-. But to such an infernal wile, let us not listen for a moment; but put on the whole armour of God, resist and rise to heaven, overcome, and live for ever. " Blessed is "the man that endureth temptation; for "when he is tried, he shall receive the "crown of life, which the Lord hath pro"mised to them that love him*." From this doctrine of the Fall, LET US LEARN ALSO, TO THINK DULY OF THE BANEFUL EFFECTS OF SIN. - O Sin! what hast thou done! What ruin hast thou spread among our race! By thee, man, who once stood so high in the favour of God, is now sunk low indeed, and without redemption, must sink lower still; sink into the fathomless abyss of misery. May we sorrow then for sin after a godly sort, and bring forth fruits meet for repentance. O that our head were waters, and our eyes a fountain of tears, that we might weep day and night for our transgressions ! LET US BE DEEPLY IMPRESSED WITH A SENSE OF THE ABSOLUTE NECESSITY OF HOLI * James i. 12. NESS. While the angels who fell, continued holy, they were happy; but as soon as they fell they became miserable. And while our first parents continued holy, they too were happy; they enjoyed Eden with all its riches and glory; but when they sinned, they were immediately covered with shame, and felt themselves obnoxious to punishment. God expelled them "the garden of " Eden, and placed at the east of it, cheru" bim and a flaming sword, which turned 66 every way to keep the way of the tree of " life." If then we would ever be happy, let us be holy. This is the commandment of God" Be ye holy, as I am holy." FINALLY, LET US EMBRACE WITH ARDENT GRATITUDE, THE PROFFERED SALVATION OF JESUS CHRIST.-" Christ is all in all," and without him we must perish. There is no other name but the name of Christ, by which we can be saved. Christ came into the world to free us from the curse, to seal to us the remission of our sins, to quicken us from spiritual death, and to raise us to a higher and happier life, than even that which we have forfeited. Let us not neglect then so great salvation; but pray D without ceasing that we may be accepted through Jesus ; " be made kings and priests " unto God, purified as his peculiar people, " zealous of good works," and received, at last, into his immediate presence, where there is " fulness of joy and pleasures for "evermore." Our state shall then be more glorious than it is possible for the tongue to express, or even the mind to conceive.We shall eat of the fruit of the Tree of Life, in the paradise of God: " And there " shall be no more curse, but the throne of "God and the Lamb shall be in it, and "his servants shall serve him; and they " shall see his face, and reign with him for "ever and ever *." Rev. xxii. 3-5 THE CORRUPTION OF HUMAN NATURE. : GENESIS VI. 5. And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart, is only evil continually. : WHILE man continued in the state in which God created him, he was perfectly innocent, and consequently happy. All was harmonious and serene: no pain afflicted his body; no wrong thought ever entered into his mind; all " the imaginations of the " thoughts of his heart" were continually holy. But in this state of honour and happiness, man did not continue. There was a certain tree in the garden in which God had placed him, the fruit of which he was forbidden to taste; and this restriction was intended as a pledge of his subjection, and an exercise of his obedience. If he continued obedient, he was to have glory, and honour, and immortality; but if he should be disobedient, he was to become subject to ruin and death, to incalculable misery. He became disobedient, and, in one moment, lost his uprightness and his happiness together. He incurred all that is included in that awful penalty," In the "day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely "die." And his mortal sin did not affect himself only; but likewise all his posterity. Sorrow, in numberless forms, has, ever since, been in the world, and sin which is the cause of sorrow. Instead of being bright with knowledge, and amiable with virtue, human nature is now sunk in ignorance and bloated with vice. Let us observe what passes around us; let us observe also, what passes within us, and then, doubtless, this is the mournful conclusion that will be drawn ;-" The wickedness of " man is great in the earth, and every ima"gination of the thoughts of his heart (be"fore he is converted by divine grace) is " only evil continually." |