The Trial of the Transgressors
Ver. 8. We have seen the original transgression of our first parents; and now we see them called to account, and judged. The Lord God is represented as “M’alking in the garden in the cool of the day,” that is in the evening.
This seems to denote the ordinary and intimate communion which man enjoyed M’ith his Maker, while he kept his first estate. We maybe at a loss in forming an idea how God could zcalk in the garden, and how he spake; but he was not at a loss how to hold communion with ihem that loved him. To accommodate it to our weak capacities, it is represented under the form of the owner of a garden taking his evening walk in it, to see, as we should say, “how the vine flourished, and the pomegranate budded;” to see and converse with those whom he had placed over it.
“The cool of the day,” which to God was the season for visiting his creatures, may, as it respects man, denote a season of reflectmi. We ma’ sin in the daytime; but God M’ill call us to account at night. ]liany a one has done that in the heat and bustle of the day, which has afforded bitter reflection in the cool of the evening; and such in many instances has proved the evening; of life.
The voice of God was heard, it seems, before any thing was seen: and as he appears to have acted towards man in his usual way, and as though he knew of nothing that had taken place till he had it from his own mouth, we
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may consider this as the voice of kindness, such, whatever it was, as he had used to hear beforetime, and on the first sound of which he and his companion had been used to draw near, as sheep at the voice of the shepherd, or as children at the voice of a father. The voice of one whom we love conveys life to our hearts: but alas, it is not so now! Not only does conscious guilt make them afraid, but contrariety of heart to a holy God renders them averse to drawing near to him. The kindest language to one who is become an enemy will work in a wrong way. *’ Let favour be shewed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the Lord.“* Instead of coming at his call as usual, they “hide themselves from his presence among the trees of the garden.” Great is the cowardice which attaches to guilt. It flies from God, and from all ap-^^ proaches to him in prayer or praise; yea, from the very thoughts of him, and of death and judgment when they must appear before him. — But wherefore flee to the trees of the garden? Can they screen them from the eyes of Him with whom they have to do? Alas, they could Dot hide themselves and their nakedness from
* Isai. xxvi. 10.
Gm. 3.] THE transgressors’ trial. 35
their own eyes; how then should they elude discovery before an omniscient God! But we see here to what a stupid and besotted state of mind sin had already reduced them.
Ver, 9- God’s general voice of kindness receiving no answer, he is more particular; calling Adam by name, and enquiring, “Where art thou?” In vain does the sinner hide himself: the Almighty will find him out! If he answer not to the voice of God in his word, he shall have a special summons served upon, him before it be long! Observe what the summons was: JVhere art thou? It seems to be the language of injured friendship. As if he should say, ‘How is it that I do not meet thee as heretofore? ^yhat have I done unto thee; and wherein have I wearied thee? Have I been a barren wilderness, or a land of drought? How IS it that thou hailest not my approach as on former occasions?’ It was also language adapted to lead him to reflection. JVhere art thou? Ah, where indeed I God is thus interroffatins: sinful men. Sinner, where art thou? What is thy condition? In what way art thou walking, and whither will it lead thee?
Ver. 10. To this trying question man is compelled to answer. See with what ease God F 2
36 THE transgressors’ TRIAL. [D’lS. 5.
can bring the offender to his bar. He has only to speak, and it is done. “He shall call to the heavens and the earth, that he may judge his people.” But what answer can be made to him? “I heard thy voice in the garden.” Did you? Then you cannot plead ignorance. No, but something worse: “I M’as afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” Take notice, he says nothing about his 67;?, but merely speaks of its eff’ects; such as fear, and conscious nakedness, or guilt.’ The language of a contrite spirit would have been, / ha-ve sinned! But this is the language of impenitent misery. It is of the same nature as that of Cain: “IMy punishment is heavier than I can bear!” This spirit is often apparent in persons under first convictions, or when brought low by adversity, or drawing near to death; all intent on bewailing their misery, but insensible to the evil of their sin. To what a condition has sin reduced us! Stripped naked to our shame, we are afraid to meet the kindest and best of Being I Oh reader! We must now be clothed with a better righteousness than our own, or how shall we .stand before hiui?
Vcr. 11. Adam began, as I have said, with the ejjects of his sin; but God directed him to its cause. ‘Naked 1 c]. d. How came such a thought into thy mind.’’ The nakedness of thy
Gen.S.] THE transgressors’ TRIAL. 37
body, with which I created thee, was no nakedness: neither fear nor shame attached to that. What meanest thou by being naked?’ Still there is no confession. The truth will not come out without a direct enquiry on the subject. Here then it follows — “Hast thou eaten of the tree whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldst not eat?” Thus the sinner stands convicted. Now we might suppose he would have fallen at the feet of his Maker, and have pleaded guilty: * Yes, Lord; yes! This is th.e cause!’ But oh, the hardening nature of sin!
Ver. 12. Here is, it is true, a confession of his sin. It comes out at last, / did eat; but v»’ith what a circuitous, extenuating preamble, a preamble which makes bad worse. The first word is, “The woman,” aye the woman; it was not my fault, but her’s. The woman whom “thou gavest to be with me” — It was not me; it was thou thysdj! If thou hadst not given me this woman to be with me, I should have continued obedient. Nay, and as if he suspected that the Almighty did not notice his plea sufficiently, he repeats it emphatically: “/S7?e gave me, and I did eat 1” Such a confession was infinitely worse than none. Yet such is the spirit of fallen man to this day. It was not me .... it was my wife, or my husband, or my acquaintance, that per-
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siiaded me; or it was my situation in life, in ^v■hich i/wii didst place me! Thus “the foohshness of man perverteth his way, and his heart fretteth against the Lord.”*
It is worthy of notice that God makes no answei- to these perverse excuses. They Mere unworthy of an answer. The Lord proceeds, like an aggrieved friend who would not multiply words: ‘I see, (q. d.) how it is: stand aside!’
Ver. 13. Next the woman is called, and e?camiined. JVhat is this that thou hast done? The question implies that it was no trifling thing; and the effects which have followed, and will follow, confirm it. But let us hear the woman’s answer. Did she plead guilty? The circumstance of her heing first in the transgression, and the tempter of her husband, one should have thought, would have shut her mouth at least; and being also of the weaker sex, it might have been expected that she would not have gone on to provoke the vengeance of her Creator. But lo, she also shifts the blame — The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. ‘I was deceived. I did not mean evil; but was drawn into it through the wiles of an evil being.’ Such is the excuse which
* Prov. xix. 3. multitudes make to this day, when they can find no better; ‘the devil tempted me to it!’ Still God continues his forbearance, makes no answer; but orders her, as it were, to stand aside.
Vet 14. And now the serpent is addressed: but mark the difference. Here is no question put to him, but merely a doom pronounced. Wherefore? Because no mercy was designed to be shewn him. He is treated as an avowed and sworn enemy. There was no doubt wherefore he had done it, and therefore no reason is asked of his conduct.
The workings of conviction in the minds of men are called the “stiivings of the Spirit,” and afford a hope of mercy. Though they are no certain sign of grace received, (as there was nothing good at present in our first parents) yet they are the workings of a merciful God, and prove that he has not given over the sinner to hopeless ruin. But the serpent has nothing to expect but a fearful looking for of judgment.
The form under Mdiich Satan is cursed is that of the serpent. To a superficial reader it might appear that the vengeance of heaven was directed against the animal, distinguishing ijiin
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from all cattle, suljijecting him to a most abject life, condemning him to creep upon his Ijelly, and of course to have his food besmeared with dust. But was God angry with the serpent? No: but as under that form Satan had tempted the woman, so that shall be the form under which he shall receive his doom. The spirit of the sentence appears to be this — ‘Cursed art thou above all creatures, and above every being that God hath made. Miserable shalt thou be to an endless duration!’ Some have thought, and the passage gives some countenance to the idea, that the state of fallen angels was not hopeless till now. If it had, the curse could only have added a greater degree of misery.