patriarchs and prophets-第7章

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to　Him　who　made　them　all；　bids　men　open　the　great　book　of　nature　and　trace
therein　the　wisdom；　the　power；　and　the　love　of　the　Creator。

Our　first　parents；　though　created　innocent　and　holy；　were　not　placed　beyond
the　possibility　of　wrongdoing。　God　made　them　free　moral　agents；　capable　of
appreciating　the　wisdom　and　benevolence　of　His　character　and　the　justice　of
His　requirements；　and　with　full　liberty　to　yield　or　to　withhold　obedience。
They　were　to　enjoy　communion　with　God　and　with　holy　angels；　but　before　they
could　be　rendered　eternally　secure；　their　loyalty　must　be　tested。　At　the
very　beginning　of　man's　existence　a　check　was　placed　upon　the　desire　for
self…indulgence；　the　fatal　passion　that　lay　at　the　foundation　of　Satan's
fall。　The　tree　of　knowledge；　which　stood　near　the　tree　of　life　in　the　midst
of　the　garden；　was

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to　be　a　test　of　the　obedience；　faith；　and　love　of　our　parents。　While
permitted　to　eat　freely　of　every　other　tree；　they　were　forbidden　to　taste　of
this；　on　pain　of　death。　They　were　also　to　be　exposed　to　the　temptations　of
Satan；　but　if　they　endured　the　trial；　they　would　finally　be　placed　beyond
his　power；　to　enjoy　perpetual　favor　with　God。

God　placed　man　under　law；　as　an　indispensable　condition　of　his　very
existence。　He　was　a　subject　of　the　divine　government；　and　there　can　be　no
government　without　law。　God　might　have　created　man　without　the　power　to
transgress　His　law；　He　might　have　withheld　the　hand　of　Adam　from　touching
the　forbidden　fruit；　but　in　that　case　man　would　have　been；　not　a　free　moral
agent；　but　a　mere　automaton。　Without　freedom　of　choice；　his　obedience　would
not　have　been　voluntary；　but　forced。　There　could　have　been　no　development　of
character。　Such　a　course　would　have　been　contrary　to　God's　plan　in　dealing
with　the　inhabitants　of　other　worlds。　It　would　have　been　unworthy　of　man　as
an　intelligent　being；　and　would　have　sustained　Satan's　charge　of　God's
arbitrary　rule。

God　made　upright；　He　gave　him　noble　traits　of　character；　with　no　bias　toward
evil。　He　endowed　him　with　high　intellectual　powers；　and　presented　before　him
the　strongest　possible　inducements　to　be　true　to　his　allegiance。　Obedience；
perfect　and　perpetual；　was　the　condition　of　eternal　happiness。　On　this
condition　he　was　to　have　access　to　the　tree　of　life。

The　home　of　our　first　parents　was　to　be　a　pattern　for　other　homes　as　their
children　should　go　forth　to　occupy　the　earth。　That　home；　beautified　by　the
hand　of　God　Himself；　was　not　a　gorgeous　palace。　Men；　in　their　pride；　delight
in　magnificent　and　costly　edifices　and　glory　in　the　works　of　their　own
hands；　but　God　placed　Adam　in　a　garden。　This　was　his　dwelling。　The　blue
heavens　were　its　dome；　the　earth；　with　its　delicate　flowers　and　carpet　of
living　green；　was　its　floor；　and　the　leafy　branches　of　the　goodly　trees　were
its　canopy。　Its　was　walls　were　hung　with　the　most　magnificent　adorningsthe
handiwork　of　the　great　Master　Artist。　In　the　surroundings　of　the　holy　pair
was　a　lesson　for　all　timethat　true　happiness　is　found；　not　in　the
indulgence　of　pride　and　luxury；　but　in　communion　with　God　through　His
created　works。　If　men　would　give　less　attention　to　the　artificial；　and　would
cultivate　greater　simplicity；　they　would　come　far　nearer　to　answering　the

50

purpose　of　God　in　their　creation。　Pride　and　ambition　are　never　satisfied；
but　those　who　are　truly　wise　will　find　substantial　and　elevating　pleasure　in
the　sources　of　enjoyment　that　God　has　placed　within　the　reach　of　all。

To　the　dwellers　in　Eden　was　committed　the　care　of　the　garden；　〃to　dress　it
and　to　keep　it。〃　Their　occupation　was　not　wearisome；　but　pleasant　and
invigorating。　God　appointed　labor　as　a　blessing　to　man；　to　occupy　his　mind；
to　strengthen　his　body；　and　to　develop　his　faculties。　In　mental　and　physical
activity　Adam　found　one　of　the　highest　pleasures　of　his　holy　existence。　And
when；　as　a　result　of　his　disobedience；　he　was　driven　from　his　beautiful
home；　and　forced　to　struggle　with　a　stubborn　soil　to　gain　his　daily　bread；
that　very　labor；　although　widely　different　from　his　pleasant　occupation　in
the　garden；　was　a　safeguard　against　temptation　and　a　source　of　happiness。
Those　who　regard　work　as　a　curse；　attended　though　it　be　with　weariness　and
pain；　are　cherishing　an　error。　The　rich　often　look　down　with　contempt　upon
the　working　classes；　but　this　is　wholly　at　variance　with　God's　purpose　in
creating　man。　What　are　the　possessions　of　even　the　most　wealthy　in
comparison　with　the　heritage　given　to　the　lordly　Adam？　Yet　Adam　was　not　to
be　idle。　Our　Creator；　who　understands　what　is　for　man's　happiness；　appointed
Adam　his　work。　The　true　joy　of　life　is　found　only　by　the　working　men　and
women。　The　angels　are　diligent　workers；　they　are　the　ministers　of　God　to　the
children　of　men。　The　Creator　has　prepared　no　place　for　the　stagnating
practice　of　indolence。

While　they　remained　true　to　God；　Adam　and　his　companion　were　to　bear　rule
over　the　earth。　Unlimited　control　was　given　them　over　every　living　thing。
The　lion　and　the　lamb　sported　peacefully　around　them　or　lay　down　together　at
their　feet。　The　happy　birds　flitted　about　them　without　fear；　and　as　their
glad　songs　ascended　to　the　praise　of　their　Creator；　Adam　and　Eve　united　with
them　in　thanksgiving　to　the　Father　and　the　Son。

The　holy　pair　were　not　only　children　under　the　fatherly　care　of　God　but
students　receiving　instruction　from　the　all…wise　Creator。　They　were　visited
by　angels；　and　were　granted　communion　with　their　Maker；　with　no　obscuring
veil　between。　They　were　full　of　the　vigor　imparted　by　the　tree　of　life；　and
their　intellectual　power　was　but　little　less　than　that　of　the　angels。　The
mysteries　of　the　visible　universe〃the　wondrous　works　of　Him　which　is

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perfect　in　knowledge〃　（Job　37：16）afforded　them　an　exhaustless　source　of
instruction　and　delight。　The　laws　and　operations　of　nature；　which　have
engaged　men's　study　for　six　thousand　years；　were　opened　to　their　minds　by
the　infinite　Framer　and　Upholder　of　all。　They　held　converse　with　leaf　and
flower　and　tree；　gathering　from　each　the　secrets　of　its　life。　With　every
living　creature；　from　the　mighty　leviathan　that　playeth　among　the　waters　to
the　insect　mote　that　floats　in　the　sunbeam；　Adam　was　familiar。　He　had　given
to　each　its　name；　and　he　was　acquainted　with　the　nature　and　habits　of　all。
God's　glory　in　the　heavens；　the　innumerable　worlds　in　their　orderly
revolutions；　〃the　balancings　of　the　clouds；〃　the　mysteries　of　light　and
sound；　of　day　and　nightall　were　open　to　the　study　of　our　first　parents。　On
every　leaf　of　the　forest　or　stone　of　the　mountains；　in　every　shining　star；
in　earth　and　air　and　sky；　God's　name　was　written。　The　order　and　harmony　of
creation　spoke　to　them　of　infinite　wisdom　and　power。　They　were　ever
discovering　some　attraction　that　filled　their　hearts　with　deeper　love　and
called　forth　fresh　expressions　of　gratitude。

So　long　as　they　remained　loyal　to　the　divine　law；　their　capacity　to　know；　to
enjoy；　and　to　love　would　continually　increase。　They　would　be　constantly
gaining　new　treasures　of　knowledge；　discovering　fresh　springs　of　happiness；
and　obtaining　clearer　and　yet　clearer　conceptions　of　the　immeasurable；
unfailing　love　of　God。





（52）

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　3

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Temptation　and　Fall


No　longer　free　to　stir　up　rebellion　in　heaven；　Satan's　enmity　against　God
found　a　new　field　in　plotting　the　ruin　of　the　human　race。　In　the　happiness
and　peace　of　the　holy　pair　in　Eden　he　beheld　a　vision　of　the　bliss　that　to
him　was　forever　lost。　Moved　by　envy；　he　determined　to　incite　them　to
disobedience；　and　bring　upon　them　the　guilt　and　penalty　of　sin。　He　would
change　their　love　to　distrust　and　their　songs　of　praise　to　reproaches
against　their　Maker。　Thus　he　would　not　only　plunge　these　innocent　beings
into　the　same　misery　which　he　was　himself　enduring；　but　would　cast　dishonor
upon　God；　and　cause　grief　in　heaven。

Our　first　parents　were　not　left　without　a　warning　of　the　danger　that
threatened　them。　Heavenly　messengers　opened　to　them　the　history　of　Satan's
fall　and　his　plots　for　their　destruction；　unfolding　more　fully　the　nature　of
the　divine　government；　which　the　prince　of　evil　was　trying　to　overthrow。　It
was　by　disobedience　to　the　just　commands　of　God　that　Satan　and　his　host　had
fallen。　How　important；　then；　that　Adam　and　Eve　should　honor　that　law　by
which　alone　it　was　possible　for　order　and　equity　to　be　maintained。

The　law　of　God　is　as　sacred　as　God　Himself。　It　is　a　revelation　of　His　will；
a　transcript　of　His　character；　the　expression　of　divine　love　and　wisdom。　The
harmony　of　creation　depends　upon　the　perfect　conformity　of　all　beings；　of
everything；　animate　and　inanimate；　to　the　law　of　the　Creator。　God　has
ordained　laws　for　the　government；　not　only　of　living　beings；　but　of　all　the
operations　of　nature。　Everything　is　under　fixed　laws；　which　cannot　be
disregarded。　But　while　everything　in　nature　is　governed　by　natural　laws；　man
alone；　of　all　that　inhabits　the　earth；　is　amenable　to　moral　law。　To　man；　the
crowning　work　of　creation；　God　has　given　power　to　understand　His
requirements；　to　comprehend　the　justice　and　beneficence　of　His　law；　and　its
sacred　claims　upon　him；　and　of　man　unswerving　obedience　is　required。

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Like　the　angels；　the　dwellers　in　Eden　had　been　placed　upon　probation；　their
happy　estate　could　be　retained　only　on　condition　of　fidelity　to　the
Creator's　law。　They　could　obey　and　live；　or　disobey　and　perish。　God　had　made
them　the　recipients　of　rich　blessings；　but　should　they　disregard　His　will；
He　who　spared　not　the　angels　that　sinned；　could　not　spare　them；
transgression　would　forfeit　His　gifts　and　bring　upon　them　misery　and　ruin。

The　angels　warned　them　to　be　on　their　guard　against　the　devices　of　Satan；
for　his　efforts　to　ensnare　them　would　be　unwearied。　While　they　were　obedient
to　God　the　evil　one　could　not　harm　them；　for；　if　need　be；　every　angel　in
heaven　would　be　sent　to　their　help。　If　they　steadfastly　repelled　his　first
insinuations；　they　would　be　as　secure　as　the　heavenly　messengers。　But　should
they　once　yield　to　temptation；　their　nature　would　become　so　depraved　that　in
themselves　they　would　have　no　power　and　no　disposition　to　resist　Satan。

The　tree　of　knowledge　had　been　made　a　test　of　their　obedience　and　their　love
to　God。　The　Lord　had　seen　fit　to　lay　upon　them　but　one　prohibition　as　to　the
use　of　all　that　was　in　the　garden；　but　if　they　should　disregard　His　will　in
this　particular；　they　would　incur　the　guilt　of　transgression。　Satan　was　not
to　follow　them　with　continual　temptations；　he　could　have　access　to　them　only
at　the　forbidden　tree。　Should　they　attempt　to　investigate　its　nature；　they
would　be　exposed　to　his　wiles。　They　were　admonished　to　give　careful　heed　to
the　warning　which　God　had　sent　them　and　to　be　content　with　the　instruction
which　He　had　seen　fit　to　impart。

In　order　to　accomplish　his　work　unperceived；　Satan　chose　to　employ　as　his
medium　the　serpenta　disguise　well　adapted　for　his　purpose　of　decept