s on divine
institutions and appointments_.

The first attempt to seduce our race seems to have been of this kind.
"The woman being deceived was in the transgression," Made upright,
she could not have been persuaded to disobey God, unless she was led
to believe that she might, some how, honor God in consequence of that
disobedience. But how?--"In the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes
shall be opened; and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil"--Then
she could honor God better than while destitute of knowledge which
would liken her to superior intelligences. "And when the woman saw
that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes,
and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit
thereof and did eat." Thus some suppose the tempter to have prevailed
against her. It may be thought strange that she should expect good to
rise out of evil. Her descendants have often entertained such
expectations; but they are depraved, and their minds are darkened.

Whether this was the sophism by which Satan's victory was obtained, we
presume not to determine. It is however certain that he prevailed by
deception; by persuading our common mother that advantage would accrue
from ceasing to follow the divine directions.

Cain, her eldest son, fell into a sin of the same kind; was induced to
change divine institutions. "Cain brought the fruit of the ground an
offering unto the Lord," instead of the firstlings of the flock. The
fruit of the ground did not typify the sacrifice of Christ, and had
not been ordered of God. It was a mode of honoring him of Cain's
devising. He thought to improve on divine appointments; or dared to
change them to suit his circumstances. "Cain was a tiller of the
ground." The fruits of the ground were the product of his own labors
--"Of such as he had, he would bring his offering. What advantage
would accrue from changing with his brother to procure what God had
required? God needed nothing and could receive nothing from his
creatures."

Abel believed himself under obligation to conform to the divine order,
and in that way to seek the divine favor. Cain had not this faith. He
was confident that another way would do as well; and followed the
dictates of his own fancied wisdom. * Therefore their different
reception. Had Cain been equally obedient with Abel no difference
would have been made. Cain is appealed to, to judge of this matter for
himself--"If thou dost well, shalt tho