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SERMON X.

THE FALL, PUNISHMENT, AND RESTORATION OF MAN.

GENESIS iii. 4.

The Serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die.

I HAVE selected the scriptural account of the fall of man for our present consideration, not only because it affords us the best explanation of the origin of evil among mankind; but because it describes to us the manner in which that evil is still continued, and the mode by which alone it can be

overcome.

As my object is usefulness, rather than speculation, I shall not enter into the question respecting the Tempter, which is here represented as conversing with the woman, further than to observe, that there is nothing whatever inconsistent with the most sober conclusions of human reason, in that doctrine which is undoubtedly revealed in Scripture ;-namely, that the first sin which was committed by man, was occasioned by the influence of an evil, and powerful spirit, which had

fallen from its allegiance to God. It is certain that there may be other rational and accountable beings, higher in the scale of being than man— some of whom may be good, and some evil; and who may be permitted, by the dispensations of the Almighty, to have some mysterious influence over the human mind. We know nothing clearly respecting the spiritual world; and the body must return to the ground, and the soul must return to the God who gave it, before we can understand it -but, as God, who is invisible, can act upon our souls, which are invisible; so also may other invisible agents influence the same soul,-and there is no greater unreasonableness in believing this to have been the case at the beginning; than in believing the facts which our experience and observation daily place before us-that men are still led away by the false arguments, the undue influence, and the corrupt example, of their fellow men.

Omitting then all speculations, which rather please the fancy, than profit the heart, we will confine our attention to the simple narrative of Scripture, and consider, in their order, the temptation and the fall of man—the punishment which was threatened, and which has been inflicted-and, lastly, the remedy which the mercy of God has discovered, both for sin and misery. The subject will thus lead us to survey the whole system of redemption; and I trust that the reflections which arise from it, will tend, under God's blessing, to our permanent improvement.

Our first consideration is to be, the temptation and the fall.

It might have been supposed that there could have been no temptation sufficiently powerful to have induced our first parents to have fallen away from God. Placed in a Paradise,-in the garden of Eden, every tree which grew around them was either pleasant to the eye, or good for food. That one, of which they were forbidden to eat, is described in the same language as the rest. It was not more pleasant to the eye, nor better for food, than the others: neither would they have been prohibited from taking of this tree, if the trial of their obedience had not been essential to their more perfect happiness. I mention this, because the question has been sometimes asked, and that too with an air of triumph-for what purpose were our first parents exposed to temptation? Why were they placed in a state of trial at all? For this reason: because the greatest happiness to which a rational being can attain, is that which arises from obedience to the law of God. Angels are higher in the universe than men-they are obedient to the law of God, and therefore they are happy. The animals of the field are lower than man -they are incapable of yielding voluntary obedience to any law of God, and therefore they are not accountable, and they cannot attain to the same lofty degree of happiness, which the Almighty confers on angels, and on men. If therefore our first parents, and their descendants, had been

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placed on the earth without any trial of their obedience if they had been without control, and without discipline, they must have been degraded from their rank to the level of the inferior animals, whose ignoble nature is unfitted for immortality and heaven. Thus was man created free from sin, though in a state of trial: possessing the friendship of the Almighty-the lord of the visible creation-pure, holy, and innocent-his affections so uncorrupt his happiness so perfect, that if there were no other evidence of the existence of evil spirits, but the temptation and the fall of man, these alone would be sufficient; for none but an evil spirit could have seduced from their obedience to God, beings so happy, and so blessed.-When the opportunity for the temptation presented itself, the evil spirit directed the attention of the woman to the forbidden fruit, and induced her to transgress the law of the Almighty, by the very same mode of reasoning which is still adopted by all the children of Adam, when they would justify to themselves the violation of the commandment of God. He begins by professing to doubt the truth and certainty of the prohibition. Hath God said, ye shall not eat? He well knew, and our first parents well knew, that the command of the Almighty was positive-Ye shall not eat of the fruit of the tree in the midst of the garden, neither shall ye touch it, lesi ye die: and the first answer which was made to the tempter, on the part of Eve, declared her knowledge of the law, and her belief in its autho

rity. Then it was that the further doubt was infused, Ye shall not surely die; that is, "Ye shall not certainly die. It is impossible that God should "condemn the creatures He has made. The Al

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mighty has implanted within you the desire of "food; do you imagine He will destroy you because you gratify that desire? Indulge the wish of your "heart, and be at peace. God is too merciful to punish his creatures. Even if He be offended with your transgression of his laws, He will certainly forgive the offence, when He remembers the weak"ness of human nature, Ye shall not surely die." Such was the false reasoning by which the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, and such is the reasoning which prevails with her children at present. Men do not sin from ignorance of the commands of God, but because they endeavour, by bad arguments, to reconcile the wickedness which they would commit, with the knowledge which they possess. Who has not known within himself reasonings of this nature? When the sinful man would make his companion more wicked than himself; or when the profligate man would stifle the convictions of his conscience, and defy the wrath of a righteous God, and the terrors of the judgment to come; when the guilty man would drown remorse; or even when the dying sinner would meet death without repentance, and without prayer, the uniform language of the heart among all such persons, is, "I shall not surely die. God is too "merciful to punish-though He has said it, He

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