Annotations.
Vers. SE••••int:] named in English, of creeping on [unspec] the earth; but in Hebrew, nachash, of sub∣till observation, searching, & finding out by experience, Gen. 30. 27. and 44. 5. The greater serpents are called dragons: and nachash is sometimes turned in Greeke a dragon: Iob 26. 13. Amos 9. 3. and for it in Hebrew, is put Tannin, a dragon, Exod. 7. 10. with 4. 3. And in the new Testament, the same thing is called both a dragon; and a serpent, Rev. 20. 2. subtill▪] that is, prudent and crafty: pru∣dent to save and helpe it selfe, whereupon it is said, be prudent as serpents, Mat. 10. 16. crafty, to deceive others, as Paul saith, the serpent by his craftinesse be∣guiled Eve, 2 Cor. 11. 3. by which two words, the Scriptures doe expresse the Hebrew here used: which often is taken in the good part, opposed to simplicity and folly, Prov. 1. 4. and 8. 5. and 14. 15. 18. and 22. 3. more than:] the word more is u∣sually omitted in the Hebrew, as easie to be under∣stood: yet sometimes is expressed, as in Est. 6. 6. And the holy Ghost setteth it downe in Greeke, when it wanteth in Hebrew, as in Gal. 4. 27. from Esay 54. 1. many are the children of the desolate, more than of the maried: in Esay 54. 1. the word more is not written. So the Greeke version in this place ad∣deth it: though sometime the Greeke also wan∣teth it, as Gen. 38. 26. Luke 18. 14. He sayd:] Whereas beasts are knowne in nature to be speech∣lesse (and the Scripture confirmeth it, 2 Pet. 2. 16) because they want reason or understanding, Psal. 32. 9. Iud. v. 10. Moses under the name of the ser∣pents speaking, closely meaneth Satan, who opened the serpents mouth, and caused it to speake with mans voice, as the Lord by an Angell opened the mouth of Balaams Asse, Num. 22. 22. 28. 2 Peter 2. 16. And so the Hebrew Doctors write, that the uncleane spirit Sammael (the devill) was united with the serpent: R. Menachem on Gen. 3. And, as a man possessed with an evill spirit, all the workes that he doth, and all the words that he speaketh, are not but by the reason of the evill spirit that is in him: so the ser∣pent, all the workes that he did, and all the words that he spake, he spake not, neither did, but by the reason of the Devill, Pirke R. Eliezer, chap. 13. The Angels (of whose creation we spake before, on Gen. 2. 1.) be∣ing spirits, and a flaming fire, Psal. 104. 4. excellent in wisedome, and mighty in strength, 2 Sam. 14. 20 Psal. 103. 20. they many of them, (having one for principall,) did sinne against God, Mar. 5. 9. Mat. 25. 41. 2 Pet. 2. 4. by not abiding in the truth, nor keeping their first estate, but leaving their owne habita∣tion, Iohn 8. 44. Iude 6. and are now still called, of their cunning and knowledge, Daemons, Mar. 5. 12. of their mighty strength, principalities and powers, Col. 2. 15. of their calumniation and enmity to God and his creatures, they are named the malicious, the Devill, and Satan, 1 Iohn 2. 13. 1 Pet. 5. 8. Mat. 4. 8. 10. And the Devill speaking by this Serpent, is therefore called the great dragon, that old Serpent, which deceiveth all the world, Rev. 12. 9. And as him-selfe stood not in the truth, but sinned from the be∣ginning, 1 Ioh. 3. 8. so soone upon mans creation he overthrew him; and is therefore said to be a man∣killer from the beginning, Ioh. 8. 44. And mans fall and miserie, is here immediately joined to his crea∣tion, and seating in Paradise. Also the Hebrew Doctors hold; that nothing here mentioned was done after the sixe dayes of the creation: all our wisemen doe agree, that this whole matter was done the sixt day, saith Maimony, in Moreh. Nebuchim, chel. 2. per. 30. the woman:] the weaker vessell, 1 Pet. 3. 7. whom Satan thought the more easily to de∣ceive, and so did: as Paul observeth, Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, was in the transgression, 1 Timoth. 2. 14. 2 Corinth. 11. 3. So the Serpent set upon Christ, in his hunger and infirmity, Matthew. 4. 2. 3. Yea:] or, Moreover: it is a word proceeding from an earnest mind; and usually it is an addition to something spoken before. So it is likely the