on, at his supposal of their living happily,
and in obedience to the commands of God; and imagining, that when they
disobeyed them, they would fall into calamities, he persuaded the woman,
out of a malicious intention, to taste of the tree of knowledge, telling
them, that in that tree was the knowledge of good and evil; which
knowledge, when they should obtain, they would lead a happy life; nay,
a life not inferior to that of a god: by which means he overcame the
woman, and persuaded her to despise the command of God. Now when she had
tasted of that tree, and was pleased with its fruit, she persuaded Adam
to make use of it also. Upon this they perceived that they were become
naked to one another; and being ashamed thus to appear abroad,
they invented somewhat to cover them; for the tree sharpened their
understanding; and they covered themselves with fig-leaves; and tying
these before them, out of modesty, they thought they were happier than
they were before, as they had discovered what they were in want of. But
when God came into the garden, Adam, who was wont before to come and
converse with him, being conscious of his wicked behavior, went out of
the way. This behavior surprised God; and he asked what was the cause
of this his procedure; and why he, that before delighted in that
conversation, did now fly from it, and avoid it. When he made no reply,
as conscious to himself that he had transgressed the command of God,
God said, "I had before determined about you both, how you might lead a
happy life, without any affliction, and care, and vexation of soul; and
that all things which might contribute to your enjoyment and pleasure
should grow up by my providence, of their own accord, without your own
labor and pains-taking; which state of labor and pains-taking would soon
bring on old age, and death would not be at any remote distance: but now
thou hast abused this my good-will, and hast disobeyed my commands; for
thy silence is not the sign of thy virtue, but of thy evil conscience."
However, Adam excused his sin, and entreated God not to be angry at him,
and laid the blame of what was done upon his wife; and said that he was
deceived by her, and thence became an offender; while she again
accused the serpent. But God allotted him punishment, because he weakly
submitted to the counsel of his wife; and said the ground should not
henceforth yield its fruits of its own accord, but that when it should
be harassed by their labor