THE REDEMPTION OF MAN.
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from a life of ease to labour—from “ a gardenof pleasure” to a field of thorns. Though everymorsel of bread, and every drop of pure water,brought with it the recollection of his sin andfall: though, “ for his sake,” the very groundwhich he tilled was “ cursed,” and “ in sorrow,”he was doomed to “ eat of it all the days of hislife ;” though the partner of his affliction wasstill more afflicted, and, through “ sorrow,” wascondemned to pass to the blessedness of amother— yet did the faith of Adam sustain hissinking spirit—yet did he “eat the bread oflabour with thanksgiving ;” and yet did his lovedpartner “forget the sorrow for joy that a manwas born into the world.” For in that bread oflabour he recognized the gift of an indulgentFather ; and in that man-child she expected theredemption and consolation of their souls. Thus,though that consolation and redemption wereremote; though ages must roll on ages, andindividuals become nations, before that desiredHoly One could enter into his kingdom— sofirm, so constant, and so confident was the hope ofAdam, that, in the glance of his prospectivefaith, he gathered ages into a moment, and na-tions into an individual, when the voice of his