Adam in Eden

Ad Adam’s heart been in a right state, he would have made a full confession of his sinfulness. ‘Where art thou?” Let us hear the voice of God saying that to us, if we are out of God and out of Christ. ‘“‘ Where art thou, Adam? I made thee in Mine own image, I made thee a little lower than the angels: I made thee to have dominion over the works of My hands: I -put all things under thy feet — the fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the depths of the sea. I gave this whole garden of delights to be thy home. I honoured thee with My presence, I thought of thy welfare, and forestalled all thy desires. The moon did not hurt thee by night; the sun did not smite thee by day. I tempered the winds for thee; I clothed the trees with fruit for thy nourishment. I made all things minister to thy happiness. Where art thou? I asked of thee but that little thing, that thou wouldest not touch one tree which I had reserved for Myself. Where art thou? Art thou in the room of a thief, a rebel, a traitor? Hast thou sinned? O Adam, where art thou?”

To many the Lord might say, “I gave you a godly mother, who wept over you in your childhood. I gave you a holy father, who longed for your conversion. I gave you the gifts of Providence — you never wanted for a meal. I clothed your back. I put you in a comfortable position in life. I raised you up from a bed of sickness. I overlooked ten thousand follies. My mercies like a river have flown to you. When you opened your eyes in the morning, it was to look upon My goodness; and till the last moment of the night I was your helper, and drew the curtains about your defenceless head. I have covered thee with My feathers, under My wings hast thou trusted, and now where art thow? Wast thou not forgotton My commandments, abhorred My person, broken My laws, rejected My Son? Art thou not at this day a disbeliever, content to trust to thine own works, but not to take the finished righteousness of My beloved Son, the Saviour of the world?) What hast thou done for Him who has done so much for thee? What art thou? Hast thou not been a cumber-ground — a tree that sucks the soil, but bears no fruit — that drinks ir the genial rain of heaven, but yields no grateful fruit? Where art thou? Art thou not to-day in the camp of My enemy? Art thou not on Satan’s side, defying Me, and lifting up the puny arm of thy rebellion against the Lord who made thee, and who keepeth the breath in thy nostrils — in whose hand thy life is, and whose are all thy ways?”

Read the question again thus, ‘“‘ Where art thou?” The serpent said thou shouldst be a god. Thou thoughtest to be made exceeding glorious. Is it so, Adam? is it so? Where is thy boasted knowledge? Where the honours? Where the vast attainments that rebellion would bring to thee? Instead of the clothing of angels, thou art naked; instead of glory, thou hast shame; instead of preferment, thou hast disgrace. Adam, where art thou? And sinner, where art how? Sin said to thee, “I will give thee pleasure.” Thou hast

1008 EVELENTH STREET SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA had it; but what of the pain which followed the pleasure? Sin gave thee its cup full of mixed wine; but what of the red eyes and of the woe?

And then to add to the conviction, the Lord asks of Adam, “Where art thou?” as if He asked him, “How didst thou come there?” Adam, thou camest there of thyself. If thou hadst been upright, Eve had not cast thee down. Eve, ‘twas not the serpent with whom the main guilt must lie; hadst thou not given ear, he might have tempted long if thou hadst been deaf. And so to-day God says to the sinner, “Where art thou?” Thou art where thou hast brought thyself. That thou hast sinned is thine own fault, and none else’s but thine own. Oh, it is hard to make a sinner see that sin is his own property. It is the only thing we have. There is only one thing we created, and that is sin, and that is our own, If I permit anything that is evil, 1 must confess it is a child that has sprung from my own bowels, it hath its origin in myself. If we talk of the fall, men will throw their sin on father Adam. They speak of the depravity of nature, and then they think they are to be excused, as if depravity of nature did not prove the man to be desperately bad, as if it were not saying that sin is essentially man’s own thing, that he hath it in his very bones, and in his blood. If we be sinners there is no excuse for us whatever, and if we live and die so, the guilt shall lie at our own door, but nowhere else. “Adam, where art thou?” Thou art where thou hast wilfully put thyself, and thou remainest wilfully in

the same desperate state of rebellion against God, and of alienation from Him.

Some have even ventured to translate the Hebrew, “Alas for thee, alas for thee!” It is as if God uttered the words of the prophet, “How can I give thee up? how can I utterly destroy thee? how can I set thee as Admah? how shall I make thee as Zeboim? My repentings are kindled, My bowels are moved for thee. Where art thou, my poor Adam? Thou didst talk with Me, but thou hast now fled from Me. Thou wast happy once, what art thou now? Naked, and poor, and miserable. Thou wast once in My image glorious, immortal, blessed; where art thou now, poor Adam? My image is marred in thee, thine own Father’s face is taken away, and thou hast made thyself earthy, sensual, devilish. Where art thou now, poor Adam?” Oh, it is wonderful to think how the Lord felt for poor Adam. It is taken for granted by all theologians that God can neither feel nor suffer. There is no such thing in the Word of God. If it could be said that God could not do anything and everything, we should say that He was not omnipotent; but He can do all things, and we have not a God who cannot be moved, but we have one who feels and who describes Himself in human language as having a Father’s bowels, and all the tenderness of a mother’s heart. Just as a father cries over a rebellious son, so does the eternal Father say, “Poor Adam, where art thou?” What a thought it is, that when Cod comes forth to seek His chosen, He knows where they are, and He never misses them; and though they may have wandered ever so far, yet it is not too far for Him! If they had gone to the gates of hell, and the gates were half opened to receive them, the Lord would get them even there. If they had so sinned that they had given themselves up, and every Christian living had given

them up, too; if Satan had counted upon them, and had made ready to receive them, yet when God comes forth to seek them He will find them, and He will have them after all. You who are lost, perishing sinners, hear the voice of God, for it speaks to you. “«Where art thou?’ for I am come to seek thee.” “Lord, Iam in such a place that I cannot do anything for myself.” “Then I am come to seek thee, and do all for thee.” ‘‘ Lord, Iam in such a-place that the law threatens me, and justice frowns upon me.” “I am come to answer the threatenings of the law, and to bear all the wrath of justice.” “But, Lord, I am in such a place that I cannot repent as I would.” “I am come to seek thee, and I am exalted on high to give repentance and remission of sins.” “But, Lord, I cannot believe in Thee, I cannot believe as I would.” a A bruised reed I will not break, and a smoking flax will I not quench; I am come to give thee faith, “But, Lord, I am in such a state that my prayers can never be acceptable.” “I am come to pray for thee, and then to grant thee thy desires.” “But, Lord, Thou dost not know what a wretch I am.” “Yes, I know thee. Though I asked thee the question, ‘Where art thou?’ it was that zou mightest know where thou art, for J knew well enough.” “But, Lord, I have been the chief of sinners; none can have so aggravated their guilt as I have.” “But wherever thou mayest be, I have come to save thee.” “But I am an outcast from society.” “But I am come to gather together the outcasts of Istael.” “Oh, but I have sinned beyond all hope.” ‘i Yes, but I have come to give hope to hopeless Care “Ay, but then I deserve to be lost.” “Yes, but I have come to magnify the law and make it honourable, and so to give thee thy deserts in the person of Christ, and then to give thee A/y mercy because of Azs merits.” To those who reject the question as a voice of arousing and conviction, to those who despise it as the voice of mercy bemoaning them, or as the voice of goodness seeking them, it comes in another way; it is the voice of JUSTICE SUMMONING THEM. Adam had fled, but God must have him come to His bar. “Where art thou, Adam? Come hither, man, come hither; I must judge thee, sin cannot go unpunished. Come, and thy guilty spouse with thee. Come hither; I must put questions to thee; I must hear thy pleadings, and since they will be vain and void, I must pronounce thy sentence.” For though there was much of pity in the question, there was something of severity too. “Adam, Adam, where art thou? Come thou hither to be judged.” To-day you hear not that cry; it is mercifully postponed. You shall hear it soon; you shall hear it for the first time, like mutterings of thunder when the storm begins; when sickness casts thee on thy bed, and death looks through his bony eyes upon thee, and touches thee with his ghastly hand, and saith, “Prepare to meet thy God.”