Conjectura cabbalistica

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came into the world, but the toil and drudgery of Tillage and Husbandry; the grievous pangs of Child-bearing; and lastly, what is most terrible of all, Death itself: Of all which, as of some other things also, I shall give you such plain and intelligible reasons, that your own hearts could not wish more plain and more intelligible. To what an happy condition Adam was created, you have already heard; How he was placed by God in a Garden of delight, where all his senses were gratified with the most pleasing objects imaginable, his eyes with the beauty of trees and flowers, and various delightsome forms of living creatures, his ears with the sweet musical accents of the canorous melodious or song-like birds, his smell with the fragrant odors of Aromatick scented herbs, his taste with variety of delicious fruit, and his touch with the soft breathings of the air in the flowery alleys of this ever-springing Paradise. Add unto all this, that pleasure of pleasures, the delectable conversation of his beautiful Bride, the enjoyments of whose love neither created care to himself, nor pangs of child-bearing to her: for all the functions of life were performed with ease and delight; and there had been no need for man to sweat for the provision of his family, for in this Garden of Eden there was a perpetual Spring, and the vigor of the soil prevented mans industry; and youth and jollity

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jollity had never left the bodies of Adam and his posterity, because old age and death were perpetually to be kept off by that sovereign virtue of the Tree of Life. And I know, as you heartily could wish, this state might have ever continued to Adam and his seed, so you eagerly expect to hear the reason why he was deprived of it; and in short it is this, His disobedience to a commandment which God had given him; the circumstances whereof I shall declare unto you, as followeth.

Amongst those several living creatures which were in Paradise, there was the Serpent also, whom you know to this very day to be full of subtlety, and therefore you will less wonder, if when he was in his perfection, he had not only the use of Reason, but the power of Speech. It was therefore this Serpent that was the first occasion of all this mischief to Adam and his posterity; for he cunningly came unto the woman, and said unto her, Is it so indeed, that God has commanded you that you shall not eat of any of the trees of the Garden?

2 And the woman answered unto the Serpent, You are mistaken, God hath not forbid us to eat of all the fruit of the trees of the Garden.

3 But indeed of the fruit of the Tree in the midst of the Garden, God hath strictly charged us, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.