All become Guilty by the Tranfgreffion of Adam as their federal Head.

ROMANS v. 12.

BY ONE MAN SIN ENTERED INTO THE WORLD.

WHEN all the branches of a tree are evidently languishing; when the leaves wither and the fruit drops off before its feafon, we naturally conjecture that the trunk itfelf must be disordered, or that some capital defect must exist in the roots from which it sprung; when all the ftreams which iffue from a particular fountain become impure; when the colour of their waters is changed, and their influence is offenfive and noxious, we immediately conclude that the fource from which they flow must be difordered. When the various parts of an arch or building are decaying; when they are feparating from each other and tottering to fall, we naturally conclude that the foundation is deranged and infecure Thus when we behold the unnumbered millions of the human family; men of all ages, of all countries, in every variety of condition plunged alike in pollution, hateful and hating one another, we are obliged to fufpect that fome fatal

accident has happened our common father; that the head itself must be difordered when the deadly contagion ftrikes through all the members of the body. The more enlightened among the heathen entertained thefe conjectures, and the more candid openly expreffed them; from the diforders of mankind in general, from the avarice of one, the intemperance of a second, the unreftrained ambition of a third, the imperfections of all,they concluded that human nature was univerfally depraved, that it had degenerated from its original purity and glory, but when or how the fatal change was effected; at what period the accurfed leaven pervaded the whole lump, or by what peculiar arrangement of Jehovah, the Son apparently inherited the corruptions of his Father, were queftions which reafon of itfelf could never have folved; although they were convinced of the fact, the cause they were unable to explore. To afford this difcovery is peculiar to the gospel of the Son of God. With this celeftial light, the bible in our hand, we behold not only the ftream of human corruption, but the very fource from which it flows. In Adam, is the declaration of this infpired, unering oracle, In Adam all die ; By one man fin entered into the world. Your attention was lately directed to the univerfal apoftacy and corruption of man. We endeavored to fupport the general charge, and to prove from the plain, repeated declarations of fcripture; from the conduct of man in

all ages and all circumftances; from their complicated miferies both temporal and fpiritual that all flelh have really corrupted their way, and come fhort of the divine glory: that fin, this bold ufurper, this foe of God and man, has obtained an unlimited reign in our world; that his dominjon is co-extensive with mankind, and reaches particularly to every fon and daughter of Adam. They are all gone afide; they are altogether become filthy, there is none that doeth good, no not

one.

Ir is defigned at prefent, with a humble reliance on the fame fpirit for direction to fhew,

1. THE manner of its entrance, by one man fin entered: And

2. THE peculiar relation of that one man to all other men, as a fufficient reason why his tranfgreffion was charged to them.

OUR firft enquiry is into the manner by which tranfgreffion obtained its entrance, by one man.

As it is undeniably evident that fin has entered our world; that it has reigned to the condemnation and ruin of all, it is equally evident that its entrance was by the failure of one. This fundamental article of our religion is no less than feven times repeated in the chapter in which our

text is contained. We are taught in the 12th verfe that by one man fin entered into the world, and the apoftle adds in the conclufion of the. fame verfe, in whom all have finned : It is af

NOTE.

* I have taken the liberty of following the marginal reading in the present instance, and rendering the words which are commonly translated, for that, in whom all have sinned. The Greek preposition epi in various instances, when it governs the dative, is rendered in.Such is evidently its meaning in Acts v. 40. They commanded that they should not speak, epi onomati, in the name of Jesus. Rom. ix. 33. Whosoever believeth, ep. auto, in him shall not be ashamed. Rom. av, 12, ep. auto, in him shall the Gentiles trust. 1 Tim. iv, 10. We trust, epi theo zonti, in the living God.— This translation of the preposition, epi, as it occurs in Rom. v, 12, is supported by the most correct and profound commentators; particularly by Guise, Beza, Stockeus and Theophilact. The latter of these exposi tors is so explicit and satisfactory that I take pleasure in transcribing his words. "In whom" he remarks, "all have sinned; that is, in Adarn all have sinned; for when he fell, they also who had not eaten of the tree became mortal by or through him so that they themselves offended, when he offended." Theop. on Rom. v, 12.

When the passage is thus translated, it establishes our federal relation to Adam beyond a doubt; it appears undeniably evident that we are involved not merely in the consequences of his transgression, but in its guilt; that we, as represented in him, were as really considered sinful as Adam who actually committed the sin.

ferted in the 15th verfe, that through the offence of one many be dead: We learn from the 16th verfe that the judgment was by one to condemnation In the 17th it is exprefsly declared, that by one man's offence death reigned by one: We are taught from the 18th verfe that by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; and in the 19th we read that by one man's difobedience many were made, conftituted, finners.

WHAT muft we infer from the frequent repetition of the fame principle? What is probably the reason that a particular doctrine is prefented to our view again and again, in verfes immediately fucceeding each other? This circumftance may convince us that our reprefentation and fall in the firft Adam is an article not only unqueftionably true, but of prime importance to the chriftian's faith. Surely the Holy Ghoft, who cannot be charged with faying or doing any thing in vain, would not repeat the fame doctrine fo frequently, nor establish it by fuch a variety of evidence unless it were a truth infinitely interefting; a truth which ought to be firmly believed and openly avowed by all. He, no doubt, forefaw the fiery oppofition which this doctrine fhould encounter from the carnal reasonings of men, and intended to furnifh us with ample, irrefiftable proof for its confirmation. Probably, also, the apostle, in this inftance, was defigned as a pattern for thofe who fhould fucceed him in