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be the seat of these. And that mysterious something that thus perceives and feels, and that acts from the impulse of perception and of feeling, is equally distinguishable from that orb of light, that spiritual, intellectual and moral existence, none of whose perceptions have any resemblance to sense, nor its emotions any thing in common with appetite.

Such then was Adam when he came a perfect being from the hands of his Creator. Constituted of three distinct substances, each one regulated by its peculiar laws, and susceptible of qualities exclusively its own, yet from their intimate combination mutually influencing and af fecting one another, the sphere of action and the field of enjoyment was proportionably enlarged.

But it was that which distinguished him from the beasts that perish that constituted his noblest part. The intel lectual, the moral, the immortal principle, which adapts itself with equal facility to every known department of the universe of God, which annihilates the distinctions of time and space and sense, whose existence is power, whose activity, is thought, and whose substance bore the impress of the Almighty Maker-that was the capital distinction of our nature, and well fited it for dominion in this lower world.

"In our own image, after our own likeness," was the model proposed by the Creator when he planed this master work; and in his own image, after his own likeness the exalted nature rose.

You surely need not be told that this conformity of Adam to the image of his Maker had no sort of relation to his human form. Form is alone the attribute of matter. God is a spirit, an infinite spirit, present to all things, in whom

all things subsist. What has he to do with form? It was not the body, it was the immortal part of man that was framed in the image of his Maker. The renovation of that image in the fallen sons of Adam is frequently named in scripture, and is said to consist in knowledge, righteousness and holiness. And such was the impress borne by our first father. His understanding was unclouded; his perception of truth, and his power to combine it, so rapid and so strong that it was almost intuition. He knew his Maker, he understood himself, and he scaned the wide creation. Then did he resemble, though still in humble measure, that infinite understanding, that glorious orb of light which planed the whole creation, and whose immeasurable extent ten thousand such creatures never could develop.

But intelligence, like power, is always a possession of changeable character. It may be an ornament or a deformity, it may create admiration or disgust, according to the ends for which it is cultivated and the spirit in which it is employed.

Thus walked forth the lord of the creation, gifted with every great and noble quality that could elevate his nature or augment his happiness. But what were all the rich profusion of paradise and grand variety of Eden to Adam while alone. Solitary indulgence soon palls upon the sense. Solitary grandeur soon assumes the hue of gloom. Sameness of scene soon ceases to excite emotion; and from his daily employments-from his daily contemplations Adam's mind must soon have turned in upon itself, a lonely being, a melancholy blank in the universe of God. The inferior creation furnished no kindred spirit with whom he might mingle in communion sweet-the fast of reason and the flow of soul. A moment's amuse

ment might be gathered from the contemplation of the va rious employments of the animated beings around him. The feathered tribes disputing with their fellows, the beasts of the fields mingling in gay and fearless frolic, might furnish sights of happiness altogether grateful to so benevolent a mind. But still the momentary sentiment furnished a suggestion, that the cooing of the dove, that the gambols of the herd only had a being because they were not alone. Had it not been for this, the ring dove, all tenderness and joy and animation, would have been seated like the raven on his solitary bough. Yes, creation, displayed these scenes of activity and happiness, because its various members were mated with their equals. But Adam was alone. He could lift up his heart indeed to that fountain of intelligence with whose image he was ennobled; but still Jehovah dwelt in the light that is inaccessible. A spirit housed in a material mould could not approach to God. And those occasional manifestations, such as he experienced in his first creation, could, from their very nature, only be occasional; the Deity would again retire within his own immensity, and all was deepest silence. Nor was Adam fitted for the constant society of those etherial beings who like himself were moulded in the Creator's image. They too are spiritual, entirely spir itual; and though they might occasionally clothe themselves with some material vestment, in order to commune with man, yet the assumption of such a dress is foreign to' their nature; it removed them for the time from their common sphere, from their kindred spirits, from their common occupations. They must therefore soon lay aside their borrowed habiliments-then fading from his sense Adam is again alone.

if happiness be complete there must be kindred nature, endowed with kindred feelings. But "for Adam there was not found an help-meet for him." This want was speedily and liberally supplied the moment it was felt. Supplied in a manner the very best calculated to fill up the measure of his happiness. "And the Lord caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof. And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man."

SERMON V.

BIOGRAPHY OF ADAM.-(CONTINUED.)

"Now the serpent was more subtile than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, yea, hath God said, ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?" Gen. iii. 1.

In the list of human crimes it is rare to find an item that has not obtained a place through the influence of motives not only specious but in their general nature unquestionably good. Sin has created no new source of happiness, it has opened up no distinct avenue through which pleasure may thrill home to the human heart. It is but the gratification of legitimate desires prized to excess and pursued in forbidden ways. It is but the perversion of faculties and affections from their temperate exercise and appropriate track, to the feverish, disorderly and disorganizing pursuit of pleasure, without regard to time or circumstances or the superior claims of more important occupations. Nor is it easy to conceive how mere gratuitous wickedness can exist in all the universe. The law of righteousness is deeply engraven in the breast of every creature; like the law of truth, its dictates are always natural; always upper* most; and as in departures from the truth there must al

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