plain and true report of the outward accident, and thing which was fenfibly done, leaving the hidden and fecret meaning and true undere ftanding of thofe things which are myfticall, unto his Interpreters and Expofitors: Forto this end, Mofes had fome alwaies in Gods Church, which did not only read the letter and words of his writings, but also expound the true meaning thereof; and what Expofitor is there, but by the confequence of this ftory, and by conference of the Scriptures, can otherwise understand this then of the Devill. Our Saviour Chrift telleth us that the Devill was a lyer and murtherer from the beginning. Jobs 8. 44. that is, he is the primitive and principall Author of all un ruth and evill, therefore is he called that evill Matth. 13. 19. and the deceiver of mankinde, Revel. 12. 9. and therefore Mofes doth firft deal with this evill one, and fetteth him down as the chief author of this evill, under the form and name of a Serpent. Touching him therefore, we must know as I told you Chap. 2. 1. that when God is faid to make the hoaft of heavenly Creatures,that then alfo he made the Angells, as David faith Pfalme 148. 2. which Angells God made bly and good, to be his miniftring fpirits Pfalme 104. 4. but Some of them kept not their first estate, Jude 6. but fell away from their holy and bleffed eftate in which they mere made, and fo there thy became evil Angels evill Angels referved in chains to everlasting fur.

Of this fall of Angel's, Job feemeth to have knowledge Job 4. 18. God faith he found folly even in his Angels. Chrift maketh mention of their fall Luke 10. 18. and the caufe of their fall is faid to be finne 2. Pet. 2.4. and the particular finne may feem to be pride, Isaiah 14. 13. 14. ero fimilis altißimo, for which caufe that finne is called morbus Satanicus, and as the wileman faith initium peccati eft fuperbia; But we will not curioully inquire what fpeciall finne it was which caufed his fall, because indeed it is fufficient for us to know in generall that finne was the cause thereof, that we may the more beware of it. He then being fallen, became not only an adversary to God, which cait him off for ever, but also an envious enemie to mankinde; for not being able to wreack his mal ceagainft God,he maliciously invented and attempted all the mischief and evill he could againft man, which was the Image of God, and the only Creature on whom God had fet his heart and delight to doe him good: For as they which love the Father, cannot but love and fhew kindnefs to his Children, which are deereft to him, as we fee in Davids example. So è contra, hatred and malice make evill mindes, to doe their enemies hurt aad despite, even in the things which are most deer and precious unto them; fo is the Devill faid to doe Rev. 12. 13. when he was not able to hurt the Woman, he pursued with hatred and rage her Child, which the brought forth, and because he could not reach to him (being afcended) therefore he ftill perfecuteth his Church which profeffeth his name: By this means then the Devill became not only envious, but also an enc my to mankind; and to effect the plot of his mifchief which he had imagined, Mofes telleth us that he doth ufe the means and Inftrument

of

Gen. 3. T.

of a Serpent, which was the fubtilleft beaft of the field, of which we fhall have occafion to speak the next time

Serpens autem erat aftutus, aftutior quâvis bestiâ agri quam fecerat Fehova Deus.

T

He perfons which concurred in this temptation I fhewed were of two forts, first the Tempter, and then the Tempted; The perfons tempting are of two forts, the one plainly expreffed by name to be the Serpent, the other neceffarily implied, and to be underflood, namely, the old Serpent, which is called the Devill, and Satan, the destroyer and deceiver of mankinde, Rev. 12. 9. fo that we must conceive in this place, that Satanus hic eft perfonatus, & Serpens eft infpiratus, the Devillis in the shape of a Serpent, and the Serpent is poffeffed with the Devill; for we know that Serpents cannot fpeak and reafon, therefore it must needs be fomewhat in him: Herein then we see the difpofition of evill and damnable Spirits, who being fallen into miferie, doe feek to draw all others into the fame calamity in the which they are wrapped and plunged, for the Devill will not only perire, but also perdere, and therefore, as we fee doth ufe all forcible means to bring it to pafs.

But because he knew that he should never bring about the deftrution of man, fo long as man fhould be united and tied faft to God in love and duty, obeying his will; therefore firft of all he laboureth most subtilly to untie the knot, by diffolving the Law and Commandement of God, through the tranfgreffion of man : and thus much of the chief actor in this temptation, which is the Devill.

Now we come to the fecond perfon, which is the means and inftrument which he ufed for this purpofe, namely, the Serpent.

Touching which, we fhall fee that the ancient Philofophers and wife men of the world may feem to have had fome knowledg, for they call the evill Spirit the Serpentine Devill, and a hellish Fury in the form and shape of a Serpent, as if they had had fome notice that he made choice of this Creature, especially above other, to doe the greatest mischiefto man.

In confidering of the entrance of the Devill, poffeffing the Serpent, we must needs know, that if the Devill will needs tempt Adam unto evill, then he muft of neceffity doe it either with fome inward fuggeftion or motion within, or elfe by fome externall temptation and allurement without: But the Devill knew that Adam then, in that estate of innocency had no evill concupifcence or corruption within, by which he might faften any ill motion or fuggeftion, for his luft and affections were not as tinder, that is, were not apt to take any spark of the Devills temptations, as ours are, for we are not only as tinder very prone to take evill; but as Gun-powder, which with every fpark is wholy enflamed, and violently is carried away with

the

the defire of evill, his foul was not yet poyfoned, with the corruption of finne as ours are, therefore he faw that then there was no time nor place, to affault him with inward temptations or perfwafions to make him doe evill, and therefore ufeth fome fenfible and x ternall allurements to befiege him without.

Objec

To this end therefore, he muft needs appear in fome visible and fenfible shape and refemblance, and that muft either be in fome form and shape futeable & agreeable to Adams nature, or elfe in fone other apparition and form unlike him, if he had appeared in fome ugly and loathfome fhape like to himself, he knew that though he could not be terrified with fear (being innocent) and therefore without fear, yet Adam and Eve would have contemned fuch an inftrument, and not have fuffered him to have fet abroach his affaults, for which cause his policy and devife was, to cover himself with a fairer mask and vizard, that he may feem better and more beautiful', then he was indeed. But why did he not choose a better shape then of this Serpent? I antwer, that no doubt his will was good, for he would have fa- Reip. fhioned himself into an Angell of light, or have put on him the shape of a grave and fage Propher, as he did in deceiving Saul, 1 Sam. 28. 13. But it must not be as the Devill will have it, but as it pleaseth God to appoint and permit him: And the fathers doe think that almighty God of fet purpose, did allot him this creature and restrain him all other, for thefe two refpe&s: first, thereby to punish the pride and the ambitious nature of the Devill, that he might fee and all the world perceive, to what this finne of pride had brought him, because he which a little before was fo vainglorious as to prefume to exalt him in Gods throne and be as God, is now caft down in most vile and miferable fort, bafely and contemptibly crawling upon the ground and being as the abject and most hated worm on the earth: that fo all men might fee and confider what pride and ambitious vain glory will bring them unto, but the Devills malice and envy towards man, being now greater than his pride was before, therefore it is no matter how vile and base the inftrument and means be, fo it will ferve his turn, he will refuse nothing no not the Serpent, if by his means he might bring man to the fame condemnation and wrath, in which he is already plunged.

The other refpe&, (they think) was that the temptation of Satan might be more eafie for Adam to refift and withstand, for who would not think it most eafie for Adam and Eve, being fo wife and excellent, and furnished with all graces of Gods fpirit, to efpie and contemn fuch ill counfell, which would have him withdraw his allegiance and dury to God his gracious Creator, efpecially being folicited thereto, by fo vile, and base a creature as a Serpent is? Who would not think it impoffible that a weak worm should prevaile agaift Adam in the prime and excellency of his ftrength? Again the very name of the Serpent, which Adam according to his wifdome gave unto him, might have given him a caveat and warning to fufpe&t the flyeneffe and fubtilty of his nature, for as Sathans name is by interpretation a Tempter,

Ii 3

Gen. 3.1.

Tempter, fo in Hebrew Serpentare is as much in fignification as Tentare, and therefore fuch as are enticers and eggers on of men to doc evill, are in that tongue called Serpentes for their flyneffe and craft, because as Salomon faith, Prov. 30. 19. A Serpents way can hardly be difcerned, So that Adam had a greater advan age of the Devill in. this, and might have taken fuch warning hereby, as one would think it fhould have been eafie for him to refilt and overcome.

Surely all this was for his advantage and eafe indeed, but seeing he yeelded cowardly to the Devill, notwithstanding all thefe helps, therefore they doe aggravate his finne, and make it more hiynous an dmore immeafurably finfull before God and man.

Now it is faid, that the Devill did possesse and enter into the Serpent, as being well content to try, whether this inftrument and meats would ferve his turn, and this is not a thing any whit ftrange or incredible, but very ufually seen and often heard, that the Devill can and hath really poffeffed and dwelt in the bodies of earthly creatures, as he entred into man, Luke 11.24 Into Swyne, Luke 8.33. Acts 16.16. All which doe make this matter plain and cafie to believe.,

But for the other point of the Devills power, to make a dumb creature to speak, this hath been a ftumbling block at which Athiests and carnall men, led by corrupt and fenfuall reafon have stumbled and fell down into flat infidelity, faying they would never believe it, but we must not be moved with the infidelity of fuch for the truth of Gods word fhall stand undoubted and true, in despite of them which refift it. One father fhewing the truth of this place, faith thus, what will you not believe, that the Devill can speak in a Serpent, nor make a Serpent to speak, because it is against his nature to speak, will ye think that which is ftrange in reafon, to be impoffible to the Devil's God permitting him to doe it? Then (faith he) if ye will believe nothing, but that for which a reafon may be yeelded, give me a reason of the nether Jaw or Chap, which only having a small little finew as a thread to hold it up, is notwithstanding (in fome) of such strength as to be able to bite in funder a ten-penny nail, tell me (faith he) how the Liver and Stomack having in them fuch a vehement hear, as can confume and digeft very fubftantiall things, and yet notwithstanding fhould not be confumed or wafted thereby it felf.

Again (faith he) are there not in all ages of the world, many ftrange and wonderfull things feen and heard of, which are most true, of which no reafon at all can be gathered, why then should this thing feem incredible and so strange, as that ye should deny ever it was done. And thus much of his answer to their incredulous objection.

Ille dixit mulieri, Et jamne edixiffe Deum, ne comedatis & omni fructu arborum hujus borti?

H

Aving spoken of the principall actor in this temptation, and of the inftrument which he ufed, we are now by order come to

fpeak

fpeak of the manner of this temptation,: For here we fee that it is faid, that the Devill ufed the Serpents tongue, that by way of fpeech and conference he might intrap mankinde; where firft we fee the policy which the Devil ufeth for his advantage, that is, not to fet upon the man and the woman being both together, but to watch when he might take them separate one from another, and being afunder, he affaulted not the man, but the woman, which is the weaker Veffel, thinking that if he could make her his friend, and to confent to his perfwafion, that then fhe being fo deer to the man, might be a means the rather to enforce and draw him also thereto.

And the best means he can invent to perfwade the woman to fin, is fair flattering fpeech, full of falsehood and lies; and that his fpeech might be affectuall, he doth not only lay fiege unto the cares by his Dixit, but allo layeth an alluring object before her eyes, and fo by both offereth the thing forbidden unto her taste : He hath venom like a Crocodile to infe&t the eye, and cunningly conveyeth his poyfon alfo in by her eares, and fo at the laft maketh it take hold upon her heart to her destruction, as we have heard, in Gen. 1. 16.17. Gods Sermon teaching him his commandement and duty; fo here we fhall hear the Devil's Sermon, to difgrace and difannul it: In which speech of the Serpent, the fcope of the Devill, at which he aimeth, is to feparate man and God, and to undoe the knot of love by which they were united; for he knew that the diffolving of the Law would be the undoing of man, and fo the overthrow of all the world.

To this end therefore, he doth falfly and blafphemously here flander and accuse God unto man, to make his holy word become odious unto him: And whereas the Devill had many waies to bring into hatred Gods Commandement, and to call in queftion Gods good-will, as he might have taught her to quarrell with God, and to make her beleeve that he was durus Dominus, very hard to them, because God had denyed them many things which the dumb Creatures have granted to them, namely, becaufe they cannot flie as Fowles doe, nor runne as fwift as Horfes, nor goe as ftrong as Lyons doe. But he omitting all fuch petty quarrels, he will joyn iffue with her in the most weighty matter, that is, namely, to make God odious in his word and commandement which he gave them: and fo it commeth to pass, that he qui in veritate non ftetit, etiam veritati refiftit, knowing that Gods Dixit is that by which all things were made, and that by which all things are maintained, and therefore hoped, that ruina verbi would be ruinamundi; and he dealeth not with Gods generall word of Creation, but with his fpeciall word of Commandement, which he knew did moft properly, and that only, belong unto man in Paradife ; for by it Adam held Tenure of Eden, and by it only he enjoyed the tree of life and the favour of God; and it being broken, then enfueth prefently morte morieris, that is, all miseries of this life which lead us to a milerable death.

First of all therefore, the Devils devife is to call in queftion, and to make a doubt of the truth of Gods word, and thereby at laft he in

זייג:

tendeth