tended. This is too absurd an idea to have any abettor. Moses, who records events just as they happened, without making any comment upon them, mentions indeed, that it was the Serpent who was the cause of the Fall; and he was, it is true, the instrumental cause; but doubtless it was the Devil, that accursed spirit, who was the efficient one. Accordingly, the SERPENT, the OLD SERPENT, the TEMPTER, the MURDERER, are the appellations bestowed upon him in the Scriptures. Now whether, upon the occasion before us, this malignant being actually assumed the form of the natural serpent, or is only described under the name, and by expressions borrowed from the corresponding nature, and qualities of that creature, and applied to him by analogy, seems to be a question of little or no importance, for either way, it is beyond all controversy, with those who believe the Bible, that Satan, the malignant being, is the principal agent in the whole affair. He is all along intended and addressed; on HIM was the weight and force of the tremendous sentence to light; between His seed and that of the woman, was the enmity to subsist; and His head was to be finally crushed by victorious Mes

síah. However Christians may have differed in their interpretation of particular words and phrases, this is the substance of all that has been, and always must be maintained among them, upon the subject. If all be confined to the natural serpent, or beast of the field, the account must then be nothing more than an apologue or fable, with a moral couched under it. But the sacred writers unquestionably refer to it, as true history, and invariably declare SATAN to have been the SERPENT, who "through his "subtlety deceived Eve," and made Eve again deceive her hapless husband. Both foolishly listened to the siren voice of seduction, and were enticed to their ruin; for by listening to it, they neglected, they despised God, and God expelled them the garden of Eden," and placed at the east "of it, cherubim and a flaming sword, which "turned every way, to keep the way of the "tree of life."

But let us now consider more particularly the Fall of our primeval parents, and then

* A traditionary doctrine of the Bramins, is very much the same as this, as appears from the conversation of Calanus with Alexander, related by STRABO, Lib. xv. p. 1042. Ed. Amst.

attend to its direful consequences.-The subject is unquestionably interesting, and serious meditation on it, may prove unspeakably profitable.

First let us consider more particularly the Fall of our primeval parents.-Our primeval parents, though, in the day of their creation, wise, and innocent, and happy, were nevertheless, as creatures, necessarily dependent upon God, and as such, were required by him to acknowledge their dependence. While they continued to acknowledge this, they were to enjoy his favour; but when they ceased to acknowledge it, they were to become miserable. The same, too, is the case with those superior beings denominated--Angels. They likewise have a law given them by God, obedience to which is necessary to their happiness. Some of these dared to transgress this law, and they immediately lost their happiness. They were expelled heaven, were cast down into hell, and are there reserved in chains of darkness to the judg"ment of the great day." The law given to Adam, in paradise, and which was there to be the test of his obedience, was merely (as has been already remarked) this simple, ne

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gative one-to abstain from the fruit of a certain tree; "the tree of the knowledge "of good and evil.-Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat; but of the "tree of the knowledge of good and evil, "thou shalt not eat of it; for in the day "that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely "die." It was called "the tree of the "knowledge of good and evil," both because by it, it was to be learnt whether our first parents were to continue good or become evil : and likewise, because, by its mortal fruit, they themselves learnt the difference between good and evil, by woful experience. -Satan, that enemy of all order and goodness, tempted them to eat of this forbidden fruit, and thus openly to rebel against the Lord their Maker. And observe, how he conducted the temptation. He addressed himself to the woman, and when she was alone he addressed himself to her, thinking her the weaker vessel, and more liable to imposition: And he addressed her when alone, that she might not avail herself of the counsel and direction of her husband.He began with persuading her to disbelieve the solemn threat of the Almighty. The Almighty had declared to Adam ;-" in the

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"day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die ;"-but the Tempter, replete with guile," said unto the woman ;-Ye "shall not surely die. The tree, he insinu"ated, is most inviting to the sight, and can produce the most glorious effects upon the "mind. Perhaps, for this very reason, it "is forbidden you by God. He wishes to "keep you in low subjection; but only taste "of this fair and beautiful fruit, and, in"stantly, ye shall be divinely wise: raised, " in every way, far above all other crea"tures.-Ye shall be as gods: your natures "perfect, and your happiness unmeasurable "and independent."-The woman, lured by the hope of superior wisdom, and unmeasurable and independent happiness, fell a prey to the Tempter's wiles. Her curiosity was excited, her desire was inflamed, her reason was blinded, and in an evil moment, she put forth her hand," she plucked, she ate."

"Earth felt the wound, and Nature from her seat,

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Sighing through all her works, gave signs of woe, "That all was lost."

She herself, however, did not, as yet, feel her case so desperate. Still deluded with