SERMON XXVI.

PROVIDENCE.-THE PROBATION OF MAN.

GENESIS ii. 15-17.....And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden, to dress it, and to keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat; But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil thou shall not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die.

IN several preceding sermons, I have considered the work of Creation; including the heavens and the earth, their inhabitants and their furniture. The next subject in a theological system, is the Work of Providence.

From the text, which is an account of the first act of Providence towards mankind, we learn the following things:

I. That the Providence of God towards man began immediately after he was created.

In the great and wonderful work of Creation, provision was effectually made for the production, subsistence, and comfort, of such beings, as were afterwards to exist in this world. By this observation, I do not intend absolutely, that no being has been, in the strict sense, created since the conclusion of the period, in which the Scriptures exhibit this work as having been accomplished. Whether this has, or has not, in the strict sense, been the fact, is not material to the present design. I intend, in the Scriptural language, that the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. The beings, which, during succeeding ages, were to exist in this world, whether in the rational, animal, or vegetable, kingdoms, were all, together with the changes in the mineral or inanimate kingdom, to be produced by the instrumentality of secondary causes. As man was the last creature, which was made; when he was formed, the work of Creation was finished. From this time, that superintending and controlling agency of God, commonly called Providence, commenced; and has ever since been unceasingly extended over all the works of his hands.

The Providence of God is two-fold; ordinary and miraculous. Miraculous Providence, is an immediate agency of God in the production of events, adopted, at times, to accomplish certain ends, which would be less advantageously accomplished in any other manner. The ordinary Providence of God is an agency, directing the several creatures, which he has made, to the several purposes, for which they were made; and conducted according to certain rules, which he has been pleased to establish, and which are commonly, although improperly enough, called Laws of nature. In the Scriptures, with much

more propriety as well as beauty, they are termed Ordinances of Heaven. In the succession of things, according to these ordinances, the power, wisdom, and goodness of God, are gloriously manifested in a series of events, beautiful and harmonious, wonderful and sublime, beyond any limit, assignable by the thoughts of man.

Before the Apostacy, these laws, and their effects, were, beyond a doubt, exceedingly different from those, which prevail at the present time. Man was then immortal, holy, and happy; and was destined to breathe in air, to feed on fruits, and to pursue employments, suited to the perpetuation of this delightful state. The world was beautiful and pleasant. All things were peaceful, friendly, and means of unceasing and undisturbed enjoyment. The sources of pain, hunger, and thirst, of disquiet, disease, and death, were unopened, and unknown. To a single end, was directed the whole energy of nature; and that end was the immediate good of

man.

After the apostacy, a state of things began, which was in many respects new; a state suited to fallen beings, who were to live under many manifestations of the divine wrath against sin; and who in the end were to die, and thus cease from all future connexion with the place of their former residence.

After the Deluge, the state of the world appears to have been still further changed. More, and more painful proofs of the anger of God against Sin, were introduced into the system. Life, within a little time, was shortened from one thousand years to seventy. Labour, sorrow, and disease, were greatly enhanced. The bloom of immortality, already deeply faded, now withered away. Food, together with the whole train of necessaries, lost its power of prolonging life; sickliness overspread the vegetable kingdom; storms convulsed the air and the ocean; earthquakes and volcanoes shook the land; and decay and disorder impaired the whole face of the system.

II. We learn also, that man, immediately after his creation, was placed in a state of active employment.

The text declares, that the Lord God took the man, and put him in the garden of Eden to dress it, and to keep it. Activity of body, and of mind, is the sole means of doing good, and of glorifying God; and is, therefore, indispensable to the end, for which Intelli gent beings were created. Hence man, like the Angels, was des tined to be active; and was directed to industrious business, im-. mediately after he was brought into the world.

III. That he was, at the same time, placed in a state of Trial. By this I intend, that he was put into such a condition, as to show whether he would obey, or disobey, his Maker. The rectitude and reasonableness of this dispensation are easily evinced.

Man, as I flatter myself has been heretofore proved, was created a moral Agent, possessed of understanding and will, and therefore free, and capable of obeying. Of course, inability to obey could:: VOL. I.

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not be pleaded by him, as a reason why he should be exempted from obedience.

At the same time, his Creator had an entire and indisputable right to his services. No property is so high, or so perfect, as that which the Creator has in the thing created; and no right so complete, as that which arises out of this property. God, therefore, having created man, had the most perfect property in him and the most perfect right to dispose of him according to his own righteous pleasure.

God, also, being possessed of infinite greatness and excellence, is infinitely deserving of the supreme love, reverence, and obedience of man.

To serve, love, and honour God, is the most rational, and desirable employment, which is possible. It was, therefore, man's highest interest, as well as indispensable duty, to obey. In no other manner, could he be either virtuous or happy. Of course, it may with the utmost reverence and propriety be concluded, that God would not have acted in a manner, conformable to perfect rectitude, if he had not required obedience from all his rational creatures since they could neither do, nor enjoy, the good, of which they were made capable, in any other manner.

IV. That the situation, in which man was placed, furnished him with eminent Inducements, and Advantages, to obey.

The truth of this proposition will, I think, appear evident from the following particulars.

1st. Man was created holy, without any mixture of sinful affections.

This needs no proof, because it will be generally acknowledged, and because it has already been sufficiently proved in a former discourse. His understanding admitted truth without prejudice, and without any necessary error, except such as proceeded from mere ignorance. He did not know all things; but those, which he knew, he knew truly, or as they really existed. His will also was perfectly conformed to the dictates of his understanding.

2dly. He was placed in a situation, in which eternal things were most favourable to his obedience.

His habitation was delightful, and only delightful. Plenty, ease, and peace, fragrance, beauty, and joy, sprang up spontaneously around him; and accompanied him whithersoever he went. He was the lord and proprietor of a world; and that world was an Eden; a paradise of improvement and pleasure.

His employments were all innocent, virtuous, and delightful. In the happy and unlaborious agriculture, to which he was summoned, he found business congenial to his nature, powers, and wishes. Every thing flourished under his hand; and furnished him the peculiar pleasure of seeing his efforts contribute to his own enjoyment, and to the beauty and perfection of the objects, by which he was surrounded. He felt, that he was useful; that he was employ

ed in a manner chosen by his Maker; and that he therefore pleased, and obeyed Him; while he also daily contributed to the advancement of his own happiness. This consciousness, united with an employment of the same general nature, is probably necessary to all extensive and permanent good.

All things, also, daily manifested to him the presence of God; and exhibited this glorious Being only as great, wise, and good; reminding him unceasingly of the Benefactor, to whom alone he was indebted, and of the immense extent of the obligations, under which he was laid by the overflowing kindness of this benefactor. Thus every thing with a continual voice called on him to persist in his obedience, and in this manner to preserve the happiness, which it insured.

3dly. God immediately revealed himself to man in several ways, which are recorded, and in many more, which are necessarily implied.

God taught man to dress the garden of Eden; or, in other words, communicated to him the knowledge of an agriculture, suited to the nature and circumstances of the spot, in which he was placed. It was necessary for man to be employed. Idleness, even in Paradise, would, not improbably, have proved fatal to his innocence and peace. Equally necessary was it, that the nature of his employment should be revealed to him; the manner, in which it might be pursued with ease to himself; and the means, by which it might be rendered most effectual to every desirable purpose. Without such a revelation, ages must in all probability have passed away, before he would have discovered how to employ himself with either convenience or profit.

At the same time, God revealed himself to him immediately; and conversed with him freely, often, and familiarly; directing him by an audible voice, and in a manner wholly intelligible, to whatever his duty required. To enable him to derive the whole benefit, flowing from such communications, God endowed him immediately with the power of speech, and the knowledge of language, to an extensive degree. This is clearly evinced by the fact, that he was able to understand the converse of God, with him, exhibited in the Scriptures as carried on by an audible voice, and significant terms; of the same nature with those, which are in use among men. It is proved, also, by the fact, that our first parents were created social beings, and made to be helps meet for each other. Without speech, we cannot conceive a social state to exist; nor imagine the mutual assistance, aimed at in the creation of the first pair, to be in any possible manner accomplished. Without speech, millions crowded together, would, for this very reason, find themselves in a more perfect solitude. Without speech, mutually understood, mankind even now are strangers and aliens to each other; and are not only unable, and uninclined to render to each other any material assistance, but are even ready mutually to suspect, hate, and separ

Confidence is never reposed; friendship never springs up; where language is not understood, and where communications are not intelligibly, and definitely made.

It is further proved, by the record of the fact itself. Adam, immediately after his creation, gave names to every beast of the field, and to every fowl of the air; names suited to their respective natures, and conveyed down, as their appropriate names, to his pos terity. He also named Eve, when she was first brought to him and assigned his reason for the name, which he had chosen. Both he and she, also, conversed easily, and freely; as appears abundantly from the account, given of them, notwithstanding its brevity.

That language was revealed to man is, as an abstract proposition, abundantly proved by the impossibility, that the fact can have been otherwise. Without society, language could not be formed; and without language, society could not commence.

God also revealed to man, in direct and definite terms, his whole duty; and disclosed to him the law, by which his life was to be governed. With the same clearness, was he taught the rewards annexed to obedience, and the punishments due to disobedience. Of this truth we have a remarkable exemplification in the text; where we are presented with one of the principal rules, given to our first parents for the regulation of their conduct. Man, therefore, was not left to find out either his duty, or his danger, by the critical and doubtful decision of slow discovery, and distant inference; but received the knowledge of both in the same plain and certain manner, in which children are taught obedience by parental instruction.

4thly. The immediate means of trial were reasonably, and benevolently selected.

In the garden of Eden, the Lord God made to grow every tree, that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food. Man lived in the midst of spontaneous abundance. The palate and the eye were alike gratified; and the wishes seemed to have nothing left to ask. One fruit only was forbidden; and this merely for the purpose of trying his fidelity. Had man been placed in hard and difficult circumstances, encircled by few enjoyments, exposed to great tempt ations, and the subject of much ignorance and doubt concerning his duty; he would still have been indispensably bound to obey. But his real situation was the reverse of all this. God had given to him with the bounty of a God. Nothing was denied, which was either necessary or useful. A trifling gratification of either taste, or curiosity, was the utmost, which he could expect from disobedi ence. The continuance of all his enjoyments, endless life, and the favour of God, whom he saw both able and inclined to bless him, was the certain reward of obedience. No situation can be devised by our minds, in which man could have been placed more favoura bly for persevering in his duty. All motives, which we should think likely to influence, urged him to obey; and none, of this de