"But after another manner, and of another matter, was the woman built—viz., with one of Adam's small bones, for as Adam lay asleep, God took away one of his ribs, and out of that made Eve. So much for the forming of the first man and woman by the literal text. Moses has likewise given us a large account of their first habitation. He says that God made them in a certain famous garden in the East, and gave it to them as a farm to cultivate and to inhabit, which garden was a most delightful place, watered with four several fountains or rivers, planted with trees of every kind.... Amongst the trees, in the midst of the garden, stood two more remarkable than the rest; one was called the tree of life, the other the tree of death, or of the knowledge of good and evil.... God, upon pain of death, prohibits Adam and Eve from tasting the fruit of this tree; but it happened that Eve sitting solitary under this tree, without her husband, there came to her a serpent or adder, which (though I know not by what means or power) civilly accosted the woman (if we may judge of the thing by the event) in these words, or to this purpose:— *
* We extract this portion not for its merits of buffoonery,
but to show the real state of mind which could actuate a
dignitary of the Church of England in writing it, as the
eighth chapter is by far the most philosophical, but we wish
to show Burnet's real sentiments.
"Serpent.—All hail, most fair one, what are you doing so solitary and serious under this shade?
"Eve.—I am contemplating the beauty of this tree.
"Serp.—'Tis truly an agreeable sight, but much pleasanter are the fruits thereof. Have you tasted them, my lady?
"Eve.—I have not, because God has forbidden us to eat of this tree.
"Serp.—What do I hear! What is that God that envies his creatures the innocent delights of nature? Nothing is sweeter, nothing more wholesome than this fruit: why, then, should he forbid it, unless in jest?
"Eve.—But he has forbid it us on pain of death.
"Serp.—Undoubtedly you mistake his meaning. This tree has nothing that would prove fatal to you, but rather something divine, and above the common order of nature.
"Eve.—I can give you no answer; but will go to my husband, and then do as he thinks fit.