first parents fell from the state wherein they were created, was their eating the forbidden fruit."

It has already been remarked, that our first parents sinned before they ate the forbidden fruit. The action of eating that fruit, flowed from a heart already yielded to sin and in rebellion against God. To ascertain this fact to the guilty parties, beyond the possibility of denial, might be a part of the design in the prohibition of that act. A sense of guilt and shame however, does not seem to have been felt, till the outward and visible transgression had taken place; then it was felt with an overwhelming force. "Their bodily nakedness (says Scott) had not previously excited the sensation of shame: but now, being stripped of the robe of innocence, and despoiled of the image of God, the defence of his protection, and the honour of his presence, they perceived that they were, indeed, made naked to their shame; and their outward nakedness, appeared an indication of the exposed and shameful condition to which they were reduced."

The aggravated guilt of the sin of our first parents, it is awful to contemplate. I think it cannot be better described, than in the following passage from a commentary on Gen. iii. 6, by the excellent writer whom I have just now quoted: "Considering this offence in all its circumstances, and with all its aggravations, we may term it the prolific parent and grand exemplar of all the transgressions committed on earth ever since. Whatever there hath been in any sin of unbelief, ingratitude, apostasy, rebellion, robbery, contempt, defiance, hard thoughts of God, and enmity against Him: whatever there hath been of idolatry, as comprehending faith in Satan, the god and prince of this world, worship of him and obedience to him; of exorbitant pride, self-love, and self-will, in affecting that independency, exaltation and homage which belong to God; and of inordinate love to the creatures, in seeking our happiness in the possession and enjoyment of them: whatever discontent, sensual lust, covetousness, murder and mischief, were ever yet con

tained in any one sin, or all which have been committed upon earth, the whole concentred in this one transaction. Nor have they been wide of the truth, who have laboured to prove, that all the ten commandments, extensively and spiritually expounded, were at once violated: and the more reasonable the prohibition, and the more trifling the inducement were, the more aggravated was the offence."

But great as the sin of our first parents was, it is comfortable to think-and how does it illustrate the boundless condescension and mercy of God to know! -that there is reason to conclude it was forgiven. There have been a few indeed who have held the contrary opinion, and have maintained that Adam and Eve perished in their sin. But the general current of opinion has always been against this conclusion. And to my apprehension, the Scriptures, although they do not in so many words say that they were pardoned, yet intimate it with sufficient clearness. To them the first promise of the covenant of grace was made-the promise of salvation through a Redeemer-namely, that the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's head: and it seems to be made in such a manner as clearly to intimate their personal interest in it. Other passages also lead to the same desirable conclusion. On the whole, there is I apprehend no reason to doubt that Adam and Eve are among the redeemed of the Lord, and that our first parents will meet in heaven with all their offspring who shall be admitted there; that the infinite reach of redeeming mercy claimed its first and brightest trophy, in the remission of their sin who had ruined a world; and that in this example, as in many since, the forgiveness of the chief of sinners showed beyond a doubt, that though every unbeliever shall certainly perish, yet that whosoever believeth shall as certainly be saved.

In closing this lecture, let me lead you to reflect for a few moments

1. On the unreasonableness of sin. The unreasonableness of any act, or system of conduct, is ascer

tained by its contrariety to equity, propriety, and wisdom, or by its violation of a righteous precept or requisition. Now, can any thing be more equitable, proper, wise, and righteous, than the law of God, which requires us to love, obey, and serve him, with all our powers? He is infinitely worthy of our love; he is our Creator and benefactor; and to love and obey him is to insure our own highest happiness, as well as to promote his declarative glory. But every act of sin is committed in disregard of all these powerful and constraining considerations, and in violation of all the sacred obligations which they involve. Can any thing be more perfectly contrary than this, to every dictate of reason? In putting this question, I wish for a moment to leave out of sight, if I could, the guilt of sin. Men do not think as they ought of the contrariety of every sin to all that is rational and equitable. If they would dwell upon this till they saw it clearly, it would bring home to their consciences a sense of guilt, with irresistible force.

2. Let us for a moment think of the malignity, or evil nature of sin, as seen in its effects. It has awfully changed, in our world, the creation of God both moral and natural. There must be something inconceivably deadly in this evil, that could thus transfuse its poison, through successive ages, into every vein and member of a universe, withering every thing that it touches, and changing every thing from all that was fair, and lovely, and holy, into all that is foul, and hateful, and hellish. And yet

3. We are to remember and lay it deeply to heart, that this horrible and destructive evil has been cherished in our own bosoms, and has polluted us throughout. We are sinners-sinners of no ordinary character-sinners whose guilt is aggravated by every circumstance that can heighten transgression; and who, if our sins are not pardoned, are the heirs apparent of a peculiarly large portion of "the wrath to come." But

4. The transcendent mercy of God has provided a complete remedy-has provided a Saviour. We may

be "washed, and sanctified, and justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." Now is all this so?—and is it yet possible that any sinner should reject the Saviour? Yes, it is all soand sinners thus guilty, polluted, condemned and perishing, do reject this Saviour-presented to them, and pressed on their acceptance! Ah! this is the sin of sins; the sin that cuts the soul off from its remedy and seals its perdition:-this is the damning sin of unbelief! And will any of you, my young friends, continue in this sin, and risk its consequences? Can you go to your pillows this night, with a quiet mind, with all your guilt unpardoned? Raise the earnest aspirations of your souls to God with the breath that you now draw, to aid you by his grace—and so aided, seek till you find reconciliation with God, and the pardon and cleansing of all your sins, through the atoning blood and sanctifying Spirit of Jesus, our Redeeming God. Amen.

LECTURE XVII.

DID ALL MANKIND FALL IN ADAM'S FIRST TRANSGRESSION?

THE important and interesting subject of discussion now before us, is thus stated in our Catechism:"The covenant being made with Adam, not only for himself, but for his posterity, all mankind, descending from him by ordinary generation, sinned in him, and fell with him, in his first transgression."

The first point demanding attention in this answer is, that the covenant made with Adam related not only to himself, but to his posterity. Let us examine what evidence we have of the truth of this position.

We have heretofore shown that a covenant was made with Adam; and that the promise of it was eternal life, and the penalty eternal death. But how does it appear that this promise, or penalty, was to reach all his offspring, as well as himself? Can it be clearly shown that Adam was the representative and covenant head of his posterity, so that they were to be considered as standing or falling with him? Yes, my young friends, this is clear, beyond all rational controversy. It is clear, both from the unequivocal statements of Scripture, and from observation on the actual state of the world. The Apostle Paul, in more than one instance, runs a parallel between the ruin brought on the whole race of man by the disobedience of Adam, and the benefits procured by Christ for all his sincere disciples: and this parallel is run in such manner as to put it beyond a reasonable doubt, that Adam was a covenant head in the fall, and Christ a covenant head in the redemption and restoration of man. In a word-and that, the word of inspiration-" By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned."