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nounced it to be thenceforward "Cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field," it would be in vain to conjecture. Satan evidently, amidst a wide range of instrumental means, judged it fitliest and best to make his insidious attempt, concealed in the body of the serpent.

The subtil tempter was well aware of the truth of the sentiment afterwards thus expressed by the wise King of Israel, "Two are better than one; for if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow but woe to him that is alone when he falleth, for he hath not another to help him up." He therefore made his attack upon Eve in the absence of Adam.

That the real tempter was Satan is not only generally evident from the Sacred Scriptures, but is expressly declared by St. John; who, speaking of the "old Serpent," adds, "which is the Devil and Satan :" and he says again, "that old Serpent, called the Devil and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world."

The main points in this temptation are marked by the Apostle in the phrase, "The Serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty." "He beguiled her;" and he did so, "through his subtilty." By the most insidious means he succeeded in deceiving her. Here then are two particulars to be considered and applied :

First, The arts of Satan; and secondly, The delusion of Eve.

Let us consider in the first place, the arts of Satan ;-the "subtilty" which he practised. The cunning craftiness of the Tempter appears in his too successful endeavour to prepare the mind of Eve for disobedience. This he effected by insinuating hard thoughts of God;—by taking away the safeguard of fear; and breaking down the barrier of faith in the Divine threatening." And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree in the garden ?"—As if he had said,-And is it so? Is there any tree in the garden from which the hard and arbitrary command of your Maker has debarred you?— Are you so unhappy as to have its fruit hanging ever in your sight; and yet to be precluded by an unreasonable prohibition from its taste and enjoyment? I cannot believe that God has placed you under a law so despotic and severe; and in circumstances of such painful and provoking restraint. I am therefore induced to inquire— Can it be?" Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree in the garden ?”

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He then waits for these insinuations to work their way and produce their mischievous effects. And the woman said unto the Serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die." It should seem that the indignant or incredulous

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surprise affected by the Tempter at the interdict under which she was placed, had its intended influence upon the mind of Eve;-and the subtil foe no doubt saw enough to encourage him to take another and a bolder step. "And the Serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die." As if he had said,-Be it so, that this capricious restriction has been laid upon you, and this denunciation uttered; yet it will never be carried into execution. It is not to be believed that your Maker can intend to destroy his own work for so slight an offence; or that He will doom you to death for indulging in the gratification of tasting the fruit which He has thus hung in your sight and within your reach. No; this is impossible. Dismiss your unreasonable and absurd apprehensions." Ye shall not surely die."

Thus did the subtil Tempter prepare the way for success in beguiling Eve, by placing the Divine prohibition in a prominent and unfavourable point of view;-by quieting her fears; and by breaking down her principles. He excited in her mind dissatisfaction with the restraint under which she was placed; and doubts of the fulfilment of the threatening by which it was enforced. He at once disposes Eve to wish for the removal of the interdict; and emboldens her with the hope of transgressing with impunity.

Now this is just the process by which the Theatre undermines the principles which are

placed as safeguards against the power and prevalence of temptation.

Let us suppose the case of a youth brought up under the wholesome restrictions of what would generally be regarded as a well-regulated family; but permitted to attend the Amusements of the Stage. He soon becomes familiar with sentiments and scenes to which he was before in a great measure a stranger; but which are too congenial with his corrupt nature, and make an evil impression long before such impression becomes sensible. They work their way into the heart with secret but sure insinuation. A train of thought and feeling is awakened which soon causes him to regard the restraints of religion and good morals in the light of painful and harsh privations. The desire is then excited that there were no such restraints, or that they had never been imposed. And as this desire after forbidden indulgences becomes more restless and impatient, a disposition manifests itself to doubt or deny the reasonableness or necessity of such interdicts.

But there is still left in the mind of such a youth a barrier against the power of temptation. He has been taught to stand in awe of God's judgments. As in the case of Eve, there is not only the prohibition, but also the penalty and the punishment.-There are not only the authoritative commands of the Bible, but the threatenings by which they are enforced. From the Stage,

however, he hears, from time to time, the aweful and unseen realities of eternity treated with so much levity and irreverence, as insensibly to weaken their hold upon his conscience. Hell and the Devil are words in such familiar use as soon to lose their influence. The gratification of the desires and passions of our corrupt nature is made so light of,-represented as so customary and common,—so plausibly excused,-as to produce an impression upon the mind, that it is unreasonable to suppose that God will punish his creatures with eternal destruction for such light follies and venial indulgencies.—The influence of religious principle is thus undermined.The distinctions of virtue and vice are confounded.—The youth is laughed or reasoned out of his dread and out of his belief.-And thus the safeguard of fear is removed. The barrier against open transgression is thrown down.-The unhappy victim of Satan's art no longer stands in awe. He is just brought through the same "subtilty" of Satan, into that very state of mind in which we left Eve;-impatient of the interdict, and disposed to doubt the fulfilment of the threatening.

We now proceed with our historical illustration.

When the mind is brought to the state now described, there requires only a sufficientlypowerful temptation, with opportunity; and Satan has so far gained his object.

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