(chap. iii. 8), without being "afraid." To their descendants it can only be a day of rest from mere worldly occupations, and one of earnest preparation for, and blessed aspiration after, that perfect rest which yet remaineth for the people of God. (Heb. iv. 9.)

Q. Verses 16, 17.-How can it be shown from Scripture that this prohibition was not a mere personal concern with Adam alone, but that it was a covenant made with him, on behalf of himself and all his posterity?

A. This may be shown from many passages of Scripture, but it may suffice to adduce the words of St. Paul only: "By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:" (Rom. v. 12): and, again, "By one man's disobedience many were made sinners;" (Rom. v. 19); and yet, again, "In Adam all die." (1 Cor. xv. 22.)

Q. What female duties may be deduced from the account of the woman's creation given in this chapter? A. Humility, submission, and obedience. "For the

man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.” (1 Cor. xi. 8, 9.) See also 1 Cor. xiv. 34; Eph. v. 22-24; Col. iii. 18; and concordant passages.

CHAPTER III.

Q. Verse 1.-What other passages of Scripture confirm this account of the serpent?

A. St. Paul thus refers to it: "I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ:" (2 Cor. xi. 3) a reference which may well convey to us a salutary caution against "holding the tradition of men," and thus

"making the word of God of none effect." (Mark vii. 8. 13, and context.) St. John, in the Apocalypse, speaks of the dragon which he saw in a vision, as "That old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world:" (Rev. xii. 9); and, again, he speaks of "the dragon which is that old serpent called the Devil and Satan." (Rev. xx. 2.)

Q. Verse 4.-Show the falsehood of the assertion here made by the serpent.

A. "Ye shall not surely die." The falsehood of this assertion may be proved; first, by a reference to chap. ii. 17, wherein God expressly declares, "Thou shalt surely die;" secondly, by a reference to the sentence which immediately followed the transgression: "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;" and, lastly, we may refer to the whole testimony of all human experience; in confirmation of that evidence which the Scriptures, in every part of them supply, that "the wages of sin is death." (Rom. vi. 23.)

Q. Trace the usual progress of temptation, in accordance with the particular example of it given in this chapter.

A. St. James tells us that "Every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed." (James i. 14.) The tempter takes advantage of some ungoverned desire of our hearts, to suggest a doubt of God's goodness, or truth, or wisdom, in withholding from us its gratification; and, if these doubts be not immediately resisted by a prayerful appeal to God Himself for help against the enemy, we are led on from hard thoughts of our merciful Father to absolutely false convictions concerning Him, and then the transition to wilful disobedience, becomes only too natural and easy.

Q. Trace the usual effects of sin in accordance with the example to be found in the case of our first pa

rents.

A. Shame and fear are the certain effects of sin, even before any of its external consequences may become manifest. Our knowledge of that which is good, makes us abashed by the practical knowledge of that which is evil. We feel that "all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do:" (Heb. iv. 13) we 66 cover ourselves with our own confusion as with a mantle," (Ps. cix. 29) and endeavour vainly to throw off the consciousness of a "certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries." (Heb. x. 27.) Nor is this all. The commission of one sin generally leads on to the commission of another; even as the disobedience of our first parents led them on to equivocation with God, and unjust recrimination toward each other.

Q. Verse 15.-Explain the prophecy contained in this verse, and say how it was fulfilled by our Blessed

Lord.

A. Our Lord Jesus Christ is here prophetically spoken of as "the seed of the woman," who should "bruise the serpent's head;" and accordingly, "when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son made of a woman," (Gal. iv. 4), "that he might destroy the works of the devil." (1 John iii. 8.) Throughout the whole of his ministry, our blessed Lord was constantly bruising the head of the serpent, by giving "knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins" and by giving "light to them that sit in darkness and the shadow of death." (Luke i. 77.79.) Especially was this prophecy fulfilled when our Blessed Lord in his human nature was assailed by the devil in the wilderness, and vanquished him by "the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;" (Eph. vi. 17) and more especially still when, "being found in fashion as a man," the Lord of life and glory "humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross," (Phil. ii. 8) "that through death he might destroy him that had the power of

death, that is, the devil: and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." (Heb. ii. 14, 15.) It is literally true that the natural habits of the serpent lead him to attack the heel of man, while man can only destroy him by bruising his head; and it is equally true in a spiritual sense, that throughout the whole course of our pilgrimage" that old serpent called the Devil and Satan," may and will continue to harass our steps, while if we resolutely resist his temptations, prayerfully abiding by the word of the Lord, we may, at any time, "bruise his head," as our Lord Himself did, when to every tempting solicitation He replied "It is written."

Q. What were the effects of the fall of our first parents, and what is the doctrine of our Church upon this subject?

A. "Death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression. For by one man's disobedience many were made sinners." (Rom. v. 14. 19, and context.) The doctrine of our Church upon this subject is contained in her ninth Article.

CHAPTER IV.

Q. Verses 3-5.-Can we by "comparing Scripture with Scripture" arrive at any satisfactory explanation of these verses?

A. We read in the preceding chapter, that "unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them," and although we dare not affirm any thing upon this subject which is not actually written, or in some way intimated to us in the word of God, yet we may infer from many passages both of the Old and the New Testament, that the skins here spoken of were those of beasts slain in sacrifice,

as a sin offering, immediately after the fall. We know that before the calling of Abraham such sacrifices were offered; of this the sacrifice of Abel himself and those of Noah sufficiently testify; and doubtless they were instituted as typical of Him who is emphatically styled by a direct revelation from heaven, "The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." (Rev. xiii. 8.) St. Paul, speaking of the sacrifices under the Jewish dispensation, reminds the Hebrews that "without shedding of blood is no remission;" (Heb. ix. 22) and in the two preceding verses he says, that "Moses sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry, saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you." Further on, in the same Epistle, the Apostle beautifully alludes to the Saviour as "the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, which speaketh better things than that of Abel.” (Heb. xii. 24.) This is a very remarkable expression, and seems to warrant the belief that "the blood of sprinkling" which flowed in the sacrifices offered by Abel, was typical of that precious blood of sprinkling which was afterwards "shed for many, for the remission of sins." (Matt. xxvi. 28.) We have thus sufficient grounds for believing that animal sacrifices, typical of the Messiah, were coeval with the first prophecy concerning Him, and that they were instituted by God Himself. that case Cain must have known as clearly as St. Paul did, that "without shedding of blood is no remission;" and, consequently, his offering of the fruit of the ground," was a contumacious act of unbelief, to which God, consistently with his own sovereignty and holiness, could have "no respect."

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Q. Verses 6, 7.-Explain these verses by referring to the margin and to other portions of Scripture.

A. The Lord here condescends to reason with Cain in the most gracious and encouraging manner. Already had He both prophetically and typically revealed to his fallen creatures, a way by which "he might be