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Secondly; That the soul was created holy, but apostatized in a pre-existent state.

Of the first, it is sufficient to say, that it is contrary, not to truth only, but to possibility: since it is clearly impossible that any being, except a thinking, voluntary one, should be the subject of

either virtue or sin.

On the second, it is to be observed, that all the difficulties attend it, which attend the supposition of an apostacy, in the present state. The difficulty does not at all lie in the fact, that man apostatized here, but, in the fact, that he apostatized at all. Of course, whether we suppose the apostacy to have taken place in this world, or in another, the difficulties involved in it, still remain possessed of their full strength, and without being, in the least degree, obviated.

Besides, that man did pre-exist, is a mere assumption, of which, there is not a shadow of evidence; and against which, even the light of nature furnishes strong probability.

2dly. In this story, we see the amazing evil of sin, manifested in the conduct of the Tempter.

What a disposition was that, which was exhibited, in the seduction of our first parents from their obedience! From what a state of innocence and happiness, did it plunge them and their posterity! At the same time, no personal resentment operated, no revenge burned in his breast against them; for between him and them, there had never been a controversy, nor even a connexion. They were ignorant that such a being as himself existed, and had never done, nor wished him, any evil whatever.

But he envied, he hated their virtue, their happiness, and their prospects. Under the influence of these infernal feelings, he laboured to destroy them, and a world with them; and voluntarily entailed on countless millions of Intelligent beings, sin, and wrath, and ruin. How vast, how wonderful, how dreadful, is this malice! How hateful is he in whom it resided! Such is the true nature of all Sin. In degree, it may differ: in kind, it is the same.

Let it be here remembered, that every Tempter is employed, substantially, in the same manner. Every Tempter, in seducing a fellow-creature, is influenced by sin; and tempts to sin. The person tempted is induced to disobey God; to become guilty and odious; to incur his anger; and to expose himself to the miseries of the second death. What a dreadful employment is this! Yet how common! how evidently universal! No language seems sufficiently forcible to describe the turpitude of a murderer, or a traiBut how guiltless does the murder of the body seem, when compared with the murder of the soul! What treachery can be named with that, which cheats an immortal being out of heaven, and deceives him into hell?

tor.

Nor is the mode, in which temptations are usually conducted, any other, than that recited in the text. In every temptation, the VOL. I.

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truth of God is denied; his wisdom or goodness questioned; his conduct exhibited as strange, and his commands as unreasonable. Obedience is always represented as exposed to disadvantages; and sin, as the true road to real and exquisite enjoyment. Jealousy is thus naturally kindled; discontent excited; and the man induced to repine at his lot, to murmur, in thought at least, against his Maker, and to covet and seek forbidden enjoyments.

In the mean time, the soul is flattered perpetually with the hope of safety in sin; is taught to expect exemption from punishment; and is boldly informed, that it shall not surely die. Thousands and millions of times has this story been told; and repeated through every age, from the apostacy to the present hour. Thousands and millions, also, of foolish and unhappy wretches, listen to the tale, because it is loved; and receive it on a tenth part of the evidence, which they would demand, to enforce on their minds a single truth, or a single duty or rather, they receive it first; and wait for the evidence till some future time. Eve is often censured for yielding to a tempter, of finished cunning. How many of her descendants yield to fools and blockheads, to gross and blundering solicitations; unfurnished with even a plausible pretence, or that miserable consolation to sinners, an apology for the compliance! Let no one cast the first stone at our common Parent, who is not conscious that he himself has not sinned in the same manner. 3dly. We learn from this story, that the only time of successful resistance to temptation, is the moment, when it is presented.

I have already remarked, that had our first parents promptly refused to listen, they would, in all probability, have escaped the snare. What is true of them, is true of all their posterity. The very act of deliberating, results from want of sufficient faith in GOD, and sufficient firmness in our duty. In our deliberations, also, we are exposed to many dangers. We are ignorant, yet believe ourselves knowing; foolish, yet are vain of our wisdom; weak, yet are always ready to confide in our strength. Hence we form false conclusions from miserable premises: yet we think both the premises and conclusions sound, because they are devised by such sagacious beings, as ourselves. In our love to sin, we have an enemy within us, of whose presence, or even existence, we are usually not aware, ever ready to aid the assaults of the enemy without. From our ignorance, we are casily perplexed; from our vanity, easily flattered; and from both, easily overcome. Of our perplexity, every tempter takes advantage, while he covers the hook with a bait for our vanity. The more we reason, the more we plunge ourselves into difficulties; and the less hope do we find of an escape. The longer the assault continues, the more feeble, embarrassed, and irresolute do we become; and the more bold, powerful, and assured, our seducer: till, at length, that resolution and understanding, which at first would have gained an easy and ertain victory, become an unresisting prey. Resist then the De

vil, resist every tempter, at first; at the moment of solicitation; and he will flee from you.

4thly. We are also taught by this passage of Scripture, that the ultimate safety of mankind, when they are tempted, lies in GOD only.

Had Eve sought the protection of GOD, when she was assailed by the Adversary; she had never fallen. Had she remembered the character of GOD; she had never believed the declarations of the Tempter. Had she admitted no jealousy, no suspicion, of the divine Wisdom and goodness; she had, in all probability, kept her happy state.

The same dangers attend all her descendants. If we wish to overcome, or escape, temptations; it is indispensable, that we remember the presence, and acknowledge the character, of God; that we distrust in no degree his sincerity or kindness; and that we go directly to him for the succour, which we need. The closing petition in the prayer, taught by Christ to his disciples, is, Lead us not into temptation: but deliver us from evil: that is, Suffer us not to be led into temptation; but, should this danger betide us at any time, deliver us from the evil to which we shall be then exposed. Of six petitions only, of which this prayer consists; a prayer taught by him, who knew all the dangers and necessities of man; this is one. So necessary did he determine this assistance and guardianship to be; and so necessary our continual prayer, that it might be afforded.

In the first temptation, we see the doctrine strongly illustrated. Here no prayer ascended for aid. Here, therefore, no aid was given; and here, left to themselves, the miserable victims were of course destroyed. Let us, then, learn wisdom, both from their example and their end. Let us avoid the one, that we may escape the other. For protection from tempters, and temptations, both within us and without us, let our prayers unceasingly rise with fervent repetition. Especially, when the Serpent approaches, when the charm is about to begin; and when his mouth is ready to open and swallow us up, let our cries for help ascend to Heaven; that He, who is swift to hear, and always prepared to pity and relieve, may mercifully extend his arm, and snatch us from the jaws of destruction.

SERMON XXVIII.

PROVIDENCE. THE SENTENCE PRONOUNCED ON MAN.

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GENESIS iii. 14-19-And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and abore every beast of the field: upes thy belly shalt thou go; and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life. And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception in sorrow thou shall bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it; cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life: Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken : for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

IN my last discourse, I considered at length the temptation of our first parents, and their consequent fall from holiness, and from the favour of God. The next subject, which, in a system of theology, invites our attention, is the sentence which followed their transgression.

This sentence is contained in the Text, and naturally divides itself, for our consideration, into three parts:

I. The Sentence pronounced on the Tempter:

II. That pronounced on the Woman: and,
III. That pronounced on the Man.

The order, in which this subject is exhibited to us, is the same which existed in the Temptation itself, and in the transgression also. The Serpent first sinned in tempting the Woman; the Woman sinned next, in yielding to his solicitations, and eating the forbidden fruit; and the Man last, in yielding to the solicitations of the Woman.

On the sentence, as here pronounced, it will be proper to remark, generally, that it is not a mere repetition of the words of the Law. Nor is it to be considered, as in fact involving the whole of the sentence, contained in the law. That sentence seems to have been left by God as it was originally denounced; and nothing more to have been now intended as a threatening, except to disclose to our first parents various evils, attendant on the state of guilt and degradation, to which they had reduced themselves, and to remind them of the mortal condition, in which they were now finally fixed. On the Serpent, indeed, a sentence new, and before undisclosed, was declared. The evils, which he was to suffer in consequence of this sin, were announced: while in the same

threatening was included, also a promise of great and singular benefits to those, whom he had most wickedly seduced.

The original threatening of the Law, or Covenant, under which our first parents were placed, involved all the evils, which they and their posterity were ever to suffer. The sentence, now passed on the transgressors, unfolded, particularly, several distresses, which they were hereafter to experience under this original threatening; and, at the same time, furnished them with consolations of high importance.

1. The Sentence, passed on the Serpent, claims a two-fold consideration in its literal meaning, and in its principal meaning.

In the literal meaning of this denunciation, the Serpent is cursed beyond all other beasts, is doomed to creep on the ground, and to eat dust all the days of his life. Perpetual war, it is declared, shall exist between his seed and that of the Woman; in which he shall bruise the heel of his adversary; while his adversary shall bruise his head.

This, which I have chosen to call the literal meaning of the sentence, is, I acknowledge, rather an application of it to the literal serpent. The language, in which it is explained, is, I think, plainly figurative; and involves, generally, a state of peculiar degradation and suffering. It has been supposed, and I apprehend justly, that the original condition of the Serpent, as an animal, was superior and distinguished. Ancient opinions considered the serpent as winged, beautiful and privileged, above other animals. If these opinions be allowed to be just; it will be easily seen, that the degradation was remarkable, and altogether calculated to convince our first parents of the miserable tendency and influence of transgression. In every view, the condition specified, is a condition deeply degraded, and suited, obviously, to show the proper effect of sin on all the instruments, by which it was accomplished. Whatever the serpent lost, as well as whatever he suffered, was an infliction, properly evincing the hatred of God to every thing, concerned in the seduction of mankind; and to show to their progenitors, in immediate consequence, both the evil of which they had been guilty, and the certainty of their future punishment.

The enmity, which was announced, and which has existed between the seed of the woman generally, that is, mankind, and the seed of the Serpent, has been a source of innumerable evils to the Serpent. Animals of this kind have ever been peculiarly hated and hunted, peculiarly attacked and destroyed, from the beginning. Even the harmless ones do not escape. A war of extermination has plainly been declared against them, and carried on through all generations with unrelaxing and unceasing animosity. In consequence of this hostility, millions of them have probably perished, which otherwise might have continued through the date, allotted by Providence to their being. In the mean time, not a small number of the human race have fallen victims to the enmity of these

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