THE CEDARS AND CANDLESTICKS. 



249 



foundation of the world. That world was created by 

 Christ, without whom was not anything made that was 

 made, to be the theatre of redemption; and the Gospel 

 is the manifesting of the mystery which was hid from the 

 foundation of the world. 



2. But between the revelation of Eden and the reve- 

 lation of Patmos there are some striking points of 

 contrast. The revelation of Eden was given in circum- 

 stances of peace and happiness. The life of our first 

 parents in their unfallen state was an idyllic one. They 

 wandered among the soft bowers of the garden, plucking 

 at will the rich clusters tint hung within easy reach of 

 their hand ; their only labour, the healthful, gentle exer- 

 cise needed to dress and prune Nature's luxuriance. 

 Nature was a faithful outward reflection of man's moral 

 state. Its beauty and fruitfulness coincided with man's 

 moral beauty and fruitfulness. Nature was in harmony 

 with him whose will was in harmony with the great Will 

 which expresses itself in the whole economy of the world. 

 As naturally and freely as the trees grew and the flowers 

 blossomed and the fruits ripened in Eden by the sweet 

 law of growth so naturally and freely did man in his 

 innocent state display the beauties of holiness and pro- 

 duce the fruits of righteousness. His religious experi- 

 ence grew as the plants around him, without effort or 

 struggle. What nature did unconsciously and willessly, 

 he did consciously and willingly. God walked and 

 talked with him among the trees in the garden face to 

 face, as a man with his friend. 



But the revelation of Patmos was amid widely different 



