.
Jer. 23. 24. Will they withdraw themselves from the Fountain
of life, who alone can give help and happiness? Jon. 2. 8.
[3.] The fears that attend sin: all that amazing fear of God's
appearances, the accusations of conscience, the approaches of
trouble, the assaults of inferior creatures, and the arrest of
death which is common among men, all these are the effect of
sin. Adam and Eve, who were partners in the sin, were
sharers in the shame and fear that attended it; and though
hand joined in hand, (hands so lately joined in marriage,) yet
could they not animate or fortify one another: miserable com-

(2.) The sorry shift they made, to palliate these convictions, and to arm themselves against them; they sewed, or platted fig-leaves together; and, to cover, at least, part of their shame from one another, they made themselves aprons. See here what is commonly the folly of those that have sinned. [1.] That they are more solicitous to save their credit before men, than to obtain their pardon from God; they are backward to confess their sin, and very desirous to conceal it, as much as may be; I have sinned, yet honour me. [2.] That the excuses men make, to cover and extenuate their sins, are vain and frivolous; like the aprons of fig-leaves, they make the matter never the better, but the worse; the shame, thus hid, becomes the more shameful: yet thus we are all apt to cover our transgressions as Adam, Job 31. 33.

2. Fear seized them immediately upon their eating the forbidden fruit, v. 8. Observe here, (1.) What was the cause and occasion of their fear; they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day. It was the approach of the Judge, that put them into a fright; and yet he came in such a manner, as made it formidable only to guilty consciences. It is supposed that he came in a human shape, and that he who judged the world now, was the same that shall judge the world at the last day, even that man whom God has ordained: he appeared to them now, (it should seem,) in no other similitude than that in which they had seen him when he put them into paradise; for he came to convince and humble them, not to amaze and terrify them. He came into the garden, not descending immediately from heaven in their view, as afterward on mount Sinai, (making either thick darkness his pavilion, or the flaming fire his chariot,) but he came into the garden, as one that was still willing to be familiar with them. He came walking, not running, not riding upon the wings of the wind, but walking deliberately, as one slow to anger; teaching us, when we are never so much provoked, not to be hot or hasty, but to speak and act considerately, and not rashly. He came in the cool of the day, not in the night, when all fears are doubly fearful, nor in the heat of the day, for he came not in the heat of his anger; Fury is not in him, Is. 27. 4. Nor did he come suddenly upon them; but they heard his voice at some distance, giving them notice of his coming, and, probably, it was a still small voice, like that in which he came to inquire after Elijah. Some think they heard him discoursing with himself concerning the sin of Adam, and the judgment now to be passed upon him; perhaps, as he did concerning Israel, Hos. 11. 8, 9, How shall I give thee up? Or rather, they heard him calling for them, and coming toward them.

(2.) What was the effect and evidence of their fear; they

V. 9, 10. We have here the arraignment of these deserters before the righteous Judge of heaven and earth, who, though he is not tied to observe formalities, yet proceeds against them with all possible fairness, that he may be justified when he speaks. Observe here,

me,

1. The startling question with which God pursued Adam, and arrested him, Where art thou? Not as if God did not know where he was; but thus he would enter the process against him. "Come, where is this foolish man?" Some make it a bemoaning question, "Poor Adam, what is become of thee?" "Alas for thee!" (so some read it,) "How art thou fallen, Lucifer, son of the morning! Thou that wast my friend and favourite, whom I have done so much for, and would have done so much more for; hast thou now forsaken and ruined thyself? Is it come to this?" It is rather an upbraiding question, in order to his conviction and humiliation. Where art thou? Not, In what place, but, In what condition? "Is this all thou hast gotten by eating forbidden fruit? Thou that wouldest vie with me, dost thou now fly from me?" Note, (1.) Those who by sin have gone astray from God, should seriously consider where they are; they are afar off from all good, in the midst of their enemies, in bondage to Satan, and in the high road to utter ruin. This inquiry after Adam may be looked upon as a gracious pursuit in kindness to him, and in order to his recovery. If God had not called to him, to reclaim him, his condition had been as desperate as that of fallen angels; this lost sheep had wandered endlessly, if the good shepherd had not sought after him, to bring him back, and in order to that, reminded him where he was, where he should not be, and where he could not be either happy or easy. Note, (2.) If sinners will but consider where they are, they will not rest till they return to God.

2. The trembling answer which Adam gave to this question, v. 10, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid: he does not own his guilt, and yet in effect confesses it, by owning his shame and fear; but it is the common fault and folly of those that have done an ill thing, when they are questioned about it, to acknowledge no more than what is so manifest that they cannot deny it. Adam was afraid, because he was naked; not only unarmed, and therefore afraid to contend with God, but unclothed, and therefore afraid so much as to appear before him. We have reason to be afraid of approaching to God, if we be not clothed and fenced with the righteousness of Christ; for nothing but that will be armour of proof, and cover the shame of our nakedness. Let us therefore put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and then draw near with humble boldness,

V. 11-13. We have here the offenders found guilty by their own confession, and yet endeavouring to excuse and extenuate their fault; they could not confess and justify what they had done, but they confess and palliate it. Observe,

naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?

12 And the man said, The woman, whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.

13 And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.

i Job 31. 33. Prov. 28. 13. kle, 65, 25, Mic. 7. 17. I Mall. 13. 38. John 8, 44. 1 John 3. 8.

I. How their confession was extorted from them: God put it to the man, v. 11, Who told thee that thou wast naked? "How camest thou to be sensible of thy nakedness as thy shame?" Hast thou eaten of the forbidden tree? Note, Though God knows all our sins, yet he will know them from us, and requires from us an ingenuous confession of them; not that he may be informed, but that we may be humbled. In this examination, God reminds him of the command he had given him: "I commanded thee not to eat of it, I thy Maker, I thy Master, I thy Benefactor; I commanded thee to the contrary." Sin appears most plain, and most sinful, in the glass of the commandment, therefore God here sets it before Adam; and in it we should see our faces. The question put to the woman, was, v. 13, What is this that thou hast done?" "Wilt thou also own thy fault, and make confession of it? And wilt thou see what an evil thing it was?" Note, It concerns those who have eaten forbidden fruit themselves, and especially those who have enticed others to it likewise, seriously to consider what they have done. In eating forbidden fruit, we have offended a great and gracious God, broken a just and righteous law, violated a sacred and most solemn covenant, and wronged our own precious souls by forfeiting God's favour, and exposing ourselves to his wrath and curse: in enticing others to it, we do the Devil's work, make ourselves guilty of other men's sins, and accessary to their ruin. What is this that we have done? II. How their crime was extenuated by them in their confession. It was to no purpose to plead not guilty; the show of their countenances testified against them, therefore they become their own accusers. I did eat, says the man, “And so did I," says the woman: for when God judges, he will overcome: but these do not look like penitent confessions; for instead of aggravating the sin, and taking shame to themselves, they excuse the sin, and lay the shame and blame on others.

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1. Adam lays all the blame upon his wife. "She gave me of the tree, and pressed me to eat it, which I did, only to oblige her" a frivolous excuse. He ought to have taught her, not to have been taught by her; and it was no hard matter to determine which of the two he must be ruled by, his God or his wife. Learn hence, never to be brought to sin by that which will not bring us off in the judgment: let not that bear us up the commission, which will not bear us out in the trial: let us therefore never be overcome by importunity to act against our consciences, nor ever displease God, to please the best friend we have in the world. But this is not the worst of it; he not only lays the blame upon his wife, but expresses it so as tacitly to reflect on God himself: "It is the woman which thou gavest me, and gavest to be with me as my companion, my guide, and my acquaintance; she gave me of the tree, else I had not eaten of it." Thus he insinuates that God was accessary to his sin; he gave him the woman, and she gave him the fruit; so that he seemed to have it but at one remove from God's own hand. Note, There is a strange proneness in those that are tempted, to say that they are tempted of God; as if our abusing of God's gifts would excuse our violation of God's laws, God gives us riches, honours, and relations, that we may serve him cheerfully in the enjoyment of them; but if we take occasion from them to sin against him, instead of blaming Providence for putting us into such a condition, we must blame ourselves for perverting the gracious designs of Providence therein.

2. Eve lays all the blame upon the serpent; The serpent beguiled me. Sin is a brat that nobody is willing to own; a sign that it is a scandalous thing. Those that are willing enough to take the pleasure and profit of sin, are backward enough to take the blame and shame of it. "The serpent, that subtle creature of thy making, which thou didst permit to come into paradise to us, he beguiled me," or, made me to err; for our sins are our errors. Learn hence, (1.) That Satan's temptations are all beguilings, his arguments are all fallacies, his allurements are all cheats; when he speaks fair, believe him not. Sin deceives us, and, by deceiving, cheats us. It is by the deceitfulness of sin, that the heart is hardened; see Rom. 7. 11. Heb. 3. 13. (2.) That though Satan's subtlety drew us into sin, yet it will not justify us in sin: though he is the tempter, we are the sinners; and indeed it is our own lust that draws us aside and entices us, Jam. 1. 14. Let it not therefore lessen our sorrow and humiliation for sin, that we are beguiled into it; but rather let it increase our self-indignation, that we should suffer ourselves to be beguiled by a known cheat and a sworn enemy. Well, this is all the prisoners at the bar have to say why sentence should not be passed, and execution awarded, according to law; and this all is next to nothing, in some respects, worse than nothing.

V. 14,15. The prisoners being found guilty by their own confession, beside the personal and infallible knowledge of the Judge,

14 And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field: upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:

15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between 'thy seed and "her seed; "it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. m Is. 7. 14. Matt. 1. 2. Luke 1, 76. n Rom. 16. 20. Eph. 4. 8. Rev. 12. 7, 8.

and nothing material being offered in arrest of judgment, God immediately proceeds to pass sentence; and, in these verses, he begins (where the sin began) with the serpent. God did not examine the serpent, nor ask him what he had done, or why he did it; but immediately sentenced him, 1. Because he was already convicted of rebellion against God, and his malice and wickedness were notorious, not found by secret search, but openly avowed and declared, as Sodom's. 2. Because he was to be for ever excluded from all hope of pardon; and why should any thing be said to convince and humble him, who was to find no place for repentance? His wound was not searched, because it was not to be cured. Some think the condition of the fallen angels was not declared desperate and helpless, until now that they had seduced man into the rebellion.

The sentence passed upon the tempter may be considered, I. As lighting upon the serpent, the brute creature which Satan made use of, which was, as the rest, made for the service of man, but was now abused to his hurt; therefore, to testify a displeasure against sin, and a jealousy for the injured honour of Adam and Eve, God fastens a curse and reproach upon the serpent, and makes it to groan, being burdened, 2 Cor. 5. 4. The Devil's instruments must share in the Devil's punishments; thus the bodies of the wicked, though only instruments of unrighteousness, shall partake of everlasting torments with the soul, the principal agent. Even the ox that killed a man, must be stoned, Ex. 21. 28, 29. See here, how God hates sin, and especially how much displeased he is with those that entice others into sin: it is a perpetual brand upon Jeroboam's name, that he made Israel to sin. Now,

1. The serpent is here laid under the curse of God; Thou art cursed above all cattle; even the creeping things, when God made them, were blessed of him, ch. 1. 22, but sin turned the blessing into a curse. The serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field, v. 1, and here, cursed above every beast in the field: unsanctified subtlety often proves a great curse to a man; and the more crafty men are to do evil, the more mischief they do, and, consequently, they shall receive the greater damnation. Subtle tempters are the most accursed creatures under the sun.

2. He is here laid under man's reproach and enmity. (1.) He is to be for ever looked upon as a vile and despicable creature, and a proper object of scorn and contempt;"Upon thy belly thou shalt go, no longer upon feet, or half erect, but thou shalt crawl along, thy belly cleaving to the earth;" an expression of a very abject miserable condition, Ps. 44. 25; "and thou shalt not avoid eating dust with thy meat." His crime was that he tempted Eve to eat that which she should not; his punishment was, that he was necessitated to eat that which he would not. Dust thou shalt eat; denoting not only a base and despicable condition, but a mean and pitiful spirit: it is said of those whose courage is departed from them, that they lick the dust like a serpent, Mic. 7. 17. How sad it is, that the serpent's curse should be the covetous worldling's choice, whose character it is, that they pant after the dust of the earth! Am. 2. 7. These choose their own delusions, and so shall their doom be. (2.) He is to be for ever looked upon as a venomous noxious creature, and a proper object of hatred and detestation: I will put enmity between thee and the woman. The inferior creatures being made for man, it was a curse upon any of them, to be turned against man, and man against them; and this is part of the serpent's curse. The serpent is hurtful to man, and often bruises his heel, because it can reach no higher; nay, notice is taken of his biting the horses' heels, ch. 49. 17. But man is victorious over the serpent, and bruises his head, that is, gives him a mortal wound, aiming to destroy the whole generation of vipers. It is the effect of this curse upon the serpent, that though that creature is subtle and very dangerous, yet it prevails not, (as it would if God gave it commission,) to the destruction of mankind; but this fear of serpents is much reduced by that promise of God to his people, Ps. 91. 13, Thou shalt tread upon the lion and the adder, and that of Christ to his disciples, Mark 16. 18, They shall take up serpents; witness Paul, who was unhurt by the viper that fastened upon his hand. Observe here, that the serpent and the woman had just now been very familiar and friendly in discourse about the forbidden fruit, and a wonderful agreement there was between them; but here they are irreconcilably set at variance. Note, Sinful friendships justly end in mortal feuds: those that unite in wickedness will not unite long.

II. This sentence may be considered as levelled at the Devil, who only made use of the serpent, as his vehicle in this appearance, but was himself the principal agent. He that spoke through the serpent's mouth, is here struck at through the serpent's side, and is principally intended in the sentence, which, like the pillar of cloud and fire, has a dark side toward

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the Devil, and a bright side toward our first parents and their seed. Great things are contained in these words.

1. A perpetual reproach is here fastened upon that great enemy both to God and man. Under the cover of the serpent, he is here sentenced to be, (1.) Degraded and accursed of God. It is supposed that pride was the sin that turned angels into devils, which is here justly punished by a great variety of mortifications couched under the mean circumstances of a serpent crawling on his belly, and licking the dust. How art thou fallen, O Lucifer! He that would be above God, and would head a rebellion against him, is justly exposed here to contempt, and lies to be trodden on; a man's pride will bring him low, and God will humble those that will not humble themselves. (2.) Detested and abhorred of all mankind; even those that are really seduced into his interest, yet profess a hatred and abhorrence of him; and all that are born of God, make it their constant care to keep themselves, that that wicked one touch them not, 1 John 5. 18. He is here condemned to a state of war and irreconcilable enmity. (3.) Destroyed and ruined, at last, by the great Redeemer, signified by the breaking of his head; his subtle politics shall be all baffled, his usurped power shall be entirely crushed, and he shall be for ever a captive to the injured honour of the divine sovereignty: by being told of this now, he was tormented before the time.

2. A perpetual quarrel is here commenced between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of the Devil among men; war is proclaimed between the Seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent. That war in Heaven between Michael and the Dragon began now, Rev. 12. 7. It is the fruit of this enmity, (1.) That there is a continual conflict between grace and corruption in the hearts of God's people: Satan, by their corruptions, assaults them, buffets them, sifts them, and seeks to devour them; they, by the exercise of their graces, resist him, wrestle with him, quench his fiery darts, force him to flee from them. Heaven and hell can never be reconciled, nor light and darkness; no more can Satan and a sanctified soul, for these are contrary the one to the other. (2.) That there is likewise a continual struggle between the wicked and the godly in this world. They that love God, account those their enemies that hate him, Ps. 139. 21, 22. And all the rage and malice of persecutors against the people of God, are the fruit of this enmity, which will continue while there is a godly man on this side heaven, and a wicked man on this side hell; Marvel not, therefore, if the world hate you, 1 John 3. 13.

3. A gracious promise is here made of Christ, as the Deliverer of fallen man from the power of Satan; though it was expressed to the serpent, yet it was expressed in the hearing of our first parents, who, doubtless, took the hints of grace here given them, and saw a door of hope opened to them; else, the following sentence upon themselves would have overwhelmed them. Here was the dawning of the Gospel-day: no sooner was the wound given, than the remedy was provided and revealed; here, in the head of the book, as the word is, (Heb. 10. 7,) in the beginning of the Bible, it is written of Christ, that he should do the will of God. By faith in this promise, we have reason to think our first parents, and the patriarchs before the flood, were justified and saved; and to this promise, and the benefit of it, instantly serving God day and night, they hoped to come. Notice is here given them of three things concerning Christ.

(1.) His incarnation; that he should be the Seed of the woman, the Seed of that woman; therefore his genealogy, Luke 3. goes so high as to show him to be the son of Adam, but God does the woman the honour to call him rather her seed, because she it was whom the Devil had beguiled, and on whom Adam had laid the blame; herein God magnifies his grace, in that though the woman was first in the transgression, yet she shall be saved by child-bearing, (as some read it,) that is, by the promised Seed which shall descend from her, 1 Tim. 2. 15. He was likewise to be the seed of a woman only, a virgin; that he might not be tainted with the corruption of our nature; he was sent forth, made of a woman, Gal. 4. 4, that this promise might be fulfilled. It speaks great encouragement to sinners, that their Saviour is the Seed of the woman, bone of our bone, Heb. 2. 11, 14. Man is therefore sinful and unclean, because he is born of a woman, (Job 25. 4,) and therefore his days are full of trouble, Job 14. 1. But the Seed of the woman was made sin and a curse for us, so saving us from both.

(2.) His sufferings and death; pointed at in Satan's bruising his heel, that is, his human nature. Satan tempted Christ in the wilderness, to draw him into sin; and some think it was Satan that terrified Christ in his agony, to have driven him to despair. It was the Devil that put it into the heart of Judas to betray Christ, of Peter to deny him, of the chief priests to prosecute him, of the false witnesses to accuse him, and of Pilate to condemn him; aiming in all this, by destroying the Saviour to ruin the salvation; but, on the contrary, it was by death that Christ destroyed him that had the power of death, Heb. 2. 14. Christ's heel was bruised, when his feet were pierced and nailed to the cross, and Christ's sufferings are con

17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy

o 1 Cor. 14. 34.

tinued in the sufferings of the saints for his name. The Devil tempts them, casts them into prison, persecutes and slays them; and so bruises the heel of Christ, who is afflicted in their afflictions. But while the heel is bruised on earth, it is well that the Head is safe in heaven.

(3.) His victory over Satan thereby. Satan had now trampled upon the woman, and insulted over her; but the Seed of the woman should be raised up in the fulness of time to avenge her quarrel, and to trample upon him, to spoil him, to lead him captive, and to triumph over him, Col. 2. 15. He shall bruise his head, that is, he shall destroy all his politics and all his powers, and give a total overthrow to his kingdom and interest. Christ baffled Satan's temptations, rescued souls out of his hands, cast him out of the bodies of people, dispossessed the strong man armed, and divided the spoil: by his death, he gave a fatal and incurable blow to the Devil's kingdom, a wound to the head of this beast, that can never be healed. As his gospel gets ground, Satan falls, Luke 10. 18, and is bound, Rev. 20. 2. By his grace he treads Satan under his people's feet, Rom. 16. 20, and will shortly cast him into the lake of fire, Rev. 20. 10. And the Devil's perpetual overthrow will be the complete and everlasting joy and glory of the chosen remnant.

V. 16. We have here the sentence passed upon the woman for her sin two things she is condemned to, a state of sorrow, and a state of subjection; proper punishments of a sin in which she had gratified her pleasure and her pride.

I. She is here put into a state of sorrow; one particular of which only is specified, that, in bringing forth children; but it includes all those impressions of grief and fear which the mind of that tender sex is most apt to receive, and all the common calamities which they are liable to. Note, sin brought sorrow into the world; that was it that made the world a vale of tears, brought showers of trouble upon our heads, and opened springs of sorrows in our hearts, and so deluged the world: had we known no guilt, we should have known no grief. The pains of child-bearing, which are great to a proverb, a scripture-proverb, are the effect of sin; every pang and every groan of the travailing woman, speak aloud the fatal consequences of sin: this comes of eating forbidden fruit. Observe, 1. The sorrows are here said to be multiplied, greatly multiplied: all the sorrows of this present time are so; many are the calamities which human life is liable to, of various kinds, and often repeated, the clouds returning after the rain; no marvel that our sorrows are multiplied, when our sins are; both are innumerable evils. The sorrows of child-bearing are multiplied; for they include, not only the travailing throes, but the indispositions before, (it is sorrow from the conception,) and the nursing toils and vexations after; and after all, if the children prove wicked and foolish, they are, more than ever, the heaviness of her that bare them. Thus are the sorrows multiplied; as one grief is over, another succeeds in this world. 2. It is God that multiplies our sorrows; I will do it. God, as a righteous Judge, does it, which ought to silence us under all our sorrows; as many as they are, we have deserved them all, and more; nay, God, as a tender Father, does it for our necessary correction, that we may be humbled for sin, and weaned from the world by all our sorrows; and the good we get by them, with the comfort we have under them, will abundantly balance all our sorrows, how greatly soever they are multiplied.

II. She is here put into a state of subjection; the whole sex, which, by creation, was equal with man, is, for sin, made inferior, and forbidden to usurp authority, 1 Tim. 2. 11, 12. The wife particularly is hereby put under the dominion of her husband, and is not sui juris-at her own disposal; of which see an instance in that law, Num. 30. 6-8, where the husband is empowered, if he please, to disannul the vows made by the wife. This sentence amounts only to that command, Wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; but the entrance of sin has made that duty a punishment, which otherwise it would not have been. If man had not sinned, he would always have ruled with wisdom and love; and if the woman had not sinned, she would always have obeyed with humility and meekness, and then the dominion had been no grievance: but our own sin and folly make our yoke heavy. If Eve had not eaten forbidden fruit herself, and tempted her husband to it, she had never complained of her subjection; therefore it ought never to be complained of, though harsh; but sin must be complained of, that made it so. Those wives, who not only despise and disobey their husbands, but domineer over them, do not consider that they not only violate a divine law, but thwart a divine sentence. Lastly, Observe here, how mercy is mixed with wrath in this sentence; the woman shall have sorrow, but it shall be in bringing forth children, and the sorrow shall be forgotten for joy that a child is born, John 16, 21. She shall be subject, but it shall be to her own husband that loves her, not to a stranger, or an enemy: the sentence was not a curse, to bring her to ruin, but a chastisement, to bring her to repentance. It was well that enmity was not put between the man and the woman, as there was between the serpent and the woman.

V. 17-19. We have here the sentence passed upon Adam, which is prefaced with a recital of his crime, v. 17, Because

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