appear to lead to a different conclusion. But thus far is certain; that the woman was at the first included in the man, for we read that she was afterwards taken out of the man; (verse 23.) and so her primary creation took place when the man was created. It might therefore, be affirmed with propriety, "male and female created he them," although at the time of Adam's creation, no separate woman had as yet been formed; and in that case Eve would have been created on the sixth day, although not brought forth into separate existence until a subsequent period. Or should it seem objectionable to exclude the woman from the participation of the first sabbath, may we not imagine that the events of the sixth day were preternaturally compressed, so that all took place distinctly as they are recorded, and yet within the limits of the above-named period? And in that case Adam might have realized his solitary condition, as though it were a protracted one, whilst in fact it was not; just as in a dream, the events of many days, or even weeks and years, are sometimes crowded into a few hours' space. Nor does it seem altogether inadmissible to resort to this idea of a preternatural compression of events at a period when all was preternatural, for surely the first period of six days may be considered such.

But whatever view may be taken of this subject, and however it may be proposed to meet the above mentioned difficulty, our text is explicit as to there having been a time when the man existed alone, and further adds, that God said that it was not good that the man should continue to be alone. It behoves us therefore, to enquire what might be the meaning of that first solitary condition of the man, and of the

subsequent declaration of his Creator, that it was not a desirable state.

And as to the first point, viz; that of Adam's solitary condition on his first creation, let us consider him now irrespectively of his sex, and only as the human being created in the likeness of God, in regard to whom it may be affirmed on the warrant of scripture," that there is neither male nor female." Gal. iii. 28. Adam, then, was the representative of the human nature created in the likeness of God, irrespective of sex, so that all that might be said of Adam in that first state of his would apply with equal propriety to Eve, inasmuch as the woman is the same human being as the man, and partaking with him of the divine image and likeness. And now as to the reason of that first solitary state, in which the human being was to remain for a season, what did it import? There must have been a cause for that first solitariness, or it had not taken place. It was good for the man to dwell alone for a time, or he had not dwelt alone even for a moment; and what then might be the lesson taught him, during the period of that first loneliness? Amongst the other causes of that state, whatsoever they might have been, we may fairly conjecture that the Creator would thereby intimate that the foundation of the human character was to be laid in the abstracted feeling and consideration of the tie, which bound the rational creature to his God. Adam was not so alone before the formation of his female companion, as to be without communion or fellowship of any kind. This communion he must have enjoyed with his Creator, and it is probable also with angels, who may be supposed to have been in attendance on the first man, and who were perhaps

the messengers to him of the divine will. And in this abstracted spiritual communion, and the reflexions to which it would give rise, we can perceive, that Adam would be taught to account converse with his Creator, his first duty and highest privilege, and also that this communion was the due preparation for sanctified human fellowship. And truly unless the spiritual nature of man be in a degree at least developed, and unless he in a measure understand, and feel the import of the first great commandment, (the love of God,) it is impossible that he can appreciate or realize the nature of the second great commandment, (the love of his neighbour as himself,) for the latter only exists in connexion with the former. Adam, then, without distraction of any kind, and without the knowledge or feeling as yet of any ties binding him to fellow-mortals, knew at first but of one relation, the sacred one that united him to his Creator, upon the nature of which most blessed and honorable relation it would probably be the work of ministering spirits to enlarge. But although an abstracted spiritual contemplation, and internal worship of the Deity, was to be the first work of the reasonable creature man, and although the foundation of the knowledge and love of God, was in the first place to be laid deeply within the human heart, the human being had a nature given him of God, which according to the divine purpose was to be developed in communion with beings like himself. And hence, after the befitting season of solitary existence, the saying of God, that it was not good for the man to be alone, and that He would therefore provide him with an help meet for him.

And now, what shall we say of the fantastic no

tions which have induced so many persons, in some respects wise and good, to oppose their Creator in this matter; they affirming, in opposition to God, that it is good for man to dwell alone in the abstracted contemplation of divine things; that man realizes his most perfect state of earthly existence when he dwells alone, for then it is, that dead to natural ties, dead to mortal converse, he knows of no union save to God, of no communion save with spiritual beings? Truly of all such notions, however, seemingly spiritual, or however professed by those whom on some accounts we respect, we cannot hesitate to affirm, that they oppose themselves to the counsel of God, and must therefore be rejected with unqualified disapprobation. But more—when we strip off the highly wrought spiritual garb, which at first sight has an imposing appearance to the Christian's unpracticed eye, what do we find beneath it? Sad remains of the natural man, and of the old fleshly nature. For how is it that the spiritual man forgets, or rather wilfully abjures and desecrates the natural ties that should bind him to his fellow-men? How is this? It was God who ordained these ties; He instituted the various relationships of human beings. It was God who first devised the conjugal estate, then the paternal character, then the sundry other ties of kindred which should bind families together. But all these holy links of human friendship, these sacred ties of social and domestic life, this class of speculative dreamers have rent asunder; affirming that it is good for man to be alone, because when alone, he can best secure and carry on the culture of the immortal soul, of the heaven-allied spirit. In this however, they have ever been deceived, and their state of

pretended spiritual abstraction, has never answered the desired end. And how should it do so, when a bitter root of selfishness lay hidden, unknown to themselves, in their hearts, defiling all their most holy thoughts, and words, and works. For what but selfishness can prompt the wish, to withdraw from human converse, and to live the life of the cloistered Monk or Nun? Heaven will be secured more certainly, say these deluded reasoners, and the individual character of the recluse will become perfected in a superlative degree. Be it so; for a moment let it be granted, that the abstracted life is favourable to the spiritual growth of the individual mind, and that the ascetic is really less a being of earth than those around him; what becomes meanwhile of those other beings, still of earth, to whom he is allied by the kindred ties of blood and nature? These alas, are forgotten, despised, unheeded! These too may dwell alone, should it seem good to them to do so; or they may, if it please them better, pass together from out of their thoughtless life of vanity into the presence of their God! The cloistered Monk will make, as he says, his own calling and election sure; nor is he the keeper of the soul of father, mother, brother, sister, friend. In like manner the deluded Nun will lay hold on eternal life, by erasing from her heart the sacred names originally written there, even by God Himself, of parent, husband, child. And to what but selfishness, can we refer this monstrous perversion of the spiritual mind; to what but gross ignorance mingled with selfishness; since the one aim of these separatists is to do good unto themselves, and in this object they must inevitably miscarry, as the scripture testifies. For let it not be