What occasion is there to trace moral evil to any other source than that of disobedience? Where there is the power to do good only, there cannot be any virtue or any praise.-Freedom of will is therefore necessary, as without it, there could not be any demonstration of fidelity or allegiance. But the indulgence of insubordination to a superior, is in itself criminal; and an opposition to the will of the Supreme Being, must be to counteract all that is pure and good. It must poison the fountain of action, render all its streams deleterious, and be productive of misery.

If there is as much justice in the punishment of transgression, as in the reward of virtue; and if the former has a more salutary operation than the latter, we have not any reason, on that account, to arraign the wisdom or to call in question the goodness, of the Almighty, in permitting the wickedness of his creatures to produce their correction; for we have seen it hath a tendency to lessen the influence of evil.

We may conclude that the punishment of these fallen angels, was only in proportion to the magnitude of their guilt; though the measure of it was so dreadful that the same apostle describes it, by their being cast down to hell. Speaking after the manner of men, we cannot suppose their crime to have been less than that of treason, or

rebellion in ministers of state, the first servants of the crown; which in these, to whom the greatest degree of power is deputed, and in whom the highest confidence is reposed, must exceed all others in blackness, and depth of ingratitude. We know that transgression of this enormity incurs utter destruction, and an attainder which cannot be expiated.

Whatsoever our attainments then may be, let us consider this account of fallen angels as intended to be a continual memento, to him that thinketh he standeth, to take heed lest he fall. An idea that the condition is irretrievable, suppresses every incitement to worthy action. When character is once lost, how common is it for persons not only to abandon themselves to all kinds of evil, but to endeavour to draw others into the same excess !

What reason have we to suppose that the like cause did not produce like effects even in the fallen angels, seeing that one of them is always pointed out as the head of the apostacy?

Christ said of the devil :-" When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own; for he is a liar and the father of it." Could greater moral evil originate in him, than that which being invariably founded in deception, is always calculated to mislead and ensnare?-His subtilty is aptly re

presented under the denomination of, "the Old Serpent, which is called the Devil, and Satan."

Jesus said to the Jews: "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do." This is in effect saying they were under diabolical influence. And indeed the whole tenour of the Scriptures inculcates the doctrine, that we have to contend with the power of darkness, the evil spirit, whose dominion is so general as to entitle him to the denomination of, "the prince of this world, and prince of the power of the air, who now worketh in the children of disobedience."

From the Scripture account, we may conclude that a state of innocence was of short duration; by which it appears that the greatest prosperity is not any defence against temptation.

The history of the blissful state of man consists of but few particulars. To plunge the human race into guilt and ruin, was comparatively the work of a moment; but to restore mankind to a life of innocence and happiness, employed depth of design to plan, length of time to mature and unfold, and irresistible power to execute. The history of the world, is in truth the history of redemption; for all the dealings of Providence with man, directly, or by implication, immediately or remotely, point out and announce a Saviour.

The promise to Adam after his fall was given in general, but not in obscure terms, of deliverance and recovery by one who should be, in a proper sense, the seed of the woman".

But to resume the thread of the History, the account of the first two men who were born into the world, seems to have been given to answer the purposes of warning and instruction to those who should come after them. For greater security in the journey of life, it is necessary to erect beacons, the admonitions of sudden dangers and death; as well as to set up indexes to point out the right path.

Abel, though dead, continues to instruct men in the excellence and importance of genuine devotion. Cain stands to all generations a fearful example of ungovernable passion, hurrying a man on to blood, and then plunging him into despair. He who is smitten with his own conscience, is continually surrounded with enemies; thus Cain said: Every one that findeth me shall slay me." Let us endeavor to improve by these examples ;-learning habitually to acknowledge, adore, and serve the great Author and Preserver of our being; who adorned our nature with his own glorious image, pitied us in our low and lost estate, and has laid help on one that is mighty to save; and who, by the exceedingly great and

precious promises of the gospel, is aiming at making us partakers of a divine nature, and delivering us from the bondage of corruption, in which we are sunk by reason of sin.

Adam could only communicate his own nature, which was of the earth, earthy; but the second man, being the Lord from heaven, the quickening Spirit, renews his spiritual offspring in the image of God, by which they are partakers of the divine naturek.