being sent away from God and all good beings, to dwell for ever in a horrible place of punishment, with other sinful and wretched beings like themselves. Thus you see how the soul may be said to die as well as the body, by having all its happiness destroyed, and by dying cad dying, as it were, for ever, in the endless sufferings that sin will bring upon it. That God should impose such a prohibition upon Adam and Eve, ought not to have appeared to them at the time, either strange or unreasonable. It was a prohibition that they could very easily understand.

There stood the tree in plain sight. God pointed it out to them, so that they could not be in any mistake with regard to it.

It was a prohibition which they could easily remember. Every time that they passed by the tree, they could not even look at it without thinking that it was the only tree in the whole garden, of the fruit of which they were forbidden to eat.

It was a prohibition which they knew God had a perfect right to make. The garden and all that grew in it was his. He made the trees and the delicious fruit that was on them. He caused the sun to shine, and the

gentle showers to fall upon them and make them grow. He could do as he chose with his own. It was a prohibition of which Adam and Eve ought not in the least to complain. They had enough without using the fruit God had kindly given

of that one tree.

them an abundance of the sweetest and best fruit with which the other trees were loaded.

He had shown how much he loved them, by creating them, by giving them such curious and useful bodies; and souls that would live for ever, and increase in goodness and happiness, if they continued to love and obey him. He had placed them in a most delightful home, and was taking care of them like a tender and kind father.

It was a prohibition for which they must have known there was a good reason. God might wish, in this way, to let them show how willing and ready they were to obey his commands, how cheerfully they could keep from what he prohibited, and not even touch it. If he had given them no such prohibition, how could they have so well shown their obedience?

God might have wished to see whether they were indeed his obedient children,-to

try them, and let the angels see what Adam and Eve would do when thus tried.

That so good and kind a being as God had some good reason for giving them the prohibition, they could have no doubt. It was one which it was not difficult for them to obey. It was just something not to be done, -not to take the fruit from one tree. How do you suppose you would have felt, if you had been it that beautiful garden, and, like Adam and Eve, been forbidden to eat of the fruit of the tree in the midst of the garden?

You think, perhaps, that you would not have complained at all of the prohibition, but would have been perfectly contented, and thankful to God for all his goodness.

But have you never felt uneasy and discontented when your parents or teachers have forbidden you to do, or to take something? Have you never thought their prohibition too hard, and wished that you could be free from it? Think a little, and you may find reason to believe that, if you had been under the same prohibition as Adam and Eve were, you would have thought it too strict, and wished that God had not made it.

You think, perhaps, that the threatening of God would have made you very much afraid to disobey his command, and have kept you from doing so, if you had been placed in the same circumstances in which Adam and Eve were in the garden of Eden. Why then are you not afraid now to disobey the commands of God, and to sin against him?

You know the awful penalty which he has threatened against sinners who do not feel truly sorry for their sins, and trust in Jesus Christ, and look to God for his Holy Spirit to help them to love and obey him. It is to be a miserable sinner for ever; to have the soul dying for ever; no life in it; no right and good feelings, but all wicked and hateful ones; no kindness to others; no love to God; no peace, no comfort, no happiness.

It is to have the soul dying for ever in that wretched and dreadful place where the wicked angels are, and where wicked men

and women, and boys and girls, will go who *do not repent of their sins and trust in the Saviour. It is to have the soul dying for ever, having lost the friendship and favour of God, and cast out from heaven, with no hope of ever being permitted to go there.

My young friend, will you not strive to escape from so terrible a doom? If you have not already done it, will you not go to God, without delay, and confess your sins before him, and tell him how sorry you are that you have sinned against him? Will you not pray to him to give you his Holy Spirit, to help you truly to repent of all your sins and to forsake them; to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and imitate his blessed example; to love and obey God, and to do all the good you can to others? Go, go in this way, to your kind heavenly Father, and to the compassionate Saviour, who are waiting to receive you, and, though your body must die, your soul shall live for ever, perfect in holiness and happiness.

STORY II.

THE TEMPTATION.

WE should think that the penalty threatened against their disobedience, must have