come";" and Christ, in reference to him, is called the second Adam P. Both of them were the representatives of their re- spective seeds; but, blessed be God! not with the same suc- cess : the one destroyed, the other saves, the souls committed to him. Let us then renounce, as far as possible, our con- nexion with him who has brought condemnation upon us, and seek an union with him, " through whose obedience we may be made righteous."]
2. Of what importance is it to understand and receive the Gospel ! —
[It is only by the Gospel that we can be acquainted with the work of Christ, and obtain an interest in him : if we know him not, we remain under all the disadvantages of the fall. It is this Gospel which gives to the least and meanest of us so great an advantage over all the philosophers of Greece and Rome. They saw in what a fallen state the world was : but how it became so, or how it could be remedied, they had no conception. We however know both the one and the other : we know that in Adam we died, and that in Christ we all may be made alive. True, this does not accord well with the dictates of corrupt reason. But to dispute about this doctrine is to no purpose : we are dead in Adam, whether we will believe it or not ; nor can we obtain life, but in and through Christ. Let us then not reject the gracious over- tures of Christ, but turn to him in this our time of acceptance, this day of our salvation.]
3. How thankful should we be for God's distin- guishing mercy to the sinners of mankind! —
[When angels fell, there was no Saviour provided for them : they were punished for the first offence, and will remain monuments of God's indignation to all eternity : but we are spared, yea, are saved by the mediation of God's co-equal Son^. Let heaven and earth praise him! and let every tongue noiv, as surely we shall hereafter, adore him for such unmerited, incomprehensible love !]
« Rom. V. 14. The Greek, p 1 Cor. xv. 45 — 47. i Heb. ii. 16.