way, or, iu other words, must be chargeable with Adam's guilt. This is tlie Apostle's own statement ; and his conclusion is irresistible''.
Christ in the same manner was the head and representative of the elect world : what he did and suffered, he did and suffered in our place and stead ; " he, who knew no sin, became sin for us, that we, who had no righteousness, might become the righteousness of God in him<i." St. Paul himself not only asserts this, but draws at considerable length this very parallel between Adam and Christ, in order to evince, that, so far from being injured by this constitution of things, we have our loss in Adam far overbalanced by the remedy which God has given us in Christ ^1
2. By the communication of their nature to us —
[Adam was formed after God's image, pure and holy; but he begat children in his own fallen image, corrupt and sinful*. Nor could he do otherwise ; for " who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean^?" The fountain being polluted, the streams that issued from it could not but participate of its malignant qualities. Hence it is that we are conceived in sin and born in iniquity !>; and that all, the Apostles themselves not excepted, " are by nature children of wraths"
Thus Christ also imparts his nature to those whom he has chosen to share his benefits. He makes them " partakers of a divine nature*'," and transforms them into " the Divine image in righteousness and true holiness^:" " He himself lives in thern™;" and thus renders them meet for eternal life, even for the inheritance of the saints in light".
_ It is, however, proper to observe, that though all are said to die in Adam, and to be made alive in Christ, the benefits received from Christ do not extend to all that are affected by Adam's fall; the word "all" must, in the latter clause, be taken in a more limited sense, and import that, as they, who were represented by Adam, and are partakers of his nature, die in him ; so they, who were represented by Christ, and are partakers of his nature, shall live in him.]
Infer —
1. How much of Christ may be seen even in the character of Adam himself! —
[Adam is expressly said to be " Si figure of him that was to
" Rom. V. 12, 14. d 2 Cor. v. 21. e Rom. v. 15—21.
*■ Gen. i. 26, 27. and v. 3. b Job xiv. 4.
'' Ps. li. 5. > Eph. ii. 3. ^ 2 Pet. i. 4.
' Eph. iv. 24. m Gal. ii. 20. " Col. i. 12. VOL. XVI, B B