and no further:" Therefore it is our wisdom to suppress the first motions of sin, and to leave it off, before it be meddled with. Obsta principiis—Nip mischief in the bud.
4. She gave also to her husband with her: it is probable that he was not with her when she was tempted; surely if he had, he would have interposed to prevent the sin; but he came to her when she had eaten, and was prevailed with by her to eat likewise; for it is easier to learn that which is bad, than to teach that which is good. She gave it to him, persuading him with the same arguments that the serpent had used with her, adding this to all the rest, that she herself had eaten of it, and found it so far from being deadly, that it was extremely pleasant and grateful: stolen waters are sweet. She gave it to him, under colour of kindness; she would not eat these delicious morsels alone; but really it was the greatest unkindness she could do him. Or perhaps she gave it to him, that if it should prove hurtful, he might share with her in the misery; which indeed looks strangely unkind, and yet may, without difficulty, be supposed to enter into the heart of one that had eaten forbidden fruit. Note, Those that have themselves done ill, are commonly willing to draw in others to do the same. As was the Devil, so was Eve, no sooner a sinner than a tempter.
4. He did eat, overcome by his wife's importunity. It is needless to ask, "What would have been the consequence, if Eve only had transgressed?" The wisdom of God, we are sure, would have decided the difficulty according to equity; but, alas, the case was not so; Adam also did eat. "And what great harm if he did?" say the corrupt and carnal reasonings of a vain mind. What harm? Why, there was in it disbelief of God's word, together with confidence in the Devil's; discontent with his present state; pride in his own merits; an ambition of the honour which comes not from God; envy at God's perfections; and indulgence of the appetites of the body. In neglecting the tree of life which he was allowed to eat of, and eating of the tree of knowledge which was forbidden, he plainly showed a contempt of the favours which God had bestowed on him, and a preference given to those God did not see fit for him. He would be both his own carver, and his own master; would have what he pleased, and do what he pleased: his sin was, in one word, disobedience, Rom. 5. 19; disobedience to a plain, easy, and express command, which, probably, he knew to be a command of trial. He sins against great knowledge, against many mercies, against light and love, the clearest light, and the dearest love, that ever sinner sinned against. He had no corrupt nature within him to betray him; but had a freedom of will, not enslaved, and was in his full strength, not weakened or impaired. He turned aside quickly. Some think he fell the very day on which he was made: though I see not how to reconcile that with God's pronouncing all very good, in the close of that day: others suppose he fell on the sabbath-day; the better day, the worse deed: however, it is certain that he kept his integrity but a very little while; being in honour, he continued not. But the greatest aggravation of his sin, was, that he involved all his posterity in sin and ruin by it. God having told him that his race should replenish the earth, surely he could not but know that he stood as a public person, and that his disobedience would be fatal to all his seed; and if so, it was certainly the greatest treachery, as well as the greatest cruelty, that ever was. The human nature being lodged entirely in our first parents, from henceforward it could not but be transmitted from them under an attainder of guilt, a stain of dishonour, and an hereditary disease of sin and corruption. And can we say, then, that Adam's sin had but little harm in it?
III. The immediate consequences of the transgression. Shame and fear seized the criminals, ipso facto—in the fact itself; these came into the world along with sin, and still attend it.
1. Shame seized them unseen, v. 7, where observe,
(1.) The strong convictions they fell under, in their own bosoms; The eyes of them both were opened. It is not meant of the eyes of the body; those were opened before, as appears by this, that the sin came in at them; Jonathan's eyes were enlightened by eating forbidden fruit, 1 Sam. 14. 27, that is, he was refreshed and revived by it; but their's were not so. Nor is it meant of any advances made hereby in true knowledge; but the eyes of their consciences were opened, their hearts smote them for what they had done. Now, when it was too late, they saw the folly of eating forbidden fruit. They saw the happiness they had fallen from, the misery they were fallen into. They saw a loving God provoked, his grace and favour forfeited, his likeness and image lost, dominion over the creatures gone. They saw their natures corrupted and depraved, and felt a disorder in their own spirits which they had never before been conscious of. They saw a law in their members warring against the law of their minds, and captivating them both to sin and wrath. They saw, as Balaam, when his eyes were opened, (Numb. 22. 31.) the angel of the Lord standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand; and perhaps they saw the serpent that had abused them, insulting over them. The text tells us, they saw that they were naked, that is, [1.] That they were stripped, deprived of all the honours and joys of their paradise state, and exposed to all the miseries that might justly be expected from an angry God; they were disarmed, their defence was departed from them. [2.] That they were shamed, for ever shamed, before God and angels; they saw themselves disrobed of all their ornaments and ensigns of honour, degraded from their dignity, and disgraced in the highest degree, laid open to the contempt and reproach of heaven, and earth, and their own consciences. Now, see here. First, what a dishonour and disquietment sin is; it makes mischief wherever it is admitted, sets men against themselves, disturbs their peace, and destroys all their comforts: sooner or later, it will have shame, either the shame of true repentance which ends in glory, or that shame and everlasting contempt, to which the wicked shall rise at the great day: sin is a reproach to any people. Secondly, What a deceiver Satan is; he told our first parents, when he tempted them, that their eyes should be opened; and so they were, but not as they understood it; they were opened, to their shame and grief, not to their honour or advantage. Therefore, when he speaks fair, believe him not. The most malicious mischievous liars often excuse themselves with this, that they are only equivocations; but God will not so excuse them.
(2.) The sorry shift they made, to palliate these convictions, and to arm themselves against them; they sewed, or platted fig-leaves together; and, to cover, at least, part of their shame from one another, they made themselves aprons. See here what is commonly the folly of those that have sinned. [1.] That they are more solicitous to save their credit before men, than to obtain their pardon from God; they are backward to confess their sin, and very desirous to conceal it, as much as maybe; I have sinned, yet honour me. [2.] That the excuses men make, to cover and extenuate their sins, are vain and frivolous; like the aprons of fig-leaves, they make the matter never the better, but the worse; the shame, thus hid, becomes the more
