patriarchs and prophets-第18章

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restored　Eden；　to　seek　his　possessions　and　enjoyment　in　the　earth　under　the
curse　of　sin；　thus　standing　at　the　head　of　that　great　class　of　men　who
worship　the　god　of　this　world。　In　that　which　pertains　to　mere　earthly　and
material　progress；　his　descendants　became　distinguished。　But　they　were
regardless　of　God；　and　in　opposition　to　His　purposes　for　man。　To　the　crime
of　murder；　in　which　Cain　had　led　the　way；　Lamech；　the　fifth　in　descent；
added　polygamy；　and；　boastfully　defiant；　he　acknowledged　God；　only　to　draw
from　the　avenging　of　Cain　an　assurance　of　his　own　safety。　Abel　had　led　a
pastoral　life；　dwelling　in　tents　or　booths；　and　the　descendants　of　Seth
followed　the　same　course；　counting　themselves　〃strangers　and　pilgrims　on　the
earth；〃　seeking　〃a　better　country；　that　is；　an　heavenly。〃　Hebrews　11：13；　16。

For　some　time　the　two　classes　remained　separate。　The　race　of　Cain；　spreading
from　the　place　of　their　first　settlement；　dispersed　over　the　plains　and
valleys　where　the　children　of　Seth　had　dwelt；　and　the　latter；　in　order　to
escape　from　their　contaminating　influence；　withdrew　to　the　mountains；　and
there　made　their　home。　So　long　as　this　separation　continued；　they　maintained
the　worship　of　God　in　its　purity。　But　in　the　lapse　of　time　they　ventured；
little　by　little；　to　mingle　with　the　inhabitants　of　the　valleys。　This
association　was　productive　of　the　worst　results。　〃The　sons　of　God　saw　the
daughters　of　men　that　they　were　fair。〃　The　children　of　Seth；　attracted　by
the　beauty　of　the　daughters　of　Cain's　descendants；　displeased　the　Lord　by
intermarrying　with　them。　Many　of　the　worshipers　of　God　were　beguiled　into
sin　by　the　allurements　that　were　now　constantly　before　them；　and　they　lost
their　peculiar；　holy　character。　Mingling　with　the　depraved；　they　became　like
them　in　spirit　and　in　deeds；　the　restrictions　of　the　seventh　commandment
were　disregarded；　〃and　they　took　them　wives　of　all　which　they　chose。〃　The
children　of　Seth　went

82

〃in　the　way　of　Cain〃　（Jude　11）；　they　fixed　their　minds　upon　worldly
prosperity　and　enjoyment　and　neglected　the　commandments　of　the　Lord。　Men
〃did　not　like　to　retain　God　in　their　knowledge；〃　they　〃became　vain　in　their
imaginations；　and　their　foolish　heart　was　darkened。〃　Romans　1：21。　Therefore
〃God　gave　them　over　to　a　mind　void　of　judgment。〃　Verse　28；　margin。　Sin
spread　abroad　in　the　earth　like　a　deadly　leprosy。

For　nearly　a　thousand　years　Adam　lived　among　men；　a　witness　to　the　results
of　sin。　Faithfully　he　sought　to　stem　the　tide　of　evil。　He　had　been　commanded
to　instruct　his　posterity　in　the　way　of　the　Lord；　and　he　carefully　treasured
what　God　had　revealed　to　him；　and　repeated　it　to　succeeding　generations。　To
his　children　and　children's　children；　to　the　ninth　generation；　he　described
man's　holy　and　happy　estate　in　Paradise；　and　repeated　the　history　of　his
fall；　telling　them　of　the　sufferings　by　which　God　had　taught　him　the
necessity　of　strict　adherence　to　His　law；　and　explaining　to　them　the
merciful　provisions　for　their　salvation。　Yet　there　were　but　few　who　gave
heed　to　his　words。　Often　he　was　met　with　bitter　reproaches　for　the　sin　that
had　brought　such　woe　upon　his　posterity。

Adam's　life　was　one　of　sorrow；　humility；　and　contrition。　When　he　left　Eden；
the　thought　that　he　must　die　thrilled　him　with　horror。　He　was　first　made
acquainted　with　the　reality　of　death　in　the　human　family　when　Cain；　his
first…born　son；　became　the　murderer　of　his　brother。　Filled　with　the　keenest
remorse　for　his　own　sin；　and　doubly　bereaved　in　the　death　of　Abel　and　the
rejection　of　Cain；　Adam　was　bowed　down　with　anguish。　He　witnessed　the
wide…spreading　corruption　that　was　finally　to　cause　the　destruction　of　the
world　by　a　flood；　and　though　the　sentence　of　death　pronounced　upon　him　by
His　Maker　had　at　first　appeared　terrible；　yet　after　beholding　for　nearly　a
thousand　years　the　results　of　sin；　he　felt　that　it　was　merciful　in　God　to
bring　to　an　end　a　life　of　suffering　and　sorrow。

Notwithstanding　the　wickedness　of　the　antediluvian　world；　that　age　was　not；
as　has　often　been　supposed；　an　era　of　ignorance　and　barbarism。　The　people
were　granted　the　opportunity　of　reaching　a　high　standard　of　moral　and
intellectual　attainment。　They　possessed　great　physical　and　mental　strength；
and　their　advantages　for　acquiring　both　religious　and　scientific　knowledge
were　unrivaled。　It　is　a　mistake　to　suppose　that　because　they　lived

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　83

to　a　great　age　their　minds　matured　late；　their　mental　powers　were　early
developed；　and　those　who　cherished　the　fear　of　God　and　lived　in　harmony　with
His　will　continued　to　increase　in　knowledge　and　wisdom　throughout　their
life。　Could　illustrious　scholars　of　our　time　be　placed　in　contrast　with　men
of　the　same　age　who　lived　before　the　Flood；　they　would　appear　as　greatly
inferior　in　mental　as　in　physical　strength。　As　the　years　of　man　have
decreased；　and　his　physical　strength　has　diminished；　so　his　mental
capacities　have　lessened。　There　are　men　who　now　apply　themselves　to　study
during　a　period　of　from　twenty　to　fifty　years；　and　the　world　is　filled　with
admiration　of　their　attainments。　But　how　limited　are　these　acquirements　in
comparison　with　those　of　men　whose　mental　and　physical　powers　were
developing　for　centuries！

It　is　true　that　the　people　of　modern　times　have　the　benefit　of　the
attainments　of　their　predecessors。　The　men　of　masterly　minds；　who　planned
and　studied　and　wrote；　have　left　their　work　for　those　who　follow。　But　even
in　this　respect；　and　so　far　as　merely　human　knowledge　is　concerned；　how　much
greater　the　advantages　of　the　men　of　that　olden　time！　They　had　among　them
for　hundreds　of　years　him　who　was　formed　in　God's　image；　whom　the　Creator
Himself　pronounced　〃good〃the　man　whom　God　had　instructed　in　all　the　wisdom
pertaining　to　the　material　world。　Adam　had　learned　from　the　Creator　the
history　of　creation；　he　himself　witnessed　the　events　of　nine　centuries；　and
he　imparted　his　knowledge　to　his　descendants。　The　antediluvians　were　without
books；　they　had　no　written　records；　but　with　their　great　physical　and　mental
vigor；　they　had　strong　memories；　able　to　grasp　and　to　retain　that　which　was
communicated　to　them；　and　in　turn　to　transmit　it　unimpaired　to　their
posterity。　And　for　hundreds　of　years　there　were　seven　generations　living
upon　the　earth　contemporaneously；　having　the　opportunity　of　consulting
together　and　profiting　each　by　the　knowledge　and　experience　of　all。

The　advantages　enjoyed　by　men　of　that　age　to　gain　a　knowledge　of　God　through
His　works　have　never　been　equaled　since。　And　so　far　from　being　an　era　of
religious　darkness；　that　was　an　age　of　great　light。　All　the　world　had
opportunity　to　receive　instruction　from　Adam；　and　those　who　feared　the　Lord
had　also　Christ　and　angels　for　their　teachers。　And　they　had　a　silent　witness
to　the　truth；　in　the　garden　of　God；　which　for　so　many　centuries　remained
among　men。　At　the　cherubim…guarded　gate　of　Paradise

84

the　glory　of　God　was　revealed；　and　hither　came　the　first　worshipers。　Here
their　altars　were　reared；　and　their　offerings　presented。　It　was　here　that
Cain　and　Abel　had　brought　their　sacrifices；　and　God　had　condescended　to
communicate　with　them。

Skepticism　could　not　deny　the　existence　of　Eden　while　it　stood　just　in
sight；　its　entrance　barred　by　watching　angels。　The　order　of　creation；　the
object　of　the　garden；　the　history　of　its　two　trees　so　closely　connected　with
man's　destiny；　were　undisputed　facts。　And　the　existence　and　supreme
authority　of　God；　the　obligation　of　His　law；　were　truths　which　men　were　slow
to　question　while　Adam　was　among　them。

Notwithstanding　the　prevailing　iniquity；　there　was　a　line　of　holy　men　who；
elevated　and　ennobled　by　communion　with　God；　lived　as　in　the　companionship
of　heaven。　They　were　men　of　massive　intellect；　of　wonderful　attainments。
They　had　a　great　and　holy　missionto　develop　a　character　of　righteousness；
to　teach　a　lesson　of　godliness；　not　only　to　the　men　of　their　time；　but　for
future　generations。　Only　a　few　of　the　most　prominent　are　mentioned　in　the
Scriptures；　but　all　through　the　ages　God　had　faithfully　witnesses；
truehearted　worshipers。

Of　Enoch　it　is