=20.= Satan exerts a mastery over the spirits that have been corrupted by his practices; he is the foremost of the angels who were thrust down, and the instigator of the ruin of those who fall in this life; he seeks to molest and hinder mankind in good efforts, by tempting to sin; it may be by imposing sickness,[172] or possibly death. Yet in all these malignant doings, he can go no farther than the transgressions of the victim may enable him, or the wisdom of God may permit him to go, and he may at any time be checked by the superior power. Indeed, even the operations of his utmost malice may be turned to the accomplishment of Divine purposes. The scriptures prove to us that the days of Satan's power are already numbered,[173] his doom has been pronounced, and in the Lord's own time he will be completely overcome. He is to be bound during the millennial reign,[174] and after that thousand years of blessed peace, he will be loosed for a little season; then his defeat will be made complete, and his power over the children of God will be entirely destroyed. [172] Luke xiii, 16; Job i. [173] John xii, 31; xvi, 11. [174] Rev. xx, 1-10. THE FALL. =21. Our First Parents in Eden.=[175]--The crowning scene of the great drama of creation was the forming of man in the image of his spiritual Father, God.[176] For the reception of the first man, the Creator had specially prepared a choice region of earth, and had embellished it with natural beauties calculated to gladden the heart of its royal possessor. "The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden,[177] and there he put the man whom he had formed."[178] Soon after man's advent upon the earth the Lord created for him a companion or help-meet, declaring that it was not good that man should be alone,[179] Thus, male and female, Adam and his wife Eve, were placed in the Garden. They had been given dominion "over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth."[180] With this great power were associated certain special commands, the first of which in point of importance was that they "be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth, and subdue it;" then, that they refrain from eating or even touching the fruit of a certain tree, the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, which grew in the midst of the Garden, though of all other fruits they were permitted to freely partake. The words of God concerning this command and its penalty are:--"And I, the Lord God, commanded the man, saying, of every tree in the garden thou mayest freely eat, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it; nevertheless thou mayest choose for thyself, for it is given unto thee, but remember that I forbid it, for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die."[181] [175] Read Genesis, chapters ii and iii; Pearl of Great Price: Moses iii, iv: Abraham v, 7-21. [176] Genesis i, 26; Pearl of Great Price: Moses ii, 27.