patriarchs and prophets-第13章

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endeavored　to　establish　in　heaven；　in　rejecting　the　authority　of　Christ　and
casting　aside　the　law　of　God。　In　those　high…handed　sinners　of　the
antediluvian　world　they　saw　the　subjects　over　whom　Satan　held　sway。　The
thoughts　of　men's　hearts　were　only　evil　continually。　Genesis　6：5。　Every
emotion；　every　impulse　and　imagination；　was　at　war　with　the　divine
principles　of　purity　and　peace　and　love。　It　was　an　example　of　the　awful
depravity　resulting　from　Satan's　policy　to　remove　from　God's　creatures　the
restraint　of　His　holy　law。

By　the　facts　unfolded　in　the　progress　of　the　great　controversy；　God　will
demonstrate　the　principles　of　His　rules　of　government；　which　have　been
falsified　by　Satan　and　by　all　whom　he　has　deceived。　His　justice　will　finally
be　acknowledged　by　the　whole　world；　though　the　acknowledgment　will　be　made
too　late　to　save　the　rebellious。　God　carries　with　Him　the　sympathy　and
approval　of　the　whole　universe　as　step　by　step　His　great　plan　advances　to
its　complete　fulfillment。　He　will　carry　it　with　Him　in　the　final　eradication
of　rebellion。　It　will　be　seen　that　all　who　have　forsaken　the　divine　precepts
have　placed　themselves　on　the　side　of　Satan；　in　warfare　against　Christ。　When
the　prince　of　this　world　shall　be　judged；　and　all　who　have　united　with　him
shall　share　his　fate；　the　whole　universe　as　witnesses　to　the　sentence　will
declare；　〃Just　and　true　are　Thy　ways；　Thou　King　of　saints。〃　Revelation　15：3。





（80）

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　6

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Seth　and　Enoch


To　Adam　was　given　another　son；　to　be　the　inheritor　of　the　divine　promise；
the　heir　of　the　spiritual　birthright。　The　name　Seth；　given　to　this　son；
signified　〃appointed；〃　or　〃compensation；〃　〃for；〃　said　the　mother；　〃God　hath
appointed　me　another　seed　instead　of　Abel；　whom　Cain　slew。〃　Seth　was　of　more
noble　stature　than　Cain　or　Abel；　and　resembled　Adam　more　closely　than　did
his　other　sons。　He　was　a　worthy　character；　following　in　the　steps　of　Abel。
Yet　he　inherited　no　more　natural　goodness　than　did　Cain。　Concerning　the
creation　of　Adam　it　is　said；　〃In　the　likeness　of　God　made　He　him；〃　but　man；
after　the　Fall；　〃begat　a　son　in　his　own　likeness；　after　his　image。〃　While
Adam　was　created　sinless；　in　the　likeness　of　God；　Seth；　like　Cain；　inherited
the　fallen　nature　of　his　parents。　But　he　received　also　the　knowledge　of　the
Redeemer　and　instruction　in　righteousness。　By　divine　grace　he　served　and
honored　God；　and　he　labored；　as　Abel　would　have　done；　had　he　lived；　to　turn
the　minds　of　sinful　men　to　revere　and　obey　their　Creator。

〃To　Seth；　to　him　also　there　was　born　a　son；　and　he　called　his　name　Enos：
then　began　men　to　call　upon　the　name　of　Jehovah。〃　The　faithful　had　worshiped
God　before；　but　as　men　increased；　the　distinction　between　the　two　classes
became　more　marked。　There　was　an　open　profession　of　loyalty　to　God　on　the
part　of　one；　as　there　was　of　contempt　and　disobedience　on　the　part　of　the
other。

Before　the　Fall　our　first　parents　had　kept　the　Sabbath；　which　was　instituted
in　Eden；　and　after　their　expulsion　from　Paradise　they　continued　its
observance。　They　had　tasted　the　bitter　fruits　of　disobedience；　and　had
learned　what　every　one　that　tramples　upon　God's　commandments　will　sooner　or
later　learnthat　the　divine　precepts　are　sacred　and　immutable；　and　that　the
penalty　of　transgression　will　surely　be　inflicted。　The　Sabbath　was　honored
by

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　81

all　the　children　of　Adam　that　remained　loyal　to　God。　But　Cain　and　his
descendants　did　not　respect　the　day　upon　which　God　had　rested。　They　chose
their　own　time　for　labor　and　for　rest；　regardless　of　Jehovah's　express
command。

Upon　receiving　the　curse　of　God；　Cain　had　withdrawn　from　his　father's
household。　He　had　first　chosen　his　occupation　as　a　tiller　of　the　soil；　and
he　now　founded　a　city；　calling　it　after　the　name　of　his　eldest　son。　He　had
gone　out　from　the　presence　of　the　Lord；　cast　away　the　promise　of　the
restored　Eden；　to　seek　his　possessions　and　enjoyment　in　the　earth　under　the
curse　of　sin；　thus　standing　at　the　head　of　that　great　class　of　men　who
worship　the　god　of　this　world。　In　that　which　pertains　to　mere　earthly　and
material　progress；　his　descendants　became　distinguished。　But　they　were
regardless　of　God；　and　in　opposition　to　His　purposes　for　man。　To　the　crime
of　murder；　in　which　Cain　had　led　the　way；　Lamech；　the　fifth　in　descent；
added　polygamy；　and；　boastfully　defiant；　he　acknowledged　God；　only　to　draw
from　the　avenging　of　Cain　an　assurance　of　his　own　safety。　Abel　had　led　a
pastoral　life；　dwelling　in　tents　or　booths；　and　the　descendants　of　Seth
followed　the　same　course；　counting　themselves　〃strangers　and　pilgrims　on　the
earth；〃　seeking　〃a　better　country；　that　is；　an　heavenly。〃　Hebrews　11：13；　16。

For　some　time　the　two　classes　remained　separate。　The　race　of　Cain；　spreading
from　the　place　of　their　first　settlement；　dispersed　over　the　plains　and
valleys　where　the　children　of　Seth　had　dwelt；　and　the　latter；　in　order　to
escape　from　their　contaminating　influence；　withdrew　to　the　mountains；　and
there　made　their　home。　So　long　as　this　separation　continued；　they　maintained
the　worship　of　God　in　its　purity。　But　in　the　lapse　of　time　they　ventured；
little　by　little；　to　mingle　with　the　inhabitants　of　the　valleys。　This
association　was　productive　of　the　worst　results。　〃The　sons　of　God　saw　the
daughters　of　men　that　they　were　fair。〃　The　children　of　Seth；　attracted　by
the　beauty　of　the　daughters　of　Cain's　descendants；　displeased　the　Lord　by
intermarrying　with　them。　Many　of　the　worshipers　of　God　were　beguiled　into
sin　by　the　allurements　that　were　now　constantly　before　them；　and　they　lost
their　peculiar；　holy　character。　Mingling　with　the　depraved；　they　became　like
them　in　spirit　and　in　deeds；　the　restrictions　of　the　seventh　commandment
were　disregarded；　〃and　they　took　them　wives　of　all　which　they　chose。〃　The
children　of　Seth　went

82

〃in　the　way　of　Cain〃　（Jude　11）；　they　fixed　their　minds　upon　worldly
prosperity　and　enjoyment　and　neglected　the　commandments　of　the　Lord。　Men
〃did　not　like　to　retain　God　in　their　knowledge；〃　they　〃became　vain　in　their
imaginations；　and　their　foolish　heart　was　darkened。〃　Romans　1：21。　Therefore
〃God　gave　them　over　to　a　mind　void　of　judgment。〃　Verse　28；　margin。　Sin
spread　abroad　in　the　earth　like　a　deadly　leprosy。

For　nearly　a　thousand　years　Adam　lived　among　men；　a　witness　to　the　results
of　sin。　Faithfully　he　sought　to　stem　the　tide　of　evil。　He　had　been　commanded
to　instruct　his　posterity　in　the　way　of　the　Lord；　and　he　carefully　treasured
what　God　had　revealed　to　him；　and　repeated　it　to　succeeding　generations。　To
his　children　and　children's　children；　to　the　ninth　generation；　he　described
man's　holy　and　happy　estate　in　Paradise；　and　repeated　the　history　of　his
fall；　telling　them　of　the　sufferings　by　which　God　had　taught　him　the
necessity　of　strict　adherence　to　His　law；　and　explaining　to　them　the
merciful　provisions　for　their　salvation。　Yet　there　were　but　few　who　gave
heed　to　his　words。　Often　he　was　met　with　bitter　reproaches　for　the　sin　that
had　brought　such　woe　upon　his　posterity。

Adam's　life　was　one　of　sorrow；　humility；　and　contrition。　When　he　left　Eden；
the　thought　that　he　must　die　thrilled　him　with　horror。　He　was　first　made
acquainted　with　the　reality　of　death　in　the　human　family　when　Cain；　his
first…born　son；　became　the　murderer　of　his　brother。　Filled　with　the　keenest
remorse　for　his　own　sin；　and　doubly　bereaved　in　the　death　of　Abel　and　the
rejection　of　Cain；　Adam　was　bowed　down　with　anguish。　He　witnessed　the
wide…spreading　corruption　that　was　finally　to　cause　the　destruction　of　the
world　by　a　flood；　and　though　the　sentence　of　death　pronounced　upon　him　by
His　Maker　had　at　first　appeared　terrible；　yet　after　beholding　for　nearly　a
thousand　years　the　results　of　sin；　he　felt　that　it　was　merciful　in　God　to
bring　to　an　end　a　life　of　suffering　and　sorrow。

Notwithstanding　the　wickedness　of　the　antediluvian　world；　that　age　was　not；
as　has　often　been　supposed；　an　era　of　ignorance　and　barbarism。　The　people
were　granted　the　opportunity　of　reaching　a　high　standard　of　moral　and
intellectual　attainment。　They　possessed　great　physical　and　mental　strength；
and　their　advantages　for　acquiring　both　religious　and　scientific　knowledge
were　unrivaled。　It　is　a　mistake　to　suppose　that　because　they　lived

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　83

to　a　great　age　their　minds　matured　late；　their　mental　powers　were　early
developed；　and　those　who　cherished　the　fear　of　God　and　lived　in　harmony　with
His　will　continued　to　increase　in　knowledge　and　wisdom　throughout　their
life。　Could　illustrious　scholars　of　our　time　be　placed　in　contrast　with　men
of　the　same　age　who　lived　before　the　Flood；　they　would　appear　as　greatly
inferior　in　mental　as　in　physical　strength。　As　the　years　of　man　have
decreased；　and　his　physical　strength　has　diminished；　so　his　mental
capacities　have　lessened。　There　are　men　who　now　apply　themselves　to　study
during　a　period　of　from　twenty　to　fifty　years；　and　the　world　is　filled　with
admiration　of　their　attainments。　But　how　limited　are　these　acquirements　in
comparison　with　those　of　men　whose　mental　and　physical　powers　were
developing　for　centuries！

It　is　true　that　the　people　of　modern　times　have　the　benefit　of　the
attainments　of　their　predecessors。　The　men　of　masterly　minds；　who　planned
and　studied　and　wrote；　have　left　their　work　for　those　who　follow。　But　even
in　this　respect；　and　so　far　as　merely　human　knowledge　is　concerned；　how　much
greater　the　advantages　of　the　men　of　that　olden　time！　They　had　among　them
for　hundreds　of　years　him　who　was　formed　in　God's　image；　whom　the　Creator
Himself　pronounced　〃good〃the　man　whom　God　had　instructed　in　all　the　wisdom
pertaining　to　the　material　world。　Adam　had　learned　from　the　Creator　the
history　of　creation；　he　himself　witnessed　the　events　of　nine　centuries；　and
he　imparted　his　knowledge　to　his　descendants。　The　antediluvians　were　without
books；　they　had　no　written　records；　but　with　their　great　physical　and　mental
vigor；　they　had　strong　memories；　able　to　grasp　and　to　retain　that　which　was
communicated　to　them；　and　in　turn　to　transmit　it　unimpaired　to　their
posterity。　And　for　hundreds　of　years　there　were　seven　generations　living
upon　the　earth　contemporaneously；　having　the　opportunity　of　consulting
together　and　profiting　each　by　the　knowledge　and　experience　of　all。

The　advantages　enjoyed　by　men　of　that　age　to　gain　a　knowledge　of　God　through
His　works　have　never　been　equaled　since。　And　so　far　from　being　an　era　of
religious　darkness；　that　was　an　age　of　great　light。　All　the　world　had
opportunity　to　receive　instruction　from　Adam；　and　those　who　feared　the　Lord
had　also　Christ　and　angels　for　their　teachers。　And　they　had　a　silent　witness
to　the　truth；　in　the　garden　of　God；　which　for　so　many　centuries　remained
among　men。　At　the　cherubim…guarded　gate　of　Paradise

84

the　glory　of　God　was　revealed；　and　hither　came　the　first　worshipers。　Here
their　altars　were　reared；　and　their　offerings　presented。　It　was　here　that
Cain　and　Abel　had　brought　their　sacrifices；　and　God　had　condescended　to
communicate　with　them。