118 THE SACRED AND SECULAR
care, and that was not designed to come to an end, these
were not good enough for poor man. IIe must ascertain
for himself how much of good there was in the service
of Satan. The result of this experiment shows him ban-
ished from Paradise, and from its immortal fruit, under
the displeasure of God, subjected to labor, to sorrow,
and at last to death.
7. But though the first man did thus make such pal-
pable mistakes in secking something better from Satan
than that which God had in his infinite benevolence con-
ferred on him, the lesson has been wholly lost upon the
vast majority of his posterity. The onc God of perfect
holiness and excellence, having revealed himself to fal-
len man, his character has not been admired nor loved.
They have not liked to retain God in their knowledge.
So they have “ changed the glory of the uncorruptible
(fod into an image made like to corruptible man, and
to birds and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.”
Rom. 1:21-23, 28.
8. God gave to man the institution of marriage.
Gen. 1; 2; Mal. 2:14, 15; Matt. 19:3-8. The per-
verse invention of man has marred God's work with
polygamy, and even, from the hardness of the heart, with
divorce. Yet men have not found themselves happier
for these changes in God's institution. Witness in this
the familics of Abraham, of Jacob, and of David.
9. The first of all the duties of the second table of
the law, is that which we owe to our parents. The per-
versity of man’s evil heart found out a way to appar-
ently obey God and yet break this commandment.
Matt. 15:1-9.
10. The blood of Christ can cleanse the penitent sin-
ner from every sinful stain. Yet a majority of those
who profess to make Christ their Saviour, prefer for this
very purpose the flames of purgatory.
11. The Lord's supper commemorates the death of
Christ. Yet in the place of the broken bread and the
wine in the cup, so expressive of our Lord’s sacrifice for
us, vast multitudes prefer the celebration of the masy