patriarchs and prophets-第8节

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behold；　it　was　very　good。〃　Eden　bloomed　on　earth。　Adam　and　Eve　had　free
access　to　the　tree　of　life。　No　taint　of　sin　or　shadow　of　death　marred　the
fair　creation。　〃The　morning　stars　sang　together；　and　all　the　sons　of　God
shouted　for　joy。〃　Job　38：7。

The　great　Jehovah　had　laid　the　foundations　of　the　earth；　He　had　dressed　the
whole　world　in　the　garb　of　beauty　and　had　filled　it　with　things　useful　to
man；　He　had　created　all　the　wonders　of　the　land　and　of　the　sea。　In　six　days
the　great　work　of　creation　had　been　accomplished。　And　God　〃rested　on　the
seventh　day　from　all　His　work　which　He　had　made。　And　God　blessed　the　seventh
day；　and　sanctified　it：　because　that　in　it　He　had　rested　from　all　His　work
which　God　created　and　made。〃　God　looked　with　satisfaction　upon　the　work　of
His　hands。　All　was　perfect；　worthy　of　its　divine　Author；　and　He　rested；　not
as　one　weary；　but　as　well　pleased　with　the　fruits　of　His　wisdom　and　goodness
and　the　manifestations　of　His　glory。

After　resting　upon　the　seventh　day；　God　sanctified　it；　or　set　it　apart；　as　a
day　of　rest　for　man。　Following　the　example　of　the　Creator；　man　was　to　rest
upon　this　sacred　day；　that　as　he　should　look　upon　the　heavens　and　the　earth；
he　might　reflect　upon　God's　great　work　of　creation；　and　that　as　he　should
behold　the　evidences　of　God's　wisdom　and　goodness；　his　heart　might　be　filled
with　love　and　reverence　for　his　Maker。

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In　Eden；　God　set　up　the　memorial　of　His　work　of　creation；　in　placing　His
blessing　upon　the　seventh　day。　The　Sabbath　was　committed　to　Adam；　the　father
and　representative　of　the　whole　human　family。　Its　observance　was　to　be　an
act　of　grateful　acknowledgment；　on　the　part　of　all　who　should　dwell　upon　the
earth；　that　God　was　their　Creator　and　their　rightful　Sovereign；　that　they
were　the　work　of　His　hands　and　the　subjects　of　His　authority。　Thus　the
institution　was　wholly　commemorative；　and　given　to　all　mankind。　There　was
nothing　in　it　shadowy　or　of　restricted　application　to　any　people。

God　saw　that　a　Sabbath　was　essential　for　man；　even　in　Paradise。　He　needed　to
lay　aside　his　own　interests　and　pursuits　for　one　day　of　the　seven；　that　he
might　more　fully　contemplate　the　works　of　God　and　meditate　upon　His　power
and　goodness。　He　needed　a　Sabbath　to　remind　him　more　vividly　of　God　and　to
awaken　gratitude　because　all　that　he　enjoyed　and　possessed　came　from　the
beneficent　hand　of　the　Creator。

God　designs　that　the　Sabbath　shall　direct　the　minds　of　men　to　the
contemplation　of　His　created　works。　Nature　speaks　to　their　senses；　declaring
that　there　is　a　living　God；　the　Creator；　the　Supreme　Ruler　of　all。　〃The
heavens　declare　the　glory　of　God；　and　the　firmament　showeth　His　handiwork。
Day　unto　day　uttereth　speech；　and　night　unto　night　showeth　knowledge。〃　Psalm
19：1；　2。　The　beauty　that　clothes　the　earth　is　token　of　God's　love。　We　may
behold　it　in　the　everlasting　hills；　in　the　lofty　trees；　in　the　opening　buds
and　the　delicate　flowers。　All　speak　to　us　of　God。　The　Sabbath；　ever　pointing
to　Him　who　made　them　all；　bids　men　open　the　great　book　of　nature　and　trace
therein　the　wisdom；　the　power；　and　the　love　of　the　Creator。

Our　first　parents；　though　created　innocent　and　holy；　were　not　placed　beyond
the　possibility　of　wrongdoing。　God　made　them　free　moral　agents；　capable　of
appreciating　the　wisdom　and　benevolence　of　His　character　and　the　justice　of
His　requirements；　and　with　full　liberty　to　yield　or　to　withhold　obedience。
They　were　to　enjoy　communion　with　God　and　with　holy　angels；　but　before　they
could　be　rendered　eternally　secure；　their　loyalty　must　be　tested。　At　the
very　beginning　of　man's　existence　a　check　was　placed　upon　the　desire　for
self…indulgence；　the　fatal　passion　that　lay　at　the　foundation　of　Satan's
fall。　The　tree　of　knowledge；　which　stood　near　the　tree　of　life　in　the　midst
of　the　garden；　was

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to　be　a　test　of　the　obedience；　faith；　and　love　of　our　parents。　While
permitted　to　eat　freely　of　every　other　tree；　they　were　forbidden　to　taste　of
this；　on　pain　of　death。　They　were　also　to　be　exposed　to　the　temptations　of
Satan；　but　if　they　endured　the　trial；　they　would　finally　be　placed　beyond
his　power；　to　enjoy　perpetual　favor　with　God。

God　placed　man　under　law；　as　an　indispensable　condition　of　his　very
existence。　He　was　a　subject　of　the　divine　government；　and　there　can　be　no
government　without　law。　God　might　have　created　man　without　the　power　to
transgress　His　law；　He　might　have　withheld　the　hand　of　Adam　from　touching
the　forbidden　fruit；　but　in　that　case　man　would　have　been；　not　a　free　moral
agent；　but　a　mere　automaton。　Without　freedom　of　choice；　his　obedience　would
not　have　been　voluntary；　but　forced。　There　could　have　been　no　development　of
character。　Such　a　course　would　have　been　contrary　to　God's　plan　in　dealing
with　the　inhabitants　of　other　worlds。　It　would　have　been　unworthy　of　man　as
an　intelligent　being；　and　would　have　sustained　Satan's　charge　of　God's
arbitrary　rule。

God　made　upright；　He　gave　him　noble　traits　of　character；　with　no　bias　toward
evil。　He　endowed　him　with　high　intellectual　powers；　and　presented　before　him
the　strongest　possible　inducements　to　be　true　to　his　allegiance。　Obedience；
perfect　and　perpetual；　was　the　condition　of　eternal　happiness。　On　this
condition　he　was　to　have　access　to　the　tree　of　life。

The　home　of　our　first　parents　was　to　be　a　pattern　for　other　homes　as　their
children　should　go　forth　to　occupy　the　earth。　That　home；　beautified　by　the
hand　of　God　Himself；　was　not　a　gorgeous　palace。　Men；　in　their　pride；　delight
in　magnificent　and　costly　edifices　and　glory　in　the　works　of　their　own
hands；　but　God　placed　Adam　in　a　garden。　This　was　his　dwelling。　The　blue
heavens　were　its　dome；　the　earth；　with　its　delicate　flowers　and　carpet　of
living　green；　was　its　floor；　and　the　leafy　branches　of　the　goodly　trees　were
its　canopy。　Its　was　walls　were　hung　with　the　most　magnificent　adorningsthe
handiwork　of　the　great　Master　Artist。　In　the　surroundings　of　the　holy　pair
was　a　lesson　for　all　timethat　true　happiness　is　found；　not　in　the
indulgence　of　pride　and　luxury；　but　in　communion　with　God　through　His
created　works。　If　men　would　give　less　attention　to　the　artificial；　and　would
cultivate　greater　simplicity；　they　would　come　far　nearer　to　answering　the

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purpose　of　God　in　their　creation。　Pride　and　ambition　are　never　satisfied；
but　those　who　are　truly　wise　will　find　substantial　and　elevating　pleasure　in
the　sources　of　enjoyment　that　God　has　placed　within　the　reach　of　all。

To　the　dwellers　in　Eden　was　committed　the　care　of　the　garden；　〃to　dress　it
and　to　keep　it。〃　Their　occupation　was　not　wearisome；　but　pleasant　and
invigorating。　God　appointed　labor　as　a　blessing　to　man；　to　occupy　his　mind；
to　strengthen　his　body；　and　to　develop　his　faculties。　In　mental　and　physical
activity　Adam　found　one　of　the　highest　pleasures　of　his　holy　existence。　And
when；　as　a　result　of　his　disobedience；　he　was　driven　from　his　beautiful
home；　and　forced　to　struggle　with　a　stubborn　soil　to　gain　his　daily　bread；
that　very　labor；　although　widely　different　from　his　pleasant　occupation　in
the　garden；　was　a　safeguard　against　temptation　and　a　source　of　happiness。
Those　who　regard　work　as　a　curse；　attended　though　it　be　with　weariness　and
pain；　are　cherishing　an　error。　The　rich　often　look　down　with　contempt　upon
the　working　classes；　but　this　is　wholly　at　variance　with　God's　purpose　in
creating　man。　What　are　the　possessions　of　even　the　most　wealthy　in
comparison　with　the　heritage　given　to　the　lordly　Adam？　Yet　Adam　was　not　to
be　idle。　Our　Creator；　who　understands　what　is　for　man's　happiness；　appointed
Adam　his　work。　The　true　joy　of　life　is　found　only　by　the　working　men　and
women。　The　angels　are　diligent　workers；　they　are　the　ministers　of　God　to　the
children　of　men。　The　Creator　has　prepared　no　place　for　the　stagnating
practice　of　indolence。

While　they　remained　true　to　God；　Adam　and　his　companion　were　to　bear　rule
over　the　earth。　Unlimited　control　was　given　them　over　every　living　thing。
The　lion　and　the　lamb　sported　peacefully　around　them　or　lay　down　together　at
their　feet。　The　happy　birds　flitted　about　them　without　fear；　and　as　their
glad　songs　ascended　to　the　praise　of　their　Creator；　Adam　and　Eve　united　with
them　in　thanksgiving　to　the　Father　and　the　Son。

The　holy　pair　were　not　only　children　under　the　fatherly　care　of　God　but
students　receiving　instruction　from　the　all…wise　Creator。　They　were　visited
by　angels；　and　were　granted　communion　with　their　Maker；　with　no　obscuring
veil　between。　They　were　full　of　the　vigor　imparted　by　the　tree　of　life；　and
their　intellectual　power　was　but　little　less　than　that　of　the　angels。　The
mysteries　of　the　visible　universe〃the　wondrous　works　of　Him　which　is

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perfect　in　knowledge〃　（Job　37：16）afforded　them　an　exhaustless　source　of
instruction　and　delight。　The　laws　and　operations　of　nature；　which　have
engaged　men's　study　for　six　thousand　years；　were　opened　to　their　minds　by
the　infinite　Framer　and　Upholder　of　all。　They　held　converse　with　leaf　and
flower　and　tree；　gathering　from　each　the　secrets　of　its　li