was in this a deep stupendous mystery. Adam and Eve thought only of a covering for their bodies : God pointed out to them a covering for their souls. They were despoiled of their original righteousness ; and they needed a robe to cover their naked souls, that they might again stand before God " without spot or blemish." All means which they could devise for this purpose would be ineffectual. God therefore was pleased to shadow forth to them the righteous- ness of Christ; of Him who was " to be the propitiation for their sins," and emphatically to be " called, The Lord our Righteousness e." How far they beheld the substance in the shadow, we cannot say : but there is abundant proof that the same means were used in subsequent ages to represent the Saviour to the world. All the vestments of the priests, sprinkled with the blood of sacrifices, clearly shewed in what manner all were to be clothed who would be " an holy priest- hood to the Lord." And the language of Prophets, and Apostles, and of Christ himself, has so strict an analogy with the event before us, that we cannot but discern their har- mony and agreement. Isaiah speaks of being " clothed with the garments of salvation, and covered with a robe of right- eousness1^" St. Paul, enjoying the fuller light of the Gospel, says more plainly, " Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ g: " And our blessed Lord more plainly still, " I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich ; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness may not appear*1."
We need only further observe, that in this marvellous appointment God taught our fallen parents to look to Him through one Mediator, and to make that one object the only ground of all their hopes ; or, in other words, to expect pardon only through His atoning blood, and acceptance only through His meritorious and perfect righteousness.]
Having seen how strongly God illustrated to them his promised salvation, let us notice,
II. The means he used to secure their acceptance of it- He banished his guilty creatures from Paradise, and, by the ministration of angels, prohibited effec- tually their return to it. This he did,
1. Partly in judgment —
[The ironical and sarcastic expressions which purport to be the reason of this dispensation, are certainly strong
e Jer. xxiii. G. f Isai. lxi. 10. s Rom. xiii. 14. !l Rev. iii. IS.