tion at that time, and the inftrument by which the tempter worked his feduction, misery and ruin; we fhall foon be convinced, that his restoration and recovery could hardly be expreffed (preferving the reference to the manner of his fall) in more lively and comprehenfive terms.

Nor could Adam fail of drawing this meaning from them. He knew full well, at this juncture, that his fall was the victory of the ferpent; whom he had now discovered, by his own experience, to be an enemy to God and man. From this difcovery he might be led to conclude, that the ferpent ̧ was not the real agent; but fome evil fpirit, which had taken poffeffion of the ferpent's body. And in this conclufion he must needs be confirmed by the fentence he heard denounced against him. For it was directed to an intelligent and free agent; to one who had committed a crime, which a brute creature was not capable of committing; and had incurred a punishment, which a mere paffive inftrument could not incur. Hence then he could not but infer, that the true

object

object of the divine vengeance was the evil fpirit, which had committed the offence *. And as foon as ever he comprehended this,. it was an eafy matter to deduce the rest. The head was another word for power; and fo ufed in his own language: and therefore he could not but understand, that to " bruife the head of the ferpent," was to defiroy the power of that evil fpirit, which had actuated the organs of this creature, to his feduction and mifery. Hereupon his hopes would naturally revive. For the deftruction of the power of his adverfary, evidently implied a deliverance from those evils, which that power had brought him under: and by confequence, a recovery of those bleffings, which he had forfeited by the fall. And this was a fufficient foundation (which was all that the neceffity of his cafe required) for truft and confidence in God; and a fufficient encouragement to the exercise of religion, and to a stedfast obedience for the time to come. I say, "stedfast obedience:" because he must be fenfible, that the happiness loft by fin,

Revel. exam. with Candour, vol. I. Diff. v. p. 59, &c.

could

could only be recovered by the return of righteousness.

But, notwithstanding this promife, or rather prophecy, was fo full and exprefs; yet our anxious progenitor (efpecially when he found that it was to take place in one of his pofterity) might ftand in need, and in great need, of fome fign or miracle to affure him of its completion; and to comfort him with the thoughts, that it carried a reference also to himfelE We have in Scripture frequent inftances of faithful men requiring fame miraculous figns by way of security for the accomplishment of divine promifes; and we have as frequent inftances of God's indulgence to their weakness in granting them fuch figns. And would not the fame folicitude, the fame anxious infirmity, that prompted these men to make such requests, in later and more experienced times, about things at no great diftance; prompt our first parent, with ftill greater force, to make the like requeft on this firft promife? A promise,

7. See Gen. xv. 8--xxiv. 14. Ex. iii. 1, 12. Judg. vi. 17. 37 2 Kings xx, 8—11.

which, poffibly, he might never live to fee accomplished.

In all this there appears to be nothing, but what is extremely natural; unless you would rather fuppofe, that God was fo gracious as to anticipate his wishes. But, whether requested or fpontaneously offered, here is, as it feems neceffary there should be, a very fignal miracle performed; and most admirably adjusted to the tenour of the prophecy. God had faid, that ↔ the feed of the woman should bruife the ferpent's head." In proof of what he had said, he now devoted the ferpent to deftruction; stripped him of all his pride and pre-eminence of form; and degraded him to the abject state of a reptile. This miraculous infliction plainly pointed out to what the promise tended; and exhibited a kind of visible security for the accomplishment of the hopes it imparted. For when Adam, on that promife of victory over the ferpent, beheld him thus inftantly humbled and debased; would he not readily admit this prefent, initial de gradation of his enemy, as a fignificant pre

lude

lude to would he not naturally esteem it, as a comfortable pledge of, his future and final overthrow? And muft he not joyfully conclude, that the virtue of the prophecy was intended to reach and benefit himself, when he faw it thus beginning to operate, as foon as it was communicated to him? Truly, one would be apt to think, that he broke out into the like grateful acclamation at this fight, as Simeon uttered at the fight of Chrift: "Lord, now letteft thou thy fervant depart in peace-for mine eyes have feen thy falvation"."

t

This promife then, confirmed and illuftrated by its attendant miracle, was excellently adapted to the wants and neceffities of fallen man; and communicated to him fuch' hopes of falvation, as might encourage him to exercise a reasonable religion. But here it is to be observed, that the religion of a finner must be very different from that of an innocent man. And therefore we find, that there was now a change, and a remarkable change, made in the form of Adam's devoz Luke. ij. 29, 30.