first parents? Alas! "the god of this world hath blinded our minds:" else we should smite upon our breasts with sorrow and anguish, and implore without delay the mercy which we so much need.]
2. How astonishing was the grace of God in pro- viding a Saviour for us !
[It is needless to say that our first parents could do nothing to repair the evil which they had committed. And how far they were from attempting to make reparation for it, we see, when they fled from God, and cast the blame on others, yea even on God himself, rather than acknowledge their transgressions before him. But God, for His own great name sake, interposed, and promised them a Saviour, through whom they, and their believing posterity, should be restored to his favour. To this gracious promise we owe it, that we are not all involved in endless and irremediable misery. Let heaven and earth stand astonished at the goodness of our God ! And let all the sinners of mankind testify their ac- ceptance of his proffered mercy, by fleeing for refuge to the hope set before them.]
3. How vigilant should we all be against the de- vices of Satan !
[He who "beguiled Eve under the form of a serpent," can assume any shape, for the purpose of deceiving us. He is sometimes " transformed into an angel of light," so that we may be ready to follow his advice, as if he were a messenger from heaven. But we may easily distinguish his footsteps, if only we attend to the following inquiries : — Does he lessen in our eyes the sinfulness of sin? Does he weaken our appre- hensions of its danger ? Does he persuade us to that which is forbidden? Would he make us think lightly of that which is threatened? Does he stimulate our desires after evil by any considerations of the pleasure or the profit that shall attend it? Does he calumniate God to us, as though He were unfriendly, oppressive, or severe? If our temptations be accompanied with any of these things, we may know assuredly that " the enemy hath done this," and that he is seeking our destruction. Let us then be on our guard against him. Let us watch and pray that we enter not into tempta- tion. However remote we may imagine ourselves to be from the love of evil, let us not think ourselves secure: for if Satan vanquished our fh'st parents under all the advantages they enjoyed, he will certainly overcome us, unless " we resist him," " strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might."]