ADAM UNVAILED, AND Seen with open Face: OR, Israel's right way from Egypt to CANAAN, Lately Discovered. Wherein his estate is laid down, opened and compared with ours, under several dispensations, In opposition to what ever hath been formerly declared by most men: In which many excellent Truths appeat, to the great comfort and consolation of all those that are made capable of it. By William Rabisha. 1 Cor. 15. 46, 47. Howbeit, that was not first which is spiritual, but that which was carnal. Jer. 51. 29. In those days they shall say no more, the Fathers have eaten sour grapes, etc. London, Printed for Giles Calvert at the black spread-Eagle at the west end of Paul's, 1649. To the Reader. A Fountain that is made bitter, cannot send out sweet and pleasant waters: nor a building that is set upon a sandy Foundation cannot stand; but either the waters will annoy those that drink thereof; or the building will fall on those that dwell therein. Therefore I have considered of the first principles of Christian Religion, on which almost all the other Principles have some dependence; namely, Adam's estate in Innocency; and also his estate after his Fall. And upon serious consideration, I have found, that the Star called worm wood, hath had some influence upon this principle, and hath made it bitter, as it hath also other rivers and fountains of waters, which are the pure Doctrines of Christ, so that as many as have drank of that imbittered waters, are rather poisoned then any ways by it refreshed: And indeed this River or Fountain, or principle of Adam's estate in innocency, being corrupted and made bitter, on which almost all the principles necessary to be believed have some dependence; therefore this principle being corruped and darkened it will necessarily follow that the other principles having their dependence on this, will also be corrupted and made dark by this; and so there cannot be a clear understanding of any truth, this first principle being not truly understood; therefore since God hath given me some light in this thing, I have been exceedingly pressed in my spirit to make known what God hath made known unto me, to the end that you may be made one with it as I am, and see yourselves and your fall, and not another's fall; and so by your fall you may the better understand Adam's fall, for none can understand a thing until he be apprehensively made one with the thing to be understood; for what is the reason of all the confusion in the world, but one seeing with another man's eyes, handling with another man's hands, hearing with another's ears, and tasting with another's palate, they being not made apprehensively sensible of the things they hold? Therefore Reader I entreat you not to see with the eyes of others, but with your own; believe not this old principle, because the multitude and almost all Christians hold it to be a truth; for truth is not commonly found with a multitude; witness Noah, who was opposed of all men but of seven persons; and also Abraham and Lot, and Elias who opposed the Priests of the whole Nation; and Daniel and the three Children, with all the people of God both before and after, being few always in number have ever been in opposition to to the whole world; as also of late times Luther withstood the Priests and Monks of all Nations with the Jesuits and all opposers thereof, who most excellenly did purge the wormwood out of some of those Rivers and Fountains of waters as were poisoned by that star which burned like a torch: Therefore because the whole world hath been befooled in all ages, and also the wise of the world is threatened to be fooled; for God hath said that he will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to naught the understanding of the prudent, and use the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and the base things of the world to confound the mighty, and the things that are not to bring to naught the things that are. Reject not such foolish, such weak, such base, such things that are not, lest in rejecting such, thou reject the means which God hath always declared his Council by and ever will; trust not any, try all things, hold fast that which thou art made one in, without learning from another man as a Parrot, and earnestly desire the assistance of God's Spirit, and the Lord give thee understanding to Judge of the things that follow. Yours in the fellowship of the Spirit, and Minister of God according to the dispensation of grace given unto him. WILLIAM RABISHA. The Table. THe common opinion touching Adam's Estate laiddown. p. 1. Adam was made carnal without holiness and righteousness. ibid. Adam lost nothing by his eating of the forbidden fruit but gained by virtue thereof. p. 2. 1. Proved from the name of the trees, what the two trees in Paradise are ibid. 2. Proved from the serpent, and how he may be said to be a liar. p. 3. 3. Proved from the effects of the fruit, or opening of the eyes, and what these eyes are. p. 4. 5. 4. Proved from God himself. p. 6. 7. The Object. that saith that God speaketh by way of an Irony, answered. p. 7. 8. The Object. that saith Adam knew good by the loss of it, and evil by woeful experience answered. p. 9 The Object. that saith Adam was made in the image of God, answered thus. p. 10. The image of God is understood two ways, 1. his personal appearance, 2. his spiritual and immortal substance. ibid. Adam was made after the image of God's person, and how. p. 11. The woman was not made after the image of God, in the first sense, proved. p. 12. 13, 14. The second Image described, and how the second Adam may be said to be made after it in the first. p. 15. 16. The Object. and Reason given that saith Adam was not made in the second image, answered. p. 17. 18. 4. To confirm the proposition. 1. Reason; That which is immortal cannot become mortal. p. 19 A query what they mean by holiness and righteousness, if natural, or if without sin, answered. p. 20. What the true image is. ibid. 2. Reason, Adam was made carnal and earthly, proved by Scripture and reason. p. 21. 22. 3. Reason, As the second Adam was always one and the same, so was the first. Object. answered. p. 23. 24. 4. Reason, Our first parents had original sin, before they eat of the forbidden fruit. p. 25. 26. Sin described two ways. p. 27. The Object. that saith, sin was begotten by the Serpent, answered. p. 28. Sin in them before they eat, by the opposers confession. p. 29. The ground of this contradiction dicovered. p. 30. The Object. from regeneration, answered. p. 31. 32. The Object. from the transgression, answered. p. 43, 44. 46. What Adam is in the substance. p. 35. 36. Appli. Adam's estate laid down, and ours compared with his in seven degrees. p. 37. 1. Adam is made out of Paradise, and so are we. 38. 2. Adam is put into paradise, and so are we, p. 39 3. Adam was to till the ground and to eat of every tree but one, and so are we p. 39 4. Our first Parents did desire to eat of the forbidden fruit, to become like God, and so do we p. 40, 41, 42. The Obj. from the breach of the command, answered p. 43, 44, 45. The tree of Life is the righteousness of God, proved by scripture and 4 reasons, p. 46, 47 And so consequently the tree of knowledge of good & evil, is the righteousness of man, ib. 5. He eateth of that fruit, and so do we, p. 48 What is meant by eating, explained, p. 49, What is sin, or what is sin after the similitude of Adam's transgression p. 50, 51, 52. 7 Things effected and brought forth upon Adam by his eating, answerable to the like 7. in us by our eating p. 53. 1. He is deprived of life, and so are we, p. 54 2. It discovers sin both to him and us, p. 54 3. It brings fear both upon him and also to us p. 55. 4. It brings a curse upon both p. 56, 57 5. It brings death itself to both, p. 58 None died in that flesh of his, but every one doth die in and for himself; what seems to be truth at one time, may not be truth after further light, p. 59, 60, 61, 62 6. It caused him to himself with fig-leaves, and so it doth to us, p. 63 These fig-leaves, and the leaves of the tree of life described, p. 64, 65 7. The eating of the fruit, did cause him to run away from God, and hid himself in the tree of the Garden; so it doth to us: the Tree described, p. 66, 67 An Objection answered, p. 68 The 6 degree of Adam's rising; he is clothed with Skins, and so are we p. 69, 70 What these Skins are; and how, and when we are clothed with them, p. 71, 72, 73 An Objection answered, how the first dispensation is of God, and how not, p. 75, 76 The second is of God in a more peculiar manner, p. 77 The mystery of the Trinity opened, p. 78, 79, 80 7. Adam is cast out of paradise, and so are we: all dispensations give way to this, p. 81, 82, 83 We are brought into a second paradise, Use. First, this teacheth us to be reconciled to God p. 84 Secondly, a word of reconciliation to seven sorts of men, p. 85, 86, 87, 88, 89 The strong brother and the weak ought not to condemn nor judge one another, p. 90, 91, 92 It is Antichristian, and of the Devil to compel one another to any thing in matter of worship; which is contrary to the practice of Christ and his Apostles, p. 92, 93 All ought to walk according as they have received, p. 94 An Objection answered, p. 95, 96 REader behold Jewels and Pearls her set, Jasper and Amethists in this rich Cabinet; Behold the way if thou these Pearls wilt find, From step to step unto this glorious mine, Three ways there are to see this heavenly place, Through a vail, a glass, and after face to face; The Earth shall shake, and also Heaven above, That those things may remain, which shall ne'remove; Though ADAM did aspire on high by Earth, Yet fall he did, and lost his prize through death, That unto life be might be brought again, And so at last his first prize might obtain; He's clothed with skins, a glorious clothing then, None such are found amongst the Sons of men. Thus may you learn throughout this History, Degrees of grace working men up to glory. Therefore let all men rest in this contented, For they in ADAM are all represented; And first as be begun to play the prize, So we as he must die before we rise. By W. R. ADAM UNVAYLED, AND Seen with open Face. The Principle which I do here oppose and deny to be a Truth, is this as followeth: IT is held almost by all those profess the Christian Religion; that Adam was made in the Image of God in righteousness, wisdom, and knowledge, and the like; and that by eating of the forbidden fruit be lost that Image; in respect of those Attributes, in which he was said to be made like unto God. This is their understanding of Adam's estate, with whom I have to deal; others hold other things of Adam, although not so gross or so far contrary to truth: and I not knowing fully what all opinions are, I shall lay down my own judgement, which is clear contrary to theirs; whose opinions are herein specified. According to my understanding, the Spirit of God holds forth in Scripture, that the first Adam was made of earth earthly, For he lost nothing by his eating the forbidden fruit; he having nothing to lose, neither wisdom, righteousness, knowledge, or light inherentin himself; but contrarily, being merely blind, foolish, ignorant, and empty of all those attributes, which he was said to have: and whereas it is said that Adam lost all those attributes by eating the forbidden fruit; I say he gained all his natural knowledge, light, righteousness, wisdom, and the like, by virtue of his eating the forbidden fruit; And I make it appear thus: There were two special Trees in Paradise; the one was the Tree of Knowledge, of good and evil; the other was the Tree of Life; the fruit of these two Trees, was nothing else but two laws of righteousness. The first, which was the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil, was the law of nature, which is the moral law, and is called the righteousness of man. The second Tree, was the Law of the Spirit and life in Christ, which is by gift, and is called the righteousness of God: now before Adam had eaten of either of these Trees, he could have neither of these two laws of righteousness, which he had not until he had eaten of the fruit thereof. For proof whereof, it will First appear from the very attribute or title, that is put upon the Tree: it is called the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil; and the reason is because it gives & conveys knowledge of what is good, and what is evil, in those who eat it. Secondly, It may be also proved from the Serpent's testimony: he speaking in answer Vers. 3. 4. to the woman, when she said Vers. 3. that God had said, ye shall not eat of it, neither shall you touch it lest you die: his answer was, ye shall not surely die; but contrarily saith he, God knoweth that in the day you cat thereof, your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as Gods knowing good and evil. Object. But it may be some may say that the Serpent did lie, and deceive Eve by these words. and therefore is called a liar from the beginning. Answ. The Serpent spoke truth according to the woman's sense and interpretation of death, that was the dissolution of the body, but not according to God's meaning and interpretation of death: therefore he is called a liar from the beginning, as in another cause. Although the witnessses did testify against Christ Matth 26 61. And likewise against Steven, Act. 6. 13. Although these witnesses speak nothing but truth, as it appears, Joh. 2. 19 compared with Math. 26. 61. and also Steven denies not what was testified against him; and proves it by Moses & the Prophets, Acts 6. 33. 48. Yet for all this, those two sorts of witnesses are called false witnesses, inasmuch as they did not speak according to their meaning; and in this sense the Serpent is called a liar from the beginning; because he speaks not according to God's meaning of death. But he was not a liar according to the woman's sense or interpretation of death; which was the dissolution of the body; for they did eat that day, but did not die a natural death: thus it is also proved from the Serpent's testimony: that their eyes shall be opened, and they shall become like Gods knowing good and evil. Thirdly, It will appear to be a truth from the effects that the fruit did work on them, by which the Serpent's words to the woman is made good, vers. 6. 7. And when the woman saw the Tree was good for food, and pleasant to the oye, and a Tree to be desired to make one wise; she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew they were naked: Those eyes were not mortal, or substantial eyes of the body; for they were open to see the fruit before they eat thereof: vers. 6. what eyes are there else to be opened besides the mortal eyes of the body? there are two sorts of eyes besides the mortal eyes of the body: the first is the natural eyes, and the second is the spiritual eyes; and as I told you before, there was two sorts of fruits to open these two sorts of eyes: and here you may see upon eating the first sort of fruit, the first sort of eyes were opened, namely the eyes of their natural knowledge, wisdom, and understanding; for the text saith, and they knew that they were naked; it doth not say it made them naked, for they were so before; but before they eat, they had not that understanding to know that they were naked, or be ashamed of their nakedness: but by virtue of their eating of that fruit there was knowledge, and wisdom, and light conveyed into them, whereby they knew what was good and what was evil; therefore well might it be called the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil, when it hath such virtue in it to give knowledge, which could not be attained unto any other ways, as it may be necessarily gathered by that converse between God and Adam, when the Lord called to Adam, and said, where art thou? ves. 9 Adam's answer was, I heard thy voice in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked, verse. 10. God's answer to him again was, who told thee that thou wast naked? hast thou eaten of the Tree whereof I commanded thee thou shouldst not eat? as much as if God had said, it is true thou art naked, (he denies it not) but it is impossible that thou shouldest know of it, without thou wast told, because thou hast no knowledge in thyself, except thou hast eaten of the forbidden fruit: this speech of God is as if a man should determine in himself to do some good for his son, and yet make it known but to one man in the world; and yet the son shall come to his father, and say, if you would do such a thing for me; his father knowing that none knew it but one, will say, who told thee? hast thou spoken with such a man, implying that he did give his son knowledge of such a thing, without which he could not know. No more could Adam know his nakedness, which indeed was his earthliness, without he had eaten of that Tree as it is clear from these words) who told thee that thou wast naked? hast thou eaten of the Tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldst not eat? Here you see opening of eyes, and discovery of nakedness effected in Adam and Eve, by their eating the forbidden fruit. Fourthly, We shall confirm all these, and put the point out of question from God himself, where the saith, behold the man is become as one of us, knowing good and evil, Chap. 3. verse. 22. If Adam by his eating the forbidden fruit became like God, than it will follow that he was not like God before. But Adam by his eating of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil, became like God in the knowledge of good & evil: that is, what God esteemed to be good, that Adam knew, and esteemed likewise to be good; and what God esteemed to be evil, that Adam also knew and esteemed to be evil: although Adam did not know things in that measure and fullness as God did; yet he knew as God did, in the same manner, or nature; as a coal is like a whole world set on fire, so was Adam like God in the knowledge of good and evil; but here lies Adam's misery in knowing good and evil, and yet not having power to do the good known, and shun the evil; which could not be obtained by the eating this fruit, but by the eating of the second fruit, which is of the Tree of life, as I shall hereafter show; I might further confirm this truth by divers arguments and reasons; but before I proceed, it is necessary that I should answer divers objections which lie in the way. Object. You will say, it is true God saith, the man is become like one of us; but God speaks by the way of an Ironye; as Micaiah speaks to Ahab, the 1 of Kings 22. 15. the King asked him whether he should go up to Ramoth-Gilead to battle or no? The Prophet Micaiah bids him, go up, and prosper; and the Lord shall deliver it into the hands of the King. So God speaks to Adam, because of his former high thoughts, and endeavours to be great; and when Adam fell short of what he thought to be, God speaks to him in derision. Answ. God speaks not in the way of an Irony: my reasons are these; first, because God speaks not to Adam as the Prophet did to Ahab, or as the wise man in the Proverbs did to the young man. But God speaks to himself, in respect of his threefold relation; that is either like God in his eternal essence or being; or like God in respect of his influence and power: or thirdly like him as he dwelleth and acteth, and abaseth himself in Christ; or rather like him in the knowledge of good and evil, according as he esteems good and evil, in either of these relations; therefore I say, God speaking to the Trinity, and not to Adam; It is impossible for God to speak in the way of an Irony, or deriding, or rather blasphemy, because he speaks not to the person offending as the Prophet did: therefore your instance will not serve, the case being not the same; if God had spoken to Adam, there might have been some show or colour for such a thing; but God speaking not to him, there can be no ground or colour for it at all. The second reason is, why God speaks, not in the way of an Irony is this: because there was some thing enacted upon, and by reason of his knowledge, in the latter part of the 22. 23. verses: and now lest he take of the tree of life and live for ever: as much as if God It was the knowledge of God in Adam that drove him out of the garden Gen. 3. 24. had said, he is come to that knowledge by virtue of his eating the fruit, he will be ready to take of the tree of life and live for ever: It is clear that Adam was put forth by reason of his knowledge; therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden; the word therefore, hath some dependence upon the fore going words, which was his becoming like God; therefore he was driven forth. The third reason proves it a truth, because of the former 3 proofs. First from the name of the tree, Secondly from the Serpent's testimony, and Thirdly from the effects that the fruit produced in them; all with speaking one thing, it doth further confirm that God's meaning was really so according as it was spoke, behold the man is become like one of us, knowing good & evil. 2 Object. And that is from the latter part of the verse, knowing good and evil; it is true, Adam knew good and evil; but how? he knew good by the loss of it, and evil by woeful experience. Ans. I shall grant, if God knew good by the loss of it, and evil by woeful experience, than Adam did so to; But if God did not, than Adam did not neither; for Adam knew good and evil as God did, and so saith the text, Behold the man is become libe one of us knowing good and evil. Obj. You will say Adam was made in the image of God as the Scripture holdeth forth, and he being in the image of God in respect of his attributes before his eating the forbidden fruit; therefore it followeth he became not like God by his eating as you do here affirm. Answ. In answer to this Objection, you must understand that the image of God is held forth in Scripture under a twofold consideration. First, The image of his person or visible appearance, Secondly, The image of his incomprehensible and spiritual substance. Now as you understand Adam in innocency as mere man, he was made after the first image, that is to say in the image of God in respect of his person or visible appearance, and not after the second image, although he was in some sense, in respect of God, as I shall hereafter show when I come to speak of the second image; but when I say Adam was made in the image of God in respect of his person or visible appearance, we are not to understand that God in his eternal Essence and being can be likened to any thing; for he is invisible and incomprehensible, but I mean in that shape and likeness as God did always appear and manifest himself in unto the sons of men, before the law to Abraham and Lot, and in the time of the Law, and also in the fullness of time, in the flesh of a man, even in the man Christ Jesus; for God in his eternal thought and purpose beforetime did determine and intent (as he did in other things) to appear in this image in time, and so called it his image; & likewise in his determination intended to make man according to it; and one end was to speak according to man's capacitity; for if God had appeared in other shapes, and not in the shape or likeness of man, than man through fear would not be capable to receive a message or be instructed by him (man being in that weak estate as he is made in) so God in time made man according to the shape or image which he intended to appear in before time; And when he saith, let us make man in our own image: his meaning is in the first sense, that man's person shoul be made like the image of God's person or visible appearance, according as I have already described. It must needs be so for this reason; because the woman was not made in the image of God: now if you understand by image any thing besides the image of his person or visible appearance, let it be knowledge, righteousness, wisdom or what it will, in that respect, the man and the woman was both alike; but if I shall prove the woman was not made like the man in the image of God; than it must needs be granted that the image that Adam was made like unto God in, was the image of his person or visible appearance. To the end the controversy in proving that man was made in the image of God, and the woman was not, take notice what followeth. First, It will appear from God's resolution before man's creation, as you may see Genesis 1 26. where God saith, let us make man in our own image: the woman is not mentioned, neither yet included in the man, as it appears in the 27. verse; where you shall find a particular relation; First, how the man was created in these words; So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him: Secondly, that they were both created in the latter part of the verse in these words, male and female created he them; the same expression is in Gen. chap. 5. vers. 2. from hence it doth clearly appear that the man was created in the image of God, and the woman was not, because there is a particular relation of their creation; for if they had been both created in the image of God, it had been easier to say in the image of God created he them male and female, then to particularise out the man, and say he was created in the image of God, & then go over them again, and say male & female created he them; so that by this particular relation the Holy Ghost would have us to understand, that the man was created after the image of God, but not the woman; the Apostle Paul by the same spirit clearly understands this truth, and puts it out of controversy; he speaking in 1 Cor. 11. 7. how a man ought to manifest his obedience and subjection (to his head, which is God) by his being uncovered either in prayer or prophesying; and also how a woman ought to manifest her subjection to her head by her being covered; he saith if the woman be not covered, let her be shaved or shorn; and as he looks upon it to be a great evil in the woman to be uncovered; so contrarily he looks upon it to be a great evil in the man to be covered; and his reason's this, for saith he, a man indeed ought not to cover his head, for as much as he is the image and gory of God: now observe, if that be the only reason why he ought not to be covered, because he is the image of God; I say by the same reason the woman ought not to be covered, if she had been the image of God; but she being not the image of God, but the glory of the man, therefore she ought to be covered; I say again, if they that be in the image of God, do dishonour God by being covered, in praying or prophesying, as it appears they do by the Apostles reason: then Paul commands the women of the Church of Corinth to dishonour God, if they were made in the image of God; but they being not in the image of God, therefore did not dishonour God, but by it honoured their husbands; further, to prove that the woman was not made in the image of God, spoken of in Gen. 1. 26. and so consequently, that the image there mentioned must needs be a personal image. My second reason is this; because Adam and Eve as they were made visible and mortal substances, they were both Typical of two several things; Adam typed out Christ the second man, and Eve the Church: and as the things typed out were of two several natures or figures; it must necessarily follow, that the types themselves must be of two natures or figures: this must needs be so for this reason, because the woman and the man is not alike in respect of their natural image neither in shape, strength, or government: therefore God's meaning must needs be understood of man's personal image to be made like Gods. The third reason may be this, because God always appeared in the shape of a man, and not in the shape of a woman. Thus having proved that the woman was not made in the image of God, it will therefore necessarily follow, that the image spoken of was a personal & visible image, & not the image of God in respect of holiness, righteousness, wisdom, or the like; for you say, and I grant, that the man and woman are both alike in that; but you see they were not both alike in the image of God; for Adam was made in the image of God, and Eve was not, which is already proved; thus you see the image of God is taken for the image of his person, or visibility in the first sense. Secondly, The image of God is held forth A full answer to the Objecti page 1 c under a second consideration, and in explaining this, I shall further clear that which is already delivered. And this second image is the invisible, incomprehensible, and immortal image; it may be taken, and is understood, as I have already declared, thus: let us make man's person after the image of God's person; but God rested not here, neither would he have us to rest here: but look through the shadow to the substance, through the visible and personal image, to the invisible, incomprehensible, & immortal image; through the first Adam to the second Adam, God speaks after the manner of men, in dark shadows and parables, and carnal men understand accordingly, when indeed God looks through these shadows and means another thing; God saith, let us make man; here he speaks after the manner of man because a man is a man to men; but to God * Carnal. man is not man, but a mere bubble or shadow: therefore God looks upon man in his own account; and his meaning is, let us make the new substantial and immortal Adam, after the incomprehensible and immortal image; this saying of God must needs be understood as that in Gen. 8. 13. When Noah came out of the Ark, he took of every clean beast, and offered burnt offerings; and the text saith that the Lord smelled a sweet savour, and the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the earth any more for man's sake. Can a company of poor earthly creatures make a sweet smelling savour in the nostrils of God; no, no, God looks through these carnal and typical offerings, to the spiritual and Antitypical offerings; which are the sweet breathe, and carryings forth of the spirits of the Saints upon the Altar, which is the divine nature of Christ, to have communion, and fellowship with himself: So in the like manner, when God saith let us make man, he looks through the carnal man, to the spiritual and true man, who is created after the image of God, in righteousness & true holiness: and therefore Christ In this image male and female all one in Christ. is said to be the express image of his person; we are not to understand that he means that Christ is the express image of his visible person; that person which was spoken of 1 Cor 11. 7. in which the woman was not made in, as it hath been made appear: but he means that invisible and immortal righteousness and holiness which is in God, in his eternal essence and being. This word person is a phrase after the manner of men, to set out invisible and incomprehensible things by that which is visible; it is called the express image of his person, in opposition to all other typical images, or outward federate holinss or righteousness whatsoever; this is the true image, and new man, that the Saints are to put on, in opposition to the false image and old man which must be put off. Obj. Some may say God's meaning could not be of this immortal, invisible, or second image which God speaks of, when he saith let us make man, because this image was not then made. Answ. The Saints are said to be chosen in Christ, before the foundation of the world; if chosen, then made under the same consideration; for things must be before they can be chosen. Again men may say, let us make a house, and in order thereunto make mortar, and brick; and in doing that, they may be said to make the house: So it may be understood of God in this place, It was Gods great end to bring up the elect who were chosen before the foundation of the world into a communion and fellowship with himself; And in order to this he makes the person or outward tabernacle for this new man to dwell in, and to bring about this great end (that is to say) to make man in his own immortal and substantial Image; for in making the outword and personal he may be said to make the outward: and Spiritual, for the Apostle saith, How be it that was not first which was spiritual, but that which was carnal, and afterwards that which was spiritual, 1 Cor. 15. 46. Therefore when God saith let us make man, he looks through the first to the latter, and means the end of things, this is that new man, a man in Gods own account. I having described the image of God under these two considerations and withal proved that Adam as he was in innocency was made after the first image, that is to say, the image of his person; I shall also go on in proving that Adam as he was then made and stood in innocency, was not made after the second image in holiness, righteousness, knowledge, and the like; and my reasons are these; First. If Adam had been immortal in the image Reason 1. of God, in respect of his attributes, it had been as impossible for him to fall and become mortal, and unholy, as it would be for God himself; that which is holy, cannot become unholy; that which is in the nature of God, cannot change it nature into the nature of sin: God is able to change other things into his nature; but no other thing can change that which is of God into its nature. Because I would leave nothing unanswered, Object. I would willingly know what you mean by holiness and righteousness: if you mean natural holiness and righteousness, knowledge, light, and the like. Ans. To this I answer, God hath no such image: the Scripture holds forth but a twofold Image; the first a Personal, the second a Spiritual, according as I have already described. Again, If you say, he was holy and righteous, inasmuch as he had not sinned; I say, in that sense, a stone, or any other vegetative or sensitive creature is made in the image of God, for it hath not sinned: This is like that tenet or principle held concerning children: for some say, If children should not be saved, who have never sinned actually, who then can be saved? as if that which had not sinned, was holy and nearer God: to be without sin only, is not to be holy, and in the image of God; or to have never so much natural knowledge and light adds nothing to holiness and righteousness according to God's image: But to be holy and righteous in the image of God, is to be immortal, unchangeable, and to have eternal life in them, which is the gift of God, and there to live in the enjoyment of God, having inherent righteousness in them; and to▪ be begotten by God, and grow up in the very nature of God, as a child grows up in the nature of his Father: So that you must become little children, and be born by the Spirit, before you enter into the Kingdom of heaven: that is, there must be a new and second birth of a new creature, a new life and conversation, new feeding, new spiritual meat, and drinking anew of wine and water of life with Christ in the Father's kingdom, a new enjoyment, a new spiritual rest, and all things must become new▪ all this is held forth by the first birth, life, conversation, feeding and resting. If we must become like (or, as) little children before we can enter into the Kingdom of heaven; then I say, we must become like old men before we sit down in the Kingdom of heaven in the full enjoyment of the Father, or in the knowledge of him which is from the beginning, as the Apostle John saith to the Fathers, who outstripped the children or young men in the knowledge of God, as he was in them from the beginning, 2 John 12, 14. These children are not to be understood children by generation; neither are the young men or fathers to be understood under a natural consideration; but children in respect of regeneration, and young men and fathers in respect of spiritual growth, and knowledge in the mystery of God. So then, if Adam had been thus, he had been in the image of God, and could no more have fallen away from the nature and image of his Father, than a child can fall from the nature and image of his father, into the nature and image of a beast: neither did he fall in that sense, as you understand he did, nor do any thing against, or contrary to his nature. Secondly, He was earthly, and so he acted Reas. 2. from that principle, and therefore not in the image of God: and that you may plainly see, if you consider what the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 15. 43. in these words, There is a carnal body, and there is a spiritual body. Although this may be taken or understood to be our body, or the body of sin fallen in Adam, in opposition to the spiritual body, which is the spirit of life in Christ; yet it is not the Apostles understanding only; for he goes about to prove this by the written word; and that is from Adam's first creation: for (saith he) and so it is written The first man Adam was made a living soul, the last Adam was made a quickening spirit, 1 Cor. 15. 45. The Apostle understands this first man that was made a living soul, to be a mere natural man; as also he understands the second to be a spiritual, as you may see ver. 46. in these words, Howbeit, that was not first which was spiritual, but that which was carnal, and afterwards that which was spiritual. There needs no further evidence in this, neither can I speak any plainer than the Apostle; for when he goes to prove there is a natural body, he doth not say it became natural through some miscarriage; but he saith, he was made so: he was made a living soul, which living soul so made by God, he saith in the next verse, that it was not spiritual, but carnal. Nothing that is carnal can have communion with God: But Adam was carnal: Therefore could have no communion with God. Nothing that was made carnal was in the image of God: But Adam was made carnal: Therefore not in the image of God in respect of his Attributes. Thirdly, The Apostle sets forth the pedigree Reason's ●. or root of the second Adam, by the pedigree or root of the first, in these words; The first man is of the earth earthly, the second man is the Lord from heaven, vers. 47. As the second did not come in a low estate and condition, and attain to an higher afterwards; for he is the Lord from heaven: so the first man did not come in an high and glorious condition, and afterwards fall into a lower. Object. If you said, That Christ, which is the second man, came in a low estate and condition: which makes against this Argument. Answ. To which I answer, In respect of his Manhood he was the first Adam; for it is said, He that sanctifieth, and they that are sanctified, are all of one. It is not only meant in respect of their spiritual estates after they were sanctified, but also of their fleshly, except actual sin, as it is Heb. 2. 14. Forasmuch as the Children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same: And as he was flesh and blood, he came in a low condition, and so he may be said to grow in grace and knowledge; for he was not the Lord from heaven, nor the second man in this sense; but he was the Lord from heaven in respect of his Godhead, or that spiritual influence or anointing that came forth from God, and took up flesh, and dewlt therein. In this sense he was the second Adam, which is the Lord from heaven; and as the second Adam was always the same, neither higher nor lower at any time; although he may be higher sometimes, and sometimes lower in respect of manifestation, yet he is one and the same for ever in his own nature and property: so also the first man Adam might seem to be in a very high and good condition, and afterwards to be in a low and evil condition in respect of manifestation to himself, but in his own nature one and the same for ever; for he was made of the earth earthly: that is, First, as his corporal substance was made of the material earth: so secondly, his estate and enjoyment was carnal and earthly; and being earthly minded, carnal, and blind, he was put into Paradise, and there continued until his eyes were opened by his eating the tree of knowledge of good and evil; and then he had a discovery of his carnality, as I have already showed in the letter, and shall hereafter open the mystery to you, when I come to Application. Fourthly, Further, if I can prove that our first parents had original sin before they did eat of the forbidden fruit, the controversy will be ended, and you must grant my opinion to be a truth: Which I shall prove, as it followeth, 2. That our first parents had original Reason 4. sin in them, by reason of which they could not stand in that estate as they were in, but fall; And it will appear thus; sin is to understood That is, have their nakedness discovered. under a twofold consideration: the first may be called sin in its conception, that is the lust and earnest desire and inclination of the heart to do such a thing to satisfy its own lust; this is sin in itself, and that which God hates and abominates, this is that which Christ witnesseth against; for saith he, I say unto you, that whosoever looketh upon a woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery already with her in his heart, Math. 5. verse. 28. he saith also the same of murder, and other things vers. 22. if it be conceived in the heart, it's done in respect of God; for as God desires and accepts of the good conceptions and endeavours of the heart, although they never be put into action, and also rewards them: so he abhoreth the evil conceptions and intentions of the heart, and accounts it for sin though it be never put into action, and rewards it accordingly if unrepented: thus I have described the first sort of sin, which indeed is sin in itself; and to speak properly there is no other sin but this, but that which I call the second sort of sin, to speak properly, is not sin in its self, but rather the manifestation of sin, or sin breaking forth and making itself visible; and this is called actual sin, which indeed is sin to us: this is the second sort of sin, or rather the manifestation of sin; but that sort of sin or original corruption which is the body of sin, this had Adam before he eat of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil: to this purpose look into Gen. 6. where it is said, first that she saw it was good for food: and secondly, that it was pleasant to the eye: and thirdly, it was a tree to be desired to make one wis. All these three things considered by the woman; the goodness of it, the pleasantness of it, & also that it would produce wisdom: from hence it did cause lust and a burning desire in her after the fruit thereof; this desire and lust was produced from that body of sin, or original corruption and earthiness within: and this sin according to Christ's exposition Math. 5. is the sin or trasgression itself; for their eating did not effect or produce their lusts and desires, but their lusts and desires did effect their taking the fruit and their eating thereof; and this was the sin and transgression itself, as it is clear from the Apostles words, where he I Tim. 2 14. saith the man was not in the transgression, but the woman; why so? did not the man eat of the forbidden fruit? yea he did eat of the fruit, but that was not the transgression; but the sin or transgression itself was the desire to the fruit, upon such considerations as was before mentioned; and this desire or lust is recorded of Eve only, and not of Adam, as the Apostle doth here affirm; now Eve holds forth the matter of the Church in this place, that is to say a carnal man and woman; and therefore the transgressions was attributed to her alone; (because she was the mother of all living, Gen. 3. vers. 20.) And not to Adam, for Adam did type out Christ, and as he was a type he was passive in the transgression, and carried away by Eve, and thus it is in the substance, Rom. 7. vers. 23. but I see another Law in my members warring against the La● of my mind, and bringing me into captivity t● the Law of sin: but as Adam was a mee● creature, Eve held forth both him and he● self, which is in the substance the carnal man and woman, or that part which quencheth the spirit, and carrieth away the inward man captive, as I shall further explain hereafter. Object. If it be said that this desire of Eve was begotten by, and through the Serpent's temptation. Answ. This I do not deny, yet I say at this present it is so with us; for the Serpent doth set forth evil with all the advantage and show of good as possibly he can; but all that he could do either to Eve or us, is but to effect the body of sin or original corruption and malignity within, with the thing so set forth, (for he neither could give desires to them, nor yet to us) for the desire was from some malignity or corruption within; all that he could do was to make the evil appear lovely to the eye, that the desire may be raised up after the same; as he hath somethings to work upon in us, so also he had in Eve, which was her corruption; if there had been nothing within her, he would have sped with her as he did with Christ; for he having no fuel of original corruption, therefore the flame of the Serpent's temptation could not kindle that which was not: but Eve having much power of original corruption, it was soon set on fire with the Serpent's temptation. Secondly, All those that say Adam was 2. Proved from themselves. made in the Image of God in holiness and righteousness, do confess what is here affirmed; namely, That our first parents had sin and corruption before they eaten of the fruit. It is a common saying both in their preaching and their writing, That Adam's aspiring Pride and Ambition to become like God, was the cause of his Fall: Doctor Usher in his Book of Princip. p. 11. Bifield in his Principles, pag. 77, 80. Usher saith, That Adam rather obeyed the voice of the Serpent, than the voice of God. Bifield saith, There was three things occasioned the fall of our first parents; the first, Rebellion: the second, Unthankfulness: the third, Liberty they took to add or detract from God's word; they added the word touch, and they detracted when they said, lest ye die: And these three sins are and ever will be cause of our Apostasy, saith he. These are sins in the highest degree, as he himself confesseth, pag. 80. yet this was before they eaten of the forbidden fruit, or the occasion of it, as he saith. And thus they contradict themselves, and give themselves the lie; in that they say Adam was made in holiness and righteousness, and Winstanly contradicts himself in his Book of The mystery of God; compare pa. 1. with p. 10. so continued till he eaten of the fruit thereof; and yet to say, he sinned before he eaten thereof, this is a plain contradiction: and therefore the principle touching Adam's holiness is not a truth. The ground of this contradiction is the misunderstanding of the Image of God: because the Image of God is taken for holiness in the new creation of the new man, (according to that in Coloss. 3. 10.) therefore they attribute this holiness and righteousness to Adam in innocency, although they have no Scripture to prove it. These two creations of man must be understood as these following things: The old Temple that was material, was a figure of the true, which is spiritual: the old Circumcision made with hands, was a figure of the true made without hands: the old Sacrifices which were carnal, were a figure of the true, which are spiritual: So also the fleshly and earthly birth which is seen, was a figure of the true birth which is spiritual, and not seen with mortal eyes, which is the new creation, or second Image of God, in holiness and righteousness, the true Image of God in opposition to that personal and typical Image that Adam was made in: Except ye be born again, ye cannot enter into the Kingdom of heaven; notwithstanding it is said, again, yet the birth is not the same. So then, this being proved by Scripture, and also by their own confession, That our first parents had original sin and corruption before they did eat of the forbidden fruit, which puts the question out of controversy, that is to say, that Adam was not made in the image of God in respect of his attributes; neither had they any power to stand in that condition as they were made, no more than a child hath power to stay and never grow to be a man; and contrarily the same reason proves, that they were merely blind, ignorant and carnal, whose enjoyment was altogether earthly, they being empty of all these attributes that they were said to have. Obj. some may say that Adam was not mad in a low and carnal condition, and did by eating the forbidden fruit attain to a higher, but contrarily he fell into a lower. Our reason is, because the Scripture holds forth regeneration and renewing, which signifies our being brought up into some estate and condition that we were once in and now have lost. Answ. This can be no reason against me, nor for you; for you yourselves do not hold that we are by regeneration or the second birth, brought up to that condition that we were in before in Adam; for if so, than we are as liable to fall as ever. So than if we be not brought up to that estate that Adam was in, than regeneration is to be understood thus; we must be brought up in the like estate; now the like estate is not the same, but it it to be understood thus; as the lively creature is like the picture or representation: so are regenerate persons like Adam in innocency; for as he had peace, and enjoyment, and contentment, and was happy in his own apprehension; so his carnal peace, delight, and enjoyment, was a figure of that spiritual peace, delight, and enjoyment, that is attained unto after the second birth: For as he himself being carnal, was yet a figure of a heavenly and spiritual man; so also his enjoyment and peace, was a figure of a spituall peace and enjoyment; so, we are not to understand by regeneration that we are to be brought up into the same estate as Adam was in, but into the like estate, that is to say, into such an e●●ate as his did hold forth, and was a figure of: for as the first estate was peace, contentments, & delights; so is the second, peace, contentments, and delights; and so may be said to be like one a other, as a pictute of a creature is like the creature in resemblance, yet not in life, power, and sense; but as the one was peace, so was the other, and therein alike: the Scripture holds forth a twofold birth, one like the other, and one holds forth the other; yet we must not be as Nicodemus, to believe we are to enter into our mother's womb, because Christ saith, we must be born again, or become like little children: And as this is to be understood in a spiritual sense, that this spiritual birth is answerable to the natural, and yet not the same; so is Regeneration to be understood in the like manner. Or else, as the restauration of Israel, and also their Ordinances, as it is said in Amos 9 11. I will build up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof, and I will raise up his ruins, and build it as in the days of old. And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build Cities, and inhabit them, ver. 14. And I will plant them upon their own Land, ver. 15. Now, although these are plain words, as building a tabernacle as of old, and building Cities and planting them on their land; yet this must admit of a spiritual interpretation, as it doth appear Act. 15. 16. where the Apostle James applieth this Prophecy to the calling of the Gentiles; and upon his repeating thereof in ver. 14, he draweth this inference, Therefore my sentence is that we trouble not them which from among the Gentiles are turned to God, ver. 19 These people thus turned to God, he understands This is the City of which the Apostle saith, We are come unto Mount Zion, the City of the living God, the heavenly jerusalem, Hebr. 12. 20. This is the City that the Gentiles shall tread under foot 42 months, Rev. 11. 2. The same spiritual City shall be redeemed, Isa. 60. 14. They shall call thee the City of the Lord, the Zion of the holy▪ One of Israel; that is, the Saints, and no material City. to be the tabernacle of David in the substance thereof; and this their gathering in, and uniting by the Spirit is said to be their building again as of old; notwithstanding that of old was nothing but a tabernacle, or temple of wood or stone, with outward adorn of such material things: as also the Cities and their own Land, which they are said to build, and be planted in, are also spiritually held out by their old material Cities, as Zion, Jerusalem, and the Land of Canaan; which spiritual Cities are no material Cities, but such Cities as righteousness shall be for walls and bulwarks: whose builder and maker is God, Isa. 60. 18. Heb. 11. 10. Their own land there spoken of, is that heavenly and spiritual enjoyment and rest which Joshua could not bring them into, as you may see more plainly in the margin. Thus you are to understand Regeneration to be but only a bringing up to a spiritual peace and enjoyment, typed out by a carnal and earthly; God calleth in this place the things that are not, as though they were, Rom. 4. 17. he holds forth spiritual things by carnal, which are things we best understand: as in the Canticles, he holds out that excellent and spiritual love betwixt Christ and his Church, by that carnal love which is betwixt man and woman. Thus much in answer to this Objection. Another Objection may be form thus: Some may say, Adam by his eating the fruit, did break a Commana, therefore it is impossible that he could be brought nearer to God by his sin and transgression. Answ. The matter of his eating was not sin, but the manner or circumstance, as you may see a full answer to this Objection in pag. 43, 44, 45, 46. I having briefly proved that which I undertook, namely, that the first Adam was made of the earth earthly, and was blind, without wisdom, knowledge, righteousness, light, or the light, before his eating the forbidden fruit; and that he lost nothing by his eating, but by virtue thereof he obtained all those natural gifts which he is said to have before, by them with whom I have to deal: and in proving of this, I having answered many Objections, Now it would be necessary to apply this truth to men's several conditions; which indeed was God's end in holding forth Adam in these various conditions, that we should not only see him, but see ourselves: and in comparing ourselves with Adam in his various conditions, and Adam with us, we may see our conditions like his: And herein I shall answer other Objections, and further clear what is already delivered. But before I come to apply this truth, you must know, that the man Adam did represent two things. 1. He did represent another Adam, which is all the fleshly and carnal actings of men in all the world: These fleshly and carnal actings of men, is Adam, as truly as ever he that was looked upon to be our first parent was Adam: And God indeed Adam our first parent held forth Christ in the flesh: Adam our carnality holds forth Christ in the Spirit; the first is crucified by the later, and gave place for grace to abound much more. Rom. 5 20. was pleased to hold out this later Adam by him that is not so truly Adam as this; for this later Adam is he that we should still look to. And whereas I said that Adam held forth two things, I did not mean only Adam our first parent, but this later Adam, our carnality holds forth the last of the two things which I spoke of, which is Jesus Christ in the Saints. The opposition is not between the two adam's; I mean Adam our first parent and Christ, who died at Jerusalem, no further than they were two shadows: but the opposition lies between the two substances, namely, Adam our carnality, and that spirit of life in Christ, living and acting in the Saints, which is the second Adam: therefore the Apostle saith, Crucify the old man, with the affections and lusts thereof, and put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. The same Apostle saith, Rom. 6. 6. Knowing this, that your old man is crucified with him: And in the next verse he showeth what was done in the sign, that they might better judge and try themselves whether they had the substance in them answerable to the sign. If this be so as it doth appear, that every carnal man and woman, in their carnal, fleshly, and self actings, are the first Adam Col. 3. 9, 10. in the substance: Then let us see whether the same thing doth not befall us in the substance, as befell Adam in the shadow, and so make some Application to ourselves in our various conditions. And herein I shall strengthen that which I have formerly delivered. And in this I shall lay down Adam's estate as he was created in, and his degrees in rising through several dispensations and providences of God, and so compare our estates and several degrees and rise with his, and then we shall see whether he did not truly hold forth us, and whether we are not the true substance of him the shadow. First, Adam was created without the The first degree of Adam's rising. Garden of Eden; which Garden holds forth a place of pleasure and delight; so that Adam had not that pleasure at his creation, but afterwards: and the reason was (as I conceive) because he was not capable of pleasure, being created in the degree or stature of a child. For he was not actually made by God (as some vainly and carnally suppose) but he grew out of some thing by the providence of God, and so was kept and provided for in a miraculous way by God's great providence, as some men have been preserved by Eagles and Bears, and the like, as is recorded in History. Divers Reasons may be given for this; but I do not desire to enlarge myself in it: but take this one Reason. Adam must needs be created in the degree or stature of a child, because he lived to the same age as his generation lived, before he departed this life, for his days were nine hundred and thirty years. Now if Adam had been in the degree of a middle aged man, in all probability he could not have lived to the age of the rest of his generation; for there was not above one in all his generation that did outlive him; which in all probability they would have done, if he had been created in the degree of a man. This I speak from myself, and not from the Lord; but there is much reason in it: Therefore you are not (in my judgement) to think, that God created him actually with hands, notwithstanding it is said that God form man with the dust of the earth: David saith the like of himself; Thy hands made and fashioned me, notwithstanding he came by generation. God made the whole world, but it was by his influence and power upon and in the creature made, as he doth at this day; by the same power was Adam made, and kept by the same providence. And thus being made in the degree of a child without Paradise, that is to say, without pleasure or delight, this was his first estate or degree. So it is with the substantial Adam, which is all flesh: in the time of their infancy they live without pleasure or delight, they being not yet capable of the same, being not yet put into the Garden of Eden. This is our first estate, answerable to Adam's first estate. Secondly, Adam is put into the Garden 2. Degree of Adam's rising. to till the ground; that is, into pleasure and delight. The second degree of the substantial Adam thus answereth the second degree of typical Adam; who is likewise put into Paradise, and grows up to be capable of pleasures and delights, and to feed themselves as the first Adam did. There is no constraint in their natures; of every tree they may eat; that is, there is no command or power inherent in them, to debar or hinder them from every fancy or delight which is in the garden of man's pleasure; for the heart hath a freedom to feed on any thing that is presented to the eye; which delights are held forth under the name of the trees of the Garden, according to the Metaphors held forth in * Ezek. 47. 12. Isa. 55. 13. The thorn tree shall seem pleasant to them. Scripture; as you may see in the Margin. Thirdly, They were to till the ground: 3 Degree of Adam's rising. that is, they have knowledge and understanding to know what is good for nourishment to preserve themselves: As also it may be more properly understood by tilling the ground, their endeavouring to make themselves fit to receive good seed, as it is understood in Jerem. 4. 3. Break up the fallow Hos. 10. 12. Some are wrought ●pon by ●he Spirit ●f God be●ore others. ground, and sow not among thorns. This is the condition from the age of six years and upwards upon all flesh, before the creature be brought up to another degree. Fourthly, Adam the type was prohibited from eating of one tree in the midst of ● Degree ●f Adams ●●sing. the Garden, upon the penalty of death: So in the like manner is Adam the antitype, which is all flesh, prohibited from power in themselves, and commanded in the word of God, not to go to make themselves perfect by their own righteousness, which is the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the substance; which tree, man's righteousness, or the Law, is in the midst of the garden, that is, of all the delights and shelters The chief in their apprehension. that are: This is one of the chief, even placed in the very heart of man. And as Adam the shadow had high and ambitious thoughts to be great, and did endeavour to become like God by his own actings and endeavours, through the subtlety of the Serpent, who so set forth the excellency of the fruit, and made it appear so lovely; (yet the Text saith, When she saw it was good for food, and pleasant to the eye, and a tree to be desired, to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave unto her husband with her, and he did eat: The taking of the fruit is here attributed to the woman only, and not unto the man; and the reason is, because the woman held forth the Church, which is both man and woman: the man held forth Christ, and therefore he was not active in plucking the fruit, but Eve only was active in the transgression. And although it be not proved that the man Adam did aspire to be great; yet in as much as she did, he did also in her; for all men and women were in her, and her name was Adam as well as his, Gen. 5. 2. this holds forth the mystery of Christ and his Church, who assume each others names;) So then, it being clear, that Adam the shadow was ambitious as a creature, and did endeavour to be great, and become like God; and to that end did pluck and eat of the forbidden fruit: It is also as clear, that Adam the substance, that is, all carnal men and women, do the same thing. When they are come through these three degrees, and are capable of any thing, they begin to meditate of the creation of the world, and to admire him that made all things. Thus it is natural to all men (besides being instructed by their parents) to meditate and learn to see the invisible God in some measure through the visible things that are made. And thus their serious thoughts and considerations make them leave the former fruit in some measure, which is all manner of fancies, pleasures, and delights, and begin to look into the middle of the garden, upon the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, which is the righteousness of man: and it is very pleasant to the eye of carnal men: they cry out, This is the fruit that will make one wise, this is the food that we must eat in our journey to heaven: Thus man's righteousness is carnal man's food, or strength by which he thinks to come to heaven. If you ask such a man or woman how they think to be saved; they will say, by their good thoughts and works; and all the Gentiles (called Christians) both Papists and Protestants, do admire this fruit, which is man's righteousness; and nothing else is so pleasant to the eye, to make one wise, or like God, or bring one to heaven, as this is in their apprehensions. 'Tis true, Man's righteousness, which is Here gins the Answer to the Objection page 35. the tree of knowledge of good and evil, was good to Adam, and is also to us: yet it was forbidden both to him, and also to us; that is, it was or is forbidden to accomplish or bring about such an end as man would have it do: that is to say, to become like God; although it doth so too in some measure, in the knowledge of good and evil, as I have already showed; yet it doth not in the performance of the thing known to be good, or the omitting of the thing known to be evil, or the living and the enjoying of that life and enjoyment that is in God; which shall not be obtained by the eating of the fruit of this tree, but by the eating of the fruit of the tree of life, which also is in the midst of the Garden, and yet no natural tree no more than the first: for this second tree is God's righteousness, and the very ●eaves of it shall serve for the healing of the Nations: so then, this first fruit is good in ●ts own place, and without the eating of this we cannot be capable of the other; yet it is forbidden to be eaten, to accomplish the end that is before prescribed, that is to say, to become like God. To prove this, take notice of these Scriptures, and you shall find this fruit, man's righteousness is forbidden, and the sentence of death passed on those that feed on it to that end, as our first parents did: The Apostle Gal. 3. 10. speaks thus, For as many as are of the works of the law, are under the curse. To be carnally minded is death, Rom. 8. 6. The Apostles meaning is, to be carnally minded in their coming up to God, or their seeking after God by or in carnal things, in endeavouring to make themselves perfect by the flesh, as they did to whom he speaks Gal. 3. 3. Are you ●o foolish, having begun in the spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? As also the Apostle saith, 1 Cor. 13. 3. If he should give his body to be burned, and all his goods to the poor, and have not charity, which is love, or the power of God living, and acting, and carrying him forth to do it, it is as sounding brass, and a tinkling cymbal. The Prophets and Christ himself condemn Israel, or those Pharifaicall men for their fasting, and making long prayers, Isa. 58. 4. Matth. 6. 16. Why so? was it not good so to do? Yea, fasting, praying and giving of alms are good in themselves; So the things were good in themselves, or matter of them, but not in manner and circumstance; they may be used; but not fed on to be like God, lest we die. but they had not the power of God carrying them out to do those things, but the motive by which they were put upon those duties was self-ends, for to become like God: witness the Pharisee that made the large confession, and thought to obtain much, and yet was condemned by Christ, Luk. 18. 11, 12. Thus you see, as Adam was forbidden Man is bidden, or commanded to do good, but not to obtain good by his doing. to eat this fruit, and death pronounced, and a curse followed upon his eating thereof: So in like manner are we forbidden to follow after, or feed upon that fruit which is in the substance our righteousnss, or the Law, and also death is pronounced, and a curse followeth upon our eating thereof; Touch not, taste not, handle not, for all perish Adam did lie down in sorrow. with the using, Col. 2. 21. This is the fire that man kindleth, and compasseth himself about with the sparks: but God saith, This he shall have at mine hands, he shall lie down in sorrow. So then here you see, that this ambition was not only in Adam the shadow, but in us the substance, after the forbidden fruit; and our ends are the same as his was, to be wise, and become like God, through the subtlety of the Serpent, which holds forth the excellency of this fruit, our righteousness. This will also serve for an Answer to the Objection framed from Adam's transgression, Pag. 35. Object. Some may say, How can the tree of knowledge of good and evil and the righteousness of man be all one? Ans. The fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, is nothing else but the moral Law, or the righteousness of man. It must needs be so for this Reason; Because the other tree with it, which is the tree of life, was the righteousness of Christ, and no material or natural tree. To prove that it was the righteousness of Christ, you may see Rev. 2. 7. To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life in the midst of the Paradise of God. The like is said of the heavenly Manna, ver. 7. which is one and the same thing. There is nothing promised to be given to the Saints to eat or to drink, or to be clothed with, but it is Christ or his righteousness: He is all this to a Saint, as you may see in these Scriptures; He is water, John 4. 14. and chap. 7. 38. This he spoke of the Spirit. He is Manna, chapped. 6. 48, 50. 1 Cor. 10. 3. He is wine, pomegranates, or apples, or pleasant fruit, Matth. 26. 29. Cant. 4. 7. Let my Beloved come into his garden, and eat of his pleasant fruit, Chap. 7. 13. At our gates are all manner of pleasant fruits, new and old, which I have laid up for thee, O my Beloved. And chapped. 1. 14. Thy love is unto us a cluster of camphire. All this is the love of God through Christ to the Saints, and the reflections of that love, carrying up the souls of Saints unto God. So this tree of life is the same, even the righteousness of Christ, or the Spirit. It is compared to an oak and a teyl tree, and the holy seed is the substance thereof, Isa. 6. 13. 2. This tree of life must needs be the Spirit of Christ, because it bears twelve manner of fruits; which fruits are twelve degrees, or several gifts of the Spirit, which are the twelve precious stones, or pearls that the City is founded upon. 3. This tree of life must needs be the righteousness of Christ; because the leaves of it are to heal the Nations: Nothing can heal the Nations but Christ; but the leaves of this tree are to heal the Nations; and therefore they are the fruits effected and brought forth by the Spirit of Christ. 4. There is nothing life itself, or can give life for ever, but Christ: But this tree is life itself, and will give life to them that eat it: Therefore this tree is the righteousness of Christ, Gen. 3. 22. So then, this being clear, that this tree of life is no material or natural tree, but the righteousness of Christ, and such a food as will give eternal life, it must by the same grounds necessarily follow, that this * The definition of the two trees proved pag. 2. is more fully proved in the seven effects brought forth by the tree, and man's righteousness. tree of knowledge of good and evil in the garden with it, is the righteousness of man, and is no material or natural tree, no more than the other. 5. The fifth degree of Adam's rising, was 5 Degree of Adam's rising. to put those ambitious thoughts and desires into execution, Gen. 3. 6. She took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave to her husband with her, and he did eat: And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked: and they sewed fig-leaves together, and made them aprons. The fifth degree of the substantial Adam, or all those that are come up to that degree, may examine themselves by the shadow, which was our first parents, thus as it followeth; and it will answer as face answereth face in a glass: for after they are come to the fourth degree, which is to see the invisible God, through the visible things that are made; and also to see and believe our own righteousness, which is by the Law, to be the only way and means by which they may become wise, or like that God, or to attain heaven; And also the excellency of this fruit, so set forth by the serpent, they then with all their strength follow after their own righteousness, and take of that fruit that was so lovely to the eye, and so much to be desired to make one wise; and eats thereof, [bear with the expression] for it is a Metaphor much used in Scripture in such like words as these, To feed upon husks and not bread; Labour not for the meat that perisheth: Also there is a more pure eating held forth in Scripture, My flesh is meat indeed; I am that heavenly Manna; Feed my Lambs, and such like expressions: the Prophet Isaiah speaking prophetically of the righteousness of God: he calls it, The holy seed; he saith, It shall return and shall be eaten as a Teil-tree, and as an Oak whose substance is in itself, Isa. 6. 13. the same is spoken concerning the tree of life: And as this is not to be understood of a natural eating, but of a pure, inward and spiritual feeding of the new inward and spiritual man: so, in the like manner, that eating, Gen. 9 is not to be understood of a natural eating, but an inward corrupt and spiritual feeding of the Old man, which is to be crucified, mortified and destroyed with that, which is husks and not bread.] I say, after their approving, desiring, and pressing after the righteousness of the Law, which is called our righteousness, they then take and eat thereof; and no sooner they have fed on that fruit, but their eyes are opened; and they know that they are naked, that is, when the creature is convinced, that his own righteousness is the only means to bring him to heaven, or to be like God, for that is the thing the creature aims at in all his working, and the more he followeth after and feedeth on this, the more he is drawn into bondage, and seethe his unsufficiency in accomplishing that end: so that now the natural eyes of the understanding are opened, and they see that they are naked; they are not made naked by following after the righteousness of the Law, but that which they thought to attain to, by it, they see they are not able to attain, but contrarily it doth discover their nakedness, which is their sin; therefore the Apostle saith by the Law is the knowledge of sin; the Law doth not make the creature sinful and naked, but the Law doth open eyes to see that which was before; for all things that is below God, is sin, though it never transgressed any outward Commandment, neither in its self, nor any other, (the Heavens are unclean in his sight) but it is not sin, according to similitude of Adam's transgression, that is to say, nakedness or sin discovered; therefore the Apostle saith, Rom. 5. 14. Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them which had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression; that is, they had not their sin and nakedness discovered, as it is, vers. 13. the Apostle saith, Sinn was in the world until the Law, but sin is not imputed where there is no law, that is, sin is not brought home to the Conscience, and made ours until the powerful coming of the Law, which brings sin and nakedness to light; thus it was with Adam the figure, he had sin before, but not discovered until he eat: thus it was with typical Israel, they had sin from Adam to Moses, yet not discovered outwardly until Moses gave them the Law; and thus it is with us the substance of those two figures: we have sin, and death reigning by sin, yet not discovered until the powerful coming of the Law: for, the same effect that the fruit wrought on Adam, the same it doth upon the Gentiles, which never had the Law in the Letter; for when the Gentiles, which have not the Law, that is, have not the Law in the Letter, do the things contained in the Law, which show the works of the Law written in their heart, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts in the mean while, accusing or excusing one another, Rom. 2. 14, 15. for as Adam was alive before he eat, and was to die upon his eating, so you see the Gentiles died that death upon the powerful coming of the Law, though they never had the law in the letter, yet they had sin imputed inwardly, as it was typed out by an outward imputation at Mount Sinai after Moses gave the law; thus it was with Paul also before he had eat or concocted the same fruit, he was alive, as he saith; I was alive once without the Law, but when the Law came, sin revived, and I died: as the fruit or Law did not bring sin to Paul, but gave eyes to discover sin and nakedness; so in like manner, it brought not sin to Adam, but opened his eyes, and gave sight to discover and bring sin and nakedness to light, which was in them before; and as Paul's life before the law came, was only but in his own apprehension; so also was adam's, and their death after their eating, but only a discovery of what was in them; for before the law came, they believed and conceived life and power to be in themselves to bring them to God: but when the law was come and they had eat of that fruit, it openeth their eyes, and discovereth that to be death, which they thought was life. So then, the very act of eating the forbidden fruit, or the powerful coming of the law into the soul, which is all one, is not sin itself, but the discovery of sin, therefore the Apostle saith, What shall we say then? is the Law sin? God forbidden! I had not known sin but by the Law, Rom. 7. 7. And he saith, Without the Law sin was dead; so I say, this fruit which Adam eat, was nothing but the Law which brought sin and nakedness to light, it revived sin, which before seemed to be dead. Therefore it is called the tree of knowledge of good and evil; so you see, whatsoever was brought upon Adam by his eating of that fruit, the same is brought upon them that seeds upon the Law of their own righteousness: As for example in these particulars: First, it deprives Adam of life, for he had The effects of the fruit to him and us, alike compared in 7. particulars. life, or else he could not die. The same doth the Law: for saith the Apostle, I was alive once without the Law, Rom. 7. 9 As the first, which was the shadow, had life before he eat of the fruit; so, the second, which is the substance had life before the law came. It gives Adam the knowledge of sin and 2. The effects of the fruit. nakedness; and the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew they were naked; (which nakedness is a metaphor which holds forth inability and sinfulness in their coming up to God.) The same doth the Law, I had not known sin but by the law, Rom. 7. 7. Chap. 3. 20. Thirdly, the eating of the fruit brings 3. The effects of the fruit. fear and terror upon Adam because of sin, Gen. 3. 9 I heard thy voice in the Garden, and I was afraid. The same thing doth the law work on those that feed on it, or to whom it cometh; the Apostle saith, that Christ took flesh and blood upon him to deliver them who through the fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage, Hebr. 2. 15. this fear and bondage is through the law; as it will appear, Hebr. 12. 21. where it is said, So terrible was the sight that Moses saw, that he said, I exceedingly fear and quake. Adam's eating of this fruit, or the coming of the law into the soul, answereth the giving of the law on Mount Sinai; our seeding on the Law, is our coming to the Mount that burneth with fire to blackness and darkness, and the voice of words; whatsoever was effected by * Adam's eating of that fruit was the first figure. Adam's eating of the forbidden fruit, the same was in the second figure at Mount Sinai, and is likewise in the substance, which is every soul to whom the Law powerfully cometh; for as The giving of the Law at Mount Sinai, was the second figure. at the coming of the Law at Mount Sinai, there was a Tempest, and the voice of words, which was a terror to those to whom it came; the same fear and terror was effected by Adam's eating that fruit, Gen. 3. 8. it is said, They heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the Garden; this is the voice or word that they at The coming of the Law into the Soul, is the substance of those two Figures. Mount Sinai entreated should be spoke to them no more; the same caused Adam to run away from God, and to be afraid and hid himself; Adam could not endure this voice, no more than they to whom this dispensation came at Mount Sinai; and the reason of it is this, (both to Adam and all those whom I compare with him, which are the Israelites, or all those to whom the law did come) I say the reason is this, because this voice is in the cool of the day; in the Hebrew word it is the [winds] of the day: so this voice of the Lord God was walking in the Garden, which is, the pleasure and delights that man lived in; in the winds of the day; which winds and tempest is all one; What is more terrible than winds or tempest? It was terrible to Adam, and also to them at Mount Sinai; it is called Blackness and darkness, and the voice of words, Hebr. 12. 19, 20. Which voice they entreated they might hear no more: It is called, The winds of the day, Gen. 3. 8. which emplyeth both blackness, darkness and tempest; so as this voice of God was in the winds and tempests of the day unto Adam; so also this voice of words to those at Mount Sinai, was in the winds of the day, even in blackness, darkness and tempest; whatsoever was a distemper to the first, was also to the second; and is the same to the substance, even to us that are under the dispensation of this day. The eating of the forbidden fruit bringeth 4. The effects of the fruit. Thorns thistles, hay, and straw, etc. are taken for the fruits of our righteousness, Jer. 4. 3. Hos. 10. 12. a curse upon Adam, and his whole earth; Cursed be the ground for thy sake, in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all days of thy life; Thorns also shall it bring forth unto thee. The law also in the like manner bringeth a curse on them to whom it comes powerfully into, for as many as are of the works of the law, are under the Curse, Gal. 3. 10. The Law is not of faith, but the man that doth them, shall live in them, Verse 12. so it was said to Adam, In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat thy bread; as the meaning of that in Gal. 3. 14. is a spiritual living in the Law, so the meaning of that eating in Rev. 21. 1 Cor. 4. 15, 16. The world is taken for self wisdom righteousness, pleasure or the like, this shall be burnt up, but the earth shall endure for ever, Dan. 7. 26, 27. Cham 2. 44 Rev. 19 6 7. Chap. 11. 15. Gen. 3. 19 is of eating spiritual bread, a feeding of the inward man in a laborious way under the yoke of bondage; and this his eating the fruit produceth and bringeth forth thorns and thistles, which shall be such prickles in the flesh that it shall choke the good seed that is sown in that ground but this earth or ground shall become new, and all those thorns, thistles, hay, straw or stubble shall be burnt up, and he that enjoyeth it shall enjoy it without labour, they shall set down under their own Vine and under their own figtrees, they shall enter into their rest, they shall run and not be faint, they shall mount up like Eagles and renew their strength, yet the lump or fabric of this earth shall endure for ever. And all things therein, both man and beast, Old things shall be done away and all things shall become new, as the Apostle saith to those in Christ, 1 Cor. 5. 27. yet they lived on this Earth. Christ Disciples are taken out of the world, and yet live in the world. The meaning is they shall be under a new dispensation, new law, or covenant, a new heaven and earth, a new Jerusalem and Paradise and Tree of Life, new Name, new Bread, new manna for which they shall not labour and get with the sweat of their faces under the second dispensation as they do under the First; And as Adam did obtain it by his eating the forbidden fruit who was the Type of all those under the Law, who also get their spiritual bread through much labour and sweat of their face, and yet it satisfieth not, and thus the latter answereth the former in this example. The eating of the for bidden fruit, brings death itself upon Adam; For, that day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. So in the fifth place, to whomsoever the Law comes, it bringeth death, as it is 2 Cor. Fifthly. The effects of the fruit. 3. 9 We are able Ministers of the new Testament not of the Letter, but of the Spirit, for the Letter killeth; Again it is said, I was alive without the Law, but when the Law came, sin revived, and I died; so you see as death was brought upon Adam, upon his eating the fruit, the same also is brought upon every one to whom the Law powerfully cometh; and the former is but only a type or representation of the latter; So we are not to understand that any fell in that flesh of his, as is carnally and vainly understood, or that any died in him according to the general understanding of men; the Prophet Ezekiel speaks prophetically of the destruction of such a principle or tenet as this is; saith he, What mean you that you use this Proverb concerning the land of Israel; saying, The Fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge? As I live, saith the Lord, you shall not have any more occasion to use this Proverb in Israel; The soul that sinneth it shall die, Ezek. 18. 2, 3, 4. And the Prophet Jeremiah speaks more plain of this, and the time when it shall be, it is when he maketh a new Covenant, and putteth his law in their inward parts: it is when they shall no more every man teach his neighbour, and every man his brother; saying, Know the Lord, for they shall all know me from the least to the greatest, Jeremiah 31. 31. to the end of the Chap. at the twenty nine verse of the same Chapter he speaks on this wise; In those days they shall say no more, the fathers have eaten a sour grape, and the children's teeth are set on edge, but every one shall die for his own iniquity, every man that eateth a sour grape his teeth shall be set on edge; If man died for his own iniquity in those days, than he died not in his fathers before; but in those days every one did die for his own iniquities, and therefore they did not die nor fall in another before; we who are Israel, are not to look through shadows or through a vail; for if we are turned to the Lord, the vail is taken away; we see with open face, we are not spoken to in parables, to us it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom, therefore let us leave off this Proverb, in saying, that we were lost in Adam; Let God be true, and every man a liar; when he saith in those days this Proverb shall be used no more. The Objection from Rom. 5. 19 1 Cor. 15. 22. Where it is said, All died in Adam; This Objection must admit of this answer as it followeth. How all are said to die in Adam. 1. The Apostle speaks not his own Judgement, but condescends to them and speaks according to this or that saying that they had in Israel concerning the Father's eating of sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set an edge; he speaks to them here in this as unto those Cor. 7. 14. where he saith, the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the believing wife, and the unbelieving Wife is sanctified by the believing Husband▪ or else were the children unclean, but now they are holy. The Apostle here speaks not his own opinion (for he had cast of all this holiness of Circumcision, and what privilege soever he had by it, and accounts it loss and as dross and dung) but he speaks according to their belief or tenet in the time of the Law, which was, if a Circumcised person was joined to an uncircumcised, yet their seed should be accounted to be within the Covenant or holy and not unclean; and from this their opinion he goes to take advantage and reconcile them together, by what they themselves held, and so in this place he doth endeavour to illustrate & make out life to all in Christ, by that which they held concerning Adam, that is that their teeth was set an edge by his eating sour grapes; he doth in this place as he doth in the Hebraws where he holds out the excellency of the mystery of Christ by the Ministry that they were best acquainted with. Secon. We die in Adam, 'tis true, all have held it to be a truth, but they have not looked to the end of things, because their minds are blinded, and the veil is over their hearts and shall be till they are turned to the Lord, and then this Proverb shall be used no more. Quest. How may we be said to die in Adam? Ans. We may be said to die in him in an allegorical sense; that is, he by his death did shadow out all those that came to that State or degree as he was in; mark what the Apostle saith in another case, Tell me you little children, do you not hear the Law read? so he goes to tell them of the Law thus, It is written, Abraham had two Sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman; this he tells them that in the mystery or the allegorical sense is the Law, as he saith afterwards; for this Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia & answereth to Jerusalem, which now is & is in bondage with Galla. 4. 25. her children; this Hagar is mount Sinai, saith he; this is as plain a speech as to say all died in Adam, but yet he looks through this Hagar and Mount Sinai to the Jews in bondage under the Law which he calls Jerusalem; So in like manner he looks through our first Parents when he saith all died in Adam, and means them who were come to that estate and degree; So than he by his death did figure out all that came to that degree, that they should come to it that way, as he did; to die in Adam, is to crucify the old man and die to ones own righteousness and strength daily; so than his death did represent this death of ours, as he by his death did assure us that we shall follow him; in this sense we may be said to die in him, such Scriptures, which say that we all died in Adam, must be further answered thus by the like Scriptures, and understood accordingly as these are. Christ is said to be slain from the foundation of the world; And, I am that heavenly Manna that came down from heaven; And Babylon is fallen, is fallen: when it is said Rev. 13. 8. & 18. 2, 4. afterwards, Come out of her my people; all this while this is but in God's account, or in the shadow or representation; so the Fathers eat Manna, & drank of that rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ, but not substantially but parabolically; or else it is to be understood as sure as it is in part, so it shall be in our account, so it shall be in the substance, so it shall be wholly; thus we must understand our death in Adam. First, we are all dead men in God's account. Secondly, we are all dead in the shadow. Thirdly, we are all dead in that nature and earnest; the whole world is the substance and whole payment, which must be brought into the same place as the earnest was; we must come the same way as he did, and bear our burdens; and by his death he doth assure us that we shall die assuredly, as it were already done in him. Again, when we died, we died in Adam; for every carnal man is Adam; yet all the carnality that ever was, is, or shall be, is Adam the old man as it is formerly proved: And in this Adam, all those to whom the law cometh, must die, and are dead already in God's account, or in the shadow and earnest, as hath been proved. Thus much in answer to this Objection. Object. Adam's eating the forbidden fruit did cause him to himself with fig-leafes; which leaves are the leaves of the same tree; as the eating of the fruit did open their eyes to see their nakedness; and upon the sight thereof they were put upon action to cover this nakeduesse with the leaves of the Tree. Ans. The same thing doth the law effect on 6. The effects of the friut. them to whom it comes; for when the impressions of the law comes in upon the soul or heart, and discovereth nakedness or sin, than these impressions put the creature upon some thing that it conceives to be a duty to hid this sin, or to be, as it were, a Mediator to appease the wrath of God, and thereby to quiet and satisfy its own conscience; so these our good works are the figg-leaves, for figg-leaves are very broad, and so are our good works: although carnal persons apprehend themselves to be very naked and sinful; yet if they can but fast and do penance, and say thus many prayers, then presently sin, which is their nakedness, is covered, and their conscience is quieted: so then, these good works are the leaves of the tree of knowledge of good and evil; under which figtree all men are found sitting to whom the second dispensation comes; it finds us there and knows us before we know it, as you may see, John 1. 48. where Christ spoke in answer to Nathaneel's question, whether he knew him Christ saith unto him, That he knew him before Philip called him under the figtree; the leaves of the tree of life shall be for the healing of the Nations: What are the leaves of the tree of life? only the effects of the fruit, which fruit is the Spirit of God; and the effects are our good works, brought forth by that Spirit, saith Christ, Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven, Matthew 5. 16. 1 Peter 2. 12. Revelat. 11. 13. Thus be these leaves of the tree of life effected and brought forth by the Spirit; the Nations shall be won, recovered and healed, and shall glorify God; by this you may the more clearly see what are the leaves of the first tree, they are our good works springing forth from the law; it shall heal and cover them too in their own apprehensions; but when the second fruit is given them to eat, they shall come from under that figtree, they shall cast their garments away as filthy rags and menstruous clouts, as Paul did. For when this second dispensation comes, which is the fruit of the tree of life, or Christ in the soul, it finds no fruit but only leaves, on which he pronounceth a curse, and it withereth away, and is no more seen for ever in that soul, Matth. 21. 19 Thus also you may see, that as Adam's eating the fruit, caused him to himself with fig-leaves; the same doth the powerful coming of the law. Adam's eating of the forbidden fruit, did 7. The effects of the fruit. cause him to hid himself amongst the trees of the garden, Gen. 3. 8; the same thing doth the Law effect in them, to whom it cometh; when God cometh in that despensation with voices in the wind or tempest of that day, and maketh the creature afraid, the creature presently runs away and hides itself in the trees of the garden, which trees are these two things; the first sort and greatest shelter that the creature hides itself under from the wrath of God, is the opinions and tenants of the fathers or them that pretend to be Ministers of the people, unto which the creature being frighted runs to tell their estate, to the end they may have their consciences quieted; and after confession, by those that are in bondage under the law, to these trees of Lebanon. And also there being admonished by these tall Cedars in their humane traditions, they then give them absolution and remission of their sins, that is to say, their words take effect upon the heart of the fearful, and their sins are remited declaratively; thus they trust to what others say, and pin themselves to them, when they are not made one in the thing that they profess; and thus their conscience is quieted, they having hid themselves from God in the former dispensation among the trees, which are some pleasant Tenants or doctrines of salvation, duties and forms from humane traditions: these are the trees which men hid themselves from God in. The gathering of figg-leaves in the sixth Comparison, was a work of the law only; but their hiding themselves among the trees of the garden, is from humane tradition and gross Idolatry: For proof hereof, see Hos. 4. 18. where the Prophet speaks in reference to those trees, which are the Priests, thus, They eat up the sin of my people: and verse 12, 13. the Prophet speaks in reference to the people; thus, My people ask counsel after stocks, and their staffs declare unto them; for the spirit of whoredom hath caused them to err: Those stocks and staffs are the Priests; at the 13 verse, he speaks thus, They sacrifice upon the tops of mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under Oaks and Poplar trees, and Elms, because the shadow thereof is good: These shadows cover them from these winds and tempest, which is the voice of God in the law; and as Adam in his greatest fear, fled and hid himself, and had his sin, as it were, eaten up or covered by the shadows of these trees, so the sin of these Israelites, was, as it were, eaten up: This was held forth by Ishmael the son of Hagar, or the son of the Covenant of works; he was cast under a shrub in his greatest agony, when all his refreshment of water was gone; In this he held forth the sons of the Covenant of works, who also do fly from the voice of God, in the wind of the day, and hid themselves under the shadow of these trees, because it brings peace, and seemeth to be good. Obj. You will say, Adam had no such trees as Priests or Teachers to hid himself under. Answ. I grant that, if you speak of these persons; but he sought out those opinions, traditions and inventions, as they have since learned, and others have them now without so much labour; and thus under those trees they shelter themselves from the wrath of God; The second sort of trees are some particular pleasure or delights; I told you the Garden itself was all manner of pleasures or delights in general, but after we have eaten of the Tree of knowledge of good and evil, and our eyes are opened thereby we are driven as it were out of this carnal pleasure and delight in general; so that we lie under a heavy yoke of bondage in a mournful and heavy condition, so that the soul is as it were brought down to hell; then many times such a Soul spies out another sort of shelter which may be understood to be company, playing, music, singing, or any such kind of recreation; for saith such a one, when I am out of Company I am so melancholy and discontented and oppressed in my conscience that I know not what to do, and from hence they seek after recreation to put away melancholy humours, and cover their sins under such trees as these; here you may see whatsoever was produced and effected in Adam by eating the forbidden fruit in these seven particulars; the same also is produced and effected by the law on whom it powerfully cometh; whosoever feedeth on it, it bringeth him into the same condition as the fruit brought Adam into; and this may be a sufficient ground or reason to prove that the tree of knowledge of good and evil and the Law to be one and the same. The sixth degree of Adam's rising is thus as it followeth; unto Adam also & to his Wife did the Lord God make Coats of skins; As in the five former degrees of Adam's rising, I have endeavoured to show the substance or end of things; so I shall in this sixth degree. First, What this clothing is in the substance; and Secondly, compare us with Adam, in showing how and when we are clothed with this clothing. First, this clothing with skins in the substance, is the righteousness, of Faith and Love, this was the clothing that john was clothed in: for the t●xt saith, His clothing was of Camel's hair, and a Girdle of a skin; this righteousness of God by saith is figured out by a skin, in as much as it is a shield to cover the creature and keep it warm, and secure the life and inwards of a creature and also bind up the flesh, bones and sinews, and is the very strength thereof, the same is the righteousness of faith, and love to the inward man; therefore Christ is said to bind up the broken and the naked; the Apostle calls it the Armour of God; therefore saith he, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of Righteousness Ephes. 6. 13, 14. The same Apostle calls it the breastplate of Faith and Love, Thes. 58. but Peter speaking plainer to this thing, 1 Pet. 1. 13. saith he; Therefore gird up the loins of your minds, and be sober and hope to the end; so this clothing is the righteousness of faith, love and truth which girds and binds up the loins of the inward man in faith and love unto God; this being true that this clothing in the substance is the righteousness of faith and love: we shall in the next place take notice, when and how this clothing is put on. God suffers man to run on in the first dispensation, working and getting his bread with the sweat of his face, and clothing himself with fig-leaves to cover his nakedness; and in this his workking God takes advantage, and as it were meets man half way, and uncloathes him of that clothing of leaves, and him with another clothing; This was figured out in that of Adam, and also in that of Mount Sinai, with that of john; for john differed from the dispensation of Mount Sinai both in his meat and clothing, which are both to be understood, in a spiritual sense; his meat was Locust and wild Honey, that is he fed on Christ through dark shadows, he fed on him as he was in the flesh; as John 14. 23. Luke 24. 25, 26. Christ's Disciples did, and were reproved by him for it, or as the Apostle Paul did, although afterwards he saw his error, when he saith, although I have known Christ after the flesh, yet henceforth desire I to know him so no more, 2 Cor. 5. 16. And thus john fed upon Christ through shadows, and in this respect his meat is said to be Wild Honey; for the pure Word of God which is Christ, is compared to the Honey and Hony Comb, but john fed not on this honey alone, but upon Locusts which is the traditions and inventions, and errors of men, which devour and eat like a Canker; as you may see Exod. 11. 12. Rev. 9 3, 7. Thus john saw something darkly of Christ, and something of error. john must decrease, Christ must increase, joh. 3. 30. therefore john's Disciples and Christ could not agree, much less Moses Disciples and Christ's, after the coming of the Comforter. john is the greatest of all the Prophets, but the least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than john; yet this dispensation of john was of God in opposition to that of Mount Sinai, which may be said to be of man; It was the second dispensation, and answers that second of Adam's clothing with skins, which was of God in opposition to Adam's first clothing, which was of himself; it is also a figure of that righteousness of faith and love, and as I told you before, according to the figure: God suffers men to run on in the first dispensation after the powerful coming of the Law to the creature, and gives him the knowledge of sin which is his nakedness; then the creature runs on furiously, and endeavours to cover himself with a Garment of his own making, and in this his toiling under a heavy yoke of bondage and labouring therein, to become like God, than God as it were condescends and meets him, and unclothes him of that menstruous clothing which could not well keep him warm, and him with the righteousness of Faith, and binds up the loins of his mind unto God with this spiritual Girdle; and as in the shadow there was two cloathings to bring them up to God; the first is of man's own which bringeth him on his way; the second of Gods, which brings him to the end of his Journey; man must be clothed with these two cloathings before he come to God, and that you may see as followeth; the Apostle saith, For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the flesh; here you may see these two dispensations or cloathings; First, the Law, or figleaves; and this did endeavour, but it could not do that which it was put upon to do; but the Second, God sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and this is God's own dispensation, or second clothing which condemned sin in the flesh: this in the clothing of God which hides and covers sin: therefore David saith, Blessed is the man whose sins are covered: this is repeated Rom. 4. 7. The first clothing could not cover our sins neither from God, nor from us. Isaiah speaketh in reference to this clothing, thus: but we are all as unclean things, and all out righteousness is as filthy rags, and we all do fade as a leaf, and our iniquities like the wind, have taken us away, Isa. 64. 6. This first clothing is the same that Joshua was clothed with, which the Angel was commanded to take away from him that filthy garment; and also he was clothed with change of raiment, which was the second dispensation, which is the righteousness of faith and love, which is called fine linen, Revel. 6. 11. The Apostle had experience of these two cloathings, and he being unclothed by God of the first clothing, which he did so much approve of, he now abhors it, and counted it as dross and dung, in respect of the second, as you may see Phil. 3. 7, 8, 9 in these words: But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ; yea, doubtesse I account all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and I account them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness which is of the Law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith. Thus you see how we are clothed with the fig-leaves of our own righteousness, and how the shadow answers the substance in these six Degrees, in showing how far men go in their own righteousness, in clothing themselves with fig-leaves before they are clothed by God with his righteousness. Object. Some may say, The first dispensation was of God, for God gave it at Mount Sinai. Answ. It is true, all things, the crooked Serpent, and whatsoever is called evil, is of God in one sense; but it is not of God in another sense. First, As a small plant, or any other thing in their first appearance from nothing, may be said to be made by God, in this sense all things are of God. And secondly, In their growth they afterwards do naturally bring forth fruit; that fruit thus brought forth cannot be said to be made by God under the same consideration as the plant was first made; but as these plants have strength and power in their natures to bring forth fruit in time, in this sense, in making the tree, the fruit may be said to be made of God: So God made man uncapable, having neither fruit of sin or righteousness, but with strength Thus man was made upright, & no otherwise. in their nature through growth to bring forth fruit: In this sense all things may be said to be made by God, as he is the Original, and makes things with strength in their nature to bring forth fruit through growth; in this sense that dispensation was of God as he was the original of the creature; but not as he was the actor of the creature: For power is left in all vegetative and sensitive creatures to bring forth fruit. And whereas the Objection saith, this dispensation was Gods, because it was given at Mount Sinai. I answer, By the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai, God did figure out or represent that which was placed in man naturally by creation; and what blackness, darkness, and tempest would naturally grow up in man: So then, that dispensation was not of God; but God did represent and figure out by it what man should naturally be brought unto. And this you may see in reading of these Scriptures here quoted, that the dispensation given at Mount Sinai was not of God according to his nature, Hebr. 7. 16, 18, 19 Chapt. 8. 2, 5. and 9 8. Gal. 4. 9 Act. 7. 48, 49, 50. God is light, and in him is no darkness at all: but that dispensation of Mount Sinai was blackness, darkness and tempest, therefore it was not of God; wrath is not in God: but in this dispensation was nothing but wrath, therefore not of God; for God comes in a still voice, therefore not in blackness and tempest. It is not of God in respect of his natural influence, but it is of God as he is the Original or Creator of all things, who gave that Law at Mount Sinai, to signify what was in man naturally before, and to stir up that nature in man, that sin might appear exceeding sinful, Rom. 7. 13. and 5. 20. And as the first is not of God, but naturally in man; so the second dispensation is not of man, that is, it is not natural to man to live in it, no more than it is for the earth to ascend up into the heaven out of its own element: this is the gift of God through the influence of the Spirit: this is grace in opposition to any thing in man, which is called works; this is God's righteousness or clothing, in opposition to man's righteousness or clothing of fig-leaves. Therefore mistake not, you that run headlong, and look at things in general, who say, all men are alike, for all things are of God, and all do the works of God. I have granted this under this consideration, as he is the Original; but look who is of God under a second dispensation: look not only who is naturally made by God, and so is of God, but look who is spiritually made, and one with God in the nature of God: And then if you are one with them, your love will more principally extend to them. The second dispensation, or clothing of the righteousness of God, doth that which was endeavoured to be done by the first, even the Law, or man's righteousness; that is to say, to convince man of sin; which is their casting out of Paradise or pleasure, which all men naturally live in: But this first dispensation of the Law could not convince men of all sin, for it could not convince them that their own righteousness was sin, and so the Law was weak through the flesh: and therefore God cometh forth in the likeness of flesh. I should snew you a mystery touching the Trinity, which hath been hidden from the wise men of the world: But I shall only point at it now, and further clear it when opportunity serves. God casteth man out of Paradise by one power manifesting itself, or working three ways; First, considered as a Creater in making man in that nature to grow up into the knowledge of a Law, which Law brought man part of his way out of Paradise or pleasure, and this is of God considered as a Creator, as is before showed. The second way God manifest himself in casting man out of carnal pleasure and delight, is that; spirit of God that moved upon the waters and created the world with all things therein, which spirit afterward took up flesh and dwelled therein, even in the man Christ Jesus on whom all the ends of the earth are to look to and be saved, and what could not be done by God considered as a Creator in giving the creature a law in nature to cast out himself, that is done by the second dispensation which is called his own Son; he is called so in regard he is the second power coming forth from God, he is after the first as a son is after a father; and what the first could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the flesh. First, Here is one sending, and that is God in his eternal Effence; Secondly, here is one sent by the first, that is God in his influence and power, which is the Godhead of Christ: And yet the father remaineth full in himself, as a man after he hath a natural son; And Thirdly, How this second was sent, that is in the likeness of sinful flesh; And Fourthly, The end of his sending was to condemn sin in the flesh; he condemns sin in the flesh under these two considerations. First, As a figure which figureth out all those on whom this anointing or spirit of God comes into; thus he threatneth and condemneth sin. Secondly, He condemns sin as being an Ensign to be held to all those that he is a figure of, to the end that they in the beholding of him may be changed into the same Image and become one with himself; This is the second dispensation and that clothing of skins which Adam was clothed with; and as it was endeavoured by the first dispensation to cast man out of carnal pleasure and delight, it was fare more endeavoured, and nearer accomplished by the second dispensation; for where it was said, unto Adam and his wife, did the Lord God make coats of Skins, Gen. 13. 21. In the next verse it is said, Behold, the man is become like one of us: Man must be clothed by God with the righteousness of God, before man become like God in either of his three relations; so you see through the second dispensation man became like God, and is also cast out of his carnal pleasure and delight; God is the drawer of man out of sin, and self-righteousness. There is a third dispensation, by which The 7th. degree of Adam's rising. man is wholly cast out of paradise, kept out of paradise, and brought in to a second and glorious paradise, and that is the Spirit or Comforter; the going away of the first, is the coming of the second; that of Mount Sinai must decrease, Christ must increase; so the going away of the second, is the coming of the third: as Moses gave place to Christ, so Christ gave place to the Comforter: It is expedient that I go away, or else the Comforter cannot come: The first witnesseth to the second, and saith, Him shall ye hear in all things: The second witnefleth to the third, and saith, I will send the Comforter, and he shall lead you into all truth: Upon the knowing of the third, the second is to be known no more: Although I have known Christ after the flesh yet henceforth desire I to know him so no more: This is the new and spiritual birth; for he that is in Christ, is a new creature; to him old things are done away, and all things must become new; the law did convince of Sin, Christ in the flesh did convince of Sin, and so endeavoured▪ to make man like God, and cast him out of selvish and carnal Paradise: but what the second dispensation could not do, the third dispensation is sent to do it; and therefore Christ saith, When the Comforter cometh, he shall convince the world of sin, righteousness, and judgement. He shall convince the world of sin, the Law did endeavour this, and Christ did endeavour this, and may be said to do it as a means, but it is the Spirit itself, that doth completely accomplish this work: this is the Word of God that divideth between the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart; none can call Jesus Christ but by this Spirit, and this is that which convinceth of sin, and casteth man out of carnal pleasure and delight: and not only so, but by this Spirit we are brought into the antitypical and spiritual paradise of God, and therefore Christ saith, He shall take of mine, and show it unto you: This is made good to the Apostle, he being under this dispensation of God, who witnesseth the accomplishment of what was written by Isaiah touching this dispensation, as it is written, Eye hath not seen, non ear hath not heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, but God hath revealed them unto us by his spirit: For, the Spirit searcheth all things, even the deep things of God, 1 Cor. 2. 9, 10. Thus doth the Spirit take of God and show it unto us; this is the sword, and this is the Cherubin that keeps the way of the tree of life, that none can come to it, but those whom it takes up to that paradise; therefore the Apostle saith, Such a man I knew who was taken up into Paradise and heard unspeakablewords, which it is unlawful for a man to utter: this is the fire that will burn up all things, as hay, stubble, straw, or whatsoever is not of its own planting, this shall be poured out upon the Governors of Judah, they shall be as a hearth of fire among wood, and as a torch in a sheaf of corn: this is the Cherubin that brought a coal of fire from the Altar unto Isaiah, by which he had his iniquities forgiven and was made fit to go with God's message; when man is driven out of his carnality by this Spirit, he is fit to till the ground from whence he was taken. We may see God in a general way, through the other two dispensations; but none can know God, Scripture, Sin, or Righteousness, but by the Spirit; all rules are uncertain but this rule of the new Creature, and as many as walk according to this rule, peace be unto them, and to the Israel of God. And thus you see how one God through 3 discoveries doth cast man out of earthly pleasure and delight, therefore let us put him out, a speech after the manner of men, which holds forth abundance of mystery, of which I have many things to say and hard to be uttered or understood, seeing we are so dull of hearing; that which I promised I shall here commend to the wise, and only point at two general Uses, and leave what other Uses may be made of it unto you, or the power of God leading you out unto it. First, If this be a truth that is here delivered, Use. that no man fell in Adam really but figuratively as he did represent and assure us by his fall that we should fall in the like manner; from hence we should be reconciled unto God, and not to say that God is such a hard Mat. 25. 24. Master, reaping where he never sows, and charge him with injustice, iniquity and partiality, in saying, that all should die for one man's fault; you that are Christians and under the new Covenant, what mean you by this Proverb? what mean you to say, the fathers eat sour grapes and the children's teeth are set an edge? and to shift your Jer. 31. 29. Ezek. 12. 24. own necks out of the collar in charging your sin upon another; what mean you to make God a liar? when he saith; As I live, this Proverb shall be no more, but every one shall die for his own iniquity; and he that eateth the sour grapes, his teeth shall be set on edge; therefore if you live in those days as the Prophet's points at; if you are Israel according to the Spirit; if you are turned to the Lord; this vail of Adam will be taken away as well as the vail of Circumcision, Tabernacle or Altar meats or drinks, washings or purifyings or whatsoever of that nature, they were all truths once, but when the substance came, the shadow was to be taken away as well in the one as the other, therefore be you reconciled unto God; charge not God with injustice; let this Proverb be heard no more in Israel; let God be true, and every man a liar. Secondly, If Adam in his rising did figure Use. out and assure us that we should follow him through these several dispensations, ●hen all sorts of men ought to be reconciled together. First, Thou that art not in Paradise, and A word to seven degrees of mankind. art not capable of pleasure and delights: thou canst not come in of thyself, until thou art put in by God; why should he that is put in, hate thee who livest in thy own station, for all were as thou art? Second. If thou art put into carnal Paradise, and livest in thy pleasure and delights by reason of growth, and hast no restraint in thy nature, but mayest satisfy thyself in every sinful pleasure, I know thou wilt hate all that are above thee, that run not with thee into the same excess of riot; but take heed; by the visible things that are made thou shalt be left without excuse and see thy nakedness and be judged, condemned, confounded and ashamed. Thirdly, If thou art come to see the invisible God by the visible things that are made, than thou wilt leave the other trees in some measure, and look into the midst of the Garden, upon thy own righteousness which will be very lovely to thy eye, and the only thing to make thee wife and become like God in thy own apprehension; Judge not them that are above thee, for thou hast been once deceived already. Fourthly, If thou hast eaten of the tree that thou so much desirest to make thee wise, which is thy own righteousness, than thy eyes are opened and thou seest thy nakedness, and also what is good and evil according to God's estimation of good and evil; but here lies thy misery, thou are dead to do good and alive to do evil; for thou thoughtst thou hadst life and power in thyself to become like God by thy own righteousness, but thou shalt see upon thy eating thereof, thou shalt become dead, without power & strength in thyself, thou shalt not only be dead to do good, but fear & death shall seize on thee, when thou hearest the voice of God in the winds of the day Gen. 3 10. Esa. 6. 5. Rom. 7. 24. Heb. 13. 19, 21. Fiftly, Then if thou art in this toiling condition, thou wilt cry with Adam, I was afaid; with Isaiah, I am a man undone; with Paul, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death? with the Children of Israel who entreated they might hear that voice no more it was so terrible to them; and so it will be unto thee, it will make thee hid thyself from God under some pleasing opinions or tenants, and thyself with thy good works of fasting, and praying, and such like duties which are the fruits of thy own righteousness; this thou wilt be zealous in following after, thy own righteousness, and hate all those that are above thee or below thee. Be not to zealous; this is the third time thou hast been deceived, thou wilt again be deceived, and see all this thy righteousness to be as dross & dung, and that which thou thinkest to be gain thou wilt account loss, Philippians 3. 7. 8. Sixtly, If thou art clothed with the righteousness of faith, or this girdle of a skin, thou hast a glorious clothing which will bind up the loins of thy mind to the head, by which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God; and thus thou shalt grow from one degree to another under this second dispensation, as thou didst under the first until thou comest to perfection, and this perfection is the seventh degree, this is the Sabbath or rest, we having laboured and toiled these six days, that is under these six degrees, and followed God who is our example; we must all so enter into our rest with him, he that is entered into his rest Heb. 4. 10. hath ceased from all his works, as God did from his: this is the year of Jubilee, this is Enoch the seventh from Adam; the first six generations work and toil every one his day, and get their spiritual bread with the sweat of their face, for the space of five thousand five hundred and fourteen years, the years of their six days being added together, and they being a figure of the carnal world in labour, bondage and time, which was to endure the space of five thousand five The dawning of the day at the year 5514. hundred and fourteen years in its height, and then the end shall come nigh, and a new world shall begin, in which shall dwell righteousness: Enoch the seventh from Adam from his sixty fifth year was a figure of his day of rest, in which the Kingdoms of this world should become the Kingdoms of the Lord and his Christ, and the Kingdoms and dominions, and the greatest of the Kingdom under the whole Heavens shall be given to the people of the Saints, and all shall serve and obey him; these Saints are Enoch in the substance, who succeedeth the six generations or days of labour; this is that Enoch that was not, for Enoch is not of the world, as Christ's disciples are not of the world, but taken out. It is something cleared at the year 5579. God took him up unto himself, and he shall walk with God in the heavenly Jerusalem, where there shall be no unclean thing, and they shall be his people, and God himself will he their God; they shall not only walk with God, but they shall dwell in God and God in them, 1 John 4. chap. verses 12. 13. and 16. and as it is true there is a general & complete perfection or rest for the Saints at the end of five thousand five hundred seventy nine years (Enoches sixty five years being added, which was the time before God took him) in this earth, although not in this carnal world, as you may see in these quotations. Rev. 15. 3, 4. Dan. 7. 14. 26. Chap. 2. 44. Luk. 1. 33. Micah 4. 7. Zeph. 3. 19 Zach. 1. to vers. 9 It is also as true, That there is a perfection and rest to some, though not so complete in the six days, or six generations: there are some that walk with God, and rest with God on his Sabbath in the time of these six days before this Sabbath is come in general, of whom Enoch was a type; and both Enoch and they are a type and a figure of that general and glorious rest, as is before spoken of. Therefore, Brethren, if this be the result, that the six generations, and the six days did hold forth six degrees or dispensations to continue for so many years, as is ; and also Enoch and the Sabbath in their succeeding these six generations or days, did hold forth our rest with God, and living in perfection, than we ought in reason to be reconciled together. Let not him that is strong, who liveth in the sixth or seventh day, despise him that is weak, that lives in the first or darkest days or dispensations; Nor let not him that is weak, judge him that is Rom. 14. 3. streng; for God hath received him, he walketh with God. You will think him to be a mutherer that should endeavour to make all mankind to eat one sort of meat; either to make old men to eat milk or suck the breast; or else to make new born Babes to eat such gross meat as old men do; such will be murderers of the body: so in the like manner are they soul-murtherers that will bring all men into one conformity; nay, they are far worse than the first; for these do not only make spiritual men feed upon spiritual meat of any kind, but upon Dog's meat and Husks, and such as they themselves feed on. I am not offended with them for their feeding, but in that they go to take away my liberty, these are soul. murderers to those who are conformable to them; and also body-murtherers to them that will not conform with them: But this Antichrist that thus exalts himself above all that is called god in the Saints, shall be destroyed by the brightness of his coming; they ought to have the liberty of their consciences, be they never so corrupt in Worship. But if thy Conscience be to take away my liberty in worship, aught to be suppressed as an evil doer, or as one endeavouring to make murder, this is of Cain, whose seed thou art; this is that City in which all the blood of the Saints shall be found in her; all that dare to publish such a Tenet, or attempt to do it, have committed murder, and aught to die by the Law of God, and Law of reason; as all mankind cannot live upon one sort of natural meat, except some must starve: neither can the spiritual seed, live all upon one sort of spiritual food; therefore Christ speaketh to the multitude in parables, but saith to his Disciples, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom: Christ speaks not according to the Excellency of his own knowledge and light, but condescends to their weakness in speaking, according to their capacity, therefore he saith to his Disciples, I have many things to say, but you cannot bear them now. Also the Apostle Paul endevoureth to speak according to the capacity of them he speaks to, as you may see, 1 Cor. 2. 4. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in the demonstration of the spirit and power: Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect, we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, Verse 7. Thus the Apostle conforms himself to those he speaks to; as he can live with the highest in Canaan, so he can go down into Egypt to take his Brethren by the hand, to the end he may bring them from one degree to another, until they are come to sit with himself in heavenly places: He was not so high with those to whom he speaks wisdom in a mystery; but he is as low, where he saith, And I brethren. could not speak unto you, as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ: I have fed you with milk, not with meat, for hitherto you were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able, 1 Cor. 2. 1, 2. He became all thing to all men, that he might gain some: Also, he saith, Hebr. 5. 12, 13, 14. For when for the time ye ought to be Teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the Oracles of God, and are such as have need of milk and not of strong meat for every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteonsness, for he is a babe; but strong meat belongs to them that are of full age, or in the Greek word, perfect; since God hath always spoken in sundry times & divers manners, and speaks not in one way or one form, therefore let us not persecute one another; if God speaks not to others in the way he speaks to us, do not desire to lord Rom. 15. 1. it over God's heritage; we that are strong aught to bear the infirmities of the weak; for who makes thee to differ from another, 1 Cor. 4. 7. and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it? before thou receiv'dst it thou wast as he, thou thinkest meanly of; wouldst thou have been willing to have been despised and stumbled and so destroyed when thou wert weak before thou hadst received this grace? and if not, lay not stumbling blocks in thy brother's way; therefore since we come up all one way to perfection, let every one of us be reconciled one to another, let every one of Rom. 15. 2. us please his neighbour for his good to edification; let us therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded, and if in any thing you be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you, nevertheless whereunto you have already attained, let us walk by the same rule. Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like minded one towards another according to Christ Jesus. Finis. POSTSCRIPT. THe Objection which saith, That no man hath the knowledge that Adam bade before his fall, to give the creatures names according to their natures, as he did; they being deprived of that understanding by his fall. To which I answer, thus, It remains for you to prove, that there was any creature in paradise, which I am sure you cannot; for we find, first, that man was put into paradise Gen. 2. 8. And 2ly. he is driven out of it, Gen. 3. 23. Here you see the man's bringing in, and his driving out, but no creatures are brought in, or driven out with him; therefore lest you can prove that the creatures were there, I shall deny that he named them there. 2. We are not to understand, that the Scriptures are fulfilled in order as they are written; for if so, then Adam and all the creatures were twice made; for in the fifth days work, the fish of the sea, and the fowl of the air were created, Gen. 1. 18 to 23. and in the beginning of the six days, the living creatures of the earth were created, and creeping things after their kind, v. 24, 25. & then man was created, v. 27. All things are said to be made, and God is said to end his work, and rest, and yet Chap. 2. v. 5. it is said, There is no man to till the ground; and v. 7. it is said, That the Lord God form man of the dust of the ground; although before in Chap. 1. the Creatures are said to be made before man: yet here in this Chapter, man is said to be made again, and the creatures after him; for he is said to be made, ver. 7. and they, v. 19 Again, for all it's said, Male and Female created he them, and also that he had ended his works, and did rest from them, Chap. 2. v. 2. yet you will find, that the Woman was made afterwards, as it is ver. 22. And therefore I say, the Scriptures are not to be understood in order as they are written; but many times, when a thing is said to be done, it is done many hundred years after; and so also is this touching our naming of creatures, and our ruling over them, and our freedom to eat of every herb or fruit of the earth; if any one of these things is attributed to Adam, and not to us: then by the same grounds, the other, as ruling, tilling, dressing and eating of the fruit or herbs must be attributed to him, and not to us; but we are Adam as well as he, it is to us God brings the creatures, to see what names we will call them. 3. According to you own understanding of Scripture, Adam did manifest knowledge and wisdom after his fall, as well as before, as you may see after judgement pronounced upon him, Chap. 3. v. 20. it is said, Adam called his wife Eve, because she was the mother of all living. So then, if he had wisdom and knowledge to name the creatures before his fall, it was a greater piece of wisdom to name one more excellent than the sensitive creatures, and also to give the reason of her name, because she was the mother of all living, Gen. 3. 20. 4. There is nothing now in the Old-Testament named either by good men or bad, but signifieth either good or bad: God can speak in Caiaphas' touching the great sacrifice, or reprove Balaam by his Ass, yet neither of these knew what they spoke. This Objection was omitted, and I hearing some moving of it, thought fit to point at this answer for the present satisfaction of the Reader. FINIS.