Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

66

And reigned over the whole human Race;

Sect. 11. it is a felf-evident Principle that Sin is not, and Sin is not imputed when cannot be, imputed, where there is no Law; fince there is no Law.

Rom. V.13 the very Effence of Sin is the Violation of a

Law. And confequently, if we fee in Fact that Sin was imputed, we muft conclude that the Perfons, to whose Account it appears to have been 14 charged, were under fome Law. Nevertheless it is certain Death reigned from Adam to Mofes, even over Infants as well as others, over thofe I fay, who had not finned, according to the Likeness of the Tranfgreffion of Adam (e), that is, who had never in their own Perfons offended God, as Adam their Father did; who, with Refpect to the Extent of his Actions to all his Seed, was the Figure, or Model (f), of him who was to come, (g), that is, a Kind of Type of the Meffiah, as being a publick Perfon and fæderal Head.

[blocks in formation]

14 Nevertheless, Death fes, even over them that had reigned from Adam to Monot finned after the Similitude of Adam's Tranfgreffion, who is the Figure of

him that was to come:

[blocks in formation]

(e) Likeness of Adam's Tranfgreffion.] Mr. Locke and feveral more interpret this of the Gentiles, who did not fin against a pofitive Law. But they might certainly have died for their Tranfgreffion against the natural Law, under which they were born, and for which the Apoftle exprefsly afferts, not only that they were in Fact liable to perish, Chap. ii. 12, &c.) but that they knew they were worthy of Death, (Chap. i. ult.)

(f) Figure, or Model.] That the Word To has this Signification will appear from Acts vii. 44. Rom. vi. 17. Phil. iii. 17. 1 Theff. i. 7. 2 Theff. iii. 9. 1 Tim. iv. 12. Tit. Heb. viii. 5. 1 Pet. v. 3.

ii.

(8) of him who was to come: polos.] Here is evidently an Ellipfis. Moft Commen-
tators have explained it as referring to the great Perfon that was to come, or in other Words
the future [Adam,] that is Chrift. But Sir Norton Knatchbull would explain it of Man-
kind to come.
He thinks that Adam capnot with any Propriety be called a Type of Chrift,
as the Type of a Thing is its Shape, Model, or Reprefentation; and therefore if the Thing
be good, the Type of it must be fo too. Dr. Milner, in Vindication of this Interpretation,
obferves, that this will beft agree with the Apofile's Defign. For if Adam was to be con-
fidered as a publick Perfon, the Type, Figure, or Reprefentation of Mankind, his Conduct
will, as the Apoftle fays it does, affect Infants. Dr. Milner's Fading Flowers of Life,
pag. 14. But it may be fufficient to anfwer, that upon the common Interpretation, there
was plainly a Correfpondence between Christ and Adam, as each was a publick Head, tho
the Influence of each on his refpective Seed was different; fo that the whole Reafoning of
both these learned and ingenious Writers feems inconclufive.

2

(b) Thankfully

[ocr errors]

Grace, which is by one
Man, Jefus Chrift hath

67

Believers in Chrift fhall be justified from many Offences: [which is granted] by that Grace, as manifefted Sect. 11. and difplayed in that one greater and better Man Jefus Chrift, abounded to many, that is, to all the Rom. V. 15. numerous Family of Believers.

abounded unto many.

[blocks in formation]

And this in two very important Refpects. In the firft Place, the Gift [is] not merely, as the Ruin that came upon us by one that finned, in Refpect to the Number of Offences in Queftion; for the Sentence of but one [Offence paffed] upon us to Condemnation; and we were no farther affected by the fubfequent Sins of Adam, than by thofe of any intermediate Parent: But the Gift of Divine Grace, exhibited in the Gofpel, [is effectual] to our Juftification from the Guilt of many Offences. It not only delivers us from the Sentence, to which we were from our Birth liable on Account of Adam's Sin, but from that more grievous and dreadful Sentence, which we had brought upon ourselves in adult Life by our innumerable and aggravated perfonal Tranfgreffions. Moreover there is another important Article in which the Grace of the Gofpel exceeds the feeming Severity, which attended the Imputation of Guilt from our firft Father Adam; namely, that if by one Man's Offence Death reigned by one, over all his Pofterity, as we obferved above, they who thankfully and obediently receive (b) the overflowing Abundance of free Grace, and of the munificent Gift of Righteoufnefs exhibited in the Gospel, fball much more reign in Life by the one great Reftorer and Recoverer of his Seed, even Jefus Chrift; that is, Believers fhall by him be brought to a much nobler and more excellent Life, than that from which Adam fell, and which they loft in him.

Therefore

(b) Thankfully and obediently receive.] It is fo very plain, that the abundant Reign in Life by Jefus Chrift, is appropriated to Perfons of a particular Character, expreffed here by receiving the Gift, that it is furprizing any fhould have fpoken of it as common to the whole human Race. And nothing is more evident, than that the Word Aaußara has often this Senfe, and fignifies being active in embracing a Benefit propofed, or a Perfon offering himfelf under a Character of Importance. Compare John i. II, 12. Chap. iii. 11, 32. Chat • v. 43. Chap. xii. 48. Chap. xiii. 20. Jam. v. 10. 1 John v. 9. 2 John 10. 3 John 7.

[blocks in formation]

i6

17

68

Sect. 11. Rom. V. 18.

Offence of one Judgment came upon all Men to Condemnation: Even fo by the Righteoufnefs of one, the free Gift came upon all Men unto Juftification of Life.

Whereas the Law entered, that the Offence might abound: Therefore on the whole you fee, as I begun to 18 Therefore, as by the obferve to you before (i), that as [the Confequence] of one Offence, on the one Hand, [extended] to all Men, to bring Condemnation upon them, fo alfo, on the other Side, [the Confequence] of one grand Act of Righteousness extended to all Men, who receive and embrace it; fecuring to them that Juftification, which will be crowned with the Enjoy19 ment of eternal Life. For as by the Difobedience of one 'Man many were conftituted Sinners, that is, became obnoxious to Death, as if they themselves had finned; fo by the compleat and perfevering Obedience of one many shall be conftituted Righteous (k), that is, they fhall be treated as fuch in the Day of GoD's final Account; though they have no perfect Righteousness of their own to plead, in Confequence of which they should stand before GØD, and claim the Reward.

[blocks in formation]

19 For as by one Man's Difobedience many were Obedience of made Sinners: So by the

one fhall

many be made Righteous.

20 Moreover, the Law entered, that the Offence might

(i) As I begun to obferve, &c.] This 18th Verfe feems connected with the End of the 12th; and all the intermediate Verfes do undoubtedly come in as a Parenthesis; and the Reader, by perufing the interwoven Text alone, will obferve, that these Verfes, viz. 12th, 18th,. 19th, make one continued Sentence. But I judged it neceffary here, and elsewhere, to break the Paraphrafe into feveral Sentences, left the exceffive Length fhould have rendered the Senfe obfcure, and the Paffage unwieldy and difagreeable. Many of Paul's Sentences are, as they stand in the Text, obfcured by the Length. Compare 2 Cor. xii. 14. Chap. xii.

(k) Many fhall be conflituted Righteous.] To become liable to Death for the Offence of another, is indeed being thereby conftituted a Sinner, or treated as a Sinner; fince Death is, in its primary View, to be confidered as the Wages of Sin, or the Animadverfion of a righteous GOD upon it: But fimply to be raised from the Dead is not being made righteous, or treated as a righteous Perfon; fince it is a very fuppofable Cafe, and will in Fact be the Cafe of Millions, that a Sinner may be raised in order to more condign and dreadful Punishment. The whole Interpretation therefore, which Mr. Taylor has given of this Text, in this View, appears to me deftitute of a fufficient Foundation.

(1) Made a little Entrance.] Soapons properly fignifies, and is well rendered by the Kulgate, fubintravit; in which Senfe rapucalo is ufed, Gal ii. 4. Thus the partial and limited Entrance of the Law is diftinguished from that univerfal Entrance of Sin, which paffed on all, as Mr. Locke well obferves. This I think preferable to Mr. L'Enfant's rendering it, the Law intervened, that is, between Adam and Christ..

(m) Grace

[ocr errors]

But Grace reigns thro' Jefus Chrift to eternal Life.

[ocr errors]

might abound: But where
Sin abounded, Grace did

much more abound:

[blocks in formation]

Lglory

69

Rom.V. 20,

fences was aggravated by fo exprefs a Declara- Sect. 11.
tion of the Rule of Duty, violated by them:
So that on the whole, it feemed intended to con-
vince and humble, rather than to juftify. Yet,
on the whole, GOD hath taken an Occafion to
glorify the Riches of his Mercy by that Difpen-
fation, and where Sin has abounded under the
moft aggravating Circumftances, Grace bath fu-
perabounded, fo as thereby to gain a fuperior and
more illuftrious Triumph. That as Sin bad zr
reigned in the wide and univerfal Devastation,
which Death had made on those whom it had
brought under that fatal Sentence, fo Grace might
reign to fuch a Degree, as to bestow eternal Life
and Happiness, thro' the glorious and compleat
Righteoufnefs (m) which we obtain by Jefus Chrift
our Lord, when we fincerely believe in him as
our Saviour, and give up our Souls to the Au-
thority of his equitable and aufpicious Govern-

ment.

IMPROVEMENT.

ET us daily remember our Relation to GOD by Chrift Jefus, and Ver. 11: glory in this Relation; faying frequently, "He is indeed our Fa"ther. This GoD with all his adorable, unfathomable, immutable "Perfections is our GOD. He will be our Guide unto Death, and our "Portion for ever. My Soul fhall make her Boaft in the Lord. What "Relation can be fo honourable, what can afford fuch an unfailing Spring of perpetual Joy!"

[ocr errors]

Let us honour him in all his Difpenfations; even thofe which may ap-pear the most mysterious. In this Number we are undoubtedly to reckon his conftituting Adam the Covenant-Head of his Pofterity, and involving our Life or Death in him; yea, adjufting the Relation.fo, that our fpiritual State fhould be greatly affected by his Conduct, and we fhould by his Tranfgreffion become the Heirs, not only of Death but of moral Pollution, and ultimately by Virtue of our Defcent from him, be hapen in. Iniquity and conceived in Sin.

It is a Confideration.which muft carry Awe and Solemnity, Grief and Lamentation throughout all Ages, that by one Man Sin entered into the Ver. 12:

World,

(m) Grace might reign to eternal Life thro' Righteousness, &c.]. This Trajection the Senfe abfolutely requires.

70

[ocr errors]

Reflections on the Sin of Adam and the Grace of Chrift. Sect. 11. World, and Death made fuch a Progrefs by the Entrance of Sin, as to pass " upon all Men in Confequence of that Act. Oh Gop how terrible are thy Judgments! And yet how rich thy Compaffion, in appointing the fecond Adam, to repair the Ruin and Defolations of the First! Yea, more than to repair them; to deliver us from all our most aggravated Tranfgreffions, if we believe in him, and receive the Gift of Righteousness! To caufe us to reign in Life by him! To bring us to a more exalted, and fecure Happiness, than Adam himself enjoyed in the Day in which he was created, or than Eden, the Garden of GOD, could afford!

Ver. 17.

Ver. 20.

Let us adore these Superaboundings of Divine Grace, and its Reign unto eternal Life. And let all our Knowledge of the Law of GOD, our Diftress under a Senfe of having broken it, and being thereby exposed to its condemning Sentence, be confidered as illuftrating the Riches of that Grace, whereby we are faved, and fo animate us to Returns of the humblest Gratitude, and a perfevering Obedience. Amen.

Sect. 12.

Rom. VI. 1.

SE C T. XII.

The Apostle fhews, that the Gofpel, far from diffolving our Obligations to practical Holiness, does strongly increase them; which is a Confideration tending highly to recommend it to the Efteem and Acceptance of all. Rom. VI. 1,--- 14.

[blocks in formation]

HUS we have afferted the Doctrine of

THE Juftification by Faith, or in other Words,

of Salvation by Grace. And now let us confi-
der, how it is to be improved. What shall we fay
then, concerning the practical Inferences to be
drawn from it (a)? Shall we fay, let us continue
in the habitual Practice of Sin, that Grace may
abound fo much the more, in pardoning and fav-
2 ing us?
God forbid, that fuch an unworthy
Thought fhould ever arife in our Hearts. We

have

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors]

(a) What shall we fay then, &c.] The Apostle here fets himself more fully to clear and vindicate the Doctrine he taught, from the Confequence fuggested before, Chap. iii. 7, 8. He had then only in ftrong Terms denied, and renounced it, but here removes the very Founda

tion of it.

(b) Dead

« AnteriorContinuar »