The Christian Sabbath defended against a crying evil in these times of the antisabitarians…

Secondly why might they not have tasted of the fruits of other Trees, without any necessity of nature urging them, and yet without any luxury at all, but only to acquaint themselves with the condition of those good Creatures which God had provided for them? Yet again considering that this experience made to no other end, should so sensibly have brought home unto them the goodness of God, in that state of holiness and integrity, that it would have exceedingly confirmed them in their obedience to God, and made the motion of the Serpent at first hearing distasteful, and to choose to be like unto God in obedience, and thereby in conformity to his holy will, then in forbidden knowledge. And besides, the tasting of all so soon, can hardly be justified from Luxury or wast: therefore I rest in my first answer. Pererius his next reason carieth a great deal of show, but in substance less forcible. Certainly the making of the beasts of the Earth, and of man, might be done in as short a time as it ⟨p. 51⟩pleased God to have it; especially considering the opinion of some ancients, that all things were made together, and that in a short space; so mans placing in Paradise, and the beasts brought unto him by God, might be soon dispatched: and surely Adams naming of them cost him no study; and undoubtedly all this was done before the creating of Eve; so that all this might be done before noon, and space enough allowed for the Devils conference with Eve, and his seducing her, and her seducing Adam. The making of them aprons to hide their nakedness carieth the greatest show of requiring longer time; but he who wanted not wit to name the beasts so congruously to their natures, wanted not understanding to cover themselves with fig-leaves. As for the Doctors alleged by him for his opinion; I do not find that any of them is express, or by consequent direct for that, whereunto they are alleged; but the inferences made from their words are merely conjectural. For when he writes, that Joseph in the first book of his antiquities; and Basil in his Homily of Paradise; and Damascene in his second book of orthodox faith and 10. Chapter. seem to be of this opinion;

Secondly why might they not have tasted of the fruites of other Trees, without any necessity of nature urging them, and yet without any luxury at all, but only to acquaint themselves with the condition of those good Creatures which God had provided for them? Yet again considering that this experience made to no other end, should so sensibly have brought home unto them the goodnesse of God, in that state of holinesse and integrity, that it would have exceedingly confirmed them in their obedience to God, and made the motion of the Serpent at first hearing distastfull, and to choose to be like unto God in obedience, and thereby in conformity to his holy will, then in forbidden knowledge. And besides, the tasting of all so soone, can hardly be justified from Luxury or wast: therefore I rest in my first answer. Pererius his next reason caryeth a great deale of shew, but in substance lesse forcible. Certainly the making of the beasts of the Earth, and of man, might be done in as short a time as it