Genesis — Chapter 3

Why hath God ] Here we may see how sinne came first among men. For the diuel envying mans happie state tempted Eue the weaker person, beginning with a question, therby to allure her into conference, and by such a question as might bring her into suspicion of Gods affection towards man, saying: Why hath God commanded you, that you should not eate of euerie tree of Paradise? insinuating by these words, and withal internally suggesting, that God dealt hardly with them, abridging their libertie without cause. And when he had got so much of her, that she was displeased with the precept, which she shewed by adding of her owne (to make it seeme more grievous) that they were forbidden to touch the tree, & againe by reporting the punishment as doubtful, saying, Lest perhaps we dye; then the tempter anouched boldly, and falsly, that they should not dye, and charged God to be envious of the benefit they should get by eating of that tree, saying their eyes should be opened, and they should be as Gods, knowing good and euil upon which perswasion and liking also she had to the fruit, she did take and eate, and perswaded Adam also to eate. And forthwith they saw that they would not have seen, knew euil which they had better not to have known, were ashamed, and endcauoured to couer and hide themselves. Even thus the diuel dealeth with men ever since, assaulting the weaker persons, and weaker part, as the flesh and sensualitie, and by them setteth upon the stronger and superiour part, to get consent of free wil, without which there is no sinne; according to that famous saying of Augustin: Peccatum adeo est voluntarium, ut nullo modo sit peccatum, si non voluntarium. Sinne is so voluntary, that in no wise it can be sinne, if it be not voluntarie.

She shal bruise ] Protestants wil not admit this reading, ipsa conteret, she shal bruise, lest our Blessed Ladies should be said anie way to bruise the serpents head. And Kemnisius amongst others faith, that al ancient Fathers read, ipsum, not ipsa. But he is conuinced of lying by Claudius Marius Victor lib. 1. in Gen. Alcimus Auitus lib. 3. carm. c. 6. S. Chrisostom hom. 17. in Genes. S. Ambrose lib. de fuga saeculi cap. 7. S. Augustin l. 2. de Genesi contra Manichaeos, cap. 18. & lib. 11. de Genesi ad literam chap. 16. S. Gregorie lib. 1. Moralium cap. 18. And after them S. Bede, Eucherius, Rabanus, Rupertus, Strabus, and Lyra vpon this place, S Bernard ser. 2. super Missus est, and manie others, who read ipsa, as the Latin text now hath. Both readings yeald the same: But whether we read, She shal bruise, or, her seede, that is her sonne Christ shal bruise the serpents head, we attribute no more nor no lesse to Christ nor to our Ladie by the one reading then by the other: for by the text, I wil put enmities between thee and the woman, between thy seed and her seed; it is cleere, that this enmitie and battle pertained to the woman & her seed on the one partie, and to the duel, that spake by the serpent, & al the wicked, on the other partie, & that the victorie should happen to mankind. Which being captiue by Adams sinne, occasioned by a woman, should be redeemed, both sexes, though in farre different sort, concurring therto. And so it is most true, that Christ by his owne proper power, and his Blessed Mother by her most immediate cooperating to his Incarnation did bruise the serpents head, breake & vanquish his power. As manie ancient Fathers doe excellently discourse: namely S. Bernard, writing vpon these wordes in the Apocalyps c. 12: A great signe appeared in heauen, a woman clothed with the sunne: Albeit (faith he) by one man and one woman we were greatly damaged, yet (God be thanked) by one man & one woman al losses are repaired, and that not without great increase of graces. For the benefit doth farre exceed the losse. Our merciful father giving vs for a terrestrial Adam Christ our Redeemer, & for old Eue Gods owne Mother. Moreover as the same S. Bernard sheweth, this Blessed Virgin in singular sort bruised the serpents head, in that she quite vanquished al manner suggestions of the wicked serpent, never yealding to, nor taking delight in anie euil moued by him.

Dust thou art.] By these wordes Adam was admonished to humble himselfe, considering the matter wherof his bodie was made, & into which he should be resolued againe. Wherupon it came to be a ceremonie amongst penitents to cast ashes on their heads, as appeareth in holy Scriptures. For which cause the Church now also vseth this ceremonie the first day of Lent, putting ashes on her childrens heads: willing them to remember, that dust they are, & to dust they shal returne, to moue vs by this meditation to more serious penance.

Lest perhaps ] Notwithstanding Gods eternal decree in disposing al things, and his omnipotence which nothing can resist, yet he produceth good, and either auoideth or disposeth of euil which he suffereth, by ordinarie meanes, as appeareth Act. 27, v. 31. and that because man hath free wil, with which God concurreth, & destroyeth not nor forceth, as S. Augustin teacheth.

Placed Cherubins.] Man being cast out of Paradise, the same is defended with double guard: with Angels, that are watchful, wise, & potent; and with fire & sword, most terrible armour to man. Wherby againe we see that God vseth ordinarie meanes in his providence, as the ministerie of Angels & humane terrour, & would neither destroy the tree, nor depriue it of the vertue to prolong life, nor because man of free wil, by which he might desire to returne: but conferuing nature in al creatures, preuenteth inconueniences otherwise. These Angels also hinder the diuel, that he can not enter Paradise, lest he should take of the fruit of the tree, and giue it to men to prolong their liues, and thereby draw them to his seruice.