Vers. 21-23, 15.-The two Adams. In introducing this subject, set forth, explain, and ill us Irate the distinctions between the relations in which man stands to God as an individual, as b~und together in the membership of a community or nationality, or as a specially constituted race. In all matters of government and order God is pleased to deal directly with the individual, but mediately and representatively with families with c_itize~s, ~nd with r~ces. In these cases some individual stands before God,~ deal with 1nm rn behalf ot those he represents, and the results of his dealin" a.Hect all those in whose name he goe~ forth. Illustrate by the sentiment that was cherished in tribes. The whole tribe was carried, as it were, by the sheikh, or chief, and affected for good or evil, by his action. Or illustrate by the notion of a champion, as found in Iloman history. He stands for the army, and by his conduct carries defeat or victory for them all. Similarly the ambassador, or plenipotentiary, pledges the nation to the peace or settlement which he makes in its name, and every individual really makes the peace in him whom the nation sends forth to stand for them. Upon this familiar fact and truth the idea of the two Adams is based. We must remember that men may ·oe classified in various ways-physically, locally, intellectually, morally, or spiritur.lly, and under each classification men can act both directly and by representation. As a spiritual race of beings, man has had, at different times, two race-heads, the first and the second Adam. I. THE FIRST ADAM REGARDED AS A RACE-HEAD, OR REPRESENTATIVE. Show how the race is bound up in him. Whether or not he be the actual race-father, this is certain, "God has made of one blood all nations to dwell upon the earth," and the blood is Adam's, the type is Adam's, the whole bodily and mental functions are precisely Adam's, and God is pleased to deal with the race through this Adam, making him the race's test-man, and laying the race under the burdens that were laid upon him. If we force the idea of our individuality into an undue strength, we shall resist the idea that any man can carry us with him so as to win for us blessing or woe; but if we duly estimate the solidarity of the human race, and what this involves for the good of the race, we shall be willing to accept the idea, and the consequences, of this mediation or representation. The standing of humanity before God is settled by the standincr of Adam. The disabilities of humanity come as the disabilities of Adam, the consequ~nces of his failure. It may even be that what we call deallt, as distinguished from simple change and passing, is due to Adam's fall. Aud our very character may be said to be deteriorated throucrh Adam's triumphant wilfulness. We do not say that our relations with the first Adam are limited to these representative ones, but we do say that these are the prominent relations, and those which enable us to apprehend the similar relations of the Lord Jesus Christ. II. THE SECOND ADAM REGARDED AS A RACE-HEAD, on IlEPRESENTATIVE. Observe that the first Adam was directly born of God, not of any previous human being; and so, we are taucrht was the Lord Jesus, tho11gh his full kinship with our humanity is brought home t~ u~ by his having a human mother. He, then, is a fitting new Race-Head, and God is pleased to deal with him in our name, and his dealings with him cover, carry, and include us, as those for whom he stands. Work out: 1. liow Christ stood for us as penitent sinners, and won for us full pardon. 2. How Chr!st presented, in _our name, pe1fect obedience, and won for ~s full ac?ept~nce. 3. How Chnst asked for us life eternal, and gained the unspeakable gift. He 1s lnmsclf the typo and the model of the new human race, the race that hates sin, and loves righteousness, and seeks God; and every one of us who makes Christ stand for him thereby pledges himself that ho will give cu. xv. 1-58.] THE FIRST EPISTLE TO TIIE CORIN1'HIA~S. 54;;
himself no rest until he is in everything just what Christ represents him to be. And so "in Christ shall all be made alive."-R. T.