Had man continued thus, the whole creation would have retained its original constitution. But man fell ; and brought a curse upon the whole world''; every thing more or less participating in,
b Gen. i, 26, 27. ^ Gen. iii. 17.
II. His obli([uity, as deformed by sin —
Man, through the instigation of Satan, desired to be wise as God himself. Not contented with knowing "good," he would know "evil" also''; little thinking how impossible it was for light and darkness to exist together. Since that first device, whereby he fell, he has " sought out many inventions;" whereby to remedy, if possible, the first evil which he brought upon himself. Thus his descendants seek,
1 . How to rid themselves of all restraint from God —
[They conceive of God, as resident in heaven ; and as so remote from this vain world, as scarcely to take any notice of it, or concern himself about it. Besides, from a pretended regard for his glorious Majesty, they conceive it far beneath him to notice the affairs of men : so that the language of their hearts is, " The Lord shall not see, neither will the Almighty regard it^." But, as they cannot be certain but that he does inspect their ways, they endeavour to get at as great a distance from him as possible. If at any time, by means of the preached word, or by any remarkable providence, he is brought nigh to them, they endeavour to shut their eyes, and to flee to any thing which may assist them in banishing him from their thoughts. To himself they say in effect, "Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways^:" and to his servants they say, " Make the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us^." It was thus that our first parents acted, when they strove to " hide themselves from God in the midst of the garden :" and thus do sinners of the present day act, fleeing to business and pleasure and company, and any thing that may serve to drive the remembrance of him from their minds. And he who could contrive any fresh amusement or employ that should have this effect upon their minds, would be accounted one of the greatest benefactors of the human race. That which is, in fact, their heaviest curse, is sought by them as the richest blessing ; namely, " to be without God in the world '^," and " not to have him in all their thoughts'."]
2. How to make to themselves gods more suited to
their taste —
[Men feel that they must, of necessity, depend on some- thing without them for their happiness, since they have no perennial source of it within themselves. But Jehovah is not one in whom they can find delight : hence, as the Israelites
«i Gen. iii, 5, 6. ^ Ps. xciv. 7. *" Job xxi. 14, 15.
e Isai, XXX. 11. ^ Eph. ii. 12. ' Ps. x. 4.
837.] man's original and present state. 373
made a golden calf, and worshipped it, so these make to them- selves objects of supreme regard, to which in heart and mind they cleave, as sources of satisfaction to their souls. Some, like the ignorant heathen, bow down to stocks and stones, " and say. Ye are our gods'^:" others, with equal, though less pal- pable, absurdity, set their affections on the pleasures, riches, and honours of this life, making " a god of their belly V' oi" putting their confidence in gold'", or " seeking the honour of man, rather than that which cometh of God only"." These all, in fact, " forsake the fountain of living waters, and hew out to themselves cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water"." All, indeed, have not the same pursuit : but all have some " idol in their hearts^," which is to them a god: and all " will walk in the name of that godi," looking to it for happiness, and con- fiding in it for support. This is an " invention," not peculiar to any age or place : it is " sought out," and carried into effect, by every child of man ; there not being a natural man upon the face of the whole earth who does not, in one shape or other, " worship and serve the creature more than the Creator ; who is blessed for evermore"^."]