tient to make known to them the salvation which he was to purchase with his blood.

As when he came in sight of Jerusalem, at the mount of Olives, he wept over' that guilty, ruined city;' so here he may be naturally considered as taking a solemn and compassionate view of a ruined world, and all the lost myriads of the race of Adam; as weeping over their destruction, and as saying, not, How often would I gather,' but, I will gather you,' fallen and perishing sinners, as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings.' Behold, I bring you glad tidings of great joy: for unto you shall be born a Saviour, even Christ the Lord.' Beautiful on the mountains shall he come, bringing good tidings, publishing peace, bringing good tidings of good, publishing salvation, and saying unto Zion, Thy God reigneth.' Lost as ye are, oh ye children of Adam, unto you I call: 1 rejoice in the habitable parts of the earth, and my delights are still with the sons of men.' Glory still shall be to God in the highest, and on earth peace, and good-will towards men.' 'Sing, oh heavens, and be joyful, oh earth; and break forth into singing, oh mountains; for the Lord hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted.' The heavens shall drop down from above, and the skies shall pour down righteousness; the earth also shall open, and bring forth salvation.'

SERMON XXIX.

UNIVERSALITY OF SIN PROVED

FROM

REVELATION AND FROM FACTS.

465

WHEREFORE, AS BY ONE MAN SIN ENTERED INTO THE WORLD, AND DEATH BY SIN; AND SO DEATH HATH PASSED UPON ALL MEN, FOR THAT ALL HAVE SINNED.

ROMANS V. 12.

IN the three preceding discourses, I have considered the Trial, Temptation, Apostasy, and Sentence of our first Parents. The next subject in a theological system is, the effect of the apostasy on their descendants. The consideration of this subject I shall therefore begin in the following discourse.

In the text, independently of all comments and criticisms, three things are directly asserted.

I. That by one man sin entered the world:

II. That in consequence of this event all men have sinned: III. That death, as the consequence of sin, hath passed upon all men.

Concerning the last of these assertions there is no debate. The two first therefore will occupy the present discussion; and these, for the sake of convenience, I shall reduce to the single following proposition:

VOL. I.

2 H

THAT IN CONSEQUENCE OF THE APOSTASY OF ADAM ALL MEN HAVE SINNED.

Before I enter on the examination of this doctrine, I shall premise a few observations, which I hope will in some degree be useful towards accomplishing the general design proposed in this sermon.

Perhaps no doctrine is more reluctantly received by the human mind, than that which I have just now stated. Accordingly, it has been strenuously contended against, and resolutely rejected, not only by Infidels, but by a considerable part of the Christian world, ever since it became a topic of public debate. Nor, when we remember the present character of man, can we think it strange that such opposition should exist. The doctrine in question, more than any other, humbles the pride, awaken the fears, and lessens the happiness of every child of Adam. A common interest therefore naturally summons all men to oppose it; and not unfrequently bears down the evidence by which it is supported. Christians feel this interest as truly as other men; and under the influence of this feeling resist, or forget the proof of the doctrine. At the same time the doctrine itself, it must be acknowledged, is connected with many things very mysterious, and very perplexing. These, adding embarrassment to reluctance, have in many instances persuaded men to refuse the doctrine, in spite of the testimony of experience and revelation. For myself I readily confess, that if I saw any mode of avoiding the evidence by which it is established, I would certainly reject it also.

But it can never be wise, it can never be vindicable, to deny truth, or reject evidence. If the doctrine be true, it is our interest to know it: if it be clearly evinced, it is our duty to receive it; and that, however reluctant we may be, and however mysterious the doctrine. To every sober man, this duty will appear of high importance, and indispensable obligation, if he finds that God has taught him this doctrine, as one of the truths which he has been pleased to require mankind to believe. To the interest always involved in the performance of our duty, he will find also superadded, the solemn concern of coming to the knowledge of his own guilt and danger, that he may be induced to avail himself of the only

means of pardon and safety. While he feels himself whole,' he certainly can never suspect his need of a physician:' while he is unaware of his guilt, he cannot be supposed ever to look to Christ for deliverance.

With these things in view, I hope that every member of this audience will readily open his mind to the discussion of this subject, melancholy and painful as it is; whilst, in proof of the doctrine, I allege the following arguments, derived partly from fact, and partly from revelation.

From REVELATION I allege,

1. The text, as decisive proof of this doctrine. This proof is twofold.

First, the doctrine is directly asserted, All have sinned.' Lest there should be any doubt, whether an absolute universality is intended in this place, the apostle has exhibited his intention in the most decisive manner. So death hath passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.' Here we are taught, that all sin who die. As therefore every child of Adam dies; so, according to the sentence of the apostle, every child of Adam is a sinner. Secondly, the apostle proves the doctrine by argument, and in my view unanswerably. Death cannot be the reward, or allotment, of virtuous beings. It is plainly a punishment, and a dreadful one; and can of course be, in no possible sense, a testimony of the divine approbation. But the approbation of God is invariably given to obedience. If then all men were obedient only, not one of them could suffer death, or any other evil. Accordingly, Adam, while obedient, was assured of immortal life. In the same manner also the angels, who kept their first estate,' are immortal and happy.

But death befals all the race of Adam: therefore every one is a sinner.

2. After Adam had lost the image of God, we are informed, that he begat a son in his own likeness.

'The image of God,' in which Adam was created, has been heretofore shown to be divine knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness. The likeness of Adam' is, by unquestionable analogy, the moral character which he possessed after his apostasy. In this likeness, Seth is said to have been begotten. That Cain was begotten in the same likeness will not be disputed. The same thing is indirectly, but decisively, asserted

also concerning Abel: for he is declared to have lived and died in faith, that is, in the future Redeemer. But Christ, as the Redeemer, could not have been an object of faith to Abel, had he not been a sinner; or in other words, had he not borne the likeness of apostate Adam. But, if this was the nature of the immediate children of Adam, it cannot even be suspected that it is not equally the nature of his remoter progeny; or that they do not all bear the likeness of their common parent. Not a shadow of reason can be given, why one law should have governed the birth and character of his immediate descendants, and another, the birth and character of the rest.

3. St. Paul, in the three first chapters of the Epistle to the Romans, has argued this point at large, concerning both Jews and Gentiles.

On this argument he himself is, undoubtedly, the best commentator; and his comment is given to us in the following terms. 'What then? Are we (Jews) better than they (Gentiles?) No, in no wise; for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; as it is written, There is none righteous, no not one. There is none that understandeth, there is none that secketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no not one.'

4. The same apostle declares, that by the works of law, no flesh shall be justified in the sight of God.

But if sinless men, if even one sinless man, existed in this world, he could not fail to be justified by the works of the law; for the law itself says, He who doeth these things,' that is, the things required in the law, shall live by them.' As therefore no flesh,' no child of Adam, shall be justified by the works of law;' it follows irresistibly, that every one is sinful.

Of the same purport is the declaration of Christ to Nicodemus, 'Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.' The only use or effect of the new birth is, that in it holiness is implanted in the mind. But if any man were sinless, he could not need regeneration, nor be regenerated. He would already perfectly possess that holiness which is imperfectly communicated in regeneration; and of course, would see the kingdom of God,' as cer