OF SERPENTS, 179 



In his Plot againft Adatn, the Deceiver was deceived; for he 

 made no doubt but the Sentence of Death would be immediately 

 executed upon Adam and E-vs, and upon the Extindlion of the 

 human Species, God would lofe all his Honour upon Earth. Why 

 did not he appear to cur firft Parents in a human Form ? pro- 

 bably becaufe he might apprehend, that there was no other Man 

 or Woman, but themfelves. 



Having confidered Adam in his probationary Capacity, I 

 fhall in the next place obferve thefe three Things, by way of ' 

 lUuftration. 



J. IT icas mojl congriioia that Marisjirft State JJjould be a State of 

 'Trial. II. That his Trial jJooiild be by the Laws of his Creator. 

 III. That thoj'e Laivs fioidd be iiiforced by a proper SanSiion. 



I. IT was congruous and fit., our firfi Parents Jljould begin their 

 Life in a ivay of Trial, as they were moral Agents : In which Si- 

 tuation I apprehend all the Angels to be at firft, to fee how they 

 would behave towards the Great Author of their Being and Blef- 

 fednefs, before they were eftabliih'd. No Creature, as fuch, is 

 cipable of Immutability, any more than of Omnipotence. To 

 be naturally, and neceflarily immutable, is the fole Prerogative of 

 the Almighty: The perpetual Duration of created Beings, is not 

 from their Nature, but from the Divine Will. 



Our firft Parents were under a ftrong Guard, and not to be 

 difarm'd vv'ithout their own Confent ; tho' the Devil, as he was a 

 Spirit, excelled in Power, yet he could not by Force fubdue the 

 weaker Veffel, therefore conduded the bloody Defign by Strata- 

 gems. When the Woman was foUicited by the Tempter, one 

 ftrong Negative would have put him io fight. A refolute Denial, 

 without any other Means, would have made her viftorious, tho' 

 alTaulted by all the Legions of Hell 5 therefore, no room to com- 

 plain of Deficiency in Divine Goodnefs. 



'Tis beyond all doubt, that the Revelation given to Adam (as 

 that to Chriftian Churches in After-ages' made it a fundamental 

 part of his Duty, not to attend to any Infinuations contrary to 

 thofe delivered to him by his Creator, tho' recommended even by 

 an Angel from Heaven: TemptaLions to forbidden Fruit, how- 



A a 2 eve: 



