was fo well made, that from within himself he had nothing to fear. It was eafy and natural for him to chufe what was right; and this was fo prevalent, that he would never of himself, have deviated from it. All therefore, that he had to guard against was, evil perfuafions or feductions from without.

It is plain that between the creation week and the finishing of the garden of Eden, a party of the angels had formed a confederacy against God; and were refolved to infect the creation with fin: that they had a chief that headed them, by whose abilities they had been carried away; whofe great talents being now corrupted, made him enormously wicked and artful in the propagation of evil. And it is certain that Adam was particularly informed of the whole affair, and was cautioned to beware of that bold and crafty chief, who alone would have courage enough to attack him. For though this is not mentioned in the hiftory, yet things are fo ftated by Mofes, as to a thing, that it cannot be would not hide from Abraham

was going to do to Sodom, was there; how much more

make it fo reasonable doubted. For if God his friend, what he because his nephew certain is it, that Adam

Adam, who in the history is reprefented as the darling of God, fhould be faithfully informed of a plot fo formidable in its nature, and so dangerous to him and his pofterity! And especially as it was hatched among thofe very creatures, who were to wait upon him as his minifters and attendants.

It is then beyond a doubt, that Adam, the object of God's peculiar delight and affection, had certain intelligence that evil had already broke out; where it had originated, where his danger lay, and how to avoid it. And that the ring-leader, by his success among the angels, would be bold enough to attempt him. And that if he guarded against him, he was fafe and had nothing to fear from any other quarter.

To render thefe inftructions more efficacious, and to manifeft further the love of God, and his care and attention, he reared in the garden which he had made for his delight, two trees of a fingular nature. One was the tree of life, whofe fruit was efficacious to make his bodily frame immortal, of which he was to eat freely at pleasure. This would make the body vivid and alert; and preferve

it in a conftant ftate of cafe, power, bloom and beauty. Hard by, was the tree of knowledge of good and evil. The fruit of this tree was noxious. It would clog the body and infect the whole frame. It would fo mix, that it would become one with it, as if an original ingredient in the conftitution. It would fpoil its beauty, which was at first very great, and make it heavy, weak, fick and mortal. Therefore fays God, never tafte this fruit, for in the day thou doft, it will throw thee into a pining, dying ftate.

These two trees were also monitory. The tree of life taught him his dependance upon God. He told him what was meant by it. That is, that he could not attain to life and righteousness of himself, but was to receive it from God, as he received the fruit from that falutary tree. God, would preach wisdom, life and righteousness to him out of himself, and he must hear it and receive it into his mind: and then it would enter in, and incorporate itself with his mind and become one with it, as the fruit of that tree did with his bodily frame, to make it immortal. So that he was here taught that his eternal life, or righteoufnefs which is the fame

thing, is to proceed from God; to be heard, received, believed and embraced till it was incorporated with his mind and confcience. Thus the defign of this tree, with regard to Adam and his pofterity, appears to be the moft be. nevolent that can be conceived.

The tree of knowledge of good and evil alío was to teach him, that there was no evil in himself, and that if he became fuch, it must be by his receiving it into his mind from fome other being. And, that there was one wicked orator, by whofe eloquence he might be corrupted, and but one in the whole creation, from whom he had any thing to fear. And whereas the fruit of the forbidden tree, was beautiful and agreeable to the fight, and feemed as good as any other, though full of poifon and infection; fo the doctrine of the enemy would be delivered under a fair and fpecious appearance of truth and innocency. This tree then was to Adam a conftant memento, preaching to him continually, beware, thine enemy is one, whofe doctrine is fpecious and enticing, but full of all mifchief and pregnant with death. The number and appearance of it,

and the ill quality of its fruit, were all doctrinal

and monitory, and contained

than I can here point out.

more inftruction

The tree of life was defigned to yield both food and doctrine, but this was doctrinal only, and not to be meddled with as food, because of its bad qualities. qualities. This was therefore to be confidered and ufed only as a tree to convey knowledge. For by recollecting and contemplating the dreadful effect of that deceitful fruit upon the body, he was to know the deadly effects of a lying and falfe doctrine upon the mind: that as the one mixed with the body and corrupted and vitiated it, fo the other would the mind, This also was to put him in mind of the love and goodness of God, who

had fuch care for him

as to create a tree on purpose, to be placed before his eyes, as a conftant monitor of his danger. And fo it is properly called a tree of knowledge of good and evil. For it preached always the goodness of God and his tender care and folicitude to prevent his being taken in the fnare; and alfo the wickednefs of the devil who had a defign against him.

The