patriarchs and prophets-第10节

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Satan　represented　to　the　holy　pair　that　they　would　be　gainers　by　breaking
the　law　of　God。　Do　we　not　today　hear　similar　reasoning？　Many　talk　of　the
narrowness　of　those　who　obey　God's　commandments；　while　they　themselves　claim
to　have　broader　ideas　and　to　enjoy　greater　liberty。　What　is　this　but　an　echo
of　the　voice　from　Eden；　〃In　the　day　ye　eat　thereof〃transgress　the　divine
requirement〃ye　shall　be　as　gods〃？　Satan　claimed　to　have　received　great
good　by　eating　of　the　forbidden　fruit；　but　he　did　not　let　it　appear　that　by
transgression　he　had　become　an　outcast　from　heaven。　Though　he　had　found　sin
to　result　in　infinite　loss；　he　concealed　his　own　misery　in　order　to　draw
others　into　the　same　position。　So　now　the　transgressor　seeks　to　disguise　his
true　character；　he　may　claim　to　be　holy；　but　his　exalted　profession　only
makes　him　the　more　dangerous　as　a　deceiver。　He　is　on　the　side　of　Satan；
trampling　upon　the　law　of　God；　and　leading　others　to　do　the　same；　to　their
eternal　ruin。

Eve　really　believed　the　words　of　Satan；　but　her　belief　did　not　save　her　from
the　penalty　of　sin。　She　disbelieved　the　words　of　God；　and　this　was　what　led
to　her　fall。　In　the　judgment　men　will　not　be　condemned　because　they
conscientiously　believed　a　lie；　but　because　they　did　not　believe　the　truth；
because　they　neglected　the　opportunity　of　learning　what　is　truth。
Notwithstanding　the　sophistry　of　Satan　to　the　contrary；　it　is　always
disastrous　to　disobey　God。　We　must　set　our　hearts　to　know　what　is　truth。　All
the　lessons　which　God　has　caused　to　be　placed　on　record　in　His　word　are　for
our　warning　and　instruction。　They　are　given　to　save　us　from　deception。　Their
neglect　will　result　in　ruin　to　ourselves。　Whatever　contradicts　God's　word；
we　may　be　sure　proceeds　from　Satan。

The　serpent　plucked　the　fruit　of　the　forbidden　tree　and　placed　it　in　the
hands　of　the　half…reluctant　Eve。　Then　he　reminded　her

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of　her　own　words；　that　God　had　forbidden　them　to　touch　it；　lest　they　die。
She　would　receive　no　more　harm　from　eating　the　fruit；　he　declared；　than　from
touching　it。　Perceiving　no　evil　results　from　what　she　had　done；　Eve　grew
bolder。　When　she　〃saw　that　the　tree　was　good　for　food；　and　that　it　was
pleasant　to　the　eyes；　and　a　tree　to　be　desired　to　make　one　wise；　she　took　of
the　fruit　thereof；　and　did　eat。〃　It　was　grateful　to　the　taste；　and　as　she
ate；　she　seemed　to　feel　a　vivifying　power；　and　imagined　herself　entering
upon　a　higher　state　of　existence。　Without　a　fear　she　plucked　and　ate。　And
now；　having　herself　transgressed；　she　became　the　agent　of　Satan　in　working
the　ruin　of　her　husband。　In　a　state　of　strange；　unnatural　excitement；　with
her　hands　filled　with　the　forbidden　fruit；　she　sought　his　presence；　and
related　all　that　had　occurred。

An　expression　of　sadness　came　over　the　face　of　Adam。　He　appeared　astonished
and　alarmed。　To　the　words　of　Eve　he　replied　that　this　must　be　the　foe
against　whom　they　had　been　warned；　and　by　the　divine　sentence　she　must　die。
In　answer　she　urged　him　to　eat；　repeating　the　words　of　the　serpent；　that
they　should　not　surely　die。　She　reasoned　that　this　must　be　true；　for　she
felt　no　evidence　of　God's　displeasure；　but　on　the　contrary　realized　a
delicious；　exhilarating　influence；　thrilling　every　faculty　with　new　life；
such；　she　imagined；　as　inspired　the　heavenly　messengers。

Adam　understood　that　his　companion　had　transgressed　the　command　of　God；
disregarded　the　only　prohibition　laid　upon　them　as　a　test　of　their　fidelity
and　love。　There　was　a　terrible　struggle　in　his　mind。　He　mourned　that　he　had
permitted　Eve　to　wander　from　his　side。　But　now　the　deed　was　done；　he　must　be
separated　from　her　whose　society　had　been　his　joy。　How　could　he　have　it
thus？　Adam　had　enjoyed　the　companionship　of　God　and　of　holy　angels。　He　had
looked　upon　the　glory　of　the　Creator。　He　understood　the　high　destiny　opened
to　the　human　race　should　they　remain　faithful　to　God。　Yet　all　these
blessings　were　lost　sight　of　in　the　fear　of　losing　that　one　gift　which　in
his　eyes　outvalued　every　other。　Love；　gratitude；　loyalty　to　the　Creatorall
were　overborne　by　love　to　Eve。　She　was　a　part　of　himself；　and　he　could　not
endure　the　thought　of　separation。　He　did　not　realize　that　the　same　Infinite
Power　who　had　from　the　dust　of　the　earth　created　him；　a　living；　beautiful
form；　and　had　in　love　given　him　a　companion；　could　supply　her　place。　He
resolved　to　share　her　fate；　if　she　must　die；　he　would　die　with　her。　After
all；　he

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reasoned；　might　not　the　words　of　the　wise　serpent　be　true？　Eve　was　before
him；　as　beautiful　and　apparently　as　innocent　as　before　this　act　of
disobedience。　She　expressed　greater　love　for　him　than　before。　No　sign　of
death　appeared　in　her；　and　he　decided　to　brave　the　consequences。　He　seized
the　fruit　and　quickly　ate。

After　his　transgression　Adam　at　first　imagined　himself　entering　upon　a
higher　state　of　existence。　But　soon　the　thought　of　his　sin　filled　him　with
terror。　The　air；　which　had　hitherto　been　of　a　mild　and　uniform　temperature；
seemed　to　chill　the　guilty　pair。　The　love　and　peace　which　had　been　theirs
was　gone；　and　in　its　place　they　felt　a　sense　of　sin；　a　dread　of　the　future；
a　nakedness　of　soul。　The　robe　of　light　which　had　enshrouded　them；　now
disappeared；　and　to　supply　its　place　they　endeavored　to　fashion　for
themselves　a　covering；　for　they　could　not；　while　unclothed；　meet　the　eye　of
God　and　holy　angels。

They　now　began　to　see　the　true　character　of　their　sin。　Adam　reproached　his
companion　for　her　folly　in　leaving　his　side　and　permitting　herself　to　be
deceived　by　the　serpent；　but　they　both　flattered　themselves　that　He　who　had
given　them　so　many　evidences　of　His　love；　would　pardon　this　one
transgression；　or　that　they　would　not　be　subjected　to　so　dire　a　punishment
as　they　had　feared。

Satan　exulted　in　his　success。　He　had　tempted　the　woman　to　distrust　God's
love；　to　doubt　His　wisdom；　and　to　transgress　His　law；　and　through　her　he　had
caused　the　overthrow　of　Adam。

But　the　great　Lawgiver　was　about　to　make　known　to　Adam　and　Eve　the
consequences　of　their　transgression。　The　divine　presence　was　manifested　in
the　garden。　In　their　innocence　and　holiness　they　had　joyfully　welcomed　the
approach　of　their　Creator；　but　now　they　fled　in　terror；　and　sought　to　hide
in　the　deepest　recesses　of　the　garden。　But　〃the　Lord　God　called　unto　Adam；
and　said　unto　him；　Where　art　thou？　And　he　said；　I　heard　Thy　voice　in　the
garden；　and　I　was　afraid；　because　I　was　naked；　and　I　hid　myself。　And　He
said；　Who　told　thee　that　thou　wast　naked？　Hast　thou　eaten　of　the　tree；
whereof　I　commanded　thee　that　thou　shouldest　not　eat？〃

Adam　could　neither　deny　nor　excuse　his　sin；　but　instead　of　manifesting
penitence；　he　endeavored　to　cast　the　blame　upon　his　wife；　and　thus　upon　God
Himself：　〃The　woman　whom　Thou　gavest　to　be　with　me；　she　gave　me　of　the　tree；
and　I　did　eat。〃　He　who；　from　love　to　Eve；　had　deliberately　chosen　to　forfeit
the

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approval　of　God；　his　home　in　Paradise；　and　an　eternal　life　of　joy；　could
now；　after　his　fall；　endeavor　to　make　his　companion；　and　even　the　Creator
Himself；　responsible　for　the　transgression。　So　terrible　is　the　power　of　sin。

When　the　woman　was　asked；　〃What　is　this　that　thou　hast　done？〃　she　answered；
〃The　serpent　beguiled　me；　and　I　did　eat。〃　〃Why　didst　Thou　create　the
serpent？　Why　didst　Thou　suffer　him　to　enter　Eden？〃these　were　the　questions
implied　in　her　excuse　for　her　sin。　Thus；　like　Adam；　she　charged　God　with　the
responsibility　of　their　fall。　The　spirit　of　self…justification　originated　in
the　father　of　lies；　it　was　indulged　by　our　first　parents　as　soon　as　they
yielded　to　the　influence　of　Satan；　and　has　been　exhibited　by　all　the　sons
and　daughters　of　Adam。　Instead　of　humbly　confessing　their　sins；　they　try　to
shield　themselves　by　casting　the　blame　upon　others；　upon　circumstances；　or
upon　Godmaking　even　His　blessings　an　occasion　of　murmuring　against　Him。

The　Lord　then　passed　sentence　upon　the　serpent：　〃Because　thou　hast　done
this；　thou　art　cursed　above　all　cattle；　and　above　every　beast　of　the　field；
upon　thy　belly　shalt　thou　go；　and　dust　shalt　thou　eat　all　the　days　of　thy
life。〃　Since　it　had　been　employed　as　Satan's　medium；　the　serpent　was　to
share　the　visitation　of　divine　judgment。　From　the　most　beautiful　and　admired
of　the　creatures　of　the　field；　it　was　to　become　the　most　groveling　and
detested　of　them　all；　feared　and　hated　by　both　man　and　beast。　The　words　next
addressed　to　the　serpent　applied　directly　to　Satan　himself；　pointing　forward
to　his　ultimate　defeat　and　destruction：　〃I　will　put　enmity　between　thee　and
the　woman；　and　between　thy　seed　and　her　seed；　it　shall　bruise　thy　head；　and
thou　shalt　bruise　his　heel。〃

Eve　was　told　of　the　sorrow　and　pain　that　must　henceforth　be　her　portion。　And
the　Lord　said；　〃Thy　desire　shall　be　to　thy　husband；　and　he　shall　rule　over
thee。〃　In　the　creation　God　had　made　her　the　equal　of　Adam。　Had　they　remained
obedient　to　Godin　harmony　with　His　great　law　of　lovethey　would　ever　have
been　in　harmony　with　each　other；　but　sin　had　brought　discord；　and　now　their
union　could　be　maintained　and　harmony　preserved　only　by　submission　on　the
part　of　the　one　or　the　o