Page:The Last Judgement and Second Coming of the Lord Illustrated.djvu/57

 it. He also gave them commandments to obey, and taught them the consequences of disobedience. In those facts may be seen the real elements of a Church. At that time they were in the noon-tide of religious intelligence and love. When the Divine teachings were disobeyed the people fell; and then God mercifully condescended to revisit the garden He had planted. "They heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day." By "the cool of the day" is revealed the declination of their love. But this visitation included three things, namely, Coming, Judgment, and Mercy; Coming, because His voice was heard; Judgment, in condemning the evil that had been done; and Mercy, in providing for the safety of the good which remained. The coming is evident; the judgment is taught us by the curse which was pronounced upon the ground, by the multiplication of the sorrows of the woman, by the increase of the labours of the man, and by the expulsion of both from Eden; the mercy is plain from the circumstance that cherubim and a flaming sword were placed at the east of the garden to keep the way of the tree of life. Whatever may be the precise meaning of these statements in reference to the natural world, it seems plain that their direct pointing is to some circumstance belonging to the inner spiritual life of the people. That was the seat of the transgression, and that it was for which the Lord desired to keep open the way of life.

But, in the process of time, the advantages thus provided were neglected and turned aside; for we read that Cain rose up and slew his brother Abel. And then the Lord was pleased to come again, to display His judgment and manifest His mercy. In reference to the judgment "the Lord said unto Cain," "Now art thou cursed from the earth, which