patriarchs and prophets-第15部分

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were　granted　the　opportunity　of　reaching　a　high　standard　of　moral　and
intellectual　attainment。　They　possessed　great　physical　and　mental　strength；
and　their　advantages　for　acquiring　both　religious　and　scientific　knowledge
were　unrivaled。　It　is　a　mistake　to　suppose　that　because　they　lived

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to　a　great　age　their　minds　matured　late；　their　mental　powers　were　early
developed；　and　those　who　cherished　the　fear　of　God　and　lived　in　harmony　with
His　will　continued　to　increase　in　knowledge　and　wisdom　throughout　their
life。　Could　illustrious　scholars　of　our　time　be　placed　in　contrast　with　men
of　the　same　age　who　lived　before　the　Flood；　they　would　appear　as　greatly
inferior　in　mental　as　in　physical　strength。　As　the　years　of　man　have
decreased；　and　his　physical　strength　has　diminished；　so　his　mental
capacities　have　lessened。　There　are　men　who　now　apply　themselves　to　study
during　a　period　of　from　twenty　to　fifty　years；　and　the　world　is　filled　with
admiration　of　their　attainments。　But　how　limited　are　these　acquirements　in
comparison　with　those　of　men　whose　mental　and　physical　powers　were
developing　for　centuries！

It　is　true　that　the　people　of　modern　times　have　the　benefit　of　the
attainments　of　their　predecessors。　The　men　of　masterly　minds；　who　planned
and　studied　and　wrote；　have　left　their　work　for　those　who　follow。　But　even
in　this　respect；　and　so　far　as　merely　human　knowledge　is　concerned；　how　much
greater　the　advantages　of　the　men　of　that　olden　time！　They　had　among　them
for　hundreds　of　years　him　who　was　formed　in　God's　image；　whom　the　Creator
Himself　pronounced　〃good〃the　man　whom　God　had　instructed　in　all　the　wisdom
pertaining　to　the　material　world。　Adam　had　learned　from　the　Creator　the
history　of　creation；　he　himself　witnessed　the　events　of　nine　centuries；　and
he　imparted　his　knowledge　to　his　descendants。　The　antediluvians　were　without
books；　they　had　no　written　records；　but　with　their　great　physical　and　mental
vigor；　they　had　strong　memories；　able　to　grasp　and　to　retain　that　which　was
communicated　to　them；　and　in　turn　to　transmit　it　unimpaired　to　their
posterity。　And　for　hundreds　of　years　there　were　seven　generations　living
upon　the　earth　contemporaneously；　having　the　opportunity　of　consulting
together　and　profiting　each　by　the　knowledge　and　experience　of　all。

The　advantages　enjoyed　by　men　of　that　age　to　gain　a　knowledge　of　God　through
His　works　have　never　been　equaled　since。　And　so　far　from　being　an　era　of
religious　darkness；　that　was　an　age　of　great　light。　All　the　world　had
opportunity　to　receive　instruction　from　Adam；　and　those　who　feared　the　Lord
had　also　Christ　and　angels　for　their　teachers。　And　they　had　a　silent　witness
to　the　truth；　in　the　garden　of　God；　which　for　so　many　centuries　remained
among　men。　At　the　cherubim…guarded　gate　of　Paradise

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the　glory　of　God　was　revealed；　and　hither　came　the　first　worshipers。　Here
their　altars　were　reared；　and　their　offerings　presented。　It　was　here　that
Cain　and　Abel　had　brought　their　sacrifices；　and　God　had　condescended　to
communicate　with　them。

Skepticism　could　not　deny　the　existence　of　Eden　while　it　stood　just　in
sight；　its　entrance　barred　by　watching　angels。　The　order　of　creation；　the
object　of　the　garden；　the　history　of　its　two　trees　so　closely　connected　with
man's　destiny；　were　undisputed　facts。　And　the　existence　and　supreme
authority　of　God；　the　obligation　of　His　law；　were　truths　which　men　were　slow
to　question　while　Adam　was　among　them。

Notwithstanding　the　prevailing　iniquity；　there　was　a　line　of　holy　men　who；
elevated　and　ennobled　by　communion　with　God；　lived　as　in　the　companionship
of　heaven。　They　were　men　of　massive　intellect；　of　wonderful　attainments。
They　had　a　great　and　holy　missionto　develop　a　character　of　righteousness；
to　teach　a　lesson　of　godliness；　not　only　to　the　men　of　their　time；　but　for
future　generations。　Only　a　few　of　the　most　prominent　are　mentioned　in　the
Scriptures；　but　all　through　the　ages　God　had　faithfully　witnesses；
truehearted　worshipers。

Of　Enoch　it　is　written　that　he　lived　sixty…five　years；　and　begat　a　son。
After　that　he　walked　with　God　three　hundred　years。　During　these　earlier
years　Enoch　had　loved　and　feared　God　and　had　kept　His　commandments。　He　was
one　of　the　holy　line；　the　preservers　of　the　true　faith；　the　progenitors　of
the　promised　seed。　From　the　lips　of　Adam　he　had　learned　the　dark　story　of
the　Fall；　and　the　cheering　one　of　God's　grace　as　seen　in　the　promise；　and　he
relied　upon　the　Redeemer　to　come。　But　after　the　birth　of　his　first　son；
Enoch　reached　a　higher　experience；　he　was　drawn　into　a　closer　relationship
with　God。　He　realized　more　fully　his　own　obligations　and　responsibility　as　a
son　of　God。　And　as　he　saw　the　child's　love　for　its　father；　its　simple　trust
in　his　protection；　as　he　felt　the　deep；　yearning　tenderness　of　his　own　heart
for　that　first…born　son；　he　learned　a　precious　lesson　of　the　wonderful　love
of　God　to　men　in　the　gift　of　His　Son；　and　the　confidence　which　the　children
of　God　may　repose　in　their　heavenly　Father。　The　infinite；　unfathomable　love
of　God　through　Christ　became　the　subject　of　his　meditations　day　and　night；
and　with　all　the　fervor　of　his　soul　he　sought　to　reveal　that　love　to　the
people　among　whom　he　dwelt。

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Enoch's　walk　with　God　was　not　in　a　trance　or　vision；　but　in　all　the　duties
of　his　daily　life。　He　did　not　become　a　hermit；　shutting　himself　entirely
from　the　world；　for　he　had　a　work　to　do　for　God　in　the　world。　In　the　family
and　in　his　intercourse　with　men；　as　a　husband　and　father；　a　friend；　a
citizen；　he　was　the　steadfast；　unwavering　servant　of　the　Lord。

His　heart　was　in　harmony　with　God's　will；　for　〃can　two　walk　together；　except
they　be　agreed？〃　Amos　3：3。　And　this　holy　walk　was　continued　for　three
hundred　years。　There　are　few　Christians　who　would　not　be　far　more　earnest
and　devoted　if　they　knew　that　they　had　but　a　short　time　to　live；　or　that　the
coming　of　Christ　was　about　to　take　place。　But　Enoch's　faith　waxed　the
stronger；　his　love　became　more　ardent；　with　the　lapse　of　centuries。

Enoch　was　a　man　of　strong　and　highly　cultivated　mind　and　extensive
knowledge；　he　was　honored　with　special　revelations　from　God；　yet　being　in
constant　communion　with　Heaven；　with　a　sense　of　the　divine　greatness　and
perfection　ever　before　him；　he　was　one　of　the　humblest　of　men。　The　closer
the　connection　with　God；　the　deeper　was　the　sense　of　his　own　weakness　and
imperfection。

Distressed　by　the　increasing　wickedness　of　the　ungodly；　and　fearing　that
their　infidelity　might　lessen　his　reverence　for　God；　Enoch　avoided　constant
association　with　them；　and　spent　much　time　in　solitude；　giving　himself　to
meditation　and　prayer。　Thus　he　waited　before　the　Lord；　seeking　a　clearer
knowledge　of　His　will；　that　he　might　perform　it。　To　him　prayer　was　as　the
breath　of　the　soul；　he　lived　in　the　very　atmosphere　of　heaven。

Through　holy　angels　God　revealed　to　Enoch　His　purpose　to　destroy　the　world
by　a　flood；　and　He　also　opened　more　fully　to　him　the　plan　of　redemption。　By
the　spirit　of　prophecy　He　carried　him　down　through　the　generations　that
should　live　after　the　Flood；　and　showed　him　the　great　events　connected　with
the　second　coming　of　Christ　and　the　end　of　the　world。

Enoch　had　been　troubled　in　regard　to　the　dead。　It　had　seemed　to　him　that　the
righteous　and　the　wicked　would　go　to　the　dust　together；　and　that　this　would
be　their　end。　He　could　not　see　the　life　of　the　just　beyond　the　grave。　In
prophetic　vision　he　was　instructed　concerning　the　death　of　Christ；　and　was
shown　His　coming　in　glory；　attended　by　all　the　holy　angels；　to　ransom　His
people　from　the　grave。　He　also　saw　the　corrupt　state　of　the　world

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when　Christ　should　appear　the　second　timethat　there　would　be　a　boastful；
presumptuous；　self…willed　generation；　denying　the　only　God　and　the　Lord
Jesus　Christ；　trampling　upon　the　law；　and　despising　the　atonement。　He　saw
the　righteous　crowned　with　glory　and　honor；　and　the　wicked　banished　from　the
presence　of　the　Lord；　and　destroyed　by　fire。

Enoch　became　a　preacher　of　righteousness；　making　known　to　the　people　what
God　had　revealed　to　him。　Those　who　feared　the　Lord　sought　out　this　holy　man；
to　share　his　instruction　and　his　prayers。　He　labored　publicly　also；　bearing
God's　messages　to　all　who　would　hear　the　words　or　warning。　His　labors　were
not　restricted　to　the　Sethites。　In　the　land　where　Cain　had　sought　to　flee
from　the　divine　Presence；　the　prophet　of　God　made　known　the　wonderful　scenes
that　had　passed　before　his　vision。　〃Behold；〃　he　declared；　〃the　Lord　cometh
with　ten　thousands　of　His　saints；　to　execute　judgment　upon　all；　and　to
convince　all　that　are　ungodly　among　them　of　all　their　ungodly　deeds。〃　Jude
14；　15。

He　was　a　fearless　reprover　of　sin。　While　he　preached　the　love　of　God　in
Christ　to　the　people　of　his　time；　and　pleaded　with　them　to　forsake　their
evil　ways；　he　rebuked　the　prevailing　iniquity　and　warned　the　men　of　his
generation　that　judgment　would　surely　be　visited　upon　the　transgressor。　It
was　the　Spirit　of　Christ　that　spoke　through　Enoch；　that　Spirit　is
manifested；　not　alone　in　utterances　of　love；　compassion；　and　entreaty；　it　is
not　smooth　things　only　that　are　spoken　by　holy　men。　God　puts　into　the　heart
and　lips　of　His　messengers　truths　to　utter　that　are　keen　and　cutting　as　a
two…edged　sword。

The　power　of　God　that　wrought　with　His　servant　was　felt　by　those　who　heard。
Some　gave　heed　to　the　warning；　and　renounced　their　sins；　but　the　multitudes
mocked　at　the　solemn　message；　and　went　on　more　boldly　in　their　evil　ways。
The　servants　of　God　are　to　bear　a　similar　message　to　the　world　in　the　last
days；　and　it　will　also　be　received　with　unbelief　and　mockery。　The
antediluvian　world　rejected　the　warning　words　of　him　who　walked　with　God。　So
will　the　last　generation　make　light　of　the　warnings　of　the　Lord's
messengers。

In　the　midst　of　a　life　of　active　labor；　Enoch　steadfastly　maintained　his
communion　with　God。　The　greater　and　more　pressing　his　labors；　the　more
constant　and　earnest　were　his　prayers。　He