CHAPTER XIV.

MAN'S PRIMEVAL STATE.

As man was created a free, moral agent, it is not only true that he was capable of being governed by a moral law, but such a law resulted necessarily from his relation to his Creator. It was his duty as it was his delight, to exercise love and every holy affection toward that Being who possesses every perfection. Although man was perfect in holiness, being created in the image of God, yet he was mutable, as being a creature; for immutability properly belongs to God only. All accountable creatures are, therefore, from their very condition, in a state of probation, that is, they are made subject to a law which they are required to obey, but which, in the exercise of their freedom, they may disobey. It cannot be doubted that man was endowed with full power to comply with all the divine requisitions. The law demanded nothing but the faithful exercise of those powers and affections which belong to human nature. The sum of all obedience was to love the Lord his God with all his heart. This was not only easy to an uncorrupted nature, but his highest happiness was connected with it. Man's probation would have continued without limit, unless God, in great condescension and kindness, had been pleased to enter into covenant with him.

The word "covenant" is to be understood in a much more general and comprehensive sense, than the common import of the English term covenant. It is a

solemn transaction in which God appoints and establishes certain conditions on which man might become partaker of eternal life in heaven, secure from all danger of forfeiting his interest in the favour of God. And as it pleased God that the human kind should come into the world in connexion with the first man, and should proceed from him as his children, it seemed good to infinite wisdom to make him the federal head and representative of all his posterity; so that upon his rendering perfect obedience to the commandments of God, for a certain limited period, eternal life would be secured to himself and to all his natural descendants; and on the other hand, if he transgressed the law given to him, his sin should be considered as the sin of the whole race; or, in other words, should be so imputed to them, as that they should be brought into existence in the same moral condition into which he should fall, and be subject to the same penalties. And in order that there might be a clear and decisive test of the obedience or disobedience of man, under this covenant of works, a particular tree was selected, called on account of its use, "the tree of knowledge of good and evil." Although the fruit of this tree was good for food, and pleasant to the eyes, yet our first parents were forbidden to eat of it, or even to touch it; and thus it became a precise test of obedience or disobedience.

There was also another sacramental tree, called "the tree of life," the fruit of which was to be used to prevent all disease or tendency to death; or, more probably, to be a sign and seal of eternal life to our first parents, when their period of probation should be ended, provided they continued in obedience.

Man, when created out of the dust of the earth, was

inspired with a rational and immortal soul, and placed in a pleasant garden, planted with every kind of trees, bearing nutritious fruits; the temperature of which was so mild that no covering for the human body was needed. As he was without experience, all knowledge necessary for the preservation of life and the performance of duty was given to him, and among these gifts was that of speech, without which there could have been no easy interchange of sentiments, nor any considerable progress in knowledge. Man was also made lord of the creation; for God said to his newly formed creature, "Have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth on the earth." And in this respect, also, man was the image of his Creator. It was, therefore, left to Adam to give names to every beast of the field and fowl of the air; and for this purpose they were made to pass before him, "and whatever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof."

It would seem from the tenor of the sacred history, that God conversed freely with his creature man, while he remained in Paradise, either by the ministry of holy angels; or, more probably, by his Son, assuming by anticipation the appearance of man. But, on points where the Sacred Scriptures do not speak decisively, it is our wisdom to be silent.

Here we may contemplate the interesting condition of our first parents. They were holy and happy, and had nothing to fear but sin; yet, considering the natural weakness of creatures, their situation was most critical, and the everlasting interests of unnumbered millions were suspended on the fallible will of our first parents. And soon, alas! all was lost!

Upon a survey of the condition in which man was placed, when created, there are two reflections which force themselves on our minds.

1. The goodness of God to the first man and to the race. Man was indeed fearfully and wonderfully made, as to the structure and constitution of his body, and, also, as to the intellectual endowments of his mind, being enriched with the noble faculties of reason, memory, and imagination. But, above all, the goodness of the Creator is manifest in stamping upon the soul of man his own moral image, and in communicating to him all that knowledge which was requisite for the performance of duty and the enjoyment of happiness. This goodness was also conspicuous in the external provision made for the supply of all his wants, and the gratification of all his innocent desires.

2. Comparing the condition of Adam in innocence with that of man now, we may form some idea of the greatness of our loss. A withering curse has fallen upon the ground itself, man has lost his perfection of life and health, and has forfeited his immortality. But the heaviest part of the curse has lighted on his moral powers. The image of God, which was his beauty and dignity, has been effaced. Corruption and disorder have ensued; and, in the place of happiness, misery, in its multiform kinds, has seized upon him. Alas! the crown has fallen from his head, and the most fine gold has become dim!

CHAPTER XV.

LAW OF GOD.

FROM the relation which a rational creature sustains to his Creator, arises an obligation to perfect obedience. The right of the Author of our being to what he has made out of nothing, is the completest right of which we can form a conception. And, as God is infinitely excellent and glorious in his own nature, it is reasonable that he should require the supreme love of the rational creature. If we had any thing better than our love and gratitude to give, in return for what we have received from our Creator and Preserver, we should be under obligation to render the best which we possibly could; but since pure love is the best offering of which we are capable, God requires that. But when perfect obedience is rendered, we do not repay our debt; this never can be done. When we have done all, we have only performed our duty, and as it relates to God, are "unprofitable servants." When man was created, he was endowed with the necessary knowledge of God, and his disposition was conformable to his law, which was written on his heart. But when man sinned, the image of God, as far as it consisted in moral likeness, was lost; but some knowledge of duty, and feeling of moral obligation remained. This, however, through ignorance and negligence, was soon so obscured, that except in regard to a few great enormities, men have generally lost sight of