To these observations it ought to be added, that several of the objections, heretofore alleged against the doctrine, that the soul is a mere chain of ideas and exercises, lie with equal weight against this. These have, however, been too lately mentioned, to demand a repetition.

The second question, to which I have referred, and which, like the other, affects not the sin of Adam only, but all sin, is this: Why did God permit ADAM to fall?

Before I attempt to answer this question, it will be proper to observe, that according to all the schemes of accounting for the introduction of moral evil, which have been mentioned, the fall of Adam was permitted, that is, was not hindered, by God. It may be also proper to state the difference, which in my own view exists, between permitting, or not hindering, sin, and creating it. It is this. In the former case, man is the actor of his own sin. His sin is, therefore, wholly his own; chargeable only to himself; chosen by him unnecessarily, while possessed of a power to choose otherwise; avoidable by him; and of course guilty, and righteously punishable. Exactly the same natural power is in this case possessed by him, while a sinner, which is afterwards possessed by him, when a saint; which Adam possessed before he fell; and which the holy Angels now possess in the Heavens. This power is, also, in my view, perfect freedom; a power of agency, as absolute as can be possessed by an Intelligent creature.

In the latter case, the volitions of man are immediately produced by Omnipotence; are the acts of God himself, and not at all of man; are merely annexed to man, as accidents; are in the natural sense necessary, and irresistible; and, so far as I can see, are in no sense chargeable to man.

In the former case, God is supposed to create beings, possessed of the full power to originate any, and every, moral action; in the natural sense, able to stand, as well as liable to fall; and falling, only because they did not make the best use, which they could, of their power to stand. In the latter case, he created their apostacy. Their fall, therefore, was irresistible; unless it should be proved that a creature can resist Omnipotence.

With these things premised, I observe in answer to this question, that a state of trial supposes of course a capability of falling, and cannot exist without. That, in this state, God is obliged to secure his creatures from falling, has not hitherto been proved; and certainly ought not to be admitted, without proof. If he rewards them with happiness, proportioned to their obedience, so long as they continue obedient; I see not how any thing further can be demanded at his hands. Perfect justice scems in this case to be satisfied.

Still it will be asked, why God suffered a thing, so evil and distressing, as sin, to exist.

Probably the best answer, ever given to this question in the pre

sent world, is that, which was given by Christ, concerning one branch of the divine dispensations to mankind: Even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight. It was a dispensation approved by infinite Wisdom, and seen by the Omniscient eye to be necessary towards that good, which God proposed in creating the uni

verse.

The restless and roving mind of man is, however, often unsatisfied with this answer. I will, therefore, add by way of explanation, and, I hope, with that profound reverence, which all creatures owe to their Creator, and that diffidence, which becomes a creature of yesterday, that if Adam had not fallen, Christ would not have redeemed mankind: for had there been no Apostates, there could have been no Redeemer, and no Redemption. The mercy of God, therefore, the most perfect of his attributes, and the consummation of his excellence, would have been unknown to the universe. All the blessings, bestowed on mankind, would have been the reward of the obedience of Adam, and his posterity. But the blessings, bestowed on glorified saints, are the rewards of the obedience of the Eternal Son of God. These rewards could not have been given, had not Christ obeyed: and Christ could not have obeyed, had he not become the Substitute for sinners, or the Mediator between God, and apostate creatures. These rewards, also, will differ from those in the former case, as the respective persons, who obeyed, differed in the excellence of their characters, and the value of their obedience.

Had Adam obeyed; it is, I think, highly probably, that the original world would have continued, and the present Heavens. The new Earth, and the new Heavens, which will be created after the Mediatorial Kingdom is finished, would never have been. No human beings would have been admitted into Heaven. None of that joy would have been experienced, which now springs up in heavenly minds over the repentance and salvation of sinners, and which will increase and brighten for ever. None of those things, into which Angels desire to look,* would have been brought into being; nor would that glorious purpose of the creation of all things, mentioned by the Apostle, the knowledge, acquired by principalities and powers in heavenly places, concerning the manifold wisdom of God, disclosed in his dispensations to his Church,† have ever been accomplished.

By the redemption of Christ, Heaven as well as Earth, Angels as well as men, are materially changed from their former circumstances, and character. Nay, the whole immense and eternal kingdom of JEHOVAH, by means of this amazing work, assumes a new aspect; and both Creation and Providence, are invested with a new character. God is seen by his Intelligent creatures in new manifestations of beauty, glory, and loveliness. Throughout never

ending ages, virtuous minds will be enlarged with knowledge, exalted in holiness, and improved in dignity, and happiness, beyond all, which would have otherwise been proper, or possible; and their affections, obedience, and praise, become more refined, and more elevated, in a rapid and regular progress. The former legal system, therefore, of which the primitive state of Adam was a part, had comparatively no glory, by reason of the excelling glory of the system of Redemption.

How far these observations may contribute to the satisfaction of the inquirer, I will not presume to determine. That the system of divine dispensations is now, and will for ever be, widely different from what it would have been, had the work of Redemption not taken place, must, I think, be acknowledged. I will only add, that, as we are of yesterday, and consequently know nothing, it is not, and cannot be, strange, that things of this extent should be so high, and so vast, that we cannot attain to them.

Should an emmet, from the top of his mole-hill, undertake to survey the world around him; and to descant on the beauty, or deformity of the landscape, the suitableness of the soil, climate and accommodations, for the settlement, health, husbandry, and commerce, of men; and propose plans for the improvement of some of these things, and the reformation of others; we should probably consider him as a very imperfect judge of such subjects; and smile both at his presumption, and his philosophy. With respect to the subject in hand, we are emmets; and take our surveys only from the top of a mole-hill. When it is considered, that the consequences of this event reach through eternity, and that such wonderful consequences, have already followed it, a small share of modesty will induce us to confess our inability to judge concerning it, and to take the station of humble learners, at the feet of our Divine Instructer, rather than to ascend the chair of philosophical judgment, and haughty decision.

REMARKS.

1st. In this difficult part of the history of man, we cannot, I think, fail to see, how superior the Scriptural account of the introduction of Moral evil, into the world, is to every other.

The Scriptural account is summarily this. Two beings, the parents of mankind, created holy, and placed by God in a paradise of good, were deceived, and seduced, by the insidious art of an evil and superior being, permitted for wise and good purposes, to

have access to them.

The two principal schemes of philosophy on this subject, are

these:

First; That the soul was created holy, and was contaminated by being united to Matter; because Matter is the seat of sin, and pallu

tion:

Secondly; That the soul was created holy, but apostatized in a pre-existent state.

Of the first, it is sufficient to say, that it is contrary, not to truth only, but to possibility: since it is clearly impossible that any being, except a thinking, voluntary one, should be the subject of either virtue or sin.

On the second, it is to be observed, that all the difficulties attend it, which attend the supposition of an apostacy, in the present state. The difficulty does not at all lie in the fact, that man apostatized here, but, in the fact, that he apostatized at all. Of course, whether we suppose the apostacy to have taken place in this world, or in another, the difficulties involved in it, still remain possessed of their full strength, and without being, in the least degree, obvi ated.

Besides, that man did pre-exist, is a mere assumption, of which, there is not a shadow of evidence; and against which, even the light of nature furnishes strong probability.

2dly. In this story, we see the amazing evil of sin, manifested in the conduct of the Tempter.

What a disposition was that, which was exhibited, in the seduction of our first parents from their obedience! From what a state

of innocence and happiness, did it plunge them and their posterity! At the same time, no personal resentment operated, no revenge burned in his breast against them; for between him and them, there had never been a controversy, nor even a connexion. They were ignorant that such a being as himself existed, and had never done, nor wished him, any evil whatever.

But he envied, he hated their virtue, their happiness, and their prospects. Under the influence of these infernal feelings, he laboured to destroy them, and a world with them; and voluntarily entailed on countless millions of Intelligent beings, sin, and wrath, and ruin. How vast, how wonderful, how dreadful, is this malice! How hateful is he in whom it resided! Such is the true nature of all Sin. In degree, it may differ: in kind, it is the same.

Let it be here remembered, that every Tempter is employed, substantially, in the same manner. Every Tempter, in seducing a fellow-creature, is influenced by sin; and tempts to sin. The person tempted is induced to disobey God; to become guilty and odious; to incur his anger; and to expose himself to the miseries of the second death. What a dreadful employment is this! Yet how common! how evidently universal! No language seems sufficiently forcible to describe the turpitude of a murderer, or a traitor. But how guiltless does the murder of the body seem, when compared with the murder of the soul! What treachery can be named with that, which cheats an immortal being out of heaven, and deceives him into hell?

Nor is the mode, in which temptations are usually conducted, any other, than that recited in the text. In every temptation, the

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truth of God is denied; his wisdom or goodness questioned; his conduct exhibited as strange, and his commands as unreasonable. Obedience is always represented as exposed to disadvantages; and sin, as the true road to real and exquisite enjoyment. Jealousy is thus naturally kindled; discontent excited; and the man induced to repine at his lot, to murmur, in thought at least, against his Maker, and to covet and seek forbidden enjoyments.

In the mean time, the soul is flattered perpetually with the hope of safety in sin; is taught to expect exemption from punishment; and is boldly informed, that it shall not surely die. Thousands and millions of times has this story been told; and repeated through every age, from the apostacy to the present hour. Thousands and millions, also, of foolish and unhappy wretches, listen to the tale, because it is loved; and receive it on a tenth part of the evidence, which they would demand, to enforce on their minds a single truth, or a single duty: or rather, they receive it first; and wait for the evidence, till some future time. Eve is often censured for yielding to a tempter, of finished cunning. How many of her descendants yield to fools and blockheads, to gross and blundering solicitations; unfurnished with even a plausible pretence, or that miserable consolation to sinners, an apology for the compli ance! Let no one cast the first stone at our common Parent, who is not conscious that he himself has not sinned in the same manner. 3dly. We learn from this story, that the only time of successful resistance to temptation, is the moment, when it is presented.

I have already remarked, that had our first parents promptly refused to listen, they would, in all probability, have escaped the snare. What is true of them, is true of all their posterity. The very act of deliberating, results from want of sufficient faith in GOD, and sufficient firmness in our duty. In our deliberations, also, we are exposed to many dangers. We are ignorant, yet believe ourselves knowing; foolish, yet are vain of our wisdom; weak, yet are always ready to confide in our strength. Hence we form false conclusions from miserable premises: yet we think both the premises and conclusions sound, because they are devised by such sagacious beings, as ourselves. In our love to sin, we have an enemy within us, of whose presence, or even existence, we are usually not aware, ever ready to aid the assaults of the enemy without. From our ignorance, we are easily perplexed; from our vanity, easily flattered; and from both, easily overcome. Of our perplexity, every tempter takes advantage, while he covers the hook with a bait for our vanity. The more we reason, the more we plunge ourselves into difficulties; and the less hope do we find of an escape. The longer the assault continues, the more feeble, embarrassed, and irresolute do we become; and the more bold, powerful, and assured, our seducer: till, at length, that resolution and understanding, which at first would have gained an easy and certain victory, become an unresisting prey. Resist then the De