[print edition page number: 115]

Mary Roper

The Creation of Man

From The Sacred History (1669)

Now Lord, let heavenly beams shine in my heart
That of thy wondrous praises I may sing,^[1]
Thy goodness, power, and wisdom — some small part —
My raised soul may see^[2] of heaven’s king.
Then did the trinity a council take:                        5
“The beauteous body of a man to make
In our own glorious image let him be.
After our likeness, that he God may see.^[3]
And let him rule the fishes in the sea;
And winged fowls to him shall subjects be;            10
O’er^[4] pretty birds that do so sweetly sing,
O’er things that creep, beasts, cattle, earth, he’s king.” [116]

Then the Lord God of the earth’s dust did take
Off from the ground, earth’s monarch then to make.
So wonderfully God did make and frame                      15
Man of the dust; shall dust, Lord, praise thy name?^[5]
Even from the meanest things, the Lord can raise
With his almighty arm the greatest praise.
Therefore, like David’s,^[6] let our hearts arise
And place thy wondrous works before our eyes,         20
Which are so marvelous, what man can see
Thy glorious works and not amazed be?

Thy powerful Word this glorious world did make.
But when man his beginning here should take,
A council’s called, and thy almighty hand                     25
Thy wisdom and thy love together stand^[7]
To make this little world of earth refined
Which thine own hand unto this man assigned.
Here the four elements together meet,
Beautiful earth he treads under his feet;                         30
He’s made upright with’s^[8] face erect to heaven,
From whence all understanding’s to him given.
All other creatures, as on earth they tread,
So to the earth each bows his bending head.
But man, which is the world’s epitome,^[9]                       35
Is made by God’s hand, graced with his glorious eye.
Heart, hand, and eye to heaven direct must we,
The tongue sing praises to the trinity.
This work of admiration God doth bring
In full perfection: here’s all creatures’ king. [117]             40

When man’s body thus curiously was made,
He yet no senses, yet no motion had.
Then did the Lord of life a soul inspire^[10]
With his own breath in man, to raise him higher.
This is the part of man where thou mayest see             45
The glorious image of the trinity.^[11]
With divine wisdom, God it richly graced,
Eternity upon it surely placed.
God then such glory on the soul did place
That to behold t’was like the sun’s bright face.            50
Invisible it is, yet thou mayest see
God’s communicable attributes all be
Upon it placed, which makes his image clear,
And likeness on the soul’s bright face appear.
Princes are known by their attendance great:^[12]         55
The glorious angels on the soul do wait.
And if this beauteous queen here purely live,
God will to her a crown of glory give.^[13]
This heavenly jewel did the Lord enclose
In the rare cabinet which he did compose                     60
Of earth, that man might not be proud when he
From’s^[14] mother earth should count his pedigree.
But with humility let man his face
Erect to heaven and implore God’s grace.
For God is his own father and will give                          65
Him grace and glory if he purely live. [118]

Fond worldling then that Mammon^[15] dost adore
With gold and silver dost thy coffers store,
Thou wear’st out nights and days the world to get,
But for thy soul’s wealth not one step dost set.            70
If that thy glorious soul thou couldst once see,
The glorious image of God’s majesty,
Thou wouldst thy gold and silver cast away
And day and night to God for mercy pray.
If all the world’s vast riches and great treasures,          75
If all the world’s great transitory pleasures,
Profits, honors, and great renown with all,
Kingdoms and empires that on this vast ball
Do stand by God’s decree and his strong hand
And all were given one man, his to command             80
Upon condition he should sell his soul,
He’s by the Lord of life pronounced a fool.^[16]
If then thou fain wouldst thy soul’s worth but see,
Look to the glorious Son of God, how he
After the Fall, man’s precious soul to save, [128]          85
Upon the cross his glorious life he gave.

The glorious world and all that therein dwell
Cannot one sinner’s soul set free from hell.
It is a price too small, man to redeem —
Only the blood of Christ can ransom him.                   90
Then man be careful of thy precious soul
And keep it pure from sin, which makes it foul.
The smallest sins do make defilèd spots,
But greater sins do make such odious blots
That like a leper the soul doth appear                              95
And dares not come before the Lord for fear.
If in Christ’s blood it be not washed at last,
It will into hell’s fiery flame be cast. [119]

When God this soul had in man’s body placed,
It raised and beautified this earth by dust;                   100
And then the whole Creation^[17] might see
This was their king, this earthly deity.
God named him Adam, which did signify
“Red earth,”^[18] which God’s own hand did dignify
And made him his vicegerent^[19] here below              105
To rule all creatures which he soon should know.
At God’s commandment, all the creatures came
To do their homage and receive their name.^[20]
From this their governor, which God did place
Here to subdue the earth and it to grace,                     110
Then to all cattle Adam did names give,
To every fowl and beast on earth that live.
With such great wisdom God did him endue^[21]
That he all living creatures’ natures knew,
And by the names that Adam did them call               115
By the same names still they are known to all.^[22]

Then the Lord God did plant a garden fair,
Eastward in Eden that delightful lair,^[23]
And there he put his first created son,
This pure, unspotted, unbegotten man.                        120
Out of the ground, the Lord provided meat
Of every pleasant tree that’s fit to eat,
Fruit that was pleasant to the taste and eye.
The Tree of Life i’th’ midst was planted high,
And one more beauteous tree by it there stood:        125
The Tree of Knowledge both of evil and good.
Man was to keep this garden, and to dress [120]
It lest it should become a wilderness.
So man was set to work on the first day;
He was not made to eat and drink and play.               130
In innocency he to work was set,
And idleness unknown to him was yet.

Then the Lord God commanded man to eat
Of every tree in Eden, t’was his meat,
But of the Tree of Knowledge of evil and good^[24]  135
Eat not. “To thee it is a cursèd food
For though thou now art mounted up on high,
Yet on the day thou eatest thou’rt sure to die.”
And the Lord God said, “’Tis not good that man
Should be alone. I’ll make a help that can                   140
Comfort and cheer him, of his joy partake.
Such a meet help for Adam I will make.”^[25]
Then did the Lord deep sleep on Adam cast.
In this his sleep his senses were closed fast.
Then did the Lord a rib from his side take,                 145
The body of his consort then to make;
And did the flesh so curiously there close
That man’s body no breach did then disclose.
And of the rib that God from man did take
Immediately a woman he did make.                              150
She was so beautiful and wondrous fair
That there appeared to be a lovely pair.
God did her bring and by the man her place;
Sleep did depart and he beheld her face.
“This virgin,” said he, “and this beauteous maid        155
Of my flesh and my bone God hath her made.

Forever she shall be called a woman
Because by God she was taken out of man.
Therefore shall man father and mother leave
And unto his espousèd wife shall cleave.”                    160
Though they were naked, they were clothed with grace;
Such majesty God did upon them place [121]
Like Moses’ face^[26] so did their bodies shine,
Or saints in heaven when they with Christ shall reign.
And as they had no sin, they had no shame:              165
Their clothing after did their sin but name. [122]

Man’s Shameful Fall

From The Sacred History (1669)

This was the happiness Adam was in.
But the inheritance he left was sin
To his posterity: by’s^[27] shameful fall,
He ruinèd himself and children all.
The Devil — that for his great pride was thrown       5
From heaven because he would aspire God’s throne —
He now hates man because God doth his grace,
And if he can, God’s image will deface:
“I’ll try if pride will not man over-sway
And make him God’s commands once disobey;          10
And then I know that man with me shall be
Companion in eternal misery.”
This said, a curious serpent’s shape he takes,
And to the Tree of Knowledge haste he makes.
Surely the serpent, ere he was accursed,                         15
Ne’er went on’s belly, never ate the dust.^[28]
Adam, take heed: do not God disobey,
Lest by thy sin to hell thou make thy way.

Methinks I see upon the Knowledge Tree
A subtle serpent^[29] whose discerning eye                      20
Saw this rare woman walking all alone
In Paradise, viewing the trees, each one
Whose bending boughs did stoop to her fair hand
Laden with curious^[30] fruits at her command.
She tastes and eats and walks with pleasure great, [123] 25
But drawing nigh that Tree — oh dismal fate! —
She saw a serpent, and she heard him speak.
Wonder methinks should make her turn her back.
But as for wonders, they were everywhere,
And sin’s the cause of a base, servile fear.                      30
She’s not afraid, but hearkens to his call.
Then he begins, “But hath God said at all
Of every fruitful tree ye shall not eat
That grows in Eden? Surely ’tis your meat?”
Then did the woman conference begin                           35
With the serpent, who did work her ruin.
If, when the Devil tempts to any sin,
We turn our backs, we never fall therein.
Had Eve not listened to the serpent’s call,
She had not helpèd Adam to his Fall.^[31]                       40

The serpent, seeing the woman not afraid,
Goes on to speak to her: “Yea, hath God said
Ye shall not eat of every tree that grow
In Eden’s garden and goodly fruit do show?”
The woman said, “Yes, we may eat of all                        45
The fruit of Eden’s trees, both great and small.
But of this tree the Lord will not permit
That we should take one apple^[32] off from it.
If we do taste or touch^[33] this fruit so nigh
God hath it said and we shall surely die.”                      50
The serpent then with the woman did begin
To put her off the thoughts of fearing sin.
“Ye shall not surely die, for God doth know [124]
This tree will make you wise and will you show
All things; your eyes then openèd shall be.                   55
You shall know good and evil — you shall see.
If that like God you do desire to be,
Eat of this tree. You certainly will see.”

This poisonous venom that the serpent cast
Upon the woman made her swell so fast                        60
With pride that she should be like the most high,
That then she casts away all fear to die.
And when the woman saw the tree was good
To sight and taste, it was a pleasant food,
And such a tree as nothing could devise                         65
To make her so quick-sighted and so wise,
Then from the serpent’s hand^[34] the fruit she takes,
First eats herself, and then much haste she makes
To find out Adam, that he might partake
Of this her sin, and so his God forsake.                         70

Thus she begins to him: “My dearest love,
This pleasant fruit will make’s^[35] like God above;
Our eyes shall opened be, and we shall know
Evil and good and all things here below.”
Then she did give, and he did take and eat                    75
Against God’s command of this accursèd meat.
Thus by degrees the Devil did deceive:
First wrought distrust in God — there he’ll not leave —
And then he will endeavor if he can
To make God’s mercies seem so small to man; [125]    80
And in unthankfulness he then will sin.
This is the misery^[36] now of fallen man.
But then the Devil puffed him up with pride.
Knowing this sin his God could not abide,
He made man think that he like God should be,       85
To bring him into his own misery.

When they of this forbidden fruit had eat,
Their eyes were opened by that cursèd meat;
And then with shame they saw their nakedness.
Here is the fountain of all wickedness!                            90
Now did their majesty depart away,
The glorious beauty which upon them lay;
The graces, which were of so great a prize
To make them beautiful in the Lord’s eyes,
In innocency did them both adorn;                                100
Their sin these glorious robes^[37] from them had torn.
And then no wonder if their eyes did see
Their nakedness so full of shame to be.
But they great fig leaves did together place,
If for their sin they could but find a case.                     105

Here as they busied were, they heard the voice
Of the Lord God whose mercies made a choice
Not to come thither till the cool o’th’^[38] day
That his fierce anger then might pass away.
Then Adam and his wife themselves did hide.           110
God’s glorious face they then durst not abide.
Oh wretched man! dost think the trees’ thick shade
Will hide thee from the Lord that hath thee made?^[39]
Oh come and fall before him on thy face;
Confess thy wickedness unto his grace;                        115
Beg pardon of him for thou art undone; [126]
Beg hard for mercy to his sinning son;
Surely God will receive thee to his grace
If thou repent’st and turn thyself debase.
And as by pride thou hadst thy woeful Fall,               120
So let humility thy soul recall.
But Adam runs away from God, so he
And his posterity still^[40] rebels be.

But did the Lord leave Adam in his sin
And woeful misery that he was in?                                 125
No, he doth call to Adam that he may
Ask him forgiveness and for mercy pray:
“Adam, where art thou? Art thou gone from me,
The author of all thy felicity?”^[41]
And Adam said, “O Lord, thy voice I heard              130
Walking i’th’ garden, and I was afraid
To appear before thy face because I see
My nakedness, and I have hidden me.”
And the Lord said, “Who hath shown unto thee
Thy nakedness? Hast thou eat of that tree                   135
Which I commanded that thou shouldst not eat,
And said unto thee ’tis most bitter meat?”
And the man said, “The woman thou didst give
To be a help to me while here I live,
She gave me of the Tree and I did eat;                         140
This bitter fruit did here become my meat.”

Oh wretched man! Rather than he’ll confess,
On God himself he’ll cast his wickedness.
The Lord now might have cast thee quick to hell
With th’ damnèd spirits evermore to dwell.                145
Wonder at God’s great mercies that he can
Descend so low to call back^[42] fallen man.
And then unto the woman the Lord said,
“What hast thou done? Why wast thou not afraid [127]
To break thy God’s commands when he did tie        150
Thy hands by saying thou shalt surely die?
Did not the Tree of Life grow close by thee?
The glorious fruit of that immortal Tree
Was free to thee in innocence to eat,
And hadst thou eat it thou hadst been happy yet.”  155
The woman said, “The serpent did beguile
Me then to eat by his accursèd wile.”

God never asked the serpent wherefore he
Caused man to eat of the Forbidden Tree.
God knew ’twas out of malice and despite                  160
And therefore first on him the curse doth light:
“’Cause of thy malice — at thy subtle suit
Man now hath eaten the forbidden fruit —
Thou art cursed above living creatures all
On earth that live and walk, beasts and cattle.           165
Upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust
All the days of thy life still eat thou must;^[43]
And such great enmity I now will set
Betwixt thee and the woman, that will put
Such hatred twixt thy serpent’s seed and hers,           170
So that thy wicked brats shall move such stirs
And persecute the woman’s holy seed,
Hoping thereby to make their heart even bleed.
But this promised seed shall break thy head
And tread thee under his feet conqueréd;                    175
Yet thou shalt bruise his heel when he shall make
His soul an off’ring for his people’s sake.”^[44]
Oh Lord, thy mercies are exceeding high!
Thy goodness pitied us when we should die,
When poor deceivèd^[45] Adam’s soul to save,             180
Thy only son thou from thy bosom gave.
And then the Lord did lay a curse on woman
’Cause by her sin she brought the woe to man:
“I will thy sorrow greatly multiply,
Thy cónception shall bring thy sorrow nigh.^[46]         185
In sorrow thou shalt bear thy children all;
Oft-times they for a second sorrow call.
Great sorrow ’tis when children fall at strife,
And one bereaves another of his life.^[47]
And thy desire shall to thy husband be,                        190
And he shalt now be ruler over thee.”^[48]
And unto Adam then the Lord did say,
“Because that thou my voice didst disobey,
And thou hast hearkenèd unto the voice
Of this thy wife, who made so ill a choice,                  200
And thou hast eaten the fruit of this Tree
When not another was forbidden thee,
Now will I curse the earth, and for thy sake
The ground shall punishment with thee partake.
In sorrow thou the fruits of it shall eat,                        205
So long as thou dost live and wantest meat.
Now prickly thorns the earth to thee shall bring,
Nettles and thistles which thee sorely sting;
With labor great thou shalt thy living get
And shalt not eat thy bread without thy sweat          210
Till thou return unto the ground; for there
I took thee out — thither thou shalt retire —
For dust thou art and here shalt live in pain
Until to dust thou shalt return again.”^[49]

A threefold death by Adam’s woeful Fall                     215
Did seize on him and on his children all. [129]
Spiritual death, when souls are dead in sin
(This is the case that wicked men are in);
And from this death our sinful souls to save,
Upon the cross our Lord his life he gave                      220
That we being raised from sin might holy be,
That so in heaven our Savior we may see.
The second is our body’s death, when we
Into the earth return, then dust to be;
And of this death all Adam’s children shall                225
Sooner or later go when he doth call.
But the third death, when as the second’s past,
The soul and body both in chains holds fast
If from the death of sin we do not rise
Before our natural death doth close our eyes.             230
Our souls and bodies then in hell shall be
Dying this third death to eternity.

Then did the Lord make for them coats of skins^[50]
To hide their nakedness and show their sins.
Then see what cause there is for pride to be                235
In that that’s worse than nakedness to thee.^[51]
And that man might prepared be to die
Upon his back he wore death in his eye.
And the Lord God said, “Lest the man should put
His hand unto the Tree of Life for fruit                       240
And take and eat of this blessed Tree of Life
By whose virtue^[52] he should for ever live . . .”
Therefore the Lord did banish man that place^[53]
And made him till the ground where once he was.
That Paradise man might no more disgrace,               245
The cherubims^[54] the Lord God there did place.
And then a flaming sword with terror great
That no man of the Tree of Life might eat. [130]

Here I have seen man’s woeful misery,
And how by God he is condemned to die.                  250
Unto the Tree of Life he cannot go.
Is there no help, hope, nor comfort for man’s woe?
Yes, the dear Son of God was made a man
To seek and save and bring back^[55] fallen man.
Did man forbidden fruit i’th’^[56] garden eat,               255
Christ in the garden hath a bloody sweat;^[57]
Did Adam there from God first run away;
I’th’ garden Christ for man did fast and pray;^[58]
Adam the pleasant fruit of sin did eat;
Christ did drink vinegar — gall was his meat;^[59]      260
Man in his pride to be like God did think,
And Christ for man God’s cup of wrath did drink;
Man’s pride did think he was in too low place;
Christ for man suffered scorn and all disgrace;
Man did the covenant of works deface; ^[60]                  265
Christ seals with’s^[61] blood the covenant of grace;
Man did forsake his God by this his Fall;
Christ was forsaken by his God for all. [131]

The sins of man when he did undertake,
God’s justice to satisfy, atonement make,                    270
God poured his wrath on him and hid his face
Because our sins did cloud Christ’s glorious face.
“My God, my God, why hast forsaken me,
Now that my soul is in this misery?”
He said, “’Tis finished,” with his last breath;^[62]        275
Bowing his head he gave himself to death.
Thus by Christ’s death and resurrection he
Hath opened a door to man’s felicity.
And now through Christ we have a right to eat:
The Tree of Life shall be to us for meat.                      280
How are we now to render thanks and praise
Unto our gracious Savior all our days?
Let not our tongues only express the same,
But let our hearts and lives still praise thy name;
Let us be holy, and so purely live,                                   285
Our hearts and souls unto our Savior give;
And let us fly from our beloved sin,
Which will our Savior crucify again,
That as he hath redeemed and bought us, we
May walk in holiness till God we see.                           290
With angels and archangels then shall we
Sing halleluiahs to eternity.