33. What person of sound mind is there who cannot see, that, by those things which are related of Adam are not meant any states of the first formed man, but states of the church? As, for example, that God placed two trees in the midst of the garden, from the eating of one of which man had eternal life, and from the other of which he had eternal death; and that He made the latter "good for food, pleasant to the eyes, and to be desired for giving understanding" (Gen. 3:6), thus as if it were to fascinate their souls; also, that He admitted the serpent, and permitted it to speak deceitful words to the woman in the presence of her husband who was the image and likeness of God, and suffered them to be ensnared by its flatteries and craft; as also why He did not provide, because He foresaw that they, and the whole human race from them, should not fall into the damnation of his curse; for we read in the orthodox books of Christians:
That, in consequence of this original sin, "in place of the lost image of God, there is in man a most inward, most wicked, most profound, inscrutable, ineffable corruption of his whole nature, and of all his powers," and that it is the root of all actual evils (Formula Concordiae, p. 640);
and that God the Father averted that universal damnation from His face, and sent His Son into the world, who might take it on Himself, and thus appease Him; besides many other things which are inconsistent with God in the sight of everyone. [2] Who, from the particulars above-mentioned, understood in their historical sense, would not with reason conclude, to use comparisons, that it would be like a person who gives his dependent a most fruitful field, and in it digs a pit, which he covers over with boards that fall inwards at the touch of a hand or foot; and, in the midst, places upon a stand a harlot clothed in purple and scarlet, holding in her hand a golden cup (like her in Revelation, 17:4), who, by her blandishments allures the man to herself, and so brings it to pass that he falls into the pit and is drowned? Would it not, indeed, be like one who gives a present to his friend of a luxuriant field of grain, and in the midst thereof conceals snares, and sends out a siren who, with the allurement of song and of a sweet voice, entices him to that place, and causes him to be entangled in the snare, from which he is unable to extricate his foot? Yea, to use a further comparison, it would be like a person who should introduce a noble guest into his house in which there are two dining rooms, and tables in each of them, at one of which are seated angels, and at the other evil spirits, on which latter table are cups of sweet but poisoned wine, and dishes on which are preparations of food containing aconite; and who should permit the evil spirits there to represent the revels of Bacchus, and the antics of buffoons, and entice them to those goblets and banquets. [3] But, my friend, the things related of Adam, of the garden of God, and of the two trees therein, appear under quite a different aspect when spiritually comprehended, that is, unfolded by the spiritual sense; then it is clearly seen that, by "Adam," as a type, is meant the most ancient church; and the successive states of that church are described by the vicissitudes of his life. For a church in the beginning is like a man created anew, who has a natural and a spiritual mind, and by degrees from spiritual becomes natural, and at length sensual, who believes nothing but what the senses of the body dictate. And such a man appears in heaven like a person sitting on a beast which turns its head back, and with its teeth bites, tears, and mangles the man sitting upon it. But the truly spiritual man appears in heaven also like a person sitting on a beast, but on a gentle one, which he governs with a gentle rein and also with a nod.
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