EVIDENCES OF FORGIVENESS. 129 gels sinned, the whole race or kind did not fall. "Thou- sand thousands of them, and ten thousand times ten thousand continued in their obedience." Dan. : But here all and every individual of mankind (he only excepted who was not then in Adam) were involved. Besides, it disturbed the government of God over the whole creation. God had made all things in order and beauty, pronouncing concerning his whole work, that it was exceedingly beautiful and good. Gen. 1 : 31. Much of this beauty lay in the subordination of one thing to another, and of all to himself, by the interposition of man, through whose praises and obedience the rest of the creation, being made subject to him, was to return their tribute of honor and glory to God. But all this order was destroyed by this sin, and the very creation made subject to vanity. Rom. 8 : 20. 2. Our first parent who sinned, subscribed in his heart and conscience to the righteous sentence of the law. He knew what he had deserved, and looked for nothing but the immediate execution of the sentence of death upon him. Hence he meditates not,a defence, expects no pardon, stays not for a trial, but flees and hides, and attempts an escape. " I was afraid," saith he, " and hid myself," Gen. 3 : 10 ; than which never was there words of greater horror in the world, nor shall be unto the day of judgment. Poor man ! he was full of expec- tation of the vengeance due for a broken covenant. 3. God had newly declared, in the sinning ,an- gels, what his justice required,. and how he could deal with sinning man, without the least impeach- ment of his government, holiness, or goodness. See 2 Pet. 2 : 4. There was nothing, without God himself, that should move him in the least, so much as to suspend the execution of his wrath for one moment ; he had not done so*with the angels. All things now lay under 6*
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