great multitude of good and wise men who have accepted it. What did Paul say? 'Death reigned from Adam unto Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the likeness of Adam's transgression' (Rom. v. 12). And the late Alexander McLaren, D.D., in his admirable exposition of Genesis (p. 10), says Man had an Eden, and lost it. I take the Fall to be an historical fact." It will require a vast number more of critical and sceptical assaults than it has yet received, before the Book of Beginnings is discredited in the estimation of the most learned, wisest, and godliest of men; for, as another has said: "There never was atime when the absolute and Divine accuracy of Scripture, from beginning to end, was more firmly grasped and tenaciously held by those who know it best; and never a time since Science began to be looked to as an authority and instructor of men, when there was less scientific basis for the prevalent questioning of the statements of the Bible." No doubt, there are a few trifling inaccuracies to be found in its pages, all of which might easily have occurred during redactions, copyings and translations in the course of ages; but these no more affect the credibility and value of the Bible, than the spots on the sun's disc obscure the splendour of its shining. Many scientists and philosophers can tell us next to nothing concerning the great realities about which we require most of all to know; for 'lo, they have rejected the Word of the

Lord; and what wisdom is in them' (Jer. viii. 9). As for the dogmatic assertions of the Higher Critics, they are mostly superficial speculations only; which the wisest critics are rapidly disproving, and which the faithful exponents of the grand old Book shall yet fully expose and condemn. And of this we have been fully assured by Christ Himself that, the Word of the Lord shall endure for ever.

Now, in bringing this first chapter to a close, let us understand,

I. That sin had its absolute origin in the soul of Satan. Jesus made that certain by His great declaration concerning him: He was a murderer from the beginning and stood not in the truth, because there is no truth in him: when he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own, for he is a liar and the father of lying' (John viii. 44). And John declared: 'He that doeth sin is of the devil, for the devil sinneth from the beginning' (1 John iii. 8).

2. Sin was the first of the devil's works effected in our humanity, through the subtle power of temptation; and from it, as their cause, there have issued all the afflictions and tribulations, the sorrows and sufferings, the madnesses and miseries of our race, which have largely made the history of this fallen world a dreary record of lamentation and woe.

3. All the issues of sin, as well as sin itself, are 'the works of the devil'; inasmuch as they would never have visited our race had it not fallen; and also

because, when the latter is finally and fully taken away, the former shall also be destroyed. This, as we shall see, is the teaching of the sacred Scriptures.

But while they show the activity of evil they also reveal the activity of good,

'For the grace of God hath appeared, bringing salvation to all men; instructing us to the intent that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world; looking for the blessed hope, and appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a people for his own possession, zealous of good works' (Titus ii. 11-14).

SECOND CHAPTER

WH

SIN AND AFFLICTIONS

HAT is sin? Scripture answers: 'Every one that doeth sin, doeth also lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness' (1 John iii. 4). It was manifested, as we have seen, at the beginning of human history, by the wilful violation of the Creator's injunctions on the part of His moral and responsible creatures, and also by the practical deification of their own wills and desires. What a tremendous offence this was against the Lord God, and through Him against the Godhead! Sin is also rebellion. The Lord said, 'Of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it'; and yet, they did eat of it. This was nothing less than a contemning of the Divine authority and rule, and a lifting up of the human and created will against the perfect and unchanging will of God. Sin is also selfishness. 'When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and was desirable to make one wise; she took of the fruit thereof and did eat, and gave

also unto her husband, and he did eat' (Gen. iii. 6). They had become lovers of pleasures, more than lovers of God" and pleased themselves, at the expense of dishonouring and displeasing Him. Sin is moral madness. They imagined that the partaking of the forbidden fruit would bring to them good, pleasure, and wisdom; but, behold! it resulted in 'evil,' sorrow, and foolishness. It destroyed their spiritual life, perverted their wills, reduced their God-consciousness into an evil conscience, hardened their hearts, beclouded their minds, corrupted the very blood of their life, and utterly destroyed the incipient glory with which their bodies had begun to be clothed; for no sooner had they consummated their sin than the glory vanished, and they knew that they were naked.' The degrading and destructive power of moral evil is very terrible.

As another has truly said:—

"Sin is no mere spattering of the outer nature from the mud of the natural world-it is something living, organic, internal; something that has its clutch and grip upon the inmost structures of the moral nature; something that pollutes and defiles, first, the moral will, and from the will affects the intellect, and from the intellect works out its spell and sorcery, if possible, into the whole fibrous structure of the internal and external, of the whole moral and natural man.' . . . ' Go back into the past: you cannot find any literature so ancient, but it gives expression to the wail of tortured humanity under the influence of sin; you cannot find any real tragedy, but that it admits sin,any genuine poetry, but that admits sin,-any satisfying philosophy, but that admits sin,-any true and righteous