Saw that the tree was good for food, &c.— It is not easy to determine how the woman could discover this, unless by supposing, as we have done in a note above, that she saw the serpent eat of it, and that without prejudice, nay, with great advantage to him, raised, as he seemed, by means of this good food, from the animal to the rational nature: well might she therefore conclude, that by the same means she should be raised from the rational to the divine nature. Thus pride, as the tempter wished, stole into her heart; and with pride, animal appetite co-operated: she saw it pleasant to the eyes, which joined to an affectation of wisdom, perfected her ruin: and she did, what we see done every day, give to her passions power over her reason; distrusted God, and trusted herself: eat and was undone, and soon drew her husband into the same fatal error. "Reason is quickly deceived," says Saurin, "when the senses have been seduced: it was already yielding to the temptation to hearken so long to the tempter." Vain are all conjectures respecting the manner in which she seduced her husband. The text only tells us that she did so: but considering their situation, there can be no wonder that the man was willing to experience the same lot with his offending, but beloved companion and wife.
The phrase with her, to her husband with her, seems only to express, that she gave to her husband as well as took herself. The whole transaction shews that Adam was absent, but she came to him and gave him of the fruit, and he eat of it with her, or as she had done. In whatever view we consider the crime of Eve, it appears enormous. Her disobedience to what God had so expressly enjoined is an inexcusable fault. Her wish to become equal to God is perhaps even still more terrible. Pride is the source of all these crimes: it produces blindness of mind, and haughtiness of heart, curiosity, luxury, and disobedience.
It may throw light on this transaction to consider what and how HE resisted, who, in the wilderness, foiled this original tempter, and regained what the first man lost.
REFLECTIONS.— 1. The woman is singled out for the snare. Satan knew that of the two she was the weaker, not only in body but in mind. Thus he still tempts: he knows our weak side, whatever it may be, and usually there begins his attacks. 2. The woman was alone. She is not the only woman who hath been thus undone. 'Tis safest for the wife to be near her husband's side. 3. She was near the tree, perhaps gazing on it: it is dangerous to be in the way of evil; they who would not eat of the forbidden fruit, must not approach the forbidden tree.
The 2nd and 3rd verses contain her answer to the question of the tempter. It was plain and full. She was not ignorant of the command; nay, rather adds to it: they must not only not eat, but not touch it. O, it is ever bad meddling with edged tools! Nor was the threatening concealed, though here she hesitates, and rather diminishes its awful import.
Observe, 1. How inexcusable she was: she fully knew the will of God: and sin against light and knowledge hath peculiar aggravation. 2. Her weakness to discourse about a point so dangerous: the very mention should have awakened suspicion, and bid her fly. Temptations have more than half prevailed, when they can get a hearing. To parley, is the prelude to submission.
In the 4th and 5th verses we have the serpent's reply. He no longer seeks to invalidate the command, but the threatening being faintly urged by her, he boldly denies. Hence we may observe, 1. Confident assertions readily pass with weak minds, and with those who are willing to be persuaded; and it is much easier boldly to deny, than clearly to Proverbs 2. The hopes of impunity are the great encouragement to sin, and the support of impenitence. By these, Satan's kingdom is still upheld. Did a sinner see before him the wages of sin, and were everlasting burnings once truly believed, the devil would tempt in vain! I shall have peace, when God hath said, there is no peace, is still the grand lie. 3. Satan not only promises her peace, but profit; and when most effectually ruining her, assures her of the greatest advantages. O how often, by pursuing a false and fancied good in view, do we still lose the portion we actually possessed! Behold his devices! He is still the same. Thus he continues to deceive with fair speeches and lying promises: thus he misrepresents the restraints of God's law as severe; and, grievous to think, thus he still prevails, and the world lieth εν τω πονηρω, under the power and dominion of this wicked one.
And she did eat, and gave unto her husband, and he did eat! Unhappy souls! thus to give ear to a lying and seducing spirit, rather than to the God of truth. 1. She looked, and because she saw the fruit beautiful to the eye, she concluded the serpent in the right, and that there could be no more harm in this, than in any other tree. O it is often bad judging by the eye: the most pleasing fruit contains sometimes the deadliest poison. 2. She not only promised herself pleasure for the taste, but wisdom for her mind. This tree herein excelled all the rest, and was more desirable; perhaps too, still more, because forbidden. When sin begins in the desire, restraint only whets the appetite. 3. She boldly plucked the fruit, perhaps for a nearer view, or by the touch first to assay whether any ill consequence really would accrue. 4. She did eat; eager to make the last experiment; and it may be, hoping to surprise her husband with the transforming change she had experienced, and the superior knowledge she had attained. 5. She gave him also; came to him with the tempter's power, and, either out of love, wished him to make the trial with her, and enjoy the pleasure and dignity; or out of malice, lost herself, resolves not to sink alone. 6. Vanquished by her importunity, and by his affection for her, he joined in the transgression.
Behold here the usual process of temptation. 1. An outward object presented by the devil, promising us much pleasure and advantage in the pursuit. 2. The eye caught with it, and led to gaze upon it. The eye is the great inlet of temptation: those who would guard their heart, must often veil their eyes. To look upon a woman's beauty is the road to lust after her; and to fix the greedy eye on gold, is the prelude to covet it. 3. Desire after it: when temptation has got so far, lust hath conceived, and sin will be the birth. 4. The gratification of the desire. There is no stopping, if once the unbridled appetite is let loose. When we first gazed, we thought it should rest there: we then drew nearer, but resolved to stop. The hand was stretched out to touch, but not to take; till, like the revolving stone on a declivity, each revolution accelerated its motion, and sin no longer could be resisted. 5. We cannot be content to sin alone: those who themselves hearken to the devil's wiles, quickly turn tempters for him. O how little does many a sinner think of the dreadful charges which will be brought against him by those souls, to whose sin and ruin he may have, by his solicitations, some way contributed!