ing mind. "It is, then, possible," he || of the truth;" and that "the found- After all, the reader may feel his heart rise in opposition to the doctrine of sovereign eternal election; he may having attempted to illustrate aud defend it; but let him know, assuredly, that, unless "God hath, from the beginning, chosen" him " to salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth;" unless God do have mercy on him, because " he will have mercy," he will perish forever. So this doctrine furnishes ground for hope, respecting others, and of encour agement to use means, for their salva-be much offended with the writer, for tion. When christians see a child, a friend, or a neighbour, walking in the ways of wickedness, and refusing to be reclaimed, were it not for this purpose of God to save some such guilty creatures, they might well despair of his salvation. But, knowing that God hath chosen some to salvation, and hath "mercy on whom he will have mercy," they may yet hope, that this perverse and stubborn child, or friend, or neighbor, may become a subject of divine grace, and be formed "a vessel of mercy, prepared unto glory." In this gracious purpose of God, therefore, they It is a question which has, at differfind ground of encouragement to pray,ent times, been considerably agitated in and to use other means, for the salva- the christian world, in what manner, or tion of sinners. in what sense, the posterity of Adam ON TROPHIMUS. For the Utica Christian Magazine. AM WITH THE SINFULNESS OF HIS POS- Sometimes, almost a whole congre- are affected by his sin. A correct knowgation, who are favored with the faith-ledge of this question must be highly ful preaching of the gospel, appear ve-important, as all the christian doctrines ry careless and unconcerned about the are, more or less, connected with it, or salvation of their souls. They evident-dependant upon it. It is an opinion conly refuse the gracious invitations of their || siderably prevalent, perhaps the more Redeemer, and will not have him to common opinion, that the posterity of reign over them. Year after year, their || Adam were so included in him, as their minister, apparently, labours in vain, federal head and representative, as to and spends his strength for nought.sin with him in his first transgression,Well, therefore, might he entirely des- They who advocate this opinion, conpair of success, were it not for the doc-ceive that Adam's sin in eating the fortrine under consideration. But, know-bidden fruit, was transferred to his posing that "God hath, from the beginning, terity, so as to become their personal chosen" some to salvation," that "he sin. This opinion is supposed to be suphath mercy, on whom he will have mer-ported by the apostle in the 5th of Rocy ;" and that it pleaseth him," by the mans; particularly in the 12th verse, foolishness of preaching, to save them where he says, "By one man sin enterthat believe," he still labours in hope.-ed into the world, and death by sin, and "Possibly," he says, "God may yet so death passed upon all men, for that pour out his Spirit, even upon this all have sinned." From these words it dreadfully stupid congregation, revive is very manifest, that the apostle consihis work, and make this people willing ders sin to be as extensive, as he does in the day of his power; and so my death, and proves the universal prevalabour shall not be in vain in the Lord." lence of the one, by that of the other.Under such circumstances, how con- But he does not here assert that the sin soling it must be, to the faithful minis- of Adam was transferred to his posteriter of Christ, to know, that God hath ty, so as to become their personal sin, chosen some to salvation, through || nor do his words imply any such thing. sanctification of the Spirit, and belief All that can be clearly inferred from Respecting the idea that the sin of Adam was transferred to his posterity, and made their personal sin, the following things may be observed: these words is, that there is a connec-idently supposes the voluntary agency tion between Adam's sin and the sinful- || of the creature in its commission. But ness of his posterity, or that all men, if this be the true idea of sin, it maniby some means, become sinners, in con- festly follows, Adam's sin could not be sequence of his sin... be transferred to his posterity, that is, they cannot be considered guilty of his sin in eating the forbidden fruit. For admitting that they could, they would be guilty of a crime which they never 1. It does not appear to be consistent || committed, and in which it was imposwith the goodness of God. On the sup-sible they should have any agency at position that Adam's sin was transferred || all; and, of course, sin, with them, would to his posterity, or that they sinned in not be a transgression of the law, which him, all the millions of the human race would be wholly inconsistent with the must be considered personally guilty of words of the apostle, or with the idea of a crime, which was committed before sin, as appears from the scriptures. they had any existence,& in which they 3. The sentiment that Adam's sin was could have no agency. But how can this transferred to his posterity, is inconsistidea be reconciled with the goodness of ent with what is said of a future judg the divine character? Can it be right ment. According to the scriptures, God for God to aecount his creatures guilty will judge every man according to his of a crime, to which they never con works. The deeds of mankind, whether sented, and in which they could have good or bad, will be the rule by which pp. choice? Their connection with God will distribute rewards and punishAdam as their federal head, makes, in ments, at the great day. But they who this case, no kind of difference. It consider the sin of Adam to be transwould be the same thing to transfer the ferred to his posterity, in such a manner sin of Adam, or the guilt of his sin, to his as to be their sin, suppose there are mulposterity, as it would be to transfer the || titudes of the human race who die withsin of any other man, to another. But out committing any actual sin. If this this is easily seen to be unjust, and conbe the case it is difficult to determine trary to God's treatment of his crea-what will become of them in the future tures. God's ways are equal. He is world. If they have not committed any holy and just in all his dealings with the sin, it is certain they have not transchildren of men. It is according to the gressed the law, and therefore cannot Divine constitution that "the soul, that be condemned by it. If they are consippeth, it shall die. The son shall not demned it cannot be for any evil works bear the iniquity of the father, neither they have done, while here below, but shall the father bear the iniquity of the it must be for a crime committed by son: The righteousness of the righteous their first parents, before they had any shall be upon him, and the wickedness existence. But this would be altogethof the wicked shall be upon him." er inconsistent with the Divine pro2. It does not appear consistent with || ceedings. God will punish, or reward, what is said, in the scriptures, respect his rational creatures, according to their ing the nature of sin. "Whoever com-works, whether they have been good, mitteth sin transgresseth also the law; or evil. for sin is the transgression of the law." The fact is, the idea that mankind are This is the definition which the inspired personally guilty of Adam's sin, suppoapostle gives of sin. And according to ses them to come into the world with a this definition, there can be no sin with-sinful, depraved disposition, antecedent out transgression. And transgression to, and independent of, any agency of necessarily supposes voluntary action. their own. And this is the same as to Every thing, it is conceived, which is say, that the characters of human betaught in the scriptures concerning sin,ings are formed without their knowlappears. consistent with the definition || edge, consent, or agency. But this is which the apostle here gives, which ev- very absurd in itself, and contrary to the scriptures. It is absurd, because we always suppose men to be active, in forming their own characters. And it is contrary to the scriptures; because they evermore represent mankind, in the present state, as forming characters for eternity. which any of the human race have, is through their union to him. It does not imply that his righteousness is really made the believer's righteousness. By embracing Jesus Christ by faith, believers receive the benefits of his righteous doubt that sinners are justified through the righteousness of Christ, in the same sense, that they are condemned thro' the disobedience of Adam. But is it ||according to the scriptures, that the righteousness of Christ is transferred to sinners, so as to become their personal 4. The idea of Adam's sin being righteousness? It is true, Christ is caltransferred to his posterity, is inconsis-led "the Lord our righteousness." But tent with the atonement. If Adam's this imports that all the righteousness, sin was transferred to his posterity, so as to become their personal sin, then it follows, that the sins of mankind must be transferred to Christ, in such a sense as to become his personal sin, in order to his making any atonement. For it is manifest, from the scriptures, that Ad-ness, and are accepted in the sight of am stands in a relation to his posterity, God, as freely as though they possessed similar to that in which Christ does to it. Still, believers do uol, and cannot, his people. This is clear from the words possess the righteousness of Christ as of the apostle in his epistle to the Ro- their own. Were this the case, they mans. "Therefore, as by the offence of could not be considered in the view of one,judgment came upon all men to con- God, as indeed they are in themselves, demnation, even so by the righteousness sinful and unworthy creatures, and as of one, the free gift came upon all men deserving everlasting punishment. unto justification of life. For as by one The true idea of a sinner's justificaman's disobedience, many were made," ||tion appears to be this: The sinner by or constituted, "sinners, so by the obe-faith is brought into a union with Christ; dience of one shall many be made right- || embraces him as his only Savior, and, eous." The scripture assures us, that in this way, becomes a partaker of those "Christ died for the ungodly,-that he blessings which result from his atonesuffered the just for the unjust,—that by ment and righteousness. his stripes we are healed, and that God made him to be sin for us." But, not-of Adam's sin and guilt to his posterity, withstanding, we do not suppose that is inconsistent with the Divine goodness, Christ was a sinner, as must have been with the nature of sin, with the rule of the case, if our sins were transferred to a future judgment, with the atonement, him. Were we to admit that our sins and with the justification of a sinner were transferred to Christ, it would through faith in Christ. And if it is inprove him to be the greatest sinner in consistent with all these, it must be inthe universe. But we know, though he consistent with the truth, and of course was made sin for us, yet "he knew no without any foundation. sin." He was, through the whole period of his life, "holy, harmless, and separate from sinners." This being the case, it cannot be true, that our sins were transferred to him, in such a sense as to become his sins, or to make him a sinner. Consequently, if the parallel drawn by the pen of inspiration is just, the sin of Adam could not be transferred to his posterity. Thus it appears, that the transferring The question now returns-What is the connection between the sin of Adam and the sinfulness of his posterity? It is believed, this question cannot be solved in any consistent manner, but the following: The Divine constitution was such, that if Adam had remained obedient to the law of God, his posterity would all have come into the world holy, that is, their first moral exercises 5. The sentiment under considera- would have been holy exercises. But tion is inconsistent with what is said of if he became disobedient, and transgresa sinner's justification through the right-sed the law of his Maker, his posterity eousness of Christ. There can be no should commence their existence in It is true, that by the Divine constitution, all the human race will commence their existence in sin, and there is a necessity for it. Yet, it is not a natural, but a moral necessity. It is a necessity which does not exclude, but establish moral agency. It is a necessity which does not destroy, but secure the freedom of creatures, and makes them active in forming their own characters, and accountable for their own sins. And if none are considered criminal only for those sins which they freely and voluntarily commit, then none have any reason to find fault with God, or with his most wise and perfect constitution. sin; that is, their first moral exercises should be sinful exercises. According to this solution of the question, human beings do not come into the world with an unholy, sinful disposition or taste, antecedent to their having any moral exercises. They do not come into the world stained with the sin and guilt of Adam's sin, before they have committed any sin themselves. But by the Divine constitution, they immediately, or at the instant they commence moral agency, begin, from their own choice, to sin, or to exercise unholy volitions. The first moral exercise they have, decides their character as sinners, and is the first link in the long chain of transgressions, which bind men down to per This connection between the sin of dition. Hence, it appears, that though Adam, and the consequent siufulness of all men became sinners in consequence his posterity is consistent with what is of the sin of Adam, yet they have, and said in the scriptures, respecting the naare accountable for no sins but their ture of sin. In them sin is represented, as own, voluntary, personal sins. There we have seen, to be the voluntary transis, however, one sense and only one, ingression of the Divine law. According which they may be said to be guilty of to the scriptures, there is no sin but Adam's sin, and that is by approving of what consists in voluntary exercise. it. By approving of his sin, or the sins of any other man, we become partakers in his guilt. It is consistent with the rule by which God will judge the world; for according to the constituted connection between Adam's sin, and the sinfulness of his posterity, men are criminal only for their sinful exercises or evil deeds; and consequently, will be condemned for them only, at the judgment day. It is consistent with the scriptural doctrine of the atonement; for according to this connection, the sin of Adam was not transferred to his posterity; and, therefore, it was not necessary that the sins of men should be transferred to Christ, as their substitute. But, it may be asked, is the solution of the question which has been given, a greeable to the scriptures? It is humbly conceived that it is. Nothing in scripture is seen to be against it. There is no objection here to the goodness of God. He, as a holy Sovereign, had a right to constitute Adam the representative of his whole race, and to suspend their future characters upon his conduct; if by doing this, he did not charge to their account the sin of which they were never guilty, and to which they It is consistert also with justification never consented. But this he has not through faith in Christ Jesus: for agreedone. Men are accountable only for ably to this constituted connection, it is their own, voluntary, personal sins. not necessary that the righteousness of There is, therefore, no more reason to Christ should be transferred to believfind fault with God for so ordering it, || ers, in order to their justification; but that the sin of Adam should be attend only that by faith they should be bro't ed with the consequent sin of his pos-into a union with him, and so partake of terity, than there would be, if he had the benefits of his righteousness. And formed no constitution respecting the it is conceived to be consistent with affair. For by this constitution, the hu- reason and the whole word of God. man race are criminal, only for their own personal sins: and this is surely most just and equitable. The subject thus elucidated, admits of several obvious deductions. 1. We see the absurdity of the very Christ Let par 2. The subject may teach us the inconsistency and cruelty of censuring Adam, as though he had involved us in his sin and guilt without our consent. common idea, that Christ atoned for o- || by which we must be saved." riginal sin, so that infants are free from says, "I came not to call the righteous, any sin. but sinners to repentance." He can This idea proceeds upon the suppo-never benefit any of the human race, sition, that Adam's sin was transferred but those who are sinners, lost sinners, to his posterity. By original sin, they If infants, therefore, are not sinners, mean the sin which we inherit from they can never be ranked among the Adam, before we have committed any redeemed from among men. Such is actual transgression, or had any moral the inevitable consequence of denying exercises. But if, as we have seen, his||the sinfulness of infants. These tender sin was not transferred to his posterity, mercies are indeed cruelty. then it follows, that they have no orients then consider their infant offspring ginal sin to answer for; that is, they are as sinners, and there is room enough for not guilty of Adam's sin, and, of course, them in the arms of the Savior. If they they needed no atonement for it. The are faithful to them, they may hope that sin of our first parents in eating of the they will be saved through infinite grace forbidden tree, may properly be denom-in Christ Jesus. inated the original sin, as it was the first sin that was committed by human beings. For this sin they were personally || guilty. But none of the human race can be charged with the guilt of that sin, unless by approving of it, they voluntarily make it their own. Christ, therefore, by his atonement, has not done away original sin from the human race, or from infants, which they had antecedently to any actual transgres sion, for no such sin was ever charged to their account. He could not atone for sin in them which never had an existence. Infants, therefore, are not in nocent or holy, because Christ has to ken away from them original sin, for they never had any such sin. If they are innocent or holy, therefore, it must be on some other account, than their being freed from original sin, by the atonement of Christ. There is a pro-in consequence of their own sins. They pensity in most parents to consider their infant children, as innocent little creatures, and as beings wholly free from sin. But, it is apprehended, they do not well consider what they do; for, however difficult it may be to conceive how they can be guilty of actual sin, meaning by actual sin wrong feelings, or exercises of heart; yet, in view of scripture, this is the only ground on which we can hope for their salvation. If we deny their being sinners, actual sinners, for their can be no other, we wrest them from the arms of the Savior, and exclude them from every hope of heaven. "For there is none other name under heaven, given among men, The evils which fall upon men, in consequence of their own sins, they frequently charge wholly upon him, as though he was the cause of all their woe, and they exempt from any blame. This is very inconsistent and cruel. For though Adam's conduct was awfully criminal in the sight of God, and attended with the most fatal consequences to his posterity; yet by his transgressionhe did not involve them in his sin, nor lay them under any natural necessity of following his example. And it may in truth be said, that all the evils which men suffer in the present life, as well as those to which they are exposed in the life to come, do, and will fall upon them, suffer no more, and they will suffer no more, though cast off forever, than the demerit of their own personal crimes. Instead, therefore, of laying their blame upon Adam, they ought to take it to themselves, to whom it belongs. 3. This subject shows us that the ways of God are equal. According to the divine constitution, all those who perish, will perish for their own sins, and not for those of another. Men are answerable to God, for those sins only, which are the result of their own choice. There are no other sins in the universe, and can be none, but voluntary sins. Involuntary sins are no sins. If men perish, it will be, because they pull down |