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 against Him. Adam being  the  representative  and  father  of  the  human race, there  rested  on  his  decision  not  only  his  own  fate,  but  the  fate of all  his  posterity. An illustration  of  this  we  see  in  the  case  of  a father  who  by  gambling  away  his  fortune  makes  his  children  losers  as well  as  himself.

Marriage. When God  gave  Eve  to  Adam  to  be  his  companion, and pronounced  His  blessing  on  both,  He  instituted  marriage. Being instituted by  God,  it  is  in  any  case  a holy  state,  but  Jesus  Christ  sanctified it  still  more  and  raised  it  to  the  dignity  of  a Sacrament. God Himself joins  together  man  and  wife. “What God  hath  joined  together, let no  man  put  asunder”  (Mat.  19,  6). Marriage, therefore,  is  indissoluble, i. e.  a man  and  his  wife  must  remain  joined  together  till  death. Divorce is a crime.

The man  is  the  head  of  the  family. God  Himself  named  Adam, but it  was  Adam  who  gave  Eve  her  name. Why did  God  ordain  this so? Because the  husband  is  the  head  of  the  wife,  and  the  wife  is  to obey  her  husband.

The Tree  of  Knowledge  a type  of  the  Cross  of  Christ. As  by  the Tree of  Knowledge  it  was  to  be  decided  whether  man  would  choose good or  evil,  so  is  Christ  the  Crucified  “set  for  the  fall  and  for  the resurrection of  many”  (Luke  2,  34). They who  believe  in  Him  crucified, and  follow  Him,  will  obtain  eternal  life;  but  those  who  will  not believe in  the  crucified  Saviour,  and  will  not  follow  Him,  will  be  eternally lost. The devil  conquered  by  means  of  the  Tree  of  Knowledge; but by  the  Cross  he  was  conquered. With the  one,  sin  began;  with the other,  redemption  and  salvation.

The Tree  of  Life  a type  of  the  Blessed  Sacrament.  Even  as  the  life of the  body  was  preserved  by  this  tree,  so  by  the  Blessed  Sacrament grace, the  supernatural  life  of  the  soul,  is  increased  and  preserved  in it,  and  the  soul  made  worthy  of  everlasting  life. “If any  man  eat  of this  bread  he  shall  live  for  ever”,  said  our  Lord  (New  Test.  XXXIV). (About the  Tree  of  Life  in  the  paradise  of  heaven,  see  Chapter  XCIX. New  Testament.)

God’s goodness  to  man  is  infinitely  great. Just think  how  He  has  raised  and  elevated  him! He created him to  His  own  image,  and  gave  him  the  whole  earth  for  his use. He gave  him  an  immortal  soul  and  sanctifying  grace,  placed him in  the  beautiful  garden  of  paradise,  and  in  addition  to  this gave him  the  promise  of  eternal  happiness  in  heaven;  for  man was intended  to  occupy  those  thrones  in  heaven  which  the  fallen angels had  lost. And all  this  was  destined  not  only  for  the first man,  but  for  all  his  posterity. Just think,  then,  how  loving were God’s  intentions  towards  man! “Praise the  Lord,  for  He