patriarchs and prophets-第11节

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union　could　be　maintained　and　harmony　preserved　only　by　submission　on　the
part　of　the　one　or　the　other。　Eve　had　been　the　first　in　transgression；　and
she　had　fallen　into　temptation　by　separating　from　her　companion；　contrary　to
the　divine　direction。　It　was　by　her　solicitation　that　Adam　sinned；　and　she
was　now　placed　in　subjection　to　her　husband。　Had　the　principles

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joined　in　the　law　of　God　been　cherished　by　the　fallen　race；　this　sentence；
though　growing　out　of　the　results　of　sin；　would　have　proved　a　blessing　to
them；　but　man's　abuse　of　the　supremacy　thus　given　him　has　too　often　rendered
the　lot　of　woman　very　bitter　and　made　her　life　a　burden。

Eve　had　been　perfectly　happy　by　her　husband's　side　in　her　Eden　home；　but；
like　restless　modern　Eves；　she　was　flattered　with　the　hope　of　entering　a
higher　sphere　than　that　which　God　had　assigned　her。　In　attempting　to　rise
above　her　original　position；　she　fell　far　below　it。　A　similar　result　will　be
reached　by　all　who　are　unwilling　to　take　up　cheerfully　their　life　duties　in
accordance　with　God's　plan。　In　their　efforts　to　reach　positions　for　which　He
has　not　fitted　them；　many　are　leaving　vacant　the　place　where　they　might　be　a
blessing。　In　their　desire　for　a　higher　sphere；　many　have　sacrificed　true
womanly　dignity　and　nobility　of　character；　and　have　left　undone　the　very
work　that　Heaven　appointed　them。

To　Adam　the　Lord　declared：　〃Because　thou　hast　hearkened　unto　the　voice　of
thy　wife；　and　hast　eaten　of　the　tree；　of　which　I　commanded　thee；　saying；
Thou　shalt　not　eat　of　it：　cursed　is　the　ground　for　thy　sake；　in　sorrow　shalt
thou　eat　of　it　all　the　days　of　thy　life；　thorns　also　and　thistles　shall　it
bring　forth　to　thee；　and　thou　shalt　eat　the　herb　of　the　field；　in　the　sweat
of　thy　face　shalt　thou　eat　bread；　till　thou　return　unto　the　ground；　for　out
of　it　was　thou　taken：　for　dust　thou　art；　and　unto　dust　shalt　thou　return。〃

It　was　not　the　will　of　God　that　the　sinless　pair　should　know　aught　of　evil。
He　had　freely　given　them　the　good；　and　had　withheld　the　evil。　But；　contrary
to　His　command；　they　had　eaten　of　the　forbidden　tree；　and　now　they　would
continue　to　eat　of　it　they　would　have　the　knowledge　of　evilall　the　days
of　their　life。　From　that　time　the　race　would　be　afflicted　by　Satan's
temptations。　Instead　of　the　happy　labor　heretofore　appointed　them；　anxiety
and　toil　were　to　be　their　lot。　They　would　be　subject　to　disappointment；
grief；　and　pain；　and　finally　to　death。

Under　the　curse　of　sin　all　nature　was　to　witness　to　man　of　the　character　and
results　of　rebellion　against　God。　When　God　made　man　He　made　him　rule　over
the　earth　and　all　living　creatures。　So　long　as　Adam　remained　loyal　to
Heaven；　all　nature　was　in　subjection　to　him。　But　when　he　rebelled　against
the　divine　law；　the　inferior　creatures　were　in　rebellion　against　his　rule。
Thus　the

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Lord；　in　His　great　mercy；　would　show　men　the　sacredness　of　His　law；　and　lead
them；　by　their　own　experience；　to　see　the　danger　of　setting　it　aside；　even
in　the　slightest　degree。

And　the　life　of　toil　and　care　which　was　henceforth　to　be　man's　lot　was
appointed　in　love。　It　was　a　discipline　rendered　needful　by　his　sin；　to　place
a　check　upon　the　indulgence　of　appetite　and　passion；　to　develop　habits　of
self…control。　It　was　a　part　of　God's　great　plan　of　man's　recovery　from　the
ruin　and　degradation　of　sin。

The　warning　given　to　our　first　parents〃In　the　day　that　thou　eatest　thereof
thou　shalt　surely　die〃　（Genesis　2：17）did　not　imply　that　they　were　to　die
on　the　very　day　when　they　partook　of　the　forbidden　fruit。　But　on　the　day　the
irrevocable　sentence　would　be　pronounced。　Immortality　was　promised　them　on
condition　of　obedience；　by　transgression　they　would　forfeit　eternal　life。
That　very　day　would　be　doomed　to　death。

In　order　to　possess　an　endless　existence；　man　must　continue　to　partake　of
the　tree　of　life。　Deprived　of　this；　his　vitality　would　gradually　diminish
until　life　should　become　extinct。　It　was　Satan's　plan　that　Adam　and　Eve
should　by　disobedience　incur　God's　displeasure；　and　then；　if　they　failed　to
obtain　forgiveness；　he　hoped　that　they　would　eat　of　the　tree　of　life；　and
thus　perpetuate　an　existence　of　sin　and　misery。　But　after　man's　fall；　holy
angels　were　immediately　commissioned　to　guard　the　tree　of　life。　Around　these
angels　flashed　beams　of　light　having　the　appearance　of　a　glittering　sword。
None　of　the　family　of　Adam　were　permitted　to　pass　the　barrier　to　partake　of
the　life…giving　fruit；　hence　there　is　not　an　immortal　sinner。

The　tide　of　woe　that　flowed　from　the　transgression　of　our　first　parents　is
regarded　by　many　as　too　awful　a　consequence　for　so　small　a　sin；　and　they
impeach　the　wisdom　and　justice　of　God　in　His　dealings　with　man。　But　if　they
would　look　more　deeply　into　this　question；　they　might　discern　their　error。
God　created　man　after　His　own　likeness；　free　from　sin。　The　earth　was　to　be
peopled　with　beings　only　a　little　lower　than　the　angels；　but　their　obedience
must　be　tested；　for　God　would　not　permit　the　world　to　be　filled　with　those
who　would　disregard　His　law。　Yet；　in　His　great　mercy；　He　appointed　Adam　no
severe　test。　And　the　very　lightness　of　the　prohibition　made　the　sin
exceedingly　great。　If　Adam　could　not　bear　the　smallest　of　tests；　he　could
not　have

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endured　a　greater　trail　had　he　been　entrusted　with　higher　responsibilities。

Had　some　great　test　been　appointed　Adam；　then　those　whose　hearts　incline　to
evil　would　have　excused　themselves　by　saying；　〃This　is　a　trivial　matter；　and
God　is　not　so　particular　about　little　things。〃　And　there　would　be　continual
transgression　in　things　looked　upon　as　small；　and　which　pass　unrebuked　among
men。　But　the　Lord　has　made　it　evident　that　sin　in　any　degree　is　offensive　to
Him。

To　Eve　it　seemed　a　small　thing　to　disobey　God　by　tasting　the　fruit　of　the
forbidden　tree；　and　to　tempt　her　husband　also　to　transgress；　but　their　sin
opened　the　floodgates　of　woe　upon　the　world。　Who　can　know；　in　the　moment　of
temptation；　the　terrible　consequences　that　will　result　from　one　wrong　step？

Many　who　teach　that　the　law　of　God　is　not　binding　upon　man；　urge　that　it　is
impossible　for　him　to　obey　its　precepts。　But　if　this　were　true；　why　did　Adam
suffer　the　penalty　of　transgression？　The　sin　of　our　first　parents　brought
guilt　and　sorrow　upon　the　world；　and　had　it　not　been　for　the　goodness　and
mercy　of　God；　would　have　plunged　the　race　into　hopeless　despair。　Let　none
deceive　themselves。　〃The　wages　of　sin　is　death。〃　Romans　6：23。　The　law　of　God
can　no　more　be　transgressed　with　impunity　now　than　when　sentence　was
pronounced　upon　the　father　of　mankind。

After　their　sin　Adam　and　Eve　were　no　longer　to　dwell　in　Eden。　They　earnestly
entreated　that　they　might　remain　in　the　home　of　their　innocence　and　joy。
They　confessed　that　they　had　forfeited　all　right　to　that　happy　abode；　but
pledged　themselves　for　the　future　to　yield　strict　obedience　to　God。　But　they
were　told　that　their　nature　had　become　depraved　by　sin；　they　had　lessened
their　strength　to　resist　evil　and　had　opened　the　way　for　Satan　to　gain　more
ready　access　to　them。　In　their　innocence　they　had　yielded　to　temptation；　and
now；　in　a　state　of　conscious　guilt；　they　would　have　less　power　to　maintain
their　integrity。

In　humility　and　unutterable　sadness　they　bade　farewell　to　their　beautiful
home　and　went　forth　to　dwell　upon　the　earth；　where　rested　the　curse　of　sin。
The　atmosphere；　once　so　mild　and　uniform　in　temperature；　was　now　subject　to
marked　changes；　and　the　Lord　mercifully　provided　them　with　a　garment　of
skins　as　a　protection　from　the　extremes　of　heat　and　cold。

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As　they　witnessed　in　drooping　flower　and　falling　leaf　the　first　signs　of
decay；　Adam　and　his　companion　mourned　more　deeply　than　men　now　mourn　over
their　dead。　The　death　of　the　frail；　delicate　flowers　was　indeed　a　cause　of
sorrow；　but　when　the　goodly　trees　cast　off　their　leaves；　the　scene　brought
vividly　to　mind　the　stern　fact　that　death　is　the　portion　of　every　living
thing。

The　Garden　of　Eden　remained　upon　the　earth　long　after　man　had　become　an
outcast　from　its　pleasant　paths。　The　fallen　race　were　long　permitted　to　gaze
upon　the　home　of　innocence；　their　entrance　barred　only　by　the　watching
angels。　At　the　cherubim…guarded　gate　of　Paradise　the　divine　glory　was
revealed。　Hither　came　Adam　and　his　sons　to　worship　God。　Here　they　renewed
their　vows　of　obedience　to　that　law　the　transgression　of　which　had　banished
them　from　Eden。　When　the　tide　of　iniquity　overspread　the　world；　and　the
wickedness　of　men　determined　their　destruction　by　a　flood　of　waters；　the
hand　that　had　planted　Eden　withdrew　it　from　the　earth。　But　in　the　final
restitution；　when　there　shall　be　〃a　new　heaven　and　a　new　earth〃　（Revelation
21：1）；　it　is　to　be　restored　more　gloriously　adorned　than　at　the　beginning。

Then　they　that　have　kept　God's　commandments　shall　breathe　in　immortal　vigor
beneath　the　tree　of　life；　and　through　unending　ages　the　inhabitants　of
sinless　worlds　shall　behold；　in　that　garden　of　delight；　a　sample　of　the
perfect　work　of　God's　creation；　untouched　by　the　curse　of　sina