By the craft of the Devil speaking in a serpent, our first parents transgressed God's commandment. 7. who being ashamed would hide themselves. 14. but are reproved by God. and besides other particular punishments (yet with promise of a Redeemer) are cast out of Paradise.By the craft of the Diuel speaking in a serpent, our first parents transgressed Gods commandement. 7. who being ashamed would hide them selues. 14. but are reproued by God. and besides other particular punishments (yet with promise of a Redemer) are cast out of Paradise.
The second part. Of the fall of man, and propagation of man and of sin.The second part. Of the fal of man, and propagation of man and of sinne.
But the serpent also was more crafty · Vulgate: callidior than all the beasts of the earth, which our Lord God had made. Which said to the woman: Why hath God commanded you, that you should not eat of every tree of Paradise?BVt the serpent also was more subtile then al the beasts of the earth, which our Lord God had made. Which said to the woman: Why hath God commanded you, that you should not eate of euerie tree of Paradise?Sed et serpens erat callidior cunctis animantibus terræ quæ fecerat Dominus Deus. Qui dixit ad mulierem : Cur præcepit vobis Deus ut non comederetis de omni ligno paradisi ?
2To whom the woman answered: Of the fruit of the trees that are in paradise, we do eat:To whom the woman answered: Of the fruite of the trees that are in paradise, we doe eate:Cui respondit mulier : De fructu lignorum, quæ sunt in paradiso, vescimur :
3but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of paradise, God hath commanded us that we should not eat: and that we should not touch it, lest perhaps we die.but of the fruite of the tree which is in the middes of paradise, God hath commanded vs that we should not eate: and that we should not touch it, lest perhaps we die.de fructu vero ligni quod est in medio paradisi, præcepit nobis Deus ne comederemus, et ne tangeremus illud, ne forte moriamur.
4And the serpent said to the woman: No you shall not die the death.And the serpent said to the woman: No you shal not dye the death.Dixit autem serpens ad mulierem : Nequaquam morte moriemini.
5For God doth know that in what day soever you shall eat thereof, your eyes shall be opened: and you shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.For God doth know that in what day soeuer you shal eate therof, your eyes shal be opened: and you shal be as gods, knowing good & euil.Scit enim Deus quod in quocumque die comederitis ex eo, aperientur oculi vestri, et eritis sicut dii, scientes bonum et malum.
6The woman therefore saw that the tree was good to eat, and fair to the eyes, and delectable to behold: and she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave to her husband, who did eat.The woman therfore sawe that the tree was good to eate, and fayre to the eyes, and delectable to behold: and she tooke of the fruite therof, and did eate, and gaue to her husband, who did eate.Vidit igitur mulier quod bonum esset lignum ad vescendum, et pulchrum oculis, aspectuque delectabile : et tulit de fructu illius, et comedit : deditque viro suo, qui comedit.
7And the eyes of them both were opened: and when they perceived themselves to be naked, they sewed together leaves of a fig tree, and made themselves aprons.And the eyes of them both were opened: and when they perceiued themselues to be naked, they sowed together leaues of a figge tree, and made themselues aprons.Et aperti sunt oculi amborum ; cumque cognovissent se esse nudos, consuerunt folia ficus, et fecerunt sibi perizomata.
8And hearing the voice of our Lord God walking in paradise at the afternoon air: Adam hid himself and so did his wife from the face of our Lord God, amidst the trees of paradise.And hearing the voice of our Lord God walking in paradise at the after none ayre: Adam hid himselfe and so did his wife from the face of our Lord God, amidst the trees of paradise.Et cum audissent vocem Domini Dei deambulantis in paradiso ad auram post meridiem, abscondit se Adam et uxor ejus a facie Domini Dei in medio ligni paradisi.
9And our Lord God called Adam, and said to him: Where art thou?And our Lord God called Adam, and said to him: Where art thou?Vocavitque Dominus Deus Adam, et dixit ei : Ubi es ?
10Who said: I heard thy voice in paradise: and I feared, because I was naked, and I hid me.Who said: I heard thy voice in paradise: and I feared, because I was naked, and I hid me.Qui ait : Vocem tuam audivi in paradiso, et timui, eo quod nudus essem, et abscondi me.
11To whom he said: And who hath told thee that thou wast naked, but that thou hast eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?To whom he said: And who hath told thee that thou wast naked, but that thou hast eaten of the tree, wherof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eate?Cui dixit : Quis enim indicavit tibi quod nudus esses, nisi quod ex ligno de quo præceperam tibi ne comederes, comedisti ?
12And Adam said: The woman, which thou gavest me to be my fellow companion, gave me of the tree, and I did eat.And Adam said: The woman, which thou gauest me to be my felow companion, gaue me of the tree, and I did eate.Dixitque Adam : Mulier, quam dedisti mihi sociam, dedit mihi de ligno, et comedi.
13And our Lord God said to the woman: Why hast thou done this? who answered: The serpent deceived me, and I did eat.And our Lord God said to the woman: Why hast thou done this? who answered: The serpent deceiued me, & I did eate.Et dixit Dominus Deus ad mulierem : Quare hoc fecisti ? Quæ respondit : Serpens decepit me, et comedi.
14And our Lord God said to the serpent: Because thou hast done this thing, accursed art thou among all cattle, and beasts of the earth: upon thy breast shalt thou go, and earth shalt thou eat all the days of thy life.And our Lord God said to the serpent: Because thou hast done this thing, accursed art thou among al cattel, & beasts of the earth: vpon thy brest shalt thou goe, & earth shalt thou eate al the dayes of thy life.Et ait Dominus Deus ad serpentem : Quia fecisti hoc, maledictus es inter omnia animantia, et bestias terræ : super pectus tuum gradieris, et terram comedes cunctis diebus vitæ tuæ.
15I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and the seed of her: she shall Vulgate: "ipsa conteret" (she shall bruise) thy head in pieces, and thou shalt lie in wait of her heel.I wil put enmities betwen thee & the woman, and thy seed and the seed of her: she shal bruise thy head in peeces, & thou shalt lye in waite of her heele.Inimicitias ponam inter te et mulierem, et semen tuum et semen illius : ipsa conteret caput tuum, et tu insidiaberis calcaneo ejus.
16To the woman also he said: I will multiply thy travails, and thy childbearings: in sorrow shalt thou bring forth children, and thou shalt be under thy husband's power, and he shall have dominion over thee.To the woman also he said: I wil multiplie thy trauailes, and thy child bearinges: in sorow shalt thou bring forth children, and thou shalt be vnder thy husbands power, and he shal haue dominion ouer thee.Mulieri quoque dixit : Multiplicabo ærumnas tuas, et conceptus tuos : in dolore paries filios, et sub viri potestate eris, et ipse dominabitur tui.
17And to Adam he said: Because thou hast heard the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee, that thou shouldest not eat, cursed is the earth in thy work: with much toiling shalt thou eat thereof all the days of thy life.And to Adam he said: Because thou hast heard the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, wherof I commanded thee, that thou shouldest not eate, cursed is the earth in thy woorke: with much toyling shalt thou eate therof al the dayes of thy life.Adæ vero dixit : Quia audisti vocem uxoris tuæ, et comedisti de ligno, ex quo præceperam tibi ne comederes, maledicta terra in opere tuo : in laboribus comedes ex ea cunctis diebus vitæ tuæ.
18Thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to thee, and thou shalt eat the herbs of the earth.Thornes and thystles shal it bring forth to thee, & thou shalt eate the herbes of the earth.Spinas et tribulos germinabit tibi, et comedes herbam terræ.
19In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return to earth, of which thou wast taken: because dust thou art, and into dust thou shalt return.In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eate bread, til thou returne to earth, of which thou wast taken: because dust thou art, and into dust thou shalt returne.In sudore vultus tui vesceris pane, donec revertaris in terram de qua sumptus es : quia pulvis es et in pulverem reverteris.
20And Adam called the name of his wife, Eve: for because she was mother of all the living.And Adam called the name of his wife, Eue: for because she was mother of al the liuing.Et vocavit Adam nomen uxoris suæ, Heva : eo quod mater esset cunctorum viventium.
21Our Lord God also made for Adam and his wife garments of skins, and clothed them.Our Lord God also made for Adam and his wife garments of skynnes, and clothed them.Fecit quoque Dominus Deus Adæ et uxori ejus tunicas pelliceas, et induit eos :
22And said: Lo Adam is become as it were one of us, knowing good and evil: now therefore lest perhaps he reach forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever.And said: Loe Adam is become as it were one of vs, knowing good & euil: now therfore lest perhapes he reach forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, & eate, and liue for euer.et ait : Ecce Adam quasi unus ex nobis factus est, sciens bonum et malum : nunc ergo ne forte mittat manum suam, et sumat etiam de ligno vitæ, et comedat, et vivat in æternum.
23And our Lord God sent him out of the paradise of pleasure, to work the earth of which he was taken.And our Lord God sent him out of the paradise of pleasure, to worke the earth of which he was taken.Et emisit eum Dominus Deus de paradiso voluptatis, ut operaretur terram de qua sumptus est.
24And he cast out Adam: and placed before the paradise of pleasure Cherubins, and a flaming, and a turning sword, to keep the way of the tree of life.And he cast out Adam: and placed before the paradise of pleasure Cherubins, & a flaming, and a turning sworde, to keepe the way of the tree of life.Ejecitque Adam : et collocavit ante paradisum voluptatis cherubim, et flammeum gladium, atque versatilem, ad custodiendam viam ligni vitæ.
Annotations
3:1Why hath God. Here we may see how sin came first amongst men. For the devil envying man's happy state tempted Eve the weaker person, beginning with a question, thereby to allure her into conference, and by such a question as might bring her into suspicion of God's affection towards man, saying: Why hath God commanded you, that you should not eat of every tree of paradise? insinuating by these words, and withal internally suggesting, that God dealt hardly with them, abridging their liberty without cause. And when he had got so much of her, that she was displeased with the precept, which she showed by adding of her own (to make it seem more grievous) that they were forbidden even to touch the tree: and again by reporting the punishment as doubtful, saying, lest perhaps we die, then the tempter avouched boldly, and falsely, that they should not die, and charged God to be envious of the benefit they should get, saying of that tree, that their eyes should be opened, and they should be as Gods, knowing good and evil. Upon which persuasion, and liking also she had to the fruit, she did take and eat, and persuaded Adam also to eat. And forthwith they saw that they would not have seen, knew evil which they had better to have known, were ashamed, and endeavoured to cover, and hide themselves. Even thus the devil dealeth with men ever since, assaulting the weaker persons, and weaker part, as the flesh and sensuality, and by them setteth upon the stronger and superior part, to get consent of free will, without which there is No sin. According to that famous saying of St. Augustine: Peccatum adeo est voluntarium, ut nullo modo sit peccatum, si non voluntarium. Sin is so voluntary, that in no way is it sin, if it be not voluntary. wherefore it was no sin in Eve to be tempted by the serpent, which she could not avoid, nor in Adam to be tempted by Eve, but they sinned when they consented to the evil suggestions. And now in the regenerate, though concupiscence remain, which is the effect of sin past, and occasion of sin in those that yield again to temptations, yet is it not sin, but punishment of sin, and matter of exercise in the just, and if we resist, of merit: and therefore St. Paul exhorteth us, to walk in the spirit, and the lusts of the flesh you shall not accomplish. And in another place he showeth, that he which fighteth lawfully, shall be crowned.
3:15She shall bruise. Protestants will not admit this reading, ipsa conteret, she shall bruise, lest our Blessed Lady should be said any way to bruise the serpent's head. And Kemnitius amongst others saith, that all ancient Fathers read, ipsum, not, ipsa. But he is convinced of lying by Claudius Marius Victor lib. 1. in Gen. Alcimus Avitus lib. 3. carm. c. 6. St. Chrysostom hom. 17. in Genes. St. Ambrose lib. de fuga sæculi cap. 7. St. Augustine lib. 2. de Gen. cont. Manich. cap. 18. & lib. 11. de Genesi ad literam cap. 26. St. Gregory lib. 1. Moralium cap. 38. And after these St. Bede, Eucherius, Rabanus, Rupertus, Strabus, and Lyra upon this place, St. Bernard ser. 2. super Missus est. And many others, who read ipsa, as the Latin text now hath. But whether we read, she shall bruise, or, her seed, that is her son Christ, shall bruise the serpent's head, we attribute no more, nor no less to Christ, nor to our Lady by the one reading, than by the other: for by the text, I will put enmities between thee and the woman, between thy seed, and her seed, it is clear, that this enmity and battle pertained to the woman and her seed on the one party, and to this devil, that spake by the serpent, and all the wicked, on the other party, and that the victory should happen to mankind. Which being captive by Adam's sin, occasioned by a woman, should be redeemed, both sexes, though in far different sort, concurring thereto. And so it is most true, that Christ by his own proper power, and his blessed mother by her most immediate cooperating to his Incarnation, and consequently to other Mysteries, did bruise the serpent's head, break and vanquish his power. As many ancient Fathers excellently discourse: namely St. Bernard, writing upon these words in the Apocalypse cap. 12. A great sign appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun. Albeit (saith he) by one man and one woman we were greatly damaged: yet (God be thanked) by one man and one woman all losses are repaired, and that not without great increase of graces. For the benefit doth far exceed the loss. Our merciful father giving us for a terrestrial Adam Christ our Redeemer, and for old Eve God's own mother. Moreover as the same St. Bernard showeth, this blessed Virgin in singular sort bruised the serpent's head, in that she quite vanquished all manner suggestions of the wicked serpent, never yielding to, nor taking delight in any evil moved by him.
3:19Dust thou art. By these words Adam was admonished to humble himself, considering the matter whereof his body was made, and into which he should be resolved again. whereupon it came to be a ceremony amongst penitents, to cast ashes on their heads. As appeareth in holy Scriptures. for which cause the Church now also useth this ceremony the first day of Lent, putting ashes on her children's heads: willing them to remember, that dust they are, and to dust they shall return, to move us by this meditation to more serious penance.
3:22Lest perhaps. Notwithstanding God's eternal decree in disposing all things, and his omnipotency which nothing can resist, yet he produceth good, and either avoideth or disposeth evil which he suffereth, by ordinary means, as appeareth Acts 27:31. and that because man hath free will, with which God concurreth, and destroyeth not nor forceth. as St. Augustine teacheth.
3:24Placed Cherubims. Man being cast out of paradise, the same is defended with a double guard, with Angels, that are watchful, wise, and potent: and with fire and sword, most terrible armour to man. whereby again we see, that God useth ordinary means in his providence, as the ministry of Angels and human sword, and would neither destroy the tree, nor deprive it of the virtue to prolong life, nor bereave man of free will, by which he might desire to return: but conserving nature in all creatures, preventeth inconveniences otherwise. These Angels also hinder the devil, that he cannot enter paradise, lest he should take of the fruit of the tree, and give it to men to prolong their lives, and thereby draw them to his service.