had made. And he said unto the woman, * Yua, hath God said. Ye shall not eat of every tree of the Garden?
2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the ^rden:
3 ^ But of the fruit of the tree which i« in the midst of the garden, God hath said. Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall y6 touch it, lest ye die.
4 K And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
5 For God doth know that in the dar ye eat thereof, then ^ your eyes shall be opened^ and yo shall be as gods, knowing ^ood and eviL
and ending in aelfiahncBB and earthly affections, not in l^ritHol ende, are the grand producing causes of the great majority of matrimonial alliBiiees. How then can Mofaturbtd and bitter ymmtotiw send forth purtfand sweet watarsl See the ancient alle^wy of Cupul and Paydut, which marriage ia so hu>pily illustitued, explained in I notes on MatL xix- 4 — 6. Verse 2&. They were both naked, 6u:.] Th« weather was perfectly temperate, and thereSwe they had no need of elothing, the circtmiambient air beingf of the sams temperaure with their bodies. Aitd as aui bad not yet entered into die worM, and no part of the human body had been put to any improper use, therefore there waa no •Aaffie, for ^ame can «aly arise from a eonseiousness of sinful or irregular conduct.
Even ia a state of tnnoeaie^ when all was pnfection and exceltenoe, when Ood was clearly discovered m all his works, every place being his temjOe, every moment a Hni« of teorMp, uid every object an incitement to religioua reverenee and adMatioo>-even Oun, Ood chose to consecrate a oeoenA j>art of time to his more enecial worship, and to hallow it tmto his own service by a perpetual decree. Who then shall dare to reverse this ortler of God^ Had the religious ofaaermnee of the sabbath been never nroclaimed tiJl the proclamation of the law on Uount Sinai, then, it migbt have been conjectured, thi^ lik« several other ordinances, was a diadow which muat pass away with that dispensation; neither extending to fittura ages, nor binding on any ether people. But this was not ■0. God gave the sabbath kie Jtret ordinance to man, (see the Jh^ yrteait, v. 17.) white all the nations of the mrld were seminally incloaed in him, and While be atood the bther and representative of the whole human race: therefore the sabbath is not for one nation, for one time, or for one place. It is the foir mie of heaven's eternal day — of the state of endless blesseweavand glory, where human aouls) haviw fiilly regained the divine image, and become united to iSw CejUre and Source of all perfection and excellence, ahall reet in Ood unutterably namiy thraugfa the immeasurable progress of duration! Of this coosummation, every retoroing sabbath should at once be a ^rpe, a femembraneer, and a forelaststo every pioua mind j and these it must be to all who are tau^t of Ood.
Of this rest, A< garden q/' jB<i«m that Paradise of Ood. formed for man, appears also to have been a tfpe and pledge) sad the institaiion of marriage the cause, bond, and eement et ibe aoeial state, was prtwably deaigioed to prefigure that harmony, Nder, ana blessedness, whidi must reign in the kingdom of Ood, of which the coiMlitioa of our fint parents in the garden of paradise ia juatly auppoaed to have been an expressiva emUem. What a pi^, that this heavenly instimtion Aould have ever been perverted 1 that, instead of becoming a sovereini help to all, it is now, through its pnadtotion to soiiMd and aaealsr purposes, become the destroyer of millions I— Rssder, every connexion thou form eat in life, will have a strong and sovereign ioflitence on thy Aiture destiny. Beware I aa unholy cause, which from its peculiar nature must ba ceaselessly active in every muscle^ nerve, and passiol^ cannot feil to produce incessant effects of sin, misery, deadt, and perdition. Remember that thy earddy connexioos, no matter of what kind, are not formed merely for Hms, whatsoever thou mayot intend, but also for eternity. With what caution, therefore, ahouldeat thou take every atep indw pathof lifel On tbia ground, the observations maide in the preceding notes are aeriowsiy recommended to diy fffnaidoiatiiHt.
NOTES ON CHAPTER HI. Verse 1. Now the eerpent waa more avhUel We have here one of the most difficult, as well as the most important nsTTBlives in (ha whole book of Ood. The last dHMsr ended with a riiort but striking seoooat of dis psrmctiai and fidteity of the first hnnuuDeingsi sad dds
6 f And when the woman saw that the tree wise, she took of the fruit thereof, ''and dtdcKt, was good for food, and that it icas * pleasant to and ^ve also unto her huBbcmd with her; ' mm the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one he dm eat.
opeiu vidi an account of their traiugreBBion, degradation, and ruin. That man is in JLjhllm itate, certainly needs no arKumenu to prove it; the history of the world, with that m the life and miaeriea of every human beinff, establiih this point bejrond sueceasful contradiction. But hme, wkI far what agency waa thia brouglit about t Here ia a great mtaicry; and l may appeal to all peraoni who have read the varioua comments that have been writteo on the Uoaaic account, wlicdier they have ever yet been satisfied on this part of the subject, uiongfa convinced of the &ct itself, Who was the terpmt? Of what kind, in what way did he seduce the first happy pair? Tliese are wealioiis which remain yd to ot anawered. Tia vniole account is either a timple narro/ion of fai^y or it is an allegory. If it be a historical relation, its htend meaning abould be snueht out: if it be an aUegory, no attem^ ahould be macu to explain it, as it would requite a direct nvelation to ascertain the sense in which it should be andersiood; (n- bndful ilhutntions are endless. Believing it to be a simjsle relation ^ faxia-, capable of a sansbctwy explanation, 1 shall take it up on this grouitd, and bya careful examination of the orinnal text, endeav- Oor to &x the meaning, and show the proprie^ and oonsistency of the Mosaic acoouat of the Fall of Man. The chief difficulty m the aoeouiitis found in the question, Who waa the employed in the aeduetion of our first parents?
TTie word in the text, which we, following the Septua- ^nt, translate terpmt, is vni nacftoaft, antl according to Btuetor/ and others, tuu three meanlnn in Scripture. 1. It signifies, to VMiD, or obaerte attenlively, to divxTie or use muiumiTnenU, because in them the au^rs vieiMd oMentiveljf thtjlight of bird*, the entratU of beaatt, the eourte of the elouda, Ac and under this head it siKnifies to aeqaireknmeUdge by experience. 2. It signifies brass, inusn, and is translated m our Bible not only brasa, but cAotns, feltera, fettera of braaa, and in several pJacea aUel: see 2 Sam. xxii. 35. Job xx. 24. Psal. xviii. 34. and in one place, at \t»»t,JiUhinesa or Jbrnieatioti, Ezek. xvi. 36. 3. It signifies a aerpcni, but of what kind u not determined. In Job xxvi. 13. it seems to mean the uAaie or hij^Mpoiamua. By hia *p*^t he hath gamiahed the keavma, hia hattd naih Jormed the crooked aerpent, •ra VTQ naehaali bariadtt «• baracA, signifies to BOM on, or paaa Arourh, Kttd rr<^i bertwA, is used for a oar of a gate or door that paaaed through ringa, <fec. the idea of atraightneaa, rather than crooktdneaa, should be attached to it here; and it ia likely that the aea-korae u intended ^y it.
In EccIm. X. 2. the creature called nocAosh, of wfaalaoever sort, is compared to the babbler; avrely the aerpent vm nadtaah, will bite wilhmU eiukantment, and a babbler ia no bMer. Let the reader keeo this in mind.
In Isai. zxvii. I. the crocodile or alligator seems particularly meai)^ by the original. In that day the Lund AaU mnMIjmathanfthepi4rcingaerjtent,ac. And in Isai. IzT. 35. the aune creature is meant aa in Geo. iii. t. for in tfw ir<»da,AndditHaliattba&eaerpenfameat, there is an evident allusion to the text of Moses. In Amos ix. 3. the ertKodile is evidently intended. Though they be hid in the bottom <if the aea, thenee wUl J command the aerpent tman ho'naduiah, andhe ahall bite them. No person can ■uppoae that any of the tnake or aerpent kind can be intended here; and we see from the various aooeplatians of the word, uid the dUflferent senaes which itbeata in vtrious places in the Sacred WritiogB, that It appears to be a sort of general term, confined to no one sense. Hence it will be neeessar^ to examine the root an^rately, to see if its ideal meaning will enable us to ascertain the animal intended in the texL We have already" seen, that vru McAosA signifies to view attenUvdy, to acquire knowledge or experience by attentive obaercaiion; so ■nvnj muhoAti, Oea. XXX. 27. / have learnt by experienee — and this seems to be its most general meaiung in the Bible. The original word is, by the Septuagint, traiulated a aerpent, not because this was its ^xed determinate meaning m the Sacred Writings^ but because it was the best that occurred to the translators; and they do not seem to have given themaelves much trouble to understand the meaning of the original; for iiitj have rendered the word as variously as our translators nave done; or rather our translators have followed than, as they give nearly the aaiae aignificalidu fooad in tha Smtnagmt: henoe we find that aff ia as fre(]uently used by them, as aerpent, its supposed literal meaning, is used in our version. And the New Testament writer^ who scarcely ever quote the Old Testament, kiu Jrvm the Septuagint iranalation, and scarcely evercAoK^ a word in their quotations, copy this version in die use of this word. From the Septuagint therefore, we can expect no lirilit, nor indeed fivm any other of the ancient versioiub which are ell aubaeguent to the Sentuagint, and some of them actually made from it. In aJl this uncertainty, it is natural for a serious inquirer after truth, to look every wherefoT informatioa. And in such an inquiry, the Arabu may be expected to afford some help from its great similaritar to the Hebrew. A root in this language, very nearh^ sim^ lar to that in the text, seems to cast considerable hsht oo the subject. (juJis^ chanaa, or khanaaa, signifies a« departed, drew qff", lay hid, aedueed, think away: from thia root come I ujuL*! \aiAnae, (ly^S. khanaaa, and < Ukq* khanooa, which all signify an ape, or aatyrua, or am creature of the aimia or ^le genus. It is very remarkabu alao Oat fi^m the same root eomea ^f^^vf; Aftonfi^ the DEvu, which appellative he bears from that nManing of LawAsL lAanaaa, he drew of, aedueed, Ac because bo arawa men off" from righteousness, aedueea ihein from their obedience to God, Ac Ac. Is it not strange that die ttevii and the ape should have the same name, &rived from tbo same ^oo^ and diat root so very similar to the word in4i« text? But let us return and consider what is said of the creature in question. Now the naehoA waa more aubtU, ■any irum, more wise or prtident Oan oil the bta^ i^ik* fidd wUeh the Lord Goahadmade, In this account ws find, 1. That whatever this naehaah was, he stood at the head of all interior animals for wisdom and understanding. 2. lhat he wajked erect, for this is necessarily implied in hia punishment, — on thy belly (i. e. mi all fours) ahalt thou go. 3. That he was endued with the gift qfapeeeh, for a conTcrsadon is here related between him and Sie woman. 4. Hm he was also endued with the gift t(f reaao-\ for we find htm reasoning anddisputing with Eve. 5> That these things were cumvmon. to Una creature, the woman no doubt havii^ often seen him walk erect, talk, and reason, am therefore she testifies no kiTtd of aurpriae whtn he accosts her in the language related in the text i and indeed froia the manner in which this is introduced, it appears lo be only a part of a conversation that had passed between than on the occasion. Yaa, hath God taia, Ac.
Hod this creature never been known to speak before hia addressing ilie woman ai this time^ and on this subject, it could not oave foiled to excite her turpriae, and to liave filled her with caution, though from the purity and ianocence e^ber nature, she mi^thave been inc^iable of being affected with fear. Now! apprehend that none of these things can be spoken of a serpent of any species. 1. None them ever did or ever con walk erect. The tales we have had of two-footed and four-footed serpents, are justly exploded by every judicious naturalist, and are utterly unwordiy of credit. The very name aerpent comes Iroia aerpo, to creep, and therefore, to such it could be neiiber curse nor ■auniohmtsU to go on their bellies^ L e. toeretp on, as they had done from their creation, and must do while their race endures. 2. They have no organs for spescA, or any kind of articulate souid; they can only Haa. It is true, that an aaa, by miraculous influence, may apeak; but it is not to be supposed that there waa any miraculona interference here. Ood did not quoli^ this creature widi apesch for the occasion, and it b not intimated that there was any other agent, that did it i on the contrary, the text intimates, that apeeeh and reaaon were natural to die nachoA; and is it not in referenee to this, the inspired penman says? TTie naehaA waa more wiea or inteiligeni than ail Ae beaata <f Aeftdd that the Lord God had madet Nor can I find, that the aerpenHne genua are remarkable for inleUigene*. It is true, the wisoom ^ tha aerpent, has passed mto a proverfab but I cannot see on what it is founded, except in reference to the passage in question, where the nochosA, which we translate serpen^ following the S^tuagint, sbows so much intelligence and cunning: and it is very probable, that our Lord alludes to this very place, when he exhorts his disciples to be wis^ prudent or intelligent, aa aerpenta, f r*"^*' »t *vt S and It is worthy of remark, that he uses the same.term onployed by the Septuagint, in the text in question, *o>f <* tfaxi^wTBrx, As scrpsnl was more prudent or intailigant than ail die beasts, Ac All tlMW things cooatdeied, wa
T And * the eyes of them both were opeDed, * ud they knew that they -were naked; and they sewed fig-le&ves-together, and made tfaeniBelveB " aproDB.
8 And they heard * the voice of the Lobd God walking m the garden in the •cool of the day: and Adam and his wife ' hid themselves from
are Migtd to seek for Bome other word to designate the noeftoM in the text, than the word aerpad; which on vnry view of the subject appear* to me inemeient and inuwlicable. ' We have seen abore that lAatuu, akhnas, aiM Mofuioa, lignify a creature of the ape or tiUyrus kind. We have seen that die meaning of the root is, be lay kid, ttdmeedyfbtnfc awty, &c. and that AhonAs means Atdevil^ as the inspirer of evil and seducer from God atid truth; Me Ooiiu* and WUmet. It therefore appean to me, that a creature of the ops or ouron outour Idad, is hoe intended I and that Satan made use of niis creature as the moat proper inBtrumeht for the accomplishment of hia murderous purposes against the life and soul of man. Under this creature he lay hid, and by this creature he «e<ftice(< our first parents, and drew o^orWunft away fi-om ereiy eye but ttie eye of Ood. Such a creature answers to every part of the description in the text': it is evident from the Btnicture of its limbs and their muscle^ that it misht have been originally designed to walk tnct, and uiat nothing less than a sovereign controlling power could induce tbem to put down hiinda in every respect farmed like those of mui, and walk like those creatures whose claw-armed paws provt them to have been designed to valk on all fcnirs. Tht subtlety, cunning, endlessly varied pranks and tricks of these creatures, show them, even now, to be tcUtr and more inielligent than any other creature, man alone excepted. Being obliged now to walk on all fours, and gatlier their food from the ^ound, they are liter&Uy obliged to tat the dual; and thou^ exceedingly cunning and careful in a variety of iasiances to separate that part which is wholesome and proper for fodd, from that which is not so, in the article ot deanHnen, they are lost to all sense of propriety; and though they have every mean in (heir power, of clmnsinz die Mimcnts they gather off die ground, and from among the dust, yet they never, in their savage state, moke use of any. Add to this, dieh* titter aversion to walk uyrighi; it requires the utmost discipline to bring them to it, and scarcely any thing ofiends or irritaus dtem more^ than to be oblig^ to do it. Lcnag observation on these animaU enables me to state these bets.
Should any person who may read this ntite, object against my conclusions, because apparently derived from an Arabic word, which is not exactly similar to the Hebrew, though to those who understand both languages the similarity will be striking; yet, as I do not insist on the identity of the terms, thoish important consequences have been derived from less liKely etymologies, he is welcome to throw the whole of this out of^thc account. He may then take up the Hd>rew root only, which signifies to gaze, to view aUentively, pry into, inquire narromly, Ac. and consider the passage that appears to compare the noAash to the babbler, Eccles. X. II. and he wilt soon find, if he have any acquaintance with creatures of due genus, that for eomesf, al- Utttive, waldting, looking^ fte. aad for lAatta-ing or babbling, they nave no lellows in die animal world. Indeed, the ability and propensity to chatif-r is alt they have lefl of their original gift ot speech, of which the^ appear to have been deprived at the lal], as a port of tlicir punish mem.
I have spent the longer iLme on this subject, 1. Because it- is ezoeedinglv obscure; 2. Because no interpretation hidierto nven oi iv has afforded me the smallest satisfaction J 3. Because I think the above mode of accoundng for every part of the whole transaction is consistent and satis* bctory; and in my opinion, removes all embarrassment, ■nd solves every difficulty. It can be no solid objection to the above mode of solution, that Satan in different parte of the New Testament is ealled the serpentf the aerpent that deceived Eve by hie eubtlety, the old s«rpcn(, &c. fur we have already seen that ihe Pfew Testament writers have borrowed the word from the Septuagint, and that the Septui^nt themselves use it in a vaet variety and latitude
the presence of the Lord God amonest the trees
9 1[ And the Lobd God called unto Adam, aod said unto him. Where art thou?
10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, I and I was afraid, becauie I tccu naked; and I hid myeeif.
Besides, the New Testament writers seem to lose mght of Ihe animal or instrument used on the oecanon, and speak only of Satan himself; as the cause of the trane-
^^ession, and the instrument of all evil. however, any person should choose to differ from the opinion staled above, he is at perfect liberty so to do ^ I make it no article of fiuth, nor of Christian communion; I crave the same liberty to judge for myself^ that I ^ve to others, to iriiieh every man has an indisputable righ^ and 1 hope no man will eall me a heretic, for departing in this respeet from the common opinion, which t^ipears to me to be so embarrassed as to be altogether unintelligible. See brther on ver. 7 — 14, &e.
Verse 1. Yea, hath Ood eaid] This seems to be t£e continuation of a discourse, of which the preceding part is not given, and a proof that the creature in question was endtud with, the gift of reason and speech, for no MipiiaB ia testified on the part of Eve.
Terse 3. Neither AaU ye touch it] Did not the wnsan add this to what God hod before spoken? Some of the. Jewish writers, who are only senous on comparative trifles, stale, that as soon as the woman had asserted thiis Ihe serpent pushed her against the tree, and said, " See, thou Hast tmuiied it. and on still alive; thou mayen theref()re safely eat oi the fruit, for surely thou rftalt not die."
Verse4. Yeiiudliwtm.rdydte.'\ Here the /oilier /tea at once appears; and utpears too, in flatly contradicting die assertion of Ood. The tempter, through the naehaeh, insinuates the impossibility of her dying, as if he had said; Ood has created thee immortal; thy death, therefore, is impossible; and Ood knows this, for as thou livest by the tree of l^fe, so sholt thou get increase of wisdom by the tree of knowledge.
Verse B. Your eyes s/iaii fte opene<f] Your underatandiBM* shall be greatly enlightened and improved, and ye ahau be aa g^a, e^nVKS ke elohim, like God, so the word diould be translated; for what idea could our first por^ms have of godtf before idolatry could have liad any being, because sin had not yet entered into the world 1 The Syrioo has the word in the aingular number, and is the only one of all the versions, which has hit on the true meaning. As the original word is the same which is used to point out the Supreme Being, eh. i. 1. so it has here the some signification: and the object of the tempter appears to have been this; to persuade our first parente that (hey should, by eating of ihis fruit, become wise and powerfid as God, (for knowledge it power,) and be able to exist for ever, independently of him.
Verse 6- TTu tree itae good for food] The fruit appeared to be wholesome and nutritive,.^nd it woe pleaaantlo Ike eyea. The beauty of the fruit tended to whet and increase appetite. And U was to be desired to make one wise, which was an additional motive to please the palate. From these three sources, all natural and moralevil sprung; tliey are exactly what the apostle calls the d«ire of ute ^esh! the tree was good for food; tlie deeire qf the eye, ft was pleasant to the sight: and the pride qf life, it was a tree to be desired to make one wise. Ood hnd undoubtedly created our first parents not only very wise and intelligent, but also with a vast capacjty and suitable propensi^ to increase in knowledge, 'niose who think that Adtun was created so perfect os to preclude die possibility of his increase in knowledge, have taken a very false view of the subject. We riiall certainlybe convineed that our first parents were in a state of sufficient perfec tion, when we consider, 1. That d.ey were endowed with a vast capacity to obtain knowledge. 2. ThM all dte means of^ information were within their reach. 3. That there was no hinderance to the most direct conception of occurring truth. 4. That all the objects of knowledge, whether natural or moral, were ever at hand. 5. That ihey had the strongest propensity to know, and, 6. The greatest pleasure in knowing. To have Ood and nature continually open to the view of the soul; and lo bl^ve a soul capable of viewing both, and bthoroing etuQeBsly their unbounded glories and excellencies, without hindemaee or difficulty, what a state of perfection I what a eonsummattoa of bliss! Thi» was undoubtedly the stale and eondkioa
11 Ami he said. Who told thee that HtoniMwf naked? Haet thou eaten of the tree, whereof I «omman3ed thee that tbou Bhouldst not eat 7
12 And the man said, *■ The woman whom thou gavest to lie with me, she gave me <tf the tree, and 1 did eat.
13 And^ Lew CM loid imto the wooibd. What ia thk that thoa hast donel And Ab woman nid, >* The aerpoit befnOed me* aad I
U 7 And the LtnD God said * ant« the Mrpeot, Because tbmi hast done this, thoq art curaea of OUT first pnreDts— even the preient ruiiu of the stale are Ineonteatabla evidences of its primitrra eieelleaee. We see at once how tiwugntssion came: it was natural^ for them to desire to be increasingly wise. God had im-
C' I led this desire in their minds; but be showed them diis desire Aaali be eratified in a certaiit vsy.* that prudmcevadjudgtiunt ^ould alwim regulate U: that they should evebUy examioe what Ood opened to tb«r view; and should not pry into what he duse to oooceal. Ha alone, who knows all things, knows Aow vmek knowledge the soul needs lo its pM^ection aod increasing happiness; in what ■ubieets this may be Intimately ■ought, and where the mind may make exeursi<ms and diseoTeries to its prejudice and nun. There are do^Kleea nuuiy sulqecls wnich aogels are capable of knowing, and vhien God'dKKMee to ebneeal even from than, because that knowledee woukl tend neither to their perfeotitm nor hi^piness. Of every attainment and olgect of pursuit, it may be sni^ in dte words of on ancient poet, who conceived eanteay on the auhjeet, and npieswd bia thoughts with peraptMiity and enen;^:
Such limit* Ood eertainly assigBed from the beginning. Thou shalt conie up to this; thou shalt not pau it. Ana as he aesigned the limitt, so hs aasigiied the msans. It is lawful for tliee to acquire kaowleoge in thia way; it is unlaw(til to seek it in thai. And had be not a right to do sol And would his creation have been perfect wiuiout iti Verse 7. T^ej/nqfthm boAvereopmed] Tlieynow bad ft mffieioit discovery of their sin and folly in ^sobeying the command of Ood; tb^ could discern between good and evil: and what was the ctHtseaoeneel ConJusion and »ritame were eiuendored, baetase innooenoe waa lost aod guilt contracted.
1. From the Hew Testament we learn, that Satan associated himself with die creature which we term the Mrwen^ and the original, the naduuh, in order to seduce ana ruin mankind, 2 Cor. xi. 3. Rev. xii. 9. zx. Z. 2. Diat (his creature was the most suitable to his purpose, as beiqg the most subtle, the moat inttU^ent of all the beasts «f the field, endued with the gift otspeech and reason, and consequently, one in which he could best conceal himsel£ 3. As he knew that while they dtpauUd on Ood, they could not be ruined, he theremre endeavoured to seduce them from this dependenee. 4. He doss this by working on that propensitv of the mind to desire aq increase of knowled^ with whi<^ God, fi>r the most sraeiouB purposes, had endued it. 5. In order to succeed, be msiniate^ that Ood, throu^ motirea &f envy, had given the juwiibition — Ood doA know, that in the day ye tat <ffit,yt thail be like hinueff, Ac 6. As their present Slate of nessedneas must be inexpressibly dear to them, he andeavoura to persuade them that they eoiUd not fall firom diis state: ye uiall not aurdy die; ye shall not only retain your present blessedness, but it shau be greativ increased; a temptation by which he has ever since fatally succeeded in the ruin of multitudes of bouIb, whom he persuaded, that being once right they oould never JtnaUy go wrong. 7. As he kept the unlawfulness of the means proposed out (rf iBsbt, persuaded them that they could not all from their ■tesonstness, assured them that moy should resemble Ood bimsell^ and consequently be self sufficient, and totally fiodependent of him: they listened, and fixing. their eye only on the promised good, neglocthig the positive command, and determining to bec^ne wise ma Indepeodent at all events, tlUy took of t/uJruUand did eat. Let us now examine the ^ecta. I. Thnr eyea were opened, and they saw they were naked. They saw what th^ never saw before, that diey were stripped of their excellenoe) that they had lost tbeuinnocence { and thtu ih^had fidlen into a state of indigence and danger. 2. lluNirik their eyes were iqiened to see thnr Dakednes^ yet ibeir mind was clouded, and their jodgmeot oonlhsed. seem to bavs lost all jurt and what was praiseworthy. It was diibonoumble and ■bamefid to Iveak the eoamandraent of Ood; but it was neither to go naked, when clothing was not nrrissiij 3. Tbey seem in a moment not only to have lost sou^l judgment, but also r^/UctiM: a short time betee, AjIub was so wise that he wuld name all die ereatnm brought before bim, according lo their reqwciive natures and qualities: now he does oot know diat first principle ceaceming the Divine Nature, ibat U twwa aii tkinga i and that it is omnipresent; dimfore be endeavouis to hide himself among the trMs, fr«m the eye of dte olf-seej^g- Oodl How astonishing is this I When the creatarss brought to him, he could name them, because be eooU discern their respective natures and properties: when Rvs was brou^t to him he could immediately tell-wAaf dis was, vAe elie was, and for v/tat end made, tboo^ hs was in a deq^ tleep when Ood formed her: and this seens.to be particularly noted, merely to show dm depdi of his wisdom and the perfectioa of his diseerotneot. But alas I how are die mighty bJIenl Compare his preset^ with Us past state i his state bejirre the transgression With bis stole ejler it; and say, is this the some creature t The creature of whom God said, as he said of all his works, Be ia tarjf good—jaat what he should be, a living image of the Living God; but now lower than die beasts of the fieM; 4. ThiB account could never have been credited, bad nee the indisputable proofi and evideneea of it been cooiinned by uainterruptea succession to the present time. AB the descendants of ihiB first guilty pair resemble dieir degenerate ancestors^ and cony their oonducL The origiiaa mode of transgression is still continued, and the original tin in consequence. Here are the proofr. 1. Every Immaa being is endeavouring to obtain knowledge by unlawful means, even vriule the lawful means and every arailobla help are at hand. 2. ITiey are endeavouring (o be fWs ■pendent, and to live without God in the world: heoeS prayer, the language of dependence on God's providence And grace, is neglected, I might say detested, by the gMB majoii^ of men. Had I no other proof than diis that man is a JaUen erasure, my soul would bow to this evidence. 3. Being destitute of the true knowledge of God, they seek private for dieir crimes, not ciHisiaering that the eye of God is upon them, and being only sriieitoos to hide them from the of mas. fbaie areall praeA in point; but we riwU soon meetwidi oddicioaal ones. See ver. 12.
Terse 8. TTw voice qf the Lonll Tix voice is properly used here, for as God Is on infinite spirit, and Cannot)» confined to any form, so he can hare no personai appewance. It is venr likely that Ood used to converse irith them in die garden, and that the usual time Was the dedint of the day, m-^a be ruadi haiyom, in Ot* etenittf breeze; and probably fftia was the time that vst llrsK porenuemploved in the more solemn acts of their religious wordli& at wiii<b God was ever present l^e time for this solemn w<n:abip is again come, and Ood is in his placet but Adam and Eve have sinned, and therefbre^ itutcaul of being fbuod in the jriace of worship, are bidden among the trees I Reader, how often has this been Incase?
Verse 10. / was qfraid, beeauat I waa naked] See ths immediate consequences of sin. 1. Shams, beeanse of the ingratitude marked in the rebelhon; snd because, that in aiming to be like Ood, they were now sunk inte « state of me greatest wretchedness. 2, Psab, because dier saw they had been deceived by Satan, and were exposea to that death and jnmishmeot from which he had promised them an exempuon. How worthy is it of remark, dmt this cause continues to produce me veir same eSecUl Shame Krid.Xear were the first fruits of sin, and fruits whidi it has invariably produced from ths first tnmgief uon to the present time.
Terse 12. And &aiMnaaid,Ati.'] We hsvs hers sons brther proob of die follen slate of man, and dtat the aeqwnces of that state extend to his remotest posterity. 1. On the question, Boat thou eaten qf the tree? Adain is~obliged to acknowledge his traoiigressiont bat he doss this in such a way, as to Aatt off the btaae frtim himself and lay it upon Ood and upon the loomon t TMa womaa whom TBOO didst give to be widi roe vtgy immadi, to be my companion, (for so the word is re^peaisdhr used) s&s gave me and I did eat / have no fcrther b&me in dus
Aon aO c»tc]e. anl abova ererjr beaat of the fieU; upon th;^ belly shalt (hou to, and " dust •talttfaoueataltthedaysof thjlife:
15 Aod I will put eamihr between thee and Ifae woman, and between ' thy seed and ' her •ee^; ' it shall briiiBe thj head, and thou duut bruise his heeL,., ».„,
16 \ Unto the woman he said, I wul greatly ■nikiply thy sorrow and thy conception; 'in
2. Wben the woman ia aueatioDed, abe laya the blame ^poa Ood ud the wumat, (na^aA) the urpmt beguiled •u^ Mid I did eal—^UM didat tniue him much wiaer ibu ihofi didst mske ms; sod therefore, my nmplicity and igDOTSQoe were overcome by hia superior wisdom: I flsn hsTS no bolt bere, tbe fault lb Ait, and his who made him ao wU4, fnd me m ignaranL Thiu we find, thai white the ejes of (heir wdy wen opeDed to Me Aeir dsgraded slate} the eves « their underatSDdii^ were closed so itaai duy oouu not see the sinfuIneH of am; and ai tbs same tiate ttieir heaits were hardened ihrou^ iU dscsiduiaeaa. lo this also their poaterit^ copy their exampte. How few ingenuoualy coo&aa their own ain I Tbef see not their guilt — diey ar« continually making — mtot their erimes: the atren^ and subtle^ of the r, 4t» natural weskneai oT their own mmda, tbe araUs circumaiancea in which they were placed,. dbc are all pleaded aa excoaea for their sina, and thus die pesaibijiiy oi Mpeatanee ia precluded: for till s man ki» «{» io hiim»tlft till he acknowledge that Aa alone is guil^r} ha cannot be tumibled, and conaequeatly cannot ha aaved. Reader, till thou accuae thyaelt ana thy*e}f «mi^, and bel that Ihou alone art reapooaime for aU thy ilMuiiies, mere ia no hope of thy aalra^on.
Verse 14. Aitd the L<^ taid itnto the eerpaU\ "Hie tempter ia not aaked lelaf he deceived the woman? He MMPt roll the blame oo any other: telf'lempted he fell; aad it ia natural for him. such is hia enmiw, to d^ive and iMUaj all he can. Hia fault admita « do excuse; amk ihecewae Ood begina id pronounce aeateoce on Aim WC Add here we must coaaider a twofold seotenee, one •B iSilBa, and the other on the M-enf he employed. Ihe ■sdfcasH, who was at ths head of all the inferior aoimala, aad in a sort of aociety and.intima^ with span, is to be greatly degraded, entirely banished from human society, and d^tiived of the gift m speech. Cureed art lAou above mil eatiu, mnd ahove every beaet qf the jlEe/d— thou sholt be eooaidered tbe moat cMUemptible of ommala — upon (Ay Mfcr ehaU thou »— thou ahalt no longer walk ensct, but ■bsw the ground equ^lj widi thy buda and fwt— and duet ehalt thou eoL though fbrmerly posaesaed of the iitcultT lo distiwuiaa, dwoee, and cleanse diy food, thou disK feed heneelDrth like the inost stupid and abject quadraped, aU the daye <tf thy I^/e— through all the ionumerable Mneiaiiona of thy species. Ood saw meet to maoifeat hia aiapleaaure agaiitat the agent em^lavtd ia this most melandioly business: sod perhaps ibis u founded on the port which the imelligofit ana suUle naekaeh took in the seduclioD oC our Srst psrants. We see that he was capable of it, and have reason to believe that he became a wiliing {■slmmsnL
Verse IK. / viU ptU enmity between thee and the woNum] This hss been seneraUy aopposed to iqiply to a esrtaia ecmity wihsisring between men aad serpents; but lUsis ladwr a faaey than a nali^. It is yet to be disaoveiad that ibe sarpaMips rasa have any peculiar enmity agafaMtMakndi aw is thera aayprooT diat men lute asrpeiria swrs than dtey do other ooxioua animala. Hen have much more comity to tbe common rat and magpie than tbn have to all the aarpenU in tbe land, becauae the fcrmer dsatroy tbe gnm, Ac ood seipsnts, to genenl, far iroa seddng lo do men miaiduet flee their uproach, and avoid fteir dwelling. It, howavsr, we take dw word mikatk 10 BMan ai^ef lbs simfo, at qM ^ieeie% we find a ason iwnsinent meaning, as there is scarcely an animal to Ibe naiverae ao detested by women as iboe ore; and todeod wen look on ihem as continual caricatures of themsalrea. But waate not talo<A for merely tttoraZ»uanfnf« heae: it ia evident, thai Satan, wha actuated thia creature, is aksM iateoded in this part of the prophetic declaration. Sad to Us endlcaa msrey hss put enmt^ between men ■a* hiai: ao tfaot, though all mankind love hia terviee, jM ill toaariablybauaiust/: Wera it odwrwiaa, w£ •MMhaMradl A gnat potot gamed towaiddweomw^
Sorrow thou shalt briiur forth children: 'and thv esire shall be' to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.
17 And. unto Adam he said, iBecanee thoa hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wif%, * and heist eaten of the tree, i df which I commanded thee, aaying, Thou shalt not eat of itj "cursed it the ground for thr sake; " in sorrow ahalt thou eat it all the days of thy life;
aimt of a sinner, ia lo convince him that it is Satan lie has _ been serving; that it is to him he has been giviiu^ up bis ' soul, body, goods, Ac he atorta with horror when this eonvicticm Mens on bis mind, and obuddera at the tbot^;fat of being in league widi the old narderer. But there la a deeper meaning in the text dwn even tbta, especially to these words, it ehall bruiM thy head, or nUber, irn nuOy na, who? tne Seed of the woman, the Person who is to come by the wOTnan, aad byher atone, i«i^ftou/A« concttrrence 4f man. Therefore the address is not to Adam and Eve, but to £vc alone; and it waa in eonaequence of thia purpoae of Ood, that Jesus Christ was bom of a virgin t this, and diis alone^ is what is implied to it» promise of the eeed <^ the «omon bruising the head of the serpeUL Jesus Christ died to put away sm by the sacrifice of himself and to deatroy Aim who hod the power of death, that ia, the devil. — Thus he bruiete hit head, destroys his power and lordMp over mankind, turning them fnnn the power of Satan unto Ood, Acts xxvi. 18. And Satan orviet* hi* heel — God so oidered it, tliat die solvation of man could only bs brought about by the deadi of Christ t and even the mdrilaal seed of our blessed Lord, have the heel often bTutsed, as they mifkr perseention, temptaticnt, &«. which mqrba all tboiia intended bydiis part of the erae 16. Unto the woman he aa«d] She being second m the transgreasion ia brought up the eeeond to receivs her condemnation, and to bear her pimiahment. I will greatly multiply, or muUiplyingt I wilt multiply; i. a. I will multiply tliy aorrowa, ana multiply thoae aorrqws by other sorrowa; and thia during conception and pr^ nancy; and particularly so in parturition or child-bearing. And this curse has fallen in a heavier dt«ree oo the woman than on any other female. Nothing is better attested than this; and yet there ia certainly no natural reason tr\ij it should be BO: it is a part of her punishment, and a port, from which, even GocTs mercy witl not exempt her. It is added farther, Thy deeire ahalt be to thy lauband^ Thou sholt not be able to shun the great pain and peril of child-bearing, for thy desire, thy appetite, shall be to thy husband;—>and As ehalL rvla over thee; tliough in IM creation both were finrmed with equal rt^ts, and the woman had as much ria;fat to rule as oie man; but sufcjeetitm to the wilt of her huriiaiid is one port her curse i and BO very capricious ia thia will often, that & sorer punishment no human beiiig can well have, to be at nil to a state of liberty, and under the protection of wise and einial laws.
verse 17. Aadunto Adam he Mtd] The man being the laet to the tronsgcessicm is brought up laet to receive his sentence:. £eeatM«lAoHAas( AorAened to the voice Ay wife — "tbou wast not deceived, she only gave and counselled thee to eat — this thou ahouldest have resisted i" and that he did not, is the reason of bis condemnation. Cureed ie the ground for thy eake; from henceforth i(a fertili^ shall be greatly impaired; in eorrov ehalt thou tai^is; be to continual perplexiw concerning the aeed time and die harvest, tbe cold and die heat, uie wet and the dry. How often are all the fiuita of iMn's toil destroyed by blasting, by mildew, by iasset^ wet waalber, Und-flood% &c. A«. Attxie^ and carefulness are the Inbonriag man's portion.
Terse 18. Thome aleo, and thieUee, &«.] Instead of producing nourishing noin and usefti] vwetobleo, noxious weeds smil be peeulivly prolific, injure the ground, chtdta the good seed, and mock Ok hopes of thelntmidmaB. And thmt Aalt eat Ou herb i^fAe Jteld—Thoa shalt no longer have the privilege of this garden of delights, but must go to the common champoigo country, and (tei on such herbs as thou canst find, till or labour and induabgr thou host raised others, more atntsbte to thee, and more comfortable.
In the curse pronouneed on the groum^ there is mnoh m'ore implied than generally i^qwars. Tbe amaxiitf ftrtility of some of the moot comnum ttjatbs sod ttsnuk nMen (hen the most pnjer instiuments lot the MU-
18 'Thorns alao and thistles Bhall it ''bring forth to thee: and ' thou sholt eat the herb o? the field;
19 "I In the sweat of thy face ehalt thou eat bread, till thou return^unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for • dust thou art, and ' unto dust shalt thou return.
20 And Adam called his wife's narae t Eve; because she was the mother ol' all living.
ment of thit Kntence againat man. TVtittUs multiply «norm«ualy; & apeciea called the Carolina sUvtMlru, bean ordioarily from twenty to forty heads, each containing from one hundred to one hundred and jifly seedi.
Another species, called the AcanthMm vulg^are. producei above 106 heads, each containing from 3 to 4dO seeds. Suppose we say that these thutUa produce at a medium only 80 head% and that each contains only 300 seeds; the first crop from these would amount to 24,000- Let theae be sown, and their crop will amount to 676 miUuma. Sow dieae, and their produce will be 13,824,000,000,000, or tkirfeen bitlimu, e i^U hundred and tteenty-^our thmtsand million*; and aainglecrop from these, wtiichiaonly thetAtrci year's growth, would amount to 331,776,000,000,000,000, or three hundred and thirty-one thoutand, aeven hundred md aeventv-tix biiUanM: and the fourth year's growth will amount to 79^624,000,000,000,000,000, or wmrM(Rmand nine hundred and tix^wo truKona, aix hundred and twenty^fimr Oumaand biuitms. A pr<^ny more than ■uffieieot to stock not only the surface of the wnole world, lut of all the planets in the solar systun, so that no other plant or vegetable could possibly grow, allowing but the space of one »quare foot for each plant.
The Carduu* rndgatUsimua viarum, or common hedge dtiid& besides die auaost infinite swarms of winged seeds H eeods forth, spreads its roots around many yards, and throws up suckers every where, which not only produce seeds in iheir turn, but extend their roots and propagate like the parent plant, and stifle and destroy ail vegetation but Iheir own.
As to THOBifs, the bramble, which occurs so eommonly, and is so mischievous, is a sufficient proof how well the meant are calculated to secure the end. The gmitta, or fpiiMta vulgarie, called by eomt/urxe, by others -ahin*, is allowed to be one of the most mischievous shrubs on the face of the earth. Scarcely any thing can grow near it; and it is so thick set with pnckles, that it is almost impossiUe to touch it without being wounded. It is very prolific; tlroost half the year it is covered with flowers, wbiA produce po(U filled with seeds. Besides, it shoots cut roots &r and wide, from which suckers aiid young plants are oontinually springing up, which produce others b their turn. Where it is permitted to grow, it soon overspreads whole tracu of ground, and it is extremely difficult to elesir the ground of its roots where once it has got Moper footing, ouch provision has the just God made to mm dM curse which ne has pronounced on the earth, becaase of the crimes of its inhabitants. — See Hale's V«nIaUe Statics.
verse 19. M the amat ^ 0iuface\ Thou^ the whole body may be thrown into a profuse sweat, if hard labour bs long continued, yet iheJaceorJorAead ia the first part vhewe the sweat begins to issue: this is occasioned by the blood being atrongl]^ propelled to the brain, partly through stooping, siid prmeipally by the strong action of the muscles: in consequence of this the blood-vessels •boat the head become turgid through the great flux of. blood, the fibres are relaxM, Ibe pores enlarged, and the ■waat or serum poured out. Huis, then, the very commencement of every man's labour may |nit him in mind of bis stu sikI its consequences.
Duel Ihmt art, and unto duat shall Aou return.] God had said that in the day they ate of the forbidden fruit, dying Ouy ahmild die: they should then become mortal, and continue under die influence of a greet variety of unfriendly agencies in the atmosphere, and in tliemeelves, from beats, colds, drought, ana damps in the one, and morbid increased and deereased action in the solids and fluids of the other, till the spirit, finding iu earthly house no loncer tenable, should return to Qoa who gave it; and the bo^, being decomposed, should be reduced to its
C'lmitive dusL It is evident from this, that man would ve been immortal, hod he never transgressed; and \\m. tfiis state of continual liflB and health depei>ded on his (diedienoe to his Maker, lliatreeof lift^ as wa have already
22 TT And. the Lord God said, i Behold, tba rnan is become as one of us, to know rood and evil: and now, Ibst he put forth his hand, ^ an< take also of the tr6e of life, and eat, and livo
23 Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, < to till the groond from whence he was taken.
seen, was intended to be the means of continual preservation. For as no being but God can exist independently of any supporting agency, so man could not have continued to live witliout a particular supporting agent; and this supporting agent, under God, appears to have bent the tree qf life.
Verse 20. And Adam called Aia vifVt name Eve, beeauae the tsoa the mother ^ all living.] A man who tfoes not understand the original, cannot possibly eomprehend the reason of what is said here. Wiat hifa the word Bv« to do with being the mother all living? Our translators often follow the Stpluagxnt; it is a pity thiT'had not done so here, as the Septuagint translation is literal arid
•ri #fi|T>ip warrmw t«v i^atmr. " And.Adom Called his wife's name L{fe, because she was the mother of all (he Jiving.'* TUs is a proper and bithfid representation of the Hebrenr text; for me mn ehavak, cf tte ori^nal, whitih we b^vtt corrupted into Eve, a word destimte of all meaning, answei-a exactly to the Z-n of the Septuagint, both aignilying life; as does olao the Hebrew (hai, to the -OredC j;_>Ta>', boih of which signify the living. It is pnh^le that Qod designed by this name to teach oar first parebtft these two important truths t I. That though diey had merited immemate death, yet Owy should be respit^ and the accomplishment of die sentence long delayed; they should he spared to propagate a numerous progeny on the eardi. 2. "rhat thotigh much misery would be entailed OQ this jioaierity, and deatb should have a long and universal empire, yet Ons should, in the Ailnees of lime, sprii^' from the woman, who ^ould destroy death, and bringlf^ and immortal^ to li^t, 2 Tim. i. 10. Therefore Adam called his wififi'a name Zif^e, beeaose she was to be tte mother of all human beings, and becaass she was to be [he mother of HIM who was to give life to a worM, dead in trespasses, sod dead in sins, Ephea. li. 1. Ac
Verse 21. Ood made eoaia if ^na\ It is very likely that the akin* out of which their clothing was made, ware taken off animals, whose blood had been poured out as a ain-offering to Ood; for as we find Osin and Abel offering sacrifices to God, we may burly presume, dtat Ood had given them instructions on diis mad; nor is it likely, that uie notion of a sacrifice could have ever occurred to the mind of man, without an express revelation from God. Hence we may safely infer, 1. That as Adam and Eve needed diis clothing as soon as they tell^ and death had not as yet made any ravages in the animal woM, it ic most likely that the skins were taken off victims offered under the direction of God himself and in fiudi of HIM, whtk in the fiibieas of time, was to make an atonement by his death. And 2dly, it seems reasonable alsc^ that thia matter should be brought about in such a way, that Satan and death should have no triumph, when tns very JJr*( death that took place in the wono, was an emblem and type of that death which should conquer Salan, destroy his empire, reconcile Qod to man, convert man to God, sanctify human nature, and prepare H for heaven.
Verse 22. Behind, the man ia baemeaaoTUqfua} Onall hands, this text is allowed to be difficult; and the difficulty ia increased by our translation, which is opposed to the original Hebrew, and the most authentic versions, "liie Hebrew has rm hayah, which is the third person preterite tense, and siimifies wo#, not ia. TTie Samaritan, text, the Samaritan vertion^t Syriae, and the Stptua^ gint, have the Mune tenso. These lead us to a very different sense, and indicate that there is an ellipsis of soma words, which must be supplied, in order lo make the sensa complete. A veir learned man has ventured the following panmhrose, whicn should not be lightly regarded: " And the Lord God aaid, lite man mho was Hka onenfuaia purity and wisdom, is now foUen, and robbed of his excellence: he has added np-<'> todai/, to the knmtladga if the good, by his tranwression, the knowledge <if the evui andnou-./esf ha jnd^lh kia hand, and lakealaoqf Of tre* t^iife and eat, and Kvefor cmt in this missmWa
34 So he drore out the man; and he placed >at tfie east of the garden of Eden >>CheruMmH,
■tate, I will remove him, and guard the place, leat he should re-enier. T/urefore the Lard Qodatnthimjbrtk from the garden qf Eden," Ac. 'Hua leems to be the mow nawrai «eiwe of the place. Boroe «ippo»e that (be werda are ipoken ironically, aitd that the Moet Hi^ in- 'tended by a cutting taunt to upbraid the poor cuVpnt for hi* offence; becauM he broke the divioe conunand, in the exItMtaiioi) of being like God, to kuow good and evil; a^ DOW he bad lost all tiu g^tod that had designed for bim, and got nothing but evil in ita place; and tnerefore Ood taunu him fur the total mucaiiinge of Yam project. But God ia ever conablsnt with hinueui and lunly Ui infinite pity prohibited the use of mther tareasm or irony, in speaking of so dreadful a catastrophe, that was in the tftd to occasion the agony and bkxidy sweat, the ■roea and paaaion, the death and burial, of the Almigb^s fcUow, Zeeh. xiiL 7.
In c^p. i. 26, 27. we b^m seen man ut the perfecuon of his nature, the dicnity of hia ofEoe, and (be plenitude Hei
and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of th^ tree of life.
of his happiness. Here we find the same creature, but stri|^>ed of his glories and happineas, so that the word man no longer conveys the same ideas itdid before. Man ftnd itUeluSual exceutnce were before so intimately contiected as to appear inseparable; man and misery are now equally so. In our Dervoos mother-toogue, the Anglo- Saxon, we have found the word Iiob^ Gva, signifying iwt •nly the Supreme Being, but also good or goodnatt i and k is worthy of especial note, that tbe wordCDan, mnn, in the same lancuaee, it used to express not only the human being so called/Miih male and female, but aiso mitehief, vAdudrntf, fraud, d«eeU, and TtUanjf. Thus a simple m(»oayUable, still in use among us in Mfiral sense, conveyed at once to the minds of our ancestors the two foUowiBR particulars: — I. "nie human bein^ in his escdlpnct, capable of knowing, loving, and glorifying his S^iker. Z The human bting in hi* /alien- ttati,ca.j)abh ot, aOi committing all land* of wickedness: "Obiter hie notandum," snya old Hr. Somner in bis Saxon Dictionary, ".venit, Dot> Saxoniinu, et Dkitm significaase et bohum: uti (man) Hian,tthaminemelne^itiam. Here it is to
^ looted, that among the Saxons, Gon signified both the vtns Being and goodnem, as tbe woraMan signified both the Human Being and widcednat" This is an additional proof that our Saxon ancestors both thought and apoke^t the <am« time, which, strange as it may appear, is not a common case; their words are not arbitrary aigns; but, as far as sounds can convey the ideal meaning of diings, dieir words do it. And they are so formed and osedj, as neceaaarily to bring to view the nature and properties of those thiags of which they are the signs. In this ■ease the An^o-Saxon is inferior only to the Hebrew.
Terse 24. So A« drmt out the man] Hree things are noted here: I. Ood's di^pUamre a^nat sinful man, evidenced by his expelling bim firom this place of blcsaednesa. 2. Han's ut^tntu for the place, of which he had rendered himaeU unworthy by bia innatitude and transgreasioQ. And 3. His rutictance to leave diit place Eon>inea>. He was^ as we may naairally conclude, wmwltfuf to depart, and Ood droee him ouU
Ho placed at the eatt, S'^pa mikkedem, or before the garden of Eden, before what nay be conceived ita gale or entrance; cherubim*. O'3'un ha-kerubim, raa ehenibim, Hebrew plurals in the maaouline, end in general in im; to add an > to this when we introduce such words into English, is very improper; therefore the word ^ould be written cAj:rufritn, not (ACT-uftfms. But what were these T Hey are utterly unknown. Conjectures and guesses relative to tbeir nature and properties are endless. Sevend tfkink them to have been emblematical representations of the sacred THnity, and bring reasons and scriptures in auppMt of their opinion: but as I am not satisfied that this
Snnioo is correct, I will not trouble the reader with it. rom the descriptian in Exod. xxvi. 1, 31. 1 Kings vi. 29, 32. 2 CbroD. iii. 14. it appears that the cherubs were sometimes represented with (wo bees, namely, those of a lion and of a man; but from Ezek. i. 6, &c. z. 20, 21. we find that thCT had four faeee and four wingt: the faces were tboae of a man, a lion, an ox, and an eagle.- but it seems there was but one body to tbeae beads. The tviofaeed efaeraba were web as were represented on the curtains and' vail of the tabernacle, and on the wall, doors, imd veil of the temple; tboae with four faces appeared only in the Holy of^ Holies.
"Of word a"o or srns kerub, otrm appears as a tot* in dkaHdinw BUilc, and thmfore is juatty ni^Med w be a word compounded of 3 fte, a particle of rcBcmblance, like to, like as, and ^'i rab,i»v»A great, jioweiful,iu:. Hence il is very likely, that the cherubs, fo whatever order of beinga they belonged, were emblems af tbe Ai.t.->iloiiTV, ool were tliose creatures by whom he produced the great effecu of hia'power. The word 3-> rat is a character at the Moat High, Prov. xxvi. 10. TTie Great God irho formed all; and again in Psal. xlviii. 2. where he is called the Great King, 3^ "^^D melee rah. But though this ia rarely applied as a character of the Supreme Being in the Hebrew Bible, yet itisacommon appellative of tbe Deity in the Arabic lanru^e, rab, and (:3iSA\jJi L-J) raff rtla&lameen. Lord ofboth worlds, or, Lord of the universe, are expressions repeatedly us<:d lo puint out the almighty energy and eupremacy ^ God. On this ground, 1 suppose, the cherubim were emblematical representations of the eternal power and Godhead of the Almighty. These angelic beii^ were for a time employed in guarding iha entianea to paradise, and keepin|g tlie way m, or rood to, the tree of life. This, I say, for a time; for it is very probable that God soon removed the tree of Ufi^ and abolished the garden, so that its aituation could never after be positively ascertained.
By the Jlaming evord turning etery way, or flame folding back upon itself we may uaderstaod the formidable appearances which theae cherubim asaumed, in order to render the passage to the tree of life tnaeeeasible.
Thus terminatea this most awful trf^edy, a tragedy in which all the acton are slain I in which the most awful murdera are committed, and die whole universe mined 1 He eerpeni, so called, is degraded — the troniun cursed with pains, miseries, and a subjection to the will of her husband, which was never originally designed — the man, the lord of this lower world, doomed to incessant labor Bi^ tcnl— and the earth itself cursed with comparative barrenness I To complete all, the garden of pleasure ia interdicted, and this man, who was little lts« than God, (see on Psal. viii. 6.) and who irovld be like Him, shamefully expelled from a place where pure apirits alone could dwell. Vet, in ilie miaet of wrath, God remembers mercy, and a promise of redemption from this degraded and cursed state is made to them, through HIM, who, is the fulness of time, is to be made flesti, and who, by dying for the sin of the world, shall destroy the power of Satan, and deliver all who tnist io the merit of his sacrifice, from the power, guilt, and nature of sin, and thus prepare them for dio celestial paradise at the right hand oi God. — Reader, hast thou repuitsd of thy sinl for. often hast thou sinned after the similitude of thy ancestor's transeressinn. Hast thou sou^t and found redemption in the olood of the Lamb t Art thou saved from the disposition whid) led thy first parents to transgress, livinf^ a life of dependence on thy Creator, and of faith and loving obedience to Him who died for theel ffiff thou live under the airse, and die eternally 1 Ood forbid 1 Return to him with all thy soul, and receive this exhortation as a call from his mercy.
To what bos already been said on the awful contents of. this chapter, I can add little that can either set it in a clearer hght, or moke its solemn subject more impressive. We aee here that by the subtlety and envy of tbe aevi), sin entered into the world, and death 1^ sin; and we find that dead) reigned not only nom Adam to Hose^ but from SI osea to the present day. How abom^iable must sin be in the sight of God, vhea it baa not only debced his own image from the soul of man, but baa alao become a source of natural and moral evil throughout every part of the globe. Disruption and violence appear in every part of nature; vic& profligacy, and misery, through all the tribes of men, ana orders of society. It ia true, tliat where sin hath abounded, there grace dom much more abound; but men shut their eyes against the light, and harden their hearts against the truth. Sin, which becomes propagated into the world by natural generation, growiiw with the growth, and strtngthening with the strength ofman, would be as endless In its duration, as unlimited in its influence, did not God check and restrain it by bis f^raee, and cut off its extending influence in the incorrigibly wicked, br means of deatnt How wondcrftil is the economy of God! Hull which entered into the world as one of the prime fnuts and effect* of sin, ia now an inatnunent in his hands, to prevent the extension of ita contagion. If men, now so greatly multiplied on the earth, and fertile in mischievous inventions, were permitted to live nearly a thousand years, aa in the ancient world, to mature and perfect Omit infectious and destruetive coimaela, what a sum of iniqni^ and niin would
AND Adam knew Eve his wife} and the conceived, and bare * Gala, aai said, I liave rotten a man from the Lobd.
the lace of the eanh preient I ^ven while tbey are laying plans to extend the empire of death, God, bjr the veir meaiu of death itae]f| prevent! the completion of their diibolicaJ and pemiciouB deaigns. l^ui, what man, by him wilful obstinaey, don not permit grace to correct and rartrain, Qod, by hij lovereign power, brinn in death to control. It ii on ifpe ground, that wicked and blood-thiraty men live not out half their dayi; and what a nerey to the world that it is to I 1^67 who will not eubmit to the loeptra of mercy, shall be daiiied in pieces by the rod of iron. Reader, provoke not the Lord to dimleuure; thou art not stronger than He. Oriere not hit Spirit, proroke him not to deUroy thee; why diouldM Ibou die »e/bre Iky Hmt? 'ntouhut sinned much, and needeat every moment of thy short life to make thy calling and election sure. Shouldest thou provoke Qod by thy perseverance in iniqui^ to cut thee off by death before this great work ia done, better lor ihee thou hadst never been bMU 1
Bow vain are all aitempU to attda immortaliqr hpre t For mne dMUMndi of years mem him be«i Uxmng to find out means to prevant deadi; and soma have even boasted that they had found out a medicine capable of preserving life for ever, bj[ resisting alt the attacks of disease, and inceasenily repairing all the wastes of the human
S And ^e again bare hU brother ^ AbeL And Abel was < a keeper of sheep, bat Caia vas * m
3 And * in process of time it came to paes, that Cain brought ' of the fruit of the froual an otferiag unto the Lord.
4 And Abel, he also brmi^t of > the firstUnea of his >> flock, and of the fat thereof. Andthe Loan had i respect unto Abel and to his of> ferittg;
5 But tmto Cain and to his offenngr he had
machine, l^at is, the alchymiaiie philosopben would have the world to believe, that they had found out a private panage to the tree of immortali^! but their own dtalha. la the eommon order of nature, as well as the deaths oi the millions whitA make no such pretensions, are not only a sufficient confutation of their baseless systems, but also a continual proof that Ou AervAim, vuh Ouir Jtaming aworda, are turning nery -way to keep Otepataage qflke fi-M 9^ life. Life and imm<Hiality are, however, brought to light by the Goapel, and he only who keepeth the sayings of oie Son of God shall live for ever, lliough the body is dead, consigned to death, because of no, yet the spirit is life, because uf righteoositess, and on those who are influsoMd by this spint of righieouaness, the second death shall have jto ponrer.
NOTES ON. CHAPTER IV. Terse 1. / Aom goUm a man ^rom the LordJ] Cain rp signifies BeguUUion i hence five says ^nip kaniti, I Mve gotten or aeguired a man, mn> rw eth Ythovah, the Lord. It is extremely difficult to ascertain die sense in which Eve used these words, which have been as variously translated understood. Most expositors think that Eve 'imagined Cain to be the promised teed that should bruise tbe bend of the se^nt. This expoeition really saems too refined for that period. It is vety likely that stw meant no more thMi to acknowledge, that it was through God's peculiar blcsainR that she was enabled to conceive and bring sorth a son; and that she had now a well-groundetl hope that tbe race of man should be continued on the eartti. Unless she had been under divine inspiration, she could not have called her son (even supposing him to be the promised aeed) Jehovah i and that she was not under such an influenoe, her mittake sufficiently jwoves; /or Cain, so far from being the Messiah, was uf the wiekadone, I /din iii. 12. We may therefore suppose, that mrr> nK eA YeAot^oA, us Loaik is an elliptical lorro of expression for mrv dkd wueth Ythovah, raoM tub Loan, oi Arou^ tha Divint bUaaing.
Terse S. And Ae agmn ban kir brolhar Ab^ Literally, du added to beart/viVr mi valoeepk Meddk) Jus brother, tram the veir bee of this aeocunt. It qipeua evident that Caia and Abn were Iwtns. lo most caaes, where a mbject of this kind is introduced in the Holy 9crq>tures, and the successive births of childrsn of the same parents are noted, the acts of conceiving and bringing forth are mentioned in reference lo eai^ chiQ: here, it is not said that she coitetived and brought forth Abel, but simplv, the addad to bring Jorth AbA hia brother! that is, as t understand it, Csin was the first-bom; Abel, his twin brother, came next.
ybnaer. These were the ttrec primitive rmpinyiacints i and, I may add, the most rational, and eonsequeatly the best calculated to prevent strife and an inunoderate love ot the worM.
Verse 3. M proetaaof Hwu] Oi^ffewMeU yamdm, at die ead of daya. Some think the aaaivenair of the creation to be here intended: it is more probaUa that it means the a^tbath, en which Adam and his femily bdoubtedly oifemd oblations lo God, as the divioa wc ' was certainly inatituied, and no dotdit the Mbbaih i observed in aatfeunily. Thiswor^wai^ iaiu< insdtutioi^ very aimfiU. It i^ftaars to have eoasMlei ef fwo parts: 1. TUtuUgMng- to God, as the AaOior aal Dispenser of all the bounties of nature i and oblationa, indicative of thai gratitude. 2. I^i^urular aaer^lcea to bis justice and holiness, imfdying a eenvMttea of their own siuftilness, cor^arion of UazHuresaion, and /aiih m Urn promised Deliverer. If we colWe the passage h«e wi* tbe (fwstle's allunoa to H, Heb. xL 4. we shall see cmms to fiwin tfiis oonehision.
Cain brmght^fthe/ruUofthagromulaH^irimgl UB minehah, unto ibe Lord. Tbe wotd aiiadUk w exptataed, Lev. ii. I, Ac to be on ^srmg- ^jfos jCksq w^oUmd/ranieineenoe. Itwaa mer«ly an eudunisti^ or gratitude-ofierii^; and is sn^ what m implied in the JruiU qf the ground b-oochtlty Gain to tlis Lerd, by whteh be testified his beli«r in him as the Lord of the saiverae, and the dispenser of secular Uessti^.
Terse 4. Abei,ktatao brmM the Jliratlinga tif hm ^oekl Dr. Kennieott conteiMs, and I am of the samtf opinion, that tbe wnrds ha aiao brouM, Mm Bi tcv\ hekia gam kwL, should be translated, Abel brotigJU it alaa; i. a m^ncAoA, or gr<UUude^ffering; aikd neaides tibia be brou^t of the first-bom (mt»D nUbaeoroOi) of his node: and it was hf Ihia alone thai he admowledged faisMelf • stmwr, and pr^eseed feith in the promised Mtaaiak. T> this eircumalanee the apostle seems evidoitly to aRade^ Heb. xi.4, ^vArrH Aiel qfered »>j..»« (ww, a Moaa or OBKATKa eaaryice, not a more exeetient, (for this is no meaning of die word rKumr) a^iieh leads us to infer, that Abri, Iwddes his ninchah, or giatttude-trfTerii^ broi^^ also Swrtm, a vtcttm, to be slain for his sins; and this ne ehose out of the ^rsf-froraof his ^otk, whieh, in the order of God, was a representation of Ifae LanA of God that was to take away the sin of the world: and what coafirms'tlus exposition more, is the observation of tbe apostle — ftod teati/ying tuc tmft, i^th hia aim, wbiob oenainlf shows be brought more than one,
Cail^ tbe fetner of Deism, not acknowled^ng the necessity of a vieariooB sacrific^ nor feeling hia need of aa atononent, according to the dictates of his nainrai religion. brought a vUniAah, or eucharialie olfering, to the God of the universe. Abel, not less graieftU for the produce of hi* fields, and the increase of hia flocks, broi^t a aimilar offering, and by adding a »aeri/Ue to it, paid a proper regard lo the will of God, as fer as it had then beea revealed, acknowledged himself a sfnner, and thus deprecating the Divine cuspleasure, shoved forth the death of Christ till he came. Hius his offi>rii^ were accepted, while those of Cain were reiected; for this, as the apostle saya^ was done by rAirs, ana therefore he obtained witness that he was righteous, or a justified persmi, <3od testifying, with bis gifts the Aaai-wetnnr and the »in-qfering accepting them, that his &ith in the promised seed was ma only vty in which be eould accept the serrices and oAringa of mankind. Dr. BUge^ in his diseoorses on die atonement, critidses the opimon of Dr. Kennieott, and contends that there is no ground for the distinction Ik.m^es on tbe words urn oi '•an and diows that thougj the mincbah signifies in general an unblooch' offering, v<Bt it is sometimes also ue«i to express both kuids; and thd; die mincbah in question, is to be understood of ibskaeri^e* or then (^aedliy Abel..
TerseB. Unia Cain, as being unconsctoos of his suablaasi^ sod craKtqiientlr anhnmUe^ and <• M
6 And the Lose said unto Caki, Why art thou wroth? and wby u U17 countenance fallen?
7 IT thou doeit well, idialt cbou not * be aeeepted? and if thou doeat not weU, ein lieth at
8 V And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it bame to pass, when they were in the field, that Cam roM up afainst Abel his bretiier; and slew him.
B« beii^ scnnBpaiiied, m Abel's waa, widi ■ aacrifiee for rin, lu kad mat reapect.] H« M«ld not, cooaiaieotly with hia haSiaem Mod j«utiee, apfMve attbe one, or ncmn the •tfaor. Of ihe muoer in which Qoi testified his boium we are not informed; it was probably, aa m the caae of fil^iah. by aculiaf down fin froin heaven and oonentning; the Mcn&ce.
Com 1WW vroM] DuU diapleaaore which ihaiild have Imd turned agunatnia own unhumbled heart, was turned ag^sinat hie ini»oaiit brother, who, thoacb not more hi^ly privileged dian h& made a anieh better use of the advantage* whioh be snared in soBunoa with his ungodly aad «Boatural brotfae^.
Varatfi. IFifcy art A— watt] Thia waa deajgned aa afraeiooa wsniiaft aad a ftmrntim Of (he nwditated cnnw.
Tsna 7. IT Aw doH mO, Aitt irimfa ia ridit in dw aifht of Ood, aAott lk«u tut be ae^pttd?] Doea God n}ect any man who aerTes hia in dmplicity and godly atnoarityT JEfM/t^Aaudaaf MlweU; can wralh and indtf- MUion i^nst (by i^toeua brother aave thee from toe dtqileaaure under which thou art blleo? (M the eoatrary, have recourse to thy Maker for oMroy. va^nMOn t%ni/> lapdaA dtatalk rvbett, a nn-^erit^ lieu at thy door c an animal proper to be offered aa an alooenMnt for sia, ia BOW eotuAmg as the door of thy (sAd.
Tbe words ntwn ekaiaih, and neon chatah, frequeatly mpiiSf tim,; but I have observed more than a hundred plaoea in the OU Teatament where they are ueed for Mntlfering, mi tranabled B^MfiM by the Sqttuagnt which isthetermthe^K»tlauaeit2Car.'v. 21. MeMk made kimtabttin, ^'•'ff"''ABiJll-orrmatitaJ'orua,vAainne no tin. Ctia'u fiuilt now, was hia not bruwing a nn-oSer' when hia brother brought one; and uBis negleel and eoateiSH caused hia other ofieriag to be rejectedT Howew. Ood BOW gracitMaly informa him, tnat though he hionuscarried, hia oaae waa not yet de^Miate, as the means of foith front the promiae, Ao. were in hia ppww, and a victim proper for a ma-oSeting waa Iving (jy> robettf a word used to expreaa the lying curam <m a ^adniped) at Ihe-door of hia fold. How many aiimera perish, not beeatiee there ia not a Saviour able and wilhng to aave them, bat because thev will not use Aat which la within their power. Of aucn, bow true ia that word of our I^or^ Ye wittnoleomeiuUoitte,AatyamigfUlu»»eliftl
DmU Hue thaU U hi* <Uttr*, Ac.] Tbat ia, diou abah •ver have the rigfat of primogeniture, and in all thinga ahaJI Ay brother be aubjeot unto thee. Tbeae words are not spwen ol rtfit aa many have understood diem, but of AbtPt aidiiniasion to Cain as bis aupert«r[ and ^ words are apoben to lemore Cain's envy.
. Verse 9. Chr UUIad wiA Ab*l hit irvMar, np •vBirt ••^mHar inaa; and Cain aaid, Ae.] Mot taUUdi for tUs eoaafcaatioo tha wwd saanot bear, w^ymt great violeoce u analogy and granunatied aeeuratr. Bat wby should it be thus tranalatadl Because our tranalotora could not find that any thing waa apoken on the occasion, aad therefore they veimired to intimate that there waa a oanversatioo, indefiniKly. In the moat oorrect editions of tta Httecw BiHet diare is a small apace left here in the WtXt aad a eifcolar mari^ which rsfon 10 ^ fidlowing note ia die maigin: pu piDMS Kpaa ^isaa bmmUi fanJc, Than is a bianis or defieietKv laihe varsa. Now, thia.defieiency is supplied in the print^al
•gndiwmmr Jhrxu^ Let ua wmik oat. The Septuagiot, ftMi'Mu-ittTtirttiM. Let uagooututodM field. The two CkaidM TW-gums have the same reading, so has the dpttc veraioa. TboM addition ia emnpleiaiy lost bwa mitj 119. of the Penlatwtcfa now known; and yet it is auffiaently evidem, from the Samaritan text, the Samarilaa veraiafi, dta Syriae, S^toHlia^ aul Volgatg^ diat it was in *a most aatheatic eopfaa of dia Hebrew, hiihn, aad apaa* lime ainee, the Chiiatian wa. The words may therefore be aafely considered aa a part of (be aocred text, aad wMi Aem dw wheia fasaua reada elear tad ooosistaattjc "And Cain said mtalba^ hia kmfaar, Let as go om into the field;. and it eome to bbk iriwa thcj wan hi the field, thatCaiiiroaem"dfc«. Tlie Jerusalem IWga^ and the Torgum of Jonauon ben Uuiel, fvetend to |^ve us Ihs subsluice<rf their conversation I the piece is eunou% and I ahall insert a translation of it for the sake oS thoaa who ntay not have access 10 the originals.
" And Cain aaU imlo Uebel, his lirotber. Let us go ont into the field; and it came to paas that, when tbey wera ia the field, Cain answered and Mid to Hebe), his brother, I thou^ that the world was created in mercf, but it ia not gov«rned accortliog to the merit of good woriui, nor ia there any judgment, nor a judge, nor ahall there be any foture stale in which good revrarda riialJ be given to tba righteous^ or puniehment executed on the wicked; and no**, Aere is reniect of persons in judgment. On what aeeoant is it that tby aamfic* has been accepted, and mine not reeervadwitheomplaeency? And Hdxl answered aad said, the world wasemied in mercy, and it is governed ocewdiag to the fruit of good wortis; there ii a judges a future world, and a coming judgment, where good newaraa ahall be givot to the rigfatcous, and die impioua punished; and there ia no reapect of persona in judgment; but because my worlta were bSter and more precious than thine, my oblat ion waa received with complacency. Aikd because M these Ihinga they contended on the mce of the firid, and Cain rose up agamat Hebel his brother, and struck a stone into his foreSead, and killed him."
It ia here suj^Kwed that the first murder committed in the wtM-ld was the ctmaequence of a religioua diqnite; however dtia.may have been, millions aince have been sserifiead to prejudice^ bigotry, and intolerance. Here, certidnly, originated the many-headed monster, reUgiov jtenteutim; the spirit of the wicked one, in hia followers, impels tbera to afflict and desuoy all who are partakers of the Spirit of Qod. Every persecutor is a legitimate son of the etd nmrdtrer. This ia the first triumph erf Satan; it ia not merely a death that he baa introduced, but a violent oae, OM the firat-fruita of sin. It ia not the death of an ordinary person; but of the moat holjf man then in being; it is not Drought about by the provuUnee of Ood, or by a gradual failure and destruction of the earthly febric, but a violent aepanuien of body and aoul: it is not doge by a common enemy, from whom nothing better could be expected, but by the hand of a Aro'Aer; and for i>o other reoaon, but because the object of hia envy was mora righteous than himaelf. Alosl how exceeding ainfUl does mn appear in ita first nianifeatation I
VeraelO. 7%$wicti^tkyhroiher'9bloodl Itisprobohle that Cain, having killed hia brother, dug a hole and buried him in the earm, hopiiw tberd^ to prevent the murder from being known; ana that thta is wbat is designed in the words, thy brothor't blood crietk unto me raoH th» aaooini^ wfcwA hath opened her mouth to receive itjroth thy hand. Some ddnk that by dw voieelrf thy bro&ier'a Mood, the eriea of Abel's widow and children are U be understood; as it is very probable that he was /o^Asr ^ a family; iddeed hia occupation and aacrifices aeem sufficient proofa of this profaateli^: and probability is all wa con expect on auch a aubject. Ood repreaeota these as calling (Uoud for the punishment of the miirderert and it ia enJent that Cain expected to fall by die hands oi some person, who, from bis ceiuangujttt^, had the righl of the avenger of blood; for now tb&t the murder is found out, he expeets to suffer death for it See ver. 14.
Terse 12. A fugitive and a vagabond ehalt thou be) Thou ^li be expelled from the presence of Ood, and from thy fimily oomtexion^ add ahalt have no fixed aeenrs reaidenoe in any place. "Hie Septuagint render thia rrmv ■at Tfi|tM> tn,ihouAaltbe groaning and trmbtiitgwoik theaardi; the horror of thy crime shall ever haunt thee, and thou sbalt never have any well-grounded hope that Ood will remit dia nmidunent dum atiaeivial. No slata out of rndiass pertKtwn can bs owawdersd moiaawfal fliaa diia.
TarseU. JIfyfmiiJimmlU greater Ihrnn I eaiib«».} Ibe margbi resd^ m»w intquttv is gnaUr lha» diat it may beforgiotn. Tat original words towa rff Vw (7aa(a/ won* mt ncao, mmr be translated, 2* aiy crime too great to btjbrgivon? Wmda which wa may preaaaia he
9 And the LoBO said unto Cain, ' Where t» Abel thy brother? And he said, ''I know not: jlm I my brother's keeper V
10 And he said, What hast thou done? the 'Toice of thy brother's *blood ■'crieth unto me from the ground.
11 And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blooa from thy hand;
12 When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strei^th; a fugitive and a va^bond shaJt thou be m the earth.
13 And Cam said unto the Lord, * My puniehment is greater than I can bear.
14. ' Behold, thou hast driven me out tluB day from the face of the earth; and 'from thy face shall I be hid; and 1 shall be a fugitive and a vuga-
that iSeon, si^ifica rnther the crime than the punuhment. In this sense it is used, Lev. xxvi. 41, 43. 1 Sam. xxviii. 10. 2 Kings vii. 9. and nari na»a, ainiifiea to remit or fofgire. Tht marginal reading im, therefore, to be preferred lo that in the text.
Tene 14. lidiold. Hum haH drixm me oui] In verses 11, 12. God states two parts of Cain's pumshment: — I. The ground was cursed, so that it was not to yield any adequate recompense for his most careful till^e. '2. He was to be a fiigitive and a vagabond, fjavin^ no place in which he could dwell with comfort or seoin^. To these Cain himself adds others. 1. His beiiu; hidden from the face of God; which appears to signifV his bein^ expelled from that particular place where God had manifested his presence, lu or contiguous to naradise: where our first parents resorted as to an oracle; and where they offered their daily adorations. So, in verse 16. it is said, Cain vent out from tkt preaenee of tiu L/ord, and was not permitted any more to aasooiate with the fiunllr in acts of religious woraliip. 2. The continual apprehension of being slain, as sU the inhatntants of the earth were at that time of the aamejamily, the parents themselves still alive, and each having a right to kill this murderer of his relative. Add lo all this — 3. The terrors of a guilty conscience, his awful apprehension of God's Judgments, and of being everlastingly banished from the beatilie vision. To this part of the punirfmient of Cain St. Paul probably alludes, 2 Tbcas. i. 9. Wko AaU be punuhed wWi everlashng deslmcli(m from- the presence qf the hard, and the glory of hia poicer. The words are so similar, that we can scarcely doubt of the allusion.
Verse 15. T'ke Lard set a mark upon Cain\ What this mark was, has given rise to a number of frivolously curious eonjeetnrss. Some say he was parahftia £his seems to have arisen from the version of the Septuagint, n>.v lai T«if..> in, groaning and tremiUTtg MoU Oum be. The Targum of Jonathan ben Uzziel nys, the sign was from the great and precious name, probably one of the letters of tlie word^T^tTni Ydureak. The author of,*an Arabic Catena in the Bixlleian Library says, "A sword eould not pierce him; fire could not bum him; water contd not drown him; the idr could not blast him; nor could thunder or lightning strike him." Ttie author of Bereshtth Rabba, a comment on Genesis, the mark was a circle of the sun rising upon him. Abravanel saya the sign wan Abel's dog, vvnicn constantly accompanied him. Some of the doctors in the 'lUmud say, that it was the letter r^ tau marked on his forehead, which signified his contrition, as it is the first letter in the word Tuwn fasftuAeA, rqientance. Rabbi Joseph, vim- ten all the rest, says it was a long horn growing out of hia foreluad!
Dr. Shuckford observes, that the Hebrew word nw oJIfc, which we translate a mark, signifies a eign or token. Thus Gen. ix. 13.— The bow was to be nM<> leoth, for a tign or token diat the world should not be destroyed; therefore the wordii, And the lord set a mark upon Cain, should be tranelated, And die Lord appointed to Cain a token or ngn, to convince him that no person should be permitted to slay him. To have morftcd nim, would have been the most hsely way to ha»e brought all the evils he dreaded upon him: therefore the Lord gave him some miraculous si^ or token, that he should not be slain, to the end that ne should not despair, but having time to repent, might return to a gracious God and 6m mercy. Notwithstanding the allusion which I suppose St. Paul to have made to the punishment of Cain, some think that he did repent and find mercy. I can only say, "us was posstUe. Moat people who read this account wonder why bond ki the earth; and it ehall come to paM* that every one that findeth me shall aixy me.
15 And the Lobd said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him t sevenfold. Anothe Lohd ' set a mark upon Cun, lest any finding him should kill,
16 And Cain i went out from the presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the land Nod, oa the east of Eden.
17 % And Cain knew hia wife; and she conceived, and bare " Enoch: and he buildcd a city,? and (x\led the name of the city, af\er tlie nama of his son, Enoch.
18 And unto Enoch was born Trad: and bad begat Mehujael: and Mehujael begat Metbosael: and Methusael begat ■ Lamedo.
Cain should dread being killed, when it does not appear to them that there were tuor inhabitants on the earn at that time besides himself ana his parents. To cwrect Ail mistake, let it be observed that the de^ of Abel took place in the one hundred and iwenw-eigfath, or one hundred and twenty-ninth year of the world. Now, " Supposinr Adam and Eve to nave had no other sons than Cain ana Abel in the year of the world one hundred and twentyeight, yet as they had daus;hters married to these son^ their descendants would make a consider^le fi^re oa ibe earth. Supposing them to have been married in iha nineteenth year of the world, they might easily have had each eight children, some males imd some females, in the twenty-fifth year. In the fiftieth year diere might proeeed from them in a direct line sixty-four persoos; in the sevens-fourth year there would be five hundred seventytwo; m the ninetv-eight year, four thousand and ninMysiz; in Uie one nuirared ana twenty-second ihey would amount to thirty-two thousand seven hundred and aizt^- eight; if to tliese we add the other children descendedfrom Cun and Abel, their children, and their children's children, we shall have in the aforesaid one hundred and twenty-eiglil years, ^/bwAwndred and twenty-one thousand one huTtdred and sixty-ftiw men capable of generation; without reckoning die women eitlier old or jroung^ or such as are under the age of seventeen." See Dodd.
But this calculation mi^ be disputed, because there is BO evidence that the antediluvian patriarchs began to have children before they were sixty-fee vears of age. Now, supposing that Adam at one hundred and thirty years of ■ age, bad one hundred and thirty childreiij which is quits possible, and each of theseachild at sixty-five years of age, and one in each suceessive year, the whole in the one Atntdrtd and thirtieth year tit the world would amount to one thowwnd two kunared md nineteen permu I a number sufficient to found several villages, and to excite the appnhensions under which Cain appeared at this lime to hibour.
Verse 16. IVie land Nod] As -TO nod, signifitts the same as ta nad, a vagabond, some think this verse shouM be rendered. And Cain vmt out from the preeenee ^ the Lord, from the eaet <tf Eden, and ditelt « vagabomd on the earffi; thus the curse pronounced <a his^ versa lILwas BCoomplished.
verse 17. She bare EnoA'] As 1)« cftsnsc, signifies ineiructtd, dedicated, or initiated, and especially in sacred things, it may be considered some proof of Cain's rcpnoiance, that he appears to have dedicated tliis son to God who, in his lather's stead, mi^t minister in the sacerdcMl office^ fircMB which Cain, by his orime^ was for ever excluded.
who dared to reverse the order of God by introdorang polygamy: and from himithasbeearetsUedt pnwtised, sola defended to the present day.
Verse 20. Jabat woe the foAer} The inveiUor or leaeher, for so the word is undwstood, 1 Sam. x. 12. He was dks first who invsntsd teot-msking, and the breeding and managing of cattle i or^be was, in these respects, the most eminent in that time. Though Abel was a uiephetd, it is not likely he was such on an ezteoaive scale.
Verse 21, Jubat the father] i. e. the inventor of musV oal instruments, such as the "vas kinnor, which we translate harp; and the arip ugab, which we render organ: it is very likely that both woids an generic, dte former including under it all stringed instruta«ai% and the latter all wind instmmenis.
19 7 And Lantech took onto him two wives: tbd wune of-the oM was Addh, and the name «f the other Zillah.
SI And hia brother's niune wo* Jobal: he was the Ibtber of all HUch as handle the harp BJid organ.
22 Jutd Zillah, she also bare Tc^bal-cain, an ^ instrocter' of every artificer in brass and iron; and the sistcir of Tubal-eain vuu Naamah. ' 53 And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah
and Zillah, hear my voice; ye wives of Lantech, hearken unto my speech: for ' I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man 'to my hurt:
24 ■ If Cain fthall be avenged sevenfbld, tnllf Lamech seventy and sevenlold, t^aSS: ^ 7 And Adam knew his wife egaiti;-
and she bare a son, and ' called his name
« Seth; ' For God, aa(d «fte, hath appointed me another eeed instead of Abel, whom Cain slewt 26 And to SeUi ' to him also there was born a son; and he called hie name ^Enos: then began men t to call upon the name of theLoBD.* ttSBiilfl mn of braM and iron. Agricultural implemenu mvMt have been in um loos before, for Cain waa a lUUr tfOu ground, aWl m wu Aikm, utd they could not have cullivued the ground withouc tpadtf, hooks, <fec Some of tboM aru were uaeleu to man while innocent and Vpiightt but after his Ml they became neceeaary. Thus fa The aaying verified; €hd made man upright,!nU fAey have MmgM out many inven/vorw. Aa the power to get wealth ia from God, ao also ia the invention of uaeful arte
M. I>e Lavanr, in hia Canftrenee d» la Fable avee tBUtoire SainU, suppoaes th^ the Oreeica and Romany took tbdr amith-god Vulcan, hom Tubat-cain, the eon of Lamedi. tiie probability of ihia will appear— 1. From dw name, whidi, fay the omiaaion of the Tu and turning the h uMo a cbai^ A«quendy made aaaong the Hebrewa, €hMk% sad Romana, nudua Vukain or Fufeon. 2. From hia oerupaCion, he waa an artifieer, a maater amith in and iron. 3. He ihinln tbia forther probable from dte namea and aowuU in ihla verae. The melting metala la the fire, and hammeriiK them, beara a near resemblance to dw kUinnn aound of UUiak, the mother of IVibolcain; and S?> taolol, sigjnfiea to tinkle or make a sound like a 1 Sam. Hi. 11. Z Kinsa xxi. 12. 4. Vulcan ia ■aid to have been lame; H. De Xavaur tbinka tbM ^ia notion waa taken from the noun yVi Ueld, which si^iflea a Aottifuror lameniM. 6. Tnlcan hod to wife VenUs the goddess of btauly: Ifaamah, the sister of IVifaal-cain, he ■liaks, mar have given riae to tliis part of die fiible, aa her iunne, in Hebrew aiKniffea beautify or graeimta. 6. Tnlean ia reporwd to twve been jealous of tiis wife, and lo have forged neu in which be took Mars and her, and expand them to Ihe view at the whole celestial court; this idea he diinks waa derived from (he literal import of the name TViaf-Mtin; Van tdtel, sinifies on incestuous mixture of relatives, Lev. xx. 12. and Kip kana, to bum with jealousy; from these and concomitant circumatoncea, die case of the detected adultery of Mara and Venus mi^l be easily dcAatxd. He ia of opinion that a tradition of fliis kind might have readily found its way from (he ^yptians to the OreekB) aa the fbrmer had frequent intercourse with the Hebrews.
Of Naanudi nothing more is spoken in the Scriptures, but the Targum of Jonathan ben Va^el, makes her the inventriz of mneml sotigs and lamentotiona. R. S, Jarchi ■ava rfie was the wife of No^ and qiiotea BereAiA iSfaUa in support of the opinion. Some oTthc Jewinh doctors ny her name ia reconled^n Scripture, becouae she was an upright and chaste woidan; but others alBnn that the whofe tfor&f vandertd qfter her; and that, of her, tvi\ ■pirrts were born into the world. ITiis latter opinion pves some countenance to that of M. De Lavniu*.
Verse 23- And Lameek tnid unto hia vitea] The ■peech of Lamech to his wives ia in hemiatiche in the orit;inaL and ooosequenlty, aa imthirtg of titia kind occura before this time, it is very probably the o/(fuf ^^tee jioetryin the vortd. The following Is, as nearly as poa- ■ siUe, a liters) tnwslatlon:
It is supposed that Lamech had elain a man in hia oym defence, mm that hia wives beine alarmed teat the |[indred of the deceased should seek his life in return, to quiet tlieir fears he makes this apeech, in which he endeavours j/o prove that there waa no^ room for fear on this account^ for if the alner of the wilfiil murderer, Cain, should a ulTera •eveulbra puniahment, aurely he who should kill Lamech for having slain a man in aelf-debooe, might expect a amn^-aaveofcld pwrfahmeBt lliis spaeeh is very dark, •od has gtvsn riM ts a giaat varitcr of very frivoloui of soma preceding speech or eireuznaiance, which, if known, «-Duld cast light on the subject. In die antediluvian times, the nearest akin to a murdered person bad a right to revenet his deadi, by taking away the life of tta6 murderer. This, aa we have already seen, appeara lo havs contributed not a little to Cain's horror, verse 14. Nov, we may aumioae diat the descendants of Cain were in continual aUrms, lest some of the other Emily should attempt to avenge the death of Abel on tl^em, aa uiey were not permitted to do it on Cain; and that in order to dismiss those fears^ Lamech, the seventh descendant from Adam, spoke to Ala effect to bis wives i " Why ahould you render yourselvea miserable by audi ill-founded feara 1 We have slain no person: we have not done the least wrong to our brethren of the other femily: aunly then reason dtoold dictate to you, that they have no right to injure us. It ife true that Cain, one of our ancestors, kilted hia brother Abel; but God, willing to pardon his sin, and give him space to repent, ihrealened to punish those with a sevenfold piiniriiment who ahould dare to kill him. If tbia be sOi then those who should have the boldneas to kill any of us who are innoeeni, may expect a punishment atill mora rigorous. For if Cain ahould be avenged aevenfold on the person who dionld slay him, surely Lamech or any of bis mnorent family ahould be avenged eeventv-sevenfold oa th(Me who abould injure them." "Die Taiguma give nearly the aame meaning, and it makea a good sense, but who can say it ia the true sense 1 If the words be read interrogatively, as ihty certainly may, the sense will be mucb dearer, and some of the difficulties will be removed:
but even this still supposes some previous reason or con- ▼eraation. I shall not trouble my readers with a ridiculous Jewiah filble, followed by SL /erom, of Lameeh having killed Cain by accident, £e. and after «bst I have alreadv aaid, I must leave (be pnasage— I Cear among Ibdse vdiien are inscrutable.
VerseSfi. OodhaAaj^trivttdnuatwOuraudiiuUad of Abei] Eve must have received, on (bis occasion, soue divine communication, elae how could she have known that this son was appointed in the place of Abel to continue that hily line by which the Mesaiah waa to come 1 Prom thta we aef, that (he line of the Heaaiab was determined from the beginning: and that it waa not ftnt fixed in the days of Abraham, R>r the promise was then only reneipsrf; and that branch of bis mmily desteMled by irtlieb the sacred line was to ba continued. And it » worthy of remark, that Seth's posterity alone continued after tlte flood, when all the other families of the earth were destroyed, Noab being the tenth deacendant fivm Adas through Scth.
Though all these persona ore mentioned in the fo1Ie«rin|[ chapt«r, I shall produce them here in the order of their BurreMion: — 1. Adam; 2. Seth; 3. Enoa; 4. Cainan j 6 Mahalalecl; 6. Jar«d i 7. Enoch; B. Methuselah; 9. Lamech, (the secoi>d;) 10. Noah. In oider to keep this line distinct, we fitid particular care was taken, that where there wore two or more sons in a family, the one through whom 0«d partiuitarly designed to bring his Son Intolbe world, was, liy some especial providence, pointed out. Thua, in the tamity of Adam, Seth waa chosen; in the family of Noah, Shcm j in the family of Abraham, IssaCi and In the fomily of David, Solomon. All these thingai God watchfd over by an especial providence from wa beginning, that when Jesua Cnrist shoold come, it might be clearly seen, that he came by the promise through grace, and not by nature. „ - - «
Vcrse26. Then began nun lo^ en the namMtfthf Lorii ThemargiHarreadingis, 77«n0*cttn«wntocaU ^mselvca bi/ the name ae^Lord; which weeds an it rtui^ialHlon of tut KMOODI of Uh omloa gf du, 1, and oT Lh* ttib of;BMl^3. ticuHdinof llMUBUI«dIla*iuiBalrknli^S— a. Eimhj mnwwli-
THIS w the ■book of the generations of Adam. In the day that Giod created man, in ''the likeness of God^made he him:
2 "Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called thev name Adaro, in the day when they were created. kamt ^ AndAdamlivedanhuodredandthirty
after his image; and called his name Seth: acsnt * 'And the daysof Adam after he had
7 And Seth lived alter he b^at Enoa eight hundred and seven years, and begat sons and dai^hters:
MippoMd to Hgnify) that in the Ume of Enos, the true followen of Ooo begaa to diMii^irii themaelve*) nnl to be diatinguiahed Inr otben, by the appellMim of Sotu qf God; those of the other bnuu^b of Adam'a fiunily, among whom the divine worship waa not observed, being dlBtinguished bv the nante CkUdrm qf men. It must not be aiaaembled, that many eminent men have contended that ^ntn hveAai, which we tmnalate began, diould be rendered began prt^andtf, or thtn jtr^anation b^an; and from Ihia time they cEue the origin of idolatiT. Uoat of the Jewiah doctors were o{ Aia opinion, and naimonidea haa ^^jifnw"^ it at aome length in hia treatise on idolatry: aa Has piMe is corioua^ and gives the most probable account of the origin latd proeresa of idolatry, I shall insert it here.
"In tike days of £no8 the sons of Adam erred with ereat error, and the counsel of the wise men of that age became Imitish, and Elnoa himself was (one) of them that MTcd i and ttieir error was this: Tbev said, forasmuch as God hath created these stars and spnerea to govern the world, and set Uiem on high, and imported honour unto them, and they are ministera that minister before him; it ia meet that men should laud, and clarify, and give tliem honour. For this is the will of God, that we magnify and honour whomsoever he magnifieth and hgnoureth; even as a king would have them honoured that stand before him, and this ia the honour of the king himaelf. When thia thing waa come up into their hearta they began to build lamplee unto the stara, and to offer sacrinco unto them, and to laud and glorify them with worda, and to von^ip before them, that they might, in their evil opinion, <ditain &vour of the Creator. And this waa the root <^ idolatry, Ac And, in proceaa of time, there stood up fiilae prophela among the sons of Adam, which eaid that God had commandea and aaid unto them, worship audi a Mar, or all the stars, and do sacrifice unto them thus and tbua; and build a temple for it. and make on image of it, that all die people, women, ana children may worship it; and the faime profmet showed them the image which he bad feignsd out of his own heart, and aan it was the imagem such a star, which waa nmde known unto him by prophecy. And they b««:an alUr this nuomer, to make images in temples, and under trees, and on tops of mountains and hills, and assembled together and worehijiped |hem,&o. And thia thing waa spread through all the world, to serve images with services diflerent one from another, and to saaifice unto and worship them. So, in process of Ume, the glorious and fearfiil name (of God) was forgolteD out of the mouth of all living, and out of their knowledge, and they acknowledged him not. And there was fiwnd no peq>le on tlie earth that knew aught, save images of wood and atoae, and temples of stone, which they had been trained up from their childhood to wor^p and serve, and to swear by their names. And the vise men that were among them, as the priests and such likes thought there was no Ood, save llie stars and spheres, for whose sake and in whose likeness, they had made these imagea; but as for the Kock everlasting, there was no man ilml acknowledged him, or knew him, save a few
girsona in the world, as Enoch, Methuselah, Nohah, betn, and Hdier. And in (his way did the world walk and converse, till that pillar of the world AInraham, our
8 And an the days of Seth were nfaie faaadred and twelve years: and he died.
9 H And Enoe lived ninety years, and ^^JSi begat t Cainan:
10 And Enos lived after he begat Cainan eight hundred and fifteen years, and begat sons and daughters:
12 1[ And Cainan lived seventy years, ^c'A and begat ^Mahalaleel: ■
13 And Cainan lived after be begat taJSt
14 And all the days of Cainan were r ^ w5 nine hundred and ten years, and he died.
15 ^ And Mahalaleel lived sixty and tc^JSt five years, and begat ' Jared:.
16 And Mahalaleel lived after he begat Jared, eight hundred and thirty years, and begat boo* and daughters:
17 And all the ^ys of Mahalaleel were toini
1. Wb see here the vast importance «f worahijiqniig Ood according to hia own mind: bo aineerify, no uprightness of intention, can atone fw the n^lect of positiTeGommands delivmd in divine Revelation. He who will biii^ an oidtaristie offering inaiead of a taaiiee. while a sinoffering lietb at toe door, as he copies Cain's conduct, 1m may expect to be treated in tlie same manner. Reader) remember that thou haat an entnAce unto the Holiest through the veil, that is to aay, hi* JUth; and those who come in this way, God will in no wisecast out.
2. We see the horrible nature of envy, its eye is evil, merely because Ood is good; it eauly beffeta hatred i hatred, deep-settled malice } and malice, murder I Watch against the first appearance of thia most deatniotive pasaioBi the prime charaeteriatic of which is to seek the deatruetioB of the object of its malevolence, and finally to luin its possessor.
3. Be thankfiil to God, that, as weakness increased, and wonts became multiplied, God enabled man to find out useful inventions, so aa to lessen excessive labor, and provide every thing indiapenaobly neceasaiy for the aupport of lifis. He who carefully attends to the dictates ot honest sober industiT, ia never likely to perish for lack of the neceasaries of life.
4. Aa the followers of Ood, at this early period, found it indispensably necessary to sepanue themselves from all those who were irreligious and profone, and to make a public profession of their attacmnent to the truth | soil should be now. There are still men of proiane miad% whose spirit aixl conduct are destructive to godlineaa; and in reference to such, the permanent order of God ooms out from among uem, touch rut As unclean thing, and I vftU receive you. He who ia not determined to he a Chriatian, at all events, is not far from being an infidel. Tliose only who confess Chriat among men, shall bo acknowledged before his Father, and the ansels of God.
Terse 1. T^Ae fcooA tif the generation] "(Bb eijAer, in Hebrew, which we generally translate book, signifies a register, an aecouni, any kind of writing, even a tetter, Burh as the bill of divorce. Here it means the aecouni or register of the generaiions qf Adam, or his descendant^ to the five hundredth year of the life of Noali.
in the likeness qf God made Be him] lliis account is again introduced, to keep man in remembranoe of ihs heighta of gloiy whence he had fallen; and to prove to him that the miseries and death consequent on hia present state, were produced by his tranagreaaion, and didnotfiow from his original state. For, aa he was created in tha image of God, he waa created free from natural and moral evil. As the deaths of the patriarchs are now to be mentioned, it waa necesaary to introduce them hj diis obsa^ vatitm, in order to justify u» ways of Gtxl to ^nan.
Terse 3. And Adam Uved one hundred and Airtjf years, *nie scripture chronology^ especially in the ages of some of the ante and posfift/unan patriarchs^ has exceedingly puzzled chronolwists, critics and divines. The priniM Hebrew teethe Samaritan, the Sepbu^int, and josei^os, are idl dinTeroil, and have their. renteodTt