The inflitution of this doctrinal tree, was the moft natural refult of that fpecial good will which prevailed in the divine mind to human nature, and of which his conduct and works were but the conftant expreffions and affurances. Adam having but a fpeculative knowledge of the nature and properties of moral evil, divine love, ever active in his favor, and full of contrivances for his fafety, would fain have confined him to that, and kept him ignorant of every thing beyond it. The highest ideas of the evil of fin that he could attain to, was by reasoning upon the bad effects of the malignant juice of that poisonous fruit. This tree measured his knowledge of evil, and fhewed him how far he might pry into it, to wit, by a comparison made between it and that deadly fruit. He knew not much about it, but this he knew, that it was infectious, infinuating, weakening, painful and deadly, or deftructive to the laft degree. That it was very deceitful, appearing not only harmless, but pleasant and profitable. That it originated in one creature made very eminent in the creation, who had been active in propagating it. That as the fruit of that tree would hurt no-body unless

it was eaten; fo that evil brought forth by Satan would hurt no one unless he received and believed it. And lastly, that no one was under any neceffity to fall into fin, as no perfon could be compelled to eat of that fruit. As the one, fo the other must be matter of choice. This was the nature and measure of the knowledge of evil unto which he was to confine himself, without attempting to go beyond it. He was to look at the tree, and there he could fee all that he was to know of the nature, origin, effects, propagation, and author of moral evil; how it could infect him, what the confequences would be, and how to avoid them.

And, as I faid before, this conveyed the ideas and affurances of the goodnefs of God. By cafting his eye upon the tree he faw how careful he was to flop evil from fpreading. How loving and affectionate to man; and, if I may so speak, how anxious to prevent his fall and mifery. How kindly and compaffionately he warns and forbids him to do any thing to his own hurt. Here he faw and knew that God never meant, nor defigned his fall, but carnefily wifhed the contrary, and took every flep

that

that could be taken to prevent it. Thus the tree was ftrictly speaking, a tree of knowledge of good

and evil.

many repetitions and

defire to refcue this

I have here dropped into tautologies, from an earnest difpenfation of special love to man, from that obfcurity, and even even flur and cenfure which are caft upon it; being generally looked upon, as very dark and unaccountable, if not in fact, a trap and fnare for him: whereas the contrary is as certain and clear as the fun.

These trees then were two preachers, representing God and the devil; and the fruits, the two doctrines, truth and falfehood; and the defign of both was the fame; to exprefs the love of God to man, to fhew him the nature of his condition, to admonish him of his danger, to teach him to avoid it, and prevent his falling into fin and mifery. And more to fave him could not be done, without treating him as a fool or an idiot. Preventing care

and compaffion could not be

carried further,

confiftent with a ftate of trial and the use of reafon, to fecure his innocency.

In reference to these trees in Paradise, Our Lord admonishes the people to beware of false teachers as of noxious trees, bringing forth corrupt and hurtful fruits. On the contrary, teachers of the true doctrine, are good trees bringing forth good fruit. The former he calls a generation of vipers, because they acted over again the work of the devil, who by the ferpent brought the mifchief into the garden, whofe vitious doctrine was represented by a moft venomous tree created for the purpose. A tree that had flow poifon enough and rancor fufficient, to infinuate itself through every human body, and incurably vitiate the whole mafs of human blood to the end of time.

Hence Satan's contrivance to make

parents fin by eating that fruit,

way; because, while the

our firft

rather than any

other way; pernicious fruit would infinuate itself through the body and bring it under fickness and death, fo the lye, by which they would be perfuaded to eat it, would at the fame time, equally pervade the mind and vitiate the reasonable powers; and fo by one mafterly contrivance, infect all human nature

in body and mind; which he knew would be the greatest spite to God that he could I faid before, every precau.

atchieve. But

as

tion was used to prevent Adam's fall. Greater care could not be expreffed; and more effectual means to fave him from the difafter, could not be used without infulting him as a fool, or imprisoning him as a flave or a felon.

The

two trees perpetually taught him his danger and means of defence. The tree of knowledge, constantly described the devil to the devil to him and expofed his fatal designs.

This embarraffed the head of the apoftacy exceedingly. Knowing that Adam had fuch accurate intelligence of his proceedings, and had received fuch descriptive ideas and definitions of his person, he himself must not appear; elfe, Adam would be able to point him out with his finger, and fay yonder he comes. And on the other hand, the expedition is of that importance in the scheme of mischief, that the management must be trufted with no other.

He had then but one way left to make am

attempt